Just some questions i need help with

[monoksbones]

I am writing a bit of a story centred around wolves, and its going pretty well so far. Its a fantasy story, but i dont want it to be too far from the truth, so i've been researching wolves a bit as I go. Thought I might ask some questions here while I was at it.

1) If the alpha was to die or be incapacitated, would it be unrealistic for the pack to split to follow two different leader, or would they just fight it out to decide who should be pack leader?

2) Could the leader of one pack fight the leader of another pack, over a territory dispute, and merge the defeated pack with their own?

3) Could a female wolf from a pack be likely to leave the pack and join with an outkast wolf to start their own pack?

4) If one pack was to show some weakness would another use this opportunity to try and take some of their land for where the food is? Along with this, is it likely that the pack showing weakness would try and defend their land?

Thanks for the info in advance. The stories going quite well, i'm up to chapter 10, and going strongly. If theres no objections by the team, i'll post the link to where i have the first 7 chapters on the web. I put it up so I could get some feedback on it.

[wolf2010]

Im not a specialtist but I think I can help you out since wolves have been my favorite animals since elementary school Ive done quite a few research projects for school and fun and have read and own countless wolf books.
1) This would not be unrealistic but it would be unlikely. The beta wolf would most likely become the alpha and a subordinate would take his place as beta. The alpha female would become his mate. They most likely wouldnt split the pack up.
2)Yes! Although the defeated alpha will normally either be wounded badly and run away or, in rare cases, killed. Wolves, however, are normally not greedy and go around taking others land and packs. This normally only happens when the other pack passes their borders. He is in turn either chased off along with his pack, chased off with out his pack, or killed.
3)Yes, this is possible and has happened.
4)Naturally, the wolves will defend there land rather than being overrun, and it is possible that the other pack will try to take their territory, but, once again, this is unlikely.

I hope this info helps you out and apologize if you find any of it false (Might I ask how old you are?)

[monoksbones]

24 yrs as of a few weeks ago.

Thanks for that. Just wanted to make sure my plot lines werent going completely out of the way. It may be fantasy, but if i am using wolves, better make sure they act something close to a wolf.

Can't believe i wrote outcast with a K, lol.

Ok, to expand on part 3-

A wolf is alone, tries to join another pack, the 2nd in command fight him and drives him off. Now, assuming the female is from the pack that shunned him, would she still leave, considering she would most likely then be shunned by her own family members?

I wont post a link to what I have been doing unless one of the moderators gives the ok to do so, but if anyone PM's me, i will send them the link.

Mind you, the first 7 chapters is about 100 pages paperback, about 22000 words total. I'm currently writing chapter 10.

[wolf2010]

Dang! Thats alot! I probably need more experience before my book will be any good. im writing one called AKELA and it is about four chapters long and thirty pages so far. Im in the tenth grade (15) so I dont think it'll be dont for several years with SAT's and stuff. Good luck.

3)I dont think wolves are really the 'shunning' type but you might want to try with someone else on that one.

[monoksbones]

i'm hoping to be done within the next few months, then comes the horrible part. Going back through it all to make sure i have no recurring mistakes and that it all fits and looks good. Its going to be so bad. I'm critical enough of my own work as is, i dont want to read back through it yet and see how bad it is. lol.

Ah, wont be all that bad.

I wrote those 7 chapters through august. So it doesnt take that long to pump something out. I write about 1500-2000 words in a session if I am feeling ok. If i apply myself better, i might be finished by the end of the year.

[Blindseer]

how long is your book going to be? the books I read are usually between 300 and 700 pages.
another queston: are you going to get the book published?

[monoksbones]

i will hopefully be looking at getting ti published. Even if i have to look at doing it myself.

at the current rate of writing, considering the number of chapters i have planned, lemme add it up.

probably around 300-350 pages

with a lead on to allow me to write more on the same theme/characters/world

still need to add a prologue to it, so thats another few pages or so. I'm no where near halfway in my writing. At the moment i just hope to pump out a chapter or two a week and keep plodding along like that. I kept changing my storyline that I have written down as well, the 9th and 10th chapter were originally supposed to be 1 chapter, but they were too long compared to the rest so I split them. I'm not even up to the next fun part yet.

When i get closer to the finish I might even consider contacting a few people about cover art. I wouldnt mind something like the anime Wolfs Rain on the cover, so might even talk to the artists who did that if I can find them.

I just have some of it on the web so I can get a feel for what people think of it, and so far its been pretty positive. I'm not overly descriptive in the way the characters look, but noone has really noticed that, and maybe the lack of description aides in the way it flows into the imagination. I am thinking of leaving only the 7 chapters on the net, maybe adding the 8th for plot device to get people interested, and then only sending bits and pieces out to select people/friends/acquiantances so that I can make sure i dont change writing style or anything as i am going.

The human based parts are hard though. The wolfs bits are surprisngly easy to write.

FYI

I'm calling is Monok's Bones

the wolves all have japanese styled names, and i refer to them as clans instead of packs, like ninjas. The humans are a mix of spanish french and english, musket era. It seems strange to begin with, but what people have found best is to view it like an anime rather than like real wolves, for some reason the talking doesnt seem so bad then, lol.