Her pack — with its grand total of no members besides herself — was new and her lands only recently claimed, but that did not mean she took herself any less seriously as guardian of this place. It was an instinctive thing forged on the most basic level in an Alpha wolf when she bonded herself to a land, especially one with as much character and history as this majestic, old-growth forest. The land would shelter and provide for her so long as she protected it; this she understood without even thinking about it. And so she did protect it, through her tireless efforts to mark the boundaries of the forest, where the younger evergreens that still had much growing to do gave way to scrub and underbrush that tumbled out into verdant, rolling hills and vast, expansive wilderness beyond. The only part she cared about at all, in any of it, was this forest.

And there were strangers here.

The forest had whispered of their presence to her, bringing their scents to her on a pine-laced breeze just moments before a summoning howl rent the air. She figured they had heard her claiming howl earlier and were either here to seek acceptance or to challenge her. She was prepared for either.

When she arrived, she was greeted by the sight of two wolves, both male, both healthy and handsome. One of them — presumably the one who had called for her — looked so startlingly like her brother Antares that she was momentarily overcome with elation and joy before realizing it wasn't him. The eyes…they weren't right. And his brow was different, some of the tones in his coat not quite the same. Disappointment suffused through her, but it was tempered by the fact that these wolves did not appear threatening or challenging in any way. The other, a tall, willowy shadow of ebony that contrasted starkly with the snow around them, caught her attention with his eyes of sapphire. They seemed worthy of her forest…if that was why they were here.

As she approached them, her hackles bristled and her tail rose dominantly over her back. Eyes like frosty seawater bored into their faces challengingly and an ominous growl rumbled in her chest. It was all a test, of course. If they played their cards right and passed it, they would win their way into her forest.

She said nothing, for they were not here to listen to her talk. Rather, she was here to listen to them, so she allowed them to speak first.

Almost immediately, the darker wolf raised her ire. She did not like the way he essentially told her to be quiet, yet at the same time, she appreciated how well-composed he kept himself. Nevertheless, her lip twitched in annoyance. Her behavior toward them was only natural Alpha behavior; it was not threatening, but rather a way to communicate to them what her place in this forest was. Before she could comment, however, the black wolf's companion spoke up and diverted her attention for the moment.

She was aware of the disbanding of one of the valley's packs; she had heard the howl from the fallen Alpha herself. Immediately she felt a degree of sympathy toward these two, for she had experienced what they were going through herself a few times now. Each pack she had attempted to join since arriving in this valley months ago had ended with the pack disintegrating around her, leaving her lost, alone, and confused. That had been in warmer, more generous months, though. To have such a thing happen now, in the midst of winter, was rather dire. She knew the seriousness of the situation that drove them here, and let go of her irritation from a moment before. She knew all too well what desperation could drive a wolf to do.

"Hmm. I might be able to do something about that. But my pack is new," she confessed after a moment, gazing frankly at each of them. "In fact, you would be my first followers. Is this something that you would be okay with?"

As they promised their loyalty to this new pack, Chakra understood the full weight of her responsibility toward them. A fledgling pack was a dangerous, unreliable thing to commit oneself to; there was no guarantee of food, safety, or even the shelter of their lands, should a stronger group of wolves take an interest in their forest. They were just as likely to end up homeless and hungry as they were to prosper under her care. She understood this, and knew there would be dire consequences if she were to let them down. So as they accepted this, she too accepted it as well. They were safer together than they were alone, but it was still her duty to ensure their well-being.

The paler of the pair made introductions, and she noted their names -- Luka and Scimitar. Her tail fluttered a few times behind her as she offered her own answer: "I am Chakra Feralheart." She gestured to them, a welcoming motion of her head that invited them to follow her into the cover of her tall, ancient evergreens. The sweet, tangy scent of earth, pine, and fresh, crystalline powder suffused the air around them. "You are welcome to call this place your home, so long as you remain loyal to me and are willing to protect this land at all costs. If you will do this for me, I will not leave you hungry and cold this winter." She flashed a small smile toward them, her newest packmates and friends.