Breath Of Fresh Air (Hadrian, Lynker)

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[atrb=background,http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/GreenEyedMonster101/Anikira/Requests/KidMid.png?t=1344230995] Kiddo had gone down to the pool, not really caring whether the wolf-bear was going to harass him. This was his lands and he had been kind enough to allow the wolf to stay there unharmed. If he wanted to come out and confront him then so be it. He went to the waters edge and began lapping up the cool, clean, refreshing water. Kiddo looked deep into the water as he lay down by it's edge. The water was stunningly beautiful and it was his. These lands here were pefrect for the baby pack. He had been refering to the pack as a "baby" because it was only in it's beginning stages. It was jsut beggining to have life. It was developing and growing. Kiddo had great plans for his pack, great plans indeed. He just needed members that wouldn't dissapear every few days and then they would be taking a big step. The next step would be to get the wolf-bear and his little friends out of here. He had been too kind lately. The bears around were a threat to the pack as well as the food source around here. With winter approaching, he needed to have some kind of a game plan. An alpha and a shaman would have difficult times catching food as it was let alone if bears were around. He didn't have much time to get his game plan going. Only a few months. But, he was determined. This pack was going to not only survive under his reign but, thrive under it. The first year would be difficult, he had already known that. Just getting through this first year would be the toughest part. Then, he predicted it should be smooth sailing. ((OOC: blarg..this is awful..maybe we could have a bear attack or something?))

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Hadrian had been spending a better part of the day touring the lands on his own. He'd climbed the path to the dens and, though he had been disappointed to find no one else of the pack, the journey had been worthwhile. This was his home now, where he would be spending much of his time. Knowing how to get to and from the safety of the dens was important. The path, he had learned, was not the easiest. It would only get worse once winter rolled around and snow started to fall.

Once he'd caught his breath the Mexican male made the trek back down the mountainside. Going down was a little easier than going up. It also brought him out into the outskirts of the forest. Having worked up a bit of an appetite, he took some time to hunt. It was his land now, in a sense. This was Amar's territory (or so he believed) and as a part of Amar he had a right to hunt on the lands. It felt good to hunt without fear of intruding. For the first time in a year he did not have to worry about stealing in order to keep himself alive. As he bit into the tender flesh of a rabbit, Hadrian reveled in the feeling of safety and survival. It felt good to eat a meal in peace.

Hunger sated, he continued on. The Oriens, he decided, were not a very large territory when it came to width. The mountains added height, however, a rather unique addition that could prove invaluable. Softly padding his way to Nyspoli's Pool, he inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent of fresh, clean water. There were other scents that lingered as well, ones that were slightly more alarming. Bears? Bears were dangerous, especially mothers with cubs. Catching scent of the alpha as well, Hadrian dipped his head in greeting before continuing forward to clean his muzzle and have a drink. "Good afternoon, sir. I trust you are doing well?"

ooc: bear attack sounds good to me xD

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[atrb=background,http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/GreenEyedMonster101/Anikira/Requests/KidMid.png?t=1344230995] Kiddo thought about the land around him. The mountains would serve as some sort of protection although, they did make the land a bit smaller as well as difficult to enter and exit. But, that was sort of the point. If one should enter, they should plan on not leaving one way or the other. However, some wolves had seemed to have left. The pack den was located in the side of one of the mountains. He realized that perhaps Hadrian may have difficult times getting up there and when winter happened that maybe reaching it would be an issue but, there was no moving the den, It was the safest place once one reached it or was inside of it and that was the point. He wanted it to be difficult to get to. Not for his pack but, for the bears or and intruder who dared to find their den. Kiddo's logic may have seemed crazy but, there was a reason for his madness. He had gotten so lost in thought that he hadn't heard Hadrian approaching or even smelled him. The stench of the bears around was enough to block any canine's senses. But, they would soon be gone. He already had a word or two to give to the wolf-bear. One of his bears had already attacked once, which was not acceptable. Hadrian greeted him and asked how he was doing before cleaning his mouth of what smelled like rabbit's blood. Yes, thank you. Have you found everything all right? He felt as though he should say something. Kiddo really was a decent guy and not all puffed up all the time like he had been before. By everything he meant the dens and various plants and whatnot that shaman wolves would look for. He didn't think to show the wolf around and had left him to his own for exploring so, if he couldn't find something then, it would be his responsibility to show him.

