Chapter 21
Resolve

Brightly, the morning light of the dawn broke through the curtains that were unevenly closed in the Kazekage's quarters.

Sleeping silently, Gaara lay on his back under the sheets of his bed – the first time he slept in years. Without Shukaku inflicting upon him his insomnia, the Kazekage was free to sleep as much as he wished – something he was not used to once in his young life. Although resurrected by the forbidden technique created by Chiyo the Elder, his body had not yet regained its full natural state, leaving him extremely weakened. Astounding anyone who heard of his rescue, he might possibly have been the only person in Sunagakure to be successfully brought back to life. Risen from the dead, as it were. Unfortunately, he did not remember the Pure Land. All he saw was black, the darkness – just as he saw in sleep.

"I... was nothing," Nomasaki remembered him say as he was brought home. "It... felt as if I fell asleep. That's all I remember."

Then we are all nothing, even to your old desert gods, she thought, The god of death greets you at their table and you sleep for eternity.

Resting silently, he allowed his body to regain what it had lost.

At his bedside was his dutiful assistant, sitting silently on a wooden chair near the window. Carefully, she watched him rest with worried and guilt-ridden eyes. With each passing breath, she noticed the faint rising and falling of his chest cavity – making sure he was still alive. Ever since she returned from the Land of Rivers, she lay awake in fear of Kenzō finding out her actions. Rescuing the Kazekage against his orders was one thing – killing his right-hand was another. Although she never liked Tojiru, she never wanted to kill him – but she reminded herself that she had no other choice. It was either kill Tojiru, or face the consequences of disobeying Kenzō's commands. Kill or be killed, the unfortunate fate of shinobi.

To make matters worse, she could not shake away the guilt that tainted her thoughts as she looked at the weakened Kazekage before her. Kenzō had commanded her to kill him if things came to an impasse, and she still could not believe the words that escaped his lips as he said so to her in that darkened chamber.

Kill him – the words sounded more chilling as time went on.

Finding her father to seek out the cure to her hatred that festered deep in her heart was one thing – betraying Gaara was another. Even as she sat at his bedside while he slept, she realized how easy it would be to make it appear as if he passed in his sleep. There were pillows littered behind his head, and if that failed the kunai in her sleeve could do the job, albeit a messier end.

No, she decided, I would never.

The dye was cast, her choice warming her cold and paranoid heart. If it were the only way to meet her estranged father, she would choose to accept she would never find him at all. Her loyalty to Gaara was more important – his friendship. She knew she could never bring herself to do it even if her life depended on it, not even if Kenzō held the blade to her own throat, she would sooner choose her own death to end it all. A traitor deserved a traitor's death, whether it be beheading, exile, or life imprisonment. She was better than that of a traitor, and Gaara did not deserve such a fate.

Nor did she.

She was going to protect him from Kenzō. That was what she decided, and that was what she was going to do.

Even if it killed her.

As she gazed at his peaceful state, she felt comforted. He was alive – and he was going to live. Although he no longer had Shukaku, that meant he would finally be safe from Kenzō after all – and her assignment would inevitably come to an end. All she had to do was be patient. Curiously, she wondered what he felt like - to be so close with him, the one who no one could ever touch from his ultimate defence. His skin, his red hair – to be as close as to share a heartbeat with him. His chakra felt so comforting to her now, so warm – so safe. It was different than Shukaku's. It felt brighter, stronger, and in a way... wiser. Her thoughts startled her, crossing her mind as if out of nowhere. Desperately, she tried to shake them, but they persisted.

How strange, she thought to herself, Why at such a time? Watching him sleep in silence, she found herself wondering if it were possible. No - she forced herself to remember, I'm a foreigner - a traitor - and your assistant. You would never...

He stilled.

Her curiosity getting the better of her, she cautiously reached out to his chest to check his breathing once more. Slowly, her fingers edged closer. Before she could get any closer, a thin stream of sand appeared as if from nowhere – blocking her touch within the air above him. Surprising her, she jerked her hand away. Despite Shukaku's absence, his Ultimate Defense was still effective. A relief, she thought, At least his powers didn't leave him.

Slowly, Gaara stirred in his bed. Rising from his slumber, he opened his ringed-eyes. Flinching from his sudden awakening, she watched timidly as his eyes slowly drifted their glance towards her. Weakly, he appeared relieved to have seen her. "Nomasaki, you're here…"

"Don't push yourself," She replied, her expression concerned. "You've been through a lot. Please rest."

