His future had never felt shakier, and Crux wasn't sure what his next plans were... And he wanted as many of his litter mates to help as he could get. And frankly he owed Charlie an apology... He'd taken his anger out on his brother, and the retort Charlie had thrown back had carried some truth. He wasn't going to apologize for taking Stratum, for choosing Kite but his brother hadn't deserved what he'd been given.

Crux sighed, wishing there was an easier way to deal with this. He knew he was close enough now that if his siblings were in the packlands he'd at least be heard... Crux could only hope they'd choose to respond. Tipping his head back Crux called for Charlie and Andy, his voice melancholic and hurting and filled with guilt.

It wasn't really a conversation he wanted to have, least of all with his brother. Because frankly he knew it would hurt Charlie and he was going to struggle not to get emotional about it himself. He could love his brother, could appreciate that he wanted to help and could wish Charlie wouldn't act like he was going to snap like a twig at the slightest challenge. He could love his brother and not want to worry him more than he already, needlessly, did. He could want to protect his pride, because yeah, he did have that it turned out.

And then there was his sister. His feelings around her were somehow both more and less confusing. He didn't have quite the same resentment as he did for Charlie but he wasn't exactly fond of the way Andy had handled things either. Fence sitting, playing nice... It rankled him. Crux had to remind himself that they couldn't understand. They got the luxury of treating their nephew like he was safe. A wolf who'd broken another wolf's leg, accidentally or not. And they got to pretend that wasn't unhinged. Crux didn't. Because like it or not he was disabled, and a wolf that would disable another like that? They would do more damage to him, to Stratum, to Kite than any of his able-bodied siblings could imagine.

Yeah this was going to be a hard conversation.

"Speech"

Art by MarkLix

The call from Crux was the last thing that Charlie expected. It was clear that his brother didn’t support the rule of his nephew, that he had sided with Kite, but as far as Charlie could tell it was Kite that was in the wrong. But she also hadn’t said if Basilisk had done anything. Crux had made it clear that Bas’ father did, but a father’s actions did not pass to the child… and their brother was long gone, having abandoned the Armada for whatever reason he deemed an appropriate one.

A sigh passed Charlie’s lips as he turned in the direction of the call. He wasn’t sure that he wanted to have this conversation… but Crux had called for both him and Andy and, as much as Charlie had been hurt by what was said, he still loved his brother and wouldn’t deny him a visit. Still, as he approached the borders it was strange seeing Crux standing on the other side like he didn’t belong here. It hurt Charlie’s heart, and he frowned, ears flicked back as he took cautious steps forward.

“Crux…” He greeted softly. Would this attempt at communicating go better? Or would it go just as poorly as before?

"Speech," 'Thought.'

The young woman has been passing her days up in the observatory, working hard on her star charts as a way to distract herself from the emotional fallout of hearing her sister absolutely detests her very existence. While her words at the impromptu challenge for the rank of Warlord had been meant to help solidify Basilisk’s takeover and show the Armada that they must stick together, Andy cannot help but feel like Crux probably hates her now too. As the thought flits across her mind again, she sighs lightly and carefully sets the quill she had been using back into the inkwell.

A summons from the very sibling she had been thinking about has Andy quickly, yet carefully, setting aside the chart to dry. Standing from her desk, she rolls her shoulders to loosen the kinks that had settled into the muscles as she had worked before she moves to the door to leave. While things are still running as smoothly as possible since the transfer of title, the young woman cannot help but feel hollow as she walks through the Armada lands. The trek to where Crux waits takes her a little bit of time but she moves as quickly as she can to get to her brothers.

Finally, their forms come into view and she strides up to them with slow, soft steps. Ears flatten against her skull as her head lowers, feeling as if she is about to be verbally chewed out for her words at the farewell. Dipping her head in greeting, Andy silently joins them, not trusting her voice just yet. Head lifts as her ears swivel forward to catch her brother’s words once he begins to talk and she gives him the time he needs to say what he needs to.


"Andromeda Fatalis"

Crux shifted on his paws nervously and he nearly breathed an audible sigh of relief when Charlie became visible. He gave his brother an awkward nod, and his expression softened slightly as his sister approached. He knew something had upset his sister but he didn't know what exactly, her scent had crossed over with Kite's though and if Kite's aggression towards him was any indication he could imagine. He'd had pain management to bribe her with and he'd still been called a psychopath.

""I-" Crux's voice hitched. "I owe you both an apology." He cast his gaze down, feeling awkward about the whole thing and maybe, just a little bit ashamed. "Charlie I'm sorry for snapping at you. I was angry and shocked but you didn't deserve me taking it out on you." He glanced up nervously before continuing. "I was hoping to give you both a proper explanation. It's not my place to share everything, some of what I know is someone else's story, but it's only fair you both learn some of what I- We have been through. That I try my best to explain myself and why, accident or not, what Basilisk did isn't something I can ever be okay with."

He wanted honestly to simply say it all right now, just let it all flow through and out of him but he waited. Waited for his siblings to decide if they'd let him try to explain or not.


"Speech"

Art by MarkLix

Crux spoke, and Charlie felt his heart sink a little. His brother was apologizing, his posture showing just how awkward he felt about the situation. The tawny male shook his head, his voice soft. “I’m sorry too, for getting angry… I didn’t have an idea why Kite was so angry, and I still don’t, but I can’t hold hate against someone without evidence that they personally did something wrong…” And in his eyes Basilisk had not that day… and to his knowledge hadn’t brought harm to his family otherwise. Kite had undeniably been angry, but her unwillingness to share what was making her so angry was what made Charlie hesitant. She appeared to be the aggressor, the one in the wrong, rather than the other way around.

“I’ll listen,” He added. “But until Kite explains what Basilisk did, if he did anything prior to their confrontation, I can’t choose her over the Armada. I can only make decisions based on what I know, and if no one communicates with me, then…” His gaze fell to his paws. The weight of his words betrayed that he had mixed feelings on the situation, despite wanting to side with the Armada and defend Basilisk. “Kite has always been angrier… I… I need to know if it's justified…” He’d seen from the sidelines how she had been towards their sister, Andromeda. The distance between them.

He didn’t want to fault Kite… but without information what else was he supposed to think?

His gaze lifted back to Crux. “What do you know, Crux?” He asked, still using that quiet and soft tone from before. He hoped that whatever his brother had to tell him would at least give him some insight into his brother's reaction.

"Speech," 'Thought.'

table coding by bunni ♥