Wandering the lands of his border, Desmond held his head low. He was weary of a gang of foxes which had found their group hunting grounds close to his pack. They had been stealing rabbits and whatever else there was. He hated the tiny creatures and if he had caught them, he would surely skin them and use their hides to line his den. He had seen a couple different ones, some orange, while others were a dull grey and black color. The Alpha male was wise to their trickery and knew they hunted in groups. With a single step in the right direction, he was able to find a nesting ground. A loud snarl rippled from his maw and his ears shot up on his head. He was alert and angered by this discovery. Quickly he moved from the area, heading in the direction the little thieves had wandered to. He did not hear the call from the wolf, and he did not try to go looking for it. Surely Fel would find the wolf and greet it in the best way she possibly could. Desmond was on a mission and nothing would deter him. A blended scent of fox and wolf rested along the forest floor. He was getting closer and soon he came to find the back of a something. The fur was blended with both black and grey. He had the scents of the fox in his nostrils and his adrenaline began pumping through his blood. His heart rate jumped drastically as he smelled fresh blood. The little creature had been hunting on his lands. ”You better get….” Desmond stopped speaking as he realized that this was not a fox. It was a wolf. A one year old, could not be any older than two years at least. He was foolish to misread the scents of this young lad. Immediately, Desmond’s demeanor changed. He relaxed and his hulking form looked smaller than normal. His green eyes looked to the wolf and casually he moved to stand before him. ”You look like you’ve been through a pretty nasty thing. Is there something I can help you with? A wolf your age really shouldn’t be wandering the areas…” The Alpha took a moment to smell his scent. He knew it immediately, even before the young brute could say where he came from. ”If you are coming with a message from Teren, I would hope he would send a different messenger than you. I mean no offense, but you really are not that intimidating in your current state…. Or possibly ever.” Desmond had recalled the time he played across the borders of Erenyx. It was a fun little rush he got from it, but had the Alpha really heard about his little trip and waited this long to do something about it? The blended coat male knew very little of the Alpha from the East, but he knew that he had a horrible temper and an even worse disposition with those who disobeyed him.

As the young wolf spoke, he could tell he had been taught the importance of respect. This was a good thing. The Alpha looked to him, trying to see exactly how many wounds he had suffered, and though he did not wish to speak about it, Desmond grew more curious as how this even happened to him. Maybe the wolves faced a bear or a puma? Or perhaps he tried to hunt a bull moose all by himself? Whatever the story was, the reasoning behind the blood, Desmond was not going to ask. In a way, he felt sorry for the wolf. It was strange to see such a young wolf in such horrible conditions. Young pups were the future of the pack. They were to take the positions as the elder wolves died and carry on their belief systems. What crazy wolf would want to hurt such innocent young creatures? ”Well… Striker, I will tell you this… If it is really a home you are seeking, then you have found the right place. I call tell the blood on your pelt is not only your preys’ but also of yours. I will not ask you to tell me your past or the reason why you come to me like this. What I will require is that you seek the medical attention of either Orion or Sofiel. They are our healers here and they will make you well again. If you come to live here, you will be an Apprentice until you are two years of age. I don’t want you to partake in any hard labor until you check with me first. I don’t want you dying on me kid.” As twisted of a joke it was, he gave a soft chuckle. He wanted this pup to feel like this was a safe haven. His last home was hell on earth, filled with wolves just waiting to rip you apart. Striker was not the first wolf to be saved from their clutches and he would not be the last. ”I am Alpha Desmond, but when we are alone, you may call me Desmond. I don’t know what horrors you have seen, but someday you are going to need to talk about it. I’ve seen some pretty horrible stuff as well, hell, I lived as a Rogue for many years all on my own. If you ever need someone to talk to or confide in, you just come find me. I may be the Alpha here, but I will find any excuse to have a relaxing day of barely any work. Plus, Fel tends to run a tight pack here so most of the time my paws are pretty much open. Come with me, I will escort you to the healers’ den.” Desmond hoped that his words comforted the boy. He’d never really cared for a pup before, but at least this one was out of the cry-puppy stage. In a few months, he would be fully grown and hopefully a much needed asset to the pack.