Redhawk Caldera trust issues

Haha, sorry for length...guess Elwood has some ~feelings~

Only two other wolves joined the group after Elwood -- the one he had been hoping for, and the one that he would have preferred to avoid for...well, the rest of his life. He knew that wasn't possible as long as they were both members of Redhawk Caldera, but when Grimm strolled onto the scene, he winced slightly. She flashed an exaggerated grin in his direction -- just as Finley was showering him with affection -- but he ignored it. He didn't have any harsh feelings towards Grimm, but he did regret the way he had treated her.

He didn't think about her for long, though; it was hard to do anything else while Finley was lavishing him with attention. The Beta male chuckled, affectionately reaching up with a paw to gently cuff her crown. When she finally settled next to him, he leaned against her, happy to feel her presence. He refrained from glancing at Grimm, and instead focused his gaze on Fox, who began to address the crowd.

Interestingly enough, the whole point of this meeting was to ease some of the tension that had grown among the pack. Elwood felt bad that it was necessary for Fox to call everyone together for this reason; although his drama had passed and he and Finley were very much in their "honeymoon phase," he had been in some hot water for a few minutes. Fox knew all about that whole situation. He tilted his head, wrapping his tail around his paws as she suggested a team-building exercise of sorts. Each wolf would be responsible for saying something pleasant about another packmate (sounds like something we would do in my preschool class!). Easy enough, right?

Elwood glanced around the group, taking stock of his options. Of course, he had plenty of good things to say about Finley -- that almost felt like cheating. He needed to challenge himself. Somnia, Fox, and Peregrine would also be pieces of cake; but that left Magpie, Dove, Jaws, and Grimm. He quickly crossed Grimm's name off the list -- not because he had nothing nice to say about her, but because he was afraid he would open a whole new can of worms. Just as he was trying to make a decision, Fox looked right at him and suggested that he start.

The Beta gulped, his eyes darting from one wolf to the next. Finally, after what seemed like a long pause, he said, "Okay, um. Magpie." His gaze found Fox's black-and-white sister. "I don't think I've officially met you yet, so hi. I'm Elwood. I hope you're feeling better," he added with a smile. Welcoming her and wishing for her wellness was what Fox was looking for, wasn't it?