The next morning the Fellowship was once more gathered together in the throne room in front of Alpha Reigh and his council. He listened to Gandalf speak with a carefully blank face, not saying anything until several moments after the wizard had finished.

"You believe that Sauron plans to move on Rohan through Saruman within the next month or so, and that they will fall if they do not receive aid?" Gandalf nodded. "Why should Nightstalkers be the ones to come to their aid, are there no other kingdoms of men that would assist? What debt do we owe to them?"

"Father!" Anra cried in dismay, Aragorn placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Silence Anra," Reigh growled at his daughter.

"No, I will not be silent," she snapped, brushing off Aragorn's hand of warning. "That is an entire kingdom you are willing to condemn. The orcs will not stop at just killing the soldiers, they will slaughter everyone, even those who cannot defend themselves, the women, children, and elderly. And if that is not enough to motivate you then think, once the race of men falls who do you think Sauron will come after next? Do you truly believe he would be content to leave the Nightstalkers be?" Anra's chest was heaving, she had taken several steps forward while speaking, placing her directly in front of her father. She was looking Reigh right in the eye, and for the first time in her life, was not feeling the urge to submit to her alpha.

"You would do well to remember your place, Daughter," Reigh growled in a low voice.

"That is exactly what I am doing," she replied while taking a step back so she was in line with the rest of the Fellowship, right next to Aragorn. Several growls sounded around the room, but Anra kept her head high. "The Nightstalkers have hidden in the shadows, in exile, for too long. We are not alone in this world. It is time to stand and fight for what is right; fight with our allies now, so that when the time comes we will not have to stand alone in our own defense."

Reigh gazed at his daughter in silence, though he was not happy she was challenging him in front of others, he was still proud of her. Over her journey, she had grown into a confident woman, a powerful alpha. He knew she also raised several important arguments, if men did fall Sauron would hardly leave the Nightstalkers alone, and he could not condemn the innocents to death.

It hurt his heart to see her proclaiming her place to be with the Fellowship opposed to with her pack, and seeing her stand next to the dark haired ranger he felt that his fears were being confirmed. He had suspected when he had first met with them, the ranger's scent had clung to his daughter like a cloak. Reigh feared what this would mean for his daughter's future; their feelings for each other were hardly subtle, Patia had already voiced her concerns to him the night before. If this was where her heart truly lay then of course he would support her, but he feared that others would not be so receptive. Few had been in the past.

"Give me time to consult with my council, you will have your answer by sun down," Reigh finally said. Anra opened her mouth to speak once more, but Reigh held up his hand to stop her, and this time she listened. "Deciding to go to war in no small matter, we must look at it from all angles. Until then our camp is open to you. We are to have a celebration tonight; a new litter of pups has just gone through their first shift. We would be honored if you would join us in the festivities." Gandalf nodded his head before exiting the room with the rest of the Fellowship following behind him.

Once they were outside on the ledge Gimli turned towards Anra with a raised eyebrow, "Don't question the alpha in front of others, eh?" She smiled weakly in response, recognizing that he was referencing the rules she had given to them when they had first entered the Nightstalkers' territory the previous day.

Now that the audience with her father was over Anra could not believe what she had just done. She had just challenged the alpha. She had looked him straight in the eye and defied his orders. There was no going back from that. She blew out a deep breath before turning and smiling at her companions.

"Well it sounds like we have the whole day to ourselves." The others were eyeing her with concern, but, to her relief, did not say anything.

With the majority of the day left Gandalf went off to visit the Nightstalker's library and records room to do some reading, while Gimli and Legolas went to explore the camp together. Watching those two together never failed to make Anra smile, no matter how much they picked fun at each other it was obvious how close they had become in the past few months.

Anra showed Aragorn around the camp, ignoring the looks they were receiving from her packmates. Some of them were just curious while others were downright hostile. She knew that Aragorn noticed, but he acted as if nothing was wrong. Determined to follow his lead and not allow her packmates to ruin her afternoon off with Aragorn, she held her head high and looked those who were giving them dark looks in the eye challengingly. Most quickly dropped their gaze in subordinates, but some tried to hold at least momentarily. Before Anra had left she may had not gotten along with everyone in her pack, but none of them had ever openly challenged her like this, it was unsettling.

