Ain't It Fun? [Meeting]

Lykos listened quietly, observing those who arrived with a stoic expression on his face. He greeted everyone with a nod and slight smile, well, those that looked at him. Dragon came, and his question made him glance at Avalon, who seemed distinctly... irritated at the question, it seemed. Hmm? Why was that? Why was she irritated by the question? For once, he actually agreed with his shorter brother. They needed the training, and Lykos would have brought it up had he not. Either way, she responded that it would be discussed, and his head turned away from her, continuing to observe and greet. He paused only for his brother Kharnage, who had a distinct glower towards Lykos. If wolves had brows, then one would have risen here; as it was, a single ear twitched as he took in his brother's expression, and he simply slid his gaze away, though it did trouble him. He ha been recieving looks like that for the past... well, since he was made heir, from Dragon and Kharnage. Were they jealous? That's what he and Gryphon had surmised long ago, and even now he wasn't one-hundred percent certain as to why. True, it was more inherent respect. True, it was a position of power. But he'd not truly hold power until his second birthday, and it would be a much more difficult task than the tasks and duties of the others. He could not see why they'd envy him, for the very reasons him and Gryph had spoken about.

And yet, if it wasn't jealousy, what could it be? A general hatred? He thought that all his siblings concurred about protecting the pack. Was it... was it that they did not agree with the view of loyalty that he and Gryphon held? Well, he had the loyalty to the pack - less to the family. Gryphon had loyalty to the family - less to the pack. Dragon seemed to be pretty normal, but Kharnage... the look of anger and indifference that was constantly on his brother's face truly troubled Lykos, though he correctly guessed that approaching Kharnage would likely be a bad idea. It seemed much of the animosity was directed at him, for whatever reason... and it absolutely frustrated Lykos to no end.

Shaking it off mentally, he let his gaze drift over others who arrived. There were many pups; he could see the 6 month old pups of Liar and Armada, who watched with a quiet intensity with only a little muttering among them. He smiled slightly, not bothering to hide it. It really was quite advantageous to be up here with his mother; he could survey all who appeared from the point he saw them until they sat, and even after that. It was single-handedly the easiest way to observe his pack - well, his mother's - that he could think of.

Like Steel. He dipped his head towards Steel, having met the man prior, though he'd been curt with him. He felt no guilt nor regret for the way he dealt with the man, though perhaps he could have... done so with a little less suspicion and abrasiveness, and he realized that a bit now. He didn't want to alienate the pack, after all. One didn't lead like that. Well, at least, Valentine didn't. He heard about Valentine's ruling, and everyone respected and liked the man in the pack, and Lykos knew he wanted to be like that, and be as strong as Mercy and as bold, too.

More movement caught his eye, and he glanced towards the motion to find one of the young pups heading towards them now - or rather, towards Vereux. Carefully remaining stoic, he regarded the pup. Distaste saturated his mind, though it remained tightly under lock and key; no instance of that distaste was allowed to slip free. He still was not fond of this litter, nor did he understand why his mother decided to breed with someone she didn't know very well. To be fair, she didn't know, but he still thought she'd ought to have learned her lesson with his father. It was too late now, however, and there was no point in dwelling on the thought.

Thankfully, Avalon started speaking then, and he listened to her without sound. His mother's sternness was something he did not quite expect, and a single ear twitched slightly, though they flattened completely at the mention of a deserter. Another traitor? Too bad it wasn't Vereux who went missing. His eyes slid to glance at Vereux; this Abelinda was related to Vereux, right? Lykos desperately wanted to believe that Vereux had something to do with the woman and missing child, but, unfortunately, there was no possible way for that to be the case, really. So he dismissed that; he knew Vereux wasn't involved - this time, anyway. Now Liar, on the other hand... he glanced at the other. Something about the wolf just rubbed him the wrong way; he distrusted and didn't really like Liar, about as much as he liked Liar's mate... not one bit.

