Aruka got to her paws as she scented Flame, her tail tucked automatically and she looked away when her gaze landed on Flame, while they got along well she was afraid of Flame, she knew she shouldn't be but Flame was more unpredictable than Zxi and was like someone had copy and pasted Zxi's strength, speed, agility, and such onto her.

Kiro wagged her tail and took almost no notice of Flame, she walked a bit closer and stood near enough to Cato for them to be able to hear each other well. `|`I'll show you where the plants go whenever you want! You don't need to worry about Flame though, it looks like she might take an interest in your brother eventually`|` she said huffing with slight amusement

Rex trotted over to Aruka and let her lean on him, he knew how careful she was around Flame, though the two got along decently well he knew that Aruka felt Flame was more unpredictable, like what she was named after, fires, flames, unpredictability.

Zxi rolled his eyes but his tail wagged ^~`You shush, we're not even actual siblings and you know that!`~^ he walked over to Flame and gently hit her nose with his paw. After doing so he trotted over to Cato and Zane. He sat down and glanced at Aruka, knowing how uneasy she was around Flame. She was handling it better than when they first met, though she had to lean on Rex.

Flame's eyes locked onto the male, Zane but she quickly shook her head and glanced at Kiro when she heard her speaking, however she wasn't able to hear much so she let it go. She blinked in surprise when Zxi tapped her on the nose, she just growled softly. ^~We've been asked if we were related so many times we might as well be!~^ she laughed, she turned and ran, disappearing into the trees to give a gift to the star wolves.

Zxi watched his "sister" run off and decided he should probably explain. ^~`If you're wondering why Flame called herself my sister I'll explain, so me and her are like best friends and apparently we look so alike that we keep getting asked if we're siblings and it eventually became a joke.`~^ he said as a small gust of wind ruffled his fur.

Kiro walked over to what she called spider leaf, it was a strange plant that was able to quickly cure minor injuries like a bruise, scrape, or a small cut. She lowered he head and sniffed it, she narrowed her eyes at the unpleasant scent and walked back, she had always been good at anything to do with medical plants an such so she was able to find good plants for healing, and memorized blooming patterns and when the plant would be able to be picked and such. She knew that spider leaf usually smelled like metal and berries when it was ready to be picked, it smelled foul whenever it wasn't.

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With ignorance of Aruka’s alertness, the pups continued to nibble on her tail. Nyx and Raine even found themselves landing a few soft bites on Rex’s side in the heat of the moment. Their little growls didn’t hush until Cato found her place guarding them. They would have to come to learn when it was the right time to be alert and when it was the right time to play. Cato nodded softly at Kiro, not wanting to dismiss the young female’s interests in this stressful moment. Although, one part of what Kiro said stood out to her. No one had taken an immediate interest in Zane like that before, let alone have the guts to nonchalantly sit in front of him like that. It sure left her curious, especially with his disturbed reaction.

Her attention jerked towards Zxi who she happened to be startled by. Ears flattening, she developed the same look of confusion on her face that Zane had. “So, she is not your sister?” Cato admitted, bewildered by what just happened. The female did look very close to Zxi so she couldn’t help but feel them to be related. There seemed to be a lot of different breeds in this pack and plenty of ‘siblings’ that weren’t actually siblings. It was something Cato had never observed before. At that moment, Zane was tempted to follow after Flame. A huff filled his throat, more than frustrated by now. Unfortunately, he knew he had to station near the pups and his distressed sister.

When the time came when her alertness calmed down, she inched her way toward Zxi. Her head fell low again in submission. Zane, unknowingly to Cato, followed behind her. “I must ask you,” She whispered to Zxi. “Nyx and Raine are sure to get cold and hungry as the day continues. Might they be taken into your home to be fed and have a warm place to stay? It would just be for the night,” It was still the middle of the day, but if they continued to travel, she knew the pups’ strength was sure to decompensate. She couldn’t help but confess the lack of security the pups had with just the two of them. Cato could not bring herself to join the pack, since Zane and she had a duty to find others. But she knew they would travel faster if the pups had secured protection. As the humans' greed grew, more land was taken away from the werewolves. It was crucial, more than ever, to find their relatives before they die to the royal blades as well. It is something that Zxi’s pack must not know, for if word spread it could be critical to their species safety.