They were joined by Isla part way through the day, Anra was ecstatic to be spending time with her; plus, she seemed to get along well with Aragorn. Though whenever Aragorn casually touched her or said something overtly affectionate she'd give Anra a meaningful, which was kind of annoying.

Isla acted as good barrier between them and the rest of the pack, always careful to turn the conversation from potentially painful topics to more little hearted ones. She told Aragorn several embarrassing stories about Anra from when they were pups, but she was able to weasel several interesting stories out of Aragorn about his childhood so Anra forgave her.

Once the sun was past its highest point, Galorin found them and requested that they join the alpha in the throne room. Anra felt a thrill over nerves shoot through her when they enter the large room and joined the rest of the Fellowship. Her father was standing at the opposite end of the room along with his beta, her mother's old beta, and several pack elders and advisors.

Gandalf stepped forward, "King Reigh, have you come to a decision?"

"We would be proud to fight alongside our allies." A huge smile stretched across Anra's face, relief singing through her.

Aragorn released a small breath, "Thank you my Lord." Reigh focused his eyes on him for several long moments before slowly nodding his head.

"I hope you have enjoyed our pack's hospitality. As I said earlier, tonight we are having a celebration in honor of a young litter shifting for the first time, I hope that you will all attend. We will provide the proper garments for everyone to wear, of course."

"We would be honored," Gandalf said with a polite dip of his head. The Fellowship filed out onto the patio where Isla was waiting, tapping her foot nervously.

"You're coming to the celebration tonight, right? For Elisa and Oak's pups?" she asked Anra, biting her lip.

"Yeah, of course," Anra replied still smiling. Excitement was racing through her; her pack was going to fight with Rohan. They were standing up for what was right and finally coming out of the shadows.

"Good," she said. "I'm going to help you get ready, let's go." She grabbed Anra by the

wrist and started pulling her away from her campions and towards her old chambers. Anra threw a helpless look over her shoulder at her friends and shrugged, not really sure what to make of Isla's sudden strange behavior.

"Hey, slow down, where's the fire?" Anra asked laughing as she quickened to stop Isla from dislocating her arm.

"Not here," the silver she-wolf hissed.

Entering Anra's old bedchambers made her freeze momentarily. It felt like a lifetime ago that she had last been there. She looked around the room, opening her closet door she smiled, seeing all her old clothing still hanging there untouched from the last time she was home.

Anra glanced over at Isla. Her best friend was still standing in her doorway wringing her hands out, not meeting Anra's eyes.

"Isla, what is going on? What's got your fur in such as tangle?"

She stepped the rest of the way into the room, closing the door behind her. "Anra what are you doing?"

Anra's smile slipped off her face, "What are you talking about?"

"Anra, you know what I'm talking about. I love you, you're my best friend, you know that I would support you no matter what, and I do. But have you really thought this through? What it would mean to the pack, to your standing in the pack?"

Anra pursed her lips and turned away, she had been hoping to avoid this conversation. Her father hadn't addressed it and neither had Patia, she knew that they had suspicions, but thus far they had remained silent.

"Anra, you haven't even been homed for two days yet and yet people are already talking. You know what happens to wolves who do this."

Anra whipped around, "You think I don't know that! That I haven't thought about it? I can't control how I feel, okay? Trust me, I've tried." To her annoyance, she could feel tears filling her eyes. She swiped at her eyes and sunk down onto the bed.

"Oh sweetie," Isla whispered. She crossed the room and sat next to her on the bed, wrapping her up in her arms. "Look, if you really to like him, love him, then it'll be okay. You're an alpha, if anyone one can pull this off its you. And plus, I've seen the way he looks at you. He loves you." She gave a soft laugh, "He really loves you." Anra sniffed, leaning against her oldest friend happy to have her support.

