The packs of Alacritis had changed so much of the past few weeks that they where no longer recognizable. It marked as high time they where re-explored and new alliances where forged with the packs that where new and the leaders that had changed. He would start with Ebony, a pack he had formed an Alliance with and one he would need to see where he stood now with a new leader in charge of its borders. He wasn't entirely certain of the reasons for the change, the news of that hadn't made its way to Solstice yet so he wasn't wholly certain what he was walking into when he made his way to Ebony except that Ebony and Solstice had been friends before the change.



He would make it to the borders of Firefly Lake, the same territory he had entered for the games Katji had hosted and where he had first encountered her when he had made an alliance with her pack. He would stop there, waiting politely outside the borders as he raised his head and howled for the Alpha of this pack.


"Speech"
'thoughts'

The howl that rang across the lake's surface was the first, but Valeriya hardly thought it would be the last. She knew they would come in droves, dignitaries and diplomats from all across the land begging audience. It was important to know where they all stood, of course, but as to how exactly she was supposed to woo them... well. She drew in a deep breath and dragged a false sense of self-confidence up from that place inside of her that woke up when she had no other choice. The auburn fae, no, Queen stood and began to lope around the side of the lake she lounged before. It had been a busy few days, re-acquainting herself with her homeland, but somehow the excited energy this upheaval had caused still tingled within her. It kept her steps light and rapid as her paws carried her to the borderlands. She did not recognize the voice or the song he had brought to her, but she was eager to find out. Oh, they're all going to be so much older than me, she groaned dismally to herself. But it didn't really matter, the wild regent would be able to prove her mettle given enough time. Still, it was these first impressions that mattered the most. She drew nearer and neared until she finally slower her gait so that she might come upon the part of dignitaries with something that could be confused with dignified grace. She held her head high and let her languid shape, a fae's shape now and not a pups, speak for her. Her eyes were cool but not cold, interested but collected. Sophistication had never been a strong suit, but mimicry was. Only one wolf awaited her, which she thought was odd, until she realized she too had come alone. She cursed silently to herself, upset she hadn't had the foresight to bring a guard. You're a Queen now, you have to think about these things! Still, when she spoke her voice betrayed (hopefully) nothing of the unrest she felt inside. "Hail, stranger, and welcome to Ebony lands. What can I do for you?" She would not introduce herself, not yet. Though she already had an idea of what this brute had come for, it would do to rush into such delicate matters... or so she figured. She kept her gaze level, and concentrated on keeping her heart rate in check. "Talk" "You" Think

Max had head the call at the boarders for his new queen and taken it upon himself to move towards the call. It was not his job but he had almost always met Raisa at the boarders with the man or woman who had called her and so he would do the same for the woman's daughter. This would be the girl's first boarder call and if anything he thought she might need some support.

Upon his arrival, the new queen had also just arrived. Though unlike the young Queen he would stay hidden in the shadows while she spoke. He would test the air and the information he would receive would be that the male was of Solstice. That small piece of information would be enough to loosen and relieve the stress and tension in his muscle that he hadn't known was there until they relaxed.

A smile would form on his face at the level of calm and control his young Queen was holding though she was concentrating on something other than the man in front of her. A brow would rise for a moment and then his face would fall completely blank of all emotion.

Stepping out of the shadows he would give both wolves a respectful nod and then take a seat next to the Queen. He was unsure as to weather or not she would send him away or allow him to stay as only days before he had spoken his mind without being asked to.

The cross marked boy would sit patiently by the borders of Ebony?s territory with his tail swinging a small, and lazy circle behind him. In the general amount of time it took for one to cross their borders he would see the approach of what could only be the queen of this land. First impressions did indeed tell him she was young, but he knew better then to think anything of that ? he had taken his leadership about the time he turned two and Bass was also one and had been a leader for even longer then Crucifix. He did not judge her for her age but instead took in the strange mottle of her coat, the browns that took over most of her and the soft cream that marked her face in a pattern that strangely reminded him of the cross he bore on his shoulder. As she finished approaching him she would let out a polite greeting, and well she did not identify herself as queen he did see a regal bearing in the way she held herself and the sophistication that placed a cool expression against teal orbs. The Alpha of Solstice would politely dip his head to the unnamed woman before him after she concluded her speech. She seemed more regal then the other leaders he had encountered and he kept his own bearing accordingly. ?Greetings, My Lady, I am Crucifix the Alpha of Solstice lands. I have come to Ebony Lands in the hope that we might find a friendship between our packs, or at least an alliance if your willing to consider it.? he would pause then, for there was the approach of another wolf, he would look up to see the dark shaded wolf that joined them, and nod his head oligopoly to this wolf also. He decided to leave his statement there and returned his gaze to the wolf that he assumed was the new queen of Ebony. "Speech"

