It seemed an age before Akemi answered, his pale russet face holding a ponderous expression as he mentally went through all the possibilities that Akela had presented him. She hoped she hadn't seemed to arrogant. After all, she'd just declared that she wanted to be leader… Well. Akela had to hope for the best. Though as she had no idea of what the worst was, she probably couldn't hope for the best. But that's a technical issue. Anyway, as it was, Akemi had finally dredged up the words he'd been meaning to say.
"I… Will. I will join you, I think that's what your asking… Yes. I will join your pack." Akemi murmured, his voice turning into a strong resolve as he finished. His conviction was strong.
Smiling widely, Akela gave a joyus bark, before being interrupted by the sound of another bark, this one more weary and tired than hers, but it was filled with hope none the less. Akela swivelled her head so she could look over Akemi's shoulder. Behind him stood a small she-wolf, her gray fur was in a mess – matted all over – and she held herself in a constant shrug of desperation. Compassion for the she-wolf surged through Akela's heart, soon to be replaced by the emotion of uncontrollable love and dear pity. The she-wolf had a prominent swollen belly, which could only be home to pups.
Without a word, she leapt over to the she-wolf and nuzzled her comfortingly. Akela felt sympathy to wolves in their hardships, and her mother had told her that bearing pups was the worst but most wonderful hardship of them all.
"Hello, my name is Akela – I wish to create a pack, which you may join."
She murmured softly, being far more straight forward with the she-wolf than she'd been with Akemi. His dawdling had made her realise that she shouldn't be so long winded in her questions. Best to keep things simple.
"Could I? Can I? Oh thank you!" The she-wolf cried and brushed her cheek against Akela's flank.
Akemi gave a slight chuckle from behind them, and he trundled over at his own pace, glancing at Akela with a slight cautiousness before setting his gaze back on the she-wolf.
"Here, let's get you into some shelter shall we?" He asked her comfortingly.
To be honest, Akela was surprised at Akemi. She hadn't thought that he would comfort a she-wolf. All wolves generally fend for themselves and leave the she-wolves to suffer alone. Perhaps she had been wrong.
"You have found a den, haven't you?" Akemi's question broke through her quiet reverie.
"Yes, yes, follow me." Akela muttered, before leading them into the cool silence of the cave, she felt their breath tickle her fur as they gasped simultaneously, much like she had done, when they saw the cavern.
Akemi was quick to settle the she-wolf into a shallow and sandy dip in the earth. The she-wolf beamed at him, and Akela thought she recognized the first signs of a wonderful camaraderie between the two wolves in that moment.
"What is your name?" Akela asked the she-wolf, introductions were everything.
"It's Winona, and what's yours?" Winona barked, before asking Akemi for his.
Akela sighed and tried to block out their idle conversations, and tuned her ears on to the outside world. Perhaps some other wolves would come here to her pack which had now, in a matter of heartbeats, become a grand total of three. It may seem small at the moment, but think of the possibilities of what it could become. Was this moment, right now, the start of a pack which would change the course of history, the very beginning of a pack. Something which would be told to pups even after all the seasons have come and gone. This was the very beginning. Herself, Akemi and Winona were the very first makings of the pack.
Akela shivered.