Simple & Clean [Pack Meeting]

He was the last to arrive, it seemed, but only for the moment as a surprise appeared to take up the last spot. He stared in consternation as Lykos seated himself next to him and spoke jokingly. For a moment Gryphon's muzzle parted in a grin of welcome, but it faded quickly as the implications of his brother's presence here sunk in. Lykos had made it clear he wouldn't abandon his loyalty to Imperium, so if he was here... "Imperium's gone?" he asked with grim sympathy, his voice kept low to keep from disturbing those around them.

His mother's voice drew his attention back to the meeting. She started by introducing one of the wolves who'd sat near her, who was apparently her brother, making him Gryphon's uncle. Gryphon regarded him with interest. Wary interest, but not unfriendly. He dipped his head in solemn greeting towards the black and white male, who resembled Avalon about as much as Gryphon himself did - which was to say, not particularly, though Galahad did have the thick fluffy coat that Avalon and all of her sons did that Gryphon lacked.

Avalon went on to detail the rules, which Gryphon took careful note of though he made no guarantees even in his own head that he'd definitely always follow them. He was not, after all, Lykos. She went on to explain one particular rule in depth, and he blinked in faint confusion. Why the need to clarify that particular rule? Why the need to state outright that they weren't hiding? Did someone think they were? All it served to do was confuse him more than the rule itself had.

He shook his head, not willing to ask and interrupt the meeting, and she was moving on anyway. Ranks. He perked up a bit at that - he did want to be able to actually help his family, which was something he'd been unable to do so far in his life. He did not envy Lykos, who was apparently to be given the position of heir. Who would want that thankless sort of job anyway? He'd seen, from a distance, all that was expected of Angelus as Imperium's heir, and he wanted no part of that. Though undoubtedly the responsibility would make his wet-blanket of a brother more insufferable than he already was. Oh well.

So what did he want to do? Well, he wanted to be able to protect his family, but anyone could learn to bite someone. He could learn to fight too, but he didn't think they would need him to do it as a rank. There were other more important things he could do for his pack. But what? Scout? Hunter? He had no interest in plants or healing - the very idea of being around sick wolves and dealing with that sort of thing made his skin crawl. He wasn't sure what being a scout would entail, though the word interested him. It was the idea of hunting that drew him more than any other path. Providing food for his family, learning the ways of prey and tracking them, being the best at bringing in sustenance...

But before he'd finished his ruminations others were already speaking up, namely the stranger cozied up with Avalon. His answer brought Gryphon's head up sharply, and his thoughtful expression morphed into outrage. He bit back any words he might have spoken against him though, not because he didn't want to say anything but because his brothers had already said what needed to be said. This... this stranger, this male who had had no place in their lives before Avalon had made the pack such a short time before, was seeking to take the highest position in the pack with no proof of his capability? Gryphon was incredulous.

But where the male's outrageous words hadn't drawn a peep from Gryphon, the sudden cold tone of the female stranger directed at his brothers brought an ominous growl reverberating deep in the young male's chest. He cut a hard, hot glare at the woman, and drew himself up to his full height. Not in an attempt to be intimidating, because he did not feel the need to intimidate anyone, but because her snide remarks about his mother and this stranger being... smitten... stiffened his back. "You do not give someone a chance to prove themselves by giving them a high rank just because they ask for it," he growled, forcing himself to modulate his words to something semi-reasonable. "You make them prove themselves first and earn it. That is purely common sense. Regardless of how... smitten someone is. I don't care who he is or who you are. You don't get to tell my brothers not to speak their minds - they are full members of this pack, not pups. Not children that you can bully because of your age. They have the right. Mother," he added, emphasizing that he spoke to her alone now, "I would like to train as a hunter."

The fur on his back twitched as he reined in the impulse for his hackles to raise, and he sought to share an irritated glance with Lykos. The whole situation was so ridiculous as to be almost laughable, if it weren't so annoying. "I think we need to talk when the meeting is over," he muttered almost soundlessly to the larger sibling, his head turned to keep the words from the rest of the pack.