Snow flitted into the cave relentlessly with strong winds whipping past the mountainside. The cold air licked at every inch of the shelter, chilling the walls to feel as if they were ice. Materials, hides, and herbs were scattered along the cavern's floor. What was once a small make shift fire was completely out and ash littered the earth in it's place. At one point this had seemingly been the perfect spot to hide from the elements and others but now there was a thick air of  chilled isolation. If one listened closely enough they could hear soft bursts of teeth chattering. In the back of the cave, wrapped within all the pelts she owned, a small fae was curled up hiding from the storm outside. Shalla was not from the North, she was born and raised in a tropical climate. Being a Wolf she obviously grew out a winter's coat but it just did not seem to be enough for her. Just hours ago the weather had been calm. There was wind and snow, but nothing of this sort. She hadn't a clue of what to do other then lay in waiting... Speech

The Warlord had been out by the beach when the storm had struck with little warning. He had no choice but to abandon his kill as rain, thick as a sheet, swept over him. It wasn’t the bitter cold of the rain that had him moving quickly, but the sudden flash of lightning that struck the beach far too close for comfort. He whistled to his companions, but the noise was lost over the roaring storm.

Luckily, they knew him well enough to be at his side in a moment regardless. Marshal had already landed on his back, and was huddled in a miserable hump, holding on for all he was worth. Bear was at one side, and Bast on another. They started to make a run for it, heading for the Col when another crash of lightning struck. Close enough that he felt the fiz of it. They needed to get off this beach, now It was Bear who found the cave first. Her sense of smell rivalled his own, and he trusted her instincts. Following her, they angled towards the mountain that stood closest to this side of the beach - and it wasn’t the Col they called home.

He crashed through the cave without pause, and didn’t realise the cave was occupied until Bear and Bast were already crowding in behind them. Another flash of lightning, and crash of thunder. “Block the entrance” He barked at Bear, who started to grab anything available and do just that. He eyed the tiny wolf at the back of the cave with weariness. “Sorry, just need to borrow your cave for an hour or two…”


"Speech"

With each crash of thunder the babe jumped. Her fur was damp with cold and anxiety. It felt like this was going to be a night that would go on forever. Minutes felt like hours as she laid there in complete misery. There was honestly not much else that could make her situation worse. Shalla knew once the storm passed she'd have a lot of work to do. She'd need to rebuild her fire, hunt, and gather more supplies seeing as most of hers were taken by the wind at this point. Worry swam through her and all she could do is sigh and shut her eyes in solemn defeat. Only minutes had passed since drifting off into a light slumber. A sleep that was suddenly ripped away from her when a loud boom of thunder flew into the cave. Yellow eyes flashed open as the sparks of lightening lit up her temporary home. As they did she witnessed massive forms barging into the mouth of the cave. A huge Wolf and two other predators. Immediately the tired She-Wolf lifted her head and flashed her teeth. Her cold nose and muzzle wrinkled in a vicious snarl. "There is no room." Her tone was thick with exhaustion and anger. There was a submissive side to Shalla that wished for her to merely lay down and let them stay put. But, she hadn't a clue of who they were and what they really wanted with her. Shalla was not the sort to give in so easily, even in such a state. Golden yellow eyes narrowed into slits as they remained locked on his own. The stare indicated her desire to protect her home but could wind her up in more trouble... If he was the dominant sort. Speech

Despite the adrenaline pumping through his system, and the thoughts and plans flitting across his mind as he sought the best way to protect himself and his companion - he still couldn’t help but grin. Flashing his teeth at the tiny red girl as she threatened him. “Are you offering to leave?” He asked cooly, doing nothing to slow his companion from building a barrier behind them to block off the worst of the weather.

He left his companions to that task, and faced down the tiny slip of a girl. Watching her carefully to ensure she wasn’t a viper at their backs. But there was equal exhaustion as there was bite in her tones, and he didn’t expect her to put up much of a fight. Not when leaving this den would mean she would have to face the freezing rains and the lightning that was above their heads as they spoke.


