Well Now

When The first pup arrived, Regulus studied the fellow. He was one of the very few in this litter that hadn’t inherited Marina’s multicolored back. And he would have agreed with Mask’s assessment had he been able to read minds. He would never hold their father’s nature over these pup’s heads. However, their own behavior he would be assessing, and their actions would have consequences like any other wolf in the pack.

He didn’t like the behavior of this one. There was a lack of respect in his manner, and a sense that he had no empathy. He’d noticed it in the past, and the glance of what had seemed like resentment toward the boy’s siblings at the meeting. However, this was Mask’s lesson, and he allowed the slim hunter to make the calls.

One of Marina’s daughters was next, in time to catch her brother’s less than respectful greeting. Regulus kept his expression neutral, though inwardly, her look at her brother was half amusing and half worrying. Her attempt to smooth it over with false sweetness brought a faint sigh to his jaws.

It seemed no others in the litter were coming, and Regulus gave a soft huff, half amused at Mask’s words. “I hope not. Last thing we need is rabbits that bite back.” He was only half joking, but his eyes lifted to sweep the surroundings as Mask began his lesson.

The two already present hadn’t a chance to answer when the palest of Marina’s girls arrived, and instead of joining the lesson came to him, distressed. Chasm was shortly after her, checking her over as though for injuries. A frown creased his brows. Could nothing just go the way it was supposed to, these days?

The last time he had seen Argus, he had caught her attempting to climb the wall, still low enough at that time. It had been before the raid from Talis, and now this? His eyes flicked to Chasm, noting the scuffed fur and bruised look in his eyes, then bent to touch noses with Nova, meeting her eyes. “We’ll find her, but you need to stay within the walls of the pack, and learn here, alright?”

His voice was very soft, keeping from interrupting the lesson too much more than it had been already, before he lifted himself to his paws, nodding to mask and slipping away from the small group. Something was off, here, and he needed to get to the bottom of it.

-Exit Regulus-