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Omega

Written By: Spudz

Sleep gradually released its hold, yielding to the coming day in a slow and pleasant shift. With a heady sigh, Araki's eyes flickered open, chasing away the last remnants of her dreams. She felt rested, invigorated; nothing beat the euphoria of waking from a good night's slumber.

The late morning sun stood low on the horizon, casting its dazzling light through the towering trees above the husky. For a moment, she simply lay there and marveled at the beautiful sun shafts that pierced their thick green foliage in silent passing, fighting to reach the ground below.

The lush grass beneath her had proven to be a comfortable bed, not quite as cozy as the soft mattress of an inn, but still a nice cushion against the otherwise unyielding ground. Never before had she slept so soundly outdoors.

<Good morning. You slept well.> The hulking mass of black fur snuggled against her flank made itself known with a lengthy stretch and yawn. <I didn't think you'd ever wake up.>

Araki rolled onto her side to regard Doko. "I guess I was really tired." She draped an arm over the wolf's back, splaying her fingers through his soft stomach fur. He really was warm.

<Well, we did have quite the night.> He murred in delight as she gave him a good belly rub, rolling further onto his side so that she was almost hugging him from behind. <I do love it when you do that.>

Araki gave a sleepy yawn herself, still feeling the ebbs of slumber working its way out of her system. The black wolf was like a giant cushy pillow. She was content to just lay there in the pleasant shade of the trees, idly stroking her fingers through his fur as she reflected on the craziness of the past few days.

Who would've thought I'd wake up here with a wolf curled up at my side? It was the sort of question she kept asking herself. Even now, after having grown somewhat acquainted with these fascinating wolves, the revelation was no less astonishing. She was the first, the very first, person to ever interact with a lupine, let alone know of their existence to begin with. And gods above, had she interacted with them.

Last night had been quite the night indeed. After the alpha had finished with her, Doko had been quick to take his place. She had enjoyed the black wolf's sensual company well into the early hours of the morning, while the rest of the pack never faltered in their own carnal endeavors. It had been a monumental event, a celebration really. The excitement of a new member joining the pack had caught everyone up in a wanton frenzy. Araki was a tad sore after experiencing all the potency the wolves had to offer, but it was a good kind of sore. She had never felt so satisfied in all her life.

A series of rash decisions had brought her to where she was now. She had no idea what would happen going forward, or how the Rajo Order would take this unprecedented turn of events, but right now she didn't care. Right now, she could lay back in the serenity of the moment and be happy for the first time in a long, long while. She didn't want it to ever end.

<What's on your mind, Araki?>

The husky realized her feelings were readily seeping into the pack's bond. She made an effort to rein in her thoughts. "Oh, I don't know. Was just thinking..."

When she trailed off, he looked back over his shoulder, ears splayed slightly. <About what?>

She hesitated. "I suppose, about everything that's happened."

<I've been thinking about it too.> He gave a heavy sigh. <Our culture has never had to deal with an anthro like you before. The alphas' choice to bring you into the pack... it's unheard of. I still don't believe everything that happened last night.>

Araki let the wolf's words sink in. It was easy to overlook the real significance of all this. She couldn't forget that there was more than just this one pack; there was a whole entire society that existed out in the great wilderness. Would they be as accepting of her? Would they banish her from the Three Peaks pack? Or worse?

Her hand stopped working its way through his fur. "Do you ever feel like you've gotten in over your head?"

<Over my head? More often than I'd like to admit.>

"I guess that makes two of us."

Doko gave a canine snort. <We make quite the pair. Seems you find just as much trouble as me. I always have a knack for it, much to my dismay.>

"If only I could figure out how to keep my tail out of the fire." She shook her head. "I get stuck right in the middle of it at every turn. On the warfront it nearly cost me my life several times."

His ears pinned. <Warfront?>

"They pressed us into service, to protect the realm from our enemy." Her hand found its way to the grass beneath her, and for a moment she gripped a handful of it in a clenched fist. "We're not soldiers; sages aren't trained to fight wars. But our skills were sorely needed. We had no choice. I watched a lot of my friends die. We were never fighting a winning battle."

Again the horrid memories flooded back in a rush, but she managed to control her emotions, somehow. The husky's voice became detached. "I don't think I ever cried so hard as the day Master Lathos was killed. I'll never forget that for as long as I live. He was like a father, always there to look after me through the worst of times."

A sudden wetness against her whiskers jolted Araki out of her reminiscence. Doko was at the husky's side, giving her reassuring licks against her muzzle fur. He never stopped even as her maw fell open in surprise. <Please, don't hold your words back. I'm here to listen.>

"I... I was angry. It wasn't fair. How could the gods so carelessly take away the lives of so many, just to sate the lust of a few gluttonous lords bent on conquering all?" The pain that she expected never came; why didn't it come? She found herself able to speak dispassionately as her past played out like a relentless tale in her mind. "I lost my will to live after that. I became reckless, always taking unnecessary risks in times of battle, always getting myself into danger at the worst of times. I really don't know how I'm still alive to this day. It was all a muddled blur."

Doko ceased his licking of her muzzle and sat down on his haunches, regarding her with those piercing yellow eyes that seemed so full of concern for her. She could almost feel a gentle warmth radiating from the wolf. He waited patiently, silently coaxing her to continue.

She drew a heavy breath. "Eventually they pulled me off the lines, and sent me on this mission as a way to get me away from the warfront. I suppose I'm grateful for that. Just to distance myself from all the death and destruction, it was the reprieve that I needed."

