A Leader's Questions...

Magic turning her head to Mystic.  

" i enjoy breeding pups , so do many of the female pack members. " she says. 

" pups in my pack are curious and enjoy asking questions and learning from pack members" she says. 

she asks " what do you look for in a heir to be the next leader? is their anything in particular you look for in the next leader"? she is curious to how other packs choose their next leader. 

Ash answered Magic. "In our pack, usually the first female pup of the leader is the heir. They act as the Beta until either they or the leader passes away. If the Alpha has no female pups or has none at all, then a female Beta is chosen from the ranks of the pack. Still, there are exceptions. The Alpha must be a fair and wise wolf, one who will care for her pack and make sure it does not crumble. If the firstborn is immature and selfish, they cannot lead."

She looked towards another wolf and asked "What does your pack's den look like?"

Tail raising with pride, Scathos spoke," My pack finds its home on the mountain ranges, between two mountains there's a small valley that is ninety percent lake, with both sandy and stone beaches. There's a large cave with multiple openings and more caverns inside. The main two openings are rather close to each other, one being in the shallows of the lake and another up closer in the forested part of our territory. Our pups play in the shallows there, learning to hunt fish and such. As for the pack den, there are currently four caverns that serve as dens for our pack. One is for the scouts and pack hunters, another for the herbalist, Sage, and pup sitters, then one for either the sick or new wolves, and the last den is for my mate, my-self, and our pups. " 

"If there is one thing you could change, about anything, what would it be?" He asked after a few moments of silence, his tail swishing from side to side in thought.

Rain had been silent for a while, and she had her attention on the squabbling shewolves nearby. She was snapped back to the conversation by the male's question, she tipped her head slightly to think. "..I'm not entirely sure. In all honesty, there are many things I wish I could change, picking just one is a difficult decision." The gray shewolf paused, glancing around absentmindedly and fidgeting with her paws. "I think it would have to be humans in the territory. They were one of the reasons I left my old pack, and yet they're still a threat, even here. Just this morning, my granddaughter's pup was brutally killed by some of those beasts." A growl edged her voice as she spoke, it seems she had a hatred of humanity, more so than she was letting on. "So, what I would change is humans being in these lands at all. Them being gone is by far better for everyone." 

Rain briefly scratched at the dirt, thinking of a question. Then, the shewolf picked a wolf at random, and caught their eye. "We all have our beliefs, what do you think happens when we die? Does your soul live on? Ascend to a higher plain? Wander as a spirit? Get reborn? Or do you think it's the end, forever darkness, once the light goes out?" She tipped her head slightly, looking them in the eye. 

Magnolia beamed inside at Rain's question, she believed any wolf in her pack that didn't obey the stars shall be exiled. Though, now she's Queen she's less strict. "My pack and I believe in the Stars. It's chosen in the afterlife your fate. Reborns, wanderers, and passed are respected with such." She paused, taking another look at everyone. "We had an old rule, when I was a pup. Any wolf that refused to respect the Stars was either executed or exiled. Fortunately, we haven't had any exiled or killed." She sneezed as a heavy raindrop landed on her muzzle.

A tree caught her eye, a large rustle came from the top. "What has been the weirdest thing that has happened in your pack? Sudden sicknesses, random omens?" She tried not to sound to evasive. 

Magic looks at the wolf that ask the question. 

" the hardest thing for my pack has been losing pups. then pups are the future of the pack. i know that every pup born in winter will survive" she says. 

she pauses. " so far our pack has only lost two pups so far. we lost them at different times. we saved the records in our pack's dynasty" she says. 

Magic asks " do you have any hopes and dreams for pups born in your pack"?

Rain tipped her head, and eyed the shewolf up and down. There seemed to be something off about her, she noted. Magic seemed to have rather strange vocal mannerisms, and didn't really answer the question the other wolf had asked. She chose to not voice her suspicions, and instead responded to the question. "That they survive, for one. There is a reason the code is strict and very choosy about who can stay and who cannot. We only have so many resources, and so much space, so we can't afford keeping weak pups in the pack." The gray shewolf become more cautious of the strange leader, who claimed to have magic beyond what even guides could harness. She decided to end her response there, eyes narrowed. 

