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It was a fact that all creatures could experience a change in the world. Be it the temperature change of the seasons, or the earth eroding away under their feet... the transition of stages of life or the ebb and flow of sickness or injury. In one form or another, it was felt. Regardless of a creature's sentience, it was not a part of life that could be ignored. Though some did not take kindly to how these indescribable sensations overtook their lives.

A shame that such a calm, controlled beast would fall as one that did not experience a change within her stable world whole heartedly. The change of the seasons, the changes in the stages of life, these she could handle and understood as any living being would. But the change in dynamic, of atmosphere, of mood... she could not readily accept this without first knowing what had brought it about. But where to begin... how would she inquire? She knew of a cause and could see its result but did not understand why it lingered like this. Why would he allow this to affect him so?

The dynamic of the Alphas of Sangi'lak had shifted. Any with eyes could see this as it transpired. Though they smiled to each other and were tender in touch to the public eye, little more resided beyond those gestures as of late. The lingering touch of fondness had faded to little more than a brush. The exuberant smiles of undying love, reduced to a smoldering flame nearly suffocated by an overbearing weight. Sense would have dictated that the two share words and resolve what troubled the others mind, but on part of the female, there was little reason for her to do so because she already knew the cause of this rift and selfishly chose not to recall it.

Rather, she would depart from the den shared by her companion and retreat to the idle gardens where she found much solace. When agitation pricked at her muscles and command that she move, she practiced her footing atop the solid pillars as a means to release the excess energy. She had become sluggish as of late, she could tell this by her daily heavy strides. Had she remained Home, her brethren would have scolded her for allowing her to become so comfortable in this lifestyle. Where was the drive to train? Where was her ambition to better herself for the pack? But she would argue, was doing so physically enough? Or was there more... much more she could do to better herself for the pack? And if so...would she have to do this alone? Would his heart's indecision keep them further apart...

Her forelimb grazed the top of the stone but her weight was shifted to the wrong load bearing paw. Her dismount was graceless, a tumble of golden fur and autumn mane laid like a pile of leaves beneath the stone. It was in lying there upon the cool dawn grasses that she felt her muscles burn for the first time in a long. It was the uncomfortable pain of weakness leaving the body. But if only this same pain could be said for the heart.

Exercised muscle endured another kind of pain as it was stretched and realigned to suit a different form. Still she remained on the ground as the transformation took hold then gradually rose when reformed arms would allow her to do so. Beneath her golden coat her muscles throbbed and ache, but the pain was pushed aside as the Exultare would have her do. Despite her hiding away, her wallowing, her troubled thoughts, she was far from done with her training. Fueled by frustration, her dislike of the ominous change she could not place that hung over them, it was doubtful she would end any time soon. Even after the morning birds began their songs and the dew began to evaporate by the spying sun in its rise, she would still be training.

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Pain was relative but progress was absolute. From the dawn until the early morning she maintained this mentality despite the protest of her tormented muscles. Despite the blood that pooled to the surface. What began as rigidity at last flowed into seamless movement. The arch of arms and legs, even the balanced sway of her tail became noticeable even to her mind delved in thought. But she had already dismissed the essential part of her training; clearing one's mind so there was nothing else but fluid movement controlled by instinct. But she knew herself better than to let instinct have its say now. For had she relinquished her full control it would have led her to...

Mid-sweep of her leg she was made to stop by a familiar taunting voice. This was twice now she had seen her friend in his despised form, and it was never short of a surprise to behold. He was clean for once, no doubt maintained from her paw aided to him last and as always with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"Is that so?" she commented lightly while bringing herself to stand up right. "Though as I recall," she smiled, "your limits as a sparring partner were always reached too quickly." As she approached, she took hold of her lengthy mane and quickly wove a braid out of it and knocked the end. "And knowing you, you wouldn't fight fair..." For emphasis to his underhanded fighting tactics, she held firmly to her braid as if expecting him to reach out and grab it. But the gesture was of course in good humor and as she came to stand in front of him, she smiled softly. "But perhaps that is something I should learn to defend against..." But perhaps when her instincts were not setting everything else awry.

Movement drew the woman's eye around her companion to her fellow lead as he approached. His smile as always was met with one of her own though this time coupled with a friendly wag of her tail. "Good morning." Swiftly, she looked from one male to the other though maintained the air of neutrality. "X'ies was just offering to help me train. Perhaps Jaden, you would like to join? It has been a while since I've gone against multiple opponents at once..."

