Birna eyed the clouds above her head. They knotted together slowly, color just starting to gray. The morning air was damp but it looked like she still had a fair amount of time before it started to rain again. Not that she really had much to attend to this morning. Her patrol shift would run through the evening and she had already finished breakfast. The behemoth would stretch lightly, debating if she wished to get in some fight training or take a break and just go for a pleasant walk. Opting for the walk, at least for the moment, she started toward the Range. "SPEAK"

It wasn't super early, but it wasn't late either. Esti was about ready for a nap, however. She had gotten up before sun up for whatever reason and ran a quick patrol. She had caught a small breakfast and had the chance to stretch her legs. She found that she was not alone, however. Ahead, Birna scouted about doing... well, whatever she was doing.

It seemed Birna had gotten in on the training wagon as well. Though the woman had only called for a select few, the fact that she also had interest in training brought a few questions into the air. Esti felt that both of the women could benefit from talking about training, for themselves and for the younger members of the pack. It had been a while since the two last spoke, but Esti trusted Birna's skill and knowledge.

Esti approached the other woman, "Find anything cool? If not, we could always go look for trouble."

Birna would turn her head to see Esti and she would dip her head to greet the woman. "Hello Esti. No, I haven't found much of interest." Birna's brow would raise at the mention of getting into trouble. Last time she went to get into "trouble" she'd found herself accompanying Valentine and Cascade into the heart of Sonticus territory where they decided to engage in an act of passion in a most inappropriate place while Birna stood guard with stress boiling in her gut. She would grin at the other. "What sort of trouble? I admit I'm not the most… exuberant trouble-maker. How have you been Esti? How is Ash?" "SPEAK"

Birna turned to greet Esti, mentioning she hadn't found much of anything. Esti made a point to wrinkle her muzzle and roll her eyes a bit, "Figures. 'Never really find anything either." After a brief pause, Birna asked what kind of trouble. Esti maw parted in a large smile, "I dunno. How about me and you verses Abaven, huh?" Her tail wagged slightly, accompanying her sharp smile. Birna asked how Esti and Ash were and Esti shrugged, "Bored. I should get in more fights. Ashmedai? Also bored when he's not making a point of being the loudest wolf around." Esti sighed, "That's why I called a training. That way I have more wolves to fight in a few seasons." The large woman chuckled. She wasn't being serious obviously, but it wasn't completely untrue either, "How have you been? I noticed you called a small training of your own."

Birna chuckled at the mention of sparring the Abaven wolves. It was something she would rather like to try. "I would enjoy that, though I'm not quite sure how Valentine would feel about us picking fights with them. Well if you ever wish to spar just let me know. I'm always looking to keep sharp." Birna chuckled at Esti's reasoning for holding fight training and then she nodded at Esti's question. "Well enough I suppose though life has gotten a bit too routine for my taste. I'm interested in helping the younger wolves get up to speed in battle arts though I can't say I'm confident in handling them all by myself." She paused for a moment. "I don't suppose you'd be interested in holding a joint training for all the younger wolves? Between the two of us I think we should be able to manage all the little hellions." She chuckled to herself. Really, though, they weren't all that bad. "SPEAK"

Birna mentioned enjoying finding trouble, though she wasn't sure how Valentine would react to them fighting Abaven. Esti smiled lopsidedly, "Guess we'll just have to ask then!" Esti nodded sharply when Birna said she was always open for a spar. That sounded really great! The warrior woman went on to explain how she wanted to train the pups, though she wasn't confident in training all of them. She suggested a joint training and Esti's smile only grew, "Training is fun and all, but what if it's also a competition? A joint training, but Team Esti against Team Birna?" Esti chuckled, "What better way to test them than to pit them against each other? We'll have to make sure to separate the siblings, of course." Esti explained. She thought of training pups against Birna then having them test their skills in a battle. That would provide motivation for the pups and the instructors, "Losers have to hunt a meal for the other team?" Esti added, tossing in a wink. She was always game for free food, "Buuuut, even if not, I'd be down for this joint-training. I think fighting them would be more fun though."

"Guess we'll just have to ask then!" Birna chuckled. "Alright, you ask him and let me know what he says." She could only imagine the reaction if Birna asked him, he'd probably think she was spending to much time with Cascade. Goodness…. the trouble the women of this pack could get into. Birna sat back and pondered the idea of a competition. "Hmmm… it's a possible idea. I do agree we need to find more ways to make training interesting. I half thought of secretly giving each fighter a set of targets they had to try and hit at some point in the match, as a way of practicing attacks. Only little things like that though. I'm rather new to the teaching game." Though was more competition something Imperium needed? "Competition is an excellent way to drive engagement but it always seems there's… tension in this pack, underlying conflict. I'm not sure if I want to push the competitive spirit of our pack, at least amongst our members, it seems quite alive as is." Birna chuckled. "Shame we can't kidnap a scrap of pups and yearlings from the other packs to set Imperium's youth upon." She wasn't even really sure what packs had litters around the same age as Imperium's. "I wonder if Abaven has any youth of a similar age or Argead." She was dimly aware that there was another pack in the west that had come to visit. She'd recognized the scent of the man named Mithras though she had yet to sit down with Valentine and talk politics. She wasn't sure it was her place. "Some sort of Youth Tournament might be fun" And could possibly build a bit of teamwork between Imperium's youth. It was hard to say. "SPEAK"

