A Wolf Among The Sheep

Clarissa chuckled faintly, a flicker of a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth at the younger girl's miniature rant this time. She hadn't even considered the possibility of making friends in this new environment, too focused on trying to understand everything else that was going on with all the changes and information dropped on her shoulders. It would be nice to have someone around that she could talk to, someone that she could complain about Tate too. She was sure that it wasn't going to be easy, having him as a mentor. To Clarissa, he had made it perfectly clear just what he thought of her. But to be able to talk to someone about everything she was undoubtedly going to learn, to have friends to lean on during this time... Clarissa knew that would be an important factor in how well she would adjust.

"Well I won't have any problem with telling him that. Maybe he is doing it to protect all of you, maybe it is because he doesn't want me to freak out and run or hurt any of you if something does happen... I don't know. But I wouldn't hurt you or Anders, you've both been nothing but kind to me so far. Even if Anders did drop a whole load of shit onto me. But Tate's your brother, your guess is as good as mine. But if he gets pissed at you, I'm not just goin' to let that happen." clarissa shook her head, smile fading into a frown at the mere prospect of Daisy getting into trouble because of her. "He has no excuse to be so possessive, I don't belong to him. He may try to integrate me into this...community, but I'm still my own person." She finished firmly, a nod added as if that would set her words to stone.

Her pace slowed as they finally arrived back on the outskirts of the clearing, the nerves she had managed to lose during her chat with Daisy resurfacing. "Thank you... I'll try not to get you into too much trouble." She murmured with a weak smile, "But if says anything to you now... I'm definitely not takin' that." She could easily blame herself rather than Daisy take all the lecturing Tate would provide. Although it was his sister, and he undoubtedly knew what she was like and if she would go against orders to not talk to her. But there mere though that he had been telling members of his pack to not speak to her riled her up once more. Not as badly as before, but still enough for a fire to be lit again in her belly.
 
The sheer forcefulness of Clarissa's promise to protect Daisy from any repercussions from her brother took the teenager by surprise - though the proclamation was one Daisy appreciated more than her words could declare. She knew that any punishment from Tate would never be too severe. He might claim to not want to treat his siblings any differently to the rest of the pack when it came to punishments, not wanting to be seen as displaying favouritism that exempted them from the full force of his authority, but Daisy was his youngest sibling and his only sister who bore a striking resemblance to their beloved (and unfortunately deceased) mother.

Daisy was entirely certain that she might be reprimanded but it would never match the severity Anders had been subject to, so she felt no real panic about returning to camp and having Tate discover that she had built up a blossoming friendship with the newcomer. Of course, avoiding his realisation that she had gone against his demand was ultimately ideal, but she felt no reason to panic too much if he did discover it. Nonetheless, though Tate's punishment would never be too intense, she appreciated Clarissa's efforts and grinned wide in response, knowing there and then that the other was going to be a good friend... and Tate wasn't going to come in the way of that.

With a final nod for courage and encouragement, she took the step into camp and, eager for the stew that had been tempting her for the few hours if had been slowly cooking, rushed down to sit amongst the pack to grab her share of the meal. Tate's eyes followed her with a faint grimace, almost instantly knowing that his sister had opted to talk to Clarissa against his wishes. He wasn't intent on depriving Clarissa of friends, but he felt it necessary not to overstimulate her with various conversations that could present to her an abundance of information on life as a werewolf, some of which might contradict what another wolf told her. To keep things simple, he wanted to be the only one handing her the information she needed and once that settled in, once she had the basic understanding of what she was, what life in the pack meant and what was going to happen to her, then she could start to properly interact with the others, knowing generally what was going on.

Apparently, his youngest two siblings took it upon themselves to go against his word and converse at will with Clarissa, both predictably offering her information about her new life that Tate had felt would have been best coming from him. Of course, he was selfish in his desires - the less Clarissa knew, the more he would have to teach her, and that meant more time alone with Clarissa, teaching her those things. A part of him yearned for that private time, though that part was forced back as much as possible by the stubborn side of Tate that prioritised his work as alpha and left no time for other matters, like that of the heart and soul.

"...You might wanna come and grab some stew before it all goes. Anders has, like, three bowls of this stuff so come and grab some before he devours it all," the alpha called out with a faint nod at the space beside him he had kept free for Clarissa. "Unless you wanna go and sit on the periphery of camp again, alone and hungry. Up to you, darlin'."
 
The confidence she had once felt in Daisy's presence slowly started to dwindle as the younger girl dashed off for her meal. Seeing the large group once again set her on edge, bringing back the thoughts and doubts that she had previously voiced to the girl. No one was paying her much attention now though, too busy focusing on each other or the bowl of stew before them. That didn't mean that Clarissa didn't felt a little paranoid by the whole situation. She had hoped to perhaps join Daisy wherever the girl sat, but as she left before Clarissa could even voice the question of tagging along, she stood awkwardly on the boundary of where they had all gathered around the fire.

Her eyes followed Daisy as she moved to get a bowl of stew and settle down, obviously unaware of the expression on Tate's face that Clarissa had caught just before it melted away. At the frown, Clarissa could tell that he was already displeased with his younger sister, and immediately felt the urge to set things right as she had said she would to Daisy. Perhaps he wouldn't punish Daisy as harshly as he would her, but Clarissa wasn't to know that, and after all that had happened... what was one more shove into a tree?

Clarissa took the moment to get a good look at the alpha while he was momentarily distracted by his thoughts. All the same questions from before ran through her mind - why him? Why did he want so badly to be the one to explain everything to her? From what she had gathered in the short space of time and the limited knowledge she had, he had an important role. So surely he would find himself too busy to take on the task of personally integrating her.

But a part of her hummed at the idea of being under his tutelage, understanding that the more he taught her... the more time they would spend together. She knew that he would have a lot to offer in terms of knowledge... and admittedly she felt calmer in his presence learning it than she realised. When Anders dropped the ball and accidentally told all, she realised she had, without previously noticing, wanted Tate nearby and her gaze had briefly flickered to the hut before dropping again as she attempted to stay calm.

Yet Clarissa tried to force those thoughts away, wanting to suppress those hopes and, dare she say, desires. She couldn't acknowledge that part of her, not after everything that had happened. She had literally just washed the blood of her sister from her body. Blood that had been spilt by people in his pack. On an order, as she gathered, given by him.

At his words, she was jolted from her thoughts and the confusing internal battle within. Clearing her throat, she hesitated in her approach before cautiously picking her way through the crowd. The nickname was starting to grate on her nerves, but that was a battle for another day as far as she was concerned.

Exhaustion was beginning to catch up on her as she lowered herself down onto the spot near him, careful not to spill a drop of stew from her bowl. Now that it was in her hands, the smell was intoxicating. She was starving, proven by her growling stomach. She hadn't eaten since the morning.

