Ankh, Rue, Hailstorm, & Mesa

It was time to get some food, and to scratch an old itch of the alpha's. Stepping out of the old, doorless cabin that was his and Owl's, Ankh lifted his lean muzzle skyward. In a wavering and peircing howl, he called for the members of his pack. They'd be paying Aidan a visit.

It didn't take long for Rue to respond to the calling. The hybrid sauntered towards the cabin with her head down and tail swaying loosely behind her.

Hailstorm and Mesa were next to arrive. The falcon siblings alighted on the roof of the cabin, patiently awaiting orders.

Sweetclover, Taiser, Mandragoro, & Harbringer

Sauntering side-by-side, Sweetclover and Taiser heeded their alpha's call. Behind them trailed Harbringer, who's tail was swaying merrily with each step. And then there was the massive brute Mandragoro, who was mostly silent and brooding. But there was a curious light to his gaze, hinting at his excitement to be doing something with the pack. He would turn out to be much like Ankh, in his desires for human-based destruction and mistchief.

The group of four all spread out before Ankh, waiting patiently for his words.

Satan, Suki, Kuro

Next to arrive were Suki and Kuro, both of whom were smiling and in pleasant moods. They were quick to join the others around Ankh.

Satan, however, was not in such a good mood. Striding forward, with his haunting yellow eyes fixed to the ground, he took a place at the back, radiating a 'don't mess with me' atmosphere.

Snowy Owl, Honthale, & Artemisia

As the group was gathering, Ankh's older son came running through the cluster of human-deserted cabins. "Mom, dad!" He barked out, pausing briefly before hearing his mother send out a responding bark.

Snowy Owl, seated next to her mate, furrowed her brows in concern as Honthale dashed towards them. "Hon, what's the matter?"

Tongue lolling and sides heaving from the run, Honthale had no clue that he was spreading a potentially deadly virus to his fellow allies and family. Distemper. It was a weak strain, but still dangerous, especially in the chill of winter. "Aunt Hydras sent me to alert you..." He began, pausing briefly to catch his breath, "Aurinka has fallen ill, and we believe she had eaten meat tainted by humans. Hydras thinks they may be on another poisoning campaign."

Artemisia huddled inbetween her two parents, looking uncertainly at her older brother. As her little nose twitched to take in the scents he carried, she inadvertendly picked up the minute virus that was spewed in the air from his breath.

Satan, Suki and Kuro

Satan whirled round to face Honthale as he approached, his eyes narrowed at the news. Being so close to Honthale, it took only a few moments for Satan to inhale the virus he was spreading.

Suki was lucky. As she listened, she managed not to breathe in the airbourne virus...for now.

Kuro however, was not so lucky. After walking forward to greet Honthale, he quickly picked up the disease.

Ankh, Rue, Hailstorm, & Mesa

The alpha male gave a faint growl when his son reported the news, "That's just great. Well then, we will have our own campaign." Ankh nodded to his son, in a dismissive gesture, before rounding on his pack, "We are hunting for sheep tonight - and leaving the two-leggers a very clear message."

Rue silently seethed when she heard her uncle's words, having a pretty good idea where this hunt was to take place. Her father's land. "Ankh, might we try hunting in new areas?" There was clear resignation in her tones.

Ankh bristled slightly, but witheld any real anger with his neice. She had gone through enough, watching two sisters die in battle, and having two swayed by the Haunters. "We'll-" Before he could finish, Black Feather sailed in and landed in front of the alphas.

Hailstorm and Mesa bobbed their heads in greeting to their father, as the peregrine falcon spoke with Ankh and Snowy Owl, "A member of the Ribellarsi pack is interested in joining you." Black Feather informed.

riven

It was a few moments before a large jet black hybrid came bounding into view, his long legs carrying him over the ground with ease. It had taken him longer to arrive, and try as he might to keep up with the swift falcon, he had lagged behind.

The small group of gathered canines coming into view made him slow his pace, slowing to a gentle trot as he approached the Alpha's and their companions. Coming up alongside Black Feather, Riven lowered his head slightly in respect to Ankh and Snowy Owl's rank, but the youthful arrogance he held shined through in his dark eyes. "Hello. My name is Riven, and I would like to join you."

