><Family Feuds><

[Nathaniel Horris and Zang]

Horris lifted his lip in a snarl, pure white fur standing on end, as he backed away from his brother. Behind him he knew was a dead end -- an outcropping of rocks that he wasn't quite strong enough to get over, needing another year or so before that size and strengh came. However, he had no where else to go but toward his brother's fangs, and the male knew that would only end in blood.

Zang advanced, tail held high, walk stiff, teeth bared in a snarl as he stared down his brother. He didn't want to kill him, no... Not at all. But he did want to hurt him, to maul that perfect coat that their mother loved ever so much. His mother always talked about how Horris didn't have the reds and browns from their father, how Horris only had the beautiful white coat of their mother. Well, Horris was about to get some red in his coat.

Yet before he could strike, something tackled him to the ground, a blur of brown and creme. Zang snarled and snapped at the wolf attacking him, his teeth sinking into the animal's flank. It let out a yelp of surprise and rage.

"Let go, Zang!"

Zang released the fur abruptly, staring at the red beading into the grey-brown mix. Whining, he tucked his tail to his belly and looked askance to his other brother. Nathaniel only snarled in his face, yellow-brown eyes ablaze.

"How many bloody times do I have to tell you... Don't attack Horris. Mum will throw a fit."

Zang whined again for good measure, and with a disgusted snarl, Nathaniel released Zang and padded a few feet away, ears back and tail up as he regarded Horris. The white wolf met his gaze with full dominance, legs stiff, tail high.

"And you, stop gloating like you just freaking won."

Horris faltered with surprise, tail lowering and lip curling. He never liked his brother's language; he always was vulgar, as if the words and body postures made him better than everyone else. He was like Zang, except verbal instead of physical.

"Don't talk to me like that."

"I'll talk to you whatever way I want. You're my brother, not my damn father."

Nathaniel growled to make his point, glancing at his two brothers. Zang was standing staring at the ground, looking very much the submissive brother, but Nathaniel knew better. The second he was gone, Zang would start making threats again. Horris just looked irritated, body tense as if he would start running. To Mummy, Nathaniel thought with disgust.

"Go back to the" den. Dad wants to plan a hunt." He paused; no one moved. "Go!"

Zang jumped up as if shot and raced off, though he cast a dark glare at Horris as he ran. Horris just stared at Nathaniel, fur bristling, ears back.

"You don't tell me what to do. You're not my Dad."

"No, I'm not. I'm your annoying brother who just saved your ass. I'm sick of doing it. Grow a spine." Nathaniel dodged Horris's clumsy advance, snapping at the white wolf's tail. "Go if you want. I'm going for a walk."

"Mummy will throw a fit if you do that." Horris made sure to emphasize each word, exaggerating and imitating Nathaniel's voice.

Nathaniel simply glared coldly at him and stalked away; shortly after, he heard Horris walking back towards the den. He had no idea what to do with his crack family. His parents didn't even love each other, his brother wanted to commit fratricide, Cherry was a nutcase, and Horris thought he was alpha of the world. He swore he was the only normal one in the damn mix.

He didn't bother paying attention, even once he was into unfamiliar territory. He wouldn't care if he never found his way home again. No one cared anyway, not even Horris. Not even when he saved his damn brother's life. With a low growl the male loped onward, posture low and lip curled slightly, every bit the moody teenager.

[Zetsumei]

Stretching forth his neck and lowering his mighty crown, maw parted, breath condensing in the air before him, Zetsumei stood. Like a cloud of death hovering in the air before being consumed by the mist created by the springs beneath his vantage point in a ledge overlooking the lands on the boarders of this unknown pack. He could see three wolves quarrling beneath him, one backed against a stone wall, the other two advancing. A smirk worked its way onto the batchelor's face, as he prepared his solo. The low rumbling barritone rose up the scale, windy and lonesome. The call of the wild echoed back to the male who's voice varied in tone and force, sometimes a melodic hum of inquiry, othertimes a pounding bellow that rumbled like thunder. He summed up this call by raising his voice to the highest note possible, the windy scream trademark of the grey brute. Should make his opponents hearing a tad "iffy" for later on if any rose to the challenge he was placing out. He let all the air from his barrel escape himself in that shrill solo note and he lowered his muzzle, ears pricked and awaiting a response.

