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Dr. Paine

Shattered Magic

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"I'm afraid I have to agree with Lucifer," Char said, giving Jin a stare that was as frosty as her breath and bite. "We are meant to be one pack. You spent more time in the nursery than me, so you have to remember some of the Elders' stories, right? The first pack that ruled for however long? They were larger than us, but they held!

 

"There is no reason for rank to be such a concern. Loyalties might still lie with the birth pack, but as far as Quince and my predecessors, and myself, are concerned, we're equal. He's an Alpha as much as I am. His Betas will be on equal ground with you. A Southern Gamma has as much authority as a Northern one, and should yield only to seniority or someone of a higher rank."

 

Char paused for a moment, scratching at her ear where a gnat had settled on it. "Even if the packs split up... why, I'd appoint another couple of Betas. And double the Gammas. That's exactly the same as what's happened now, and that's how it should be.

 

"Er... with all due respect," she added, nodding at Quince. "But, if I'm not mistaken, I believe we are on the same page? Especially considering neither of us have mates, it's currently best for both our packs that we lead together. You think leadership is a mess now, I'd hate to see it after splitting."

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Kiv's eyes flickered open and he let out a long yawn. He had slept in a bit, but he didn't care. It's not like he'd miss anything important, anyway. He lifted himself off the ground and stretched his limbs, which each let out a cracking sound. He blinked a few times and walked out into the opening where everyone seemed to be gathered, but still kept his distance from anyone. Everything is so boring here...it's the same thing every day... he looked from wolf to wolf, judging what he could do. Huh. Maybe if I stir up something then I could have some fun. He grunted to himself and slowly made it within earshot of the gathering.

"... it's currently best for both our packs that we lead together. You think leadership is a mess now, I'd hate to see it after splitting..."

"Ohh...?" Kiv cocked his head to the side. He could use this information to scare some omegas, maybe. Start some rumours about the pack splitting...maybe. Or...he could go for the big one, and try to pit these wolves against each other. Yeah, that sounded like more fun.

 

He casually strode past, gave Char a look, then closed his eyes and raised his head.

"You know, this one has a point..." he murmured in his scratchy voice. "Wolves don't like being told what to do." he opened one eye. "Especially by someone they don't know." he paused to make it seem like he really meant what he said, when in reality he did not care at all. "So what if we joined together? There's just more of us to feed. More of us to argue with. More of us to complain about..." he paused, seeing if he had these ones hooked. They were smart, being in the high positions they are, so they might have saw through his plan. However, they might also be willing to listen to someone that knew about the problem. Well, could at least pretend like he knew about the problem.

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Jin bit his tongue to keep from replying to either Lucifer or the other wolf who's name he didn't quickly know, indicating that they were likely an epsilon and probably from the Southern pack. It wasn't his place to point out that both of them were speaking where, in his mind at least, they should not have, considering that this was meant to be between him and Char and now Quince. As beta it was his position to offer advice for them to critique and do with what they would, not for the rest of the pack to offer their opinions on and it irked him.

 

"As I recall, we formed together to survive because the land was not supporting us separately after the earthquake which caused us to split in the first place. It wasn't as if everyone felt homesick and we all got together to talk about it, we did it to survive, even if it was a good idea for other reasons." Jin stared at Lucifer for a moment before shifting his gaze back to the two alphas. "It's been two years, it's not like we're 'not quite used to each-other yet.' We've had that time, and things haven't returned to how they were in the stories. But this is NOT because we don't all want that, we do, everyone does. This is solely the fault of a choice that was made two years ago."

 

Jin knew he was walking on thin ice now, but this was part of his job. It might not earn him any friendships, but it would be against what he had been sworn to do if he remained quiet about it. He allowed himself to reach out to Xylia with a feeling of thanks, letting her know he appreciated that she hadn't spoken up. Sometimes she had better ideas than he, and sometimes she didn't agree with him, but it showed how much she loved and respected him that she chose to bring these up in private.

 

"You want to remain together as one pack fine, that was the other of the two ways this could go and the best way it could happen. But it can't stay like it is now. A wolf will only serve one master, it's the nature of all of us. A wolf with two masters will inevitably love one and hate the other. You cannot serve both Quince and Char equally. It's the fact that both of you are alphas representing different packs that is causing this split between everyone else. A pack will only be as united as it's alpha pair because it is a direct reflection of that leadership upon which our society is built. The way it is right now... each wolf knows in their mind and heart who they would follow if it ever came down to a split between you two, though they would never admit this it is true of all of us, even me. THIS is the reason that unity cannot grow right now." It was a strong accusation, even though Jin did not state it accusingly. He stated it as an observation, which it was, they had to see that what they were doing and what they were trying to achieve were doing in two different directions.

 

"You can't seek to unite the packs and co-lead at the same time. That is the difference between where we are now, and the days of old that you seek to recreate. If you want one pack, you need one leadership. The alpha pair as it always has been, has been the symbol of and the model for unity in the pack. It's been that way for hundreds of years, ingrained in wolf tradition and our very souls. You can't change that in two years or two generations." Jin continued before either of them could interject. "Char, you know me, and you know I don't mean this in a disrespectful way to either of you. Quince, you don't know me as well but as Beta you know it's my duty to give my council based on what I see and hear, for the good of the pack. Therefore..." He took a deep breath, "what I suggest as the best solution if we are truly to be one pack... is for you two to become a mated pair... If neither of you will consider that, then it is still my council that we divide once more."

 

He swallowed but showed no other outward signs of how much he was shaking on the inside. He'd come to this conclusion months ago. Two leaders one pack... it would never work, wolves would as they had been for the last two years, always identify with the leader of their birth. Unified leadership, as it stood now, wasn't unified. There was a Southern alpha and a Northern alpha... you can't get rid of the distinction between southern and northern pack while that dichotomy remained in place. Packs were always lead by an alpha and his mate, or an alphess and her mate, equal in leadership and authority and united in every way. The alpha pair was the symbol, the model of the unity of the pack. This was engrained in wolf tradition and their very DNA as it had been for hundreds of years. It would take generations for that to change, not two years, not twenty.

