It had been a few days since the contest for Commander, and Avantika was going to make good on her wish to talk to the wolf she had competed and won against, Mercury. She couldn't remember ever having a true conversation with him before, but in the one fight they'd had, she'd learned that he was both a skilled fighter and ambitious enough to vy for a high rank in the pack. Art had also made him Vanguard, which showed that he felt he was loyal and trustworthy enough to be shouldered with responsibility for protecting even the small pups.

Business-wise, Avantika wanted to collaborate with him on some ideas she had for the betterment of the pack's warriors that she probably couldn't do alone. She would tell them to him when he came. No time like the present, she thought, as she headed out to the courtyard and called for him.

"Speech"

Mercury had spent the last few days settling into his new role. He enjoyed the company of Artorias' family, and had already spent some time tutoring his children. Now, with his duties more defined, he could concentrate more of his efforts in that direction. He was considering a few lessons to lay out over the week when the call of the Tactician rang out for him. He lifted his head, listening to her call, and the reminder of his failure. He had failed much already in his short life, and had learned to compartmentalise the feeling. For the most part.

He shook off his thoughts and got to his paws, trotting to part of the castle where her call had originated from. He inclined his head politely to her when he arrived, and took a seat in front of her. "How can I be of assistance, Tactician?" He asked politely. If she was starting a process off assessing her warriors, she should have a good measure of him already.

Mercury arrived promptly, inclining his head to her in greeting. She would return the gesture. It was strange, being addressed as if she was an authority figure. Although she was rank-wise above him now, it was very obviously not something she was used to. She didn't see the point in needless expressions of respect despite what one would afford to any wolf; it was her responsibility to earn such respect.

"I wanted to ask what you thought of an idea I had to encourage the fighting training of the pups," she replied. "Since there are so very many of them, we could enlist the help of the Knights in one-on-one or small group training, as well as teaching our own lessons, leading up to a tournament or melee fight to show off their skills. Or, although it would take some more organizing, we could set up a practice raid with one of the other Auster packs." The latter option appealed the most to her. Not only had it been something she'd participated in herself as a pup, but it would give the kids a more real-world situation and one where they would have to strategize and figure out which fights to pick based on their individual skills. "Of course, I'll have to bring it up to Art and see what he says, but I wanted to get your input first."

"Speech"

He was surprised Avantika was seeking his advice, but he gave her words careful consideration. “I’ve started a few lessons with the Aegis’ children.” he admitted, looking thoughtfully at Avantika. “As for a raid, I don’t know the Hallows standing with the rest of the Auster packs, but The Warlord’s children are of similar age, and there's some competition between them. We could propose something between them?” He suggested.

“We could lay out a field here in the Hallows first and give the pups a practice run between each other to get a feel for what to expect first?” He added. That way they wouldn’t be too confused in a pack on pack pup practice raid.


"Speech"

Mercury told her that he'd already been teaching Art's pups a few lessons. Avantika nodded, pleased. Good on him for taking the initiative. She'd have to step her own trainings up to make sure he wasn't doing the majority of the work. He then suggested the Warlord's children. That made sense, she thought. She didn't know much about the other Auster packs either, or whether they even had enough pups of their own. It probably wasn't a great idea to pit strange adult wolves against kids, even if they'd go easy on them; it wouldn't be fair to take away warriors from another pack to have them playfight a bunch of children.

"That would be good," Avantika replied to his suggestion that they have a practice run first. "Thanks for all your input." She hesitated for a moment, her tail flicking nervously. She was no good at talking to new people. "But I didn't call you just for business. I want to get to know you, as an individual. When did you join the Hallows?" she asked.

"Speech"

“Your welcome” Mercury said, nodding his head towards the Commander. He had anticipated that to be the majority of the meeting, and was surprised when she admitted it wasn’t the only reason she had called him here. He glanced across at the blue eyes wolf, a hint of curiosity in his own gaze, and then understanding as she explained that she wished to get to know him.

“I joined about midsummer” He said after a pause. He hadn’t been in the best state of mind when he had become a part of the Hallows. Had it really been so little time between now and then? It felt like it should have been much longer. He had done so much healing between then and now. “How about you?”


"Speech"

Avantika nodded as he gave his answer. That wasn't so long ago, just as she had expected. She would hope, despite her admitted tendency to be a bit distant at times, that she would know him if he had been a part of the Hallows for a while. She had been a part of the pack for much longer than him then.

