Ketu strode through the Ravenwood territory, sniffing each tree to check if any Ashwood wolves were dumb enough to cross. Bari had accompanied Ketu, trailing behind him at a much more lax pace. Ketu sniffed the air and sighed. Nothing. Nodding at Bari, they silently returned to the main area, greeting each wolf in turn.

"Calm down, Ketu." Bari said. "You've been on your toes the entire morning. What's wrong?" Ketu shook his head.

"Nothing, Bari." He muttered.

---

[[ Umm, I'm pretty sure the Beta watches over the pack if the Alpha is missing, Blood. ]] 

"I think she meant to give the job to me, Xera." Skoll said in a gruff voice. He didn't have much respect for their Alphess recently, but Skoll didn't dare show it. No wolf was aware of his feelings. To them, Skoll was a silent but strong Beta. He smirked at that image of himself, then watched as their Alphess returned, greeting her with a nod.

---

Leto stalked the borders between the Ashwood and Ravenwood territories. Ever since she was a pup, Leto had been wondering what the opposing pack's camp was like. She was eager to cross, but knew that Xera and Skoll wouldn't be too happy with that. She strolled along the area, squinting through the dense undergrowth to see if any Ravenwood wolves were lurking nearby.

Ire lifted his head and his orange eyes widened as he noticed that he could see an unfamilliar wolf in the distance.  But it was so far away, it seemed to be on Ashwood ground anyway.  He was sitting on a tall boulder, which was the only reason he could see the wolf.  Maybe he should go out there.  But Ketu was on patrol, right? Ire sighed. Ketu's probably too blind to see the wolf. He stood up, stretched out, and darted out into the woods, eventually ending up close enough to see the red-pelted wolf. He growled and stepped out into the wolf's veiw and sat down in front of her. "You're a spy?" He asked, but his voice stayed in a calm tone.

Xera nodded to Skoll. "Uh, Xeriaze," She said, not bothering to call her by her nickname, 'Aze.' "Wouldn't it make a little more sense to give the beta-" she gestured toward Skoll- "the job of watching the pack while you are gone?"

((Maybe thats what I meant. Sorry. It was like, three int he morning here and I was half asleep.))

Aze, having finished her meal, trotted from her den and stretched, yawning and jumping atop her den, the trunk of a fallen tree. She layed down, catching the dappled rays of the sun on her pelt. She flicked her ears at the sounds of the pack and nature going on with life. She would go on patrol in a bit, and take Skoll to help her renew the scent markings at the borders.

( Sorry I've been gone for so long, I was grounded. If we're lucky this might stilll live..)

Ire sighed. "Fine, but looking into another pack's territory isn't exactly normal. Would you rather I called you a stalker?" (lol...Leto the stalker O.o)  He laughed a little. "Well, you shouldn't be so close to the border." He stood up. By the way, my name's Ire." He wasn't aware that the wolf already knew who he was.

Leto gave a little hrmph. She didn't like being called names, unless it associated her with being the greatest. Her tail twitched, not expecting his lack of hostility to her. 

"I wouldn't like being called a stalker." She retorted, flicking an ear. "My name is Leto. Aren't you the Beta of Ravenwood, Ire?" She asked, an attempt to sound innocent. 

Stalker, Ire immediately thought as she knew what his rank was. "Yes, I am." He said. "And, fine, I won't call you a stalker."  This wolf is getting in my way. Why'd I come down here?!!? And if Ketu sees me, I'll get in trouble, and then it'll tae even longer to earn his trust! And the longer before I earn his trust, the longer before I kill him... Ire wanted to growl, but kept his thoughts to himself. After the long pause, he yawned as he said ,"Sorry, Leto." He looked at a bird in a tree -Ire could easily be distracted- and then back at Leto. "So, what's your rank in your pack?" He asked, not wanting to sound like he was bragging about his beta position...hopefully soon to be alpha, but realized he had sounded like it anyway.

Leto didn't follow Ire's gaze, in case it was nothing but a distraction. She regretted telling him her name as soon as he uttered it, resisting the instinctive urge to draw her lips back into a faint snarl.

"I'm a hunter. I also came around here to... Hunt things." Leto looked sideways for a moment. She was a terrible liar, but it was actually a good reason. "Not many wolves come here, so I thought the prey would be more abundant in these areas."