It was amazing how different the demeanor of X’yrin and her mate were; where she was warm and fair he was cold and untrusting. But, there were two sides to any coin, and perhaps this male just took longer to be friendly than it did X’yrin, or perhaps the Tenryu was just better at “killing with kindness” as it were. Still, Saluce didn’t cause Zalen any distress and he listened as the male asked his questions about New Dawn.
As he spoke, Zalen pondered his words; so outsiders believed the New Dawner’s to be racists then? It was an easy enough assumption to make, if not all entirely true. Zalen himself once believed the same of Inferni, but it seemed that their prejudices were not as harsh as they were in his first impressions. Still, Zalen could not truly answer Saluce’s question fully, for though he spoke for New Dawn, he could not speak for all its members. Everyone would have their own opinions on this matter, their own viewpoints, and all he could do was make sure none of these views caused any harm to the pack or peaceful outsiders.
Therefore, he answered truthfully, "Indeed, there was a time that I hated coyotes because of the pain those of that species had caused me in the past. But now I can honestly say I do not hate them but instead have a cautious respect for them." He paused, thinking about Vesper, how in fact he considered her to be a friend, but he decided not to mention this; "New Dawn is a wolf pack, and this means that only wolves can join it. This is not out of fear or hate, but instead, out of a respect for the natural way of things. Coyotes have, and always will be, loners by nature. I respect Ezekiel in Inferni for being able to keep that clan together for such a long time, even in the face of how unnatural it is... but there are many things happening nowadays that are causing the Luperci to go against their natural ways it seems. I do not feel this way, and the others in New Dawn do not feel this way, and so we have gathered together under similar world views."
Zalen shifted his sitting position in the dirt before continuing, "I however cannot speak for every member in my pack. There may be some here who harbor true hate towards coyotes, but as long as they act in a way befitting those of New Dawn, their feelings are their own and I would not punish them for such." He hoped that this would satisfy the Ichika man, but he felt that it would take much more for Saluce to trust them.
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