<You shouldn't blame yourself,> Doko spoke gently. His mindspeak had a soothing echo that resonated with her. <Their deaths aren't your burden to bear.>

"I do blame myself. I blame myself for their deaths, all of them." The pent up words flowed freely from her muzzle. "I couldn't protect any of my friends, or even my master. What kind of a sage can I call myself when I can't protect the ones I love?"

<You're being unfair, Araki. You can't beat yourself up for something that wasn't your fault.>

The husky drew another deep breath. The pain, she wanted it to be there, expected it, but there was nothing. Why was there nothing? Why was she even telling all of this to the wolf in the first place?

<Everything happens for a reason. It hurts, but some things are just beyond our control. It is as the gods will it.>

Araki looked down to her two hands, amazed at her lack of emotions. She spoke with an eerie calm. "But still, I should've been able to protect them. I had the power to keep them safe."

<Even if you defy the gods' collective will, fate will still find a way. You should take solace in the fact that your friends, your master, are all living a better life in the hereafter. They will rest easier knowing you don't afflict yourself with the guilt of their deaths.>

She blinked. The thought of life after death, it seemed so easy to believe, to think that all those who had perished at the hands of fire and merciless steel could be reborn anew. "What is... the hereafter to wolves?"

Doko went silent at length, unmoving where he sat. When he did eventually speak, his words came with a firm conviction of belief. <The afterlife, for us, is something that simply can't be explained. It is what it is, an intangible existence that is both finite and infinite. You make of it what you want and it will be as such in truth. We will live on in whatever way we choose.>

"Oh..." The husky dropped her head. She wanted to believe what he said, but she couldn't quite bring herself to.

He could see the doubt in her eyes. <I understand if you don't share in our faith. Everyone is entitled to have their own convictions. But I offer this to you: on the death of a friend, you should consider that the gods through confidence have entrusted in you the task of a double living, that you have henceforth to fulfill the promise of your friend's life also, in your own, to the world. Should you choose to uphold this belief, their passing will never be in vain.>

The wolf went silent, watching as she mulled over his words.

It was a powerful statement, one that hit her where she sat like a splash of ice cold water. Master Lathos... the others... what would they want? What would they want her to do?

The answer, she realized, was obvious, it had always been.

After a moment, she smiled wanly, feeling a sense of calm overtake her.

<Ah, now there's that warm smile I like to see.> The wolf's muzzle split in what Araki took to be a pleased grin. To her surprise, he reached a paw up and gently tapped her on the tip of her nose. <Never let what was, and has been, weigh you down. You can't change the past, only the future.>

"You're right," Araki conceded. "I suppose I can never change history."

<But you can learn from it, and live a fuller life both for yourself and the loved ones you hold dear.>

She gave him an appreciative pat on the head, which he accepted with splayed ears and a doggy grin. "You have quite a way with words, Doko. I've never been able to talk to anyone about this. Usually my emotions..."

The husky stopped mid-sentence; how had she not seen it sooner? The lack of emotions, the ease at which she was able to talk about painful memories, there was a reason for it all.

"You're an empath?"

The way Doko ducked his head with his ears back slightly answered her question. <Yes, I am.>

"But I thought your affinity was teleportation?"

<It is. I don't really have one true affinity, but two; a very rare gift I've been told.>

"Yes it is."

His ears perked back up. <It seems we both possess rare talents in the spellweaving arts.>

"I guess, you're right." Retaining two affinities was just as rare a talent as her weather working, if not more so. "I never would've guessed you were an empath."

<I'm sorry, I should've told you sooner.>

It was a little disconcerting, knowing that the wolf could actively influence, and even suppress her feelings with a flick of his mind. "No, it's ok. I'm just not used to someone poking around inside my head like that."

<Your emotions were beginning to overwhelm you. I didn't want to see you upset.> He stood and gave her another lick to her muzzle, a gesture of apology. <I won't influence you again unless you ask.>

She rested a hand gently on his shoulder. "I've never talked about those things to anyone; I could never muster the will to." The husky had only barely cracked the door open, but it was a step in the right direction. She had just needed Doko to give her the first push. "Thank you. Maybe..." She paused, collecting herself. "...maybe later we can try talking again... about this."

The black wolf nodded slightly. <Of course. I'll always have ears to listen.>

Araki drew a deep breath and let it out in a slow calming sigh. She really did feel better. It was as if a weight had been partially lifted from her shoulders.

"You have a way with words," the husky mused, putting on a weary smirk. "Are all wolves so poetic?"

<No, not really.> He looked sheepish. <I have a weakness for historical rhetoric. I was just quoting an ancient lupine scholar.>

"There are lupine scholars?"

He gave her one of those distinctive canine head tilts. <Of course. Why wouldn't there be?>

"Well, I... I don't know." She rubbed the back of her head self-consciously. "I guess I'm not accustomed to your culture. It's easy to forget that you all aren't..."

<A bunch of wild animals?> he finished for her, a twinge of amusement embellishing his mindspeak.

"Ah... well, I guess you could say that. I'm sorry. It's still hard for me to comprehend."

<Don't worry, you're part of the pack now. I can show you everything you want to know.>

His statement drew Araki's attention to her surroundings. The den really was beautiful, seemingly frozen in time. Only a stone's throw away outside the protective barrier, the harshness of last night's storm was on full display. Everything was absolutely covered in a thick choking blanket of snow. But inside the den itself, the trees and flowers bloomed in full vibrant splendor, defying the season's harshness.

