#Azka Snippets

[theazkapack]

The Ceremony

Preparing for a ceremony is… hard.

Ashlen now thinks back on their time with their original pack and wonders how they managed to make it seem so easy, when they struggled to even find a rock that was shaped correctly to hold charcoal. Of course, in their old pack, everyone was born and raised Wild, and followed the Moon Rays to the most minimal detail, having had years to learn how to do it easily. Ashlen pack, instead, was anything but Wild, most if not all having lived with humans for a significant amount of time, with the exception of them and Mosra.

The she-wolf was also Wild, although not from the same territories as them, and they were unsure as to how much she knew about the Naming Ceremony. Ashlen hadn’t been that interested in the Moon Rays' ways, preferring to spend their time sleeping or hunting or scouting, barely interacting with their family, which now they regret, being unsure of how best to do this Ceremony, memories too hazy for them. They knew the Naming Ceremony for Adults, having done one as soon as they had been recognized as an adult in their old family, but they knew the ceremony for pups and wolves was different.

They would have to talk to Mosra, no?

They groaned, and let their face fall against the dirt, huffing annoyed at the leaves that cling to their face. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to talk to Mosra, they really did! It's just… Nobody liked Ashlen a lot here, and it wasn’t their fault! They knew how rude they sometimes came across, plus, the language barrier made it all the worse. They have been wanting to talk to Mosra and Jet, see how they had been adjusting to the pack life, if everything was alright, but Glawn’s siblings had been… an obstacle, so to say. Ashlen will be the first to admit that they don’t like Honsu, but they won’t say anything. They had seen how joyful Glawn had looked like when she had seen her siblings, and Ashlen didn’t want to dampen her mood.

They shook their head and got up, it was best if they didn’t postpone the talking too much, otherwise they would run out of will to do things and would fall back onto the “say nothing, do nothing” mindset once again. Fortunately, Mosra was in the den, having recently returned from a hunt, and they approached hesitantly, waiting for the she-wolf to notice them before saying anything. The other wolf was occupied trying to brush her fur, watching with critical eye the thin and tiny patch of moss she had managed to make grow, before flinching when she noticed Ashlen was nearby.

They tried to ignore the way they felt like curling up at the flinch, they knew Mosra was wary about them. Why did they feel so strongly about it?, and barked softly as a greeting.

���I was wondering if we could talk?” They said, careful to keep their body language soft and non-threatening.

Mosra blinked, confused, probably trying to decipher what they were saying, before nodding and standing up, following Ashlen as they guided the other back to the den, sitting down behind some big rocks to have an idea of privacy.

“I was wondering what you knew about the Naming Ceremony,” They said, waiting for the other to understand it before continuing, “My old pack was very close to the Moon Ray’s ways, but I didn’t pay a lot of attention to it, so I was curious as to what you know.”

“Hmm, we were more restrained, I think? They followed the up north ways, near the sea and snow.”

Ashlen paused, trying to understand. Mosra’s speech was similar to theirs but, it was more silent, although it was understandable, although a bit weird.

Language barriers, they thought drily, nodding.

“The Clouded Moon?” They offered.

“Yes!” Mosra nodded, “Naming ceremonies for tiny?”

“I only knew the name-change Ceremony,” Ashlen said, “I am uncertain how the pup’s Naming Ceremony is different. I remember that for name-change, it was grinded Arnica, but I think the pup’s one was another herb?”

“Black rock,” Mosra said, pausing before extending a paw and drawing on the dirt a waxing moon, and then, a full Moon, “Half for growth and change, Full is life and strength.”

Black rock? They tilted their head, black rock?

“Charcoal?” They said, sighing at the nod Mosra gave, “Alright, then. Is it a full night, no? I remember mine done in Sun, but it was done during the day because it was a counterpart to the original, right?”

“Yeah,” Mosra nodded, “Moon must See, for tiny’s ritual.”

“Alright, alright,” They paused, and then hesitantly offered, “Is there anything in particular you want?”

Mosra blinked, confused.

“I just—My branch was different, and I remember how to say it, but your way’s were different, and I don’t know if you want something in particular or anything, because this is also your pack now, and I want you to feel included.” They rambled, nervous.

Mosra looked at them, and, the best word to describe it?, softened, her body relaxing as she looked at them in appreciation.

“No,” She said, “Nothing special.”

“Alright, I’m uh, thanks for the help.” They said, watching with apprehensive eyes as Mosra nodded and stood up, leaving after giving them a final nod, returning to the side of Jet, the other wolf grinning and nudging her enthusiastically.

Ashlen sighed deeply, and tried to calm their racing hearts This… This was okay, this was going good, yes, this would turn out alright.

---

Gathering the charcoal was easy enough, and while trying to find a good shaped rock took almost an entire day, Ashlen managed to surpass most of the problems.

Mosra had offered to find and dry some moss patches, so the pups could be Named on them instead of the cold floor, so that was one item less to worry about. Unfortunately, now I was left asking and they were not looking forward to it. In the Naming ceremonies, if a pup one supposed to be done, one would have to ask the parents for the names, the names a gift from the parents, and the pack as a whole, to the pups. Which, supposedly, shouldn’t be hard but… these were Glawn’s siblings. How are they supposed to talk to Glawn’s siblings?! All of them hated Ashlen, and as much as it felt rotten to think so, they didn’t think Honsu even knew which pups were hers.

They sighed and tried not to whine, it didn’t do any good to just complain about it. But, they still took their time, trying to gather enough energy to deal with the siblings, before standing up and getting to work.

First things first, Ashlen tracked Glawn down, deciding to use her help so they could talk to the siblings. They specifically needed Clower and Honsu, which was harder than it seemed. Honsu barely spent time in the den, going as far as to prefer spending time outside than even sleeping during the night in the same den as her siblings and pups, which Ashlen didn’t want to say but it rubbed them the wrong way. And Clower was practically Honsu’s shadow, always behind her or Aursa, as if afraid of everything and everyone, which made Ashlen feel a little bad because they should try to help no?, but also annoyed them right now, since it meant Clower was nowhere in sight.

Fortunately, thanks the Stars, Aursa was nearby and told them Clower had recently come back, and was in their den. Ashlen waited outside, while Glawn announced their presence, not wanting to intrude on their packmate’s space. A few moments later the wolf appeared, looking confused, half leaned towards their den, clearly listening in for the moment their pups woke up.

“Hello, I am preparing for the Naming Ceremony and was wondering what names you have chosen for your pups?”

“I have chosen?” Glawn dutifully translated, showing the same confusion Clower had.

“Yes, uhm, in a Naming Ceremony the parents choose the name they wish to give to the pups, since your ancestors can have a Name rule or similar,” Ashlen shrugged, nervous, watching their friend translate.

