Hanako didn't blame him for feeling that way, from the sounds of it the Ashen Empire of the past wasn't quite as forgiving it was today. But what if, through some twist of fate, things hadn't changed? Hanako couldn't help but speculate how different it would be, would Sirius have even accepted her in the first place? Or well even beyond that, depending on how far the Ashen could reach perhaps she wouldn't have even been in the Keepers custody at all. After all surely there would be no need for the likes of them when the Ashen Empire already owned everything it could ever want. It was a strange line of thought, one that she indulged in longer than she would have expected.

Really though, Hanako saw where he was coming from. When the Ashen Empire was all he knew why would he even think to question it? The same could be said for Hanako and The Keepers, they had given her so much and only asked for one thing in return. A prospect-that strangely, since it had never bothered her before-seemed more daunting with each passing day.

Hanako felt the change in Mortis' mood like as though it was something real and tangible, like the breeze ruffling her fur. Her gaze darted to his face as her brows drew together, her concern as clear as face on her features. Was it something she'd said? She hadn't meant to pry, but in asking such a heavy question she supposed that it could've easily opened a big can of worms. Unleashed thoughts that Mortis didn't want to address right now. A whine slipped past her lips as she scooted closer, not that there'd been much space between them to begin with, and pressed a reassuring nose boop to the fluff of his neck. She wouldn't ask but if he wanted to talk about it she'd happily hear him out. If not, they could stay like this too. Whatever he wanted she'd be more than happy to provide.

He hadn't meant to get lost in his thoughts. He startled at the sound of her whine. Was she... worried about him? She was too sweet. They had been friends all of a day, and she was already making sure he was okay. He tucked his wing a little tigher around her, burrowing his head into the soft fur of her neck for a moment. Taking the comfort she offered, and enjoying the feeling of another wolf wanting to be close to him. His bright smile was already back, and his tail gave a gentle wave behind him.

When he had been younger, after his mother had forbidden him from ever trying to fly again. Or take his life. He had forced cheer until it had been real, until mother and Auntie no longer kept him on suicide watch. His ability to smile on a whim was so easy now, it was like he had been born with it. "Sorry, just lost in thoughts of succession, yah know?" He explained himself. "Of what the pack might be like in the future. I don't really know what to expect, It wasn't my idea to be heir" he shook his head, laughing a little at himself. "So where did you come from, before this?" He asked, pushing the questions back to his friend.

Relief swept through Hanako at the sight of his smile. She leaned into his touch, her eyes drifting closed as she gave Mortis time to gather his thoughts. There was no rush or sense of urgency up in the tree house, just peace and quiet till the Fatalis was finally ready to speak. Though Hanako didn't really understand Sirius' plans for his heirs, she could see why it was a point of contention for the brothers. In a way it was almost cruel to pit them against one another, blood vs blood till one was deemed the victor. Even if Mortis didn't really want the throne, as it seemed was the case, the burden still weighed heavily upon his shoulders, seemingly making him slump at the mere thought of it. Hanako was already loyal to Azure and believed with all her heart and soul that he was destined to be the next Warlord, but seeing Mortis struggle like this made her want it even more. Just so that her friend had one less thing to worry about.

At his question Hanako blinked in surprise, taken off guard. She could see why he wanted to change the topic and was happy to go with the flow but it wasn't something she'd had to deal with yet. So far only Sirius and Azure had asked and even then they only knew snippets of her story, bits of pieces of relevant information. Just enough to patch together an image. It wasn't that she had anything to hide, per se, rather...Well where was she supposed to begin? Ever since she'd been on her own she'd always avoided stating the Keepers true intent, not out of regret or shame but just because she could. She had no Keepers hovering over her shoulder to remind her of her fate and her duty. She was the closest to free she'd ever be, was it so wrong that she wanted to make the most of it whilst she could? At the very least she had no reason to lie and it was only fair that all the Fatalis wolves were on the same page.