Clarissa ate in silence for the most part, eyes darting back up to the main bowl every so often as she considered going for second helpings. But she refrained from doing so, it not feeling right. Like she was a guest.

"I saw the look you gave Daisy," she murmured finally, lowering her empty bowl onto the grass, "I asked her to stay longer, I felt safer with her around. It was just nice to have someone to talk to, or I should say have listen. I did most of the talking." She paused before daring to look up at him, frowning faintly herself, "She didn't tell me anythin', said you wanted to do it yourself. I-I get you must think I'm some sort of threat to your family here but I need to talk to someone otherwise I'll go crazy with everythin' that's going on in my head. You're going to be busy a lot of the time, I can't just sit around on my arse waitin' for you to come back to teach me more. I-I'm going to need... friends here, if you really want me to make thin's work here."
 
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The stew, a mixture of vegetables they had learned to grow themselves and chunks of venison from their most recent hunt, was the perfect sort of meal after the events of the day. Though the assault on the village had been far from a difficult affair, with Tate even surprised by how easy it had been to overpower the humans, the feat was still an exhausting one. A hearty, slow-cooked meal was the perfect way to help heal some of that physical exhaustion, the alpha feeling relaxation set in the moment he began to eat. He was often always on alert, always on edge, in case his pack needed protection. The leadership role he had was one he took incredibly seriously and found great pride in, but it wasn't easy. He rarely found time to relax and even when he had the time to take things a little easier, he still felt obliged to remain alert which meant that even in those moments where he ought to be relaxed, he never truly did end up that way.

Even now, he refused to let himself relax too much in case a threat was lingering nearby, ready to strike. The seriousness of his leadership and the amount of time he constantly dedicated to it did make Clarissa's concerns valid - he would be dedicating time to her that, in his busy schedule, he might not be able to afford. And yet, uncharacteristically, Tate was more than prepared to relieve himself of a little responsibility around the camp in order to accommodate Clarissa. He had brothers who were more than capable of taking up some of the duties he had sworn himself to if it meant being the one to train and teach Clarissa, that in itself being an incredibly important duty. He could allow himself to miss out on the daily walks around the camp's periphery or skip a hunt or two if that meant he could be there for Clarissa.

Selfishly, he wanted to spend that time with her but that didn't distract from the importance of training her. It just gave him a valid reason to be in her company; a fact he couldn't help but to secretly enjoy.

As he reached across for second helpings, deciding that one bowl wasn't enough to satisfy his appetite, he forced himself not to physically react to Clarissa's words as he heard her speak up. He had been close to frowning at them, all prepared to glare across at her in annoyance that she failed to understand why he was so intent on being the sole teacher, but he wisely realised such a reaction would only encourage the pack to peer across in confusion. They had already witnessed one confrontation between the pair and Tate didn't want a repeat of former actions. Contrary to what Clarissa might believe, he wasn't trying to separate her from the pack and he certainly didn't want them harbouring unkind opinions of her. Ultimately, another confrontation between the pair would just provide the pack with more reasons to feel wary of the newcomer, so avoiding a harsh reaction to her words was important, for both her and for him.

"Do 'ya really think I'm that petty? To stop you making friends? God, I'm a grown man, I'm not a petty little kid who plays stupid games to annoy 'ya. I want you to blend in, make friends an' all that. Just don't need anyone complicating things by giving you information about life here before I have. I want to teach you about that shit before any idiot comes along and confuses 'ya. That ain't gonna help you. Once we have some basic lessons done and dusted, once you know about that stuff, then by all means, interact and socialise and whatever else. I'm not a fuckin' jerk and you sure as hell ain't a prisoner here," responded Tate the moment he thought his words through, to prevent himself from growing angry or, more accurately, annoyed by the conversation. He knew he might be at fault for it for not explaining his desires to her immediately, leaving her drawing the conclusion that he wanted her to be lonely and friendless in the pack, but he refused to accept total responsibility for it out of stubbornness.

"Look, already some idiots have blurted shit out to 'ya before I've explained things through, right?" He continued with a deliberate glance across at Anders to emphasise his point, offering his younger brother a smile nonetheless. "-and I just don't want anyone else confusing 'ya. I'm always busy but I can spare time to teach you, that ain't a problem. And-- if you have to talk to someone, if you're that incapable of enjoying your own company, then just avoid interrogating 'em about werewolf stuff; leave those questions for me, alright? Now just get another bowl of stew, would 'ya? One bowl of this can't have filled 'ya up."
 
Immediately Clarissa felt herself bristle at his words, her frown deepening at the tone that was coming across from him. It felt like things were always going to turn into a fight with him. She had tried to keep her tone soft and neutral, yet the slight underlying snap to his tone had her reconsidering her approach. He spoke of respect, and how it should be given to him without just cause... yet she was finding it very difficult to heed that advice.

A muscle in her jaw jumped as she kept her eyes on him for a breath longer and a hand twisted the material of her dress as she attempted to keep her own composure. Releasing a breath, she turned her head away, shaking it as she gathered her bowl back in hand. "Well maybe you should act like a grown adult," she finally suggested, keeping her voice lowered to ensure the conversation remained between them. "And because from what I remember of our earlier conversation, you were the one to tell me that if I did try to run, then you would have your brothers drag me back. Also that you thought it was in everyone's best interest to keep me here because of this potential transitionin'. So what I've gathered from that, Tate , is that I am pretty much set up to be a quasi-prisoner here." His name was strange on her tongue, but it rolled so easily from her lips and she found herself enjoying how it sounded. Yet she also enjoyed the realisation that while she knew his name, to her, he wasn't aware of hers.

Purposefully she kept her tone even and her eyes on the bowl, thumb stroking up and down the spoon. His earlier threat did make her want to stop talking and simply take his words, regardless of the hurt they caused. However that other part, the side of her that was always ready to challenge him, didn't want to allow him to talk to her like this.

"Whose fault is that? You were the one too busy almost ripping my throat out, growlin' at me, yellin' at me and then shoving me into a tree instead of explainin' all this to me." She called him out, eyeing up the larger pot of stew, planning on getting a second helping but not planning on returning to sit alongside him. "Oh I'm perfectly capable of enjoying my own company, it's more the fact that if I can talk to other people, it may mellow out a full day spendin' it with an arsehole."

Clarissa realised she had lost her composure by that point, but at least kept her voice hushed just for his ears. She also thought about the amount of shit she was about to be in for calling him what she did. So she stood quickly to move to the pot, pouring herself a second bowl of the meal before her rapid heart rate could betray her growing fear. As she moved back to sit again, she did briefly consider sitting on Anders' other side but didn't want to cause the young boy any more trouble than she already had.

