Simmering

She flew past the forest-range and entered what had been the Alpha's range. The level was just as beautiful as it had been when she first saw it. Trees of all colors, large flowers, weaving vines, mushrooms, light-rocks, clear pools, and waterfalls filled the range on the ground and up on Alpha's exclusive level.

Several features grabbed her attention this time. First was the cliffside cave-den she had slept in many waking-cycles as the pack's guest. That was where he had first attacked, beaten, and surely force-mated her after knocking her out. But worse was the barely visible location where a waterfall obscured a cave at the base of the level. There was no reason to dwell on that trap.

Three Fighters, surely First, Third, and Sixth, were waiting for her along with a pawful of others on the edge of the level, roughly where she had first met the now-dead Alpha. Curiously, there was another pawful of light wings all the way back at the caves against the wall. She quickly recognized who those were near the caves.

Speck, Spot, Sway, Swirl, and Stripe were not staying here. They would need to find somewhere else to rest.

She landed and strolled to meet the three Fighters. Confirming Third's and Sixth's loyalty would not be difficult.

All three Fighters bowed at her approach. Both Third and Sixth were strong and appeared entirely capable of being good guards. But what were they thinking or planning, if anything? Gentle inspection of their life-fires and thoughts would not be noticed. Sixth was as she was told: simple and awed at being in his Alpha's presence. Nothing about him was cunning or interested in gain. It was not even necessary to nudge him toward obedience. He knew his Alpha was pleased he was there to guard her. Nothing else was needed.

Third was a different matter. He was slightly worried by being around her. Why? He had watched her use sky-light and display powers he had never seen before. But there was more. He was uncertain about all the changes to the pack and what those changes meant for him. Rising further in the pack was not very important to him, but something was missing.

"My packmates, you are here because an Alpha is always threatened. Third, Sixth, I need loyal guards who will always keep me safe. In addition to your pack-role as Fighters, will you be my personal guards? You must be willing to protect me no matter what happens, even at risk of your own lives. Do this, be loyal to me, and you will be rewarded."

Third-Fighter hummed, "I accept."

"Sixth?" she asked.

Sixth-Fighter purred, "Yes, Sixth-Fighter guards Alpha!"

Third-Fighter added, "What reward, if this one… if I may ask?"

There were plenty of options for rewards to her loyal supporters and most important packmates. Guaranteed moving up in the pack-role was an option. More fish was another simple option. The biggest reward was probably an egg-making privilege.

"That depends. Do you have a mate or a favored female?"

Third-Fighter shrugged, "No. Sixth does not either, but he does not notice females at all like that. Do you, Sixth?"

"They are there," Sixth-Fighter cheerfully answered.

Third-Fighter snorted, "We tried to get him to have fun once, and he had no idea what to do! Anyway, I will be a guard as you wish. Could I get a female of my own? Can that be my reward?"

She blinked, confused that he would even ask such a twisted question, "Why not just impress one and get her to want you?"

He was silent for several wingbeats, "How?"

"What?"

"How do I… impress one and get her to… want me?" he stammered.

Maybe he had never needed to learn how to spark real interest. That had to be his problem. Being able to go to Helpers and get whatever attention he wanted, even if with them agreeing, left him unable to get interest on merit.

He was like a fledgling at liver when it came to this part of life, despite being big and strong.

She chuckled, "It sounds like you have life-lessons to learn. The pack has far more females than there are males. The females will want attention. I cannot force anyone to want you, and you will not command anyone to be with you. However, you being one of the Alpha's guards is a special role. That might help you get… the attention you want. You must do the rest on your own. As for rewards, you get to have a special place in the pack, and you will have fewer normal Fighter duties."

He purred and bent his head in acknowledgment, surely recognizing his favorable situation.

With her guards having been initially inspected, she turned her attention to First-Fighter.

"Wait for me. I will speak with your First," she said, dismissing her guards.

She and First-Fighter strolled away from the other two and sat down by the nearest light-rock.

She faced him and stared evenly at him, "Before we speak, I want you to know that I can feel when others are being false. I know when they lie to me."

"How can you do that, my Alpha?" he asked, bending his head.

"It is one of my life-will-powers. As the First of my Fighters, I need to know that I can rely on you. Tell me about yourself."

"What do you want to know about me?" he asked.

"Do you have any life-water kin?"

He shrugged, "Two, one son and a daughter. She was my first hatchling, and she escaped the pack many life-cycles ago. She fled to Deep-Pass-Pack. My son is Fifth-Far-Flier. I do not know him well at all."

"Why not?"

