What had been born as an errant thought had bloomed into something bigger and more indepths. A venture between packs that would bring the youths of different places together to learn from and bond together. After speaking to Art, he made his way to Ashen borders.

It was a decent trip and it gave him plenty of time to think and consider. He wasn’t sure yet just how big he wanted to grow this venture, or what could come of it - but he was willing to start it, and see where it went.

He arrived at the Shrine and raised his head at the borders to call for his sort-of-daughter. He knew he was welcome in Venom’s lands, but it felt like putting the right foot forward with what he wished to propose by waiting.

"Speech"

Hearing Sirius at the border instead of him coming into Ashen easily let her know that he had business to attend to. The sunset eyed Empress lifted herself from her place in the palace and hurried to the border. Anko was close behind, she was much more attentive now that her own puppies were weaned and being trained to serve her own children. Poison still grumbled about sharing his place with a dog, but the squirrel no doubt enjoyed how much less time he had to spend scouting for his mistress.

Venom and the dog approached Sirius, the Empress wore a classic Kelin smirk as she greeted him with a wave of her tail and dip of her head. Their relationship was far different than any other pair of alphas in Boreas. She was proud to call him her equal, especially now as the days continued to change and their lives with it. She was married, she bore her own heirs, Venom was a much different wolf than the serious pup the Warlord trained so long ago. ”You only call me at the border when it's something important.” Venom chuckled softly as she paused before him. She knew how much strife rocked the Armada, but he looked like he found his strength again and stood tall.

His grin at the sight of his almost-daughter was a true one. It stretched across his maw with mirth as he stepped forward, closing the gap between them to nuzzle the side of her cheek. The Warlords life had been a tourmal of late, but perhaps there was nothing quite like a scheme to quiet the inner raging of his heart. He had a plan, students to acquire. Teaching had long been the Warlords calling.

“Indeed, I’ve come to you as the Armada Warlord today.” he teased her lightly. “I have an idea in mind, to bring together promising youth from the packs that we are allied or friendly towards. Those that are likely to be in leadership positions when they are older. A chance to teach them together, and build friendships, so that our alliances might outlive us.” there was a ghost of a smile on his lips. The Warlord had little care for alliances in the past, so why now? To offer this as a gift to Art, the son of a wolf he loved and lost. An experience he would need in the future. For the Armada, whose heir had once been a certainty and was now cast into question.


"Speech"

It was good to see a smile on the Warlord’s face after how much loss he was forced to endure. The simple thought of losing one of her own children very nearly ripped her heart from her chest. Then Hattori being taken along with them? She would be rendered to a sloppy mess. He showed his strength, or at the least perseverance in his expression and presence here. She leaned into his affection as he helped close the distance between them.

He answered in the affirmative, he had indeed come as the Warlord and not her mentor and father figure. He spoke of an idea he had been thinking up, one that seemed a good idea in theory. He wanted to help train the youth of the Empire and her allies. It would be a perfect opportunity for the youth to meet their future peers. Venom looked away for a moment as she felt a familiar tear in her heart. She had loved Azure, had been confused and devastated to realize he was so enamored with the koi girl. Eventually time pulled them apart and Venom found Hattori. What was Sirius doing now that his heir was gone?

”So you’ve come for my children?” She teased him with a sly smile on her features. She both felt like she had lived many lifetimes and then remembered her young age. Venom was still a baby compared to Sirius, yet here she was standing before him as Empress of Ashes.

He wondered what thoughts crossed into her expression when she turned away for a moment. Perhaps it was the mention of heirs that had done it. Her and Azure had been close once, had they not? He held his silence, not wishing to cross into the border of speaking of their loss. He would not be able to hold onto his strength for long if he asked so much as a single question. So he gave her a moment, and when she turned back to him, it was with a sly smile.

“Just one of them, for a training programme. To live and train in the barracks with others of a similar age and heritage.” He explained softly, wondering how easy it would be for her to give up a child, if just for a short time. The Armada was next door, so it would be easy for her to cross over and check on them any time she needed to. “If you can think of one that might benefit from the training and friendhsips that might be built.”


"Speech"

Venom did her best to keep Azure from her mind, especially the last time they were together. He held her so tight and carefully, unlike anything that her husband had ever shown her. Hattori was special, he was strong and the perfect father for her children. However he was missing the passion she felt with Azure, he had such a spark for life that was unable to be replicated. Now he was gone.

She pushed him from her mind, she couldn’t allow herself to get swallowed up in grief. They mourned as they should but life had to go on. There was no pausing the Empress’s duties for anyone. Not even a wolf she thought she loved.

Sirius only wanted one of her children, one worthy individual to go and study the Armada’s brand of fighting and train with their peers. Immediately her mind went to her first born son Kuroki. He often butted heads with his father, and if there was anyone who could get him in line and perhaps breed some discipline in her wild child it was Sirius.

”My boy, Kuroki.” She said with little hesitation. ”He doesn’t have a lot of respect for his father anymore, if anyone could be a solid influence, it's the Warlord." She chuckled softly as she accepted his offer. Of course she would need to speak to both her husband and son, but Oki seemed to her the best option. She was always willing to strengthen relations between Ashen and its Armada.

Venom was quick to put forward a name, and he could instantly see the wisdom at her. Her words highlighting the reasons this wolf made the most sense. The discipline and direction in life would do him well in a time when he was often in turmoil.

He inclined his head to his old student and offered her a half smile, his thoughts drifting on again at how much their lives had changed… the happinesses they had gotten, and the ones that had escaped them. He shook his head. Enough melancholy. Seeing Venom seemed to bring it out in him again. “Send him to me once your ready please Venom” He requested

"Speech"