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	The cooking fires crackly softly in the evening air, its light flickering against those familiar faces that stood close by. Aly’s obnoxiously proud grin. Wild Rose’s aged but sharp gaze. Adesina’s nervous glances. The faces of a few I wouldn’t likely forget.  That sketchbook of Aly’s gleamed in the glow, her attitude still countering my own. That weight in my chest still heavy. My patience wore thin enough, and I couldn’t stop myself from biting back.
	“Suneaters?” I reeled, my works cutting that moment of silence like a shard of ice. “Why would you think naming ourselves something that might offend an already offended Great Spirit?” The last of my cut potatoes were tossed roughly into the pot. Hot water splashing, scalding my rough hands. The feeling is lost to temper and maybe even fear. Considering how one of Helio’s gang members could have been the one cooking the stews- I wasn’t going to take my chances. “The only thing you’ll be best at is running aw-” I couldn’t finish my thought, as a clawed hand batted hard against the back of my head. Blood ran down the side of my head as claws took a small sliver out of my ear.
	Then her voice came. Commanding, steady, and sharp as her claws. Wild Rose.

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	“Enough.” The Mentor commands, tone cutting through the tension like the crack of a whip in the dark. In the light her salt-and-pepper hair glints in the firelight as she places herself between Jonathan and Aly, a hand on each of their shoulders. A dark shadow cast behind her, furthering her imposing presence and dominance. She was their teacher. And they best well remember that. “You know better to speak to your future pack mate that way. Not now, not ever.” She scolds Jonathan. Then turns to Aly. “Mind your words, Aly. Big talk can earn big enemy’s. Even if it is just a joke.” In a softer tone. It was obvious from time spent with the cubs, that for Aly words don’t always work. The Rite Of Passage would have to teach her those hard lessons. 
	“Not all cubs make it through their Rite of Passage. Some of you might not come back from this. You’ve trained, yes, but the wild doesn’t care about training. The spirits won’t take pity on you. And if you can’t stand as one, if you can’t find strength in each other, you’ll fall alone. Remember that.” Wild Rose presses, giving each of the rowdy cubs a hard look. Remember this. She pulls her hand away after giving each a gentle squeeze. 
	Wild Rose turns to Adesina, her tone shifting. “Adesina. Please watch over your brother and sister while I find SnapJaw. The night will be starting soon.”