He was told that Isa was at the stage of her healing where moving would be beneficial for her. So long as she didn’t push herself too hard. Unluckily for her, Sirius was a Warlord, and not a healer. Itching for a round two, he made his way to the den she was temporarily given. Barging his way inside without so much as a warning. He found her already on her paws, and doing some stretches. Likely whatever his healer had prescribed her. “You.” He said, already feeling that familiar bite of anger that had flooded him from his second meeting with the infuriating woman. It was… almost exhilarating. Washing away much of the pain that lingered like a plague in his heart. Not that he would ever admit to that. “With me.” He ordered, turning and marching back out of the room without another word. He was determined to get ahead of whatever the score was between them. "Seer"

Because she did everything that the healers told her to do, Isa's broken body was healing quickly. She pushed herself probably a bit more than she was supposed to, being the industrious sort. It wasn't in her to just sit still. She liked to be doing things. For example, the child, Andromeda, had supplied her with extra furs for the sake of her comfort. Isa took one of those furs and turned it into a cushion for the child as thanks. She had yet to give the cushion to the girl, but she hoped that Andromeda would pay her another visit soon.

Much to her chagrin, her next visitor wasn't the sweet child. Instead it was the salty, blustery brute, Sirius. He addressed her by the title that he gave her and the blue fae smiled sweetly. "Hello, how are you? Feeling fine today? Oh, that's lovely. I'm also doing well, thank you for asking." Her tones were sweet, but they dripped with the sarcasm that she'd come to use exclusively in his presence. The man was terribly inconsiderate.

Sirius called her to his side like a common dog and exited the den. Isa blinked after him, gave a little shrug and continued her stretching regimen. She had almost been done anyway. A few minutes later, the woman joined the giant jerk outside, inhaling deeply of the crisp air which was followed by an appreciative, exaggerated exhale. "Ahhhhhh... And what would you have of me this day, my lord?" A title that should have been one of respect and reverence was, in this case, spoken as a joke from the silver tongued woman.

"Isa"

“Oh good, if you’ve the energy for that much sarcasm, you’ll have plenty for today's activities” He told her, his voice falling into dry tones again. Really, what was it about this wolf that let her get so far under his skin? He was starting to regret pulling her off the mountain. He should have left her swinging until the carrier crows poked out her eyes. Perhaps then he should have pulled her up. He exited the den, only to find he was alone. He glanced behind him at the empty space, and his scowl only grew. He turned back around, and marched into the den again. “If you leave me waiting, your next night will be in the snow up First Light Point” he warned her with a snarl. Reminding her that any luxury she had was at his leisure. As she finally joined him outside the den, he glanced at her again. Anger smouldering behind his eyes. “Today, we find out just how useful you are to me.” He told her. “You know how to fight?” "Seer"

Why was he so damned grating? He was haughty and entitled and so terribly annoying. He got under her skin though she did her best not to show it. He wasn't as good at that, however. She knew that she was pushing his buttons because he was reacting just as she imagined he would. Life's little pleasures...

Sirius snapped at her about making him wait and, as he stalked out of the den again, she sighed and rolled her eyes. The man was acting like a child that wasn't getting his way. How old was he anyway? When her stretches were done, she made her way outside. He told her that he was going to test her usefulness and Isa arched a pale brow. Sirius then asked if she was able to fight and the woman wouldn't lie. A cobalt shoulder pulled up in a mild shrug. "A little, but I'm no seasoned warrior. That's not where my skill set lays."

As she spoke to him, she realized that he was still scowling. Lifting one paw, she motioned to the massive mans face. "You're going to get wrinkles if you keep looking at me like that." It would be a pity to ruin a handsome face. Yes, Sirius was quite handsome, but his disposition made him ugly.

"Isa"

“Then where do your skills lay?” He asked “and don’t say mountain climbing.” He said, a hint of amusement pulling at his expression before he covered it with another scowl. Only for her to tease him about his expression. He sighed, not deigning to respond. “Come on, we’re heading to the training area” He informed her. She needed to stretch out her body, and he needed to see what she knew. For better or worse, she was pulled into the fold of the Armada now. And all wolves in his pack learned how to defend themselves. Not that such knowledge would save her if she decided to fall off any more cliffs. And, now that he had met her, he wouldn’t promise to pull her off another one. "Seer"

The insufferable giant asked where her skills lay, then insulted her in a manner that was partially joking. "I'd have climbed that mountain just fine if it hadn't been for the bear." Of that, she was certain. "I'm a tale weaver," the woman informed him as she followed him along to wherever they were headed.

