No doubt sooner or later the call would come. That's how it normally went... right? When a challenge was issued, the victor declared his triumph for all to hear? Especially when it came to leadership, that should be how it goes, right? Uncertainty aside, the yearling was sure that whoever came out on top, he would follow the patriarch of his mother's pack. Fenru's brows rose and fell, his patience wearing thin until... his voice rang through the territory. He had done it and now he summoned for his pack.

Immediately standing and taking up a hasty stride Fenru sprinted towards Ice's beckoning howl. Somewhere ahead of him through the trees he heard his mother's voice answer the Aesir's call with a song of her own and his pace slowed just enough to allow Corinna to arrive well before he did. As the young man stepped onto the scene, his eyes watched as she nudged the silvery male's cheek, greeting him further with the most peculiar of tones. Fenru stood for some time several meters from the Swift River leaders, eyes averted and head held low until a couple minutes' time finally let him realize it was appropriate to come forward. Tail twitching and eyes flickering from one superior to the other, the youth smiled as he tilted his cold, wet nose upward to both Corinna's and Ice's chins and throats.

Eager whines lifted from his muzzle as his tail eventually took up a friendlier, less tense sort of wag. As much as he wanted to express his excitement over the news, he kept a hold of himself and, instead of happily rolling about in front of the two wolves who had helped raise him into the man he was today, he beamed up at them both for a time, drawing close just briefly once more to dampen their chins with his tongue. He let a bark sound from slightly parted lips to relay his acceptance of the rank shift that had taken place. Then, with taking a step back to allow the leading pair some space, he bowed his head, his eyes turning away out of both admiration and respect. Though the wag in his tail had calmed, the quiet grin about his lips held true. In the light of Spring's arrival, he would finally be a grown man in his own right, but right this very moment, Fenru Tainn had vowed to himself that he would be every inch the loyal attendant to his pack... his family... Swift River... now Corinna and Ice Aesir's reign.

Gone Tomorrow

Perhaps she had grown so comfortable with her friendship with Ice that she barely noticed his lack of submission, but something instinctively struck her now in this moment. Of all the wolves in the River, with the exception of her own children, she knew Ice's silver ones the best, but never before had he sought her's out on his own accord. The bulk of his figure blocked her view, but she saw the rise of her pack mate's tail. Eyes widening, she took a half step back in surprise, her lips parting to form a quite "oh". It was not an unpleasant reaction, as he confirmed his new found posture with his words, but simply surprised. Her brain was racing, matching the pace of her heart pounding against her chest. Had there been signs that she had simply missed? Probably, but she clearly had missed it, locked away in her own mind as she had been for so long. With some anxious hesitation, she remembered a day last Spring where they had faced one another and had talked of his rise in power within the pack. Her desperation is what had caused it then, but this was something different.

Retaking her half step, Corinna nodded her head in understanding, her look of surprise fading to a smile. "I had not realized that you had wanted to lead," the female leader confided. "How is...Marsh?" After a moment of silence, she had to ask of how her loyal companion had reacted to the challenge. Leadership had not settled well upon her friend's shoulders and while Marsh had pride, she was suspicious that there would relief now that the responsibility had shifted to somebody else.

For the second time that day, the gray and creme female took a half step backward in surprise. This time was because of the sound of footsteps. Her eyes breaking with Ice's gaze, she turned her head and watched as the familiar face of Fenru strode forward a smile on his muzzle. And for a moment, she saw Indru stepping forward to reclaim his place. But the illusion was gone as soon as Fenru's tongue licked her chin in greeting, his low yip bringing her back to her senses. No, Fenru was not Indru, and even more importantly, neither was Ice. Looking back at her friend, no, her partner she echoed Fenru's smile. Perhaps now, for the first time in a long while, things were going to begin looking up.