Yes, Sumei was here, alone and announcing his presence to all. He wanted privacy and his own life devoid of other contact. But with a song such as that, there would either be a reply or an appearance from these brutes below. Perhaps he could start a pack of sorts... males only, of course. Can't trust a she-wolf, wiley bitches they are. He let another low call go, more of a moan then a song, but passible. A human might mistake it as a dying cry. But he inhaled deeply, throwing back his head and closing his bright eyes as he let this challenge fly again. Such a powerful, lilting voice hadn't been heard here for awhile. His voice was the very essence of the wild and he displayed it as proudly as the scar on his right shoulder, which gave him his trademark limp.

The whispering laughter of running water accompanied his cries, steam rising from the pools of water lying below him from this vantage point on a ledge above the valley. Mist was thick here, hiding him from the prying eyes of other wolves and the hated humans.

Fading off into nothing, Zetsumei let his voice echo back to him via the valley, then had it fade into nothing. He sighed, maw opening as bursts of air escaped him in the form of harsh panting. Snorting, he closed his mouth and shook his pelt, letting droplets of condensed water fly off the fur. Doing his best impersonation of a run, he loped down the hillside, picking his way though the boulders, loose stone, saplings and thicker trunks. Leaping over a fallen log, he landed softly, slowing to a condifent jaunty trot. His cunning eyes scanned the unfamiliar surroundings, drinking in the details and painting them to memory. It was a soft composition, details blurred by the fog and distorted by the gently falling rain. He halted suddenly, and wretched. Gagging, he took a step back and weezed. Coughing, fluid drained from the once magnificent brute's maw. Ahhh... so the illness had progressed nicely. What a way to die... a foe he could not fight with tooth, nail or sheer intimidation. With a rumbling bellow, he bounded towards the distant ledge of stone situated in the middle of a clearing, the force of the "greeting" growing in fury as he galloped towards it. Leaping up, he landed atop the stone embankment where this lone male was now. Or... was. Zetsumei grinned as he noted the male loping off into the woods.

What, who's afraid of the big, bad wolf?

[RandomWiktor]

___ Damon wove his was through the trees silently, head lowered and face drawn. It was not that he was in ill spirits; contrarily, having finally made it to the foothills was a great relief. Rather, he found himself unnerved by the unfamiliarity of his surroundings, a logical enough reaction to a species as neophobic as his. He and Kassan had just arrived from a territory in the North, knowing all to well that without the rest of their pack, the sibling pair would be impotent in the face of the harsh winter. This place offered neither the endless expanses of pine dotted slopes nor abundant large game of their prior home, but it was also not a furious landscape of ice and snow unforgiving to all but the most successful packs. And besides, for once his auburn pelt was actually blending in, not making him stand out. Amidst the freshly fallen leaves of maple, oak, and elm, the lack of large game mattered less. The male was perfectly camouflaged for the small game abundant in these woods, finally liberating him from the humiliating feelings of uselessness he'd once felt hunting amidst his alabaster comrades.
___A long, wailing howl broke the relative calm of the forest. It was a fierce sound, implying a challenge of sorts, yet it did not appear to have a specific direction. It was as though the baying male were challenging the world itself, making his presence known to any who dared cross his path. A pensive frown creased Damon's brow; the voice was easily a mile off, but it still felt too close for comfort. Worse still, though he and Kassan had been following the scent of a distant creek hoping to find a water source and hunting ground, he detected the faint wan of another pack's urine marks on the breeze. A pack boundary? How odd to hear what sounded like a loner's wailings at the fringes of an established pack's land with such boldness! Perhaps he intended to challenge the alpha, but more often than not such a move would merely result in the entire pack descending in fury to run the intruder off. Damon decided that he did not want to meet a wolf crazed enough for such action.
___"Kassan," he hissed, looking over his shoulder to see if his sister was nearby. They'd been traveling together for weeks and despite his constant insistence that she remain at his side, the she-wolf still strayed all too often. A low wuff from a few yards off followed by a rustling of the dense, thorny boughs of a barren raspberry bush announced the fae's location. Damon issued an exasperated growl. "Kassan, get over here."
___A stunning white face framed in long off-white fur pushed free of the branches, tongue lolling stark pink against her pelt. A few red and gray feathers were clinging to her muzzle, and the excitement in the she-wolf's golden eyes was accompanied by the scent of rot. She had been distracted by a dead woodpecker, finding it an appealing odor that would doubtless be useful to make her foreign scent less obtrusive. It vexed her that Damon was so demanding that she cling close, but what was she to do? He was her only family, and if they had poor chances of survival even as a pair, it was less alone. Sighing, she pulled free of the bush, shaking off her pelt and sending a flurry of thorns and small leaves cascading to the ground. She padded over to her brother resignedly, nudging his flank with her nose and wagging her tail a bit. He nuzzled her nape with a whine but then pulled back, needing to address her more seriously.
___"Did you hear that? The howl?" Kassan blinked, head tilted. Yes, she'd heard the howl. It sounded like a an overconfident loner blowing off steam.
___"Yes, what of it?" She was unimpressed by those who felt the need to grandstand; survival, and perhaps the occasional leisure run, was her only concern.
___"He sounds as though he could be aggressive. We should steer clear." Unbeknownst to Damon, his best intentions were bound to fail, for as he made efforts to steer his walking away from the sound, Zetsumei was following a fleeing member of the pack precisely in their direction.