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Traces of red receded into the depths of the water, swirling about in the ripples caused by a lapping tongue. Mmm, did that water taste good. It was so much cleaner than murky puddles left by rain and more peaceful than some of the rivers that cut through the land. Even if he was still battling doubts about the pack itself (doubts that would only be vanquished once he got to know his new family a little better), there was no doubt that this territory was suitable for living. With winter coming prey would become scarce and hunting difficult, but as long as they made the most of the time they had left then the season would be no worse than the last winter he had weathered. Back then Hadrian had been alone. Now... It felt good to be part of a family again, even if it was only a small one.

Licking his lips dry, Hadrian turned to face the boss before reclining on his haunches. It felt good to sit after all the time he had spent exploring. In truth, it felt good to sit after spending the last year constantly on the move. For the first time in what felt like ages, Hadrian could relax. The idea was almost foreign to him. And, it most certainly felt pleasant. This was the life he knew he wanted. This was to be his new calling in life. This is what would make him happy.

"Well enough. The mountains will take some getting used to. My homeland was much warmer than here." Not that the change in climate was either good or bad. The heat had just as many problems as the cold could pose. Besides, the Mexican wolf was an adaptable species. His coat could get quite long when it needed to and he had encountered snow on his travels. A winter in the mountains would take some getting used to, but the male was up for the challenge. After all, what was a little cold compared to the life he had already lived? A small price to pay, that's what. At least, it would be provided the thick stench of bear did not pose any true threat.

[Lynker]

The black arctic wolf loped through the forest, side by side with a big brown bear. The area around the pool was such a small territory that the bear could smell the stench of wolves from almost anywhere.

Lynker stared in disgust at the two wolves drinking out of his pool. This was his paradise; a quiet secluded spot where he could live in peace. Or so he’d thought. Before the Amar pack was formed, loners had sometimes wandered through the territory, not realising it was his because the borders were marked with bear markers instead of wolf ones, but most of them were reasonable and they never stayed for very long. But now, there was no excuse for trespassers. The alpha knew that Nyspoli’s Pool was his, and should have told any new members to keep away from it.

“Stay here, Curse.”
“No,” the bear growled. “You don’t have to deal with this yourself. This time I’m coming with you.”
Lynker saw determination in his normally amicable friend’s eyes, and nodded once before turning and stepping out of the shadows. A glance up at the sky told him that the gyrfalcon was there too, lazily circling overhead. It would be good to give these wolves the reminder that it wasn’t just him they were annoying.

The black wolf stalked towards the pack wolves, looking rather small next to the massive lumbering bear. Curse had grown a lot in the past year, and had now reached his full size. He would be a formidable opponent even without those wickedly curved claws.

“What do you think you’re doing in our territory?” Lynker came to a halt in front of the two wolves, hackles raised and fur bristling. He wasn’t afraid of a fight if one was needed to get his point across but hopefully Curse would deter the other wolves from attacking. He would prefer to sort this out without anyone getting hurt.

“You creatures seem to have no honor. First Vada, and now you two! What happened to our deal?” Lynker had kept to his side of the bargain, so he thought that it was rather unfair that these wolves could treat him like this. They hadn’t even asked for his permission before entering. He really wasn’t opposed to them coming to have a drink, as long as they realised that it was his land and showed him a little respect.


