What hurts the most

His father would continue to speak, and putting his own uncertain feelings aside the tawny yearling would let his blue gaze return to his father. The full history between the Raiders and the Armada. Their previous pack, a pack they were all likely part of, harassed them. Kidnapped his aunt, harassed his sister and attempted to maim her. His ears fell, and the realization of just how dangerous their members could be settled on him like a wet blanket. The Armada was strong enough to retaliate, but the fact that this other pack would even go to those lengths to harm his own. He shook… but not with fear. That anger again rose within him. He thought of what Deluge said… would her generation really be different from the deeds of the Pirates and Raiders before her? She clearly meant to raid even when she made her band.

They had even attempted to take the lives of Armada members, children… Was that why they lived in the mountains now? To escape such a thing happening again? "I had no idea…” His expression mingled with anger, but he was trying to hold it in now. He averted his gaze, glaring at the stone off to his right. "I want to believe Dread wouldn’t make friends with someone that might hurt his family like that… but…” The words hung in the air, but the weight of them was clear. He couldn’t be certain that his brother had. If Deluge had been raised among a pack like that, so willing to go to extremes to hurt others, wasn’t she also capable of that? He fought himself. Fought for the fact he wanted to see the good in someone his brother trusted… but also feeling a new sense of wariness wash over him.

Fighting Dread would still be hard if it came down to it… but his father’s words made sense. If Dread came against the Armada, it was because he chose to. As much as Charlie didn’t want to hurt someone his family might care about, he knew he couldn’t, and wouldn’t, sit idly by when the Raider’s came knocking again.

"I’ll be as careful as I can.” A promise. He knew going alone was its own risk. If the Raiders chose to, they had numbers on their side to hurt or even imprison him. But if they dared, they would bring the wrath of the Armada upon them. Charlie looked back to his father now, a question at his lips. "These actions were what brought us to attack them in the last raid, weren’t they?” It was making sense now. He drew in a breath, shuddering as he continued to try and keep himself calm. The Armada going to their doorstep; the Raider's had deserved it.

"Speech," 'Thought.'