It was broad sunlight, and small Kleine was bathing in the heat, outside on a rock, her belly almost already looking swollen. There was a new-found shred in her ear from Pulcher in a fight over dominance; Cor had stopped the tussle before it could lead to anything, however Kleine liked to believe she had won. Pulcher had been smartly avoiding any contact towards her fellow she-wolf, and Suavis had safely returned, being shrunk down to omega. However, she usually picked fights with other wolves, in attempts to gain back dominance and eventually be mentally and dominantly asserted to subordinate.

A strong but unkind female named Fortis had been officially named the beta of Mossy Heights Pack, and had been treated as so. She was already onto sucking up to Cor, and had made changes within the pack, coordinating with dominance systems.

The birds were twittering, and Kleine couldn't remember the last time she had gone hunting. In fact, it seemed as though she hadn't ever gone out on a hunting party with her strong and brave pack since she was a yearling, which was quite a long while ago.

She thought about how her pack treated her; Pulcher, in the crazed and dominance-seeking state she was, was out to kill. Cor treated her like a pack member, except with more authority. Suavis, of course, hated her for messing up her almost-certain chance of becoming alpha female. Fortis acted as a motherly figure towards Kleine, nether less she didn't take any fondness to her and was only acting as such because of her own motherly instincts.

Kleine yawned, the sunlight hitting her grey pelt like a wave of warm water in the cool summer breeze. The weather was perfectly balanced, treating to her anxieties like a queen.

She felt herself droop away into darkness, until a sudden scent had alerted her.

With narrowed eyes, she lifted herself onto her haunches as Sanator, the pack healer, approached her, his broad shoulders swaying, chest puffed, tail lifted.

The male was obviously proud about something, perhaps his discovery of a new herb? A new cure? Maybe he had fixed his mother, Caerulea, from the terrible sickness she had endured; whatever it was, why would Sanator choose to consult her?

"Hello. To whom do I pay this visit?" Kleine lifted her grey muzzle and blinked at the approaching healer- he wasn't always named Sanator, though it was pack tradition for the next healer to be called this. They go through a naming ceremony, located in the Wood.

Sanator wagged his tail. "Greetings, young alpha female of Mossy Heights!" despite his respectful words, his tone was mocking and tease glimmered in his mischievous amber orbs. Kleine narrowed her eyes suspiciously up at him, standing up, and stepped forward boldly. "Tell me your cause, now, or I shall have the Pack Warriors attend to you… immediantly."

Sanator raised his brows and laughed loudly, then proceeding to herd her away from the pack. His eyes were still teasing her every move. "But alpha, you simply can't do that," he purred, his ears flicking backwards onto his skull. Kleine frowned; he was acting suspicious. She may have to get defensive.

She tensed her shoulders and got into a fighting stance; she wouldn't go down without a fair fight. Kleine raised her tail and stepped forward rapidly, forcing Sanator backwards, towards a rock; Sanator was still looking troublesome, so she bit at his throat for good measure.

Then, the male in front of her charged; he knocked his head into her chest and pushed her to the ground, wiggling her hind quarters. He let his tail hang out playfully, and that mischievous gleam in his eyes were gone.

"Gotcha, sis!" He laughed, his grey pelt shining in the gentle afternoon sun. "I thought you might've attacked me if I hadn't!"

Kleine growled, a true, fierce, angry growl. She pushed him upwards and licked her belly, protectively twisting so she was twirled around it. "I'm pregnant, you scruffy fool," She growled, her eyes narrowed with defense. "But that was quite the act you put up there. Let me guess, Pugnax has been teaching you acting," she mused, as Sanator gaped and lowered his stance. "Sorry!" He squeaked. The grey wolf backed up against the rock.

"Err, I may have to check out your pups status's afterwards," He admitted, lowering his head. "And… there's a slight chance that the runt may have died. I mean, from my experience, the runts are the weakest and seem to act as a pillow to his siblings, even when their still inside the womb. I mean, you were forced to act as a pillow for us, Levis, Atra, and Lignues."

Kleine gaped at him, and then pounced forward, grabbing his ear and tugging, ripping a shred in the top. Sanator screamed and rolled out from underneath his vengeful sister, and whimpered, padding away, into the stone healer's den.

She padded out and towards Cor. He was sat, looking glum, on the side of his den. She approached him calmly and gave him a small lick behind his floppy ear. He snapped up at her. "Go away, stupid Kleine," He demanded, her teeth bared. Cor's eyes still looked dull and sad.

Kleine blinked. "What's wrong?" She asked, with a dull attempt to find the source of his problems. Cor refused to answer.

"Tell me." She growled, hoping that a more dominant tone would convince him. Still, no answer.

"Come." Cor finally got to his paws and led her away from the small leaders den. His tail was drooped. Kleine frowned and walked forward, picking up the pace. The sun was just beginning to fall behind the Great Mountains, and darkness began to spread over the land below.

Cor turned to look back at his temporary mate; his dull sadness seemed to be gone. What was happening? Finally, the sun had disappeared and darkness was draped over the forest. "Kleine, do you see that star?" He whispered, sitting back onto his haunches. Kleine frowned and joined him in stargazing.

"Where?" She replied, scanning the skies, studded with specks of shining silvery white. Cor pointed his tail upwards to a big, shining star, forming some sort of constellation. Neither could recognize what is was. "Yes."

"Legend says that the great Muka was once banished there," Cor blinked, and his eyes turned sad. "He is my fellow, my ancestor, my descendant. But most of all, he is our sky, he is our stars, and he is lost." He shook his head and rolled over onto his side.

"Cor," Kleine sighed, her tail drooping. "You must let go of the past. He was lost more than a million years ago, he's not coming back."

Cor stood upright and growled at her, madness filling his gaze. "Shut up," he snarled, "What would you know?" He stepped forward and looked up again. "You're too dumb to think about this stuff. At least your better than Pulcher, she's even worse!" He kneaded the ground with his paws and shredded chunks of grass along with it. "She said he wasn't real. Gosh, and she's been complaining too much about her stupid pregnancy. Why in the name of the Gods would I care? Her only issue is to create. I might have to swap your ranks around, or get rid of her… Completely!"

Kleine gaped up at him. "She's pregnant? I thought we agreed…" Kleine was cut off as Cor charged forward, biting her scruff, hard. "Shut up. I'm alpha, I can do what I want, understand?" Kleine whimpered and nodded. "In fact, all the females can bear my pups. Every one of them, except the she-pups and the nursing or expecting she-wolves." His eyes were sinister, unthoughtful, crazed. "The males can fight, the females can become our nursers. Only the training females can hunt and fight, until their yearlings."

Kleine stepped back as he released his tight grip. She lowered herself to the ground. His state reminded him of Salsus; oh, poor wolf. Will all male alphas be tainted by this unkindly demise? Perhaps Fortis could knock some sense into him.

"What about Fortis?" Kleine whispered.

"Her? Oh, she's an exception."

Kleine nodded, and then raced for the hills. Cor was insane! This was insane! Her life was insane! So much disrespect! She, as a female, wanted to fight and hunt. She had to defend!

Her mind was racing with her paws; get out of here! It screamed, but she didn't listen to the sounds ruining her mind. She would plot her escape.

Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, she would kill Cor by herself.

That's right.

Kill.