Arrangement
Seventh-Far-Flier arrived at what he said was the main entrance to his pack's range: a large cave which sloped upward from another chamber filled with a very long pond. The cave had a stream flowing down the slope and into the water.
They landed and walked up the narrow cave and alongside the stream until a crashing waterfall appeared ahead.
He stopped and faced her, "This is the place. There will be Fighters inside on guard. You must wait on this side of the water while this one talks to the guards."
"Fine, I will stay here," she agreed.
He walked through the waterfall while she patiently waited. A brief check of life-fire sight confirmed there were additional light wings on the other side of the water.
What was their range like? He had not mentioned anything in detail about his pack's territory, and she had not asked many questions. All she was sure of was that it was a good range and was not as cold as where Ice-Water-Pack lived.
Seventh-Far-Flier and two other large males eventually walked out through the waterfall and faced her. One of the other males approached.
"So you are the one called Skadi?" he asked.
"I am."
"You wish to enter the pack's territory?"
"Yes, I want to speak to your Alpha about a danger to the pack."
"So this one heard. You may enter. We will take you to the Alpha."
"My thanks. What is your name?" she asked.
"This one is First-Fighter. Alpha is my sire," First-Fighter answered.
That was not surprising at all. Alphas would prefer to have their own young in power-places from where they could lead others well.
"You may lead me, First-Fighter."
Together, they walked through the waterfalls. She strolled up the small valley shaped by the falling water, and then she saw the range. Filled with bright light-rocks, a length of forest and mushrooms, many ledges, and deep waters, theirs was a good range, though it was different from the ones Ice-Water-Pack lived in.
"How big is your pack's territory?" she asked.
"Why do you want to know?" First-Fighter asked.
"Because I am curious how many you are."
"Alpha will decide if you can know that," he grumbled.
That was suspicious of him, but she was a new kind of kin, and he had no way to know what her intentions were.
"Fair. Lead me."
First-Fighter grumbled again and took flight. He and his flightmates led her through the range until another level grew up ahead. The new level had many light-rocks, fruit trees, mushrooms, waterfalls, and even visible caves in the wall.
A large light-rock grew out from the level, forming a very bright perch on which a lone male sat. It was, while in a very different range, similar to how the Alpha at Ice-Water-Pack claimed the best perch.
How would be best to meet this Alpha? She was an Alpha too, though of a very different type of pack which was not anymore. Deference implied being lesser, so meeting this Alpha with respect but a flamed liver was probably best.
First-Fighter touched down on the ground by the base of the light-rock and left an open place for her, so she landed there. Three more females stood nearby, curiously watching her.
The Alpha calmly walked down the light-rock to approach her. He was big and strong, more so than her, with several hurt-marks to show that he could fight and win. One of his ears had a nick where part of the ear had been lost. His yellow eyes were slightly narrowed in attentiveness.
Oddly, he paused for a couple wingbeats before continuing closer.
"Are you the Alpha?" she asked, breaking the silence.
"I am. What are you?"
"I am half light wing and half whatever my sire was. Do not ask what kind he was. I do not know."
Several more light wings, a mix of females and males, landed not very far away.
Alpha stared at her, not showing what he was thinking. Touch his life-fire and thoughts? That might help.
She reached out to gently feel his life-fire, but something was in the way. His life-fire was not weak like so many others were. It was not possible to gently feel his thoughts without him likely knowing what she was doing, so she stopped, not wanting him to know much about her powers. That was a secret to only reveal when most useful and if necessary. Keeping her potential hidden and secret could be useful and important.
"My name is Skadi. Do you have a name?" she purred.
He huffed and stepped closer before sitting down, "My pack-role name is Alpha, and I answer to that. You are welcome in the pack's range."
"You have my thanks. It has been many waking-cycles since I was in a light wing pack."
"Why did you fly from one? Are you a Far-Flier for a pack?" he asked, visibly curious.
"No, I am packless."
He looked surprised, "Packless? Why? Did you do anything wrong? I do not care if you did."
That was very good of him to have an open mind, willing to learn the truth before leaping to a conclusion.
