Patting the wolf on its back, I glanced over at the leader of this pack… and the leader of mine.

"I do not belong to the Society. Not properly," Bray told Renn.

"Why not?" Renn asked without hesitation, showing once again she genuinely didn't feel any fear in front of a powerful monarch.

She was sitting on the ground, in the tall grass and flowers. Bray was lying down as well, but instead was doing so on top of a large boulder not far from Renn. She was looking down at Renn, her ears twitching and fluttering as if in sync with Renn's. The two sounded as if they were just having a leisurely chat, but every question made one of my muscles ache in worry. It was almost scary, in a way.

"I do not wish to protect humans, or your kind. I want nothing to do with them," Bray answered calmly.

"I see," Renn frowned as she nodded, seemingly not too surprised or bothered by the monarch's answer.

Some heavy paws ran past, and the wolf I had been gently petting darted off to chase them. I watched the dark colored wolf nip at the tail of the gray one, running off together into the distance as they played with one another.

I watched the pair, and glanced around at the other dozen or so wolves within sight. They ranged in colors, but only a few were outside the norm. One was a pretty silver, similar to Bray, and another had an almost reddish hue to its fur.

Of them all, as far as I was aware, only three were capable of speech. The rest were as basic as the animals they looked like. Though I had no doubt they had more reasoning and sense than a typical wolf would. The red one, sitting not far from Renn and studying her with great interest, was one of the ones capable of speech. I didn't know its name, if it even had one. The other two I've heard speak before were nearby too. They were sitting together, resting against each other as if tired or weary. They were darker in color, and were actually a little smaller than their fellows.

"Do you too then have an agreement with Vim?" Renn then asked.

Bray tilted her head a little. "Yes. I do."

"Would Vim actually kill you if you didn't fulfill it?" Renn asked further.

Frowning at her, I wondered where Renn was going with this.

"Why wouldn't he? If I did not uphold my end of the bargain, then I would be a calamity. And if not Vim, another would rise to put a stop to me," Bray said, answering Renn's question smoothly.

"Another?" Renn asked.

Bray nodded deeply down at Renn. "The world does not take kindly to one breaking its natural order. It may be lazy now, since Vim is so proactive with his wrath, but if he was to step aside or disappear then it would simply return to its natural state and such contingencies would once again become common. It could be in the form of a human army, a group of non-humans, other monarchs or natural disasters but there is always something eventually," Bray explained.

Renn frowned up at the giant wolf, her tail squirming wildly behind her. After a few moments of deep thought she turned to look at me. "Is that what you are then, Vim? The world's… what? Corrector?" she asked both me and Bray.

"Corrector seems fitting, but I don't believe it's the title or if there is one for it. My mate believed it was just the natural order forcing itself back into place. Fate, or maybe providence," Bray said.

"I'm not a design of this world in that way, no. But I'd not mind it if I was, to be honest. Then though I'd have to admit there is such a thing as divine providence that forces the world back to its normal state when things get too out of scale, and I don't believe that to be the case. The gods would not have existed if that was the true," I said as I stepped forward, since it seemed I was going to be a part of their conversation now.

"Wouldn't your complete deicide of gods only prove it, Vim?" Bray pointed out.

"Oh! It would! If they really upset the natural order, then their annihilation definitely plays into the idea!" Renn agreed happily.

Bray nodded as well. "It would explain his fervent hatred too. It could of course be real, and sourced from a true emotional trauma, but there is no denying it is strangely overpowering of his other emotions. So another power, or fate maybe, further pushing those emotions within him could be an explanation," Bray continued, building off the idea.

"Now just wait a moment…" I tried to speak up, to stop the two from going down a weird path of topics I absolutely did not want them to traverse.

But the two ignored me, as if on purpose.

"It does seem strange for Vim to have such hatred. He's such a calm and even-natured man concerning all other things. Yet the moment one of you, or a saint or god, get involved it's as if he becomes a different person entirely," Renn said with a sigh.

