Devil May Cry

Devil kept his pace at a calm jog all the way to the border line of the territory. Wrinkling his nose at the scents of other lupines, he pinned his ears back slightly before remembering his motivation. He had just won over a territory through stealth and now he needed allies or risk losing it just as quick. Though not much of a friendly guy, Devil figured he could at least be civil. Holding his tail in a neutral position and making sure he didn't have any hair raised to make the alpha mistake him as an intruding challenger, he sat down right before crossing the imaginary line marked in the alpha male's urine and lifted his muzzle, letting a chilling howl pierce the atmosphere, calling for the alpha to approach.

Kaiser

If Kaiser had known their pups had wondered from the den, he'd have been right there with his mate trying to find them. Fortunately however, Sylar had quickly located the two escapees, and while she was busy corralling them, he had been investigating the borders to make sure all was well with their home. As he was moving along and re-marking various areas, Devil's cry caught his attention, and he quickly turned his powerful howl back at the stranger to tell him he was on his way.

It didn't take but a few minutes before the alpha brute was padding towards the border with his tail and head held rightfully high to impress his ownership of this land. "Greetings, stranger. Is there something you wanted?"

Devil May Cry

Ears pricked forward as he caught the alpha's answering cry. Head held in a neutral position so as to let the other wolf know he meant no harm to his harem, Devil watched the brute approach with mild interest. Golden eyes measured up the other hunter, deciding he'd be alright, ears pricked listening to what Kaiser had to say.
Greetings, stranger. Is ther something you wanted?
He nodded his great head in answer, black pelt shimmering as he replied in a deep coice of his own.
Aye. I come in peace as new alpha of the Parnassian Meadows pack lands to ask for your friendly alliance.
Red flaked eyes watched the other male, patiently waiting his reply.

Kaiser

A tolerant wolf, who had no enemies in the valley to speak of, the invitation for an alliance sounded like a welcome deal. Their pack was small as it was, and with the Parnassian Meadows sitting along his southern border, he could scarcely refuse, "Unless my mate objects, I would be more than willing to accept your offer." Appeased by the respectful posture of the other male, Kaiser readily agreed to the treaty, "My name is Kaiser; and yours?"

Sylar & Arcadia

The howls of her mate and this stranger had drawn the alpha female to the borders. She approached confidently, assertively, and if not a little coldly. Sylar, after finding two of her pups had fled the den and disobeyed her, had become angry, and although she had her temper under control, she couldn't bring herself to plaster on falsities. Therefore, while she didn't look friendly, she didn't look unfriendly. The white she-wolf, with sharp yellow eyes, was the contrast of Devil in appearance. She took up the place beside Kaiser, brushing against him to show their unity. She did not outright assert her dominance, but she gave off an aura that left no doubt she was Kaiser's mate. "My name is Sylar." She did not, however, say anything else, leaving Kaiser to lead the conversation.

Behind Sylar was a silvery black pup, with the tan lined ears of her father, and the same yellow eyes of the alpha femme. Arcadia, the alpha pair's daughter, was close to the ground, in a very submissive posture, trying to appease her mother after leaving the den against her mother's wishes. Now faced with both parents, Arcadia was severely regretting her decision to follow her brother from the den. "Oh man..." she whispered to Crow.

Devil May Cry

Devil pricked his ears at the alpha male's answer, glad to have another friendly ally. Nodding his head, he answered in a low growl.

I am called Devil May Cry, or Devil if you will. Its a pleasure to meet you, Kaiser.

His gaze went to the new arrival as he looked at Sylar and bowed his head in greetings, seeing the way she brushed against Kaiser in mutual respect. His mate, our boy could tell. Listening to her short but sweet vocals, he nodded his head again.

A pleasure to meet you as well, Sylar.

He glanced at the pups behind her but said nothing, not wanting to offend their parents in involving the pups. His gaze went back to Kaiser.

I thank you for your alliance. I may well need it soon.

••••

Ψ he calls me Devil May Cry
ς my lineage calls to him male
†he ages me four winters
∴ he paints me black with golden eyes flaked with red

Kaiser, Crow, Magadan, & Starscream

At the arrival of his mate, Kaiser returned her gesture by flicking his tail briefly against her, like a human might put their arm to another's shoulder, all in silent declaration of their unity. Of course, he was immediately aware that Sylar didn't appear to be in the best of moods, and judging by how Arcadia and Crow were slinking so miserably after her, he could only imagine that they had done something to earn their mother's wrath. He didn't look at them yet, but they could pretty well bet that they'd get an earful from him once their guest left.