“I do not think that is a good idea,” Zane’s presence startled her. “We have not come to trust them completely. You know this more than ever, Cato,” He attempted to argue in a hushed voice, shooting Zxi a minor glare. “They will be under the protection of a great warrior,” She brought herself enough courage to cut him off. A sigh of annoyance left Zane’s throat. “If we are welcome in the pack’s territory as well then we will not have to be concerned about this problem,” He justified. “Of course, I did not wish to leave them alone in the first place,” An undetected lie. If Zane refused to leave them, then Cato must continue the journey to find their relatives alone.

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Flame silently followed a large rabbit, her large size made it difficult to hide but she was downwind and staying mostly to the shadows which, for the most part, hid her, she was thankful for her dark fur that made it easier to hunt at night and in the darkest parts of the forest. When she got close she jumped at the rabbit and began chasing it, she eventually caught it and started her way back, the rabbit in her jaws

Aruka laid down and put her paws over her muzzle

Rex began to play with the pups, of course being careful so he didn't unintentionally hurt them. His eyes were bright and he almost wished he were a little pup again so he didn't have to worry about hurting these two.

Kiro sat down, brushing a bit of dirt from her muzzle she decided she wanted to she in her human form `|`Hey, Zxi, I'm gonna go into my human form.`|` she said, deciding it was petter to let the know. She stood, transformed then sat down again, brushing her fingers through her long white hair she sighed, she loved her wolf form but she had to admit she preferred her human form. It was easier to collect the medicinal plants she needed in her human form, she looked down and saw the camo hoodie she had been wearing had dirt on it, she frowned and brushed it off, making sure there was none on her black leggings.

Zxi listened to both Cato and Zane and decided that she should let them know that if the pups did stay that Aruka would probably look after them. ^~`They can stay, though it's likely that Aruka would care for them.`~^ he said, his ear twitched as Kiro announced thathe was going in her human form. He then considered something ^~`Would you rather have me stay in wolf form or should I go in my human form?`~^ he asked looking at both Cato and Zane, he hoped they would be able to agree on something and quickly, though he was usually patient Flame's visit then sudden disappearance had put him slightly on edge, what is she had scented something he didn't ? Was Shade on her way? Was Cloud coming over? What if Aruka's pups were trying to look for her? Surely they should have been back by now? His gaze clouded as he though of all the 'what if's', suddenly he snapped out of it and his gaze returned to Cato and Zane. He hoped nothing bad had happened to Flame, though they weren't actual siblings they still cared for each other! His tail twitched and he listened her any sound, hoping that he would hear if Flame had gotten hurt but he also knew she tried to solve situations be for asking for help, then he thought of another question that worried him, it wasn't a 'what if' but it still worried him... what would Shade do if she saw this?...

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“As long as they will be accepted,” Cato concluded. Her silence afterward was sure to hide her plans for continuing the search for their relatives. It seemed as though Zane was becoming comfortable in this situation. Still a new but temporary leader, he always seemed to conclude with any situation that would benefit their survival. This left her to make the tough decision to leave without anyone’s notice. She fully knew the consequences if she was caught but it was best.

Her eyes trailed to Kiro who announced her decision on going into her human form. It was a surprising decision on the she-wolf's end. It seemed like these wolves were rather trusting of strangers, unusual for werewolves. Her head then jerked towards the playing pups. The pups needed to be left in good hands, especially for when she departs. Plus, Zane would always be there to supervise. Her decision was finally made. Now it was time to wait for the stars to light up the night and for the wolves to settle near their mates or friends to sleep so she could leave.

It seemed as though their version of providing trust to newcomers was to shift into their human forms. It was surely a dangerous feat as any of them could easily overtake a werewolf in their human form. Second nature for Cato, she looked to Zane for guidance. Zane was left in silence, watching Zxi closely. The relaxation of his commonly tense face made it clear that he decided. “Human form,” Zane casually announced. Cato couldn’t trust his tone of voice, as he could very well plan to overtake such a high-ranking wolf. With astonishment, she watched as he turned into his human form as well. A complete form of trust.

