Words wafted around them as they walked, the tone constantly changing from one sentence to the next. As much as the woman felt a sudden need to be alone, she couldn’t deny the genuine concern in her leader’s voice. Moraxia casted a sideways glance at Raela as she spoke, listening intently as each string of words ended and another began. She was doing her best to keep a steady voice and the sulking wolf could at least admire her efforts. She nodded in response to the woman’s requests of interests into what she was thinking. The mammoth’s feet gingerly glided off the ground now, not wanting to interrupt or do anything to cause disarray. She was still considering herself lucky her competitive glare had not cost her anything.

Bumping her hips along another timber the wolf slowed her pace enough to dig a small marking beneath her paws. She thought for a long time on the female’s words, unable to answer immediately as the wildlife sang and danced about the forest around them.  As much as Moraxia didn’t enjoy owning up to her flaws, especially in front of her superior, she couldn’t find a better way to ease Raela’s troubled thoughts. An anxious feeling rose in her chest and she regained a walking stride alongside the smaller wolf again.

 “Rae—“ she stuttered at first, clumsily moving her paws one after the other.  “I’m just worried, I’ve seen first-hand a pack fall apart because members leave, lose respect for one-another, or…”

die.

Her heart shattered deep within her. Moraxia ended her sentence abruptly but continued quickly as to not allow time for a reaction.  “Anyway, I think I’m just having a hard time dealing with all of this and I don’t fully agree you spending so much time away helped matters. We need to stick together, and now more than ever this pack needs leadership and important decision making about its future.”  The wolf shook her head back and forth, narrowing her gaze into the dirt.  “I won’t tell you how to do your job, and I’m sorry I lost my temper but—I think we’re all a little in need of some guidance right now.”

The silence that ensued was uncomfortable for her, but not nearly as bad as it had been before. There was much less malice and impending in this shared quiet, but it unsettled the woman none the less. A single golden eye drifted to her side, hoping to catch some sort of reaction from the much larger female. Moraxia peeled away to mark up another spot, and Raela decided to scent for the Lynx instead. The kill was nearby, and her quivering nose confirmed it. They could try to find the creature's old trail, to see if it had truly left the territory and to reaffirm their claims in that area. She did not want it coming back and eating their food. 

Raela waited until her subordinate's larger footsteps began moving her way once more. She had said her piece, and no more words were bustling up to her tongue as they padded over the snowy landscape. The new Queen was watching for that first syllable to break into the air, and at last it did, as her name. Her gaze traveled up toward Moraxia's face with concerned attention. The rest of the words began to flow, and despite her want to respond the Alpha sealed her black lips. She was worried, and Raela was well aware. At least Moraxia had admitted it aloud anyway. 

The rest of the little speech made the matriarch's ears flatten some. She knew that she shouldn't have been gone; she'd already told the woman that earlier. Still, it seemed to bother her more than she had let on minutes ago. Finally a more serious sounding apology came, and Raela's gaze slid back into a forward position. None of what she'd mentioned was untrue. A puff of warm vapor slipped from the Crest Queen's nose and her ears pricked.  "I know you're worried, everyone is," she began softly, still looking ahead. "I went too far looking for him, and when I got back Draven was gone too." She had utterly failed that expedition, and in the end it had only cost them. "But I'm not going to chase the kids down any more. If they've wandered off they can find their own way back," she continued, her voice more filled with irritation now. "And if they're lost I can't do anything about it, searching for Noble and Kova only weakened the pack under Minka's reign. Everyone grew thin and was exhausted by the constant, mandatory patrols, and we can't afford that." She was saddened to know it was true, and it sort of felt callous to say such a thing to a mother missing her children, but it wasn't arguable. If another pack had decided to attack them or cause trouble, the group would have been in no shape to defend themselves, and that was unacceptable.

When had she started to think about these things anyway? Certainly not at the time.

She had to look out for her subordinates now; the loyal ones. All the pups but Ari had most certainly left of their own accord; and so be it. Raela sighed. "But don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." Her tail flicked once, as if to dismiss these troubling thoughts, and she pressed ahead at a brisker trot. The scent of lynx was growing strong, and there had to be a trail around here somewhere. 

The air around them seemed to thin as the two wolves tried to pick up on the animal's trail. Raela's head swung back to answer her larger companion while they trotted along. "It killed something nearby, but I think it's left the territory." Its scent seemed to be stronger the further they got toward the border, but it would likely try coming back for the carcass even if the wolves stripped all usable meat. The cat wouldn't know until it came to check again, and that was not something Raela wanted to occur. "Let's make sure it doesn't come back for seconds." A slight smirk played at the Queen's lips as she spoke, sweeping up beside the nearest fallen tree to make her point clear. 

The snow near the log was coated in scent; an unmistakable trespassing sign for any creature. This was Crest land, and they had better take note. If the lynx was allowed to continue its invasion of their space unharmed, it would do so for as long as possible. So, if they smelled the creature again, Raela would not hesitate to send her pack after it. They could not afford to share. The two females moved along this edge, making sure that every one of the markers was refreshed, as well as creating some new ones just in case. The light had begun fading from view as they walked, and by the time Moraxia spoke up, Raela already had the idea. 

A delicate conversation? She supposed they could call it that. The matriarch's lips curved up in a wry smile and she returned the gentle wag with a chuff. Then, the mammoth woman spoke again, and Raela's expression softened. A genuine grin spread in its place. The Alpha turned back, her yellow gaze still focused on Moraxia. "Thank you," she said sincerely, her voice much quieter than before and tail swaying. A silent, thoughtful moment passed and she spoke again. "Now we just need more of you, don't we?" She joked, beginning the trek back with the hopes that her subordinate would follow. 

Further and further the sun continued to sink as the wolves walked, continuing to mark their scent about the border. Moraxia couldn't shake the feeling they were wasting their time on this lynx as they continued to sniff about the border. Surely their markers would deter any further activity from the irritating trespasser. Rae spoke finally, her tone and eyes full of genuine thankfulness. Moraxia smiled brightly as the woman continued to talk, listening intently. She certainly deserved the respect of the giant as well as everyone else within the pack. No matter what happened now, Moraxia was growing to believe they could face it.

Her tail flowed from side to side as the wolves turned in unison to leave. The remark deserved a chuckle in return from the red-backed agouti. As she straightened her body and fell in line with Rae, she felt content with the conversatio they'd had. Certainly there would be more to talk about in the future, but her thoughts had calmed themselves for now and her Alpha seemed to have settled as well. The sun had crept behind the trees almost fully now as their shadows danced along the hillside.

All was well in the crest for now.



--fade--