Blacktail Deer Plateau How bright you shone for me tonight

Let me know if this slight powerplay isn't okay! This thread is so intense!

As she rumbled ominously, Saena cast a wary glance at Dante. His thoughts were right and wrong at the same time. Perhaps if she could read his thoughts, she wouldn't have persisted in this endeavour. She would've left it to another time, a more private time. But she couldn't read them, nor was his behaviour entirely readable. In fact, she took his seeming indifference as permission to continue, and would be irritated if he suddenly changed his mind.

One of her ears twisted briefly back, locating Valtyr, before snapping forward once more when Osprey glanced at her. Like the first time Saena had shown defiance of the woman's rank, Osprey basically ignored her, but unlike that time, Saena refused to let it drop. She was gaining in the ranks now, and the Betas knew of her intentions. She had three trades to Osprey's zero now; her confidence was much higher that the pack wolves would recognize her, even in spite of Koda's recent harsh treatment. This time there was more at stake.

Osprey's heat was a threat to the Beta female's pups but, more importantly, it was a threat to the rank Saena sought for herself. This time she wouldn't be ignored.

A sidelong glance back at Valtyr was the only indication that she had any uncertainty about her next move. Perhaps the younger wolf would hate or fear her for this, but it wasn't personal, and she hoped he knew that. Saena'd never felt possessive of him or any pack wolf until now, but the scent of the ripe females did strange things to all of them, even her.

The volume of her snarl peaked as she swept across the last few feet between her and Osprey. Completely rigid, the small female stood there a moment, demanding a response... and when none immediately came, she forced it by making a dominant snatch for the other female's snout, a classic and unmistakable show of superiority.