Some Not So Alone Time

Growl's packmates were languidly hanging out on the street where the battle had taken place. They, in human form, and Jacqueline's bite had cleared away the dead and moribund bodies of the irradiated werewolves. The human crowd had grown significantly and members of their Council were playing damage control with the frightened and stunned populace. Jacqueline landed gently a few meters away from Nyx Beta, gave Growl a discreet smile and walked over to the Council members, each of whom had scrambled away from their people to come and report to or address her. Growl stared after her as Nyx approached him and as Bastion and a coterie of other vamps leaped over a throng of people to land lightly near their queen.

"See something you like?" Nyx asked acerbically, stopping beside Growl. He cleared his throat and acted nonchalantly. "So what did you go look at that took over an hour?" The question was perfectly rational, but the tone was condemnatory.

"Uh, some entrances we, uh, we have to plan an assault into out in Brooklyn." He prayed the false lead worked. "Jacqueline thinks she knows where the werewolves originated."

"Where?"

"She won't, uh, say... for now." The lie sounded to glaring that, even on his dark skin, he blushed furiously.

Nyx glanced sidelong at him. Her silence lasted for some time. Just when he was getting ready to speak, just to break the silence, she spoke up. "Well, some of the humans at our place have been wanting to go on mission with us." Growl was stunned, and amused.

"They wouldn't even be able to keep up if we jogged," Growl replied, sneering in derision. The nerve!

"Them being so inactive isn't helping matters at all."

"Them being active wouldn't help matters any, either! They're not being inactive - most of them have their duties and responsibilities."

Nyx sucked her teeth in frustration. "It's not enough, Growl. They need to be blooded, so to speak. They're getting tired of just sitting around."

"Guarding against supernatural beings isn't blooded enough?" Growl asked cynically, then folded his brawny arms across his equally brawny chest. Nyx could hear the italics in "blooded," as the Alpha softly protested the humans' suggestion. She laughed at him suddenly. When he looked at her, eyebrows raised, she laughed even harder, garnering stares from some nearby individuals. "I'm glad you find the situation so amusing!"

Her laughter trickled to a wide smile. "It's not what you said, babe. It's how you're standing, in your Imperious Rex stance." He smirked, but did not uncross his arms. She leaned against him, wrinkling her nose. "Man, that vampire scent strong on you, eh!"

Growl shrugged. "She did press up on me as she carried me for the better part of an hour!"

"I'm not beefing."

"About the humans who want to go with us-"

"Let it lie, Growl. We'll finish that convo later. There's a bit of work to be done now." He grunted in accession. They both reconnoitered the area immediately around the Alfred E. Smith Houses, paying special attention to the manholes. A few other werewolves joined them on their trek around the projects; it was usually more prudent to use one's human form around humans; plus it was more convenient and more feasible, as the sewers could be a tight space for werewolves. How had those irradiated creatures even maneuvered? Growl saw broken, burst and dented pipes, and equally abused cement walls, anywhere along the route the irradiated werewolves had taken. He understood, then, how they had maneuvered down here: difficultly.

Getting back to the front of the dilapidated housing projects a full hour later, Growl and Nyx gave a report to Queen Ketch and her Council about where the blind spots in her territory were, the number of guards to be placed at certain areas, the areas where to place said guards, and other security concerns. Nyx could not help but notice how attentive Queen Jacqueline was whenever Growl was speaking but how disinterested she became when anyone else, particularly Nyx had the floor. Jacqueline had more than enough people to beef up the security, even if the community had to expand as more newcomers were welcomed in.

"As far as expanding, Queen Ketch, I think you should expand west, directly towards our location," Growl proposed. Jacqueline smiled widely. Growl returned the smile. Off to the side, Bastion and Nyx mockingly traded fake wide smiles in mimicry of their respective leaders. Some nearby werewolves and vampires laughed.

"That's a superb idea, Growl Alpha. It would be a line that could one day see us moving northward as a concentrated and growing unit." Members of her Council nodded. They would, Jacqueline thought derisively. Weak humans. Some members of Jacqueline's bite were trading anecdotes with a few of Growl's packmates.

"Well, I guess it's time we took our leave," said Growl. Queen Ketch became somber. "We're a minute or two away, in case of any other emergency. Those of us with the ability to be here at such short notice, anyway."

"Not everyone can be an Alpha, Your Highness," Nyx murmured. All Alphas were princes, and thus to be addressed as "Your Highness," but there was only one King Alpha, unknown, as yet, although all Alphas knew their King existed. Was there an extant "Queen Alpha"? Growl mentally shrugged as he held up his hands in silent surrender to Nyx.

"I have told my Council of Governors all about you and our earlier meeting, to which they would have been privy later on, in any case." Queen Ketch's Council stood not too far off, looking directly at Growl and the others. "All my people, including the humans under me have been briefed that any werewolf on our premises will be welcome."

Growl inclined his head in thanks. "You can still mentally reach out to me concerning any werewolf on your premises." He turned to Nyx. "So that I can identify the werewolf as coming from my pack or... otherwise." He knew he had to explain himself to Nyx, who was his second in command. She sniffed and stuck her nose up in the air, crossing her arms and unconsciously mimicking his same "Imperious Rex" stance from just a few minutes ago. But it was a good plan. They would walk in human form up to the West side, back to their headquarters. Queen Ketch shook Growl's hand, gazing up at him and lost in his mocha colored eyes.

"Don't be a stranger, Growl Alpha. I'm only a thought away. We'll meet up in a couple of days to plan on how to answer to this attack." She suddenly became serious.

"I have heard you loud and clear, Queen Ketch." They stared into each other's eyes a few moments more before turning away from one another.