Pre-Party Rumble [Valhallan Fighters]

Artur sat stiffly as Aurielle explained why they were there. So, they would be practicing now for a practice raid later. He didn't object to the training - he welcomed the chance to spar more. But he had serious doubts about Valhalla's ability to actually teach him anything at this point that he couldn't learn more efficiently elsewhere. That was why Geoffrey had left. Well, he'd get in a few more spars before he left. Whether or not he would stick around for this "raid" was up for debate, but he doubted he would be. He was missing the chance to lead his own life and salvage his family name again, hanging around here hoping his siblings would grow a spine and step away from Aurielle's shadow.

He listened intently, though, to the experiences shared by the older members of Valhalla who'd actually gone through a raid. Given the nature of raids as they described it, he found it easy to discount the whole idea of Valhalla ever raiding another pack for real. Aside from the sticky "honor" thing of basically stealing from another pack, he didn't see how someone like Aurielle would ever risk sending her pack into something so hellishly dangerous. Even he was troubled at the thought of Caelia or Cairo facing someone who would gladly blind them for trying to take their resources, even though he knew it would prove them to be the strong warriors he hoped they would be. At least Geoffrey and Viviane would be unlikely to face such dire danger, though the healers would need the strength to deal with the havoc wrought in battle. Even gentle Viviane would have that strength, he thought, though he though Geoffrey had more of a spine than she did and would probably hold up better omce he got used to the sight of blood.

"Where are the crippled wolves from the last raid now?" he asked with faint curiosity. A glance at Regulus and he added coolly, "The other crippled wolves. Were the injured all fighters or did the raiders attack the noncombatants as well? Did we ever retrieve the kidnapped wolves?" He knew some of the stories of the raid - his mother had participated, so he had a bit of knowledge of it - but he was interested in learning what the longterm outcome had been for Valhalla, and Gwenevere had not lived l8ng enough for him to learn everything he could have from her, though she had tried. From a leadership perspective, knowing the longterm affects of raiding from bith sides would be important.