Willows

His head tipped toward her, ears perking at her question. Ruefully, he chuckled, a little grimly. “Ah. No, I wouldn’t be, if you go by firstborns. My elder brother – littermate – Artur would be that, but…”

A rare, grim expression settled into his features, a frown. “He’s stuck on the idea that Adravendi blood is gold and anyone else is dirt beneath his paws. He detests Aurielle’s family for carrying the name they were adopted into two generations before we were even birthed. Just because there were a few idiots that had been adopted and betrayed the family. Idiots not even blood related to Aurielle.”

His eyes lifted to the willows, ears tipping back. “I love him. He’s my brother. But I do not, cannot, agree with his views in that sense. Erani long proved her and her family’s worth and loyalty to the Adravendi name and family, and they havekept proving that loyalty. They didn’t have to re-found Valhalla. But they did. They kept a name alive when most of my own blood family faded into other lands, and even the pack led by my uncle Leo fell. It was known as Fiori.”

A long silence, then he said softly, “I worry for him… The last wolf that had any view similar to his own was our great Uncle Syrinx… And Syrinx ended up dead when he challenged Isardis Armada to the death. He lost. Of course, Syrinx also chose his own littermate, Eos, for his mate… And I haven’t heard of any of their offspring remaining to this day.”

He broke into a soft chuckle then, adding, “In any case… I don’t really wish to be king. Maybe if there was great need of me in that station, but Aurielle cares for her people. She would let him leave in a heartbeat if she felt he would be happier and better able to follow his own path outside Valhalla. Same with anyone in Valhalla. All a wolf need do is tell her they’re leaving, so that she knows they’re okay, that they haven’t been killed out there somewhere. Or been taken by slavers…”

Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think