"But I don't care how much you love him, if he does anything to hurt you, I'll kick his arse." Anra couldn't stop the surprised burst of laughter from escaping her as she tried to image her best friend showing down with Aragorn.

"You're going to be okay," Isla whispered into Anra's hair before pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

The two she-wolves stayed like that for a while, just enjoying each other's company, talking about inconsequential things and reminiscing old times.

Isla's own dress for the night was actually already in Anra's room from the last time there was a celebration and Isla had spent the night in Anra's room after for a sleepover. Once they were both in their dresses, Isla helped fixed Anra's circlet in her hair.

When Isla stepped back from Anra, her eyes widen with horror, focusing on Anra's arm. "What in Mordor's name happened to your arm?" Anra stiffened slightly, she had forgotten how much the bruise from Boromir still showed.

"It's nothing, it happened during a fight with some orcs," she said, trying to think quickly. Isla didn't look convinced.

"Seriously, it's nothing to worry about. I've gotten worse bruises from training," Anra tried again.

"You'd tell me if something was wrong, right?" Isla asked, though she seemed more reassured.

"Of course, I would."

"Okay, good."

"I'm glad it's warm tonight," Anra said, changing the subject. She tapped her bare feet on the ground, "Did you know women from other races don't wear things like this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Humans and elves, their dresses are all very long and cover their arms. Plus, they always wear shoes."

Isla wrinkled her nose, "That doesn't sound that it be very comfortable, or easy to move in."

"They're not, when I was with the elves I had to wear one. It was terrible."

Isla giggled, "I bet Aragorn will like it," she wiggled her eyebrows. Anra threw her boot at her. Laughing Isla grabbed Anra's hand and gently pulled her out of the room.

The camp clearing was already full of their packmates by the time Isla and Anra got out there. Gazing around, Anra couldn't pick out any of the Fellowship. She off handedly wondered if they had been able to find the proper attire for everyone.

Aragorn was more than will to admit that he felt slightly ridiculous dressed like this. He was trying to keep an open mind though, this was Anra's culture. It was important to her, which meant it was important to him. Though he felt better when Legolas and Gimli joined him in the room they were staying, wearing the same thing as him. Gandalf was just staying in his own robes; Aragorn wasn't sure if it was because the Nightstalkers didn't have any clothes tall enough for him or if it was because nobody was willing to ask him to change.

The four walked out into the already crowded clearing and froze. All the males were dressed in the exact same long, loose white linen pants and shirts with no shoes. But it was what the women were wearing that really surprised him. Like the men, they were barefoot and dressed in loose, white linen, but they were in dresses. Dresses that no human or elf woman would ever wear in public.

The dresses were extremely flowy, ending right above their knees. They were connected behind their necks, leaving their shoulders and arms completely bare. Everyone had left their hair down and unbound. Aragorn felt like he should be averting his eyes, but none of the Nightstalkers were acting like it was anything out of the ordinary.

He couldn't see Anra anywhere in the crowd and he wasn't exactly sure what they were supposed to be doing. He glanced over at his companions, but they looked as lost as he did. Food was set up like a banquet against one portion of the wall, and tall chairs ran around most of the ring; however, most people were gathered together, standing towards the center of the clearing talking amongst themselves. Beneath the patio there was an orchestra set up with Nightstalkers, still dressed the same as everyone else, standing around with their instruments.

"Aragorn!" Aragorn looked around when he heard his name called. His heat leap into his throat when she came into view. She was wearing the same type of dress as all the other she-wolves, but there was something about Anra being the one wearing it that took his breath away. As she drew closer he noticed a small silver circlet on her head that had a dark purple stone in the center of it. He supposed it was the Nightstalkers' version of a princess's tiara.

She looked beautiful.

"Don't you guys all look nice," Anra said once she joined them.

"As do you, young lassie," Gimli replied. "Though I must say, my feet are mighty cold."

"Just be happy it's not snowing," she said with a laugh.

"You'd do this in the snow?" Legolas asked in surprise.

"Yep, you just have to dance fast to stay warm." Aragorn couldn't tell if she was joking or not.