Zane's figure was slim and tall, clearly the tallest of his small pack of star wolves. A swift hand through his short dirty blonde hair revealed his intimidating pale eyes. His gaunt face only added to the intimidation. The wound along his jaw from the other night became apparent, a wound he had hidden so well under his thick fur. The bruises and insignificant scars on his body were revealed as well. When he was in his wolf form, his attitude and dominating figure made it look easy to hide so many defects when he was surely in pain. It was a sign of how hard he had worked to even get a mere scrap of meat on the table.

It took a few long minutes before Cato followed suit. She was more hesitant but if it meant the pups could have a safe place to reside then she was more than willing to give a bit of trust. Her hair was kinky and curly, unlike Zane’s straighter hair. The very pale blonde strands were long, nearly meeting her hips. Her dark brown eyebrows contrasted with her light hair color, making her pale violet eyes even more apparent. The light spray of freckles over her nose and cheekbones surely made her appearance more innocent, especially with her pale skin color. With her small figure and submissive personality, it was easy for her to become intimidated by tall figures so she found it natural to remain partially behind Zane.

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Aruka watched Zxi, Cato, and Zane, still a bit uneasy, she was a bit like Kiro, as she was slow to trust. But gaining Aruka's trust is slightly easier than gaining Kiro's trust. She was glad that Redwood and Half may have more pups to play with and she was also glad that these pups might get a chance to eat at least a good few meals, the pups were skinny and instincts whispered that they were too skinny, that they needed food, that they needed something to eat that they needed more, but she wasn't sure of what she could do to help them because of her aggressive introduction to Cato and Zane.

Flame got closer but was still a good distance away. She still hid in the shadows of the trees and checked the wind often, unsure of what else may be hidden in the shadows of the looming trees, a strange but oddly comforting mix of pine and oak. Her pawsteps were quiet but not completely silent due to her not paying too much attention to where she put her paws, due to this she stepped on a thorn. Growling she kept on walking but with a limp, she wasn't that good at treating wounds and didn't want to make it worse.

Kiro leaned against a tree and sighed, she was thinking about how many herbs she would need, she had a good amount left but the weather wasn't the best for growing herbs she had been running low on. She smiled, comfortable under the shade of the tree.

Rex laid down and continued playing with Nyx and Raine, happy he was able to play with pups, he wasn't often allowed to play with pups because their mothers had said he was too old and he might hurt them, but he was always careful and he was just out of pup-hood himself! So he wasn't even that old.

Zxi went into his human form, his skin was pale and his long, shiny and silky black and brown hair fell down to about 14 inches lower than his waist, he sighed and searched the pocket of his pants for a hair-tie or something so he could put his hair up so it would be out of the way. He was wearing black pants with a swirl design on the side and a tan hoodie with the same design on the front. He looked at Cato than Zane, noticing that he was taller than both, his skinny yet powerful frame didn't help much with intimidation and he didn't think he was too intimidating, in his opinion his eyes were likely the most intimidating thing about he, they looked constantly narrowed and it made it easier to give scarier glares at people he was mad at but it didn't do much. ^~`We'll need to take you to Shade if you're gonna stay here or just your siblings. Even if you're not staying permanently you'd likely be the lowest er- hunter or healer or whatever role you are at first, there are two ways to rise in 'ranks' but I'll explain more later. Now would you like to talk more or go see Shade now?`~^ he asked looking in the direction of the packs camp.

(Sorry if this isn't the best)

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The pups continued to play, only drawing their attention to Cato and Zane when they both transformed into their human form. Transforming was something the pups struggled with. It wasn’t that they couldn’t do it, it was that they were scared to. They hadn’t transformed and were often quietly spoken, ever since their parents were killed.