"Not from Boreas, came here all by myself." She was still very proud of that fact. "Before that I travelled with my Keepers, but I guess you could also call them guardians. Stuffy tough guys who can't hold a conversation to save their life, and believe me I tried." She sighed, flopping down onto Mortis as she raised a paw to her head for extra drama. She stayed a moment before returning to her former position, still beaming. "Sirius said I could stay until they come to pick me up, who knows when that'll be. Think you can manage me till then?"

She explained that she wasn't from Boreas - which was the same for his parents. Mortis had been born and raised here, it was the only family he knew. His head still leaned against her coat, her fur warm and soft beneath his ear. He could stay up here for forever, away from responsibilities and worries. Just him and his friend. A nice dream, but he knew it was only a daydream and nothing more.

She mentioned 'keepers' and he frowned at the word. What did she mean, exactly? Why did they.... 'keep' her? He shook his head, the first thought to come to mind not a nice one. He knew what slavery was, after all, his father had been born a slave. Was that what she meant? Or were they caring for her for her family for some reason.

When she mentioned them returning for her, that she was here only temporarily, he started in surprise. He leaned slightly away from her, mouth opening as though to say something. Then closing again. A pause, and then he repeated thr gesture. But, he couldn't find how to say the words. Instead, he concentrated on a different part. An easier part, through not one he liked. "What do you mean by keeper? What did they keep you... for?"

Hanako deflated a little when he got right down to business. Azure and Sirius hadn't asked for an explanation so she'd assumed that Mortis wouldn't either, but she supposed he was different and that she really shouldn't try to paint them all with the same brush. She chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about it, wondering what conclusions the other Fatalis' had come to since...well, Hanako knew it sounded a little odd to those unfamiliar with the concept. But it was her normal and having to explain it all sort of suggested it wasn't, which left her chest feeling strangely tight. Like someone was stepping on her till it was hard to breathe. Regardless, Hanako was convinced that Mortis was worrying over nothing, it was all fine and her Keepers had never given her a reason to feel otherwise.

"You know, they kept me safe and well. Till someone was willing to cover the cost to make an honest woman of out me." She shrugged, to her it was no big deal."There's no rush anyway since they're really fussy about getting the right fit. " Hanako suspected that was an excuse to shop around for higher offers, but she'd never say as much. They knew best after all and to be honest she did sort of like the idea of marrying someone who was willing to put it all on the line for her, as vain as that no doubt seemed.

She turned to him then with a quizzical look, her brow raised. It didn't have to be confusing or complicated unless Mortis made it so, the ball was in his court.

Mortis made a frustrated little huffing noise, clearly struggling with what she was saying, and the pack law that his father must have neglected to mention when she joined. Not for the first time, he found himself struggling with how his father came about things with some wolves. He did not doubt that if Sirius knew about the keepers, he would protect her from them. The problem was, he would do so even if Hana was willing or not. He was also trying to wrap his head around what Hana was NOT saying. Did she mean they were keeping her as a bride-to-be? And why? His jaw clenched at the idea of anyone using his friend.

"Cover.. the cost.. to.." he paused, his side heaved once and he placed a paw over hers. He did not know how to clear things up with her. To tell her what she had both walked out, and walked into. Damn sirius, damn her keepers. His heart hurt. He closed his eyes, resting his head on their joined paws. "Sirius has a thing against slavers, but not slavery." His throat constricted against her paw as he spoke. "He thinks most wolves ill use their slaves, but thinks slaves in the Armada is a place to put wolves that need to work their way into someone who can actively support the pack. But he dosent... he wouldn't... did he say... Dammit Hana. Did he say he would let you go if your keepers came for you? Did he tell you the pack laws?" He sounded very heart sore, and suddenly older with those words.

Hanako wasn't sure what all of the fuss was about. She squinted a little as Mortis laid his paw atop hers and stumbled through his words, as though try as he might he just couldn't fathom what she was saying. Hanako knew for a fact that he wasn't stupid but when he finally managed to arrange his thoughts Hanako couldn't help but feel as though he'd gotten it all wrong. That somewhere down the line he'd gotten lost and confused, made up a silly little narrative in his head that was so far from reality, just because he was worried for her. Instead of leaving it there Mortis pressed on with more, resting his head on their paws as he continued to not make sense. Of course, Hanako heard and understood what he was saying to a degree, but for reasons she hadn't yet faced the words just didn't sink in. His meaning, his implications, all seemed so irrelevant and far removed from the life she thought she lived.

