I didn’t take long to show Solia and a couple other keelish how I wanted the more complete skins removed from the wolfstag corpses, but I did explain to them that after scraping all the flesh off the remaining leather, the skins should be cured. Solia especially could help with that, and I framed the low, steady heat necessary to create a cured leather that wouldn’t go rancid as a practice in magical control. Then, as she began to understand and get excited about what she could do to try this, I stepped into my quarters to wait for the final guest to arrive. And to inspect my new [Skill].

[Skill: Quaking Claw; an active Skill that sends a concentrated flow of sonic magic to a specific location. The sonic magic’s vibrations cause the affected area to vibrate in a way that facilitates cutting and tearing. When paired with a sharp extremity or sharpened held tool, Quaking Claw will show its greatest effectiveness. This Skill cannot evolve.]

Straightforward and understandable. I could feel that I was now better and more easily able to trigger and maintain the flow of magic necessary for my new [Skill], and that it didn’t drain as much from my reserves of magic. Additionally, I had gained a new and more deadly avenue of attack, one I would need once it came time to usurp Redael’s place. That I was under him rankled me, that he would think himself above and better than me. I was the best keelish–

I cut myself off. I couldn’t allow myself to constantly think like that. If I did, I’d find myself doing something I couldn’t take back and would be forced to take action before I was ready. Instead, I could only focus on continuing to strengthen my foundation here. Quickly I stepped into the bath and allowed the sands to scrub the gore of battle from my body. The coagulated blood and flecks of flesh no longer bothered me as they would have back when I was a human, but they still itched and I enjoyed being clean. I didn’t allow myself to fully indulge in the bath, instead simply cleansing the grime of battle from my body before shaking the sand from my body and readying myself to return to the communal area.

Just as I began to take a step forward and reintroduce myself to the situation, I hesitated. Would it be better for me to wait for the last Alpha to appear? Or, for me to force the three to wait on me? The first might be more polite among humankind, but I was the most powerful of the Alphas here, and I was in charge. I had the largest, strongest pack, and they were in my territory. With that thought in my mind, I settled back to rest for a moment, experimenting with my magic to see if I could finally come to understand how to change my tone or the flow of magic to create the opposite effect of [Innervating Address]. I couldn’t say if I was making progress, so when Sybil poked her head into my quarters, I immediately stood.

“She’s here?”

Simple flare of the frills.

“Good to hear.” I began to stride forward, and Sybil allowed me to pass by her so she could flank me as we passed out of my quarters, through the sleeping area for the initial pack that was connected, and into the communal area. I stopped shortly before entering into my guests’ perception, and I could feel Sybil looking at me in askance. Looking over my shoulder, I made eye contact with her, looked deep into her eyes… and then flicked my tail against her flank playfully.

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Sybil paused, cocked her head, opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again, and, before she could say anything, I looked away, walked forward into the communal space where the others were and began to address those within while fighting back the grin that threatened the corners of my mouth.

“Thank you for coming.” I looked all three in the eye, starting with Criit. He still cowered, and wholly avoided my gaze. The other male was slightly larger than Criit, most of the way to five feet tall, but I could count his ribs through his skin. He was, if not starving, hungry. There was no fat on him, and his muscles stood out in stark contrast to his scales, the muscles twitching as he held himself standing in my presence. With my sudden display of violence earlier in his mind, it seemed, he quickly averted his gaze from looking me in my eyes. Another coward, then. Then, just as I began to make up my mind, he looked up and held eye contact with me. Perhaps I was wrong. I turned to the female.

This female was the smallest of the three, but she was well-fed, almost maintained. Cute, I supposed, but looking at her, I could not understand how she could be an Alpha. I knew of the growth that came with the evolution to Alpha, but she didn’t seem to have gotten any such benefit. Beyond that, she didn’t show any scars or sign that she had ever participated in an argument, much less a hunt. I was immediately on my guard, wondering what she was capable of.

“My name is Ashlani. What should I call you?” I looked at Criit first. After a moment’s hesitation, he looked up and saw me expecting him to speak. Immediately, his voice raised in a squeak.

“I’m Criit.” As my gaze settled on the other male, he saw me looking and nodded.

“Mrat.”

“And you may call me Shalla. Do make sure not to mispronounce it, the emphasis is in the beginning. I do so hate to be called something other than my name. Or some other complimentary nickname.” Before I could even look at the female Alpha, she spoke up. Her voice dripped with condescension and superiority, and I felt myself bristle at her tone.

“Very well, Shalla, Mrat, and Criit. I have heard that you all are suffering from some unsuccessful hunts. That your packs are beginning to go hungry. That you are beginning to become desperate.”

Shalla immediately jumped in, “I have not lost any meals. If any of my pack has gone hungry, it is their own fault.” Mrat and Criit, though, both were silent and watched me attentively.

“If you have no problems, then why are you here?”

“I was promised a gift! Don’t tell me you didn’t know? Have you forgotten? One such as I deserves a gift for existing, much less for attending a get-together like this.” At that moment, as I tried to again understand how this idiot could have become an Alpha, another female stepped out of the surrounding keelish, and I realized I didn’t recognize her. She spoke as she stepped forward, bowing.

“What our esteemed Alpha wishes to say is that due to some of the hunters’ weakness, there has been a decrease in successful hunts.”

“Yes, yes, that. Any fool could have understood me, Khaa.”

And then, I understood what was happening with this pack. Great. I shook my head and began to try to figure out how I was going to convince these three Alphas to fight for me.