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Dusk was falling over the land Ajax called home. His pack was called Archon, and it was beginning to thrive under his rule. Of course Summer's bounty had a hand in keeping things easy for the wolves while he found his paws as the new Alpha, but two seasons had passed without incident and the black pelted brute felt confident in his ability to lead the others through Winter's harshness, when it came.

He strolled lightly through the rolling grasslands of the lower plains, leaving soft clumps of thick, dark fur as he lost his heavy Winter coat now the weather had warmed considerably. It was a minor irritation, and the brute would pause, sit and scratch at it every so often to rid himself of a particularly stubborn clump. Ajax shook his fur out, sending loose hairs away on the warm, Summer breeze, and continued on his way. He had no real destination in mind, unusual for the Alpha, and was neither heading towards the dens or the river - the most frequented of spots in all Archon land. No, he was wandering in his domain, enjoying the evening as it fell, blanketing the earth in cool, refreshing darkness.

In truth, Ajax enjoyed time by himself just as much as spending it with his pack mates. Evening strolls had always been something he had enjoyed, and it was no different now he was Alpha. The brute thought back to the takeover. While he had been considered an adult for 18 months or so already, the ascension in the ranks proved to himself that he was full grown, dominant, and therefore capable of the responsibilities and pressure of rule. He had served as a Delta and then Beta, but felt he would be a better Alpha than his predecessor. It was instinct that had taken over - the fight was short but bloody. The older wolf had injuries and weaknesses Ajax would not encounter for years, and the lithe brute claimed an easy victory. He was a fair Alpha, and did not exile the loser as perhaps others would have done. But the former leader had left of his own accord barely a moon later, and a Sigma report soon after had confirmed his spirit was no longer of this world. Archon grieved that night, and with the following dawn, there was no doubt that Ajax was the true leader.

He stopped near a group of pine trees by the edge of the plains, shaking his head to rid himself of his memories. It wasn't necessary, but the evening walks often brought up feelings of nostalgia. Ajax knew he had to focus on the present and future, and with a definitive nod, decided to no longer think about the past events.

As he pushed himself to his paws, the wind changed and brought with it the scent of a leveret lying somewhere closeby in the tall grass. Ajax froze; eyes scanning the surroundings before he spotted the tips of the brown ears belonging to his quarry. Salivating a little, he crouched and crept towards his target with practiced ease.

*edited after dice roll*

With one, swift pounce, the young hare's neck was broken by Ajax's jaws, and the brute's hunt was over. Proudly raising his head and tail, the Alpha headed over to a small clump of trees where he lay at their trunks, slowly devouring his supper.

The light continued to fade from the sky as Ajax took his time with his catch. He wasn't overly hungry and catching the leveret had been down more to instinct than anything else. He was laid comfortably on the soft, slightly dry grass beneath a small crop of pine trees, his catch held fast between his front paws. Ajax continued to survey his surroundings as he ate - he had never been one to completely relax and let his guard down.

The wind was warm and frequent, bringing with it the scents of his pack. One scent in particular intensified, and the brute paused his supper to raise his muzzle. It was slightly unfamiliar, and his hackles began to rise as he stood up and saw a she-wolf not too far from himself. Ajax relaxed when he saw her. It was only Ceniza, a fae he had accepted as a Tau barely a moon past. Her scent was still unfamiliar to his nose, moreso as she had kept her distance from the other Archon wolves since joining and had yet to adopt the pack's scent. Still, he had trusted her enough to allow her to join. She was, in fact, one of the first Taus in the pack accepted by him, and he still stood by his decision despite her reluctance to dive into the social side of pack life.

The Alpha watched as the grey pelted fae came to a stop and looked to the skies. He followed her gaze automatically but saw nothing of interest. He assumed she was lost in thought, and, like himself, was simply enjoying the evenings stroll.

He decided to raise his own muzzle to the darkening sky and let out a low howl; letting his voice carry across the plains, dying out before it reached the edges of the territory. It was not a calling howl, after all, it was simply the brute relishing the night and making his presence known to Ceniza. Once finished, he turned his gaze towards the fae and took a few steps towards her. "Are you hungry, Cezina? You are welcome to share my catch," Ajax offered, offering her a friendly swish of his tail.

Ajax was a little surprised at Ceniza's reaction to his howl. She panicked; dropping to the floor and all but cowering before him. He knew she was nervous, that much was obvious from her scent and general behaviour before now. Ajax hoped she would break the cycle of fear, and he was at least being friendly, if not generous.

When the fae had gotten over her initial shock, she adopted a submissive pose. The brute hoped she would lose her fear and treat Archon like a family. It would take time, but he thought she would integrate well enough before too long.

