Unfurl the Wings [Warrior Meeting]

Tyto was the first to arrive, and Ardyn chuckled softly at the man’s nickname. It suited well enough, and his firebrand eye flicked shut in a wink as more pawsteps echoed down the hallway. Fidelias came into sight, tucking himself to one side as he was wont to do. Ardyn offered the Ancoran a smile, then flicked his ears to catch the scramble of paws, rushing about in the caves, recognizing the steps for his largest sister.

She came into sight, freshly washed, and Ardyn grinned at her, responding in kind, features mock stern but tone teasing, "Tráthnóna, a dheirfiúr, tá mé sách maith. An raibh tú ag traenáil?".

His eyes flicked to Tyto and he smiled, shifting to the common tongue as he introduced, “Amorielle, this is Tyto. I believe he’s acquainted with Caelia. Tyto, this is one of my three sisters, Amorielle. We call her Amory for short.”

Tel was next into the chamber, and he regarded her with a smile, nodding in greeting. “Afternoon, Tel. How was patrol last night? Anything interesting?”

Moments later a clattering, scrambling scrape of hooves on stone and an equine grunt heralded Taliesyn’s arrival. Ardyn elected to cough softly under his breath, clamping his jaws on a laugh. In his interest in holding a relatively private meeting, he’d neglected to consider that the cave system might be a little… small for the stallion.

The stallion in question li the hallway outside before his glowing, horned head peered around the mouth of the chamber, assessing the room.

Ardyn watched the stallion squeeze through the entry and pick a place to one side, leaving plenty of room for the rest of the wolves expected to come.

“My apologies, Taliesyn. I neglected to think that the interior of the caves might be a bit small for you.”

Cairo had come in on the stallion’s heels, taking his place at Ardyn’s side, and the King smiled to the Adravendi, nodding.

The rest to arrive were each his own family. Aurielle lit the cave, and between herself and Taliesyn mostly banished the shadows until Loshir draped a dark cloak over her shoulders and back. Coran was next, and Ardyn flashed a grin at his brother.

Their father was next, and shortly behind him, Aoife. Ardyn gave each of them a warm smile full of affection before glancing to the cave opening.

Several long moments passed, but Caelia, the last of the warriors, didn’t arrive. A frown flickered over his features, but finally, he set the matter aside. If she came, she came. If she didn’t, it’d be recorded.

Straightening his shoulders, Ardyn cleared his throat, lifted a stone in his right “hand” and let it knock against the stone “table”, asking for the group’s attention before setting it to one side once he had it.

“I’ve little doubt you’re curious about why I called you here, so, I will get to the point.”

His mismatched firebrand and ice gaze flicked over the faces of the warriors gathered and then to the cave opening as he announced, “Things have been getting stale. I called a warrior training session, quite recently, and none of you came. Hence, I’ve decided that we need things shaken up here.”

His voice came hard, firm, but quiet. He kept the chastisement short, moving on to the planning.

“It’s time for Valhalla to set their eyes on raiding; if only to gain experience and unity. That being said, I’d love to hear each of your thoughts on the various packs available to test our skills on. We’ve raided Aerie and won, however, the returning raid that Eligos arranged with mother never came, and they are no longer a pack but a wandering band. Aoife, if you can track down Asmodeus, I’d like you to see if they plan to raid us at all. If I can track down Eligos, I'll ask him if he's open to our raiding them once again.”

He drew a short breath then added, “For the time being, until we have all formed a working, cohesive unit and cut our teeth on several raids, I’d like to avoid engaging with the Armada or any packs aligned with them.”

He scanned their features, letting the words settle before he went on, tone business-like.

“We have many high fighting ranks standing open. I’d like them filled. We lack four Commanders, and an Admiral to work alongside Cairo, here. In time, when I sire children, there will be openings to be their guardians, one for each pup. I don’t know when that will happen but pay attention to the possibility. Only the most trusted will be allowed as their guardians. Step up your games, and in time, challenge or prove your worth for the Commanders places.”

Ardyn sat back, forepaws crossing over the gavel-stone, having slid it toward himself mid-brief at some point, letting his long digits drum as he regarded the gathered wolves and stallion – and companions as Lyr fluttered to perch above the cave opening with Isolde – before he posed, “Now, I’ll leave the floor to you. Who should we consider as targets? Not counting the aforementioned Armada and associated, and Aerie, there are Plunder, the pirates, and a fledgling pack neighboring the Redwater Rocks here in the west. If any of you are aware of more, please, bring them to my attention.”

He fell silent, letting the gathered warriors absorb the briefing and consider any options and reasons behind why those options would be good or bad as a target.