it's your decision~

[[Midnight]]

Caden had been sure to keep well away from the Marshlands. He was currently disinterested in being anywhere near that death trap, and hopefully the rest of the pack had felt the same. The weather was unbearable hot for Caden, so he was glad that the Starlight Forest was what covered most of the expanse of the Dancing Stars territory. It was cool, shady, and there were plenty of things to eat.

Caden thought about the Springtime. Another pup season had gone and passed with him alone, but what he was more concerned about was the rest of the pack. Had any mates conjoined? Would there be any pups this season? His mind was troubled by the idea that this Spring would run dry. Which, looking at it from the here and now viewpoint, it was good for the hungry bellies. It meant zero to no vulnerablity. Winter would be easier on them.

But from the long run, it meant less future meals, more vulnerablity, and the likelihood of the Falling Moon pack grew stronger. The pack needed to get as big as possible, and Caden could honestly say he had not heard gossip yet of any round-bellied females slinking away to find a private den to give birth.

If some female did give birth, he'd obviously know soon enough. Until then, he could only try and save the worry for later.

The next issue was heirarchy. The pack needed more responsible wolves under his control.

He needed a Beta. So he needed to think long and hard about it and get to thoroughly know as many of the packmates as possible. So as Caden spent the early hours of the evening traveling the forest as a leisurely pace, he hoped to run into a familiar face, have a chat with them, maybe hunt with them, ask their advice. He couldn't take too much time, he knew, for if he were to die suddenly, the pack could possibly disperse in the lack of leadership.

Then again, there were those of which he knew were only too eager to take his place.

Soon, it would be sunset, and Caden would be alone in the darkness of night.

[arbie]

As Spring went on, Roan felt himself becoming more antsy. Pembe should be having pups soon, or at least that’s what he expected. He had never had a mate or pups before, and he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do. He did his best to cater to her needs, but he was nervous. She seemed tired all the time. He knew that’s what happened, but with almost anything she did he felt scared for her. Roan just wanted everything to go smoothly. He needed everything to go smoothly. Didn’t he deserve that? Surely he had done nothing so wrong that he couldn’t have healthy pups and a happy mate.

His mind buzzed with ideas and morbid thoughts as he made his way through the forest. He was far too hot, and knew the shade of the forest would keep him cool as he calmed his thoughts. As far as Roan knew, Pembe was in the dens. Was any other female expecting pups? Roan had been too wrapped up in his thoughts about Pembe to even consider other females. Hopefully they would be alright in their birthing, too. He mentally noted a good luck to them.

He looked up at the sky, turning when he caught the scent of another wolf. Roan’s curiosity peaked, however he wasn’t sure how eager he was to converse with any other wolf. He just wanted to be lost in his own thoughts, and then return to the dens to find Pembe, healthy as ever. Continuing his path, he hoped he would merely pass by the wolf without being noticed, but he could see the familiar brown coat; he was heading straight for them. It would be awkward now, as it might seem like he was avoiding him on purpose(ignoring the fact he was). So, instead, Roan lowered his head respectfully and continued his path, recognising Caden as he got closer.

Roan hesitated. He wasn’t sure how much Caden knew of Roan, or if he knew him at all. Roan was uncomfortable with Caden, also. They had lost their Alpha during the earthquake and Caden had taken it upon himself to lead the Dancing Stars. It was a nice gesture, and helped them get back on their paws, but he was far from the rightful leader of Dancing Stars. However Roan was too scared to stand up to him, especially in his condition: he had a mate to care for, future pups, and as far as he knew, he was alone in his opinion. So, for now, he would follow Caden’s orders to a T and keep the peace.

“Caden.” he greeted simply, keeping a friendly tone. He then offered him a smile, in hopes of seeming friendly. He didn’t want to come off as some sort of hater.

[[Midnight]]

The packmate he crossed paths with arrived much quicker than Caden could've hoped for. He felt himself sigh a small sigh of relief. There would be no guilt weighing on his shoulders tonight, and that appeased Caden for the time being. As Roan approached a distance close enough for conversation, Caden stopped walking to meet him and simply stood in the center of the path, watching Roan expectantly. There was that calculating glint in his eye, that spoke of someone very observant.

He wasn't sure he'd ever had a talk with Roan before, but he knew his name, at the very least. At Roan's hesitance to speak up, Caden's ears flickered and his eyes narrowed slightly. Was Roan just being shy, or was he another disapproving soul like Bandit? Certainly it wasn't Roan's desire to take over the pack, there didn't seem to be a scrap of dominance in him.

