[Sodium_noir] a Company of Wolves

[Beth Savage]

Spikey wrote:
*Chester, Nez, Poe, Korben
Bone Gnawer, Uktena, Raven spirit, Bone Gnawer
The Isle of Crabs

> "Ready!" The Elder Garou said with a voice that hinted at tiredness and 
> hope all at once. "But this is your show, the both of you are top dogs 
> here. I'm just along for the ride and to help where I can. Eventually 
> one of you is gonna have to step up to the plate and become pack Alpha, 
> till then its a two man democracy. I go where you say!"

Damn. Nez had assumed that Chester would be alpha. Now what? Could they 
be a democracy? The idea appealed to her intellectually, but she had to 
admit that there was actually a good reason to have an alpha. The 
Garou's strength came from their ability to act as one in times of 
danger- and that only happened if everyone agreed to follow one voice. 
Oddly enough, it was better to have a lousy leader rather than none at all.

But whose voice would be best? Nez had been in temporary packs before 
and had always stayed clear of leadership roles. There had always been 
Silver Fangs and Shadow Lords maneuvering for the top positions. And 
even after a decision had been reached, the maneuvering had continued. 
The only thing worse than a domineering alpha was the losers doing their 
damnedest to undermine him.

Things could be different this time, though. Bone Gnawers didn't seem to 
look for the kind of status that Silver Fangs and Shadow Lords spent all 
their energy trying to acquire. But that also meant that a Bone Gnawer 
alpha would have a tough time getting aid or respect from the sept.

But could Nez be an alpha? Did she have what it took to lead? Could she 
put her interests aside for the good of the pack? In her Tribe, it was 
the spirit-talkers who determined the direction the Tribe would take- it 
would be something that she would eventually be expected to do.

Nez didn't know Korben at all and had no idea of his own desires or 
abilities. Perhaps he would be the best alpha. She sighed. They didn't 
have time to turn this into a debate; there were important things to do. 
The wolf-born didn't have these kind of problems; they just seemed to 
know where they stood in the pack.

That's what she'd do. She'd rely on the wolf to know.

Nez looked at Korben, meeting his eyes in a challenge, listening to the 
instinctive voice inside.