Aruka smiled when they got to her and Cloud's den, Half and Redwood trotted over to meet Nyx and Raine, Cloud wasn't outside which was a bit unusual as he was often outside when Half and Redwood were to make sure they didn't do anything bad. She sat down by the den, still smiling.

Cloud watched from inside the den, not wanting to scare the new pups, he had seen them with Aruka and assumed they trusted her, at the very least a little bit, he had seen two other new werewolves who he assumed were star wolves as not many wolves from other large packs left theirs.

Flame watched as Cato and Zane and Zxi passed by her on the way to Shade's den, she huffed and rolled over a few times, bored. She didn't have anything to do because after hunting she usually bugged Zxi.

Half saw the two new puppies and wagged his tail, trotting over to greet them, he noticed one staying closer to his mom but didn't mind, he decided to leave that one alone, so they could hopefully get a bit more comfortable and not be rushed, so he trotted over to the more confident of the two. `'`Hi! I'm Half!`'` he said, his tail still wagging.

Kiro had heard Cato's response as she had walked away, she thought about it and nodded, it did make sense but because she didn't like Zane much she had spoken to Cato instead, while that could cause problems she knew it would come to a stop eventually and she would eventually talk to Zane. While she waited she wondered when River would get back, he had been sent on some kind of mission and had been gone for at least a month now.

Redwood took longer to notice the two but stayed back for a little bit before trotting over to the seemingly more shy pup, he slowed to a walk and gave a friendly wag of his tail before sitting near them, not right next to them though.

Rex wondered where Kiro was but didn't go looking for her, knowing she often stayed away from situations that she couldn't handle, though she was a bit aggressive.

Shade watched as they approached and let them get settled before she said something. "`So. Flame told me that you appeared in our territory, started a fight with a mother-werewolf, Aruka, then Zxi offered to let you and your siblings join this pack. Is all of that true?`" Shade asked in a slightly harsh tone.

Zxi frowned, she could have been nicer about it, but that wasn't really Shade's thing it seemed, she had lead this pack for a very long time and while she was a good leader she could be a bit harsh.

(Sorry for the short response)

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Cato’s eyes shot up at Shade’s harshly interrogating question. She and Zane were left in a bewildered silence, forcing down defensive words that they both wanted to express. Zane’s face tensed up at the mention of Flame’s name, but he kept quiet, allowing Cato to answer Shade’s question. “I am a mother figure to two young pups. Even though I am not their mother and only their older sister, I am in the same situation as Aruka. My brother was the only one capable of hunting for us. I had focused all my energy on the pups, so we were often left with little to eat.” She paused, drawn to look towards Zane for approval with the type of information she was giving. Zane didn’t give her a sharp glare, so she knew she was doing the right thing. He did, however, grimace when hearing her words. The bruises and cuts on his body, along with the major gash on his jaw, spoke more than the truth. He had risked his life on every hunt to keep his family alive, and even after trying his very best, he still struggled with the guilt and shame of every failure.

“I am more than willing to do anything for my family. If that meant picking a fight with a pack wolf for a meal so they could eat, I would do it over and over again. So, Flame is correct with what she told you.” It took everything in her to not raise her voice. She relied on her silky passive voice to hopefully resolve the situation. She gulped, finding herself in a long silence once again. “I have high respect for this pack’s legendary warrior, Zxi. Even after my rash decisions, he was more than understanding of our situation. So, we hope you will consider what he has offered us,” This was the first time she lifted her eyes from the ground, locking onto Shade. Cato was indeed like Zane in some ways, with an intimidating stare that many werewolves strive to have. Before too long, she removed the gaze after realization.

Raine perked up in confidence, her tail gaining a natural curl of dominance that she learned from Zane. Her ears flattened when he spoke to her. The look on her face almost made it seem like she didn’t understand the language he was speaking, even though she did. Not compelled to speak, her head lowered in a playful staring contest. It was only a few seconds before she gave a playful bow, soon bounding around after the sudden movement, clearly inviting him to a game of chase.

