A Golden Hope (a wolf pack story)

Day 2: Part 2

     I stand up, shake my fur back into shape from its' abrupt wakening, and stretch. Limpet is still chuckling, half-heartedly trying to cover up her snout with a paw. Silly wolf.

     Ohhhh, a big morning stretch feels so good. I haven't gotten that good of a sleep in moons; omegas are always woken up early for stupid chores and early morning taunts. Now, it's literally highsun and I can do whatever I-

     "It's literally highsun!" I jump back into a standing position and stare at Limpet, who looks taken aback. My spine recoils from being taken out of a good stretch so abruptly. Not now, spine!

     "Yeah?" says Limpet; she's clearly struggling to understand what's wrong.

     "We've hardly done anything yet and it's been half a day!" Now Limpet really looks bewildered.

     "Well, I thought we travelled so much yesterday we could have a bit of rest." Limpet cocks her head sideways, waving her tail back and forth slightly. "So I let you sleep in. Don't we have time?"

     "No, we don't have time!" Something suddenly bubbles up inside me and I can't believe she didn't realize this! Don't alphas know about responsibility?

     "We've got to get as far as we can every day and you thought we could just take a break!" I'm aware of myself starting to move out of anger, but it's nothing compared to the mistake Limpet's made. So much lost time, and for what?

     "This isn't some little day trip, where there aren't consequences and you won't get hurt! Why, I'll-" Limpet's got wide eyes, terrible eyes on a wolf so small, and I realize I'm pacing around her, claws digging in the dirt with a snarl out and my fur fluffed up. I'm terrifying her.

     "Sorry. I'm sorry." I relax, slowly, and let my fur lie flat, tuck away my teeth. Sitting down is a common posture of accepting the other wolf as greater, but as Limpet is already sitting I lie down, half-tucking my tail as a further sign of respect. "We do have some time, you're right. I just really want to get out of here as soon as possible." I pause; Limpet doesn't look like she's ready to say anything. She's just staring at the ground. What have I done.

     "The Starl Pack was really... hard on me, when I was with them. I've got all these scars from them, and..." Okay, Holstin. You shouldn't be trying to drag sympathy out of her. "Point is, I rushed things. You're right, and I'm sorry for scaring you, too. I just really want to get out of here."

     Limpet's silent for a moment. A long moment, and I can't help but wonder if what I've done can't be repaired by words.

     Eventually, she speaks. "I'm an alpha." A single tail twitch, and she make to shove her ears forward, as if remembering her important rank. I don't understand what her birthright would have to do with this, though.

     "What?" I say.

     "I'm an alpha." Limpet gets to her feet and shakes the dirt out of one of her front paws. "I shouldn't be afraid of you." Oh. I didn't mean to make her feel like this, so early in the day.

     "You're right," I say, and she looks at me, so I look right back into those pale eyes. "You shouldn't be scared of me. Not only because I shouldn't be all dumb, but because you're strong, an example of any alpha."

     "I guess." Limpet seems... well, a bit brighter now, but- op, she might be doing a half-snarl in my general direction. "Never do that again! You scared me!" Ears shoved forward, tail held straight out and high, a tall, commanding alpha. And she's terrifying, too.

     "Right. Sorry. Won't happen again!" She relaxes, and hangs her head, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry for scaring you, too."

     "Are you kidding? I totally deserved it, and now I'm in awe of your mighty power." Limpet seems a little embarrassed, so I tentatively walk over and bump shoulders with her. "Anyway, we're both alphas now, right?"

     She gives me a playful grin, eyes flitting upwards. "In a manner of speaking."

     I bounce on my feet, feeling the enthusiastic gleam creep back into my eyes, the same gleam I developed the day I left Starl Woods. "Exactly! Where ever we end up, we'll rule the land with powerful paws and strike fear into the hearts of our greatest enemies! Me with my ever-present sarcasm, and you with your incurable prankster nature! We'll be the strongest pair of alphas in the Woods! We will dominate the earth!"

     "Okay, maybe not that much." Limpet chuckles. "I'm content with having a good happy place in the forest."

     "Right. I tend to get excited in the mornings. Heh." A whole lot of unchecked emotions when my brain hasn't properly woken up yet. Thanks, brain. I duck my head and scratch behind one of my ears thoughtfully.

     "Well," I say as my leg thumps back down to earth, "We'll certainly do a good job at that."

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A/N: And another page! This one was written in conjunction with the previous :P. I don't think they'll be one next week because of exams, but there should be one the week after that.

Happy reading!