Then again, Caden knew better than to think he was aware of everything about an almost-stranger.

"Roan," was his echoed greeting, along with the same small smile in return. He gave a formal dip of his head and then it was proudly back in its high position.

"I'm glad to have run into you. How are things?" he asked, sincerity inherent in his voice. A rumbly voice Caden had, but it also screamed a sense of neutrality, so to speak; some might take it as condescending, others recognized it as completely nonjudgemental.

[arbie]

It would take a lot to make Roan openly uncomfortable around someone for any reason other than shyness. Feeling the need to express himself more clearly around his Alpha, Roan sat comfortably by the wolf and raised his head, though not obnoxiously high. He didn’t want to seem like he was challenging his Alpha for power; that wasn’t his job. Someone else could do that, and he would follow them in the sidelines. However, at the moment, he would follow Caden’s orders and such and such.

“Fine.” he answered with a smile, “A lot has been on my mind. Mostly Pembe. We’re having pups.”

The last statement was added on just as a precaution, in case Caden didn’t know. Though Roan found it the Alpha’s duty to try and remember who was with who, and who was having pups, he felt unimportant enough that he could be put to the back of Caden’s mind. He wasn’t intending on insulting the wolf, he was just saving confusion on both parts. His smile stayed, though became more weary. He momentarily wondered why Caden was glad Roan arrived, but wasn’t confident enough in asking why just yet.

“And, ah, you?” he questioned, wanting to be polite. He was also genuinely concerned for Caden’s well being; it wasn’t fun to keep your emotions and worries all pent up, Roan knew that. Especially as the Alpha, he was sure to have quite a few. Roan hoped they wouldn’t be so serious that Caden would need to keep them from him. He was no Beta, sure, but it’s not like Roan was a double agent. He of all wolves would never be a treacherous male to Dancing Stars, but Caden also had every right to be cautious. Some wolves were more sneaky than others.

[[Midnight]]

Another weight was lifted from his shoulders, and he wanted to sigh, but did nothing more to openly celebrate than give Roan a smile. There were wolves having pups this season, alright, so Caden could rest easy and move on to the next issue. So he stored that piece of information in the back of his mind, and focused on the conversation at hand.

"Congratulations," was the first thing he said, complimenting the soon-to-be-father on his coming litter. A little voice spoke to him subconciously, trying to tell himself he wasn't jealous of Roan in the least; but Caden knew in the end that he didn't plan on ruling the pack by himself for long. He'd find a mate sometime here, but he knew that he'd be terribly picky.

He gave a small shrug and a little bit of a sigh at Roan's next question. He had a funny look on his face, one of feigned helplessness. Just his humorous side that appeared during Caden's confident occaisions. "I'm doing as fine as the next wolf," he mused lightly as draft of sunlight beamed down on his face. He sidestepped once to get into the shadows, where he didn't have to squint and he could see Roan clearly.

"The prey is a bit antsy with all of their newborn calves, I suppose hunting has been tougher lately. But we haven't seem to lost weight."
The only body part of Caden's that weren't presently acting casually were his ears, as they flicked every which way and would only straighten when he needed to listen to his company. Caden didn't feel ready to put his guard down, feeling as though there was a reason he needed to watch his back.

I'm probably just worried that there are more like Bandit out here, only nastier, he thought to himself, meanwhile watching Roan quietly and thinking he looked nothing of the mutiny type. Again, he had to stop himself from prejudging, and cursed himself for yet again letting his mind wander to Bandit's sassy behavior. He wasn't a strange to all of the wolves in this pack; in fact, there were many he was well aware of. He could almost name all of his suboridinates, especially those who had helped him start this pack from the very beginning, before those Empyrean wolves begun pouring in.

"Roan, you were from the Empyrean valley, correct?" he asked quietly, understanding that it might be a painful subject, but knowing that he had the right to know where Roan came from.

[arbie]

Roan felt happier when other people were talking. Of course he listened, and of course most of the time he was interested in what they had to say. But what he was pleased about was that he didn’t need to think about what to say himself. Roan wasn’t known for his words, though sometimes what he did say was helpful. But now Caden was talking, and he could listen and nod happily. He knew exactly what he was saying, and he agreed. That was the circle of life, and Roan found it intriguing. It was one thing he took for granted.