He appeared confused before answering, "Alpha, maybe you do not know how this pack was in young-raising. The dams sat the eggs and raised the hatchlings. The sires were not supposed to do much after making the egg. We were only allowed to bring fish for the dams. It was not our place to teach the young anything that was wrong or not allowed."

"You were not even allowed to teach your own young?"

"They were not our young. They were the pack's young."

She growled, "Right. The pack was all."

He continued, "Some of us did not obey that expectation. We would volunteer to help the dams so we could be around our own young. I obeyed the rules more, which is why I was able to rise in the order."

"What do you think of the changes to the pack? Be honest."

He paused and looked away from her, "I approve of much of it. We Fighters are relieved we will not be going into the darker and deeper without reason anymore. The most experienced of us understood what was happening when the braver males who spoke up or questioned were always the ones who went missing. None of us could say anything, but we knew in our livers."

She felt nothing but honesty from him so far.

He continued, "But there is one problem. Fighters have needs and wants. There is a reason the last Alpha gave us more Helpers than any other group."

"I will not force females to meet your wants anymore," she softly growled.

He grumbled, "No, not that. I agree with no forcing or strong pressuring with threats. However, many of the other Fighters will want to find comfort as they did before. That will not quickly change no matter what you or I say. Do you want a suggestion?"

"Tell me."

"You could name a place in our ranges where anyone who is not in a pair could go if they want attention or pleasure. No forcing. No threatening. No confusing or tricking about intentions. That might help keep everyone content and safer."

The idea sounded rotted at first, but he was not wrong about strong males having such needs or wants which would not change. Females did too. There would always be such interest between both kinds. Maybe establishing a way for those desires to be met would help satisfy unpaired packmates and prevent forcing or threatening.

"Let me consider your idea. On the topic of partners, do you have anyone special? You did not take part in the pair-naming after the pack-meeting."

"My son's dam. She and I have been close for a long time, but we are not ready to say we want to be a pair yet. We do not know well what being a pair would mean, but we are closer in the liver than we are to any others. If there is anyone for me, it will be her."

"What about your place in the pack? Do you have a problem with bowing to a female as your Alpha?"

He shrugged, "I would have been the First-Fighter long ago, but the Alpha had one of his own take that place. This is where I should be. Fighting, defense, and leading other males who I understand and can keep in their place, those are all I know. You understand leading the whole pack better than I do, and you are more powerful. Truly, I do not want to bow to a female, but I accept that you are the Alpha through a fair contest. You are my Alpha."

No deception. He was honest that he did not entirely like obeying a female, but he also accepted that she had the status. Further, there was no sign of him having ambition or desire to replace her.

She purred, "Good. I am pleased that we understand each other. I believe the former Alpha's mates are in my caves."

He growled and called over Third and Sixth, "Should we change that? Tell us your will."

"This is not their territory anymore. Bring them out of my caves."

She took flight with First, Third, and Sixth following closely behind her. They flew over the stretch of mushrooms, fruit trees, light-rocks, pools, and streams from waterfalls, all while there was activity at the caves ahead. Speck, Spot, Stripe, Sway, and Swirl knew they were coming.

She landed outside the largest cave with her Fighters flanking her. Speck, Stripe, and Swirl were waiting outside the cave.

"You look comfortable," she calmly said.

"What do you want?" Speck asked.

"I want rest in my territory. Killing a monster of an Alpha is hard work. You were leaving my range. This is not your place anymore."

First-Fighter roared, calling the others out from inside the cave.

Speck and Swirl softly growled and did not look like they wanted to move.

Stripe grumbled, "Where are we to go? Have you not… won enough already?"

Spot and Sway emerged from the cave, leading Pounce and Char behind them. They joined the other three. Pounce only had eyes for her paws while Char was oddly still beside Sway. What did Pounce and Char know about what happened? Pounce was old enough to know her sire was killed and what that meant for her own status. Char, being a young fledgling, might not understand, though he appeared upset.

Seven enemy kin before her, and her three allies with her. There was no contest. Her three Fighters were all strong and competent, their loyalties already assured. None of Speck, Spot, Stripe, Sway, and Swirl were especially strong; instead, they had used pack-structures, rules, and subtle fear as their way of keeping power. But they made the mistake that all their status and power depended on the Alpha. None of them had bothered making true allies among the rest of the pack.

"No, you all deserve worse. You used the entire pack, spread fear of everyone, and got packmates killed for the wrong of doubting and thinking. None of you can threaten me or anyone else again," she calmly said.

They said nothing in response, but she could feel defiance and anger burning within several of them. They had lost almost everything, and they would want to strike back if only they could find a way.

Certainty burned to life. They were going to act, somehow, before too long. Several of them had nothing except revenge.

