As the days slowly passed Zee became more comfortable in her new and unfamiliar role. She'd been titled the Heart of the Empress and it thrilled her that she would always carry that part of her friend with her. The new name would be even more fitting if Sirius and herself chose to accept Deathbelle's sudden and confusing proposal. She'd needed some time outside the den and away from them, and with Sirius' leg healing so slowly it felt like she'd never been able to get away from their borders. There was too much uncertainty with a growing pack, and with their most capable fighter incapacitated it was up to her and the others to keep the armada safe. She found herself walking lazily along their marked territory, exhaustion hanging her head low. Physically she was healthy and well, though mentally she'd been drained by the multitude of changes presented in her life. Her patrol took her beneath a large tree, and she paused at it's roots. With a huff and sigh, she flopped herself to the ground to relax in it's shade. "Speech"

Enno

---

It was cold. An obvious statement, seeing as it was winter. Enno was thankful that his fur shielded him from the full extent of the chill. Enno released a breath of air, watching as the white cloud faded away. Just a little bit more, he assured himself, continuing on with his trip.

What was he doing? Well, Enno had been on his own for around a year now, ever since he'd woken up with no recollection of his past. He had tried to stay in the tangled mess that he called home but his interest in that place waned over time. And so, he set off on his own. Hopefully now, with his wanderlust sated and a greater understanding of the world he found himself in, he could settle down. He figured that he ought to try out something new instead of just returning to the knotted mess.

Which was why he was currently journeying to the border of Ashen Armada with the intention of joining. Enno could appreciate what they stood for and if he was going to pledge his loyalty to a group, he should pick one whose ideals he could stand behind. Ideals that...reminded him of something. Enno allowed the thoughts to fade away; he found that even if he attempted to grasp onto any ribbons of memories, they would float out of his grasp. He likened the phenomenon to attempting to cup water within one's paws. No matter how hard he may try, the water would slip through the cracks.

Upon the light breeze an unfamiliar scent was carried towards Zee, interrupting her relaxation and immediately putting the new queen on edge. It was not of a bloodline she could pin-point nor did it carry the familiarity of an Ashen wolf. Cautiously she pulled herself to a standing position, the fur along her spine spiking as her tension grew. It didn't take her long to find him, a male smaller then the direwolves who often roamed this land though still quite larger then she was. "Hello." Her greeting came across calm and level, though within she felt small tendrils of anxiety grasping at her chest. The habits of slavery were hard to break, and she had to force herself to stand tall like a proper queen should. Sirius was incapacitated and the remainder of their pack were in their temporary territory miles away; Zee knew she was alone in this. While the armada made their home elsewhere for the meantime, Zee's warlord husband still had his eyes set upon the tall grass plains once the volcano's wrath began to retreat. She'd returned to mark it often and patrolled it's borders on a somewhat frequent basis, though when it came to an intruder she was hesitant to respond as if they'd truly owned the land. After all, their pack was hardly big enough to efficiently protect four territories along with Ashen's main empire. She tried to stay neutral, to gauge the strangers intentions. "I haven't seen you around here." Zee stated, bringing herself to a halt a few meters from him as to ensure he did not feel threatened. "Speech"

Enno

---

Enno hadn't even seen her when he had arrived at the border, a fatal mistake if anything. Yet he didn't shy away from the woman, he only stopped and greeted her as she did to him. Enno was never really one to jump for joy when he had found another creature; wasn't really interested in them. But he had to admit, it was nice seeing different people every once in a while; seeing different faces all while trying to recognize the territories and what use it had to him. Ever since the volcano has had its tantrum, most of these lands had either been covered by lava or snow; both were not tolerated by the man. He blinked at the girl, a small smile plastering his face.

It was a simple statement , yet Enno had no response ready for it; he was tongue tied. While he scrambled to find a sentence, a faint memory collided into his brain; he reached for it but it pulled away. He let it slip, Enno shook his head slightly to rid it of the thought. " Yes, i haven't been here long," he huffed, the smile fading from his pink lips. "Though i'm guessing you have?" Enno blinked as he watched the woman stopped. It had reassure Enno that the women wouldn't attack, he was in no state to fight; didn't have need for it. But there was still something about the woman that seemed off, Enno stared at her eyes. Maybe she was uncomfortable? The boy clicked his teeth together, something he did very often. "Trust me dear," he huffed. "If i was ever going to hurt you, i would have done so already."