Keeping her eyes on her bowl, she made to step past the alpha to take the bowl and herself to the outskirts once more, despite the little ache in her chest that wanted her to sit back besides him.
 
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Contrary to his attitude and the unsubtle sharpness to his tone that indicated otherwise, Tate had tried to be nice to Clarissa and in his mind, regardless of the annoyance he was experiencing, he felt he had done a good job showing Clarissa his softer side. Though it rarely showed itself, it did exist - though apparently, he hadn't done that good of a job in letting it come to the surface given the way things proceeded to play out against him. His mouth dropped open in an attempt to ease her and reassure her that he hadn't meant to offend her and that if he had, which was obvious, he was prepared to apologise in an effort to keep things moving smoothly, and not becoming complicated by more unneeded tension.

Of course, that particular want faded instantly at the mention of his name, his head jerking to the side to glare at the girl. Any previous desires to avoid such a rash reaction had also faded as he failed to care about keeping his demeanour calm and unsuspecting. It wasn't the fact she knew his name that he found irksome - she would learn it eventually and if she had been happily chatting to his younger siblings, it was inevitable that one of them would let his name slip through into the conversation. No, what irked him most was the fact she said his name with such self-satisfaction, knowing that he had yet to learn her own. That smugness was far from appreciated because it felt like a deliberate act of rebellion against him; a challenge to his leadership. No matter how authoritative and knowledgeable he claimed to be, he couldn't find her name out and yet she knew his and was lauding her own success over him with unsubtlety he no doubt detested.

The eventual insult angered him more than anything, as it obviously would. Apparently, Clarissa realised that particular insult would do little to quash Tate's growing anger when she removed herself from the gathering around the fireplace to the relative safety of the outskirts. And yet, though he was furious and disgusted by the comments, his expression failed to properly reflect that. Instead, it appeared marred by confusion and upset, though the latter emotion was eradicated from his face the moment he felt it settling there. Knowing the pack had now become aware of another public upset between the two, he couldn't face the inevitable hushed whispers that would erupt - and when the questions started to be asked to him directly by helpful members of the pack who wanted to aid their leader, he couldn't continue to smile and wave off their concerns. Not when he was simultaneously both shaking with anger and racked with a strange, unusual feeling of upset and regret.

All eyes watched Tate as he made his apologies and exited to his hut, his shoulders hunched and head lowered. That alone was enough to cause confusion amongst the pack, unaware of a time when Tate had appeared so withdrawn and confused, rather than the proud leader who stood tall no matter what emotion he was experiencing. In his absence, the whispers amongst the werewolves picked up, unsubtle glances being shot over at Clarissa - not in hatred or dislike, but genuine confusion which was well warranted given Tate's uncharacteristic behaviour.

In his absence, Anders felt it was at least safe for him to approach Clarissa once again. He might not have done so if he felt Tate would make an appearance soon, but the look on his face as he passed by left the younger sibling certain that the alpha would remain alone until he had gathered control of himself.

"...I'm gonna go ahead and, like, guess that you guys didn't really have a great conversation back over there? He does this sometimes. If he hears stuff he doesn't like but doesn't want to disrupt the peacefulness or something, he'll just walk away and calm himself down. Don't worry about it. He did look upset, which is weird for him, but today's been tough so... we're all a bit haywire with our emotions right now," the boy began as he awkwardly shifted his weight from foot to foot, contemplating whether to take a seat or remain standing, in case the former would make Clarissa uncomfortable. For all he knew, she could have detested the werewolves more and more over the time since they last spoke and, despite his friendliness and obvious gentle character, Anders was still a werewolf.

"Can I, uh... sit down by 'ya? Keep you company or somethin'? Just-- don't go asking me about werewolf stuff. I don't want to get in trouble again. Not that it was your fault last time, I just-- I'm an idiot sometimes. That's what everyone says, really."
 
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The flinch that Clarissa reacted with as she watched Tate stand once she had sat was a motion she couldn't control. It happened instinctively, remembering how calmly he had acted as he approached her earlier before forcing her up and against the tree. Her hands tightened around the bowl and her eyes never left his as he moved, barely relaxing as she realised he was moving away from her and not to her. The sight of his body language confused even her, having expected him to come after her rather than leave for his hut. While earlier she may have taken some sort of satisfaction from making him react in this way, as she had done with the feeling over overpowering him even if it was by surprise, Clarissa felt nothing of the sort.

Guilt bubbled in her chest as the door to his hut swung shut and her cheeks grew hot at the unsubtle gazes thrown her way. She quietly lowered the bowl, full of her second helping of the stew, her appetite no longer as ravenous as before. Her own regret grew coldly in her chest, the emotion putting up quite a fight as she tried to quash it.

She knew he was offering his help in his own, angst-filled sort of way. But it was difficult to accept that when he acted like it was such a burden on his shoulders. And that hurt her. She was confused as to why the thought of being a burden to him hurt the way it did, more so than it ought to have. She was aware of that side to her that longed to spend time in his company, and that was eager to use the training she needed as an excuse to have that time with him. However the feeling that it wasn't reciprocated stabbed at something deep inside her.

Exhaling heavily, Clarissa rubbed at her face with one hand whilst trying to ignore the continuous stares and whispers. It was a relief as members of the camp began to slowly disperse, the numbers slowly dwindling down as people returned to their own huts as the evening drew in to turn to night.

But for Clarissa, her gaze remained flickering between the dying fire and the door of Tate's hut. Her brow furrowed and hands subconsciously moving to tear the strands of grass in front of her to tiny shreds. Only when Anders appeared did she rip her gaze away from the door of the alpha's hut to focus on the younger lad.

At the fact of Tate looking upset being stated by someone who knew him, guilt surged once more within her. Her shoulders slumped softly and she sighed, looking back down at her hands. She considered apologising, the thought on her mind the moment the door shut behind Tate, but her stubbornness refused to allow her to move. He hadn't acknowledged any of the things he could have done better, so why should she?

"Of course you can sit," Clarissa answered, taking her bowl and moving it beside her, "Help yourself to this too... I'm not so hungry anymore." She added quietly, going back to tearing at grass strands for a moment. She wasn't sure if she would ever be able to not like Anders. Immediately she could sense that he was kind, if just slightly naive as it it had been mentioned before. She forced a smile, glancing to him once he had sat.

"It's not your fault. I had to find out eventually... I just hope you didn't get into too much trouble. You're a good kid, Anders... I know you wouldn't have told me like that on purpose so ya don't have to keep apologisin', okay?" She gently nudged him to keep up the playful pretence, but the smile soon slipped from her lips. "I won't ask you anythin', don't worry about that, now that I... I know what's going on and he wants to teach me all this himself, I know not to go behind his back and ask anyone anythin' now."

