The Valley

The river rushed strongly against its banks, sloshing up onto the grass which surrounded it. Standing on the edge, Conan gazed down at his reflection in the waters. He panted, tongue lolling in a wolfish smile. He had been running most of the day, patrolling the territory, scoping for hunting opportunities. He had come across several bands of deer, and the trail of an elk herd on the far northern edge of their territory. It would be a good year for hunting. With only two pups to feed, the pack would be strong this winter. Now, with that fact in his mind and the sun hot on his fur, with summer so powerful in the air, even the invasion of the Redback pack could not dampen his mood.

With a great surge of muscles, Conan leapt off of the bank and into the water. The river rushed in coldly around him, trying to suck him down, but Conan was a strong wolf, experienced, and a good swimmer. His legs struck out against the current, carrying him easily to the other side, where he dragged himself out onto the emerald grass. He gave his coat a sharp shake, turning to look out over the meadows. Only a couple miles now stood between him and his home. His den. His pack.

Conan threw his head back, howling to his pack, calling them to meet him. For in his stomach, he carried food for the pups.

Ayame opened her eyes as she heard the call, and sat up. Conan was back. Now the pups could eat. She stood up, and pushed Shade and Chase gently with her nose to rouse them from sleep. She looked around the den at the rest of her pack, before stretching herself to her full length, and yawning widely, exposing all her teeth. Blinking a few times, she shook herself, her russet-browney gold fur shining in the early morning light. She padded to the entrance of the den, and sniffed deeply. Conan wasn't too far, a mile, maybe two. That wouldn't be too far to walk for the pups. 'Ayame!' she scolded herself in her head. 'You're coddling them again! They will soon be big wolves, well capable of outrunning you, and then will you stop worrying?' The honest answer was, no. She would always worry about them, and the others as well. She still worried when Dante went out, and he was the Beta! But, all things must come and go, as was the will of the Great Mother.

Kola awoke with a start in a panic. Her dream involved her puppies getting killed. She stretched and told herself calm down. The sunlight was beautiful. She was always thankful to the Great Mother for everything in her life. She heard Conan howl. She howled back. She padded over to Ayame, who was waking the pups and stretching out her legs. Kola held a special place in her heart for Ayame. She gently nudged Ayame on the side of the face with her nose. Ayame always took excellent care of the pups.
"Good morning, Ayame," Kola said softly, "Let's go meet, Conan." I can't wait to see you, Conan!!! Conan was such a good father and mate. He always awoke early to find good hunting trails and food for the pups. She took off running in the direction of Conan's howl. She quickly found his scent and ran towards. She stopped a few feet away and crept up behind him. She then pounced on him and pinned him down.

Dante's ears twitched in response as he heard the familiar howl. He had been watching over the pack like he always did when the alpha was out. He easily leaped down from the rock he was laying on, watching as Kola ran on ahead. Making sure that the pack was responding to the howl, he followed the alpha female while making sure there were no other threats around.

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Chase's eyes snapped open in surprise when Ayame nudged him awake. He seemed to be in a daze as he looked around the den, wondering what happened. He yawned tiredly, before looking at his brother. With a small whine, he crawled onto his brother's back and nipped at his ears, trying to wake him up. At the same time, Shade opened on eye lazily, pawing at his brother's face to make him stop. Why did his brother have to be so energetic?
"Come on! I think dad's back!" Chase barked, wagging his little tail.
Shade rolled onto his back, tilting his head and finally stood up. The two brothers stretched at the same time before running out of the den. "Come on Ayame! Mom is way ahead of us!" Chase yipped. Shaking out his fur, Shade went on ahead, trotting after those who had gone before them. "Hey, wait for me~!" his brother yelled after him. He then proceeded to tackle Shade, causing the two to roll down the hill. Shade yelped in surprise and growled lowly as his brother landed on top of him. Chase wagged his tail happily, cocking his head innocently. "Oops,"

Ayame picked up the slightly tattered Shade up gently, and set him down apart from his brother. "Behave, you two. Now, let's go see what your father has brought you." she said, and poked Chase with her paw. "and no tumbling onto your brother, mister!" she added jokingly. Dante had gone ahead, making sure it was safe. She gave the pups and encouraging nudge, then started jogging lightly so they would keep up. She relished the feel of the sun on her fur, warming every inch of her, except the scar on her back leg. That was always cold, oddly.She kept sniffing the air to make sure they were on the right track. Within a little while, they had reached Conan. She bowed her head in respect to her alphas, both male and female, smiled at Dante, and laid down on a rock to give the cubs space to eat.

Kola walked over to where Ayame was laying. She hopped up onto the rock next to her.
"Thank you," she said softly. Kola felt that thanks were necessary for every pup that Ayame watched. Kola understood that Ayame loved each pup that she took care of.
"How are you, Yammy?" Kola used the nickname in a friendly fashion. The sun reflected off of her coat and eyes. The sky was a bright blue color. She looked over the pack with a loving look. They were her family and it was her job to protect them. She took this very seriously but wasn't afraid to roughly discipline anyone who wasn't being respectful.

She kept herself low, leaning against the trunk of a large towering tree that grew to the top of the forest skyline, nestled among dried dead leaves that had fallen months ago and the dirt. She wasn't going to make a start towards the other wolves as she was quite content being by herself watching what was going on around the den area.

Sanyue wasn't that bothered by interacting with her pack members, her low and often painful ranking in the pack meant she usually just stayed out of the way. Her desperation to avoid being bullied by her pack members often meant she hung in the shadows just quietly watching from where she lay or stood, she'd only venture out to hunt with her fellow wolves when ever they headed off to hunt.

