Ajax

Shimmering above, the aurora snapped and crackled. The black hairs on the back of Ajax's neck were raised. He looked up, his old friend, the moon, illuminated the snow covered mountainside with a silvery glow.

The number of times he had seen the full moon was unknown to him, he couldn't count. He knew his pack, he knew if one was missing, or if a pup had been born. The number and it's meaning was lost to the big wolf.

Ajax was at his peak, he had been pack leader for most of his adult life. Occasionally, one of the younger males would rise to the occasion and challenge him, and each time Ajax would emerge victorious. After each victory the pack would approach one by one, the males, heads down tails between legs, whimpering, acknowledging Ajax's supremacy in the pack. The females would approach, as if they were submitting sexually. Finally, the last wolf, a female white, Calistra, den mother, would approach, her head high, sauntering, watching his eyes. As she stood, eye to eye, she would nuzzle her male before sitting beside him.

Nothing was moving, the winter air was cold, and still. As he exhaled the steam from his nostrils rose vertically. Something was out there, he could feel it. His eyes studied the landscape, as his ears twitched to pick up the slightest sound.

He shifted his gaze to his pack. None moved, each was curled up in the snow, bushy tails covering noses. It was a satisfied group, Ajax had led them on a successful hunt, each animal in the pack had eaten their fill of fresh meat.

He turned his attention back down the mountainside. It was still. Nothing moved. In this light, he should at least spot the occasional rabbit, martin, or even a fox. The larger animals would be bedded down. Instinct told him there was another wolf, or a pack down there in the trees. He was being watched.

Ajax pulled himself to his full height and showed himself. This was his range, his territory, the wolves behind him were his pack, and Calistra was his mate. He was proud and there was a swagger to him as he walked back and forth.

For a brief moment he caught a scent. He knew it, but couldn't place it, but it was familiar. It was another wolf in his territory. He fought the urge to run out and track down the intruder. He was lord and master here. Make the whelp come to him.

Calistra had stood, stretched her lithe body and joined him. Her snout nuzzled his neck affectionately for a moment. Her eyes were the shade of gray similar to fall's scudding snow clouds. She looked out over mountainside as heard the low rumbling growl inside of her mate.

There were multiple wolves, how many, he wasn't sure, and it didn't matter. He could pick individual scents, just one seemed familiar, the rest were not. It was time, he decided to let them know that he was aware of their presence. Ajax sat and put his head skyward and began to howl a mournful song. Calistra waited and then added her voice. And then, one by one the rest of the wolves in Ajax's pack joined in on the song, most howling, and a few yipping.

As the black of night gave way to gray of the pre-dawn a smaller group of wolves made their way from out of the trees. They stopped and waited for their alpha to make a move.

Ajax appeared to be aloof, but nothing could be further from the truth. He was on edge, the adrenaline ready to course through his body. One of the females in the smaller pack was coming into heat. He would take her for the pack and possibly sire pups with her.

His own pack moved close behind Ajax and began to become agitated as the intruders began moving up the slope. Instinct told him this was a challenge to his supremacy within the pack. If the intruding alpha won, then the pack would become his, and if he lost he would leave with his tail between his legs, if lucky. His own followers would have the choice to stay or to slink away.

A low rumble started in Ajax's throat as the challenger approached, he stood, lips curled back, fangs bared. The hair on his neck stood up. The low rumble built into an aggressive growl. The growl changed to a snarl, a demand for submission.

The scent was familiar, and the deformed ear, part of it lost in a fight was familiar as well. Deep in the recesses of his memory he searched for understanding. As other wolf curled his tail between his legs, and began make submissive gestures a flicker of memory came alive in Ajax's mind.

The ruse had been used during their first encounter, feigned submission, and at the last moment, this wolf would lunge for his neck. Ajax had been fortunate to not only survive, but to emerge victorious. It had been a brutal fight, the other wolf sensed the tide of the fight turning, had fled. Ajax lunged, his jaws snapping. Their attacks were simultaneous, with the edge going to Ajax.

The other wolf howled in pain as Ajax sank his canines into the back of his neck. The intruder reared up and flung his body backwards, the two wolves rolled down the slope, Ajax let loose instinctively when he struck his head on a rock as they tumbled. They circled and postured, waiting and looking for an oppurtunity that would favor them.

Ajax bared his teeth, and snapped at his opponent. His ears were flattened on his head for protection. He kept his body moving, circling the other wolf. They came together in a crash as Ajax charged. The silence of morning was broken by the violent growls from both animals. A stab of pain surged through him as the other wolf's canines caught his chest for a moment.

The challenger howled as Ajax's jaws clamped down hard on his lower front leg. Ajax began to violently shake the limb. His advantage was short lived as the other wolf snapped dangerously close to Ajax's neck. He backed off, he knew he had hurt the challenger, he had felt a bone snap.

Back and forth they sparred, neither animal gaining an advantage. The tongues of both big males, hung from their mouths as they panted and studied the other. There would be no retreat in this fight, that was obvious. This was a battle to the finish.

Ajax's black fur was stained red in places from his own blood and that of the other wolf. And like Ajax, the other wolf's coat was stained bright red on the top half of his body. Each time Ajax charged, the other wolf moved to his right. And Ajax understood. He also knew his opponent was younger, and the longer the fight went the more it favored the challenger.

Pain flowed through his body, and he was tired. Ajax needed to end this now. He feigned a charge straight ahead, but at the last moment, and as the challenger moved predictably, Ajax felt his jaws clamp around the his opponent's throat. He clamped his jaws down as tight as they would go.

The other wolf realized what was happening moments too late. Like Ajax, he was tired, and he needed all the air he could breathe. Ajax's jaws clamped down, restricting the amount of air getting to the challenger's lungs. The intruder felt his body collapsing around him, he had no strength left to fight Ajax. It was over.

When the opponent went limp, Ajax tore at his throat, damaging it beyond repair. In a matter of moments, the challenger would be dead. Ajax stood over the body and let out a mournful howl in celebration. It was a call as well to the pack to pay homage to their leader, and an order to the wolves that accompanied the challenger to submit or leave.

The exception was the female in heat, Ajax would claim her she would remain with, she would have no choice.

Calistra sat beside her mate as the other wolves began approaching and submitting one by one, acknowledging once again that Ajax was pack leader. She watched warily as one young two year old male stayed behind, his eyes fixed on Ajax. She sensed Ajax was tired and would need time to recover to meet a new challenger.

After all of the wolves had approached Ajax, the juvenile, displaying his youthful arrogance, bared his teeth and postured in contempt. The youngster sensed Ajax's weakness and was fully prepared to take advantage of it.

Even though he was young, he was still larger and outweighed Calistra. As Ajax studied the new challenger, Calistra curled her lips back revealing her teeth. The youngster ignored Calistra. And that was a mistake. Calistra was den mother, second only to Ajax in the pack. Her allegiance was squarely with Ajax.

In a blinding flash, the smaller female tore into the juvenile male, her jaws snapping and ripping at flesh. The swiftness and ferocity of Calistra's attack took the young wolf completely off guard, and sent him running, tail between legs for the safety of the trees. He would lay there, lick his wounds, and before nightfall, he would submit once again to Ajax, and to Calistra.

Calistra rejoined Ajax, and in what seemed affection, nuzzled him. Ajax returned the gesture, rubbing his long snout against her neck. He had survived another challenge by his strength and his wits. And he had survived one more challenge because of the love of his mate.

Love is what binds us all.