"Is he not emotional in other ways? I'd always figured a man of such great abhorrence would likewise be a love struck fool," Bray asked.

"Abhorrence?" Renn asked.

"A word for my hatred. It's more disgust and loathing than just hatred," I defined the word for her.

Renn smiled and nodded. "That's a far better word for it, isn't it? You don't just hate them, you feel sick when you even think or see them. Maybe Bray is onto something? Is your feeling towards them not your own Vim, but something influenced?" Renn asked.

My eyes twitched as I glared at the woman happily smiling before me. She was sitting down, with her legs underneath her, looking as if she was having a picnic or something. The only thing missing was food, or something to drink.

Though maybe in this context I was the one being eaten, or drunk. Or rather instead, my turmoil and suffering at their teasing.

"Hm… I do suggest maybe changing topics, little Renn," Bray then softly said.

Renn glanced at Bray, and I watched as Renn's ears went stiff as they pointed upward as she looked back at me… and after studying me for a small moment she sadly smiled and nodded. "Seems so… Then… Can I ask about your mate, Bray? What was his name?" Renn, being her usual self, humbly changed topics.

Although relieved, I still felt the ache of annoyance as I shifted and looked away from the two.

Just great. Now such a stupid idea would be in Renn's head from now on.

Bray believing such a thing didn't bother me. Her opinion, her beliefs, meant nothing to me. It didn't change anything. But Renn?

I didn't want her to believe such a thing. Especially since it wasn't true. At all.

How could my hatred be fake? How could my emotions towards gods, and their likeness, be not my own?

Impossible.

There was no way that I could be some kind of… arbiter or balancer of scales. Not in that form or fashion.

The proof was obvious. Clear. As night and day. But to share it, to tell her why I had such proof that my hate was my own… would also mean I had to tell her the reason for it.

And I wasn't sure if I was ready for that yet.

"My mate had no name. He had been the son of a First Born, and Vim had spared him thanks to the aid he had given in the destruction and downfall of the god which created us," Bray explained.

I tried my best to focus on their conversation, as to distract my own internal debate.

To tell her now, or keep it secret?

It hurt. A part of me wanted to tell her, I really did. I had decided. I had chosen her. But every time such an opportunity came… I recoiled as if every fiber of my being was crying out to not do so.

"What um… what happened to him? As far as I'm aware not much can kill your kind, especially the ones so close to their sources," Renn asked.

I blinked, leaving my thoughts as I studied Renn who was staring up at Bray with a look full of wonder. As if she was a pup being taught a lesson.

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What a question. It told me a lot about Renn. Particularly it told me she was paying far more attention to the things I said than I wanted to admit. How many times have I even mentioned such things? Less than a handful, I'm sure. Yet she almost spoke as if she knew all about monarchs and their more intricate secrets.

"Simple age. Although the son of a First Born his heart had not been very mighty. Vim and I tried to feed him hearts, to empower him, however he was able to absorb but only three in his life. Not enough to make a difference," Bray spoke calmly to Renn, but not without emotion. I could hear, and likely so then too could Renn, the tender tone she was using. Bray was speaking as if to a young child about their late father, honestly but gently.

"I see. And… all of these are you children?" Renn asked as she looked around us. There were only half a dozen nearby now, the rest were off in the distance running around.

"They are. These are my direct descendants. They all have children too, but I don't like the lesser ones nearby. So they keep their distance," Bray said.

"Lesser ones?" Renn asked.

"The ones born without any of my blood within them. No hearts. No greater traits. Mere animals," Bray explained.

Renn's ears fluttered, and she glanced over at me. I noted the look in her eyes, recognizing the look of slight pain in them.

She had not liked how Bray spoke of them, it seemed.

Though if she was bothered by Bray's cold displeasure with her own descendants or Bray's outlook on life in general I couldn't tell.

"It bothers you, what I said?" Bray asked, having obviously noticed as I had.

Renn shifted a little as she looked back up at Bray. "A little."

"Why?"

