That hadn't been all the other male had said, but after Kano's initial warning it seemed the tawny male had taken his warning to heart. All he would need to hear was a whisper of the rubbish he was sprouting before to turn on him once and for all, but for now it would do. He felt some of the tension leave his body as he looked to his leaders for guidance. Was this wolf a threat or a potential recruit?

Volkan's eyes slid shut, deep breaths her only concern. In. Out. Her entire being was concerned only with keeping herself calm, keeping up the shell of a wolf to whom the news of his presence was no consequence. After a second she forced her eyes open, the faces of the Creek wolves blurring into view. She stared forward, focusing on nothing, hoping only that no attention would be drawn to her, that this matter would pass and that another topic would steer the conversation away from this...

Allowing herself to look at someone, she chose Rolu, whose very presence now seemed like a poison. Mentally she envisioned Ruiko leaping at him with a repugnant snarl, imagined the Copper Rock Creek pack circling in on him, taking him down. In all her days of fighting, of being instructed explicitly to wish death on another wolf, she had never wanted so badly to eradicate someone from her sights...

...But not now. Silently, she forced her attention back at Ruiko with a pleading look meant only for him. Meanwhile, cogs began working in her mind. What did they know? And— was he still around? Had he merely brushed by the borders by chance? Or... had he come looking? For now, she could only wait, gaze directed obediently at her leader. She had given her loyalty in return his protection— and it was vital that he knew. The glimmer of hope that he had passed by, had travelled elsewhere, was all that kept her sane in this moment as she fought to appear normal...

His relatively simple question became the catalyst for quite the confrontation. Kinis watched, bewildered, as Kanosak seized the initiative, coldly questioning another present. Rolu. His participation over, for now, Kinis looked from one wolf to the other, taking prompts from Aeylen and Ruiko. When his brother's strict tones rang out, his ears flicked back, and the boy was glad that he was not on the receiving end. All eyes seemed to draw to this Rolu, and when he spoke, it was nearly an anti-climax. Rhysis... Kinis remembered that name. Was there more to him than Kinis knew?

For explanation, he looked to Aeylen, to Ruiko, to Volkan, and in the latter saw nothing but blankness. Caught up in confusion, he did not dwell on that. Next he looked to Kanosak, the trustworthy wolf who had first pointed the finger, but saw him turning to the leaders for guidance as well.

Meekly Kinis stared between Ruiko and Aeylen. What would come of all this tension?

It would seem as though all eyes were on Rolu, and eventually the wolf would regurgitate some information. It was not quite the explanation the leadess had expected, but for now it seemed sufficient enough. The anxious gazes of Kinis and Volkan, and the wandering eyes of many of the other pack members were not unnoticed, and her questioning gaze would come to fall upon the Tainn male at her side. What is to be done? her eyes asked of him. The shewolf quietly drew in a deep breath before issuing a nod of reassurance to the others before returning her attention to the man who sizzled beneath Copper Rock Creek's fiery spotlight.

Certainly, there was more to this story, but with dawn just upon the horizon and no sleep to be had by any of them, the female was inclined to assert her ruling with brevity.

"Rhysis is allowed no entrance into Copper Rock Creek, nor will his friendly interactions with any wolf of this pack be tolerated, at this point." She, herself, had business yet to be resolved with the Aquila man, but resolution was just around the bend. Brows pulled together in a hard line, and for a moment she would look over the newer pack members, her eye contact driving the message home. Rhysis and those loyal to him were a threat to this pack, and each of its members.

"It is of the upmost importance that each of you step with caution through Relic Lore, and we must remember that it is everyone's responsibility to ensure individual safety."

With the most important issues now exposed, and the words she had wished to share in the open, Aeylen concluded matters on a lighter note following a few moments of silence.

"Get some sleep - each of you will need your strength, as we will be embarking on our first family hunt when everyone is rested."

Rolu seemed un-phased by Ruiko’s firm order for an explanation, and the tawny wolf gave an agitated flick of his tail as the wolf offered barely any insight. The Leader blinked knowingly in the direction of his mate, not believing Rolu’s story for a moment – after all, why explain worries to the pack Second and then not easily brush them off when faced before the pack? With his tongue slithering past his lips in annoyance, his gaze fell briefly to Kanosak, who had fallen silent.


Neither wolf offered any insight, yet when Ruiko’s gaze found Volkan’s imploring eyes, his world seemingly stopped. The swarthy she-wolf was not a wolf of many heartfelt words, nor did she wear her emotions upon her limbs for all to see. Yet the pleading look in her gaze informed him something was wrong, and instinctively he stiffened his figure next to his mate, desiring nothing more than to end this sudden ludicrous meeting and seek to comfort the she-wolf who now sought him.


His gaze flickered over the gathered members briefly – locking his eyes to Kinis’ for a brief moment. Kinis seemed as confused as he, and Ruiko gave a brief nod of his muzzle to silently reassure his brother all was well. His mate’s strong word’s rang out, and Ruiko pressed his shoulder to hers proudly. “Take care to reinforce the borders as well when you have a moment of time,” he reminded them as well, though his grateful eyes would fall to Kanosak and Wille – the two wolves who had taken this very seriously.


With the members dismissed, the stoical male stood vigilantly, awaiting to see if Volkan would approach him or if he would need to seek her out.

Concerned golden eyes had settled on the young nakloV, as at Rolu's word she looked to okiuR almost imploringly. His hackles sat on edge again, sharp stare turning back on Rolu. If he did anything to upset the young female, a thorough beating would be the least of his concern. Something about the girl bought out his protective streak. Perhaps it was the resemblance to his sister he was yet to acknowledge or maybe it was simply the fact she had been one of the founding members of the pack he had come to call his family. Either way, he held loyalty to her over loyalty to the curr. All it would take was a single word from his leaders. A word that would not come.

As they were given their leave he approached both of his leaders with a reaffirming nudge to each of them, worried eyes once again falling to nakloV. One day he would sit with her, and hopefully hear the story of what had her so rattled. But he would not push the issue tonight. Hoping beyond hope she would discuss the issue with okiuR or nelyeA before anything got out of control, he took his leave, melting into the dark forrest to do his customary check of the borders before bed. He wasn't about to drop his guard because others had been told to do the same.

Suddenly, surely, she felt the eyes of all wolves present turn to her. Her stomach felt as though it was about to drop out of her stomach, but still she forced her pale gaze forward, leaving Ruiko's and moving to an unspecific place somewhere far behind him. This. This was exactly what she had not wanted— why was this happening to her? Why did she have to find out in front of everyone, right here, right now? This was the only way things could've been worse...

Ruiko seemed alarmed, though she could tell he fought to keep calm. He was the only wolf to whom she dared return her attention when the meeting seemed to come to an end. Though, she couldn't speak to him now. She couldn't speak to anyone now— she needed to leave, to get out of here, to figure out what the fuck was going on. She couldn't take this anymore. The time would come, she knew now, when Ruiko would need to know the truth. He deserved to know, and she couldn't hide it any longer... yet, not now. Please, not now.

Swiftly, without a word, she turned and made her exit, hoping no one was watching, prepared to snap at the heels of any wolf who dared follow her. Like a ghost, she disappeared through the trees.