The sound of snow crunching could be heard within Sabina's den as the young wolves tumbled over each other in a mock fight around the entrance of the den. Gathering before Sabina's den was deemed unanimously without council of Sabina, the gathering spot of the young wolves before the hunt. Sabina had never refuted the young wolves as per Renmar's advice as she never seemed to get enough of the childish giggles and yips the young wolves made as they played.
So instead of refuting the young wolves for playing in front of her den, she simply laid comfortably hidden by her den embankment from the snow sent in her direction.
Sabina watched silently as seven young wolves played around her. The young wolves were filled with the adrenaline for the last morning hunt to begin before the ceremony and though they would eventually be caught playing by Renmar, she let them be. After all this was their last day to freely play among themselves.
Sabina smiled shaking her head as she thought of her own ceremony many years ago and how even though it was slightly more different than the ones that partook within the Petra Clan, there was always one constant between the two. It was a ceremony that gave the young wolves the power of the goddess to fulfill the clan given tasks and the potential to meet their true mate.
A small grey wolf caught Sabina's attention as she detached herself from the play fight and noticed Sabina's quiet presence. The small little wolf smiled as she trotted to the opening and laid down in front of the hole.
"Beta Nix?" asked the young wolf eagerly.
Sabina smiled as she looked at the little wolf laying before her as the adrenaline flowing within her shaking small frame. Sabina let her green eyes wonder away from the grey wolf to follow a young red wolf playfully bite Omaris's tail as she said "Yes, Sariah?"
"Are we going anytime soon?" asked Sariah as she stood and hopped from one foot to the other.
"Yeah, when are we leaving?" Omaris said as he stepped away from the red wolf to whom Sabina noticed was Abby. Abby leapt at him just as he stepped away to stand next to Sariah causing Abby to tumble past him in the snow.
Sabina smiled as she turned her gaze to the two young wolves "Once Beta Cinis and Renmar come."
Abby looked up quickly sending the snow on top of her head to fall to the ground as she said "Renmar is coming with?"
Sabina smiled "Yes."
After a river incident years ago Abby had always held out a hope that she would be Renmar's true mate. Renmar always knew of her crush on him but he assumed it would pass after she found her true mate. Sabina regardless of Renmar's protests supported Abby's young hopes as she saw no harm in a young romance, after all who knew Abby might actually be Renmar's true mate.
Sabina smiled as Sakara's sudden presence came to her attention as he passed by "Morning" she said but he did not return the smile or the greeting but instead continued walking passed them. Sabina cocked her head to the side as she asked "What's with Sakara?"
Omaris shrugged "I don't know. He's been absent minded since he woke up."
Sabina watched Sakara lay down not too far from the remaining four wolves still playing when suddenly a growl halted them "What is this?!"
Sabina looked over to the Alpha's cave to see Renmar glaring at the young wolves while Beta Cinis walked out of the cave followed by Alpha Fumus.
Sabina smiled as the young wolves leapt off each other and sat in a line with their heads hung in shame. Sabina smile turned to the young wolves gathered before her den "Join the others"
Omaris smiled as he walked away leading Sariah and Abby to the line of young wolves, Sabina noticed Sakara had already joined the line but there was no joy in his eyes. Sabina watched him for a long moment wondering what could have made him so absent minded when Renmar's growls interrupted her thoughts.
"Do the members of this clan act like pups on the day of their Ceremony?" growled Renmar.
Beta Cinis walked after Renmar smiling at the severity of the old wolf's tone as he had been one to receive the berating of Renmar upon his ceremony the year before. Beta Cinis noticed Sabina's presence and nodded, she lowered her head before turning her gaze to Renmar who was on a bee line for Omaris. Omaris oblivious to death's eyes continued to whisper into Sariah's ear as she giggled.
Sabina could see Renmar hadn't noticed her presence and she quickly stood up shouting "Renmar."