"As for where you should go, everyone else rests in the living-range. Maybe you can go rest with the former Helpers you loyally watched over. I am sure they would be eager to thank you for everything you did for them. Or you could take one of the caves above the others in that range. There must be space up with the older packmates."

"As the… Alpha wishes," Swirl hissed.

They got to their paws, threw angry glances at her, and flew away toward the deeper ranges. Char and Pounce were slower, so they had to fly slower for them.

She watched them go until they vanished around a distant corner of the range. Those seven were still a clear and present danger as long as they were part of the pack. But they had not done anything which would be worth naming them packless, not yet anyway. She and her closest allies appreciated what they had done in the past by controlling and manipulating the Helper groups, but most of New-Flame-Pack's packmates did not understand. Most were just obedient to the Alpha and whatever pack-rules had force at the time.

She strolled to her Fighters and addressed First-Fighter, "Have them watched. They might act soon. Have four or five more Fighters hide up here on my range, just in case."

He bowed, "It will be done."

"I will be resting. No one is to disturb me," she added, glancing at Third and Sixth.

"I understand." "Yes, Alpha go rest!"

First-Fighter flew away while she went on paw into the largest cave. Third and Sixth remained outside, finding a comfortable place to remain on guard.

As was expected, these caves were wide, warm, comfortably moist, and just dim enough to easily sleep in. Soft moss grew all over the ground and on the smooth surfaces. There were even sweet-smelling flowers growing in the brightest parts of the cave. The waterfalls filled the air with soothing moisture and a calming, constant roar.

Everything about the cave was far more comfortable compared to those which other packmates had in the large hole in the living-range. Those caves were rocky, loud, and lacked plants on the inside.

This would be the best place to rest for sure, except for one big problem.

The cave smelled of him and them. The Alpha and his mates rested in here and surely did far more than just sleeping in here too. His scent lingered everywhere. All around her. Too heavy and strong. It would surely fade with time.

This should be the most comfortable place by far, other than the bad memories. Would staying here and trying to get rest anyway help with overcoming those memories? Maybe so. Sleeping here could be a way to show that she was not afraid.

But there was another consideration.

Speck, Spot, Stripe, Sway, and Swirl knew she would be here. She had felt in their life-fires a determination to act soon. They could wait to attack her after she fell asleep if they knew a way to get past Third and Sixth. Could they knock out her guards or distract them somehow? It was possible.

This would actually work perfectly if they acted sooner rather than later.

She continued deeper into the cave until she found a corner where the rock curled in on itself, forming a small chamber. It was precisely what she needed. She flamed into the small chamber, filling it with fire which spilled back out and rushed over her like water. Warmth soaked into her hide and wings until she was faded.

Cautiously and silently, she returned to the front of the cave and slipped outside, taking note of where Third and Sixth were. Sixth was attentively sitting on his haunches several pounces away, and Third was reclining on a nearby rock. Neither of them knew she was leaving.

Finally far enough away, she glided a short distance until she arrived at the new destination.

She dove into the cave-den where she had slept in peace for many waking-cycles.

Those five would not think to look here. Why would she rest in the same place she was attacked, especially when there was a much nicer cave with guards outside it?

She softly growled to herself and strolled into the back corner where she curled up.

Weary after a very long waking-cycle, she closed her eyes and tried for sleep.

No echoes. No howling in pain. No fear.

Nothing except cold satisfaction.

Alpha, once again and always.

She woke up, hearing distant roaring and shouting. Something was happening, so she got to her paws, quickly stretched, and flew outside toward all the noise which was coming from up on her exclusive level.

Several light wings were gathered just outside the largest cave. Most of them looked like Fighters.

She landed and saw First-Fighter bounding to her in worry and surprise.

"What is this?" she growled.

"Alpha, they were attacked!" he barked.

The new First-Healer was tending to Third-Fighter, who was lying on the ground, moaning and swaying his head. She was asking him questions about how much it hurt and what he could see, and telling him not to move. Sixth-Fighter was asleep or knocked out.

"Who attacked them?"

She already knew the answer, but hearing it from him would help her cause.

"Four of the former Alpha's mates," First-Fighter growled.

"They wanted me dead! That is why they stayed. Where are they?"

He pointed with his tail, "They flew away, probably to flee the main path out of our ranges. You were right to suggest more guards in secret. We were waiting in the trees when we saw the attack. Two of them fell on Third and Sixth, and the other two went into the cave to find you. They all fled when we flew at them. The other Fighters who were here are chasing them to the path out."

"Will they escape?"

He growled, "No. We have enough Fighters and others guarding the exit. If I may ask, where were you?"

She shrugged, "I needed a moment to myself and was out when they attacked. Are Third and Sixth well?"

