New Blood in The War for Power

[size=large] Lunar was grateful of Iris, the juvenile she wolf who accepted her into the pack. She was tired of running from the past and ready to face thr future and whatever it may bring head on. Her breaths were heavy and her sides ached in pain from the run, but above all else she had the unmistakable feeling of belonging again. Lunar had not yet met the rest of the pack but knew this was going to be her new sanctuary. This time whether it be humans or wolves she will not back down or run. She will stand tall and fight.

Lunar heaved a sigh as she leaned back on her haunches to sit. Her multicolored coat softly ruffling in the light breeze. Yellow eyes half closed, take in the area around her. From the trees to the rocks, to the birds in the trees singing joyful songs. A yawn fought its way on out as she curled her tail around her rump and finally relaxed in the sun. The breeze carrying her new scent mixed with the warm scents of the earth across the territory.[/size]

Her young charge had told her about the wolf he had brought into Silvertip Mountain's folds, and Jinx had made it a priority to seek out this new face. The irate juvenile had explained that the newcomer looked patchy, which was about the least specific description Jinx could possibly have asked for. Nevertheless, with just that extremely vague tidbit of information the Alpha female had slid from the confines of Ghost Rock Network's lowest cavern and comb sunny mountainside in search of her newest subordinate.

It took until about midday for the black-footed female to catch an unfamiliar scent on the breeze. Her walk was brisk and business-like, for there was no way of telling whether or not this scent belonged to the new wolf Ira had recruited or a trespassing loner. The only way to know was to approach them.

She found Lunar sitting in the rays of the sun on a ledge, in a stance that suggested relaxation and tranquility. Her coat was a medley of white, black, and brown splotches that, in her opinion, was perfectly described by Ira's aforementioned use of patchy. From this alone, the Kesuk could assume that she had found the newcomer, but still she approached with the stiff-legged authority of a warrior ready to chase out an intruder. Standing at some short distance to allow herself room to charge the other if it turned out she wasn't Ira's newest recruit, Jinx called out, "your name better be Lunar. If it's not, best change it to dead meat."

OOC: sorry for typos, cant really see through my cracked screen.

IC: Lunar had nearly dozed off when a sharp voicr piercedbjher ears. Her eyes snapped to Jinx, who walked with power and purpose. "Yes i am Lunar" She immediatly bowed down submissivly with her tail between her legs and ears flattened against her head. Lunar hoped she would not be attacked as she was still recovering from her journey and would not stand a chance.

A soft wimper passes through Lunars maw. "Iris recruited me into the Silvertip Mountain pack." She wondered if this was the tough and snappy Alpga Iris had described. Jinx's authoriry seemed to radiate off of her body. 'Lunar you should have known better..You should have sought out the Alpha when you got recruited not lounge around on a Alphas territory without a proper meeting.'

She was not like most Alphas. A lot of Alphas made friends with their subordinates, treated them as equals that they were not. Some Alphas even encouraged neutrality from their subordinates, as if being their friend was most important than leading them. She was a Kesuk, and therefore had a more military mind than other Alphas. Jinx was like an Admiral who led first and fostered relationships later.

Therefore, she didn't feel remorseful in the slightest when Lunar bowed into extreme submission. She didn't comfort the woman or invite her to rise from her position because it was "unnecessary". She relished the power that came with being the Alpha female, and she relished the shows of devotion and subordination that every wolf under her banners showed. She slackened her display only slightly to signal that Lunar was free to stand properly, but the Kesuk certainly wasn't about to address her as an equal.

She had to wonder for a moment who Iris was, and decided that Lunar must have misheard her young charge. “Ira told me to expect you,” she announced, folding herself neatly into a seated position as though preparing herself for a lengthy discussion, “so no need to become Dead Meat today.” She preened the fur on her left shoulder for a moment, considering where to start, and chose the most direct point to begin with: “What can I expect of you, Lunar? What makes you a wolf worthy of this mountain?”

OOC: sorry i forgot the name. I thoight you said iris on pm.

IC: Lumar slowly sat up, seeing her Alpha relax just a tad. She could immediatly tell Jinx was different than any wolf she had come upon. She was used to kind souls, not so much evil amd hatred, like the kind she saw shadowed in Jinx's eyes. 'what did i get myself into' she thought.

She looked Jinx straight in the eue, mustering up her courage. " Ehat do i have to offer you ask?" Lunar spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. " I can help you in your quest for power. I can manipulate and sneak my way into other territories and gather information. You see, i have learned the art of charades. I make 'friends' with the enemy and can persuade them that i am a friendly and on no ones side. But i am on yours and yours alone." Lunar played off the confidemce in herself, but wondered in her heart if she would actually be able to carry out such things. She has already made friends woth a member of anoyher pack. But she was not about to let Jinx know of her of her lack of heartlessness.

I promise it won't take this long to post again, things have been hectic and I've just gotten free time the last couple days (and then got a tuberculosis test injection yesterday that laid me flat out for the evening)!

To say Jinx was impressed with what Lunar offered was an understatement. Rarely did she come across such straightforward individuals who knew exactly what words to say. She had met many leaders in her life, and they all seemed to preach the same values: honesty, hard work, dedication, and the like. Jinx had always viewed this preaching as something to cover up the true nature of leadership, which was ambition. Leaders did not become leaders because they thought they could make the world a better place by doing so. Leaders became leaders for the power of leadership.

Such was her opinion, anyway. Lunar claimed to be capable of befriending others and weeding information out of them, which was something that Jinx herself was terrible at. She sought to weed information through means of force. It wasn't necessarily an evil trait but it wasn't an attractive one, either. She could see the value in having someone who was more like a spy or a double agent.

But naturally that brought with it its due amount of distrust, evidence in the Alpha female shifting herself as though fidgeting slightly. “An excellent skill,” she observed, ”but I am... Concerned. How can I be assured you have not promised the same to another leader in the land, and are playing us all for fools? How do I know you are not befriending me for the same reason you say you would befriend our joint enemies?” In as much as she could be gentle, the woman said this gently. She didn't want to distrust Lunar, but being a double agent brought with it a double-edged sword. Perhaps Lunar was a friend to Silvertip Mountain and sought to spy on other packs... Or perhaps she was a friend to another pack and was trying to befriend Silvertip. It was difficult to say.

OOC: No worries. Im going through alot myself. PS Thank you for the rank increase :)

IC: Lunar listened resoectfully, all the while admiring Alpha's cautiousness. Unlike many wolves she thought of all of the possibilities. She knew she had to prove herself. "Jinx, i swear my loyalty to you. That is a very good question. I can answer you, yes... But in reality you will have thought in your mind regardless. I could lie to your face but also i could tell the truth."

Lunar paused a moment, to lick her dry snout. "To be honestly, honest.. I am not working against you. I have not nor will ever betray the pack i swear my loyalty to." She bows slightly displaying her swear, then straightens up once more

Throughout Lunar's explanations, the black-footed Kesuk remained silent. Although it was unstated, they both knew that only time could erase distrust. Being naturally suspicious, just like her mother before her, at times had its disadvantages. Admittedly, Jinx was uncomfortable having a wolf whose motives she didn't understand amongst her ranks, but the promise of such a powerful and crafty ally was too tempting for her concerns.

“Very well,” she decided, “you may stay. We are Silvertip Mountain.” No doubt Lunar had already heard this spiel from Ira, but Jinx repeated it nevertheless: “We are not a group of neighbourly wolves. Those who come too close are forced to leave or pay the consequences, as was the way of our ancestors even in these pleasant springs. I do hope you do not take issue with this policy.”