Again, not something that he needed to worry about at that moment, and he simply looked back at his mother, who was describing yet another wolf gone missing. He stifled a sigh; would all the wolves of this pack slowly disappear? Still, he stored the information. Black with golden markings; that'd be pretty noticeable, right? Well, hopefully this Itri wasn't another traitor, another deserter. If he was Lykos might just have to hunt him down and beat him for it, used to pack life or not.

And then... training. His ears had already risen fully back on his head, and he contained the excitement that threatened to break out. Training? After all this time? Finally. He had in truth been getting annoyed with the lack of training, though even though she was mentioning it, he still felt wary of it, because he wasn't certain who he'd be assigned to. He wagered his mother, though, which would be alright, but the others... well, if he was to be assigned to someone else he'd not be the happiest; if only Mercy were in this pack. But... he didn't see the headstrong woman joining under Avalon, of all wolves. Maybe if Valentine were to raise his pack again, but if that were the case then he'd have quite the conflicted time as well.

It also rankled him that she singled him out, as if she expected him to believe he was exempt. He was not; he knew this. He was not yet two years of age; he would be considered a Novice until that point, though his official position was that of Heir. That she would specifically speak to him was... irritating, though he kept it under wraps, simply tipping his head in silent acknowledgement of her words. She moved on then, and assigned mentors to his littermates; Galahad and Kharnage, Amachi and Dragon, Esarosa and Gyphon. He was with his mother. He nodded with the choices; out of them all he most certainly liked Esarosa the most, and he actually grinned when she was given a promotion too, dipping his head toward her in respect and congratulations to her. It was well deserved in his opinion, and he was glad his mother realized and noticed her actions.

He thought she might have been finished with that, but no, she wasn't. She paused only for a second, it seemed, before continuing on... about pups. Ugh. Pups. Weird creatures that were annoying. Yes, he was once a pup. Yes, he wasn't quite an adult. But he was pretty damned certain he wasn't as annoying as most pups were, or at the very least his brothers. He wagered these pups were incredibly similar, though he tried to listen to their names anyway. His mother chose odd names for the children - though, then again, look at him and his littermates. But... Charm. Ugh. That was the worst, in his opinion. He doubted the child had any sort of charm to it.  Liar and Abelinda (if the woman was even involved) chosen even more odd names. Greed, Ash? What the hell was up with those names? Vadim and Ramsay were better - he liked Vadim's name - but Ash and Greed? He just wanted to shake his head with that. Ah, well, thankfully, he didn't have to deal with them, and now he knew who they were.

... and it seems he ought to watch out, because at least one pup had been caught sneaking out. Lykos found this all very amusing, though it'd be unprofessional to laugh at the pups for punishment. It was the same sort of punishment that had been meted out to Dragon, and in Lykos' opinion, it served them right. It served his brother right, too. It was extremely fair. They break the law, they get punished. It also pleased him that the rule was being reinforced even here, because he certainly didn't want to deal with a child being an idiot and getting lost or something. Or encountering an unfriendly wolf. Not a good situation; this way, Avalon would be able to eliminate one problem altogether.

That was when his mother paused again, and he studied her for a moment. Was she done? She hadn't dismissed them. Was she just taking a break from talking because she'd talked so much? That thought amused him. That thought proved to be right, because after a few moments of contemplation, she resumed talking. His head tilted a little bit as he regarded her. Assessment of skills? Interesting. He supposed it was necessary, if it wasn't done; perhaps he could bring up the idea that the assessment of skills occur when the wolf first shows inclination of wanting to join. Still, he was curious about what on earth she was talking about - what would let them prove themselves? What were they not ready for? What did she mean? Aaaand then she decided to just tease them with that.

Trying not to feel disappointed, he sighed quietly to himself. This meeting would definitely be long; so many wolves and so many words. There'd be a plethora of reactions, but hopefully no drama would result from this. His mother was talking about changes to some of the rules; the festivals (well, festival, now). Thankfully, the rule that bothered him so long ago was being changed into something much more reasonable - simply don't give inside information such as plans out. That made sense; no stranger needed to know that. Of course, he could think of how it could conflict, but generally it wouldn't. Like, if he wanted to tell Mercy, he probably would, but not anyone else; no one else, not even Katja, needed to know anything... like say they were going to attack someone. He'd probably tell Mercy, but no one else.