First-Healer had overheard the question and answered, "They should be. Both were hit hard in the head, but they are not grounded or anything else very bad."

Satisfied, she and First-Fighter flew to the main exit to the pack's ranges. It was there that the attackers were likely already captured. What to do about them? They obviously deserved punishment for both this most recent attack and for all they had enabled in the past.

She arrived at the main exit hidden behind waterfalls which flowed down the long cave and into a dangerous lake. There were many packmates gathered on the ground before the waterfalls. Four females, which she now recognized as Speck, Spot, Stripe, and Swirl were being held down by Fighters and Far-Fliers. Actually, Speck and Spot were already knocked out while Stripe and Swirl were vainly struggling.

She landed and approached the guards, "Did you get all of them?"

"Yes, Alpha," one of the Far-Fliers answered.

"Where is the other one?" she growled.

"Over there with the young!"

She looked and saw Sway sitting to the side with Pounce and Char at her sides. Sway had a couple males closely watching her to make sure she did nothing.

First-Fighter approached her, "Alpha, what should we do with them?"

She kept glaring at them while considering what to do. A final punishment needed more thought, but there was a place they could be held until she made a decision.

"Do you know the cave that is a trap the prior Alpha used?"

"Yes, I know of it. I had to guard other packmates who were being kept in it… because of breaking pack-rules."

"Good. Have them put in there until I decide what they deserve."

"What about that one and the young ones?" he asked, nodding toward Sway, Pounce, and Char.

Sway knew about the attack. She had probably been staying with the young since someone had to do that. She could have spoken up to warn about the plan. Sway was equally guilty with the others. Pounce and Char were a more difficult problem. Neither of them had done anything bad yet, solely on account of their being too young, but they either knew or would learn that she had killed their sire. They would eventually want to avenge him. They too shared guilt.

The only surprise was that First-Knower was not here. Why would she not want to escape? Maybe she was too old and slow to even bother with escape.

"Put them with the others."

He started to speak but paused, looking away.

"What? You were going to say something else," she demanded to know.

"Keeping anyone in that trap-cave only works well if they cannot fly out."

That was a good point. Having guards always sitting outside the trap-cave to keep someone in would be wasteful if it was needed for a long time. Breaking their wings would keep them trapped, but that was unnecessary and would only make them a permanent burden on the pack.

"What is your command?" he asked.

"You will have all the guards you need. Just keep them there for now."

He bent his head, "As the Alpha commands. You should also know that we saw other light wings, probably the packless ones we forced away, outside our pack's territory. We chased them away."

That explained it. The five females had remained here to eliminate her and allow the former Alpha's kin and obedient followers to try to return and take power.

She sought out First-Healer and found her bringing a branch of a hurt-helping plant to her guards. The young female light wing heard her call, strolled away from the dozing males after leaving them with the branch, and sat before her.

"Alpha, what can I do for you?" First-Healer mildly asked.

She nodded at her guards, "How are they?"

"They will be fine. Only shaken heads. Third will probably walk and fly poorly for a pawful of waking-cycles until his head is better."

She sat down and purred in relief, "Good. I have a question, and want to hear from you before I do anything for the pack. I am considering making a place beyond the mist in the warmth-range where unpaired packmates could go for what they want. There are not enough males for everyone if all made pairs."

First-Healer warbled and shrugged, "That is a problem. So anyone could go get pleasure there if they wanted?"

"If they are not already in a lifemate pair, and if they found someone willing to be with them. No tricking, threatening, or anything twisted. Is there any danger of sickness spreading because of that?"

First-Healer grumbled, "There is one sickness, but it quickly shows in one who has it. The last Alpha's kin were obsessed with being clean and avoiding sickness in the pack. If there is one good thing those foul kin forced on the pack, it is that the sickness has not been seen in many life-making-cycles."

She hummed, "Probably because the pack has been on its own for so long. With so few new kin joining the pack, there were not opportunities for the sickness to spread."

"Yes."

Any future mixing with other packs needed to have at least one step for everyone's protection. That was not a problem at all. Prudent precautions were necessary once peace was assured with other packs.

She perched on the same pillar she was on last time. As before, many packmates began gathering for an all-pack meeting.

Everyone still gathered by their pack-role, but males and females were more mixed in those groups. Further, there were pairs of mates who were glad to show that they were a pair, nuzzling each other, sitting together, and playing tail-games. No one feared being honest about what they were.

She roared, "Packmates! Gather and listen!"

Conversation died away.

"Packmates! I was attacked while I slept!"

Gasps of shock and alarm followed.

"There was more rot among us! The Alpha's former mates planned to kill me and flee the pack!"

"What?" "No!" "Bad!" "Where are they?" "Are you hurt?"

