Ater

The big brute had been traveling for many days, though he hardly wanted it to seem that way. His black coat was shining brightly in the hot sun. His mouth was open, panting heavily so as he might be even slightly cooled.

As he went along, a smell of wolves reached his nose. Turning from his current path, the male went to the entrance of what appeared to be ruins. His keen sense of smell told him that wolves dwelled there. He barked loudly, alerting the canines to his presence.

Litharaz

The white canine approached Ater like a wraith, solemn, with no expression. His blue eyes looked over the larger brute, and without moving his eyes, Litharaz spoke. "I'm guessing your here for acceptance, yes?" Without waiting for an answer, Lith kept his cold eyes on Ater whilst calling back into the Temple. "Risen, there's someone here who wants to see you."

Hector

The son of Razor and Tahti came after Litharaz, but he bore happy expressions: a smile, a wagging tail and a head held high. He still quite small, but he didn't think it so. He looked up at the foreign male. "Are you going to join us? He asked nosily.

Ater

Ater sat upon his haunches and looked at the little wolf. He seemed quiet contrasting to the white wolf whom had greeted him first. He was silently contemplating answering the wolf’s question, and decided that he would.

“If your alpha allows me entrance to this pack, then yes, I will join it. You are the Shadow Haunters, no?” He had heard about the pack of malicious wolves and he had sought them out for the very purpose of joining the packs.

Litharaz

Litharaz watched Ater with a reserved expression, if a bit sceptical. He nodded, seating himself in between Ater and the entrance into the Ruins and the pack. "Yes, We are the Shadow Haunters. Our alphess is Risen, she should be over shortly."

Risen

Risen strode forth with as much power as she could under bristling fur. She stared at Litharaz and then.... Hector..... Her own head went up in suprise at this little one.... She had not seen him before nor gave permission for breeding. No one checked in and told... Coyote... He smelt of coyote... Her head turned to Tahti with slight anger, but there was not much she would do at the moment. There were two who were asking acceptance into the pack and they needed to be assessed before that who disobeyed order.

Giving Ater a stare, her eyes bore into his. "I appologize for your comming at such a hostile moment. I have been informed of a group gathering against us, but never deemed it to be all who were not for us. We are the Shadow Haunters. I am Risen, Alpha of this army. Pray, tell me, what is your name and purpose for being here?" Her eyes searched him, trying to find sincereness in his stance, or the slightest ounce of lie. She could not go easy, even if she wanted all to be on her side, she could not endanger everyone by accepting an enemy spy into the area.

Black Ivory walked up toward Hector with a smile upon her own jaws. She looked to Ater and wagged her tail. Though gave nothing more than that. Owl sat in the background in a heap of fear at the sight of the alphess. He trembled and backed toward the middle of the group trying to find somewhere safe and solitar to hide.

Litharaz

Whilst his alphess began to engage Ater in conversation, Litharaz slowly made his way around the wolf as to not attract his attention. Just as a precaution, he tensed his muscles and kept all concentration on the wolf in front of him. Times of war were approaching, and who knew what lengths packs would go to to win...

Ater

Ater bowed his head with respect for the obviously angry alphess. Hostile times indeed. When he raised his head he met her boring gaze, not to be challenging, but to tell her that he had nothing to hide. He stood loosely, but was a little on guard. These wolves meant business. Well, that's why he was joining in the first place. The army, he was here to join the army.

"I am Ater, and I wish to join this mighty pack. I will join you in whatever battles that may be eminant, no matter who it is against." His mind flashed to his sister, Atra. The kind wolfess who had betrayed her dark blood line by deciding to go out and try to be nice to the world. His eyes showed hate for his sister, for all things good. He was evil at heart and in his blood. He would be honored to be under the role of such a notorious wolf such as Risen.

Risen

She stared into his boring eyes to give a darkly grin. He seemed strong, dark, brooding, hatred. Perfect, she hadn't had such a dark speciemen come to her in a while. True the others were strong, and they wanted respect, but true evil had been lacking for a while. She nodded to him. "You seem sure of yourself, Ater. A fine trait to carry." Her grin twisted a bit into seriousness. "You shall be accepted into this pack. However, be warned. Betrayal is the worst crime you can commit in this group, and punishment is worse than death... Welcome." she smiled cruely, keeping her tail and head high, dismissing him and walking past Litharaz. "Keep your eye on him for a week and report if he behaves suspicously." She whispered as she passed the dog's ears. Again she moved to take place in the center of the temple.

Litharaz

Litharaz nodded as Risen passed him; to Ater it would look like a nod of respect, but really he was agreeing to her orders. His eyes once again look over Ater, then he too entered the temple once more. He settled himself near the wall, placing his head on his paws, and watched the rest of the pack with little interest.

Ater

Yellow eyes flashed with undying hatred once again as Risen spoke the word "betrayal". The very thought of wothless cowards who comitted the act made his fur bristle. A low growl emitted from him, but it was not directed at anything in particular.