Nyx was drawn towards the quieter male pup. He had always felt drawn towards any wolf that came across as patient and observant. Though he shrunk back every time Redwood looked his way, he would sneakily creep toward him when he looked away. It was only a matter of time before he settled closer to Redwood. Watching Raine and Half play helped build his confidence and soon he found fun in jumping in on the chase, tugging on Raine’s tail playfully.

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Aruka watched them all play, glad they got along. She raised an eyebrow but said nothing when Cloud sat next to her, she didn't expect him to come out of the den.

Cloud sat next to Aruka and watched the puppies play together. When he saw Aruka's reaction he turned to her `▪︎`What? Am I not allowed to sit next to you?`▪︎` he asked slightly sarcastically.

Flame yawned and laid on her back. She watched as Shade went and talked to a huntress, she rolled her eyes and huffed. She assumed that Shade was asking about the other hunters and huntresses and what was taking them so long and when they would get back.

Half tilted his head then, when the pup invited him to a game of chase he yipped and chased them, happy he had more pups to play with, most pups he knew were beginning their training and couldn't play with him anymore because they were more busy with said training.

Kiro brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, she waited calmly, listening to slightly distant birds, no animals seemed to want to come near the den site, not even the ones that could fly. She looked up and watched clouds move slowly across the sky. The clouds seemed to move very quickly but slow at the same time, it was strange and started to hurt her eyes to she looked at the forest around her, finding it a bit comforting to be hidden safly in the forest, away from humans.

Redwood wagged his tail and went to play with his brother and the other pups, happy he had new potential friends. He fell but got back up and continued playing.

Rex wondered when the rest of the hunters and huntresses would get back from hunting so they could eat, he wondered if they would pick prey by rank today or just pick prey. They sometimes switched between the two but often they didn't have to worry about rank.

Shade sighed slightly "`You and your siblings may stay but you must either hunt, help our healers, or be one of our warriors, or I guess you could talk to River when he gets back and then you'd be able to offer to be a mentor and train the older pups. My point is you need to contribute in some way.`" she said standing "`Now you are free to go pick out a den or dig out a new one, if you do dig out a new one it's probably a good decision to ask someone for help, like Kiro mabye she's good at that or someone else, almost everyone will help new members of the pack. `" she said walking out of the den and over to a huntress, asking where the other hunters and huntresses were.

Zxi looked to Cato and Zane ^~`Would you like me to show you around or would you like to explore on your own?`~^ he asked, standing. He walked to the entrance of the den and waited.

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A sigh of relief fluttered out of Cato’s throat when Shade made her decision. It felt like a burdensome weight was lifted off of her. Now the pups were in a haven, away from the cruelties of the world. Her eyes swiveled to Zane. He had fallen unusually quiet. She drew her hand towards his, only to watch him pull away from her. With a sharp jolt of her hand, she managed to catch his wrist. “Why are you disappointed, Zane?” Her soothing voice was a mere whisper. “Did I do a good job?” It seemed as though her mentioning his hunting failures frustrated him. She brought her forehead to his, a gesture commonly used in the red wolf culture. “You did the right thing. We are safe,” She pinched his cheek before turning away from him. Finally, the tiniest smile came to Zane’s face, although it faded away when he realized Zxi was still present.

“I’m afraid I must go check on the pups-“ She started to say, but Zane’s hand on her shoulder made her pause. “I will go check on them. Let him show you around,” Zane settled her worries, nodding to Zxi before exiting the den. He shifted back into his wolf form. His fur bounced, muscles rippling underneath, as he found a steady trotting pace. He stalled when he caught the scent of Flame again. His nose twitched in annoyance. There was something about her that always seemed to piss him off. Their initial meeting had frustrated him, making him curious about her at the same time. It was surely his curiosity about her that pissed him off more than anything.

