Quills laid against his back as he moved, relaxed, for now. He had been doing a lot of thinking, a lot of watching. They were many but not enough fighters. But they also needed to get the experience under the belt of their members. He moved into the room he had taken with Atreyu. His eyes focused and settling on the sight outside the window. He had sent for Atreyu, knowing Bigs would find her. The small creature was getting spoiled by him he felt. He even let it sleep in the bed with them, how spoiled could the hairless thing get.

He settled by the window. They were on about the third floor up. He had chosen the room specifically because he could see the entire island from the windows. He knew what they needed to speak about and was sure Atreyu wouldn't be happy to cooperate. Their resource room was slowly dwindling bad. A twitch of his tail and his quills started to rise. he needed to ensure he looked the part of the king Atreyu wanted of him. It was one thing to be ready to take on the mantle, it was another to convince the others.

"Atreyu" || "Azriel"

code by bird, art by asena

Atreyu had been searching the feral gardens that sprawled wild in the courtyards of this place when Bigs finally found her. Her paws were dirty from digging up beneficial plants and giving them better soil to grow in for the Austerian spring. 'Azriel sent me to fetch you, he is in the room.' Atreyu didn't have to ask what Bigs meant by "the room," it was the one they had been sharing since arriving on the island. Giving a small smile to the little naked dog, nodding her head, "Well, he knows how to build anticipation, doesn't he? Did he tell you what it was about?" The small chihuahua mix shook his black and tan head in the negative, his mohawk following the motion. Of course, he hadn't told Bigs what he wanted her for, and her teenaged mind ran rampant with it.

Shaking the lustful thoughts from her head, Atreyu followed Bigs back to the room, stopping the small dog at the door. "Stay out here, I'm sure he will want this to be just us for now. Unless you hear differently, stay out here, please?" Though she said please, her words were more of an order than a request, and her facial features and tone said as much. Not knowing what Azriel needed her for, she put on a more formal expression and walked into their room. "Bigs said you needed me?" She asked in warm tones, her voice carrying notes of curiosity and concern. Was everything alright? Had something dreadful happened? Did he not want to marry her anymore? The pink, ocelot-spotted lady tried not to let those thoughts circle her mind, but dread clawed at her mind anyway. Atreyu knew he would not have sent Bigs to get her if it were something like that. It must be something else then. Kissing Azriel's cheek, Atreyu came to sit before him - not as his betrothed or friend, this time. Atreyu felt this was a talk for her as a leader. Wrapping her tail around gloved front paws, Atreyu looked him over and noted the slightly raised quills and his expression.

He looked every bit like a concerned father worrying over the behavior of his children, "Are you alright?" That was always a loaded question with her family and friends. Yes, aside from the scars, most of them were hanging in there - but that didn't mean their trauma didn't lurk beneath the surface like a hungry alligator. Could that be what bothered Azriel? She stayed quiet, waiting to hear his answer and trying not to let her mind think about the way her heart seemed to stop at the thought of him not wanting her. Did she really feel so strongly about him already? Closing her eyes briefly, Atreyu pushed those thoughts from her mind, focusing on Azriel's purpose and not the what-ifs of things.

"Atreyu" || "Azriel"

code by bird, art by asena

The demigod didn't have to wait long. He'd seen when she entered the building and had his eyes set about for the others lurking on the island. He was intent on this going one of two ways. And his way was the easy way.

She entered the room and he folded his tail over his paws. Her kiss went unanswered. He didn't need a distraction for their conversation to come. He waited for her to get herself into a spot she was comfortable. She stated that he had sent Bigs and he nodded. "Come in Bigs.... Your a part of this as much as the rest of the pack is." He cut his gaze to Atreyu. She wasn't going to like this. Taking other's resources, thats what had been Archnemes' goals when they took their home originally. But ruthless as the world was, they couldn't afford to become completely pacifists.

Her question must of come from the worry over his face. So he needed to be blunt and tell her like it was. "I am worried. Our resources are stretching thin. By the end of next season I suspect we will have to eat yours and Fairytale's pets. We use them faster than we can restock them, so before you say we can just restock, take that into consideration. I know with the past you will be against it. But take into consideration the others around you.... I refuse to allow them to starve out." He was careful. Calm. Had laid it all out at her paws. She had to see the truths to make a decision here today. "We have to feed mouths. And we are running out of room for mouths. Alaric should return shortly with his answer of the packs and their strengths...." He moved a paw then. Finally reaching for her. A paw taking hers and his blackened lips meeting her paw then kissing up her leg with featherlight kisses. Groveling, perhaps. But the demigod wasn't groveling.

She should see where his mind went. That they could resolve this amicably, they could take what they needed, or they could die out. Her choice.

