Azure's conversation with his soon-to-be-Empress had been one of the hardest he'd had in his young life. He found himself wandering the woods that bordered his home, a brand new yearling with a million new problems and insecurities. Life had been so much easier back when he didn't need to care about anything or anyone, when he spoke without thought and shrugged off the threat of consequences. Now he had Hana, who in turn had Mortis, who had recently lost Malalia. The responsibility of being a good brother was almost harder then the responsibility to Venom, whom he'd sworn his loyalty to and who was now dangling a much bigger crown over his head that he had ever considered. It had been seasons since he'd let himself go in the way the sadist inside had demanded of him, and whether he gravitated towards the prey-rich woods for that reason or another the end result had been the same. In his massive paws lay an elk cow, her back legs shattered and her face bound with thick rope to a nearby tree. Occasionally a burst of adrenaline-provided energy overcame her and she flailed beneath him, so Az merely held her steady with his powerful forelegs until she submitted beneath him and awaited death. During the quiet periods he ran his long claws along her, tearing through the flesh and drinking in her pain and fear. Soon she would succumb to death, and Az would lose his precious distraction. He heaved a sigh, drained of his own energy as he punctured a claw through her hide and twisted it. This wasn't as much fun as he'd remembered.   "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

It was the smell of blood that drew her initially. The bleating sounds of terror and pain served to further entice the girl from her nap. Aslatiel had been nestled in the low crook of a willow tree. She'd learned to climb fairly early on with her kitty claws and off the ground was often the perfect place to catch a little rest. Intrigued by the possibility of a fun time, the young woman slid down from the willow and left the embrace of its curtain like branches. It was fairly easy to find the source of the commotion. She was a little surprised to see that it was Azure that was the cause of it. The dark, brooding look on his face proved that there was a lot on his mind. Though they'd been at odds for the better part of a season, she could still read his emotions. Maybe better than her other siblings could. Approaching with a muted limp, the cream colored lass made a point to clear her throat before coming up beside her much larger brother. "And you didn't invite me?" She clucked her tongue in fake annoyance. "So sad." Her face then became serious as she fixed him with her plum colored gaze. Gently, she bumped shoulders with her brother. "What's bothering you, Az?" She'd cut straight to the point. "Speech"

Az's concentration was broken, though he felt unusually lifeless as he glanced over at the intruder without so much of a growl to defend his kill. It was only Asla anyways, the only wolf who was never a threat to his fun. "Oh, hey. Sorry." His shoulders gave a halfhearted shrug as she playfully accused him. She was not one he had to hide around or pretend to, they'd had too much history seeing each other's darkest secrets that there was not much he could admit that could ever shock her.

She asked him what was bothering him and Az gave a sad, soft chuckle. "Girls, if you can believe it." There was a time where he thought those words would never come from him, that it would be Az to comfort Indy or Mortis over their eventual girl woes. "I don't know, must be going insane. Losing sight of what matters." He sighed once more, gritting his teeth and driving his claw into the cow harder.

Az apologized for not inviting her, but she didn't want an apology. She wanted him to smile. Wanted him to be okay. When he admitted that his trouble dealt with girls, Aslatiel arched the marked brow of her left eye. One of them was Hanako, no doubt. If it was girls, plural, then who was the other? Her brother was worried that he was becoming distracted. A delicate situation. Maybe she could help by sharing her own experience with the onslaught of hormones and emotion that she'd had to deal with. Moving forward towards the elk, Aslatiel placed a paw on its face, one digit strategically placed over the eye. As she began to speak, she flexed her toes, claws extending. One sharp kitten claw sliced easily into one wide, fear filled eyeball. The girl watched as the goo that filled eyes began to bubble outward. "I was dealing with a lot too." Of course he would remember. She had been warring with herself, not knowing which direction she should point herself in. That was what had brought about their fight. "Grandma helped me a lot." Removing her claw from the eye, she gave the cows cheek a pat. "She told me that, in order to be who I needed to be for everyone else, I needed to step back and know myself first." She gave a shrug. "If you don't know yourself, how can you control yourself?" Maybe it wasn't something that would work for him, but it had definitely worked for her. No one could deny that she was different. More put together. Asla shot her gaze to Az once more. "Is there anything that I can help you with?" That was what she wanted to do, after all. She wanted to support her brothers in all that they did. It was her goal to be their support system and do all they she could to bolster their spirit and ease their troubled minds. "Speech"

Azure shifted his large body to make room for his sister as she moved to the cow's face. It was a natural thing for them, a hobby they'd not shared together since they were very young. He paused in his own mutilation to watch hers, a small smile tugging at his lips as she patted the wounded animal's cheek. Her story was one he expected somewhat, knowing little of her situation but enough to know she too had been struggling. "I'm glad you got help." Az admitted after a moment, struggling to leave his apology unsaid that he was not the one there to support her.