It had been a long time since Cato had seen a werewolf in its human form. Well, specifically one that wasn’t a part of her star-wolf pack. In full honesty, she couldn’t help but find the tall male before her to be intriguing. It was unlike her to have absurd thoughts and interests, but it was merely a few years ago that she reached a mature werewolf age, so she couldn't help finding him the slightest bit attractive. Even though his keen features and reputation were something every lady sought after - something that she had just found him attractive for - she couldn’t help but find him odd. His clothing style was unlike any she had seen before. He wore something outside even the humans' standards. Drawn away from his astonishing choice of style, she couldn’t help but take in his features. His facial expression was soft and brilliant with surprisingly no inclination that he carried the warrior role in his pack. However, it seemed like Cato was the only one who noticed the wisdom in his eyes as they told a thousand stories. Zxi was sure to have seen death while fighting in hostile situations. His eyes told it all. He was indeed a legend.

“Shade?” Her tiny voice expressed. It was as if she was surprised that she had to meet more wolves. Her features seemed brighter and more intellectual than what originally showed in her wolf form. Her wide eyes were livelier than their once nervous appearance. “I assume that is the pack leader?” Cato asked. Zxi didn't have to answer her question for her to know the answer. A side glance from Zane was what gave it away. Shade was surely the pack leader. The nervousness that seemingly disappeared came flooding back to her. If she thought this introduction was hard then she could only imagine how it would go with the pack leader. Being in her human form only made her more anxious about the situation.

“If it is the only way, then we will respectfully come to meet your leader,” Zane said, his voice rougher than usual. With a swift glance around, he couldn’t help but draw his eyes toward the nearby landscape. His gaze took an interest in a shadowy figure that took cover underneath the shadows of the trees. His pale violet eyes locked with hers. Flame sure was a mysterious wolf, enough of an intriguing mystery to draw Zane’s gaze to her. She was quite the stealthy one but clearly wasn’t stealthy enough to surpass Zane’s radar. His jaw tensed before he redirected his attention back to Zxi and Cato.

Even though Zxi was taller than him, Zane still held an intimidating and dominant figure. He didn’t naturally shrink away like Cato did when Zxi finally appeared in his natural form.

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Aruka walked over and transformed, she was shorter than all of them with medium length golden-brown hair. She was wearing a dress but it was a bit torn.  '^I could take Nyx and Raine to play with Redwood and Half if thats alright?^' she said though her tone showed it was more of a question. She kept shifting her weight to one of her legs nervously, and glancing towards Zane then Zxi. When it was time to leave she g I tbi j her place at the hack of whatever strange line they had made.

Flame watched Zane, she had to admit he was attractive but she could tell he didn't seem to trust anyone yet, she understanded that, trusting someone too early could be a dangerous thing... she watched them get into position and crept closer, trying to stay close but far away at the same time, she carried then rabbit in her jaws and she looked towards the trees making sure there wasn't a fox or another prey-stealer lurking around.

Kiro walked over and realized she was just a bit shorter than Zane bust she brushed it off. '|'Zane, Cato, Zxi will take you to Shade. More and Rex with take the elk and Aruka will follow behind.'|' she explained, standing infront of Zane. She kept glancing from Zxi to Zane until she got him her place in the sort of line, there elk was balanced on her and Rex's shoulders and she huffed with annoyance once she realized she would have elk blood on her clothes.

Rex listened to them talking and went into his human form, he had short fluffy black hair that was quite messy and a darker skin tone. He sat down and waited for a command. He did as he was instructed and helped Kiro list the elk onto their shoulders. He laughed quietly and smiled at Kiro aware of her annoyance. `☆`It'll be okay Kiro you can wash it in the river and if it doesn't wash out I'll make you new clothes.`☆` he said looking over at Kiro

Zxi waited patiently for everyone to finish speaking before he did. ^~'We'll leave now, Nyx and Raine may stay in whatever form they prefer and will likely not be allowed at the sort of 'meeting' with Shade. I know  that this will likely be uncomfortable but its what must be done if you wish to join the pack. I'll be at the front Cato you and Zane behind me then Nyx and Raine behind you two Rex and Kiro will be behind them and Aruka will follow. Flame will likely follow us.'~^ he said, getting into position, Kiro and Rex fell into position with the elk and aruka stood behind them, Kiro and Rex had left enough space for the star wolves to go and that mush he was glad about, though he wasn't excited about the meeting with Shade. He could hear Auka pacing and also could tell that Flame was slowly approaching.

