Wild Rye Fields live long enough to become the villain.

Everyone earns their place, Askan had told him – or something to that extent. The exact verbiage was lost on him, the memory of the tussle was more important, anyways, but the sentiment was the same. For several days, the dark wolf continued to learn the borders of Wild Rye Fields – and when he could find Askan, he’d pester the other wolf to keep working. Keep training. While the silver-eyed wolf still wasn’t exactly sure what sort of pack role he wanted to take up, an ability to defend one’s self could never go wrong.

An ability to earn their place, as it were.

Now, he didn’t know this Icicle fellow much from a hole in the ground, but if he wanted to remain as the third ranked (directly below Askan, no less), he was going to have to earn that. Away from the communal den, where they wouldn’t cause too much ruckus, Reyes put up a howl, summoning the albino wolf to the rank challenge. As soon as he appeared, ears rolled back, and the swarthy male rumbled. “I ain’t gonna mince words, pendejo. Someone’s gotta watch Askan’s back, and it ain’t gonna be you. So step aside, or get run over.”

With nothing else to say, he charged.

The colorless wolf did hear the call, his ears perking as he took note of it, from one of the new wolves that he had yet to really make an effort to meet. Reyes. He said quietly, turning from his quiet trek toward the borders, eventually finding the obsidian male waiting, though before he could ask what was going on, the other wolf declared his intentions and rushed forward toward the albino. Icicle found himself being rammed by the smaller wolf’s bulk, hitting the dirt, a growl emitted from him as he stood.

Though he didn't have as much time to think and analyze as he would have liked, Icicle had no intention of just being brushed aside, he had taken being walked on all of his life and now he had something to hold on to, something that he had earned in more ways then the usurper could even imagine, this was his chance to prove it, to this wolf, to Askan, and most importantly to himself. He bared his fangs, ears falling flat, his pink gaze narrowing as his hackles raised “You think it’ll be you?’ he snarled in response, His muscles tensed, lunging forward, he snapped his ivory fangs toward the challenger's muzzle.

At least, Reyes thought idly, somewhere in the back of his mind, the guy was willing to fight. If the albino had simply cowered and shied away, it would have proven his point all the more – but he was not here to offer kudos or congratulations. As his he threw his weight into the younger wolf, he twisted away again, teeth snapping in the air just by his muzzle. The grab would have been a wise choice, had the older male not been practicing with Askan just a few days prior. The beta was always quick to whip around and grab with sharp teeth, and Reyes was ready for it.

As Icicle moved by him, he whirled about, reorienting himself. “That’s what I’m implyin’, pendejo,” he snapped, and said no more, lunging for the white wolf’s neck. He grabbed the man’s thick scruff and kept moving, shoving the animal towards the ground. Though the albino was taller, he was not heavier, and Reyes moved like a freight train as he plowed forward. The point wasn’t to maim the other wolf – this was pack, after all – but he wasn’t playing, either. There was only one thing on his mind, at the moment, and it wasn’t idle chit chat about the who and the why – it was finishing this, as quickly as he could.

Anger fueled the colorless wolf as he felt teeth meet his scruff, Reyes, using his weight advantage to push Icicle toward the ground was working. Feeling the pressure building as she snow was slowly coming up to meet his face, thoughts ran quickly through the wolf’s mind, from his past, all the times he had been walked over, ignored or bullied, it filled him with a hard determination, this subordinate, had the nerves to think that he was better suited to have Askan and Drestig’s back as the third of the pack, that was HIS position, one that Icicle had worked his ass off to earn, one he wasn’t going to give up easily, not usually a violent or aggressive wolf, Icicle was surprising himself with the passion he had to defend his rank.

Muscles bunching, Icicle gave a violent jerk upward, using the height advantage he possessed to try and off balance his opponent, Feeling the other wolf losing his grip, icicle turned quickly, fangs bared, his hackles raised as he snarled, snapping toward Reye’s neck, aiming to put him in the same position he had just been into force the other to submit, sinking his teeth into the dark wolf’s scruff.

Snow sprayed around them and for a moment, just a moment, the cold shards sprinkled across moonstone eyes. For all that Reyes had hunted this past winter, survived on his own (when he should have gone south), the stinging sensation was a new one, and the wolf blinked, hard. In that single second, it seemed enough for Icicle to find his steel and the wolf twisted away, out of the snow, and moved to do just the same to the wolf who’d done it first. Reyes could see the move come from a mile away, but as he twisted to get out of the way, eyes still burning slightly, he slipped across the hellish white landscape. Nails dug into ice, but it did him little good. The albino caught him by the scruff, shoving the older male’s face down into the snow.

But it would not last.

Reyes reared back with no regard to his own well-being, pride now flaring angrily in his chest. Tufts of fur and flesh were left among the delta’s teeth as blood dribbled down his neck, a fresh would tearing open the almost healed laceration Askan had left there some time ago, as if to add insult to injury. Snarling, Reyes darted forward, grabbing for a forelimb – but as he rocked back to push his substantial weight forward, something didn’t quite…work. Whatever he’d done before surged up his entire limb now and grey eyes widened, just slightly, and the propulsion was cut in half, the lunge far slower than he’d intended it.

Whatever had caused it, Icicle wasn't going to question it, it was what had gave him the advantage, The white wolf dashed to the side, kicking up loose snow as Reyes slipped, tripped, stumbled, the case being that the unintended action aided Icicle in avoiding the lunge. Putting some distance between them, Icicle licked his lips, tasting the blood and fur, he paused for a moment, if blood had been drawn intentionally, things would have been going too far, but if Reyes hadn’t fully recovered from some previous wound and had chosen to face him, Icicle had no issue with that.