Finally reaching the pups, Zane slowed his pace. Watching them play was surely a sight to see. It had been a while since he had seen them this happy. Although, the scent of a new male caught him off guard. His hackles had automatically raised. The male was likely the pup's father, so he needed to tread carefully, but that didn’t stop his confident stride. Walking into sight, Raine and Nyx were the first to sense his presence. A non-aggressive growling huff was enough to alert the two adults to his presence before approaching the new pups. Even though he was superior to Aruka - since she did submit to him when they first met - he knew to never mess with a mother’s pups without her noticing him first. Meeting pups was always overwhelming. They were always overly excited little fur balls that always wanted to lick his muzzle. Raine and Nyx were always clear about their excitement, always jumping up at his face. He was quick to smell the new pups, nearly knocking them over with his muzzle in pure eagerness. Finally becoming acquainted with their scent, he was calm in his retreat, finally laying his eyes on Aruka and Cloud. His demeanor was surely confident, but he was wise in his approach, especially when he was already so close to their pups. As much as he wanted to test Cloud, he knew now wasn’t the right time. His paws guided him to a slightly shaded area before relaxing in a sitting position. “I hope they haven’t caused you too much trouble,” His ears flicked, glancing over to Aruka and Cloud. “I am glad they have playmates now. They will be able to feel what it is to be a pup before they all train with a mentor.” He paused, amused with the pups playing. “We were accepted in,” He finally said, falling into silence afterward.

Cato turned to Zxi with the brightest smile. It seemed as though being in an official pack was a big deal for her. Her smile faded with concern. She leaned towards him with a shy look on her face. “I hope I won’t be taking away from your duties.”

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Aruka rolled her eyes `^|You know that's not what I- oh, Zane is here.|^` she said watching Zane, though she knew he likely wouldn't hurt Half or Redwood she still wanted to make sure, though when he came over and told them him, Cato, Nyx and Raine were accepted in the pack she smiled and nodded `^|I'm glad, oh, don't worry they weren't troublesome at all, they've just been playing with Half and Redwood. Well, Zane this is Cloud, Cloud this is Zane. Zane, Cloud is my mate and Half and Redwood's father, Cloud, Zane is Nyx and Raine's brother.|^` she said glancing over to the pups a few times. She then looked at Cloud, wondering if he would say anything while she didn't mind is Cloud didn't usually he would say something if she introduced him.

Cloud nodded and let Aruka introduce him, after the introduction though he stayed quiet. But he did notice when one of his sons, Half, walked over and started looking at Zane, he shook his head `■`Half, you can't just stare. That's often seen as rude, usually you need to talk.`■` he said with a slight sigh.

Flame got up and shook her pelt, getting most of the dirt and dust out of it, then she trotted back into her and Zxi's den. She yawned and stretched then went to her room and laid on the floor and just stared at the wall, thinking about random things that didn't matter much. She eventually completely zoned out, still watching the wall.

Half had wagged his tail when meeting Zane, but instead of going back to playing like his brother did he walked over to Zane and sat down, looking up at him and wagging his tail slightly. He tilted his head slightly but kept looking up at Zane, wagging his tail. His ear flicked as he listened to his father's words but didn't say anything.

Kiro hummed and watched the forest, hoping Zane, Cato, Nyx, and Raine were accepted. She yawned and continued watching forest, slightly smiling.

Redwood wagged his tail when meeting Zane but continued playing afterwards. Though he did notice that Half had gone over to Zane and their parents. But he didn't go over and liked playing with the new pups.

Rex rolled his eyes and walked out of him and River's room, usually him and Kiro's parents were home by now but he also knew they liked to stay out sometimes.

Shade nodded and listened while they explained that there was an elk herd that was quicker than expected but they still wanted to try to catch one, eventually she went back to her den and went to her wolf form and curled up in the corner of her den, covered by shadows. She quickly fell asleep, comfortable in her 'blanket' of shadows.

Zxi shook his head and smiled ^~` Don't worry! I have time to show you around, come on`~^ he said walking slowly away from Shade's den. He paused and held out his hand to Cato.