 

The other choice was of course to have the two of them fight to the death... but that wouldn't solve anything, it would have worked two years ago, but not now... not when lines were already drawn under who was with Char and who was with Quince, even if no one would dare say it that way out loud, each wolf knew what they would do if it came down to a divide between Char and Quince and THAT was the reason this single pack would never work while they co-lead.

Edited by Rakashua

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Quince had been severely quiet during the time that Jin offered his criticism. It had been his choice along with the previous Alpha to unite the packs, therefore the decision was a rather sore subject to him. Jin had a point on both ends and he hated to admit it, but they did need to show some sort of unity between the packs if they truly did want to survive.

 

However when Kiv walked in and started to speak, a dangerous growl came from Quince as he looked at the forever devious wolf. "You would do well to know your place Kiv." he stated knowing that the wolf was actually speaking about himself. "There are more wolves than I can count in my pack alone that enjoy being told what to do. However it is YOU that doesn't like being told what to do. So speak for yourself instead of others when you are not a Beta." Quince turned from one of his hunters and looked at Jin hard.

 

"Your words are on very thin ground Beta, for I was the one that agreed to this unification and attempt to bring back the old ways. If it was done once, it can be done again."

 

Before he could finish, Char spoke up and he listened to what she said. It seemed that she too was rather testy about what Jinjekkai was saying and she seemed upset about the proposal as well.

 

When she asked him if he was on the same page as her, he nodded but seemed kind of irritated at her phrase "With all due respect"

 

"If by leading together, you mean holding council with both packs so that they know what is going on and that they are to obey both of us, then yes. I see no reason not to and I think that once they all know that we are to be unified for the time being, things will calm down even further. Don't forget though, that you have just become an Alphess and have been for what, 70 days now? Your pack will still be rather iffy around you." he said then listened to Jin...once again.

 

"Your facts are correct Beta, however, like I stated earlier, if it was done once, it can be done again." But when Jinjekkai mentioned both he and Char becoming a mated pair, the wolf became quiet and waited to see what Char would say. He wouldn't mind becoming mates, however, he had never really thought of it. His mind had always been on bettering himself for his pack...not mating.

 

 

Xylia watched the emotions roll through those sitting there and was about to growl at Lucifer because of her harsh words and actually did. However she calmed back down as Char began to speak and was a little bit worried about Jin. Once he had an idea, he didn't let it go. There was a wolf that walked in as Char was speaking and he had the distinct scent of a Southerner, but the way he acted made her skin crawl. Luckily, Quince seemed to be irritated by his words as well and Xylia was surprised to feel Jin becoming upset as well.

 

Things weren't going so well with this idea, and she knew that. But somewhere, things would have to take off and go the right direction. But Quince also had a good point about if things had been once they could be again. Too many ideas, too much talking in her opinion.

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Lucifer inclined her head slightly at Char's agreement. She was glad to be on board with the Alpha she didn't know much of, and her approval sent a small wave of pleasure through the white wolf's mind. The Queen was a good wolf, Lucifer could see that plainly. Obeying her would be no problem to the lost princess.

 

When Kiv came around, her dark eyes swiveled over to him, but her serious expression did not change at all. She knew him from his sly tongue and the persuasions he made to the gullible wolves. He reminded her greatly of the wolves that would verbally abuse her when she was a little pup, because of who her parents were. However, in the years she had grown up around Kiv and the others, Lucifer found his presence no longer bothered her in the slightest. As his higher up, however, her eyes narrowed slightly and she glanced once to Quince to note his reaction. "More of us to complain, about you, Kiv," she remarked coolly, a twang of cold humor present in her rich voice. She regarded the Epsilon with a brief look of distaste, but when Quince began to answer Jin's newest proposal, Lucifer returned her eyes to the rest of the group.

 

At the winged wolf's growl, the white princess simply glanced her way without a sliver of interest, to show she had heard and acknowledged the female's displeasure. No matter, Lucifer wasn't there to please a Beta's mate. She was there to obey her Alphas, and if those two wanted her respect, they would have to earn it. She didn't need their respect, only those of her King and Queen, and part of her had a feeling the Betas did not care for hers, either.

 

The large she-wolf stepped closer to Quince gracefully, dipping her muzzle down before asking him in a quiet voice, "My King, what difference would it make whether you and the Queen were mated? You both rule just as well as if you had been, I see no difference in this." Not that she would object to Quince's decision or Char's should they accept Jin's idea, but it seemed strange to her that wolves without that special "bond" would agree to enter such an agreement. Unless Lucifer was so blind to matters such as love (which she felt she wasn't, even if she could not feel those emotions herself) that she completely missed the relationship between the North and South monarchs, she also preferred they saved such a contract for the wolves they would later come to love.

 

Even so, Lucifer wasn't a romantic. She looked back over to Jin and studied his face, ignoring the stare he had just given her. "You speak as if you know the hearts of every wolf in this pack, my Lord," she said, her strong voice dampened by the soft quality it possessed. "Do you know me, sir? Do you know whom it is I serve? What makes you think I could not serve your Queen as well as I have served my King in the past? I would be honored to be under her command, if she so wills it." She met the odd-sighted Beta's gaze full on without blinking or looking away. Whether this was an act of will or the fact that she was unconsciously preforming as royalty, it was uncertain.

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Char had remained silent and still as the others spoke, a rather unusual stance for her to take. Too much noise, that was part of the problem. Jin was talking, Lucifer was talking, Quince and now some other Southern wolf who just seemed to be spewing a lot of hot air and getting on her already deeply frayed nerves.

 

She took a deep breath, trying to focus herself. Jin did have a few points. They might have been meant as a single pack, but the long years apart had formed new loyalties. She still couldn't see how difficult it was to follow another set of Alphas though, after all, she had done it right up until, well, she took over. And it always had been simply the two Alphas, never... never four.

 

"Therefore... what I suggest as the best solution if we are truly to be one pack... is for you two to become a mated pair... If neither of you will consider that, then it is still my council that we divide once more."

