insignificant meritocracy

There was a familiar face, though one that was... shorter? Than the last time he'd seen him. Well, really it was that the dun furred wolf was quite a bit larger. That didn't make it any less jarring to find himself looking the leader of the Hallows in the eye, instead of craning his neck to look up at him as he did during his past visit. The Lord of Cinder approached with a gait that spoke of self-assurance, ease. With rumbling baritones, he reminded- at least, it was probably a reminder, as brains were not Stratum's shining feature- that he was more than welcome to simply cross the borders. A low, gruff grunt of acknowledgement was the best he could offer for a moment, deep voice hoarse with disuse. "I was, uh, working up the nerve." he said simply, mercury gaze downcast to his enormous paws.

He welcomed the warmth of his brother-in-law's greeting, though he struggled to reciprocate it. The best he could do was a half smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. He nodded lightly at the azure male's assumption that it wasn't a simple visit, and the smile faded. "There was a..." he floundered when trying to find the tactful way to bring up the reason for his absconding from his natal pack. Andy would have been great at this. Crux would have been better at this, too. Any of his siblings, really. Always better with words. "disagreement," he finally uttered the kindest word he could muster. "about Basilisk becoming Warlord. A few of us left, just to be safe." the bassy, gravelly tones of his voice were a bit higher than usual as he worked his way through the least resentful explanation that he could manage, considering Artorias didn't really need to get dragged into the mess.

And then, all at once, the towering figure of his father. In reality, no larger than he was- smaller, even, in mass. But the retired Warlord's presence was enough to make him falter, and if his skin had been visible beneath his pelt it would be pale as the driven snow. Would he be mad? Would he yell? His anxieties flared right up until the moment his sire's enormous foreleg closed around his neck and drew him tight against the man's chest. He stumbled into the hug, eyes wide and uncertain. He stuttered for a moment or two, debating whether to answer his father's question honestly. "Uh, yes, sir." he said, instinct taking over when his mind could not fill the silence. Be strong, don't let them see you suffering- Fatalis wolves were not wilting flowers.

After a moment, he drew away, taking a half step back. "I don't know if we're going back to the Armada." he said, unwilling to relinquish the dim vestiges of hope that he might be able to return one day. "I was hoping I could join your ranks." his attention shifted back to the Lord of Cinder, eyes of swirling silver fixed upon the man's features with brow furrowed, some unspoken emotion that was almost desperation lingering in his expression. "I don't like living on my own. I'll pull my weight- metaphorically." there was a hint of a smile there, and he absently shifted his weight off of his bad leg, an unconscious motion to hide his greatest source of shame as he tried to joke about it. "If.. you have the room, at least. I can head back north, if you don't." the blond titan tried for a reassuring, calm smile. If there was one thing he was good at, it was bearing the brunt of other's struggles, and doing so happily. If there was no space for him, he'd seek out other allies for a home. Maybe follow after Crux for the time being.