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Zane didn’t take the time to greet Cloud. Aruka did introduce him anyway. Although, the new male did interest him. Did he not like Zane near his mate and pups? Or maybe he was just a quieter wolf. He licked his muzzle before locking eyes on Half. Though it was tempting to let a rumbling warning growl slip from his throat, he knew it wasn’t his place to correct. Cloud had already scolded the young pup, so Zane decided pawing gently at the pup was more than enough while maintaining a playful sense. Raine wasn’t pleased with the isolated attention on Half, so it wasn’t long before she snuck up behind him to tackle him. Zane was quick to react when the pups nearly fell back on his front paws.

He guessed now was the time to get up and move along, even though it was tempting to watch the pups play all day. Before he left, he progressed on his way to Aruka. Keeping a close eye on Cloud, he spoke in a whisper to Aruka. “I’m glad you are excited about our acceptance in the pack.” He paused, gulping when he began to show the littlest bit of vulnerability. “Cato needs another female figure in her life…other than Raine. Just keep an eye out for her.” It was rare for Zane to express some things, but this was his family he was talking about, and he was one to always look out for them. Turning a sharp eye to Cloud, out of curiosity and dominance, he then trotted off to leave them both with the pups.

His paws guided him to the bare spots of the den site, scoping out the best place for a den. When he found the perfect shaded spot, he began digging and sculpting the ideal den. It was only a few moments later before he was out of breath. Zane wasn’t one to like to ask for help, but he was starting to feel the toll of his hard work. His tongue lulled out of his mouth as he laid down with sharp pants.

Every time she saw the man before her smile, she felt shocked like she didn’t expect a legend like himself would ever do such a thing. Her smile had faded away just as quickly as it came, her lips slimming in the process in deep thought. Following him out of Shade’s den, she stopped at her excited pace when he held his hand out to her. At first, she stared at his hand like she didn’t know what he wanted from her, glancing up at him in worry. If Zane saw such an act, she didn’t know how he would react. Even with her moment of confusion, it was instinct to reach her hand out to his. Minor hesitation made her hand regress, but she finally placed her hand on his. Her expression finally relaxed as she gripped his warm hand.

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Aruka nodded and smiled slightly as she heard Zane's words, however she turned her attention to the entrance of the den site as four werewolves, all in human form, walked in, carrying two carcasses. They walked towards the prey-pile and set the carcasses down.

Cloud eventually walked over to Zane `■`Would you like some help or would you rather finish your family's den by yourself?`■` he asked changing to his wolf form and tucking his tail.

Flame snapped back to reality when she smelled food, so she trotted out and watched Shade's den, narrowing her eyes she watched Shade, waiting till Shade gave them permission to eat or take a chunk of food.

Half followed his da quietly and sniffed at Zane then looked up at his dad `'`Zane seems cool!`'` he said, wagging his tail.

Kiro watched as werewolves passed her, carrying carcasses. She got up and walked in and stood near the wall, she watched them put the carcasses at the pile and waited till it was time to eat.

Redwood watched Shade leave her den and ran to his mom, his tail wagging `~Is it time to eat yet?~` he asked excitedly.

Rex walked out of the den and, seeing the last hunters/huntresses arrive waited till Shade let them know it was time to eat.

Shade's nose twitched and she woke up, she walked out at watched the hunters/huntresses back away from the pile, she looked around and watched most of the pack members wait.

Zxi was gentle when he held Cato's hand, while he was showing her where the sort of 'hospital' was the last few huntresses and hunters passed them, he looked at Shade's den and watched her walk out, he gently squeezed Cato's hand. Shade looked at him then all around at everyone else looking at her, some pack members that were in their wolf forms wagged their tails though some just watched.

[Sorry if the response is a bit short]

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Zane’s eyes swiveled to the male wolf that approached him. His tongue continued to lull out of his mouth, drool from exhaustion dripping down his muzzle. His sharp pants faded away, licking his muzzle before closing his mouth. He watched as Cloud approached him with one of his pups close behind. It was a pleasing sight to see an immediate submission from him. He was smart for that action, especially in front of his pup.

