hello from the other side

With a nod Ren confirmed Valentine's assumption. He went on to fish for a neutral standing. This one time Valentine would give the boy a pass, since he was, after all, a boy. The King was of the opinion that first encounters were for pleasantries and quietly sizing up the competition. Hinting at a desire for a friendly standing bellied an underlying insecurity, which was a weakness that could range from pack numbers to the alpha's character. Although with one so young it may not have been the result of a defect, but simply youthful inexperience. "How do you suggest we do that?" Valentine wasn't new to this game. He didn't need to be told how to play it. Did Ren? Before he would even considered "friendly" terms with this pack Valentine wanted to test this new alpha. A lot could be learned about a pack by observing the one who led it. The King was genuinely curious about the new young ruler. Maybe he was worth considering, maybe he was naive enough for exploiting. Valentine had a lot to consider.