Gwen, Desmon, & Coyota

"-mind you, Hons, that we some elder pack members that happen to be male. I appreciate your confidence and bravado, but be respectful to them." She had stopped before the large, three-story building and turned her head to look back at the two. "They wont be a threat to your ranking, so there's no need to hassle them." She wasn't too worried about her father, the previous alpha of the Lurkers, but Desmon was not as spry as he use to be, and was well past his fighting days. With that warning to the newcomers, the brindle female shoulders in through the large steel doors and enters the spacious first floor of the Aegis Den.

Laying at the base of the metal stairs, Desmon lifts his head and thumps his tail against the ground. Beside him, little Coyota sets down a tibia bone she'd been gnawing on and stands up with a luxurious stretch. After a quick shake, she trots forward to greet her alpha, ears back and body low, "Welcome back, Gwen. How'd... oh." The hybrid paused, tall ears propping up to frame her long, coyote-like face. She could hear and smell the other two.

Zeus & Hons

Zeus and honz were a weird duo. Neither remembered how they ened up working together but they did. Zeus followed her his tail held equal to his body and loosely his tail wagging.

Honz kept his tail upt but a little more loosely now that she seems to for the most part accept.,B>I respect my elders and I know elders are no threat to an alpha's positionhe said calmly as he entered behind her.

Gwen & Others

"Greetings." She smiled and reached forward to nuzzle the younger Lurker, while using the moment to introduce the two new males. "I'd like you to meet Honz and Zeus." She stepped aside and looked back as the two squeezed in through the rusted metal doors. Nodding to the pair, she tilted her muzzle back at the large-eared hybrid, "This is Coyota. And Desmon." Her dark muzzle was shifted to point at the wolfdog resting at the base of the stairs.

Desmon raised himself to his paws as he realized Gwen had brought back a pair of strangers. His ears were up and curious, though his tail hung loose and easy, seeing that Gwen was not in any way alarmed or worried about the newcomers. Desmon nodded his greeting to the duo as he stepped closer to give them both a good sniff.

Next to respond was the largest of the Lurkers, a dark brindle fellow who'd inherited his size thanks to the great dane blood of his father. It was his mother's wolven genes that he borrowed his appearance from however, with tall, upright ears and a distinctly wolf-like face that looked very similar to Hydras', aside from darker coloring. Stepping heavily, Argolis descended from the grated staircase where he'd been sleeping upstairs, and crossed the ground to meet the new Lurkers. The ex-alpha carried himself proudly, if not a little slowly, but rightfully kept his tail lowered. "New members?"

Gwen nodded before giving her father a brief nuzzle in greeting. "This is Honz and Zues. Guys, this is my father, Argolis. There are others, but..."

She gave a questioning look around, to which Pirqua answered her. The peregrine falcon, matriarch of the raptors who cohabited with the Lurkers, had been resting on a rafter above, "I believe I saw Equiss and Patch leave earlier in the day to forage, along with the others."

Honz & Zeus

Honz kept his tail up but it wasn't stiff, it was loose. Held in alpha position but friendly. He dipped his head to each of them. pleasureHe said.

Zeus tail hung low and loose.HelloHe greets.

Gwen & Others

"A pleasure to meet you all." Argolis said, his voice rough but pleasant. The way Honz had his tail held high had caught the ex-alpha's eye, and he turned a quizzical, wordless gaze to his daughter.

Gwen returned the look and chuckled, "Of all the strays I've come across in our range, Honz was certainly the most confident. And brave, in the face of an alpha." She looked to her new companion, one that she'd only know for a few minutes so far. "Yet not so bold and aggressive as to have met my fangs." At this one, Argolis had to chuckle a little, recalling several scrapes that his daughter had gotten into with a few over zealous strays. The alpha raised her head a little, "It's time the Lurkers had an alpha pair again. It'll make us stronger, and better able to defend our lands."

Argolis nodded, and looked again to Honz, "You're ready to fight for us and beside us, then?"

Honz & Zeus

Honz listened to their words carefully. Glad she had been right and neither seemed ot care to challenge.I defend my pack, my pack is my family and I'll die for itHe said. Of course he had always believed the alpha were mates but he didn't know what this pack thought and how they stood with such things. He wouldn't push it though.

Zeus sat down glad that no fighting seemed to be ready to break out among them for Honz determination to keep his rank.

Gwen & Others

Argolis smiled, "Good, good to hear. You'll fit in well here." The big, brindle hybrid nuzzled his daughter once before moving past the trio, and heading for a flattened cardboard box nearby to lie down.

Gwen watched her father for a moment before turning her attention back to Honz and Zeus. With a nod, she invited them to follow her up the rickety metal staircase that led to the second floor. The old steps creaked and complained with her added weight, but held strong. After reaching the top, the alphess led them up a second, shorter staircase that opened up to the flat rooftop of the factory. She strode across the rooftop and stopped a foot away from the ledge, peering out over the Alleys below.

"There are a few things I'd like to further discuss with you both." She waited for them to gather before going on, "One matter is our falcons; we have Pirqua and Darkwing that live with us, and help us scout our territory. They are just as valued as our canine members, and are to be protected and treated fairly. The other issue is humans; within in the Alleys humans are to be tolerated and not harassed directly. We are in the middle of their territory, and the last thing we want is for them to attack us here."

