Confide (Daciana and Saurugol)

Saurugol glanced down at his paws. The snow cushioned the tiny orphaned pup as she pressed her thin, terrified body against his strong legs. Her huge red eyes stared back at him. The young golden Hunt Master bowed his head down as his irritated father turned his back and stalked into the forest, grumbling angrily about his foolish son. But Saurugol ignored him and licked the white pup’s forehead gently. ”He’s wrong… Ira....” ...

Saurugol’s amber eyes opened as the vision of those bright red eyes faded into the shadows of his den. He sat up slowly, yawning widely as he tried to push the dream from his mind. Another restless sleep. Rarely could the Alpha sleep soundly since the departure of his daughter Ira. He worried about her constantly, and prayed to Adezevah every moment to bring her back to him. But he had no time to sit and mope. He was the Alpha of Havir and the only remaining Hunt Master in the pack. There was work to be done

Saurugol padded out of his den just as the afternoon sun was beginning to touch the tops of the Western Mountains. It was very hard for Saurugol to keep up with the hunting needs of his pack as well as lead them. He had been hunting twice today already, and although the Gods had granted him success both times, they had not made it easy, and he knew he could not stop. He was all Havir had now that Ira was gone.

Ira… the thought of his daughter returned and made his cold heart throb. How desperately he missed her… how he regretted the last words to pass his daughter’s ears as she ran from his sight. He could only hope that she would disobey him a second time and return to Havir. Not because she was the only Hunt Master the pack had, but because she was Saurugol’s daughter and he loved her.

He pushed the white she-wolf from his mind and shook his thick fur, trying to wake up and focus. The past several days had been a similar ritual; two or three hunting trips a day. With winter nearly upon them he wanted no wolf to eat lightly. They needed to build up strength now while they could. And so he would try his best to supply them. He stalked toward a familiar golden form.

”Daciana,” the Alpha growled as he approached the golden omega. He had ordered her to stay near and around camp and act as a Server to those of higher rank until she learned respect. But he was exhausted even after his nap, and he knew he would need help if he were to be successful a third time. ”You will assist me with this evening’s hunt. Come.” He did not waste times on greetings or courtesy, even though he usually did even when dealing with Omegas. He was in an irritable mood. He had been in an irritable mood with others ever since Ira and Faust had left, and it was magnified by the physical strain he was experiencing. He wanted no words to pass the golden she-wolf’s lips except for Yessir or Right away sir or better yet, an affirming nod. He just wanted her obedience.



Daciana had been previously helping Aphrodi with his medicine duties, helping him find certain herbs and trying to be as helpful as possible. She was beginning to feel better about her life in general and she was slowly recovering from her loss. It was a slow and emotional process, but she knew she would heal, with her family, this pack, around her. She was in the process of making another run round for anything useful when she spotted the golden alpha head toward her. At first she was unsure if it was her he was after, but this was confirmed with a growl of her name. He didn’t look happy, and he looked exhausted. Upon his demand, she nodded her head, seeing he was not to be trifled with tonight. She stood to attention, and waited for him to lead her away to wherever it was he intended to hunt.

She hadn’t really hunted anything since joining Havir, having had a few other things to deal with, Angelos included. She had helped out in other ways, though usually found that she was more useful as a server, which as her punishment, was the best he could have given her. She flicked her ears, noting the weather and time of day, praying to the gods for their aid in this hunt.



Saurugol lead the way from the den site, not speaking a word as he trotted along, not even looking back to see if the female was following. He was leading the way toward the Lonesome Fells, planning on hunting in the forests to the south of them. He did not speak even as they approached the Swollen River. Ice crusted the edges of the river, glinting off the late afternoon sunlight that filtered through the snow-covered trees. No doubt it would be covered in ice in a few weeks at most. But he knew this river well and had lead them to a place where the river was narrow enough to jump over. But it was quite a jump. Being a seasoned Hunt Master, especially recently as he was feeding all of Havir, he did not even slow down as he sprang from the riverbank, clearing the swirling water below in a graceful bound. He landed heavily on his paws, then trotted forward and turned back to look at Daciana. It had only just occurred to him that a jump such as that could be difficult for a wolf who did not often exert herself.