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Even after the time X'ies has spent in the pack, the tension between him and Jaden was still too noticeable for her to ignore. Perhaps she was naive for believing time would settle this dispute between wolves. Perhaps it was a forceful paw they needed to bring an end to their dislikes. But as there was not yet a sharp tongue dealt toward the other, she simply remained watchful, maintaining the soft smile on her muzzle as they skirted around each other.

Attempting to pacify them surely wouldn't have looked good to either of them, especially if it came as a decree from the Alpha. Rather, she looked at their behavior as two wolves that still did not understanding each other and was thus leading them to be at ends. It was childish in her eyes, but like all children they would grow out of it eventually. Though she hoped it would be soon, else she would have to usher the change along with a hard, swift paw. The thought was laughable... but not at all unlikely.

The little rise of humor was abruptly set aside when attention was called to her fellow Alpha's present state. While it was not unlike the Lambda to poke and prod and tease... these words he offered did not have that inflexion often found. She was little more than bothered when he assumed his lesser form as her gaze was then set on Jaden in question. Faint, nearly overtaken by the natural scents that surrounded him, but it was there beneath it all. It was only just before the hunt she had caught a like scent upon the border, fading just as the scent that touched her companion... but it had been there. Of course it could not have been the same as what she believed it to be.

A memory had surfaced itself in her mind, scratching at the back and wanting to me let in and acknowledged. It lingered just on the threshold but slipped further in as she picked and picked how that scent was familiar. She knew she had crossed it...but she found herself distracted in thinking of a description of a yellow dog. She had only one in mind, for it was attached to a memory she could not forget. A pristine white coat drenched in blood... the shock and disgust upon her pupil's face as she replayed the scene she had witnessed. A dog that toyed with a defenseless wolf simply for the pleasure of doing so.

Her gaze did not stray to anything else but the male before her. Perhaps this is what he wanted to discuss.

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Used to the lash of the Lambda's barbed tongue she reacted to his words with little more than a visual cut in his direction. Now was not the time for this bickering, yet she had faith she needn't remind the two males of this. They were grown enough to take notice of this fact and yet her faith was dwindling as they pressed each other onward. X'ies abrasively easing his way into usurping command and Jaden attempted to regain control of a wild beast with a civilized tongue. Such displays were enough to raise the hackles beneath her mane, coupled with the agitation of the mention of the yellow dog.

And she had a name.

...that Jaden was aware of. "Why did neither of you bring this to my attention?" her voice rang out between them, attempting to dismiss this petty argument before teeth were bared. But her effort was useless as her own were shown as slick lips peeled back. They could not have known how significant this information was to her, not without knowing what she had seen in Ichika. Her own encounter with the bitch be damned. What had scarred the life of her former pack mate... that could not be forgotten so easily. And these two had encountered her and said nothing of it. No. They would rather dance around each other instead of setting their petty crap aside. X'yrin had never felt so thoroughly annoyed...so substantially angry.

"Enough!" her fangs snapped the air with an audible click whilst firelit eyes shot from one male to another the finally set on X'ies. This could not have been a coincidence. She knew him to see for that. Why else would he seek her out claiming he had something to discuss just as Jaden had done the same? But his words her made to wait and her piercing gaze shifted to Jaden. "Why?" she growled softly. "What is more important than explaining to me how both of you know this sadistic bitch and chose not to tell me? Or...had it just slipped your minds?"

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It came down to silence though X'ies went on speaking, providing the answers that Jaden seemingly did not want to give. It did not become a matter of discerning whether his words held any truth to them. Such skepticism drifted to naught the loner her fellow lead remained silent. She turned to him then, her face having fallen placid and calm with her ears remained tilted toward X'ies voice.

They had become aggravated, he claimed, when continuous pushed about each other. And she could see it in the obsidian male even now and X'ies went on. This is what all kept him silent that day, thoughtful even when she tried to coax him to play. He was thinking about what he'd learned and was concerned about his Alpha acting violently? X'yrin turned to look at the grey male purposefully, her eyes narrowed with the flesh of her lips quivering in agitation. A poor excuse if ever there was one. He had witnessed the training of the Exultare and damn well knew the training they endured for the sake of thwarting even the most aggressive assailants. A title as a killer meant nothing; a flagrant calling to let others know of the lives they had taken. A call for attention; a false reason to be feared. To assume there was danger for her in a name alone was an insult. But she said nothing on the matter and returned her gaze to Jaden.