 

Those words were enough to shake her out of her silence.

 

"That... well, I suppose that isn't the most unreasonable course of action," she said, glancing at Quince.

 

She'd focus on that once the current situation was sorted out.

 

"Lucifer! While I appreciate your opinion, you're going too far. You're a Gamma, and you'd do well to remember that," Char said with a growl. "Go find anyone else who might be willing to help us on the hunt. We're going to need a big party, horses don't go down easy."

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Jinjekkai breathed a sigh of relief and gently nudged Xylia's shoulder, it was time to go. For a moment at least, she may still have things to take care of, but he wanted to be out of sight and out of mind at the moment. He'd done it, finally said what he'd been stewing over ever since he became beta, Char and Quince had heard it, he knew they would talk later. It wasn't his position to listen in on that conversation or ask about it any further than what he had just done, and that was fine with him!

 

He did feel sad though, or guilty perhaps. Char was his longtime friend since they had both been pups, he didn't want her to have to choose a mate out of pack obligation, though that wasn't unheard of for alpha and alphess alike. Even so, his selfish side wanted her to be happy too, but he had the pack to consider, and more than he... she did as well.

 

Knowing he was released he trotted a few yards away and lay down behind a rock, placing himself out of sight of the other two alphas, he could still see them of course... but he didn't feel like going far enough away to get rid of that. He glanced at Xylia and groaned, stretching on the ground where he lay. The night watch had been exhausting, more so than usual because the other night group had bothered them more than once and of course nothing interesting had happened.

 

He sighed, "Well... did I sound like as much a fool as I feel?" he asked Xylia, only half joking. It had been hard to say, hard to word, and he was definitely feeling the strain of being a Beta with such little life experience. He hoped his heart would still lead him in the right direction, because he truly wanted what was best for all... it was a matter of figuring out how to get that that kept pestering him.

 

And then there was Xylia, his love, his mate... He had chosen her after becoming Beta and she had accepted, only two months... and he wasn't sure if he'd spent one full day with her yet... the way things were now with the Northern pack still reeling from losing the previous Alpha and the Southern pack not having any Betas to speak of... he felt like he was doing the work of ten wolves... and all he wanted was to take a break and let Xylia know how much he loved her... and to apologize for how busy he'd been.

 

"I'm going to ask for some time off... for us... I want to, you know I hate this. But everyone is depending on Char and myself and Quince and you so much right now... I don't know what to do... I feel completely worn out..."

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Quince was getting tired of the lack of control from a few of his wolves and was growling at Lucifer as well as about to nip at her when Char did something far more gentle than what he was used to. She yelled at Lucifer instead, making his eyes open rather wide. When she was finished he looked at Lucifer, just DARING her to disobey Char, and just daring her to say something again.

 

"I'm sorry Alphess, I don't know what has gotten into them today. First Kiv and now Lucifer. She is a very trustworthy wolf...but she can overstep her bounderies without even noticing it." Once the other wolves were out of the feeding area, Quince wondered where his Beta was then put it out of his mind and focused on the problem at hand. "Char, I think they are right though, about the packs being irritated in some way. It makes me wonder if it is the cause of those crystals, or their leadership." he said meaning himself more than Char. Were they angry at him for making this decision right upon being a new Alpha? If they were, one of the Gamma's would have told him...or so he hoped.

 

"Anyways, there are many things to be discussed, maybe we should go to where there aren't as many prying ears?" he asked as he looked at Kiva.

 

 

 

Xylia listened to what Quince said and smiled. He had a Beta finally and Lucifer was properly reprimanded. her revery was interrupted however, when her mate nudged her shoulder, a gentle signal that it was time to go. Xylia's wings flapped madly for a moment as she stretched them and stood up. "Please tell us the results when you figure them out." Xylia said happily before trotting out behind her mate. But her trot wasn't exactly a trot...more like a trot through the air? Possibly that, but it didn't look like a trot.

 

When Jin laid down, Xylia covered his face with her wing and stayed like that just to annoy him. She could annoy people easily, and only did it as a show of utmost love towards them. "You didn't sound like a fool. Ideas have to be presented, and you know that." she said firmly and removed her wing only to gently fan him with both as she sat in front of him, looking down at his exhausted form.

 

Xylia was touched by Jin's sudden decision to ask for time off and knew that it was something from his heart, however they could never ask for time off. "Jin dear, you know we can't do that. As Beta's, we have a full time job protecting the pack with the Alpha as well as making sure that all of the injured and sick are taken care of. It was something that we agreed to do and I expect us both to do it full-heartedly."

 

She kept fanning him as her nose gently touched his for a moment before she huffed in his face. "I'm sorry that you are so tired. Maybe we should exchanged jobs for a bit. I've always been a night owl." Xylia couldn't help but chuckle at her own 'funny'.

 

Xylia didn't have loyalty issues, she just knew that she had a job and a mate and Jin did too...or at least she hoped he did. It was hard on both of them to have hardly seen each other, and with Char's suggestion of pups, Xylia was a little bit worried about what to do once they DID actually have pups.

 

Xylia laid down, her wings still going and gently placed her head on her paws, her golden eyes slightly squinted from the sun. "Ya know ... maybe once we have pups we can have a small break to raise them until they are old enough to go the nursery."

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Jinjekkia gave Xylia a wan smile, "ah yes pups..." he mused, "I've always wanted to have pups... eventually. I mean I love the little things to death... and I know you do too." He sighed, yes, being a father, that would be wonderful, hard work of course... but still. In the short time he'd known his parents he'd loved them so dearly, he felt warm, he knew he was loved. Part of what he did now was making sure the other pups were all taken care of and getting along with one another, Xylia did that as well, they both had that passion. But if they couldn't find time for one another... how would they find time for pups?

 

"I just don't know... will things have settled down by then? I feel terrible enough being such a poor mate to you... I won't have pups I can't spend time with... a lot of time, the way things should be." He sighed, crawling over to her and laying his chin on her back.