”Can you make the jump?” he called to her, his mind running through other routes for her to cross. Of perhaps they would have to go somewhere else… he suppressed a sigh. If only he had thought of this before. But he supposed Daciana has surprised him before. Maybe she could make it. He just didn’t want her to fall in, in fear of her getting sick.



Daciana kept behind her alpha, noting his lack of conversation, she guessed he wasn't in the greatest of moods. She thought best to keep quiet, bearing in mind the trouble she was in already. She kept pace with him easily, noting the change in the weather and watching around her carefully. It was when he jumped the river that she stopped, watching it. It seemed easy for him to make it, but she doubted it would be so easy for her. She studied the width as she spoke, at which she looked up to him, her hazel eyes locked onto him.

"I can" She called, backing up a few paces, before she loped forward, pushing forward on her back paws with all of her strength. She sailed through the air, and landed exactly where she wanted to, and managed to land lightly, with both precision and grace. She straightened herself out and looked to her alpha. "Don't worry, i can handle it, my alpha" she said, her tail curving down, giving him a slight smile in hopes to soothe his temper.



Saurugol watched with a stony frown as she prepared to jump. He hoped she knew what she was doing. The she-wolf leaped, sailing through the air and landing gracefully in the snow on the other side. Saurugol gave a curt nod of approval before turning and continuing his trek. She was more athletic than he had thought she would be without any task keeping her active. But that was good; it meant she had potential.

Soon after they crossed the river they arrived at the place he knew always had deer. The forests at the outskirts of Pacific Valley were always teeming with prey, especially at this time of year because of the comparatively mild weather. The Lonesome Fells sheltered this land from the ocean’s wrath. His stride became lower and more careful as they weaved through the trees, and a flick down with his tail indicated to Daciana that he desired her to walk low and silent as well. Already he scented deer and he lead the way toward it.

Saurugol was always careful to stay downwind of prey; it was the first lesson hunting. There was not much wind here, but there was enough to mask his scent. The deer scent grew stronger… they were close. He stopped behind a clump of undergrowth, peering through the other side to see a buck pushing aside snow with its nose in hopes of getting some of the grass beneath. It was good ways away from them, and Saurugol knew that he did not have the energy to run it down this time. But with Daciana’s help he could ambush it. Saurugol glanced behind him at the golden she-wolf. ”Daciana, I need you to circle the buck that way.” he flicked his tail in a counterclockwise direction around the deer, ”Do not go too far or he well catch your scent. I will circle the other way and when you see me signal to you from my hiding space you will drive the buck toward me. Do you understand?” his voice was a hushed whisper, but not a cold one. He enjoyed hunting, that much was apparent, even through his exhaustion. The old excitement was still tingling up his legs and making his heart beat faster as he strategized with his companion



Daciana followed him closely as he led the way to their hunt, her excitement already building and her nerves jumping little by little. She loved to hunt and loved the challenge of taking down bigger animals that herself. It always gave her some secret thrill to know she chose life and death for certain animals, almost like a god. Of course she would never compare to one, they were far superior but in those moments, she fancied that when she made a kill, that was the true power of the gods, and that that was what it felt like to have a gods power. She smiled slightly, before noticing the signals Sauru was giving her, before she crouched low, remaining quiet. It was then that he turned to her to give instructions.

"Yes, i do understand. I shall await your signal" She responded, quietly slinking away in the direction he had told her, keeping low, her pace silent. She kept her tail level for balance, her hazel eyes piercing the air in front of her as she made her way round, glancing to the deer to make sure it didn't run. Within minutes, she was at her desired location, facing the direction she knew Sauru was in. She lay low and stock still, not daring to move or even breathe, her eyes trained both the deer and the area she knew he was in. Her body was frozen but ready to take flight at a seconds notice.



Saurugol creeped around in a circle, rounding the deer with his amber eyes narrowed. His pawsteps fell silently and precisely, even through the white snow. His bright golden coats would be easy to spot, but Saurugol was an expert at hiding it, and he knew that this would be an easy kill….

