The Main Den Area

First and Last Post With Gale


Gale was still the dominant male even after Ameliora left. She simply vanished into the night without a word to anyone, or so he believe. Now, he led the pack alongside Taru. it wasn't a position he wanted but it was his to take. The last thing he wanted was to put Altair on the seat of command. Even though the ginger and white brute may not have been aware of it, Gale had been watching him, gauging to see what kind of wolf he was. To be honest, the Wanderer wasn't impressed. Altair was too soft to be a beta but Ameliora saw something in him; the warrior left the other brute in that position. His left moved closer to his right one as he pondered over the previous events. The very tip of his tail twitched slightly as his green eyes caught sight of the new dominant female. Taru, she was to be his counterpart, the one he ruled the pack with. His eyes narrowed slightly at the thought of the pack. Could they even call themselves that? They were three wolves who barely knew each other and spoke less than three words to one another.

A sigh came from his parted jaws. He was not looking forward to this, not in the slightest. In order to make this little group a pack, there would be a lot of work to do. First of all, they would need to find wolves who were interested in becoming a part of the pack. Then, they'd need to find a suitable densite so everyone would feel safe and the necessities would be nearby. Then again, if the others didn't like the territory chosen by Ameliora, then that would need to be dealt with. So many things could change everything if they grew in need. Rather than dwell on it any longer, the warrior lay his head on his paws and stared into space. His eyes saw nothing and everything at the same time.

He couldn't take it anymore; the male stood and headed deeper into the forest. This wasn't a job for him, it never would be. In fact, the Wanderer had better things to do. He had heard tales of a pack far away from the Hemlock Creek, one that was almost legendary in status. The Banishing Winds pack was waiting for him somewhere in the west; he was going towards it rather than remaining here. He quietly headed to the border but stopped when he saw a dark coloured wolf. This one was tall, taller than he; he bristled slightly

However, when the wolf began to speak, he stopped and listened. This wolf may be new to the area but he had what it took to become a leader to a pack that had yet to exist. Gale quietly directed the male towards the den site and padded away.

Never once did he look back.

Introduction for Nocturne

Nocturne straightened his shoulders as his started on his journey to the Hemlock Creek Pack. The previous alpha male, Gale had said the pack was just starting out. To raise a pack from the dust was something that he had engaged in before. Of course, that was before his secrets had been spilled and his title of pack leader lost. He could not or would not blame the young male for doing what he did. There was no denying that Nocturne's leadership was not the best suited for that pack; it could be better here. The luck thing was, he had lost nothing. His pack had gained a leader that could do it well; he gained his freedom back. Granted, he would miss his old pack but they would do better with him gone. The only thing he was grateful for was the fact he never took a mate or fell in love. Then again, Nocturne was not the kind of wolf for love. At least, he hadn't been in his previous pack. There was a time that he came close but she had died; proving to him that it was dangerous to let himself grow attached to only one being. They could detract from his loyalty to the pack and they could make his head clouded by their image.

His white-tipped paws moved in a continuous rhythm as he followed Gale's scent back to the pack. Nocturne was a jet coloured male but his paws were tipped with white as if he had trodden in frost and it had stuck to his paws. The highest the snow colour went was just passed his toes; it barely made an impact on his dark coloured coat. Other than that, there weren't any other colours that marred that perfection. Sure, there were lighter and darker hues of black but that didn't count. Honey gold eyes were carefully scanning the undergrowth as the brute moved quietly through the densely packed forest. This was a land he was unfamiliar with; he would need to tread with absolute caution. From what Gale had told him, there were only two others in the territory besides himself. The alpha female, Taru and the beta male, Altair.

Soon he found himself under the same tree that Gale had been resting previously. Quietly, the brute settled himself down on the ground and glanced around. Nothing in particular stuck out for him; he wondered as to where the other two were. That dark tail of his flicked slightly as he waited. Nocturne was a patient wolf but if his buttons were pushed, his temperment could changed. Based on who he was speaking to, the change would be different. A pack wolf would experience a quieter Nocturne who would close his honey hued eyes and shake his large head in disappointment. However, a loner would need to flee the territory or learn to handle the attacks that would rain upon them in the form of Nocturne's sharp canines.

He slowly lowered himself onto the ground, his right paw crossing over his left one. His head was held high and his eyes gleamed with intelligence as he continued to wait for his new pack. All that he needed to do was to say the name of the former alpha male and female and hopefully his words would be believed. Nocturne's coal plume stayed straight out behind him as he took in his surroundings.

Everywhere he looked there was greenery. Compared to his previous home on the mountains, this was much more closed in and almost darker in appearance. There, everything was open and visible from the smallest detail. There was nothing that one couldn't see or be on the large rocky world. Here, one could barely seen past the trees that crowded all. Not that there was much to see; no lakes, rivers or sky. As far as he could tell, there were only three things to see here: Trees, grass, and flowers. It was so dull and suffocating here. He only hoped that some wolf would come by soon so he would be able to show that he was to be the new leader. Until some one did, he would do what he did best.

He would wait.

Pale gaze shifting frantically, Taru realized her mistake. She had believed Gale would stay by her side, to lead for a small while. His shadow faded into the trees and the female doubted she would ever see him again. A sadness struck her, even if he was almost a complete stranger to her. This signified the end before the beginning really. Altair had not been seen in quite some time and without any other wolves left, there was no pack. Taru found herself wishing for a new day, another start that would allow her the ability to succeed. Shifting to stand, the female began to make her way towards the path where Gale had vanished. Why she did, the wolf honestly didn't know. Maybe if she looked at the direction he went, she could find the strength to move on again. To pick herself up, rip the roots, and continue on as a loner, would be something that would take remarkable strength for the female. Taru simply watched the trees for a long while, not bothering to see the dark brute that was making his way towards where Gale had been previously resting.

She turned away, head lowering. Her nose was close to the ground, so much so, it almost seemed to be dragging in the dirt. What a fool Taru had been. Ameliora had left because she knew the fate of the group. Hemlock Creek was not to be, especially not under the leadership of a weak, tiny Taru. She made it to the edge of the clearing, not realizing she was no longer alone. Her head remained low until she found one pleasing thought. Maybe Ameliora was out there, somewhere in the depths that was the surrounding area. This caused a faint smile to part her muzzle as she realized that maybe she could once again follow under Ameliora. Afterall, Taru was no leader, not like Ameliora was and forever would be in Taru's mind. Breaking into a mild trot, the female began to make her towards the distant regions that surrounded the territory. Ameliora had to be out there somewhere, and the tiny female was determined to find her. Maybe that was where Gale was headed as well and maybe they would all be back together in a foreign place. Then again, maybe not.

Bring In The Loba

In the heat of the summer, a female wolf was destined to stumble upon a greatness that had yet to be tapped into. Her paws were light steps on the earth, hardly seeming to make much of an impression. Even so, this small female left an impression wherever she went. Words or actions, it always seemed like Arizona could leave herself a tiny mark along her wandering path. Maybe it was her cookie-cutter, generic Mexican wolf pelt that made her seem so ordinary or her small size that made her seem so miniscule. No one ever figured the female would ever make much of an impression, but in truth, she did. Arizona never knew what it was she did, but always found it hard to keep up her wandering. The last group of fine wolves she had left was truly a magnificent group and it had torn her to pieces of leave them. Now, as she wandered once again, the loba longed for their company. It made thoughts of settling down pass through her mind, also creating different ideas of what would be a good pack for the spicy Mexican wolf to settle down in. As the new day seemed to heat up with the summer sun, Arizona continued to move along the dry earth, watching the edge of a forest she was coming up to. Even though the heat of the day was normally something welcomed by the seemingly heat-resistant female, she longed for shade. Not even a wolf born and raised in the spring haze of New Mexico could travel in the summer's extreme heat for long without a constant supply of water. Arizona doubted any animal could. She gravitated towards the trees, entering the domain of the shade and an unknown presence.

