☼ Håkaan ☼

          The young wolf waited as patiently as he could manage while his mother fretted about his ears, smoothed his fur and made sure he was presentable. His leader was outside the den at that moment, negotiating his transfer to some other pack. The idea was not altogether new to him— he always knew that it was likely he would one day have to leave his pack— but he found himself wishing for just a little while longer at home. With a sigh, he brushed the thought away and began helping his mother by licking his paws and sitting a bit taller, chest puffed out like she taught him. It felt silly, but if it would impress his new pack, he figured he'd try it.
          After several more minutes, or perhaps even an hour went by the young wolf heard his name called, and was nudged out of the den by his mother who stepped out behind him. He looked back at her with a panicked expression, but her composure and regal stature reassured him. Looking forward once more he took a deep breath, stood tall, and stepped forward to meet his new leader.

-

          For the second time in his young life, Hakaan sat in a den listening to snippets of a conversation about his future that he could not join. Just as last time there was someone waiting with him, but she was not fretting over him like his mother had. Trill, the young she-wolf and he did not always get along since they were related, and had become something like siblings. However, she was another foundling that had been traded into the Redfeather Pack, so she understood his apprehension about situations like these. Neither had spoken in some time, but they sat close together, just listening to the muffled voices drifting in through the den's entrance screen.
          "I think he could be a perfect replacement. I'm certainly not cut out for this job, nor do I have much time for it with everything else I've got to do," the current breeding male, Iaus had seemed to be speaking rather highly about the young Hakaan throughout the conversation.
          "But do we really want such a recent outsider in a position of this much influence? Think about it, we have other options as well," the deep, wizened voice of Celwynn, a wolf who scared Hakaan sounded. From what he could tell, she wanted to see one of Fenn's or her own pups take over for Iaus.
          "Do not forget, Celwynn, that we were all outsiders once. Even our pups who were born here do not take that mindset toward the foundlings. It could add to his influence," the soft but strong and icy voice of Iaus' mate, Vonnegaine countered.
          "Besides, Cel, you know your pups are too young to be a swift enough relief for poor, overworked young Iaus here, and— meaning no offense, Fenn my dear— we all know that Narquelion doesn't have it in him. He'd much prefer to watch the rain all day with that daughter of yours, Cel," said a voice like gravel, put upon by years of leading howls and laughing so much.
          This was a wolf Hakaan did like, and she seemed to have had the last word on the matter. There was much grumbling from Celwynn, and Hakaan and Trill agreed that they could almost hear Fenn's eyes rolling up to the sky as she was reminded about her son's sullen and laid-back nature. Fenn's voice called for the young subject of conversation, and, not having anyone nudge him outside this time, Hakaan froze. After a minute passed, Iaus' head poked in through the flowering vines obscuring the den's entrance. He grinned and jerked his head in a 'come on out' gesture. Hakaan looked at Trill beside him with wide eyes, and she gently touched her nose to his and then booted him out of the den. The young wolf skidded to a halt in front of the semicircle of very important pack members, and sat down with a thump, trying to remember to sit up tall as they spoke to him. Remembering the silent encouragement of his friend inside, he graciously accepted his new future appointment within the pack, and even began to look forward to having an important job.