In time, Sirius stated that they were going to the training field. Fine and dandy. Was he going to fight her now and get some of that aggression out? Though she was able to walk, Isa's foreleg was still wrapped with splints, albeit less industrial ones than before. Her toes poked free of the bandages so that she could better traverse the snowy landscape. The older wolf was tough and wily, but she wouldn't win a fight against the man. In her current state, there was just no way. Ahh, but she was a slave and winning didn't matter. No doubt he just wanted a chance to put her in her place. As they walked Isa sighed and shook her head. Men and their egos...

"Isa"

A tale weaver? He wrinkled his nose. A tale weaver didn't keep you fed or safe. Even navigation had a vital place. Weather reading and map making were valuable resources. Against his will, a brief image brushed across his mind. Of Isa, framed by firelight and expression one enthralled by the telling of a story. He shook his head, freeing himself of it. It didn't help that Isa was easy on the eyes. The Warlord knew there was nothing there but his own frustration and forced celibacy. Certainly, he could do better then the infuriating woman before him. If he ever brought himself to brake his vowels to his late wife.

They arrived at the training arena and the Warlord fell into familiar stretches his lithe, muscled frame rolling through the familiar motions with ease. "Loosen up, it'll make this easier." He ordered her. His voice a soft rumble in the lit cave.

Sirius barked orders and Isa had to stop herself from nipping his tail as they entered the cave that she presumed was set up specifically for combat training. "Always such a pleasure to be in your presence. You're such a joy," The blue woman smiled sweetly, though her tail lashed back and forth behind her. As the pushy oaf went and began stretching, she took a few steps in the opposite direction and did some stretches of her own, only wincing once when a certain move twinged her healing ribs.

After Isa felt as limber as a broken wolf could feel, she moved to stand across from Sirius. One pale brow arched and the fae shot the giant a mischievous smile. "How about a little game to keep this interesting?" The dame's head gave a little tilt, dark ears perking as she laid out her idea for the man. "We take turns trying moves on one another and each time, the attacker gets to ask their training partner a question." A grin spread on the woman's maw and she batted her lashes over icy blue orbs. "What do you say, my lord?" Would he accept the challenge or back down?

"Isa"

The lashing of her tail told the Warlord that she wasn’t the only one getting under skin. He snuck a few glances her way as she stretched. She fell into the forms easily enough, giving him an idea of her range of motion and the strength of her healing body. His healers had done a good job with her. As she moved to stand before him once more, he straightened from his own last stretch, and gave her an appraising eye. He was ready to start the exercise, but her words halted him. He tilted his head, “The attacker gets their question when their attack lands” He countered. Giving her a mischievous smile. He fully expected more of his hits to land then hers. "Seer"

Sirius considered her words and eventually agreed, altering the rules a bit so that the one landing the blow could ask the question. Isa nodded in approval, accepting the change. "As you wish, my lord." No matter what tone she used when she addressed him, it always sounded snarky in her head. He was not her lord, nor would he ever be. Isa had no lord. No ruler. No master. He'd learn that eventually.

Isa stood still, considering the dire brute for a moment before she inhaled deeply. The woman rolled her shoulders a bit, bending her neck from side to side. Toes flexed and she leaped forward, dancing towards the giant and utilizing her smaller size to quickly shift directions, her side sliding against his own as she stepped around him. Just like she imagined doing earlier, Isa nipped the tip of the mans tail, giving it a little tug. With her hit landed, she turned to face him, though she circled since they were officially in combat. "What's your biggest regret in life?" He'd better play fair.


"Isa"

Her agreement came easily enough, and while the Warlord did not expect to avoid or block every blow she landed - a battle simply did not work like that - He did not think she would land many, nor ask any question he could not answer. She simply did not know him well enough. So it came with some surprise when she began the dance, stepping aside him. He expected her to go for a leg strike and began to block accordingly, only to realise she had gone for his tail. She landed a nip - mostly on fur - and a little tug. Likely to ensure he could not deny that she had succeeded. “Very well, ask away” he said, and when she did, his face hardened. Wiping away any expression, any mirth. The answer came easily to mind. But speaking it was something else entirely. “Failing to save my wife.” He said, voice falling back into a snarl. He struck like a snake, but anger vibrated through his bones. And when he fought with anger, he telegraphed his attacks. She dodged his attempt to nip her shoulders. He fell back into a stalking circle, and they both paced about each other. "Seer"

It was obvious that he hadn't expected her to land her blow simply by the look on his face and the way that his body zigged when it should have zagged. The woman asked her question and he snarled back an answer. Isa's ears tipped back and her brow furrowed. For a moment, there was pure emotion within the fae's blue glass eyes. A deep sadness glittered within those icy depths. She understood, but wasn't able to say so as the man wasted no time in returning the attack.