He turned his head to continue wolf-watching, though he was still listening to his mother mildly drone on about the new rules. He understood that it was important to explain them, but he did wish it involved slightly less words. Better safe than sorry, and Avalon exemplified that principal by the thorough explanations she was giving. It was so simple that even the pups could understand it, unless they were all utterly stupid. Which, there was no telling if that was the case or not. It very well could be, not that Lykos intended to spend any time with them to find out. Nope, no thank you, he'd just stay away.

He did, however, enjoy watching the wolves around him. Most seemed to be listening, some appeared bored, and some appeared angry (Kharnage), but they were all being at least somewhat patient. The meeting was giving him ample opportunity to try to understand the wolves in this pack, and to also figure out and pick at the brains of the members who were all newer. In fact, he'd get so absorbed in it that he'd only have listen, and that was precisely what was happening now. So absorbed in his studies that when Avalon spoke his name it surprised him, and he whipped his head around.

She wanted to talk to them after the meeting. Why? Were they in trouble? Did they do something wrong? Or did she want to talk to them for a different reason, perhaps maybe about Vereux, or the pack happenings? There were so many different things it could be and her tone was utterly ambiguous. She didn't sound displeased, but she didn't sound pleased. She was entirely, infuriatingly, neutral. He didn't think they were in trouble, but either way he hoped they weren't in for a lecture.

Regardless, he nodded in affirmation. He would go anyways, of course, despite his misgivings and slight paranoia of what it could be about. He hoped that it was a discussion and not a lecture, but he'd weather either or.

Thankfully, that was all she said in public. Instead she moved on - to what she said before. Curiosity flickered in his eyes, and he stared at her intensely, silently wishing she'd hurry up and get to the point... which she did, and quickly. A raid? Hmm. He sat back, contemplating the idea. He now understood why she had said she believed they were far from ready, and he quite agreed with that. A real fight, a pack vote as to which pack to raid, and then another pack vote. That was perfectly reasonable, though it would likely entail some investigation of the other packs. He might do that; after all, no one could mess with him if he were to be on the outside of the borders. They could huff and puff, but they had no authority in lands outside the borders. It would certainly test the irritability and any hubris other pack leaders had.

Of course... he wouldn't be surprised if many of the pack leaders thought they had authority in the lands outside their own. Derision nearly made his lip curl. It would be funny if one confronted him if he decided to investigate, it would certainly make his choice easy as to which pack. Whatever pack believed that they had the authority outside of their pack lands is one that needs to be knocked down.

These thoughts he kept to himself as his mother wrapped up the meeting, and he simply observed the other members, waiting to speak himself. Liar spoke first, and he coolly regarded the man. He spoke too much for too little substance, Lykos decided. And then he added about being devoted to Ivalice, and he eyed the man further. What, was he not devoted when he joined? Months after he joins, now he decides it? Hmph. Too many words, again, for something that didn't need to be said. He already knew how his mother would respond; she'd respond similar to how he would: with professionalism and a thank you, because despite the feelings on the matter, it is oftentimes not good to voice those thoughts.

Liar did eventually shut up, though, and then... Vereux started speaking. This time he truly did have to fight to keep his nigh-on hatred and distrust from showing, and he wrestled it down viciously, determined to keep a blank face that gave no indication of his true emotions. Not a single hint showed, and he thought back, again, to what Katja said. Oathbreaker. Traitor. And... a warrior. His gaze sharpened, and he eyed Vereux. That hit him in a flash; Katja said Vereux had desired to become a warrior. What, then, made him become a healer? Did he have that knowledge in Yfir? Something worth investigating, but not something pressing enough to warrant the active searching and questioning that he had done before finding Katja. Finding Katja had certainly been a blessing; to be introduced to a language that he yearned to learn more of, to meet a woman who demanded and earned respect in the first few seconds of meeting her, and to learn of Vereux' traitorous path. Yes, definitely worth it.