"I am well! Our Fighters fought bravely and protected me, though my guards were hurt. The five females who attacked me also hurt you! You know what they were doing! Those five were helping the last Alpha keep power! Now they tried to hurt all of us by attacking me, but do not fear them."

"Where are they? Are they packless?" someone shouted.

"They are being kept in a cave where they will never trouble any of you again. Do not worry about them! I will decide their punishment. There are other matters we should talk about as a pack."

She paused to let everyone settle down, "An Alpha must have others to trust, and a pack needs someone to look to when the Alpha is away or sick. I have asked First-Hunter to be my Beta, my second! When I am gone, you may speak to him as if you were speaking to me! He has my trust!"

He bowed to her from where he stood.

She paused before continuing with the next and more twisted topic, "Next, there is a problem in our pack. There are far more females than there are males. It is normal to want your desires satisfied, but that will not happen with the pack as we are. I plan to have Far-Fliers go to other packs and make pack-peace with them. We could invite more males to join us, but this pack has been on its own in the past. Other light wings and the dark wings think they know what we live like. It will take much time before others are willing to join our pack."

Everyone was still attentive, probably because they saw the problem too.

"As I said before, we will not allow any pressuring or tricking. The warmth-range goes beyond all the warm pools and mists. There are places of flat grass and moss back there. Anyone who is mature, not in a pair, and who wants attention may fly there to find a willing partner for as long as you want. No forcing, no threatening, no tricking to get eggs, and no expecting anything you do not agree to. Anyone who goes there will not be treated any differently in every-cycle life. Any questions?"

There were a few packmates who appeared curious, but no one spoke up, probably because they did not want to make others think anything twisted about them. Possible damage to reputation was a powerful force.

"Good! There are threats in the beyond ranges. You might remember I told you about dangers out there and in the hidden world above."

"How?" "What?" "Where?" "Flame it!"

She roared, silencing everyone, "We must prepare for if we face those dangers! All of the Far-Fliers and Hunters need to learn some fighting and combat. Trust your leaders, listen to them, and learn from them. I encourage anyone who wants to learn how to be a Healer! First-Healer could use more help in her pack-role! I also want you to know about a secret!"

Ears lifted as her packmates hummed in curiosity.

"Your Hunters found a hidden range you can swim to if you are a strong swimmer. In that hidden range, they had young and lived as you wanted all along!"

There was confusion and some frustration, but mostly surprise.

"So our territory is one range bigger now! Speaking of ranges, I want to do something for the sires and dams of all our young ones! Will the sires and dams come forward?"

She waited as ten males and nine females approached, one of the dams being busy with the eggs. Together, they had the four young eggs currently being sat in the warmth-range, the four fledglings she had seen getting twisted lessons from First-Knower, and the two forbidden young the Hunters had kept a secret.

She looked out over the rest of the pack as everyone settled down, "The last Alpha kept the best ranges and caves for himself and his kin! I will not do that! All I need is one cave which I have already chosen. From now on, I give the Alpha's range to the sires, dams, and their young ones! There, you may rest, sit your eggs, have your own cave-dens, and raise your young!"

Many roars of approval and surprise followed. Giving the sires and dams a place of their own would help them with the troubles and frustrations of life. Anything that would help them stay around their young and be warm to them was probably good. Further, this gift to the pack would earn her more favor and approval.

She did not need an entire range and ledge to herself. Staying in the same place where he had attacked her felt appropriate as a way of spiting him even after his death.

She found the one light wing she most wanted to speak with. The search for First-Knower had been frustrating as the old light wing was deep in the forest-range, between the plants grown for health-helping and the fields of mushrooms.

She dismissed her guards, landed, and strode to First-Knower who did not bother turning away or fleeing. If anything, First-Knower appeared wearier than usual, probably because all of her life-water kin were either dead, cast out as packless, or trapped.

"I should have known you had that power," First-Knower said, not wasting any time.

"True, you should have. You will give me answers, willingly or not."

First-Knower chuckled, "There is nothing you can do to me."

"That is where you are wrong. I can force you to talk. I can see your life-fire and feel your memories. Or you can answer my questions truthfully and make this easier for both of us. You decide."

She had doubts about how easily she could thought-control First-Knower. Being at such an age with much of life lived could give the elder light wing more strength of will to resist. Even now there was a faint mist pushing back at any attempt to touch her life-fire, though she was not truly trying.

But First-Knower probably did not know that. The most reliable way to get answers was probably through questions. Forcing into the life-fire could happen next if the first approach was not productive or if she thought First-Knower was lying.

First-Knower groaned and lay down, finding a comfortable position, "Ask your questions. There is not much time anyway."

"He told me someone betrayed me. Who told him what I was planning? Who betrayed me?"