The siblings talked among themselves for a bit, probably trying to discuss what Name Rule could their family possibly have, before nodding seemingly satisfied, and turning to look at them.

“They say they wish for the gold one to be named Ranica, and the brown one Duars” Glawn told them, and they nodded, thanking Clower for their time and leaving the wolf to go back to their pups.

The duo walked along, Ashlen making a reminder to not forget the names, and searched for Honsu. They managed to find her, when Night had already risen, and Ashlen paused, hesitant, a few meters before the den where the Gold and Red colored wolf had retreated to.

“Can you…” They paused, “Can you ask Honsu for the names? I don’t think she will be happy to see me.”

Glawn opened her mouth, as if to protest, before nodding and sighing, entering the den of her sister, while Ashlen waited outside, a good distance apart so it didn’t seem like they were intruding on the other’s space. The Moon had moved half a sprout, when Glawn reappeared, walking slowly towards the den they shared. Confused, Ashlen followed behind, wanting to ask what happened, but they could sense it was something meant for a private place, not in the shared space the pack had.

Glawn sighed, and curled up, looking almost sad one could say. Ashlen silently sat beside her, and waited, not wanting to press their friend into talking, as family matters were always a fragile thing to talk about.

“She… She doesn’t have names,” She said, at last, lamely.

“No names? Well, we can give her time to think of some if she needs it.” They offered, pausing at the dejected look Glawn had.

“No, she… She doesn’t care,” She admitted, as if in pain, “She told me the names didn’t matter.”

Ashlen reared back, their fur bristling from the shock, as they stared at Glawn.

“What?!” They yelped, “But—But!”

“I mean, our parents named all of us,” She shrugged, lifelessly, “So, she probably doesn’t want to since… you know.”

“But! But your parents named you because you all were siblings!” Ashlen said, shock fading to let apallement and anger start to bleed in, “How—That’s not an excuse!”

Glawn shrugged, and Ashlen burned with righteous anger, almost trembling from how strong it was.

How dare she?! They thought, angry, How dare she be so rude?!

To not name your own children, that type of slight was one to be answered with a fight and no less. They thought of the tiny pups, who stumbled behind their shadow and called happily at their sight, who would nap between their paws when they were resting, and the anger burned all the more brightly. How little did she care, how much contempt could one have against your own kin, to be so indifferent as to rob them of the blessing they deserved? The pups had been strong, had managed to survive their first season, had proven their right to be Known, and this was how she answered?

But maybe, a little voice in the back of their mind whispered, maybe she doesn’t realize the weight of it. She was captive raised, she does not know of the Moon Ray’s ways, what did you expect?

But even so, she shouldn’t do this!

They sighed, body slumping as they curled around Glawn, anger leaving their body and being left with only sadness inside. They couldn’t do anything, anyways, since they knew deep inside if they dared to confront the other, the small illusion of a united pack would fall right before their eyes. And they knew how much Glawn hated the fighting, they couldn’t make her choose between them and her family, sure, they have spent almost a year together but… That compared to the lifetime of living with your family? How could they compare?

Sleep evaded them, as they stared at the Moon hanging in the sky, wishing for this to be more simple, and for life to once again be joyful bliss, instead of this trap-filled path that they were on. The Sun rose, and they watched silently, curled around Glawn, hoping the warmth of their friend could warm the coldness that had nested on their chest. They watched her wake up, and went with their morning routine in silence, accompanying her until she stood at the edge of the pack’s den, where she would leave for her Scouting duties.

“Hey,” They called, having thought it over all morning, “Can you come with me a wind before you leave?”

Glawn nodded, mutely, and they walked back, towards where Jet and Lannel were standing guard, the pups already prancing and tossing around in the rising sun. The pupsitters perked up at their sight, and Jet barked softly in greeting, relaxed and happy to see them.

“Ask them if we can speak to them about the pups.” They said, watching Glawn communicate it to them. And then, hesitantly, “Could you ask them for names for Honsu’s pups?”

Glawn’s eyes widened, and she looked at them, before nodding hesitantly.

“If you wish, you can tell them about your Family’s Name Rule, so they can have an idea of what to name them.”

Glawn nodded, and returned to the conversation, the pupsitters appearing surprised but also touched by the request. They discussed it in low voices, and Ashlen turned their sight to the pups, huffing amusedly at the sight, watching the siblings wrestle around, yipping and barking in laughter as they chased the others around.

“Uhm,” Glawn breathed in, and Ashlen looked at her, heart aching at the sadness that gathered in her face, wishing they could wipe it away, “The sand one is to be Boray, for the Boreales and the Clay-like color of the fur, the red is to be Mushet, for the Mushroom-red of the coat and the Sunset, and the last one is Sharl, for the stars and the shell-colored markings.”

Ashlen nodded, and gave a small bow at the others, “Pass them my thanks?”

She did so, and smiled at them, “They say it was no problem, and they wish the names fit them well.”

“I’m sure they will,” Ashlen assured, and nudged her affectionately on her head, “You’re free to go now, thanks Glawn.”

“No problem,” She pauses, and then, in a soft voice she tells them, “Thanks Ashlen.”

They blink, and smile as warmth fills their body from paws to tails.

“Of course, Glawn, they’re pack,” They say, and watch her nod, and leave silently.

Being a lead is hard, they think as they watch the pups play, is hard and exhausting sometimes, but they think they’re doing pretty good.

---

The Moon is gentle, with her bright rays, and Ashlen watches their pack gather around, something like a proud fire resting inside of their chest, beating peacefully along their heartbeat.

The pups are wide-eyed, watching everything around, curious as to why the pack is all here, sitting on the soft dried moss bed that Mosra had found. Everyone is here, Glawn’s family to the left, followed by Jet, and then Lannel and Shivo to their right. Mosra is beside them, claws wet with the weird mix of grinded charcoal and water, as she waits for them to begin, and Glawn is on the other side, ready to translate what they say.

“Today,” They said, trying their best to appear calm and not show the nerves filling them, “We gather before the Moon, the bright witness, to Name the pups of Honsu, bright Chaser, and Clower, Silent Stalker, and make it know that we recognize their Strength and Will, having survived their first season, the hardest of them all, the Winter.”

Glawn’s voice is almost a background noise, as she translates to everyone else, nodding to Mosra, the she-wolf standing up and approaching, the moss that clings to her fur a bright green under the pale moonlight.

“Behold upon them, as know their survival, witness their win,” Mosra advances now, and carefully, starts painting a waxing moon on the pup’s forehead, the kids blinking but letting the older wolf paint their coat, “We wish upon them growth, and fortune, so the Wilderness may love them as it loves us, and may smile on their Fate.”