Once there were only a handful of people lingering around the fire, most obviously still discussing the sudden and abrupt departure of their alpha, Clarissa soon realised that she had no idea where she was supposed to sleep for the night. With that thought, she was soon aware of the tiredness that had seeped in her bones, the warmth of food in her belly doing nothing to dissuade her from wanting to answer the call of sleep.

But she didn't dare ask Anders about that, not wanting to fluster the young lad with the responsibility of that and she couldn't see Daisy anywhere. And out of sheer stubbornness, and perhaps a slight fear of both his reaction and of being humiliated if turned away, she shoved the consideration of going to Tate to ask him.
 
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Anders' only instinct was to help the other as best as he could; to offer a supportive shoulder for her to lean on and comfort her so she cheered up from her sudden bout of guilt and regret. The best way to do that was to reassure her some more that Tate was a complicated person who could react in ways that couldn't be completely understood but that he would be back to normal when he had figured out how he felt and moved past it. Yet, Anders hesitated from doing so, now completely conscious of the conversations he was getting into with Clarissa to avoid any repercussions from Tate if he did wander into a discussion he wasn't supposed to engage in. How was he supposed to know what topics were up for discussions and the ones were prohibited? To be on the safe side, he decided that the alpha probably didn't want to be whispered about too much and have his behaviour over-analysed with a fine-tooth comb.

Instead of continuing the issue and getting himself into conversational territory he didn't think he should be in given Tate's orders against it, he settled down on the spot of grass beside Clarissa and greedily accepted the offer of the stew, his previous two portions failing to have fully satisfied him. With a grateful grin, the 18-year-old proceeded to lean back and enjoy the food now that peace seemed to have finally descended among the pack after the hushed whispers had erupted around them. Engaging in gossip was never something Anders felt entirely comfortable with, but when it concerned his family, especially his eldest brother, he couldn't encourage any of it - so the peacefulness that returned to the pack as they finished up with dinner and retreated to their huts came as a blessed relief for the teenager.

If there was any sign that he felt a friendship blossoming between him and Clarissa, it was the comfortable silence he was able to enjoy at her side, not deeming the absence of conversation awkward or tense. He could sit back against the tree and stretch his legs out, soaking in the feel of the evening and listen to a few bird calls without feeling a need to talk out of social obligation. That, to him, was always a sign that he was friends with someone, able to just enjoy their presence and company without awkwardness, whether they were talking or not.

Eventually though, as he felt his own eyelids grow heavy and burn a little with tiredness, he seemed to stumble upon the same thought as Clarissa and thus broke the enjoyable silence to try and figure things out.

"I'm guessing you ain't been told about where you're sleeping or anything? I mean, we didn't plan on you coming here so... so nothing's been organised properly, but, uh... you're welcome to come and sleep in our hut? Tate has his own, he won't be there, so relax. I share a hut with Daisy and our 3 older brothers, so it's a bit cramped in there. It shouldn't be that cramped 'cos one of our brothers has a mate he can move in with but he's not done that yet, but-- but sorry, I'm babblin'. It's cramped and a bit busy and hectic but you're welcome to come and crash with us for the night. Better than sleeping out here in the cold, ain't it?"
 
Oddly, if Anders had mentioned anything about the comfortable silence, Clarissa would have found herself in agreement with him. It felt nice to just sit in the presence of someone who she believed she could one day confidently call friend. She was allowed to be left alone with her thoughts and not pushed by him to make small talk, instead sitting with him in amiable manner. It was even comforting to have another body beside her, one that she knew wouldn't ask any awkward questions or look at her strangely. Clarissa felt supported with Anders' presence, and was grateful that he had approached her despite her hesitance to have him join her.

Finding herself with her eyes yet again on the door of Tate's hut, she pulled herself away from those thoughts to focus on the next issue she would have to deal with. She turned her head to look over her shoulder to where the younger male sat behind her against the tree. Listening to him babble with a faint smile at his manner.

It did partially fill her with relief to know that the hut Tate disappeared to was not the same as Anders' and his siblings, although a pang of disappointment did ring through her. However she knew it was for the best, not wanting to have to face the alpha again so soon after her last insult. Possibly the only insult she regretted so far since being dragged in to this new life.

Her lips parted, catching on the word 'mate', to bring it up. But then she remembered, she wasn't to ask anything regarding this new culture to others. Her mouth closed briefly as she swallowed the question back, but the light frown still remained on her face. "Every time you mention something about this werewolf business, Anders, I'm goin' have to make a note in my head to ask about in the mornin'." She murmured, frown relaxing into another small smile.

"I don't want to force my company onto you and your family. I've met Daisy and she seems fine with me... but your other brothers..." Clarissa trailed off, obviously a little nervous about what they would think of her given her track record with their older brother. "But if there's really nowhere else to go, and you're really really sure... then I appreciate the offer. Even if it's just a blanket and the floor, I'll take whatever you can give me... Thank you."
 
"...Tate ain't only been a jerk to you. We had to live with him bossin' us all about as we grew up. We get it; he's a lot to handle, 'specially for you after the whole... dragging you here against your will and all that shit that followed. We love him and we'll defend him 'til the day we die, but he ain't easy to get along with," shrugged Anders after a moment of hesitation, feeling a guilt rising just at talking about Tate when the other wasn't there to defend himself, but he decided to continue with the conversation nonetheless. He might want to avoid discussing Tate altogether, but Clarissa needed a little comforting to avoid walking into the hut a ball of nerves - and when he wasn't badmouthing Tate too much (saying he was a jerk was hardly worthy of a huge punishment), he felt he could comfortably offer Clarissa a comment or two to relax her.

Albeit, that was as far as the teenager was willing to go to. Tate wasn't around to hear any comments about him so that ought to give Anders the confidence to speak at will, but the alpha was still his older brother and talking behind his back like this didn't feel too great, especially when the content of the conversation wasn't as positive as it could be. He could justify his remarks by the fact Tate's behaviour hadn't been brilliant and that he was responsible for changing it and giving them something positive to say about him, but it was on the whole easier not to say anything at all than getting into a discussion with Tate about it.

Particularly when Tate would always tend to win such discussions, evoking his role as alpha to effectively shut up those that had genuine, valid points for him to improve upon. As serious and capable of an alpha he was, he was still young and prone to childish tantrums to avoid admitting when he was in the wrong.

Shaking his head free of the guilt he felt at having to talk about Tate (however necessary it was to encourage Clarissa to enter her home for the night without too much trepidation), Anders pushed himself up to his feet with an excited smile. In fact, that excitement marred the potential trepidation he himself ought to feel at inviting Clarissa to the hut - if Tate was so concerned about her talking with other werewolves, then it stood to reason that her sharing a small hut with five of them would be more than enough to fuel his not inconsiderable anger. Yet, where else was she going to sleep if not with his siblings, two of whom were the only people outside of Tate she had spoken to and, fortunately, found agreeable enough to consider future friends?