...but then the wind changed without warning. A slight shift caused the Alpha’s eyes to widen in alarm and he quickly and silently backed up slightly to try and save his efforts but it was too late. The deer’s head shot up and it was only a moment before it was gone, racing into the trees and away from the hungry hunters.

Saurugol let out a heavy sigh, stalking out of the undergrowth and into plain site where the deer had once stood. All the hunts today had started this way; unlucky wind changes, a conveniently falling twig, a crow cawing his location. The previous hunts the Gods had eventually managed to grant him his kill, but he was not sure how much he could take the third time around. He lifted his head to the sky. Adetunji why do you taunt me? he thought, knowing that such a sudden and unnatural change in the wind’s direction could be only the work of the Gods. Rarely did they interfere with his hunts, and almost always he came out of them successful. What were they trying to tell him?

He glanced at Daciana. Whatever they were trying to say, the pack must be fed, and so he must continue on. ”Come. We must find another.” and without another word he lead the way back into the shadows of the forest.



Daciana had been ready to launch her attack and bring home food for the pack, when the deer had leapt. Daciana had noted the wind change but thought perhaps that it would be ok, that they would just have to work a little harder, but it was not to be. As it sprang away, Daci leapt up and flew forward a few paces, her legs burning and her energy high, but it was already gone. She skidded to a halt and watched the area it vanished, causing her to flick her ears back in annoyance. She saw Sauru emerge, their golden pelts shining against the white snow. She looked away as he glanced at her, already scenting for a new herd. Whatever the Gods had in store, she only hoped it wouldn’t kill them. She looked to him again and nodded. “I was aware of another herd passing by a few hours ago, quite close to the centre of the territory. Maybe we can find it” Daciana suggested, her tail low as she followed her alpha back into the forest, feeling it close round her, hoping for some kind of success in this dark time.



Saurugol took her advice, leading the way toward the territory’s heart in Adezevah’s cradle. Daciana had been correct; a small herd was grazing the forests and many deer were available for the hunting, but each time a slight change in the wind or the chance appearance of a skittish coyote or an unexpected tree branch falling to the ground spooked the deer and sent them racing away from the golden pair. Sauru’s frustration was growing as they stalked yet another deer, this time trapping it against the Swollen River.

This deer attempted to leap the river, usually a death sentence, but as if carried by the paws of the Gods, it made the incredible jump to the other side and was gone into the snowy trees beyond. Saurugol talked to the river’s edge, watching the white tail of his prey disappear into the shadows, and he sat down, his head low and his body rigid. The Gods were displeased…. he stared at the swirling river below, his mind wandering a moment as he watched the rippled curl around the forming ice that crusted the shore…

”Ira… why have you gone?” the golden Alpha murmured under a heavy sigh, almost inaudible. And then he knew why the Gods were doing this to him. They disapproved of his behavior. They disapproved of how he banished Ira. He raised his eyes to gaze into the forest beyond, their amber depths dull and broken. The mourning father regretted his words to his daughter every moment, but to know that even the Gods knew it was a mistake… it made the pain only worse. He was the Alpha of Havir, the speaker for the Gods; he made no mistakes. But this time he had. He had misjudged the situation. He had made a mistake. He had failed his pack and his duty as Alpha. He closed his eyes and was silent as he tried to come to terms with his terrible realization.



Daciana’s own frustration grew with every failed attempt at their hunting. She knew the gods were not allowing them any blessings, and she wondered why. Surely, there was a reason as to their punishment? Surely they would not let an entire pack starve to death? That was not the God’s way. As she watched another of their escaped victims flee, she slowly paced to the rivers edge, standing near Sauru, her eyes cast low and her tail curved inward. She had a sorrowful look about her, as she glanced to the golden wolf next to her, which, to her own surprise, looked just as defeated as she did. She looked to the tree tops around them, hoping to get any inspiration, any clue as to what to do next in their current predicament. It was when he mumbled, that her ears pricked. So she had left? Daciana looked to him. She knew that Ira hadn’t been around, but she had been avoiding Ira since their run in, so she had put it down to that. Daciana studied him carefully, not wanting to speak out of place, but at the same time, wanted to comfort his clearly devastated form.