The stranger was mannerly, Valeriya noted. That was good. He did not press his presence, and he had respected their border above all. His tone was friendly and the words spoken set the young fae at ease, allow some of the stiff posture to slip from her shoulders. Her stance became somewhat more relaxed, and welcoming. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Crucifix. My name is Valeriya Xanilov, and as you may have guessed I am Queen of these lands." She paused a moment to look the man over, wondering how he had become ruler of his own lands. Had he been contested, would he have wisdom to share? "I may be young," she would allow, "but I am not so foolish as to turn away a potential friend. Perhaps you could tell me more about your pack, and your homeland?" She would wait patiently for him to respond, only to be caught unaware by an intrusion of sorts. The wind carried his scent to her and the auburn queen turned just in time to see a dark wolf emerge from the brush. Maximous's arrival filled Valeryia with quick tension, and she wondered if he had come to aid or observe her. Apparently in his mind she was an inevitable failure, and perhaps he had come to cement those views before leaving her as well. Their numbers had dropped since her ascent to the throne. It hurt her, how could it not, but she had been taking steps to ensure that it wouldn't get to her head. Change was difficult, and she hoped in time things would settle down. Despite her reservations, Valeriya greeted the man warmly. "Maximous, hello." She turned to Crucifix and smiled. She debated a breath on what honorific to offer the other ruler, and decided to go with what she knew. "Your grace, might I introduce Maximous, one of our finest healers. Maximous, this is Crucifix, the alpha of Solstice." She watched the two brutes with calm but keen interest, wondering how this meeting might progress. If they had any prior knowledge of one another she couldn't say, but she hoped it would go well. Even if Maximous did not have the highest confidence in her abilities, she did value his insight as a scholarly wolf and her elder. His presence both eased her and worried her, all at once. "Talk" "You" Think

The queen would surprise him by giving a warm greeting rather than an unwelcome one. In turn emotion would return to his features and a friendly smile would be given along with the bow of his head. "Hello, Lady Valeriya." No sooner than he would speak to her than she would turn to the king of Solstice to introduce him. One of our finest healers? his mind would question as he had only ever thought of himself as just another healer.

When introduced to Crucifix, Max would offer him a greeting just as warm as he had given to his own Queen. "A pleasure to meet you Crucifix." He two would receive a bow of Maximous's head before he would return his blue gaze to his queen whom he was slowly gaining confidence in. He now knew that she could remain cool at the boarders with an unknown wolf, that in itself showed him that her young age did not compromise boarder meetings.

However he had not come here to judge her or condemn her. He was not and never would be her father. He was not related to her in any form aside from being a part of the pack and that Raisa had been his first friend in Ebony. He had promised the woman nothing and there for owed her nothing. He was not going to help Valeriya for Raisa but rather because he had told the girl...no scratch that. He had to start seeing her as his queen. Period. She was his queen and he had told her from the beginning that if she needed him for anything then she could seek him out and he would keep his word.

Max had known that the young woman before him probably had mixed feelings about him being there so he would verbally let her know that he was hers to command and that he had only come for her. "I did not mean to interrupt..." he would look from one royal wolf to the other and back before continuing. "I only wished to make sure my lady was safe." Now he would look directly at Valeriya and speak directly to her "If you wish for me to leave, then I will."

Still he did not think she was ready. The job had quite literally been dropped upon her shoulders with no warning only days before. She was young, but that is not what brought him to believe she was not ready. What made him think that was she couldn't even settle an argument with her sister...how in the hell would she deal with an argument with another pack. How would she react if another alpha were to disrespect her or blow up on her as Svetlana had. These were all questions he had but would not and never would voice aloud. In time he was sure they would answer themselves.

With Cru?s own introduction the Queen would now give her own, and for the first time he would learn the name of the new Ebony Queen. He had indeed guessed she was the Queen but it was a relief for her to confirm it, getting something like that wrong would not be his approach to a new alliance. She would admit to being young and the boy would find his lips upturning in a friendly smile ? clearly she had not met Bass yet, he was a good leader and easily as young as she was, she did not need to worry of being judged by her age in the new line of leaders that reigned over Alacritis. ?Of course My Lady, I would be happy to? he would recline his head politely in agreement as she asked for more information. ?Solstice is to the South of here in ?Weeping Woods? and ?Tall Grass Plains?? he started with the location, which was a more straightforward answer.



