In'Alak, Iariadie, Recon, & Sunburst

Of the four males that were approaching the territory border, only In'Alak stood out with his white coat, while the rest of his kin bore varying shades of gray. He was also the largest of the bunch, at a modest weight of 95 pounds, but he seemed to be the leader of the group as they all fell in single-file line behind him. Going was a little difficult along the rugged edges of the mountain, but In'Alak and his misty-gray brother, Iariadie, had had three years of experience navigating the various terrains of the Valley in their bachelor years, and braced this adventure with little trouble.

It was Sunburst, grandson of Iariadie, and just two months shy of his first year, that was having the most difficulties right now. Behind him traveled his father Recon, keeping an eye on the smallest in their mini pack to make sure he didn't make a misstep and send himself for a tumble down the steep slopes. "Dad, why- ouch!" Sunburst wrinkled up his face and darted his orangish eyes at a particularly sharp rock that had bruised his paw, before bouncing forward to catch up with his uncle and grandpa, "-why can't we just stay with the others? I liked it over there."

"We can visit them whenever we want, they're but a few miles jaunt to the north." Recon replied, for what felt like the hundreth time today, "It's getting too crowded, and we'll be safer from humans here, besides."

"We're here." In'Alak stopped with a muzzle lowered to the ground, nose twitching tentatively about at a recent scent-marking spot that announced the edge of the Highmere's territory. "Your falcons must have been right, Recon." The wolf murmured after he'd had a moment or two to analyze the marking, "There's only two signatures here. Nachi's, and Starscream. They're pretty brazen to expand their land with just the two of them, and her expecting pups - no doubt they'll be more eager to take us in."

Iariadie perked his head up, taking over for In'Alak now as he sent a melody, whispy howl into the darkening sky. It was a neutral-messaged howl, calling for a response from the pack's leaders.

Starscream

With pups to look out for, Starscream was both on high alert about intruders, and bordering on desperate to find more pack members. It was tough hunting enough food on his own while Nachi was stuck in the den guarding the litter, and trying to hold down the massive land he'd claimed for himself - In'Alak was entirely right about his assessment.

Starscream's howl came back high and sharp, in a tone that was just as piercing and unique as the voice he had as a puppy - and the one his mother had named him over. It wasn't nearly as melodic and kind on the ears as Iariadie's song, but it had a sound all its own. It took the alpha several minutes to reach the group, and just as he cleared the last outcropping of rock and came strutting into view, he already had his grizzled ruff expanded and his tail flung high in the air. Standing at a decent 115 pounds, he was larger than any in the family bunch standing before him, but that weight didn't add up to much if they decided to be hostile, so Scream had to be cautious in his dealings with them.

"Are you looking for a pack, or have you come for other reasons?" Well, he had a tendency to be brunt and to the point sometimes, especially when he felt as nervous as he did now. He didn't let it show one bit in his sturdy, unwavering gaze, however. "I am Starscream, son of Vestige and Cortinarri, alpha of the Highemere. Speak quickly."

In'Alak, Iariadie, Recon, & Sunburst

Straight away, In'Alak lowered his head, and with his prompt fall into submission, the rest of his kin adopted his actions and lowered their heads accordingly. Dark gold eyes briefly sized up Starscream without being too critical or gaging - the last thing Alak wanted was to make his potential new alpha wary of him, and blow their chances at getting into the small pack. "We're interested in a new pack, Starscream. I'm In'Alak, and this is my brother, Iariadie." Because he didn't know who his parents were after being split from them at such an early age in life, he left off the traditional naming of his sire and dam. "My nephew Recon, and his son Sunburst, are formally of the Shadow Haunters." From them, he knew that Nachi was a long-time, if not entirely eccentric and occasionally useless member of the mega-pack.

