Chapter 4d

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A sudden, sharp pain shot through his ribs as something solid connected with his side. Finbar’s eyes flew open, his instincts flaring as he rolled onto his paws, ready to defend himself. The bright noon light filtered into the den, far more intense now than the dim grayness of the morning. He blinked against it, adjusting to the sudden glare.

Beside him, his mate giggled. “Sorley!”

Standing above him was a wolf he had never seen before. A male with a muscular frame. His eyes were a striking buff brown, friendly and full of life. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. The wolf was tall, having angular features and a long tail that flicked back and forth lazily. His coat was layered with hues of sandstone, copper, and dark mahogany, catching the light in a way that made it shimmer with every small movement.

The wolf was clearly strong, but his expression radiated a warmth that immediately put Finbar at ease, even if the rude awakening had startled him.

"Ah, I see you’re up," the wolf, named Sorley, said with a wide grin, a playful spark dancing in his stare. "Didn’t mean to kick you so hard—just wanted to get you moving. I figured a little push might do the trick."

"Well, it worked," Finbar muttered, somewhat annoyed, still shaking off the remnants of sleep. His sides ached a bit from the rough wake-up, but the pain was already fading into the background. He glanced at Willow, who was curled up beside him with a mischievous smile, clearly entertained by Sorley’s antics.

“Sorry,” she chuckled, nudging him softly with her nose. “Sorley doesn’t know the meaning of ‘gentle.’ That’s pretty much all of us, though, we’re wolves after all."

Finbar chuckled along, his irritation dissipating quickly. "I guess I can forgive him," he said, standing up and stretching out his sore muscles. "But you could have given me a few more moments of peace, at least."

Sorley shook his head with an exaggerated sigh, his tail swishing through the air behind him. "No time for peace, my friend. The pack’s waiting to see what you’ve got. You want to do the whole ‘proving yourself’ thing, don’t you?"

Finbar paused and perked up his snowy white ears, memories quickly returning to him. The previous day's events rushed back—the trial, and the overwhelming pressure to show everyone what he was made of.

Despite the looming challenge, he could not help but feel slightly more at ease with Sorley around; he was an interesting character, but friendly nonetheless. Having allies within the pack would be quite useful, and served to relax him further.

"Alright, I’m ready then," Finbar said, though there was still a hint of uncertainty in his voice. He glanced once more at Willow, who offered him a reassuring smile.

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"Don’t worry," she said, her voice full of confidence. "You’ll do great. They’ll love you!”

With that, he took off with Sorley.

“So,” Finbar began as they walked side by side, “What exactly are we doing?”

Sorley glanced at him with an amused glint in his eye. “Nothing too complicated. A few tests of strength, agility, and teamwork. We just want to see if you’re pack material. It’s not just about being strong, though that helps. It’s about showing you can work with us.”

Finbar nodded, absorbing the information. His body still felt stiff from sleep, but the fresh air and the task at hand were waking him up fast. He could feel the strain in his muscles loosening with every step, and his mental cognition sharpening. The grass, dry and warm beneath his paw pads, was like silk; it was rather nice to feel, compared to the cold wetness that fell on the earth the day before.

Sorley caught his gaze and grinned. “Besides,” he added, “this is also a way for the others to get used to you being around. You’ve got some earning of trust to do, but don’t worry—I’ll be there to make sure they don’t give you too hard of a time.”

Finbar raised an eyebrow. “And why are you being so friendly toward me? You don’t know me, and you have no real reason to be.”

Sorley shrugged. “Let’s just say I believe in giving everyone a fair shot. Not everyone’s going to see it that way, but I’m willing to see what you’re made of before deciding what I think of you. Plus,” he added with a wink, “Willow’s vouched for you, and her word carries weight.”

Finbar couldn’t help but feel a surge of warmth at that. He glanced at Sorley, grateful for the male’s support: “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

Sorley nodded, his tone turning more serious, looking ahead. “Just keep your chin up, Finbar. Show them who you really are.”

Soon, Finbar spotted a wolf seemingly waiting for them at the edge of the camp. He recognized the wolf, who came up to greet them; it was the brown-and-silver female that had clamped her jaws down on his nape to bring him to the Alpha.

She approached with a measured, confident gait. “Greetings,” her voice came tinged with hostility. “My name is Silvera, and I will be overseeing your progress today.”

Finbar avoided eye contact with her for a moment, posturing himself respectfully, tail and head lowered. "Silvera," he acknowledged her name.

“Silvera’s one of our best,” Sorley said, his tone light but respectful. “You’re in good hands with her.”

The white wolf-dog found it hard to remain fully relaxed, but he took his new friend’s word for it.

“Thank you, scout,” Silvera smiled subtly at Sorley, her stance regal and majestic. Her silver markings were rather beautiful in the sun, glimmering like light upon rippling water. “Let’s move, and get this over with.”

With a deep breath, Finbar mentally prepared himself for whatever it was that was in store for him. He hoped that it would be forgiving toward him, perhaps even easy; he was so new to all of this, to pack life, to their customs and all. Having wolf blood did not make him feel anymore confident, even though it probably should have; maybe it would aid him during his training.

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Everyone, meet Finbar! I've drawn his reference sheet for you all to enjoy.

image [https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/72af4843-17ee-4661-8112-3a9494aee0c0/di48xe5-4480a6e0-6be6-47f7-af3c-9597643445e1.png/v1/fill/w_1088,h_735/reference_sheet___finbar_by_kiyoshoart_di48xe5-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MjA1NSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzcyYWY0ODQzLTE3ZWUtNDY2MS04MTEyLTNhOTQ5NGFlZTBjMFwvZGk0OHhlNS00NDgwYTZlMC02YmU2LTQ3ZjctYWYzYy05NTk3NjQzNDQ1ZTEucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTMwNDEifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.ghpaM2hIX18Ue0ibDo75S8NTZWXjeKJKD_eBCnUkF9c]