Sensing Caden’s tension and alertness, Roan felt almost insulted. He knew being from another valley would cause some tension between the wolves that had always been there, but he never thought he gave off that sort of air. Sure, wolves could indeed be liars and deceivers, but Roan was the least likely. It made him wonder what others thought of him; were others just as cautious about the original Dancing Stars? Was Caden like this around each of his pack members? Taking precautions was good for the pack, but wouldn’t be good if you did it almost everywhere.

“Uh, yes. I was.” he stated, almost numb at the mention of his old home. It was a bold question, and came out of the blue. He looked at Caden, wondering if he should continue, but didn’t really know what to add. Who his parents were? Who came with him? No, Caden knew who came with him. He would wait for more questions.

[[Midnight]]

Caden tried to lighten up. Roan seemed uncomfortable, and Caden didn't know the male well enough to know if it was clashing personalities or simply Roan's social skills. But he wanted to be friends, at the very least; the more trust he earned with his packmates, the better he could do as an Alpha. So instead of seeming so business-like, Caden relaxed his muscles and focused his attention completely on the conversation at hand. He smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry to bring up a sore subject so lightly. I don't mean to disrespect you. I'm just curious of all your previous packmates. We've been together a decent while now, but-"

He cut himself short, realizing that what he was about to say was certainly controversial and not at all a subject to be discussed so openly. So he just chuckled and got to his point, "I need to get you know you all better. Someone from Empyrean told me something that made me think."

As he studied Roan in that moment, he considered asking him what he was dying to ask everyone. It was a question just as random as the last, and Caden didn't want to make this feel like an interrogation. But Roan would understand, right? He kept his facial expression neutral, trying to keep unbiased and just get the answer straight from Roan's honest mouth.

"I have something to ask you. Do you have any recommendations for a trusted Beta?"

Caden had always been a trusting soul, as confident as he was, and was putting much trust in Roan's opinion in that moment. He was curious as well and it was obvious in his calm demeanor. He could certainly learn a lot about Roan just by hearing his answer.

[arbie]

Roan took in a breath to try and bring himself back to reality, and he looked at Caden. He smiled slightly at his apology, but it still stung. But he needed to start detaching himself more. Not enough to forget them, but enough to be able to talk about Empyrean Valley without becoming hurt and making the conversation more awkward. Looking at his Alpha, he felt almost guilty for being from such a difficult place to talk about. But then Caden changed his mind about what he was going to say, and Roan hesitated. He decided not to think about it, in case he just became more upset.

Who had he talked to from Empyrean Valley? The first he thought of was Bandit, however he began to think of others. But then Caden brought him back, and he blinked at his question. Beta? Dancing Stars didn’t have a Beta? He thought momentarily, letting all the wolves he knew of run through his mind. He was sure he wasn’t the best wolf to ask, and smiled bashfully.

“I’m not sure if I’m the best to ask.” he admitted finally, “But… What about Sayuri? You trust her more than anyone, don’t you?”

He thought momentarily some more. Bandit came to mind, but something told him that Caden would be uncomfortably and disapprove of that choice. He then remembered another, and he looked at him again.

“Taya. She’s intelligent and kind; you need gentleness just as much as you need intelligence.” he explained. He didn’t want to be patronising or suggesting Caden wasn’t kind. He sighed a little and let out a bashful chuckle, shaking his head and continued, sounding more beat up and confused, “I don’t really speak to many wolves, Caden. I’m sorry I can’t help.”

[[Midnight]]

Caden found Roan's opinions to be in great taste, and was quickly glad he had confided in him such a question. Personally, he didn't think of it as weakness to have asked, and in fact, saw it as wisdom. But others may not feel same. Caden felt that Roan was a trustwortyh character, however, and clearly an intellectual. He had a sharp mind and an unbiased opinion, and clearly humility - there were no hints given that he wanted that kind of position for himself.

And, so, Caden immediately put Roan as one of his candidates. This may be a relatively shy character, but only at first.

He smiled warmly at the suggestion of his sister. Caden loved his sister dearly; they had stayed close through all of puphood and had even traveled together. They formed this pack together, and Sayuri had been his main support through most of his life, simply because she was always there by his side whether he asked for it or not. But she tended to be impulsive at times and was different from Caden in the fact that she was more adept to attack first and ask questions later, due to her fiery persona.

She was certainly an option, but he wanted to think of the pack, too, and not just his own opinion.

