56 Company

I'd done the first watch. The moon was high and revealed the men had settled. Some tossed and turned, others were just out cold, but none had thought to post lookouts. I shook my head.
Tapping Xin on the arm, "your watch, I'm going to get a few hours. Watch them, there's no one on sentry."
She silently settled up, stretched and reached over to the kettle. Pouring hot water for herself she raised her drinking pot and I settled to sleep.
It seemed like only seconds later she was repeatedly tapping me.
"Visitors," was all she said.
I lifted myself out of my dreams and looked about. 
Pairs of eyes looked in at us, a quiet but menacing growl emanating from their direction.
Men started and began to scramble to their feet, " Stay Still!" Xin barked.
"If you want to stay alive, stand up, place your hands together in front of you and keep your eyes down! Never look a wolf in the eyes! Do not move! Do not speak! Do not try any heroics! I will kill the first person to disobey! I hope I make myself perfectly clear!"
She'd certainly learnt a few tricks in the Ale Houses. I grinned, but had other matters to deal with.
Stepping forward, I approached the wolf pack. I made noises indicating my superiority of rank and strength.
I could see this was a young pack with ten or so members. It was probably an up and coming group but still slinked along the edges.
I squatted, opened my trousers and spritzed my urine on the floor. Standing, I stepped back, inviting them to taste the scent.
Dutifully, they followed etiquette and establishing my credentials stood for a while. A lead male came forward, teeth bared, he was not willing to accept my superiority. 
I responded in kind, knowing his next move. As he lunged I slashed out cutting his neck. It was superficial but he knew I wasn't going to kowtow to him. He lunged again grabbing my forearm in his teeth. At the same time I grabbed a back leg and flipping him over, pushed my forearm further into his mouth until it was practically breaking his lower jaw. 
I growled, telling him I was ready to slash open his belly if he continued.
He struggled but couldn't move. 
The pack moved back and watched as their alpha was beaten. I howled superiority, he let my arm go and I flipped him into the air. He landed awkwardly but he was still alive. I walked over to him and squatted down holding my head high. He submitted and dropping his head he acknowledged I was pack dominant.
Stepping back, I let the rest of the pack come and sniff me.
One female came forward and acted differently to the rest. 
She came in front and sat down like a dog. Lifting one of her front paws, she reached up and whimpered. 
I looked into her eyes and saw Alpha.
Squatting down I hugged her, pushing my face into her neck. Drinking in her scent was pulling me back to times long gone.
"Xin! This is one of Alpha's "
She came over, tears on her face, "oh Alpha, how I miss you," and with that cuddled the female too.
The bitch was beside herself, licking, jumping, bouncing around us. She pushed some youngsters towards us. They were wary but seeing their (we presumed) mother being so friendly with us, they relaxed and came in to be petted, to smell and to get acquainted.
The men had frozen where they stood, feeling exposed in nothing but under trousers, fear was rising in their throats. So much so even I could smell it.
Xin was the one to speak first, I was lost under a mountain of wolves.
" Stand still and let them sniff your groin. This is them getting to know you, wolf style. Once they know your scent and accept you as part of Niao's pack, you will be safe in their territory. 
However, there's an unwritten rule which says if you make a kill, you are duty bound to leave them a gift. A deer would be head, neck, entrails. A bird? Catch two, leave one. I'll explain later but for now, relax, but don't sit just yet, not until they're gone." 
With that she turned back to the meeting and greeting. It was going to be a fun time.

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