“And we wish them the strength to change and Adapt to life,” They continue on, watching Mosra draw the full moon on their tiny shoulders, “May the Moon always light their path, may the Moon hear them howl and may the Moon shine their fur with the fortune of untold stories.”

“Rise and Howl, and witness Duars and Ranice, may their Fate outlive us and be as bright as the Sun itself, children of Clower, the Silent Stalker, who never fails to find the food we need to survive.” They glance at the others, giving themself a second to enjoy it before they proceed, “Rise and Howl, and witness Boray, Mushet and Sharl, children of Honsu, Bright Chaser, who never gives up.”

They tilt their head and howl, hearing everyone soon join them, the song they cry out a melody that Ashlen is sure to always hold close to their heart, a melody that sounds like family, like a Pack is meant to be, united and Strong before anything. And then, tiny and shaky, five new voices join their Howl, the pups tilting their heads and Looking at the Moon, giving their voice and joining the Pack’s Song.

The Howl feels as if it lasts forever, and then, it dies down, softly, like a dove perching on a branch. They watch their pack, and grin, happiness filling them inside in a way that makes them feel as if they could float away with the wind in any second.It feels magical, in a way any ceremony for the Moon Ray is, and Ashlen feels so happy that they can share this with their pack, watch them delight at the almost unnatural light of the Moon above their heads, at the way they grin and laugh, their eyes filled with wonder and amazement, a sight Ashlen will forever treasure.

They look at Mosra, and nod, both wild wolves feeling kinship as they watch their captive-raised packmates experience the delight that being a wild Wolf means. Ashlen can taste the change in their mouth, of bitter losses and sweet new opportunities, and they wish this marks a new beginning.

The Moon is bright above, and the pack celebrates the Naming of the pups.

[theazkapack]

Intruders

Part 1 | Part 2

After weeks of tension, the pack finally meets the responsables that have been hiding away in their territory, when Ashlen and Shivo decide to patrol the borders of their territory.

Glawn paces around the den, ignoring the pointed look that Lannel throws at her. 

She feels nervous, looking up almost every second in hopes that Ashlen and Shivo would appear in the path, the dark wolf throwing her a smile and telling her that nothing had been spotted today. Ashlen had been particularly stressed by the fact that some strangers were living in their territory, and while not as stressed, Glawn felt the same in some way, on edge all the time as she scouted or helped with the hunts.

It was difficult not to, the knowledge that there were strangers that believed themselves strong enough to simply waltz into their territory without a care, and could be anywhere, waiting for the perfect moment to ambush them? Yeah, absolutely not a good thing. Should they go find them? It was still day, but she knew that very quickly it could become night, the dusk barely a speck of time that always catches her off guard.

“Glawn, sit down, you’re gonna leave a trail in the dirt” Lannel complained, probably annoyed from watching her pace nervously. “They are gonna come back soon, don’t stress about it.”

“Oh, I know, but what if something happened?” Glawn said, her eyes fixed onto the trail where the others would come back, “What if they found the other wolves or, or some bear attacked them?”

“They will be fine, Glawn, Lead was capable of defending themself against a bear alone, they are more than capable of fencing off a bear with my brother.” 

“But it’s late, Lannel, and you know Ashlen doesn’t like staying outside when it is so close to night time,” Glawn whined, refusing to look elsewhere and missing the look Lannel threw at her.

They stayed in silence for a few more minutes, Lannel simply closing his eyes and enjoying the peace while Glawn looked and hoped for Ashlen and Shivo to come back. She sighed, and continued to wait, managing to stay down for a few minutes before getting up and continuing to pace around the den, feeling too anxious to stop moving. This continued on similarly for some time, ignoring the annoyed looks her packmate threw at her once again, when the other, finally annoyed, stood up and sighed.

“Alright, okay, let’s go find them,” Lannel said, annoyed, “I bet they just took some time looking at a river, or something.” 

Glawn nodded, and silently thanked the other for putting up with her, as she started to sniff around, following the old tracks the others had left behind. They walked in silence, following closely behind the tracks, trying to ignore the unease slowly filling them up. If asked, they wouldn’t be able to say exactly what caused it, simply on edge and uneasy as they progressed more and more into the deep of the territory, until they started to find more recent tracks.

Glawn paused, unsure, as she looked at the path. Something wasn’t right, but what? She looked around, trying to hear, but everything was silent. Silent.... Glawn looked up, perplexed, where were the birds? It was not normal for the animals to not be around the forest, normally singing up a racket everytime she or anyone of the pack passed by. Then, she heard it, in the distance, so low she could have missed it if she had not been paying attention. Barking was ahead, and she straightened up, fur instantly bristling, Lannel following suit once he also heard the noise.

They approached, making sure to not make any noise, until they could clearly hear Shivo’s voice, as he barked and growled at someone. Lannel tensed, and after sharing a brief look with her, they jumped forward, Glawn barely hiding her shock as she entered the clearing where the rest of her pack was. Shivo was injured, bleeding profusely from his face, standing close to Ashlen, who looked like a breath away from collapsing.

“Guys!” Shivo exclaimed, relieved at their arrival, “Oh, how glad I’m that you found us!”

Lannel nodded, briskly, and stood next to him, clearly shaken from how injured his brother seemed. Glawn took her time, checking Ashlen over, who scoffed and simply nudged her forward, hoping she could help them deal with the strangers. Shivo was.... Abrasive, to say the least, and not the best negotiator, so Glawn wasn’t that surprised that they had ended up fighting. And Ashlen didn’t know how to communicate with anyone, apparently, as she watched the other wolf look at her with hopes of resolving the problem. She straightened and stood up to the front.

“What are you doing here?” She asked, ignoring the shocked looks the wolves threw at her, “This is our territory, and we do not appreciate intruders here, specially, intruders who have been living here for weeks without showing any face.”

She took the time to examine the strangers, noting how similar to her own coloring they were, the three wolves in different hues of golden fur. They looked familiar, but she couldn’t pinpoint the why.

“Glawn?!” The oldest exclaimed, stepping forward and easily ignoring the warning growls her pack gave her, “You’re alive!”

She paused, unsure on how to proceed, and looked confused back at Ashlen. She… Who were these wolves? Likely sensing her confusion the wolf called her over, ignoring the guarded looks Ashlen threw her.

“It’s me, Honsu!”

Honsu? But…

Oooh,she thought internally, That’s why they are familiar.

“We thought you died! You got separated from the group in that storm and no matter what, we couldn’t find you!” Honsu exclaimed, the she-wolf looking happy at her, “Is there anyone else with you? Any of our siblings?”

“Uh, no, sorry” Glawn said, awkwardly, “Only me.”

“Oh,” Honsu deflated, looking sad before shaking it off, “No matter, I’m so glad you are okay!”