Isa used the man's anger to make the same exact move, looking as though she was going left, but she went right instead. One paw reached out and tapped the brute's knee. Another point for her. The blue and white woman turned to face him once more, her breathing a little heavy due to the strenuous movements. Her ribs ached and there was a dull throbbing in her lightly splinted leg.

"What happened to her?" The woman's voice was softer now and there was no hint of the former surliness that was her normal way of speaking to him. She continued to circle, but there was a bit of a limp in her step now and it was obvious that her movements were a bit stiff. Isa felt as though she wouldn't be making another hit.

"Isa"

Her pity was fuel to the flames burning through his veins. He wanted desperately to wipe the expression from her maw. The reminder of how great the loss he had suffered was. Something that would earn intense pity, even from someone that despised him. His breathing quickened, and the world seemed to sharpen around him. Which made his next loss even harder to believe. He was losing his grip, and the urge to slam her to the ground was difficult to ignore. Assuming, of course, that he could even land the blow. She tapped his knee, her touch light, and he knew it had been a cheap shot. She was playing with him. Her next question drew a jagged snarl. “An illness killed her. If you have any shred of decency, you wont ask how. It's a secret our kids can never know.” he launched himself forward, and pushed his weight onto his back paws. Freeing his forepaws as he attempted to scour his claws across the base of her chin. “What happened to your family.” It didn’t sound as if she expected anyone to be looking for her. Why was that? "Seer"

Sirius replied harshly as she expected he would. It was a touchy subject; the death of ones family. She hadn't expected him to lash out as he did, however and was thoroughly unprepared when his massive paw connected with her chin. Isa's head snapped back and she felt the sting as claws dug into her. A soft gasp was pulled involuntarily from the woman as her pain receptors fired. She stumbled back a step and when she was able to regain her composure, she could taste the blood in her mouth. He'd split her lower lip with his claws and the proof of it was dripping into the stones between her pale paws.

Isa barely had time to register anything before Sirius was growling out his question at her. What happened to her family... The oceanic fae grit her teeth, glassy eyes glaring daggers at the huge man. "They died. A plague. My husband. My children. Only I was immune." The woman tried hard not to relive her past. There was nothing that could be done about it. She would have openly answered any of the brute's questions had he asked nicely but she supposed this worked just as well. "You aren't the only one that's suffered loss in this life and you won't be the last." It was obvious that he clung to his grief like a shield. A horrible way to live.

"Isa"

Shit. He had expected a story of travelling far and wide, of being a long way away from home. He had thought to hear of her homesickness when he stabbed his question at her like a knife. Hearing that an illness had taken them… not just her partner, but her kids as well. Regret flashed across his features and he lowered his stance. Only for her to open her pretty mouth and speak again. “Oh, fuck you” He said, kicking up loose sand and dust from the floor beneath them. “So what, because you’ve suffered, you judge me for my hurting?” He growled, hearing it in her voice. “Where done. Fight over.” He said, turning his back to her before he did something he truly regretted. "Seer"

The man cursed her and Isa flashed her teeth. He was so uncouth! Such an insufferable caveman! He accused her of judging him and turned to begin stalking off. Isa stalked off behind him, not done with him at all. "I'm not judging you," the blue fae growled as she limped after him, again spitting blood onto the stones. "I'm pointing out that grief like ours isn't rare. We aren't the first to feel it. It's natural. Instinctual. So if you need to feel that grief, do so." Isa did a half limp/hop to quicken her speed until she was standing in the giant dire's path. "Feel it until you can't feel it anymore."

In a rare moment, Isa's gaze softened for a moment, her voice losing the sharp blade of anger. "I am sorry for asking such painful questions," she began, her pale tail tip flicking back and forth. "I'm just trying to figure out why you're holding onto so much anger. I shouldn't care at all. You're a rude, insufferable bastard." The fae's nose wrinkled for a moment and she shook her head before turning away to let him leave, exiting his path. "Part of me recognized that anger. I understand it." Again she shook her head and stopped speaking before she continued to just ramble on. With a huff and a sigh, it was Isa's turn to start stalking away, back towards the healing den where she'd been staying.


"Isa"

Her voice continued on behind him. Endless. What had he done in life to curse him with her? He could hear her shuffled pace quickening. He didn’t slow down to help her. It was tactical. It gave him a chance to even out his weight and protect himself in case she decided to lunge. That was it. Nothing more. Then she was in front of him, forcing him to stop. “Don’t you get it? I feel it enough. I feel it so much I want to scream, and hit someone.” He eyed her speculative, as if he had found himself a target. His eyes were dark. A wild tempest. His breathing was quick and sharp. “Your right, you shouldn’t care.” he growled, and she turned and began to amble away. He let her. He let her because he knew the edges of his anger. He was intimately familiar with those jagged edges, and knew that it was the people around him they would cut. "Seer"