His excitement fortunately clouded the concern and panic he would ordinarily feel about such a predicament, gesturing broadly over at a hut amongst the cluster of identical looking homes, the only difference being the patch of sunflowers neatly growing outside it, no doubt thanks to Daisy's handiwork.

"That's our hut. Belonged to our Ma before she passed," he explained, the pace at which he spoke quickening in his excitement as he unsubtly began to fidget about, desperate to get going to the hut to introduce Clarissa - not just to the brothers she had yet to meet (at least in their more human forms) but to the home he took great pride in. Introducing her into his personal life like that would cement what he saw to be a burgeoning friendship, after all. "We have bunk beds to save space, so hopefully that won't be too uncomfortable for 'ya. Though if they support my brothers, they'll support you - my brother Gio is, like 6'8" or somethin', he's a big guy, so if he can sleep comfortably, I reckon you'll be alright too."
 
Clarissa reached out to gently touch his arm, "Anders, you really don't need to explain anymore about him. If anythin', let's stop talkin' about Tate. I don't need him consumin' every single thing in my life." She said softly, sensing his discomfort in talking about his eldest brother in such a way. She could understand, in her own way, considering the regret she immediately felt after seeing Tate's reaction to her insult. But she had no ties to him in anyway, she wasn't blood and she had only met him today. So why did she feel such regret and discomfort knowing that he was in his hut reacting gods' know how?

"Come on, let's go before you talk yourself into more trouble." She teased, attempting to stop being so glum. It wasn't exactly giving the best impression, she could imagine... not that she had really started off well in the first place.

Pushing her nerves to the back of her head, she nodded toward the hut he earlier gestured too with a broader smile than before. Starting to walk, she kept her pace slightly slower so he could catch up, picking up the pace once he finally did. She surveyed the hut as they approached it, the smile remaining at the sight of the sunflowers. It was a warm splash a colour against the hut, and she could only think that it was Daisy who had planted them herself.

Her head turned so she could see him at the mention of their mother, sympathy now gleaming in her eyes. Curiosity spiked in her, and she wanted to ask what had happened. But it felt extremely personal and while she felt like she was becoming friends with Anders and Daisy, it felt too deep and too soon to demand to know what had happened. So instead she offered a genuine, soft, "I'm sorry to hear about your ma."

Clarissa paused once they reached the door, suddenly freezing now that they were there. "If you're sure. Like I said, if all the bunk beds are taken then I honestly don't mind the floor." She protested, unsure what to think. Anders had been incredibly kind and warm to her from the start, and she almost felt like she didn't deserve it. She also didn't want to seem like she was taken advantage of his kindness. "Thank you, Anders. You have no idea how much I appreciate this." Hesitating for a moment longer, she embraced him for a quick second before pulling away again. "Right, shall we do this? I don't know about you, but I'm bloody exhausted."
 
The youngest brother of the bunch was often guilty of saying too much and not listening enough. He couldn't keep a secret to save his life and he often couldn't go a day without saying whatever was on his mind, whether he ought to or not. Fortunately, most people in the pack knew that they couldn't harbour resentment against someone like Anders whose naivety was enough of a reason not to lumber him with the guilt of blurting out too many secrets or elaborating on discussions best kept private. One such discussion probably regarded his mother's untimely passing, at least in the pack's eyes. The woman had been a warm, kind member of the pack whose value amongst them all was incredible. Her unexpected death had been a shock that reverberated amongst them and that had yet to truly disappear. Anders, being as sensitive as he was, hadn't dealt well with the death though he found it helped to talk about his mother - which, when the pack preferred to stay silent in their grief and not mention the woman at all, in passing or directly, wasn't particularly helpful for him.

With Clarissa, he could at least mention the woman and not be vitriolically attacked for doing so, as if even referencing his mother was somehow a crime. He partially understood that the grief was still raw for them all and that it hurt more to remember her than to just ignore her and not face the emotions, but he also wanted to be able to discuss her and move through that grief to starting to remember her fondly. It was why he smiled brightly at Clarissa's gentle consideration for his loss, at least thankful that she allowed him to finally have the opportunity to mention his mother. That was really all he wanted, and while he didn't want to bombard the newcomer with the topic, it was more than a relief to know he could turn to her whenever he wanted to openly discuss his mother.

The fact he had to rely on a stranger for that rather than the pack he had grown up amongst was a sad fact, but Anders wasn't entirely surprised by it. That, in itself, was also pretty sad.

"Hey, it's... fine. It's sad an' everything but my Ma was a great person. I wanna remember her like that, not be all sad and stuff. She'd hate that, everyone being all sad, but... don't mention us talking about her to anyone. They don't like talking about my Ma; they ain't ready to and I ain't gonna force 'em to. Grief's weird. Everyone manages it differently and it sucks that they don't talk about her but... that's how they're managing so I can't make 'em act differently, I guess," he began in an effort to warn Clarissa in case she absently passed along the apology to Tate. He imagined that most people in the pack would react angrily and furiously at such a thing, and Tate's reaction would be worse than that. Sparing Clarissa from such an intense confrontation that could possibly turn violent was the kindest thing Anders could do for her.

The hug cut him off from his attempts at happily gushing about the vibrant sunflowers, his body growing stiff and mouth dropping a little in shock. His immediate reaction was to peer around in case Tate was observing from afar, knowing that he would probably erupt if he spotted the interaction, though safe in the knowledge his eldest brother wasn't peering at them from anywhere, Anders eventually returned the hug with a smile.

"Right, enough of the soppy stuff then. Not that I don't like being all mushy and stuff, I'm kinda the sensitive one who cries over, like, the stupidest shit, but probably best not to get all teary-eyed or my brothers will just poke fun at me. Again." Anders eventually remarked as he nudged open the door to the hut and leaned down to properly get in, being well over 6 foot like all his brothers were. Though the space in the hut was small, effectively being a place designed for sleeping and little else, it had been decorated and made to feel as cosy as it could. The sets of bunk-beds each had carefully knitted blankets spread across the sheets; there were vases of freshly-picked flowers upon small wooden tables and, on the wall, bright paint markings that marked out the growth of the siblings through their childhoods and adolescence that had lovingly been conducted by their mother and kept present in the hut for nostalgic and familial purposes: Tate, according to the markings, was the second tallest of his siblings (second only to the abnormally large aforementioned Gio) while Daisy was the shortest.

Said girl peeked her head up at Anders' entrance, having been sat cross-legged on her bunk-bed continuing with her daisy-chain. She abandoned the project upon spotting Clarissa, approaching with her infectious smile growing - a contrast to the confused expressions of the three other brothers sat on the ground playing a game with some rounded pebbles. "Oh, Clarissa! Well, ain't this a surprise? I take it Tate, in his infinite wisdom, didn't tell 'ya where to sleep, huh? No matter; you can sleep here, that's honestly great. Nice to have another girl sharing the place, actually."
 