"Did the council send for you?"

"Yes, actually." She nodded. "They wanted me to… monitor your progress. Also," With a loud thud, she dropped what appeared to be ten pounds worth of paperwork upon the table beside him. Catching his attention, he eyed the pile with bewilderment as she grimaced to herself in slight awkwardness. "You fell behind on your paperwork, so I'm here to help you finish it. It's about a week's worth."

"Damn them…" He sighed to himself, turning his glance back towards the ceiling. "I'm still… unable to move and they expect me to do that? The bastards…"

Her expression appearing concerned once more, she glanced towards his fatigued state. "How are you… feeling?"

"I'm alive, that's all I know. In a way… I feel sort of… empty…"

"Empty?"

"I'm going to sound strange, but… it doesn't feel the same without Shukaku."

Looking down at her lap, she pondered her words carefully. "That's not strange," She said. "It makes sense. Your chakra was always connected with another, and now…–," Catching her attention, she could feel his gaze upon her. Looking up, she saw the gleam of his turquoise eyes from the brightening sun. Startling her slightly, she felt her chest flutter briefly as she grew flustered from his stare. It was a strange day, that was for sure - all these feelings coming from nowhere jolted her mind as she attempted to push them to the back of her thoughts. "What is it?"

Turning his gaze back to the ceiling, he entered his thoughts once more. "You're… understanding. Thank you… for that." He said, quietly. "Temari and Kankuro told me what you did. You led them… to the Land of Rivers… where I was… Why?"

Her head hung low as she gathered her thoughts, her eyes closed halfway in held guilt and sadness. "You're our Kazekage," She answered. "You were captured... by the enemy. Sunagakure would have been lost and at risk of war if we didn't find you in time." Gathering her inner courage, she lifted her head and looked him in the eyes, her glance appearing almost pleading to him, striking his curiosity. "You're… too important to lose."

"I take it you repaid the favor, then. From that time, two years ago..."

Surprising her slightly, she was astounded that he remembered their encounter that day long ago. Looking down at her lap, she found herself warmed for a moment as a soft smile curved on her lips. She was so brave back then – a genin rookie taking part in those exams against many threatening foes. Upon crossing his path, the words she spoke to him surprised her as she remembered them in her thoughts. "Someday, I'll repay the favor." She did keep her word to him – and for once, her heart felt fulfilled. He saved her from her abduction by the Ishigakure shinobi back then, when no one else would. Accompanied only by a reluctant Hanone, Gaara fought her kidnappers and rescued her from her certain death by the hands of those who wanted her bloodline. It was only appropriate that she returned the favor by helping his siblings find him in the weaving forests of the Land of Rivers when he was taken hostage by the Akatsuki. Hanone would certainly snarl towards her once she revealed to him what she done, she thought - his distaste for the Kazekage only growing stronger over time.

Glancing back to him as he lay in bed, she gave a subtle nod. "I suppose you can say that."

"And…–," He began hesitantly, his tone quiet as his gaze grew troubled. "Chiyo-sama?"

"Her funeral is tomorrow. The allies from Konoha will be departing after the burial."

"I see."

Tear swelled into her eyes. Blinking them away, she turned towards the open window to fend them off. "It's incredible, what she did..." She said, keeping her composure. "We thought you were dead. And yet... here you are, our Kazekage - alive and well." Guilt crept into her throat where her curse mark lay hidden. It burned subtly into her memories as her gaze moved to her lap. "If you hadn't returned, I - we... wouldn't know what to do... Chiyo-sama and Uzumaki Naruto, it was their chakra that saved you." She tried to push away her rising sobs with a brief chuckle. "I'm an assistant to a Kage. To tell you the truth, I did not think I would have to go through something like this - and in your first year as leader, too."

"Neither did I." Gaara replied, his glance towards the ceiling above. "The Akatsuki... there's no doubt that they're formidable. They stole Shukaku, ripping it from my own seal -," His body shook with pain from the place where his tailed-beast was extracted. Sitting up, he clutched the spot on his abdomen in trembling agony, cursing the wind under his breath. "Damn it...! The more my body recovers, the more pain I feel from that jutsu they used... damn it all."