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[atrb=background,http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/GreenEyedMonster101/Anikira/Requests/KidMid.png?t=1344230995] The water that Hadrian had been drinking now had a little tint of red in it as it swirled around in place. Water had always intrigued the large alpha. It was seeminly never ending but, where did it come from? How did it get there in the first place? What was it made out of that made it so necessary? Those were the questions that Kiddo asked himself. Winter was looming over the brute's head. It was still several months away but, the prey source might get scarce. The pack hadn't been alive for even a year yet so, he wouldn't know what was going to happen. The mountains and the ocean gave him a hint though. The pack may need to hunt on the mountains for animals that lived there if need be. Yes, food would be difficult but, they would all survive. Kiddo was an incurable optimist and he believed that winter would be just fine and that they would all make it out unscathed. Yes Indeed, the mountains will take some getting used to but, they will come in handy in a time of war and they do a great job keeping intruders out for the most part. The mountains had their trade offs and Kiddo believed that there were more pros than cons. Suddenly, the stench of bear became stronger and stronger in the soft breeze that had been blowing. Kiddo stood up from his laying down position and into a dominant, aggressive stance. He thought for sure that there would be yet another bear attack. His hackles were raised and his tail was curled over his back as his ears were flattened against his head and his teeth shown. He growled low in his throat until the bear and the wolf appeared. The wolf also had a dominant stance. What was he doing? The bear and the bird were still here but, Kiddo cared less about them now than he did before. He wasn't planning on attacking them unless they attacked him first. Your land? This is my land, wolf. The wolf spoke of Vada comming here. Well, that was not his fault. He didn't know about that beacause she hadn't told him. Vada came here without my permission. He growled as he spoke to him. I was going to ask you the same question, wolf. There was a bear attack not too long ago if I do remember correctly. You and your bears have become a nuissance to my pack. The deal is off, wolf. I suggest you get out of my land and take whatever bears with you that you do not wish to be harmed. Kiddo was infuriated. He should not have to explain himself or be making any kind of a deal in the first place! These bears almost killed himself and Zena. The wolf would no longer be treated as a bear in this territory. He would be treated as a tresspassing wolf as far as Kiddo was concerned.

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Hadrian nodded his consent. He knew first hand how war preparations could make all the difference. It was the difference between life and death, victory and defeat. Preparation had cost him his pack, his family, his home... "I hope war is not on the horizon for us." There was too much at stake. The pack was small and rather young, having not had the chance to grow into its own. An attack now could prove disastrous for Amar if it was executed properly. Unfortunately, it seemed like the Mexican male had spoken too soon.

A bear was coming.

Hadrian's nostrils flared, distaste curling back his lips as he rose to all fours. Muscles bunched, he stood on the defensive. Defense was the best offense, after all. Protect your weak points and let your enraged opponent make all the mistakes. His senses strained, trying to pick up any additional details. Footsteps, numbers, gender even. The last thing they needed was a mother bear protecting her cub. Females could be more aggressive than their male counterparts, especially when with children. Thankfully this one seemed to only be a young male. And, oddly enough, it was accompanied by a wolf.

Brows furrowed, a deep warning growl rumbled in his own throat. Whoever this stranger was, he did not know what he was getting into. Bears, like wolves, were predators. They didn't go after other predators without good cause, and if this one was dumb enough to be hanging out with a wolf then it wouldn't be much of a threat. At least, on the surface. Hadrian knew better than to underestimate an opponent. While the alpha negated the demands of the stranger, Hadrian was taking his time to observe.

The black male was small, surprisingly smaller than himself. While he may have had a little more bulk than the Mexican, it was easy to see why he chose to hide behind a bear. He was an arrogant little bastard with entitlement issues. And, maybe he was a little confused about his own identity. Judging by the conversation this wolf lived with a bunch of grizzlies? What kind of lifestyle was that? Better yet, why had the alpha agreed to tolerate such an absurdity, even if it seemed that agreement was now dissolved? The gears were turning in his head, posture straightening a bit with pride and superiority as he regarded the stranger. Now was as good a time as any to show he was willing to stand by his alpha.

"Bears are solitary creatures. It is not uncommon for them to turn on their own kind." Males were known to kill cubs in order to mate with females and females often fought to the death in order to protect their cubs. His statement served another purpose, however. Not only did it show his intelligence and understand, the knowledge he had gathered in the last five years, but it also implied that the threat of this stranger was no worse than what stood before them. One wolf and one bear were no match for a pack. If need be, death could be swift and easy though Hadrian did not want it to come to that. There were more diplomatic ways to solve this dispute. The question was, would Kiddo and Lynker both be willing to listen to reason when it was apparent this issue was long standing? The idea Hadrian had was not one that would be taken lightly and before he dared to make a suggestion he needed to feel out the situation a little more.

[Lynker]

Lynker watched the other pack wolf from the corner of his eye, trying to judge him. He didn’t want to be caught off guard by an attack from him, but he did seem to be in a defensive position rather than an offensive one so he returned his attention back to the one who he really had a quarrel with. The Amar alpha had mirrored Lynker’s stance. Both wolves now faced each other with teeth bared and tail held high.

