Don't you talk to strangers.

Amekaze voiced Viatrix's sentiments perfectly: this pompous upstart talked far too much. He claimed that Ferdie and Jace were sick (despite smelling of anything but illness) and dangerous (everybody was). A lesser wolf might have been swayed by these claims, but Viatrix was a pure blooded DeMonte Mackenzie Valley wolf, the epitome of loyalty and logic combined. Had these males done anything to suggest the truth of either of Njal's claims, they certainly hadn't done it without reason, as Viatrix had come to accept that both of them were mild-mannered, logical men.

Rather than responding to the loquacious male and giving him the satisfaction of her regard, Viatrix increased the volume of her rumble and pinned her ears forward, meeting his eyes square on. Jace had some words for them, naming the lead wolf as Njal. Ferdie followed up with threats of his own, revealing an extremely important and interesting secret: Njal had a mate and children.

Though Viatrix stood for honour and integrity above all else, if given the order to harm this man indirectly by harming his pups, she would obey it. Instinct ruled in many cases, and Njal had already made his bed without a single thought to the family he supposedly had.

Her thoughts were cut abruptly short as the Swiftcurrent wolves began to fan out. Ferdie engaged the lead wolf, and Jace seemed inclined to stand at the ready should anyone move too quickly. Viatrix's eyes found Danica, the gold-spun she-wolf, who was quick to attempt to peel off to the side of the group. Realizing that she was the nearest, the aspiring Gamekeeper lunged into a lope that ran parallel to Danica, loosing a guttural warning snarl as she attempted to intercept the intruder's path.

Like her pack mates, she showed no signs of violence yet, but her bearing suggested unbridled aggression that would show its ugly face should the honey bitch take one more step toward the mountain's heart.