My howl came to an end and my head lowered, darkened ears pricking forward to listen for some response. Only the wintery landscape answered me, frost glittering on a nearby bush as I scanned the horizon. My nose twitched idly and I huffed softly, the air before my snout clouding momentarily before the vapor dissipated once more. Patience hadn’t necessarily always been my strongest asset, but I was working on it, and as I sat in waiting I went over what I had spoken with my mother about and what this meeting was meant to achieve. Before long, however, the sound of rapid movement caught my attention and sunset rimmed eyes darted along the horizon until I spotted the wolf that was the source of the sound. His large, dark form angled towards me, and I figured this must be the guy. The new alpha of Diveen – Orion.

Rising to my feet as he approached, I nodded my head in greeting when he came to a stop before me. My tail was just lifted away from my hocks, kept below the line of my back to show respect for his station, and yet held in a way that showed my own pride and position. I was not yet the true and recognized heir to Spirane’s throne, but I was a child of longest standing alpha in Moladion (even if her reign had been interrupted), and today I would speak with her voice and authority for the first time. Determined not to let her down, I did my best to emulate the air of regality she so naturally bore. My own stature was more naturally that of a defender, but I was doing my best to learn more about matters of diplomacy – if I ever wanted to succeed my mother and ascend to the throne, it was a skill I needed to master. Smiling at his introduction, I nodded once more. “It is nice to meet you as well, Orion. Daenerys sends her regards.” At his invitation I moved to walk side by side with him as we crossed into Diveen.

Having lived the better part of a year in these lands, I knew the outskirts of the territory fairly well. Just south and east of here I had hosted the two year old party for my generation, and a bit further north was where I had lived with my mother and father during our stay. It was not a time I wanted to relive, but the memories I had from my time here were not soured in my mind. Diveen was a nice enough region, but the plateaus would always pale in comparison to the mountains in my heart. Though Solara had been in power when we’d stayed here, I felt just as comfortable walking in the new alpha’s company as I would have in hers. Rust and mahogany hued eyes turned to Orion as he spoke, listening to his words about the age old ties between Spirane and Diveen. The only times the alliance had been broken was when usurpers had risen temporarily to power – Purge and Roman alike had never succeeded in reestablishing bonds between the packs, nor Covet when he had risen here – the old relations between Mountainborn and Angel too deep seated to unsettle by offering friendship to those who had disrupted the chain of power.

Nodding at his words, I looked out across Diveen as we continued to make our way deeper into the pack lands. It was my turn to speak now, and I swallowed once, steeling the quiet nerves at the back of my mind that I would somehow screw this all up. This alliance was more important than any other in my eyes, and I had to make sure it was solidified before I left. Looking back to Orion, I spoke as we continued on our way. “The relations between our packs go back generations, its withstood the tests of time – I mean even the skyfall didn't shake it. But I think that its become something so assumed in nature that details haven't been discussed in years.” I paused, glancing out at the trail we followed for a moment to get my bearings before looking back to Orion. “We wish to reestablish the common ties – to be able to send wolves back and forth between our packs for training that one pack may excel in more so than the other. To warn each other of threats that we may learn of, and keep the lines of communication open and honest.”

These were customary things to ask for, but there was more, something deeper that I wanted to establish now. It was something that had long been unspoken, but I wished to put it into words and some kind of oath if I could. Whether or not it would push the envelope a little too far remained to be seen. “There's so much history between our packs; Alcide and Moonglow offered their wolves to help Isola and Kane in the war against Ishtar’s Iromar. Daenerys took in the majority of Isola’s pack when Kane fell against Covet. And Solara took my family in when Daenerys was bested in battle. Our packs have always looked out for each other. What I ask is that this continues – that the alliance between Spirane and Diveen trumps any other treaty or coalition. That if a threat from another pack or wolf presents itself – allied with one or the other or not – that our agreement comes first. Of course we cannot know what the future may hold, and circumstances would have to be taken into account, but in general…” It was a bold ask, one that I had not discussed with my mother in full, but what could I say….no guts, no glory, right?