Fandom: Murder Call (Tessa Vance books)
Author: neela

Rating: PG (K+)
Warning: 15-minute ficlet. This has only been checked for spelling mistakes...
Summary: It's hard to fit in when you're a sheep in a pack of wolves.


Acceptance

It's hard to fit in when you're a sheep in a pack of wolves. The wolves are always hungry, always on the hunt for food and the other necessary things in order for their survival. But most of all food. And when you're a sheep, you're easy prey.

A sheep stands no chance against a full-blooded and a full pack of wolves. It is driven into a corner until the wolves decide who is the lucky bastard to get dinner today, or the meat is split between them. No way a sheep could ever escape the wolves by itself. Not if it's already up in the corner.

But if it's not in a corner, the sheep can run. Though the saying "you can run but you can't hide" would certainly apply then. There is no escaping the wolves completely. You can run and run and run, but they will always catch up to you. Or drive you off a cliff or into a lake. Then you're just as messed up as if you were standing in a corner surrounded by the lot of them.

However, there is that tiny, winy, little chance that a sheep can survive in a wolf dominated population. And that is by gaining respect. Nevertheless, to gain that aforementioned respect is easier said than done. One usually has to prove oneself. Either by hunting down something eatable, or fighting the lead male wolf. In some cases one has to beat more than just one wolf.

Tessa had been there. Exact same position. Although nearly driven up into a corner, she had fought tooth and nail to get out of it, and though she stumbled on her way as she ran, she gained respect when she turned mid-way and faced the lead wolves head-on. It had been a long battle, a hard battle which she had barely escaped with her life. But even though the lead wolf had done little to credit her victory, his second-in-command had certainly shown a lot more respect for her.

It paid off to have a brilliant mind, but no matter how smart or good one is, you always have to prove your worth. There is no denying it. One has to make a stand, show what you believe in and how far you will go for that same belief. Tessa had gone all the way. She had stood by her beliefs, though wavering at the threat of other wolves, she had turned her weaknesses into strength. She had her complexes, but who didn't?

In the end, she, as the sheep, had gotten a top position among the wolves. After five years, she could finally say with rock-hard belief that she had gained acceptance. They knew every weakness and strength within her and she knew theirs. She would have their back and they would have her. She was confident of that fact.

It felt truly good to have such a respect. Even more so as the second-in-command showed her especially how large acceptance and respect he had of her behind closed doors. Why his wife ditched out on him, Tessa would never know or understand, but one thing was for certain: Steve was one hell of a lover.