Stern gave a look to each member as he explained, as though to make sure they all understood his full meaning - tonight was a little different than most. Tonight was the night of the Moonlight Howl. And the small bodied 늑대 made sure that everyone knew.

"Tonight is the Moonlight Howl." He started, all business "I know 당신 all wish that we would have no patrols tonight, but suck it up. Its gotta be done, especially tonight."
He walked around each member, passing his gaze from one to the next, locking their full attention even after he moved from 늑대 to wolf.
"Its a bright night. Everyone will be enjoying festivities. Its not uncommon for intrusions to happen along out borders, especially during this time of year. Anyone who wants in always figures that with the party, no one will notice them slip in and out. They're most often wrong on that point."
Stern now walked his way between Dolph and Ayame, leaving the center of the circle. Each 늑대 moved to line up in front of him as he made a few paces and turned around.
"Our recent luck with the 노새 Deer most likely hasn't gone unnoticed." He continued, giving the rundown to each party member, "Being that, we'll 더 많이 than likely have incursions from the East, if any. That's the closest place to the herds. We'll double patrols there."

He paused for a moment, his eyes began to gleam in the light from the rising moon. It looked like it would be quite large, judging of what glimpse could be seen from the horizon.
Except for the sounds of excitement and merry making in the distance, the area was deathly silent, each 늑대 awaiting their instructions for the evening.

"Dolph," The 스타우트 늑대 started again, cutting through the silence, "You and Ayame will take the North-Eastern borders."

"Got it." Dolph's deep voice rang out, Ayame simply nodded.
Stern moved to the 다음 set of wolves, The Omega and the Veteran Beta,
"Peace, I want 당신 on the North-Western borders, stick to the trees. Felan, You're flying solo tonight - 당신 have South-West border Duty. Remember what you've been taught."

"Right."
"Got it."
The two sounded off respectively.

"Shade... Think 당신 can make the long run tonight?" Stern asked, his voice softened when he spoke to Shade, carrying some concern for him, speaking the way only a friend would.
"Do 당신 even need to ask?" Shade replied, grinning as though there should be any 질문 in the first place.
Stern nodded for a moment before breaking his eye contact with Shade and turning to Eight.
"And Eight... 당신 know the drill, you're with me."
"You got it, Boss." Eight nodded with his simple statement and each 늑대 waited for the same thing they waited for each night.

"Alright." Stern started, sounding off loudly, standing full and tall toward the 늑대 who faced back, proudly ready to do what they needed to do for their hunt leader, "We've all got jobs to do. Lets go do them."

With that final word, just as every night, each 늑대 before Stern headed out at a paced run toward their respective directions, heads low, mouths closed and ears straight up running as silent and fast as they could.
They took this work seriously, even Felan and though he was the newest and in training, he caught on quickly. He'd make a fine addition to the patrols, and 더 많이 늑대 were beginning to take note of it.

Stern himself faltered, as he usually did for just a moment, observing things as they began. Eight took little time to line up with him, facing the direction they were to be traveling in. And tonight, he did so without a word, something new he was trying out to appease the gruff, squatty Beta.
Eight looked to Stern time and again over the 다음 passing seconds. They'd normally be well on their way 의해 now but Stern was stalling for some reason, he was in thought.
Eight, not wanting to break his silence 또는 be reprimanded stayed quiet and broke his ready stance instead, questioning with his body rather than his mouth.
Stern took note and immediately his inquisitive look was buried, his perked ears returned to their normal height and his glazed expression faded away.

"Eight, uh..." Stern started, stammering for some reason, "Actually, I've got another idea."

Eight cocked his head to one side, losing his stance entirely now. What was this 늑대 concocting in that head of his?
Eight didn't know, but what he did know was that whatever it was was unorthodox. Stern wouldn't allow such time to pass during a normal night, it creates holes in the perimeter. Eight only shook his head and shrugged while waiting, there was so much wrong with this situation, he didn't know where to begin.

"Actually, I think I'm going to pick up this leg of the run myself tonight." Stern looked Eight in the eyes, swaggering this way 또는 that, putting on a thin layer of his usual cocky attitude, but it was hard to buy into it. Something else was up. The inquisitive look remained on Eight's face.
Stern still fumbled for a moment, trying to mask whatever his plan was 의해 putting up his usual front.
"Y'know, we just, uh, don't need the extra 늑대 power tonight probably... I mean, I doubt anyone will try to make a pass at our herd anyways so... uhh..."

The smaller 늑대 stopped making eye contact completely now, Eight saw exactly what he was doing. Awkwardly making excuses. But to what end?
That 질문 was answered almost immediately as Stern made eye contact again, briefly.
"Why don't you, y'know, Take the night off 또는 something? I'm sure 당신 can find something to do. The Howl's tonight, so, uh... there's, y'know, that."

Eight was taken back for a moment, he cocked his head further to one side and furrowed his brow in a vague attempt to understand just what was happening. Was Stern trying to do something KIND? It certainly appeared so, but why?? A million thoughts raced through his head, From it being a trick, to that Stern just really wanted him out of his 모피 tonight.

"Uh..." Eight began, hardly knowing what to say, "Thanks, Stern...?" He blinked widely taking a step back. Stern still wasn't making much eye contact with him.

"Yeah, yeah, ahem. Y'know, just uh... Go enjoy the festivities and all. I'll bet that little Omega of yours will be surprised..." Stern stammered out again.
Eight smiled at him. He was doing something kind. A welcome change indeed! Not only that, but it looked like he'd have the evening to spend fraternizing with the rest of the pack members after all!

"Yeah. Yeah, I just may do that." Eight said with a still slightly uncertain grin as he started a slow pace toward the rock, looking at Stern the whole time as he passed. He made a few slow feet of distance away from the squatty 늑대 before turning once 더 많이 to look. Stern hadn't looked up nor moved, as though he was still in thought. He glanced back at Eight for a moment, immediately casting his gaze around elsewhere,
"What?" He demanded, his usual tone returning.
Eight simply smiled,
"Thanks."

Stern held a paw up to silence him and without a word pointed Eight in the opposite direction, telling him 'Go before 당신 get dragged back to Duty, Runt.'.


Eight smiled again, his feelings becoming extatic now with anticipation of his own. The sore feeling in his body now left completely, he didn't even remember it anymore, let alone notice it. He felt awake, hell, he felt alive! Now he felt the same energy he noticed around the common grounds today, he knew what anticipation he was missing out on.

He turned once 더 많이 to look to Stern to see only an empty 우주 where he had been. Smiling, the 늑대 turned and began his evening of preparing for the Howl. There wouldn't be much time, but he could find enough to at least groom himself, surely.
The moon was traveling its way upwards still into the sky, and it was a large one tonight. The light it cast illuminated everything, casting hard shadows in pale blue light.
Even with the cold night air, he could tell that every member of the pack was already arriving to the howling rocks, the sound of noise and laughter traveled well in the dense night air.



His paws found speed, his sprint began. There was work to do tonight, though, of a different variety than he had anticipated.


Tonight was going to be a fantastic night. He could feel it in the air.