"This really is an amazing place," the husky breathed as she looked around in captivated awe. It was only then that she noticed the subtle alterations to the landscape. A few of the thick tree trunks had spiraling ramps that wound their way up into the branches, grown right out of the trunk's wood. The wood platforms above must have been where some of the wolves slept.

In other places, the flawless blanket of grass was interrupted by a few raised swaths of ground that gave way to a burrow entrance, just big enough for a wolf to walk through. The telltale signature of a spellweave was clearly evident in how the exposed rock had been smoothly carved away in a perfect arch.

Just as Doko had said before, it seemed that not all lupine preferred to sleep in shelter though. Away from the trees, rings of vibrant flowers and foliage enclosed several patches of thicker grass, each the perfect size and shape for a wolf to sprawl on comfortably. All told, she was amazed at the simplicity of it all.

<We try to live in harmony with nature,> Doko mindspoke, watching her with interest. <We strive to leave as little an impact on the land as possible.>

"It's really breathtaking. You can hardly even tell the pack lives here. Well, aside from the barrier and all that. Speaking of, where is the pack?" The entire den seemed to be deserted from what she could tell.

The black wolf got up and made a show of stretching, arching his back. <The pack is out on a hunt. You looked so peaceful sleeping, so I volunteered us to look after the pups while they're gone.>

Pups? Araki took a moment to focus, centering her thoughts in on the bond. Most of the auras glowed faintly to her perception, almost intangible. The pack was quite a distance away, a distance that was only possible with teleportation. The remaining auras, there were three of them, burned bright as a sunny day. Doko's familiar warmth was easy to distinguish, while the other two...

_<They are Eyushi's pups, just over a year old now. They're both still sleeping thankfully, else we'd have our paws full at the moment.>_He motioned with a jerk of his muzzle over toward one of the nearby burrows.

Sure enough, she traced the two auras to the den in question. They were dormant, the normal ebbs and flows of their patterns appearing almost motionless. The pups were definitely still asleep.

"Just over a year old? Can they mindspeak?"

<Not yet. They're already managing to convey emotions and basic thoughts, but no words.>

Something about the wolf's answer didn't sit right with Araki. "But, at a year old, aren't they already fully grown and mature?"

Doko recoiled back in surprise. <Fully grown after only one year? The pups won't hit adulthood until they're fifteen. They were only weaned off their mother's milk this past season.>

She didn't know why she had just assumed wolves lived the same woefully short lives as domestic dogs. "I didn't know." The husky looked into his curious regard, and decided to voice the question that was bothering her. "How long do lupine typically live for?"

<If a wolf is lucky to live a long and prosperous life, seventy or so winters.>

That came as a surprise. "Seventy years? Gods above, I never would've guessed." But then again, as she thought it over, it made a certain amount of sense. The lupine race was of equal intellect to her own, if not of a higher level. So why wouldn't they live just as long? The revelation left one last question. "How old are you then, if you don't mind me asking?"

He perked up. <Me? I've seen twenty four winters. Why do you ask?>

Araki reached up and massaged one of her ears subconsciously. "I was just curious."

At that moment she felt the wolf reach out to her through the bond. His aura touched her own, and for a moment she could sense his thoughts and feelings. <How interesting. You have seen twenty six years, yes?>

She tried to shrug off the strangeness of his aura converging momentarily with her own. "How did you know that?"

<The bond, of course.> When he saw that she didn't understand, he pursed his lips. <Ah, right, I forget that you're not familiar.> His presence withdrew, and for a moment her thoughts skewed awkwardly. <As the bond has time to grow and strengthen, you will be able to link more closely with the rest of the pack.>

Araki could only manage a surprised, "Oh..."

<But let's forget about that all for now. I take it you probably want to take care of your needs?>

"Needs? Uh... right." She did need to take care of those as it turned out. She brought herself to her paws, feeling the tautness of sleep reluctantly loose itself from her muscles. "I guess this bond removes more of my privacy than I initially thought."

Doko's posture shrank. <If it bothers you, I can try to block out its influence.>

"No, no it's alright." The husky gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll get used to this. Besides, I'm standing before you in nothing but my fur. I really don't have any privacy to worry about."

She could hear the puzzlement in his mindspeak as he shook his head. <I'll never understand an anthro's desire to cloak themself in such strange materials... clothing? Isn't your fur enough?>

Now it was Araki's turn to smirk mischievously. "Unlike you horny lot, we anthros have to maintain a certain level of decency in public. It's not exactly appropriate to strut around in the nude. Society frowns upon that."

Doko displayed a surprising level of dexterity as he brought a paw up to rub the underside of his muzzle thoughtfully. <You clothe yourself to hide your body's beauty from others. Why? It seems like such a strange practice.> After a moment's thought, he seemed to give up on the idea as the paw moved away from his muzzle to motion off toward the nearby rock formation. <I guess I won't understand right away. Anyway, come, follow me.>

The black wolf set off in the direction he had motioned, pausing just long enough with a look back for her to fall in step behind.

It was the same rocky outcrop where she had first met the Three Peaks pack in its entirety the night before, situated right in the center of the clearing. The huge boulders that made up its contours were impressive in their own right. But there was more to its construction than she had first realized.

Doko stopped in front of a small entrance at the base of the formation. The sound of flowing water emanated from within. <You can take care of your needs in here.>

"In there?" The husky moved to get a closer look. "What, exactly, is in there?"

He licked his lips, suddenly looking uncomfortable. <It's... you know, the place you go to take care of your, ah... needs. Just use the flowing stream.>

"This is a water closet?" Araki asked incredulously.