"Well, just know that if you ever need someone to talk to about all that soppy stuff, feel free to come to me. You've been nothin' but kind to me, Anders, it's about time I returned the favour." Clarissa smiled warmly to the young male, the expression a clear sign at just how comfortable she was becoming around him. He felt familiar, like someone she would have known her whole life. The thought made her smile waver for a brief second, as she considered that would have known him longer, had her past not gone awry like Tate and others suggested it had. How many of these people would she had known? Would she have argued as stubbornly as she had done with Tate? Or would she be rolling over to show her throat and her belly in submission each time he so much as looked at her sternly like the rest of his pack?

When they entered, Clarissa took everything in with a fainter smile than before. Observing the homely touches and the bodies that occupied the hut. The scent was different too, while it remained earthy, the same smell that she associated now with the rest of the pack, there were individual scents coming through too. She assumed that some belonged to each of the people inside. Although she did, despite herself, pick up the faint scent that she now knew belonged to Tate, which sent a pang through her that didn't understand. Regardless, despite being in this unknown hut, Clarissa didn't feel entirely uncomfortable. Only when it came to feeling the confused stares on her from the three other brothers.

She shrugged, sharing Daisy's smile as she turned her attention to the younger girl. "As long as you all don't mind. Anders suggested it really, otherwise I would've been sleepin' outside in the cold." She gently rubbed the back of her neck. "I didn't really think it'd be best botherin' Tate with all of this either, not after how our latest conversation went." Clarissa added sheepishly, eyes darting to the three other males before returning to Daisy. "I hope this is okay."

One of the brothers then stood, leaving the other two and the game for the time being. "You're the one we found in the bedroom," he observed, arms folding across his chest and a smirk began to pull at his lips, "The one with the needle."

Clarissa felt her cheeks go warm at the mere thought of the events of the day, how she clutched onto that needle as if it were a weapon capable of doing any damage to the wolves she was forced to confront. "Yeah, I was. What of it?" She asked in response, tilting her chin with the same defiance she had shown Tate.

The other male raised an eyebrow at her behaviour before breaking out into a chuckle, the smirk becoming more prominent. "I'm Chester. Daisy already told us who you are. We needed know the name of the girl who was getting Tate all het up, ain't seen him this pissed off in a while."

Allowing her eyes to wander over the newest face she had been introduced to, Clarissa matched his posture by crossing her own arms over her chest. He wasn't the tallest, so obviously not the male that Anders had warned her about. A quick look to the measurements on the walls told her he was the fourth tallest. He had Tate's hair and Daisy's eyes.

"Yeah well, it's not intentional. We're just obviously rubbin' each other up the wrong way." She muttered after her little survey of the brother, obviously not wanting to discuss anymore about the man who was leaving her incredibly confused and lost.
 
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Clarissa may not wish to discuss Tate for a moment longer, given the complex and often conflicting co-existing emotional reactions that she held regarding the man, but that wasn't a luxury she was afforded in the hut amongst Tate's siblings. Some were eager to assist her in her desire not to discuss Tate when the alpha had already made it clear that nobody ought to speak to Clarissa anyway, let alone about him, yet contrasting Daisy and Anders' desperation to move off the unnecessary subject altogether were the other brothers whose sole purpose in that moment appeared to be creating their own amusement, unfortunately using Clarissa to achieve it.

"Y'know, it don't surprise me that you got him all pissed off, like. He's probably intimidated. Probably scared outta his mind. How can he not be? He's seen what you can do with a needle; probably terrified of 'ya," added another of the brothers, Lyle. As he got to his feet, his similarity in height to Chester meant that he too wasn't the tallest of the bunch, though that hardly meant he was small. He stood over six feet and had the physicality to match such a stature. It just happened that Lyle, who sported an array of freckles across his nose and a smile that seemed to slip too easily into a smirk, could never match the height that his tallest brother alarmingly stood at.

"God, my knees are shakin' right now, actually. And I feel faint. Am I pale? Am I shaky? I feel like I might faint right now in the presence of such a... a fierce warrior!" He continued dramatically as he turned to Chester in the knowledge that if any of his brothers would join in the theatrics at Clarissa's expense, it was him. The teasing wasn't necessarily cruel and from a place of malevolence; it was playful and born out of genuine amusement at the memory of the girl clutching such a pathetic weapon. Perhaps poking fun of her so blatantly wasn't so nice, but how could he not laugh aloud at the scene that he had found hysterical at the time, and even more so now.

"...She's also the girl that confronted Tate out in the open, in front of everyone. That's fucking brave, you dickhead. I ain't seen you confronting Tate, even when he's bossin' you around and making you collect sticks. That's a crap job and he makes you two do it. You don't go confronting him, do 'ya? So wind your necks in, assholes," snapped Daisy suddenly, her eyes burning in annoyance at her older brothers' behaviour. It wasn't unsurprising given their propensity for poking fun at people, though it would usually be Daisy who was unafraid to reprimand them for it. That had been their mother's job, though in her passing, Daisy was more than happy to accept the baton and control her brothers wherever she could.

Particularly if they were being hypocritical in judging Clarissa when they couldn't do something as brave as she had done. Sure, her confrontation with Tate wasn't encouraged or wise in the slightest, though it was undoubtedly brave and nobody could argue against that. Not even Lyle, who frowned though fell silent in acceptance with the ruling.

It was amongst the arguing that Gio had pushed himself to his feet, thereby immediately making his brothers appear small in comparison despite their own impressive heights. It was just that Gio was 6'8" of almost pure muscle, which inevitably overshadowed each and every one of his brothers... and almost everyone else in the camp. Despite his size, he had a gentle expression with a pair of green eyes that held in them the same warmth that Anders' own eyes possessed, and a dimpled smile Daisy herself sported.

"You doin' alright, in camp? Kinda a lot different to the village, ain't it?" Began Gio, his voice perhaps even deeper than it would be assumed to be. "First time being in the village today for me, and I gotta say that it felt sorta... suffocating, like. I dunno. I'm just used to the woods."
 
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Chester matched Lyle's sudden bout of silence, with only a few added grumbles under his breath. "Oh c'mon, Dase. We're only teasin' and you know it. Besides, the girl doesn't care." He protested, hands falling to his sides. Clarissa's eyes narrowed, her body having grown tense under the razzing that she had just experienced, a muscle in her jaw jumped at his words. "The girl does actually care. The girl would also appreciate if you didn't speak on her behalf." She responded, tone firm but not sharp. Commanding in a way that she herself didn't expect.