Her white fur was ruffled in the breeze slightly as she laid there with her chin resting on her paws. She kept a solemn look in her yellow eyes where she watched them with a slight glint of curiosity crossing her face every now and then when they did something of interest to her; which was not very often. She didn't necessarily dislike her place in the pack, she always figured that it could be worse and she could have become a lone wolf by being forced out or deciding to leave, but she knew she wouldn't do that.The protection of a pack was vital to her and being alone with no territory or pack members around would leave her feeling insecure. In a way, she did care a lot for them but she would always feel like the outsider of the pack.

"i'm doing well. And you?" Ayame smiled at Kola's use of the nickname. Usually it was only the pups that called her that. She liked the way she had raised the pups so far to be respectful, but unafraid to offer suggestion. She hoped that Shade and Chase would be the same. She raised her head slightly, and survewyed the landscape. "We have much to be thankful for," she said. "Truly there is no better place on earth."

"We have much to be thankful for," Ayame spoke. Koala was happy. She looked at her pups, and Dante, who used to be a pup. They were all raised to be respectful, valuable pack members. I have the best family. A gentle wind had picked up.
"We have much to be thankful for," Ayame said as she surveyed the land, "Truly there is no better place on earth." Koala sighed.
"The earth and the sky are connected. Without one, the other will perish. We must respect and not be too greedy with what we take. We must also give thanks to the Great Mother. That means leaving a piece of meat whenever we have a big catch. I teach this lesson to all of the pack members and now it's your turn to hear it," Kola said slowly and softly as she looked up at the sky. She shook out her coat and sat down.

Ayame settled herself. the alpha's lessons were few, far between, and extremely important. She prided herself on being able to teach the pups valuable ideals, but Kola's were something else. She laid her head on her paws, still watching the pups, and listened. Her fur shone an odd dirty gold color in the sun.

chase chuckled, "Okay Yammy, whatever you say," he barked. Shade glared over at his brother, and sighed. "Come on, let go," he said. "Race ya!!" Chase yelled before dashing off. Shade perked his ears, "Hey! You're cheating!" Mumbling something under his breath, Shade ran after his brother. Although his brother had a head start, it didnt take long until the black wolf caught up to him. In the end, the two were a tie.
"Hey mom! Hey dad!" they both barked in union.

Dante bowed his head in respect as he approached Conan, his tail hanging low. "Welcome back sir," he greeted. He lifted his head as the other approached, giving a small nod to Ayame. As the pups came racing towards them, he couldnt help but smile ever so slightly. "Easy there you two," he said. Now that the pups and both his alphas were around, he didnt allow his guard to be down. Dante sniffed the air, making sure there were no other wolves, or animals were around.

"Dante," Conan greeted his bata, standing with his head and tail held high, as every alpha should stand. He looked around as his two sons came barreling down the hill, and his tail wagged slightly. The two always had so much energy. He remembered, distantly, being like that once, back when his father had been the alpha of the Tallpines pack and he had been nothing but a pup.
He stepped forwards, powerful muscles rippling as he lowered his head to sniff at his pups, nuzzling them gently apart. His tail continued to wag easily as he sniffed them, learning where they had been, what they had done, since he had left this morning. He licked Chase gently on the head, encouraging him to calm down.
"Are you hungry, little ones?" he asked.

Chase laughed before jumping up and down. He snapped his jaws, trying to nip at his father's neck. "No, not really." he said while wagging his tail. Their father was a big wolf, which made it that much harder for Chase to reach him. "hey hey, I'm gonna be just like you when I grow up," he said, struggling to climb on his back.
Shade looked at his brother and picked up a stick. He laid down on the grass and started to chew on it. He wasnt all that hungry either. Shade rolled onto his back tilting his head, "I'm not that hungry..." he answered.

Kola walked back over to Conan and nudged the side of his face with her nose.
"Good morning," she said softly, before laying down beside the puppies. Her white fur gleamed in the sun. She licked Shade gently, before laying her head on her paws. The sun was warm on her back. It made her sleepy, so she closed her eyes. She was content, but there was a nervousness that lay in the pit of her stomach. She loved her family but always worried about other wolves attacking her family. She sighed a contented sigh. Sniffing the air delicately, she smelled Conan, Chase, Shade, Dante, and Ayame. There was no other scents besides a few hunting trails.

Conan returned Kola's gently nuzzle, snuffling her fur, re-memorizing her scent. Then he turned once more to his pups.
"You have to eat when there is food for you to eat," he scolded them gently. "Sometimes there won't be, and you will be hungry, and will wish that there was food as there is now."

And then he lowered his head and brought the food up from his stomach for his pups.

"It's true," she said softly, "when the Great Mother blesses us with food we must make sure to accepted with open mouth, because we never know when she'll take it away." She thought her pups were old enough to understand simple philosphy as this. Her mother has started teaching her the ways of the world when she was the same age. Kola fell asleep to the lengends of the earth. "When we look into the stars, we see the legends who lived before us," mother said one warm summer evening. The memory made Kola sad, but she understood that when we die we become something new.

Ayame returned Dante's nod, and watched the pups amusedly. She nodded when Kola and Conan told them to eat when they were offered. "You wouldn't want to end up skin, bone, and no muscle, would you?" she added jokingly. She saw Dante's edginess, and stood up, walked over to him. "I checked on the way here. there isn't anythijng near that will bother us" she said gently. dante took his duties as Beta seriously. It was one of his good points.