The meaning of the word was lost on Doko, at first. <Water closet? Oh, oh, yes, I suppose you could say that. It shouldn't be hard... to take care of things.>

"Just when I thought I'd seen it all," Araki remarked in astonishment. She ducked down to get a better look inside the chest high entrance. "Where does the waste go?"

<The stream carries the waste underground, where a self-sustaining spellweave breaks it down into harmless matter. Great effort was taken to make sure the groundwater is not contaminated.>

"I'll be damned, you lot sure are resourceful." She had only seen such sophisticated waste disposal systems in the Rajo College. The rest of the general populous generally made do with much simpler means.

Doko plopped down onto his haunches and motioned with a paw. <Go on ahead. I'll wait my turn.>

Well if he's going to be a gentleman about it. She nodded appreciatively, and ducked down to enter the dark space, curiosity getting the better of her.

The darkness within only lasted a moment, as a latent manalight abruptly snapped into existence, illuminating the surprisingly open space and flowing stream before her. All told, it was a pleasantly private arrangement, with the babble of the rushing water echoing off the smooth walls in a soothing ambiance. These wolves certainly have it right.

When her needs were taken care of, and Doko had disappeared into the cave to do the same, Araki took a seat atop one of the large flat rocks to wait patiently.

Last night's endeavor was beginning to make itself known to her nose. Dirt and grime, among other things, always found a way to mat her fur in an unpleasant blanket of filth. She was ripe with the pungent odor of it all, reminding the husky how much she needed a proper bath.

It wasn't an unusual hindrance for her though, since she usually found herself far removed from the convenience of modern plumbing when out on a mission. There was an easy solution to her problem.

Still sitting atop the rock, Araki brought her hands together in a focus seal, drawing her breath slowly to steady herself. The spellweave that she had woven countless times during her years of training was a simple pattern, wrapping around her body in a tight helix. She felt its power build, spreading out across her limbs, working its way out across every exposed facet of her multilayered fur coat.

She wasn't exactly sure how the spell worked in all honesty. It had something to do with static charge, or something of that nature. All the husky knew was, once the weave locked into place, her fur stood on end, while all the dirt and grime loosed itself from her body. The awkward tingle that worked its way up and down her limbs as a result always made her squirm uncomfortably.

<Now there's a sight,>_Doko mindspoke, emerging from the hole in the rock formation with a doggy grin splaying his muzzle. _<You look so poofy.>

Araki stood and gave a good shake of her whole body. The filth that had once covered her fur fell away in a visible cloud. "The downside to having a thick coat; I turn into a giant fuzz ball every time I cleanse."

The wolf surprised her by suddenly working the same type of weave, puffing his black fur out to mirror her own. <Now we are two of a kind.>

A good few seconds passed in silence, before Araki broke down into a fit of laughter. She thought she had looked bad, but Doko had her beat. His intimidating presence was all but lost in the fluffy black creature that now stood before her. "You're quite the charmer."

<I do my best,> he replied candidly with a smirk. He gave a quick shake of his fur, creating a cloud of dust not unlike her own.

"Always nice to be able to cleanse without water, but I'll take a nice hot bath over this any day."

<Oh, why didn't you say so? The hot spring baths are just on the other side of the den.>

"Again with the surprises," Araki remarked, shaking her head. "I'll admit, the idea of a nice hot soak is quite appealing right now."

<I'd be happy to take you up on that. However, the pups seem to be rousing.> He looked over toward the nearby den, where the two auras were stirring. <We're going to have our paws full for a while.>

As if summoned by Doko's mindspeak, two brown furry blobs came stumbling out of the den. The pups were indeed young, looking to be only a few months off their mother's milk. They were both unsteady on their paws, yawning lazily as the morning sun greeted their tired eyes. It was a comical sight.

Suddenly, one of the pups perked up, having caught sight of Doko. Without any consideration for her drowsy state of mind, she set off in a run toward the black wolf, stumbling and nearly falling over herself several times.

Her brother was hot on her paws, having just as much trouble staying upright as he bounded in her wake.

It was a race to see who could reach Doko first, and one that the female--Fayna the bond told Araki--won handily as she barreled headlong into the poor lupine. The black wolf was ready though, absorbing the hit as he fell onto his side with the pup landing atop him.

Fayna's brother, Oos, only added to the mess by running headlong into his sister's rump, provoking a startled yelp from her. All three wolves ended up in a tangled pile, with Doko pinned beneath the two pups.

<Ooof, good morning,>_he greeted with mirth. _<Did we have a good sleep?>

Neither pup replied. They couldn't, Araki remembered, at least not until they had mastered the art of mindspeak. Instead, they both radiated with raw affection and eagerness over the bond, licking Doko's muzzle fervently in their excitement.

Araki had to take a step back and simply admire the sight, suppressing a chuckle as she watched the two pups mob poor Doko mercilessly.

He took their overbearing attention in stride, laying back against the supple grass so the tiny balls of brown fur could climb all over his prone form like a mountain that needed conquering.

After nearly a minute of frantic climbing and jumping, Oos suddenly froze upon catching sight of Araki. His ears pinned, and he shrank back against Doko, unsure what to make of her.

When Fayna, too, came to a standstill, Doko looked up, following their unsure gazes to the nearby husky. <Ah, don't be afraid. She's not going to hurt you. Araki is part of the pack.> Neither pup moved, until the black wolf gave Oos a nudge with his paw. <Go on, go greet our newest pack member.>

The pup didn't understand Doko's words. But he seemed to take comfort in the omega's calming tone. He took a step toward her with ears splayed, then another.

