Hanako wasn't happy about the move. She understood the need for change, that things couldn't stay as they were forever but really, did they have to go this far north? Naturally she'd bitched and complained the whole way here, leaning against Azure's shoulder as she lamented her struggles, figuratively chewed off his ear before he'd made a point of scouting off ahead. Leaving her to seek out someone else who'd lend her an ear to whinge into. Funnily enough those seemed few and far between these days, like she didn't really have many to call a friend. Even some of her new family held a strong distaste for her, made it pretty well known too. At least she had her children, they had no choice but to love her.

Whether she'd admit it or not, as the days past things were starting to move along well. The wolves of the Armada were quick to settle, quicker to set up as they claimed the woods and mountain caves as their own. It could be worse, she supposed as she stood beside the obelisk, standing tall in its new location. Like it was meant to be here all along.  Huffing, she pulled the fur pelt tighter around her shoulders. At least there were plenty of furs and blankets to keep her warm. Maybe she wouldn't freeze to death this winter.

Hanako looked smaller then he remembered. Even bundled up in furs, she looked small and alone before the Obelisk. He approached quietly, slowing his steps as he neared. He had been looking for his father. He didn't want to den in the caves, and was to ask the Warlord permission to build something for himself and any other wolves that wished to live in the first. He could have gone past her, he had seen Sirius and Zee exploring the uppermost cave past the Obelisk. But Hana looked so alone. He didn't want to be reminded if different times, of things done in friendship. For himself, he would have turned and walked away. But for Hana? Perhaps he was twice a fool

He pulled to a stop beside her, paws crunching on the crisp ground as he looked at the Obelisk. "Zee and Seer have cleared the first set of caves for entering. They found something pretty cool, too. Did you want to have a look?" He suggested, carefully not looking at the wolf that had hurt him.

Hanako turned, ears flicking as Mortis stepped close. Since their little fishing venture in the old Armada lands things had been...weird. A soft impasse. Nowhere near what things used to be, but not quite as tense to the extent they were still ignoring one another. Looking the other way when they entered a room. They weren't friends, but they'd nudged closer to something amiable. That was alright for now, probably.

"Sure." She agreed easily enough, not putting too much thought into it. Didn't want to make things more complicated than they needed to be. "Still don't really get why we HAD to move north anyway. Could of gone anywhere else." She complained as she fell into step beside him, lips downturned in distaste.

Mortis snorted in dry amusement. "That's the Warlord for you" he certainly hadn't been consulted. They were so far now from the little island he had enjoyed exploring. But the trees here… the trees sung to something in his soul. So he couldn't find it in him to be too upset about this big change to all their lives. He turned away from the Obelisk, and began to head back to the entrance of the valley. Not all the way, but definitely in that direction. He could hear that she had fallen into step behind him, and couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of his lips, out of her view. There was something in Mortis that enjoyed caring for others. It had taken a hit with the friendships in his life that had gone awry, but it was there still. She was going to like this.

He ducked his head into the cave, already feeling the heat brush past him. The sound of running water faint, insulated by the cave walls. He led her further in, the heat almost emanating from the walls. He turned a corner, and there it was. The river that ran gently enough not to be a threat. The Warlord had already mentioned building a grate on the side the water moved towards. Just to ensure no one got curious and went too far into the buried part of the running water and got washed deep underground.

Mortis placed a paw into the water. Even in the shallowest part, it was warm. It got hotter deeper in, turning from lukewarm to spa levels. "Da's thinking of turning this into a bath. Whatcha think?" He asked, almost shyly. "The warm air in here means people can dry off without being in danger of hypothermia"

Hanako took a moment to observe her surroundings, head tipping to the side as she scrutinised it all. Like any lady she did like a nice warm bath, it'd be better than having to use a stream that was lukewarm at best and freezing at its worst. The air certainly was warmer in here, the water steaming as it flowed past, slow and steady, with little risk of flooding. Unless it rained a lot, like a lot a lot. She knew this wasn't a change brought on by a whim, that deep thought and consideration had taken place long before Hanako had gotten wind of the change. But...well, she found herself resisting it all the same. Perhaps out of stubbornness, maybe cause she'd had it really good back down south. That change in location may cause a domino of effects, maybe leading to a change in her cushy lifestyle.

She grimaced at the thought. At least they weren't making her patrol mountainsides like Ophie, a silver lining she supposed.

"I think it would make a decent enough bath. A place I visited once had an indoor bath. Had neat little towels lined along the sides. Servants to bring tea."  She sighed wistfully, warm tea sure sounded good about now.  "Still I don't get it, what about the whole empire thing?" It was less of a question directed at Mortis, more of a thought that pushed itself past her lips.

He was so startled he looked directly at the wolf beside him for the first time that day. Finding the too-familiar eyes of a wolf he had considered his closest friend, and knew him better then anyone. Now, they were almost strangers. He found the difference painful. Like vertigo in his heart. They stood awkwardly side by side as she made small talk in a way she didn't know would poke at a wound in his heart. He tucked his wings in a little tighter, despite the warm air around them. He couldn't quite keep his misery off his face. How did Hanako still make him feel like this? Perhaps it was because she was the one he would have gone to, when the Warlord made his ultimatum and broke his heart a little more.

It made him prickly, his voice a little sharper then perhaps it should have been. "What do you want me to say, Hanako? Do you want me to defend his actions? He's an egocentric ass wrapped up as a Warlord. He'll do whatever he has to to get the results he wants. But most of the time what he wants is for the good of the Armada. So it doesn't matter, right? You might as well just accept the change. He always gets what he wants." There was a bite to his words. A wound there. A hurt Sirius had done, not Hanako herself. He hunched his shoulders a little. Wings drawn in close. "You don't have anything to worry about. You have him grandkids, he loves you." He turned his head away.

Hanako had no idea where his not so little outburst came from. She knew he'd never hurt her, never even think of it, but the fact he was lashing out made her scowl all the same. Her expression sharpened, mirroring the moody expressions her littlest son so often wore. Like the whole world was an inconvenience at his expense. And Hanako certainly felt inconvenienced. What had brought this on? Certainly nothing she'd said, she'd made a point of being amiable enough, if not distant. Like talking to an acquaintance in passing, someone she might not see again in a long time. Given how things had ended last time it felt like a reasonable enough approach, safe. And yet there Mortis was, throwing yet another tantrum. Maybe he hadn't grown up at all.

"What's all that supposed to mean?" She near about demanded, so very used to getting her own way. Hanako's voice bounded off the walls, making it seem she was speaking louder than intended. "I feel like I can't ever say or do anything without you taking it as some sort of mortal insult. Like I bared my teeth at you." She raised a front paw, a flash of orange as she gestured angrily at herself.

But of course he had to insist she was fine, that her place was good and secure. Like it ought to be, she didn't want to hear it from him. Not in this context.

"Obviously. I think I'd known if it wasn't. "

He shifted his paw through the warm water, and knew he had let her presence rile him up again. It seemed ever since the day their friendship had broken, she was a chip in his armour. He could hold a smile and pretend to be the son his father needed him to be for everyone else. He thought time had healed what lay between them, but the cracks had only lodged in his heart. He let out a soft huff, annoyed at himself.

“No… you're right. It’s not you I'm mad at, Hanako. I wanted to show you the heated baths, not rant about my father to you.” he stopped looking at his paw, and tilted his head across to her. “This move is a big change to all of us.” He said, implying without lying that that was why he was upset. “To Ashen, as well” he said, answering the question she had first asked. “He’s sending Kotori to Venom or something, I think.” Not that his father had announced that yet.


"Mortis Fatalis"