Penthouse suite

After being accepted into the Syndicate, the first order of business Azrael had on his to-do list was get his den set up. Having somewhere to sleep and get his interrogation room operational was critical to his existence in the pack; if he didn't have somewhere to rest and perform his work, then what good was he? There were plenty of options, but Azrael already knew exactly where he wanted to den as soon as he laid eyes upon the offshore volcanic island. The island was beautiful, had the advantage of being protected on all sides by arctic waters, and the mountains would undoubtedly offer fantastic views for miles. Leading Mireia through the Sound to the ice bridge that connected the island to mainland Boreas, Az carried his rucksack of his personal belongings across the channel until his paws went from snow-dusted ice to the pebbly shore of the inert volcano. The ground beneath his paws still held residual warmth from the heart of the earth and was a pleasant surprise to be sure. Perhaps there would be other remnants of volcanic activity they could take advantage of, like pockets of hot springs or warmer geothermal cave systems.

Azrael didn't waste time leading Mireia up the natural paths in the mountains that formed the rim of the massive volcano, climbing higher and higher until they neared the summit, not quite to the top but high enough to see across the northern coasts of Boreas and out over the vast sea to the east. After poking about in a few openings in the rock, Az found his perfect home. It was a sizable cave system hollowed into the igneous rock stretching from one side of the mountain to the other, forming a natural tunnel into the heart of Ardens Glácies and out to the shore. It also permitted a nice cross breeze through the cave, which while cold now would be a boon in the summer months. For now, they could drape furs over both entrances to keep out the draft. Just as he had suspected, the igneous rock still held some remnants of warmth radiating up through the earth from whatever molten core had once been the beating heart of this volcano. It wasn't a tremendous amount of warmth, but it would help keep the den comfortable through the colder months. There were several smaller chambers branching off from the main chamber which could serve as additional rooms as needed.

Azrael inspected each chamber before concluding with a resolute nod. Yes, this would do nicely. It would need some work to get it the way he wanted it, but this would be their home. Drooping his head to let his rucksack slide off from around his neck, Az scooped up the bag and dropped it on a slab of stone they could use as a table of sorts. They would need some things from the pack stores or collected on their own. "This will be my den. Most Sidi have their own space near their masters, but you can stay in here too if you wish. Pick whichever room you want—except for that big chamber. That one's mine." Glancing up to Mireia, Az added, "We'll need some thick furs to cover the entrances. I'll need softer ones for my bed."

"Azrael Saxe"