"I appreciate the offer." The alpha male returned, after focusing his eyes back on Devil, "And good luck to your pack." Once the formalities were over and their treaty agreed upon, Kaiser turned his head slightly away from Devil, as a subtle gesture that the conversation was over as far as he was concerned, unless Devil had anything else to say. It was to Sylar that he spoke next, keeping his vocals low, "He's taken residence in the territory south of us; unless you'd like it otherwise, I thought it would be best to secure friends where we could." He left it an open statement, more or less asking for her agreement or disagreement on the matter, since she was the other half of the leadership in the pack.

Starscream had followed alpha sister to the border of the territory where the meeting between Sylar and Devil was taking place, but the ruler of the Highmere pack didn't get himself involved in the conversation - this wasn't his pack anyway, so he didn't feel the need to speak up and say anything. Staying aloof to it all, the grizzled brute waited only for his sister's pack to ready themselves for the hunt ahead.

The prospects of going to a new land for a short while might have been exciting news for the two youngsters, but all Crow could think about was his mother's anger. He was pressed up against Arcadia, as if together they could hide from the punishment that was coming their way. "She's so mad at us! And Dad is going to start lecturing... I can just hear it now!"

Devil May Cry

Devil simply nodded to Kaiser's words and noticed him turn away. He backed up a step, about to turn away and go back to his lands when he saw the alpha asking a quiet question to his mate. Wondering vaguely if he should stay and wait for her reply, he flicked his tail and turned away. No, if it was meant for him, Kaiser would have asked the question out in the open to include Devil. It must be a private matter, maybe not even concerning him.

Pinning his ears slightly into his normal posture, the dark prince began padding away from the family of alphas into the shadows toward his own lands, tail going back intot he erect alpha pose, his handsome head raising into a dominant position as he reached his borders. Ah, home sweet home.

Sylar & Arcadia

Sylar smiled, a smile void of emotion, but meant to show the negative feelings were not towards Devil. As Kaiser turned his head, Sylar did as well, a mirror image of her mate. "I agree. In a valley such as this, we shall need all the friends we can get." And indeed it was true, for although the Lurkers had retained an alliance with Aspen Grove, they were not the closest of friends. Aspen Grove and Highmere were two small packs in a mob of many, and without true friends, Sylar was worried her family could be all but wiped out by the huge multi-species packs that were springing up all through the valley.

With Devil dealt with, Sylar now moved on, "Starscream has asked we go with him and his pack on a hunt. Nachi will sit with the pups. Do you want to come?" After asking Kaiser, she sent out a brief but loud howl, calling the pack together for the hunt. Draven and Soleil, two older pack members who had been a part of the pack when Vestige was still alive, were quick to respond, joining the pack to hear Sylar's announcement.

Arcadia whimpered to herself, ears back against her head. Now that Devil was gone, so was the distraction that had stopped Sylar and Kaiser from punishing their offspring. Arcadia tried to make herself as small as possible, pressed up against her brother to try and reassure him, and herself. "Maybe if we're quiet, they'll forget...?" she whispered hopefully, but she knew, as Crow would, that Sylar would not forget, and as if to reaffirm this, when Arcadia caught Sylar's eyes, the snowy she-wolf shot a cold, disappointed glare at her offspring. "I came back from hunting to find only Magadan in the den. You're pups had decided they were going to leave the den anyway. When I found them, they were with Starscream. I'm just relieved it was their uncle and not another creature coming to hunt or hurt them!" she told Kaiser, her voice cold and disappointed, if not tinted with a touch of hysterical fear and sadness that she had been withholding so far.

Kaiser & Others

With the alliance issue in mutual agreement, Kaiser was free to plod onto the next issue of business, which had him looking questioningly to Starscream, "I wouldn't mind, and a group hunt will be good for bonding. But Scream, do you think your mate can handle this many pups?"

"She's got a way with pups, she's actually been insisting on us doing a hunt for some time. Thinks it'll be good for the kids to get to know one another." With a mild shrug, he dismissed Kaiser's worries about overburdening Nachi, but oddly enough, he didn't quiet meet the other alpha's gaze as he looked absently at the ground, studying a few fallen leaves.

"I guess we're settled then-" Kaiser was just starting to say, but as Crow was on the verge of thinking they were going to be let off the hook, the father wolf raised his head a little and narrowed his eyes. "-after I have a talk with these two." Crow wilted against the ground again, looking meekly between his mother and father, but finding no assurance for either of them. There was an anxiety-building pause before Kaiser went on, "You two will be confined to Nachi's den for the duration of the hunt, and do precisely as she tells you. When we return, I want to have a talk with the both of you about your behavior." Rustling leaves and padding paws distracted him from the ominous stare-down he was delivering to his offspring, and won a brief and welcoming smile to Isias and Cortinarri when the two finally joined the gathering. "Cortinarri, Isias - Scream has invited us on a joint hunt. Nachi has volunteered to watch the pups.