"Atreyu" || "Azriel"

code by bird, art by asena

Azriel invited Bigs into the room, and the small dog happy came trotting in with Atreyu. When he didn't return her chaste kiss, Atreyu knew something was definitely wrong. It did not help the raging doubt in her mind, but she held herself with her usual regal air. Her brow furrowed with concentration as she listened to him, absorbing every word and weighing it carefully in her mind. Black ears pinned back against a pink, spotted crown, holographic eyes going wide with shock and maybe a bit of horror as they searched his face. What was he saying? Why wouldn't he just come out and ask her? She knew what he alluded to, that they would have to raid for resources - but that would make them no better than the ones who attacked Judila. Bigs understood the need for it, but he had not been at Judila's fall.

Atreyu stared at her betrothed for a long while, studying him and his words for a full two minutes before even truly responding. She allowed him to reach for her paw, his feathered kisses making her heart beat faster, but it didn't change the furrow in her brow. Finally, Atreyu took a long, slow inward breath and let it out just as slowly through her mouth. She hated to admit it, but he was right. Their stocks were running low and they couldn't very well survive from quail eggs alone. If she wanted Judila to grow, she would have to make this decision. Sink or swim, that was what they had come to. Her face changed then, from stoic listening to curling up her lips in distaste for the subject. She was stuck. They had nothing to trade for resources, no real way to keep livestock, and no other options. With a huff and a small growl, Atreyu looked to Bigs and then back to the mismatched eyes of Azriel.

"Atreyu, he makes sense." Bigs said carefully, his dark beady eyes full of understanding. Holographic eyes rolled in their sockets, black sclera emphasizing the motion. She tossed her head a little and gave another frustrated growl. Searching the face of her betrothed and second in command, Atreyu could see his conviction and understood his motives. "Is there no other way?" Despite the frustration she clearly displayed, her voice seemed sad, mournful almost. She was glad for the foresight Azriel showed, sending Alaric to scout out the packs, but did they really have to raid for their resources? Could they not come about it peacefully? Ask the neighbors for a cup of sugar, so to speak. Her eyes held warring emotions, but there was a grief in her gaze that could not be ignored.

"Atreyu" || "Azriel"

code by bird, art by asena

The dark demigod watched her face as she weighed everything. The desperation to not become Archnemes and to be better in her eyes. He knew she would have trouble with this. It's why he had approached it delicately. But his own face displayed his worry, his seriousness on the situation.

She seemed to finally come to a realization that he was right after a while of silence. His dual toned eyes cast to bigs as he spoke. He may be just a pet for Atreyu but he was her closest friend before this land, but before that Azriel had been that to her. He wouldn't lie to her or say these things to hurt her. But there was only so much space they had and with so many mouths he couldn't see other solutions. He had tried. This was his last effort, he had made a silent promise to be a better soldier and king to Judila than those before. She had promised he would hold equal power unless she said otherwise and he felt it was time he started acting like a king and making the tough calls.

Her question brought a sad sigh to his lips. She never wanted this. He was sure. "The world won't just hand us things. Packs won't give us what we need because we are kind, nor because we are peaceful. They will see us as weak, come for our supplies and wipe us out if we go asking for what we need. It's better this way." he was gentle about it. His eyes bore into hers. Every truth there laid out in front of her. This is how he saw it. "We can tell Judila it's my doing, that none of it is your first choice if that makes you feel better. We wont take everything a pack owns when we raid either, just what we need and no more. It might hurt but dying out will hurt more my queen. Its not my first choice either but its what i feel in my heart to be the right one for us." He then brought his head forward and brought Atreyu to his chest and rested his head on hers. A sign he was going to stand by her regardless of her decision today. But he also wouldn't let their members starve out.

"Atreyu" || "Azriel"

code by bird, art by asena

Azriel had always been a trusted friend, even before he became a guard for their family. She understood that he did what he did and said what he said to better protect and provide for the band and her, but she couldn't truly wrap her head around raiding others for what they needed. Her mind fought against the idea as memories of the last raid she had seen flashed before her eyes. They didn't have to be so vicious as those demons had been though, and Atreyu understood that too. Perhaps, had she been raised a soldier she could see his point more clearly, but in peaceful Judila there had been no need to pillage what others had.

Listening carefully to his words, Atreyu pulls herself closer to him just as he brings her into his chest and rests his head on hers. "I understand that we need to... Despite my personal reservations against it, I suppose we have some training to do." It was her way of giving her consent to him, letting him know she did take his words to heart. They needed to do difficult things for the betterment of Judila and her members, and this was one of them. Leaning back against Azriel's strong form, Atreyu pushed her face into his chest and let a few tears fall for what they would have to do. Raiding, no matter how peaceful, was still raiding.

"Atreyu" || "Azriel"

code by bird, art by asena