Her lips twisted into a frown. Mortis was all worried and worked up over nothing, she was tempted to say as much but she didn't really want to just dismiss his feelings like that. To just up and tell someone their feelings didn't matter was a pretty shitty move, if you asked her. Mortis deserved better than that and even if he didn't quite get it she knew he meant well.

"I'm not a slave." She stated with an offended wrinkle of her nose. "I'm just staying put till my Keepers come for me, gotta pull my weight in the mean time but that's fine. No biggie. And yeah I read the rules on the big obelisk, all seems pretty standard to me." Though she hadn't really gone over them with a fine toothed comb, but that was neither here nor there. She bumped into his shoulder and pulled a paw free to poke at his forehead. "You're such a...worry-Mort."

Hana looked confused, and perhaps even a touch offended, though she did not express it. The boy sighed internally, the awkwardness he felt hadn’t abated. Maybe she did not see the Keepers as slavers, but that was sure how it sounded to him. “Have you considered marrying for love, instead of to make someone else a profit?” he ventured. He wasn’t certain if this would earn him more offense, if it would disappoint her. He didn’t want Hana to be mad at him. The idea of someone else choosing her a mate because it brought them a profit, well.. What did that wolf plan to use Hana for? Did they plan to force babies on her, or use her for their own pleasure? He didn’t know much about the things that went on between a man and woman, but his mother had given him the talk. The idea of consent was very clear to him. “So you read the rule that says you have to challenge for the right to leave?” he buried his head back in the fur of her paw before him. Wincing, and not wanting to see what she thought of his words. Why she might finally understand his worry, playing out on her face. "Hana" & "Mortis"

Hanako hadn't frowned this hard in ages. The muscles in her brow and cheeks began to ache as she wondered why oh why couldn't he just leave things be. It would have been so easy, effortless even, but like a dog with a bone Mortis just wouldn't let it go. In fact he just kept pushing and pushing, trying in vain as he approached the topic from multiple angles and it was beginning to make Hanako feel a little cornered. Like no matter what she said it just wouldn't be good enough for him. It was a strange, unfamiliar and unwelcome situation for her to be in. Usually she just said what she thought others wanted to hear, pandered to their desires and best interests, but the one time she spoke her mind...Well, it wasn't going well to say the least. If only she could take back her words, turn the tide of the conversation to push aside any and all worries that Mortis might have. But she knew it was too late for that and any attempt to would come across as fake and pandering. So whether she liked it or not she just had to keep going.

"I haven't no." Which was true enough, though even now she didn't understand what Mortis was getting at. Ignorance is bliss and all that. "But I know my Keepers, they've always done right by me." And that was the simple truth, really. She had no reason to worry about her future when-as far as she knew- it was in safe paws. She'd always assumed that she'd fall in love with whoever ended up being her husband, that their story would unravel like a fairytail and everything would just work out in the end. "You're really worrying over nothing."

Then again Mortis went about it another way, this time talking about the packs laws. Which...what did they have to do with anything? Hanako side eyed him, before settling her gaze forward as he rested his head back onto her paw. Had she been any less touchy-feely she would have probably pulled away by now, but instead she remained where she was, the thought of moving hadn't even occurred to her. Now it just seemed as though Mortis was being pedantic, grasping onto straws. She knew that he was just trying to care for her, in his own misguided way, but she just couldn't understand why her logic and reasoning seemed to bounce off him like water off a duck's back.

"Yeah I read that part, but if you remember it also says you can seek permission too." Now it felt like they were arguing, going back and forth and making no headway at all. Hanako sighed.  "I'm okay. Different doesn't mean bad, you know?"

She hoped they could agree to disagree for now.

Yeah, she really thought that people that would sell her to the highest bidder had her best interests at heart. She didnt know what a posessive bastard his dad was. He wasn't going to get anywhere with convincing her, and trying would just upset them both. He'd warned her, or at least, tried. She seemed content enough with her life at the moment. She wouldn't look back at this at hate him for not trying harder to explain. Would she?

