Shadow gently licked Rain's cheek and followed the others outside. He looked at Jessa. "Don't worry, Rain will come out with the pups in a while." He shook his fur out and moved to sit next to Chardonney. "Plenty of excitement for one day," he commented, and looked over at her. "Are you okay?"

Javon looked at her. "No. No. My fault." He noticed the look in her eyes. "Are you alright, Chardonnay?" His eyes filled with concern, while the rest of him stood in his leadership stance.

Jessa watched from behind, breathing heavy. She danced on her paws a bit. She wanted to play. She was getting impatient. 

Mei kept her nose and ears to the air. She could still smell a strange wolf. She wouldn't drop her watch until the scent was gone.

Javon took his eyes from Chardonnay and placed them on Shadow and Mei. Something was wrong. He could tell from their faces. He walked over to them. "THe scent is stronger, Mei?"

THe she-wolf nodded. "It is. Not by too much, but it is."

Javon nodded. He turned his head to Jessa. "It's time you go lay in the den, Jessa. And please stay in there until I say otherwise."

Jessa stomped her front paws. "Why do I never get to join in on anything important?" she whined. Javon gave her the father look though, and she scampered off to the den and laid down, still unhappy that she was being left out again.

The scent started getting stronger again. This time at a higher pace. Mei put her nose to the air. "The loner is close. They didn't run away..."

Just then, a growl hung on the air. A male had appeared near the den area. He narrowed his brown eyes and tensed ready to fight.

".. Or it isn't her..." Mei stood up and tensed herself. She was just as ready as he was for a fight.

Javon stood mightily and stared the loner down. "Who are you?" He bellowed. No stranger was welcome near his pack. Especially not with newborns and his daughter around.

The loner just growled. Corval just wanted to pass through, but he learned long ago that passing through was never an option with packs. He didn't understand why they always felt the need to fight him off, but he wasn't going to get killed trying to reason.

Shadow lowered his head, growly softly but steadily. He wasn't letting a loner, especially not one that seemed to want a fight, within miles of his mate and newborn pups. He tensed, waiting for his alpha's signal to attack, if it would come. Shadow was greatly hoping it would.

Javon saw the tension of the loner. He could see the readiness to fight, but something was different in the loner's eyes. Javon stepped out in front of his pack and strolled carefully towards the loner. "Who are you?" he repeated in a growl.

Corval again only growled. 

The Alpha lifted his head higher in might and repeated the same words, "Who are you?"

The stranger muttered "Corval. What is it to you?"

"I like to know who is before me. I also like to protect my pack. Give me a reason why I shouldn't let Shadow attack you now. I know he is ready to tear out the throat of any threat to his family."

Corval just looked at the alpha without maiking a sound or a move. 

Shadow snarled and shifted his weight, ready to lunge or dodge.