"Are you alright?" Nomasaki approached, worried. "Did you want me to send for the medic-nin?"

"No, I'm fine." The pain sent tremors through his ribs. "It will... just take some time - to get used to. That's all."

She averted her eyes in shame. "I'm useless as your assistant." She lamented. "I don't know medical-ninjutsu, I can't even help heal a single wound... all I can do is detect chakra, and that's the best I can do."

"That's good enough, believe me." His words surprised her. "I might not be here because of you... so your duty as my assistant is all I could ask for."

You might have been captured because of me... or Kenzō, for that matter. Pushing aside her guilt, she felt warmed by his humble words. "I only want to serve you... but because of our shared friendship, not because of duty." She brought herself to smile at him, her eyes glistening with the scant evidence of tears. "You're our Kazekage, our leader. Our village needs you, believe me."

"In that case," Weakly, he slowly lifted himself up from his resting position, sitting up upon his mattress as his messy head of red hair mopped upon his head. Dressed in a plain white shirt as he sat up in his rarely used bed, she was startled but also amused by his casual appearance. Always dressed in the Kazekage's garb or his burgundy shinobi attire, the sight of seeing him dress 'normal' was something she thought she would never see. Turning towards the pile of paperwork, he let out a silent sigh, then looked towards her – a faint smile present on his lips. "We should get to work. I'll start those forms now while I can, then we can prepare for the funeral and other duties."

Nodding, she smiled back at him timidly. "Yes, sir."

Clutching the completed paperwork against her chest as she entered the Kazekage's vacant office that late morning, she placed all the papers into their respective piles on his desk – readying them for filing when he was feeling better. As she closed the office door behind her, she suddenly sensed a familiar presence approach her from the opposite end of the hallway. Walking towards her with a friendly smile etched upon her face was Temari. Despite her calm appearance, Nomasaki could feel tension and unease just from the mere gleam of her emerald eyes as she paused before her in the corridor. She was good at hiding it, she thought – and it made her heart skip a beat within her shivering chest.

"There you are," Temari spoke, pausing. "I take it my brother is resting well?"

"Y-Yes," Nomasaki nodded, timidly. "He's… doing much better."

"That's a relief." She sighed. "I'm still surprised he managed to survive that ordeal. Well… thanks to Chiyo-sama's sacrifice." Nodding towards her, she gave a genuine smile. "I wanted to thank you for what you did back there. Without you, we would've surely not have made it in time to save Gaara."

"N-No, don't," Nomasaki assured, nervously. "I was just your guide. I didn't really do anything… Really."

Snickering to herself, Temari placed her hands upon her hips as she pondered to herself in amusement. "It's funny. You always get so modest around my brother, even at the mere mention of him. Why is that, Nomasaki?"

Instantly, a streak of red became visible upon Nomasaki's face. Flustered by her friend's words, she tried her best to contain herself, but to no avail. Her stutter escaped despite her efforts. "N-No, I-I…–," She tried. "I was only -,"

"I'm only kidding, Nomasaki. I know I can trust you around him... unlike those so-called 'fans' of his who've followed him back here to the residence. I have more guards than I can count outside the gates!" Temari chuckled to herself. Turning towards the opposite end of the hall, she gave a parting wave. "Anyways, I have to go to the Intel Division to relay the information Haruno Sakura gathered from Sasori of the Red Sands. I'll be seeing you."

"A-Alright," Nomasaki nodded, swallowing her embarrassment. "Bye, Temari-senpai."

"Before I go," Temari's tone changed. It had a frigid tinge to it, chilling her in her steps. Bringing herself to meet her gaze, Nomasaki silently gulped - hoping to contain herself and her fear from the shift in emotion. As she stopped in the hallway, Temari looked back to her with her eyes narrowed towards her in held suspicion. "I need to ask," Temari began, stern and calm. "When you embarked with us on our mission to find Gaara... were you followed?"

Nomasaki felt her heart pound in her chest.

She knew.

"There was blood on your clothes when you returned with that rabbit. It was more than what would be with a kill that small... were you hiding something from us?"

Attempting to mask her shocked discomfort, Nomasaki remained calm in her frozen stance. While her mind grasped for words to bring to the forefront, her lips failed to bring an answer. She had to be honest – but Kenzō had his listeners everywhere. Nowhere was safe. He had tens of tracker-nin under his command across Suna, both within and outside the Kazekage's mansion – directly under everyone's noses, including Gaara himself. Her violet eyes narrowing slightly, she held on to her glance while she gathered the confidence to speak.

