Where all roads lead

Wylan couldn’t help him process what had happened with Crux, and Charlie wasn’t sure of anything outside of getting to talk with his brother again. But his nephew had lifted his spirits… hard to stay sad with such an uplifting kid. And Wylan had tried so hard to make him happy that Charlie soon found himself smiling through his tears. He was a good kid, and as Charlie spent the rest of the night in the den he felt sure that Basilisk was too. Bas wasn’t his father, he wasn’t Azure, and what had happened between him and Kite was a reaction to the savagery of her own attacks. Crux had ignored Bas’ blood… but he was family too. And the sins of the father did not pass on to the son.

Charlie had been out of the Armada, seeking to work on his skills. He had lost in the raid against the Valta woman and while he wanted to believe she was simply stronger, it wasn’t an excuse to slack on his own fighting. Especially if… His thoughts trailed to Kite. She was so angry… if she was willing to attack Basilisk, had she decided all of the Armada was against her? What had happened to his sister? Wandering through the battlefield with his mind full, Charlie heard the call of none other than the Warlord himself. He set off for his nephew at once.

If Basilisk really was the monster Kite and Crux believed him to be, then he would “accidentally” hurt him too. But Charlie didn’t think that would happen at all. He trusted his nephew to be his own wolf, and as he came to stand roughly six feet away from the larger male. He had always considered himself large, but Bas was taller still by a whole two feet. Charlie gave him a nod, a rumble leaving his lips. “Warlord,” There was respect in his tone and certainty in his blue gaze as he set his defenses.

“I’ll be your opponent. Would you like the first move, or would you prefer that I take it?” He was ready.

"Speech," 'Thought.'