"Yes, I did wrong. I was too curious and trusted others. None of that matters anymore."
"Is that so? First-Fighter said you had something important to tell me."
She paused and glanced at the other light wings before facing Alpha again, "Do you know about creatures that have two-legs? They are strong-thinking and very dangerous."
He snorted, "Know about them and the range they are living in now, yes. I also know about the dark wings in that range."
"Good. I flew from the above, so I know what two-legs are and what they do to kin. Nothing about two-legs is good," she growled.
He grumbled, "I have heard differently about them. The dark wing Alphas would say the two-legs are peaceful to us. But enough about them. Why are you here? What do you want with my pack?"
"I want to help you keep your pack safe from the two-legs, and I can give you advice about them. I know them much better than you do."
He grumbled, his eyes narrowing, "Are you saying I cannot protect my own pack?"
"Against a danger that you do not know as well as I do, no, you might not be able to protect as well as you should. You are Alpha, so you protect your own, true?"
"Of course, I keep the peace. Give me a few wingbeats."
He trotted to several of the light wings, and spoke quietly with them. They were probably his Firsts of whatever pack-roles this pack had. The group of three females sitting on their own and staring attentively at her were probably his mates or relatives.
He returned to her, "You want to give me advice to help keep my pack safe? I respect that and want to hear more from you. But first I must speak with you on our own before I know I can trust you."
"Fair. I want to know what your pack is like."
He stared into the distance, "You must have been flying long and hard to get here, and must be tired, yes?"
Now that he mentioned it, yes, she was very tired. The escape from the two-legs, the long flight of several dark-light cycles over the waters, the flight down into the underground ranges, and her flight to this pack's territory had been one after another with limited rest.
"Yes, it was a long flight to get here."
He spun around and started on paw toward the three females, "Follow me."
She followed him past the other light wings whose names and pack-roles she still did not know.
He walked to the three females before facing her again.
"These are three of my five mates: First, Third, and Fourth... or as they call themselves Swirl, Spot, and Stripe."
Amused at how many mates he had, she inspected them more closely and easily saw what their names came from. One of them had a swirl of grey on her back, another had a prominent spot on her chest, and the third had thin stripes of greyer hide running along her side. Their names were also very simple, almost like pretend-names fledglings would use.
"Does this pack have special rules about names?"
"Yes, we do. I can explain them later."
The one called Swirl hummed, interjecting, "She is also asking what she should call us."
Alpha answered, "You may use their names when you are with them, but only use their pack-role names before others."
That was not difficult to obey. Being respectful of another pack's ceremonies was important and would further her goal of gaining their trust.
"I understand."
"Good. You arrived at a bad time for me, so I will come talk to you later. Swirl, Spot, and Stripe will help you however you need: show you water for drinking, waste pits, fish and mushrooms, and anything else. There is a cave we let guests stay in, and you may have that cave while you are with us."
"Thank you. Is there anything else I should know?" she asked.
He hummed in thought, glanced at his mates, and looked back to her, "Stay on this level, in your given cave, or with my mates as your guides. There are some places you should not go for your own safety. Follow me."
She followed him past his guarding Fighters and with his three present mates. They walked along a small stream surrounded by bushes, glowing flowers, and thicker forest beyond. The path widened into a clearing by the wall of the chamber. A pair of light-rocks grew out above the three cave-mouths at the base of the wall.
"Is one of these my cave?" she asked.
"No, these are where I, my mates, and our kin live. Swirl, Spot, and Stripe will show you where your cave is."
They arrived at the caves, and Alpha roared at the largest cave. Four light wings: two grown females, an older female fledgling, and a young male who was probably newly able to fly, strolled or bounded out to join them. His two newest mates to arrive stared warily at her in open surprise.
"These are Speck and Sway, my daughter Pounce, and my youngest son Char. My kin, this half light wing is Skadi. I want you all to welcome her and show her what she needs to know."
Speck hummed, facing her, "How much can she know about the pack?"
Alpha huffed, "Good question. Skadi, I believe you are willing to understand and accept other life-ways. Or do you clutch to old thinking too easily?"