Tojiru came back to haunt her. "An adversary," She replied. "Nothing more. I didn't want to cause a ruckus, especially during such a crucial time."

From her answer, Temari folded her arms across her chest as her glare eased and turned curious. "You should've told us if that was the case, we could've helped. Did you know who they were? Were they Akatsuki? Dissidents? Missing-nin?"

The seal on her tongue reminded her of its presence. Lie. "...Dissidents. They followed us. I'm sorry. I... didn't want to trouble you, so... I took care of them myself."

For a moment, Temari gave her a glance mired in curious suspicion as she examined the pleading gleam of her friend's violet eyes. With a sigh, she relaxed her stance and turned back towards her exit. With a brief wave, she turned back towards her with a neutral smile etched on her lips. Retaining her suspicion, she hid it behind her calm green eyes while the troubling thoughts of her friend and ally returned to her mind.

"Alright, if you say so. I'll see you later."

That was close.

As she watched her friend depart, Nomasaki could sense someone watching her movements from beyond the shadows of the nearby corridor. Turning towards the direction of the presence, she narrowed her eyes. Kenzō, she thought, Of course. Turning the opposite direction, she began on her path towards the shadows.

Within the darkened confines of the chamber, Nomasaki stood silently before the dissident councillor, his darkened eyes narrowed towards her emotionless expression before him. With a blank expression upon her face, she stood emotionless as she met his glare from the opposite end of the room. Surrounding the perimeter of the room were his tracker-nin, their masked figures guarding each path for escape. Seeing them within the shadows irked her, sending a chill down her spine. Although they were technically her comrades, in that room they could be her enemies. Remaining reluctantly optimistic, she hoped they never noticed Tojiru's absence.

"And you can confirm this?"

"Yes," She nodded. "The Kazekage is alive… and Shukaku has been extracted. It is now in the possession of the Akatsuki."

"Good," He sighed. "That filth is finally gone… However, the former jinchuriki still lives. Why is that?"

"Because… Chiyo-sama used the Resurrection Jutsu?"

"You didn't kill him."

His words irked her.

Shocking her, she watched him approach from the front of the room. She hated when he would do that. It took all her might to not retaliate, and she dreaded what he would do if he came close to her like last time. Like a vulture circling carrion in the desert, he paced around her with arms folded at his back. "Was I supposed to?" She brought herself to ask, biting her sealed tongue. "It's... not required, only a... precaution, sir."

"No, but you've certainly had your chance." He chided. "Remember, you have your mission to complete."

"My mission?" She repeated, confused. "But I thought that if Shukaku was taken – the mission, it would…–,"

"End, yes… but I'm not done using you just yet. Remember, you serve me for life. That seal on your tongue marks you to remind you of your fate! So, tell me…–," Pausing behind her, he stood in her shadow, watching her shiver from behind. "Where was it you vanished off to while our Kazekage was missing? I sent my right-hand Tojiru to find you and he hasn't returned. It would be a shame if… you defied my commands." Placing his fingers at her neck, he grinned at her from the darkness – grazing her jugular vein. "You know what would happen to you if you did… Am I not correct?"

Tojiru. Tojiru. Tojiru.

She gulped, attempting to ease her breath. "Y-Yes, sir."

"What was that?"

"Yes."

Retracting his hand away from her, he returned to the front of the room – refusing to look at her any further. "That's what I thought. Now go, get out of my sight. I have no further time to waste here with you today." As she hesitated to leave the room with her back turned, his tracker-nin watched her with gleaming eyes in the darkness. "Wait for just a moment... let me give you a parting message..." She paused, her footsteps fading into the echoing silence. Cautious with bravery, she eyed the councillor with contempt. "I know very well you disappeared. I also know you left the village. One of my men claims he saw you in the Land of Rivers when the Kazekage was revived... If that were true, you would no doubt be begging for mercy." He grinned darkly, forming a hand-sign. "Let me remind you of your fate!"

A sudden burning pain ripped through her from her seal.

