Hallow Haven, Werewolf’s perception, one day before the Trek.

  Dinah paced back and forth in front of the entrance to Nightshear Academy. She was growing increasingly agitated by her twin sister’s tardiness.

  They normally walked home together every day without fail, but lately her sister had been taking more and more time to arrive at school's end. It was starting to royally piss Dinah off.

  After another 5 minutes of waiting she finally had enough, she stormed back into the academy with a huff. Frantically she went room to room, finding nothing but emptiness.

  Then she had an epiphany and headed towards the rooftop, the one place left she had not checked.

  As she climbed the stairs she couldn’t get the pit out of her stomach, pure intuition warning her something was off.

  As she cracked open the door a sliver, her worries were confirmed. Her sister Valerie was passionately kissing the biggest dirtbag in the academy, Rick, some feet off to the side.

  She had noticed the occasional glances his way her sister gave during class, though perhaps naively she assumed her sister beyond such things.

  Unable to contain herself, Dinah burst through the door. Valerie and Rick immediately stopped what they were doing and turned to face Dinah in a panic.

  “Sis I-” Valerie started, only to be immediately shut down.

  “What the…ACTUAL FUCK IS THIS?! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING VALERIE?”

  Dinah’s suddenly yelling voice caused her more reserved sister to go silent, despite their identical faces they could not be more different in personality and confidence.

  “Look Dinah, this really isn’t any of your business.”

  Rick said this while trying to puff his chest, his grease stained clothes and hair hindering any intimidating figure he was trying to cut.

  “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you Rick the prick,” Dinah’s voice lowered back to normal, but never lost its edge.

  “I have half the mind to toss your dumbass off this roof, or maybe I should crush that extra small teabag of yours huh?! You dare seduce my sister, you pompous douche?!”

  Rick shrank back in response, Dinah’s way with words could make even an Ogre feel small, let alone him.

  “N-no! This was totally mutual on both sides, I swear!”

  Dinah looked towards Valerie, a silent interrogation on whether this was true or not.

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  “He’s right…in fact, I was the one who asked him to meet me up here today after class.”

  Silence hung between them for 20 or so seconds that felt like 20 hours. Dinah’s heavy breathing gradually slowed down, eventually she just shook her head in disappointment.

  “You, get the hell out of my sight,” Rick took the opportunity Dinah offered and hurriedly dashed past her down the stairwell.

  “And you sister…we’re going to have a nice long chat once we get home.”

  ————————

  Valerie nervously fidgeted with her hands, she was now seated at the table in the small cabin which the two sisters called home. Dinah leaned against the wall staring at her.

  In Werewolf society, to prepare for the harsh conditions of the Trek, every child fourteen years of age or older were to live on their own and provide for themselves in a family assigned cabin.

  The law was that families could only have one child every five years, a historical rule only temporarily waived in the aftermath of The War for Alco.

  The twin sisters were a unique case, as each family only had one cabin; twins, triplets and the like, rare as they were, got special permission to share lodgings.

  Dinah could only contemplate that this did more harm for her sister than good, often she would coddle or protect Valerie more like a mother than a sibling. If they were ever side by side the comparison would be more than stark.

  Dinah wore her signature bomber jacket, had pixie cut short hair, a crop top and could be found more often than not lifting weights and performing up to 1000 sit ups in a session on a bad day.

  Valerie on the other hand sported a light brown jumper, long white hair that fell to the small of her back, and in her spare time away from training at the academy (in which she had the lowest practical skill grades) she could be found painting landscape portraits of Hallow Haven’s environment.

  One of these screamed of a hardened fighter, the other not so much.

  “Alright, to start, how long has this been going on?”

  Dinah’s first question slapped Valerie in the face. She took her time before responding, perhaps evaluating whether the truth or a lie would be worse. Ultimately she settled for the former.

  “A little over a month now.” Valerie’s voice was quiet, a mutter that would be inaudible if not for a werewolf’s keen hearing.

  “Even pretending it wasn’t trash like Rick, you knew this wasn’t going to last, for fucks sake the Trek is tomorrow!”

  Dinah tried to be firm without raising her voice to the same level she did on the rooftop.

  “I know! It’s…why I accepted when he asked to go out with me. Dinah, there's a good chance we won’t get to enjoy these parts of life ever again.”

  Valerie put a particular emphasis on the word life, something that was not a guaranteed privilege to 18 year-old Monsterkin.

  “Don’t talk like you won’t live to see next year. We have the earrings,” Dinah quickly pointed to her left ear and her twin’s right in sequence.

  “I’m dragging you back supposing I have to beat every single human that’s alive!”

  Valerie flashed a weak smile.

  “I know you could do it sis…you’re strong, confident, outspoken. I-I’m ashamed that you have to call me your sister.”

  Wordlessly, Dinah moved toward her sister. Valerie flinched and closed her eyes, afraid that after everything her twin was going to physically slap her or try to shake her out of it.

  Instead Dinah’s arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace.

  Valerie couldn’t remember the last time she hugged her, it must’ve been when they were still living with their parents and they forced them to do so when making up from a fight.

  “I could not be more proud to call you sister. You have something special Valerie, a light that illuminates whatever room you are in, a smile that could thaw the most frozen of hearts. When, not if, we make it back you’ll be your own woman free to pursue whatever you want. Even if you do end up with someone like Rick, you’ll have my support, always.”

  Dinah’s words brought tears to her sister's eyes, it was everything Valerie secretly wanted to hear, but never thought she would.

  As she wiped her eyes, Valerie attempted to bring some levity.

  “You never did tell me what kind of guy you’d go for once we’re back.”

  Dinah’s face shifted to surprise before becoming a more wry smirk.

  “Dunno, never gave it too much thought, guess I’ll have to see about it in a month or two.”

  “I think a kind boyfriend who supports you, but isn’t afraid to speak his mind when you are out of line would be the one for you.”

  “Not too many of those around…hey! Who says I get out of line?”

  The sisters spent their last night of peace laughing and teasing one another playfully. Worries forgotten for at least a few incredibly precious moments.