OOC: I was thinking we could roll for the winner to keep it fair. If not @ me and we can work it out

Hanako bowed down into a stretch, all lithe and limber as her tail wagged in slow, content sweeps.The sea breeze was cool and refreshing, rustling her fur as she breathed deep and savoured it's salty taste.  She couldn't have chosen a better morning; the sunrise painted the sky a breathtaking mix of oranges and blues, setting the world aglow as it warmed the sand beneath her paws. The tide was coming in, the waves rolled up the beach all slow and steady, almost casual, as though the sea was in no rush to take back what was owed. Even with the encroaching tide there was plenty of space at her disposal, a wide expanse of sand that stretched on as far as the eye could see. Hanako couldn't have found a more perfect racetrack, that much was obvious.

Rolling her shoulders Hanako straightened her posture. It had been a long time since she'd had a proper run, the sort that got her heart pumping and limbs aching.  She still felt rather ambivalent about doing manual labour, fighting and daily chores, but the same couldn't be said for running as it was the only physical thing she really excelled at. With time and training that would likely soon change but for now Hanako relished in the fact that running, being as swift and graceful was her thing. And oh, just to show off she'd teach the birds soaring and the fish swimming a thing or two about speed.

With a strong kick from her hind legs she was off! Charging along the shore, her heart racing in her chest like she'd never felt so alive.

Mortis made his way down to the ocean with the thought of catching some fish. He had been slowly and steadily learning the art of ‘how’ in the last few weeks. If he was lucky, he could get a decent haul. He had just stepped his toes into the cool water, and admiring the way the sunrise danced auburn across the waves, when motion caught his eye. He turned in time to see a stranger - how did so many new members slip his notice? - as she began her charge. He pulled out of the water. Not knowing why she was running, but more than game to join in. With a whoop of joy, the boy raced across the sand, joining her shortly after she had begun, and letting sand fly behind him as he pushed for an extra ounce of speed. His wings spreading out either side of him, catching on the wind. "Mortis"

Hanako was happy to run alone. She was quick to find her stride, her form swift and graceful as she rushed over the sand. It was easy, natural and almost thoughtless, like she was finally living up to her design. Doing what all wolves ought to do; run free and wild. But more than that, whether she realised it or not, she found peace in the fact that she didn't have to pretend, there were no masks for her to wear or roles to adopt. In the here and now she was Hanako, nothing more and nothing less.

And then she wasn't alone. She had no idea where he'd come from or how he'd managed to catch up so effortlessly but there he was, a grey blur running alongside and reveling in the freedom they'd found. Hanako grinned so wide her lips hurt. His joy was infectious and even though she could hardly spare the breath she let out a laugh that made her sides heave. What a sight they must have been, rushing along as though their arses were on fire. But it was more than that, or at least Hanako thought that it could be. She wasn't exactly the competitive sort but she wanted to see what her running partner was capable of,  or in other words how fast he could go. She offered him a side glance, hoping to catch his eye.

"To..that...tree." She muttered between panted breaths, hoping he'd take the hint.

The tree in question was obvious, tall and slanted and about 200 yards down the beach. Whoever passed the tree first would be the winner, could the rules be any more simple? As to what the prize would be...she wasn't sure and nor did she really care in that moment. It all seemed so far away, almost irrelevant as she looked ahead and saw nothing but a haze of sand and the rise and fall of her slender legs.

He didn’t know who she was, but her welcoming, breathless laugh only boosted his own grin. His wings made soft snapping noises as the wind caught them, and he wondered, as he occasionally did, what it would feel like if he could really fly. With paws churning sand, and swallowing the distance, he imagined it would feel something like this. “Eat. My. Dust!” he panted back, throwing on another burst of speed as she gave them a direction, an end point for their impromptu race. He tucked in his wings, letting them snap violently against his side, and held them there. He pushed his head forward, making himself slender and lithe against the wind. His legs burned, his side heaved, but by gods, did he feel free. As the tree neared, he felt his lead slipping, she was going to over take him. He lowered his head even more. Tunnel vision… tunnel vision. He cared for nothing else but the tree. He tore past it with another, breathless, woop! And tossed his head back, a howl on his lips. He had won, he had won! "Mortis"

