[jobiehanna]

Jordan loved his family and his friends. But no one understood him. They all thought he was weird -- strange even. Maybe he was, but what did that matter? He had grown up here. He'd always been a part of the pack. Apparently, his views were too different for his packmates.

You see, Jordan didn't believe in fighting or territories or any of that stuff. He wanted a free life where no one had to struggle for survival. His pack was the strongest in the area, but Jordan could see the poverty in the packs closest to his. And it wasn't their fault. It was his.

Why? Because he was the chosen male to become leader when his father passed. Since Jordan didn't look the role of a future leader, his father was trying to make him into one by attacking neighboring packs. Jordan didn't see the sense of it, because he just wanted peace. Maybe he should have stopped his father, but he never could. He didn't have the guts to stand up against the leader.

[jobiehanna]

Jordan was on guard duty today. However much he protested this position, he was always placed in it. He suspected it was to help him appear stronger. But all he really had to do was walk the perimeter in search of trespassers. So that's what he was doing, pacing the large perimeter of their territory.

The male and female he was on duty with were pacing in the direction towards him, so that they could check in whenever a pass around was completed. Of course they were not walking together but several yards apart. Jordan ensured this, so that there was more time between the sweeps of the area.

Just as he was completely his third lap of the day, he heard a pained screaming coming from a few yards away. It sounded feminine, but the female he was working with was about the same distance away, but behind him. He was sure of that, because he had just passed her a few minutes before. Confused, he sped up his pace to catch up to the voice. He couldn't see anything yet, but the screaming continued.

Arriving on the scene, he spotted the familiar blue-gray coat of the male in his pack and a stranger with a dark pelt and golden markings. Reagan, his pack mate, was on top of the female, pinning her to the ground. It sounded as if he was interrogating the frightened female. Jordan's eyes flickered from the female to the male and back to the female. She looked pained, dirty and scared. He was appalled that Reagan would attack such a fragile, frail looking creature.

"Reagan," he barked harshly. Normally he wouldn't have used such a tone, but these weren't normal circumstances. "Get off," he ordered with a hard stare. The blue-gray male glanced up with a surprised look on his face and then backed off. He immediately launched into a tale filled with excuses as to why he had attacked the female. But Jordan shook his head and turned to the female.

She was still lying on the ground, but her screaming had stopped. Her frightened maroon eyes looked wildly around, finally settling on him. She let out a whimper and cowered lower to the ground. Jordan shot a look at Reagan, then took a step toward the female. He cleared his throat, "Miss," he began gently. "Are you okay? What happened?"

[jobiehanna]

Veronica couldn't believe her ears. This male was being nice to her? The other had simply attacked her on site. She hadn't known this was another pack's territory, or she would have stayed clear. Or would she? She was so tired, dirty and hungry she wasn't sure how much longer she could go on. It had been a week since her banishment, and the open wilderness was not treating her very nicely.

Oh, her banishment. How had she been so dumb, so stupid? It wasn't her fault the man had been a spy. Father was furious at her, and Mother was in hysterics. The male she had picked as a mate was a spy for the other large lucain pack in the area, and Veronica had fallen for his tricks. But when she told her parents that she had been tricked, they called her a liar. It was her fault Father was missing half their food supply and the drafts for their next attack.

But it got worse, so, so much worse. The spy had poisoned her eldest brother, killing him immediately. That had been the last straw for Father. Immediate banishment for her, and a death sentence for the spy if he ever showed his face again.

Veronica shook her head slowly, tears welling in her eyes. Eric, Eric was gone and it was all her fault. She didn't have a shred of sympathy for the traitor left in her anymore. At first their was pity, but now their was only hate. She looked into the caring violet eyes of the male before her and tried to speak, but the only thing that came out was a pitiful sob.

[jobiehanna]

Jordan shot Reagan another look, warning him to keep quiet. The other male only stood motionless, surprised by the prince's rough manner. It was rare that Jordan was ever so take-charge, but when he was, he was listened to.

"There, there," he said calmly to the female as she uttered a small sob. He really had no idea what to do, but if he could get her story he could help her. Otherwise, she would be imprisoned by his father for trespassing. "Just tell me what happened, I can help you," he urged gently.

[jobiehanna]

Veronica looked back up at the male with the violet eyes, wishing she could tell him what happened. But she was sure he'd want to hear about what happened before she got here. Her eyes went wide remembering the sudden ambush. "Well, I, um, I-I-I d-didn't know this was anyone's territory, I'm just passing th-through," she managed to stutter out between deep breaths and sobs. "Before I knew it, this male was racing toward me growling and snarling. He didn't even tell me what was going on before he had me pinned. I'm too weak to fight, so I just laid there as he fired snarling questions at me. I didn't know what to do, so I screamed and hoped someone would come," she said. As she spoke her words grew stronger and more confident.

She glanced toward the blue-gray male, and watched as he approached the one before her. Veronica could definitely tell the male with the violet eyes was the superior one, but Blue-gray didn't seem to worried about breaking rank. She wondered what was up with that.

[jobiehanna]

Jordan snarled, warning Reagan to back off. The other male stopped in his tracks. The Jordan approached him. He wouldn't allow it the other way. It was a show of dominance, he knew that, but he couldn't allow the female to think something was up. He nodded, signalling that it was okay for the male to speak.

"That's Veronica, sir," Reagan said in a lowered voice. At Jordan's quirked eyebrow, he continued. "Daughter of Van Hugh, sir. She was labeled a traitor a week ago and banished." Reagan glanced at the female again, then back to Jordan. "Don't you pay attention?" He added in an even lower whisper.

Jordan glared at Reagan. So that's why he had attacked the female like he had. She was the daughter of their rival pack! Maybe she couldn't be trusted, but he couldn't like Reagan treat her like he had. Of course, no one in their pack knew why she was a traitor, but he was sure they'd learn soon enough. It would be expected of him to take her to his father for interrogation. He sighed, wishing he didn't have to.

He turned away from Reagan and back to the female. "Reagan tells me you are Van Hugh's daughter, miss," he said in a flat tone. "I have to take you back to our leader for questioning," he informed her with a small frown.

[jobiehanna]

"What?" She gasped as she scrambled to her feet. He was going to turn her in! She glanced wildly around her and searched for a quick route out. But even as she thought of escape, her stomach rumbled and her muscles revolted. She couldn't outrun these two in her state! Like she had anywhere to go anyway.

The violet eyed male turned to the one called Reagan and nodded his head. In an instant there were metal shackles around her legs, binding them together. There was enough chain to allow her to walk, but not to run. She glared at the pair and looked down at her legs miserably. Veronica had heard of such magic, but had never seen it done before. It surprised and alarmed her. What other tricks did they have up their sleeves?

Violet-eyes nodded his head again, and Reagan began to walk in front of her. He growled low, a warning not to try anything risky. She rolled her eyes, what could she do? "Let's get going then," Violet-eyes told her gruffly. "Just follow Reagan, I'm right behind you." Veronica huffed angrily, but shuffled obediently behind the blue-gray male.