—

          Hakaan padded through the hollow, head on a swivel with bright icy eyes peeled for anything that might need his attention. He had grown into a large, well liked and much relied upon member of the Redfeather pack, mostly by following as closely as he could in his mentor, Iaus' pawsteps. As he stalked through camp now he was mostly trying to locate the newer scouts that were being trained up, and whom liked to avoid the senior members of the pack so as not to have to give their reports before bedding down. The golden wolf finally spied the troublemaker he was looking for off cavorting with that big sap, Dalibor, when his mentor crested the wooded hill in front of him and jerked his head to beckon him over. Hakaan gave a huff, staring daggers at Banrigh— who had spotted him, and now gave him a smirk as he was called away— and trotted over to meet Iaus at the foot of the hill.
          "Just about to try and start that fight, were you?" The clear but weathered voice of Iaus quipped as the scarred brown and gray face angled toward Banrigh and the apologetic looking Dalibor.
          "I just don't understand what's so difficult to comprehend about giving the reports before something catastrophic happens! Does she want us to be attacked?" Hakaan growled, exasperated.
          "She's your first charge, Hakaan, so there was bound to be some friction. You'll find it easier with each new apprentice you advise. But, really, I didn't call you over to talk that kind of business. What I wanted to say is that some time ago Fenn told me she thought I would be chosen as the next alpha. However, your value within the pack has been noticed as well. So, I'm warning you that, with the exception of Banrigh over there who I don't think will weigh in at all, the pack may just choose you." The brown and gray wolf looked sidelong at his quietly stunned golden apprentice, waiting for some reaction.
          Hakaan's mind was a fog, swirling as his thoughts came and went. He didn't think of his mentor as being old, and he certainly didn't think of himself as being ready for such a responsibility as leadership. If Iaus thought he could do it, though, and advised him to at that, well... then he would certainly try. For the first time the golden wolf realized that he had to look down at the former scout, but still he thought that Iaus would always be taller than he was in his mind.
          "If you think I can do it, Iaus, then I will," he smiled at his mentor, "as long as you promise to be there when I screw it up."

—

          Hakaan sat with Trill in the shade of a honeysuckle-covered fallen tree as they enjoyed the crisp fall weather and spoke about pack matters. Mostly it had been concerning the coming winter's possible hunting difficulties, what with the pack being in still largely unfamiliar territory that year. Trill had glanced up at that honeysuckle several times, likely agonizing over how quickly winter was coming and how nervous she was about it. Hakaan shook his head as he spoke, thinking that she probably hadn't even heard the first half of his words.
          "However, we don't know for sure that hunting will slow down after all. Our... previous home was a harsher place; less cover for prey, not as abundant water sources and so on. We may well be just fine," the golden alpha spoke, wincing, of the home he had unfortunately not been able to keep the pack in where most of the water was— usually, unless it was burning— saturated in the ground.
          "You're probably right. Just with our numbers down since most of the elders— our advisors! Then wolves left us during our struggle," the red-tinged she-wolf sighed and set her mind straight once again, repeating, "you're probably right, though. We'll figure it out."
          Hakaan fixed Trill with a quizzical smile, "you know we're the elders now, right cousin? It's our job to advise all these youngsters running around here like quail. It surely doesn't mean we'll know everything all of the time, as I'm sure Iaus and the rest of our elders didn't. What it does mean is that we've the experience and knowledge now to make the best decisions for these quail in those times of uncertainty. And if any of us isn't sure," he added with a grin, "we've got each other to turn to for some mid-crisis inspiration or load of crap as needed."

—

          Hakaan strode through the glade, happy to be back among his pack after a long jaunt out scouting. The old alpha liked to take some time to revisit his old job and help his hardworking scouts out as often as he could manage.

— — — — —

[445 Starting]
[946 Lvl 20]
[1024 Final <3]

12/18/2020 | Base changed from Goldenrod to Pale.

12/19/2020 | Eyes changed from White to Ice.

03/21/2021 | Base changed from Pale to Selene.

04/16/2021 | Made alpha at ~4y9m

05/21/2021 | Eyes changed from Ice to Azure.

https://www.wolvden.com/wolf/916059 ☼ Håkaan ☼ | G3 | Colorful Selene | Merle & Luna | Azure Eyes | 100sc or 1gc | 1023 stats! | Retires at RO!

https://www.wolvden.com/wolf/916059 ☼ Håkaan ☼ | G3 | Colorful Selene | Merle | Luna Inverted Cross | Azure Eyes | 100sc or 1gc | Now 1023+ stats!