daughter of the night

leela bheriya / werewolf / 34

[leelabheriya]

“Spring appears when the time is right; Women are violets coming to light.”  

Full Bio

Wanted Connections/Plots:

More Bheriya siblings

Ongoing Plots:

Esmeralda: Mother, alpha, pack leader

Gwen: best friend, partner in crime

Atlas: hottie

Quick Facts:

gender: female

species: werewolf (alpha)

pack: thoda laal

age: 34

sexuality: bisexual, heavily leaning towards women

relationship status: unattached

occupation: forest ranger in chissob hills

Key Events:

tba

[misskamala]

Dil diya hai jaan bhi tujhe dungi Tu ik vaari aa to sahi.

[leelabheriya]

name. Leela Bheriya age. 20 occupation. Mafia enforcer, occasional martial arts teacher

Esme's daughter, through and through

met Gwen in highschool, helped her redirect her attitude into other hobbies

trained in gymnastics and martial arts throughout her youth

graduated high school and did some traveling, but soon came home to help her mother

more tba

[leelabheriya]

esmeraldabheriya​:

thorsiffe-dragonheart​:

A broken wolf

For the first time in days, Thorsiffe was alone. Their first day in the hospital had been dedicated to surgery, their meeting with Caleb, and their pack coming to visit and check in. It hadn’t lasted long; Lillian had been there for most of it, and had been quick to usher out their kin and their boiling blood when she’d noticed Thorsiffe was growing weary, before they themself had even noticed as such.

Lillian, the woman theywere courting but who knew not that she was being courted, and Egil, Thorsiffe’s cousin and their ever fierce and loyal protector, had been by their side almost the entire time. The only times they’d agreed to leaving to take care of their own, rather pressing business had been when others from the pack had come by to look after them.

Today, Thorsiffe had sent the both of them away to go take care of their own business. Egil should not risk his job just to sit at their side. Not to mention the pack needing a protector, now that Thorsiffe was chained to their bed. Lillian had her shop to look out for, and there were plenty more people needing her help more urgently than Thorsiffe’s longing and loneliness.

They’d been gathering their thoughts on the attack and everything that had happened since, music blasting through their earbuds. As such, it took a moment for their brain to process that the sound they’d faintly heard had been a knock on their door.

Thorsiffe sat up, their covers slipping off and revealing an oversized t-shirt of some metal band and the many necklaces they wore. “Ah- Come in, yes?”

-

The talk of an attack had been going around but it wasn’t until Leela came and told her about it that Esme found out who had been attacked. The young alpha was still in the hospital according to her daughter so Esme took some time to make treat for Thorsiffe to enjoy, knowing that hospital food was bland at best. Arriving at the hospital, she found her way to the alpha’s room in no time, knocking once she arrived. 

Hearing their voice call out, Esme stepped into the room. “Hello, Thorsiffe. How are you feeling?” she asked. From the looks of it, the younger alpha would survive but Esme could tell they were agitated by this. It was understandable, Esme would have been dying to get out the hospital by now if their positions were reversed. 

“Leela told me what happened, or at least the rumor of it. I’m glad to see you’re okay.” Maybe they weren’t okay yet but they were alive and that was a good step. They may have both been leaders of packs in the city but Esme couldn’t help feel maternal towards them so it was a relief to see them doing well. “I also brought you some ginger spiced cookies.” 

The moment she’d heard about what had happened to Thorsiffe, she had relayed the information to her mother. She’d seen the other alpha in fights before dozens of times, hearing that they were in the hospital seemed almost unbelievable. Things seemed all out of sorts and leaning on her mother, her ultimate role model and mentor, helped it feel a little less chaotic. Though she wasn’t much of a baker, she did know where to find Thorsiffe’s room. 

She trailed behind her mother, the sight of Thorsiffe looking battered far too much for her to process quickly. Despite her confidence, Leela was still young and had a lot to learn. For now, she watched the two of them interact quietly from her spot by the door. “And if you need anything, I’d be happy to get it for you,” she added, wanting to be helpful somehow. 

[thorsiffe-dragonheart]

Forged upon our fists

For: @leelabheriya Location: The Punch Cage Past thread, set shortly after the Dragonheart's arrival in VC.

Thorsiffe had not need spend long in the city, before the existence of a fighting ring for those living under the Gilded Law found their ears. Such had been exactly the kind of adventures they'd hoped to find when moving to Vievecor.