He would pause again for the black brute as his name was given by Valeriya, ?Maximous? she had called him, and he filed the knowledge away as she followed on with intruding him to her member. ?And to you, Maximious? Crucifix said politely, and would stay silent a few moments longer to allow the two to converse, politely keeping himself from a conversation that did not concern him. Allowing a few moments to pass, he would then go on to say. ?I was just explaining my Pack Solstice to your Queen, Valeriya, Solstice is a fairly neutral pack intent on peace and building friendships with our neighbors. I can promise you aid as you need it in terms of offering you skilled trainers if you needed any help instructing wolves or happened to be missing a lead wolf in a certain position ? as Bass the leader of Abaven did for me in lending me a warrior? he explained in that matter to show he meant no disrespect or think she would need the help just that it was there if she needed it as it had been for him when he had started out. ?Although i can not promise you full aid if you went to war with any packs that i also shared an alliance with, unless they sought you harm for no reason in which case i would indeed intend to intervene to aid you - this is the kind of alliance i would wish to offer you if you where to accept? he continued, fully announcing himself as a neutral party unless forced into action by a pack doing evil upon her.


"Speech"
'thoughts'

Max would show every courtesy as he greeted Crucifix, nothing but polite interest and curiosity. When he would ask her permission to stay, Valeriya nearly laughed. It seemed so silly now. "You are more than welcome here, Maximous," she would say easily. "After all, if our packs are to be friends we ought to get to know one another." She turned back to Crucifix and listened and he explained his own domain. It struck her as quite interesting, a concept she was otherwise unfamiliar with. To lend out your warriors and healers seemed a risk to her, but she also understood the good will it would incur. That he would not go against another ally to aid her was hardly a surprising notion, and that troubled her not at all. This is it, she thought, as she moved to make her first major decision as Ebony's new Queen. She smiled softly. "Your pack sounds very interesting," she said truthfully. "I see no ill coming from a partnership between us. Ebony too is neutral unless provoked. We can offer steadfast support to our friends and mighty opposition to our enemies. We are a pack that equally prides both skill in battle and mental prowess, and from that view we grow stronger. Should you go to war we would be behind you, provided your enemy was not another friend." She paused, and allowed her smile to grow a bit bigger, showing a bit more of her youth. "You seem quite level headed though, so I doubt our enemies and friends would contrast so drastically." She turned to Maximous and examined his face, trying to discern what he had thought of her small speech and wondering if he might offer any input. There really was little else to cover. She did not feel a need to speak of their rather small number, only for the fact that Crucifix did not mention theirs. Would that be bad manners? She was hardly omitting it from shame, it was just something that would take a while to build back up. Finally she returned her gaze to the man before her. "If you would agree, I think a friendship between out packs would work out quite well." It was only one step, she knew, but it was a step forward. One ally down, and who knew how many more to go? But at least it was a start. "Talk" "You" Think

After Valeriya gave him permission to stay his ears would perk and swivel back and forth between the two alphas as they spoke. His tail would wrap around himself and lay over the tops of his hind paws. Max would sit up strait and his attention would remain solely on the conversation at hand. Silently his mind would work into ideas to give to the queen at a later date as the King would offer to loan teachers should she need help in that area. Should they ever fall short of mentors it could be wise to take the offer.

The man would continue on in explaining how much he and his pack would help them should Ebony fall into war. Both he and Lady Valeriya would agree on being neutral should Ebony go to war with a Solstice ally and vise versa. Max too would agree with that particular rule. She saw nothing wrong with an alliance between Ebony and Solstice, and Max liked the idea of his young queen having a friend.

Ebony consisted resiliently, tough wolves who not only had strength but had the training to use that strength properly. And for those who didn't fight unless they had to, like himself, had wisdom in both the arts of war and all herbs that could be found within Alacritis. Then there were the younger wolves such as Kassander and Callistio who were gaining the knowledge for one of the trades of a pack wolf.

In the corner of Maximous eye he would see his queen look at him as if she were trying to read his mind. He would turn his head so that he was looking at her. She was doing to him as he always did to any wolf who chose to remain silent and act as though he couldn't read their body language and face. Even when their face was blank emotion almost always showed in the eyes as he had only ever met a few who could truly hold themselves emotionless. Quietly he wondered if she could read the approval in his face. That approval would only grow as she turned to the king and spoke her thoughts on the alliance.

He was uncertain what she would think of his speech, his attempts to explain Solstice as a neutral and peaceful pack. She seemed to understand it, and stated her own terms to be similar to the ones he had spoken of. It seemed they had reached an agreement, and stated the support they where willing to give to benefit this alliance. In fact, he could easily see it as becoming a friendship he already respected her polite ways and her steady thinking. The Ebony Queen would continue to speak, and her smile provoked one of his own. ?I?m glad you think so, Valeriya? he said politely, wondering where to lead the conversation from there. ?Don't forget where here if you need it, and i'm more then happy to help so long as it dosn?t mean betraying other friendships? he concluded, which seemed to cover everything he wanted to talk about in an alliance. He bowed his head low then to the Ebony Queen, and with another smile he would turn, and if he wasn't stopped he would leave, with another alliance to ensure peace with his pack. "Speech"