“Glawn… Who are they?” Ashlen asked, looking confused at the exchange, voice rough and with a lisp as they tried to emulate as closely as possible the words to the local dialect, and failing horribly once again.

“Oh, um. These are my siblings” Glawn said, ignoring the shocked look both Lannel and Shivo threw her, “This is Honsu, and the other two behind are Clower and Aursa.”

Honsu scoffed at the looks they threw at her, and nudged Glawn, full out ignoring how tense her sister was.

“Well, let’s get going then. We have so much to tell you.”

“What?” Glawn asked, nervously.

“Well, these guys have a problem with us being here, so let’s go. You know this place, right? You must know very good places to stay!” Honsu exclaimed, throwing a despective look at her pack, “These mutts must be bad company, come on.”

“I—Honsu, I can’t leave!” Glawn said, almost horrified and irked at the way she had referred to the others, “You can’t just, just slide in and tell me what to do!”

“Why not? I’m the oldest” Honsu huffed, offended, “And they have a problem with us, so we have to leave.”

“I—” She hesitated, “It’s going to be winter soon, we could die out there without shelter!”

“We’ll make do,” Her sister said, “We surely will find something, me and Clower need to find a good place anyways.” 

Glawn blinked, and looked closely at her sister, noticing how more rounded she looked, despite the almost skeleton way her fur clung to her body, and how Clower looked to the side, embarrassed, looking the same way as her sister.

“You’re pregnant!” She exclaimed, surprised, “I—We—No! We have to stay!”

She turned around, ignoring the protest of her sister.

“Ashlen, surely they can stay, right? My siblings are pregnant, can they stay for the winter, please?” She almost begged, “Please?”

“...Sure?” Ashlen said, shrugging, “It’s your family, and I know how much you miss them, of course they can stay with us for a while.”

“Guys?” She turned to look at Lannel and Shivo, who both shrugged, clearly confused, and she took that as an agreement.

“Glawn we will not stay with them!” Her sister demanded, ignoring the wary looks the rest of her siblings threw at her.

“Oh, please? You’re pregnant, and so is Clower! You need to rest, to eat, you look exhausted!”

“Glawn, no!” Honsu said.

“Honsu, we’re exhausted. And you cannot afford to stay outside,” Clower muttered, their voice low yet stern, “We should accept their offer, we are barely surviving as it is.”

Honsu’s face softened, as she looked at her sibling, and nodded, suddenly looking more tired than before.

“Yeah, okay. We'll stay.” She accepted, “Only for winter, but we’ll stay.”

Glawn nodded, and slowly started to guide her siblings back to her home, Ashlen trailing faithfully behind her.

Meanwhile, the brothers looked at each other in confusion at the resolution of the events, both having been prepared to continue fighting or simply leaving but not to the strangers that had been living in their territory to simply be invited into their home, no questions asked.

“Did you know she had sisters?” Lannel whisper yelled at Shivo, who shrugged confused, “What in the name of the Moon is this?”

“Dunno, Lan, dunno” Shivo said, before nudging his brother, “Come on, let’s just get back home. My legs are killing me.”

[theazkapack]

Discoveries

Glawn makes an unsettling discovery while exploring the edges of the pack territory

Content Warning: Mentions of dead baby animal.

  ------

When Glawn manages to get out of her den, the sun is fast approaching midday, it’s unforgiving rays pelting her coat with its warmth, as she stretches and yawns widely. She had gotten back home late last night, and had woken up late, it seemed, as she peered around in search of any of her packmates.

The den was without a single soul, although it wasn’t that unusual. Everyone mostly met at dusk and at dawm, spending most of their free time exploring and hunting for supplies, enjoying the Summer while it lasted. Ashlen barely spend any time inside, all of their waking hours spent scouring the territory, always on edge. Glawn didn’t quite understand why, after all, their territory was mostly secluded, up in the mountains, far away from any clearing or thick forest with prey, nobody would want to be here.

Not feeling particularly hungry, Glawn set off to scout, following the same ritual she had been following since she had arrived at this wilderness, with no humans in sight, the instructions Ashlen had given her still clear as if it was yesterday when it was said. 

Follow the river down the mountain, until you brushed against the edges of the grasslands below, had Ashlen said, as they laid together on the floor, back against back, muzzle against muzzle, and then simply follow the edge, stepping between the forest and the valley, before coming back through the mountains, see what lays beyond, what is around. That, is the job of a scout.

Of course, she now sometimes strayed more far, letting the wind guide her into stranger places with even stranger animals, the likes she didn’t remember seeing before. But it was a good change, she had decided long ago, it was a good change despite everything. She jumped between the rocks, claws providing grip against the slippery surface of rocks covered with moss, following the small stream that was near the den and that flowed down to the main river that led into the grasslands.

She paused after a few hours, laying down across a fallen log, the moss tickling her fur as she closed her eyes and took a small break. She felt some apetite, but not enough to want to eat, since the pack had fed on a carcass barely a few days ago, Shivo had been so proud, carrying the ram back home all alone. 

He had improved greatly since the start of summer, all of Ashlen’s lessons finally showing results. The first tie he had finally managed to kill something bigger than a porcupine, the whole pack had celebrated, the bashful wolf showered in praise. And it was no small feat, considering that a season ago Shivo barely had been able to stalk a bird. Ashlen had crowned him an official hunter of the pack, going off about... something, Glawn couldn’t quite remember honestly. Something about wild packs? And worth? It was all blurry, she had been more preocupied with stuffing her mouth full of ram than listening Ashlen ramble about wild packs.

It was nice, how worried Ashlen was about trying to teach the pack about living in the wild. They worried immensely about the pack, constantly offering tips and suggestions, even despite half the pack barely managing to understand them. It... It was nice, Glawn decided, standing up to continue on with the scouting, it was really nice.

It is by now late afternoon, and she decides to check out only the next sector before going back home, still tired despite how much she slept. She is now approaching the place where the stream connected to the river and then diverted south, one of the last places before the mountain started levelling down and connected to the grassland. Slowing down, Glawn sniffs the air, ears standing up as she checks if anything is nearby. This place is more filled with animals, thanks to the abundance of water, and she doesn’t want to find herself face to face with a wolverine or a bear.

The coast is mostly clear, although there is a sickly sweet scent in the air. Confused, Glawn follows the track, carefully stepping around the moss covered floor, until she finds herself at the feet of a giant tree. The smell is stronger, and it is with a startle that she recognizes, finally, the scent of meat rotting. She circles around the tree, hoping to find the carcass, but it is fruitless, nothing to be found besides piles of dead twigs and leaves. 

It smells like sickness, rotten meat left to the bugs, and strangely, of fur. It... It smells of wolf. 