Still searching for work, one might have thought Thorsiffe eager to compete for the money it offered. In stark contrast, it was what called to them least. They would welcome it, most certainly. But the experience forged in battle and the glory of your name upon the tongues of the crowd had been what truly drew Thorsiffe in.

Tonight too, Thorsiffe found themself testing their mettle in the fighting pit. They had discarded their usual clothes and jewelry in favor of a sporta bra and workout shorts, both a vibrant blue. The shorts displayed a red dragon on their butt, which they'd had a good laugh at upon first donning them. Their hair pulled up into a pun and most of their skin exposed, the werewolf was proudly displaying their tattoos. Saying Thorsiffe's body was a canvas was an apt descriptor, as they bore tattoos on all parts of it, and they came in a great and vivid variety of colors.

The crowd erupted in cheers and victory roars as they charged the staggering vampire. Pushing themself into the air, they leapt. Within the blink of an eye, they'd pulled back and erupted their legs in force again, dropkicking the vampire. Their feet planted against his chest, sending him crashing into the air and through the cage's fence, ripping the arena part ouf of its sockets.

Landing upon their back, Thorsiffe quickly rolled over and sprang to their feet, eyes darting to their opponent. He, on the other hand, simply let out a groan and remaind unconscious on the floor. Thorsiffe grinned, more cheering erupted from the crowd, and they raised their bloodied fists into the air in victory.

A moment's pause before the next fight. Their last foe was carried off, Thorsiffe was given a chair and a bottle of water, and some employees set to repairing the cage. It only took a minute for them to catch their breath - a benefit of their blood. Just as Thorsiffe had downed the bottle of water with worrying speed, a giant of a man, at least seven feet tall and with arms like logs, came up to them carrying to large mugs of beer.

Thorsiffe greeted Egil, their cousin, with a smile, and he gave them a nod and a pat on the back. One of the beers traded hands. In doing so, it went from looking like a normal glass in Egil's hand, to comically large in Thorsiffe's. "Skál," they cheersed, clinking their glasses and taking a drink. A ridiculous amount disappeared Thorsiffe's throat before they let out a satisfied 'aah', wiping the foam of their upper lip.

They and Egil talked and laughed some in their native tongue. Mostly it was Egil giving Thorsiffe pointers about where they could yet improve, and the two of them eyeing the room and theorizing who their next foe might be.

Some minutes passed, and one of the Cage's organizers came up to tell Thorsiffe the time for their next bout was nigh. They downed what remained of their beer and stepped into the cage again.

"In the right corner," the announcer's voice boomed through the speakers, "red-haired and wild, the northern wolf, we have... Dragonheart!"

Cheers and clapping came from the crowd, and Thorsiffe grinned and raised their fists into the air once more, letting out a full-throated howl. They felt alive.

"We have a bit of a themed rematch tonight," the announcer continued, and Thorsiffe quieted again. One did well to respect their foe, even in a friendly bout. Their eyes had lit up with curiosity upon hearing they had faced this one before, and they eagerly eyed the other side of the cage.

"For in the left corner, fiery and calculated, a prodigy of battle-magic, we have..." the speakers boomed. A black woman stepped into the ring, wearing a similar outfit to Thorsiffe, though hers was a fiery red, and a thick braid of dreads fell down her back. "Inferno!"

Inferno grinned, pointing a palm at Thorsiffe, her fingers spread out and bent like claws. "Ready to get burned again, wolf?"

Thorsiffe returned the grin, narrowing their eyes. "Play at fire. I shall break your bones like ice."

Instantaneously, fire crackles in the air. It was the same move, the same setup, that Inferno had used upon them last time. This time, Dragonheart is prepared. They charge forward, shifting on their feet and crouching, weaving underneath the gout of flame, though they still feel tendrils of it licking at their skin. The spell passes right through the cage's fence, and a group of customers jump for cover. Like a wave erupting to the sky, Thorsiffe springs up, pushing Inferno's hand up into the air, her fire spreading out against the ceiling.

Inferno's other hand starts moving, meaning to fling some curse at Dragonheart, but their momentum has not yet ceased. Their fist shot forward, into Inferno's face, and is met with a satisfying crack. The witch flinches, clutching her face with her free hand. Thorsiffe comes in closer, pressing herself against Inferno. Their faces side by side, looking over one another's shoulder, and they grip Inferno by the hips, before performing a Glíma throw. With their leg, they kick up one of Inferno's, wrecking her footing. Lifting her up the rest of the way with their hands, they twist their own torso to the side, using their thigh as an achor to roll their foe upon. Inferno yelps and lands on the cage's floor with a loud thud.

