Loner..

A month past all three pups were playing in front of the den as Huata watched over them, Lar rested his head closer to Blizzard's muzzle giving it a warm lick before lifting himself to check his territory.

As he passed the little ones they stumbled after their father as he sat on his mound.

"What is it little ones,"

His voice was tender as they were playing biting his tail and rolling over his front paws.

They smiled as they ran off to bother Huata who was chewing on her bone, Lar checked the air around him as he stood up calling for gray to join him on a patrol around the territory, in agreement they both padded down the hill tracing all the weekend markers that they placed the previous spring before the snow came, having to re-spray they both went around sending messages to any wolf who would cross over without permission would get a warning.

"Do you think the Moutain pack will come after us after what you did,"

Gray said, his voice worried.

"And if they do, we can defend ourselves,"

Lar's voice was confident and calm.

As they carried on they ran across an unfamiliar scent, not from the Mountain pack, and not of the Swamp pack, Lar gave a questioned look at the paw prints, who was invading on his territory.

Flicking his tail up Gray understood what was going on as they tracked the paw prints to the river bed, a tuft of roan colored fur was stuck to a thorn bush as the prints go into the no wolf zone.

"Make sure the scent border is strong here,"

Lar barked as he drenched his border before leaving back to the den.

"Play with us,"

The young rambunctious pups barked at poor Huata who was exhausted.

The sun was setting into dusk as Lar and Gray came over the mound they seemed to kill a couple

of rabbits, the scent of fresh meat crept into the den sending Blizzard out her ears up.

"Finally feed the kid's so they can sleep,"

Blizzard announced aloud as the pup's chewed their way into the rabbit's flesh.

They all mixed scents to inform everyone that a stranger had passed onto the territory without asking, Blizzard looked down at the pups seeming to miss when they were very small.

"Alright, pups time for bed,"

Lar's voice seemed deep and calm, as the pups bounded back into the den to roll themselves up and sleep the night away, leaving the four adults to discuss matters alone.

"When do you think they will be able to earn their ranks,"

Gray said his voice was hushed by Blizzard's glance.

"They are not yet old enough to be ranked,"

chimed Huata, her once frail body was showing potential for a good hunter.

Lar and Blizzard nodded at Huata's comment, they all shifted glances before continuing once more.

"A few more day's then they will be ready,"

Spoke Lar his voice was still calm and collected.

Blizzard looked at the ground scratching at it lightly, her ears seemed to droop down as she nodded an agreement, they all finished and went to sleep leaving the conscious world behind.

Morning was followed by three pups bouncing on Lar's body, his amber eyes opening slowly as he growled low as a warning, but the pups kept bouncing on Lar their weight getting closer to an adolescent.

"Go play with Huata,"

Lar grumbled his voice seeming exhausted.

"But today is the pack hunt,"

Barked Solider, his blue eyes gazing at the den exit, his tail wagging.

"yea,"

Chimed Thunder, his smokey fur made him look like a piece of oversized lint.

Blizzard lifted her head, her gaze was locked on Lar, as he was busy with the pups Blizzard walked out to grab a bit of leftover meat from the last hunt.

A sharp noise escaped from the den as Blizzard shifted her stuff face to see all three pups running out of the den their tails tucked between their legs, Lar slowly came out his amber eyes glancing at his mate before looking at the pups that were now playing in the dirt.

"How did you get any sleep,"

Lar asked, yawning his sharp teeth gleamed in the light before shutting his jaws.

Blizzard let a small giggle out as she finished eating.

"Well, they did not have the strength to walk or talk, so I had it easy,"

She mocked as she gave him a warm lick on his cheek before turning to the den for more rest.

Lar padded up to his mound testing the air for a sick unhealthy deer or elk, meanwhile, the pups needing experience stood close to their father.

"when can we help,"

asked Thunder his bright blue eyes focused on Lar with his full attention.

"Well, you can't help yet, but you can watch,"

Lar said his voice more of a sigh then agreement.

The pups shot up to Lar rubbing against him and giving him quick licks on his cheeks, Lar smiled a bit as he lifted his tail slightly up and let a hunting howl out, both Huata and Gray padded out of the den their eyes wide and their tails wagging, Blizzard padded up to Lar and nuzzled him as they set off into the valley.

As the pups watched the four adults take down a sick elk they jumped in joy at how big their meal was.

"Finally, not rabbits or deer,"

said Solider, his white and black fur going up and down as he bounced around Lar.

"Now you learn who eats first and last,"

Lar said his voice was gentle as he turned to the elk and ripped off a piece of meat chewing it with his mate, allowing Gray to walk up and eat next grabbing a giant fatty piece, next the pups were nudged to grab some after everyone ate Huata came last chewing on the juicy meat that was leftover from the hungry mouths of the pack.

As they all played around in the warm sun-soaked grass a sound of heavy footsteps started to sound off closer to their kill, Lar lifted his body, lifting his tail as he was looking around to spot a big male wolf with roan colored fur as it slowly approached Lar.

"Who are you and why did you enter my territory,"

Barked Lar, his voice sounded tense as his fur prickled to make him seem bigger.

The loner paused before getting down to allow his belly to touch the ground slowly crawling to Lar.

"I wanted to join your pack,"

whined the stranger as he slowly crept in front of Lar his tail tucked.

Lar sniffed the male he was experienced and had a faint smell of a pack unknown to Lar this wolf traveled far away from his native pack for something.

"What is your name,"

asked Lar his amber eyes focused on the stranger.

"My name is Midnight,"

He whimpered lowly as he stayed low to the ground.

"You will be on trial, so you will be put as omega with Huata,"

Lar said his voice stiff and stale, as he walked to his mate his tail straight as he nuzzled her.

The pups sniffed the new pack member their tails wagging for a new playmate, Midnight tasted the air and sniffed out Huata, she was still smaller than the rest but was great at chasing out the prey,

slowly approaching her Gray stepped in front of him his head high, as he raised his upper lip to show his sharp pearl white teeth as a warning to steer clear of Huata.

"Don't try anything funny with Huata,"

Grays voice was sharp and aggressive his tail was mildly high his fur flattened as his face went back to normal as he went to Huata to discuss new hunting ideas.

Seeing how hard making any friends was proving to be difficult for Midnight as he sat alone in the grass, the sun was starting to go down as Lar led the well-fed pack back to the den his tail high as they all howled about a new member making their strength up to eight members, getting a bigger pack would surely help with any pack disputes over territory, as Lar sat on his mound watching the twinkling stars above as he was proving to be a better alpha than his father.