Lioness was being held up in the healer's den for the foreseeable future, and for the first time in her life Kyanite was actually alone. It was late at night, since she refused to go out into the flood-torn pack lands during the day. Without her seeing-eyed cat she knew she would be making a fool of herself, ripping over things left right and centre. There was a lot to do for the pack, and repairing the stores was top of the list. Things were sodden, washed away, or just plain ruined.

She was hunting through the woods looking for things that had gotten washed out of the Col. Some things were personal belongings, others from the pack stores. She was working her way through a section of woods and building a small pile of belongings.

"Speech"

It was a weird thing seeing a place that was not really his home, but still somehow felt like home get destroyed. He had luckily been away on a hunting trip when the worst of the flood waters came through, but when he returned and found the destruction that everyone was working to clean up and fix he immediately began to help where he could. He thought about going back home to tell Art and his mother to see if they could help as well, but he knew that by the time he made it to Auster and back the worst of it would be cleaned up.

After a day of hunting to try and supplement the pack's food supply that had gotten washed out he just wanted to be out under the open night sky. The wide, bright moon that peeked through the branches and he peered up at it as he sat among the trees–at least he did until he heard someone moving near by and his attention was brought back down to a bit of movement he caught between the trees. He hadn't been expecting to see anyone else out here this time of night so he curiously got to his paws and moved closer to the sound, spotting the cream, black, and bright turquoise marked woman that seemed to be collecting a pile of various belongings from the surrounding trees. He stepped into her line of sight so he wouldn't startle her and offered her a smile with a dip of his head. "Hello there. I'm Malik. Can I help you?"

"Malik of the Sea"

She glanced up as a form appeared at the edges of her visions. Her expression tightened as Lioness lack of response (or presence in general, of course) reminded her of what she had almost lost. “Kite.” She said in the way of a brisk greeting back. Her attention was short. She had almost drowned, she had almost lost her kitten, and she had definitely lost all of her things. They were out here somewhere, amongst all this trash. She was hoping to find some of it. The bracelet her dad had given each of them with pieces of their mother. That was gone. So no, she wasn’t really in the mood to be pleasant.

“I don’t know, can you?” She said shortly, glancing up at him with her crystal-encased eyes. “Can you tell what’s rubbish and what’s not? Cause I ain’t got a clue” she said sourly.


"Speech"

The response he received to his greeting and his offer of help was short and cutting, making his brows lift with surprise. It probably would have been easier to give her space and go back to what he had been doing since she clearly wasn't in the mood for company, but he couldn't blame her for being irritable. After all, all of their belongings had been scattered and soaked in flood waters and there was a long road of rebuilding ahead of them. Anyone in their right mind would probably be a little on edge or at least discouraged. As she questioned whether or not he could tell what was trash from what was not since she couldn't, Malik's head tipped slightly as his brows knit together. He almost questioned what she meant, but before he could he noticed the glint of her eyes in the pale moonlight and his hazel eyes widened with surprise and intrigue. Her eyes looked like crystals with the pupils ever so faintly visible behind the surface of the gemstone. He'd never seen anything like that before and he suddenly realized why this task would likely give her trouble.

"I can," he replied simply with a small smile, brushing off the sharp bite of her response. He stepped forward and started looking through what she had collected so far and began pulling out a few things that were obviously too far gone to save to put them in a separate pile. "Is there anything in particular you're looking for? I can take a look around for you." He wasn't sure if she was just collecting lost bits and trinkets for the pack or if she was looking for something in particular. Either way, he knew what he was going to be working on for a while.

"Malik of the Sea"

She huffed when he clearly didn’t take her attitude as an indication to skitter off. She knew then she was stuck with him. “So, are you new to the Armada or something?” She asked, uncertain of his presence here. He smelled enough like her dad and the Armada that she knew he wasn’t a stranger. But he wasn’t family, and she hadn’t seen him around either. Not difficult, considering she could only ‘see’ at night.

