Ah, of course she had been correct in her assumptions - it was seldom that she had ever been wrong. It was like second nature even to him to have know just where she was at all times; he was a diligent observer, not only in the case of Caligula but of all others, too. For that day, however, he was content to allow Caligula her space, full knowing that women could become quite volatile during pregnancy, if not simply during the winter months. Of course he had heard the howl ring out, summong him forth but... Caligula was more than capable of dealing with such a thing. Besides, he had been busy over the first week of their rule, tending to each pack member and obsessively marking the borders so that each and every trace of Rhoedias and Silvertongue had been removed. He wanted to wash away the past failures.

He had been loping down the length of the beach for some time, gazing out to sea in an effort to gauge whether or not there were storms incoming. It seemed the coast was clear, the blue of the sky extending endlessly, the waves gentle on the shore. It would be, he figured, a good night to teach his own children the art of hunting. They would be a year old soon and it was about time that they began to learn the essentials of life. Princesses they might have been but that did not mean they weren't required to pull their own weight. Like every other wolf, they were expected to maintain rank and become learned. He sighed heavily at the thought of attempting to have them all focus at once. Though they had each been raised in the same manner, there was no denying their stark differences. He could only hope their personalities would not clash.

By chance, he had caught movement in his peripherals, a dark shadow moving over the sands. Instantly he swung to meet the form head on, his tail arching over his rump and waving. Caligula had come and such a thing quelled his concerns and brought a broad, toothed grin to his features. He had been even faster to meet her head on, licking over her muzzle and brushing passed her, moving in a circular motion as if to mark her with his own scent once more and coming to stand in front of her again. It was winter and there nothing wrong with letting other males know that she was his and he was hers, no?

But there was another - male, tall and muscular that moved behind her. He vaguely recognised her as the son of one of his mother's companions though he knew not the boy by name. For a moment, he fell rigid, his tail arching in true dominance and his ears cupping forward. He passed a glance to Caligula, head tilted slightly in query - was the boy safe? Or did he need to be dispatched? Rather than the submissive behavior of, say, Alana or even the more nonchalant approach of Zeteri, the boy moved with confidence, his own self assurance.

"A friend of Caligula's, I assume?"

His question was curt, his brow raisin expectantly as one side of his lip turned up into a crooked smile. He could not help but wonder why it was that Caligula had brought the male to him. For now, he was content pressing himself gently against Caligula, having stepped forward so as to stand by her flank. Friend or not, he could not help but feel somewhat threatened as the appearance of a young male come the dead of winter.


T E S S E R A C T
[ five - soul of caligula ]