Firestone Hot Springs mystline

Koontz nodded her agreement to Ame's sage remark. "Joining a pack isn't a decision that should be made lightly. It's intended to be a long-term commitment, after all," she mused. She'd almost said life-long but, especially knowing Ame's intentions to return home, it wouldn't have seemed as appropriate as the term she chose.

Ame seemed to appreciate the offer, though what intrigued her even more was Koontz's ability to read the skies. "I can read them anywhere," she quipped lightly, nodding again and adding more seriously, "My father was a knowledgeable Skywatcher. He taught me a lot about the skies, weather patterns, moon cycles and the like. I can predict the weather with decent accuracy," she said modestly. Her skills paled in comparison to Aether's, though.

Koontz nodded a third and final time. "Yes, I am the Alpha." When she said this, her shoulders straightened somewhat and she lifted her head, not to display dominance—for she didn't possess it out here in neutral territory—but a touch of pride. "Ariston, Ray and myself founded the pack, with Ariston as the Alpha and myself as the Beta. Leading it became too much of a burden for him and he eventually left. I stepped up in his stead. I know I'm a young leader but I just try to emulate my parents, who were—and still are—Alphas of their pack for many years."