“...stuff, mostly. Coats, belongings. If you happen to see a bracelet with gems, and tied with a scrap of cloth, someone's looking for it.” she told him, neglecting to mention that someone was her. She found a couple more odds and ends, mostly things pushed against the trunks of trees. Here was another coat, there was some meat that was once salted, and now… brined? She wrinkled her nose at it, pushing it to the side with a paw. next she found a familiar trinket, a little ball with a bell inside. She was right! this was the direction her stuff had gone. She placed a paw on the ball and looked down at it. She wasn't sure if Lioness was going to pull through. Would her cat even be able to play with this ball again?


"Speech"

Questioning why he was here was a completely fair question given the fact that he had only been here for a short amount of time and had yet to cross paths with her in this time. "Something like that," he replied with a chuckle as he started to comb through the near by brush and undergrowth in search of anything else that was worth saving and anything that needed to be disposed of–like the bits of food and furs that were beyond cleaning. "My mom is a good friend of Sirius. I wanted to sharpen my fighting skills and she suggested I go seek out other teachers and tutors and told me to start with him. That brought me here. So I am new to the Armada, but not as a member. More like a visitor."

She did eventually give him some direction for what she was looking for even if it was very vague at first. Coats and belongings basically meant anything that wasn't a bush or a tree. He wouldn't press her for more information and was content to just continue on the clean up and search in silence if that's what she preferred, but then she mentioned a very particular bracelet that "someone" was looking for. He glanced up at her, fully knowing without her having to say it that she was the "someone". "We'll find it," he assured her after a moment of consideration and then went to work, his mint and golden brown gaze scouring the ground as he methodically began to search for her lost valuables.

It was shocking just how much stuff got washed away from the dens within the Col and out into the surrounding trees. Of course there was plenty of pelts and such that were building into a sizable pile off to the side of the clearing, but there was also some more unique things like a cloth bag that had some now very mushy herbs inside and a waterlogged fur pillow that had begun to get a musty, mildew smell. Some things were more salvageable, like a few clay bowls that could easily be washed off and even come of the furs that had managed to land more flat on the ground and had already begun to dry in the sun. Eventually, after a good deal of searching, be moved aside a carved piece of wood that might have been a shelf at one point and just as he was about to move on he caught a glimpse of some kind of gem poking through a layer of silt.

His ears perked and he tossed the wood aside so he could carefully pull the leather cuff free from the dirt, seeing the strips hanging from either side that Kite had described. Malik took it over to a near by puddle just to quickly rinse off the worst of the dirt before he turned back to where Kite was standing, seeing her looking contemplatively at some kind of ball-shaped toy. Walking over to her, he held up the bracelet to her with it resting across his paw pads. "Is this what you were looking for?" he questioned, hoping he had managed to find the long lost bracelet.

"Malik of the Sea"

“I guess that’s like what we do with the Hollow’s, Briar offered for me to go down there and train” she said, which was the only experience with that sort of thing that she had. So, her mum was friends with his dad? She didn’t know her dad had friends outside the pack. At least, those that weren’t family, anyway. “Was she part of the pack? Or where they like…?” she wrinkled her nose up at the thought of her dad with anyone. Through logic said he must have had a youth at some point, and didn’t just crawl out into the world a grouchy old man.

She was about to push the jingle ball to the salvageable side when Malki suddenly appeared beside her. She looked up at the older wolf with a frown, before her eyes fell on his dark paw pad. And the prize that lay in the centre of it. She let out a gasp, she couldn’t help it. She didn’t think… she was sure… “You found it!” She said, clearly surprised. She snatched the bracelet off and began to check it over for damage. The cheetah strip was clearly very dirty, and there was a new scratch on the gem. But hey, they matched. Her gem had a small scratch on it now, too. “Thank you!” she said, forgetting that it was supposed to be a random ‘someone’ wanting it. “it’s… it’s from my mother” She explained, surprised at how overcome she suddenly felt. Lioness was lying badly injured in medical, her belongs a mess, but she hadn’t lost this. He had found it.