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Cato’s eyebrows narrowed once again in apparent disapproval. With her lips slimming in an attempt to speak, it took Zane’s hand on her shoulder to make her keep quiet. He leaned close to her before whispering comforting words in her ear. “You need to let them go. Let the pups grow up. They will only become stronger with developing their own sense of a pack,” It was always rare for Zane to be the comforting one in the group, but he always seemed to do it when she needed it the most. Her fingers twitched and then clenched into a fist. Finally, her features softened before giving an approved nod to Aruka. Meeting other pups their age would benefit them anyway.

While Raine bounded around in the taller grasses, Nyx often found himself near Aruka, still finding a keen sense of playfulness even though she had transformed into her human form. Whenever he became uncomfortable with a situation, he would hurry ahead to be near Cato and Zane.

Cato rushed forward, finding a way to match Zxi’s strides. “Please don’t take offense that the pups remain in their wolf form. They have obtained their human form well before now but find discomfort in it.” She knew the custom that changing into human form when meeting someone knew showed respect and trust, so she didn’t want him to get the wrong message when they didn’t. She always found herself needing to apologize for every little thing, especially when it came to them.

Becoming nervous that she may have stepped out of line with her bluntness she decided to change the subject rather quickly. “I must admit that I have never seen a pack with so many breeds,” Her soft voice lightened as she craned her neck to look up at him. Even in human form, she often averted her gaze, biting her lip in nervousness. The more she came to trust him, the more she felt the need to ask questions out of pure curiosity. Although, she didn’t want to come across as bothersome to him, especially since she was still surprised that she was in the presence of a warrior legend. “How did your pack mix so many cultures so successfully? Did you—” A gasp left her throat when she heard an abrupt snarling. Raine had seized Zxi’s pant leg. With her sharp dagger-like teeth, she pulled and shook her head. However, her bouncy movements came off as playful, so it was obviously not a threat to Zxi. It took a minute before Raine finally unlatched her teeth, hopefully not nicking his skin in the act.

“You must forgive my younger sibling, Zxi.” She rushed to say. Her head came to a slight bow of respect, strands of curly hair falling in her face before being brushed aside. “They have yet to understand the pack dynamic,” She couldn’t help but be apologetic. The motherly sense was hard to control ever since their parents became deceased, so she often felt the need to apologize for their - especially Raine’s - actions.

Zane, on the other hand, felt that such apologies would only get them so far. In the most appropriate demeanor, his hand seized Raine’s scruff pushing her body to the ground until she submitted. A startled squeal left her throat even though Zane caused no pain to the pup. If anything, she was lucky he wasn’t in his wolf form as he would’ve given her a harsher consequence. “Knock it off,” His low voice whispered sharply before letting her go. Raine was smart in already learning the tactic to pacify Zane, with quick licks to his hand and chin before running off. A huff of annoyance left his throat, knowing very well that the small scene disrupted their flow with meeting the pack’s leader.

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Aruka told Nyx and Raine about Redwood and Half, hoping they would get more comfortable eventually. Though she did understand that they may not adjust. Pushing their adjustment would only make things worse so she tried to be careful. She watched Raine carefully after she had been punished for biting Zxi's pant leg, though she knew Zxi likely didn't mind but from what she saw Cato and Zane had been quite displeased with Raine's behavior. She noticed Kiro and Rex's paced had changed and she kept a keen eye on Nyx and Raine, while they might not do anything especially after Raine had gotten punished she wasn't too good at predicting others so she still kept an eye on them, though she suspected Cato and Zane would also do so.

Flame ran ahead to tell Shade, and Cloud about the Star wolves. She ran between trees and jumped over small streams and puddles, golden rays filtering through the talls trees and branches, dappling the ground and bathing her dark pelt. Her fur got warm decently quick, ther dark colors soaking up the warmth as though it was dry ground soaking up rain from a recent storm. Musty forest scents flew past her as she ran, not feeling as though she needed to slow and untangle the scents so she could figure out what belonged to what.

