I can't destroy what isn't there

When she got back to her paws, the Warlord didn’t help her. She had not had the respect of body autonomy in so long. He would not reach for her now without her permission. They started walking again. A little more slowly this time, and he walked side by side with her. Listening as she spoke of her mother. Who was kind, but unskilled.

“If there was any trade you could learn, what would it be?” He asked, and then spoke again before she could answer. “Aside from fighting. That one is mandatory. The Wolves of the Armada learn to defend themselves.” He gave her a look. He intended for her to learn how to defend herself. From outside threats. From the Warlord himself, if he ever fell off the deep end again. The scent of her had driven him there today, and while he wanted to think something had grown between them. He did not know if something might change between them again.

They were almost at the Armada now. The familiar caves of the Col opening up before them. The scent of the pack reached them, and they crossed the border. “Welcome to the Armada. If you can manage the walk, I’ll show you First Light Point first. It’s my favourite spot” and the best place to show her the entirety of the Armada.


"Speech"

When he began to treat her as an individual ... it was uncomfortable,  as much as the effort was appreciated. As the heightened emotion began to fade, her muscle memory began to return. A year of conditioning wouldn't come undone in a single conversation. But going forward, she would try. At least to the best of her abilities. For now, she shuffled alongside her Warlord, attention fixated on the path before them.  

A lull settled between them as they walked, it wasn't until they had covered some ground that he broke the silence was more. If there were any trade she could learn. She had no idea- had never given it any thought. The girl couldn't even think of an answer she thought he might like to hear. Just as she was getting ready to confess her non-existent ambition, Sirius quickly reiterated that fighting was mandatory. The idea of fighting or defending herself went against her grain, but she wouldn't press it further. With a quiet sigh, she found her voice again. "H-honestly, I'm not sure." She answered lightly. Her entrenched desire to please others was all she felt she had to lean back on. If that was taken away, she had no idea what would be left.

While she didn't particularly need the announcement to understand they were nearing pack territory, she did offer a soft nod in acknowledgment to Sirius' announcement. When he suggested that there was a specific place he wanted to show her if she could manage, she was quick to respond "I can make it," Adelina assured. While she was tired from the trip and the deprivation, if she wasn't receiving instruction, she was unsure where that would leave her.

I can't destroy what isn't there

The Warlord nodded his head thoughtfully. He and Adelina would have a lot of discovery and adjustments to make. He would have to come to terms with the knowledge that he had let someone into the pack who was a part of the band that had caused his family so much pain. There was only one other wolf in the Armada who might recognise their scent in her. Azure. He would cross that bridge when he got to it.

As they stepped over the border of the Armada, he paused, and then looked back at Adelina. “I’m going to place my scent on you, to ensure no one here gives you any grief.” He warned her. Trespassers were treated with extreme prejudice in the Armada. That said, he leaned over and rubbed his head along her neck. Spreading the scent of Warlord and Armada across her. Brushing his side against hers for a moment, before stepping back and giving her space.

“This way” He said, as he led her through the first cave, and into the heart of the pack. Nodding his head to the wolf on guard as they passed through. “This is the main area of the Armada.” he explained as they walked back into sunlight. The open space between the mountains spread out before them. The Obelisk stood out the most, as well as numerous cave entrances and a large fire pit.

"Speech"

The scent boundary into pack land might as well have been a brick wall. She was immediately aware of when they crossed it, as it influenced a bit of a change. For some reason, it made her feel more exposed than she had already felt, though she pushed those feelings to the side. However, upon entry, she found herself perking up at Sirius' next bit of instruction. Eye contact evaded her, but as he announced his intentions, she offered a stiff nod. Even though she was warned, she couldn't help but stiffen at the sudden touch- gritting her teeth in an effort to force herself to be still. Force of habit, really.

After she was thoroughly inoculated into Armada through an exchange of scent, she followed her Warlord toward what seemed to be the center of the pack. They passed a guard, but her line of sight didn't stray from the ground in front of them- not really sure what else to do with herself. Eventually, the cavern fell away and opened back up into a valley of sorts. At this point, she did steal a glance around the area. She was genuinely impressed by how large the space was- of the territory they inhabited. The majority of her life had been spent either alone in neutral lands- or traveling with bands that weren't keen on staying in one place for very long. Needless to say, this was vastly different. Adelina couldn't help but wonder how many it took to maintain it. "H-how many wolves reside here?" She asked softly, echoing the thought that entered her mind. Her silver gaze lingered on the interesting monument that stood out in the middle of the valley near one of the larger fires. Part of her wanted to ask about it as well, but she also didn't want to ask too many questions at once. So for the moment, she would leave her curiosity at bay.

