Mica stalked through the still lush forests and brushland of the Ruin Valley. As much as she wanted to beleive more of her pakc had surived, she just didn't see how it could be so. Her auburn pelt rippled in the golden sunlight, for a second she forgot about her worries and felt comforted by the warmth. Then she turned her head to the sky and saw the imposing form of the Ember Mountain...all feelings of comfort vanished immediately.

A shrill squeal cut through the silence, Mica's keen ears angled towards the sound. Swiftly she ran to the source of the noise. Her emerald eyed gaze was met with a scene that at once she would've been furious with. A young wolfess greedily tore into a freshly killed boar...the wolfess didn't carry the scent of any pack, she was a loner.

"What is your purpose on Volkenonekan territory, and what gives you the right to steal prey? You are in the presence of Mica, daughter of Renaj and Yukon...speak," the red wolf's alphess nature had won over...she still felt a hint of the commanding wolfess she once had been. But another side of her told her that this wolf was doing no harm, she didn't know which to believe. Thus, her challenge came out somewhat half-hearted and weak.

Mica stared at the young wolf, her green eyes puzzled. 'Why would she care who my parents are?' The ginger alphess studied her closer...she resembled a wolf from her past...but she couldn't quite remember who. She shook away this thought and focused on the wolfess in front of her again.

"Yes, i did indeed say that...what does it matter to you?" she replied, her voice sounding bored and indifferent. Mica really didn't care anymore what became of Volkenoneka...she'd lost all whom she had loved, what more did she have to live for? Volkenoneka no longer exists...I really should stop acting like an alphess...

Mica stared at the chestnut-brown wolfess...Yukon...that's who she resembled. The wolf definately took after her father...she looked almost exactly like Yukon. "Okay...this doesn't mean I'm letting you run freely over my territory. I remember as a very young pup, my father leaving...Renaj was grief-striken, me and my two siblings ere too young to understand. I barely remember anything about him...but you do look very similar to him. We may indeed be half-sisters. Now, I spoke of a pack...it's not truely a pack...most of the members have been killed in a lethal volcanic eruption. I offer you a position in the once-great Volkenoneka...out of the ashes of our old pack we can form a greater one. You may join if you wish...or you may leave."

Mica stared at her half-sister with an emotion slightly like disgust on her face as Eaglewing rambled on and on. When the she-wolf finally stopped talking the auburn alphess said in level tones, "Eaglewing? That name suits you...as to your question about me being leader, of course I'm the leader, or Alphess as I shall be adressed. I would prefer that you searched for surivors...my pups, my mate, my beta and a young fighter were lost in the eruption. I have to be sure they're dead or alive. It's very possible that you're my last living family member as well...but I hope it's not so. You shall see the camp soon enough...it's surprisingly undamaged, only a few bushes on the outer edges were touched by the lava. There's another wolf there...his name is Faellen, I believe he is joining the pack, but I left before I heard his answer. I greatly hope he does, this would give us three members of Volkenoneka. And...if we cannot locate Obsidian, my beta, although I dread to think of pack life without him...you'll become Beta."

Mica wondered faintly how this wolf could stand to talk so much. The alphess attempted to listen intently to her half-sister, but found it hard to follow her babbling. THe auburn wolfess decided to anser her question about Beta, "A beta wolf is the second in command. They organize patrols and hunting parties along with the alphas. Then, there's another important rank...that of the shaman. The shaman is a healer who helps the injured. My mother, Renaj was a shaman...before she died. My daughter, Malaika was to become the next Volkonekan Shaman, but as she traveled to find the only pack shaman, Hatsuyume of Baridiganda I fear a grave fate befell her. Other ranks are scouts, the patrolers, hunters, obviously hunt, and warriors fight the wars that our packs face all too often. You heard me mention Baridiganda...it's a pack to the far north, there's three packs in total. Janichanua is the third pack, their territory lies between ours and Baridiganda's. Now...we are off to search for any surivors of the eruption."