Her ear twitched at X'ies's announcement but it was met with a flippant sweep of her tail. "You would risk your only connection with our Family? That does not sound logical of you..." Her words were a placeholder of sorts, a pause for the second conversation that would be had once this bearing the most priority was settled.

But she did not know where to begin with it. A quiet storm rested just on the shores of her control with landfall determined by that answers she needed to receive. But it remained there...resting... lacking direction as she could not bring herself to form the questions that needed to be answered. She feared no pain other than what could be inflicted on her heart. She harbored no rage other than what remained storming within her. She had questions but no answers to receive as they would not yet leave her tongue. How did Jaden know the yellow dog? What was their connection that kept him so silent? Why wouldn't he say anything?

Were they comrades? Were they friends? How any could align themselves with a savage animal was beyond her immediate understanding, but for once she did not want to ponder it. She simply did not wish it to be. Were they once a part of the same pack? Questions and more questions came forth, even inklings to thoughts too vile to consider. But they would remained unanswered unless she breathed them to life. To remain silent was to remain vexed... but was the remedy she sought a cure...or poison?

Peering into the endless depths of her heart's desire, she found in them the means to smooth the rigidity of her form. The internal storm still raged but its reflection was absent from her eyes. "Jaden... please tell me," her voice had never sounded to empty with strain...so weak. "how do you know her?" 'Tell me something to place my mind at ease...'

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His voice was quiet, but audible. Enough that she could grasp his words and the caution laden within. She remained quiet with the commendable patience she was known to possess but struggled to keep it in tact. Within the quiet storm raged on, battering against the walls of her control, fueled by assumptions of the worst that could come from his lips.

Their encounter was more than fleeting, he affirmed. He had saved her...when her life was better lost to Jazper's collective. "You should have let them have her," she growled softly, but kept her temper in check. She silenced herself and let him continue elaborating on their connection. She recalled the dagger he had given to her the night he left Ichika. It was never used but still in her possession, carefully concealed within her piles of furs. Never needed but nostalgic none the less. And it was replaced by a weapon that mongrel had given to him? And they were...friends? Her control lingering by a thread snapped under the soft pressure of his words.

"You would call that bitch your friend?! Have you know idea what she has done?!" Of course he would not know what emotional and physical harm she had dealt to the heart of Ichika. After his departure he would have been ignorant of it, but it did not lessen the volume of her bellow as she poured her rage into every word. Every syllable.

"She is a monster. A beast that needs to be put down! She attacked my packmate and my student with no provocation other than to do it for fun! She cut poor Kiara to pieces! She could have infected her and changed her way of life! Had my student not been there, she would have KILLED HER FOR NO REASON! And you would DARE call her your friend!? You would ALIGN yourself with such evil?" The evil of the dog. A scurge that plagued this living world... out for themselves regardless of who they harmed in the process, attempting to be something other than what they were; weak... cowards. Wayward souls beyond hope of salvation.

"She is NOT your friend," she snapped. "Nor will you speak with her again. And you will rid yourself of ANYTHING she has given to you! If you find her again in the clutches of Death, you let them have her! Any that would maim or kill for enjoyment is not worth saving..."

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Contest were not the words she wanted to hear at that moment. Only compliance should have reached her ears. While he stared at her with anger in his eyes, unprovoked by X'ies but her own words, she stared back with just as much intensity if not more. Her anger was justified, regardless of how he claimed we he would settle the circumstances with Amy on his own. She did not ask him to settle it, she ordered him to leave it be and never encounter her again.

And he was refusing to comply...

"...like a pup." she snarled distastefully as his twist on her tone. "I will speak to you as I see fit. I did not say to give them back to her... nor did I dictate how you would treat her." Her tail then raised, a sign of her asserted dominance of the situation. Her steps were quick but silent as she come to stand in front of him with eyes ablaze in anger. "I said you were to discard her weapons and cease further contact with her. If you pass her, you leave her be and pray the ancestors create a plan leading her to her death." Her lips peeled back as her fangs were revealed. Her voice laden with savagery as each breath was released in fiery passion. "That is what I said you to... and that is what I expect to be followed. ...unless your bond with that mongrel is worth protecting to you..."