"Speech"

Shalla stared up at the massive brute with her teeth bared but as he spoke and towered over her the small babe knew her efforts were for naught. What was she to do against three large predators. They'd swat her away like a gnat. She was a naturally determined creature, not so swift to allow male's to come in and take charge of her formerly peaceful home. But, defeat swam through her visage as her face softened. A long sigh left her lips as golden yellow eyes shot past him to the two at the mouth of the cave. They were blocking the entrance and she could feel now that the wind was not so prevalent. Perhaps 'allowing' this stranger to stay for a few hours wouldn't be such a mistake. Her eyes flicked back to the Wolf and feminine tones filled the air, "Very well." Shalla then huffed and placed her chin on her front two paws, still curled up in her furs. Her eyes seemed to properly take him in now and her nose twitched as she inhaled his masculine pack scent. "You smell of the pack nearby, are you a member?" She scoped out the pack's borders a few days ago. Speech

As soon as the huddled girl backed off, and the temperature of her stare dropped a few degrees, he stomped off the worst of the rain in his coat. He couldn’t shake himself out without getting her soaked - and he wasn’t that much of a bastard. His companions finished barricading the door. Loose stops and bits of debris piled in front of the cave entrance. It wasn’t fully shut, but it kept out the worst of the wind and rain.

Bear and Bast settled in together by the entrance of the cave. There wasn’t a whole lot of room left for Shalla and Sirius, but the Warlord settled down on his hunches in the cramped space. Listening to the thunder boom outside. Seeing her features in the sudden bursts of lightning that lit up the dim cave. Now that he wasn’t racing for his survival, he could feel the way his wet fur clung to him. He shivered. Feeling the urge to pace and move to warm himself. But to do so, he would have to invade her space. So he forced himself to keep his stillness. “Yes. I lead the Armada.” He said in answer to her question. A stiff sort of reply, but he knew there was a chance they would be stuck in these cramp quarters for a while. So after a moment, he spoke again. “And where do you hail from?”


"Speech"

Shalla watched him shake away the heavier droplets of water. The floor of her den was nearly completely soaked at this point. She was thankfully he spared her a full shake, the babe was reasonable until someone splashed icy water in her direction. Her eyes drifted to the doorway that was now almost fully blocked. Debris piled high to protect them all from the raging storm. The Wolves commrades laid near the mouth of the den, resting while they could. Her hesitant gaze settled back on the damp monster as he responded to her question. Not only was he a member but she was face to face with the pack's leader. Shalla felt the desire to shrink but the gal remained still. "The Armada. A powerful name." She looked over him then, he looked to be a powerful Wolf despite the wet fur clinging to his muscular form. Even without thick fur his form could swallow her's. As he asked her a question Shalla let out a small sigh. Shalla wiggled a bit and twisted to grip one of her furs with her teeth. Instincts told her this was a bad move but she could not watch him sit there suffering with wet fur in the cold. The dainty fae then stood, remaining lowered to the earth, as she took steps towards him. The chill hit her quickly as she was removed from her furs. Eyes of sunshine stared up into his as she silently offered the beast a pelt. It was too small for him but if he wrapped it around his shoulders and laid down he'd be able to work up a bit of heat. Better then nothing, she figured. Shalla pointedly avoided his question and hoped her offering was enough distraction for him to not take offense. Speech

“Indeed” He agreed. That had been the entire point of it, after all. He had created the Armada to defend another, and dressed it up as a force to be reckoned with. Knowing what the best way he could defend Deathbelle was to ensure people were too afraid to try anything. He sighed, pushing aside the thought of his childhood best friend. Remembering her now only brought him pain.

As for his question, she did not give him a reply, but she did move. He watched her curiously, not seeing her as a threat and not responding as she closed the small gap between them. He blinked in surprise at the small gesture of kindness as she pulled her fur with her and offered it to him. “Thank you.” he said, taking it and wrapping it about his shoulders. It was a small thing in comparison to him, but the gesture would not be ignored. “How long have you been denning just outside my doors?” He asked, curiosity in his tone.