Honz & Zeus

Honz dipped his head before following Gwen up the stairs. Zeus a little hesitant at the creaking but soon followed her to the roof. They sat down. Does that include stealing their food directly from them? They never harmed the humans.we don't harm themhe added.

Zeus tilted his head.

Gwen

"That was a rather bold tactic you used on those two humans." The mental image of the two startled people still brought amusement to the alphess, and she gave an air chuckle as she recalled it. "Try not to do that too much, okay? If you become too much of a nuisance to them, it'll attract their attention. Try... more subtle means, like convincing them to give the food to you. I can show you how to do that sometime. Maybe later today, if you'd like."

Honz & Zeus

Honz listened.we do that too, It depends on how many humans and time of day really. The dog catcher been out lately, so we have to kinda grab and run as fast as possible or they come around the cornerHe said.

Zeus yawned. His ears flicking.

Gwen & Others

"As long as you understand, that's what's important. We'll go out for a hunt tonight; you can show me what you know, and I'll show you what I know, sound good?" She looked to Honz and Zeus both as she said this, including the subordinate canine in the outing. "We'll take a few other packmates out too, so you can get use to working with them." Gwen turned her gaze to the buildings around them, eyes following three young humans skipping along an adjacent street with fishing poles in hand. As they drifted out of sight, the alphess returned her attention to the pair. "Another topic I need to address is that of our extended family. There is one ranch where we do not hunt at, or attack the pets living there, as they are relatives of ours. Other farms are fair game of course, but that one is off limits unless we are desperate for food. After we go for our hunt tonight, I'll take you both there so you know where it is."

Honz and zeus

He listened nd nodded.Sounds good to meHe said calmly.

Zeus dipped his head.

Gwen & Others

That they were agreeable to her guidelines was a huge relief to the alphess, who initially worried that Honz might be a bit too bullheaded to abide by all the rules that the Lurkers followed. "The last thing that needs to be understood is our conduct with other canines in this land. Because there are so many pets and so many strays, we are lenient of other dogs passing through our territory, though submission is expected from them, and our Den is of course off limits unless they are invited." Honz and Zeus had of course learned this first hand when the encountered the brindle hybrid less than an hour earlier. "Zeus, if you'll give Honz and I a moment alone?"

Zeus

They listened and Zeus dipped his head moving back down stairs.

Honz watched his freind go but turned his attention fully back to gwen his ears on her .

Gwen

Gwen waited for Zeus to depart before she turned her eyes fully upon Honz, giving him her full attention. "Now that you are the alpha male of the Shadow Lurkers, that makes you my mate." Her gaze briefly roved the canine in front of her, a stranger that she barely knew yet, but one that she at least knew had the right disposition and courage to be a good leader. "We'll need time to get to know one another, but down the road I do want to start a family and continue the legacy of the Shadow Lurkers."

Honz

His ears now perk up.i was wondering that but didn't feel it was the right time to ask about it. He said a little sheepishly. His tail slightly wagged. a family would be niceHe said calmly.Down the roadHe said.

Gwen

Seeing his tail wave elicited a similar swish of her own, happy to see a more amiable side to the future father of their pups. She relaxed her own posture a little, letting her tense shoulders rest, "I'm glad you feel the same way." Gwen sat down, easing her haunches onto the weather-beaten roof. "I'm also glad we ran into one another today. The Shadow Lurkers have been without a united leadership since my father had to step down two years back. Have-" She paused for a moment, looking curiously at the other, "-have you heard much of our history, Honz?"

Honz

Honz sat there now completely relaxed his full attention on his mate. I have not. I avoided large packs because my focus was staying a live and the larger my pack had gotten the more the humans took noticeHe said witha frown. He had had a mate once, but her and his pupps had been taken off to the pound.

Gwen

"That was wise of you." Gwen mused, "Thankfully for you, the Shadow Lurkers have been around for quite some time, and we know how to evade the attention of humans." She shuffled her front paws, enjoying the radiating heat from the sun as a cool breeze rustled by them. Before long, those winds would be getting colder, heralding the coming of winter. But up on top of the old factory, at least when the sun was shining bright, the dark rooftop offered a toasty place to warm up. "Now that you're alpha, I'll also let you know that we don't really have any concrete allies right now... we've mostly kept to ourselves that last few years. But now that you're at my side, I'd like to head out soon and reestablish old alliances. To that end, do you or Zeus have any allies or enemies that I should know about?"

Honz & Zeus

He nodded and then tilted his head.Nah, we were just living life didn't really have a need for allieshe said calmly.

Gwen

"I understand." Gwen nodded, "That makes things easier for us then - no enemies to worry about." A light chuckled escaped her dark muzzle before she rose on her paws once more and stepped closer to Honz, closing the short distance between them. She ran her snout against his cheek before brushing her neck against his, helping to mingle their scents and mark him with the Shadow Lurker's banner as well as to show her first sign of affection to her new mate. "Now that we have all that covered, lets go back down with the others."

Honz

He watched her carefully as she approached but loosened up when all she did was rub against shim and as he stood up he rubbed against her.LetsHe said calmly.