As much as Zane wanted to refuse help, the offer was quite appealing. “It would be helpful.” He mumbled under his breath as he approached Cloud. He faltered when Half stopped him. There was no way he could be annoyed with a comment like that. His ears flicked in amusement before letting out a shy chuckle. A nudge of his muzzle into the pup’s side was all he gave. As he lifted his head, the scent of food flooded his nostrils. There was hesitation in his next steps, but it wasn’t long before he gained a steady trot toward the carcasses that were brought in.

Seeing their big brother, Raine, and Nyx were soon to follow him. Zane’s presence was as noticeable as Shade’s. His hackles prickled at the wolves nearby, a roaring growl filling his throat.

Taking in the sights of the den site, she took a special interest in the ‘hospital’ region. This was a place where she could finally practice her healing skills. Her excitement wasn’t long-lived, watching as Zxi’s attention was turned elsewhere. Watching as the food was brought in, she had to force her mouth shut to keep herself from drooling. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a meal like this. The squeeze to her hand brought her out of her trance. Looking at Zxi, she watched his penetrating gaze on something other than the meal. Following his eyes, she was soon to see who he was looking at. Shade was already emerging as the leader and delegating who was allowed to eat first. Her face grimaced in worry. By the time they got to her, would she have anything left to eat? She could only imagine what the pups would eat by the time it was their turn. Endless scenarios driven by worry flooded her head, but everything froze when her brother came into sight. Now her focus was on him. There was no knowing what he would do. Unknowingly, her hand was already tightened around Zxi’s. “Zane.” Her soft voice whispered almost like she wished to cast a spell to prevent his dominant tendencies. She took a sudden step forward in readiness when he let out a roaring growl. It was Zxi that held her back. Cato was still holding onto his hand, nearly tugging him forward with her sudden movement. In a rash movement, she batted his hand away from hers like she had never wanted it in the first place. She was quick to move away, shifting into her wolf and finding her way toward the pups. It was until she was by their sides that she finally looked at Zxi. Her gaze wasn’t long-lived before giving loving nudges to the pups. The best thing she could do for them is keep them out of the quarrel of feeding time.

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Aruka looked at her pup and then glanced to Shade `^|Not yet, we have to wait till Shade says we can.|^` she said quietly, petting him gently on the head.

Cloud nodded and began digging but paused when Zane walked away and watched interested about what would happen.

Flame's ears pricked up when she heard Zane and she watched with interest and slight amusement.

Half whimpered and hid by his dad, scared of what Shade might do, though when he heard her words he was glad that Zane wasn't actually hurt. Though he was a bit sat he would, have to wait a bit to eat.

Kiro raised her eyebrows when she heard Zane growl and covered her mouth in surprise, she didn't know what Shade we'd do but if they were still there that meant they had been accepted, and she knew that when you joined the pack you were usually the lowest rank of your 'group'/ if you joined with hunting skills you'd be the lowest rank hunter/huntress

Redwood yelped when Zane growled and moved closer to his mom. Scared, when he heard Shade's words he was slightly confused, mainly by her harsh tone.

Rex gasped along with many other pack members, surprised by Zane's actions and Shade's reaction .

Shade's eyes widened in surprise and growled, pinning her ears she moved forward slightly. "`My pack, today we will eat in order of rank because we have some new arrivals and I need to make sure they know their place.`" she growled, glaring sharply at Zane, showing her teeth slightly.

Zxi's eyes widened and he gasped, watching Shade's reaction he was almost worried for Zane, then he thought of what this might mean for Cato and Nyx, and Raine, he wasn't sure if they would get enough to eat now. But he wondered if Shade would've made them eat by rank anyway or is this was purely because of how Zane reacted and when would Cato and her siblings get to eat? They hadn't officially gotten roles yet, or did they he wondered.

