Horizon Ridge you're gonna hear me roar

Uhhh, this post ran away from me. Character development ftw?!

The pack's latest recruit wasn't the only one with upward movement—and its ramifications on breeding privileges, in particular—on her mind. Pied presently perched on the ledge just beyond the lair she shared with Kisu, her eyes glassy as she stared out over the ocean view. As her second birthday neared and, with it, sexual maturity and her first chance at motherhood, Pied's mind was becoming consumed by instinctual impulses and intrusive thoughts, some of which largely went against her easygoing nature.

For instance, she bristled whenever Jinx crossed her mind and it wasn't because of their conflicted history. Instead, Pied suddenly felt that the other female was her hierarchical rival and a direct threat to her ability to reproduce successfully this coming season. Although Pied did not lust after Akhlut, the Alpha male, and did not view Jinx as competition in that sense, she knew Jinx could thwart her in another way. If the Epsilon continued climbing the ranks and eventually found herself in a position of leadership, she could, for instance, veto permission for Kisu and Pied to bear a litter.

This hypothetical situation made her lips wrinkle back from Pied's teeth in an uncharacteristic grimace of utmost displeasure. Rank had never mattered much to her. She was content somewhere in the middle ranks, neither too high nor too low. She didn't thirst for power, nor would she consider herself ambitious. In fact, she'd shirked an offer of leadership once before, intimidated by the level of responsibility it required. She'd always believed she'd live out her life as a sub-leader at best.

Now, practically overnight, everything had changed and Pied came to the stark realization that rank mattered. In fact, when it came to whether she would become a mother, it might even mean everything. Her eyes lost their glaze and became sharply focused as the thought crossed her mind and Pied realized that things were about to change in her world. Idly, she wondered if her hormones were already going crazy in preparation for her first heat, thereby influencing her sudden shift in perspective. In any case, the reasons didn't particularly matter.

She shifted restlessly, then climbed to her feet. She felt a jolt of fierce energy and she wanted to exercise this ardent urge of hers to prove herself as an important, dominant wolf. She thought back on her recent encounter with Kanti and she knew it would come naturally, especially considering what was at stake. She wondered what the wolves that knew her better, like Kisu, Ahklut and Jinx, would make of her sudden change in attitude. She smiled grimly at the thought of facing the Kesuk eventually. Jinx could almost surely beat her in physical combat, yet Pied would prove herself in other ways.

Something in the corner of her eye made her turn her head even as she continued descending the grade toward the beaches below. She paused mid-step to scrutinize the unfamiliar figure on the beach. The Iota felt the pale fur along her shoulders prickling and she hastily scooted down the remaining slope and trotted out onto the sands. Approaching directly, she acquired the posture befitting a highly-ranked wolf: head held rigidly upright, tail curled over her back and soapstone ears thrust forward.

Just because she was trying to prove herself didn't mean Pied intended to be pernicious about it or that her entire personality would abruptly and completely change. "Hello," she greeted accordingly, maintaining her dominant posture and inherently demanding submission from the stranger while managing to sound affable. The female bore Akhlut's scent. "I take it you're new here? I'm Pied." As she spoke, her two-toned eyes bore into the strange she-wolf, quietly admiring her soft, creamy and impeccably groomed coat and, particularly, her striking eyes.