Hanako's legs throbbed as her muscles burned, she only had so much to give but try as she might it just wasn't enough. Her eyes widened as the realisation set in, the stranger had over taken her, even if only by a nose length. She pushed harder, faster-more than she probably should have- in a last second act of desperation but it was too late. And then he whooshed past the tree, a howl announcing his victory for all to hear. No matter how close it had been Hanako couldn't deny it, she'd lost. Hanako kicked up a whole lot of sand as she stumbled to standstill and bowed over to catch her breath. She would've laid down if she hadn't had company, she was that tired.

"I-wow!" She wasn't even mad or upset, just breathless and awfully impressed. "You're so fast!" She finally raised her head, her tongue lolling out of the side of her mouth as she offered him a humble smile, one he could actually see this time.

Now that her vision wasn't all blurry she took a moment to take in the sight of him. It was clear to see that he was a Fatalis, but try as she might Hanako couldn't put a name to his face. For reasons that were his own Azure hadn't mentioned him. But even then Hanako couldn't help but get the sense that he wasn't as firm or princely as his younger brother, that he was far more laid back, and softer around the edges. All down to earth and approachable, like he knew he wasn't fit for the throne. Hanako frowned. She felt a sharp pang of guilt in knowing that she was was so blatantly biased towards Azure, but really was that such a bad thing? It usually didn't feel that way so why should it now?

Instead of lingering on those thoughts any longer Hanako eyed his wings, just a fleeting glance so that she wasn't openly gawking like she assumed many often did upon first seeing them. They were pretty and she idly wondered if the feathers were velvety or coarse to the touch, she wanted to reach out and touch it with her tip of her nose but thought better of it.  After all, she could hardly go and poke him like he hadn't just thrashed her in a race. Even though the loss stung a little at first she knew that the best wolf had won and that there was no arguing with fate. She puffed a sigh, only just managing to catch her breath as she plonked her rump on the floor.

The mask was starting to slip into place.

"So what is your name, oh swift and mighty champion?" She swished her tail in the air, that was about as much fanfare as she could muster in that moment. Anymore and she might have keeled over.

He trotted to a slow, and then a stop, sides heaving, head rested downwards, laughter and deep breaths bubbling out of his chest. He expected a punch on the shoulder or snark about his win, instead she admitted to being impressed, and seemed genuinely happy with it. He lifted his head and turned to look at the woman. She was grey clad with hints of colour throughout her body. She looked like one the fish he had been attempting to catch the other day, with the spotty black/orange/brown markings that swathed her body. Her silver eyes seemed delighted, and welcoming, and he could not help but grin at her. He realised then, that she must be about the same age as himself. He trotted closer to her, wings stretching out once more. Never afraid of open affection, even with strangers - but really, could she be called a stranger, she was Armada. Family - he walked right up and booped her gently on one one shoulder with his nose, and the other with the tip of his wing. When she plopped down, he did so across from her, letting his rump settle on the warmed sand. “I’m Mortis Fatalis. Have you been here long? I’m sorry, I normally welcome everyone new, but you must have slipped by without me seeing” he admitted with easy affection. "Mortis"

The two bothers couldn't have been any more different, one day and the other night.

For a moment she floundered, her ears flicking back in uncertainty as she couldn't decide on what approach to take. Of course, she had no intention of putting him up on a pedestal as she did with Azure, that was their thing and only acceptable when no prying eyes were in sight. But on the other paw she couldn't tell what Mortis wanted or expected from her. Azure, for all his faults, was very upfront about his wants and desires, it was easy to serve him when Hanako knew where she stood. But with Mortis it felt as though she was stuck in a grey area and she could hardly just up and ask 'hey, so what do you want from me?' As her heart slowed in her chest Hanako felt as though her previous words were impulsive and though at a glance he didn't seem to mind she couldn't help but feel as if she could've done better.  She hadn't outright slipped up, so at least there was that, but the potential for it was there.