“What are you talking about? We haven’t even set paw onto your territory, let alone be a nuissance to your pack. Vada is the only wolf I’ve seen recently, and she was the one being a nuissance to me!” He supposed that was an exaggeration as she wasn’t really that bad; even though her excuse for being on his land was lame she’d at least seemed sorry and had left fairly quickly. But this alpha’s attitude was starting to annoy him. What had Lynker done to prompt this? All he wanted to do was live in his home! It was ridiculous! The black wolf was nearly seething with fury. And then it clicked.
“Wait, my bears? You mean the ones with territories in the forest?” Lynker’s lip curled up in disgust. He still had a scar across his shoulder from a confrontation with one, although it was only a shallow cut and was mostly hidden under his thick black fur. “Stupid brutes always try to steal my fish” Curse grumbled next to him. “Your friend’s right. Bears are solitary creatures; we don’t plot and scheme like you pack wolves. No, it’s just me, Curse and Astra. That’s it.”

“Throwing us out will not help with your bear problem. Besides, we’re not going anywhere. This is our home and we will do anything that we can to protect it”
Lynker’s feet were planted firmly on the ground, and a determined fire blazed in his eyes. Even though he had mostly practiced fighting with bears, he had had experience dealing with some loners and he was sure that many of the same rules still applied. He was not going to be over-confident this time – he had paid for that mistake with two thin scars across his muzzle – but two wolves would be hard pressed to win against a wolf, a bear, and a bird of prey no matter how good at fighting they were.

“Ahem… um… I’ve been thinking…” Curse began, idly scraping his huge furred paw across the sand as he tried to think of how to speak to the wolf. “Well… you don’t have enough wolves in that pack of yours to get rid of the bears, so, since we both want them gone, we could help you drive them away in return for letting us stay here.” The big brown bear lifted his head as a sudden thought came to him. “And then, if you were worried about appearing weak because of having a big hole in the middle of your territory, we could join your pack!”
Lynker stared at his friend in shock. Curse had a habit of being blunt and spontaneous, but this was going a bit far. Even though he’d been alright with the loners that used to live around here he was not really used to wolven company – the last time he’d been in a pack was when he was just two months old. Although, if it meant that they could stay in their territory… The black arctic glanced towards the alpha to see what he thought of Curse’s crazy idea.



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[atrb=background,http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/GreenEyedMonster101/Anikira/Requests/KidMid.png?t=1344230995] Kiddo saw out of the corner of his eye that Hadrian had taken a defensive stance. It was a natural thing to do. He had no idea what was going on but, Kiddo did. Kiddo full well knew what was going down here and he was going to stop it. The wolf-bear might have convinced him to a treaty before but now, he was finished with it. It was no longer useful to him. It was actually getting to be the opposite of useful. For one thing he had a massive whole in the middle of his territory and his pack had limited access to water even though there was plenty of it here. For another thing, the wolf-bear and his band of savage beasts were becoming dangerous to the wolves that lived there. Normally, Kiddo would have just chased them off or at least attempted to but, the treaty stood in the way. He would be having a chat with Vada though. Even though Kiddo wasn't fond of the agreement, he still had to honor it and it made him look bad when his members go around breaking his word. Hadrian then spoke and said that bears are solitary. Well, Kiddo knew that to a point. He wasn't exactly how solitary that they were since this one seemed to be hanging around with wolves or at least a wolf quite a lot. Then the bear seemed to grumble something that he could barely understand. Bears had different languages than wolves and his accent was very heavy. But, he did get something about fish. Wait, there bears weren't all together? He was certain that all the bears in the territory were pals with the wolf, he was certain of it. Well, he seemed to be wrong. Pack wolves did not plot and scheme as the wolf may have thought. They merely looked out for each other. That's the way that Kiddo saw it. The bear spoke again. Kiddo tried to hear what he was saying, he got the jest of it though he did not understand all of it. Kiddo's teeth were then covered up as he thought about the bear's suggestion. It was true that the other bears in the territory were apparently a nuisance to not only his pack but also the bear called Curse as well. He went into deep thought, seriously considering it. His stance was no longer aggressive but it was dominant. He trusted Hadrian to have his back if this were some sort of plan. Work together with the bears? Have a bear and a bird join his pack? Well, the bear didn't seem so bad to him. He didn't know much of the bird but, her flying skills would be useful to have an eye over the mountains and to help with hunting during the winter. Yes, the bear and the bird would be good additions as far as he knew but, the wolf? He wasn't so sure about. He wasn't entirely convinced that he was going to be an easy wolf to live with. Yes, he could keep him as a subordinate for the most part but Kiddo would still be responsible for him. Getting the lake back would also be good. He guessed this would be a give and take thing. The benefits out weighed the costs. Besides, it would rid the area of most if not all of the extra bears. The idea was just crazy enough to work. If you assist with the removal of the bears, you may join the pack and stay here by the water. But, you will be required to attend meetings and pull your own weights in the pack. Kiddo's words seemed odd to him but, life was full of compromises and it seemed like he would be making a lot of them in the future.