"Speech"

Malik's ears perked a bit when Kite mentioned the Hallows and Briar and suddenly the pieces clicked together that she must be one of Sirius' kids and therefore one of Briar's younger sisters. He didn't know a ton about the family that his half-brother married into, but he at least knew enough to figure out some vague relations. "Briar is my sister-in-law! Well, half sister-in-law, I guess," he told her with a little grin while he searched. The topic turned to his mother since she was the one that had lead him here and he nearly sputtered when he realized that she was asking if she had known Sirius because they had been romantically involved. "No, no, uh... nothing like that," he assured her with a chuckle. At least he didn't think it had been anything like that... "Yes, she used to live in the Armada. She was the General a while back. Tamsyn is her name." He had no idea if Kite would know who his mom was from Armada history or from her being Briar's mother-in-law but maybe that would at least clear up some mystery.

As he presented the found bracelet to her, he watched as her expression suddenly shifted as she laid eyes on his prize and his own expression softened with a relieved smile. Of course he had already suspected that this bracelet was hers, but her reaction had confirmed it and his tail wagged as he lowered his paw and watched her look over the bracelet that had clearly meant a lot to her. He waved away her thanks with a gesture of his paw, replying, "No need to thank me. I'm glad we found it." Once she explained that the memento was from her mother he quickly realized why it had been so important to find it and why she had been so tense when he first found her searching for it. "Well, then I'm very glad we found it," he said with a warm grin. He glanced down at the bracelet thoughtfully for a moment before he added, "I'm... very sorry for your loss, by the way. I obviously never knew your mother, but I know my mom was very upset when she heard about her passing."

"Malik of the Sea"

Half sister in law? That was enough to make her head spin. How did someone become a half sister in law? Did that mean Art was his half brother? She wrinkled up her nose as she thought it through. “A General? That’s pretty impressive” She said agreeably, already forgetting about her earlier thought of her dad with some stranger. The name Tamsyn didn’t ring a bell, but then she hadn’t had much interest in the history of the pack.

“Me, too. I need to clean this” She said, already forgetting about the half-assed clean up job she had done to cover what she had really been looking for. She glanced over at the piles and shrugged. “Come on” She said to Malik as she took off towards the stream that ran through the forest. Since finding her bracelet, she was already treating him vastly differently than she had a moment ago. He had gone from a nobody to a ‘somebody’ in the blink of an eye.

So she may as well hang out with him, at least for a little bit. That meant taking him to the steam, she needed to give the bracelet a real proper clean, and ensure the cheetah-tie was undamaged. That was the important part. Even if any scent of her mother had long faded from it. When Malik apologised for her loss, she flattened her ears. She didn’t want to talk about it. “Doesn't matter, it was like… ages ago anyway.” she said dismissively. As if the most life changing event in her short time didn’t matter.


"Speech"

With nothing else to do and no one else to see, Malik didn't hesitate to get up and follow Kite when she bid him to come with her. He didn't know his way around the territory well enough just yet to be able to guess where she was taking him, but once the stream came into view he realized the very obvious answer of her coming here to clean off the bracelet. He was kind of surprised that she had wanted him to come along considering how bristly she had been when he first approached her, but the difference in her demeanor now that she had her bracelet back was noticeable so maybe he shouldn't have been that surprised.

He shifted his gaze over to her as she dismissed his condolences as if it didn't matter even though it did clearly matter quite a bit. He didn't want to upset her though so he didn't press the matter, instead opting to just be company for her while she went about restoring this important memento from her mother. They made it to the calmly running stream that wound through the trees and he settled on his haunches at the bank beside her. While she went about the process of cleaning her bracelet, he tipped his head up to look up at the moon once more, the bright circle of cool light even more visible here in the break in the trees. "The moon really is beautiful up here," he mentioned conversationally. "I know it's the same moon regardless of where you are, but there's just something about the cold air of the north that makes it seem more... close somehow."