"It's different, though. I've already spent time knowing myself. I know exactly who I am, and regardless of what I do next my path will not change. I will one day have my crown, that's what matters." His words were a soft murmur, though his paw spoke anger as he raked it down the flesh once more. The blood stained the white tips of his toes a sort of pinkish, and he took a moment to inspect them before continuing. "Hanako, she's a good wolf. She's risen fast in the Armada and father trusts her. She makes me feel powerful, and less alone. I'm happier around her, more relaxed." The words tumbled out before he could stop them, the admittance of being lonely not one he'd spoke aloud before.

"Venom, she offers me more. Taking the seat beside her as the Emperor would be reaching higher then my highest dream. Though the Empire is changing, Father is changing. I worry that while the title is loftier, that the choice would be the weaker one. The Armada is flourishing and I want to remain apart of it." His other feelings for Venom he left unspoken; the changes to his body were not something Az was prepared to find words for. "Or maybe I should just be alone forever, at least that way I'd have no complications to distract me." His head hung and his paw moved quickly to slash the throat of the cow before turning away from it. Today he had no interest in watching the life leave it's eyes.

Asla asked him what she could do to help, and Azure offered another short laugh. "I don't know, sterilize me?" Though he knew how supportive his sister could be in times of need and quickly turned to her and raised a claw to clarify. "Don't, actually, though." For all he knew she'd take his playful request in earnest and he'd find himself removed of his manhood right there and then.

They were actually talking while torturing the cow. Az expressed that he was glad she had improved and the young woman merely shrugged. She wasn't fully sure of herself still, but she'd made drastic improvement. It didn't matter that her advice didn't pertain to him, it mattered that she had shown him a little bit of vulnerability and he was reciprocating. Ears perked as he spoke of his end goal, but then that brow rose again as he spoke of Hanako. Of course it was Hanako.

"Personally, I'm not a fan of Hanako. She's too..." the girl gestured with one paw and shook her head. Azure obviously felt positively towards her, so speaking negatively would only shut him down. "I'm glad that she makes you feel good though." At least knowing that would keep the cream and grey girl from making the spotted leech's life hell. No matter how Azure felt around her, she would never like Hanako. The woman just wasn't good enough for her brother. She was a nameless nothing and as such would bring their family name nothing.

Az went on to speak of the second woman. Venom. That was a little interesting. She'd spoken to Venom a few times and she didn't dislike the future empress of the Ashen Empire. Aslatiel refused to see her as being superior, but she also refused to see the Armada as the vassals of that empire. It seemed as though Venom liked Azure in kind and had offered him a seat as Emperor. Well... that was definitely very interesting. Aslatiel would have jumped at the chance for the highest position if she were in his place.

Aslatiel gave a stretch and rolled her head from side to side, mulling over her thoughts before putting them into words. "Venom would be the more strategic choice. She's strong and intelligent. From your seat there, just imagine what you could do for the Armada." The girl's expression grew serious as she looked to her brother. "I believe with her, you two would be equals. Whereas with Hanako, I don't know that she would be able to really be your true counterpart." To her, the woman seemed like the kind to sit on a fur pillow and be fawned over. Eye candy and nothing more.

As her brother moved to kill the elk, Asla watched. She could see the warring thoughts in his mind. His next words brought a soft chuckle from her and she shook her head. "No, I don't think that's the answer either. Just like me, I don't think you're meant to be alone." She couldn't tell Azure of her love for their brother. If he was too much like their father, he would be disgusted with them both.

Az suggested that she sterilize him and Aslatiel playfully raised one paw, claws flashing into view. Moving close to her brother, she leaned against his side before reaching up and giving him a kiss on the cheek. It was the most true affection she'd ever shown him. Usually it was all bloody fun. "The most worthwhile decisions seem to be the hardest ones. Maybe that's what makes them so important." She wished that she could help him more, but perhaps the best thing that she could do was to simply be there for him. She could listen and be his support.

