Exhaustion was an understatement – he had left the small gathering of wolves with the news of their departure in the morning, and then a call sung out across the lands he still laid claim to, if only for a few more stolen hours. He was tempted to simply ignore it.. after all, he did not want to leave Desdemona from his sight – especially with his children.


But he could not refuse another if they seemed a decent addition to the ranks. Winter would come swiftly, and he would need others to help feed his children.. and, perhaps even to ward off his ex-mate who was now lurking like a tainted shadow.


So he maneuvered his way to the border, his gait swift and his large frame sure. Phineas might have been fatigued beyond all measure, but he would maintain his status amongst these wolves, and in turn, he held himself a king – for that was what the Argyris was.


His bright orange eyes caught a flash of silver. A she-wolf – rogue. He emerged from the foliage, the moon glinting from his ivory pelt as he moved forward. His pace was that of a prowl, his eyes studying her brazenly as he lifted his muzzle whilst his tail arched higher in the air. She had summoned him, so he offered no words, his stoical expression merely remained upon her, waiting for an explanation to why she requested a Magnolia Glen wolf.


Soon, they would be gone from these lands when dawn’s first light hit the top of the trees.. and soon, the mountain would harbor the newly rising pack.

She wasted no time for introduction – though her bright eyes bore in to his, stirring his hackles to bristle at this age-old challenge. So many loners had waltzed upon his borders – some, even, old faces he had once trusted, only to try to stare him down, as if they did not realize that to do so was a direct challenge to his rank. Had fatigue not clung to every ounce of his very being, he might have simply closed the distance between them then, snapping his jaws to her throat and revealing what he truly thought of her poor manners.


But he did not move. Instead, his figure stood – regal, defined by the moonlight, and he cast her a quizzical glance. She uttered a mouthful – she traveled far to reach mountains to seek companionship. The words alone were ludicrous – was she asking to join, or simply looking for someone to talk to? Thus far, he felt as if his time was being wasted.. especially, when he would be taking his children on the longest journey they would have thus far in their young lives come daybreak in the morning.


“You’ll need to clarify what you mean by ‘companionship,’” he responded dryly, his tail sweeping through the cold night air. His breath unfurled to the darkness, much like a wisp of smoke as it tapered to the night sky. Winter was coming. He could feel it in the air.. the way the frost glistened upon the grass blades and the bushes. He could only pray it would not be like last year.

The subtle change of his demeanor toward her to reflect his disapproval seemed to be taken in to consideration, and the girl lowered herself – something he would consider proper, given her next request that by companionship, she meant a place within his ranks. He was older now, and at times, he wondered if he was simply an old-fashioned beast – these young spring chickens seemed to need a gentle nudge before showing the barest trace of manners. He could only hope that despite being the children of a kingdom, his own children would reveal better suitability if they ever sought a place outside of their true home.


He could not imagine life without them though, and the idea they might stray from beneath his protective wing was enough to tug his heartstrings.


As swift as she was to backstep her words, he was willing to let the small mishap go as well. Holding on to his frustrations had not done him any favors – such was the case of Zia, whose whereabouts were now unknown to the male.. and who should have been leading rightfully at his side now. Instead, he had a small myriad of females he did not know.. and then Desdemona – who he trusted about as far as he could throw her. It would amaze him if his ex-mate would not even try to choke him in his sleep this very night.


“And what skills do you bring to a pack, Aestyn?” It was an age old question – one he had asked so many times over, that the faces of his joiners had become blurred. Only a few had proven to be loyal, and even then.. they had all somehow drifted away.

There was nothing outstanding about her answer – but that was nothing new. He couldn’t even say he gave remarkable answers when asked such a question, but he did believe she had answered honestly, at the very least. There was something to be said for that.. and as he studied her, he knew he could not decipher what her loyalty was like. Not until he tested it for himself.


With a small nod, the male shifted his weight, his eyes studying her quietly. “We are moving to a new territory tomorrow to stake claim – does that affect your choice to stay with us?” It was a simple question, but very relevant to the female, for she would be uprooted no sooner than she had settled down for the night. He had not expected a stranger to come knocking on his door only hours before his travels, and so he waited, knowing full well that the offer to join them might be fully based on the simple fact that she liked the look of the land from the outside – after all, she knew none of them to judge anything else. “It will be at the base of the mountain,” he also offered as brief insight – if she had a fear of mountains, that might also influence her decision.


The cold wind swept past him at that point, stirring his ivory pelt and reminding him that even once the sun rose, it did not promise that the next day would be any warmer than it was now.

She seemed to hold no qualm with this news, and waiting for only a short moment to allow her thought and consideration of her decision, when noting was spoken, he gave a small nod. “Very well then,” he murmured gently, his muzzle tilting back over his shoulder to give a nod in the direction the rest of the small pack lay. It was a short walk to them, and he only extended the expectation that she would follow through his body language. His walk was swift, though the large leader moved with an agility and grace that had only become so crafted through his age as his paws made sure to avoid the sticks and stones that would disrupt the others.


“We leave at daybreak,” he offered her, his tone hushing even more so as they came upon the others. His eyes fell worriedly to the three sleeping form of his cubs – two, the palest of white, and one, the deepest of ebony. With one final glance to the she-wolf who had newly joined their ranks, he motioned with his muzzle that it wise she settled closer to him – when the others awoke, they would certainly have questions why a new face was settled amongst them, and he desired no turmoil between his pack mates. Not when they had other priorities ahead of them, and a rather arduous journey.


As he settled his form close to his children, wrapping them in his warmth and safety, sleep would still not find the ever vigilante wolf – not with so much at risk.