Falling to her knees, she clutched her throat and quivered from the inferno of agony that wrought her. She could hardly breathe. The seal burned were it lay on the back of her tongue, and fear entered her mind fresh with the consequences. No matter how hard she tried to repel her suffering, she could barely grasp the strength to cry out. Her lungs felt as if they were on fire.

In an instant, it was over.

Coughing for air, she heaved over the clay floor. Tiny droplets of blood dotted the sandstone from her lips, and she soon tasted the iron. Eyeing her with a glare, Kenzō was unamused as he watched her stand. "Remember what awaits you if you ever decide to go against my will, wolf. I will not hesitate to make you suffer if you do! Leave. I have no further need of you today."

Briefly, she glanced towards him as she left the darkened room, closing the door behind her. Her heart desperately wished for the day where she could leave that room behind, but she felt as if it were impossible. As she stepped into the corridor, she intended to reach her home before being cornered by another unfortunate encounter. There were eyes on her from the shadows, and she made haste to avoid them all. Unbeknownst to her, a pair of green eyes witnessed her leave the corridor with a narrowed glance. There was always something about Kenzō that made Nomasaki shiver in her senses, distracting herself from the chakra of those most familiar to her.

For Temari, it played out to her advantage.

Her worst fears realized, Temari saw to that she tell the Kazekage once he was recovered.

The sun was blinding that next morning.

Gaara and his siblings stood clad in their black funeral clothes along with the departing Konoha shinobi before the gravesite of the fallen Chiyo. Close by, Nomasaki stood, keeping an eye on things and paying her respects silently. Never having attended a Sunagakure funeral before, she was surprised to learn that they bury their dead while clad in black. In Yamagakure where she hailed, they would bid their fallen farewell with a great funeral pyre while they stood in silent prayer dressed in white, burying the ashes in the mountain graveyard near the silent forest of ice. That was how her mother was laid to rest, anyways – as she remembered. Fidgeting her skirt as she stood in the ceremony, she was definitely not used to their customs. After the burial, it was time for the shinobi from Konohagakure to return to their home to the far east. Standing still in silent prayer, Naruto and Sakura paid their final respects to Chiyo while the others waited.

"Sakura, Naruto," Rock Lee called. "We're about to leave now."

"Right!" Naruto called back. Sympathetically, he turned to his teammate who was still mourning her loss. "Let's get going, Sakura."

Exchanging a final glance towards the gravestone, the pink-haired kunoichi followed her comrade and joined the other Konoha shinobi. Before joining them at the gates to bid the farewell, Gaara stayed behind and visited Chiyo's resting place – with his assistant standing beside him. For a long moment, Gaara stood in silence while glancing at the tombstone, mourning without exchanging a single word or conveying a single emotion. Turning to him, Nomasaki gave him a concerned glance.

"Are you alright, Gaara?" She asked.

"She gave her life for mine… My life," He started, his gaze unwavering from the grave. "The life of a feared jinchuriki cursed to live an existence of anguish and loneliness…" Turning towards her, he looked into her concerned lilac eyes with a stoic gleam. "I… don't think I told you this, but… she was the one who performed the sealing jutsu on me to bind me with Shukaku." Looking back to the gravestone, his glance narrowed. "My father, the Fourth Kazekage was insistent, and my mother… died. Chiyo-sama used the Resurrection Jutsu… and brought me back. Her final act was… repentance, if anything."

"She gave her life not just for you, but for the village." She said, quietly, following his gaze. "She… did the right thing." Looking down at herself, her eyes closed halfway in shared sorrow. "She never liked me, but… I always respected her. She will be missed."

"Tell me, Nomasaki," Catching her curiosity, she turned to him. Without looking towards her as he spoke, he kept his gaze locked upon the tombstone of the deceased elder. Lost in his thoughts, he wanted a different approach to his own, and was curious of the opinions of others. "Why is it that people chose to redeem themselves when they're on the brink of death?"

Looking back at the gravesite, her eyes saddened. "I can't say I'm speaking from experience, but… perhaps it's because they want to leave a legacy. They want to right the wrongs they've made while living, so that the next generation can live in peace." After a moment of silence passed between them, she gathered her courage once more – ready to share her true thoughts regardless of her fear. She was taking the risk, and she was ready for it. "You're the Kazekage, our village's hope for the future." Turning back to her, he looked at her saddened expression with a surprised glint to his ringed-eyes. Bravely, she met his gaze, her violet eyes appearing strong to him in the desert sunlight. A sight rarely seen to him, her change in demeanor made him curious. "I may not have said this aloud to you, but… I consider you a friend, someone... dear to me." She revealed, a light smile forming on her lips. "I may be your assistant, but you're my friend above all else. I watch your back and make sure you keep a level-head." Looking down, her sadness returned once more. Pondering her choice in words, she met his gaze again – putting her nervousness aside. "Trusting in others is also difficult… but I trust you."