While annoyance pulsed through her at the two male's teasing, Daisy's words also allowed Clarissa to keep her head raised with slight pride. If the two tall and strapping young men in front of her didn't even dare to confront their brother in the way she did, that was something she would hold onto. And hold over them. If they continued to try and take the piss.

A frown fell over Chester's expression and he shared a brief look with Lyle, "Alrigh' well... sorry. Like I said, we was only teasin', didn't mean anything by it." He apologised again, eyes lowering momentarily until he realised what he had just done. There was no need to show submission to a girl who had just entered this pack. Entered his own hut. The stern tone to her voice was nothing like what Tate may have used in the past when dividing out chores or roles for the day, but there was something else to it that he couldn't quite put a finger on.

Watching Chester and Lyle carefully for a moment longer, she provide Gio with her attention as he approached. It was hard to not allow herself to be intimidated by his size, but upon meeting his gaze and seeing his smile, Clarissa felt less concerned about the guy. Chester and Lyle, meanwhile, had used the excuse of their mountain of a brother interrupting the conversation to return to their game, seeming rather grateful and relieved to no longer be part of it all.

"I can understand that... the woods are all you've known I suppose." She answered, voice turning softer, "Just like the village is all I've known. It's... weird. I can't describe it. But there's somethin', a part of me, that is kinda wakin' up now." Clarissa admitted, hesitating as she tried to explain, "But anyway, it's a lot to take in, that's for sure. A lot to sleep on too, I think."
 
"Wakin' up, yeah? Guess it makes sense for a part of 'ya to have lain dormant while you were there," admitted the largest of the family members as he pondered that fact, unable to hide the interest he held in the subject. Clarissa was a unique case in her being a werewolf, brought up amongst humans and remaining oblivious to her true nature. It was impossible for Gio not to hold an interest in wanting to understand how she had lived that existence and whether a part of her knew, innately or otherwise, that she was different; that she harboured something that separated her from the humans in some way. He understood why Tate wanted to prevent Clarissa interacting with the pack just yet for that reason - if they were all as curious as Gio was, the girl would undergo a bombardment of questions that would only overwhelm her and may result in her shutting down completely in refusal to accept the help. That was a fear Tate had, after all, and Gio, understanding that, reluctantly forced himself not to get too carried away in his questioning.

Only when Tate had helped her out somewhat, helped to unlock that part of her that was already starting to stir in the presence of fellow werewolves', would Gio be prepared to perhaps get to know Clarissa's upbringing for himself. Only when there was no chance of him intervening in whatever it was Tate wanted to do, because having witnessed Anders' earlier chastisement, any interference from anyone in the pack, family or not, wasn't appreciated or accepted by the alpha.

And wisely, Gio wanted to avoid being made a spectacle of in such a manner.

"--Hey, this can be where you sleep if 'ya want?" Anders blurted as he gestured eagerly to the top bunk of Daisy's bed, his fidgety, quick movements a further indication of his excitement as he folded his arms in an effort to retain some control of himself. "And there's a jug of water over on the table in case you get thirsty, and if you wake up and need somethin', I'm over in that bunk over there with Gio, so wake me up if 'ya want. I'll help 'ya if you need my help for anything, or Daisy, or Gio, or--"

"Do you want the girl to get some sleep tonight or are you gonna chat crap for hours, Anders? Fuckin' hell, give our ears some rest," muttered Lyle from the floor, too engrossed in the game to lift his eyes but unable to block out the excitable chatter from his youngest brother. "...I'm sure Clarissa can work out for herself that she can drink the water if she wakes up thirsty; it ain't nothin' that needs explaining for god's sake. She ain't so dumb that she can't figure out what to do if she's thirsty - are 'ya, Clarissa? Can you manage that without the idiot explaining it to 'ya?"
 
Clarissa had thought that herself a few times now after her conversation with Daisy and Anders. Hearing about the transition and how members seemed to have their first at a young age, she wondered just what she experienced was different to them. She still had her strength and her heightened senses, yet there was nothing else she could put her finger on. Except for the Whisper. Now she was beginning to wonder if that was there to make up for her lack of wolf. The instinct that was being suppressed and which was trying to help her through all those years at the village. The possibility that, after all these years, that voice in her head was something that was actually natural for her to have rather than her being insane was a relief that she hadn't felt before.

Yet did she dare mention it to anyone here? The next concern would be if it wasn't normal. If that little voice in her head wasn't something that had come from her suppressed nature. Not to mention it was pretty clear that she was an unusual case for all who were involved. So what did they have to go by? From what Clarissa understood, she was a first-time thing for the pack. She could sense the questions the pack members wanted to ask, feeling their curiosity burning into her with the gazes that lingers on her. Making her feel like some sort of freak.

"I guess we'll find out... as long as Tate still wants to teach me by the time mornin' comes around." Clarissa answered, smiling slightly. After all that had happened, she wasn't going to hold her breath. She had no idea how the alpha was going to react when morning came, and she was finding it difficult to not care. The prospect of not having that time with Tate caused a sad irritation to blossom in her chest, a feeling she was quick to squash.

Quickly she allowed Anders' rambling to be a source of distraction, a fond smile settling on her lips as he tried to explain everything in his rapid-fire way. The smile soon became a frown at Lyle's interruption, and she turned her head to look at where Chester and Lyle continued with their game, having moved to the bunk bed during Anders' explanation.

"He's fine to explain things to me. He has explained more to me all day than anyone else has - apart from Daisy, that is. So you best leave 'im alone." She answered tersely, leaving Chester to tear his eyes from the game to roll them at her. "Fuckin' hell, should have left her with the bloody humans. We'd get less of bollockin' that way. It's goin' be like have two Daisy's."

Rolling her eyes at both of the boys, Clarissa looked back to Anders and smiled gratefully, "Thank you. I'm sure I'll be fine, don't ya worry. If I need anything, you'll be the first to know. Promise." She assured him. Clarissa then turned to face the bunk bed, climbing up to allow her legs to swing over the edge. She had never been in a bunk bed before, it would definitely be an experience. But with Lyle and Chester in the room, she didn't dare ask how she was going to keep from rolling out. She didn't need them laughing at her expense again.
 
He didn't construe anything malicious from his brothers' teasing. He had grown up with both Lyle and Chester in particular taunting and teasing Anders, whether it be at expense of his naivety and gullibility or physically, in initiating play-fights and roughhousing with the youngest brother. Could it become grating sometimes? Sure. Could the play-fighting, however natural it was, become tough to handle when he was effectively up against two older, more toughened werewolves? Obviously. But Anders took it all in his stride, comfortable handling the brotherly behaviours when at the end of the day, he knew his brothers loved and cared for him and that was what was most important.

