.

.

The white wolf followed his fire colored mate over.. his eyes looking over the winged pup with great curiosity.

.

"Let the pup stay... this is no place for a young youngling to be left.."

.

He moves over to check the pup over. Nose nudging a wing. Still intrigued as to how this came to be. Huffing once to check for any monsterous scent he sighs at smelling none.

.

"Where is your pack? Do you need us to go and search for your parents little one?"

.

His whole frame expressed a gentleness and kindness that was worlds away from the wolf that moments ago sought to rip the very throat from the wrym that hurt his Aluralyn. Tail wagging softly he waited for the pup's response.

Apache | Incoming Mercy Pup | Between | Mentions; Tae’oma, Aluralyn, Rafael(Dir)

“Okay. My name is Tae’oma, this is the Mercy Ruin pack. Are you looking to join us then? Is that why you were spying- er, watching- us? Well if you do want to come with us, I don’t have any objections, but I’m not the one who calls the shots around here.”

--

Well. That was way easier than Apache was expecting. He could see someone coming up from behind Tae’oma though, so he didn’t try answering just yet.

--

“Tae'oma..? Who are you talking to..?”

--

“Speaking of…”

--

“You are either brave or foolish, foundling... No pup should be near this battle… Tae'oma has found something…”

--

“Alpha, I found him lingering around when I got here. He doesn’t have a pack.”

--

Apache grinned sheepishly, allowing himself to keep his eyes lower than the alpha’s. Respect had to be shown if he wanted any chance at being accepted.

--

“Let the pup stay... this is no place for a young youngling to be left..”

--

He resisted the urge to glance up, standing firm and dipping his head respectfully as the alpha nudged one of his wings.

--

“Where is your pack? Do you need us to go and search for your parents, little one?”

--

And he felt himself deflate ever so slightly at that, but he was being spoken to. Asked a question. He stared for a few seconds and then glanced up, “There isn’t anyone to find, alpha-sir. My parents have been dead for a while now, and I haven’t got a pack…”

--

He allowed it to sit in the air for a bit, staring at the ground now. He pulled his wings in tightly, keeping them against him. Now was probably as good a time as any to see if he could join, while he had their attention and they knew he didn’t have anywhere else to go. “Could I join yours, perhaps? You all seem nice…And I saw you fighting that wyrm, it was really cool!”

.

The elder wolf sighed and looked like he understood far more than he should.

.

With another soft nudge to the side, he boofed once to urge the pup up. "That fight was not 'cool' .. it was dangerous.. something only to be done to protect our ruin and those of our pack.... through skill we survive and with skill do we help others... you are lucky to have found your way here... I do not turn away pups with or with out the gift... come"

.

With a bark he ordered the others to gather round. Tail raised in a display of dominance. Looking back to the young one again he nodded.

.

"What is your name?... "

(My phone is dumb)

Apache | Incoming Mercy Pup | Between | Mentions; Tae’oma, Aluralyn, Rafael(Dir), Mercy Ruin(Ind)

Apache stood when he was urged to by another nudge, standing anxiously but firm. He wouldn’t be deterred by some older wolves, not when he was welcomed.

--

“That fight was not 'cool' .. it was dangerous.. something only to be done to protect our ruin and those of our pack.... through skill we survive and with skill do we help others... you are lucky to have found your way here... I do not turn away pups with or without the gift... come.”

--

He watched as the alpha barked an order and raised their tail in dominance, he refused to cower though. He couldn’t come off as completely submissive, because he wasn’t. But he was at least respectful, he didn’t try to challenge the order but he stood so it was clear he was no coward either.

--

“What is your name?…”

--

He thought for a moment, he didn’t normally have a reason to say it. Really, he only remembered it from his time with his mother and the rare occasions he actually met another wolf. “Apache.. My name’s Apache.”

.

Aluralyn listened to the flurry of conversation, closing her eyes to let her ears work and mind focus. She was exhausted from the fight, the pain and having her mate heal her yet again. She still could hear other members of the pack dragging the downed beast back to the dens... She just hoped they would leave the heart for her. But alas, she wanted a good sleep before she ate anything. At her mate's bark, she will open her eyes again, her own tail rising just below the level of his.

.

She will look around to the assembled pack members, green eyes searching for any sign of injury on any of the others. When the pup speaks again, she will flick an ear his way. One eye will note the lack of total submission and she will think to herself that the pup had to have a strong will to get this far... But acts of defiance like that would not be tolerated in future. She will brush her mate's flank with her own before murmuring, " Rafael... I want to take this pup on as one of our own for the time being... Let him get adjusted to pack life with guardian figures to guide him..." Her voice is low and holds just a tiny hint of longing... Seeing as she had failed two season in a row since the pack settled in this Ruin to become heavy with pup.

Mercy
⊹ Tae’oma ⊹
M: Apache, Rafael, Aluralyn, Pack
⊹

Tae'oma watched the proceedings quietly, glad that the alphas were so accepting of the young wolf who needed a home, as he knew they would be. As they talked he briefly glanced around at the rest of the pack who had fought off the wyrm, glancing over each member to assure they were not majorly harmed. Satisfied he brought his attention back to his alphas and the newcomer, who he now knew was named Apache.

⊹

Tae'oma looked to Rafael and nodded at his command. "Okay." Turning to the younger wolf, he grinned at him. "Welcome to the family Apache." He said warmly, giving the pup a friendly nudge on the shoulder as he passed by. Tae greeted a few of the other members as he maneuvered himself to take up the rear of their group as they traveled back to the Ruin.

Apache | Incoming Mercy Pup | Between | Mentions; Tae’oma, Aluralyn, Rafael(Dir), Mercy Ruin(Ind)

“Rafael... I want to take this pup on as one of our own for the time being... Let him get adjusted to pack life with guardian figures to guide him…”

--

Apache watched as the alphas conversed, waiting patiently to be told what would happen.

--

“It is decided then.. Apache.. go to Aluralyn's side for she is now your mother.... Tae'oma.. follow the pack.. I will lead so Aluralyn can stay to the center with the pup and the others.”

--

Apache stared for a moment, he hadn’t… Was he really just..? “Okay. Welcome to the family Apache.”

--

He was nudged, he glanced at Tae and tried to flick one of his ears to come off as annoyed, instead of the slightly deflated look he was sure he held just a moment ago. This was his only chance to get into a pack, his mom- Graves now, he guessed, would want him to take it. To survive. So he made his way over to Alurlyn- His new mom’s side, and began following along, staying by her side.

--

He still had time to get used to this, and who knows? Maybe it would be temporary and he’d be back to thinking of mom- Graves, as his mom again eventually. Though… Maybe he should’ve already been getting out of that habit, since she wasn’t around and all… At least he had never known his late dad’s name, it’d be easier to imagine Rafael that way.

.

The pack treks back towards the ruin... the desolation of the between soon being left behind as the sooty ground gives way to lush grasses and old stone walls of a place long forgotten to even the oldest of wolves.. the flowers that mark the place as sacred glimmer and glisten in the last rays of the sun and the coming moon.... off from the dens the wolves that remained howl to greet their returning pack mates.

.

.

Rafael sighs and will let out a howl of return to alert the others of their safety. Others from the pack following suit as those from the dens rush up. Tails wagging and sniffing everyone. Most of them interested most in the meat and the newcomer. "Aluralyn... to my side please.."

.

He watches as everyone seems to be getting reacquainted and the dragging of the carcas back to the den where they can feast freely. "Dear heart..... do you think you will have it in you to fully raise that pup?... he's already a juvenile.. he'll be on his own in the pack before you know it......"