Thorsiffe lets themself follow, falling on top of her, but by the time they reach the ground, Inferno's has opened her mouth. And its filling with red hot light and the crackling of flames. She spews forth fire like a dragon of legend. Thorsiffe rolls over, away from her. Their arm is caught in the flames still, though only for a second, and they let out a cry as their skin is caught in the all-encompassing pain of fire.

On their knees, Thorsiffe grunts, having to pat out flames that found purchase on their skin. Meanwhile, Inferno gets up and laughs, "who's the dragon now, eh?"

She points her palm forward again, but Thorsiffe had rushed forward faster than Inferno could respond. The curse finds purchase only in the ground, disappearing with a loud 'swish'.

"I need only your heart, no?" Thorsiffe giggles, pushing their shoulder against her hips and gripping her behind the knees with both hands, breaking her posture. They fall to the ground once more, and Thorsiffe is quick to climb on top and pin Inferno's hands against the floor.

Inferno laughs again, "you don't learn, do you, dear?" Fire starts crackling down in her throat yet again, yet Thorsiffe simply grins. Inferno frowns, but before she can unleash her spell, Thorsiffe crashes down upon her, flinging their forehead into her face. The spell fizzles out, and any tension Inferno had held melts into the ground.

"You should get more creative," they snorted, getting up again to the deafening roaring of the crowd.

[leelabheriya]

Leela wanted to get stronger, to improve her fighting skills. It was something she suspected would come in handy in the near future. She would do whatever it took to protect her family, even if it meant getting her ass kicked several dozen times first. Rather than rushing into a fight, it seemed like a better idea to sit back and watch some of the fights, observing what others did and how they used their skills, and the weaknesses of their enemy, to their advantage.

Tonight, she was taking advantage of the fighter currently taking on challenger after challenger. They were a wolf, and an incredibly strong one at that. Leela was past admiration at this point. She wanted to learn from this wolf, and become as strong and confident as them.

This new fight was intense, keeping her on the edge of her seat. She was unashamed of how loud and enthusiastically she was cheering, nor of her booing whenever Infero got the best of Thorsiffe, even for a second. At this rate, the alpha was her hero.

"Go Dragonheart!!"

[leelabheriya]

gabe-moore​:

Where: Vievecor City park When: Early morning Open to all | @vievecorcitystarters

The city was only just waking up as Gabe was making his morning jog through the park. He remembered that he used to come here often before his suspension (read: before he got involved with a vampire). The nature in the park was one of the reasons he enjoyed living in Chissob Hills. It was relaxing to get away from the busy streets and cluttered apartment. Of course, back then he only had to keep an eye out for drunks asleep on the park benches. This morning he had to be watchful of werewolves, witches, demons, and any other creature he might not yet have been introduced to. For all he knew there could be a yeti hiding in the shadows of the tall trees. Gabe glanced behind him and hurried his pace, suddenly aware of how long it was until sunrise.

The sky was slowly starting to shift from deep dark to pale in the East, but beneath the trees the shadows were still an impenetrable wall. Gabe estimated another mile until the edge of the park. A sudden movement by the side of the road made him almost jump out of his shoes. “Jesus!” he exclaimed as his terror-struck eyes fell on his unexpected companion. He leaned forward and grabbed his knees for support while catching his breath. With a relieved chuckle he looked up at the person. “You scared me,” he complained, as if it hadn’t been obvious, “I wasn’t expecting anyone to be out here.”

-

There were mornings where she liked to get out as early as possible before it got too hot and enjoy the outdoors. This was one of those days. She had parked her vehicle not far away and taking her time crossing the street and entering the park. She had been trying to avoid others but somehow she ended up encountering someone. Leela wasn’t nearly as startled as he seemed to be, staring at him for a brief moment. 

”Nobody usually is,” she replied. Even though many people did jog in the morning, it was rare to come across them when they all took things at their own pace and went along their own trails. “Are you alright?”