And then he brushed her worries away. His wings were every bit as soft and as plush as she'd hoped and she found herself leaning gratefully into his touch, her eyes drifting closed in a slow blink. The brothers were different, in more ways than Hanako knew, but it couldn't be said than one was better than the other. They simply were two different sides of a coin: Azure wanted followers and Mortis wanted friends. She could see that clearly now and felt a little silly that she'd gotten all tangled up for no reason at all, but quickly chalked it up to the adrenaline coursing through her veins. The race had been fun for sure but it muddled her a little more than she would've expected.

The Fatalis boy settled comfortably on the sand and Hanako mimicked his posture, easy and relaxed.

"I'm Hanako. And I wouldn't worry, I'm only newish." She assured with a nonchalant wave of her paw. "To be honest I haven't really met many of the others, sort of got the feeling they like to keep to themselves." Which was a bit of a shame but she wasn't going to nip at their ankles till they gave her attention. "But I'm really glad you happened by, I haven't had that much fun in ages."

Mortis used his wings for easy affection. Offering warmth, comfort, protection from rain, or simply a version of a ‘hug’ to those around him with the feathery appendages. When Hanako didn’t pull away from friendly boops, he scooted closer to her. Draping one wing across her back, so the soft feathers brushed against her coat. He kept it only loosely there, so she could wiggle away in a heartbeat if it made her uncomfortable. The wing on his other side spread out across the warm sand, opening wide, to let wind and sun brush across every crevice. The Armada-girl introduced herself as Hanako, and admitted she hadn’t been here long. “Everyone’s been training hard lately, we have a raid coming up” he explained to her, not wanting her to think the Armada wolves were reclusive. He had not found them to be so. “So - do you have the comfiest bed from our stores, and tried an array of our preserved meats yet?” he asked, turning to grin at her. He was accustomed to being the wolf that rolled out the welcome wagon. “I enjoyed it too, most people want to fight, not run, but sometimes you just need to let loose.” "Mortis"

When Mortis scooted closer Hanako did the same, positioning herself so she leaned against his shoulder. She let out a content little sigh as she settled, her tail curling around to overlap with his. It was easy for Hanako to ignore the aching of her limbs, everything that wasn't in the here and now just seemed so far away, like her troubles wound't be able to find her hidden beneath Mortis' wing. Though Hanako had concluded that-at least when compared to Azure- he wasn't fit for the throne, there were plenty of other things about him that she really liked. Not only did he clearly appreciate the fine art of running but his sweet and approachable nature blended so well with hers, making it feel as though she'd known him for a life time and not mere moments.

When the Fatalis spoke again he was quick to correct her, though not unkindly.

"Ooh yeah that makes sense. Sirius mentioned it, I think?" She tipped her head a little, trying to remember. Then she turned to look at Mortis once again, her head tilting a little cause even with their age gap he was already a lot taller than her. "Are you going? Cause I'm staying behind. It must be out of mercy, cause Sirius knows that they'd stand no chance against me." She gritted her teeth in a mock, and honestly quite feeble growl.

As things stood Hanako was more than happy to be left out of the raid. Just as she'd told Sirius, fighting just wasn't her scene and if she tried than surely she'd be far more of a hindrance than a help. As the Warlord's son Hanako was sure that Mortis-at the very least- could defend himself, but try as she might she just couldn't picture it in her head. He was just too nice.

At his next question Hanako nodded, her cheek brushing against the heft of his shoulder. "Mm, I'm using one of the temporary dens for now." For obvious reasons she didn't mention that his brother had offered to dig out her a more permanent one. "I guess everyone around here takes their roles seriously and I get that but...like you said, life isn't just work work work. Speaking of, is any other fun stuff to do around here? Whilst we're taking breaks from training, of course." She nodded several times, all very serious.