But how? It doesn’t smell like anyone in the pack, and when she looks around in the floor, she cannot find any tracks indicating where the strangers could have gone. Glawn frowns, and sniffs deeper, ignoring how the smell almost burns her nose with the intensity. There! Scratching at the dead leaves, she empties a small mound and stops, freezing in her tracks at the sight.

There is a dead pup half buried in the dirt.

She hesitates, and looks up, as if she would be now ambushed by some wolf, but the place is empty, only the sound of the rushing water filling the silence. The pup is small, very much so, fur decaying already, the scent of sickness so clear it makes her mind spin. It cannot be older than a few days, half saved from rotting faster thanks to the shade the dirt offered, but why is it here? Why is there a dead pup in their territory? She passed less than a few days ago by, and there hadn’t been any signal that this could have happened. 

She buries the wolf pup again, a half stuck whine in her throat as she covers the innocent pup laying in the dirt. A pack was here, must have been here recently, and had left the pup half buried in their haste. It raised the hair on her tail the thought of a pack, having been so close to their den, without having any clue about it. It made her feel vulnerable, a hollowing and cold feeling in her chest.

She... She needed to tell Ashlen about this. 

Glawn turned tail and ran back, tail tucked between her legs, jumping over the logs, paws hitting against the forest floor as she ran as fast as she could back home.

This was bad.

[theazkapack]

Winter Shift

While resting from her scouting duties, Glawn takes some time to think about the recent changes in the pack and how she feels about it.

The den feels colder.

It may just be Glawn’s imagination, but it feels colder, lonelier even, as she stares at the empty space near her. Most of the pack is outside, hunting and helping, braving the fierce snow to be able to bring food and furs back here. The pack den’s is almost empty, and Glawn would think so, if not for the muted whinings of pups.

Her sister, Honsu, had given birth to 3 healthy pups a fortnight ago, the tiny kids left on the soft bed of feathers and fur while their mother left, joining the hunting party as soon as she could, as if desperate to run away from her children. Glawn couldn’t fault her, it felt weird to know less than a few meters away, tiny tiny wolves had been brought to life, when the last time she remembered so felt so long ago, in milder places where food wasn’t to be hunted and health was a given, and not a wish; when she could still sleep next to her parents, as the humans took care of their territory, a sweet melody of the past that could not be heard again.

But, Glawn thought, she couldn’t run away from it, unlike her sister. The pups were here for winter, so she knew come Spring the gangly kids would leave, stumbling behind their mother’s steps into the wild. If she strained her ears, she could hear Jet soothing them, the lone wolf having gladly taken the pupsitter role, their inexperience greatly covered by their enthusiasm and efforts. They were a great asset, especially considering how much Honsu appeared to run away from her charges, spending only the necessary time with them before leaving once again, into the harsh snow to hunt for food or to glare at Ashlen from the safety of her perch with Glawn’s other siblings.

She barely hid her whine, as she curled up, thinking about her friend. Ashlen was less and less in the den, practically living outside if not for the brief moments where they would nap at her side, before once again leaving with tired joints into the distant lands of their territory. The leader of the pack was tired, especially with winter upon them, limping from place to place, bringing food and items to amuse the wiggling pups before leaving once again, their duty too great to let themself rest for more than a few hours before bracing the wilderness once more. She missed them, oh so greatly, and for a second, she let herself feel bitter against her siblings for coming, knowing Ashlen’s absence was their fault, before she remembered herself and shook her head.

It was wrong of her to be resentful towards her siblings when they had clearly needed help, and yet, as she stared at where Ashlen should be, their presence a warm weight against her side, she couldn’t feel that remorseful. She had grown attached to her new life, waking up and playing around with Lannel or Shivo, sunning in warm afternoon with Ashlen, scouting the places that rested after the river that delimited their territory and coming back to a happy pack, not the current shade that was here, hungry and famined, tension and constraint infighting at every second.

She had given up on her siblings, having slowly come to terms with the fact that she would never see them again, and yet here she was, three of her siblings alive and whole, having survived alone out there. She knows their life there was harsh, she sees it in the way Honsu tracks almost obsessively their rations, how Clower stands to the background, ready at any moment to leave and bolt, in the way Aursa is different, scars covering the once untouched golden fur. She sees it, like a glaring mark, in the way she can count every rib in her sister’s chest, in the way Clower seems to freeze when Lannel and Shivo fight too loudly, in the way Aursa eats so fast, as if he thinks the food will be snatched from his maw.

She sees the evidence, so piled up and high it tears her open, an empty feeling that leaves her adrift in the cold winter. And Glawn knows herself, she would rather die than let her siblings leave, knowing deep within her that they would die without her pack’s help, knowing that they wouldn’t manage to adapt to the wilderness that this place is, so different yet so alike to the place that once was their home. They wouldn’t survive out there, and Glawn isn’t keen on getting kin-slayer branded on her fur, a shame pressed for everyone else to judge upon.

But, her siblings being here is a disaster, she is not yet blind to it. Ashlen leaves longer and longer, Lannel and Shivo only seem to know to snap at each other, fur always bristled, no longer the gentle wolves she had become friends with. Jet stays enclosed in the den, barely going out there, focused so much on the pups survival she is surprised they hadn’t become a stone guardian from how little they move; Mosra who only sticks to the edges, almost afraid to interact with anyone. In how Clower barely seems to talk, ignored in favor of their more abrasive sister; in how Aursa seems confused, stumbling around, not knowing how to kill the tension that keeps the pack on edge. Glawn sees it, how the change hurts them almost, leaving the pack barely hanging by a thread.

She sighs, and slowly stands up, throwing one last glance at the bed that should hold her friend, before she walks outside, the snow instantly clinging to her golden fur. So much has changed, and yet, she thinks morosely, she has a job to do. The sun rises, the Moon leaves, and Glawn is a scout, ready to fulfill her duty as it is intended.

She picks a direction and starts walking, hoping that if she walks enough, she will manage to ignore how everything seems to be crumbling around her.

[theazkapack]

Propositions

As spring warms up towards summer, Ashlen decides to announce something that has been on their mind for a few weeks now.

- - -

“I want to hold a Naming ceremony” Ashlen announced abruptly, as the pack gathered around the still bleeding prey the hunting party had managed to bring back this morning.

Most continued on, but Glawn paused, the only one who managed to understand Ashlen so far, and looked in confusion at them, the lead looking flustered at the way they had briskly announced it, unlike their normally more reserved and calm nature.

“Naming ceremony?” She asked, bemused, “What’s that?”

They shrugged and sat next to her, taking a bite of the downed deer and swallowing, before continuing on, looking as if they wanted something to do, tail twitchy at the sudden attention she gave them.

“It’s when the pups are given their name, and are presented before the Moon.” Ashlen carefully said, “They are then Known and become living part of the pack.”