Kiro walked carefully so the elk would lay as it was placed, it would slow them down quite a bit if they had to adjust the elks position so they could bring it back, she knew that though there weren't many prey-stealers that would mess with a group of werewolves a desperately hungry one might try, she knew that her and Rex would likely be able to fight off most creatures she didn't want to return bloody and only partially patched up.

Rex understood Kiro's carefulness and tried to copy the way she was walking but soon found out that didn't work. He yawned and slowed his pace, noticing a thankful glance from Kiro, she was often slower than him especially when she was being careful so she wouldn't mess something up so it must have been at least a bit difficult for her to match his quick pace while she was trying to be slow and careful.

^~`It's okay, I understand that they aren't comfortable with transforming yet. Oh-`~^ he understood Cato's question and was about to answer when he noticed something tugging on his pants, he looked down and saw Raine, his eyes widened slightly but he wasn't sure what do to, it was only when she was removed that he finally found the ability to respond. ^~`It's alright, pups will be pups, I'm not upset just a bit shocked!`~^ he said with a sight smile remembering some of him and Flames harmless mischief from their pup-days, while he had spent most of his life training he did cause a little mischief sometimes, though it was always harmless. ^~`As for your question Shade had started the pack and took in more and more wolves because she and her pack and the packs that joined her had much to offer in return for loyalty and assistance so the pack grew larger and larger collecting more species of wolves.`~^ he explained slowing slightly.

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Raine couldn’t help but retreat to the comfort of Aruka and her brother, Nyx. Falling quiet, it was quite obvious her ego was hurt by Zane’s abrupt correction. It wasn’t every day that he did that to her, so it often got to her when it did happen. No longer having a large and strong pack, it was easy for the pups to lose the respect needed in a pack dynamic.

Zane’s gaze was once again drawn to the denser foliage where he had once witnessed Flame. His eyebrows narrowed when he saw that she wasn’t there anymore. Where had she gone? A huff and a mumble grew under his breath, annoyed that he was drawn toward the female in the first place.
Cato’s eyes softened at Zxi’s calm demeanor, a little startled when she saw a slight smile develop on his face. She couldn’t control her shyness and embarrassment as she abruptly turned her gaze away from him. It was tempting to continuously re-explain the situation until she felt it was resolved, but the last thing she wanted to do was pester him. With flushed cheeks and a gentle nod of her head, she gave a partial nervous smile back to him.

“I have only been around red wolves. So, this is surely…” She paused, thinking of the word to explain what she was feeling. “…different.” Cato finally had enough courage to lay her eyes upon him once again. Even with his slowing pace, she continued to take long strides to stay beside him. “But don’t get me wrong. It is truly an honor to be in your presence, along with the others as well. Just not used to it is all.” Once again, her submission was getting the best of her. Cato had the habit of not wanting others to think wrong of her. So, she couldn’t help but over-explain.

…

The wind seemed to fall silent as they came upon the hilly landscape. It was almost like it was warning them that they were entering a strong pack’s den site. The walk to this destination wasn’t torturous but by now she, Zane, and the pups were surely becoming drowsy. However, now was the time to push away the tiredness and focus on their surroundings. It was only a few minutes later that they finally locked their eyes with a structure in the distance. The structure was surrounded by a dense number of trees that formed around a large hill. Using the structures of the big burly trees, the den site was protected with the use of logs, large rocks, and foliage. Scents wafted from behind the walls, hitting her nose and immediately causing a worry that always seemed to be in the back of her mind.

Once they were within the walls, it felt as though countless eyes landed on them. Cato instinctually found herself finding a sense of protection by coming in between Zxi and Zane. The pups took longer than anticipated to finally realize that they were in potentially dangerous territory. Now wasn’t the time to cause any trouble. “Whatever happens, Cato. You must remain in human form. Transforming will be a threatening display. We want to remain peaceful with this introduction.” She heard the faint whisper of Zane. It was as if he read her mind. He knew her well enough to know her motherly instinct over the pups. A gulp and a nod told Zane that she understood.