It was almost immediate, the recognition of several scents. Damp nostrils flaring, Arizona found herself trying to pinpoint the other wolves. A dark shadow had settled down by the roots of a tall tree, perhaps to evade the sun just like herself. She slid towards the cover of a few shrubs, wondering if her natural pelt hid her as well as it needed to at the moment. The female needed to observe the other wolves in the small group before she made an appearance, unless they had already seen her. She shifted, careful not to rustle the leaves too much, wincing as a few thorns snagged on her fur. Her lean body pressed against the shrubbery, Arizona looked towards the dark figure of the brute that rested below the tree. He was big, huge, but that's how everyone always seemed compared to the small, Mexican female. She saw others as larger than her, always. This was just how Arizona accepted the natural order, but by no means did she accept they were smarter or faster. The female had others ways to prove herself outside of strength. She knew that, but as she looked upon the small clearing that the group had settled in, Arizona felt she wouldn't have to. Where was the Dominant Female? Her orange eyes found none in the umbrage of the trees. Maybe this would be a great group to settle in, for they held no competition for the Dominant position.

Her attention shifted back to the lone beast that lay in the roots of the trees. She decided that all information that could be made from observation had been accessed, and making her appearance would allow for greater learning. Pulling herself free of the shrubs, Arizona could have cared less if she made noise. Her intentions were clear; she wished to speak with the other wolf. Without much of a threat from the attack of a Dominant Female, the loba felt rather safe exiting her shrub. If the brute resting below the tree wished to harm her, she was almost positive outrunning him would not be a problem. That was normally her escape route to avoid fighting, just turn and flee. The male's lackadaisical appearance gave Arizona enough confidence to approach him. Cautious steps carried her across the distance that separated the two wolves, allowing her the safe distance to allow a get away and the comfort of holding a discussion. "Hello," a confident voice spoke, cutting the thick summer air. She flicked her ears, flashing a gentle smile. Beneath her friendly, assured exterior, Arizona was rather tense. Fear always gripped her when meeting new wolves, for the outcome was always unsure.

A soft breeze tumbled through the air, shifting the leaves both on the trees and off. The smell of small creatures and Earth made it's way to the black wolf's sensitive noes. The ground was hard and unyielding beneath his paws and the smell of others was not far off. He had no care for wolves he did not know. It would not bother him to pass them by, Yet here he was walking towards the group he was sure to find. Was he really just trying to set up himself for more pain. Shaking his head at his own folly the wolf known only as Kegan plodded on.

The male was medium in size, but with strong corded muscles that showed perhaps all to well his more recent life. As if the uneven fur and scars would not. After the recent loss of certain wolves Kegan had determined to wander for a time, attempting to ride himself of better forgotten memories. But the past was the past and that is were it should stay in his mind.

So it was with that thought that he came upon the wolves he had smelled not long ago. They did not look like much, but who was he to judge, he had seen the tiniest wolf bring down the strongest member of his old pack. He decided to stay on the sidelines and "feel" these two out before making any hard and fast decisions. And if they saw him he would just spin some tale and say his farewells.

Philyra’s steps were light, making no sound as they passed over fallen leaves and scattered pine needles. She held her head high, her serene gaze flicking between cedar and birch as she wove her way through the trees. Her ears were perked, alert to the sounds of the forest. Her ears flicked as first one sound and then another came to her. Jays high in the branches were flitting from twig to twig, causing the thinnest and most fragile of the branches to quiver with their weight. A squirrel was scuttling in the grass at the base of an oak, its nose twitched as it searched the forest floor for a discarded nut or cone. If she strained herself, Philyra could even pick up the lumbering footsteps of a badger as it emerged from its den. None of these things gave her reason for caution, nor should they have inspired anything but confidence. Her lips were a line, neither thin with distress nor slanting downward in the classic image of displeasure. Instead her features were vacant, calm and controlled. She had seen others, those who fought to control their features or who guarded themselves so fiercely that what they felt was stamped across their faces. Her lips twitched in a slight smile. Her brother, Orestes, was the latter.

She rolled her shoulders, straightening them. There was a certain royalty about her movements. If it weren’t for her unfamiliar vanilla scent clashing with the husky bracken scent of what must have been the resident pack, she could have made a believable alphess. Yet her scent set her apart, and also cautioned her. She had crossed willingly and knowingly enough into the territory after lingering on the outskirts for some time. What presence she had seen was minimal – the occasional howl, the scent, but not a single flash of fur or canines. Her first intention had been to simply wait until her presence was acknowledged, though it had soon become apparent that it wouldn’t be. So, with only the slightest of trepidation, she had entered the territory. Now she padded through its luscious woodlands, waiting for a sign of pack life. Though she knew she should feel some anxiety, some doubts as to her safety, Philyra felt only quiet. Though she had been the subject of many jeers and jibes, not even her lithe rather thin frame could cause her self-doubt.

The scent, the husky bracken trail, grew stronger as she ventured deeper into the territory. Her tail flicked lightly against her back legs, a silent swish. She ducked her head, peering through the dense underbrush. Scents were beginning to distinguish themselves from the husky bracken, what Philyra assumed were individual pack members. She had no desire to confront them unexpectedly, nor all at once. She favored her chances much better with a lone pack member, or even a pair. Her ears perked. Two scents in particular were growing strong, wrapping themselves around her. She knew her own scent would soon wrap around them, giving her away completely. She shifted her weight, ears perking as she heard a quiet voice saying something she couldn’t distinguish. She moved forward quickly and silently, her gaze intent but her movements silent. She weaved in and out of the dark underbrush, creeping through the thicket as the pair came into view. They were a male and female. The female was small, sandy brown colors both similar and alien in comparison to Philyra’s own coat. She had a different build, one that was wolf, but not the wolves Philyra was accustomed to. She was small, but seemed sturdy and self-assured.

Philyra’s gaze flicked to the male and in that instant, for a reason Philyra could not comprehend, a chill went up her spine. Her gaze lingered on him. Though he seemed dulled, as if sapped of what had once made him alive, she could see hints of what he had been. And these hints were enough to make her wary. They seemed to be conversing, the previous voice most likely having had belonged to the female. Philyra watched them for a moment longer before straightening to her full height. She held her head high, her eyes serene though if one peered closely there was the tiniest most subtle spark of defiance. She stepped from the trees, her paws as silent as the descent of snow. She moved just within view and sat down, curling her tail neatly around her paws. She watched them without saying a word, simply waiting. She made no moves of aggression, no threats or signs of submission, nor did she assert herself. She simply sat, head held high and face serene under the span of the great oak branches above them.

The voice of a female caught the attention of Nocturne as he shifted his honey-gold eyes towards the source. When he did find the fae, he eyes went to hers quickly; assessing who she might be and what she sought. Honey eyes met her gold ones but quickly broke away after a few moments with disappointment flashing in the depths of the pools of gold. This female spoke with a confident tone but she was not Taru; she was not the wolf he wished to speak to. However, the thought faded quickly when he realized he was at a disadvantage with his being on the ground. His paws moved closer to his body as he drew himself to a standing position. He held himself in a passive-aggressive way though it leaned slightly more towards the aggressive side of the spectrum. Such a thing was mostly involuntary due to his history and the powerful force of habit though he did nothing to correct it, at least not yet. If he were to do so, there would be the chance that the fae would see he was not completely sure of his body any longer. There was so much to be learned from his stance: It held a bit of a relaxed position but one could see that such a thing could be changed if he needed to protect himself; he held his more upper body regally though such an air was tinged with a calm, assertive authority that he had held ever since his original pack where he assumed leadership. Nothing about him was tense, at least not physically. Mentally however, there was a strain as he fought to maintain a good, strong hold on his most powerful habit: His urge to attack those who don't belong.

Once again did his eyes return to her. They held no malice, that's what he hoped at least. Such distaste for loners was always something he held, even as a young pup. The taste for the blood of a loner was born when his mother was killed by a passing rogue. Nocturne could still remember that death vividly. Though he would never admit it, it haunted his thoughts constantly when he was alone. That was one of the reasons he loved to be with the pack or to talk with others; it distracted him from the ghosts that lingered past their time. The reason Nocturne said nothing yet to this she-wolf was because he knew she was not of the Hemlock Creek. Her scent did not stain the territory and it seemed to just follow her; she was a loner. Quiet, observant eyes took in the appearance of the female despite the nagging, deep rooted anger he felt for her. She was a different breed of wolf, he could tell that by her lithe build and her petite frame. The light colouration of her coat was also a dead giveaway of such a thing. Her pelt was made up of a large pool of oranges, tans and browns that mixed together beautifully to give her the appearance she carried. When it came to her back, there were many black colourations that stood out against a lighter brown-grey. That colour went from her lower eyes to the tip of her tail; it caused Nocturne to think of it being like an enlarged stripe. There was an orange stripe that blanketed the top of her muzzle. On the bottom half was a cream-like hue that covered the bottom half of her muzzle and a great deal of her cheeks and it even went down her chest to her belly and the inner part of her legs. Splotches of the previous ginger could probably be seen on her underbelly for it was on the bottom of her flanks in random places. All in all, she was rather exotic looking. Nocturne had never seen a wolf like her; he was slightly intrigued as to what she was and where she came from.