 

"And I know we can't have time off, I'm just being... selfish." He sighed. "One of the elders gave me an idea today though. "Delegation young pup he said to me find a good solid gamma and train em to do all the work you're putting on yourself, the job of Beta is to be there when needed... not everywhere at once... it's not like we all need babysitting donchaknow?" Jin smiled, "maybe we have been trying to do too much. I could delegate the night patrol to Soken, he's solid, older, and is good with respect. We are supposed to be helping the pack improve, not doing their jobs for them after all... maybe you could train someone in the nursery."

 

Jin yawned, trying to stay awake as his body had now been up almost twelve hours and it was only morning. "It's not like we'd never go out with and visit those groups, but our apprentices, if you want to call them that, could report to us and that would at least free up our evenings, nights, and early morning. If they are reliable it would free us up to spend time together, maybe even for pups."

 

It sounded like a good idea, and it made sense. As long as they both found reliable gammas to work under them directly, the entire pack would become a smoother operation. And it wasn't something he would have to ask Char about, so long as everything was in order, which was his job, she could do her job, how he did his was up to his discretion as long as he wasn't making major changes there was no reason to bother her with small things. She had so much else to worry about nowadays.

Edited by Rakashua

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Char nodded at Quince, getting to her paws and giving Kiv a hard glare just to be safe.

 

"It's probably just the change in leadership. Especially if neither of us are mated, they probably see it as a sign of weakness," she said softly. "A bit stupid, but... well, Jin had a point, there are some things wolves just can't shake," she said, giving Quince a rather resigned look.

 

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Quince looked at Char and walked to where there was a rocky outcropping that they could stand on. He made sure that she was alright as she crossed only as a courtesy so that she would stay safe. Char was rather skinny and he didn't want her to trip and bruise her ribs otherwise she would be in a painful position; shouting orders with bruised ribs was no fun at all.

 

"I'm not sure that that is correct though. I haven't had a mate for all of my life. Even when I was a beta, i had no mate and didn't even ask for one. Varstair, the last Alpha, had always asked me to get a mate like he had with his, but the thought never appealed to me. With becoming an Alpha, only a few elders were suspicious about me not having a mate...but it never caused trouble."

 

Quince sat down on one of the rocks in front of char, his blue markings on his face and neck melding into the dark black of his coat. "I understand what Jin is saying though....there needs to be either total unity, or total separation between our packs, if we don't, who knows what is going to happen." Quince was obviously still frustrated with the way that his scouts were acting and wondered why they were acting so irritatingly!

 

 

Xylia immediately jumped on Jin's idea. It was the best thing for both of them and she knew that they were trying to overdo things just to make sure that they kept Char's approval. "I do have a few that are trust worthy. Like Micky and Missy, those two twins? They both are Gammas and if I appointed them to officially be over the Epsilons, that would work really well. With the injured though, I think an older wolf like Seira would be good with a few Epsilons underneath her. Look! We already have everything taken care of....although I have been the head of the fighters for some time now."

 

Xylia sighed and immediately thought of two other wolves. They were scarred and wise enough not to do things mindlessly AND they were plenty old enough. "There are those two males, I think they are half-brothers to Soken, that are around the same age as Soken as well. Fraden and Nix. I used to talk with Fraden and he was my mentor as well...he'd be great for the job."

 

It was easy to see that Xylia was thrilled with the idea of having pups and having time for each other. It was something that she had always wanted and was glad that their friendship was their to sustain them.

 

When Jin placed his head on Xylia's back, she curved her wings upward to cast some sort of shade on the two of them. It felt good to be this close to him for a time, even if it would be cut short.

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Jin smiled, a chuckle rumbling out of his mouth at Xylia's enthusiasm. "I don't mean for everything we do," he laughed quietly, rubbing her back with his law. "You can still be head of the warrior group if you like, and spend time with the epsilons, this is mostly so that if we end up spending time together or need to be somewhere with the pups or whatever... we have someone else to..." Jin paused mid sentence. Something strange had just crossed the boundaries of his sight.

 

There were pups... a dozen of them or so, and following them was... something. It was flowing along the ground, like Xylia had described water to him, but he couldn't see water. And it was the color of a wolf.. giving off the same hue as a wolf, which meant that's what it had to be, it was certainly nothing he had encountered before... and why were the pups leading it around... why were they even out of the pup dens at this hour? All the way over here... heading for... Quince and Char who had moved some distance off...

 

Jin quickly stood up and his scruff stood on end, "we've got a visitor..." Jin growled, nudging Xylia to her feet quickly. "Go fetch three of our warriors and bring them swiftly back to where Char and Quince are, a rock outcropping, that way." Jin pointed with his tail, and took off in that direction.

 

"Char!" he barked as he skidded to a halt at the rocks a moment later. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have a visitor... and I don't think he or she was let in by the day patrol either..." He turned around to see the pups coming around a bend, approaching them with that... thing he couldn't identify but was colored like a wolf. Had he had normal eyes he might not have seen anything but the gentle rustling of the grass.

 

The thing suddenly took form and from the ground a wolf's body rose, sand coming together and forming bones then muscle tissue and finally flesh and fur to cover it. The wolf was huge, compared to the others whose body sizes were just starting to increase again as the food supply became plentiful only two generations ago. He looked old too, and shook sand out of his fur as the pups giggled and hid behind him, knowing they'd just been caught doing something naughty.

 

"ah, it seems I've been noticed, how interesting..." The large wolf spoke out loud and inclined his head once in respect to those before him. A white wolf with blue and black highlights, who strangely was not looking at him. And two other wolves on the rocks, those were the ones of importance, because the first had reported to them, Betas maybe, or if the pups had been right... the alpha pair. Perfect, now comes the boring part...

 

 

 

Fifteen Minutes Ago

 

 

 

 

Ronan approached the camp, he could smell it long before he could see it. hundred of wolves, more than he had ever seen in a single area. His demons all glanced at him, apprehensive at the sight of so many.

 

There were seven of them total, seven including Ronan, six surrounding him with himself in the middle. With a bit of concentration each one shifted forms, becoming visual replicas of their creator, six Ronans. They approached the camp from the East, the side that faced the desert, however many miles that was from the current location.