Renmar jumped in the air as he whirled around with his ears pinned to his head and his teeth bared but upon noticing it was Sabina standing out of her hole he relaxed "Beta Nix, you're here."
Sabina nodded "I heard your voice so I came out."
The young wolves before her relaxed while Omaris looked sheepishly at the ground, he knew she had done it for his benefit.
Good. Sabina thought as she walked towards Renmar.
"Beta Cinis and Alpha Fumus." She greeted them with a nod to which was reciprocated by both wolves.
Sabina smirked at the simultaneous nods made by both grandfather and grandson making her note the strong resemblance between the two, but quickly looked to Renmar who was still glaring at Omaris. She shook her head as Alpha Fumus asked "Are they ready?"
Renmar glared a moment longer at Omaris before walking to Sabina's side and flopped upon the ground "If you insist."
Sabina bumped him with her shoulder and Renmar's stiff body loosened, she looked at him and mind linked solely with him so the others would not hear "Don't worry. They'll do fine."
He didn't glance her way but she heard his gruff voice in her mind "I hope so."
Sabina looked at the wolves line up before her to see they were eager to go out on their ceremonial hunt, and though Renmar was worried for them Sabina only felt pride. These small wolves had lived long enough to reach adulthood and though those around her no longer remembered, there had been a time when it was far fetched dream.
Sabina watched as Alpha Fumus nodded to Beta Cinis who turned his steel blue gaze upon the gathered young wolves.
"Renmar, Beta Nix and Myself will accompany you on your last hunt as watchers and in some cases aids to your kill." Beta Cinis noticed the young wolves glancing at each other with excitement and he smiled.
Beta Cinis continued "All of you will be separated into two groups. I will have Renmar choose the leader of each group and whomever is chosen will be able to choose their hunting party by turns. Do you understand?"
The young wolves nodded in unison and Beta Ciris turned to Renmar "They are all yours Renmar"
"Yes. Beta." Renmar said as Beta Cinis passed him to take his place next to to Sabina and Renmar took Beta Cinis place before the young wolves.
"The leader for pack one shall be Xavier" Ordered Renmar.
Sabina nodded as she watched a red wolf step out of line before sitting next to Renmar. It was known throughout the new young wolves Xavier was a very calculative wolf and Sabina could see the young wolf being the next Beta after Beta Cinis ascended to his inherited role of Alpha. After all Xavier was Beta Cinis's distant cousin.
Sabina watched as Xavier's brown eyes searched amongst his clan mates before settling on Sariah. Omaris's baby blue eyes turn cold as a smirk stretched across Xavier's lips. Sakara who sat next to Omaris bumped him, causing Omaris to lose the staring contest without it being a loss on Omaris's part.
Renmar ignored the glances and continued "The leader of the second pack shall be Sakara."
Sakara stared at Renmar dumbfounded "Me?"
Sakara had never been selected to be a leader of anything as it had been refuted by the Alpha since the coming of their presence in the pack. However Sabina and Renmar had decided it be best to show the coming of Alpha this wolf was far more worthy of having be his Beta than Xavier but it would all depend on the young Beta's insecurities as to whether he chose well or not.
Sabina couldn't help but smile as she said "Unless you don't want to."
Sakara shook his head vigorously as he glanced at Sabina only to let his eyes settle on her's for a long moment. She smiled only to notice his gaze shifted past her before smirking and he walked calmly to Renmar's side. She knew exactly where he was looking and who that smirk was dedicated to. She sighed maybe her's and Renmar's hopes were a little too far fetch if it depended upon the young.
Sabina looked at Cinis who seemed to be writhing next to her, she asked softly "Beta Cinis?"
He tore his gaze away from Sakara to look at her "Who's idea was it to put him as leader?"
Sabina sighed "Renmar's"
He growled at Renmar until Sabina said "And mine."
The sudden growl alerted all of the wolves gathered of the tension causing all eyes including Alpha Fumus's to settle on the pair. But Beta Ciris's eyes shifted away from Sabina who could see in the corner of her eye as Sakara who had sat down next to Renmar slowly rose to his feet.