Glawn realized, belatedly, that as far as she knew, her siblings hadn’t named their children yet, and made the executive decision of simply not thinking about it.

“Why did you wait so long then?” She asked, non judgmental, “The pups are already a season old, wouldn’t this have happened before?”

“Because they survived their first season,” Mosra cut in, making the pair notice how everyone was paying attention to their conversation, “It is customary to give them a Name when they survive their first season and are strong enough to Be.”

“Be?”

“Like, uhm,” Mosra paused, unsure, “How to describe it? Well, the chances of a pup dying during their first season is very very high. And, until then, they aren’t considered truly… alive? They are very frail, so it’s very likely they want to return to the Skies and the Dirt, so one doesn’t give them names so they can have another chance and they aren’t tied down here.”

Glawn blinked bemused, and looked at Ashlen, who was nodding at what was said.

“After their first season, they are given a name so if they choose so, they can stay here and be remembered.” The dark wolf offered, “It’s mostly a ceremony to celebrate that they are still alive.”

Glawn saw the other’s curious faces, and translated, sitting back and thinking about it.

“Well, if Clower and Honsu give their agreement, I don’t see why not?” She said, hesitantly.

Honsu was the farthest of them, decidedly eating and made a very indifferent shrug, preferring to ignore them than try to talk too. Glawn considered trying to make her talk, but her sister was still in some ways not very used to the pack, so she left her alone, and turned to look at Clower, who seemed to be considering, nodding after they noticed she was looking at them. The rest of the pack was murmuring among themselves, excited, the ceremony the best thing they have had to talk about in weeks, while they continued to eat the deer, until only bones were left behind.

A few hours later, Glawn yawned, laying down next to Ashlen, in a way they haven’t been able to do since her siblings had joined. Their den was a bit more apart from the others, so she knew if they talked nobody would listen into their conversation.

“What brought this on?” She decided to ask, having been thinking over why Ashlen had decided to bring up the ceremony, when they hadn’t said anything about it before, “You don’t normally bring this type of thing randomly.”

“You noticed?” They murmured, a bit embarrassed.

“Yeah, you are pretty silent and you don’t like talking a lot in front of the others,” She said amused at the other’s reaction, “What caused the change?”

“The pack has been… restless,” They said, hesitantly, “And I thought this would be a good way to make us all be together more and, well, make the tensions die down a little.”

Glawn hummed, nodding. 

She could see why the pack hadn't been exactly… Nice, between the almost famine they had during winter, and how her siblings constantly clashed with the others, everyone was a bit tense.

“Plus,” They admitted, “I wanted to show you all a bit of… the wilderness, you know? Everyone except Mosra lived with humans most of their lives, and I wanted to show that being here isn’t all just hunting and killing and suffering, that… you know, there’s a bit more to it than simply surviving, and I think a Naming Ceremony would be the perfect one to begin with, since, uh, well, it’s very nice.”

“That’s very kind of you,” She said, nudging the other, “I’m sure it will be good.”

“I hope so,” They admitted, “I want to show y-I want to show that this life is good.”

Glawn nodded, and they slowly drifted off together, the gold colored wolf barely managing to think that she already thought this life was good with Ashlen at her side, before sleep took over.

[theazkapack]

From the Mountains

As Ashlen and Glawn rest from their work on settling down and trying to survive, they talk and bond over their own experiences  so far here in the new lands they were in.

AKA: I today bring you fluff about my pack leaders.... tomorrow? who knows....

——————————

Ashlen huffed, shaking their head from side to side to try and dislodge all the dirt that had fallen over their head. They looked critically over the cave, trying to see how much more they would have to dig for the cave to be big enough for them and Glawn. A quick glance told them the sun was still high in the sky, some rays managing to illuminate the cave.

Getting out of the cave in progress, Ashlen shook their fur and stretched, yawning and trying to get as much dirt off their fur as possible. Making a den was hard work, but it would be worth it in the end, it would give them a secure place to live. Plus, since the mountains had a lot of caves, it was only a matter of digging a little to make more space for future companions. And, Ashlen though dryly, at least the dirt was soft and not practically frozen like their old home.

Lying down in the entrance, Ashlen settled down and closed their eyes, deciding to enjoy what little of sun was left of the day. Of course, getting practically bowled over by Glawn the instant they had started dozing off quickly got that option out of the menu.

“Glawn... why?” Ashlen whined, buried under the big pile of fur that Glawn practicaly was. The other wolf just laughed, nosing them until, groaning, Ashlen sat up and looked at her.

“You looked so peaceful! I wanted to surprise you!”

“...yes... surprise... yay...” Ashlen yawned “Did you find anything? I’m dying from hunger”

“I saw some rabbits but they ran away before I could get even close” Glawn sighed, resting her head on her paws “How is the cave going?”

Ashlen shrugged, laying down besides Glawn “Going fine, I think if we both work together we could have it finished before the Sun meets the Moon”

Nodding, Glawn rested her head over the neck of the other, enjoying the peace of the mountains. Slowly dozing off, Ashlen closed their eyes and sighed.

“You know? I never before digged a cave, is that weird?” Glawn commented, her gaze distant and faraway. Ashlen’s tail thumped, showing they were listening, their weight a comfort at their side “Everything was easy in my old home, especially since we were a lot of wolves... Counting me, we were easily 20 If i remember correctly.”

“Why so many?” Ashlen’s gruff voice asked, their eyes still closed as they enjoyed the sun.

“Well... I think it’s because resources were abundant, you know? Winter was never a worry for us, since the humans used to provide everything we ever needed” Glawn sighed “Every litter was taken by the humans for a few hours, and anytime we got sick they took care of it... Is it bad that I miss it?”

Ashlen lifted their head, rubbing it agaisnt Glawn’s, trying to bring some comfort. “I don’t think so... It was your home, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah but... Humans were there taking care of us. That isn’t something wolves are supposed to miss, as far as I know” Glawn digged her claws into the ground, frustrated over her longing.

“But it was for a long time your home, it doesn’t change it. Sure, humans were there, but so were your parents, and your siblings and everyone you knew” Ashlen yawned, their voice almost indifferent “Must be shocking to be in a place so weird”

“hmm... Not really, fortunately. Is that strange? I am so unfamiliar with these lands, but the moment I was left here it was as if... a weight was lifted off me”

“No, I get it.” Ashlen looked intensively at their paws, as if looking at something else “Even if they try their best, humans always put us in our guards... There is something unsettling about not being able to see the horizon”

Glawn looked at Ashlen in surprise, cocking her head in wonder.

“Wait, you have been with humans?! I was so sure you were wild!” Glawn flinched as she saw Ashlen snarl at her, growling deeply.