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Zane had already come down from his high horse. After his vocal display, he had found himself waiting patiently like the others. Though he had a deep pleasure in making sure others knew of his rank, he was still taught the natural pack dynamic when eating. His ears flattened, annoyed but undisturbed as Shade continued her approach. It was until her mouth opened that his lips started twitching in warning. Every word that she spoke made his hackles prickle in agitation. Zane knew that he was testing Shade’s boundaries, but she was testing him just as much. It was until she showed her teeth back at him that his eyes finally snapped. The spitfire growl that left the depths of his throat startled Cato and the pups, and surely everyone else as well. He rose to his paws very slowly, taking stalking steps toward Shade. With his fur puffed in rage, his body mass was more intimidating than usual. His intense stare clearly showed that he was challenging her. His slow pace was built around observation and readiness.

Cato was just as shocked as everyone else. Zane had always had a dominance problem, but it was worse than usual. Her paw took a step forward, but something told her to not get involved. Zane was a ticking time bomb, and her involvement would surely spark an actual fight between all three of them. Her eyes sought out Zxi, almost like she expected him to fix the situation. It was only recently that she met him, but her trust was enough to seek help from him. It surely wasn’t a fair thing to expect out of him, asking him to go against the leader to resolve things.

He licked his teeth with his head high. “You clearly underestimate me.” He whispered under his breath. It was until he saw Cato and the pups in his peripheral vision that he finally hesitated. His ears finally flattened, and his snarl vanished. “Let my siblings eat in my place.” Zane finally gave in. He didn’t fully submit to her, but he gave her enough signs for her to know that she won this round. He didn’t know her response, hoping she would at least accept that, but he did know he wouldn’t be allowed to eat after what he just did. He was quick to turn to retreat, past the werewolves who stood and watched in awe.

Cato’s eyes faded in disappointment. As much as she wanted to follow her brother to comfort him and then scold him, she had to focus on getting the pups some food first. Her instincts itched for her to act the omega part, doing everything to apologize to Shade, but that wasn’t her place now. The best thing she could do was shrink back into a laying position, the pups scrunching next to her side. “We are not in the alpha’s favor so be on your best behavior.” Her voice whispered under her breath, just enough for Nyx and Raine to hear.

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Aruka shook her head and watched, narrowing her eyes and Zane spoke, though when he backed off she breathed a sigh of relief. When Shade made the announcement she switched to her wolf form and tore off two elk legs, dragging them away she finally dropped them in the her and her family's den, if there were any scraps that her pups left she would offer them to Zane because knowing Shade he would be the last to eat.

Cloud whined a bit but stayed in place, a bit curious, no one had challenged Shade a after the first few years of her leading, he had to admit that was brave of Zane and he did respect him but that wasn't the smartest decision he had seen someone make. When he knew his mate had returned to their den he trotted in and sat with his family as they ate.

Flame watched with interest, wondering if Shade would fight Zane, though it would certainly be entertaining she didn't quite want that to happen, Zane was interesting and she looked forward to bugging him in the future, she couldn't do that if he were alpha or if he were kicked out.

Half ran to Zane after he backed away and sticked by him, wanting to ask so many questions and still wagging his tail, though his ears were pinned.

Kiro gasped and shook her head, she had known Zane had lead their little pack, of star wolves from the way he acted but she didn't expect this, no one did by their reactions..

Redwood hid by his mom, scared by Zane. But he rushed in the den and began eating, wondering why Half wasn't there, usually they ate together..

Rex inhaled sharply, though Zane deserved respect for that he had learned from an early age it wasn't very smart to challenge Shade.

Shade's hackles rose but she covered her teeth when Zane backed away, the young wolf was brave for challenging her like that but smart enough to back away before a fight broke out, though she had gray on her muzzle and she was old she was still strong and quick enough to fight. She walked towards the pile, growled at whoever was too close and grabbed the rabbit Flame had caught. She carried it back to her den and set it down she climbed onto a small ledge above her den, and looked at her pack "`Mothers, pups and Cato, Nyx, and Raine may pick what they would like to drag away and eat or just eat from the pile, though please be careful in your decision and think of the wolves who will choose after you.`" she huffed going down and beginning to eat her rabbit.