OOC: Enno calls women dear and men sir out of respect, nothing more.]

While she might still be learning how to behave appropriately as a queen, Zee was not new to her prideful nature. The male's huff and choice of pet name met her ears as he assured her he meant no harm, though she couldn't help but feel defensive at his choice of speech. "Yes. This is Ashen Armada's territory." She responded briskly, leaving out the fact that they hadn't quite made the move to officially claim it yet. "And I am it's Queen. I fear no harm from a simple rogue." Her tone remained level and she struggled to keep the bite out of it, though the prideful woman struggled to brush away the casual 'dear' with which he'd addressed her. Prior to her promotion she'd been quite easy to befriend, unburdened by responsibilities and the duty to protect what they'd claimed as their own. She grasped at her prior nature, trying to reclaim some semblance of amiability. "My name is Zee." She stated, observing him carefully. "What should I call you?" While she waited his answer, Zee allowed her gaze to move from his face along the rest of his body. At first glance he struck her as built for speed, perhaps a hunter. Though the scars upon his muzzle told a different story, and she wondered what sort of a fighter he could be. Ashen needed fresh blood and fierce protectors and it was up to Zee and Sirius to find them. How would her warlord husband try and recruit the loner? Likely with the lack of consent, the method of which Zee herself greatly opposed.   "Speech"

Enno

---

"Ashen Armada.." he repeated, letting it roll off his tongue and drip off his pink lips. After the woman has announced herself as queen, a strong wave of embarrassment washed over the boy. He had called her dear like she was just another creature, but in his defense Enno had no idea she was even of the royal bloodline. "Forgive me for my behavior before, your Majesty. For i had no knowledge i was speaking to a Queen. If he had known before hand, he would have fixed himself before even thinking about talking to the queen.

She called out her name, Zee was what she called herself. Enno knew that it wasn't the woman's full name but he didn't say anything. He smiled and shuffled his paws. "My name is Enno Abathur," he clicked his teeth together and blinked. "Its an honor to be in your presence." Enno watched as her stare grazed his body, slithering in between all the crevices of his fur and bones. Oddly lingering on his scar, he cursed the feline whom adorned him with the scars upon his maw. But he had to admit, it did make him look more rough of the edges. The look he was desperately trying to go for. "Could you give me a little information on the Ashen Armada?" He clicked his teeth together awkwardly, blinking for a moment. "I have heard of this pack, but i don't know much about it."

His demeanor changed, and Zee blinked at him in veiled confusion. She'd seen how others reacted to learning of Deathbelle's rank when she lived as her servant, but thus far her own title hadn't brought forward any sort of extra respect. It was a weird feeling, and the new queen wondered if she'd ever get used to it. "Zee is fine." She repeated at his formality. From 'blue-tinted-bitch' to 'your majesty' in a lifetime, who'd have known? Her head nodded politely as he asked of more information, a thoughtful hum sounding from her throat as she thought on how to explain and where to start without overwhelming him with information. "The Ashen Armada gets it's name from the Empire to the west. Our Empress is Deathbelle Klein, and her and her family are the true royalty." It seemed simple enough a place to start, and it was easier for Zee to speak highly of her Empress then boast about her and Sirius' accomplishments. "If ever you are to meet her, she'd who I'd save your formalities for." She paused before continuing, her body relaxing as she became more comfortable in the interaction. Enno did not appear aggressive, mostly curious and perhaps only lost. "Their Empire is made up of mostly the Kleins beneath her and a few strong warriors at her back. Myself and my husband lived there for a time, and then his ambitions brought him to form our Armada. We function as their first wave of defense as well as a training center of sorts for others who wish to learn strength." It wasn't the whole story and Zee tried her best to form a proper explanation. It'd been the first time she had to explain it's purpose in such a way, usually it was the warlord Sirius that wolves came to when they wished to learn and he had more experience in recruiting. "Speech"