 

Ronan closed his eyes and felt the wind pull at his fur, as he dissolved into sand, leaving his creations behind to do their job. The wind brought him over the camp, spun him around a few times and then began to lul, allowing them to lower to the ground in a shower of sand, completely out of character for the climate the other wolves were now in. the wind had dropped him at the entrance to one of the pup dens where several of the fur-balls were rolling around and playing while the nursery wolves were gathered a good ways back into the cave, planning the day's events.

 

Ronan reformed as the wind set him down amongst them. he turned and smiled at their wide eyes, he hadn't seen pups in almost two years, except for occasionally when the wasteland packs had brought their pups for him to bless or name. He didn't approve, but touching the pups seemed to satisfy them and they mostly left him alone otherwise. These were not fearful stares though, they were curious.

 

"Truly this is a peaceful land, that you are all not frightened of me..." Ronan spoke, coughing sand out of his throat. It had been so long since he'd actually spoken, but the pups pulled words from him, he couldn't help it, they were adorable and so full of life. "My name is Ronan, and who are all of you?"

 

The pups seemed to find their voice all at once and began introducing themselves, and playing in the piles of sand that Ronan had left lying around, opting not to create any sand demons at the present, he was technically intruding after all. but he had so much sand on himself that it locked in his scent, allbeit he smelled like sand... which was out of place in a place such as this.

 

After they had been sufficiently introduced and he had entertained them, allowing them to chase the sand piles around for a few moments, he asked another question.

 

"I would like to meet your alpha and alphess, could you take me to them?" the pups were very excited at the prospect, some said they shouldn't leave the den area, but most were eager to break the rules, after all, they figured they were helping an adult, they could always blame him for everything, and Ronan asked the question as if it was an adventure, and if there's one thing that pups loved, it was adventure.

 

Eventually it was decided on, and a dozen furry little pups began trekking across camp with a blanket of sand sliding silently behind them. All heading in the direction of Quince and Char... they would be in visible range in moments and as Ronan had guessed... no one paid attention to the pups, and he was adept at hiding himself in his sand.

 

It wasn't that he wanted to sneak up on them perse... it was more that he wanted to avoid all the formalities it would take to get to meet them. He'd forgotten most of his previous customs from his past life, and the waste land wolves had few formalities to speak of. Besides... this place seemed peaceful enough...

Edited by Rakashua

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At the Queen's command, Lucifer took a step back and bowed her head to the ground respectfully. "Of course, your Majesty," the white wolf answered softly. "I understand." There was no twinge of annoyance or humiliation in her voice; Lucifer simply did not feel it. She knew she was in the wrong for confronting the Beta as she had, and she knew that she had crossed a line in doing so. As she straightened up, she could not help but to glance up at Quince. She knew he would be in the same state of mind as Char- she had heard his warning growl- but was mildly surprised to see the expression on his face as he looked back at her. Now a glimmer of annoyance rose in her eyes, and she raised an eyebrow as if scoffing at the look he was giving her. What, did he truly think Lucifer would challenge an Alpha's order? How absurd.

 

Nodding her farewells to the King and Queen, the ivory she-wolf turned and elegantly strode away from them. Her pride would not be damaged by being scolded by the monarchs. She knew she had stepped out of line in speaking up as she had, but she felt the need to express and voice her thoughts before anything got too serious. After all, didn't royalty consult the opinions of their Gammas from time to time? Lucifer shrugged off the thoughts, not wanting to be bothered by the perplexity of the situation. The Betas were likely smug that she had been verbally swatted away, but Lucifer wasn't very bothered by that. She had a job to do, as was directed by her Queen, and she was going to fulfill it. Luce took her duties seriously.

 

As she traveled through the camp, her dark eyes soon swept over the figures of wolves she identified as Epsilons and Gammas. She stood before a few of them, ignoring the dark looks she received from the wolves that had known her birth title. "There is to be a hunt. The Queen requests your attendance," she told them, standing tall as she usually did and gazing over the group with calm, steady eyes. When it appeared they understood their instructions, Lucifer turned and padded back towards the rock she had been lying next to earlier.

 

She sat beside, part of her back enshrouded in the shadow of the stone. She would wait until further instructions were given; she did not wish to thread on the Alphas' toes again, though she still felt somewhat annoyed with Quince. Ah well, there was nothing she could do about that. He likely wouldn't listen to her, anyways.

Both cobalt eyes flickered in surprise upon noticing a strange scent and figure catch her attention. Turning her head, she stared at what seemed to be a wave of sand, led by a parade of young wolves hardly old enough to leave the nursery. She blinked at this before rising swiftly to her paws and trotting after it. Upon realizing it was headed towards Quince and Char, the princess picked up speed and loped behind it, still trying to figure out what exactly she was seeing. Up ahead she noted Jin and a few other wolves waiting; she guessed they, too, had seen the queer phenomenon, and slowed slightly as the procession came to a halt.

Before her eyes, the sand melded together into the body of a massive wolf. Lucifer gazed at the creature with awe, although her facial expression was most easily identified as mild shock. Her ears pressed forwards and she listened to his rough voice. She was mystified about his appearance; where had he come from? Who was he?

 

 

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((Ahh, slow down gais!))

 

Kiv smirked as he received sharp comments and glaring looks. He loved it when he could annoy people by not even trying. He stood in his place as the wolves left. Well. That was entertaining. He yawned again. But I didn't even get a chance to push it further. Oh well. Maybe I'll just toy around with some omegas, or something. With a flick of his tail, he trotted off to where he thought the omegas would be. As he was on his way, his eye caught another gathering of wolves. What's with everyone this morning? Did they all forget that they are individuals? Or do they always clump together like idiots? He groaned and came over to the group again. What was so important this time--?

"Oh..." was all he could say as he noticed the new wolf. Was he a loner? Did he want to join the pack? Great. This was another one he could play around with....