Not knowing what else to do, Araki knelt down, extending her hand toward Oos holding her palm open. "It's ok. I won't bite."

Her spoken words gave him pause. But he continued warily padding toward her, before stopping just outside her touch.

The pup sniffed her offered hand cautiously, not sure what to do next. At his hesitation, she took the opportunity to reach out and gently stroke her fingers against the underside of his small muzzle, evoking a startled yip from him.

Oos's surprise only lasted an instant though, as he quickly came to enjoy her massaging digits. Araki had to smile as she watched the pup close his eyes and lean into her touch, trying to draw her roving fingers deeper. Just like Doko, he was powerless to resist.

Fayna wasn't going to be outdone by her brother. She abruptly barreled right into Araki's lap, knocking the husky back onto her rump with an exclamation of surprise. "Good grief, you are a strong little thing."

<They will knock the wind out of you if you're not careful,> Doko spoke, clearly amused by the sudden turn of events.

The pups' trepidation was already forgotten as Araki found herself pinned beneath the two squirming hulks of brown fur, her face, whiskers, and muzzle inundated by a flurry of frantic licks.

"Ok, ok, goodness, I can't breathe." She tried to push the wolves off her prone form, but that didn't work.

<You need to establish dominance,> Doko advised, motioning to her with a raised paw. <You need to show them the limits.>

Still being smothered, she managed a stifled, "How?"

<Show a little dominance. You may be an omega, but you still hold rank over the pups.>

Araki blinked. There was one way she knew how to do that.

The husky peeled back her lips, and gave a low warning growl.

She felt uncomfortable displaying such aggression, but it seemed to be customary norm for wolves, lacking the same hostile overtone that anthro society associated with the verbal warning. Lupine took it more as a show of dominance, perhaps even a customary greeting, from what she had witnessed since this whole endeavor had begun.

The growl got her point across. Both pups relented and backed off, giving her a chance to sit up and collect herself. "I'm sorry, I needed a breather." To her relief they didn't cower away from her gaze, but instead sat back expectantly, still happy and excited as can be.

<You make quite an omega,> Doko stated, giving her an endearing grin. The black wolf stood and shook to ruffle his matted fur. <The pups seem to have taken quite a liking to you.>

She reached out and gave both young wolves each a pat on the head, "They are such lovable little rascals. Are they always this spirited?"

<Of course. Always a wonder how the young ones have so much energy. It seems to be limitless.>

As if to prove his point, the two pups abruptly turned their attention on one another, rolling about the grass in a wrestling match of playful growls and flailing limbs. Both omegas were quickly forgotten.

Doko took the opportunity to join Araki, sidling alongside to lay against the husky's flank. She welcomed his closeness by reaching up to massage her fingers against the sensitive spots just behind his pointed ears.

The black wolf voiced his pleasure with a heady groan. <Oh, that never gets old.>

She obliged his unspoken request for her to continue, and watched as the rolling mass of brown fur that was the wrestling pups slowly ambled around the open grass clearing. All the while, the late morning sun shafts continued their gradual shift through the surrounding trees as the sun clawed its way ever skyward. Now this is heaven.

<Did you want some food to break fast?> Doko asked after a few minutes of blissful silence, his mindspeak glazed over with the pleasure of her kneading fingers. <I'm getting a little ravenous myself.>

Come to think of it, Araki realized she had not eaten in quite some time, what with all the chaos of the preceding day and all. _"_Actually, that sounds wonderful." She waited, expecting Doko to stand and lead her somewhere. But the lupine remained where he sat. Instead, he brought the food to them.

Movement out of the corner of her eye drew the husky's gaze to a series of floating objects that were slowly gliding through the air toward where she sat. She saw, with a shake of the head, that each was a slab of thick juicy red meat being carried through the air by the spellweave Doko had woven. Where he had gotten the meat, she did not know.

She looked to the wolf. "Now you're just showing off."

<You made it hard for me to get up,> was his playful reply.

"Where did that come from?"

There were four portions of neatly sliced meat. One came to hover just before her as Doko deftly worked the threads of his weave. <The storage burrow. It's where we keep all food from hunts in a preservative weave. Should taste just as fresh as the day of the kill.>

Instead of reaching out with her hands, the husky instead wove a quick pattern with a flick of her mind, mirroring his own. The handoff was seamless as Doko allowed her to work her threads around his, until Araki had the floating piece of meat firmly in her control.

The wolf floated two of the remaining three pieces over toward the still wrestling pups, who only stopped and noticed their breakfast when it plopped down onto the grass in front of them.

There was no question on whether the young wolves were hungry or not; they both set upon their food like ravenous beasts, fangs sinking mercilessly into the hapless chunks of meat. There were no manners, or attempts to even chew, just tearing and rending of flesh.

Doko seemed to pick up on her thoughts. <They haven't quite learned proper manners yet. Brutal to watch is it not?>

"I'd say so..." She watched as the black wolf dropped his own morsel between his two front paws. He was far more civilized, taking a small precise bite while using a paw to hold down the meat, ending up with a small chunk that he then chewed neatly and swallowed.

_<Are you not hungry?>_the wolf suddenly asked, looking back over his shoulder at Araki and her still untouched food, which continued to float in the air before her.

"Ah, I am hungry. It's just... I'm not really keen on raw meat."

<Not keen on raw meat?> He canted his head, confused. <How can you not like meat?>

"It's not that I don't like meat. I just need to cook it first." As the wolf looked on in curiosity, she tweaked the threads of the pattern holding the food, wrapping the threads around her portion. With a little added energy, the meat began to heat up, until it was sizzling nicely.