When the smaller wolf leaned against him, he bit back a grin. He felt like they were friends already, leaning on each other. Her head against his broad shoulder, and her tail over his. This was the companionship he had craved ever since his brother had turned his back on him. he settled his wing more firmly over her, tucking it around her like a blanket. His head, hes rested gently against hers, his cheek sinking into the flush fur between her ears. He laughed softly at her bravado, and shook his head. “When Sirius listed who was going, there was space for me. But there were other wolves in the Armada that could do with the practice, and wanted the glory of taking on a raid. I opted to stay behind and guard the pack.” He explained. It hadn’t been an easy decision, but he had decided in the end that it was the right one. Even if it sucked. “No, wait, I like your answer better” he teased. “I decided to give Aerie a chance.” She mentioned using a temporary den - he assumed she meant one of the ones in the communal space already dug out. “Well, if you ever want it to feel more like home, i’ve been doing a lot of hunting lately. I can fetch some of the coats for you, you’ll be as snug as a bug” he was happy to offer. He did love to share his work with others. “Well... lets see, i’ve told ghost stories around the campfire, played hide-and-tag in Weeping Woods… and I have a pretty cool tree house near the edge of the territory that I like to go to every now and then. If any of that appeals to you” he offered, he was more than happy to entertain her. Especially if she hadn’t made many friends in the pack yet, which, sounded like it was the case. "Mortis"

Yet another difference between the brothers came to light, as Hanako was almost certain that Azure would have never done that. She couldn't really blame him, since the prince had seemed rather excited about joining in on the raid, but she knew that if Azure had been forced to stay behind like Mortis than his mood wouldn't have been nearly so chipper or as infectious. Hanako laughed, loud and gregarious as she bumped into Mortis' shoulder with her own, as if to scold him for stealing her thing. But it was fine really, she was more than happy to share. And besides, regardless of whether Mortis was there or not Hanako was certain that Aerie didn't stand a chance. In her eyes it was only a matter of time before their pack mates returned home victorious.

When Mortis offered to help her out with her den Hanako shook her head gently, as not to jostle him too much. She felt a little bad for denying him but she would've felt worse if she went behind Azure's back like that. She clung onto his promise and held it close to her heart, knowing that in his own little way Azure cared for her like no one else did. Hanako was quick to come up with an excuse.

"Nah it's okay. I'm gonna get Toshi to help me with it later, all he does is sleep all day. He owes me." She tutted, as though she didn't find his sleepy nature awfully endearing. "Oh but if you ever see a white tanuki wandering around and he doesn't say hi, he's probably not being rude. I just don't think he can talk, or at least I've never heard him."

Mortis then went onto give her a run down of all the fun things he did to pass time. In all honesty she was rather impressed, Mortis really did have it all made in the shade, didn't he? She hummed and raised her paw to stroke her chin, like a snooty customer eyeing a stalls wares.

"Colour me impressed." And then her jokey facade broke and she laughed once again. "I'd really like to check out your tree house sometime. Did you make it yourself?"

Hanko’s bright, boisterous reactions were infectious, and soon he was laughing so easily that his tongue was hanging from his maw. His tail beat the earth behind him, and his wing tightened gently around her. She declined his offer for spare coats, and he shrugged. Perhaps she found the idea stifling rather than welcoming. To each their own. He knew of wolves that preferred to sleep under open sky. “A… tan-oh-ki?” he asked, rolling the unfamiliar word across his tongue. When she questioned him about his tree house. He shook his head. “It’s mostly natural, but i’ve bend some of the branches around and put a coat over it to make it easier to move around” he explained. With that, he jumped to his feet, his wing now shading instead of snuggling her. “Come on Hana, i’ll show you” "Mortis"

When Mortis stumbled through his words Hanako had a hard time suppressing a smile. She bit down on her lip as she looked forward, intently focused as she counted the number of seagulls soaring overhead. Though in reality he probably wouldn't mind, Hanako was convinced that if she laughed it would hurt his feelings and he'd be so very offended that he'd never want to speak to her again! More than that, as silly as it sounded she wanted to laugh with him, not at him. Though they'd only just met she couldn't help but feel as though they had so much potential, so many fun times to be had and memories to be shared, the thought of messing up now made her throat tighten. But of course it soon dawned on her that she was overthinking it, again. Why did he mind always race to play the long game? And what was the point in looking so desperately to the future if she couldn't enjoy the here and now? If she knew the answers to those questions she pretended not to.

