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Coco wasn’t quite feeling her best. Quifrey had promised to take the girls out to a nearby forest for breakfast that morning, promising that the view and the blooming springtime flowers would make the slight distance worth it.
And so when the sun rose above the hills and cast morning light across the atelier, there was a quiet hum of activity within the home. Tetia was helping Qifrey pack food into a few baskets, Richeh had brought out their large picnic blanket, and in her and Coco’s shared room, Agott had just finished slipping her shoes on.
But Coco hadn't yet come out of her bedroom, despite Agott calling for her a few minutes prior. The dark-haired pup grew slightly annoyed— this newcomer was still holding everyone back, even in situations unrelated to magic. She stepped over to the other girl’s door and knocked on it.
“Coco, we’re leaving soon. Get up,” she called, unable or unwilling to keep her irritation from her voice. Coco stirred in her room. She hadn't meant to fall back asleep, but her body seemed to be made of lead and her eyes were slightly aching.
She'd had her nightmare again last night. The one that haunted her dreams, but this time it went past the typical remembrance of the crystals and her mother's face to twist into the feeling of ribbons holding her tight, of the cloaks of red and winged hats that promised to take her mind from her.
As Coco rose from her bed and put on her white shift and her cloak, she attempted to ignore the slight rawness of the feeling of the fabric over her sensitive wrists. It'd been a while since she’d been properly scented, and her small glands felt dry. She was reminded too often of the separation from her mother, from her kind beta mother who was all the pack she’d ever needed. And it was all Coco’s fault she couldn't have that anymore. She knew, subconsciously, that going on like this wasn't exactly sustainable, but it was hard to admit to herself that she needed to find a solution. She could work through it.
And so when Coco slipped on her shoes and followed the other girls out the door to where Qifrey was waiting, she banished all thoughts of pack and her mother and her fatigue from her mind and set herself forward. If she could learn quick enough, she’d be home with her mother.
They’d decided to walk to the forest, and along the small path they walked on, the longer grass was still coated with dew. Coco fell a few steps behind as she glanced for a moment at a deer a ways away in the forest, and when she turned to fall back into step with the other three witch pups, she saw how Qifrey had gently tugged Richeh into his side. The white-haired omega had pulled her close and now he was brushing his slender wrist over the side of her neck, and Coco noticed how the other two pups weren't surprised. She’d come to understand quickly how the established relationships of the apprentices and their master were pack bonds, and it made logical sense, but she couldn't help the pang of jealousy.
Despite the ache in her head and her heavy legs, Coco caught back up to the group in a few strides, coming to walk next to Agott. It wasn't quite her first option, but considering how Richeh and Tetia were already walking together and the path was just narrow enough to make standing three across impossible, Coco offered a small smile at the surlier pup.
At the quiet glare the girl sent her way, though, it faded. The green-haired apprentice took a quiet breath and kept walking- she couldn't force her way into belonging here. This wasn't her pack, no matter how much she wanted it to be.
But once they'd gotten into the clearing and the blanket was set amongst the flowers, Coco’s head was starting to hurt much worse. She helped Qifrey set the baskets down, and as she sat down and the sun shone into her eyes, the resulting spike of pain caused her to wince. The observant omega turned to her with a gentle expression of worry.
“Are you feeling alright, Coco?” he asked, his subtly sweet scent of rain and lavender drifting towards her. It smelled nice, but she couldn't have it. He wasn't her pack, and with a pricking sting in her eyes she knew she wouldn't have the courage to admit she’d been unscented long enough to feel sick. Non-pack members didn't scent one another, and she wasn't their pack. She hadn't lost enough dignity to beg for attention like an abandoned pup.
“Fine,” she rasped quietly, her eyes drifting to the cloth at her feet, “I’m tired, I think.” But Coco knew she wasn't just tired, not with how the glands at her neck were raw and oversensitive, every brush of her short hair against them sending small prickles of pain.