"Alright Hana, I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. If you got into anything you wanted out of, you can always call me to be your backup. Okay? I'll always help you" he promised sofly. It was the least he could do for not finding the right words today. Maybe she would eventually hate him, but he would protect her. She deserved that much.

He pushed the little wooden bird back into view. Bringing his childhood into this to give them a much needed distraction. "My auntie carved this for me. I guess I've always liked birds. I've been learning to sing like them, did you want to hear?"

Finally he dropped it. However, it was easy to see that Mortis wasn't convinced and that nothing Hanako could say or do would change his mind. She just didn't understand why he was being so pessimistic and cynical, his mood was so far removed from the happy go lucky wolf she'd met on the beach. Had she not known better she would have assumed he'd been replaced by a moodier counterpart, the sort who saw the world through grey tinted glasses. Despite all of that Hanako knew that Mortis meant well, she couldn't really blame him for wanting to look out for her even if his concerns were wrongly placed and misguided. She accepted his apology with a soft, reassuring  hum as she leaned into his side and nodded against the fluff of his neck. Whilst she didn't think she'd ever need to take him up on his offer she had to admit it was reassuring to know that he'd be there as a safety net, just like before when he'd stood beneath the tree with his wings spread wide. Ready to catch her and to take the brunt of the fall.

Changing the topic Mortis nudged a little wooden bird into view. Hanako's ears perked with interest as she leaned her neck down to get a closer view, she was by no means an expert but even she could see that it had been skilfully carved. Though she didn't have a bird companion of her own she could easily see the allure, listening to birdsong early in the morning was one of her guilty pleasures. She'd never tried to sing along though, the thought just hadn't occurred to her, but now that Mortis mentioned it she wanted to donk herself on the head for being such a dummy.

"Yeah, I wanna learn too!" And just like that the easy, laid back mood was back. Mortis was a miracle worker when he tried.

He glanced over at his friend, a little shy and a lot hopeful. He hoped he hadn’t put her off with his pushiness. So long as she wasn’t bidding down the moments until she could climb down the tree and escape him, then they were all good, right? She jumped on the distraction he gave them, and he grinned at her. Brushing the tip of his wing passed her nose as he nudged the little doll again. “Alright, i’m not sure how to teach but… I can start singing, and go from there?” he said, stealing a glance towards her, and another smile. After that, he closed his eyes, tipping his head back. The wing that wasn’t enveloping Hana raised, spreading out through the little tree house. A soft sigh, and then he began. Imitating the call of blackbirds. A little awkward through his wolf-shaped mouth, but the tune still came free. Soft, and chirpy. "Hana" & "Mortis"

Though Mortis had no way of knowing, Hanako fancied herself as a bit of a songbird. She didn't doubt her ability to sing and knew that Mortis wouldn't lie to her, but she just couldn't see how a wolf could twist their howl into a tweety little tune. When she thought about it though, she supposed that there were all sorts of birds and that some calls would be easier to mimic than others. It wouldn't be difficult to recreate the honk of a goose or even a duck, but the same couldn't be said for a blackbird or a finch.  Her eyes narrowed into an overly serious squint as she thought about it, imagining the Fatalis perched in the branches of a tree as he cheeped and twittered. Whilst on the ground below she pictured a songbird, bright and colourful, tipping its head back to let out a bellowing howl for the whole world to hear. It was ridiculous and Hanako wasn't even sure if it could be done but she still wanted to try. Nothing seemed impossible when she had Mortis by her side.

Hanako settled in for the show and was soon taken aback by his talent, at how close he managed to get. If she hadn't known better she would have thought he'd been a bird all along, that he'd managed to somehow pull feathers over her eyes and ears. But there he was, wings spread wide as he sang a tweety tune; one with soft highs and gentle, almost warbling lows. Unable to resist, Hanako was quick to join in.

She started quiet, uncertainty lining her voice as she tried out the tune. It was strange and felt a little unnatural upon her tongue but with each passing note she slowly and steadily got a better feel for the twists and turns. As she sang in tandem with Mortis she soon realised that there was a pattern to follow and that she just hadn't seen it before. Unsurprisingly, her version was a little more sing-songy than the Fatalis, but it couldn't be denied that they made beautiful music together.