"No one did."

He had attacked her and done everything without even knowing she was guilty? Why was that not a surprise, assuming First-Knower was telling the truth?

"No one? How did he know?"

"I told him. It was obvious from how you were trying to spark his interest without being with him, were disapproving of our ways, and were trying to turn him against First-Fighter. Turning a sire and his own young against each other, and you think me the rotted one?"

She growled, ignoring the remark. First-Knower had correctly guessed at her purpose, so she had not been subtle enough. Regardless, the foul light wing before her was the reason why everything went terribly wrong, and was likely the real source of rot in the pack.

First-Knower had been the subtle power behind the Alpha the entire time.

She resisted the desire to break her neck, "As long as I knew him, he only called himself the Alpha. Did he have a real name?"

First-Knower huffed, "Rising-Blaze. He might have completely forgotten that name though. He stopped using a name other than 'Alpha' after he took his sire's place."

"Did he kill his sire?" she hissed.

"Maybe. If he did, the stronger won as it should be."

That First-Knower did not care that her son might have killed his own father, presumably her mate, was thoroughly twisted and rotted, not that anything was a surprise anymore with these kin.

"The dark wings of Shadow-Spark-Pack think this pack let the dark-wing hunters through to attack them. Did you?"

First-Knower paused before answering, "That was long ago. The two kin-kinds were becoming more suspicious of each other even before the attack."

"Get to the point."

"All I remember is that there were too many of those hunters for us to fight well. We killed many, but enough of them got past us that they attacked the dark wings before we could get there to help. Were we fast to help them? No, we had our own range to protect, dead to bury and burn, and wounds to lick. Were we warmed that many of the dark wings died? No, but some of them deserved it," First-Knower hissed.

"Did you bite down on the pack after that trust-breaking? Is that when you made the new, foul rules and customs?"

"The no-mates and no-self rules were necessary to help the pack survive."

"You lie. Those were to control the pack and keep you in power."

First-Knower glared at her and weakly scowled, "That too, but not only that. You are making a mistake by giving the many more power and freedom. Their hunger for more is never satisfied. They will always want more from you: more food, more egg-making rights, more territory, and more freedoms."

"What if they do?" she asked, curious where First-Knower was going with this.

"Let them choose who rules them, give them the power to pick their own Alpha, and they will replace you when you resist them or fail to give them more. They will choose whoever is best at speaking and promising rewards, not the best at leading or doing whatever is needed to survive. They will forget all you have done for them in the past. They will even want fighting with other packs just because they get bored of peace. Killing wants and self is the only way a pack can survive."

She was not sure she agreed with any of that or understood it all.

"That is your story? You are pretending that you were really helping the pack survive? I do not believe you."

First-Knower snorted, "Believe it or not. You are powerful, but also young and blind. Are you here to kill me?"

"You deserve that as much as he did. Probably more if he got his foul ideas from you."

"Do not bother. I already ate enough death-mushrooms."

She blinked and started in surprise, "What?"

First-Knower chuckled, "You heard me. Better this than let you or others take pleasure in my death. May you be Alpha here as long as you deserve."

She stared at First-Knower for a few more wingbeats before turning away and leaving her behind. There was nothing more she needed to learn from the foul light wing. First-Knower ending her life as she wished was probably better for everyone. A possible threat would be gone, and the pack would be free of one of the last sources of rot. No one would be chilled by First-Knower's death.

She could send a pawful of packmates to carry the body away later. Where to carry it? The hungry water-hole had to be the best option, involving far less work than carrying the body all the way into the darker and deeper ranges or digging a hole for it. Dropping the body down the hungry water-hole also felt appropriate for another reason.

It was fair for both First-Knower and the dead Alpha to be together in death.

She flew beside the four Fighters who were carrying First-Knower's dead body. While First-Knower had been Alpha's kin, no one roared in relief that she was gone. They likely did not understand that First-Knower had been the real source of rot, probably because their interactions with her had mostly been as fledglings who did not know better.

They arrived at the hungry water-hole, flew out over it, and dropped the body into the water. Done with their duty, the Fighters departed. Alone, she stood upon an outcropping on the edge of the drop into the water-hole.

Had First-Knower been correct about anything at all? Her explanation had to be an excuse to justify her past actions. However, her words might have some lift in that she at least understood that the pack as a whole could not be trusted to act rightly on its own. They needed to be led by an Alpha who understood better than they did. A normal packmate did not understand what was necessary to be an Alpha, especially when difficult decisions had to be made. The many could not see out into the future and understand what must be done in the now. Their sight was limited by immediate needs and wants.

She snorted and took flight for the water-range with the Hunters. Catching fish and other water-prey for the pack would be a relief and break from needing to be Alpha.