Those thoughts faded the second another scent entered the air. His golden eyes looked towards the next source and found it rather quickly. It was another female wolf, one of his kind this time. She did not hide herself, not that she seemed to attempt to. Rather, she sat there quietly and watched himself and the other fae. There was an air about her, one that showed that she obviously exhibited grace and held her like he; regally. She was very pretty with a mixed coloured coat that consisted of a mixture of tan, beige, and a creamy brown. An ashy grey can also be seen in her pelt, though it is not nearly as dominant compared to the previous three colours. A more silvery hue was also visible alongside that lighter grey but the two other colours faded as one moved vertically down the faes body before giving way to an off-white and that blended with the tan. The eyes that the fae possessed were ones that reminded him of honey combs that were dipped in honey though darker in colouration. Another one of his desires to rid the presense of the loners rose within him like a wave of the highest tsunami. If he couldn't let that instinct fade, it would surely crash upon the shores where many other wolves were sitting.

"Greetings to both of you." He looked at the two of them, his golden eyes lingering in theirs for a certain amount of time before moving to the next. Nocturne learned that this was the best way to assert oneself, especially when one was confused about what to do. "I bid you welcome to this territory." Such words were a lie, but he said them anyway. Inwardly, he wanted nothing more than to drive the two away with sharp bites from his canines. "Can I help you with anything?"

There was a span of silence after his question was asked, his voice rang in the air for many moments before fading into nothing. For those silent heartbeats, he listened to the sounds of their breaths and counted them without any indication of what he was doing. It was his way of reigning in his emotions and letting the courage that he used to portray so often, show. To him, courage was not about being brave in the face of danger, it was holding back one's fear and being able to make something good come out of it. He shifted his weight slightly so it was resting more on his back paws than the front. Changing his the placement of his mass was something he did often because he found it to be calming in a way. It let him know that he still had control over what was going on because to him, one would freeze in place when they lost the situation that they were in; they simply lost all mobility. In his life, Noctune had never lost that ability more than once. Even that had been a mistake since he had been tempted to settle down with Mist. Never again would such a temptation arise again. He was a leader; the pack was his responsiblity and required his immediate attention. A mate would do nothing but distract him from his duties.

"I am Nocturne, by the way. I apologize for not addressing myself earlier. I am the Alpha of the Hemlock Creek Pack." He spoke warmly enough but his voice lacked the true feeling of friendliness. Such a thing was hard to come by when he was with loners. "May I ask who you are?" Such a question was usually only directed towards pack mates because he cared not to interact unless it became a necessity. He knew that this particular interaction could show him that it was indeed a necessary course of action. Nocturne knew that his first words about him being the leader were not entirely true but he felt that it should be said. Being a male of course, made him proud to hold such a title and being an Alpha of a previous pack made him swell with the thought of holding such a rank once again.

Something behind Arizona moved and the female's head turned slightly. It was a almost an undetectable move, but if someone was watching her closely enough they just might have caught it. Orange gaze trying to focus on the stranger behind her, she felt the slow toxin of panic begin to invade her bloodstream. Taking her eyes off the male in front of her for too long could lead to unnecessary risks of a frontal attack, but not finding out the threat possibility of the wolf behind her could be even worse. Arizona inhaled softly. The breath's affects were immediate, sending the calming presence of oxygen to dull the numbing panic. Using this new found clarity, the loba shifted again to see fully the unknown canine behind her. Sitting, perched like a small ant-hill, was a young female like Arizona. A new rival perhaps - for the rank of Dominant Female - was sitting as though she belonged in the middle of the clearing. The sun hit her face through the branches of the tall oaks above them, illuminating the light colors of her furry face. For a moment, Arizona found a sudden gratitude towards the female. She seemed to make the situation a whole lot less.... hostile. Mesmerized for a long while with the sudden sight of the female, the Latina began to lose sight of her goal she had come to fulfill. Her trance was broken solely by the sudden words of the brute.

"Greetings to both of you." "I bid you welcome to this territory." Such words were a lie, but he said them anyway. Inwardly, he wanted nothing more than to drive the two away with sharp bites from his canines. "Can I help you with anything?"

Turning her attention back to the ebony creature before her, Arizona found a sudden suspicion rising in her chest. This male talked as though he owned the territory, yet the loba had known from the beginning he just happened to be sitting in the relics of a fading pack. Wet nostrils flaring, the female's nose consumed the air and smells around them. The earth was stained with many scents, except none belonging to the wolves that currently conversed in the small clearing of the woods. Some were newer than others, but all prominent smells did not originate from the canines congregating. Here, standing as though the small territory belonged to him, the brute made his offer of hospitality. Behind the words, Arizona sensed something. It was hard to decipher and she found herself dwelling on it too much, raking her mind for an answer. He reminded her slightly of a fox. His words did not match what she had believed to be what he should have said. The male did not beat around the bush, he trampled it. He seemed to understand that he could not say what he wished at the moment and it was driving him mad. Arizona hardly received a sprinkle of this bottled emotion as it wavered into the air with his few words. This finally allowed Arizona the leverage she needed. A hinted smile faded from her features before it had a chance to blossom.

"I am Nocturne, by the way. I apologize for not addressing myself earlier. I am the Alpha of the Hemlock Creek Pack." He spoke warmly enough but his voice lacked the true feeling of friendliness. Such a thing was hard to come by when he was with loners. "May I ask who you are?"

More words meant more dashes of spice. Nocturne spoke in a tone of freshly contorted kindness, but he seemed to be missing the main ingredient of truth. Arizona saw through it like the flimsy lies they were. She could sense his hurtle he had just leaped, wondering if he truly did not like the females or another issue lurked in the depths of his cranium. It had taken him a lot to manage out the phony welcome. It was a cause of relief in Arizona. The Latina could prepare her words carefully now. She knew of his fading group that truly did not belong to him - possibly just passed along to him through descent - and she fully intended to use the fact to her advantage. He knew this small group of strangers did not belong to the dieing pack he so claimed to lead, but he knew not of Arizona's mindset. Another smile flickered like a smoldering ash on her face, foreshadowing her next sentence. "I'm Arizona," she breathed out, managing to take another breath not shortly after. She was just clearing her mind to ensure that her next words came out as clearly as possible. They would need to be complete, fulfilled, if they were to take any affect. The Latina could not stutter or hesitate or make a blunder in any way. "I'm the new Dominant Female of the Hemlock Creek Pack," she mastered her words, commanding them with force as they flowed from her muzzle. No mistake was made and a newly synthesized power began to pump through the small female's body. Orange eyes looking towards Nocturne, she made sure to catch his gaze. Her eyes said it all. Challenge me, I dare you. I know your as new to this territory as any of us.

“I’m Auriella,”

The loba turned, finally breaking her look with Nocturne to face the new female that had appeared beside him. Her words that had just bitten into Nocturne's ears were meant for this new stranger as well. Instinctively, the Latina found her tail raised in dominance. She was waiting for any one of the bigger grey wolves to make a move - to put the tiny Mexican wolf in her place - so she could stand her ground. Running was Arizona's main escape. She could flee for miles, skipping across the earth with light paws. Even so, it was also her greatest weapon. Years of struggling for dominance within many different packs had strengthened the female mentally, not as much physically. She did not fight with strength like most of her northern cousins, but instead, seemed dance around her opponent with coordinated moves and quick attacks. Arizona hardly touched the ground when she fought, always moving and always looking for opportunity. If it came to a physical confrontation with any of the other wolves within the small, but quickly multiplying, pack, she would confront them head on. Arizona was blunt, to say the least, but she felt it was needed. She didn't want violence and instead, wished for construction and order. Under two fine leaders that quickly asserted themselves, the group would get along just fine. Gaze turning to look at the female who was still preoccupied with looking serenely beautiful in the rays of sun, the loba kept her tail high. She wanted all the wolves currently near each other to know what she was stating, even if they couldn't hear her words.