Anra slid over next to him, standing close enough so that her arm was lightly pressed against his. His smile slipped a bit when his gaze traveled over the large, hand-shaped bruise on her bicep from Boromir.

She must have noticed where he was looking, because she gave him a soft smile. "I'm okay," her voice was low so that only he could hear it. He gave her a small nod and then laced his fingers through hers.

Reigh came out of the throne room and walked to the edge of the patio, calling out to his pack, "Welcome friends, family, and visitors! Tonight, we gather here celebrate one of the greatest things we as a pack can every celebrate: the first shifting of a new littler of pups!"

All of the Nightstalkers in the crowd began cheering and howling together for almost a full minute, until Reigh held a hand to silence them.

"Allow me to present our newest shifters," as he said this two adult Nightstalkers walked out of the throne room, in their wolf form, to join him at the edge of the patio. Between the two adults, there were four young wolf pups stumbling around on unsteady legs. The adults shifted, revealing a man and a woman; Aragorn assumed they were the parents.

The crowd was completely silent as the parents crouched low next to the young pups and waited. Nothing happened for several seconds, then the first pup shifted. A baby that couldn't have been more than a few months old appeared and the mother quickly placed her hand behind the child so it didn't fall. Seeming to realize what their sibling had just done, the other three pups quickly followed suit.

The crowd went wild at the sight of the four squirming babies on the patio and the sudden increase of noise caused the babies to start crying. Two more Nightstalkers hurried out of the throne room and helped the parents pick up the babies and bring them back into the room, away from the noisy crowd.

"Let the festivities begin!" Reigh yelled over the cheering.

The orchestra immediately began playing a fast tune and some of the Nightstalkers began do a quick paced, polka style dance, while other went over to the food, and others gather around the edge of the ring to talk and watch the dancers.

"Let's get something to drink," Anra said, tugging lightly on Aragorn hand.

She led them over to the banquet table by the barrels of mead, using her left hand to pick one up for herself, still holding onto Aragorn with her right. He could feel the eyes of her packmates glaring at where their hands were connected, making him tighten his hold protectively.

"Do all children have to do that when they first learn to shift?" Legolas asked curiously.

"Yeah, it's just sort of a way to introduce the pups to the rest of the pack, and of course, it gives us a reason to have a celebration. The family will probably be down here in a bit, though they'll probably be in their other form since then the pups can walk on their own."

"Do you have any siblings, err um littermates Anra?" Gimli asked

"Nope, it's just me."

"Why do some Nightstalkers have full litters while others only have one child?" Legolas asked, cocking his head.

Anra began coughing, she had been taking a drink of the mead. She released Aragorn's hand to cover her mouth, her cheeks turned pink at the question. Aragorn missed the warmth of her hand in his.

"Well, um…" she coughed again, refusing to look anyone in the eye. "It um depends on how you err, what form you're in when, um," she cast her eyes skywards. "It depends what form you and your mate are in when you mate. If you're wolves then you have a litter, if you're humans then you have a child," she rushed the last part out, blushing furiously.

"Oh," Legolas said, "that makes sense." Gimli was chuckling quietly at the young she-wolf's obvious embarrassment. Aragorn felt his own cheeks darken a bit as he tried not to think about the mechanics involved and Anra.

Aragorn cast his eyes about, suddenly feeling the need to look anywhere but at Anra. Gandalf caught his eye and gave him a knowing look. Aragorn dropped his eyes to the ground feeling even more awkward.

"Anra!" Isla ran over to their group. "Come on, let's dance!" Anra barely had time to set down her drink before Isla was dragging her away to the center of the clearing with all the other dances.

A deep laugh sounded from behind Aragorn, it was Reigh. His eyes were soft as he watched the two she-wolves ran off together. "Those two have been connected by the hip since they were pups. I don't think I've seen Isla this happy since my daughter left to join your expedition." He let out a sigh.

His tone grew more serious, "My daughter is no fool, if she says that we can trust you then I believe her. My warriors will be ready to join Rohan in battle, but we will need to know where and when."