She shrugged, "Different packs have different life-ways. Does this pack have any special ceremonies that would be a problem?"
"That depends on what you think is twisted or a problem. We understand the importance of putting the pack first even if each of us in the pack suffers some. That is very important for all of us."
"I understand the need to sacrifice. I was an Alpha."
He froze, staring warily at her before relaxing, "Interesting. I look forward to talking to you."
She purred, "So do I, Alpha. And about your question, I might think your ceremonies are different, but that is not important. I flew here for a more important reason, as you will learn."
"I respect that. Until later, Skadi."
Alpha spun around and flew off over the trees, swiftly disappearing on whatever flight he needed to fly. That left her alone with his five mates and his two fledglings. This was actually a good opportunity to learn what the pack and the pack's Alpha were truly like. No one could better explain how he lived than his own mates.
She faced them, "It is good to meet you."
Swirl stepped forward, keeping a respectful pounce-distance, "And the same for us to meet you. We do not have many important guests at our pack."
"Why not?"
Swirl shrugged, "Because this pack keeps to itself much. Other light wings sometimes meet us, but many do not want to join. They do not see how freeing life is with us."
"Your Alpha wanted you to help show me to some places, but first I have some questions about the pack. It might be best to speak on our own."
Without any prompting, Spot and Sway went over to Pounce and Char, and led them away toward the caves.
"Are Spot and Sway Pounce's and Char's dams?" she asked.
Swirl huffed, "They are their egg-dams. All five of us share being the dam for each hatchling."
Speck snorted, "Some more than others."
Swirl playfully snapped at Speck's neck, "Nothing we can do about that. You know that we are jealous of your problem."
"If I could trade with you I would," Speck sighed.
Swirl faced her again, "Sorry, we twist each other's tails much. It helps when sharing so much of life together."
"I can imagine. The Alpha of the first pack I lived in had only two mates. How does your Alpha have you five?"
Swirl, Speck, and Stripe snorted, and Swirl answered with amusement, "We have learned how to share him so everyone is happy. Keeping the peace between ourselves is important."
Stripe gently swatted Speck with a paw, "Even if someone among us kept him too much to themselves."
Speck swatted back at Stripe, "That was before we learned the truth. Will you ever stop?"
She interrupted to get them on more relevant topics, "Do any of you know about the range with two-legs?"
Swirl grumbled, "Yes, we know about that range where a pack of two-legs are living with kin. A bigger problem is the dark wings!"
"How do you know them?"
Swirl growled, "They flew here for pack-peace talks. Guess what they did? They tricked one of our Helpers into leaving with them! They stole one of my Helpers!"
"What is a Helper?"
Swirl spoke, "You need to understand what we do in the pack. See, we are not only here for Alpha's needs. We are responsible for the groups of Helpers, which are females who help groups of males with their pack-roles. We watch and listen to the Helpers to help keep the peace in the pack. Anyone with rotted thoughts or who is not obeying the pack's customs is found and taught to think correctly, to prevent wrong-think. I watch over a group of Helpers, one of newest ones of which was picked to help the dark wing Alphas when they were here. They must have wanted her, because they tricked her and took her away from us."
It was easy to imagine what terrible things those strong males were probably doing to that poor light wing.
"Very rotted of those dark wings!" she snarled.
Speck growled, "Most in the pack, even most males, think we are just here for Alpha and to raise his young. Wrong. We keep the peace and find when packmates have rotted thoughts. All for the good of the pack."
Stripe snickered, "It is fun to trick others into thinking that we are... simple and small in our thinking. 'Oh, Fighter, you are so big and strong. You have won so many fights. We were watching. Have you heard anything interesting recently?' There is almost always something. We have even found out about plans to kill or replace Alpha."
She chuffed in amusement and approval. These females were not weak or afraid; rather, they were active in the pack and worked to keep the peace. If only Ice-Water-Pack had something like this: a way to find rotted-thoughts growing in packmates. Maybe that Alpha could change the pack-roles to help keep the peace.