Philyra sat quietly, even when her presence became noted by the male and female. She would not speak until addressed, and even then she would reflect slowly. She found that despite her usual steady gaze, her eyes lingered on the massive male. There was something about him that she found so disconcerting, unsettling her usually overpoweringly serene nature. Not that it outwardly affected how she held herself, but it gave her inward reason to pause. For the first time in quite some months, she had the smallest prickling fear of violence from this male. It was all too easy to imagine his teeth in her fur and his snarls wrapping around her ears as she fled. Fleeing was something she had never actually had to do before, and didn’t intend to start now. But she was not so headstrong, nor so prideful, that she would physically endanger herself. No, at the slightest show of aggression from this male – she would be gone. The tip of her tail twitched slightly before wrapping back around her paws. Yet she kept her head high, listening carefully to the words exchanged between the male and the female. When the male spoke, his words were formal but seemed foreign on his tongue. "Greetings to both of you. I bid you welcome to this territory. Can I help you with anything?" These first words seemed overwhelmingly loud in comparison to the silence. Neither Philyra, nor the second female, had made any move to speak. The male’s words didn’t exactly encourage speech either. It wasn’t that he was aggressive or had an underlining of threat in his voice. His voice was perfectly neutral, if not exactly warm. No, what put Philyra on edge was the effort it seemed to take him. Under all of his formalities, under the words themselves, laid a capacity. Philyra sensed a double meaning in his words. He didn’t want them here, but who was he to decide at all? Philyra thought best to remain silent. She found that silence could be a powerful thing, a disconcerting thing to be sure. And what need was there to rush into introductions? Would it not be best to listen and learn before staking her position? The other female, the one that was wolf but not like Philyra or the male, looked like she would speak. But apparently their silence had gone on too long, as the male spoke again.

"I am Nocturne, by the way. I apologize for not addressing myself earlier. I am the Alpha of the Hemlock Creek Pack. May I ask who you are?" Philyra wasn’t surprised to hear the male, Nocturne, name himself alpha. The way he sat so casually, the subtle power in his movements, the look in his eyes that spoke of power had all revealed him to be just as he said. Nocturne. Philyra rolled the name over in her mind. It sounded Greek based, like her own name. Her mother Tethys, in the months before Ouranos’ death, had often told tales of gods and spirits and other such impossible things. But she told them with such love that it was impossible to completely disregard them. She had named each of her children for a story. Yet Tethys had always cautioned that a story was just that, a background, a possibility, another life. Philyra’s eyes no longer bothered to bounce between the female and Nocturne. She just let them settle on him, reflecting quietly to herself. She found herself wondering what his story was, the curious questioning streak she shared with her brother Orestes rising inside of her. Nocturne’s words were still so formal, but lacked true warmth or welcome. It was an effort for him, evidently, to remain civil and somewhat welcoming. Philyra admired this effort. Her musings were paused when the female spoke, her words surprising Philyra. "I'm Arizona, I'm the new Dominant Female of the Hemlock Creek Pack," Philyra lifted a single eyebrow, showing her slight surprise but not a crack in her serenity. She had doubted Nocturne was the only member of the resident pack, but he hadn’t struck her as the type to share power. The other female, Arizona, was standing defiantly. Her tail raised in dominance. Philyra wasn’t sure where this sudden power had come from, or how Arizona had come to attain the alpha position, but made no comment. It was clear from the introductions that Nocturne and Arizona were not acquainted, which meant Arizona must not have been a previous member of the pack. But that begged the question of what had happened to the previous alpha, and how had Arizona come to power. Philyra wondered if the title was actually given, or Arizona was claiming it. Was there room for a challenge? Not that Philyra would actually challenge Arizona – she had no desire for this power, or growing proximity to Nocturne – but would Nocturne accept Arizona’s co-leadership?

“I’m Auriella,” A third female emerged from the trees, a wolf similar to Nocturne and Philyra. She moved tentatively and when she had spoken, her voice was both hesitant and self-assured. Philyra gave her a long glance. Another introduction, another newcomer, was there really any pack at all? Was there a pack for Nocturne to lead or was he a loner taking advantage of a chance situation. The more words were exchanged, the more confused Philyra became. Nocturne didn’t seem to have taken notice of Auriella yet, but Arizona certainly had. The small she-wolf turned at Auriella’s words, her tail high with dominance. Philyra found herself hoping Auriella would not challenge the claim Arizona seemed to have to leadership, she doubted it would go well. But after Auriella’s words, the small group had fallen silent. Auriella was waiting nervously, Arizona was still asserting her dominance, and Nocturne seemed lost in thought. It was in this instant, in the flurry of introductions and appearances and claims, that Philyra felt she had fallen almost invisible. She was like a watcher from the outside. This wasn’t a first time occurrence and Philyra found it often aided her. But now was not the time to fall into the background. She moved her gaze away from Auriella. It lingered for a moment on Arizona. Before she turned her gaze completely away from Arizona, she gave the smallest of dips of her head. She would acknowledge Arizona as the dominant female, she would give her respect to the small she-wolf, but it was Nocturne she would address. Her gaze moved from Arizona to settle finally, once more, on Nocturne. She dipped her head once more, but this gesture was bigger than it had been to Arizona. Her ears flicked slightly as she raised her eyes to meet Nocturne. She did not move from her small patch of sunlight, though shifted her paws slightly. Her shoulders were straight and her head high with pride. She held herself regally, but without any of the dominance Arizona claimed. When she did speak, her voice was smooth and quiet. ”I come with no hostile intentions, nor claims of dominance.” Her words were slow, but strong. ”I have been alone these past months and came with no other expectations or hopes than to gain admittance into a resident pack.” Her words were incredibly formal, but this was simply Philyra’s pattern of speech. Her eyes held Nocturne’s steadily and as she spoke, her lips folded up into a small tranquil smile. She feared him, she would be the first to admit, but fear was the messenger of courage, and courage of self-control. She was comfortable with her fear, as she was with sorrow, joy and loss. She finished speaking as quietly as she had begun. ”And my name, is Philyra.” She wondered briefly if her words would even be taken notice of, or would be swept away, so insignificant compared to the meeting of Arizona and Nocturne. She fell silent once more. As she had done before, she would wait and watch.

Kegan watched with interest at the gathered wolves. The movement of each word each step was as if in a game, each step canceling out another, and such. It intrigued him greatly, wishing to know more, the male stepped from his hidden place and walked with confidence to the group. He had no wish for the lead position that this other male so clearly held, but that did not mean he could not make him think he was more dominant.

He walked with a slow grace, taking his time to make it to the gathered wolves, yet when he came into distance he stopped a few feet back, if would be a moment before being noticed. His yellow eyes betraying nothing of the curiosity he felt. He overheard their words before they recognized he was there, but payed very little attention. For now he contented himself with studying them.

He began with the one that was so obviously the lead male. A sturdy black the male screamed shadow and dominance, coupled with his large size, if things ended badly Kegan knew he would have to use all his intelligence and smaller size to keep from leaving with several broken bones. The wolf was massive, perhaps something in the gene pool? Kegan smiled at that, it seemed to be going around.Gold eyes sparked with emotions behind the calm veneer. Kegan's eyes drifted to the to the sprightly smaller wolf that so declared her dominance of the females. Her coat was a mixture, betraying her roots in the breed of Mexican wolf. It was pretty, sure but not much interest to Kegan. His eyes briefly landed on the other two, but he had little need for females that were not leaders.

"Well this is all lovely as spring.Care if i join in?" His introduction had been heard by many before, but he felt no need to change it. If voice though was self-deprecating and sarcastic.