“Make no mistake. I am wild, I was not born within those... those... horrid places” Ashlen shook their head, as if trying to disperse the memory “I was brought to a human place because of my bad luck...”

“I’m... I’m not sure I follow?”

“I was hit by one of those big monsters they have” Ashlen answered, rolling their eyes before pointing at the middle of their side “About here, I was hit in fact”

Glawn stared in amazement, surprised at how she hadn’t noticed before. Now that she looked, Ashlen did breath a bit weirdly, and in the cold they flinched sometimes when walking. It was so obvious now in hindsight! She mentally reprimanded herself, and nosed at Ashlen side in wonder. How strong must this wolf be, she thought to herself, to survive such a lethal fate!

“I spent many full moons with them in fact, and I’m still sure it was the time spent alone there that caused me to go almost gray” Ashlen commented dryly “They did manage to cure me, so I guess I shouldn’t be so bitter over it. Thanks to them I’m still alive”

“And my thanks have” Glawn whispered gratefully, rubbing her head agaisnt Ashlen’s, unable to imagine where she could be without her reliable companion.

Flustered, Ashlen whined and bumped their heads together “Don’t be like that. I’m sure you would have been just fine without me. It’s me that should be grateful you are here. You are the first wolf I’ve managed to find that has been able to understand me”

“Well, your words are sometimes a little strange but I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t be able to understand you”

“Tell that to all the packs and wolves that have been kicking my ass since I arrived here” Ashlen snorted “Make no mistake, I am as new to these lands as you. My last home was very far away from here, and it’s a bit obvious in hindsight...”

“Yeah, it not all the times you see a gray wolf”

“Excuse you! I am perfectly black, thank you very much!” Ashlen bristled angry at the teasing.

“Please Ashlen, I’m surprised you aren’t the same white as the tip of your tail!” Glawn laughed at them, brightly and very loudly.

Glawn was glad to be here, laughing her tail off at the expense of Ashlen. She missed her siblings, but for now, with the Sun blazing over them, the beginnings of their home behind them and the grounding weight of her companion besides her, she was satisfied.

She looked over the valley their cave stood, the snow slowly melting and grass finally peaking between the white clumps.

Yes, she was satisfied here.

[theazkapack]

The Call of Strangers

As the newcomers slowly adjust to the new pack life, and try to tackle on their responsabilities; Ashlen patrols the borders incrisingly worried. Against their wishes, it appears something is coming towards the Azka territory.

-----------------------

Ashlen stared down the two sleeping brothers in the cave, waiting impatiently for them to get up. The sun was high in the sky, it’s gentle rays slowly melting the snow that was still left in the mountains.

Ashlen had woken up a while ago, and had already patrolled through all of their territory, bringing some small prey they had found so everyone could eat. They are supposed to take Shivo out to teach him how to bring down big prey today, but the wolf had been proven very hard to drive out of the cave, not wanting to leave their comfortable position.

Irritated, Ashlen left the brother’s cave and looked out into the valley below, wondering how to get Shivo out. It’s been already two full Moons since Shivo and Lannel joined, and Ashlen needed to desesperatly teach how to hunt big game and not die in the process, since Shivo was... At best, decent in managing to bring back quails. The small pack wouldn’t be able to survive on rats and small birds for long.

Small steps distracted them, and Ashlen looked up to see Glawn returning to their den, her fur dripping water and a fish in her mouth.

“They still haven’t woken up?” Glawn asked, shaking her fur and trying to get most of the water out of it.

“Yes. They seem adamant in sleeping” Ashlen sighed,looking too stressed for how early in the morning it was.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get them out” Quickly turning, Glawn entered the cave. Ashlen gave her 5 seconds before someone yelled.

...Huh, less than five seconds.

---------------

The two wolves walked down the rocky path, descending slowly from rock onto another rock, taking care to not slip, following the river down onto the grasslands.

Glawn jumped quickly and graceful, seemingly at ease in the difficult path, ever doubting where to walk. Lagging behind her was Lannel, practically strolling as he tried to watch everything, seemingly enamoured with the ambient.

“Come on, hurry up, the idea is to get down before night arrives!” Glawn called brightly, wagging her tail when seeing the other wolf kind of struggle with the rocks. “Be grateful it wasn’t raining during the night, otherwise you would have long slipped into the river!”

“Har har, very funny” Lannel muttered, huffing as he finally reached the small clearing the gold colored wolf was in. Tired, he went to the shore of the river and took a drink, wishing he was already back on the den.

Although Lannel liked helping Glawn scout, it was exhausting and he only wanted to to crawl back into his cool bed and sleep away the day. The heat only worked to make him more irritable, the sun hitting harshly against him, leaving him panting quickly in seconds whenever he dared to leave the protecting shade of the trees.

“Why are we even going to the grasslands anyways? The mountains are a good place and it’s not like there is anything interesting there” He was whining, but at this point he was too irritated to care. He eyed the river and after a few seconds of deliberating, he jumped in, sighing in relief as the cold water abated the cursed heat.

“For the same reason we are now scouting together instead of going separate ways like before”

...Oh.

"You... You don’t truly think that another pack would challenge us for our territory, right?” Lannel asked hesitently, sitting down in the shore of the river and looking worried at Glawn.

“I don’t know... But Ashlen said they wanted to have options, just in case” Sighing, the gold colored wolf wished that this wasn’t happening. That she were back on her home, with her siblings and waiting for the humans to bring their food. But the past is the past, and although Glawn misses her old home dearly, she wouldn’t give it up if it meant leaving her new pack behind.

“But even if the pack I smelt nearby tried to attack us, Ashlen would beat them, right?! Ashlen is like, invincible!” He exclaimed.

“I don’t know Lannel, while Ashlen surely is a good fighter well... I don’t know how well they would fare against a big pack”

“We could help fight!”

“Lannel, pal, I’m not trying to bring the mood down but we both barely know how to bite something. Your brother is the best than us, and he still gets hurt whenever he tries hunting something bigger than a quail”  Glawn sighed and stood up “Come on, if we are fast we may yet arrive before the Moon rises”

Groaning, Lannel stood up and started following her behind. What he would give to be Shivo right now, his brother must be already back fro hunting, resting peacefully in the shade of their den.

----------------

“Ashlen wait it hurts!” Shivo yelped, trying to get away from the dark wolf, holding awkardly his paw.

Rolling their eyes, Ashlen continued applying the leaves onto the other’s injury, ignoring the whining as they tried their best to cover correctly the bleeding wound.

Once they were satisfied, they relented and stood back, burying back the leaves that were left over. Going back, they snapped their teeth at Shivo, who flinched back and let his paw in peace, from where he was going to lick it. The leader stared down the other, until Shivo whined and laid down, pouting.