“Ira will return…” She said softly, sitting down near him, her tail curling around her paws. “She is a strong wolf, has an iron will….. She will return” Daciana said again, her voice gentle. She looked to the river bank again. “I know not why she has gone, nor where, but i know that this…. this is her true home, her true family, and she will realize it before long”



Saurugol glanced at Daciana as she spoke, just barely making out her golden form in the darkness that now covered the forest, but his eyes were not the cold amber orbs he often wore, but dull and sad. Two pools of liquid amber sadness. He listened to the golden she-wolf’s words but he did not trust them. Daciana did not know what had happened…. she did not know that Saurugol had banished her from Havir. And Saurugol could not let her know. If she knew he had banished her, and knew how much he regretted it, she would respect him less. He would seem less like the God-like figure he needed to be to keep his pack strong. And once the seeds of doubt in his leadership were planted, it was only a matter of time before the pack fell to ash. But he had made a mistake. What kind of Alpha would make such an error? Act on such impulse and emotion? He was not an Alpha fit for the noble pack of Havir...

So he spoke in a hollow voice as he said, ”Thank you, Daciana. I only hope you speak true.” The golden Alpha got to his paws. ”I must… go for a walk.”



Daciana’s ears drooped a little at his words, knowing they had not made any difference at all. Whether there was more to the story than she knew, that she she was certain of, she didn’t know Ira very well yet. Even despite their run-in when she first joined, she knew Ira wouldn’t have upped and left without good reason. Still, it hurt to see her alpha this way and only hoped that the Gods would give her luck in this situation in trying to help him. She looked to her paws for a moment, her tail low.

“Would you….. Would you like some company?” She asked, her ears pricking up, and she tilted her head a little. She knew she wasn’t in anyone’s best books, but she did know that she was always good at listening and empathising, maybe she could assure Sauru some how, though had no idea how at this current time.



Saurugol was already taking a few steps away when the golden she-wolf spoke. He glanced at her over his shoulder, considering her offer. Any other time he would refuse immediately. Saurugol sorted out his problems on his own so he could be a strong leader in front of his pack. But the eager perk of the she-wolf’s ears and the compassion shining in her hazel eyes made him hesitate. Perhaps, for once, he should try to seek comfort and consolance in another. After all, what harm could it do? He was clueless on how to proceed, and if worse came to worst and he made yet another mistake he could just drive Daciana from his pack.

With that comforting resolution, Saurugol turned to face forward again. ”If you would like, you may accompany me.” he said, continuing to walk. At this point he had no preference one way or the other whether or not she joined him; either way had its benefits for him; so he did not wait.



Daciana smiled very slightly at his agreement, her mind had set to think that he would refuse her. She had never really seen him spend long periods with one wolf, but then, she mostly kept to herself now anyway. She padded forward with a flick of her tail, her steps falling neatly behind one another, learning over the years how to step with grace and precision. She drew level with him, before slowing down, matching his pace. Her tail swung very gently in the vague breeze that blew across Havir, and she lifted her head, her eyes closed slightly, enjoying the sounds around her, before she cast a wary eye to Saurugol, unsure as to how to make him feel less…. edgy? It seemed that was the case. She kept quiet for a few moments, nothing but their breathing and their steps making sound in the environment around them. It wasn’t until it got the better of her, to start a conversation.

“When was the last time Havir saw a winter quite like this?” She asked, her hazel eyes wandering, her tone light. “I’ve not seen snowfall this heavy in a couple years.”



Saurugol was letting his paws carry him toward where he was most comfortable, the sea shore. But the forest was dark and the moon was already high in the sky so it was unlikely they would make it there before they decided to turn back to camp. But then again Saurugol had no idea how far he planned on walking… he was just trying to clear his mind, trying to escape the world he had created for himself.