Rain raised her head, and after a brief glancing about picked a wolf at random. "We all have our demons, our experiences that shaped us. What was the worst thing to ever happen to you?" Her eyes were bright with curiosity, had tipped slightly. 

Rain's question makes Nyx think for a second; unlike many of the wolves gathered around her, she doesn't come from the wilderness. To most of them, she could be deemed an outsider. A foreign addition to the woods. "I was born in captivity; while the forest has been my home for a while, it has not always been like this," she laughs dully, olive eyes rising to glance at her mate and the other wolves gathered around the pair; for a moment, she doesn't understand why a quiet voice from inside urges the female to tell her story. "But once I grew older, those who cared for my parents decided it would be best to return me to the same mountains my father was once taken from. It was difficult for me to adjust and learn how to live as a wolf after spending quite a few months living under the care of humans," she hums quietly; the experience has certainly shaped Nyx quite a bit, but she doesn't want to call it "the worst". In fact, if not for her beginnings, she wouldn't be the same beast she is right now. "But, I think the most hurtful of experiences was after I had my first litter; one of my daughters died soon after she was born and only Antheia, my eldest child, survived. There is still a hole in my heart whenever I think of that lost soul and what I could have done better to help her survive," it had happened quickly and even now, Nyx thinks about how she did not have enough time to even name her lost daughter. It pains her greatly. But, for now, she decides to shake off the terrible memories.

Another soft hum escapes her throat as she thinks of what to ask. There were many deep and hurtful questions asked, but there were joyful and curious inquiries, too. She decides to keep on going with the deep questions, though. "If your heart was stolen by someone other than your fated pair, what would you do?"

Talon's ear flicked with annoyance at the question. Her remarks were sharp, "I don't believe in a 'fated pair.' I'm an individual, not a possession," she glanced at her mate, Heart, "The same goes for Heart. If either one of us were to find happiness with another wolf, I think we would find it in each other to welcome them into our lives gracefully. My pride would be hurt, of course, but who am I to limit another wolf's happiness, or another wolf to limit my happiness?" She pushed out a sharp exhale through her nose, anger building up, but not quite sure where to sink the excess emotion. 

Talon quickly averted her challenging eyes from Nyx; very uncharacteristic of Talon for sure. She thought a sore subject would be someone suggesting she's failed as a leader, not insinuating she can only love one wolf. She briefly met the eyes of each of the other pack leaders gathered. The chill night air caused her coat to fluff up more than usual. She wasn't used to these temperatures. The desert was cold at night, sure, and it snowed sometimes. But this area was unfamiliar to Talon. She wished Heart would share her warmth rather than hang back from the crowd of leaders. In her mind, Heart was as much a leader as Talon was. 

Focusing on the love she felt for Heart, Talon decided her next question would be equally filled with admiration for another's mate, "What was a moment you felt so miserable and your mate was there to support you through it? Why do you love them?"

"Ah." Fate had determined it was Philomela Luna's turn to answer such a question. "I... do not have a sole mate of my own, even despite my heat." She revealed, attempting to keep her appearance graceful, despite internally grimacing. She just.. didn't have time. It's not that she didn't want a mate, she was just so busy with her duties that... it sometimes escaped her priorities. "Well, my pack has long been loyal to me. Char Maw has been with me from the dawn of the pack; when I first got news I was fated to become a leader. Though my time has been spent with research, fulfilling a role I, quite frankly, didn't expect to fill, Char Maw has been my saving grace. With her, I've formed a strong pack; with hunters who work as one, our capable healer, and the pupsitters who prepare the future. Not to mention Nostra, a wolf other packs may call our 'stud'. All of them keep me strong as a combined unit, and I lead them to better lands."

Philomela shuffled in place once she was done, trying to remain graceful as ever, but a bit anxious from the question. Now, what to ask for herself? Hm. "How was your pack formed? Was it fate? Ordered by gods? For mere survival?"