After a few moments, Hana joined in, adding her voice to his. He opened his eyes, and grinned past his moving mouth. As they sang gently together, he heard the flutter of wings. A curious little parrot had ventured closer to hear their song. Mort nudged his little figurine, comparing it to the bird, and then tucked it back away in the folds of the coat. He let the song die softly on his lips, and shook out his coat. His throat ached a little from the singing. He definitely needed more practice. He thought perhaps he wasn’t the best, but Hana seemed to have enjoyed it. Her own song had been upbeat, and the sweetness of it had rolled enjoyably past his ears. “So, what did you want to do now?” he asked her, giving her the floor. He was happy to keep her company and occupied for a time. He would have to go back to his duties at some point. But for now, he just wanted to revel in having a new friend. "Hana" & "Mortis"

The song came a soft, if not somewhat sombre end. Hanako would have gone on till her voice died in her throat, till she couldn't squeak let alone talk, but if Mortis felt like it was time to move on then she wouldn't deny him. Instead she considered his words with an endearing pout of her lips, like it was a real serious question that needed a lot of thought put into it. Before she could really respond her stomach let out a rumble and Hanako broke out into a sheepish smile. Whoops? She hadn't had breakfast yet and her body was more than happy to very loudly remind her of that fact. Not once but twice, in a grumble so strong Hanako feared it would shake the leaves from the tree.

She knew she could head to the cellar and grab some dried meat but...it didn't sound all that appetising to be honest. It would fill the void, and if offered to her she'd be polite enough to accept, but it wasn't exactly what she was used to eating. Nothing quite hit the spot the same as a freshly caught meal, still warm and succulent. Just thinking about it made her stomach groan again and Hanako swatted at her side with her back paw, as if to scold it into silence. Not that it worked, stubborn thing.

"How about we get some lunch?" But then she worried he'd suggest going to the cellar, so she continued. "Toshi's been teasing me with fish lately, he never shares." And then a dramatic sigh, as though she was poor and downtrodden. Woe is me and all that.

He looked expectantly over at his friend, waiting for her to make the decision. When she spoke of food, he perked up. Would she want a hunt, or food from the stores? When she menat fish, he chuckled softly, shaking his head in amusement. “You’ve come to the right wolf. I’ve been sharpening my skills in fishing lately, I bet I can catch us something” it wasn’t a sure thing, but no need to tell Hana that. He would do his best, and if he was lucky, score some tasty fish to fill her belly. Eager to try, he scrambled up, freeing her from his wing, and heading to the ‘exit’ of the tree. “Getting down can be difficult, did you want me to go first and show you how, and catch you if you fall?” he asked, blue eyes growing serious as they turned back to her. A promise lay in them, that he would not let her get hurt. "Hana" & "Mortis"

It seemed as though she'd made the right call, her stomach gurgled yet again as Morits explained that he was quite the fisherman. Rather foolishly-and maybe even greedily- she imagined him hauling a big shark out of the sea, dragging it up the beach and letting out a long victory howl for the whole Armada to hear. What would shark meat even taste like, just like fish or maybe a little richer? Hanako wasn't even sure if that was possible but she liked to think that if anyone could catch a shark it'd be Mortis. Pushing her silly daydream aside, Hanako rose to her paws and followed the Fatalis to the edge of the tree house. Just like he said it soon became apparent that getting up was far easier than going down. And even then she'd had a bit of difficulty, not having cats claws and all. She could have just tried to jump for it but...she couldn't see that ending too well. Not without a few bruises or maybe some sprained limbs. Besides, it wasn't as if she wanted to give Mortis even more reasons to worry about her, he had enough on his plate as it was.

"If you don't mind."

