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Such a hassle this had all turned out to be. Alnitak's moment of gloating had long since passed, as now the litter of pups residing within her were starting to slow hr down. They made her tired, hungry, and simply gave her a harder time trying to go about her duties. Her nightly patrols took two to three times as long, due to the constant breaks she had to take to catch her breath.

Alnitak now sat atop a rock, stopped on one such break to catch her breath. She wasn't even a halfway through with her patrol and was already tired. The red female closed her eyes, head lowered as she listened to her own breathing.

A voice caught Aln’s attention, as well as the quick paw steps of someone running towards her. She turned her head and looked through the night to see a familiar male coming her way. She remembered him. That orange male she had met near the borders who had, at the time, not wanted to come in for reasons she saw as weak. She sneered as she raised her head to meet the oncoming wild dog.

“Help?” She stood slowly, huffing lightly at the thought. “I don’t need help, I am doing just fine.” With that she started to slowly walk away, following the path she had walked every day for so long.

Alnitak fell to a halt. This mongrel dared call her weak? Aln was nothing of the sort! She was strong, needed no one’s help to prove this, however she felt there was somehow truth to what he said. If she kept it up like this she could end up unable to even do half her patrol, and it would certaqinly do her no good if she couldn’t even more.

However it was his last statement that caused her to spin around, if a bit unsteadily, and snarl. “I will not fall to this and let her take over the whole of the pack! i won’t see it fall again!” She spat out, the growl finally leaving her maw, low after her words.

The sudden burst of emotion forced her to sit once more. She could barely do her patrol, and a fit of anger was even too much for her right now. It was simply ridiculous. Alnitak closed her eyes once again, falling silent as she listening once more to her own breathing, trying to slow it and calm herself. “Fine.” She finally spoke, golden eyes slowly opening to fall upon him. “I will accept your help, this time.” Was all she said. If he could help her at least get through her patrols, then perhaps it would not be too bad.

Alnitak waited silently as the male left, returning shortly with some sort of plants she could not identify. Aln was not much for herb identification, but also figured this male dare not trick her in to taking something that would make her ill. The female sniffed warily at the herbs though, before snapping them up. They were unsurprisingly terrible, tasted nothing as sweet as the meat of some well earned hunt, however she pushed the thought aside and chewed them up. Gallifrey’s final statement received a snort in reply, unable to speak for the moment. The herbs were swallowed, as she could not stand their taste in her mouth any longer.

“Good, I will need the strength. I don’t want to be lying about for too long.” She finally replied, her mouth free of the bitter herbs. “As for Alnilam.” She snorted once more, but did not continue whatever it was she had been about to say.

The Baraza stood and inhaled deeply. She was surprised to find herself a bit better, which was much sooner than she had though the herbs would work. Truthfully it was more than she had expected as well. “It seems to be working already.’ She spoke as she started to take a few steps forward. It would likely still take longer than she would have liked to get through her patrol, but at least it seemed more likely she would be able to complete it now.

Alnitak paused, staring thoughtfully up at the night sky. “I can handle the bitter taste,” She spoke, her gaze still locked upon the heavens. “If these herbs can help me keep my strength up.”

Finally the Baraza turned to look back at the male. Her gaze was as stern as ever, staring down the male. However after a moment that look softened, though only slightly. “Thank you, Night Gallifrey. If I should require more of these herbs of yours I will call for you.” She nodded back at him, which was as close as she would ever come to bowing, before turning and walking away to finish her patrol.