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((This is a PRP but if you're a member of the Warugaruga and want to join in half way through just ask))

Dumaka's red orange fur was matted with sweat and blood from the battle. He almost felt a twinge of pride and confidence at the memory of his attack. His first attack had hit home and done a suprising amount of damage to the young wolf. "Damon, I think." The wolf had crumpled quickly, though Dumaka knew and fully recognized that it was not his efforts that had caused the wolf to fall. Most of the pack had descended upon Damon. It wasn't a tactic that Dumaka was particularily proud of but it did keep him from being killed. It also allowed him to draw from the strength of the pack (which was growing considerably). Any feeling he had that may have seemed like remose was shifted away under his reasoning.

"Silly pup," Dumaka thought to himself, "He practically begged Ralastor for his treatment.". Despite Damon's age Dumaka still considered him to be young. There had been little expereince to curb his enthuaisim and it had cost him. The poor fool.

Ther it was agian! That irratating feeling of remorse. He would have to work on that.

He was pulled form his revere when a a howl tore through the heat of the day. It wasn't the call of Ralastor, Dumaka deducted,the howl belonged to a voice that wasn't used to often. Tasso. She must have scouted ahead at the meeting point. The omega forced his sore limbs to move faster. If Tasso had been sent ahead then Ralastor shouldn't be to far behind. Dumaka remembered seeing them leave in a small group whereas he was issued to circle aroound by himself. It wouldn't d to make the alpha wait long.

He pushed through the last of the brush into the clearing, still mulling over his sense of pity. It was truly aggrivating.

(I think I'm going to play Dumaka as being in a bad mood (stupid feeling of pity, its wasted on a Warugaruga wolf) so he may be a little uncharacteristically snippy)

Dumaka came upon the younger female in a small clearing lying under a tree. She looked as tired as he felt. "Though, he mused with a little annoyance, "probably less so since she had been raised for battle." A childhood that Dumaka did not envy despite the redicule he had grown up with. He had witnessed her, Nox, and Brutus learn about their father's steep expectations.

He dipped his head at her words and muttered tiredly, "and to you as well." He left out mention of her late arrival but it hung in the air like half realized gossip. Best not to anger the alpha's daughter. Besides Ralastor had likely taken notice and it would be cruel for him to bring up a subject that she may be punished for later. Despite the nagging annoyance over his guilt he wasn't in a cruel mood. Being cruel meant being assertive and that certainly wasn't Dumaka's way.

Bealtely Dumaka noticed that small cuts had opened on his paws. He slumped ungracefully to the ground and licked at them. It didn't matter if he appeared weak to her. He was weak afterall.

"Your father is not far behind?" He inquired.

Dumaka had his suspiscions about what Ralastor wanted of the lone female for before the bantering between the packs became so heated. Before the other apha had belittled his aggressive leader. Before the the young wolf tried to play the heart thob card with the she-wolf.

"What was her name...?" It bothered him a little to not know it. Especially if his suspiscions proved correct. There was precious little that Dumaka was good at and he held his intelligence as one of the few things that could make him of some benefit to the pack. After all, in Dumaka's eyes everything was for the pack.

"Thats why I will never breed," he thought. "They would be weak children of little benefit to the pack. They would probably have hearing issues too."

His irratation at the day rose. WHY was he thinking such useless thoughts!? He had never entertained them thought before. It had also been a given that he would not breed. His own mother had told him in her kindest words that it was for the best. Perhaps it was the weariness of his body, maybe it made him unable to direct the flow of his thoughts with much control.

Snapping back to the moment Dumaka stared at Tasso for a moment before dropping his eyes. "They'll remember. And will likely strike back. Perhaps not as openly as our assault, perhaps they'll pinpoint one of our own when they're on their own," his thoughts trailed. "I wouldn't be suprised if they picked the lone she-wolf," again a small spat of irritation at not knowing her name, "as you father has proved that she is quite important to him." Momentarily he forgot that Tasso missed the telling exchange between the packs and the lone.

"Quality versus quantity, huh?" Dumaka thought. Perhaps it was a combination of his general submissive nature as well as his experiences outside the pack that made him question the statement. He reflected on the wounds he inflicted on the young blue and black wolf. They wouldn't have been as effective if the numbers weren't in their own favor. If it had been a one on one fight between Dumaka and the adolescent, Dumaka knew he wouldn't have won. Then again he also knew that his 'quality of wolf' was far below that of the average Warugaruga male. "And female," he noted looking briefly up at Tasso before once again lowering his eyes. Not for the first time Dumaka wondered if the quality that Ralastor preached of, the quality that the entire pack seemed to possess, was actually sheer brutishness. The ability to think so highly of themselves that other wolves couldn't truly be thought of as wolves at all and therefore diminished to the level of prey or pests. Our course the same could be said of the other packs. Everyone always thought their pack was the best pack.

He wisely held his tongue.

