Darker than blood

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The wolves of Tartok had always been an active bunch. Lazy wolves usually either got the hint and started working much harder than they ever had, or they were chased out because they did not live up to the creed. The strong survived and they did not do so by lounging around. Tonravik’s constant movement held this true, because as heavily pregnant as she was getting to be, she was still doing everything she had done before. She, perhaps, should have taken a rest but Kroc did not impede such things on her, for Tonravik’s instincts were well-honed and would tell her when it was time to stop and tend to the growing pups more than anything. Besides that, Kroc would be there to uphold the structure of the pack alongside Iqniq. Together, they would watch over the Spine more fiercely than ever before as the female Alpha got closer to birthing the next generation.

Kroc knew all that very well and had just ended her own patrol, breaking from the borders to head up to the pond that she knew was nearby. It wasn’t a long trek, for she’d been in the mountainous region of their terrain already, and somewhere along the way she scented Tonravik and the newcomer, Kapvik. The trail fresh, she assumed that they had both had the same idea and ascended after them, arriving to the pond swiftly enough to see the male still lingering at the edge of the pond. 

The pale Beta did not hesitate to near them, coming up on the Zeta’s side. Teeth gave him a brief nip on the haunch, not to assert but to greet. Her posture was not quite as stiff as it had been the first time they had met but she still displayed her rank, as was the natural way of wolves. Kroc also did not hesitate to slip into the pond, happy to let the waters cool her heated body, bumping Tonravik’s shoulder briefly in a similar greeting. The creature stayed quiet, gold eyes looking to the other to see if he would join them.