Dragoncrest Cliffs But you gotta be there for me too

All it took was a hard stare from the pack wolf for Ceres to shrink in on herself. Though already quite submissive, she pulled her tail in closer to her body and curled herself into a smaller form whilst rolling partway to better expose her belly. The old wolf was used to being in charge of her mate and her children but she wasn't a dominant creature. She complied willingly and easily with Eske's silent demand, even though she didn't know what she'd done to warrant it. She'd never lived in a world where mistrust reigned.

"Please forgive me if I have offended," the Arctic she-wolf offered meekly. Out of habit she nearly referred to the other wolf as "dear", but kept her tongue at the last moment. She knew how that could go. Some of her own children had strongly opposed her fond nicknames. "I am afraid that in spite of all my interest, I am unfamiliar with others' customs. Please. I mean no harm in asking. I am just an old woman looking to satisfy my childhood thirst for the unknown." She thumped her tail appeasingly in conclusion.

"Pray, Eske Kom Drakru, tell me of your coalition. This is like an alliance between packs? How do you keep it from collapsing on itself in times of strife?" Ceres' pack had always been allies of her parents' pack, but only out of mutual benefit. They were relatives and the cost to benefit ratio was better. She'd always wanted to make alliances with other packs, but her more practical mate had always told her, wolves will stick to their own when times get tough and turn on all others, and she had always woefully believed that to be true.