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Xylia had been listening pleasantly to her mate when he paused all of the sudden. It wasn't like him to pause mid-sentence so XYlia knew something was wrong. In a moment she was on her feet listening to what Jin said and in seconds, she was there no more, rather, she was in the air flying like a bullet to the warriors den. There she grabbed their three strongest warriors with one of them having incredible speed and ran with them to where Jin was. But, for the most part, Xylia hovered off of the ground her wings pushing her forward with great power.

 

She was there with the three warriors looking at the newcomer with suspicion laden all over their faces. Xylia noticed that behind the wolf, was Lucifer and for a moment, she was glad to have her there, but her attention was drawn back to the wolf that had formed out of the sand...

 

Quince was waiting for Char to reply when a commotion broke out in the warrior den causing him to turn his attention away from her and see the pups coming towards them with a blanket of sand following them. Before he could do anything, even as his energy built up in his body, the pups ran up to him and Char and the sand thing developed into a large sand colored wolf. The pups continued to play in the sand around the wolf as Quince growled softly, a warning of sorts to the new comer. "Who are you?" he demanded.

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Char narrowed her eyes when she saw the... the sand thing following the pups, turning into a look of shock and, truthfully, horror, when it reformed. All her life, she had never seen a power like that. It was almost repulsive, but she had to keep a cool head.

 

"Who are you, where are you from, and what brings you here?" she asked the sand-wolf, taking on as authoritative a tone as she could. Much to her surprise, it didn't come out in the half-snap it often did, or otherwise meek. In her ears at least, it had the same solid ring as Quince, or the previous Alphas, and with any luck, it would carry to the stranger as well.

 

Char padded forward, scenting the newcomer. Sand, of course, was the strongest smell (not to mention irritating- it took everything in her to not sneeze), but there were other scents. Nothing remotely familiar, nothing from the territories she had seen. Even loners she had seen in the past had some sort of familiarity about them, but this? This was truly bizarre.

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A lone she-wolf lay underneath a large, leafy tree, more out of habit then anything. The harsh sun, the fiercest and most terrible of the she-wolf's enemies, was hidden behind a huge, dark mass of clouds. The clouds moved slowly across the sky as the she-wolf watched them, reminding her of when she was a pup. It was difficult for her to remember her puphood, and she never really tried to remember. Memories didn't do her much good, and it was better to think about the present, or possibly the future.

 

The she wolf's fur was darker then the shadows around her, as dark as the darkest night. It didn't reflect any light, leaving the whole dark surface the same, inky black. Her legs were long and slender, ending in small, quick paws. She was skinny, even compared to the rest of the smaller Northern wolves. Her snout was long and filled with sparkling white, razor-sharp teeth the stuck out against the black of her fur. Above her nose were two eyes, alert and watchful. They appeared to be two chips of ice, and if you looked into them they appeared as cold as ice. Her name was Ink.

 

Ink twitched her ears as she heard pawsteps coming towards her. A white she-wolf, who Ink knew was a Southern Gamma named Lucifer, was walking towards her. "There is to be a hunt. The Queen requests your attendance," Lucifer said before walking away, probably to tell more wolves about the hunt. Ink dipped her head respectfully as Lucifer left. Ink never thought of her as an ex-Omega. Instead, she thought of Lucifer as a wolf that was always meant to be a Gamma but got stuck as an Omega when she was a pup. Ink liked Lucifer. She never really got in anyone's way, and was rather anti-social. Her presence could be rather commanding, and Ink thought she would be a great Alphess, much better then Char.

 

Stretching, Ink got up to get ready for the hunt. However, before she could walk over to the food pile and pick something up to eat, she saw something out of the corner of her eye. It was about a dozen pups, most of them too small to leave the nursery. But that wasn't what caught Ink's eye. Behind them was a large pile of sand, which was quickly materializing into the form of a wolf. Ink cautiously walked over, half hoping the sand wolf would join the pack. Then he would become an Omega, and she would have someone else to bug. She watched as Xylia, the Beta female, flew over to the sand wolf. Then the Southern Alpha, Quince, came over and growled at the sand wolf. Then the new Northern Alphess, Char, came over to confront the sand wolf. Ink had to stop herself from wrinkling her nose in disgust. Char shouldn't be the Alphess, she thought. There were many other wolves in the pack that would do better. Char was too inexperienced. Lucifer would do much better... Ink was mildly impressed with her commanding tone, but only because Char had never done better, at least when Ink had been around.

Edited by Backup77

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Ronan glanced about, what a quick reaction, applaudable, though he still wasn't entirely sure how he was discovered so quickly, oh well it only would have been delayed a few seconds longer anyway. He took a moment to survey the wolves around him, they were all smaller, thinner, obviously the slim pickings after... after something he couldn't place in memory, had affected them like everyone else. One had wings, and he guessed that the one that looked blind had some sort of ability to see, seeing as he was the one to point him out. As to the others there was no sign of what they could or could not do, all of these thoughts crossed Ronan's mind checking off a list of items he perused whenever meeting new wolves.

 

"Who are you?"

 

Ronan's attention wandered slowly back to the wolf before him on the rocks. The male had spoken, and no one else was making a peep, the alpha, had to be. Well that was easy he mused to himself. Cocking his head to the side the sand around the pups quickly picked them up and gently set them down before the wolf with wings and the other three, warriors no doubt by their scars and their stances, they could take care of the pups.

 

"My name..." He inclined his head ever so slightly to the other male and then sat, taking a passive pose. "I've not gone by any name in almost two years. In my time in the desert I was called Kido no Garra." (which can translate several ways (god of sand, Lord of the desert for example)).

 

"Before that... it doesn't matter, none of you would know me by my name. You may call me what you will, as everyone else already has." He said, obviously thinking back some years to another time and place and pack. The sand around him danced with his words and flickered, rising up and settling down almost in time with his breathing. "Your pups were kind enough to escort me to you..." He paused mid sentence, closing both eyes and his face took on a pained expression before he shook his head and seemed to come back to the current situation.

