[Matriarch] Strength

Wolf stood in the shadows, watching everyone move around frantically. The many eyes on his face blinked slowly at different intervals while his tail swayed from side to side. He was contemplating how he could approach the working reoseans to offer his help. He was so used to being feared or looked at with disgust that it was hard to put it aside without his friends around him. 

Eventually, Wolf took a big breath and stepped out to go speak to someone. At the same moment, another light brown puller bulldozed over him. Wolf was trapped under the puller when he heard another approach. 

“Ohmygod,” The bright voice quickly said, “I’m so sorry. Sin! Get off of him.”

There was a second of silence before Wolf felt the puller on him vibrate with silent laughter as she stood, taking her weight off of his much smaller form. Wolf carefully stood up and shook off the dirt. 

“Are you alright?” Another brown and white puller asked with warm brown eyes. 

Wolf nodded, he couldn’t speak well and chose not to try on many occasions. 

“I’m Eva,” The brown and white puller introduced with a smile, “and this is Sin.”

Wolf opened his mouth, but sighed instead before he acknowledged their names with another nod and tentative smile. 

Eva was about to ask another question when Sin began to wander off. 

“Sin!” Eva cried, and then quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, we’ll be right back.”

Wolf shrugged and then tilted his head as he watched the smaller of the two chase after the one that fell on him. He waited for a few moments to see if they would come back and to his surprise they did. Eva was pressed to Sin’s side as if guiding her. It was almost comical given that Eva was so much smaller than Sin. 

Eva sighed, “As I was going to say, are you looking to help uncover the Matriarch?”

Wolf nodded. 

“Ah, are you like Sin here?”  Eva asked, “She’s blind and mute.”

Sin huffed, “I’m not mute. I’m quiet.”

Wolf smiled at the bickering, which showed how close the pair were. In the few minutes they spoke, he felt comfortable with them, so he thought he would give it a try. 

“Not… Blind,” Wolf stuttered. 

“See, he’s not mute either,” Sin fixed her older sister with a hard look. 

Eva rolled her eyes, but didn’t reply to her sister as she asked Wolf, “Then what’s your name?”

“W-wolf,” He tried to fight the stuttered, but he wasn’t successful. 

“Wolf, excellent,” Eva chirped, “You can come with us to help dig.”

Wolf nodded and then followed the pair towards a large section of untouched wall. It was surprising to see a portion of the wall without any breaks or scratches in it. There were so many reoseans clawing and mining at the stone and crystals that it seemed unlikely to find a spot like this, everywhere else seemed to have some evidence that someone attempted to break through. The trio walked closer to the wall to start their digging, but they were interrupted by the approach of a large haedian.

“Are you looking for a way to help?” A gruff voice called to them. 

Eva nodded while Sin and Wolf remained quiet, happy to let her speak for them. 

“The big one should be over there,” The rugged haedian gestured. 

“She can’t see, I’m her guide,” Eva shook her head. 

The haedian stared at the smaller puller, his gaze going over each of the vayrons in the group to assess where they would be best suited. Eva wasn’t all that thrilled at being directed when there was an open spot where they stood. 

“Then get closer to the group,” He finally grunted, pointing toward a cluster of vayrons passing rocks between each other. Eva was worried because it seemed like that group already had a system and it would disrupt them to bring in a blind vayron, asking them to accommodate her. Wolf watched as Eva considered the order, while Sin was tilting her head around listening to the noises around them. 

“What’s wrong with this spot?” Eva challenged.

The haedian huffed, but then relented, “Nothing.”

Eva nodded and thanked him before she pointedly turned around and guided Sin closer to the wall. Wolf watched the haedian’s expression harden, but the beastly tyrian didn’t press the matter, instead he turned and left them to their own devices. Wolf exhaled, trying to relieve the tension in his body before he walked to where Sin and Eva had started to work. 

Wolf started digging into the wall. He felt the dirt and debris fall under his nails as he focused on the work he needed to do. He could hear Eva and Sin mumbling to each while Eva helped direct Sin, but Wolf let their conversation fade the background. The strength in his muscles helped drain some of the tension in his back as he tried to tear at the wall. 

Eva directed Sin’s paws to a portion of the wall. 

“Okay, you’re ready,” Eva whispered. 

Sin nodded and then blindly started digging into the wall. Her movements were wild, but she managed to pull large rocks off the wall. Without anyone’s help, Sin took a half step forward when she felt the angle in the body shift from the lack of rack. Sin was smiling to herself as she worked because it always felt great being helpful. 

Eva watched her sister for a few minutes before she started digging herself. She placed herself between Wolf and Sin. When she started to dig, she noticed that Wolf and Sin were nearly working at the same speed. Sin had the size as an advantage, but Wolf had extra strength behind him despite him being significantly smaller than both Eva and Sin. With a quick shake of her head, Eva refocused on the wall and started to dig again. 

The three vayrons were focused on themselves. They each dug into the wall and created deep holes randomly along the wall within their reach. Eva would occasional shift Sin to another spot, but for the most part Sin got into the habit of shifting up or sideways on her own. 

Eventually, after nearly an hour of digging, Sin stopped, stepped back and raised her nose into the air. Her excellent sense of smell was picking up a mouth watering smell. Eva didn’t notice her sister wander away quick enough, but Wolf did. Wolf quickly placed himself in front of the blind vayron and then attempted to get her back, or at least stall her until Eva got to them. 

[1108]