Pre-Party Rumble [Valhallan Fighters]

Her features broke into an amused smile as Cairo bolted into the clearing only to stop short. Good. The initial lesson planned with the obstacles began with the very entry into the usually bare clearing. The lesson being to stop and think and plan your footsteps rather that to bowl headlong into a sticky situation.

Her father and Paladin were next, and Regulus answered Cairo’s excited query with his own bits of wisdom, to which Aurielle added a nod of approval. An unfamiliar voice lifted her eyes to see Domari entering, accompanied by two companions. Her lips quirked as she greeted the Xanilov man with a nod and grin.

Nolan came next, and her eyes watched him with familial warmth as he took his place among those who were mostly strangers to him. She hoped he was enjoying settling in to Valhalla. From what Cairo had said, he was already working to make friends and be involved.

Red was next and she followed him with her eyes and a faint smile that grew when he offered his own. He’d not been as enthused as Justice had been, but he was willing to participate. She was grateful to him for being understanding about her desires to strengthen the pack. He had only been here for a few seasons at most, and he had been steadfast in his loyalty.

Caelia’s arrival and visible displeased glance at the mud brought the Spirit’s features into a crooked grin, and as the dappled young woman turned her eyes to Aurielle, the Spirit gave her apprentice a little wink. Caelia might never get over her disdain for muddy fighting, but Aurielle admired her willingness to buckle down anyway. Just wait till the blindfolds came out.

Artur, as cold and indifferent as ever, was next. Her gut told her he truly wasn’t happy. Failing that, his actions made it crystal clear that he wanted to be anywhere but Valhalla. Her eyes studied the tall man quietly, and she decided that she would have to talk with the man, and make it clear that no one was forcing him to stay here. He was grown, and his path was his own.

Justice caught her attention as the dark, stocky woman fairly pranced into the clearing, towing a bemused Viviane after her. Aurielle’s own brows lifted in query at Justice, though she had to smile at the older woman’s excitement. Of all her siblings that Aurielle had met, Justice was the one who lived for fighting and kicking tail. It was the reason Aurielle had chosen Sentinel for Justice rather than Lodestar. Lodestar was meant to be the gentler side of the Beta pair. The one who managed the more diplomatic side of pack affairs, from disputes, to welcoming newcomers. Justice would have been bored as hell.

She gave Viviane a warm smile of welcome before she examined the group scattered around the obstacles, measuring them shrewdly. She had several plans of action for today, from having the more senior wolves who had experienced Talis’ raid personally giving their knowledge out to the younger wolves, to explaining her plans for the raids to come with Lirim, both offense and defense, to setting up teams for melee practice, and free for alls to practice the hectic scramble that a raid truly was.

Firstly, the explanations.

She straightened, signaling the start of the gathering, then smiled – a little toothily – at the fighters and Viviane as she began, “Thank you for coming. Some of you will already know why I’ve called the War Circle together. For those of you who do not, the short and simple version is that we will be training for Raids. Both offense, and Defense. Initially, we will be practicing here at home, polishing our skills, training through obstacles and physical disadvantages—such as simulated blindness with eye covers.

“Come late spring, we will be launching our first practice raid. The target will be Lirim. I’ve spoken with Torin, and he’s agreed that Valhalla and Lirim will work together, raiding each other, so that both packs have practice attacking and defending. I want us to be prepared and ready for the next time someone is foolish enough to decide that this pack is an easy target.”

Her eyes swept the faces of the pack as she spoke, assessing their reactions to this news.

“This is one way for our two packs to engage in joint training. These will be friendly raids, but mark you, true raiders from those I have not spoken to about this activity and agreed with shall get no quarter. Remember, with Lirim comes our practice, but someday... I do intend to raid for real.”

The news might be controversial to some of the pack, but it stood that Valhalla would need to expand, and gathering resources was part of that process.

Her eyes shifted to Regulus, Justice and Domari, those experienced in this matter as she continued, “Today I have several things planned, the majority of which will be melee practice. But firstly, those of you who defended against Talis, I would like you to share with our younger wolves what you feel they should remember and practice in the time between now and our first raid.”

Her gaze turned to her father. “Da?”

She fell silent, giving the board to the three experienced wolves, and the pack should they have questions.

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Labhair an Sean-Teanga." ---- "Hear" ---- Think