 

"I'm sure you have questions, I have a few minutes that I must wait here, please ask them as you will young one." His tail swished back and forth over the ground, a wave of sand following it either direction. A close look would reveal that his fur didn't blow in the wind, a closer look would reveal that the reason for this was because of the sand packed against and amongst his fur, but there was no way to tell how thick it was. His eyes were also strange, when he wasn't focusing on a specific wolf they kept jumping about as if he was watching something that no one could see.

 

 

Jin wasn't sure what to think of the wolf before him, fortunately he didn't have to come to any conclusions just yet, that was up to Char and Quince, though he was prepared to stop the intruder... or guest? from doing anything to harm anyone.

 

"Come on you lot," He quietly whispered to the pups that this stranger who called himself... or did he say others called him, 'Lord of the Desert,' had sent in Xylia's direction. He herded the pups into a group behind the warriors, noting that Xylia had chosen well for only having moments to decide who to bring.

 

He didn't speak, that was now up to Char and Quince, but he waited, expecting Char to ask him anything that the stranger wouldn't tell them himself. Jin could tell the wolf was old, older than he looked, older than Quince, but his aura was also different... thin strands of it seemed to connect to his head and then fly off in one direction... until they left Jin's range of sight. He wanted to focus and find out what they could mean, but that would mean being blind to the wolves right around him and for the moment that couldn't be risked.

 

Jin felt immediately annoyed that neither patrol had noticed this figure enter the camp... although crawling around as a sheet of sand... well I guess no one was actually trained to look for that sort of thing. And then the pups... bless them... had just lead him straight here... he sighed... pups would be pups.

 

Then the newcomer stopped mid sentence and Jin noticed one of the aura strands connecting to his head fade, accompanied by a pained expression on his face... what did that mean?

 

what haven't you revealed yet... what's out there? Jin sent Xylia a feeling across their short distance from one another.... worry. He knew she would know he'd noticed something to be worried about, and even though the warriors were already on high alert... he wanted to be ready for anything.

 

 

NINJA EDIT:

 

 

"Who are you, where are you from, and what brings you here?"

 

 

Ronan smiled at her as she approached and scented him, a bold one, young too, interesting that she would speak up when her mate had begun the conversation. But he took the opportunity to take in her scent as well... and found that she wasn't his mate, which... was odd, she must be a Beta in that case. Either way he tried not to think about it, he didn't really care, and she had asked him a question, well... several.

 

 

"Call me what you will," he repeated, "and I am not from anywhere though I have wandered across the length of the desert twice in the last two years, hence the wolves there called me Garra (of the desert) and Kido (lord/god/ or demon) because of my connection to the sand." He paused, looking distracted for another moment and Jin frowned again at him.

 

"As to your last question, I do not know why I'm here." He paused in order to explain. "years ago, a catastrophic event changed this land overnight. I was there, I saw it, I heard the words spoken, and I was part of what caused that to happen in some way... but I have no memory of these things, I merely know them to be true." He sighed, suddenly looking much older and more tired. "I wandered the desert communing with myself to determine this much, but the rest is gone. A memory brought me here... something about this place, this mountain, is familiar. I'm looking for wolves I once knew who may have been drawn here before me... but enough of my own questing and soul searching."

 

He bowed once to the two of them, "today I seek only your permission to continue my search in your camp, and shelter from the coming storm." He nodded to the northern horizon.

Edited by Rakashua

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NINJA'D! HOLD ON!

 

Quince didn't seem to like the intruder's way of stepping on their territory. He acted as if he owned the place which he did not. There was a conflcit within Quince though as he looked at the wolf angrily. He was an old wolf, a very old wolf, and deserved respect for the most part, but just because you were old, didn't mean that you were to come in and act like you knew everything.

 

"I have no questions until your attitude changes. I do not care that your pose is submissive, wolf. Your entire attitude towards entering into a territory that is not your own is wrong and seemingly possesive." he growled deeply and stood in front of the warriors as his energy built up again within him, ready to blast the wolf if he did anything.

 

However, once the wolf responded to what Char had said, he learned the the wolf was indeed older than what Quince had thought. Quince's energy died down a little bit, dimming the light brimming at the edge of his mouth until he had taken a deep breath to glance back at Char. "If it is shelter that you request, then as afar as I am concernced, you may stay. However, your search will be guided and watched over by a few wolves that we will choose."

 

Xylia and her three warriors, Fraden, Nix, and 'Speedy', were watching the new comer carefully wondering why he would put the pups behind him. His intent may not be hostile, but his stance was to at least one of the Alphas. Xylia listened as Quince growled at him and rolled her eyes. He wasn't attacking therefore they shouldn't be too upset, however Quince was right. The other male almost seemed challenging towards the Alphas.

 

 

((*kicks post* stupid....))

Edited by LoveLost

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Char gave the sand-wolf a hard look. It didn't matter how old or tired he was, she didn't trust him. Didn't like him, he seemed far too... uppity, and she could guess Quince felt the same by the look of his stance and the tone of his voice.

 

"If it is shelter that you request, then as afar as I am concerned, you may stay. However, your search will be guided and watched over by a few wolves that we will choose."

 

Char nodded at Quince, shifting into a more formal stance rather than the almost battle-ready one she had assumed before.

 

"Well then... Kido," she said, cold mist seeping from her mouth as she spoke. "I'll agree with Quince. You may stay, at least until the storm passes. Your search will be monitored by at least one of our Betas at all times, as well as at least three Gammas. You'll stay with the Omegas in the meantime, and feed with them.

 

"Quince, I trust this is acceptable to you?" she asked, nodding at her fellow Alpha. "Xylia, Jin, if either if you have anything to add, please speak up now."

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|Ava|

 

"Oh, you all started the fun without me," a wolf mused from behind them, a note of amusement laced within the mock disappointment in this female's voice. A moment later, a sandy-colored wolf was standing beside Quince, her eyes surveying and analyzing the scene before her. She was his Beta, Ava. She was quickly caught up. A loner, possibly intruder, who undoubtedly wanted shelter which he would more than likely get. Too easily, she thought to herself, giving this new wolf a more thorough look over. He was old, Ava didn't care to guess how old, with a tired look that was meant to scrounge up their pity, she was sure. Is this all the excitement she was meant to have nowadays?