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Arkua looked at Nyx and Raine then paused, '^ Do you want to meet Redwood and Half? Or should we wait till later?^' she asked, not knowing who exactly she was talking to. She spotted Cloud by their den, she shook her head and stayed by Nyx and Raine, hoping that being near her would comfort the somehow.

Flame got to Shade's den and let her know what was going on, she watched as Shade (both in their wolf forms) got to her paws and stretched, she didn't stay much longer and walked to den she and Zxi shared after dropping the rabbit she had caught in the small pile of food the other hunters and huntresses had caught. After walking into the den and into her room she went to her human form, she used a makeshift brush to brush her long hair, she decided that she would probably find a way to cut it eventually as she found it difficult to manage when it got this long. She didn't know how Zxi kept his so nice.

Kiro walked with her brother to the prey pile, passing Flame on the way. She saw Shade and averted her gaze `|`Shade is there.`|` she whispered, glancing in Shade's direction.

Rex nodded and kept his gaze low, walking carefully with Kiro.

Shade rose to her paws and stretched, she walked out, watching everyone's gaze lower or just avoid her. She walked slowly, her head high when she got to Zxi, Aruka, and the star wolves she looked at Zxi and nodded towards her den, then she began walking back.

Zxi watched as Shade approached then nodded to her and walked away. ^~`Come on.`~^ he said, starting to walk towards Shade's den, occasionally glancing around and making sure no one got too close, which would be seen as a threat, depending on how someone approached.

[Shade in her wolf form is white and brown with a grey/gray muzzle and gray/grey paws. In her human form she is an average height with grey/gray and brown hair, a pale skin tone and dull violet eyes. Sorry this took so long.]

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Raine and Nyx weren’t ones to speak regularly, especially Nyx. After what happened to their parents, they both drifted into a mute phase. Cato and Zane never really understood if it was out of fear and sadness or anger and frustration. If anything, Raine would be the first to start speaking again if given the proper scenario. Maybe being near other pups would instigate them to talk. With glittering eyes, Raine was more excited than Nyx when hearing about Aruka’s pups. She would be the one to lead the “pack” of young pups, so it was something to excite her. A sharp wag of her tail and a sparkle in her eyes was sure to tell Aruka that she wanted to meet them. Nyx was more nervous, focusing the most on his surroundings rather than what Aruka spoke of. But surely, he would find some enjoyment in meeting the other pups.

It was clear who the leader was once she emerged. All the she-wolf did to command respect was stand up and walk over with her head high. It was enough to send chills down Cato’s spine. Cato was used to showing submission. It came naturally for her to avert her eyes just like the others. Even though Cato would cause problems with anyone that approached the pups, she knew how to properly show respect. Zane, on the other hand, struggled with the aspect of submitting to a superior. It was all because he had to grow up too fast, which made him develop dominance problems. Glancing up at him, she wasn’t surprised to already see him staring. He always had a problem with staring, both out of curiosity and dominance. “Zane,” She whispered sharply, forcing her gaze low again. When he didn’t respond she resorted to a sharp jab of her elbow. He finally let a huff escape his throat before following Cato’s lead, lowering his head in submission. Seeing the other wolves’ reactions to Shade’s presence made it clear that she wasn’t a leader to mess with. She just hoped that Zane would come to understand that before causing problems.

Watching carefully, it was astonishing to see how confident Zxi was around Shade. The stories and rumors weren’t exaggerating Zxi’s rank. He for sure was a high-ranking warrior in this pack, enough for him to speak casually with the pack leader.

Amongst the millions of new scents that flooded his senses, Zane locked onto one that was distinctly familiar. It was the sneaky she-wolf that always seemed to appear out of nowhere. His eyes lifted just enough to catch her in his eyesight, without causing disturbance to Zxi and Shade. He didn’t understand why he was so drawn to this female. Maybe it was because she never submitted to him when they first met. He was itching to show her who was boss, and the last thing he wanted to show her – or any other female at that – was him being submissive to another wolf. A quiet grumble under his breath showed his frustration, though it wasn’t enough to catch another’s attention. He had just told Cato to be careful, so he couldn’t be a hypocrite just because of the dominant complex he had. He drew his gaze away from her, focusing his senses on Zxi and Shade.