<You heat up your meat before you eat it?> The dumbfounded look he was giving her made Araki laugh.

"I can see why it seems so strange to you. But there are great benefits to caramelizing your meat before you eat." By now the slab of steak was nicely browned and cooked through, and she dissolved a few of the threads to let it cool, still making sure to keep her food suspended in the air.

<A curious thing. I've never seen anyone do that to their meal before. How does it taste?>

The husky took her index finger and made a quick slash through the air. A small chunk of the floating steak cut away in a clean slice as a result, so that she could reach out and grasp the hot food between the very tips of her claws. "I can't really say that this way of cooking food is better than eating it raw. This is just so I can actually eat it without retching. There's no flavor." She gave him a sidelong glance. "If I ever get the chance, I will show you what you've been missing out on."

He cocked an eyebrow. <I look forward to it.>

After making sure the tidbit was cool enough, she plopped it into her mouth, immediately recognizing the familiar taste of venison. It was bland, as she had expected, but her empty stomach cared not.

When breakfast was all but a memory for the four members of the pack, the two pups once more engaged in their wrestling match. Araki and Doko found themselves content to sit back and watch.

"Do omegas typically get saddled with puppy sitting?" the husky asked some minutes later. The tumbling mass of brown fur had migrated behind where she sat with Doko curled up at her side, momentarily bringing the scuffle to a halt as Araki's curved tail became a matter of interest.

<Maybe a little more often than most members of the pack, but I don't mind. Being an empath makes looking after the young ones relatively easy. Although I do miss the thrill of the hunt now and again.>

"But they aren't your blood. Wouldn't their mother be the one to watch over them when the pack hunts?"

Oos took a playful swat at Araki's tail, provoking a warning growl from the black wolf at her side to mind his manners. <Nurturing the pups is a responsibility the pack takes on together. They may be born to Eyushi, but we raise them together as one family.>

It was a compelling statement that gave Araki pause. This pack was a family, a giant one at that. With such a tight-knit bond joining the wolves together with each other, it was only natural that the pack's meaning would take on such a collective relationship. But there were still so many unanswered questions.

With the pups back at one another once more, she looked to Doko, deciding to voice the question that had troubled the husky since her inception into the pack. "Tell me, how is it decided that you are an omega? Do you have any say in what rank you are given?"

<Not really, I suppose. The alphas decide everyone's place in the pack.>

"But is that fair to you and the others? Surely you don't want to be an omega? What if you had ambitions of becoming an alpha yourself?"

The wolf's ears splayed only for a moment. <I'm not alpha material. I'm not cut out to be a leader. Being an omega... it's not all that bad. It's the role in the pack that best suits me. I may be the older brother, but my personality and affinity aren't what makes an alpha. That will be Nukenvu's path, when my father is ready to pass on his leadership. He is what a pack leader should be. And I will continue to be what I am, the omega that everyone depends on.>

"It doesn't seem fair..."

<A pack needs its omega as much as it does its alpha. I take solace in that fact. Without my role, there would be no pack.> The black wolf gave an amused snort. <Besides, there are some perks that an omega... enjoys.>

The licentious undertone of Doko's mindspeak made her ears burn.

<What better partner is there to enjoy a little dominant intimacy with than the pack's lowly omega?> The rhetorical question came with a crooked lupine smirk. <I get more tail than I know what to do with sometimes.>

Araki had to laugh at his frankness. "Quite the perk indeed. I never would've guessed how into sex you wolves really are."

<Social mating is part of our culture. It's how we reaffirm our bond; not to mention it's a great stress leave. Is it not the same for anthros?>

"Well, yes, to a point." She thought back to last night, when she had watched as Doko climbed his own mother. "Our social customs tend to hold us back though." She took a second to work up her nerve. "Is it normal for a wolf to... ah, mate with his own blood relation?"

He gave her one of those typical canine head tilts. <Is it normal? You could say so. It's no different than mating with anyone else in the pack.>

"How is that so? I hate to say it, but doing such a thing is considered taboo in anthro culture."

<Lynua may be my mother, but her relationship to me is no different than the rest of the pack. We are one family, whether by blood or not. It is only taboo if I were to breed her during heat, and the alphas are very strict in making sure that doesn't happen.>

Araki sat back. The idea of mating with your own blood still didn't quite sit right with her. But she could see Doko's reasoning in it as well. "So the alphas make sure no improper breeding occurs?" she asked next, intrigued by all of this.

<Yes. The alphas typically let only one bonded pair breed on a given season, and they choose that pair based on a number of conditions and circumstances. That way, the pack's size does not become too large and overburden our food sources. From what I understand, our ancestors only let the alpha pair breed, but that custom has long since been changed. Eyushi's pups there are the result of last season's selection.>

Fascinated by his explanation, Araki was about to reply, when the pups in question suddenly made their presence known once more. Oos slammed his weight full on into Doko's side, knocking the wind out of the black wolf. Fayna didn't help matters, jumping atop her brother to further smother Doko beneath them.

The wolf looked like he was getting overwhelmed, as both pups crawled all over his sprawled body, nibbling on his ears, nipping at his tail and paws, generally not giving him a moment's breather. He didn't growl though, instead letting them have their way like the good omega he was.

"Maybe I can be of help," Araki observed with a smile. She, herself, had been stuck in his situation before, and knew the perfect solution to the wolf's problem.

She brought her hands together and crafted a simple weave, one that she had learned early on as a student in the college. It was merely a matter of drawing the surrounding threads together into a tight ball, weaving them in a precise pattern between her clasped hands.