Hanako leaned a little further into his embrace, taking comfort in his scent and the soft thudding of his pulse. Instead of correcting his pronunciation she took a softer approach.

"Mm, I think some people call them raccoon dogs? The name's pretty fitting if you ask me." Though she wouldn't say that to Toshi's face, he'd probably nip her ankles if she tried.

When Mortis went onto describe his tree house Hanako could easily picture it in her mind, an old worn tree with bent branches and a thick, sturdy trunk. Imagining it wasn't enough though, Hanako wanted to see the real thing. So when Mortis leapt to his paws she followed suit, her fur all puffed up and her tail already wagging with excitement. Any and all tiredness she'd felt before was gone, her paws felt almost weightless like she could run yet another face at full speed. Instead of rushing off to who knows where she looked expectantly at Mortis, not wanting to leave the shade of his wing. For reasons.

"Lead the way." She beamed, gesturing with a dip of her head.

She bounced to her own feet, her head brushing the underside of his feathery appendage. She showed no signs of leaving the shade he offered her. He laughed softly, and took it as a challenge. He began to walk, and then trot, holding that one wing high. He knew her stride would be shorter then his, and did not want to move too quickly.

"Racoon dog, eh? I've got a leapard cub for a companion. She's a child of Io and Dads leopards" he explained as they walked. Like Mort, she wouldn't be a cub for long. "And a Kea, if you seen a green parrot like bird watch out, she's a trouble maker" he warned, his blue eyes dancing with amusement. Half the mischief he got into these days was her fault.

When they reached the tree, he ducked behind the leaning trunk. Here, a few lower branches lead unto the canopy. Mort had retractable claws that could dig into bark, so he knew Hana might have more trouble them him. "See if you can jump onto this branch. Don't worry, I'll be under you to cushion your fall if you slip" he promised her. Already bouncing into place, wings spread out to offer her a landing spot.

There was no denying that Mortis was taller then her and that he'd beaten her in a race but that didn't mean she was a slowpoke either. She appreciated the sentiment of course, and knew he was keeping pace for her sake but just to prove him wrong she lengthened her strides till they matched his own. It felt a little unnatural, having to stretch her legs out further than she normally would, but after a moment or so she quickly adjusted and they trotted along, almost in sync. What an odd sight they must've been, with him draping his wing over her shoulder whilst Hanako loped along like she was pretending to be horse, or something with equally long legs.

Hanako let out an impressed ooo when Mortis explained he'd made friends with a leopard cub. She'd seen a few cats before but none of them were very friendly nor did they seem interested in being her friend either. Honestly though, it made her a little jealous. All of the Armada wolves had cool companions, ones with pretty patterns on their fur or sharp teeth and claws. And what did Hanako have? A tanuki who liked to sleep and eat fish, amongst over equally boring things. She supposed none of that really mattered though, Toshi was good to her in his own way and not for one second did she regret saving him from the dark tanukis. She'd beat them all up if they tried to bother her friend again, that's for sure! As for Mortis' parrot she was pretty sure she'd seen a green bird flying about the plains, but since she hadn't seen it up close she couldn't say for sure. Maybe she'd get to meet her one day, that thought made her smile.

Soon enough the pair reached the tree. It was just about what she'd expected, if only a little taller than she'd imagined. She looked up and her ears tilted back a little as she eyed the jump she'd have to make, it didn't look impossible but wolves like her weren't made for climbing. As if sensing her concerns Mortis was quick to reassure her that he'd be there to catch her if she fell. Though in her mind it was more of a when then an if.

"Are you sure?" She asked, her voice laced with hesitancy.

Pulling in a deep breath, Hanako bowed down into a spring, her butt wiggling as she focused. Then with a mighty kick of her back legs she leapt up onto the branch, wobbling for a moment before she gained her footing. A massive grin pulled at her lips as she beamed with pride, her tail loosening into a wave as she didn't need to rely on it for balance anymore. From there she climbed up into the tree house with relative ease, poking her head out of the gap Hanako then called down to the Fatalis, her voice lined with a playful smugness.