"Malik of the Sea"

She let him to the stream without incident. The sights of strewn items became a less common occurrence the further they moved from the Col. she trotted to the bank and sat down. Leaning her paws over into the water as she carefully worked out the dirt from the cloth. Rubbing it gently, then wringing it out, and starting again. She brought it up to her nose and took a sniff, her nose wrinkling. It no longer smelled right, but perhaps the cured leopard coat scent would one day return to it.

“It’s more crisp, and clear here” She agreed, looking up at her shoulder over at Malik. “Maybe it’s because were higher up?” she suggested. If there was one thing she knew, it was the sights at night. It was the daytime things that were often still a mystery to her. “So, you want to train to be a mighty fighter?” she asked conversationally.


"Speech"

Malik's head tipped thoughtfully at the idea that it was because they were higher up here in the mountains. "You're probably right about that!" he agreed. It certainly made sense to him at the very least. He wasn't quite the navigator that his mom was, but something like that seemed pretty logical. He might not be as knowledgeable about terrains and weather patterns as his mom, but he still had a very deep appreciation and love of nature. It was hard not to after growing up with his father's tribal way of thinking about the world around him. Seeing the moon always made him miss his parents, but it also made him feel closer to them at the same time.

He was pulled from his thoughts and musing as Kite questioned him about his desire to train to be a mighty fighter, making his hazel gaze turn back down toward her with a chuckle, a smirk pulling at his lips. "I don't know if I'd go that far, but I do want to be a better fighter at least." He did like being proficient and skilled at whatever he was doing, but he felt like striving to be a 'mighty fighter' had the wrong context. "I'm not striving to go out and concur or anything like that. I just want to be able to defend myself and the wolves I care about–and maybe stand a better chance of chasing off any bears that might try to take my kills during a hunt," he explained. Shrugging a bit, he added, "I'm sure I didn't have to come all the way up here to learn that much, but I do love any excuse to explore the continent and meet wolves from all walks of life. That alone makes the trip up here worth it."

"Malik of the Sea"

She huffed at that. Why put in the work if you didn’t want to be the best? Maybe it was different for Kite. treated most of her life as if she didn’t have a chance. She needed to be able to prove she could. To others, and herself. When she fought, it was with everything she had. It had to be, disadvantaged as she was.

He sounded like it was all so easy, he could just cruise by and be appreciated. She put her head down, scrubbing at the bracelet and scowling at it at the same time. Fearful that she would be too rough, she decided that would have to do for now, and found a branch to hang it on. She turned at last, back to Malik, before making her way over and sitting beside him. She spread out her toes, and looked up at the sky, as he was. “I’m training to be the best warrior in the Armada. When I'm done learning, I’m going to tear everything down. If I could, I’d take the Armada from its leaders” She said. Was it a lot to say to a stranger? More than likely, yes. But she was sick of pretending her life was anything else.

"Speech"

Even though it was a wordless answer, Malik could tell that Kite didn't agree with his answer from the huff she made in response. He shrugged a bit and looked back up toward the sky, his hazel gaze following the patterns of the stars that glittered above them while he waited for her to finish washing the remnants of the flood from her bracelet. It was a quiet night with just the sound of the flowing water breaking up the silence and he was content to just sit with her while she worked. He always felt such a peace at night and it was easy for him to lose track of time while he was star gazing.

Eventually Kite was satisfied enough to stop scrubbing and hang the bracelet, finding a seat next to him instead. He didn't look away from the sky right away when she began to speak, sharing her drive to be the best warrior in the Armada. What did eventually pull his attention back to the aqua-splattered young woman was her desire to tear down the pack and take it from its current leaders–which of course he knew now to be her father. The violent desire made his brows knit together a bit, but he was never one to jump to conclusions or make assumptions from face value. "I'll be the first to admit that I know very little about the inner workings of a pack or anything of that sort... I grew up out in the wilds, traveling from place to place and living off the land. So if you don't mind me asking... what makes you want to take the Armada?"