"Yes, I do trust her more than anyone. But the pack may or may not necessarily feel the same. I will find out more as I talk to everyone," was his neutral response. Roan's next suggestion was one Caden hadn't thought about. Taya was a very active wolf, but also a tad naive. He knew this after a chat with her a while back. She had also admitted her love of the Omega position; suited her characteristics perfectly. She was not a likely option, though Roan's explanation was certainly legitamate. Kindness, intelligence, and gentleness were certainly great qualities in a noble higher-up.

He smiled kindly at Roan, completely at ease now. His ears stayed in place and focused on the conversation at hand, his confidence unwavering.

"No, Roan, you were actually a great help. Thanks a million," he spoke gratefully, blinking once. Now he felt the need to change the subject of conversation and give Roan a break. Poor guy probably felt as though he had been cornered.

"So...you're expecting pups this season. That's great news, I had been getting worried that we wouldn't have any pups this year."
Caden enjoyed pups, like most did. He played on their fantasies and joined in the fake adventures from time to time. "Is it your first siring?"

[arbie]

Roan felt his mind relax as Caden complimented each of his suggestions. He wondered who Caden himself had in mind, but wouldn’t press important manners such as that on him. That was more for Caden to know and the pack to find out when the time was right; Roan didn’t like cornering people for that sort of information. At the very least, Caden seemed to be just thinking about candidates and nothing solid. Roan would probably get nothing out of asking Caden whom he thought would be good. When Caden spoke of talking to the whole pack, Roan smiled a little. He knew Caden was a good Alpha, but he didn’t realise he would take everyone into consideration. Asking others their thoughts was an excellent idea.

And this is why he’s Alpha. he reminded himself, and Roan nodded gratefully when Caden reassured him of his help. Roan thought about his choices, Bandit coming to mind again. Perhaps he should have mentioned her; however he didn’t want the meeting to turn sour. Caden had moved on anyway, and so Roan would follow.

At the mention of his pups, Roan grinned and his tail wagged gently.
“Yes, it is.” he nodded, “She says there aren’t many, but one is enough for me. I’m just… Too excited for words.”
Roan’s almost childish reaction made him feel like a pup again. He was going to be a father! He had never expected this. Back in Empyrean Valley, he was unsure about it. He remembered the likes of Vixen liking him. She had pups too, he remembered. It was about time he caught up with her.

“I never really thought I’d have pups.” he mused, “I suppose everyone gets lucky at some point.”

[[Midnight]]

Caden was surprised that Roan didn't pry any further. Some wolves would jump at the opportunity to know some intel, the latest gossip. Roan on the other hand seemed content with his lack of knowlege and just moved on to the next subject. Speaking of which made Caden wonder a few childish thoughts.

How did a female know how many pups she was having? It seemed like magic of some sort. In many ways females had so much more power over the males in a pack. In a side thought Caden thought of his sister, Sayuri, and wondered why she hadn't found a mate yet. He hadn't spoken to her in a little while so maybe she had since the last time Caden had seen her. It may or may not be for the best; she was spirited and not necessarily too keen on being tied down in that fashion.

Roan was sincerely proud. It made Caden happy and strangely jealous. Were Roan's words true? Did everyone had a chance at it or was it really that simple? Caden didn't think it was that easy, but simply gave a slight nod in an agreement.

"I would like to be a father, but I think I tend to get too busy to stop and take a serious look at our females. Or perhaps I scare them somehow," he said with a good-natured grin, not looking nearly as sad as the statement may have seemed. "Then I realize that a lot of our wolves are like my sister; in no real hurry to settle down. That's why I worried we might not be having pups this season. But you showed most of us up, Roan. I look forward to meeting your pup soon."

{ I'm sorry if this is hard to respond to! }

[arbie]

Roan smiled as Caden spoke of having pups. The statement, despite his appearance, was rather sad though. Perhaps it was true; Roan didn’t know how Caden acted around females. But as far as he was concerned, he would have thought a strong leader like Caden would have gotten a lot of attention from the females, especially around this time. Perhaps some females were much different from the ones he remembered in Empyrean Valley. Most, at least. Many seemed to be more independent… But maybe that was from the effect of Caerwyn. No one wanted a leader in fear they would turn sour.

Deciding not to go down a bitter road, Roan went back to the current subject. His smile turned bashful and he chuckled, not wanting to make his pups out to be special. That was far from the truth. They were average (but not that that was bad. Roan would have to teach them that).

“Yes well… These days, we’re just settling down into the valley.” he wanted to reason, however didn’t believe his own words, “I wouldn’t be too worried about pups, really. By next year, I’m sure there will be more when everyone’s comfortable… And perhaps you will be expecting too.”