Sabina had never adverted bright green eyes from Beta Cinis, as she said "Shall we discuss this somewhere else?"
Beta Cinis glanced around the gathered wolves before settling his gaze upon hers "Yes."
Sabina stood after Beta Cinis walked away stating to the tense group around her "Continue, we will return soon."
Sabina watched the young wolf disappear between some pine trees before turning her gaze to Alpha Fumus, who she also noticed was very still as he looked at the back of Sakara's head. Sabina sighed as she followed the young wolf to a secluded spot where he whipped around shouting "Are you challenging me Beta Nix?!"
"No." She stated calmly as she stiffly sat on the snow.
He glared "Is that right?"
Sabina sighed again as she made note he was asking a useless question. She looked him in the eye as she said "Yes."
He scoffed as he glared at her "Then how is it that a wolf which has been banned from leading anything, has been selected as a leader of not only just any hunt but a ceremonial hunt?"
If any other wolf of the clan had been in her place they would be shaking in fear, however she only kept her gaze upon the young wolf "Because he has potential."
"Potential?! Right, the potential to take my place as next Alpha." He growled.
Sabina cocked her head "Or Beta."
He smirked "Beta? I wouldn't trust him not to rip my throat out as we're discussing the morning hunt."
Sabina rose an eyebrow "And who's fault is that?"
"What?" He demanded baring his teeth.
Sabina continued "Whose fault is it he is your enemy? Whose the one to have turned the other down that path?"
He stared dumbfounded "Are you blaming me for-"
Sabina smiled "Yes. I know you did. I know how you have treated them through the years and how Abby ended up in that river and you did nothing to stop it. In fact so does your grandfather."
He took a step back as his arrogant aura faded into the breeze "He does? Then how….how did-"
Sabina shook her head "You have the potential to be Alpha. I know this far better than anyone, However as far as potential so does Sakara."
"See!? He can take my place as Alpha!" Growled Beta Ciris.
"Or he can have the potential to be your Beta. Besides Sakara is far from wishing to be Alpha of this Clan." She stated calmly as she shifted her cold bones.
"How can you be so sure?!" Demanded Beta Ciris as he took two steps closer.
Sabina smiled "Because he does not wish to have what is yours."
Beta Cinis side glanced away from Sabina's eyes and Sabina sighed as she said "Alright if you do not believe my words let me ask. What has he ever wanted that is yours?"
There was a long stretch of silence and Sabina cocked her head "Your title as next Alpha?"
He shook his head "No….well not verbally anyways."
Sabina sighed "Beta Cinis, Sakara has never taken upon himself to claim as your grandfather's son. If he was coveting your position as Alpha would he not do this first?"
Beta Cinis nodded but halted as he quickly looked at Sabina with wide eyes "He knows?!"
Sabina nodded "I told him years ago."
"Then that proves it! He could be scheming to take it from me!" Shouted Beta Cinis and Sabina rolled her eyes.
The paranoia in this wolf. She sighed at her own thought as she said "No, he wouldn't. He told me he never wished to claim parentage from a wolf that was willing to throw him away for his mother's faults"
Beta Ciris side glanced at her "You believed his words?"
"I believed yours when you said you would be a good Alpha." She stated this and Beta Cinis looked a bit shocked she turned the spotlight once again upon him.
"Why do you always…" He almost seemed to be about to cry and Sabina tried gazing intently upon the young wolf trying to understand where this was going.
"Why do I always what?" She asked stiffly as she shifted in the snow again.
"You always side with him!" His voice quivered slightly making Sabina wonder if she should have felt she had done something wrong, by not taking sides between the two wolves.
But she knew better than to pity the young wolf. He will eventually realize not everyone is going to stand beside him. As a leader no one will completely be on your side, even your true mate can be considered among those who will side with another over you.