"Malik of the Sea"

Hmm… how to explain it to him? He looked like a wolf that cruised through life easily, and wasn’t crushed by the expectations (or lack thereof) of his family. She sighed softly, sitting up a little. Her previous words had been said in haste, frustration, and pride. But she couldn’t take them back now. They had also been spoken from her heart.

“My father is the Warlord here. He believes you need to be strong to move up in rank, and he pretends that he is fair, that every wolf has an equal chance to rise. But when I asked to join the competition for Champion - that’s the second highest rank in the pack, he denied me. Stating my age. But then my litter mate requested to join, and suddenly it was acceptable. He told her to challenge me for her right to join it. He pretends he’s fair, but the truth is he doesn't believe in me. Well, he believes in strength, right? So one day, I’ll come in, and I'll prove that he was wrong. That they all were wrong, in the way they understand.” Her words were spoken with passion, her volume rising a little, before she swallowed it back down again. Her expression sullen.


"Speech"

Malik listened intently as Kite began to speak and share the purpose and reasons behind her drive to become a formidable warrior that could take down the Armada's current Warlord. He did his best to listen without judgement and without filtering it through his own opinions, putting himself in her position as best as he could despite the very different paths they had walked in life. It was, of course, hard to fully comprehend the pressure that she must have felt being the daughter of someone that called themselves a Warlord, but he could feel how much this meant to her and that was enough for him to at least understand the importance of what she was saying to him. He did frown with a crease in his brow when she shared how her littermate had been permitted to participate in this competition when she had been held back. There had to be more to the situation that he wasn't being told since he was only getting her side of the story, but regardless it would have only been fair for her to be given all of the same opportunities if she wanted them and felt ready to face them.

Malik didn't respond immediately, instead mulling over the situation for a moment. Who was he to comment on the injustice and the slight that she had felt? Part of him just wanted to support her claim and assure her that she would achieve her dreams, but that didn't sit right with him either. He was confident that she was capable, but he didn't want to blindly make assurances either. "In the tribe where my father was raised and in the beliefs that I follow, scars, maims, and disabilities are viewed as a symbol of resilience and strength. They're an outward sign of surviving and overcoming a threat or adversity. I know we've only just met, but I can tell that you don't let anything slow you down and you embody that strength and resilience that my family and ancestors praised so highly. The fact that you are so driven to stand up for yourself and what you deserve in this way shows that."

There was a brief pause and a hesitation before he added, "I'm obviously just a visitor here. I have to horse in this race–so to speak. To me it just sounds like you're only doing this to prove others wrong and get their approval–not necessarily because that's what you really want or from a desire to actually be a leader and have all of the responsibility that comes with it. Don't get me wrong, I completely understand wanting to show the results from all of your hard work, but... My hope for you is that one day you're proud of yourself and content with your own accomplishments for yourself and not for anyone else." He offered her a smile and added, "In the mean time if you need a practice dummy that moves I volunteer as tribute."

"Malik of the Sea"

Kite sighed softly as she listened to him. Looking for any sign that he was patronising her. But he genuinely sounded sincere. She wondered what that would have been like, to be raised in a family where a disability such as hers was respected. Instead of a reason to grind her into the dirt, and call her lessor. As Azure had done her whole life.

There was something very wholesome about Malik, and it was easy to mistake it for naivety. He had hit it dead on in that she had no desire for leadership. Sure, she’d probably enjoy bossing some wolves around, but she certainly wouldn’t want to be doing it for any long duration. Just look at all this mess around them? She didn’t want to be responsible for putting the Armada back together. Perhaps just tearing it apart…

What he said was sincere, logical, and sweet. But she was so fed up with her family, and still hurt from what she perceived as Andy’s betrayal. She didn’t want to listen to logic. “I suppose I wouldn’t want to lead them, but that doesn't mean I don’t want to win. and I might take you up on that.”

"Speech"