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It seemed Hadrian was thinking like a bear. Or maybe the bear was thinking like Hadrian... Either way, it seemed the pair of them were on the same brainwave. Had Curse not beaten him to the punch, he would have suggested the same exact plan (albeit a little less directly). In his mind it was a decent compromise. In exchange for the land, the pack would grow and the loner would be offered protection for both himself and his strange friends. And they could get rid of the more dangerous infestation.

Hadrian's stance shifted, relaxing a little though still wary as he observed. Uncomfortably he flicked his left ear, trying to clear it of permanent damage. His hearing loss was still difficult to cope with after all these years. Given the importance of this meeting, he did not want to be disadvantaged. He wanted to be on guard, alert, and able to understand everything that was being said. The strain he was putting on his right ear to hear better was starting to give him a headache.

But the overall mood of the conversation seemed to have changed for the better. The aggression seemed to have dissipated, leaving in its wake cautious hope. That was a good sign. As the alpha spoke, Hadrian nodded his head in agreement. "You have a wise friend, stranger." The Mexican was referring to Curse. Now take the deal. In the long run it would benefit them all. Lynker could keep his home by the lake without any sort of hassle and the pack would have a water source. And as long as the brown bear could keep his temper and didn't find wolves to be a suitable meal, peace would settle among them. Hadrian flicked his ear again, waiting to see the final decision.

[Lynker]

The alpha took a while to reply, and he seemed to be seriously considering the offer. At least his aggressive stance had changed to just a dominant one, so Lynker allowed himself to relax his posture slightly. There was significantly less tension in the air now and the arctic was pleased about that because it meant they could make more rational decisions. The alpha’s companion seemed a bit uncomfortable, as he was flicking his ear rather a lot, but Lynker dismissed it as probably just a fly bothering him.

When the leader of Amar finally spoke, his words seemed genuine, but how was Lynker to know that he wasn’t going to go back on them after they had rid the territory of the bears? Lynker eyed the alpha warily. Could he trust this wolf? He’d broken their other deal so what was to stop him from breaking this one? Well… he supposed that might be a little unfair. Kiddo had thought that they’d broken their side first.

The other wolf then commented that he had a wise friend. Wise was an interesting word choice and Lynker probably wouldn’t use it to describe Curse, but he supposed that the bear was clever in his own way. He was forced to admit that it did seem like a fair compromise, although he still didn’t like the idea of having those foul creatures tainting his beautiful peaceful pool. But he supposed he could give them a chance. After all, he didn’t know they were that bad – his ideas about wolves had only really come from the bears’ stories, which were probably a little biased.

Anyway, Curse was happy with it and Astra didn’t seem to mind (he was sure she would have dived down to protest if she hadn’t liked the idea), so he wouldn’t be upsetting anyone by accepting.

Lynker nodded. “Agreed.”
Now that he had come to a decision he would stick by it, and he was determined to see this work. And who knew? His protective tendencies might actually come in useful to the pack if they could channel his aggression into the defence of the territory.

So… He was in the pack now? It felt so strange – but a good kind of strange, he hoped. He had always wondered what it would be like to join a pack of wolves, but had never expected that it would come about like this. The black arctic suddenly realised that he didn’t know their names, and they didn’t know his. If they were going to be working together they needed to get to know each other. Bear hunting would be a dangerous sport, even with a bear on their side.