Gandalf nodded his head, "We can discuss that now, or perhaps early tomorrow? We would like to depart as soon as possible, time is of the utmost importance."

"Of course, now would be fine; we can speak in the throne room, we will not be interrupted there," he started walking back towards the ramp without checking to see who followed.

As they made to follow him, Gandalf held up his hand, "Stay here and enjoy the celebrations. I can speak to the king, I'm too old to be dancing anyways." The wizard grinned as he followed Reigh.

Aragorn turned back towards the dancing Nightstalkers, automatically searching for Anra in the crowd. He easily found her, her curls and dress were fanning out around her as she spun with Isla. He could see a large smile stretched out across her face. He wondered if she'd be sad to hear they had to leave tomorrow. Aragorn had grown up in Riverdale, but he had spent the majority of his life traveling, never lingering too long in one place. He wondered what it would be like to have a true home, like Anra did here, if he'd be able to leave so easily if he knew he had people who loved him that would be counting down the minutes until him to return.

She opened her eyes and met his from across the clearing. She jerked her chin back a bit in hopes of getting him to join her. Aragorn shook his head in negative at her. Shooting him a wicked smile, she ducked under one of Isla's arms and made her way over.

"If I had to dance at Lothlorien then you have to dance here." He opened his mouth to protest, but then he made the mistake of looking into her wide eyes and his resolve melted.

"Don't worry," she said with a smile, "there's a perfect place for people like you who are just learning the dances." She led him by the hand across the clearing over to the edge of the group, where Nightstalkers were all going through the dance motions slowly together. They were also all children.

"Hey guys!" she said in a cheerful voice to the children. "Everyone, this is my friend Aragorn, do you guys mind helping teach him how to dance?" Aragorn shot her a dirty look as several little kids grabbed his hands and started tugging him all different ways. She laughed at his expression as some excited kids also grabbed her.

The children were surprisingly patient with him as they showed him what to do move by move. He'd never had much experience with children before, but he found that he was sincerely enjoying himself. The kids were great and Anra was obviously having fun dancing with them too. Though he had a feeling that if he looked over at Legolas and Gimli they'd be laughing at him.

One of the little girls that was dancing with him tugged on his hand trying to get his attention. He leaned down to listen with a smile, "Why do you smell funny?"

Taken aback, he glanced over at Anra, not sure what to say. She was smoldering a laugh behind her hand, "That's not a very nice thing to say, Eva." The little girl shrugged, but kept looking at him expectantly.

"He's not a Nightstalker, that's why he smells different from us, he's a human," she explained patiently.

"Oh," she said, "I've never met a human before. But then why do you smell different?" this one was direct at Anra.

She briefly hesitated, "Well I've been gone for a longtime, and I haven't been around any other Nightstalkers, so I guess my scent changed a bit."

"My mother says you smell funny now because you're a noshift-breeder," a little boy said.

Several of the other kids gasped, and one of the older ones hissed, "Dyle, that's a bad word!"

Though Aragorn didn't know for sure, he could hazard a guess what a noshift-breeder was. Anra had stiffened, but otherwise didn't show any reaction.

"They're right Dyle, that's not a nice word and you shouldn't use it," she said calmly.

The subject passed, but Anra seemed slightly subdued the rest of the time they spent with the children. Aragorn extended his hand to her and gestured to the main group of dancers, ready to make a fool of himself in hopes of cheering her up again.

She raised an eyebrow, but allowed him to led her. He still couldn't quite do the dance fast enough to keep up with everyone else, but he thought overall it went well. Anra was laughing again by the end of it at least.

The celebration seemed to be drawing to a close, the families with young pups had already turned in for the night and many other Nightstalkers were starting joining them. Gandalf hadn't returned yet from his talk with Reigh, so the rest of the Fellowship was planning on heading back to their temporary chambers for the night.

A young man was leaning against the doorway waiting for them, when they approached he straightened up. He momentarily scowled upon seeing Aragorn and Anra holding hands, but then he smoothed out his expression.

"Eron?" Anra said, her voice hopeful.

"Hey Anra," his lips twitched into a small smile. "Can we talk?"