"Will we have to hunt for our own fo-" Sunburst was so use to the clamor and hustle-bustle of the Haunters that he found the isolation of this area a little hard to handle, and the more quiet time he had to think on their journey here, the more he began to wonder about how different this lifestyle was going to be. Recon hastily snapped at his son's shoulder, while Iariadie darted a warning glare over his shoulder. Sun dipped his head even further, and meekly planted his ears back.

Starscream

He couldn't help but feel a bolt of uncertainty hit him. He wasn't for or against the Haunters, not yet knowing that they - and more specifically Nachi's brother - had killed his father. What he did know was that he couldn't afford to anger the Shadow Haunters. But would inviting ex-Haunters into his pack stir up contention with his Lurker allies? Where these guys defects of the Haunters, or amicably separated members that were seeding themselves in other other parts of the Valley to strengthen the Haunters in the end?

A look of deep contemplation furrowed the leader's face even more, and he growled loudly at Sunburst's interruption, quietly spoken as it was. "Very well... we are in need of some members, as it happens to be." The leader stated at length, as if it wasn't already known by the small family group that he was in desperate need for some help in defending his land and providing for Nachi and the new pups. "The first order of business will be to hunt - I haven't caught so much as a hare since two days ago. Have any of you much experience taking livestock?"

In'Alak, Iariadie, Recon, & Sunburst

The two brothers exchanged knowing glances, with In'Alak being the one to speak up again, "My brother and I both have had experience with livestock, though not much in this particular Valley." He gave Starscream that response before he expanded on his experiences, "There's two smaller passages through the mountains that we know of, one being the human's road, and another a natural passageway higher up in the mountains. The land is colder that way, but there are a few human packs out there, with reindeer and musk oxen."

Sunburst was bellied towards the ground, his tail tucked apprehensively under himself after he'd gotten a growl from Starscream. An ear perked hesitantly up however, intrigued by what his uncle was talking about, though at least he had the sense not to butt in with questions this time.

Starscream

He'd heard of those terms before, though he'd never encountered such animals before. However, not wanting to advertise his lack of knowledge on prey species, the alpha nodded vaguely as if he understood precisely what the smaller two brothers were talking about, "Around here, we hunt cattle and sheep. We'll be going for the larger of the two today, now that I have some backup; and you-" Starscream wasn't afraid to single out Sunburst with a domineering glare, "Do you have any experience in this?"

In'Alak, Iariadie, Recon, & Sunburst

Put in the limelight all of a sudden, Sunburst looked hesitantly up at the alpha, then lowered his eyes to stare at his paws as he mumbled, "With the cattle? Uh-well, I... uh, no, sir. Not really." 'He's not going to let me hunt with them, I know it!' The younger male frantically thought, and dared to peek up at Starscream, trying to judge the leader's reaction.

Recon closed his eyes briefly, but didn't let out the mildly despairing sigh that had welled up in his chest. Sunburst had plenty of things that made him a valuable pack member, but his mannerisms and experience were a little... lacking, to say the least. They'd improve with time, Recon knew, but right now they weren't putting the poor youngster in good light with their new leader. "If I may," The pale-gray brute carefully inserted himself into the conversation, as politely as he could manage, "He will be my responsibility. He shows promise as a fine hunter, and has already proven great stealth when he puts his mind to it."

Starscream

Starscream looked far from impressed at the babble of nervous words that spilled from Sunburst's mouth, and a slightly raised eye said as much. The alpha knew that he didn't have much choice as far as whether or not to bring the adolescent with, since he didn't want to leave Sunburst wondering around the territory without first getting him introduced to Nachi and the pups, so with a grunt, he nodded, "Then it's settled. Recon, you'll be looking after him." The wolf put his nose briefly to an oncoming breeze, then abruptly shifted his muzzle to the northeast, "I'll send you four ahead first, and meet up with you at the cattle ranch past the bridge. The one with the woolly cattle - I won't be long." Trusting that they knew the valley well enough if they've been here so long, Starscream left them with those directions before he headed due north to gather some possible recruitments.