[leelabheriya]

atlaswestwood​:

Even if she had been sober, Atlas wasn’t immune to the charms of someone beautiful flirting with her. This felt like the kind of night where you didn’t say no to someone like that. “I have no doubt in the world. He’s very boring, always drearing on about the elves and extinction or something like that. I normally tune out,” they agreed, laughing slightly. 

Lifting a hand up, Atlas summoned the bartender back over and ordered the woman a shot to share with her, getting them two more each as well. “Well, Leela. It’s absolutely lovely to meet you. Definitely the highlight of the night so far. My name is Atlas.”

-

Brothers were usually very boring, that was something she knew very well herself. "Me too," she agreed, using the moment to show the first thing they had in common, besides being beautiful women. "Atlas," she repeated, almost purring the name. "The pleasure is all mine. I needed some good company to help me enjoy the night to the fullest."

[atlaswestwood]

leelabheriya​:

with: @atlaswestwood​ setting: wine festival

Coming out and partying was apparently exactly what she needed. With a few drinks in her, she had forgotten about her worries. Sure, the last supernatural party had ended up with her sister in jail but they had found the person behind that. It shouldn’t happen again, right? Regardless, the alcohol in her system kept her from worrying about that. Instead, she found herself standing at the bar next to an absolutely gorgeous woman and Leela couldn’t help but flirt.

“Did you come here with a date tonight? I hope not because I’d love for you to be mine,” she hummed, far too intoxicated to be worried about a line like that backfiring on her.

-

With more than a few drinks in their system, Atlas was thoroughly enjoying themselves. It felt like something the people in the city needed since everyone was so uptight. They had made a few laps of the club, dancing with some familiar faces and some not so familiar faces, making new friends along the way. When they finally stopped dancing, they were thirsty and that meant another drink. Sliding into an empty spot by the bar, she ordered a water and a shot for themselves.

There was a beautiful woman beside her, looking ethereal in the flashing lights of the club. “Direct, I like it,” she laughed. “I came here with my brother but he can find his own date,” they replied with a wide grin. “Can I get you a drink?”

[leelabheriya]

She grinned wide, glad that her flirty words had managed to work their charm. "I'm definitely more fun than your brother," she replied easily, leaning against the bar facing the other. Her smile was gorgeous and Leela could stare at her all day if they let her.

"I would love a drink. I'll have the same as you." She didn't care what she drank, already having a bit in her system, enough to help her let loose for the night. "My name is Leela."

[gwen-lycaon]

Who: Gwen x Leela ( @leelabheriya ) Where: The Shard, Wine Fest 23′ When: After the Belles Set

Gwen’s arms were still vibrating from all the drumming she’d just done, but the rush she felt from performing overpowered all of that. After quickly celebrating with her band members for killing it on the stage, they all broke away to do their own thing for the party. She knew they’d have to come back tomorrow to pick up their equipment, but for now, she just wanted to ride the wave of performance as long as possible.

After changing from her sweaty stage clothes, Gwen made her way toward the bar, a wide grin on her face at seeing the familiar face by it. “Leelee, she called over the music, nearly tackling her friend in a hug in greeting.

[leelabheriya]

Half of the reason she'd want to come to the party was to support Gwen. She went to all of the Belles' shows so they always had at least one fan cheering for them. Tonight was also a good way to let loose for a while. Once the set was over, she made her way over to the bar to wait for Gwen, ordering them each some shots for when she arrived. Leela grinned wide and pulled her into a hug.

"That was so good! You girls sounded amazing!" Not that they didn't always sound amazing. "Here, I got us some drinks. It's time to party!"

[leelabheriya]

with: @atlaswestwood​ setting: wine festival

Coming out and partying was apparently exactly what she needed. With a few drinks in her, she had forgotten about her worries. Sure, the last supernatural party had ended up with her sister in jail but they had found the person behind that. It shouldn't happen again, right? Regardless, the alcohol in her system kept her from worrying about that. Instead, she found herself standing at the bar next to an absolutely gorgeous woman and Leela couldn't help but flirt.

"Did you come here with a date tonight? I hope not because I'd love for you to be mine," she hummed, far too intoxicated to be worried about a line like that backfiring on her.

[xu-ying-feng]

WASTED: OPEN STARTER

@vievecorcitystarters

Location: The Shard

Time: Night

Theodore hadn't planned to drink much. As an avid drinker in his past, he thought why the hell not. He had been looking for a little fun in his life, something to rile the cinders inside him. He had just overestimated his tolerence.