“Okay I get it! I get it! Not licking the weird leaves until you say so” Laying down his head on his paws, Shivo sighed, closing his eyes as Ashlen circled around him, trying to see if he had any other injury “I swear that was the last one! Come on, I’m fine already”

Ashlen barked a laugh at that, but left the wolf alone as the leader stood back and went to retrieve the prey Shivo had managed to get back to the den. Carrying the bloody porcupine and leaving it buried underneath some leaves at the shade with the other food they had so far, Ashlen grabbed a rabbit and brought it back to the other, leaving the small morsel in front of him.

“I’m not hungry Ashlen, leave it for later” Ashlen told him something, but as always, Shivo just stared dumbly at the leader, still not managing to understand a single word of the other. After some time Ashlen rolled their eyes again and nudged him, until, huffing, Shivo started eating.

Looking satisfied, Ashlen nodded and nudged him one last time before turning and stretching.

“You going out again?” At the sharp nod of them, Shivo sighed and nodded “Oh wait! I forgot to tell you before, but when I was searching for the porcupine I found some tracks nearby the lake”

At the startled reacting of Ashlen, Shivo laughed and nodded “My exact reaction! It was nearby the lower lake, the one that connects to the river that leads towards the forest, you know the one with the big sharp trees?”

Looking grimly, Ashlen nodded again and turned around, starting the trek down. Shivo called after them, telling them to be careful. A laughing bark was the only answer he got before his leader disappeared down the mountain.

Yawning, Shivo blinked and grimaced. Just their luck, to find tracks of a big pack nearby when they were just settling in.

Oh well, he thought as he accomodated and closed his eyes to sleep, nothing more to do other than wait. He believed in Asheln, the leader was smart and he didn’t doubt the other had a plan for this.

No matter what, Shivo was sure they would manage to survive.

---------------------------------------

Sniffing around, Ashlen frowned deeply, staring at the old tracks that lead from the lake towards the forest. The tracks were at least a few suns old, and from what they could smell, clearly family.

Looking around, Ashlen found small bundles of bright golden fur around the edges, a clear signal from the strange wolves. Growling, Ashlen circled around the shore of the lake, upset at the clear trespassing in their territory. Sighing, they started following the tracks, taking care of where they stepped, not wanting to alert any stranger in case they were nearby.

Soon they arrived towards a small river, losing the scent of the strange pack. They saw deep scratches in the dirt and nearby trees, and a quick look told him how the other wolves probably encountered another predator here. Coming closer to the tree Ashlen grimaced, sneezing as they accidentally inhaled hair, yeah the other pack probably encountered a bear around here.

From the signs of the fight, Ashlen could deduce the pack had ran away after a brief fight. They probably were weak, which brought a lot of relief to Ashlen, if they were weak then they probably wouldn’t come back. A quick glance towards where the forest started again confirmed it, blood leading away into the deep of the trees. They most definitively didn’t escape uninjured.

Satisfied, Ashlen turned around and went back to their territory, using the opportunity to patrol the border once again, making sure to reaffirm their scent and clearly delimiting the border of their pack again, to try to scare away the other pack if it came back. Ashlen hadn’t mentioned it to the others, but every day they had started to found more and more trails of the strange wolves, seemingly progressing more and more into their territory.

Ashlen didn’t want to worry the others too much, but they were fairly nervous about this situation. While their companions didn’t understand it clearly, probably since they were raised by humans, Ashlen knew that wolves wouldn’t thread on another wolf’s territory unless they were willing to fight for it. And they were only willing to fight if the wolves were secure in the knowledge they would win the fight.

Ashlen’s pack was weak, all of their members young and inexperienced in the majority. Ashlen really, really didn’t want a confrontation; but as the days dragged in, it became more clear that the possibility was inevitable. Ashlen wasn’t willing to give up without a fight, having grown fond of the mountains they lived in, but they were scared. They are the most apt member of the pack to fight, and they doubted they could take an entire wolf pack on alone. The other pack easily surpassed them on numbers, the tracks too many to belongs to only two wolves.

Sighing, Ashlen turned and started the journey back into their den, the silent Moon already rising high into the sky, determined to get back and check back again on Shivo to see if his injuries were better now.

May the Moon help us, they thought bitterly, I won’t lose the home I just found.

[theazkapack]

The Beginning

Ashlen was a strange wolf.

Silent and stoic, one would doubt sometimes the wolf was even alive, from how little they reacted to things around them. Their family grew to resent them, for they did not seem to know how to communicate with normal wolves. Never seeming to help outside of occasionally helping out with the litters, Ashlen soon grew to be a dead weight for their family.

Their old pack wasn’t ashamed to admit they were glad Ashlen had disappeared, that fateful misty morning when Ashlen decided to patrol their territory.

——————————

That morning, sensing the hostility in the air and how tense everyone was around them, Ashlen decided to go out and patrol their pack’s territory, since nobody wanted them around. Wandering to the edge of it, they sniffed around and quickly pranced towards a dead prey that was laying in the middle of some strange dark dirt. Ashlen quickly started eating it, deciding to at least get a snack out of this deal.

Unfortunately, so focused they were on their snack that they never did see the car speeding down the road.

Injured and almost killed, Ashlen was quickly brought to a wildlife rehabilitation center, where they would spend almost four months slowly recovering from their injuries. They would spend most of their time on quarantined, isolated from the other wolves of the center, as humans feared they weren’t the same species and would fight. Instead, Ashlen would spend most of their time in the company of the rehabilitators, constantly monitored in case their condition worsened.

Once they were all healed up, they were released in a completely different place from what their old pack territory was. Knowing deeply that they wouldn’t see their family ever again, Ashlen set off into the unknowns of these new lands, hoping for a new beginning. But nothing was easy for them, as the locals spoke way too different to what they were used to, and no matter how much Ashlen tried, they couldn’t manage to maintain any kind of positive relationship with any of the lone wolves around. Disappointed and almost ready to give up, Ashlen tried to find refuge from a snow blizzard into what they hoped was an abandoned fox den.

Finding themself face to face with a brightly colored wolf, wasn’t what they expected, Ashlen fully prepared to be chased out in an instant. Fortunately, the other canine was friendly and let them spend the night in the shared den, the two strongly pressed against the other, chasing away the infernal cold of the outside.

Come morning, Ashlen learned the other’s name, Glawn. The bright wolf was kind and sociable, easily understanding Ashlen when they tried to communicate. Desperate as they had finally found a friendly face, Ashlen quickly offered Glawn to join them in their journey into finding a place to settle down. Surprisingly, the she-wolf quickly accepted and so they went on, exploring around until after one week, they settled down, for now, deep in the mountains.

Only the future knows what it can hold for the newly created pack.