Within The Pack

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Ranks

Alphas
The Alpha and Alphess are mates and they run the pack. Safety of pack members, challenges for lands et cetera fall into their paws. They can accept, decline or kick wolves out and assign ranks. Normally, if the rank was challenged, it would result in a death. This does not always happen but the looser will be kicked out of the pack, unless decided by the winner.

Heir
A Heir is normally an Alpha pup but does not have to be. When one/both Alpha dies, the Heir will step in. If there are no Betas, the Heir will take over things if the Alphas are busy. The Heir can accept, decline or kick wolves out and assign ranks if permission is given by the Alphas. This rank is not available to be fought over, as the Heir is specially selected.

Betas
Normally close friends of the Alphas, they will run the pack if the Heir is too young to do so or if the Heir is away. The Betas are normally mates, but they have to ask permission to breed, like any other. If allowed, they can accept, decline or kick wolves out and assign ranks. This rank can be fought over, but if the Alpha does not recommend the winner as a Beta, the loser can always be reintroduced to the rank, if need be.

Gammas
Normally good friends of the whole pack, this rank is chosen as the most-liked pack member. The chosen member of this rank can not be a Beta/Betess, Alpha/Alphess, Pup, Omega, or Alpha pup. The Gammas are usually the ones that help maintain ultimate stability throughout the pack as a whole. They can resolve matters in the pack, whether they be major or minor. They can help ease the stress sometimes overwhelming the Alpha and Beta pairs. The rank can be fought over, but only after the Gamma and Gammess have had their positions for two months. If the Gamma or Gammess lose their position, the other will still need to maintain the rank, no matter if the two were mates.

Deltess
Within these lands, the Deltess is an unusual rank. The Deltess is highly skilled in all medicine, but have no mate. The Deltess HAS to be a female. No one knows why, exactly, but it has been that way for many generations. The Deltess is considered the Lead Caretaker, so they have the jobs that a regular Caretaker does as well as helping the three higher ranks decide on which decisions may be best medical wise. If one wolf has a serious condition every since birth, and there is but one way to help the wolf, the Deltess is required to know. If it is not know, the Deltess would either be sent out of the pack or given a rank of Omega. The Deltess shall have no pups, and no mate. The Deltess shall have a mate if it is seen fit by the Alpha pair, but they can only have one pup. If the litter is larger than one, the remaining ones will be killed.

Elders
Elders are, obviously, the eldest of the pack. They are wise and often babysit the pups if the Alphas and Betas are away. They share their vast range of knowledge to pups and tell tales, myths or true. There is no limited amount of elders. To qualify for an elder the wolf must be nine years or older. It is common that they were once the Alphas of the pack, are the parents of the current Alphas or Betas, et cetera. Can be either gender.

Caretakers
If the Elders cannot control the pups, a caretaker will step in. Though if there are not Elders in the pack, the Caretaker automatically assumes total control on the pups while the parents are not there themselves. Caring for pups is not the only thing Caretakers are required to do. They are looked after to heal all wolves whether an Alpha or an Omega. They are highly skilled in medicine, and know what to do when a physical injury occurs inside the pack. The Deltess knows every thing there is to know about caretaking. *See Deltess* Normally female, but can be either gender. Sometimes the rank will be fought over, so "followers" of the caretakers are not unusual.

Lead Hunter & Hunters
Hunters make up most of the pack. Some wolves specialize in tracking the prey and so they are called Trackers. They catch scents of prey and stalk it until the Ambushers - who kill the prey - are ready to pounce. There is normally a Lead Hunter, whose skills are sharp and can track/ambush prey equally. Lead Hunter is a rank which can be fought for.

Lead Guardian & Guardians
Guardians often roam around the borders of the pack lands. They notify the Alphas of incoming attacks, new arrivals, et cetera. They also stay behind on pack hunts to make sure no one trespasses. The Lead Guardian maintains the others. Guardians are normally highly respected and if trusted, they can accept, decline or kick wolves out. Lead Guardian is a rank which can be fought for.

Alpha Pups
Alpha pups are the most respected pups in the pack seeming as they were created by the Alpha pair and they are the future of the pack so they are treated very delicately. They are under a year old and so cannot be given a rank as of yet. No limited amount.

Other Pups
These are pups that do not have the Alphas as their sire and dam. They aren't treated as well as the Alpha pups but still play an important role in the future of the pack. Sometimes these pups are killed if permission was not asked of the Alpha/Alphess.

Omega
This is rarely fought over, because no wolf really wants this rank. There's normally one, but more wolves are common in this rank if the pack grows larger. Can be either gender. Higher ranks often take out aggression on the Omega, as the Omega is soft inside and does not take action against others. They are treated poorly and sometimes are placed in the rank because of behavior or attitude toward higher ranks.

Behavior

- If you do not show submission to a higher rank it is possible you may be used as an Omega or you may even get thrown out of the pack.
- Wolves only leave their territory if allowed by the Alphas.
- The pack as a whole cannot leave the grounds.
- Wolves mostly stay together but some pace about by themselves or in small groups.
- Wolves can be aggressive toward lower ranks, but if they sustain an injury to the other it will result in a deep punishment.