He gave Risen a nod of thanks, but said nothing. He watched her move to Litharaz, though he shrugged it off. It was not his place to intrude on the higher ups business, and for now, atleast, he was the bottom of the totempole. He certainly didn't like being there, and he planned to earn a spot higher; no matter what the cost. Joining this pack gave him the almost certain privilage to be able to go against his sister. And if not, then he would make it his own personal agenda to do so. He would not let her betrayal go free.

The large male trotted over to one of the walls and lied down, his calculatingly dark eyes observing all that befell the room. It appeared that a new wolf was having a tough time adjusting to the pack ways, blood encircling his neck. He smiled, blood always made him happy.

Tahti/Kane

Kane was still cowering after being beaten by Incalia. He looked up at Tahti. "I-I only want to join the pack!" He whimpered. It was obvious that he was afraid - it could be seen in his eyes.

Tahti snarled and looked down at him. "You are pathetic. You come walking in here all high and mighty, challenging your superiors. Yet you whine like a pup when you get called on it." She snarled. "You are obviously not Haunter material." She bared her teeth and snapped at him when she noticed Ater. "Get up!"

Kane did as he was told and scrambled to his feet. Tahti advanced towards the stranger with her prisoner close behind. "I believe a proper greeting is in order. I am Tahti." The Coyote said politely, showing no anger.

Ater

'So I was right,' he thought to himself. The amused grin on his muzzle grew larger. He was laughing quietly to himself when Tahti approached him.

He stood out of respect, giving her a bow of the head, his eyes still shone with malicious laughter, but his demeanor was respectful. "I am Ater, a new member to this powerful pack."

Tahti/Kane

Tahti smirked when Ater bowed to her. She examined him closely with her single eye - proof of battle. "I believe you will serve Risen well." She replied with an emotionless voice. Her facial expressions showed sadness, but she tried to hide it. "I am sure you must be aware of the enemy." She looked at the entrance to the Temple and growled. "They stole something very dear to me, and we must not let them get away with doing it again." Her voice was powerful, yet soft.

Kane watched both Ater and Tahti very carefully with fear in his eyes.

Ater

The battle scar just deepened the black wolf's respect for the wolfess. The brute didn't have much experience with loss, unless you counted the betrayal of his sister. But he nodded anyways, a solemn look upon his face.

"I shall do my best to help avenge your loss."

Tahti

The coyote smiled as best as she could. "Then the force that took my son will pay soon enough." She said blankly. Liekki was murdered and Aurinka joined the enemy. Iota was the only one of her first brood that was with her today, and the coy-wolf pup remained faithful.

Ater

Ater nodded in agreement. His eyes once again wandered the "prisoner". "He new too? I take it he didn't have as easy a time as I did."

Litharaz

"No, isn't that obvious?" Came a chilling voice behind Ater. Litharaz has stood and made his way over, like a white wraith; as silent as ever. His penetrating blue eyes flashed as he looked over Kane, a small smirk tugging the corner of his muzzle. "You will learn not to challenge your supiriors. Especially ones with dangerous tempers as Incalia."

His eyes the left Kane, slowly travelling round as he turned his head slowly to face Ater, coming to halt as he did so. "My name is Litharaz, part of the Hybrid Canine division. My division leader is Incalia," his eyes darted quickly towards Kane, before returning to the new member, "and her second-in-command is Kaos, though I get the impression the divisions may be scrapped until the Haunters contain more members. Still, heirarchy runs high. It would do you good to learn that not all members are so...welcoming."

After being taught the rules of the Shadow Haunters by Risen herself, Litharaz felt very confident and secure in her presence. Knowing he wasn't the highest in rank, Lith didn't push the barriers too much, but with all these new recruits, and him reaching the prime of his life, he was considering starting an assault for a larger title.

Tahti/Kane

Kane yelped when he saw Litharaz. "I-I didn't mean to! I won't do it again!" He cried. Tahti growled fiercely at him. "Shut up, fool!" She snapped. "You should not have broken the rules if you did not want to face the consequences." Her teeth were bared in a vicious snarl. Only one thing was on her mind - revenge. She would get back at those who killed Liekki.

Ater

Ater sneered at Kane, the badly impressed wolf being the same rank, if not lower, wolf accessable to his remarks. "Show some back bone. The way I've heard, you won't get too far without one." He turned and nodded respectfully at Litharaz. "I am Ater. I understand the importance of hiarchy, and I won't over-step the boundries set forth by such."

Litharaz

"Very good, You show promise Ater." Litharaz nodded, offering when could be considered a reserved smile. "Then, Welcome to the Shadow Haunters. May the power of this pack guide you to glory throughout your life."

Lith then turned and gave Tahti a grin, "I think he's learned his lesson, you can relax. Prehaps he could redeem himself, somehow." Then he turned back to Ater, "So, Do you have any relations in the Valley?"

Ater

"I come from a place far from here, but I have traveled with... my sister, Atra. But she has betrayed me, betrayed her blood, and has decided to go and help the world instead of accept her inheritance. She makes me sick." He spat the last words out with much malice. His hatred for his sister burned deep.