♛Rise of Northwind: Chapter II♛

Northwind heard an obvious rustle from the foliage nearby. He tensed involuntarily, tail erect. "Whomever befalls my gaze, proceed." The phrase felt familiar to him; a piece of his past that he carried with pride. It was a common greeting to shy or new wolves in the Heavens. A broad shouldered, chocolate furred male with a flame emblem on his pelt and amber eyes scrutinized him warily. The loner's odd speech puzzled the alpha male. Flecks of white dotted the wolf's pelt, and tan splotches as well as a pure white stripe running down his muzzle.

"Your name?" the alpha male called, straightening his posture. Northwind narrowed his eyes skeptically, then hesitantly unfolded his crystalline wings.

"Northwind." The alpha male was awe-stricken, though he tried not to submit to Northwind's glory, and instead cast his sight elsewhere.

"Heaven-sent." he murmured, feeling insecure under Northwind's sight.

"Yes, I am. Though honestly I am no different than you." Though Northwind knew he was lying to himself; he had powers like no other.

"Are you in search for a pack?" Northwind recalled Sayble mentioning a foreign word: pack.
"Err, yes." he brusquely replied, than added: "And your name?" The male dipped his head, and said he was named Alpha. Northwind found the name strange, nonetheless he kept his muzzle shut as Alpha led the way. Often Northwind would pause, lured by the scent of a fleeting rabbit, but rejected, for he knew the outcome. Rough gravel poked his paw pads, and he grimaced at each step. Finally Alpha halted, his eyes bright and tail curled, though Northwind's tail swung like a pendulum.

"This is Howling Heir territory. Come, and I will show you the base." Autumn trees encircled the path, and some of it seperated into dens. The expanse of territory led to an oval section with sunning rocks and various herb storages. A she-wolf lay on one of the rocks, eyes closed. "Howling Heir pack, please gather!" A swarm of wolves answered his call. Unnerved, Northwind kneaded his claws in the dirt in anticipation. Their gazes were searching, puzzled.

"A new wolf has crossed our territory. Northwind, may you..?" He understood, and expanded his wings.

"Northwind, son of Midst," he said the last part in a lower baritone, "Heaven-sent." Alpha's jaw opened, as if to say something.

"Midst..." the she-wolf he had seen dozing off earlier murmured, her eyes clouding over slightly. She had a cream pelt with black splotches and a large patch of white fur on her flank.

"Are you Kraken?" Northwind now remembered vividly of his mother describing his grandmother's fur pelt.

"Yes." She gave him a swift lick on the shoulder, as if to reassure him it were true. Northwind looked at the wolves around him in a new perspective. A male with a colorful pelt shouldered his way through and stood by Kraken, flicking an ear back in acknowledgement. It looked as though his fur was a canvas, and paint had been flung carelessly upon him.

Another she-wolf stepped forward, with a light brown coat and gold eyes. She narrowed her eyes, clearly skeptical and was not afraid to show it. "Dawn." She stepped away slightly to make room for a grey wolf with stripes with amber eyes; it seemed as though dark pools of pure gold swirled hypnotically as she looked him over. "Alikaish, Heiress." Northwind cocked his head, ears perking forward as if he were a dog. Heiress? Though he dared not question it, for the name seemed to carry a heavy power.

Two males in the back were whispering under their breath; they looked as if they were related. The black male grinned wolfishly, perhaps at a joke. Kraken's mate turned his head to look at the pair and snorted at their rude demeanor. "The black one is Tobaius, and the other with the brown muzzle and paws is Shofar. Oh, and I forgot to introduce myself. I am Byzantine." Shofar's head shot up at the mention of his name, then in an embarrassed fashion shuffled his paws. Kraken decided to speak up and interrupt. The utter silence used to be tranquil, but now it was only awkward.