~ Rufias ~You see, Veera had always been a woman of hardship: she had hard soles of her feet, hard-to-braid hair... she even had a truly menacing bite! But she also had hard taste in men. I think that many things about her – both the hardness that became her, and the gentleness which she nurtured – came as a result of the influences she'd allowed into her life. No fault of her own.Veera was a member of this Pack before me. When I first joined, it was after leaving a Pack further down south – one that had a better Alpha, in my opinion, but which had managed to fall apart during my tenure. It wasn't completely gone by then, but its members had become so distant an

Sometimes, when the world pulls its rug out from under you, you just have to embrace it. "Fuck him" I said viciously. "He deserved it. I do not blame you, Rufias, for committing an act that may well have been a mercy." My beloved friend's eyes told of an entire journey as he quietly accepted my words. He nodded once, but his lips moved in a way that spoke of volumes more to come. "Thank you, Rayla" he said. "Part of me already knew you would be on my side in this. I honestly can't blame you; I think I did right by us, too. I know that I certainly did right by Veera."

Today heralded the final month of winter as we knew it. Everyone could feel the anticipation in the air as nature held its breath. Pretty soon, we would begin seeing signs of new growth peaking up from beneath the snow, and the water would start to thaw seeing the return of fish to hunt. I stood just outside our cave admiring my Pack's recent handiwork. This included a fenced-in area to be used for sparring, and a small, covered plot of earth suitable for planting as soon as that became viable. I thought I'd probably jumped the gun in ordering that part. Definitely, in fact.  As always the voices of our children gave me heart whenever they went rambling by, probably off on another adventure. They had quickly become the pride and joy to all of us. In fact, it could even be said that the five of them were growing into a 'pack' of their own, in miniature, w

"Rayla, we need a plan." I sat beside the fire, joined by Rufias, Surry, and Cil,  as per usual. The three of them had formed such a massive part of the Pack as I saw it that before I knew it, I had begun taking it as a given that I would always be surrounded by at least two of them. I was grateful into eternity for the rock-solid core they provided me, as was I for their friendship; but very often they told me things I didn't want to hear. Even if they were right. I sighed, letting my head fall down into my hands. "I know. I know, Uncle Ruff, okay? I'm doing a bad job right now. I've never faced such a tough decision. Please don't be mad with me." Surry's hand fell upon my shoulder. "No one is mad at you." "Besides" Rufias said with a huff, "it isn't very like

I stood outside our cave with Cillium, watching as the sun began falling below the treeline. My fingers found their way into his fur. It was soft like silk. Warm like sunlight."That's it, then. That's the choice we've made. It has to be done."Cil just looked at me; and for once, his tongue stayed behind his teeth.The decision was unanimous: we attack Tiefing and his Pack, we wipe them all out, and in the process we reclaim what rightfully belongs to us -- our home. And we save whomever we can.I shivered, though not from the cold. Gone were the days when I thought we might welcome some of the men back into the Pack, despite the side they'd chosen. People can be easily led, and after years of listening to Tando's rhetoric I almost couldn't blame someone for falling und