Qifrey scrutinized her for another moment, but as Tetia began digging into some of the packed pastries eagerly, his attention fell away from Coco. Food was passed among them all, and although the cakes and scones and berries looked flawless and sweet, she couldn't seem to muster up her appetite. But even as her stomach turned at the thought of eating, she knew not eating would garner her master’s suspicion again. So she took one of the simpler looking pastries and took a small bite, chewing it and swallowing as the other girls began eating as well.
The sun continued to shine over their picnic breakfast, and Coco stared out at the wildflowers in the field. They were all different colors, and although they weren't all identical, they were surrounded by one another. They shared more than they didn't, and Coco couldn't feel any more different. The other apprentices were so much more capable than she was. They'd grown up in witchhood, grown up in a world of magic a younger Coco would've dreamed of. She would always be an Outsider, and as the ringing in her ears and stinging in her eyes came to a crescendo she heard faint voices from somewhere far away.
“Coco! Are you alright, what’s going on?” The voice was clearer this time, and as she gained the strength to open eyes she hadn't realized she’d closed she noticed the faces of Qifrey and the other apprentices framed by the sky. Coco could feel the blanket beneath her back, and she realized with a drop in the pit of her stomach that she’d fainted. But when she shakily sat up, no words came to her mouth. She didn't feel well. Tears pricked at her eyes and her throat suddenly tightened, and before the first tear could fall she was in his arms.
“Coco, love, can you hear me?” Qifrey said gently, and once she nodded he let out a quiet sigh of relief. He brushed a hand over her forehead.
“You’re feverish, it'll be okay,” he soothed, and as his hand carded into her hair she noticed a moment too late he’d moved it from in front of her scent glands. She knew what he was seeing: the ugly, cracked red skin of an unwanted pup. Coco couldn't help the choked sob that pushed through her lips at the horror on his face, and she pushed away from him in shame and disgust. He thought she was disgusting, he thought she was too much work, he knew that she didn't belong.
“Girls, why don’t you fly home. I’ll handle picking our breakfast up, but could you please mention the situation to Olruggio?” Qifrey asked, his head turning to the other pups.
Coco’s heart froze in her chest, and as the other girls left and the tall omega gathered her into his arms again she let out another sob. Olruggio. There was only one thing Qifrey would have told the other girls to tell him for, and she started to squirm in his grip again, her gaze blurred by tears.
“Don’ let him tell the Knights,” she pleaded breathlessly. “The Knights, they wanna, they wanna take my mem’ries,” she cried. Qifrey had clearly decided she was too much work, and chose to give her back to the Knights Moralis to remove her memories of magic. Who would want a sickly pup who wasn't any good at magic anyway?
But as she finally got a decent look at her master’s face, Coco was surprised to see that he looked heartbroken. And when he tucked her into his side and murmured “You're not going anywhere,” another realization was starting to dawn on her. She buried her nose in his neck and breathed in his scent as he pushed out comforting waves of lavender and rain, and tried her best to quiet down. She went limp against him when he faintly brushed his wrist across her neck, tilting it for better access, and Qifrey let out a gentle sigh.
“I thought as much,” he said, his voice low and guilty. “I should have noticed the signs earlier, before you were this sick,” the omega continued, and he held her just a bit closer.
“You’re not going anywhere, and Olruggio won’t tell the Knights,” he reassured again. “I understand I waited too long to tell you this, but a pup is always the master’s responsibility. By definition you are part of my pack, and I regret to tell I worried about how you would take the words,” he continued gently. “I didn't want to replace your mother, Coco.”
Coco had grown too dazed in his arms from the sudden relief of being scented that she was a bit too delirious to answer. And so he tucked her close and got to his feet, bringing them together to begin the flight home. The omega’s scent was tinged with worry and fear, but when he landed and came to the door Olruggio was already there holding it open.
“The girls told me. I brought two snugstones and a bowl of broth to the nest, go ahead and take her there,” he said, the tall alpha’s voice gentle and steady. Coco was still slightly confused to see the lack of disdain he held for her, but she was starting to realize she had several wrong assumptions about the other witches at the atelier.
