About a week prior, Sephiran had approached Rhazien with a predicament. They were quickly outgrowing the territories they inhabited. Even with the size of The Polar Sound and the addition of the island, they needed more room to stretch their legs, and more resources to pillage and exploit. Truthfully, resources were limited in the North, especially during the winter season; The Polar Sound seemed to thrive in all seasons, but the island, not so much. It would be beneficial to expand their domain, to inhabit another territory to act as a catalyst in their pursuit of dominion. Especially if wolves planned to have pups soon.

Early that morning, Rhazien left the sanctuary of The Polar Sound to travel into the neighboring pine forest. Sparse patches of sunlight filtered through the canopy above, the forest floor blanketed in a thick layer of pristine snow. The slender trunks of the pines were tall and bare in the winter season, their branches decorated in icicles. Despite the sparseness of the trees, the scent of prey was strong here, harboring herds and herbivores and the occasional group of coyotes.

Finding a large, fallen log to perch himself on top of, Rhazien takes a seat. Zemir and Zemra take their places beside him, rubbing themselves against his forelegs and waiting for a command. Tipping his head back, he calls for the other intellectuals in their pack, wanting to discuss the potential and importance of expansion.

"Rhazien Saxe"

Round 1/3

One might consider Kaino a busybody, but in all actuality, the woman was usually just bored. She was high strung with lots of energy and liked to keep herself busy, so when her uncle called out for others to discuss the expansion with, Kaino was ready to join him.

The air was crisp and clean as Kai filled her lungs with it. A lazy little smile curled up her lips as Rhazien came into view. A prance in her step, Kai moved up to the big man and placed a kiss upon one dark cheek. "Uncle," she greeted, then looked about the pines. "A very good place to claim, don't you think?" One silver gloved paw lifted and she motioned towards the various tracks upon the ground. "We'll eat like kings for sure." A little shrug followed. "Also a strategic place to set up shop if we ever go to war with Elysium, eh?"

"Speech"

Aresenn emerged from the shadows of the towering pines, his eyes adjusting to the filtered daylight. He had been keenly observing the conversation from afar, his gaze lingering on Kaino as she pranced about Rhazien. A smirk twitched at the corner of his mouth as he approached them. Keeping a safe distance from the little gathering, he leaned casually against a nearby tree trunk. "Strategic placement and a bountiful food supply." he agreed, glancing at the tracks Kaino pointed out, "Definitely worth considering." His voice was light but carried an undertone of authority. He then glanced towards Rhazien and added, "But it's also crawling with coyotes. We take this land; we inherit its problems too." 

"Aresenn Praetor"

Aurelia had been lurking behind the congregation, her irises reflecting the icy blue hues of the winter scenery. This had been a mere excuse to leave anyways. Fuck him. Her cyan gaze flicked from the tracks to Rhazien, then to Kaino and Aresenn in turn. She sighed heavily, rolling her eyes in evident annoyance. "Oh, brilliant," she snarled, her words dripping with biting sarcasm. "A buffet and a battle all wrapped up in one convenient location. What could possibly go wrong?" She shifted her weight from one paw to the other, her tail flicking with impatience. Beyond them, the forest opened into a clearing, snowy and still in the midday sun. Of course, her mood had already been tainted by the waves of nausea she was granted. But that was an entirely different problem beyond expanding territories, and it left a pang of anxiety for what was to come.

"We take this land," she began, mimicking Aresenn's words. "And what exactly?”

"Aurelia Veratti"

As Rhazien waits, the crisp air carries the scent of an impending snowfall. Small crystals begin their descent from the heavens, dancing lightly in the breeze and swirling in front of his face. There’s an existing layer of snow on the forest floor, and soon it will be covered in fresher powder. As he watches the flakes slowly fall, a few thoughts form in his mind. 

Snow helped mute sound, and it was easy to cover tracks with it. Snowbanks could be used as hiding places for ambushes. Deep snowdrifts, icy patches, and rugged terrain could slow enemy groups down, especially those who weren’t accustomed to the cold. He concluded that fighting battles in this forest may be beneficial if the majority of their wolves happened to be here during a raid.

And the first to arrive - his darling, dearest niece Kaino - must have read his mind. She placed a kiss on his cheek, and a deep rumble resonated from him - akin to a purr, as he reveled in her affection. “Strategic indeed.” He’d say with a nod, agreeing with her statement. Although he wasn’t anticipating a war with their neighbors so soon, he couldn’t disregard it. 

Aresenn was next to arrive. And then, Aurelia - the azure beauty who captivated him in many ways. Just the sight of her elicited a response from him. His pelt threatened to bristle, as lust and envy simmered in his gut. She’d been more irritated than usual lately, her lithe frame looking more… plump. Did Sephiran fill her womb with pups? He shakes the thought away, needing to focus on their task. He could brood over those details later. 