"They're still your children, aren't they? Even if… lesser?" Renn asked.

Bray hummed, her huge silver tail swishing along the rock she was laying upon as she studied Renn. "So… if you gave birth to what would basically be a human, you would love it all the same?" Bray asked.

Renn nodded. "I'd weep, and… feel terrible, but I would yes. It wouldn't be their fault they were born without our traits, and they would still be of my own flesh and blood," Renn answered.

"I find that difficult to understand," Bray answered without missing a beat.

"How so?" Renn didn't either.

"They may be of our flesh and blood, but they obviously lack something else. Something just as, if not more so, important. In my case, if they have no heart I can understand. Their father, my mate, his heart had been feeble as well. So it is not a great sin to be lesser in that sense. But to not be greater? To not have our strength, our lifespan, our knowledge and insight? To be just as basic as the creatures we devour and subsist upon? That means they are no more than food. Something to be eaten or tossed aside, nothing more," Bray said, explaining her very… basic perspective on life.

One that was, or at least had been, very common back in the day.

And not just among monarchs either.

"But I don't eat humans. So to me I'd not see them as food, no matter how… unlike me they were," Renn argued.

"Hm… that might be a factor, I suppose. To me a human would be a meal. But, so too would a normal non-human. The only reason I'd not kill one of your kind on sight is because within your veins flow the blood of my own kind. So I suppose in my perspective it would be simple pity that I'd spare you, on normal circumstances," Bray reasoned.

Renn hummed as she absorbed Bray's line of thinking. "Tor doesn't think much differently than you do. Though I feel he values them more than you do, but that might only be because he sees them as his property. He cherishes them not because of who or what they are, but simply because they are his," Renn said as she understood.

"Tor is a tiny creature who believes his worth is in his power and how far that power reaches. My mate should have eaten him when he had the chance," Bray said as she showed off some upper teeth, snarling ever so lightly.

"He had the chance to eat Tor?" Renn asked, finding that interesting enough to ignore the snarl.

"Twice. Once even with Vim's permission. My mate was as foolish as he was weak in the heart. Pfa," Bray scoffed, making an odd noise as she did. She shook her head a little, as if she had gotten spit somewhere it wasn't supposed to be thanks to her scoff.

Renn glanced at me, and as she did another wolf appeared. One with brown fur. It hurried over to me, huffing a little as it dropped something from its mouth next to my foot.

Ignoring Renn's look, and the obvious questions littered upon it, I looked down to the thing the wolf had brought to me.

A stick.

"Really?" I asked the wolf, as it sat up and began to wag its tail like crazy.

As it did I looked over to Bray, found her staring intently our way, and for the smallest moment I wondered if the poor wolf was about to find out the hard way about its mother's distaste for what she considered lesser activities and beings.

Bray was proud to be a monarch. To the point she looked down even on the full-blown wolves in her own bloodline. Creatures that were still huge when compared to their fellow kin.

She had just told Renn how she felt about creatures that acted beneath her station. What she hadn't told Renn was that she actively ate or killed those she deemed inferior, even her own children.

And this thing had not just acted far beneath that station, but instead more like a tamed dog.

Instead of doing anything though Bray simply looked away, sighing as she returned her focus to Renn.

The wolf sitting nearest Renn however, the one with reddish fur, kept staring at the wolf patiently waiting for me to throw the stick. It looked pissed.

Ignoring the wolf still panting next to me, and the stick, I kept my focus on Renn as she too looked away.

"You've been around for some time, I'm assuming. Did you ever meet Celine?" Renn then asked.

"The panda? No. I would have eaten her had I been given the opportunity. I've met a few of your fellows over the years, some monarchs, and those who have wandered into my den on mere happenstance, but as I said I do not really belong to your society… nor wish to," Bray explained.

"Wandered in?" Renn asked, picking that to focus on.

Bray nodded, her tail swaying in amusement as she likely thought of the ones who've mistakenly entered her domain without realizing it over the years. As she did, the wolf next to me drew closer. It lowered its head, grabbed the stick and then dropped it again. This time close enough to fall upon my right foot.