That didn't mean he could hide a growing grin at the way they had, once again, grown silent in response to the chastisement they received. Clarissa had managed to confront Tate so, regardless of the tag-teaming, Lyle and Chester were hardly off-limits, particularly if they did need to quieten down and reel themselves in from time to time. That responsibility was usually left to Tate or, frequently, Daisy - though Clarissa's sudden involvement in the task didn't go unappreciated, especially by Anders who opted to thank the newcomer with a smile and an acknowledging nod.

"You know, I would apologise on behalf of them but this ain't even that bad. They've been a hell of a lot more annoying in the past. Believe it or not, this is them trying to be polite," mumbled Daisy as she absently cast a glance across to her brothers, her eyes rolling at Lyle's unsubtle celebratory cheering at winning the game which would inevitably result in some sort of roughhousing between the brothers. She peered away with another sigh when the inevitable tackle between the brothers occurred, so used to them initiating a fight over something minuscule that she barely batted an eyelid at the sound of them punching and kicking at one another.

"It's fine; it's not serious. They're always at it," she continued, feeling obliged to make the caveat. The blunt sound of fists against skin could be misconstrued as brutal, but it was little more than playfulness between the werewolves. That didn't make it any less annoying for Daisy to have to handle, taking in a deep breath to resist the urge to physically pull her older brothers apart. "...Hard to believe they're grown adults, ain't it?"
 
Clarissa watched the brothers engage in the fight from her new perch on the bunk bed, frowning at the strength that was undoubtedly on display between the two. The sounds of fits connecting with jaws or stomachs or limbs was something that caused her to wince, and she briefly wondered why no one in the hut attempted to break the two apart. Until Daisy began to explain how it was a regular occurrence and Clarissa pulled her eyes away from the roughhousing that was continuing behind the little group she had no in front of her.

"A lil', yeah." She admitted, eyebrow raised as she allowed her legs to gently swing. It was all so odd, another new layer of life in this new community for Clarissa to become accustomed to. The sort of apparent play fighting she was witnessing in the one corner of the hut was something that she would have seen between two men who had just been thrown out of a tavern and were continuing their fight outside. But at least there weren't any knives or harmful weapons involved in this one. Just fists and feet.

A soft yawn escaped her despite her best intentions to smother it down, and she rubbed at the spot between her eyebrows. "If it's all the same to you, I think I'm goin' try and get some sleep now. S'just it's... been a long day and I can feel it catchin' up on me, y'know?" She smiled faintly, hoping that she didn't seem rude with her announcement of wanting to sleep. But it had been an exhausting day, in more ways than one. And to be perfectly honest, Clarissa was wondering how she had managed to last this long without collapsing. Her body had taken a bit of a beating, her mind had been pushed to the brink, and her emotions were still haywire now. She needed this sleep to recover, to allow her body to recharge and her mind to process all that she had been told.

She took the blanket that was folded at the end of the bed, dragging it out so it laid over her lap once she had made sure it was okay for her to use. Unfolding it released a plethora of new scents, causing her to pause and her eyes to lower to it as her nostrils flared for a second. It smelt like the hut, first and foremost. Of all the different flowers that had been set up on the tables, then she could identify the scents that belonged to the bodies surrounding her. Then there was Tate's, slightly overpowering the rest of them, a part of her wanting to immediately curl up with it over her. But then there was a final scent, a much weaker one that she almost didn't pick up. It was flowery and fresh, the scent of wildflowers.

Gio looked up from where he had sat on his own bed, obviously also catching the scents that revealed themselves. Clearing his throat, as if the words were difficult to get out, he nodded toward the blanket. "That's just a spare, everyone uses it from time to time in case they get cold or someone's stolen their other blanket." He explained, as if knowing she could smell them all on the material.

Clarissa nodded, looking back down to it as she wondered if the wildflower scent belonged to their ma. But she didn't dare ask. Instead she offered them all a small smile and a murmur of goodnight before laying down to pull it over herself. She turned on her side, giving them her back as she tried to have some privacy in her attempt to get to sleep. But it would be a while until sleep would come for her, leaving Clarissa with her eyes open for some time, listening to the soft, inaudible whispers and murmurs of those in the room with her, falling into a restless sleep when she finally did.
 
Respectfully (albeit with some stern warning from Daisy to remain quiet), peace descended upon the hut when Clarissa drifted to sleep. After experiencing untold chaos and devastation, observing the callous and ruthless slaying of the villagers, friends and family she had grown up around, it would take a cruel person not to respect Clarissa's right to a good night's, undisturbed sleep. And fortunately for her, regardless of their roughhousing and tendency for fiendish taunting, all the brothers (and Daisy) were inclined to allow her to enjoy just that.

That didn't mean that the same went once morning rolled around. They had kept quiet as she slept, to allow her to physically recover somewhat after the trauma she had undergone (as well as the brutal journey into the camp, being dragged along by a few wolves) but once they began to stir awake in preparation for the day ahead, such courtesy had abandoned them. The small home was a scene of chaos in the mornings as the brothers, all strapping and tall, bundled about one another in an effort to get on with their morning routine. Inevitably, curses and a few fists were thrown in amongst the chaos as they each got in one another's way, eventually resulting in an argument over who had the right to brush their teeth first - a petty argument created from very little, but apparently worthy of a fierce discussion amongst the brothers. When logic and facts failed them, asserting their physical dominance didn't and, perhaps predictably given he was the youngest of the brothers (and thereby teasingly referred to as a 'pup' despite Daisy being two years his junior), Anders was left at the back of the queue.

Daisy barely flinched at the raucous cacophony of deep, booming voices and eventual scuffles that broke out when she had dealt with the behaviour her entire upbringing. All it really did was make her remark to herself how much patience her mother had possessed to raise the six of them in such a kind, loving manner because Daisy could only imagine how much of a nightmare some days seemed to have six young children to keep in line.

The chaos only came to a stop upon Tate's entrance into the hut. He didn't live there anymore but his appearance in the mornings wasn't unheard of: he liked to check up on his siblings before breakfast commenced out by the fireside, to ensure they had slept well and were behaving themselves. Most days his appearance wouldn't warrant silence, with the routines continuing as normal despite his intervention, yet on that day, even Lyle fell quiet as he watched the elder brother's eyes drift to Clarissa's bunk.

"She's sleepin'," pointed out Lyle matter-of-factly as he shoved on his plain t-shirt, trying to find anything to say to fill the tense silence. "Probably best to leave her, like. She's knackered, been through a hell of a lot an' all--"

"You aren't the fuckin' alpha, Lyle. And she ain't your responsibility so quit telling me what to do, yeah?" Tate reprimanded instantly, creating the uncomfortable silence once more as he turned his focus back onto Clarissa. Without warning, he moved to shake her awake, as gently as he could to avoid being forceful but with enough of a force to encourage her to come around. "...Get up. I ain't waiting all day for you. I wanna talk before breakfast so... so get up, make yourself presentable and... and we can talk then. Got it?"
 
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