She hopped down from her pillar in the living-range to meet with a gathering of packmates who had formed a line. The first in line was a female who bowed to her.

"Rise, my packmate. How can I help?" she asked.

"Alpha, you said we should get real names. I am Sixth-Fighter-Helper, or I was. What is my new name?"

"No, you do not understand. You choose the name."

"Can you give me a name?"

"No, you pick the name. Pick whatever is important to you or speaks to you."

The former Sixth-Fighter-Helper warbled and looked down to her paws, "What if I do not know how?"

How could she not know how to pick a name for herself? What was the problem with this? Maybe she was so used to being told what to do that she could not think for herself. Perhaps they would respond better to direct orders and suggestions because that was how they had lived in the past. That reluctance to decide was not going to change any time soon. Give her a name or tell her to figure it out herself?

"You will learn. Go to other packmates who have taken a name, and ask them how they decided."

The former Sixth-Fighter-Helper bowed and walked off, letting the next packmate, a male she recognized as a Fighter, approach her.

He bent his head, "Alpha, good fight against the dead Alpha."

"Thank you. What can I do for you?" she asked.

"Can you teach us how to use crashing-sky-light? That would help much in fights," he asked.

"No, that cannot be taught. I can do that because of what I am."

The Fighter grumbled, "One more question. Can you explain how egg-making rights will happen. I do not understand it all."

She explained it to him, walking through how each of the three competitive pack-roles would have two egg-making rights each, one for males and one for females, for whoever was highest in the order. The highest could claim that right or give it to the next in the order. Anyone who already had dependent young was excluded, the right passing to whoever was next. Other conflicts, such as if both in a pair gained a right on their own, would be resolved as each conflict happened.

He sighed, "So there is little chance for me."

"Why not?"

"I am too low in my pack-role order, and those at the top rarely change."

His point was valid. Those at the top of pack-orders were more likely than not to stay there, preventing anyone further down from having any life-water kin for a long time.

She shrugged, "It is what it is. Work to move up if that is important to you. Another option is that you could leave the pack and go somewhere else. I will not keep anyone here if they want to leave."

He bowed and departed. Others likely had his concern. Why they desired to have young so much was confusing.

Next were two females, one of whom was the First-She-Fighter, the largest of the former Fighter-Helpers. While the She-Fighters did not have an order yet, First-She-Fighter was already acknowledged as the best, which was why she was looked to for the She-Fighters to have someone to lead them.

First-She-Fighter purred deeply in greeting, "Warm flights, Alpha."

"And to you First-She-Fighter. How can I help?"

"We have both taken names. I am Sleeps-In-The-Waterfall, and my friend is Wind-Talker."

Wind-Talker also bent her head in acknowledgment.

"Good for you both. What can I do for you?"

Sleeps-In-The-Waterfall paused and continued, "We wanted you to acknowledge us as a pair."

She huffed, unsurprised. Sleeps-In-The-Waterfall had previously struck her as not being like other females, being larger than most, having no reluctance to practice battling against male Fighters in every way, and not being interested in any of them in the ways other females were.

"Speak your promises to each other."

They did so and departed together, purring in relief.

She considered the remaining line of packmates who were present to meet her. The line was long, perhaps two tens of packmates already gathered. More were behind those in line, whispering to each other and talking about everything under the ceiling.

"Great…"

Finally having spoken to the last packmates, she sighed in relief that it was done and everyone was departing. So many of them had wanted to give her thanks for her being their new Alpha, had questions about the new rules and pack-roles, or even wanted to share grievances, though nothing serious enough to need anyone named packless or punished.

She had no idea that being Alpha could be so frustrating and boring.

She found First-Hunter speaking with fellow Hunters, and asked to speak with him.

"What can I do?" he asked.

"Many of our packmates have questions about life in this new pack. Can you help with answering their questions?"

"I will."

"Good. They have problems making decisions on their own. How were complaints answered in the past?"

"The Firsts of each pack-role answered any complaints in their pack-roles. Complaints about the Firsts never happened."

She grumbled, "Maybe I should make a new pack-role or duty. I cannot answer or listen to everything they want. What do you think about having all the Firsts get together to answer complaints and accusations or just listen to their packmates every pawful of waking-cycles?"

"We could do that. Having a council would make everyone more responsible."

She hummed, "This would also help the Food-Planners and Plant-Growers stay more involved than they are."

She arrived at the ledges where the Far-Fliers were having She-Far-Fliers practice to increase their strength.

First-Far-Flier noticed her and flew to greet her, "Warm waking-cycle, Alpha."

"Warm waking-cycle, First-Far-Flier. There is a flight I need you to fly."