[Breeze]

Vang was irritated; it was becoming a permanent emotion. He kept his gaze down, but his flat ears and stiffness indicated that he was not submissive, but rather keeping his temper in check. However, Serra's concerns did not include his feelings -- did they ever? -- and so she kept talking. Something about their children being out on their own and the dangers of being outside the den... Right, because a rampant bear was the concern with those two out on their own. But Serra didn't notice things when she preferred to pretend they didn't exist. He had learned that quickly.

He wasn't sure where the lecture was going, and it didn't matter when a harsh, challening howl drowned out his mate's words. Vang and Serra both looked in the direction of the call, ears up, scenting the air. When another call followed after a pause, Serra growled deeply, ears back and tail up. Vang's fur stood on end, alert.

"An intruder! And near the children no less!"

Vang ignored the emphasis on her words. They weren't children anymore. Luckily Serra wasn't particularly interested in a response.

"I'll go chase the intruder off. You check on the children."

Vang supposed he should have been insulted by the comment. He was alpha too, so surely he shouldn't be left to babysit. However, he was concerned about his children being so close to such a dangerous-sounding creature. With a nod to Serra, who had already disappeared into the woods, looking like the perfect angry alpha, Vang disappeared through the woods. As they separated, he heard Serra's howl, ferocious and challenging, directed straight at the loner. Vang had no doubt that even if the intruder left pack territory, Serra would chase him down...

Nathaniel did not truly respond to the lone wolf. He did not pause and look warily in his direction, like Zang and Horris did. He did not decide it was the perfect opportunity to be a perfect child, like Cherry did back at the den. He noted it, knew how close it was, and growled lowly. The growl rumbled louder when he heard his mother -- bloody perfect Serra -- respond to the howl with one of her own. Of course, and where was his father? Probably pissing himself at her request.

Then, with a shift of the winds, Nathaniel realized that he was heading straight toward two strange wolves. The juvenile stopped immediately, ears back and bristling. For a moment he frowned, wondering if perhaps this was a small pack and their alpha coming to steal away their territory or take over. Then he realized that the loner did not share the scent of the two he was heading toward. Not a pack, then

Still, did he want to approach complete strangers? The male barely considered before moving forward. Even complete strangers had to be better than his neurotic, idiotic, overreacting family of nutcases.

So the pack moved in the prescence of strangers: most of the children to the den, the alphess to defend her pack, and Vang to chase down the one stubborn child who walked oblivious to any danger he may be in...

[Zetsumei]

A slightly disturbing grin spread itself across Zetsumei's maw. Never mind the fact that his name meant the End of Life, or Death in another language. Never mind the fact that his haunting past made him slightly deranged. This large male looked the very thing of nightmares. Stalking in the shadows, striking when least expected... yet here he was, displayed on the high ground in the daylight grinning his maniacal grin. The very fact that he was doing something against his nature made one take a step back. The subtle fragrance of death hung about the brute. The sickness was to be held accountable no doubt. There was something very, very wrong with him. A screw loose perhaps?

A responding howl made Zetsumei prick his ears and the grin widen. Feisty little fae. Too bad Sumei knew he could have killed her easily. Even just a bite from his mouth now would end her life eventually. Rabies was a bitch. Thankfully his illness was still in the incubation stage, and not waving him down with a red flag of the frothing mouth and inability to stand. Yes, breathing had become a tad more difficult, but he wasn't dead yet. Damn raccoon carcass. He never should have eaten it.

