Time Flies [Arche]

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There had always been something about the cold wind that blew through Cryothia that calmed him. Perhaps it was because it mirrored the inner turmoil that constantly plagued him, or perhaps it was simply because it allowed him to focus on something other than his worries. But Aludri was safe and their territory was secure, surely he should not give in to his other worries. But Arche could not help it. He sighed heavily as he pushed through the trees and towards Cryothia, his steps only faltering slightly as he spotted an obvious black figure ahead of him. It was easy to recognize the son of his friend, Rikez, and the young coywolf that he had escorted north as a pup. "Rowan." He said softly in greeting as he altered his course slightly to meet up with the young pack member. "What brings you this far north?" He asked, wondering why the young male was out in the open of Cryothia seemingly wandering. Perhaps he was searching for his father, for Arche had picked up Rikez's scent on his trip north. It had, however, been at least a few days old.

Surely Rowan had his own reasons for being there. The Athair had not gotten to know the young coywolf like he would have liked to, but perhaps this was an opportunity to get himself properly acquainted with more of the youth of his pack. Then again, he figured that it was not quite fair to call them youth much longer. Even his own offspring were reaching their adulthood, and Rowan here was even older than they were. It was about time that he started treated them all like full fledged members of Aludri. "How have you been fairing since our return home?" He asked, frowning slightly at his own failed attempt at conversation. He had never really been good at small talk, and though he often disliked it, he knew that it was occasionally necessary to get a proper conversation moving. However, the way Rowan had been looking around when he had seen him had sparked his interest. He had a reason to be here, and Arche was simply curious to find out what it was.

Finally he lowered himself into a sitting position, his tail resting lightly beside him as he looked over at the other male. It was easy to see Rikez in the young coywolf, but Calantha was still so obviously there as well. It made the Athair smile slightly, for he missed the young male's mother, but he knew that bringing her up would only hurt Rowan. She was gone and there was nothing that any of them could do about it. 'Just another mistake you've made to hurt your pack and family.' Arche was too hard on himself, he knew, but he could not help it. Any death or injury he took personally, for it was his duty to protect the pack and it's members. Calantha's death had hit her family hard, but it had frustrated him as well. Perhaps if he had been there he could have stopped it. But for now, he knew he had to focus on the future of Aludri, the future of Calantha's son, who stood in front of him, very much alive and well.

(Rowan)

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When the young coywolf spoke, Arche listened quietly. It seemed that Rowan wanted something specific, but from the way he spoke he did not appear certain as to how to go about asking for it. So the Athair sat and leaned back slightly, hoping to allow the other male ample time to gather his thoughts and put them to words. When he spoke about rank, the male's ears perked slightly and he leaned forward once more in interest. The young male wanted to know when the youth were to receive a rank, and immediately his own mind went to Asher. He had just awarded his son a rank within the pack, but he had been watching Asher closely over the past several months. For now he focused on Rowan, tilting his head slightly and frowning as he figured out how to word his response. "What rank are you looking to achieve, Rowan?" He asked curiously, hoping that the response was something that he was able to award the young coywolf without assigning him to a mentor to work towards earning the rank instead.

He was sure that the young male was capable, but he had not personally seen any specific traits or skills that the young male had to offer. Other wolves in the pack had to have been privy to that, and the Athair silently cursed himself for not paying closer attention to all of the youth. He would have to work harder in the future, but for now he focused on the young male in front of him. He would work with Rowan himself if he needed to, but he hoped that whatever rank he wanted would be easy to obtain at this point. The pack needed so many of their ranks filled that he wanted to give them away, but he was not about to give a member a rank that was not deserved. It was not fair to the others in that rank to pick up any slack, and he would not make them do so. Surely Rowan would understand that, right?

He sighed softly and tried to erase the frown from his face, not wishing to discourage the young male any more than he probably already had. Instead he replaced the look with one of curiosity as he waited, hoping to hear positive words filled with hope from Rowan instead of uncertainty and discouragement. As Athair to Aludri he wanted to instill hope into his pack, not disappointment, and it would make him quite unhappy if he had upset the youth inadvertently. For now, though, all he could do was sit and wait. Rowan would speak when he was ready, and Arche would listen carefully and respond accordingly when he needed to.

(Rowan - ew, sorry this is so short >.<)

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At first, Arche was unsure of whether or not Rowan would answer his question. When the young coywolf finally did, his ears perked and he could not help but smile slightly. He seemed like he was more confident in his abilities than his voice made him seem, and the Athair nodded slightly as the young male asked if Aludri was in need of hunters. "I will tell you what, Rowan. If you can get together a group of wolves and successfully bring down a meal for the pack, you may take the rank of Fyole." He said, tilting his head slightly to watch the young canine's reaction. Would he take offense to the requirement of proving himself? The pack was in need of food for those that were incapable of hunting for themselves, and this would not only be the perfect way for Rowan to prove he was worthy of the rank, but also for any other youth he might bring along with him. Perhaps Arche could hit two birds with one stone here.

For now, though, he would wait for the young male's response. He was surprised that none of Rikez's offspring had come to him seeking the same rank as their father, but so far only Rowan had approached him. Perhaps more of the youth of Aludri would follow the young coywolf's lead and he would finally be able to fill out more of the pack's ranks. There was another breeding season quickly approaching, and he was sure more wolves would come to him seeking the approval for litters and families of their own. He would need to ensure the pack could sustain itself before he allowed anyone to reproduce and add to their numbers. The choice from here, though, was up to Rowan. It would take a lot of confidence and skill to not only prove his worth in a hunt, but also to lead it with others just as inexperienced and unsure as himself. Would he be able to manage?

(Rowan - EW THIS IS SO SHORT...I'm sorry. We can end it after Rowan's post if you'd like)