He nodded at her agreement and took a few steps back towards the tree. Looking down at the half eaten leveret, he picked it up and stepped over to her again, gently placing it on the ground by her paws. Ajax took a step back to give her some space, then sat down. He didn't want to crowd her or make her more nervous than she obviously was. "Please, have the rest. I've eaten my fill," he said, lowering his muzzle to one front paw as he cleaned it of the little blood that had found its way onto his dark fur. "Have you considered a full rank or would you rather remain a member?" the Alpha asked, moving onto business. The fae had not said much of her past experiences and without her opening up, there wouldn't be much he could offer.

Archon was a reasonabl size, and there were enough wolves to function well enough; to the benefit of the lower ranks in terms of freedom and a life without fear or worry. Ajax knew they would encounter struggles at some point, that was life, it he wanted every individual to be in the best position for them, and he was willing to accommodate requests as well as skills.

He hadn't given Ceniza's rank too much thought, and he felt it would be good to get her thoughts - if she was willing to share them - to give him a better idea of how she would truly fit within Archon life.

The brute looked up, watching her from time to time. He chose not to look at her eyes directly, intimidation was not his ploy, but he wanted to get a better idea of the she-wolf as an individual. Of course he would be on his way, resuming his casual patrol, if she became too nervous or if another matter cropped up which called his attention. For now, he wanted to know more about the Tau.

Ajax stole a glance at the fae from time to time as he continued to clean himself. He wasn't one for bearing down on another and enjoyed his personal space as much as anyone else. When he was done, the brute shook his head and looked up, tail curled around his paws. Darkness had fallen completely, and the night was mild. It was also cloudy, with no sign of the moon and only the brightest of stars glistening through the wisps of cloud overhead. His ears twitched a little when she said she had been a Sigma once upon a time. It was a rank that would be useful to the pack.

"Perhaps we can test your speed and tracking abilities," he suggested, glancing around the plains as the wind picked up and ruffled his fur. "How much of the territory have you seen? Are you familiar with our land yet?" Ajax asked. Being scouts and trackers, Sigmas had to know every inch of the territory - know the shortcuts and hidden trails, where prey could often be found and how to see and track in poor weather. Ajax was thinking about placing her with a Rho for assessment rather than training. Perhaps a patrol or two. If she was up for it, of course.

The brute would be happy to show her the land if she needed. His presence would also deter any teasing or prevent the younger members of the pack from ignoring her. It was common with the lower ranks, and Ajax strongly felt the fae could and should live up to her potential as quickly as possible.

The river flashed in his mind and reminded the brute of his thirst. But Ajax did not wish to leave abruptly, nor did he wish to make Ceniza nervous. He was also interested to see how her knowledge was growing, if at all.

Ajax looked up as they were joined by a white-pelted brute; Skah, one of Archon's Deltas. He had been half expecting a visit from one of them before long, and he chuckled at the brute's request. It was by far the best time of year for hunting, and though he had just eaten, Ajax almost bristled at the thought of the thrill of the hunt.

Skah and Ceniza exchanged pleasantries. The other brute picked up on her anxiousness and reacted accordingly. The fae wanted to make herself scarce, and Skah wanted another member to hunt. Ajax wasn't going to force her to join, but on the flip side he didn't know how well she'd do in a group hunt. There were no shortages of members on whom he knew he could undeniably rely. With a large hunt, he didn't want any unknown variables. He mulled it over for a minute before coming to a decision. "Ceniza, I'd like you to meet me at my den tomorrow at dusk," he nodded. It was an order and a dismissal, if she wished it to be. He hoped the fae wouldn't be too relieved, but it would give her time to calm down, rest, and prepare herself.

Ajax then turned to Skah, "how good of you to join. Sidus and Nox are on patrol at the moment. I would like to think they are nearly finished. I shall meet with them and get their report. See if you can find Jetta or one of the other Deltas and I shall meet you at the mountain trails before dawn. We'll get a hunt tonight, don't worry. I shall join, so if there is a minimum of three of us, that should do just fine. Any more Deltas is just a bonus."

The Alpha threw his muzzle back and let out a howl, a message for Nox and Sidus to state their position. Often, most reports were given at the densite, but with so many wolves scattered through the territory, it was harder. Ajax would wait for the returning call before heading in the direction of the patrol.

He got to his paws and shook his fur out, grinning at the Delta brute. "First large hunt of the year. Are you rested and ready?" the Alpha asked. He had faith in the Deltas. They had a hard job keeping such a big pack well fed, and they hadn't failed yet. In truth, Ajax was excited about the prospect of he hunt. The patrol report would contain vital information for the successful hunt - herd numbers, position, movement, any young, sick or old animals. It meant they would not need to follow a herd for ages, that they could target animals from the get go and save both time and energy. The Alpha tingled with anticipation, ears perked all the while for the answering howls of the current patrol.