Yet another wolf appeared from seemingly nowhere. Nocturne wasn't surprised in the slightest, however. For this was exactly how his pack has initially started. Back then, it had been just as difficult for him to hold back as it was now. At the moment, he wanted nothing more than to shed this friendly facade of his and simply eradicate those around him. His control didn't quite waver yet; nothing about him outwardly changed. Instead, he changed his attention from the other two females to look at the newcomer who shared the same gender as the previous. She was quite pretty with fur that was of a creamy-white hue that was speckled with a caramel brown. A slender smudge of colour ran down her spine, gradually darkening to a charcoal brown; just bordering on becoming black. Her tail was almost completely covered in the end product, though a few lighter colours were also seen there. There was a soft grey shade that flirted along the charcoal brown without quite fading into the darker colour. The eyes she possessed where a deep, rich ochre in colour with a golden ring surrounding her pupil. However, he could barely get himself to look at her eyes because he was far more interested in her coat. She had said her name--Auriella, wasn't it?--but all Nocturne could think of was a name that echoed in his past: Mist. Granted, Mist's coat was just a plain snow white with a lighter strip of silver running down her spine but Auriella seemed like a perfect replica of the lost fae in that moment. His golden eyes changed to hers and noticed that there was a fire there, just below the surface. Despite the smile on her face, he knew that there was something beneath it. His paws almost moved on their own, but Nocturne had far more control than that. Auriella was a different wolf altogether and Mist was from a different life; there was no point in him trying to unlock who she was and comparing her to the latter. This Auriella would have a personality that would differ; he would see her as she was and not who she reminded him of. His black head nodded in her direction and therefore, showing her that he acknowledged her presence here.




When he heard the Mexican wolf who now labelled herself as Arizona, speak he realized that he had spent a much longer time studying Auriella than he should have. With that realization, he slowly broke eye contact with the other grey wolf and changed it so it was on Arizona. She held a challenging look in her eyes and from his perspective; it seemed as if she was daring him to object to the leadership she had claimed. He raised an eye brow, but nothing was said. The air lacked any sort of tension as Nocturne pondered over Arizona's words before her attention quickly changed and landed on Auriella as she established her dominant role in the pack. Briefly, Nocturne wondered if Auriella and the other female desired to stay as well and join. It was at that thought that he knew he had accepted Arizona as his equal. In Cascading Waters, he never had a female counterpart that held the same power as he; he was interested in seeing how the relationship between himself and Arizona would turn out. They could rule the pack as a perfectly unified force or they could have different views, each with members who preferred one leader over the other. To be honest, he didn't want the latter. If they were to argue over a certain way one of them did something, he'd rather they did it in private so the pack did not realize that they were divided in any way. Such a thing could drive a wedge between the pack loyalties and that was the last thing he wanted. Arizona could prove to be a very good wolf for the position and he was willing to give her a shot at it.

"It will be a pleasure to lead alongside you." He spoke with actual feeling when he said this because he actually meant it. That and with this dual leadership established, Arizona was no longer a loner to him, rather she was a pack mate and his equal at that.




His black ears twitched at the sound of the other grey wolf female's voice. He turned his gaze to her just in time to see the end of her offering respect to him in the form of dipping her head. Nocturne raised an eye brow but said nothing as she spoke to him. At the moment, it seemed as if she was addressing him and him alone; he wondered why she did not turn to speak with Arizona who was the new dominant female. Then again, he knew that he had been the one to address Philyra in the first place when he asked as to who she was and what she desired here. As she spoke, Nocturne angled his ears and completely turned his face to her in order to show that she was in his complete attention now, like he was in hers. When she finished speaking, the huge brute dipped his head in his own show of his respect for her. Normally, loners would not receive such a thing from him. However, with her words, he was certain that she would not remain a loner forever. Briefly, the male debated upon engaging in feint attacks upon Auriella and Philyra, but he quickly abandoned the notion. Such an act could and probably would infuriate the dominant female; he held himself back even though he wished to do what he felt was right. In Cascading Waters, he had been known for turning wolves down after they fled from feeling his fangs in their flanks. When it came to Hemlock Creek, his ways may change based on how Arizona felt about it. Then again, he wasn’t just going to be a giant pushover to the female or anyone for that matter. To be completely honest, Nocturne knew about his stubbornness to bend to the will of others and of his terrible brutality. There was nothing he would do to fix it though because it was so engrained in his personality that it would never change. In fact, it was his brutal nature that saved the lives of many when other wolves became hostile to Cascading Waters. Without his power of speech full of cutting words, the pack never would have joined his efforts and would have been lost. Such a thing of unity had never been seen in that pack again, not until he had been driven out and faked his death.

“If you wish acceptance with us, you shall receive it. Both of you.” He looked between Philyra and Auriella as he spoke. Nocturne was not used to such courtesies being exchanged from him to loners but as he realized before, the two females may not remain that way for long.




There was another loner waiting to be addressed, though this one was a male. Nocturne looked towards the other being of his gender and quickly studied him. He was of a large build, like Nocturne himself though the former was shorter, not by much though. However, the latter could tell that he had a much greater weight on his frame compared to the other. His eyes were of a yellow colour that seemed like it could fade into amber based on the lighting. The unnamed brute had a coat that was of a thicker variety and was a black in colouration. White was mainly speckled around his paws and face though there were some white hairs on his chest before disappearing completely. He was almost lean in appearance but Nocturne could tell that there was a power beneath that coat. The one thing the dominant almost snapped at was the tone of which the loner used. It held a slight sarcasm and a sense of self-deprecating. Nocturne had never been a fan of wolves who judged themselves so harshly that their confidence faded into almost nothing. Then again, it wasn’t quite cowardice; he tolerated it as long as they didn’t talk about how pathetic they were in front of him. For now, he’d let it go.

“If you seek acceptance, speak with her.” He motioned with his muzzle towards Arizona. Already he had granted acceptance to Philyra and Auriella if they wanted it; it was the dominant female’s turn to show that she had just as much control as Nocturne himself did.




“I certainly do not see a reason as to not accept you, Auriella.” The male kept his voice low but there were laces of authority in his tone. He had not failed to notice the way Auriella looked when the unnamed male entered the scene; he needed to show that he was in command here despite the fact that he too wanted to test the other male. Then again, he wanted to test them all excluding Arizona. She had earned her rank; there was no reason for him to try with it.

Philyra exerted patience with ease, it was a virtue she had learned while still young. Her tail tip twitched as she unwound it from around her paws, shifting then replacing it quietly. Her features were smooth, her eyes moving lazily from one wolf to the next. She couldn’t help but notice the attention Nocturne paid Auriella. Philyra watched with something between intrigue and a twinge of envy. It wasn’t that Philyra envied that it was Nocturne giving the attention, so much as Auriella receiving it. Philyra shifted her paws, her eyes wandering to settle on the surrounding trees. Talk had become inconsequential, or stopped altogether. Philyra’s ears flicked, but her eyes were distant. She had grown up being, well frankly being adored. She was the cherished sole daughter among sons. She had grown accustomed to being treated like the icicles that hung from branches in the dead of winter – beautiful but too breakable to actually touch. She had been coddled, treated with the utmost of care. Despite her impeccable health, the strength of her bones, her growing muscle, she had always been treated like porcelain, too precious to risk. Her ears flicked, a flash of irritation accompanying the motion. She had always envied her brother Orestes, the freedom he had. And so she had grown accustomed to what she had, what she would be. Even after her dispersal, she had been treated very similarly, as if somehow the perception had clung to her fur wherever she went. And now here was Auriella, being watched and observed as carefully as Philyra was accustomed to. Philyra wasn’t sure to be grateful, whether she had finally gained a new freedom. Or whether she had been displaced, whether she was lost without the reaction she was so accustomed to. Her mouth folded slightly, her eyebrows knitting and her lips puckering, deep in thought.

Her features relaxed once more, her gaze tearing away from the trees. Little had transpired while she had been lost in her own thoughts. Words had been spoken, by Nocturne, more by Auriella, and yet further from a new stranger – a male. Philyra refocused just in time to hear Nocturne address Arizona, the female who had aggressively stepped up to claim her position. "It will be a pleasure to lead alongside you." And with seeming ease, Arizona had earned the respect of the massive dominant male. Philyra raised a brow. It appeared that earning the same, or even similar, respect from Nocturne would be a battle hard won. She looked to Auriella. It seemed the two remaining females would have to fight tooth and nail, though doubtfully against each other. But Philyra was left with little time to dwell on this fact. Nocturne had already moved on, swiftly addressing the issues laid before him. He said a few words, formal and emotionless, but accepting herself and Auriella all the same. Philyra dipped her head, would have spoken her thanks, but Nocturne’s attention appeared to be brief and flitting – but for the rest it had taken on Auriella. Philyra assumed Nocturne would deal with the male, but Nocturne seemed to have no such interest. After a brief evaluation, Nocturne turned away – delegating the acceptance of the male to Arizona. Philyra couldn’t tell whether he was testing the new dominant female, or simply didn’t want to deal with this new male. Whatever the reasoning, Nocturne had signaled his retiring of sorts. He had dealt with his authoritative duties today. Philyra stood slowly, her tail uncurling from her paws and falling to swish gently at her legs. Even standing, she was a diminutive form in comparison to the dominant male.