Ankh, Rue, Hailstorm, & Mesa

Ankh was on the verge of moving his pack out for the hunt when the newcomer arrived. He offered a glance to his mate before stepping foward, holding his small, lithe frame high. His dense ruff was expanded to such a point as to make his long, narrow muzzle and skull seem obsurdly small in comparison, "Riven? I am Ankh, and this is Snowy Owl - leads of the Lost Valley Lurkers." The ebony hybrid looked briefly to Black Feather now before continuing, "If my friend here feels your are safe enough to bring into my lands, then I feel the same. Welcome, Riven."

Padding up beside her uncle, Rue held her head low appeasingly as she looked over the new canine. She could see the look in his eyes, and it almost made her grin.

Riven

Riven, finding the fact that he was bigger than the alpha highly amusing, nodded his head in thanks for the acceptance. "Thank you, Ankh, Snowy Owl."

He spotted Rue next as she approached him and grinned at her, a spark in his eyes. While her head was low, Riven's seemed to be creeping up by the minute, and his gaze left his alpha to fix on Rue. "Hi, who are you?" She'd certainly caught his eye, and he had noticed the way she had to control herself to stop a grin.

"I get the feeling I've interupted something," Riven commented, now turning back to his alpha, "Please, carry on. I apologise."

Ankh, Rue, Hailstorm, & Mesa

While they spoke, the father falcon had taken his leave and returned to the Alleys.

"Rue." The hybrid replied softly, "A neice of Aidan's." To this, she gave a vague shrug of her muzzle towards the steely-eyed brute. Now she let the grin pry the tips of her fangs into view, but that was it. For some reason, she was drawn to this brute and his arrogant-inclined ways.

Riven's slowly ascending head didn't go unnoticed by the leader either. His eyes narrowed a touch, "Keep your ego in check, Riven." He growled warningly while expanding his dense ruff even more. 'Youngsters....' Ankh thought dryly to himself, even though he knew full well he acted just the same in his earlier years. Right, back to the hunt..." And with that, the ebony brute began to rattle on about how and where the pack would be assaulting the ranch. Which livestock to choose, and what dangers to look out for.

There was not much time between the time Black Feather left and when he came sailing back. "Sorry to interrupt again." The falcon added firstly, bobbing his head down once in repsect to the pack, "Hydras and Lyckos have requested that the Lost Valley Lurkers attend a gathering at the Aegis Den."

Riven

Riven grinned in responce to Rue giving her name, noting it to memory. He, too, found himself far more drawn to her than the others in the group. Ankh was quick to grab his attention back though. Being reprimanded was nothing new to the hybrid, his old alphess had done it many a time to keep him in check. Dropping his head to a more respectful height, Riven muttered his appologise, then listened to the talk of a hunt.

It wasn't long before Black Feather had returned. Turning back to face the falcon, Riven quietly listened to the message, before turning to his alpha's. He didn't know Hydras or Lyckos, but he did know his old pack were allies with them. Perhaps they were going to be at the den too?

Snowy Owl & Artemisia

The alabastor femme tended to let her mate do most of the talking, but now she stood forth. "Artemisia, be on your best behavior." Owl said firstly, with a stern look to her own daughter. And then to Mandragoro, Harbringer, and Riven, "Lyckos and Hydras are to be respected and obeyed above all else." There was a strong authority declared on her tones, and backed up by a poised and determined facade. Snowy Owl wasn't a sassy or arrogant thing, but she also wasn't one use to be disobeyed.

"I might warn you to be on your best behavior as well." She whispered grinningly to her mate, before brushing past him and heading for Atroe City.

Ankh, Rue, Hailstorm, & Mesa

A furry brow was raised to his mate's jesting, "Yeah, yeah." But he took it in stride, if only because it was from her, and padded off in the direction of the Aegis Den.

With the pack in motion, the pit-hybrid was quick to follow after, keeping her place behind the alphas and their daughter. "This ought to be interesting. It's but some time since we've all gotten together." Rue pointed out, speaking quietly to Riven as she went.

Hailstorm and Mesa spiraled skyward, flapping viorously to gain altitude in the fridged air. But they were soon aloft in the heavens, high above the canines as she followed the trek towards Atroe City.