Shifting his weight, he flashes his suave, charming smile at Aurelia before turning to Aresenn. “Elysia and our militants can eradicate the coyotes.” He says, addressing his concern. “But it may take some time. This forest is massive, even larger than The Polar Sound. It will be difficult to maintain adequate patrols." He holds his gaze on Aresenn, knowing there was a plan in the works, with his little wraith Absinth. She was in charge of training the ravens on the island to start patrolling their domain and the neighboring territories. So perhaps that could be their solution until they had more bodies in their ranks.  

"Rhazien Saxe"

Round 2/3

Aurelia's sneer was met with a sneer of her own. Who let the fucking slave out of her box? The silly bitch was pretty, but that's all that she had going for her. How Sephiran could put up with the woman's attitude, Kai had no idea. She'd have ripped her tongue out long ago. The Emira bristled slightly, her own voice laced with authority,"If you have nothing of import to add to the conversation, Sidi, then go back to your master. This decision impacts all of us, even the lesser wolves of the pack."

Rhazien mentioned the patrols being difficult and Kaino chuckled softly, all malice gone from her expression as she turned to look upon her uncle.  "Leave patrols to me. It'll be a small task to set up a patrol schedule among the hunters of the pack." Running patrols was one of her favorite things to do. Hunters in general were made for long distance runs, so she would confer with her fellow hunters at a later date.

"I do feel that this place has quite a bit to offer. The Wall that borders the pines offers a modicum of protection against the outside world. If we repaired the damaged places, it could further fortify our hold here."The lavender and smoke fae tilted her head from side to side, visibly considering other things.  "There are a great number of bears along the wall, however. But, where are there not bears? Too many of the bastards."

"Speech"

Aresenn’s gaze cut through the flurry of descending snowflakes, riveted on the exchange between Aurelia and Kaino. The sharpness in their voices hung in the air, a palpable tension against the serene backdrop of the wintry landscape. A grim smile tugged at his lips at Kaino’s jab, her words reinforcing the stark divide between them and Aurelia, but he made no comment.

His focus shifted back to Rhazien as he spoke of patrolling the vast forest—his tone dripping with an assumption that plans had been made. Briefly, his amber gaze warmed with a hint of amusement. “Absinth's ravens are capable of covering whatever we need them to," Aresenn retorted, his tone even as he shot a pointed look at the diplomat- knowing full well what implication lay beneath the older brute’s words.

Turning to Kaino, he gave a curt nod. "I trust the hunters to manage." He made no comments regarding the wall, though his gaze briefly flickered in its direction. Bears were indeed a concern, but as Kaino stated, the massive beasts were unfortunately an omnipresent danger in these parts.

He paused for a moment, letting the silence hang for a beat too long before words rolled smoothly from his tongue. "What about inter-pack relations?" Aresenn questioned, looking at Rhazien this time. “This puts us much closer to the Armada …” He trailed off, wondering how Rhazien’s meeting with Basilisk had gone.

"Aresenn Praetor"

Aurelia allowed the others to speak, her cyan eyes narrowing slightly at their interjections. The scenario painted by Rhazien with the forthcoming snowfall sent shivers through her sleek frame, not out of cold, but anticipation. She hated the waiting game. She could also feel the disdain in Kaino's words, but the very thought of addressing it made her stomach churn. Her gaze flicked to Rhazien, and she gave a curt nod at his suggestion regarding Elysia and the militants.

"I'm not here to play chit-chat while you discuss patrols and coyote clean-ups." Aurelia spat out, her voice laced with a deep-rooted impatience. Gritting her teeth, she shifted her weight uneasily from one paw to the other. Her tail twitched, and she tried to swallow back the nausea that was slowly creeping up her throat. Her morning sickness seemed to ebb and flow with her moods, currently worsening due to the conversation's mundanity.

Her eyes rolled as Kaino continued on about the bears, barely holding back a sarcastic remark. "Sure, let's go poke the bears and see if they'll make room," Aurelia interjected, a sardonic smile playing on her lips. It faded as she continued, her tone pointedly sharp. “Why here? What makes this place special? If you’re worried about controlling the wall, then why not claim the damn thing yourselves?” She spat her questions into the cold air, then rounded on Aresenn, who dared to bring up the Armada. "Inter-pack relations?" she repeated, snorting with disbelief at his query. Her tail lashed behind her and her ears pinned back against her skull, fur bristling at the mere mention of the rival pack. "What about them? Should we invite them for tea?" She scoffed, tossing her head dismissively. Aurelia could feel the bitter taste of bile rise in her throat again, but she swallowed it down with a grimace.

"Aurelia Veratti"

Oh my. Rhazien hadn’t expected Kaino to lash out at Aurelia so quickly - though, he should have seen it coming, given how bold the little Sidi had become. If she weren’t Sephiran’s Sidi, she would have been fed to the pack a long time ago, despite Rhazien’s infatuation with her. Her only saving grace, was the Sultan's delusion of love he believed to have for her.