Asla's initial response brought his hackles to raise, though she did not continue her sentence far enough to bring the possessive fury to head. Not a fan of Hanako? Why? Az couldn't understand, too smitten with his friend to consider that others may not like her. With the new information he frowned, wondering whether his family's opinion of his eventual woman would matter or not. He had little time to think on it before she was on Venom, her expression serious as she explained what her position could mean for him.

"I don't know how 'equal' I want it, Asla." He admitted softly, casting her a glance. "Venom will one day be Empress, her and the others of her litter believe themselves to be Gods. The Empire is built upon the Klein name. How am I to know whether or not my word will even matter against hers? I don't want to be a figurehead, enforcing her word without say myself." His teeth gritted once more, hating the scenario he'd imagined and hating further that he considered Venom capable of twisting him unfairly. Az paused, collecting the will to share with her all that was bothering him. Asla was his sister, he could always trust her. "And.. I don't know how willing I'd be to bend my rules in compromise either, should we be true equals in power." The idea of sharing the throne with a potential mate was almost as bad as being secondary to her.

She leaned against him and he blew out a relaxed exhale, placing his arm around her as they did when they were both kids back when they bonded over blood. "Hanako may offer me less, but she allows me more freedom too. Freedom to take the Armada as far as I can, to not bend to the word of anyone. Did you know some packs they don't give their mate alpha status beside them? Not like father did for mother. Hana could be mine and nothing would need to change. I could be happy without losing anything." Except Venom. Except the title of Emperor and whatever benefits that may or may not bring to him over the Armada's crown.

She chose to ignore the reaction that her comment about Hanako received. She didn't react in the slightest, though she noticed how tense he got. Man, he was in deep. She felt kind of bad for him. He didn't know anything about what she was going through as far as relationships went, but she still felt bad for him. He always tried to be so strong, and yet here he was, a slave to emotions. Maybe he'd learn a thing or two.

Azure went on to talk about Venom, her position, her title and the possibility that he would be the arm candy. They believed they were gods,eh? She'd learned a thing or two about titles from Aunt Iolaire. Titles were words and words were wind. They didn't mean anything. Aslatiel could call herself the Ultimate Being and say that she was Master of the Universe, but it didn't mean anything. Actions were what counted.

"Well," she said, still leaning against him. "It sounds like you have your mind made up. On one side you'd have someone that you can control. That's just there to please you and is no threat to your power. On the other side, you'd have a partner, though not one that you could control as easily. One that you would have to meet in the middle and hope that she would do the same." That's what she got out of his explanation, anyway. In his case, she would choose the power. Ashen wasn't even that powerful. It all went back to titles. If he wanted to, she was sure that he could have everything that he needed and desired from Venom without bending who he was or cowing down. Did he know that though?

"I don't envy you your situation, Az." Thankfully she wasn't heir and never would be. If she wanted something, she'd have to take it for herself. At this stage in life, she didn't want anything other than to be left alone, most of the time. She wanted to not be judged for the way that she was wired. "Really though," she stated again, "If I can help you in anyway, you just have to ask."

Az's head shook slowly as she mentioned his mind being made up - if anything, he was more confused then he'd ever been. He absorbed her words quietly, taking in the wisdom of the sibling who mirrored him most. A part of him was disappointed that the free-speaking girl wouldn't simply make his choice for him, but then again with her opinion of the koi wolf Hanako perhaps she was too biased to deliver him instruction.

Rather then continue down the same path of conversation, Az shifted the topic. Asla was leaning against him still, and he shifted to place his chin upon her tiny head. "Asla, do you think you'll marry for love or for status?" He asked her softly. From the time he was old enough to know that wolves eventually chose a partner, Az had assumed that he'd either remain alone or choose the one that offered him the most. Never had he expected to feel for that wolf, and now he regrettably had fallen for two.

Az's question drew the girls brows together. She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to be open and transparent with her brother, but... after their father's reaction, she just couldn't do it. It bothered her a great deal, but it was something that she was going to always have to live with.

After a short while of thinking, Asla answered. "I don't think I'll marry for either. I value my freedom, but if it's asked of me or it provides the Armada with a stronger standing, I would tie myself to another for that." It would be worth the price. Just because she was aligned with someone didn't mean that she had to love them. She had to hope that an understanding could be reached between herself and a potential mate.

The girl sighed and continued to lean against her brother's big frame. "I don't think love is something that I can have." She raised her head, staring up towards the side of his own. "You could have it though, if you wanted it." Asla gave him a nudge. "No matter what you choose, I'll support you."