Spot and Sway returned and sat beside their kin.
"Good for you all. Swirl, Speck, and Stripe were explaining what you five do in the pack. What is your Alpha like as a sire?"
Swirl shrugged, "He lets us do most of the young-raising. Females we raise on our own, but he involves himself more with males, playing with them, teaching them special life-rules, and helping to prepare them for a good, high pack-place, just as we do for daughters."
So he and his mates were preparing their own young to fill high power-places in the pack. That had lift, both as a way to keep the peace and also to secure their own safety. They should want to keep power and status in their family-pack for everyone's good.
She yawned widely, "Sorry. I am very tired after long flying. You were going to show me places I can drink, relieve myself, and rest, yes?"
Swirl and Speck got to their paws and started stretching their wings while Spot, Stripe, and Sway bounded away to the caves.
"We will show you. Follow us," Swirl said.
They led her first to a clear stream flowing off the ledge in a sparkling waterfall. There she drank her fill. Next, they led her off the ledge and down the visible range along a rushing stream carved into the rock and ground.
They passed around a corner and into an even larger forest range which split in several visible directions. The range also dropped down in a very wide depression which was much lower than the first chamber in which Alpha and his kin lived. Waterfalls in several directions formed more rushing waters which flowed together with a crashing noise and-
She started in surprise at the place where the waters joined, swirling in a spiral down a very big hole. The hole was so big that even a great-tusk could probably vanish into it.
"Is that the place for waste?"
Swirl answered, "Not usually. Waste is food for plants, but the sickest packmates must use this to not foul our ranges."
"Do you know where that goes?"
"None know. We have searched deeper waters in other ranges after dropping light-making flowers into this water, but we never found light-making flowers in the other waters. We think it leads to the darker and deeper ranges, but we cannot know for sure," Swirl ominously replied.
Swirl and Speck led her to a flat range where trees did not grow. Rather, there was grass and many tall mushrooms growing from the piles of dirt. There were also visible pits throughout the range.
They landed many pounces from the nearest pit, and both females faced her. The strong and foul scent coming from the pits was enough explanation for what they were for.
"These are the pits for waste. We will wait for you, lead you to the waters for washing, and show you to your cave," Speck said.
Speck and Swirl left her alone to finish relieving herself, and she returned to them afterwards. They led her back over the swirling waters and into the first range where they landed by a gentle stream which eventually flowed down into the water-hole. They splashed in the cool water, dried off, rolled in the sand for a scratching, and took flight after finishing. Next, they flew up toward the Alpha's green ledge, but they flew slightly to the side where there was a wide cave-mouth which they landed in.
The cave was smooth inside, not deep, had a small bend in the cave, and overlooked much of the range from the cave-mouth.
"This is the cave we let Far-Fliers or Offer-Takers from other packs rest in. You will stay here," Swirl explained.
"You have my thanks."
"Only Alpha or one of us will come here to meet you. Most of the pack is not allowed in this part of the territory anyway, so you do not need to worry about being disturbed," Swirl said.
"What should I do about food?"
Swirl and Speck glanced at each other until Speck answered, "Good question. We or Alpha will bring fish next waking-cycle. Fish are caught in a water-range in our territory, but that is a longer flight from here."
She purred, "That is not a problem. I am a much better Fish-Hunter than a normal light wing. I can help with fish hunting while I am here so I am not a burden on the pack."
Swirl huffed, "Good to hear. We will leave you to rest. Just one thing to remind you: stay here in your den or on Alpha's ledge. Not all of our territory is safe, and male Fighters can be males, you know."
She shivered at the memory of two former Fighters of Ice-Water-Pack, one of which had threatened to foul her and the other had force-mated two females before being found.
"Yes, I know. Thank you."
Swirl and Speck purred and took flight, leaving her alone. Finally alone, she let out a heavy sigh and began inspecting the cave for a good place to curl up. The inside of the cave was flat and smooth throughout. Nothing was more important than getting a long nap.
It was also a great relief that the pack was not very twisted. Though, she did not know very much about the pack yet. Alpha could explain the details when he returned to speak with her. However, he and his mates might only show what they wanted her to see. The truth would be clear in time.