Zxi frowned and began to moved closer to Zane but stopped when Cato looked him, he returned her gaze helplessly, he didn't, know what to do though he would apologize to her for not helping, when Shade announced that mothers and Cato could eat he sighed with relief, though her comment about wolves who would be choosing after them made him slightly uneasy he was glad that was all she was doing.

[Hope this is okay]

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(It’s perfect like always!)

Cato’s ears flicked forward, listening to Shade’s next words. Even the pups were surprised that they were allowed to eat first. Cato’s eyes quickly swiveled back to where Zane had gone before returning to the meal in front of her. So, his tactic did convince the leader, although it was quite troublesome and dangerous. Knowing him, she could only imagine what responsibilities in his mind conjured an unnatural decision. She slowly brought herself to her paws, knowing that after the scene Zane made, she would receive some form of backlash from the other wolves. Aruka had already chosen her pick and now it was her turn. An elk leg was also her choice, but she only chose one. She trotted away only a few paces before dropping it on the ground. The smallest growl warned the pups to maintain their distance. It was until she laid down that she allowed them to eat. Raine and Nyx were her priority. She would have whatever they left for her. Just how ravaging the pups were to get a taste of elk meat was astonishing. From how it looked, she would have no meal tonight, a usual circumstance that occurred even when they were star wolves.

Zane retreated to his unfinished den, finding comfort under a tree’s shade. It was until he felt a warm body beside him that he realized Half had followed him. His gaze was already set off into the distance, so he wasn’t quick to acknowledge the pup. “Your mother and father would not be comfortable with you sticking around me during feeding time.” He blatantly said, his attention still off to the horizon of other wolves eating. His ears flicked before he came to his paws. “If you must insist on your decision to follow me, then I might as well get you something to eat.” Not knowing Aruka had already brought her meal to the den, he assumed that the pup was to wait until the scraps were left. Keeping a close eye on Half, he stalked into the forest. Rabbits weren’t usually out around this time, but Zane learned a handful of tricks for hunting alone. The burrow was the best place to go. It wasn’t long before his snout was shoved down one, digging aggressively to spook some rabbits up. It was until he seized one from the ground that he stopped digging. With his muzzle and paws plastered in soft dirt, he returned closer to the dens before he dropped it at the pup’s paws. “Eat,” he said, nudging the pup towards the rabbit. “And if you want, you can always tell your brother that you caught it all by yourself.” He was already under a bad impression by the pack so already hunting on their territory after his quarrel was just another thing to make a bad impression. Zane found another place to lay while the pup enjoyed the rabbit, his crooked tail curling up along his side.

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Aruka whined and pinned her ears with worry, usually Half was back by now, actually, he usually wasn't away from the den! She got up and went and started looking for him.

Cloud waited patiently and tried to comfort his mate but stayed with Redwood while Aruka searched, not wanting to lose both their pups.

Flame rolled her eyes impatiently as she waited till she could grab some food.

Half looked down at his paws and he was about to say something when Zane got to his paws, he slowly trailed after him and his eyes widened when Zane dropped the rabbit. His tail wagged slightly and he ate a bit of the rabbit and gave the rest to Zane, he laid by him and tilted his head `'`Zane? May I stay with you for a bit? You seem really cool.. and brave!`'` he said/asked sitting up.

Kiro wait patiently till it would be her turn to eat, she knew a w she would eat mainly after everyone because she was still an almost pup.

Redwood finished eating and tilted his head in confusion when his mom left the den but his dad stayed.

Rex saw Aruka walking around and got quite confused, usually she stayed by her den while it was time to eat because of all the crowding.

Shade called Zxi up to eat, a proud glint in her eyes as she watching him walk to the prey-pile in his wolf form.

Zxi shook his head when he was called to eat but switched to his wolf form and chose a small rabbit so he could leave the larger food for everyone else, he carried the rabbit to him and Flame's den. He walked past Flame and into his room and began to eat, finishing eating his food quickly.