Though she knew it wouldn't be a bother she couldn't help but feel grateful for his kindness, how every action he took seemed to be preceded by care for her. He was just so lovely and kind and wonderful- it made her heart ache a little when she thought about how perfect he was, in his own little ways. Unable to bare the intensity of his gaze Hanako looked down to the ground below, her brows furrowing. No matter how strong he was surely it would hurt if she fell on him from this height, right? Before she hadn't thought about it that much, but now she was focusing on going down rather than up, it was impossible to ignore the risk of falling. She'd never been the sort who got all anxious about getting hurt, so why was she starting now? Nervousness settled in the pit of her stomach and Hanako shifted her weight from one paw to the next as she looked to Mortis for comfort.

"Actually...are you sure about this?" She swallowed thickly, attempting to dislodge the lump that was trying to settle in her throat.

He started to take a step down at her agreement, then paused when he saw her shifting weight and anxious expression. He awkwardly backed out of the downward descent, getting his paws back on the central ‘platform’ and turning back to her. Tail wagging lightly behind him, he came forward and nuzzled her cheek. “Hey, you’ve got this. I promise. I’m just plan ‘b’ and I've got what… 9” on you? I can take your weight” he teased. Pulling back from her, and pausing to place a paw over hers, and then returned to the exit point? “You okay?” he asked, pausing, lingering on the step again. Not wanting to abandon her here if she wasn’t comfortable getting down right now. "Hana" & "Mortis"

And just like that Mortis brushed her worries away. Had it been anyone else she might've been alarmed that he had such a strong influence on her emotions, able to shoo away worries and fears with just a single touch. But there was something about Mortis, it was easy to find strength in him, and when he was by her side Hanako felt as though she was the closest to home she'd ever gotten. It didn't make sense, even Hanako couldn't piece together the puzzle just yet, but she had no reason to deny him when he so kindly offered her the support she both wanted and needed. Leaning into his touch, Hanako returned the nuzzle in kind, and nodded against the fluff of neck as she took in a long and steadying breath. He was right, she could do this.

Pulling back a little, Hanako shot him a sharp side glance and slapped him with her tail, only to break out into a smile. It was just banter, she knew he wasn't judging her for her size or height but it felt natural to playfully scold him anyway as part of their little routine. Fun back and forths that didn't really go anywhere but were funny all the same.

"Shush you giant." She grumbled, only to grow serious at his question. After a moments thought she nodded, her shoulders set as she looked down at their joined paws for  a moment. "Mm, I trust you. We've got this."

It seemed less daunting that way and Hanako was content to let Mortis go as she watched him climb down the tree with, of course, relative ease. And then it was her turn. Remembering the branches she'd used before, Hanako began her descent. Forgoing any attempts at being graceful, she placed each paw with great care as she shuffled her way down, branch to branch till- her paw slipped and Hanako sucked in a breath between her teeth as she just managed to regain her balance. Phew, it seemed as though those fancy walking lessons she'd taken were finally coming in handy.  The going was slow but Mortis never rushed her or tried to hurry it along and for that she was endlessly grateful. She took her time, her tail working overtime to aid her balance, and finally finally she was close enough to the ground to jump the rest of the way.

And then with a muted little thud all four paws were on the ground. Easy! In hindsight she couldn't see what all the fuss was about, just another incident of Hanako getting all worked up other nothing. Eager to put all of that behind he she turned to Mortis and wiggled underneath his wing till only her grinning muzzle was in sight.

"So how about some fish?" Said the talking snout.

He grinned at her words, seeing that much of her fears had dissipated. She had smacked him gently with her tail at his words. He hadn’t meant it as an insult. He was taller than most everyone, and that was just a part of his life. He was taller than adults 5 times his age, and he had learned his goofiness in part to save them from feeling threatened by the giant child. Mortis took the branches down, and waited beneath them. Soft feathers spread to give Hanako a soft landing should she stumble. He believed in her, and knew she would be fine. But it paid to be cautious regardless. He kept a careful eye on her as she moved, taking her time. He applauded her for her caution. He didn’t want her to get hurt. Once she was safely on firm land, he grinned, and bounded over to her. She turned to him, and burrowed under a still raised wing. He laughed softly. She had taken well to finding comfort beneath their awning. He folded the wing around her a little, protective and comforting in the gesture. “Those poor fish won’t know what hit them” he promised, leading the way back to the ocean. "Hana" & "Mortis"