She sniffed, scenting a strange and faint scent in the cave. Unable to place the scent, she ignored it, curled up, and fell into deep sleep.
A loud bark woke her from her sleep as the flighty, confusing sleep-vision faded. The large, white shape before her was alarming and terrifying and-
"Are you awake?" Alpha asked.
She blinked away the sleepiness as she got to her paws. Alpha and two of his mates, Speck and Spot, perched on the ledge of the cave. Seeing that she was awake and had gotten to her paws, they strode into the cave. Speck and Spot carried a pair of fish in their jaws, and then dropped the fish at her paws.
"I hope you slept well," Alpha purred.
"I did. Your mates were very helpful. Thank you for bringing the fish."
Speck and Spot purred in thanks and flew off, leaving her and Alpha alone.
"You may have the fish before we speak. Swirl told me that you want to do your own fishing," he said.
"I can help provide for myself and the pack. I am very fast in the water."
"Well, we can show you to the hunting-range later. Please eat."
She glanced at the fish and gladly ate after many waking-cycles of little to eat.
"How do you like the cave-den?" he asked after she ate.
"It is good enough. There is a strange scent though."
He snorted, "Like a light wing but not."
"How did you know?"
"The dark wing Alphas stayed in the cave when they were here."
She warily glanced around the cave, suddenly wary of everything. The dark wings Alphas she heard about had tricked a female, probably in this very cave!
"Did they do anything foul in here?"
He grumbled, "How could I know? Even if they did, it was long enough in the past that you should not worry about anything."
"Grr, maybe I will flame the ground later."
"That would work if they did anything in here."
She strode to the edge of the cave-ledge, and he followed her out there. They both sat down and looked out over all the visible range. It was time to talk freely about why she was here.
"You probably wonder why I am here," she began.
"Because of the two-legs. I have already spoken with the dark wing Alphas about them. My pack and their pack have pack-peace for now, barely."
She grumbled, "Do you know what the two-legs are already doing? They are spreading into far ranges. I saw them many, many waking-cycles away from here."
He huffed, "I know the dark wings had two-legs go with a small pack on a long flight. The dark wing Alphas later said they would not let two-legs spread through the ranges."
"Do you believe them?"
He shrugged, "I am not certain yet."
That was a relief. He was reasonably wary of this possible danger, but he needed to see how truly dangerous the two-legs were.
"About that, there is much you do not know. I have been in the hidden world above, so I know more about two-legs than you do."
He grumbled, "Maybe so, but you can tell me more about yourself. I want to know more about you and your life-story."
That was fair. He would want to know more about her life-story, and she could learn more about his and the pack. Bonding like this would also help him to accept that she knew what she was talking about in the threat of two-legs.
"Fine. My sire-father was Mimir: the Highest-Alpha."
He paused before speaking, "Yes, I remember. I met him once, but that was long ago."
"You met him?" she asked, surprised.
"Few great Alphas did not meet him. He would fly to all the packs to ensure the peace or make special requests. I wonder… where is he now?"
She took a deep breath, "He has died."
"How did he die?" he asked.
"He died of age after meeting me one last time."
He purred in evident sympathy, "Do you have any other nest-kin? What about your dam?"
She stared into the distance without blinking, "My dam flew on her own after I grew big enough to be alone. I have no nestmates either."
"What did you do after you were on your own?"
"I flew to a light wing pack in colder ranges, Ice-Water-Pack. Do you know of them?"
"No. They must be far from here."
"I flew with them for three life-making cycles. My time with them was good enough."
"But they did not truly accept you or want you?" he offered.
"How did you know that?"
He shrugged, "A lucky guess. I know how thought-twisted light wings can be when they meet different life. They probably saw you as different because you look like a mixed-kin."
"All true. I helped that pack's Alpha keep peace in his pack, and I also ranged far from the pack. It was on one of those flights I learned about a group of two-legs using dark wings. There is only one pack of two-legs, true?"
"There is only the one we know about."