Roan liked to try and keep optimistic for others. It was sad to see them always so down, especially about pups. Roan knew pups were important to continue the generation and keep the pack strong, but it’s not like they weren’t strong enough already. They only wanted to defend themselves, never attack Falling Moon. He wanted to concentrate on nurturing the pups they had no instead of thinking how many there could have been.

[[Midnight]]

At least, in the end, Caden knew that as the competitive wolf he was, he truly loved a good challenge. To find a mate was obviously no simple task, but a challenge that would take considerable talents and charisma. He accepted the situation with no ill will, but in fact, some enthusiasm. His smile broadened as Roan coaxed his fears.

"Who am I to rush nature anyway?" he said in good humor. He stood up on all fours, taking a moment to glance up at the sky - or what he could see of it.

Momentarily, Caden wondered if he should ask Roan about Bandit. They both orginated from the same pack, so they probably knew each other quite well. Perhaps Roan would know to handle her situation. But just as quickly he decided against it. Caden hadn't really gotten the feeling that he needed to be watching his back. Surely her "threat" was, in general, harmless to the pack. He looked back to Roan.

"I don't mean to keep you, you're welcome to go and get on with what you need to do," he reasoned. Roan may have even been on the way to check on his expecting mate. The thought of pups to be born soon made Caden's spirit soar. He seemed to stand a foot taller in that moment simply from pride for the pack he had created. No matter how many seemed to want to doubt his leadership, Caden felt in control.

He blinked kindly and gave the Omega a chance to slip away if he wished.

[arbie]

By now, Roan had become comfortable sitting with Caden. All Roan needed was a real conversation for any length of time before he was satisfyingly calm and nice around a wolf. Caden was no different, and he seemed quite good humoured these days when he saw him. Roan smiled at his comment and nodded in agreement. There was no need to push something that was bound to happen eventually, even if it would take some time. Caden was still quite young and had the time on his paws to wait. If he were in his position, Roan would find a mate to help him lead; but he would not have pups straight away. He would wait for that opportunity.

Hearing Caden excuse Roan, he hesitated. He wasn’t interested in moving anymore, and he felt guilty for leaving so soon. He didn’t want to seem like he feared or didn’t want to be around Caden; in fact, he enjoyed his company. The wolf was much more confident than Roan, and it could be a good influence.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay.” he requested, “Pembe is most likely resting, and I’d… Quite like to get to know wolves in the pack. Who better to start with than you?”

He didn’t want to sound cocky. Roan just felt like he was coming out of his shell at the moment, and it would be easier to exercise his momentary confidence with the very wolf that was with him. Hopefully Caden wouldn’t mind, and wasn’t using this moment to try and get Roan away from him.

[[Midnight]]

Caden's eyes, as usual, showed little but showed enough. He was satisfied with Roan's reasonings. A spark of warmth flooded through him and his worries eased away. Yes, the pack would be fine. When everyone cared enough for one another, bonds were formed incredibly quick. Caden assumed, by next year, after his Dancing Stars had been together long enough, there would be inseperable bonds, which made an unbreakable pack. And from what Caden had been hearing about Falling Moon, bonds were impossible to form there. In a way that made them so much weaker.

Giving an approving nod to Roan, Caden began to sink to the cool forest ground beneath him, splaying his front legs comfortably. He wouldn't mind a quick rest and a further chat with his new friend. Well, not a new friend, but certainly a closer one, he felt. It made him feel good to know that he was already accomplishing what he had set out to do; gain his pack's friendship.

Roan had been kind enough to answer Caden's blunt questions. The Alpha was now obligated to answer any that Roan might have. He realized that and then wondered how he could relay that without sounding conceited. Maybe he was thinking too much about it.

"Well, there's not much to be told about me," he admitted, referring to Roan's statement about wanting to get to know each other. "My sister and I always stuck together, but hunting was hard with just the two of us. Eventually a few loners joined up with us, and we created the pack. It was nameless, really, until you, Bandit, Duke, and all these other Empyrean Valley wolves appeared."

He smiled. "And now here we are. The pack's bigger than I ever hoped it would be. More mouths to feed, but more paws to get it done. I hope you're all proud of this version of Dancing Stars."

He looked at Roan closely after his ending comment. After all that pride and feelings of ease just a few moments before, and Caden was still remembering that there were many who might be expecting Caden to fail as Alpha of Dancing Stars. He knew wasn't going to fail, he just knew it, but it bothered him to think that he wasn't trusted.
And then he always told himself that he was beyond paranoid.