Aw, Birna wanted Esti to ask? Esti snorted, "Deal." She wasn't going to ask. Birna detailed her ideas of giving them targets and such. She also spoke about the competitive spirit in Imperium. Was there one? Really? Esti was amused, of course there was. It worked well for Esti knowing she didn't have to act all buddy buddy with everyone, but she could see how maybe it would cause problems. Esti listened carefully, humming a bit, "Maybe we'd have to make sure to switch up the teams enough to instill a competitive trust in each of them. Try to be better, but defend one another. I wonder if the tension is because of competition or just because attractive males are a rarity." Esti snorted, thinking of Mercy and Rhythm- her two main sources of conflict since she had been in the pack. Cascade was ranked high and a good fighter and Esti didn't feel any animosity towards her. Was it really the competition in fighting or the competition for available men to bang?

Birna mentioned how they couldn't kidnap a bunch of pups and Esti's eyebrow quirked "We can't?" They probably couldn't, but Esti wondered if Birna had asked. She mentioned young pups in Abaven maybe and Esti let out another chuckle, "More reason to go and pay them a little visit, right?" Musing on the topic, Esti clicked her tongue decidedly, "Okay, tell you what, we can work on stealing Abaven's members or pups- basically the same in Abaven, right- and in the meantime we can train and trade out groups of pups here to work on both teamwork and 'healthy' competition."

Birna nodded as Esti spoke. Now there was an idea. Switching up the teams after each spar off would help keep things from getting to heated. She knew for certain at one point she'd want Rhyme and Rhys on the same team. Those two seemed to have something of a rivalry going on. She didn't know enough of Avalon's kids to know if there was a similar situation there but she guessed there was bound to be. She chuckled at the mention of attractive males. Yes, the desire for Valentine's attention did seem to be what was driving the attention, fair enough. Birna wondered for a moment if it was strange that she didn't share in the desires of these other women. She'd never once felt desire for anyone. "I don't think Valentine would appreciate us rounding up pups without checking with him first." She grinned at Esti, head tilting to the side as she tired to gauge if the other woman was serious. "The pack population is to high at the moment and while we don't have to keep them long we'll need to plan ahead for the sudden surplus population." Birna was far more in favor of trying the diplomatic approach first and if that failed, well then they could pursue other options, assuming that their alpha was alright with their action. Birna was a loyal wolf and more by-the-books than many of her packmates. It wasn't in her nature to just go where she pleased. "Yes, lets focus for now on training up the pups of Imperium. I'll pass the word onto Valentine and see if we can get any other packs persuaded to participate in a tournament for our youngest members. If they refuse well… I'm sure we can find other means to test them." She grinned. "SPEAK"

Esti grinned at Brina's remarks at Valentine not being pleased and the pack population being almost maxed out. Esti feigned disappointment, "Aww, you mean we have to feed them? I thought we were just gonna let them fight the younger ones then, I dunno, let em go somewhere remote and half-pleasant." She wasn't serious, but wasn't that what her own mother had done? Left her near enough to a pack to not die? She turned out fine, "Ah well, plan B I guess."

Birna said she would discuss the training with Valentine and if it failed, then there would be other means to test the pups, "Yeah, we can just set them on Mercy or Hati and see how that turns out." Esti grinned wide, thinking about either of them being covered in young pups. She was obviously joking, but it was a funny idea, "But yeah, you can talk to Valentine. If he agrees, we can maybe find a way to meet with other packs. If not, I'll be sure to ask him about 'visiting' Abaven and/or expanding our... Pupulation." A sharp grin and a wink followed her horrible, terrible joke. Man, Esti was the worst. She loved it.

Birna chuckled. "Well if they're going to be any sort of challenge for Imperium's youth then we can't have them hungry." She was also half joking. The conversation was amusing and it was interesting to discuss their boundaries. There wasn't a lot that could stop Imperium from doing as they pleased but even so they had their structures and their lines. "Ah yes… I'm sure Hati will be thrilled to assist us in training the young ones. He seemed quite passionate at the training meeting." Birna actually had quite a bit of respect for the man. He was a fierce opponent and a skilled fighter even if he was brash, ill-tempered and uncouth. Birna nodded. "It's been a pleasure talking with you Esti…. try not to get into to much trouble." She returned the woman's playful wink with one of her own before going on her way. -exit- "SPEAK"