"Hurry up slowpoke. Show me how it's really done."

At Hanas noise of appreciation, he turned a cheeky expression her way. "Some of the cubs aren't teamed up with a wolf yet. I can see if Bast will let any bond with you, if you like?" He offered, a touch sly. His father was always adopting wolves, and giving them the tools they needed along the way to better themselves. How would it feel for Mortis to be in a position to do that for a wolf for once?

At the tree, Hana showed a great deal of trepidation. He spread his wings wider, offering a supportive nod. He wouldn't let her come to harm. He had promised. He kept his promises.

He moved around on the forest floor, keeping himself under her. At one point he jumped up on his back legs, his nose just touching her belly as she leaped from that branch to another. From there, it was easy pickings and he no longer had to worry. He grinned at her breezy words. He got himself into position, and scrambled up. His claws digginf in, and his wings flared just slightly for an extra edge of balance. His fluffy tail splayed out behind him. When he reached the flat point, he wiggled gently past her. He pulled a spare coat out of oiled leather, and spread it out for her comfort. He subtly pushed aside a little carved bird, tucking it out of sight. "Welcome to my humble abode!"

Hanako wasn't so sure what to think of his offer. It was very kind of him and she liked the idea of having a cat friend but she wasn't sure what Toshi would think of it. The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt his feelings, or for it to come across as though he wasn't valued or seen as useful...even if he didn't really do that much these days. But that was aside the point. Either way Hanako didn't know what to say at this point and she simply responded with a soft hum, making it clear that she'd think about it some more before she made up her mind.

Really though, Hanako shouldn't have been surprised at how easily Mortis made it look. As limber as a cat the Fatalis scaled up the tree, using his claws to grip into the bark as he moved from branch to branch, before squeezing past her to make the tree house nice and cosy for them to enjoy. Distracted by the rug on the floor Hanako didn't notice when he pushed his little trinket, but if she had she wouldn't have pointed it out anyway. His secrets were his to keep, she knew better than to poke her nose where it didn't belong. Instead Hanako pawed at the leather rug, it wasn't soft or plush in any sense of the word but she supposed it was better than sitting on gnarled wood. All dainty and elegant, Hanako turned on the spot before she laid down and made herself comfortable, leaving plenty of space for Mortis to slot beside her if he so chose. Her front legs extended out before her whilst she tucked her rear ones in by her side, her tail curling over them as she let out a happy sigh.

"Not bad." Hanako finally said, as though she'd thought long and hard coming up with a verdict. Both in regards to his tree climbing skills and, as he put it, his humble abode. She laid there comfortable with the relative silence, only for an old thought to emerge in her mind once again. A question she couldn't resist asking."So what's the story with Ashen and the Armada?" She tipped her head just a little as she rested her chin upon her legs.

She'd been curious for a while and so far no one had explained the dynamic to her. She knew that the Armada served the Ashen Empire but the reasoning and history behind it was unknown to her. With Azure she might have been a little more hesitant to ask, as it always felt a little improper to pry and poke him for information, but with Mortis her inhibitions-for the most part- were lowered. They stood on more equal ground and she suspected that he'd help her with whatever she wished if she only asked.

Mortis was never shy with affection - except of course for when it wasn't welcome. That Hana had easily slid into the spot beneath his wing on the beach, he assumed she was just as relaxed as he was. He slid into the spot she left him, stretching out his back paws so they slid over the edge between two sturdy branches behind him. His front paws stretched out like a cat before him. One wing tucked nearly into his side, the other found its now-familiar place over her. The faint spring breezes that found them in the tree tops would have trouble seeping through the protective embrace of his wing.

At her compliment, his tail thumped happily behind him, though his gaze was for the surrounding trees before them. Here was the start of the woods, and they face it as they were now. They were hidden from view from below with the thickly entwined branches and foliage.