She saw no need for words. Nocturne had offered his acceptance for her to take. But now that Philyra had come, that she had faced him and emerged with her desires before her, she wasn’t sure if she wanted it. So she stood without words, only dipping her head low once more, this time to both Arizona and Nocturne. Her gesture could be taken however desired, and it would save her from having to immediately decide. She cast a last look around, her eyes settling briefly on Auriella, Arizona, Nocturne and finally on the new male. She hadn’t yet bothered to look at him, to really look at him. She found once her eyes landed on him, they lingered. His fur was dark, reminding her of cedar bark after rain. He was well built, that was apparent enough, nearly a rival for Nocturne. His words held casual amusement, but his eyes were something different altogether. Philyra stood in silence, simply looking at the male, still standing in her small patch of sunlight. The corners of her mouth twitched up in a small smile and that was it. She turned her head away and moved to the trees. She vanished into them as silently as she had emerged, only the swish of her beige tail leaving shuddering branches behind. She didn’t expect to be followed. It wasn’t her aim. She didn’t expect to make a statement, or prove a point. She wasn’t attempting to be mysterious or alluring. She simply assumed her business completed. She felt any further conversation was unnecessary, perhaps even a trifle annoying. So she wandered her own way, taking her time picking her way through the trees. She wanted their scent, the movement of their branches, to be as familiar to her as her own birth den had once been.

Then came that question again, the question of her acceptance. She had gained it, as she had desired, but did she really want it? She knew that should she stay, she would blend as seamlessly into the forming pack as any other. But she also knew that another home waited for her, if she so desired it. An image of Nicodemus’ concerned features, of the sorrowful envy in Calypso’s eyes as she gazed at Philyra’s swollen stomach, and finally of the blotched smoky coloring of her daughters. She had often wondered, in the days and weeks following her departure, if any of her daughters would develop coloring similar to her. She and Palamedes had often had the same discussion. Would the pups look like Philyra, like Palamedes, a combination of the two? Perhaps even like Orestes? Philyra had left too early to know, but sometimes the question still niggled at her. She knew she couldn’t return and expect Calypso to relinquish the pups she had raised as her own. Philyra didn’t expect to, but she couldn’t keep herself from wondering. She settled herself under a single sycamore, resting her head on a protruding root. Weather had worn the wood smooth to the touch. She stretched, rolling onto her back and letting the shafts of light that wound through the branches warm her stomach. She looked up at the entangled branches, lost in thought. She wouldn’t go back. It wasn’t the right place for her any longer. She knew it instinctively. She had known it before she gave birth, before she had met Palamedes. The question that remained, among everything else, amongst the memories and thoughts and desires, was singular and simple. Was this place, this pack, the right place for her?

(Beware Philosophical Philyra)

Kegan saw the males studying glance, looking at every detail of himself. Only fair, Kegan had done just the same thing, a flicker of disgust flashed in the other males eyes before disappearing. Kegan narrowed his eyes with defiance, his inner leader springing forth, but he held it in check...barely.

“If you seek acceptance, speak with her.”

Kegan almost wanted to laugh. Join? He had no such notions, he had merely wanted to show he was here and not get attached for trespassing on pack land. Though before he made any snappy come back he thought the idea over, actually thought it over. What was the word coming to? He raised his eyes to the sky and sighed before shifting his eyes to the female that had apparently just recently been crowed lead. He huffed a sigh and waited for her approval. He had no doubt he would be accepted, it looked like the pack could use more help, and even if he did go down fighting, he would leave quite the impression.

Thinking of impressions it seemed the other female did not approve of him. She said nothing but her actions as he had walked into the clearing had spoken as loudly as words. He would have fun tormenting her.

The heaviness of the past few days seemed to plummet from the shoulders of the tiny loba. As the air around her lightened, suddenly easing her breaths more consistently through her nose, relief flowed through her shaking limbs. Her front had worked. Her bold, thick head, had earned her the high rank within the group. A faint smile tweaked her features for a moment before vanishing with a simple nod of the head. It was a signal of respect to his courteous reply. Arizona was glad above all else. If Nocturne had opted to turn on her, driving her from the territory for such a blunt assumption, the Mexican wolf would have simply had to tuck tail and run. Her arrival to the pack would have died with it's first breath. Golden gaze shifting to look at the other wolves, watching the wave of discomfort flash through Auriella as Nocturne's gaze strayed a little too long on her. This small act had managed to truly ruffle the fur of both the new members. Philyra, watching like a non-existent third party, adjusted oddly, shifting in thought to the possibilities of why he spent so much time on Auriella. It was a simple answer to Arizona, who knew a vast amount of knowledge on such subjects of social communication. Nocturne was sizing up Auriella, to see if she could easily be devoured. Or maybe he just thought she was pretty. Arizona's brow furrowed for a brief moment as her confused thoughts became obvious. Quickly dropping the subject in her thoughts, her attention returned to the small group.

As Philyra shifted, moving away from the small group, Arizona watched her go. She would have loved to share words with the female, as getting to know each member of the pack would soon become a task. A trickle of a frown passed over her dark lips, but died before gaining acknowledgment from other eyes. Moving to accept the rather generous nod from Auriella, Arizona could feel the wag of her tail beginning. It brushed against the ground, never reaching a full thump. This was her way of showing her happiness, while her features harbored the still vacant, serious expression. Arizona's eyes once again wandered, falling on the figure of a dark brute. He hardly seemed like the happy type and almost instantly, the feeling tightened a knot in her stomach. What was his problem? Why did this male's energy contain so much unhappiness and rage? It created a dull grimace on the female's face, eyes narrowing. Just as she had decided upon saying something to the one known as Kegan, Nocturne suddenly piped up. His words created a wider grimace, but the Latina simply shrugged it off with a roll of her shoulders.

Arizona's patience was wearing thin against the contrast of the dieing day. The sun was fading, creating a much more cooler breeze than the once heated one that had licked her pelt only minutes before. She hated the cold, more than anything in the world. It created an already upset female into a rather temperamental one. Nocturne's decision and Kegan's rather ungrateful attitude caused her tongue to grow sharp with a wicked reply. "Don't bother asking," she replied with a cold gaze, words directed towards Kegan like bullets, "It's a no." Arizona had her reasons, and as the new Dominant Female, she was deciding to not admit the brute into the group. He had shown plain disregard for her and the other wolves. And now, it had earned him absolutely nothing. "Once you decide you change your attitude, then come find me," she breathed out the words like a low hiss. Pivoting on her paws, the tiny female began to track into the cover of the trees. It was growing darker as the day descended into night. Irritation tingled in the tips of her paws, creating an unwelcome feeling in her walk. As she drifted further away from the pack and deeper into the territory, her eyes constantly searched for a place to sleep for the night. With little tolerance for the cold, Arizona would normally find another to share the night with, but as she hardly knew the small group forming, she would withstand the cold alone. She settled down near a tree that towered high above her, it's bulky trunk keeping the wind from cutting her fur. A small shrub nearby it's base created a wonderfully nice cover, making for the best available spot for the tiny Mexican gray wolf. Curling up, Arizona waited for night to pass, waiting for the warmth of another day to gently rouse her.

Kegan hide a small smile, the little female, newly named alpha, had spunk. He had to admit it. And he could hardly blame the new alpha for not admitting him, she knew nothing of his past and therefore did not know him. The others around him seemed to seep with the need to please, while he on the other hand merely wished to judge the wolves measure.

He swept his tail to the silent male still laying in the growing dark, and add a small bow for effect before turning his back and heading out. Never would he admit that the slight hurt him. Shaking his head ruefully he once more explained to himself why he acted the way he did. He did admire the female, whether or not she had spurned him was out of the question, it was obvious to him that she had been under a lot of stress and the recent upgrade in position had not been fully expected not to mention all the new faces.

Now though he stared at his surroundings, though his eye sight at night was remarkable, it was dangerous for one wolf to be traveling at night. he might as well stop and find a quite place to wait until the shadows receded.

