Porcupine Ridge the devil and his sons

After a brief moment where Farstep couldn't tell whether Romulus would challenge him or do as he wished, the youth finally submitted properly. His face smoothed back out into a mask of neutrality the moment that Romulus crouched lower and pressed down his tail. The tawny wolf only then became aware of Taggarik, who had come to stand nearby. He swung his head around to gaze at the alpha, then arranged himself into his own form of submission: ears back, tail falling lower, shoulders back and not hunched. He whined his greeting and swept his whole tail side to side, pleased that the alpha was here to take over.

Before truly leaving the scene, though, Farstep would reach out in an effort to clamp Romulus' muzzle firmly, but painlessly, between his jaws, if the youth would allow him to. He meant it as a dual sign of acceptance and welcome intertwined with a reminder of their respective ranks, but his approach was slow and deliberate, aware that Romulus might refuse to tolerate it, as many wolves did. Always he kept a lowered ear cocked toward Taggarik, in case the alpha male would not tolerate Farstep's display here—it was always a possibility that the lead male would want to do the honours, or that he might wish to demand more submission than what was given. He was ready to dart away if Taggarik showed even the slightest sign of displeasure, but until then, he continued reaching for the boy's snout.