As the pups stopped and looked on with sudden interest, she gradually pulled her hands apart, causing a small ball of light to materialize between them. She wove more threads into the pattern, drawing it further apart to let the ball of light expand. When it was the size of her palm, she twisted the spell, solidifying the strands together.

The light slowly faded out, leaving behind a solid ball of opaque white material, which she reached out and grabbed with her hand.

The pups were mystified by the spell ball as she gently squeezed it in her grasp, demonstrating its semi-elasticity. "Here you go," the husky spoke, tossing the ball onto the nearby grass.

At first, Oos and Fayna were not sure what to make of the strange object. They removed themselves from Doko and padded over to where it lay, staying just out of reach.

Araki made an encouraging motion with her hands. "Go on, it won't hurt ya."

Fayna, being the braver of the two, reached out with a paw and gently poked the spell ball, slightly deforming its spherical shape. She poked it again, a little harder, and yipped in surprise as her weight caused it to roll across the grass. That was all it took for the fun to begin.

Without any more hesitation, the young pup picked the ball up in her mouth, just barely managing to fit it in her tiny muzzle. From there it was a game to see how long she could keep it away from her brother, who set off in chase of his sister across the grass clearing.

The look that Doko wore as he turned to regard Araki was priceless. <You must show me how to craft one of those!>

"I'd be happy to. It took some trial and error to get the malleability just right; but now I have the perfect toy to keep any young one occupied for hours at a time. Should come in handy for you as well."

<Without a doubt. Sometimes the pups can be a little much.>

They watched as the spell ball changed possession several times, with one pup always giving chase to the other. After a while, Araki crafted a second ball to add to the fray, but they mostly ignored it in favor of their game of keep-away.

It wasn't until roughly an hour later that a subtle change in the bond alerted the two omegas to the pack's return.

Araki could feel their auras glow stronger, swelling with weary satisfaction by the kill they had made to conclude a successful hunt. The alphas were the first to appear, emerging from the surrounding trees with typical regal poise. The rest of the pack followed on their heels, carrying the spoils of their collective labor.

A dead male elk floated above the wolves, suspended by a cradling spellweave they maintained together. It was obvious from the carcass's wounds that no magics had brought the quarry down like Araki had initially expected.

Doko seemed to read her thoughts.<We only hunt with the strength of our bodies,> he mindspoke somberly. <Just as our ancestors have since the beginning of the second world.>

"Why is that so?"

<Because it is as nature intends. Our role in the balance of life is to keep the forest wildlife in check. We only kill the weak and the old, to keep our prey strong. Hence, we keep to ancient traditions, and fell our kills through simple means to maintain this harmony.>

The simple means he spoke of were the fangs and claws each wolf possessed. It was a stark reminder that these lupine were predators, and could easily kill when they needed to. To see such a large animal brought down by nothing more than their physical lethality was testament to that fact.

The handful of wolves carrying the elk made their way on past the husky to disappear into a cluster of trees, presumably to gut and clean the kill. She was half inclined to follow them, intrigue getting the better of her. However, the alphas had other plans.

<I see you've finally decided to join the waking world,> Tolum mindspoke as he came to stand before the two omegas. <I don't think the gods themselves could've woken you this morning.>

Araki felt her ears pin at the alpha male's unwavering gaze. Without thinking she knelt down and lowered her posture, letting him tower above her. When he moved next to her, she leaned over to lick his muzzle, a customary submissive greeting.

<I see you're adapting well to our customs,> the alpha observed with approval. <Very good.>

She pulled away from Tolum, and he made no move to stop her as she rose to a more comfortable kneeling position. "It's certainly taking some getting used to."

<All in good time.>_He turned his attention to Doko, who also greeted the alpha with the same submissive display. _<I take it the pups were no trouble.>

The greeting completed, Doko brought himself up into a normal standing posture. <No more than the usual. Araki, here has quite the unique trick for keeping them busy as it turns out.>

<Oh, really?> Tolum turned to watch as the two pups greeted their mother Eyushi with fond eagerness. <Maybe it would be prudent for her to teach us all this trick sometime, yes?>

"Of course."

The alpha nodded. <Good. Now, there is a matter of business we must take care of.>

It was only then that Araki noticed the obvious. "Wait... you can understand my words?"

<I can now, thanks to young Doko here.>

Araki looked between the two wolves, at a loss. "But how?"

<The answer to your question is where we are heading,> Tolum replied cryptically. <Come, follow me. We have an emergency assembly of the Circle that requires your attendance.>

"The Circle? But aren't all the members spread out across..."

The alpha male cut her off. <Yes, but that matters not. Come, you'll understand when I show you.>

He set off for the other side of the den. Araki started to follow, but stopped, noticing that Doko wasn't moving to do the same. "Are you coming as well?"

The black wolf shook his head. <I'm afraid not. Tolum only requires your presence. Don't worry, I'll still be here when you return.>

She hesitated a moment longer, but then nodded reluctantly. It took a few extra steps for the husky to catch back up to Tolum.

The alpha led her off into a cluster of trees in the far corner of the den, far removed from the rest of the pack. After following a narrow path for a bit, she came to a small clearing, where Lynua was already waiting. But it was what the alpha female sat next to that really caught Araki's eye.

A lone jagged rock jutted out from the surrounding grass, angling skyward in a sharp contour. A slight glow emanated from the prominent rock, appearing to pulse softly, displaying the power that the otherwise ordinary object contained within.

