Ashes of an Empire

Not wanting to get involved in any of the tit-for-tat, Hattori kept to himself, waiting for the chatter to quieten down as Artorias moved to say his piece. He listened intently, first to the Lord of Cinder then the conversation that started to unfold around the topic as the other pack leaders began to say their piece. Admittedly, he had no skin in the game; he held no affection for the wolves of Norad and had never even personally met their leadership. He knew that they had settled in Auster, but that was only through observation, either his own or those of his fellow clan mates. Perhaps rather callously, he didn't particularly care about whether Norad succeeded or did not, it mattered little to him and Tojo at large, but the means of which it was taken over- well, Hattori did agree to an extent that it was not proper. Not how things ought to be done.

But even if he cared little for the politics, he himself had women and children he had taken it upon himself to protect. Even strangers to whom he'd never met or spoken to before, he wouldn't just stand there and allow depravity to fall upon them. He was a neutral man, but some things were intolerable to his sensibilities, he found his muzzle wrinkling at the thought. That Ashen had fallen, he did not blink or seem overly surprised- in his mind it had been a long time coming now.

The Kaicho wasn't entirely sure what was expected to come of this, Modesty suggested a siege and though many seemed dubious to the extent of the Syndicate's depths of depravity, Hattori did not doubt Artorias. He did not seem the sort to conflate the facts, twist the narrative to suit his purposes.

"I would take their proximity as a challenge," he pointed out, his gaze flitting to Avacyn and Delphi in turn. Not in accusation or making a dig at their leadership, but how else could the newcomers actions be taken? Because was it not a blatant show of disrespect? How much land was there free and available in both Boreas and Auster, and the Syndicate decided to wedge themselves as close as they could be, with thin stretches of no mans land between them. Land those sorts often felt entitled to cross. "Giving this...boy a- how you say, benefit of the doubt, his behaviour is disrespectful at best and incitement at worst. I do not think it necessary for us all to be friends, but I expect civility if nothing else. The Syndicate from what you say, seem incapable of that." Was his opinion on the matter, objective enough. "What would be your ideal outcome from this meeting? A show of force, mediation?"

As things stood he did not have any skin in the game, but he was not entirely naive enough to cover his ears and pretend things could not change.