“Thank you, Olruggio,” Qifrey spoke softly, and he walked with a steady swiftness as he brought her down the hall that led to his own room. Coco’s head was still aching, but when she was gently deposited among soft blankets warmed by the snugstones and the all-encompassing scent of lavender and rain, it no longer seemed so bad. She couldn't help but whine a little at the loss of his wrist at her nape, but he was only away for a moment to tug off her shoes and his own before he was tucking her into his side again.
“Coco? Have you come back to me, love?” Qifrey asked, still unable to keep the quiet worry out of his voice. She’d really given him a fright when she’d collapsed like that.
She let out a quiet mumble and nodded, and he slowly helped her sit up in his nest. The omega brushed his hand over her forehead again with a quiet sigh, scenting her wrists liberally with his other arm.
“You still feel hot,” he said quietly, the edge of his eye crinkling in worry. “And you haven't had much to eat lately, have you?” He asked, and when she didn't answer, he grabbed the bowl of broth to bring it over. “Olly made this for you, love. He cares about you, and it’s going to make you feel better. Can you drink some for me?” He offered gently, pulling her up into a seated position so she could be situated better to drink from the bowl.
Coco’s bleary eyes blinked open, and with his help, she drank from the broth. It was warm and savory, with just a hint of the bitter taste of tranquileaf that was as much a comfort as it was a bittersweet reminder. Her mother always gave her tranquileaf for fevers, but being scentsick was a whole different beast than a seasonal cold. She pulled away from the bowl once she’d had her fill, and Qifrey helped settle her back down against his side in the warm, soft nest. His hand carded through her short hair and he continued to press his wrists against her skin.
Coco’s breaths slowly grew steadier and slower, and as he soothed her to sleep and gazed upon her face Qifrey felt another acute pang of guilt. He hadn't meant to let it get this far, but when she continued not to ask for help and act as if all was well he’d put it off until a later date. The green-haired pup was so resilient- but she shouldn't have had to be. He’d speak with Olruggio to see if he could soothe Coco’s clear discomfort around him, speak with the girls to see if she’d been having any trouble fitting in.
He couldn't help but let out a worried sigh. He knew Richeh and Tetia weren't the pups to worry about- they'd both seemed to mesh with Coco well enough. But his other, sullen pup was likely a different story. In retrospect, rooming someone entirely new to witchhood with Agott was a mistake. Qifrey was still unsure of who had told Coco about the Dadah Range test, but he had a sneaking suspicion. She could have gotten the other pup killed. He’d certainly have a conversation with her one-on-one.
But he dispelled those concerns for the future, because in the meantime, there was a sick pup in his arms who needed comfort. So he shifted his weight to better keep her close, let out soothing, calming waves of his rain and lavender-scented pheromones, and calmed his mind.
When Olruggio poked his head in the door several hours later, it was only then that Qifrey realized he’d fallen asleep too. His arm was numb from where she’d been laying across it, but he didn't move. He looked down at Coco who was still sleeping, and when he brushed his hand over her forehead, it was cooler and damp with sweat.
“I think her fever broke,” he said quietly, being careful not to wake her. She needed to rest and recuperate.
“The girls are worried for her,” Olruggio spoke gruffly, his tone belying his obvious concern for each of the pups. “Tetia’s practically beside herself, I haven't seen Richeh since she got back, and Agott’s been waiting in the living room for the both of you instead of going up to her room.”
Qifrey’s worries about Agott began to thaw- he knew the pup could be chilly, but if she was concerned, then it wouldn't be long before she’d accept Coco as part of her pack. He wouldn't have to intervene- he could let it come naturally.
Though perhaps having her apologize to Coco wouldn't be too much to ask.
“Tell them she’ll be okay,” Qifrey murmured, carding his hand through soft, yellow-green hair again. “And she’s part of our pack now. We’ll treat her like one of our own, keep her safe.” He couldn't ignore his obvious protective instincts towards his newest pup, and as Olruggio left the room he placed a small kiss to the crown of her head.
“We’ll keep you safe, Coco.”