“My name’s Lynker. This is Curse and that bird up there is Astra”


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[atrb=background,http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/GreenEyedMonster101/Anikira/Requests/KidMid.png?t=1344230995] Kiddo felt that he needed to take a lot of time with this decision so, that was what he had done. How comforting would that be if your leader just made decisions on impulse or emotions without actually thinking first? The answer to that would be: not very. Kiddo sometimes did that, it was something that he had done quite often in the past but, since having this pack, his personality had changed substantially. It was like, his life wasn't about himself anymore. It was about the land and the wolves that lived here. It was about everything else, except for him. Everyone else had higher priorities on his list than himself. Something that they should be thankful for, he knew an alpha or two that wouldn't give a rat's ass about their members. Besides this was a big decision that had to be made and he had to be sure he was making the correct one. He felt Hadrian shifting his weight and he sensed and uncomfortable energy about him. He wasn't really sure why. Maybe he was shy? It was good that the aggression had been taken from this meeting and that they could all relax..sort of. Kiddo was still on guard though he was not being aggressive. The wolf-bear and the bear and the bird could turn any moment. He didn't trust them very well. Of course, Kiddo had misinterpreted the whole bear attack thing so, he didn't really have a reason not to trust them. The bear seemed to be an intelligent creature as Hadrian had said. The bird, he didn't know anything about other than this was the second time he had seen her. She was there when this arrangement was first made and she is here now. He wondered how such an odd ground of animals ever came to travel together. A wolf, a bear and a bird all living together in harmony. If this wasn't such a serious discussion, it would be most comical. Kiddo had been waiting for a few moments for the wolf's answer. The black wolf nodded and agreed to the deal like any smart wolf would. This was a win for him as well. This would benefit everyone, which Kiddo was thankful for. Being the bad guy was not something that he enjoyed being. But, he would be it if necessary. He was glad that this had all gotten settled so well. Kiddo was prepared for a fight with the wolf in need be but, he was glad that it wasn't necessary. Now, they could all live together in peace. He no longer had a giant hole in his lands and he wouldn't have to deal with the bears for much longer, his pack would have a better access to water, they would all come in handy for hunting and this was just a good arrangement and Kiddo was feeling good about it. He listened to Lynker as he introduced himself as well as Curse the bear and Astra the bird who flew above them. I am Kiddo. He introduced himself, allowing Hadrian to speak on his own. Hadrian was an adult so, he didn't need another to introduce him for him. Admittedly, it was a bit weird having Lynker in the pack as well as a bear and a bird. He was certain that no one pack had different species of animals. It would be a long road and he was sure it would be full of twists and turns and ups and downs but, he was certain that this was what was going to the best for all of them.

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"Agreed." That one simple word held so much weight. It was an agreement, the kind that put the past in the past and allowed the world to move forward again. The threat had been neutralized. Better yet, it had been turned into something so much greater. The impact was not lost on a thinking man such as Hadrian. He understood how strategic such a move was. It was the future of Amar, the good of both the members and the individuals. And, in the long run, Lynker's strange company could prove very valuable as long as they remained loyal to wolf kind. Only fools would dare to take on a pack the size of theres, especially with a bear for an ally.

Twitching his ear again, the Mexican nodded at the introductions. His gaze tilted upwards towards the bird, Astra. Like with Curse, he had yet to figure out why such an animal would choice a wolf as a companion. At the same time, birds could easily be food for a hungry wolf. What was it about Lynker that allowed him to form friendships in unexpected places? The puzzle was perplexing, one Hadrian would like to learn more about. Perhaps, in due time, he would have to converse with the bear-wolf one on one. Or, maybe he would soon find out for himself.

Hadrian cleared his throat briefly once it was his turn for an introduction. He was not a beast of many words unless the time called for it. It wasn't that he was shy or disliked speaking to others. He simply was not in the habit of speaking unless he had something worth hearing to say. He was not vain enough that he liked the sound of his own voice too much, nor did he feel it necessary to overcompensate for his disability by constantly running his mouth. He simply spoke when it was needed, like now. "You may call me Hadrian. Welcome to the Amar pack."

end thread.