He sat down, eager and attentive.

"Do you know the dark wing pack called Shadow-Spark-Pack?" she asked.

"I do. Most Far-Fliers know about it. What is the flight?"

"I want you and enough packmates as you need for safety to fly to that pack. Ask to speak with the Alpha pair: Defiance and Branch-Biter. Tell them how this pack has changed, that I am the Alpha, and that I want to speak to them."

He appeared worried and reluctant, "Those dark wings do not want to see us. They hate us."

She grumbled, "They hate you because of a lie. They think you did something you did not do. When is the last time this pack spoke with them?"

"I do not know. The other First-Far-Flier would have planned the meeting."

Maybe the prior leaders had not even bothered speaking to the dark wings any time recently. Defiance and Branch-Biter would have certainly turned away any attempt at letting the packs mingle or make true pack-peace.

"Do not fear. I met Defiance and Branch-Biter and spoke with them. They will respect a Far-Flier who brings an offer, especially from me."

Two waking-cycles had passed since the Far-Fliers and several Fighters had flown away to meet with Shadow-Spark-Pack. They should return within a waking-cycle if the meeting went well.

She remained in her cave-den to get as much rest as possible.

Being responsible for an entire pack and everything that went on within it was so tiring. The pack had held another pack-meeting to explain the rules around egg-making rights, and there were many questions around how that would work. She had explained more or less the same approach which Ice-Water-Pack used: both males and females at the top of their pack-role orders would get the right which they could claim or give to another. No one could repeat if they had a hatchling or a fledgling until all in the pack-role had a chance. It was not perfect, but it was hopefully good enough.

The number of kin no longer in the pack, combined with the availability of the secret range the Hunters had used, meant that there could be more young each time compared to before. Everyone was pleased at that warming news.

The beat of wings announced someone's approach. Only a few packmates would approach her here.

First-Hunter landed just inside her cave-den and tossed her a plump fish which she gladly accepted.

"Any news?" she asked.

He settled down, "Nothing very special. There are no big problems in any of the pack-roles. Many packmates are asking about names. They want me or other Firsts to give them their names."

"Still?"

He chuckled, "They say they do not know how to take a name. Asking them to think on their own or make choices is asking a lot from them."

She snorted, rearranging her paws under her chin, "Why am I not surprised? We are not giving them their names. Tell them to figure it out on their own."

"That is what I have been doing."

"Good. Have you and your mate taken names yet?" she asked.

"We have. She is Herb-Scorcher, and I am Shatters-Columns," he groaned.

She stared at him, confused and slightly amused by his choice of name, "Is there a reason for that name?"

"It is a twisted story of when I was trying to learn my fire as a fledgling. I thought I could destroy an entire rock-column, but I used all my fire without even burning the rock darker. Then I tried to break the rock by hitting my head into the rock-column. She suggested the name since she remembered watching me do that."

She chuckled, "Twisted. Anything else?"

"Yes. Many packmates are worried."

"Why?"

"They say the pack has changed so much that they do not know what to do anymore."

"Are they? Are they saying anything bad about me?"

"About you, no. Everyone approves of you and your changes, mostly. Some of the male Fighters and Far-Fliers will need time to truly see females as equals in their pack-roles, but they are the minority. Most packmates who spoke to me say they are lost. First-Fighter said much the same earlier."

"What? How can they feel lost now of all times?" she barked and began pacing in frustration.

It had no lift at all. They were free of the twisted Alpha and the pack-rules which were hurting them. Everyone still had work in their current, whether new or old, pack-role, so the problem could not be that they were idle with nothing to do.

She sighed, her frustration fading. The other packmates were much like she had been back in Ice-Water-Pack: confused by change, feeling unsettled, and not having a purpose or a reason for their life-flight. They had been made to think that the pack was all and that obedience to the pack was the purpose of their life-flights. The changes to the pack upset everything. Their entire world was changed, so they would feel lost. They had no idea how to be responsible for themselves or be free at all.

She grumbled, "Change is always difficult, just like shedding old scales. They need time to accept the new and see what they must."

"They do. What do you plan to do about Shadow-Spark-Pack? You mentioned them earlier."

"I want to end the not-trusting between us and them. They could help us by sharing healing knowledge or by letting dark wings live with us."

He went silent for many wingbeats before speaking, "Why would their Alphas help us? They hate light wings."

A fair question. Defiance and Branch-Biter were unlikely to be interested in forgiving the light wings for what they thought had happened, but she could hopefully convince them that the breaking of trust long ago was only a misunderstanding. At least she could point out that any actual wrong in the past was done by the leaders who were now gone or dead, not by the entire pack.

"Let me worry about them. They will listen to me."