Azure stood with his daughter at the thicket's edge, peering out across the land towards the cliffs visible behind. "That's where we're going." He explained, glancing across his shoulder as she glowered. "Behave, please." The words took on a near-growl, tooth clicking audibly against tooth. With his next breath Azure sang out a call toward the Abaven alpha, requesting her presence with the intention of enrolling his daughter in her 'school'. He took a seat as he waited, gesturing for his daughter to do the same. He knew she was not pleased about being sent away from her siblings, but Azure was confident that the change would be good for her. OOC: Hi please PP that Calypso is currently present, I'll throw her in the posting order after Theory shows up <3 "Speech"

Theory answered the semi-familiar call with a jaunt to her step. Things were progressing nicely and although the halls of the school weren't bustling, there was a positive energy about the place. She could feel herself brimming with optimism - just like her old self. Erase a few years, pre-sickness... she was almost "normal." Whatever that meant. Theo slowed to a stop before the hulking Champion of the Armada and a cheeky looking young thing that seemed like his charge for the day. They were comfortable with each other. His daughter? Sirius had mentioned perhaps a grandchild or two stopping at her doorstep. He'd promised his winged son as a teacher, but she'd yet to see him at her borders. "Hello to you. From the Armada, I take it? And who is this young ward?" she asked, shooting Calypso a winning grin. "I think I'll have my paws full with anyone related to Sirius, but I'm up for the challenge."

It wasn't fair, her father wasn't sending any other child away for extra lessons and Calypso knew that she was not the only one of the litter who'd disappointed the expectant Champion. Azure's favoritism towards his sons showed clearly, but even then why had he not brought Morgawr or Makara along with her? They needed just as much help as she did, and at least with one of her sister's present she wouldn't be so nervous and lonely dropped at the paws of a new pack. While her disappointment and anger was clear to see, Callie knew better than to argue. She'd been given time to say her good-byes to her family and had been hauled off east, shrinking in the shadow of the quiet direwolf who guided her.

Her rhythmic glow intensified as she bore his cold stare, nodding sheepishly at the barked command. Taking her seat beside him, Calypso waited. The Abaven alpha arrived promptly, addressing her father first and then Calypso herself. "Hello, Headmistress." The near-yearling returned politely, a small smile pulling at her lips in turn. Theory seemed friendly enough, though it did little to touch the sadness of being forcibly removed from one's home. Her markings pulsed faster as her father began to speak, her heart hammering harder with nervous anticipation.

"Speech"

Azure inclined his head courteously as the Abaven woman approached, noticing immediately the cheer in her step and enthusiasm in her smile. Had she always been so... peppy? Azure did not care to know the other Boreas alpha's well enough to be sure, but his brow raised quizzically all the same. "This," With one paw he gave a half-hearted gesture toward his daughter. "Is Calypso, my daughter. I've brought her here to enroll in your... school." While he did his very best to keep the majority of his contempt from his tone, there was a clear trace of lingering doubt and discomfort there as he was forced to acknowledge the odd new direction Abaven had taken. His daughter gave a greeting of her own and Azure's gaze flickered down to where she sat at his side, observing her in silence before returning his gaze dismissively to the Headmistress. "She won't pose a challenge." He corrected mildly, placing a paw gently upon her seated spine in an 'encouraging' manner. "I didn't get as much information as I should have from my father. Will you require some fee, to take her?" "Speech"

Theory's eyes tracked the movement of Calypso's markings. The color shifted and pulsed in time to some unknown rhythm... but it was so consistent, even in its variations. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower. It wasn't her breath, since she could watch the rise and fall of her ribcage. Heartbeat, it clicked as the color shift sped up after introducing herself. The yearling seemed nervous - which would make her heart beat faster - which in turn seemed to effect her markings. Theo was pleased that she'd deciphered the little puzzle and filed the information away to discuss with the teachers as to how best manage it in the classroom. Young wolves were already judgmental enough, she couldn't imagine what it would be like to have her peers know almost exactly how she was feeling with a glance.

"Well met, Miss Calypso," she addressed Azure's ward, offering her an encouraging smile. Theory's expression quirked as Azure broached the topic of "payment." Ashen had not quite believed her offer when she'd made it, so she wasn't necessarily surprised that Azure didn't either. "No, there is no fee," she said quickly. Did Calypso think she was being sold off somewhere? Punished, somehow? "The school is here for the sake of learning and bettering oneself - we all support each other here, there is no tuition. Did you have specific skills you wish to work on?" She asked, directing the question to both of them but expecting Azure to likely answer.