I continued ignoring the pup as Bray shifted a little, causing many of the wolves to look up at her. "Sometimes there are those who find their way here. Into my domain. Either by complete accident, or strange coincidence as if by divine intervention. I try to spare the ones who do, since I feel they must have some greater purpose… even if whatever that may be is beyond me and my ken."

"Ken?" Renn asked with a frown. She had said it like a name.

"Knowledge," I told her.

Renn nodded without looking at me. "So you firmly believe in fate then," she said to Bray, continuing their conversation.

"Of course I do. Only a fool would deny its existence. Now… I'd be willing to argue and debate with you its ability and power, but I feel there is no point considering who your mate is" Bray said.

"Are you…" Renn started to say something, but a loud bark shut her up… and made the whole area go quiet.

Shifting ever so slightly, I ignored the eyes staring at me. From not just Bray and Renn, but the whole pack. Even the ones who were distant, that had been playing or doing whatever they were doing, had all gone still as to stare.

Slowly turning my head, I felt rather bad as the wolf that had just barked to get my attention perked up at my attention. It stood up straighter, arching back and forth on its legs as if giddy with anticipation.

"Throw it already," Renn said.

Bray chuckled, but only for a few moments. "Yes Vim. Throw it," she ushered.

Just great.

Sighing, I reached out and grabbed the wolf by the back of its head, right behind one of its ears.

It went still with a tiny yelp, and I met its eyes. "I'm sparing you. Run along and leave me be," I said, threatening it.

Letting it go, the thing didn't wait a heartbeat to spin around and dart off. Its tail firmly tucked between its legs as it ran off, heading for a distant patch of trees.

Shaking my head at the thing, I returned my attention to Bray and Renn… and found Bray smirking at me and Renn looking at me as if I had just slapped the wolf instead of saving its life.

"Why'd you do that Vim?" Renn asked, sounding upset.

"I had a moment of mercy and you're upset with me," I said, feeling suddenly tired.

Renn's upset look turned into one of uncertain worry, as Bray chuckled again and drew her attention. Bray's smirk was plain to see, even on her mighty wolf face. "Had Vim thrown that stick, and that fool of a daughter had chased it, I would have eaten her before she had been able to catch it in the air," Bray told Renn.

Renn's tail stopped swaying, her eyes narrowing a little as she understood. "Oh…" she whispered.

Bray chuckled some more and I wondered if maybe it was time we left.

I'd come here to check on her. Since it had been both on our path and because Bray had recently eaten a heart.

She wasn't ready to absorb another heart. I still felt the one I'd just given her on our last visit within her. It was pulsing very, very slowly, but the multiple out of sync heartbeats from her told me it was still formed enough to not even consider giving her another anytime soon.

And although Bray didn't really know anything too drastic of my past, I worried about what kind of strange things Renn could pick up from her in their conversations. Not just about me, but the world and beyond. Like that earlier conversation about me being some kind of tool used by fate to right the scales of the world.

"My elders had been like you. Several of them had tried to kill and eat me," Renn said softly.

"Funny," Bray said.

"How so?" I asked as I stepped forward, planning to end the conversation once I could.

Bray shifted to look at me, her eyes glowing ever so slightly. She was amused, it seemed. "She's your mate Vim. Today none would dare to snip at her throat, at least no one with plans to see the'morrow," Bray said.

I scoffed at that.

Renn laughed too as she slowly stood up. She reached out, grabbing onto my sleeve for support as she did. I was going to ask what was wrong, since I'd not yet tried to end the conversation, but she gave me a happy smile and nodded. "I think Vim's ready to go," she then said as she released my sleeve.

"Hm. And here I was wondering how long he'd endure. Farewell, Rennalee. May your pack grow strong, but not too large. Take it from me, there can be too many," Bray warned with her farewell.

Scarily, Renn actually nodded with a serious expression… as if taking the monarch's warning to heart.

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