Dumaka examined his wounds while all of that was running through his head. Between licking (and slightly wincing) at a cut that seemed to already be getting infected Dumaka said, 'I don't believe she was summoned... She was there before I arrived and I believe before both your brothers," it may have been snide of him to say that since Tasso was one of the last to arrive. There was a strange since of pride at not being the last to reply to his alpha.

"But from what I heard of the conversation before the other alpha," distaste coloured Dumaka's voice there, "began the attack there was a dispute between the lone and the other pack over her kill. If that was the case it would seem that the pack was summoned to her." Saying it out loud only further strengthed his own suspicions. "She is going to become part of the pack," Tasso was correct about that. There was no doubt in Dumaka's mind. Yet Dumaka wondered if she suspected just quite how involved, and authoritative, the lone would become if he was correct.

Dumaka mentally checked himself when Tasso's ears flattened. His own head dropped even closer to the ground, though still not touching it as he didn't want to appear a leisure. That would surely anger her more. He felt some shame for what he said. It wasn't Tasso he was annoyed with after all, it was himself, "And that stupid feeling of pity." He was simply misplacing his anger and he knew it. That was also a stupid thing to do in the pack. he had no pull or influence after all. Had Tasso been less exhausted from the battle Dumaka knew he would have been reminded of his position. Despite Ralastor's habit to ignore his daughter she was of a higher rank than him and usually he was content with that.

His eyes lifted in interest at Tasso's response to Ralastor's involvement in the pack. He knew she had struggled fro her father's favor and knew that Ralastor had very rarely bestowed it on her. It must be a bit of a shock to hear that another female would be getting such treatment from her father. 'I imagine the pack will under go some changes with the addition of the lone. Our hierarchy that is. There will be an increase in numbers as a result from her joining, I'm sure," he said slowly, testing the waters. Muscling some confidence he smiled a little at the ground, "of course I will always be where I am. "

"What I think," he said slowly, "has little sway over this pack." Ha! Wasn't that an understatement! As the omega he had no sway or influence. What kept him from being completely disposable was that he was the only omega of the pack. His loyalty was also a factor but any weak wolf could be persuaded to join the Warugaruga if it included the protection of the vicious pack. He wasn't fool enough to think that his dedication was anything more than a convenience to the alpha.

He licked his lips in a show of nerves. What he said next could be potentially dangerous. "It would not be unreasonable for our alpha to take her as his mate. She has proven herself to be a strong and intelligent she-wolf. But she is proud," Dumaka was still postulating, making sure he wasn't voicing a concrete opinion. Even if Tasso didn't care or react to what he said it did not mean the same of the rest of his pack. It could be dangerous to be overheard by the wrong wolf. Especially if Ralastor was near by. "Her pride could cause conflicts. She may not agree with your father's methods. Regardless the alpha is not beyond siring years and his intentions have been clear that the pack must grow. " He had intentionally used your father instead of the formal status of alpha. Dumaka hoped that by using both terms he would come off as unaffected. On neither the side of Tasso or the side of the lone she-wolf.

If there was a conflict within the pack Dumaka would decide based on what was best for the pack. That was his way. Whether he was more fond of one wolf or another was a completely unrelated matter.

Tasso's first comment took Dumaka by surprise. He hadn't expected her to have been so forgiving of his previous slight. Slowly, and with much complaint from his sore body and cut paws, Dumaka raised himself up and walked towards the shade. He lay down on the cool earth conscious of his wounds and his proximity to Tasso. Dumaka made sure that he was a respectable distance and that none of his limbs touched hers. It would be too familiar a gesture, and despite having known her since she was a pup, it was not a gesture that was common in the pack. The status gap between the two was too large and may have come off as insulting.

He was silent a while after Tasso professed that she would fight the lone if she was challenged by her. he kept it to himself that he believed that the lone would win such a fight. But even more he didn't believe that the lone would challenge Tasso. She would likely just supersede the young female. Enter the pack at a rank higher than Tasso would likely achieve. The was another small surge of pity. "Again?" But he wasn't as annoyed with himself. Dumaka had seen the young female grow infront of his very eyes. Had cared for her and her brothers when their father went out hunting or scouting. It was a difficult history to ignore.

The dark grey fur of his legs had been licked clean of all blood before he responded, "it would be best if it didn't not come to that. Either outcome would be a shame."

Dumaka simply nodded at her words. He wasn't quite sure what to say to that. She seemed to have misinterpreted him. Though perhaps it was for the best that she didn't realize that he was concerned about her. Dumaka felt certain that the lone would be able to defeat Tasso. She walked, talked, and fought with the air of experience. Perhaps more experience than Ralastor had though the alpha certainly acted as if he had won wars single handed.

On the off chance that the lone was unable to defeat Tasso it would cause havoc within the pack. Ralastor would be sorely disappointed with the lone. So disappointed that he might not even have an once of pride to spare for his daughter. It would also mean no pups would be born to the alpha. he'd have to search for someone more suitable to his needs. That was, of course, if Dumaka's suspicions were correct.

After a long pause he said, "the pack grows whether or not the lone stays. We've had many join the pack in the last few months. And the potential for pups is not dependent on whether she stays or not."