The Albino just wanted this to be over with, fighting wasn’t something the colorless wolf had a particular fondness for, but he’d see it through till one of them did submit though, unwilling to give up what belonged to him. A warning snarl emitted from the Delta as he flashed his fangs, his tail raised high, his ears angling forward, intent to show just who the dominate one here was, he lunged forward, covering the short distance between the two pack wolves, aiming to slam his own body weight into the bulkier male, trying to force Reyes to the ground.

He couldn't put his paw on it, but Askan couldn't help but feel as though something was amiss. All was quiet and calm, just as he liked it, but rather than instilling a sense of peace it felt off, odd even. Treading along the snow-cleared track, the Yukon wolf made his rounds with a troubled scowl tugging at his lips and squinting his eyes. By no means were Reyes and he always together, but usually he at least had a vague idea of where he was and what he was doing. But today? Nothing. Askan had no clue whatsoever. It was as though Reyes was mist, every time Askan made an effort to look for him, he'd slip through his grasp.

Askan huffed in frustration as he squeezed through the low branches of the evergreens. He wasn't in the woods, so where could he be? It was then Askan saw too shapes colliding in the centre of the field, several hundred footsteps away from the frozen over pond. For a moment he-for the life of him- didn't recognise the two wolves snapping and snarling. No one in the pack would behave like this, they weren't savages, this wasn't acceptable behaviour at all! And then, as he continued to watch for a distance he felt a spark of recognition. He'd recognise that dark wolf anywhere, with his bulky form and dark brown pelt. Reyes? Askan blinked, shocked, then his attention moved to the other. Tall but gaunt, there was no mistaking it. That was Icicle.

Now that he'd put names to their forms, there was only one question on his mind. What the fuck were they doing?

A growl spilled from Askan's lips and without thinking, he burst into a sprint and tore across the field as fast as his legs would take him. He was fast, but not fast enough it seemed, as by the time he entered the scene blood stained the snow and Icicle was lunging forward with the clear intention of pining Reyes down.

With a snarl, Askan barrelled into the albino with his shoulder, shoving him forcefully out of the way. Before Icicle could even retaliate, the Selwyn spread his stance, bracing himself lest the white wolf decided to try again. If he did, he'd just get knocked back again and again until he learned. With his tail held high, Askan's voice boomed across the field.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing? Both of you!"

With ears constantly pricked for new about his daughter, Drestig felt his heart skip a beat as a howl went up within the Fields. It was a summons, but not for him, which in itself was deflating, but also curious; Icicle… What did their newest member want with the pale youngster? Normally, the leader would have rushed to see what was up, but he was in the middle of a patrol along the southern border; For maybe the 1000th time looking for any trace of Percy and finding none. So he let it be for now, continuing his walk eastward, snout to the ground. In fact he'd all but forgotten the howl until the distant boom of an angry voice reached him, once again halting his advance. This time he couldn't ignore the ruckus, pulling away from the border to follow the shouting, a small growl of frustration leaving his throat.

Clearing the trees, he instantly caught sight of three figures, two of them easily identifiable as Icicle and Reyes, and the third, the one who was yelling; Askan, of course! In the time it took him to close the distance, Drestig quickly appraised the situation, hackles rising as he spotted the blood. At least the guardian seemed to have broken them up, but that didn't lessen the leader's anger. "Enough!" He snarled, tail arched high over his back as he walked up to the group, eyeing the two brawlers and baring his teeth; "This is not the time for this shit!" Ember eyes went to Icicle, flaring at the sight of his bloody lips; "And you should know better!" He was so enraged, he found it hard to think straight. His daughter was missing and these buffoon's were wasting energy on something like this; Unbelievable! His gaze shifted to the darker male, brushing the wound briefly and determining that it was non-fatal, before shifting down to meet the ghostly gray eyes.

For a moment he said nothing, staring down the brute. Then he flicked his tail, speaking to the other two without loosening his eyes from Reyes; "I'll speak with you later. Askan, leave him be and get back to the borders, I'll handle it. Good work, breaking them up." The complement was delivered in the same, growly tone as everything else, but hopefully the second would know that the anger was not directed at him. To his newest subordinate, Drestig spoke icily: "You're coming with me."

Word Count: 408

Thoughts. ”Speech”

Dawnthieves.de

This was bad. This was worse than bad. There was snow up his nose and in his face and if he didn’t get his goddamn leg to goddamn cooperate with him, this mongrel was going to paste him across the ground and leave him like a smear. He spent years – years! – on his own, doing just fine, and he joined a pack for what? For this? To prove himself…to who? To Askan?

Who had the fucking nerve—

The thought never finished, because with the guardian’s appearance came the end to the squabble, Icicle releasing his bloody neck at the command. Ears laid back against his skull. He had a few choice words for this beta at this particular moment, but he held his tongue. Perhaps the patience was a good thing, for the resident ruler appeared in no short order, and seemed entirely unhappy with the discourse amongst his packmates. It wasn’t surprised, he supposed, and Reyes had to swallow down a growl along with his tongue, thinking nothing kind towards Askan and Icicle both as the pair was dismissed.

Once they were beyond earshot, he fell into line behind the alpha, tail and head both low as he stared hard at the ground. What was he supposed to say? So he said nothing, and waited for the inevitable instead.