"You did good for your first hunt." Anubis praised as they walked back into camp. Canis proudly displayed his rabbit that he had caught. "You go show the others, I'm going to take some food to Uru." Anubis left the pup and went to the kill pile. He ate his fill before picking up a deer leg and trotting to Uru's den. "I brought you something to eat." He wagged his tail sitting in from of her.

"Our pack was forced to run, dragging as many stragglers with us as we could. Lunarius stayed behind, along with several of the most fit members, and took down as many as they possible could. I didn't think that Lunarius had known that I had stayed behind as well, but somehow he did. After all was said and done, Lunarius had killed the other Alpha. Without their leader to rally behind, and their Beta nowhere in sight to fall back on, they lost their backbone and fled," Ignotia reminisced, the memories weighing heavily on his heart.

He continued again, "Lunarius had called me out from my hiding spot and into the blood-soaked field. He'd known all along that I was there, but never called me a coward. He just sat down and bid that I did the same. He was dying, I knew because of all the blood slowly dripping from the rip in his chest. We sat there for a long time before he said his last words. I was his son. That was all he said before he laid down and simple stopped breathing. That's was it, no apologies for never stepping up and saying it before them, not a single one. And I'm happy with that."

Uru smiled as Noal accepted his rank and to be Althea's mate. "I am proud to call you Beta Noal." she said. When Anubis entered the den, she smiled. "Oh, thank you, Anubis." she said, taking the leg. She began to eat. Her white coat was then stained with blood, but a dip in the ever moving river could wash that.

"Messy eater are we?" Anubis smiled licking her coat clean. "Uru I must ask, why doesn't this pack have a Alpha male? It seems strange that a wolf like you wouldn't have a mate yet." He smiled licking her muzzle.

Desdemona interrupted Ignotia, angry on his behalf, "What!? How can you be happy with that! He literally left you to the dogs!"

Ignotia smiled sadly, "He was the Alpha, Dessie. If news got out that he had a vulnerable pup -a lame one at that, how do you think others would react? He had many enemies, Desdemona, and none of them would have batted an eye while attempting to kill me. It took me a long time to realize it, but what he did saved my life. If he hadn't been distant with me, others would have been suspicious. If he hadn't done what he did, his rivals would have stopped at nothing to kill me."

She bowed to Uru when Anubis entered and she flicked her tail, signaling for Noal to follow her. "Right.'' She shook her thin onyx fur. ''What do you know of being a Beta? Now that were two, we have to separate the responsibilities." She led him away into the safety of the forest. She looked at him with an amused look on her face. ''Let's go on that walk''

Squirrel pounced on the rabbit, breaking it's neck in his jaws. He looked at Bano. "Not as boring as I thought it would be,"

Swordfern put a couple of rabbits on the food pile. She decided to rest a bit.

Shadow looked around. Probably just a bird.

Uru chuckled. "Yeah...." she replied then listened to Anubis' question. "Oh um.... well, i haven't met the right male. The few i've met have been more brawn, no intelligence. Sure, Shadow has some intellect but i don't love him." she said, then looked at Anubis. Her eyes softened. "But, you..... you have intellect and yet strength. But the reason i allowed you to join us, is because i had faith in you. And i still do. Not many wolves can survive the harsh Frost as long as you did, and still have the strength to come to us. I believe you were sent here, to rescue me and rescue you. Because, everyone here doesn't know the secret i hide inside. I hide an illness, which makes me depressed. But ever since you came, i haven't felt sad. It's like you are the angel that gave me a spring i have not seen in years." she said softly. She then nuzzled Anubis' neck.

Bano smiled. "Yeah, unlike the elk, they just run and kick. These hares are like lightning." he said.

"No-no one has ever told me anything like that." Anubis said his ears back a bit. He looked her in the eyes a serious look on his face. "Truth be told I've never felt this way about anyone else. If I didn't know better I would say that I-I-" he fell silent before whispering. "Love you."

Squirrel smiled. "C'mon, one rabbit won't feed the whole pack,"