Winkii
Legacy Name: Winkii

***

She had been wild once, and she hadn't particularly cared for it. For one, dirt and branches were always getting themselves caught in her coat. Then other members of the pack would tell her off for holding them up, and she did feel bad, but she needed to keep grooming or her coat would be positively ruined!

But that was a minor hassle compared to what made her run away.

Normally when the group went on hunts, they pursued small prey--wild minions and the like. That was well enough, although she felt awfully bad for the little things. But one afternoon Alpha had gotten pushy, and she had targeted a nearby Antlephore relaxing in the shade. "You, Gamma," she whispered, "you flank that fellow by the left and I'll take him down up front."

At the time Winkii had been but one of several Gammas, nameless, but there was no question the Alpha was talking to her. Her eyes widened, and she drew back. "But Alpha," she said. "He... he's an equal. If I walked up to him now we could have a nice chat and I just can't--"

"Are you questioning me?" Alpha snarled. She stalked in close and backed Winkii up against a tree.

"Um. Um. Maybe."

Alpha's eyes were dangerously narrow, nearly closed. "That creature is no equal," she said. "It is an herbivore. We are carnivores. It's the natural order of things that we should prey upon him."

"But usually the things we hunt don't talk back," said Winkii. She nodded. "Yeah, I think I like that best."

Alpha threw her head back. "I am so sick. and. tired. of. YOU!" She struck Winkii hard across the face, making certain her claws caught, making sure that the lesser Kumos bled.

Winkii yelped and hit the ground, clasping one paw to her wounded eye. From her good one she could see Alpha advancing on her once more, and in desperation found her footing and skittered back. Low to the ground and still holding her eye, she cried, "Well, if you're so sick of me... maybe... maybe I should just go, huh?"

It was Alpha's turn to be taken aback. Then she laughed. "Go?" she scoffed. "If you wish." Her muzzle twisted up in a cruel grin. "You'll die."

Winkii gulped. She couldn't say anything to a look like that. "I hate it when you look at me like that," she whispered. But all the same, she knew she couldn't stay. Not anymore. She could not hurt that Antlephore. Once she saw him get up and leave, Winkii left to, tail tucked between her legs and the whole pack laughing at her.

*

To Alpha's credit, she was almost right. Almost. Winkii nearly had died out there in those woods, half blind and starving. It was so much harder to hunt like this. She was lucky she'd found water.

In fact, it was a downright miracle she'd come upon Veta. Here, she could find plenty of fresh water, and she made herself a place by the Farmer's Market dancing for loose sP. It wasn't much, but honestly it was rather peaceful, and Winkii thought she enjoyed the dancing more than the sP and scraps.

"Cute dance," said a girl to her one day.

"Thanks!" Winkii said. She looked the girl up and down. "I like your rags!" Well, they were aesthetically arranged anyway, and Winkii believed in returning a compliment with a compliment.

The girl furrowed her brows. "Thank... you?" She fussed about in her pockets, and Winkii waited eagerly for her pay. But then the girl hesitated. "Hey, what's your name?"

The then not-yet-named Kumos tipped her head.

Sighing, the girl said, "You don't have one, do you?"

Honestly, it was an option that had never occurred to Winkii before, though she had met other named Pets before. Now she sat up a little straighter, eager and ready. "I could have one? A name of my own?"

And the girl smiled. "Yeah, of course you can. In fact, how would you like to have a home?"

*

She made Red promise not to tell the other Pet of the house where she'd come from. Dutifully Red only told Ferrian that Winkii came from "the shops". Winkii didn't really want to think of herself as once-wild anymore. There had never been a bit of her that was wild at all. She supposed she was always born for the comfortable, pampered home life.

And in gratitude for being given this place, Winkii found herself and worked hard every day. She'd always barely dragged her weight around in her pack--never again. She'd learned that lesson. Besides, Red and Ferrian and everyone in the house really deserved to have all the help Winkii could offer.

And life was good.

***

She loves to be one of the girls
She lives in the place
In the side of our lives
Where nothing is
Ever put straight