"I side with the one who is right." Sabina stated.
The young wolf sighed "I knew it. You won't pick him or me."
Sabina's eyes went wide "What are you talking about?"
He did not respond but turned his gaze away from her and she scoffed "What does picking have to do with you being Alpha?"
"You always will pick him. If he left, you would choose to follow him." He growled and Sabina had to look away to stop herself from expressing her aggravation at the young wolf.
"Would it really matter?" Asked Sabina dumbfounded.
"Yes!" He shouted but Sabina could hear the quiver within his throat.
Sabina cocked her head "Did I ever say I was going to leave?"
"No. But your eyes say differently." He said softly and Sabina's frustration stopped short.
Does he know? She wanted to ask when he said "You always seem to be on the brink of disappearing. Sometimes I think you'll just disappear right before me."
Sabina looked at the young wolf for a long time before she said "I will someday disappear Fenar. It is inevitable."
Beta Cinis looked at Sabina surprised at her blatant response to his fears of her departure as he said "You talk as though you're dying."
Sabina smiled "All things die, young Alpha."
"As the next Alpha you will have to accept that the old and young will die. Your grandfather, I and any soul upon this mountain will eventually leave you but they will not leave you in vain or without a parting word." Sabina felt her heart clench as she whispered these words to the young wolf. He was tearing up but he would not fully understand this unless he had lived for many years as she had.
"Why do you talk about death so easily, Sabina?" He asked this softly and Sabina smiled "Because I have seen enough of it."
Beta Cinis looked at Sabina for a long moment when she said "I did not come to speak to you of my past, I came to speak to you about the clan's and your future." She paused a moment and once the thoughts of the young wolf before her settled, she said "Choose your words and Allies wisely."
Sabina remained silent for a long moment when she asked "Do you want to lead this clan?"
"Yes!" said Beta Cinis confidently.
"Why?" asked Sabina.
"Because-" Beta Cinis fell silent as he realized he didn't consider anyone else but him being Alpha.
"Beta Cinis?" asked Sabina and Beta Cinis snapped back to attention.
"Because I have always known I would be Alpha." stated Beta Cinis.
"Then why question whether another wolf wishes to be Alpha if you know it is yours? Especially if that wolf has never said or moved towards you to take it from you?" asked Sabina and Beta Cinis fell silent.
"Because others instilled the paranoia in you as they had instilled the thoughts of Alpha as yours." Said Sabina.
Beta Cinis went ridged. She was right. His grandfather had always said even when he had been a pup he would be Alpha, and he had never questioned it till Sakara and his siblings arrived. Not until he heard his father ask his grandfather if Sakara or one of his siblings would be the next Alpha, it was then Beta Cinis was sure he would be replaced. Yet now that he was standing before Sabina he began to see that he had never been replaced.
He sighed in defeat "But even if Sakara isn't my enemy what am I supposed to do if Alpha Fumus retaliates? I can't face him."
"Why can't you?" asked Sabina as she cocked her head.
"Because-" began Beta Cinis but Sabina cut him off.
"Because he is Alpha? Because he's your grandfather?" asked Sabina and Beta Cinis hung his head low.
"How are you ever going to voice the cries of your clan against your enemies when you can't even voice your own choices to your grandfather?" asked Sabina.
Suddenly Beta Cinis's eyes went cold as he growled "You are trying to turn me against my grandfather!"
Sabina sighed and sat back down on the cold snow "How so?"
"You're telling me to question the decisions that my grandfather!" growled Beta Cinis as he let his ears lay against his head.
"Beta Cinis, I am not asking you to question your grandfather. I am questioning why you don't think you can make any choices of your own." said Sabina and Beta Cinis scoffed.
"No. You want me to start following your words instead of my grandfather's teachings." growled Beta Cinis.
Sabina sighed "I am not asking you to listen to my words as if they are gospel or think you have to do what I say. I am simply wishing you begin thinking about what you want or what you believe and act on them."
