4

Alex had woken up in a tent that was large and warm. He had shifted back into a wolf sometime during his sleep and looked over to see his beta Weaver sleeping as a wolf as well. The sun was just barely above the horizon as he nudged his beta awake. "Aye leave me alone. The sun ain't up so neither am I." Weaver said tiredly and received a harsh shove to his side. "Get up you lazy oaf." Alex said and Weaver slowly got up and stretched before asking, "We're going out to look for those two foxes?" Alex nodded and without another word the two wolves left the frozen meadow, venturing into the forest.

Alex could smell the dead rabbit and with it, the two fox shifters who he had guessed were mated or at the very least siblings. He signaled to his beta and the two pushed past snow-covered ferns that revealed a clearing and with it the two foxes with their fur standing on end.

The two foxes looked at him and his beta, neither pair of shifters daring to move, each sizing the other up. Alex took it upon himself to bow his head and say, "It's nice to finally meet the two of you." His eyes never moved to meet the two foxes and his beta followed suit, bowing his head but not saying a word. As the silence grew between the two, Alex lifted his head and looked upon the two shifters, he took in a deep breath letting each of the fox's scent flow through him. One was a female and the other a male but they weren't mates like he had thought but rather siblings. "What brings you to this forest?" The female fox asked her voice cold and calm but there was a hint of fear laced within it. "My name is Alex and this here is my beta, Weaver. We've come to ask permission to make territory here." He spoke his voice stern yet calm and welcoming. Alex watched as the female fox eyes him where as the other looked into the forest but his ears were perked and listening.

"My name is Kate and this is my brother Oli. We are fine with you and your pack-making territory but I must make it clear that the northern part of this forest is where we call home. I would also like the waterfall, this clearing, and the cliffs to stay out of our respective territory. It can be neutral ground." Kate spoke her voice unwavering and Alex nodded in understanding. "That's reasonable. Me and my pack will set up territory within the meadow along with the westernmost part of the forest. We noticed that your scents aren't as frequent there as they are here." He said watching as Kate nodded. "I should warn you that hunters hunt in that part of the forest so if you want to you can also make territory in the southernmost part of the forest. My brother and I don't hunt there." She said and Alex nodded before replying, "Then I shall do that. Hunters aren't exactly my favorite but if you don't mind me asking are there any other shifters that live here in the forest?" the she fox nodded and replied, "Yes, an owl pair that hunt in the southern part but they shouldn't bother you. There is also a bear that lives just northeast of here but she's as gentle as a butterfly. Other than them and us there are no other shifters that live here." Alex nodded and bowed his head in thanks. "I thank you for allowing us to stay and I look forward to living alongside you both." He spoke and Kate nodded before nudging her brother towards the northern part of the forest. She followed closely behind him and the two disappeared into the forest.

"Did you notice?" Weaver asked and Alex nodded. "Her brother is blind. That's probably why she thought it best to talk it out." Alex said and Weaver nodded. "Don't tell the others about the male being blind. It'll provoke some of the others to try and run him off." Alex said and Weaver nodded in understanding. "I'll take a group to start setting up markers upon our new territory." Wever said and Alex nodded wondering how someone who couldn't see had survived this long. He had help from his sister but he didn't seem to rely on her.

. . . 

"Do you think they noticed?" Oli asked his sister who let out a sigh before replying, "Yes, but I don't think they'd tell their packmates. They'd ruin what little relationship they have with us." Kate spoke and Oli nodded in understanding. "Once we get back to the hollow we'll have to start marking out a border. It'll help them know that there gone too far." Kate said with a sigh and Oli nodded once more before brushing himself against his sister in a reassuring manner. She pushed back and licked his nose, causing him to sneeze. She let out a small laugh before saying in a playful voice. "I'll race ya." Oli nodded and didn't wait for her as he began sprinting toward the hollow.

The hollow was still the same when the two siblings made it home, both out of breath from their run.

"Home sweet home." Kate said as she regained her breath. "Yeah, it still smells the same. Nothing is out of place. It's as if we never left." Oli said. The silence grew between the two before Oli made the decision to head into the hollow. Kate watched her brother descend into their home. Kate took one last look around their hollow before following her brother down and into their home. "I hope the wolves keep to their promise of leaving us alone." Oli said while fluffing up his fur and curling up in a nest of dried moss. Kate curled up next to him before saying reassuringly, "They'll keep their promise, and if not we can always leave and start anew. As long as we have each other that's all that matters."

"Yeah as long as we have each other." Oli said agreeably before letting out a yawn and falling into a silent sleep. Kate smiled before falling into a deep slumber.