☼ Anahera ☼

☼ Anahera ☼ struts toward you, inviting you to look at the gift they've brought you. They proclaim with a bragging tone that surely, it's the best gift you've ever received.

    The small she-pup gave her retreating cousin a swipe on the tail as he disappeared down the tunnel to one of the sick dens. She knew he and her brother had a secret hideout down there somewhere, but it would be no fun if she spoiled it for them. She liked their games of chase, and would prefer if they continued like they always had. She did know, however, that they had recently been seen letting that she-pup, Whistle, down there as well, which made her scowl. She hoped that this wouldn't disrupt their games, and was even slightly jealous of Whistle for being allowed in the hideout while she wasn't.
    "No matter!" Anahera said aloud, straightening up and giving a sniff.
    "What's no matter, love?" The voice of her mother reached her ears from behind and she turned to smile up at Ataahua.
    "Nothing. Just Nikau and Winnie's new friend is all."
    "New friend, eh? Would that be Whistle by any chance?" Ataahua asked, always the perceptive one. Anahera supposed that was why she was the alpha.
    "Exactly. I was a bit worried, but I know they really love playing chase with me. It's what makes that hideout of theirs special in the first place."
    "Smart little thing," Ataahua smiled at her daughter and beckoned her to follow as she began to walk off, "how about some lessons while you wait for them to resurface?"

—

    Nikau and Anahera stood in front of the pack, chests puffed out slightly like their mother had told them. They were becoming full members of the pack, and the ceremony would be overseen by Rionach, Syndestar, Hufen... pretty much all of the most important wolves in the pack. Not to mention the entire pack would be present to see them rise from the initiate rank to pack hunters. Nikau trembled slightly and Anahera leaned into him in a reassuring gesture. Though the siblings still fought and messed with each other from time to time, their relationship had also become one that was much more caring at the same time.
    "What do you think it'll be like?" Anahera whispered to her brother excitedly.
    "I have no idea," Nikau 'whispered' back, feeding off of her excitement despite his earlier nervousness.
    Both young wolves had grins plastered on their faces by the time the ceremony began, and by the time it was over their jaws hurt and they couldn't help but giggle each time someone congratulated them on their new roles within the pack.

—

    Anahera sat with Raea, Raalia and Whistle, sharing stories while they ate a midday meal. Whistle gushed about her puppies and the surprisingly interesting life of a pupsitter, Raea spoke about filling in for her sister as herbalist while Nicht recovered from her broken ribs, and Raalia told tales of her adventures as a scout. Anahera enjoyed hearing about her friends' vastly differing jobs and the shenanigans they got up to while on duty. She never would've guessed that you had to be that strong to be an herbalist, but apparently sometimes you really had to hold a wolf down to set a bone or do any of the other potentially tough jobs that came with the territory. And scouting sounded like fun and frolicking, but Raalia had apparently been trained for and experienced several life-or-death situations— most times with a bear. The same bear.
    "Well, he really has it out for you, doesn't he?" The golden she-wolf chuckled, half genuine and half worried for her friend.
    "Ah, it's nothing. It's really easy enough to give him the slip. He's a little slower on the uptake than other bears I've met. He's just persistent is all. Definitely would eat me if given the chance," Raalia laughed.
    "I for one am very glad I don't almost get eaten on a daily basis. I played at being tough as a pup, and, mind you, I still am but I would much prefer to fight something wolf-sized, thank you very much!" Whistle piped up through a mouthful of prey.
The conversation continued this way for the better part of the rest of the day, the she-wolves off duty without a care in the world, simply enjoying the company of friends and the taste of good prey.

—

    Anahera strode alongside her brother and uncle as Áleifr spoke about the pack's recent consensus. There had been whispers since the siblings were young that one of them may become alpha one day, but the final decision had only just been made. Áleifr had much to say about both Anahera and her brother, taking some time to recognize each of his sister's pups' triumphs. As they heard this praise the two young wolves' heads rose a bit higher, their chests puffing out a bit as they tried to look the part. Finally the trio came to their uncle and the other higher ups' den where they sat to hear the verdict.
    Anahera sat beside her brother, nudging him playfully as he settled in, "no hard feelings either way, right? Remember our pact?"
    Nikau nodded, glancing sidelong at his sister as Aleifr entered the den as well and sat before them. He gazed at each of them with a smile, sizing them up and taking in their excited fidgeting. He drew in a breath to speak and Anahera thought of the plan. The pact she and Nikau had made was that no matter who was chosen, that sibling would choose the other as their beta along with their cousin and trusty confidant, Winnie. The three of them would take charge and continue what their mother and uncle had begun: asserting their dominance over the whole forest. Not in a nasty way, Anahera thought to herself with a little smile, but in a way that will propel the Redfeather pack into the lead and leave no room for questions. Clearly the moon-touched and clever wolves of the river glade had made and won their case as the ones most fit to lead when they brought the packs of the western forest together to defeat that shadow... thing out there in the woods. And sure, neither of the siblings had been there, but Aleifr would teach them everything he knew, and they'd have Winnie who had actually attacked that thing first right by their side.
    "Right. So, you've heard the whispers, but now I'll tell you which one of you the pack has chosen. That is, unofficially chosen, you understand." The siblings nodded. "Since you two are so close, and I've heard your plans to take over the whole forest together despite your whispering, I'll teach the both of you everything I know. I believe you two will be a force for good in these woods, and I agree that uniting the packs of the west under a strong leader... or two," he smiled at that, "will be a thing that destroys future strife and conflict. We've seen what unity in the packs can do, and I think you two and your ambitions can take that step more permanently."
    Anahera grinned at her uncle, then turned to bump her forehead to her brother's. Nikau was looking sheepishly stunned, and Anahera shook her head. He was probably the one who had been crowing about their plans to anyone who would listen, but she didn't care now that it had turned out to be for the good.
    Aleifr shook his head with a chuckle, "well, now. The only thing left is for me to tell you that Nikau will be our next nominal alpha should everyone vote the same way they are whispering now."
    Nikau jumped to his paws beside Anahera and she looked at him with a smile. He looked from her to Aleifr and back again, blinking as if he didn't quite know what to do with the announcement. Anahera laughed and glanced at her bemused uncle who was enjoying this confounded reaction as much as she was. Nikau was still just a jumpy pup now, but once he was fully trained and took the lead alongside she and Winnie he would be a magnificent alpha.

—

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