That was a relief. Having only one pack of two-legs to worry about and do something about would be much easier than if there were many packs.
"Have you ever flown in the hidden world above?" she asked.
He grumbled, "I have not. We know very little about it because no light wings who flew up there have joined us, and we have lived here for many lifetimes."
She took a deep breath to calm her liver and life-fire. Then she lifted a forepaw and glanced at the hurt-mark line. It was such a small hurt-mark and did not hurt at all, but it was her first such hurt-mark.
"The ranges above are very liver-warming, bigger than any range you ever saw. There are only two big light-rocks up in the sky-waters which no kin can fly to. The only problem is the two-legs up there. They destroy forests, make false-dens out of dead trees, trap prey-animals, and trick us!"
He grumbled, "What do you mean: trick us?"
She snarled and lashed her tail, "I found a nest of two-legs, tried to meet them in peace, and they trapped me! They-"
Rotted thinking. Starvation. False-vines. Twisted-visions on the walls. Confused memories.
She paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "I was trapped for more dark-light cycles than I can count. I helped the other kin be free of two-legs. The surviving kin bowed to me as their Alpha. As their protector, I had to bring them back here to these ranges under the ground. So I know what two-legs truly are and what they do to us."
He hummed, now staring into the distance, "Impressive. What is it you want? You said something about giving me advice?"
"About the two-legs. I want to help you understand what they are, tell you what they might do, and help you act if you must to protect the ranges and your pack."
He got up and started pacing in the cave-den, his tail swaying as he walked back and forth. He eventually glanced at her and must have made his decision since he approached and sat beside her.
"I am very careful who I get advice from. This pack has very clear rules. We stay on our own as much as possible unless we must be involved in the beyond."
She bent her head in acknowledgment, "That is fair, but this danger already concerns you and your pack. Do you act now or later when the two-legs are far more in number or have spread into new ranges?"
"Sure, I can see how you would think that, but it is more complicated. It has been long since the pack fought a true fight against another pack. I would not want to lead a fight against two-legs, dark wings, and other kin."
That was a fair concern of his, but he did not appear to appreciate how important this was. Still, pushing too hard on this point now would not help.
"We might not need to fight. It might be enough to gather packs and go together to convince the dark wings to remove the two-legs from these ranges."
He purred, visibly liking that suggestion a lot more, "That might be enough. You have no pack now, true?"
"Correct. I am flying on my own."
"You do not need to fly alone always. Would you want to join my pack?"
That was surprisingly generous of him to make such an offer.
"What are some of the pack-rules I should know about?" she asked.
"My mates can explain all the pack-roles. The most important pack-rule to know about is that we are all careful about... self. Everyone normally wants to benefit only their own kin, or themselves before all others. So we have rules to try to stop that, and instead make all think about the pack only. None may say 'I' or think of themselves that way."
"What about you and your kin? You use that word."
He shrugged, "As Alpha, I have a special place. All my kin must be able to think more freely if we are to lead and think well of ourselves, but we know to follow the pack-rule when around others."
He paused before continuing, "You might find this part the most twisted about us, but I am not sure. We do not allow mate-pairs."
She started in surprise. This was not a life-way she had expected.
"No? What does the pack have?"
"Egg-making is by contests. Again, my mates can explain it all."
He did not appear like he wanted to talk much about that, but she was still curious. There had to be a reason for this ceremony.
"Why do you not allow mate-pairs?"
He glanced at her and appeared amused, "Can you guess?"
There must be something useful about not having mate-pairs, but it was difficult to make a good guess without knowing all about how the pack was formed and what pack-roles there were.
"I do not know much about the pack, but they are easier to lead without having pairs?"
"More or less that. Mate-pairs create loyalties that are not to the pack. All in the pack must remember that the pack is all. Care for any one male or female takes loyalty away from the pack."
She grumbled, not liking that approach. The pack was important, yes, but there were also wants that are not those of the pack. What each individual light wing wanted was not the same as what the pack needed.
On the other paw, the duty to family was opposed to the duty to the pack, as her own sire-father had known. He had to be willing to leave her because he was Highest-Alpha. There were duties more important than family.