 

She had been close enough to hear Char and Quince's words, their answer to this loner's plea, and she was not very trilled with it. She supposed, however, since she had missed the majority of the conversation, she could offer no opinion. Still, he seemed untrustworthy and she did not like him. Quelling her more outrageous nature, she stood quietly beside Quince, waiting to see what the other two Beta would say. Oh, she adored the female one, very respectable she was but she had her...concerns about the male. Clashing personalities, she attributed to, and she was never unkind to him but she didn't go out of her way to speak with him.

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Xylia's head whipped around when she heard Ava's voice and her tail thumped a couple of times to show her gratitude and joy that she was there. However, her attention went back to the other wolf as her wings extended slightly in a stretch, showing the spikes that were now protruding ever two inches. After folding them against her back once more, she looked at he newcomer and nodded at Char.

 

"In my opinion I think we are being overly kind by even allowing him to feed. We do not know him personally. Only his name and that he was across the mountains at one time. But I will not go against your judgment Char, nor yours Quince." Xylia recieved the mental worry from her mate and confirmed it with her own. "I will say that both Jin and I are worried about it." Just about any other wolf other than Char would have been confused about how Xylia would know that especially when he was already near the nursery.

 

Quince smiled as Ava walked in and turned his head to look at her. "Not the excitement you were looking for?" he asked her and looked back at the wolf. "I think that that would work Char. Although I think that the three strongest Gamma's we have would do. I see that Xylia has a few and I'm sure I have a few that would be willing as well."

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It was clear that the new loner was going to say something in reply, but Jin jumped at his chance to speak first.

 

"Kido," he questioned, staring at him with pitiless eyes. "I am a wolf of strange sight, I can see you and your sand differently than the others, and I know you're not telling us everything, what are you so interested in to the North?" Jin motioned in the direction he could see the aura trailing off to but not where it ended.

 

Ronan squinted at the wolf of strange sight, apparently called Jin... that name sparked memories of it's own and he found himself staring at the other for a moment before speaking. "You can see them?" It was a statement more than a question. He turned to the two wolves who had spoken before. "He refers to the extensions of myself that even now have brought down a deer for me, I didn't ask for your food." he said, this time glancing at Xylia, "I ask only for shelter from the ensuing water... by way of demonstration..." He closed his eyes for a moment and the sand around him and some from off of his back piled up and quickly grew into a wolf shape and in a moment it was colored and covered in fur and it wouldn't have entered anyone's imaginations to believe it had just been sand.

 

Ronan shut his mouth and the other opened its own and spoke with a voice much younger than Ronan's a voice that had belonged beside him years ago, that brought him some amount of comfort, the voice of his lost brother.

 

"An extension of myself, nothing more, capable in every way, under my direct control," and then it faded back into sand again. "Far outside your patrols, I didn't bring any with me."

 

Jin nodded slowly, extensions explained why his aura seemed to divide. It still made him nervous though... what else could the wolf do?

 

 

Jin took a step back, allowing this Kido to say what he had been intending before.

 

Kido continued as if his conversation with Jin hadn't actually happened and swung right into what he was going to say. Even as another wolf joined the group. Also apparently not Quince's mate, likely a Beta.

 

"Attitude..." Ronan toyed with the word, one he hadn't used in longer than two years. "You are correct. I have no interest in learning your formalities or your way of life. Do the birds ask permission to nest in your trees? Or the grass, does it learn your ways before growing in your lands? Both grass and birds were here long before you came and will be here when you no longer are and Neither will I ask to wander through lands I once lived in or hunt in forests I grew up in." Ronan rose to his feet, tired of all this talking, he did not want to have to explain himself to anyone, he wasn't asking for their acceptance, he was informing them of his intentions, a courtesy, not a request. He had long ago decided to abandon the traditions of his kin, because he felt in some way that they had been the cause of the disaster... even though he couldn't remember how or why.

 

"I did not ask for you to accept me, I didn't ask for you to not interfere, you may all do as you like. I only asked for shelter, in a den you've created that is therefore yours to give or withhold and mine to ask."

 

Ronan sighed, this was not going to help him... He held up a paw and spoke one last time before going silent.

 

"I will agree to whatever restrictions and customs you wish to impose, but this is courtesy, not necessity."

 

 

Jinshu muttered under his breath as he put the words and meanings together. What a strange philosophy, correct, in a sense, but... very very blunt... he could have phrased it so much better.

 

"In other words... you'll obey the rules out of respect not because you have to." He had mostly been talking to himself, but apparently the stranger had good hearing.

 

"correct."

Edited by Rakashua

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|Ava|

 

"Tch," Ava clicked her teeth together, clearly disagreeing with what had been decided here. It seemed Xylia felt the same way and Ava appreciated having the other female on her side but it would appear their Alphas could not be swayed. So, she would trust Quince's decision, as she always did. However, when Jin and the newcomers conversation met her ears, she turned her gaze to them, eyes narrowing. Courtesy? That was it? Ava did not trust this wolf's courtesy as far as she could throw him.

 

"If our Alphas have your civility out of respect, how do we know that won't change? It's a thin promise, in my opinion," she said, flicking her tail. She looked up at Quince, letting her expression tell him that she did not trust this new wolf. Like Jin said, he was here for more than just lost friends. "I'll show him around, if you should like, Sir," she told Quince, nearly cringing at not being able to call him by his name.

Edited by crypticsoul

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((Short post. Still kind of confused...))

Scorch watched them discuss about splitting or keeping the groups. He stayed silent which was unlike him. He didn't have strong thoughts about the situation and he though their current arrangement was fine. When Lucifer was sent off to organize a group to hunt, Scorch stood up and followed, only to stop when the stranger came. He watched and listened, silently, again, only speaking when the Alpha's gave the stranger permission to stay.

"What? We don't know him..." Scorch's mind felt fogged up and, he just wanted to go hunt.

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