Daciana’s gentle voice cut through his thoughts. He flicked an ear toward her. ”Just wait another moon cycle or two. This snow is but a flurry to our pack.” he said in a tired voice, knowing that this was Daciana’s first winter in Havir. But her light tone indicated to him that she was just trying to cheer him up. He glanced at the golden she-wolf sideways. ”Where did you reside, Daciana, before you came to Havir?” he asked.



Daciana looked forward at his question, before glancing down to the snowy blanket beneath them for a few breaths, unsure as to whether or not she could relive her past. With a gentle sigh, she decided that surely, the gods would punish her no more for admitting her troubles.

“Directly before Havir, i was a wanderer, no real home. I traveled from place to place, meeting all sorts of dangers and wolves who had lost their way in life….” She began, looking to the trees around them now. “However, before that, i had…. a family as such. A mother, a father and…… a younger brother….” She said, pausing before she mentioned her brother.

“My brother… he was physically disabled, paralyzed in one of his legs, so he needed a lot of help, a lot of guidance….. But I loved him more than anything in this world. We did everything together, and the boy could do no wrong. However, i made a mistake. A foolish, idiotic mistake. My family all believed in the gods, said there was a plan for everyone and everything… But I looked to my brother one night as he fell sick, and my own faith wavered. I thought, why would they want to make him suffer more? I thought then they were cruel, and that they couldn’t have existed. It was…. later that week…. Our pack was raided, raided by another bigger and stronger pack and they…….” She stopped here, tears threatening to consume her.

“They killed him”



Saurugol listened to her as they made their way toward the beach with the moon shining over them, shedding a soft silvery glow that filtered through the thinning tree cover and frosted the snowy land below. He had guessed she had been a loner from some place far away, since she had found herself in Havir lands where no other packs dwelled nearby, and all loners nearby knew well enough to stay away from the hostile pack.

He looked at her as she paused her story after the mention of her brother. From her very tone he could tell that her story was a sad one to be told. Something terrible had happened to that younger brother of hers.

His ears fell as she explained her brother growing ill, her wavering faith, and then… she stopped. Saurugol stopped a pace later and turned to face the golden she-wolf. Tears were stuck in her hazel eyes; the grief from the incident was still fresh in her mind, even if it took place years ago. Or perhaps, for her, it took place once again only a few months ago as well, when Angelos was lost. He took a few steps toward her until he was very close to her, sitting down before where she stood trying to contain her grief.

The stoic Alpha of Havir hardly ever expressed compassion, even if he often empathized with the plights of others. He looked at the female as she finished her story. ”The ways of the Gods are intricate. It is often difficult to see why they plague our lives with loss and suffering….” the Alpha looked down at her, a knowing but somber look in his amber eyes. He knew what it was like to lose someone close to him; his life was full of such things and he knew now that Daciana’s was too. ”But we must trust them. They work in ways we cannot always understand, but they know what is best for us all. They will take care of your brother, Daciana. And they will take care of you too.”



The golden she wolf was stood still, her limbs unable to function for their correct purpose at this time. Greif threatened to reappear, but she held it back. She had come too far to slip back now. She had to keep on top of things. It was only upon Saurugol speaking that she noticed how close her was, and she dipped her head a little in automatic response to his presence. She watched the floor for a few moments, while the words he spoke washed through her, causing her excelled heart rate to calm, and her hackles to lower. She glanced up to him, her eyes still bearing the tears from her thoughts.

“I’ve always known that they work in… mysterious ways, different to us to say for sure. I’ve never understood how they go about the world the way they do, but i knew i had made a mistake, and…. i realized after the raid that the gods had spared me, i believe to give me both pain, but a second chance” She said, lifting her head now as she spoke to the moon above them, her eyes glistening. “I’ve hopefully been forgiven for my mistakes now. I guess… it reflects on my grief for Angelos, i saw my failure in that as well, and took it harder than ever before, as i had made a promise to protect him, but i could not protect him from the wrath of the gods, should they have any…..” She added, her tail curver underneath her. It was then she looked toward him, sinking in that he was showing her compassion, which she knew he did not do often, but seemingly to her, it was quite frequent if anything, despite her troubling start.



