So… this was pack life. It was rather… lazy. Matthias had been living with his family for several weeks now, only just recovering from his fight with the she-lion that had threatened his pups. In that time, he had done very little. At night, he slept outside of the den Leviathan and the cubs slept in, during the day, he scouted the land and stayed away from the others. So far, he hadn't tried to meet anyone who lived in the plains. Avoiding that whippersnapper they all called "alpha" and his even younger mate. These younglings barely knew what it was like to be a true wolf and yet they thought they could run a pack? Just thinking about it made the old male snort. The sound was repeated by a small body sitting next to him. Steel-blue eyes gazed down at the dark gray child who had stayed close to his father's side ever since he emerged from the den for the first time. Meliodas. The silent boy. After his sisters started speaking for themselves, it became clear that the only son was never going to have a voice. He would never howl with his family, never sing to a mate, or even argue with his old man. It hurt Matthias to know that one of his cubs was going to be different but it didn't seem to bother Meliodas in the slightest. The boy was just as playful and active as his sisters. Of course, deep down the grumpy old man was proud of his youngsters, but he couldn't show it. It just wasn't in his nature to be that "loving" fatherly figure. He had never had one after all. Looking down at the small figure made his tail flop unconsciously. Well, that was enough snuggle time! Standing up rather suddenly, the gray wolf picked a random direction and trotted off. Undeterred, Meliodas bounded after his father, a wispy bark calling out. The ex-mercenary turned and growled deeply at the boy, showing his old, yellowed teeth in a clear sign he was in no mood to babysit. Skidding to a stop, the silent one tucked his tail under his belly and wobbled back to the den, seeking the comfort of his mother. With the pup out of the way, Matthias made his way deeper into the pack, suddenly wishing to know more about Asteraia. Things seemed a little too quiet as he strolled along. There was the occasional bird cry or groundhog warning cry as he passed by, but nothing else. The scent of other wolves was thick in the air but he had yet to see anyone. Was it common for pack wolves to keep to themselves? It had been so long since he had lived with others he had forgotten what it was like. Eventually, his old body demanded he rest. The multiple cuts covering him had closed and stopped bleeding, but they were still fresh and sore. Finding a large bush, Matthias rested in the shade and licked aimlessly at a gash on his leg. All the while, he wondered if the last of his days were really going to be spent wasting away in a boring pack. |