Claws on Ice
By the time I wandered downstairs, the smell of dinner was heavy in the air, and so was the sound of my parents' voices from the kitchen.
“The Alpha is pushing for the eastern borders to be secured before the winter freeze,” Dad was saying, sipping from his coffee cup, “The beta families are getting restless about the hunting quotas.”
“Well, he needs to finalize the alliance with the Northern pack first,” Mom replied, chopping vegetables, “If the line doesn't hold, the politics of the council won't matter anyway.”
I slid onto a chair at the dining table, making a decent amount of noise, but they didn't even look my way, they just kept tossing pack politics back and forth.