He returned the question to her, which was a bit of a surprise. She had expected him to assume that she had been born in, since she carried the Carpathius name. "Must have been three years ago by now," she answered honestly. While she would have liked to pretend -- and it was true, in a way -- that she had begun her life on that day and the previous two seasons had not actually happened, she also understood that where she had come from was important to her current reality, all of her obsessions and anxieties.

She focused on him once more. "Why did you choose to go for a high rank?"

"Speech"

Mercury gave a slow nod of understanding as she told him how long she had lived here for. Longer than he had been alive, she had been a part of his pack. The pack of his birth would have been his home for all of his life, if the volcano had not taken it away from him. And then Wren, and the Menagerie… he had been with them for such a short time, and he had been prepared to dedicate his life to it. It gave him a twitching, worried feeling about the Hallows some time. But this pack had existed for longer than he had been alive. Its foundations were deep, and strong.

“Because I can’t imagine dedicating anything less than my all to my home.” He said softly. He wasn’t prepared to get into the deeper workings of why, of need to work and protect what he dedicated himself to. That the idea of losing another home was too much for him. “I was born a Prince, so perhaps ambition is both nature and nurture for me” He explained with a wry chuckle.


"Speech"

Avantika's tail flicked as Mercury spoke. Home. That was something she understood. She said as such: "I agree with that." She couldn't help that a touch of too-familiar anger whet her words as she continued, "I will never let anything bring the Hallows harm," although she hoped he would understand that it was not in any way directed at him. She actually liked the man. He seemed earnest in his drive to protect and serve the Hallows, and if he had ambition, it didn't seem like it was of the dangerous kind.

"A prince? If I may ask," she began cautiously. "Why are you... well, here, then?" There was no requirement for him to answer if he didn't want to, and Avantika hoped that her soft tone and posture would communicate that it was only a friendly question. She had her own fair share of things in her past she didn't like talking about, but if it was a choice he'd made to leave, it might be important for her to know why so he wouldn't leave the Hallows in the same way. She didn't take kindly to disloyalty, no matter the reason.

"Speech"

Her answer came as no surprise to him. She was ambitious enough to rise to the ranks, and while he didn’t know her well, he could sense the loyalty in her. The drive to do the best for the Armada. But hearing it in her tones only amplified the feeling. There was so much raw honesty in the words. It made him wonder what she had seen, what she had been through. That she understood how fleeting safety could be.

As she directed the conversation back towards him, he grimaced. He should have expected it, revealing what he had. He closed down a little, some of the comradeship slipping away. “It’s a long story. Suffice to say, here is home now.” He said simply. Having no intention of getting into his loss. Not now, and not when she was still almost a stranger to him. Perhaps some day in the future, when he knew her better.


"Speech"

Avantika saw Mercury grimace as soon as she asked why he was now a part of the Hallows and not where he had been born and dipped her head to his short answer. "Of course." While she was curious of his origins, she understood only too well why he may not want to tell his whole life story to a near stranger. For any reason.

"No matter where you come from, Vanguard Mercury, I trust you will serve the Hallows well," she said, her head raised. "I only hope that I will be able to earn your respect." They could be good working together, she thought, and perhaps even friends eventually. Perhaps there would come other Vanguards in time, and she could work with them as well. Avantika was of course always proud of her pack and family, but she was excited now to see how they continued to grow. The Hallows was an ever-burning fire, which would never run out of that great kindling that was the hard work and faith of all of its members.

Surely, Mercury would be busy as well and so Avantika smiled slightly at him again. "I hope to see you around," she said, before turning to go away. She had pups to train!

"Speech"

Avantika didn’t push, and he respected that about her. With effort, he pushed aside the thoughts that came with the home of his birth. He dipped his head respectfully towards the Commander. They weren’t friends yet, but he knew her a little better for this catch up. And liked her better for it. He knew she was putting in the effort to reach out to him. Reacting well, even when he shut her down.

“I don’t think that will be very difficult at all, Avantika. I feel like we could understand each other well. We both have a deep love for this pack, and I look forward to working with you” He said softly. As she made to exit, he offered her a parting smile, calling out a goodbye to her. “Of all the people who could have become Commander.. I’m glad its you, Avantika. See you around” He said pleasantly.

"Speech"