Inhaling again, the swift intake of breath irritated Zetsumei's airway and he wretched again, phlegm landing on the rocks beneath his paws. Licking his lips, his saliva was sticky and stringy as it stuck to him in strands. He prepared another returning howl, but the air informed him of two other wolves within the area. A male and a female. Loners, like him, blood related it seems... and avoiding him like the plague. He considered running them down and chasing them for the sheer joy of a chase. But no... he'd just wait here like a good little boy.

His tail wagged slowly, raised in mocking dominance of the alpha that was sure to appear. After all, he was on the high ground. If he held this position above an alpha for long enough, the pack could become his. It was all down to submission, and Zetsumei would rather die than submit. He was an alpha to the heart. Besides, what was a day without a little torment to some unsuspecting wolf? Even if they did try to kill him, he'd infect them and get them in the end. Double-edged sword no doubt. If his blood entered their body, they would eventually die. He knew he was untouchable and flaunted it with every chance he had.
His haunches crumpled under him as he waited, tail still waving ever so slightly, his fur whispering against the stone. His head was tilted, cunning teal eyes watching with interested, combing the undergrowth for signs of a wolf come to run him off. He would welcome death with open arms if need be.

[RandomWiktor]

___Damon scented the winds carefully as he proceeded in silence, Kassan obediently following close at his side. He was relieved to find that the scent of the aggressive male seemed to have changed direction; it no was no longer carried in the exact direction of the youngling's scent, and all the better for them. A gust of wind that carried the smell more strongly suggested to him that the wolf was not merely aggressive as his howl had implied, but also ill. The smell was faint enough that he was clearly in its early stages, but the lupe had the water-fearing illness that struck terror into the hearts of packs for its horrific effects and destructive power. As the answering howl of a wolf that he could only assume lorded over the nearby territory sounded off in response, he felt guiltily glad that Zetsumei would clearly be otherwise occupied.
___With this taken into account, there was still the matter of the wolf approaching them presently, for the only way to avoid both the territory and the aggressor was to continue along their collision course. A lone juvenile was no cause for alarm and would probably tuck tail and run back to its parents if it happened upon them. Or so logic dictated, but of course the duo had no knowledge of the bull-headed youth's intentions. But while a pup was not worrisome, its elders were - and Damon realized with dread that another scent, adult and clearly related, was chasing the first. Muttering an unintelligable curse beneath his breath, the firey-pelted wolf stopped dead in his tracks, his sister nearly colliding with him from the suddeness of his motions. She may have protested, but sniffed the air first and realized the situation they were in.
___"What should we do?" she questioned pensively, one paw raised in uncertainty. "Maybe we should turn back..." but before they could do as much, or even discuss it, Nathaniel's indistinct pelt of grays and browns appeared through the trees up ahead. The female bristled, not so much out of aggression but out of fear, and flicked her ears back with uncertainty. She, like her brother, was not overly concerned about the youth, but could now hear the distant sound of his father's paws battering the half-frozen leaf litter in the woods behind Nathaniel. Lowering her posture somewhat, knowing that there would be no contest between pack wolves and herself & Damon, she still did not submit outright as she tensed for fight or flight.

((Sorry, short post; my guys don't have a whole lot to do until your folks show up Breezey. And on that note, I need to scurry off and study for a bit, heh))

[Breeze]

Serra raced though the trees, bristling, ears back, tail up, stiff-legged. She was not just an annoyed alphess at that moment, but rather a worried mother, a mother who knew that no matter how grown her children may seem, they were still only children, and vulnerable to aggressors. Hence she flew, paws hard on the ground as she raced toward where the agressor had called out.

Yet when she came upon the boundaries, she did not see any wolf waiting to take her territory. She could smell him, and gagged upon the scent of illness, reconsidering sniffing the phlegm nearby to get his scent. The wolf was sick, deathly sick, barely sick enough to realize it. She shuddered, tail dropping silently; what crazy animal would go around challenging for territory with that illness? She felt suddenly grateful that he had not stuck around, which was an odd feeling, one she didn't appreciate.

She followed his scent for a moment, tail high and ears perked, just to make sure, but the wolf was no where to be found. Changed his mind, perhaps, worsening in his illness and so starting to act truly erratic. A false alarm, then. With a huff, Serra returned to the boundaries and scented the air once more. No, the aggressor was gone... But two other strangers were approaching. And near Nathaniel.

Vang, at least, was nearby too. Serra at first immediately wanted to rush off and take control. However, after a moment's thought she figured that Vang could handle the situation; if he needed her assistance, surely he would call. Let him deal with the two wolves, then; he was big, he could handle it. She, in the mean time, would make sure that her other three pups -- not pups, she reminded herself vaguely, almost full-grown -- were safe within pack territory. With a soft growl of frustration, the silver female turned and resumed her journey into pack territory...