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Zane’s ears flattened at the pup’s words, seeing the half-eaten rabbit in his peripheral vision. It was tempting to lean away from Half’s innocent touch but something was calming about having someone with him. He allowed him to stay. “I am everything but cool and brave, kid,” he muttered, his head lowering to rest on his paws for a long moment. He closed his eyes for a few long moments before giving up on rest, peering at the young pup next to him. Half reminded him of himself as a young pup. Naïve and driven with motivation. Familiar memories flashed through his head, all pleasant at first. It, unfortunately, wasn’t long until those good memories shifted into bad ones, slowly drifting toward the death of his parents. In the blink of an eye, he sat up, sure enough to startle Half. With abrupt agitation, he spoke to the pup hastily. “Your mother is probably worried. Go to her. And- finish your food. Hasn’t she taught you to not waste anything?” It was almost like he sought a reason to shoo the pup away.

…

Seeing full-bellied pups beside her was enough to quench her hunger. As long as they were fed that was all that mattered to her. Their sleepiness had finally taken over, leaving them asleep next to their older sister who had risked her life many times to keep them safe. Leaving them was hard but she had to. They needed to be near their breed. Staying in a large pack would only spread rumors of their existence. Zane’s narrow-mindedness wasn’t going to save them from the clutches of the humans. She brought herself to her paws, pressing her forehead ever so gently into their sides. She finally turned, picking up a trotting pace towards the entrance they had once arrived through. The shadows became her best friend. Even though everyone had slowly settled into their dens after a long-deserved meal, she still had to be stealthy. Her ears perked, seeing the two sleeping pups in the distance. It was hard leaving them alone, but they were now under the protection of the pack, approved by Shade herself.

“Protect them, Zane.” She muttered under her breath, almost wishing that he would hear her from wherever he was.

Finally trailing outside the den site walls, she had a set of goals in her journey ahead. The first was to throw off her scent just in case anyone dared to follow her. The best was the stream nearby. If she could get there without anyone noticing her then her scent would drift downstream.

Although, her idea wasn’t long-lived before a familiar scent caught her nose. “Kiro…” She whispered, her frame freezing. She was an idiot to expect everyone to be inside the pack walls with Shade and the rest of the pack.

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Aruka searched frantically, worried that Half had wandered away, though she knew him getting outside of camp was unlikely it was a fear that haunted her constantly.

Cloud looked at Redwood and knew that he had to keep him distracted `▪︎`Do you wanna play a game?`▪︎` he asked, laying down.

Flame laid outside of the den in her wolf form, knowing that the sun would be setting soon she wanted to stay out till it was dark, always loving watching the sunset.

Half shook his head `'`No! You were brave! I kinda hope you would be able to be my mentor when I'm old enough...`'` he said, looking at his paws... when Zane sat up he scrambled away then quickly went back, hoping he hadn't hurt Zane's feelings. `'`I left the rabbit for you, I wanted to make sure you would eat..`'` he said, nudging the rabbit closer to Zane he shifted to his human form and gently pat Zane's side before returning to his wolf form and trotting away.

Kiro lifted and eyebrow and leaned against a tree `|`Hello Cato, did you finally decide to come with me or were you sneaking out? It's a little late for a walk, now I get the sunset is pretty and al, but you can see it from within camp.`|` she said narrowing her eyes slightly and looking Cato up and down a glint of suspicion in her gaze.

Redwood nodded `+`Yeah!`+` he yipped before jumping at his father, biting him playfully.

Rex was relieved when his and Kiro's parents finally came back. He gave them food he had saved and returned to him and River's room.

Shade curled up in the corner of her den after everyone had eaten, enjoying darkness that, for the most part, hid her she fell asleep.

Zxi brushed his hair and wondered where Flams was before noticing it was almost time for the sun to set, so he walked outside and sat next to her ^~`Hey Flame, watching the sunset again?`~^ he asked, though all he got in response was a huff he knew she wasn't upset.

[Sorry if my response is a little rough-]

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