(I always feel bad, my post are considerably shorter than most of yours ^_^)

Nocturne nodded at Auriella before taking a few paces away. He was done with talking now; it was up to the others as to what they wanted to do now. Since he held back his violent nature, he could feel the exhaustion that he had expected to only be mental, shadow into being physical. There was a muscle in his flank that convulsed slightly with every step and with that came the twitching of a connected muscular tissue in his right foreleg. He almost growled quietly but he kept the urge to do so down in his belly; keeping his regal walk, aside from the barely noticeable shaking until he came to a rest in a decently sized patch of sweet grass. Now in a resting position, his body ceased to shake; allowing him to relax more. However, there was a constant awareness to him; such was shown in multiple ways such as the way his ears were in motion, always listening for any change that could come by. His golden eyes were much more subtle but if one looked closely enough, they could see that they did not linger in one place for very long. The last sign one could pick up was the way his nostrils continued to smell the air for new scents. Yes, Nocturne was the type of wolf who kept his guard up even in the most peaceful of nights. He was not the one who could be easily surprised by the arrival of someone new unless they completely managed to avoid being detected by sight, smell and his powerful sense of hearing. Such a feat was rare, unless his attention was elsewhere. For example on a pack mate like they were right now. Auriella was approaching him, a look on her face that he couldn’t quite identify. She paused for a second when she was close and seemed to be thinking over what to say. While she did so, Nocturne remained silent as he waited for the words to come from her lips. She sat down a comfortable distance away and for that, he was most pleased. There were wolves in this world that did nothing but crowd all others and imposed themselves upon another. Auriella didn’t want to be that kind of wolf, or so it seemed.


A slightly amused expression crossed Nocturne's features. She paused for brief moments between certain parts of her questions; leading him to believe that she realized that she was indeed imposing. Well, to other wolves she could be. To him, she was a pack mate, an intelligent one at that who knew what questions to ask. Rather than to say anything, the dominant male heaved himself up so he was in a sitting position. There was a softer, gentler look in his eyes as he chuckled softly to himself. He stopped quickly however, knowing that such an action could lead the female in front of him to believe that he was laughing at her. He was not doing such a thing, instead, he was amused that someone had figured out the flaws about his leadership to the pack. To be honest, he had thought that Philyra would have commented on it; when she didn't he hadn't expected another to do so. It seemed that he had greatly underestimated Auriella's power of insight; he would not do so again.

"My dominance was given to me by the last male." He answered, his eyes a glowing gold compared to the darkness of his coat. With the sun now disappearing in the sky, there was a fiery halo of white hairs on the very outline of his fur. Such an appearance for the male was rare, but they happened. "If you smell the air to the west, you'll be able to follow his scent as it leaves the territory. Arizona gained her rank because of her personality and her williness to challenge me. She will do well. We weren't in the same pack. Not until a few moments ago, though you witnessed that change." Nocturne stood and walked over to Auriella. Light as a butterfly's wing impression on one's skin, he touched his muzzle to hers in a brief contact before turning and going back to his previous positition. Normally, he was not one for contact, but this seemed to be something to do in order to ease her troubled thoughts. When he was with the pack, he didn't need the others to constantly think he could snap at any moment and send them scurrying away; this show of softness could loosen that fear. "Worry not about imposing upon me. You are part of this pack; any answer you seek shall be yours."

A shift in the wind caused a low rumble to rise in the acoustics of the dense forest that harbored the sleeping beast. As the chilly Autumn breeze licked at the slumbering animal's thick coat, it caused the creature to awaken. Slowly, as though the gravity of the earth was connected to him in the most extreme sense, Vlad rose. Tree's may have towered above him, but this bear shadowed. His mass, so large, cast a shadow on the expanding earth. Finding peace in the surrounding silence, the beast lumbered forward towards a long, fallen log. The sound of tiny legs of tiny termites within the decomposing wood was enough to entice Vlad's interest. Laying a large paw on the weak structure, he pressed lightly, causing it to crackle slightly. Pushing more weight into it, the log splintered upwards, pressing into his rough pads, shattering down the middle. He grunted, pulling his paw back as a furry of insects flooded into the new found light. Pressing his maw towards the opening, a long, fleshy tongue swiping up several hundred bugs. After getting a few mouthfuls, Vlad yawned, plopping his rump down in order to free the use of his front paws. Grabbing the center of the crack, he pried the log in half with loud snapping noises. More bugs poured from the rotted tree, onto Vlad's enormous paws and all over the surface of the log. Slurping them off his paws, the brute proceeded to lick them up like tiny treats. They crunched tastelessly within his powerful jaws, hardly a meal fit for a bear such as himself, but a meal just the same.

Fulfilled with the tiny creatures, yet empty just the same, Vlad moved on. He was unknowingly buried within the depths of the Hemlock Creek Territory. Even so, Vlad felt little threat by being in the presence of the small pack. They were little in numbers and their kills were quite nutritious. He found himself at ease, even if the wolves didn't know he was their. Maybe they did, but even so, the bear didn't care. They would not come for him, at least, not yet. Continuing to move through the trees, the beast headed away from the smell of the wolves. He would not confront the canids yet. More mooching could be done and if they made kills, who was he to bite the hand that feeds? This bear would make the most of his opportunity. He made his way towards the smell of something he truly enjoyed, honey. Out of the whole joy of life, honey was the greatest. It's velvety texture and pleasurable taste, warmed the beast's stomach easily. On rainy days, that was all he wanted. Stress called for honey. Wounds called for honey. It was just his delight and when without it, could become rather snappy and irritable. The female's he wished to impress didn't like that and so, he ate the wonderful substance regularly. Like a drug, Vlad had become dependent on honey.

Vlad could find little resistance to the small beehive that hung from a small branch just above the tree's lowest branch level. It was a ways up, but because he had set his eyes on it, the bear would get it. Balancing up on his back legs, the bear hugged the tree's base, claws penetrating it's soft bark. He lunged upwards, scraping the wood as he tugged his massive self up the tree. It didn't take him long to reach the hive, buzzing filling his ears. Using his huge paw, Vlad sent the nest tumbling down towards the ground. The bees, irritated to high heaven, flew towards him, stinging and harassing him. Grunting with displeasure and swinging his arms, the bear tried to get the bees away. Hurriedly scrambling down the trunk, Vlad made his way over to eat his prize, a few bees still proceeding with their assault.

"I have a feeling of such." Nocturne chuckled softly in response. It seemed as if the tactic to appear kinder in front of his pack mates worked wonders. Especially since Auriella was ready to ask him whatever was on her mind. To be honest, the large brute had expected for her to flee or even flinch under contact with him. She did neither however and instead simply remained near him, a grin that hinted at her playful nature on her face. He moved over slightly in the sweet grass as to make room for her. "In the autumn, it's always best to share heat to conserve energy; I suggest that you lay here and ask whatever you wish to."

While he waited to see what Auriella would say as a reply, Nocturne thought over how she had reacted to his approach. There had been a powerful, almost overwhelming fear that shone in her eyes and practically had her leaping out of her fur. She had to crane her neck to look at him and that's how he'd been able to tell what was going through her mind at that specific moment: she had never thought of herself as vulnerable because of her height but with his massive bulk standing over her, she felt the disadvantage of it. He found that particularly interesting because she was not of a small stature, in fact she was average sized for a wolf of her age, breed and gender. Her muzzle withdrew from his when he was a heart beat away from making contact because of the startled nature she held during that moment. Seemingly, it faded into nothing as she appeared to realize he was not a threat to her any longer. Auriella had reached forward of her own accord and instead of simply brushing muzzles, her nose touched his. Now that he thought of it, Nocturne felt a slight shock of his own. In his world, touching noses was of an intimate nature; only mates or mothers with their children would allowed to make such a connection. However, in hers it could be different; it could be the equivalent of a friendly contact. That thought didn't make him feel any better about it though. The male did not comment on what was going through his own mind however, instead he shifted his focus back to Auriella.