Beta Cinis went silent when he sighed "So you're telling me to choose Sakara as my Beta."
Sabina stood and walked up to him until he could only look in her green eyes "No. I will never tell you to do anything, for you are my Alpha and as Alpha your Beta is your choice. Remember the choices you make shall influence your command as an Alpha, and as they are your choices they only fall upon your shoulders if they cause war or peace."
Beta Cinis looked into her glowing green eyes as he whispered "But that would mean it would be my fault if they died."
Sabina sighed and nodded "Yes, it would."
Beta Cinis's face fell as he seemed to realize that being Alpha wasn't about just ordering everyone around. It was about being the person everyone relied on to make the decisions and would congratulate just as quickly as they would fault him for any choice he made.
"So if I fail I will be remembered like Mors Alba?" asked Beta Cinis and Sabina went rigid for a moment before she replied:
"The greatest of victories will be over shadowed by the simplest of defeats."
"But that would mean no matter how hard I try I will always be remembered for my failures!" protested Beta Cinis and Sabina smiled.
"No leader is perfect and to say you will never make a mistake is folly." Sabina watched the young wolf look at her in confusion as she said "You are going to have to make hard decisions that will save your clan but harm those around you."
"What if I fail to protect the clan?!" asked Beta Cinis with dilated eyes.
"You are not failing Beta Cinis, you are learning. The only way you are truly a failure is if you fall and never rise again, only then are you a failure." Sabina nodded at the young wolf who seemed to be stuck in thought.
"Beta Cinis if you lead this clan as I think you will, your name will be remembered for centuries." Sabina smiled at the young wolf who stared at her surprised with tears in his eyes.
"Really?" asked Beta Cinis.
"Yes, young Alpha." Said Sabina.
There was a heart warming silence between the two wolves when suddenly after staring at Sabina for a long time Beta Cinis asked "Sabina?"
Sabina smiled "Yes?"
He looked away for a moment before turning his gaze back to hers "Will you tell me your name?"
Sabina looked at his eyes for a long time trying to contemplate how the conversation deviated from him being Alpha to her name when she asked "Why would you wish to know that?"
He glanced away "Never mind. I was foolish to ask."
Sabina sighed before turning away "Sabina is who I am and that is what I shall be called. My name is not worth knowing young Alpha."
Beta Cinis's eyes seemed to hold disbelief but Sabina smiled as she looked back to the young wolf "I will return to the others, remember your grandfather and I believe you are capable of being a great Alpha. Have faith in yourself."
Beta Cinis watched as she lowered her head and walked away through the pine trees leaving him alone in the white world. Sabina always had a way with words to make one believe in themselves but as he got older he began to see she held no value in herself. She was a wolf worth having as an Alpha and who he believed deserved to be an Alpha far more than he. However he knew she would never accept the position, even if he begged.
He closed his eyes as he inhaled Sabina's soft scent, it smelt so much of sweet water of the clear lake called Dragor. He always wondered as to why he was attracted to Sabina, ever since the day he had seen her as a pup. Her white coat shone so bright even in the shade as she laid beneath the hanging leaves of the tree above her, and she was alone. He remembered he had snuck away from his mother in order to punish her for telling him no, he smirked as he thought how silly of a thing to think.
He had happened upon Sabina and though she did not see him, he saw her. Her very presence seemed to call to him as though he should go over and bask under her green gaze. He once asked his grandfather what it was as she was not his chosen mate. However his grandfather told him that Sabina was just special, and that even he felt such impulses but as time passes he grew accustomed to it.
Beta Cinis sighed as he remembered her green eyes, maybe he didn't want to get accustomed to her. So accustomed that he would not feel this urge to listen or to be near her. He didn't want that, he wanted it to always be the same. Her presence being the very thing he wished to be, he hoped one day he would be as worthy as she or at least find a mate half as captivating as Sabina.
He just hoped he would be the wolf she saw in him. A wolf worth following.