Calypso flushed with embarrassment at the scrutinizing gaze of the Abaven headmistress, pegging the curiosity for what it was after having watched dozens of others try to decipher the same puzzle. Shuffling her paws in discomfort, she dipped her head and did her best to still her rapidly beating heart while the adults conversed.

It wasn't until the question was posed and she felt her father's paw upon her back apply more pressure that her head lifted once more, taking the hint to respond. "I..." Gritting her teeth, she cast a sheepish glance toward her father. Surely he wanted her to learn to fight, but would saying that out loud weaken the perception of the Armada, for failing to train her properly? "Uhm..."

"Speech"

Theory's rushed reply was something he'd ought to prod further into, but in truth Azure did not want to risk the headmaster changing her mind. No fee was better than some steep and ridiculous one, and Az was already a less-than-popular Fatalis without trading away high-value items along with the child. "Good." He approved, nodding at her explanation. The question was directed to both wolves, though Azure encouraged his daughter to speak up with further weight upon her spine. He waited patiently while she stammered on, blowing out an exhale between his teeth as she looked to him for guidance. "For Gods sake." He sighed. "She needs to learn how to overcome her disability in combat, a lesson better learned with peers her age and skill level." Azure explained. "Along with that, she's hit a wall with her navigation lessons. Our territory is rather flat and easy to traverse, I figure the variety of your lands may help her develop skills she otherwise might not in the plains." Retracting his paw from his daughter's back, the dire wolf stood. "Is there anything else?" "Speech"

Theory watched the exchange with a carefully schooled, blank expression. Calypso was huge and would surely meet her sire and grandsire in size - but right now, she was still small. The weight of Azure's paw on her back must be heavy. It rankled her, but it wasn't her place to judge - not when Calypso was on the verge of entering the school. She couldn't imagine the pressure (literally and figuratively) was helping the young girl steady herself. No wonder Azure replied at a clip that she was to work on better shielding this particular attribute in addition to her navigation skills.

"Yes, of course. Those are things we can absolutely work on. Would you prefer to set up a time to check in a few months' time? Or I could send a raven to update you on her progress," she replied, curious as to how he would answer. Theory gave Calypso a welcoming smile and gestured towards the pack lands behind her, encouraging her to wriggle out from underneath her father's grasp. "She's welcome to come along whenever you're ready - I can also step away if you'd like a private moment."

Calypso remained quiet and obedient as her father spoke in her place, working to steady her hammering heart so she might at least be able to look composed as he left. The headmistress seemed a kind sort of wolf, the type of wolf her father would surely consider weak and silly. Why, in that case, was she being sent away? Wouldn't remaining here only serve to weaken herself further? She hardly was paying attention to the conversing of adults, too focused upon slowing her breathing in hopes her heart would slow in turn. The pressure brought ears to pull back against her skull, but her lips pulled up in an unwillingly reflexive smile as Theory's grin welcomed her forward.

They were offered an opportunity to have a private moment, which not to Calypso's surprise, Azure quickly declined. Knowing how important appearances were to her sire she moved to bid him goodbye regardless, wrapping her firey paws around his muscled forearm and nuzzling into his fur. "Bye Dad. Maybe I can come visit soon." Callie felt the weight of his paw return in a returned embrace, though lighter then it had been against her spine. Breaking away from him, she bounded out toward the direction Theory had gestured, turning to wait to be led on the other side of the border.

"Speech"

The time was coming quickly to a close and Azure found himself eager to head home, to allow his daughter’s studies to begin and to get back to his other children, to his pack. “A raven will be fine.” Planning out visits would be difficult with his unpredictable schedule, serve to demoralise and stress his daughter in her lessons, and likely cause tension as Azure observed the innermost workings of the school with his own judgemental eye. The offer of privacy was spoke and Azure’s massive head shook briefly. “That won’t be necessary, we’ve have plenty of time to talk on the walk.” He insisted. Regardless, Az’s pup threw herself against his leg in a hug and he returned the embrace with one mutated paw. “Behave yourself.” Azure reminded her softly. “Maybe we’ll find a time to schedule a visit when you’re settled in.” As the pup broke off from him and crossed the border, Azure gave a final nod to the alphess. “I trust you’ll care for her as one of your own. Let me know if she provides any trouble.” With nothing more to say and with Calypso safe in the .. hopefully competent care of another, he turned and started the walk home. -exit- "Speech"