After a few cups of an especially potent wine, which one of the vampires boasted as more than a century-old, a fog had filled his overly cautious brain. For the first time in a while, he felt.. well... there were strings attached to him anymore. He was weightless.

He danced with a fervor, limbs mixing fluidly with passbyers. It was one step, another step, and then his feet stumbled over each other and he fell. It didn't hurt, to his surprise.

"Well, hello there," he mumbled, looking up at the person who caught him."

[leelabheriya]

She had come to support her best friend, and to get her mother out of the house, but Leela wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to have some fun, too. She had a few drinks and was dancing away to music she'd heard practiced several times when a strange movement caught her attention. It was an instinctual reaction to reach out and catch him, even though she normally wouldn't have done something like that. Still, it was better than letting him fall.

"Having a little too much fun?" she teased, smiling down at him before she got him back upright.

[leelabheriya]

esmeraldabheriya​:

She could hear the exasperation in her daughter’s tone. The conversation was starting to get old to her too but none of her children listened to her. She had heard a similar tale from all of her children at some stage but she knew they were just avoiding the subject. Her lips pursed, crossing her arms over her chest. “I understand that my marriage isn’t a shining example but not every relationship is like that.” She wanted the best for all of her children and her mistakes shouldn’t have hindered that. 

“Besides, look at my relationship with your father. We’re perfectly amicable.” They might not have been together still but that didn’t matter as much. While it was true that Ravi should have been the first one to start a family, she knew how stubborn he was as well. “If he would listen to me then I would be badgering him. God knows I’ve tried. I’d take him dating a vampire at this point.”

It wasn’t the first time her mother had brought up the topic and it surely wouldn’t be the last. Leela was too headstrong and had tunnel vision. It wasn’t as if she was much of a catch with all her flaws, ones her siblings often picked fun at. “That’s different, that was more of a mutually beneficial deal than a relationship,” she countered. It didn’t bother her, she loved both of her parents regardless.

She let out a laugh, a smile appearing on her lips again. “You know, he might actually go for that. Maybe you could introduce him to some hot vampire, that’d get him out of the house for a while.” 

[leelabheriya]

eduardofaukes​:

“Thanks… I’ll ask her.” Eduardo nodded. Usually, he would have been defensive about even the possibility of her insinuating he wasn’t able to look after his little sister, but right now, it just seemed pointlessly argumentative. He just wanted Hannah and his mother safe, that was all he cared about, and right now he was needing to deal with the fact that Esme was going to be in a fight to the death too. Eduardo had to believe Leela was feeling all the same stress and worry, too. The thought made him swallow around a lump in his throat and he turned to where the milk was now boiling in the pan. “Maybe you could just talk to her. It might mean more coming from you, she’s used to me telling her everything is going to be okay.” Eduardo admitted, pouring the milk into a mug.

Leela had an inkling of what he was feeling, mostly because she was feeling it herself. Being the youngest made wanting to protect her family difficult. There wasn’t much she could do or contribute, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to. “Yeah, I can do that,” she agreed with a nod. No matter what she thought about Eduardo and his actions normally, it was clear how much he cared for his mother and sister, and she respected him for that. “If there is ever anything else I can do, please let me know. I’m happy to help.”

[leelabheriya]

eduardofaukes​:

Eduardo wasn’t sure what time it was. With everything that had been going on with the attack and the extra security checks around the house, his sister Hannah had fallen into one of her panic attacks. She’d been doing well since arriving, but the high stress situation was beginning to bring up old memories that played on her fragile mental state. The last time an alpha had had it out for their family, she’d been trapped in a burning building and had partially lost her sight. Eduardo was in the kitchen making some hot milk when Leela returned inside from the gardens.

He huffed a small chuckle, “Yeah, you know keeping up with your mom is thirsty work.” He teased her, as usual, before quickly relenting, “No, I’m just making some hot milk for my sister. She’s having a rough night.” Eduardo admitted.

~

She had to keep herself from gagging. She was never bothered to think about her mother’s sex life, considering she had many cubs and young ones even now, but having him make the joke was almost intolerable. Somehow, she managed to refrain. “Oh,” was all she could say. Leela really hated how much their family drama was affecting Hannah, someone who should have been far from this mess, somewhere safe. She wasn’t, though, and that made Leela was to keep the pack safe even more. “If it would make her feel more comfortable, she’s welcome to sleep in my room with me.” Maybe it wouldn’t be much but Leela wanted to help if she could.