Night was beginning to overtake the world. Its dark fingers were grasping the light that remained and sucked it into the darkness. Soon, the sky would look like a giant blanket of navy blue or even a black one that would appear as if it were adorned with tiny little pinpricks of white, red and yellow. Those pinpricks were beautiful to look at but otherwise were useless to Nocturne. They couldn't guide him home like they did for Forever nor did he know the story behind each and every constellation like Crescendo did. Therefore, they were nothing but emotionless stars that were simply there to gawk at what was happening below them. The one thing that the night did for him was show him who everyone was in perfect clarity. When the sun was no longer in the sky, wolves tended to lose their guard and when sleep befell them, they would lose every shield they had; it gave him their true, unprotected selves. In the dim moonlight that was due to the slowly rising moon, there was a halo of white surrounding Auriella and causing her to glow. The creamy white that she adorned so well in the light was now a beautiful silver hue that shone as if she had frost or even stars covering her and making her appear as such. As for himself, he was a dark shadow with silver surrounding him on the outside and causing his eyes to glow a brilliant gold. In comparison to Auriella's change, his was rather plain and not as extraordinary.

As to make sure he was not staring as he had at their first meeting, Nocturne shifted his attention to Arizona. The dominant female was laying alone, curled up into a ball in order to conserve heat. In that position, she looked the most vulnerable. She kept to herself and the fire that he had previously seen in her eyes when she confronted him about her new rank was gone. To him, Arizona appeared like a small, young pup that needed some sort of guidance or even a protector. Chances of him filling that role were slim, at least completely. He would protect her as much as he would protect the rest of the pack. If she, or anyone else needed him, he'd be there.

"Arizona!" Nocturne called just loudly enough for her to hear if she was still awake. If she were asleep, she'd probably miss it. "Come join us. It's warmer over here. We can learn more about each other as well."

[Lame.. Horribly so..]

Lost in the nightmares that plagued her mind when the sun fell, Arizona was having trouble deciphering the reality from the illusions as her mind slipped into sleep. Thoughts of her family and friends, still encased in the Sevilleta, haunted her. Had she abandoned them? Even if it wasn't by her own choice, she had. Arizona had left them to the confines of the refuge, unable to ever see them again. Gypsie's bubbly laugh, Margarete's explanations of theories that Arizona could never grasp, and then her parents, their long lectures of times of old and their teachings; all words hung in her ears as if they were talking right at that instant. The vivid images of her past terrors had almost completely dominated her mind when she heard the jarring whisper of Nocturne. Amber eyes snapping open, the female searched the darkness for the source of the sound.

Having almost forgotten the chill of the night in the midst of the terrors that were her nightmares, Arizona was surprised by how violent her shivers were. She shifted, head sliding against the earth as her eyes settled on Nocturne and Auriella. It was a welcoming thought, curling up with the pair, allowing both wolves' heat to envelope her and drive the cold away. A smile made its way onto her features, dark lips splitting into a accepting gesture. Their figures illuminated by the cast of the moonlight, Arizona had little trouble making her way over to them. Paws brushing the ground with gentle, light steps, the wolf moved over to the pair. She was about to settle down beside them when her nostrils flared to inhale a new scent amidst the company of the pack's. Head swiveling, her ears strained themselves in order to hear the faint sound of cracking wood. What had taken to the forest of the wolves? Taking in another steady breath, the female recognized the sour scent of grizzly. In the darkness of the night, not much could truly be done about the beast. Besides, the sun would rise in the morning and then the small group could deal with the bear or, if they were lucky, the creature would have left by then.

Arizona let her small body drop to the earth, feeling almost shadowed as she settled down beside Nocturne. He was such a large creature. Her confidence from earlier did not seem nearly as evident as it had been before. Even in comparison to Auriella, Arizona was dwarfed in size. Shifting as to straighten her neck and give at least the allusion of being bigger than she was, the female continued to smile. "You'd think I'd be used to such size differences by now," she spoke with a quiet tone that still carried the hint of the southern accent,"I've been around y'all's kind long enough." Letting her head fall to her paws, the female closed her eyes. Her mind once again began to analyze the memories of her past, causing her eyes to flicker back open. It was going to be a long night. She looked towards both Auriella and Nocturne, wondering what they were thinking. Eyes studying their features, Arizona was tempted to speak again. Nocturne had opted to get to know about each other better. Why not? Arizona was up for it, seeing as her brutal memories did not have to be recalled if they did; they were already at the surface.

[Short.... sorry guys!]

It wasn't safe to be alone anymore. Finn had known this since his first day as a loner, though managed it by being quick in his movements and thoughts, and silent in his ways. The male could venture through territories unseen by pack members and other predators. Though the longing for a family welled within him, threatening to break through his flesh, he passed by many a wolf pack. None of them were for him. If the pack he chose was going to be the one he was a part of for the rest of his life, he must choose wisely and with caution. Imperfection would not be allowed in this case.

Finn had experience with a small variety of situations, such as running off a few loners or chasing a bear away, once. Of course his parents taught him well, and he was quite adept at the art of hunting, tracking, and exploring. He knew the basics of the medic-ways and a bit on the different plants, at least at home. What was it his mom told him many times? 'You have the heart of a wolf.' That seemed kind of obvious to him, and Finn didn't think he quite understood the statement yet, but he felt it fit well in this situation.

The male had been traveling alone for months on end, his sanity at wit's end. Today was the end of another day. He was inside another wolf pack's territory, scouting things out and deciding whether or not this was his perfect place. He knew wolves were there, somewhere. He could feel their presence in every breath of wind or snap of a twig. The nature spoke to him, and it brought signs of a small family nearby. The wind also brought a scent to his nose, one that he had not smelled in a long time. It brought back memories of his family, and his heart ached more than ever. The smell was of a bear. A sharp tang that produced a growl from the back of his throat. This place wasn't safe. He should leave at once. All bears were the same. They leech off from the nature and territory they seek to inhabit, stealing food and killing the nature they were too stupid to understand how to respect. They were big brutes who only knew how to fight and steal. Finn had gathered this from the only bear he had encountered, though he had smelled plenty more where that came from nearby.

His anger made him begin to turn around and head back to the edge of the territory, then he stopped. His mind cleared and he could no longer see red. Finn's heart ached and he felt the weight of his body, tail, head, and paws. He was tired. The light colored male pondered for moments and finally came to a decision. He could not just sit back anymore and be alone for the rest of his life. He needed a family to survive. Doubling back once more, he began the longer trek towards the source of the scents of the wolf pack.

Finn had no fears of introducing himself to whatever leaders the pack had. He could make due with the social operation easily enough. The thoughts that weighed heavy on his mind as his paws touched the ground in a rhythm were ones of death and loneliness. What if this pack ended the same way the other had? Members disappeared, leaders died, and then he was left alone. Again. I would go mad.... the male thought to himself, realizing it was true. His life was not one of being by himself, but one of companionship and love. If he could stop himself for being alone for any period of time, he would do it. For sure. Hopefully these dominants would understand him.

Finn came to the outskirts of a dense forest. He stepped underneath the leafy branches and walked through. His plaguing thoughts ceased as he watched in wonderment at the scene. Moonlight breached between leaves and branches and pooled at the base in circles on the ground. Silvery pools of light and hope. If only he could step into one and be transported to his own paradise. Finn already had one in mind. The thoughts that bothered him previously completely disappeared, being replaced by his mind thinking up his perfect world. All the dense forests and parched deserts, expansive oceans and endless arctic lands. It would be one dominated purely by nature and the animals within, who would respect the land.

A time later, the smell of wolf got very, very close. The forest quickly ended and became a den area with sparse trees and some grass, along with a small cave, presumably for the dominant female when she would have pups in the spring or summer. The moonlight cloaked him in darkness if one looked at the exact spot he was standing, they would probably only think of him as some kind of tree trunk or irregularly shaped rock. Though his fur was not pure black in the least, he could camouflage well enough.

His golden eyes pinpointed on three dark shapes near one another. A shadowy figure was laying on the ground beside the two others, seemingly very tired. The two others were sitting or standing and possibly speaking to one another. Low murmurs filled the air and Finn strained his ears to hear of the conversation, but to no avail. He wondered if he should yet wait until morning to approach, but the pang in his heart told him differently. As long as he walked in the right manner and from the right direction, he should be fine. Deciding to approach from the front, Finn walked from the cover of the trees, wincing as realized he had no more cover. Now it was just him and the pack.

He tried to make himself seem as small as possible as to not be a threat. His golden eyes looked at the three wolves pleadingly as he finally stopped in front of them. Taking the time to press some sort of advantage, he said, "I am Finn. I have been traveling for months upon end and have realized the life of a loner is not the kind of one-wolf family I would like. I apologize for approaching in the night after the moon has risen, but I can promise I have talents worthy for acceptance."