Kaino turns her attention to him, devoting herself to increased patrols. Nodding, he flashes her a pleased smile- lips contorting into a wide smirk, a single brow furrowing above a bi-colored eye. Her comment on The Wall and the increased number of bears is a beneficial one, and Rhazien agrees. “The Wall is a powerful piece in our puzzle.” He says, nodding to Kaino. “Both for protection and for knowledge.” He turns back to the group. Aresenn mentions Absinth’s ravens, and Rhazien builds on that. “The birds will add The Wall to their patrols- Sephiran already expressed interest in that. Rouges must pass through the wall to enter the North. We will know who enters, and who leaves.” Besides the Armada, it was the Syndicate who lived in the North. And, not just rouges could be accounted for, but armies if they were to be invaded. It was a beneficial landmark indeed.

The hunters could address the competing predators. Rhazien nodded to Aresenn to agree. And, to the mention of the Armada, well. That was also a lingering concern on Rhazien’s mind. “As of right now, neutrality is the established standing between The Syndicate and the Armada.” He says, giving Aresenn insight into how his meeting with the Warlord went. “I will be returning to discuss any future arrangements between the kingdoms- but for now, we focus on expanding.” Sephrian wanted more land to dominate - greedy bastard he was - he wasn’t too concerned with politics at the moment. He left that up to Rhazien, but, wanting to appease their Sultan, the older Saxe was focusing his attention on making the expansion a success.

Aurelia speaks up again, spewing venomous insults and bitter taunts. Rhazien looks at her, his head cocking slightly to the side as he tries to decipher what the hell she was doing. “You are dismissed.” Was all Rhazien would say. And if she refused to leave, he would call for the Sultan to physically remove her. Which he knew Sephiran would enjoy.

Turning back to Kaino and Aresenn, the crowned betas of the pack, Rhazien concludes the meeting. “The Sparse Pines will be a great addition to our kingdom.” He says, knowing they will agree, based on their points and concerns. The benefits greatly outweighed the risks. Sephiran would be pleased.

"Speech"

A low growl reverberated through Kaino's lavender chest as Aurelia continued to shit from her mouth. At that moment, she would like nothing more than to turn the woman's insides into outsides. Rhazien dismissed Aurelia before Kaino could act and it was a good thing, too. It wouldn't do for Sephiran's slave to return with half a face.

Teeth clenched, Kaino turned her attention back to Rhazien. "Holding this territory will be no different from holding any other. The benefits outweigh the detriments." One paw waved in the air dismissively. It was obvious that she was over being social. "Let's be done with it." Bears wouldn't be an issue. Coyotes were no big deal. Food was plentiful. The earth was rich and could be used to plant things in spring and summer. What more was there to think about?

"Kaino"

Aresenn took a step back, giving Kaino a sidelong glance as Aurelia was dismissed. He didn't care much for the woman's whining. It was like a fly buzzing in his ear - annoying, but not worth his attention.

He nodded at Kaino's words, arms crossed over his chest, his posture relaxed, yet assertive. His eyes flicked to the Sparse Pines in the distance, considering Kaino's comment on it. The territory had its pros and cons, but if they played their cards right, it would be a successful expansion. "Aye," Aresenn grumbled, his voice gravelly and laced with weariness. "We do have the upper hand, if we play it right." His gaze traveled over the sprawling territory with calculating scrutiny. The Sparse Pines really were a sight to behold - tall, towering trees stretching towards the piercing blue of the sky; the dense underbrush beneath, hiding in its depths an array of potential threats and rewards. The area was teeming with life, from small critters scurrying around to larger predators that could pose a threat to their pack. And … it was the territory his father used to rule.

"But we best be prepared for what's to come," Aresenn added, rubbing his rough chin thoughtfully. His mismatched eyes flicked back to Rhazien and Kaino a moment before following the Emira’s lead out.

"Aresenn Praetor"

Aurelia barely suppressed a snarl as Rhazien dismissed her. She was on her final nerve, yet she knew better than to bare her fangs to the powerful male. His standing was too high and crossing him in such a blatant manner could spell disaster for her. Still, his dismissal stung deep. She shot him a cold glare, her cyan eyes flashing with venomous ire.

"Dismissed?" she echoed, disgust curling her lip and resentment flaring in the icy pits of her eyes. "Very well." Yet, she didn't turn tail and scamper off as expected. Instead of succumbing to the humiliation of being dismissed like an unruly pup, she stood her ground, making sure to inject a heavy dose of venom into her curt farewell before she finally pivoted on her heel.

Her tail arched high above her back in a haughty display of defiance as she stalked away, every muscle in her lean body taut with simmering anger. The crunch of snow beneath her paws was drowned out by the rush of blood in her ears. She was livid, boiling over with unspent fury and frustration that had nowhere to go. And yet - if there was one thing she excelled in - it was turning negative emotions into fuel for her own ends.

"Aurelia Veratti"