Nathaniel paused as he spotted the two lone wolves through the trees. They reminded him so much of his family, just by appearance, that it made him growl. Did every stupid pack have red and white wolves, and did the colors never mix? The juvenile paused, wondering if perhaps the outside wasn't far better than his family... Then froze at a stern shout.

"Nathaniel!"

Serra did not concern Nathaniel. She was always scolding him and everyone else but Horris and Cherry, and so he was used to her shouting at him. But Vang... His father was very quiet. He normally didn't say anything or do anything. He seemed so submissive most of the time that Nathaniel rarely paid him any heed or respect. To hear the authority in his father's voice, then, the sharp tone, put the juvenile on edge.

And so he, for reasons he didn't know, rushed toward the strangers. Vang, scenting the male and quickly catching up, growled when the juvenile did not respond. With a burst of speed, he reached Nathaniel's earlier position, pushed forward, and then leapt out of the woods, landed just behind his son and snapping at his hindquarters. Nathaniel yelped with surprise and skuttered toward Kassan, posture low.

"What are you doing? Didn't you hear that wolf?"

Though irritated, Vang's voice was worried more than anything else. Nathaniel stared back, nervous but still defiant. Was all this anger just his father worrying over him?

"I was just going for a walk."

Vang sighed. It was always something that to them seemed so simple and harmless. Just a walk, right, because he couldn't take a walk in pack territory, oh no...

"Nathaniel, it's not as safe outside of pack boundaries. At least go with a sibling or let someone know instead of storming off."

With those simple words, Vang turned his eyes upon the pair that Nathaniel was cowering near. They weren't near enough pack territory to actually be a concern. Hence, he lowered his posture somewhat, dominant but otherwise friendly. Two wolves who had a strange juvenile looking to them for comfort deserved a bit of an explanation.

"My apologies for the intrusion; it has been a bit tense in these parts lately." He left out that it was pretty much regularly tense in their territory. "I am Vang, and that is my son, Nathaniel."

Nathaniel stared at his father, flabbergasted. Whenever he heard Vang speak, it was always in a soft voice, generally polite and quiet. Now, however, he had just pulled off an eloquent speech to complete strangers, and lectured him before. Effortlessly. With true feeling. No submissiveness whatsoever.

Suddenly, the juvenile sensed that perhaps his awkward father was not just another slave of Serra's. He looked like he may just be an ally. Carefully he walked back over to his father's side. Vang nudged him gratefully, tail wagging, then turned his attention back to the strangers, waiting patiently for their response before he rather reluctantly let them go and returned to his deranged family. Secretly, he hoped they would stay for a bit, so he could have his first contact outside of his family in far too long...

[Damon and Kassan]

___While Kassan immediately began to lower her posture in respectful submissive as Nathaniel approached, Damon had gone on the defensive. He did not make any attempt to appear dominant, but stood his ground with hackles raised, ears pinned, and tail stiff behind him but listing to the left pensively. He bared his teeth, head lowered, and positioned himself between Kassan and the approaching wolves, flank a wall of auburn to block her from them. He would not let them, pack wolves or not, harm his beloved sister. Even if it meant being wounded, he would defend her; his being attacked would at least give her time to flee.
___The unfamiliar young male, horrifyingly enough, made a bee line for them after a brief moment of hesitance and what even looked like agitation once he realized his father was at his tail. "At his tail" was all too literal; as he cringed before Kassan, Damon barely restraining the instinctive urge to attack the youngling, his father snapped his jaws shut warningly just short of the male's hide. Kassan's golden eyes widened, wondering if she was about to have a fight occur practically on top of her. But ultimately, the male simply reprimanded his son verbally, his words stern and cautionary but obviously full of concern as well. She didn't blame him for the latter; the wolf baying at their borders smelled and sounded outright dangerous, and she cringed to think of the outcome had the bold juvenile encountered him and not them.
___The alpha was a strikingly handsome brute, his pelt a unique solid hue somewhere between gray and brown, eyes a brilliant green. Kassan fancied she hadn't seen a more appealing male in some time, and hoped that she would not see his fine facial features up close as he attacked. Quite contrarily, however, did something that surprised Kassan. Instead of posture, drive them off, attack them for his son's errors, he actually relaxed his posture somewhat and apologized. She was shocked, not so much because it was improper (contrarily, it was), but because most of the alphas they'd encountered in their home in the North were extremely defensive and would go so far as to chase wolves acres from their territorial boundary. The shortage of prey had much to do with that, of course, but she was still unaccustomed to civil treatment from pack wolves. Slowly, she moved out of her crouched and nervous stance, still keeping her tail tucked and eyes respectfully averted. Her tongue flicked at the appreciatively, and she opened her mouth to respond... only to be cut off by Damon. The male stood in front of her, blocking her sight of the male, and though he kept his posture submissive, spoke boldly.
___"You should make it a point to better restrain him; he charged right at Kassan." The male thankfully was unable say anything else apt to result in a swift mauling, for Kassan snapped her delicate jaws shut on Damon's flank. The male jumped away, a tuft of red fur left hanging from her mouth, and let out a surprised yelp. He glared at his sister with pelt in quills, but his ears drooped, chastened. She flashed her teeth his way, white against pink against white, then gave Vang an apologetic glance.
___"I'm terribly sorry; Damon is sometimes melodramatic and always rude. It was really no trouble at all." She paused, feeling as tough she were missing something. "Oh, I'm Kassan," she added with a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Vang. I hope everything is ok..." this comment seemed to indicate the stranger at the pack's boundaries based on the direction of her glance.

