The pack arrives at the Fortress of Solitude.

Hours had passed since Carn’el had his fun with Lois and Clark. And after returning to the world tree, the rest of the pack followed him to the far north of the planet. For the dozen or so krypto-wolves, the rest of the world outside the city was new enough. But the far north was even more alien to them. Barren and isolated, there was nothing but ice and tundra for miles. Even though they were immune to the stark cold and harsh environment, they could still feel the change in temperature. They had known snow during Gotham’s winters but nothing like what they felt now.

Carn’el and the others had decided to wear garments over themselves, to the best of their abilities. Granted nothing normal would fit their 12-foot-tall frames, nothing human tailored at the very least. But after they were told they were going to the home of Superman and to be taught of their people, they felt it was momentous enough for them to at least TRY to be presentable. Bed sheets had been gathered… Or borrowed from the locals who were doing laundry in New Gotham and carefully cut so they could be draped over their bodies and tied around their waists. Despite their best efforts to appear regal or important, they all looked like giant wolves wearing ponchos or togas from king and queen-sized bed sheets.

“Are we there yet?” Asked Tarm’el, the younger brother to Carn’el as they followed him further north.

“Yes brother, is this even the way?” Asked Karin' El, now feeling doubtful for flying out of the city at their ‘leader’s’ word. Even she was starting to feel anxious for crossing the city’s borders.

“This is the way, over… There.” Carn’el smiled, pointing out with one of his clawed fingers.

Over the horizon, the krypto-wolves finally spotted the massive crystalline formation ahead, the fortress of solitude. A crystal geode in the form of a pyramid of polished crystal meshed and woven perfectly within itself. To say they were impressed was an understatement. Landing in front of the arch of the fortress entrance, they had no idea how to enter before Carn plucked a key from under a rug at the entrance and opened the massive polished gold looking door. “Come inside… You are going to Love this.” He smirked, watching as his siblings followed him into the crystal fortress.

Inside the building was even more beautiful, the walls and ceiling intricately designed patterns and molded into in the same crystal formation almost as if the crystals were planned that way when they grew around the entire structure. Entering a large chamber, the pack found it dauntingly high and arched where a pair of statues of a man and woman stood shoulder to shoulder holding the entire complex up by their hands, made of the same material as the rest of the fortress.

There standing at the foot of those statues was Superman, wearing a formal Kryptonian robe along with Lois Lane, the woman wearing a very formal dress but with a thick heavy winter coat over her shoulders to keep warm even in the heated environment of the fortress interior.

“Welcome everyone, my name is Clark, but I am also known as Kal’el of Krypton.” Clark spoke, bowing slightly while Lois held to his arm affectionately. The rest of the wolves looked down at the two and back to each other before mimicking the same act, all but Carn’el who approached the pair and crouched down low enough to look them in the eyes.

“These are my pack, while mother is away, I am alpha.”

“So be it, do you know when she’ll be back?” Clark asked, looking up at the krypto-wolf as he stood back up to his full height to look down at the man.

“No…”

Sighing from the admission, Clark looked to Lois and gestured back to the pack to follow him. “Then at the very least, let me welcome you to the fortress of solitude, this is both a sanctuary and the greatest repository of Kryptonian history, knowledge and technology.”

Clark began his lengthy tour of the entire complex, showing the pack the myriad of rooms and halls that made up the crystalline structure of the fortress. Starting with the small pod that brought him to Earth, the menagerie of rare alien life as a personal zoo, chambers filled with projects he had been working on for years in the fortress and living quarters for enough people to populate a small village. Every now and then the pack came across the occasional Kryptonian robot rummaging through items for maintenance or were cleaning the fortress on their daily routine.

“What are these?” Asked Jer’el, the brown furred krypto-wolf asked as he spotted one of the automatons cleaning the walls.

“He’s one of the automated workers in the fortress, created from Kryptonian science, he and the others are robots programmed to maintain this fortress and attend to its inhabitants.” Superman explained.

“Why does it smell like its cleaning off cum from the walls.”

“Cum? Why is that a problem? It’s the most natural thing in the world if you ask me.” Superman replied almost mechanically. Lois herself seemed to gaze off into the distance after mentioning the word before the two quickly snapped out of it. “Oh, we have one more location for you all to see to complete the tour; the Kryptonian library.”

Guiding them to the heart of the fortress, the pack were let to a chamber that looked light the center of a geode with a mass of crystals sitting at the end of a podium, one where a robot dutifully cleaned without complaint before leaving. Passing by the many krypto-wolves who watched the robot walk out of the chamber. “This is the great library of our people; this control can be used to search any subject or criteria regarding Kryptonian history or research.”

Tapping at the crystal already at the controls, the massive crystalline surface of the walls lit up to show detailed documentation and recordings of the local animal life of the planet before its destruction. Finishing off what was left on when Clark brought Dinah to the fortress upon request. Looking up at the display, the krypto-wolves watched the recording show an animal that looked eerily like themselves; a massive, six-limed wolf with spines lining down its back and reptilian tail and detailed taxonomy of the animal.

“… Crag wolves are indigenous to the mountainous regions of the third continent. A local crag outcrop between the city of Argon and Krasus, where they fed off mountain climbing brahmin or rabbit. Their numbers were brought close to the brink of extinction from overhunting when it was discovered their internal fluids, particularly seminal fluids could be used as a neural agent that was highly addictive…” Plucking the crystal out of its housing, Clark shook his head in confusion.

“Heh, sorry, I don’t remember placing that in there…”

“Come on Clark, lets show them the eating area and their new rooms.” Hinted Lois, tugging at Clark’s arm affectionately.

“You’re right Lois, follow me everyone, I can show you your rooms during your stay here.”

Watching the pack being led by the Superman and his lover, Carn’el looked back at the bundle of crystals and plucked the one that was removed earlier. Sniffing the crystal, he eyed the receptacle and placed it back in its port. “Welcome back Kal’el and Dinah Lance… Error, new user detected, please identify.” Asked the disembodied AI.

“My name is Carn’el, son of Kara’Jorel… You were telling me about Crag wolves… Tell me everything you know, now!”

“As you wish.”

Going back to the file, Carn’el researched, and smiled as a plan began to form in his mind.