[leelabheriya]

esmeraldabheriya​:

In the quiet morning, Esme could almost believe that there wasn’t danger looming around but she was smart enough to know better. When Leela agreed, Esme moved to grab some teacups and her teapot, always preferring to use loose leaf tea than tea bags. She had grown up surrounded by tea, given what her parent’s occupation had been. It always felt like a way to share her upbringing with her children in a way, not that she ever told them much about their grandparents. Esme hadn’t seen them since she was sixteen anyway.  “I know, you seemed the most excited last night,” she chuckled. Everyone else was on edge but she didn’t blame her youngest for just wanting to enjoy it. The mention of her boyfriend made her smile softly to herself. “We followed the creek for a little while but we ended up back here. We didn’t want to go too far from Hannah,” she replied. Esme was acutely aware of the situation she had put everyone in but she felt especially guilty about Eduardo’s family being involved. 

Once the kettle had come to a boil, she poured it inside the teapot and let the tea leaves steep. “You know,” she started. “It’s not too soon to start looking for a mate of your own. They don’t even have to be a wolf.”  Though it was what she preferred.

Eventually, her mother would have more children with her new beau and wouldn’t get to spend many full moons out, but Leela would enjoy it for the both of them. She grabbed some biscuits from the cupboard while her mother filled the teapot, knowing she would want something to munch of, especially when Esme was bringing up topics like this. She let out a small sigh as she took a seat. 

“I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon. Not with danger lurking around every corner. I’m not going to be able to trust anyone I don’t already trust at this point.” Not to mention that having mate more often than not was meant for having cubs, and Leela detested the idea of letting a man have any sort of influence or control over her and her body. That thought was enough to make her nose scrunch up, and her mother was likely able to tell exactly what she was thinking from that action alone. “Besides, Ravi should find a mate first. He can’t be a bachelor forever.”

[leelabheriya]

location: bheriya home with: @eduardofaukes​

She had been going around the edges of the property, ensuring all of the fences were properly in place with no damage and the various security cameras had a good view of the property while also not being plainly obvious. Sure, they couldn’t necessarily hide the cameras but the cameras could match the color of the siding and blend in, that wasn’t a crime. Leela headed back inside, deciding to get a snack before she checked on other security measure. She found Eduardo in the kitchen, doing who knows what. Probably baking.

“Taking over the kitchen again, twinkle toes?” she asked as she moved to the fridge, pulling out an apple. She didn’t mind the man too much, most of the time anyways. When he was making dumb decisions, she found it harder to give him a pass. 

[leelabheriya]

esmeraldabheriya​:

full moon | leela & esme

location: esme’s house for @leelabheriya​

The morning after a full moon night was always a lazy one. Esme herself was still tired after running all night. The first night was a tense one but as the hours went on and there was no sign of Wolfram or Bodhi and the pack was able to relax and enjoy the rest of the night. Now she was back home, standing in her kitchen. Some of her children had returned home to rest and others milled about, either in the backyard, enjoying the morning sun or around the house. 

Leela joined her in the kitchen and she smiled at her youngest daughter, reaching out to kiss her temple when she walked past. “Would you like some tea, my darling?” she asked, already moving to turn the kettle on. Leela was the strongest of them all, she knew she hated all the tension and mayhem that was going on. Esme felt guilty for this. For making her pack worry, putting her family in danger and even her friends. Everyone was looking at her and Esme was failing because she was still running from him too, just like she had so long ago. 

“How did you enjoy last night?” she asked, knowing Leela enjoyed it more than most. 

Despite spending her days working in the forests of Chissob Hills, she loved the feeling of her paws in the dirt and running through the shrubs. Even though she felt exhausted, it was worth it every time. Even when she was worried, she still took to the forest, refusing to let the danger of her halfsiblings and their leader dampen her spirit. She left those worries for the next morning, when she stretched her arms and legs, and yawned as she moved out of her room and into the kitchen. 

“I would love some,” she replied, smiling warmly at her mother. Leela looked up to her mother, admired her strength, wisdom, and resilience. She wanted to be able to grow up and model herself after Esmeralda. “I did. I always do.” Even with the threat of danger looming over them. The young wolf could spend every other day worrying. “What about you? Did you and Eduardo go off somewhere together again?”