Wolf pack

New Leader

Anu grunted to himself, standing off on his own. He knew how to lead an invasion or a government overhaul but aside from manipulation he had nearly no social skills. He slumped his shoulders in annoyance. Finally a pack of his own and he had no idea how to lead.
Cleo watched him walk off, giving him a few minutes of space and then followed after him. She sat at his side and he huffed slightly.
"So, I noticed you're having a hard time.."
His ears folded back with no response.
"I have tried to sit back and let you lead, but I can't help much from the shadows anymore. Perhaps you led me take charge for a while?"
Anu looked over at her. "Am I that bad for a leader?"
"You did nearly kill Lokan and Jynx for their prank on Nate." She smiled weakly.
"They had it coming."
"Patience might be a skill you need to learn, Love."
"It might."
Cleo looked up at the clouds. "There are ways you can be a leader, but terror is not the right method. It works with Haleras, but werewolves are independant enough it doesn't work."
He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "What are you suggesting then?"
"I am suggesting you focus on how your experiences have helped others, you have a similar story to the rest of these wolves. That'll help you lead. That's what I used. I knew almost nothing about how to lead a thousand venom wolves, but I did know what it was like to be them. If you can unite their cause, their purpose but keep their freedoms then you can have success."
Anu grinned to the side. "You are describing America."
She tilted her head in an adorable way that made her mane fall to the side. It took a lot of willpower not to kiss her. He looked at her for only a moment before thinking "screw it," and kissing her anyway.
"America is where we are going, apparently. At least the civilized part of it. A land of freedom. There are obvious restrictions and some evildoers, but as a whole, it is good."
She blinked. "I am using a human idea?"
He showed his fangs playfully. "Its an idea that exists without humans or their organizations. It comes from the universe itself, or whatever you think made it."
They sat there a while, just enjoying each other's company.
Cleo was quiet, but her mind was active. Maybe it was a life of being silenced, maybe it was taking in all the new sights and sounds she was seeing. Whatever it was, Cleo had kept herself in the shadows. Part of her had wished she could see Anu become a leader like he had done in the colony, but he was floundering when he couldn't overpower his followers. He needed to learn to actually trust them, not just her. 
It was time she took charge.
Cleo stood, nudged Anu and walked back towards the pack. They were all scattered about in their own places. Taking a deep breath, she let out a crackle into the air. 
She smelled the air and strode about, gathering all members she could find. Seeing this new display of confidence, the pack willingly followed and waiting for what would happen next. Anu sulked in and sat off to the side as he watched.
There was no rock or tall place to stand on, and she was the shortest wolf there, but Cleo stood tall and kept her ears up. She was a high alpha, bread from a long line of high alphas. She had more authority than even Lokan.
"Listen, all of you."
Multicolored eyes watched curiously.
"We are all used to being solo hunters, or entirely independent as leaders. This helps us to survive as individuals, which is good, but now we are a pack. To survive we need to learn how to combine our abilities and work together. We need purpose, and direction. We have the power to be incredible if we can act as a pack."
Lokan grinned and nodded wildly. "Haleras are only strong and successful because we are in numbers!"
Nate flicked his eyes over to his twin. "And werewolves as successful because we are strong individually when outside a pack."
Cleo straightened up again. "We all have our strengths, we can use them to be the most powerful pack in history. Look at all of us! In one group we can manipulate emotions, senses, we can heal or destroy, we can overpower and we can shield completely. There is little that can stop a force from us. Now the question is how do we organize so much stubbornness in one place?"
Melody stood. "We need a game plan."
"Yes. For now, what is our direction?"
"Head to civilization, possibly a hotel for Melody."
The halera nodded. "Established, until then, we need to function as a pack. We don't have set leadership at the moment, though I feel Nate would be sufficient."
Nate's head rose quickly, he looked eyes with hers and he tilted his head slightly. "I can handle a pack of underdogs too scared to disobey me. You, Cleo, take me as the most qualified."
She blinked, looking about at the assortment of wolves around her. She could be a leader when she was the strongest of her species but not when she was inferior to phase wolves. However, she had experience. She would manage for now.
"Until we arrive with the humans, we need to hunt as one. What are our skill sets?"
Jynx stood tall, eyes glowing as a list appeared in the air. An elaborate feathered quill wrote. "Hallucination, trickery, disguise."
Anya flicked her tail. "Sass and synthetic emotions."
"Pain." Anu replied darkly.
"Power."
"Healing and shielding."
"Style."
"Magnetism."
Cleo nodded. "And that leaves me for organizing. Jynx and Lokan, you work as distractions in our hunts. You keep prey occupied or bring them in. Nimera, you shield us from view. Anya, keep the prey calm throughout the entire ordeal. Nate and Anu, you are our butchers." The two massive wolves grinned to themselves.
Anu could help but find himself both jealous and charmed. Cleo taking charge was impressive, he fell more in love with her each day.