All manner of concentrated mana threads focused on this one rock, giving the appearance of a budding flower to her mind's perception. There were so many active patterns that she had no hope of deciphering the individual weaves.

<This is our pack's leystone,> Tolum mindspoke, coming to stand alongside his mate. <This, for lack of a better term, is the key to the entire lupine domain.>

Araki simply stood and marveled in awe at the object's magical construction. She had never seen such a focused mass of threads and weaves. Not even the Rajo Order could produce something so complex. It baffled the mind.

The grey wolf took note of her stunned expression with a hint of mirth. <I figured the anthro world had no such compositions. To answer your earlier question, this is the construct that allowed me to assimilate your language.>

Araki held her tongue, unable to think of anything constructive to say.

<This morning, Doko did the honor of transferring his acquired knowledge of your language, I believe you call it Malan, into the leystone's construct. From there, the rest of the pack accessed this stored knowledge and copied it into their own minds. A quick and painless way to learn your tongue, without the need to constantly bridge minds.>

"So... so this is some sort of storage medium?" the husky ventured, still trying to wrap her mind around this stunning development.

This time, Lynua was the one to answer. <Yes, although the leystone is much more than that.> She motioned with a raised paw. <Our culture, history, customs, it is all stored safely here for reference. But the leystone is just the beginning, or rather, the end point if you will. It is but one of many that make up the leyline.>

<This stone also acts as a communication hub for the pack,> Tolum added. <The leyline is what binds the lupine domain together. It allows us to reach out to even the furthest corners of the world, wherever a pack may live that possesses a leystone such as this. And, of course, this stone is the focal point of the den's camouflage weave. Without it, we would never be able to maintain the mana hungry patterns of the spell.>

Araki reached up and rubbed an ear uneasily. "Goodness, there is a lot of energy tied up in this one rock." Truth was, after realizing what sort of powerful weaves were actively coursing through the stone, she wanted to back away. The husky had seen many an accident unfold when too many weaves were mixed together like this. However, the alphas didn't seem the least bit bothered by the potential danger, so she forced herself to relax.

The grey wolf moved so that he was facing the leystone, and sat down on his haunches. <Do not concern yourself. This leystone is an ancient construct and has been proven safe for many generations. Now come and sit like this.>

She obeyed the alpha's command and padded over to sit alongside him. Lynua was quick to do the same on her opposite flank.

<Before the hunt, we requested an emergency session of the Circle,> the black wolf mindspoke, as she reached up and gently placed a paw against the smooth surface of the leystone. <The others will be assembling now. We must not keep them waiting.>

Now Araki understood why the alphas wanted her alone. "This is because of my introduction into the pack, I take it?"

Both alphas nodded in unison.

"What is going to happen?"

Tolum placed a paw on the stone in the same manner as his mate. <The council will convene. And then we will articulate our situation and try to reach a collective solution. This is an unprecedented event, so neither of us know what will happen. Do not worry though. We will make sure no harm comes to you.>

That was reassuring...

Steeling her nerves, Araki reached out and touched the smooth side of the jagged leystone.

Almost immediately, she could feel mana threads surrounding her, wrapping around her form much in the same way the den's barrier weave had done last night. There was a moment of searching, and then recognition.

The husky's vision went dark, bringing about a momentary panic.

<Calm yourself,> Lynua reassured. <Let the leystone bridge your mind.>

She tried to do as the wolf instructed, breathing deep slow breaths. To her relief, the link stabilized, bringing about a wholly new sensation.

The husky found herself floating, or rather, her consciousness was suspended in some sort of alternate reality. Below, countless paths lay sprawled out before her awareness, stretching off into the limitless void. The whole construct was like an organized maze, with each trail a bridge onto another plane. She had never seen anything like it. There must be near limitless information stored within this maze...

The auras of Tolum and Lynua made their presence known as they hovered just outside Araki's perception, almost as if the wolves were standing over her shoulders in the physical world. She felt the alpha male reach out and touch her, taking gentle hold. <Hold on. I'll bridge us into the correct path.>

The sprawling void suddenly shifted, disappearing in a swirl of chaos. Instead, her view was replaced with some sort of room. There was no other way she could describe the strange box like space that her perception now inhabited, bordered on all sides by shimmering barriers of woven mana threads. And she was not alone.

Along with Tolum and Lynua, numerous other auras occupied the space, all arranged in pairs around the circumference. These were all wolves, she understood, or more precisely, all alpha pairs that were currently serving on the council. This room, this space that existed as nothing more than a carefully woven spellweave out in the vast infrastructure of the leyline, was the place of meeting for the Circle.

As the husky concentrated on a given pair of alphas, she could vaguely begin to sense what part of the world they hailed from, their physical appearance, and the territory they controlled. It was an impressive sight all told. The sheer power that was present before her was unbelievable.

Her attention was soon drawn to a particular aura, which took the empty space in the middle of the room as everyone else waited for the wolf to speak. <We are gathered here this afternoon in this emergency session at the request of the Three Peaks representatives. The matter at hand is of grave concern.>_She wasn't sure how, but Araki could feel the collective gazes of all the members turn to glare at her. _<An edict has been violated, and an anthro has been brought into the lupine domain.>

A general sense of unease washed across the room as the assembly leader paused a moment to let his words sink in. <I will now pass the lead to the Three Peaks representatives to brief us on this situation in full. Tolum and Lynua...>

The wolf stepped aside, yielding the right to speak to the alphas in question. As Tolum took the lead, Lynua paused but a moment, briefly touching Araki's perception. <Follow our lead and speak when spoken to,> she cautioned solemnly. <Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to you.>