[Vang and Nathaniel]

Vang's attention rapidly moved from his son; he kept an eye on the youth, but he was subdued, and not running away. Thus, his concern quickly switched to the unknown male. Most wolves would be a bit uncomfortable about an unknown canine charging them; this wolf, however, seemed a bit too uncomfortable. Nathaniel surely had not seemed aggressive, yet regardless the male was baring his teeth when Vang arrived, and seemed seconds away from attacking.

Surely Nathaniel was not that much of a concern; he may be big, but even Vang could acknowledge that he wasn't grown. The alpha frowned in Damon's direction; his posture was submissive, but he completely blocked the other wolf, who he only knew was there because her white pelt stuck out so easily. After he spoke, she cautiously came out, and Vang's ears perked with curiosity.

His attention was then stolen entirely by the male. Tail high and ears flicked back, Vang turned his gaze sternly upon the male, lip curling. However, he had no time to remind the stranger of his place before the female wolf did his job for him, snapping her mouth on the male's jaws. The male jumped away, but rather than fight back, he deflated considerably. Vang's tail drooped slightly, while Nathaniel stared with open confusion. Maybe everyone was as crazy as his family.

Then, however, the female spoke, and Nathaniel perked considerably. Her words were friendly and normal, not to mention acknowledging how bizarre the other wolf's words had been. His family never did that. Vang also smiled, tail swaying, and nodded his head in her direction.

"That is fine. I have experience with, ah, dramatic characters."

It took Nathaniel a moment to realize who exactly he meant, and the young adult's ears flicked back, a low growl in his throat. Vang nudged the male reassuringly, but the male just looked more annoyed. All the grumpy teenager indeed.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. As for the loner..." Vang frowned briefly, scenting the air, then paused, posture drooping. That was odd. The loner's scent was no longer strong at all, yet he could scent no blood, no sign of a scuffle. The alpha looked back at the strangers. "He... Seems to have been taken care of."

To Nathaniel, it was not this confusion, but rather Vang's avoidance of giving Serra credit, that struct a chord. He had always thought something seemed off between his parents, even as they tried to hide their petty arguments. This statement, however, made it clearest for the male. It didn't seem like his parents were mates at all. Or even an alpha pairs. They were just two alphas running the same pack.

It was a far more uncomfortable thought than he dared admit, and the male growled softly, staring at the ground. Vang glanced at the male, frowning and uncertain of what he had said. Or what he hadn't said, for that matter. Vang was awkward with his children, never quite sure what they may take from his words, or what they may notice was missing.

Perhaps he couldn't do anything about it. There were other matters at hand either way. Nudging his son again -- this time Nathaniel blatantly shifted away, ears flat and gaze averted -- Vang focused his attention back on the loners.

"You are new to this area? I assure you that there are very few packs in the area -- most of the area is unclaimed land."

He knew from brief experience what a relief that could be to two new, strange wolves. Nathaniel, gaze averted, sat down rather than bother leaving. If he left, he just had to go back to his weird siblings and mother. At least if he stared here he could get a brief glimpse at other wolves and be away from Serra. Being away from Serra was always a bonus.