"Speech"

The Alpha took the fur and wrapped it around his shoulders. Shalla lingered for only a moment before slinking away, back to the warmth of her own bedding. As he offered gratitude she circled around before plopping down. Her tiny form curled into a small ball tucked away beneath the comforts of her hides. The cold lingered in her bones but was slowly being warded away by building body heat. Even the tempeture of the cave was rising due to the company. Perhaps the intrusion was what she needed... As long as they didn't wind up to be kidnappers or murderers. Her eyes settled on him as he asked another question. Relief washed over her as he questioned her current residence rather then her previous. Shalla rarely spoke of her past, that was long bottled up trauma that she'd like to never revisit again. "Only half a moon, I've been a nomad for nearly four seasons now." Shalla moved place to place to avoid attracting too much attention. She thought the seclusion of the elevated waterfall would be enough to avoid others but obviously she was wrong. It was clear now that her decision to den so close to a pack was foolish, a mistake she'd avoid in the future. Worry settled in as she thought over his question again. Would he be upset by her closeness to his borders? She knew some Alphas were very protective of their borders and didn't want anyone living too close. Even if these were free lands they were likely closely monitored. "I-I..." Shalla wrinkled her nose and cleared her throat, annoyed with how pathetic she sounded then. "I apologize if I have denned too close to your home." There was no excuse that left her lips but her gaze poured into his own. "I planned on leaving soon anyways." Shalla didn't know where she'd go but if he was upset she'd promise to put some distance between them. She'd be a fool to make an enemy of this one. Speech

He watched as she backed away, curling into her shivering form at the back of the small cave. He turned his gaze to Bast, who had spent this time quickly and methodically drying her coat. She looked far less wet then the rest of them, and he nodded his head to her, and then to Shalla.

“I’m surprised we haven’t caught your scent before now.” He said, but then this cave backed up on an isolated part of the Cove, just outside of their scent markers. They had not been as vigilant patrolling the beach, since it was outside the heart of their territory and their hunting grounds.

As he spoke, Bast rose slowly, and shuffled her way towards the red toned wolf. Pausing and tilting her head to the side before letting out a soft meow, and a one beat of a purr. Certain that she had relayed her intentions as good, she continued forward again before stopping beside Shalla, and leaning into the other wolf. Offering her body heat to the shivering stranger. As a leopard, her own coat was criminally plush, and she was the least concerned with the cold temperatures.

“Did you? Where did you plan to go?” He asked her softly. He hadn’t decided yet what - if anything - he planned to do with her.


"Speech"

The stranger stated his surprise that his pack hadn't caught wind of her inhabitance thus far and Shalla couldn't help but to agree. Merely going off of his demeanor Shalla could infer he ran a tight ship. Most domineering males did not like anyone too close to their property, especially an Alpha. She was just glad he didn't seem to upset, but the babe did notice he hadn't really acknowledged her apology. Perhaps she was just being overly skeptical, but what more could you ask of a tiny fae in a room with three massive predators. Yellow eyes watched the Leopard carefully as it moved her way. A purr vibrated into the air as her head tilted to the side. Was the Feline offering to lay with her? Shalla did notice her pelt was already mostly dry and assumed the large creature could offer a delightful warmth. Skepticism seemed to vanish as she nodded gently, "Thank you." Her tone was sweet for the first time as her true colors slipped out. She'd been harsh having been caught off guard by the trio. Shalla was a gentle, kind, soul but when trespassed upon those traits were clearly masked by those of defense. Shalla would lean into the warmth of that luxurious pelt and nearly emit a purr of her own. Her features seemed to soften slightly as her bones lost that dreadful chill. Her attention was swept back towards the Wolf as he questioned her, where did she plan to go?. Shalla offered a little shrug, "I do not know to be honest with you." A pause. "Usually I just wander until I find someplace safe and quiet." The babe let forth a small laugh, "Obviously this was not a good choice." She eyed him over for a long moment before speaking, "Have you always been in your pack?" He looked like a man of the North, it suited him. But, was that always the story? Speech

A bad choice, was it? He gave her an amused glance. She had shelter at least, when the storm raged through. Close proximity to a pack offered dangers and security both. There weren’t many predators that crossed the scent markers of a large pack - or denned too close to them.

