he left his pack for a while to follow this tailless one he had decided to make his mate, camped with a small escort an hour away from her Silvermoon tribe. Her elders had already accepted the gifts, though it was more like payment and now all he had to do was take her, the contract was for tomorrow morning. He hadn't seen her yet

He'd heard someone moving cautiously past his encampment. An unknown scent filled the air... perhaps an enemy tribe had approached unseen. Grinning, he slowly rose from where he lay among the grasses, his wolves doing likewise, readying for battle if need be. The figure seemed human enough; whoever it was must have lost their way in these parts or been hunting unsafely at night. It would not do to let them live and report back that his pack was here... he'd have to deal with this intruder immediately.

"Who goes there?" he growled softly, slipping into the shadows between two large boulders nearby as he did so. His wolves tensed, ears pricked forward as they tracked the foreign scent more carefully now that their master had given chase. "Show yourself!" he called again, a bit louder this time, stepping out from behind

With eyes narrowed, he studied the terrified female who had emerged before him. Her back was straight, hands held high in a submissive gesture; she hadn't expected to be found this easily. There was something familiar about her scent... Perhaps it was just his heightened senses playing tricks on him in the dark. He stepped closer, lowering his voice slightly when he spoke again. "Who are you?"

Her reaction would determine how quickly she lived or died. If she were an enemy spy, there would be no mercy; if she belonged to a friendly tribe, perhaps they could exchange information and alliances. The uncertainty of the situation made him all the more cautious. His wolves continued to watch warily from behind, ready to attack on his command should it become necessary.

Blackfang tilted his head slightly to the side as he studied her. "And what were you doing out here alone in the dark?" He kept his voice soft, not entirely convinced that she was telling him the whole truth. Something about her demeanor seemed off; most of his encounters with other tribes involved more bravado than fearful submission.

"My name is Sarien Blackfang," he added, "leader of this pack. If you're truly lost or just passing through, perhaps it would be wise to introduce yourself." It was not an order; he merely suggested that she could make things easier for herself if she played along. Still, the threat lingered beneath his words, a promise of violence should she choose otherwise.

His wolves continued to watch her warily from nearby, ready to spring into action at any sign of danger or resistance. They too were trained not only in battle but also in subjug

Blackfang narrowed his eyes as he continued to study her reaction. Her words did not quite match the fear in her eyes; she was still holding something back. Perhaps it was simply nerves from meeting a powerful and unfamiliar alpha male, but there was more going on here than she let on. He could feel it deep within his own beast, which stirred restlessly at the back of his mind.

"Very well," he said finally, deciding not to press the issue for now. "My wolves and I must continue our journey; we have business with a tribe not far from here." It would do him no good to get involved with another potential problem while trying to claim his intended mate. "If you truly are lost, you're welcome to accompany us as long as necessary. However," he added ominously, "you must obey our commands and cause no trouble while within our company. Do we understand each other?"

Blackfang studied her briefly before nodding. "Very well," he said at last. "We'll let you go on your way, then." With a sharp whistle, he signaled to his wolves, who immediately encircled them both once again. "But remember what I said. Cause no trouble and obey our commands if we offer any. The consequences will be dire otherwise."

He held her gaze for several moments longer, gauging her reaction before finally turning away and motioning for his wolves to lead the way deeper into the woods. They had wasted enough time already; he needed to reach the Silvermoon tribe before dawn if he hoped to claim Rina Artay as his mate without any interruptions.

His wolves continued to lead the way, occasionally glancing back at her suspiciously as they traveled deeper into their territory. But for now, Sarien allowed her to tag along without further incident. He couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something, but until he could be certain of what that might be, there was no point in pressing her too hard. Besides, he had other concerns on his mind at the moment: claiming Rina Artay as his own and hopefully taming her spirit before it was too late...

Blackfang glanced over his shoulder as he walked beside his wolves, noticing how quickly she moved through the forest. It was almost as if she were trying to distance herself from him and his pack... perhaps that was exactly what she intended. He considered calling her back but decided against it for now; he would see how things played out when they arrived at the Silvermoon tribe tomorrow morning. His words earlier had been clear enough: cause no trouble and obey our commands, or face the consequences. It remained to be seen if this female understood those terms as well as she thought she did...

It was strange; the female had been traveling in the opposite direction from where they needed to go. Could she truly be that lost, or was there something more going on here? His instincts urged him to follow her, find out what she was up to and put an end to it before it became a problem for his pack. Still, he hesitated; after all, he had given her the chance to simply continue on her way unmolested. Would pursuing her now make him seem overly aggressive?

With a sigh, he called out to his wolves, bringing them to a halt as they continued to watch him curiously. "Wait here," he growled softly before peeling away from their ranks and heading off after the fleeing female on his own. Perhaps this was foolish; there could be other dangers lurking in these woods that he hadn't accounted for. But something deep within

With his wolves left behind, he moved silently through the forest, tracking the faint scent of the female's passage. It led him deeper and deeper into unknown territory, away from the safety of his pack and their lands. The trees around him seemed to close in tighter with every step, as if trapping them both within a web of shadow and leaves.

She had to be leading him somewhere; he just hoped it wasn't a trap. But there was something about her scent... an air of determination mixed with fear that made him hesitate to turn back now. He followed her, even as his own instincts urged him to return to his pack and claim what was rightfully his.

Blackfang crept silently closer, watching the female's every move through narrowed eyes. He hadn't expected her to try and cross the river; it was much deeper here than she seemed prepared for. Perhaps this was some kind of test? Or maybe a desperate attempt at escape? Either way, he had no choice but to follow. Glancing back over his shoulder, he made sure that his wolves were still out of sight before stepping forward and approaching her from behind.

"What do you think you're doing?" he whispered harshly into her ear, his voice little more than a breath against her skin. "You can't possibly hope to escape by crossing the river like this." His tone was both warning and accusatory; despite the cover of darkness, she could probably sense his presence even without turning around.

Blackfang's eyes narrowed as he studied her reaction. She seemed truly frightened now; perhaps she hadn't expected him to follow so closely. He leaned in closer, his voice still harsh despite the softness with which it reached her ears. "I asked you what you think you're doing," he repeated, each word clipped and cold. "Why are you trying to cross the river at night? There are more important things we should be focusing on right now." His tone left no room for argument or resistance; it was a command disguised as a question.