Laika dips her head,"And it is nice to meet you Ferox." She sits in silence, staring at the moon. After a moment or so, she glances back at Ferox. "Do your packmates question your authority?" A owl hooted nearby and Laika flicks an ear in that direction, before straightening it back up. Laika knew many of her packmates trusted her, but not as their Alpha. The only ones who fully supported her were the elders and her siblings and mother. Oh, and of course Helios and Laika's current trainee, Eyre. Which reminded Laika that she needed to take Eyre out and do some training. Laika shakes herself out of her thoughts and focuses back on Ferox. More curious then fearful of Ferox attacking her.

Ferox shook his head lightly. "Never to my face," he said. "But there are definetely more than one of my wolves that think they'd do a far better job than I, and they're probably right." Ferrum came to mind. His Delta was an experienced hunter and fighter, a fierce and ruthless wolf who commanded the respect of all who knew him. Of course, that respect was earned through fear, not loyalty. Still, everyone had thought that Ferrum was going to become the next Alpha. Ferox looked at Laika curiously. "I assume you're in a similar situation?" he asked.

Laika dips her head, his wolves were quieter then her own. Laika flicks an ear,"They think so because you are so young. No one likes a younger wolf then them in control." Laika sighs quietly before glancing at Ferox,"You could say that. At least three of my pack challenge my every decision. And the others just don't say it to my face." Laika's ears pin slightly,"Which confuses me, because they use to love me when I was just a Delta. Equal in their ranks, and I was their favorite wolf." Laika heaves a sigh,"Then the elders chose me as Alpha and now everyone is whispering about me." Laika lets out another sigh, sometimes she just wished that she had never been chosen as Alpha.

Ferox listened to Laika speak, his sympathy for her growing. His friends still acted like his friends, but they were more distant now, and they joined their packmates in doubting him and wondering why the elders had chosen him. Ferox felt as though there was suddenly a barrier between them. They tried to avoid him, and even when he managed to corner one to talk to them, they ended the conversation quickly. "I'm sorry, Laika," he said, genuine worry in his gaze. "I understand how hard that is." Ferox sighed. "It really wears you down after a while," he added. "Without their support, you really feel like your doing it all alone."

Laika nods as she listens, sighing. "I just don't understand what they want. I lead best I can, I make sure patrols are sent on time. I make sure trainees are assigned to the right mentor. I go out and fight alongside my packmates. I make sure order and peace is kept. I make sure there is plenty of food." Laika's ears pin back slightly,"I wonder if Flint felt this way when he was Alpha." Laika chuckles at the memory of her former Alpha. "Probably not, everyone loved Flint." Laika focuses on Ferox,"How can we possibly hope to maintain a strong pack so others don't attack us if our own packs barely trust us."

As Ferox listened to Laika speak, his mistrust of her began fading a little. He still didn't trust her completely, but he empathized with her. He did his level best to do his duties as an Alpha, but his packmates seemed to only remember his mistakes and shortcomings, although they never said it out loud. When she finished speaking, Ferox gave a sigh before replying, swishing his tail through the sand in an agitated manner. "That's another thing to worry about," he said. "Not only is my own pack against me, but so are all the rest. The moment they sense weakness, they'll exploit it." Ferox looked down and took a deep breath. "I feel like everyone's constantly watching, just waiting for me to fail."

Laika dips her head in agreement,"Not to mention the rouges, and enemies." Laika jerks her head towards her territory,"I just had to chase off a lion. What if it had been a whole pride?" Laika sighs,"I was a good Delta, I served my pack well, and when Flint passed it hit all of us hard. Flint had led our pack for many years, and he led them well." Laika's ears pin back,"The morning after Flint's death when they announced me as the next Alpha, no one said anything. My siblings were the first to break into cheers, then my mother, and slowly the rest of the pack joined in. It was like all of the sudden I was the enemy instead of one of their packmates."

Ferox nodded sympathetically, then shook his head with a sigh. "I get the feeling," he mumbled. "I guess we both got on destiny's bad side at some point." Ferox nodded in agreement. "I miss my old rank too," he said. "I was never in such a lofty position as Delta, but I was happy where I was. I did what I was asked, and left the leading up to those more qualified. Our pack did well under Obsidian's rule. Wolves respected him, and he deserved it." Ferox looked down at his paws. "I'm beginning to doubt if I'll ever earn the respect of my packmates," he added quietly. He remained silent for a moment, then looked up at Laika and asked, "How did Flint die? Was it old age, like our Alpha?"

Laika nods in agreement with Ferox's words, seemed both of them were in the same exact boat. New Alpha's, young Alpha's, not a bunch of their packmates respected them, and both insecure about their new roles. The only difference was.... "If only it had been that, perhaps we would have grieved less." Laika sighs as she shakes her head,"No, no. Flint was killed out on patrol, probably by a rouge or by the same lion that I just chased off." Laika's ears flick back slightly,"It's been three days and the pack is still mourning." Flint had insisted on patrolling that evening, and as Laika had just done he had sent the wolves in different directions to sweep the territory and head back towards camp. Except something, or someone, had caught the elderly wolf by surprise and his body had been found the next morning by the morning patrol.

Ferox winced. "I'm sorry," he said. "To lose an Alpha to old age is one thing, but this..." Ferox shook his head. "I am truly sorry." He and his pack had been devastated by the loss of Obisidian, but knowing that your Alpha had possibly been murdered must have made things so much worse. So many questions were left unanswered for the Ignis Lupi wolves, and for the first time in his life, Ferox pitied them. He didn't know much about Flint, but he could hear the grief in Laika's voice when she spoke of him. Ferox sighed and laid down in the sand, showing that he no longer thought of Laika as a threat. Ferox could read wolves pretty well, and he didn't think that anything that she had just told him was a lie. Ferox glanced up at Laika, then said, "If only our old Alphas were still alive... Things would be better for everyone, not just us."