It's going down

Brandr knew something was wrong when Sparrow failed to greet him with a smile or even a neutral expression. As she spoke he felt his veins turn to ice. Already? He'd hoped that with their recent victory over Talis their violent appetites might have been satisfied for another season at least. His eyes narrowed as Sparrow mentioned that they'd been given a 'choice'. Choice was an odd word for it, he's call it coercion and blackmail.

Brandr found himself at a loss for words. What could he say when the unthinkable had burst into their lives? Tragedy was throwing off its veil and seeking to drape it over them and he had no idea how to avoid it, especially not with out bloodshed and pain. Brandr looked away as she spoke of the deal, his eyes fixed on a row of aspen whose leaves were just starting to turn color. 'Peaceful' takeover and Abraxas didn't necessarily go hand in hand and he was skeptical that they would keep their word but even if they did he didn't care much for the idea of Abaven being a thing for the Abraxas to 'use' as they saw fit. To have Abaven be a cog in their machine of brutality… but to deny them would mean war.

Brandr began to pace. He needed the movement to think as his gaze dipped swiftly to the ground. Outright war would not work. Abaven was to small and while he believed in Sparrow's fighting ability he feared for her safety in having to battle one of these monsters. So what could be done? If he could he would battle any Abraxas challenger himself but he did not know how the pack would take to that and he didn't want Sparrow to lose respect in the eyes of Abaven.

Brandr stopped and turned to her with a sorrowful gaze and sighed. "This is indeed a matter for the pack to decide. I appreciate that you are willing to ask us rather than making the decision for us. In particular I want to know what Caelum and her family feel. They've already fled from the Abraxas once…." His heart ached deeply for them and for young Caelestis. It would be a painful decision to choose to flee again or to live under their captors. Brandr turned his head as a growl ripped through his throat. "Those bastards!" He forced himself to sit before he started pacing and sighed once again, trying to gain control of the anger that was burning in his heart.

"I suppose much of this depends on whether you believe they'll keep their world. What you speak of as peace I can't help but see as imprisonment. They may leave us be for a time but we are and always will be on unequal footing. They think themselves gods and we no more than the dirt which they walk upon. Sooner or later that imbalance will rear it's ugly head to our detriment. Furthermore, and I speak only for myself, I don't want to be part of an outpost for them. I refuse to be part of this crusade to spread fear and pain across the whole of Auster and Boreas. It is likely that they will challenge and if you lose…" Brandr turned away. "Either the pack will disband and we will be driven out before them or they will decide to keep us and we are still imprisoned." Brandr felt fairly certain he could make a good push for his freedom but what of the others? What of Corentine?

"There is, perhaps, a third option. What the Abraxas seem to seek is control of the land. They drove out the members of previous packs to subvert the land to their own benefit. It is possible that we could become a nomadic band and move as we need though I know that lifestyle is not desirable to all. I am sorry I don't have much more to offer. Truly, I think this is a matter for the pack to decide as a whole. I am only one voice."