Saurugol listened to her with his eyes narrowed with exhaustion and sadness. He grieved for Angelos as well, and the other wolves who had disappeared from Havir recently. But he knew that he must be strong for his pack. The Gods had a plan for them all. He trusted them completely, and so must his pack. ”The Gods are not a force that must be opposed. We live in harmony with them. The cycle of life and death is not a tragedy, even if we mourn for those who leave us behind. It is the forces of the sun and the moon dancing together to create a balance. They push and they pull, they bring day and then night, they give and they take. Ademache takes only the purest pups to reside with him in Paradise with the other loved ones we have lost over the years. But Adezevah grants us with new life so our pack can grow and thrive.” Saurugol voice was gentle and his amber gaze rested on Daciana’s golden patterned face. ”Angelos is happy now. He is at peace, and he is smiling down upon you. You will see him again. But let us hope not for a long time yet.” He shifted his thick golden tail, letting its white tip rest gently on Daciana’s.



Daciana had her head slightly bowed as she listened, however, her gaze lifting to meet his as he finished. There was a moment of silence that fell about her as she considered his words, her mind whirring away. It was true, Ademache would only have taken the purest, and Angelos was the purest of them all. She gave her alpha a soft smile, her eyes lighting up slightly.

“Thank you for your kind words, they mean much to someone like me. I had always thought that the gods still resented me after what i had done….. I thought i would never earn their forgiveness, and what was happening around me…. only really confirmed my theory….” She began, looking to the sky, her hazel eyes searching it for a moment, before resting on him again.

“However, i do believe he is at peace now too…… And i pray that neither of us shall see him for a good while yet!” She responded, giving a genuine smile, her chin tucked in a little as she watched him. She dropped her gaze for just a moment as she contemplated her next question, wondering in how much more trouble she could get in. She was concerned however, so risked it.

“So tell me…. if you so wish….. why the self doubt?”



Saurugol listened to her response and dipped his head at her words. ”The Gods are always willing to forgive, if you are willing to listen,” he said. He watched the golden she-wolf as she paused. He knew she would say something else. Her mind was still swirling with questions, so he waited.

He frowned a bit at her question. He was not one to confide in others, but she had poured out her sorrow to him, so he felt it would not be uncalled for to share his concerns as well. Besides, she had trailed along all the way. She ought to know why their long night of hunting had been in vain. ”I fear for my daughter, Ira, and I pray the Gods will deliver her home safely. And I fear I have made a mistake that will jeopardize our pack.” He paused, glancing into the river that flowed beside their paws. The moon was a shimmering reflection in the moving waters. ”I spoke harshly to Ira when she defied my orders and turned her back on Havir to go with Faust in his quest. I regret what I have said, and the Gods are angry with me. They grant the prey we stalk elusion so to slip from our paws. They are allowing my pack to go hungry despite my greatest efforts. They are punishing us all for my rash actions.” Saurugol explained.



The golden she wolf watched him for a few moments, intently listening to his words, letting them wash through her. So this was why they were having trouble? And why he seemed…. different. She tore her gaze away for a moment as he finished, her mind taking everything in, and thinking carefully before answering.

“My alpha…..” She began, raising her eyes to meet his own. “You should know as well as i do…. Ira is a very strong wolf. She knows how to look after herself, how to fight and hunt, i have no doubt whatsoever that she will be absolutely fine…” She stated, a faint smile on her face. “We know that she has her own will, and perhaps her stubbornness blinded her for a little there. Perhaps a rebellious streak? You and I are both older now, we do not feel this need to rebel, but perhaps she felt she needed to. You may have spoken harshly, but you were thinking of your pack when you did so, Ira was perhaps not. Maybe they are angry…. That is a possibility, but if these are the same Gods you spoke of just now, about them always willing to forgive, then this shall not last long…” She added, tilting her head very gently, her gaze still resting on him.

“Still, i do not feel you have to fret. Us wolves of Havir are tough, they would not do this if they felt we could not handle what they put upon us. They wouldn’t kill off an entire pack of worshipers, wheres the sense in that? They’re hardly going to get a pack like Blutwald or Kausen to worship them are they?”