“Always? No. I’ve led the Armada for a long, long time now. Before that, I belonged to an Empire. One that had reigned on shores far and distant from here.” he explained. His memories of that time had grown foggy over the years. They had contained his youth, but his youth was a long distant memory now. “I can not promise quiet, but if you're looking for a home, the Armada could offer you safety.” If she had been a loner for four seasons as she said, then it had likely been some time before she had truly felt safe.


"Speech"

Shalla raised a brow as he explained a long-distant past. An Empire... Shalla could only imagine how many Wolves that would have to make up an Empire. Curiosity swam through her for a moment but her thoughts shifted completely when his next words filled the cave. An invitation. It'd been nearly a year since she last belonged to a pack, it had been the pack she was born into... One of which that ended in disaster. The babe shoved those worrisome thoughts away as she focused on the situation at hand. Being a loner had incredible benefits. The freedom to do literally anything she pleased. If she didn't like her view she'd relocate to find another one. She could talk to whomever she wished and didn't have to worry about those she didn't like. When anyone unsavory came around Shalla merely removed herself from the situation and moved on. These are all things she could not do in a pack. But, a pack brought a whole different deck of cards. Permanent shelter, safety, and potentially friends. Shalla did have moments of lonliness being a rogue and now more then ever, due to the weather, it was weighing on her heavily. Being cooped up alone in a cave all day and night was sort of driving her mad. She was not an introvert at heart and did enjoy socializing. A pack could aid in that. Shalla let out a long breath, her thoughts were becoming exhausting at this point. It seemed reckless to join an unknown pack with an invitation from a Wolf she hadn't even learned the name of yet. "Tell me of your pack." A simple demand spoken in supple feminine tones. Speech

The Warlord nodded his head, and with the sounds of a storm raging in the background, he spoke. “The Armada was created as a vanguard, a force to protect another. Over the years it grew into something more. The wolves that had come together became my family, so I created individuality for the pack. Because of its roots, one of our greatest strengths is our knowledge of fighting - but it is more than that. We have a market, a place to encourage trade, and relations with other packs. We have smiths, and hunters, and healers.” He said, speaking of his pack with pride.

“I am Sirius Fatalis” He said, realising he had not spoken his name yet. “That’s Bast beside you” He added, nodding his head towards the snow leopard.


"Speech"

Shalla took in the male's words with interest. Sharp yellow eyes remained focused on his visage as those baritone vocals filled the den. The Alpha went on to explained a very brief history of the pack while continuing on to expand upon it's strengths and other focuses. The small fae offered various nods of understanding as the speech continued. He ended with the anticipated delivery of a name. Lips tugged into a polite smile, "It sounds like you've built quite the community." A pause. "It's nice to meet yoy Sirius, even if it is under odd circumstances." A light laugh filled the cavern before a slightly more serious look washed over the fae as she thought over everything. There was something within Shalla telling her to take Sirius up on his offer. She was always told by her mother to trust her gut. Thus, after a few long moments the babe offered a firm nod, "I will take you up on your offer to join The Armada." She watched as those words swam his way. "My personal skills and interests lie with both combat and medicine. My previous pack's Shaman taught me a good amount about herbs as well as triage. But, I'd like to be able to hold my own on the battlefield as well. - Do you have a position for me in your ranks?" Speech

Despite the hostility in the first few moments, he was finding the wolf in the corner to be interesting company. He watched her as she considered his words, and he wondered if her interest in the Armada might grow. What might she bring to the pack? She came to a decision and voiced it.

The Armada grinned at her then. At his wolf, as she was about to become. “Then as soon as this storm blows over, I’ll welcome you to the Armada.” He informed her. “Fighters and healers both are welcome. I’ll place you into the rank of Apprentice first, and then you can choose a warrior or healer rank depending on where your interests grow stronger.” He suggested to her. “But first… I need to know your name”


"Speech"