The Issues of Leadership

He padded along the border, dragging a large hide stacked with flat stones behind himself. Whenever he found a spot in the low beginnings of a wall on the border where he felt a stone would fit, he paused, picked up a stone, and worked it into place.

He was lost in thought, applying a fresh layer of scent where it was needed as he went on his way, until the hide was empty once more. He surveyed the wall. With everyone helping, it reached as high as his hocks. Not high, but it could stop a small pup, he figured. There were openings now and then, wherever he’d marked out main deer and elk trails, and the bison paths, to allow these prey animals access to the plains and the brows within.

He pondered, however, if the stones alone wouldn’t be enough, or would slide with time. He wondered about the similar wooden fences he’d seen at the range, Tornach’s work, and he decided he’d have to make a trip to see his brother, though he had to wonder if he’d have time. After all, he would have much in the way of training the youngsters of the pack in fighting, and monitoring the pack’s activity. They were dangerously close to the maximum capacity that the two lands they ruled could support. He needed to either make space, or work to expand the territory.

He huffed out a sigh and frowned across the plains. The simplest solution at a glance would be to remove wolves from the pack that weren’t pulling their weight in a noticeable, sustainable way. But so many of the pack here were family, or had family here. He couldn’t be lax, even with his own family, no matter how hard it was, but he was loath to part families from each other.

A soft huff escaped again and he padded toward the meeting stone, leaping up and settling on his haunches, gazing out. The other option was fraught with risks. Expansion through conquest. That in itself had sticky points. Nearly all the packs he knew and was acquainted with were allies, or led by family. He could never stomach going up against Fiori, Lirim, or Abaven in order to expand his resources. Nor would he raid against them. Talis carried members of the Ancora family, cousins to Justice, Valor, Paladin, and Exodus.

A rough bark of laughter escaped him. Family everywhere. Not only were those wolves cousins to wolves in his own pack, but Avalon was family by adoption. Therefore, so were her children. As far as he was concerned, he’d rather not start problems with family or friends.

A gruff sigh mingled with a slight squint of his eyes, toes flexing to scrape claws against stone. Either way he looked, there were problems, but this was part of leadership. It was something he would have to ask the rest of the pack for their thoughts and opinions on. Perhaps next meeting.