Thankfully, Vereux didn't speak long, and then the weird male with extra long fur on top of his head spoke. Hey, wasn't this the wolf he sparred with? Interesting. It was pretty bad he didn't notice that this wolf was in Ivalice. He needed to put more effort into meeting the members of his pack. He was the heir, after all, and if all went correctly then he'd end up inheriting - though he was still iffy about the pack in general. It was better, now, though, since he investigated Vereux and now with his mother changing the rule that bothered him so much.

Movement caught his eye, and he spotted Kharnage leaving without a word. He frowned; did he not care about what Avalon was saying? Even if he disagreed with some of it, it was still worth listening, in his opinion. Not that he disagreed with it right now. True, it was tiring listening to the sucking up, especially coming from a wolf he despised and another he was wary of. It was still important to listen. What the hell was wrong with his brother? He seemed so... callous. It bothered him, though he'd not call out. He supposed he'd figure out the source of his brother's bitchiness during their meeting with Avalon later.

Esarosa's words distracted him then, and he glanced over to see Steel - the wolf he confronted underground - pressing his muzzle into Esarosa, and amusement filled him. Okay, okay, that made sense. Mates. Still, Esarosa's words made him grin again, and that was when he stood. "We have no doubt about that," he assured Esarosa. "It was a pleasure working with you during the hunt, and this promotion is wholly deserved. We are certain that you will succeed in this new position of ranger. I look forward to hunting with you again, Esarosa." Let it be seen that he was not just a silent shadow behind his mother, and that he too would feel happy and proud of members in the pack. He was especially happy it was Esarosa, and not, say, Vereux getting a promotion; he truly did like the black female. He bowed his head to her one more time, showing her, and the pack, great respect for her promotion and what she has earned. He then sat himself down, and listened as Dragon rose to speak.

He agreed with his brother, though he presumed by the time that the raid happened, they'd be nearing being done with being Novices. It could be a final test for all novices, as well as a test for those wishing to go the warrior path in general; any wounds they received would result in the healers being tested as well. Of course, it would be best to hold this raid in Autumn or Winter, when the prey would start diminishing and hunting would become a more difficult task. It'd also be when they'd need herbs the most, and then they could raid for herb stores as well. He would definitely propose that to his mother.

His plotting and planning and general enjoyment of where his thoughts were going were interrupted by an obnoxious squeak, and he narrowed his eyes at the source of the sound. One of the new pups from his mother, and yep, exactly what he thought. Irritation seared through him, and he quickly flicked his gaze away from the thing. Pups, fighting? Ha. Idiot. Except he wasn't the only one, because one of Liar's spawn then turned around and asked the same thing. Ugh.

It was then he rose, not just to address the pups, but to address everyone. "A raid would indeed be a good indication of our fighting ability as a pack. I do agree with you, mother, in that we've a long way to go before we reach that point. I believe it would be best to hold these meetings during Summer, and commence the raid in Autumn so we may better prepare the pack for the harsh winter season. Before we do that, though, we'd need to do careful scouting of each pack to best determine which we should raid. If I recall, though, there are only two packs we are not allied with, yes? That will certainly narrow down our choices quite a bit." He then turned towards the pups, and smiled down at them. He was rather proud that he was able to force this smile and make it appear natural; in reality, he just wanted to bite them for being idiotic.. but it would not be seemly for him to show any animosity towards them, and so he'd stuff that far inside himself and show a benevolent, kind man to these things.

"I believe I can speak for this. It is too dangerous for a pup to fight. However, should the raid be held in winter, it could be considered for you to fight, since you'll then be yearlings. It will depend on your fighting skill, though, so if you want a chance then you need to train and work hard, as hard as the adult wolves." There, that ought to take care of them, while still giving them hope and perhaps making them useful. Once again, he felt a surge of pride in himself for handling that; he was actually pretty scared that he would say something wrong. He was sure he succeeded and didn't say anything wrong, though.

Feeling satisfied with his words, he sat down again, and watched once more the wolves around him. Would anyone else speak? Or was everyone else done, and waiting for what his mother would say? He supposed he would find out, and he waited patiently for her to respond.

"Speech" | Think