Saurugol glanced at Daciana as she spoke. He nodded slowly at her consolation. Yes, Ira was a very strong wolf… of course she would be fine out there, especially with Faust with her. If it were any wolf other than his daughter he would not be concerned. But she was his daughter… he let out a sigh. He needed to stop letting his emotions get the best of him. He needed to harden up and approach the situation logically. The Gods would protect his beloved Ira, and his brother, and they would bring them home safely. That was what Saurugol knew. He only wished they would make haste. ”Yes, perhaps you are right…” he said, recalling all the times in his past when he had wanted to run away, escape all the stress and responsibility that his father had thrust upon his young shoulders. But he had quickly been corrected when his recklessness had gotten his best friend killed. Never had he gone astray from orders again. Not until he met Ira in the snowy forest, anyway. That was the one time he had defied his father, insisting that they spare Ira’s life.

Saurugol smiled a bit at her, giving her an approving glance. Look at him! The mighty Alpha of Havir being lectured to by an Omega! But she was right. Saurugol had made mistakes, but there was no taking them back. All he could do was rally his pack and endure until his daughter returned and he could make peace. In the mean time, though the Gods may challenge them, it is all for the better. They will become stronger, and more seasoned for the heart of winter that was upon them. ”Daciana. You have been an Omega for a very long time, as punishment for your disrespect to your superior. I hope, by now, you have learned your lesson. I lift your punishment and grant you the privilege of gaining a task of your choice when you feel you have found your calling.” Saurugol said.  




Daciana knew that what she said could possibly have made a difference, though she couldn't quite tell, not until he smiled at her. It was then that she knew what she had done was right and what she had spoken at least made him feel better. At this, she smiled back, her tail giving a small wag. Her eyes lit up however at his next words, and her smile grew wider.

"Thank you! I can assure you I have learnt my lesson!" She said happily, her ears swivelling. She paused for a moment, beginning to say something, her paw slightly lifted.

"Actually.... there was.... one thing I was thinking of. I know... that we are down a hunter since Ira left and I was thinking, perhaps I could train as one. Then, once Ira returns, we will only have more to help out, and not be quite so short again...." She said, looking up to him again.




Saurugol nodded curtly. ”Good.” he said. Her happy response made him stifle a smile. This was one wolf who was quite spirited. Very little could keep her down for long. He perked his ears as she mentioned she was thinking of something. ”You would like to serve as a Hunt Master?” Saurugol had to admit, he was relieved at her declaration. Havir was hungry and in desperate need of Hunt Masters. ”Yes, that would be a good job if you believe it is what the Gods desire. I personally shall train you until Ira’s return. And you understand that you may be seeing a lot of Ira when she returns as a Hunt Master Server.” the Alpha pointed out, looking at her seriously. If Daciana wanted this to work then she would need to learn how to coexist with the ghostly while Gamma.




Daciana knew that taking this title on meant she would have to work with Ira at some point, and had already suspected that he would bring this up. She nodded.
"I am aware if this yes... But if Havir is to survive I know now we have to put aside any differences.... what happened between Ira and I was a misunderstanding but I'm sure we can now move past it and learn to get along" Daciana said, sitting up straighter, though a smile on her muzzle. She certainly felt that she could at least attempt to try and make friends with the she wolf, if Ira ever deemed it essential. She glanced back out over the territory and smiled softly. Things were looking up for her again.

"i glad i was able to talk to you, my alpha. It's certainly been a pleasure!"




Saurugol dipped his head to her, pleased at her mature response. He hoped that Ira would be so willing to forgive upon her return. Saurugol knew well that the ghostly she-wolf could be a bit… stubborn sometimes. But if nothing else Saurugol knew he could talk her into it… although he had to admit he hardly knew anything anymore about his daughter. Ira was completely out of his control. It was scary, but Saurugol would just have to deal with it upon her return.

He turned toward the main den site, giving his golden companion a small smile, ”I am glad at well. We’ve had a long night, Daciana. Let’s get home.” At a comfortable pace the Alpha lead the way through Adechausiku’s gentle night and back into the arms of Adezevah’s Cradle.