She sighed, "I do not like that life-way, but it is your custom and I can understand it. Those rules do not apply to you either, do they?"
"Of course not. The Alpha must be able to trust and depend on his own direct kin, so I keep my mates to myself so they have a special place. My young learn to take leadership places in the pack. It must be."
"Would I need to take a pack-role if I were to join the pack?"
He hummed in thought, "You are the only of your kind, so you could be a permanent representative of your kin-kind. There would be no need for you to join a pack-role. You could advise me, as you said you want to, and help keep peace. I suspect there are some in my pack who want to replace me or cause problems."
Being in a position to give him advice, help keep the peace, and influence this pack for its own good from a power-place was entirely what she hoped for.
"Very good, Alpha. I will do that, and I can help with keeping the peace even better than you know."
He glanced at her in curiosity, "How?"
'This is how.'
He started in surprise and stepped back before she reassured him.
'I have thought-voice because of what I am. No others in the pack know about this.'
"Can you do more?" he grumbled after recovering himself.
Future-vision sight which she could not control. Wings that burned with light and influence over lesser kin. Thought-control of small-thinking life. Ability to touch life-fires and feel what they felt unless the other was of strong will. He did not need to know all the details of what she could do, especially when there was no way he could know if she was hiding any part of the truth.
She shrugged, "I can make small-thinking life like prey obey me. But I do not have power over other kin, if that is what you are asking."
"You should keep that thought-voice a secret from all others. Can you hear my thoughts?" he warily asked.
"I have not tried. You would know if I tried to touch life-fires with you like that."
"Try."
She closed her eyes and roughly touched life-fires with his, unlike the gentle touching she could do. The flames recoiled, very different and untrusting of the other. A mix of curiosity and wariness. He was inwardly worried, though he was doing a very good job of hiding that worry, but she could not hear any thought-voice. Diving into his memories was not necessary or appropriate, as it was too intrusive without permission.
"Did you feel that?" she calmly asked.
He grumbled and shook himself, "Like bugs burrowing under scales… and a pain in my head."
"I believe it always feels like that for others. I could not hear anything, but I know you are uncertain about me, which is fair."
"Can you twist other's thoughts?"
She paused before answering. It was possible to influence others to think correctly by… nudging them, but telling him that was likely not prudent. He could see that life-will-power as a threat.
"That would only be possible with lesser kin who are not strong in their thinking."
He visibly relaxed, "I see. You are even more special than I thought. I apologize for disturbing your sleep earlier."
"You do not need to. Thank you for bringing me the fish."
"It is what we would do for any important guest. I want time to think about all you said. My mates have duties soon, so I recommend you rest more. They can come get you when they are free to show you around more of the pack's territory."
She purred in agreement, liking that suggestion, "Good idea, Alpha."
She turned for the deeper part of her new cave-den when he huffed, getting her attention.
"I will have the pack told who you are and that you are under my protection. You can also meet more of my Firsts next waking-cycle," he said.
"I understand. You have my thanks."
He flew off. She calmly trotted back into the cave-den, flamed the ground where she wanted to rest up, and curled up in warmth.
With him gone, she considered all she knew about him. He was a practical Alpha and did not jump to conclusions quickly, which was a good trait. His pack, on the other paw, appeared to have some life-ways which were not liver-warming. The rules intended to make the packmates think only about the pack were probably excessive, even if well-intended. On the other paw, the pack chose to live that way. They would have changed their ceremonies if they wanted to.
Now with the meetings out of the way and everything going well, she was struck by an obvious problem: her goal was not very clear. Was the goal to convince the light wings to go fight the range of dark wings and two-legs? Was that fighting even necessary? Would it be enough to warn this pack and any other packs nearby of the danger so they could all go together to demand a change?
What would that change need to be? Would the dark wings even listen if a number of Alphas and representatives of other packs demanded the two-legs leave? Would it be possible to permanently contain the two-legs where they were?
There was so much she did not yet know. Whatever happened, it would involve this pack.