"Oh, there's a story" he laughed softly at her question. He was more then happy to answer it. "My fathers parents were breed for war in the Original Ashen Empire. When they perished in battle, he was given as a young pup Deathbelle, to serve as her guard and playmate. As they grew, they became very good friends. They respected eachother, as more then just Mistress and Slave. But Deathbelles father was a stern wolf, he would never have allowed their friendship if he knew how deep it ran. Famine destroyed the empire. Crops died, and herds with it. The people starved, and they grew angry. They sought to attack the mighty family that ruled them. Sirius aided Deathbelle in her escape, and almost perished. Deathbelle believed he had. He found her, and chose to return to his place as her slave. Deathbelle loved him, and wanted him to be more. She gave him a rank, a reason to strive for more. He became the wolf he is today, a Warlord. But he still believes in protecting Deathbelle, his loyalty to his oldest friend. So he created the Armada, with the intention that they would learn to fight, and protect Deathbelle and her Empire. So the connection is loyalty, earned and freely given." He took a deep breath, and picked his dry lips, turning a curious eye to see what she thought of all that

Hanako settled under Mortis' wing as he began to explain, her ears flicked forward all ready and eager to take it in. Just as she anticipated it was a long story, the sort that had taken years to fully unfurl. But as complicated as it no doubt was, Mortis had such a way with words, that when he explained things it all just made sense. Maybe it was because he'd heard this story countless times before and that recounting it was as easy as breathing but she liked to think that it was just part of who he was. Come rain or shine Mortis would always have the right words for the right moment.

Hanako hummed as she rolled the words over in her mind, taking a moment to truly let them sink in. Try as she might she just couldn't picture Sirius as a slave, it was probably cause she'd met him as a free man and a Warlord, but the thought of him bowing down to anyone was hard for her to imagine. He was so tall and broad, strong in all the ways a warrior ought to be, so she supposed that it made sense that he'd been bred for war. But to have his whole life mapped and planned out without him even having a chance to put in a word edge ways... Hmm, Hanako couldn't help but feel as though she too- Nope. Some thoughts were better left alone, she wasn't going there and nor did she need to. Ever.

At least things had gotten better for Sirius and Deathbelle. For all they'd lost it must've been nice to find solace in one another, to be able to rebuild something together and to know that no matter what happened they'd have each others backs till the end of their days. Hanako was a little jealous but she knew she wasn't an empress, nor did she deserve all the perks that came with it.

Hanako made a thoughtful rumble at the back of her throat.

"What do you think though? About the Empire and what not?" She asked with a curious flick of her tail. She had a feeling that Azure wouldn't be so keen on serving Deathbelle, but if Mortis somehow came to the throne what would he do? "It makes sense now that I know but I thought it was a little weird at first, to be honest. I was always told that pack was it's own kingdom, having them overlap...I dunno, it's like you're trying to sleep in your den and someone tells you scoot over. It's theirs too, don't you know?" It was a silly comparison for sure.

He was surprised to find that Hana hummed as she thought as well. It was a comforting noise and he imagined she did it just as absent mindedly as he did. He closed his eyes for a moment, and listened to her voice. The gentle sound of her thoughtful hum. When she voiced her question he let his eyes open again, blinking a few times in thought. "I think I would have hated the original Ashen Empire. Dad says he calls himself Warlord because a strong reputation is the first line of defense for those he protects. I think Deathbelles dad would have had a Warlord to conquer and expand what was his." But that hadn't really been what Hana had asked. He sighed and shuffled a little on their platform. Feeling the wind rush through the sensitive outer feathers.

But he didn't feel cold, not with Hana tucked beisde him, and his wings their little barrier against ther world. "Deathbelle is the reason the Armada exists. The reason I was raised on good food, training, and freedom. I suppose I owe her a due. I haven't really thought about" a strong part of him didn't see himself winning this race for heir. Azure wanted it too much, believed it to be his right. Mortis was mostly uncertain. He did not think he could cultivate the fearsome reputation Sirius wished them to. Sometimes he believed he was only here so Azure would work harder, feel more determined if he had an opponent to work against. Mortis just wanted his brothers friendship back. He didn't realize how he had let his wings drop, staring at the entwined branches below him. Like they held the answers to the mysteries of the world.