Warmed and comforted by her words, he gave her a nod in acknowledgement. Humbled, he gave a soft smile towards her – a sight rarely ever seen from someone as stoic as himself. Since they were genin, he always appreciated her kindness. As his assistant, he was honored to be surrounded by someone so caring, but even more honored to be able to call her a friend. He held high respect for her, and always did.

"Thank you, Nomasaki."

"We should meet the others at the gates," She smiled, gesturing behind them. "They'll be departing to the Land of Fire soon."

"Right,"

As she walked towards the village exit, she could still sense his chakra behind her. Pausing in the sands, she turned back towards him with a curious expression on her porcelain face. Standing alone, the Kazekage was eyeing the sands surrounding him with narrowed eyes and an outstretched arm. Despite his pleas for control, the sand would not budge. Could it be that his powers were gone following Shukaku's extraction? Although it was still too early to find out, the thought bothered him to no end. The more he glared at the sand beneath him, the more his brow furrowed in contained frustration.

"Gaara-sama?"

Upon hearing her soft voice, he snapped out of his daze. Turning towards her, he closed his eyes as he walked off to join her bid their allies from Konoha farewell. "It's nothing,"

Standing by the towering village gates by the mouth of the desert, Gaara and his siblings said their goodbyes to their friends from the east. Standing off to the side by the gates was Nomasaki, watching with a soft smile as she witnessed their respected allies return home.

"Safe travels," Kankuro said, a smile on his painted features.

"Yeah!" Naruto nodded, clutching the strap of his backpack. Upon seeing Gaara's glance upon him, he averted his blue eyes awkwardly. "I… guess this is the part where you shake hands and part ways, but I'm bad at that kind of thing, so let's just…–?"

Surprising him, a faint and thin stream of sand surrounded Gaara's outstretched palm. A handshake. Flattered, Naruto smiled, taking his palm into his – signifying their friendship. As their hands parted, Gaara gave a brief nod of his red hair. "Bye, Naruto." He said, his expression stoic, a faint evident smile on his pale lips.

With a brief chuckle, Naruto gave a short wave. "See ya,"

Finally – at long last, the Konohagakure shinobi could return home. Trekking across the desert path, their footsteps marked their path behind them as they walked in the desert heat. Before the Konoha shinobi could disappear over the horizon, a figure began to approach from behind.

"Wait,"

Catching their attention, they paused for a moment to examine who it was. When Naruto turned to see the person, his eyes widened slightly in familiarity. It was the strange girl he met while Kankuro was being treated by Sakura – the Kazekage's assistant, Nomasaki. Clad in her black funeral garbs, he recognized the strange purple tint to her eyes as she paused before them in the sands.

"Oh?" Naruto smiled. "It's you…–,"

"You kept your promise," She smiled back with a nod. "I just wanted to say thank you, for everything. Your chakra helped Chiyo-sama complete the Resurrection Jutsu, so without you... our Kazekage might have not made it back safely. Our village is in debt to you, all of you."

"Don't mention it!" He chuckled, humbled. "I saw you at the Land of Rivers, with the Suna shinobi. I think you played a role in it, too. You are a sensory-nin, right? Gaara is safe because we all pitched in together!"

Jolting slightly from his choice in words, she realized that his observation may have been correct after all. She risked her life to help find him, and she could not have done it alone. No one could. Softly, she smiled and forgot about her impending punishment from her seal. "I-I… guess you're right." Turning back towards Suna in the distance, she gave the Konoha shinobi a parting glance. "I must leave you. Until next time,"

As the parties went their separate ways, Naruto thought he could hear the faint sound of a beast. Pausing for a moment, he turned towards the sands behind him – his eyes widening from the sight. Bounding through the sands in the distance where she once stood was a white wolf, dashing towards the village in broad daylight.

Never in his life had he seen such a creature.

She was a wolf, after all…