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Aruka nodded and looked to Cato and Zane, '^I'm gonna take Nyx and Raine to meet Redwood and Half. Nyx, Raine, if you want to go back to Cato and Zane after or even before they'll probably be in the big den over there.^' she said gently, pointing to Shade's den. She began to slowly walk towards her and her family's den where Half and Redwood were playing outside.

Flame finished brushing her hair and yawned, she went back in her wolf form and laid outside of the den she and Zxi shared. She rested her head on her paws and watched everything what was going on, but she was barely interested.

Kiro looked to Rex, unsure of what do. She walked back to her family's den and into her room, she brushed her hair and grabbed a small bag. She smiled and as she passed by Cato she paused, `|`I'll wait outside of camp for you, then if you want I could help you make a den? Or pick out an empty one. Then if you wanted we could go looking for medicinal plants? But I totally understand if you don't wanna! This is a really big change, I just wanna try and help, please tell me if I'm being too much!`|` she said before walking out of the camp and sitting on a log.

Rex went to what was technically Kiro's family's den but they were his family now. He went to his room that he shared with River, Kiro's older brother, he wasn't much older but he had more responsibilities than Rex and Kiro, River often worked with Zxi and Shade so he wasn't there much.

Shade went in her den and sat down, waiting for Zxi and the star wolves, she knew that Aruka probably took the pups to meet hers. She yawned and went to her human form, as she found it easier to talk in her human form.

Zxi continued to walk to Shade's den, trusting everyone to stay a good ways away.

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Cato quickly glanced back at Aruka. She was quite grateful for her thoughtfulness in asking about the pups first, although her focus had to be elsewhere. Aruka had already proven that she was trustworthy enough to handle them, so Cato knew the pups were in good hands. Zxi's trust in Aruka made her comfortable with the situation as well. Her eyes seemed daunting at first as they locked onto Aruka, but she finally relaxed them in pure trust. A subtle nod of approval was almost unnoticeable before she turned her attention back to Zxi and Shade.

Raine let out a yip of excitement. With how much they traveled, along with all of the other events that occurred, it was surprising to see how much energy she still had. Raine couldn’t contain her excitement the moment she saw the other pups. She bounded towards them as if she were going to tackle them, but ultimately came to a slower pace to present her confidence properly. Nyx, on the other hand, was particularly nervous. At first, he had been indecisive about who he should follow, glancing between Cato and Aruka. He finally decided to follow his effortlessly confident sister and Aruka. When the pups came into sight, he found comfort in hiding behind Aruka rather than following Raine to greet them.

So focused on what was in front of her, she was startled by Kiro’s soft voice. It took her a few long seconds before she comprehended what the she-wolf spoke of. “I’m afraid that is a question for Zane,” She paused, giving the warmest smile to the kind female. It was his place as the ‘leader’ of this tiny star-wolf pack to pick the perfect site to rest. Zane stirred when he heard his name, turning his attention to Kiro as well. He had already made an impression on her, so he was sure that she wasn’t quite fond of him. As long as she understood his ranking then he had no reason to spook her any further. “But I am sure I can spare a moment to look for medicinal plants. I am not fond of what exists in this area, so you will need to guide me. We can surely trade research as well.” She tried to ease the tension off of Kiro and Zane with her silky voice.

Cato didn’t dare to move until Shade found her place in her den. The last thing she wanted to do was make the wrong move. Her sharp eyes glanced around, nervous that wolves she had yet to meet would emerge from their dens. When she allowed her gaze to settle, she caught her eyes relaxing on Zxi, finding comfort in seeing him nearby. Finally, she took a step forward, following Zxi and Zane as they approached the den. She was quite nervous, but nothing could hide her curious wide eyes as she glanced around Shade’s den. The moment she felt any gaze land on her, she quickly resorted to a submissive position.

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