Porcupine Ridge Second sight has paid off well

Farstep misunderstood Terich-mir's intentions here. It was not that he did not see what Farstep did for this pack, the hours he toiled on the borders, the wolves he intercepted there and had a paw in either accepting or rejecting from their ranks. No, Terich-mir saw these things and was glad for it. What Farstep did not see was Terich-mir's own quiet assertion of his rank, the relationships he was quietly, slowly, building among this pack. Perhaps he was not doing so quite to the degree or quickness to Farstep's liking, but who was he to say one way or another?

As far as Terich-mir was concerned, Farstep had no say in the matter, and that was why he had no intentions of backing down today. From his peripheral vision Capriccio arrived, and Terich-mir's heart lifted in his chest. Good, at least one wolf who would side for him, if it came down to it. Without looking, he noticed the way she scorned the alpha male, and even noticed the slight way she challenged him in her own right, before settling beside the other female attending the ritual.

Then all his attention snapped back to Farstep as he stamped a paw upon the ground and snarled. The DeMonte felt his muscles tense in anticipation, but he knew in some primal part of his body that Farstep would not fight him. There would be no violence here, would be no physical show of strength, unless Terich-mir himself instigated it. But not yet. Instead, the grey wolf stepped toward Farstep, deliberately pausing after each paw hit the ground, lips lifted to show his own teeth, to show he's not afraid of this challenge. Then he paused a few yards from the challenger, his head held higher with his chin tucked protectively over his throat, and issued a warning growl.

Perhaps he wasn't the best beta right now, but that didn't mean he shouldn't be given the chance to improve.