I can't destroy what isn't there

The Warlord didn’t let his emotions show on his face as he made the final move to bring Adelina into the fold. For better or worse, she was his now. Truly his, in a way that simply buying her didn’t quite encompass. The fondness he was feeling for her was a weakness, and one he couldn’t entirely decide how to feel about.
As they entered the Cove, he paused for a moment, letting her take it in. Perhaps there was also a bit of pride in his stance. He loved the Armada. He had spent more years of his life now building and maintaining it then he had anywhere else. At her question, he tilted his head to the side. Running names through his mind until he reached the answer. ‘Including the both of us - Thirty.” He explained, before moving forward again. He was swinging around, giving her a small loop of the territory before he would take her up to the watch point.

“This is the Heart of the pack. The most central piece of our territory. Meetings are made here, by the firepit and Obelisk. The rules of the pack are etched into the stone.” He explained as they walked, turning them towards the walkway up to the watch point. “Mind your step, the pathway can be a little treacherous” He warned her as they reached the base of the path up the mountain. As they started to climb, the view of the Armada pack lands grew. “If you look to your right, you’ll start to see the Cove and the ocean inlet. That's part of our territory. And to your left, the woods are ours as well.”

"Speech"

When she asked how many wolves called Armada home, she expected there to be a fair amount. However, she did not expect there to be an additional twenty-eight. It was difficult to conceal her surprise, there was nothing to be done for the widening of her silver eyes. She looked to him, maybe to take into account his pride or ego on the matter. Yet, he didn't take the time for such a display. He moved forward in their tour- and she would follow, lending herself to the intrigue that she had been allowed to maintain.

Just as she had already concluded, it was expressed to her that this was the central point of the pack lands. He described that in the time of a meeting, this was where it would be held. She wondered if that would be something she was expected to attend ... or not. She supposed that it would be addressed when the occasion occurred. As Sirius went on, It seemed that she didn't have to ask what the Obelisk was, as he offered an explanation without being prompted- one that she was grateful for. Adelina made a mental note to return when she was able, to examine it and the information it held more thoroughly on her own time.

With the warning to tread carefully on their ascension to the peak of the territory, the girl did just that. As they reached a point higher in altitude, her attention was guided to surrounding points of interest. There was what appeared to be an island in the distance, however, she noted that the coastline of the narrow cove belonged to Armada. As she looked towards the neighboring forest, she hesitated a moment. Of course, it was difficult to tell at a distance, but it seemed that the trees had an unusual pattern in growth- something she felt compelled to investigate when given the opportunity. "It's massive." Adelina said quietly, meaning just how large Armada lands were. But of course, for thirty wolves, it would have to be.

Climbing higher, more and more questions came to mind. Things she wanted to know. Things that maybe she should know. It was difficult to establish a priority. In the end, all she could come up with was a generalized blanket question that might yield more information than she knew to ask for. "I-Is there anything else I should know?" Adelina asked. Any rules that wouldn't be common sense. Any individuals she should seek out ... or avoid? She wanted to make sure she would be meeting expectations.

I can't destroy what isn't there

The Warlord gave a small incline of his head in agreement. “There's a lot of nocks and crannies to explore, but you’ll learn it all soon enough.” Because she belonged here now. And the Warlord didn’t easily let go of things that belonged to him. The beach was still semi-new land to the Armada. They had made the shore close to the Cole their own, but his territory expanded out across all of the beach land that surrounded the small island. He was yet to do anything with the other side of it.

They continued to climb, and the view expanded before them. Giving her a birds-eye-view of the Armada and the full territory it encompassed. As they reached the look out spot, the small guard station came into view. Really more of a lean-to that held some supplies, and a place to sit. A little further up showed the building blocks of the observation post he and Andy were building together. Andy.

With his daughter on his mind, he turned back to Adelina with hooded eyes. “I have three litters of children, and all of them are still coming to terms with… what happened. Let's leave your connection to ourselves for now, alright?” he didn’t expand on his meaning, expecting her to understand as he pulled to a stop at the seat. Sitting down, and looking at the rolling expanse of the Armada before them. “Stay clear of the market for now, as well.” She still acted like property. He didn’t want anyone getting the impression she was for sale.

"Speech"

At the assurance she was offered that she would learn the territory soon enough, she offered a nod in acknowledgment. Though, in the back of her mind, she couldn't fathom going out to explore on her own without any other sort of purpose. Reading the Obelisk, that made sense- it had information that could be invaluable. But the rest, it would be a while. Though she was appreciative of the consideration.

When they finally reached the outpost of sorts, the view was incredible. There was a humble structure to shelter whoever stood guard from up here, and what appeared to be the makings of a separate building a little further up the path. But the structures weren't where attention was rooted. If given the time of day, she felt she could remain where she stood for hours and still not see everything there was to see. She didn't even consider speaking in her wonderment- there simply were no words. But when she noticed the movement from Sirius in her peripheral, she returned her attention to him.

Adelina was a little puzzled as he began to describe his family and the death of his Zee- in which she was sympathetic. However, she failed to see her connection to them initially, or why he would conceal a past that had never crossed paths with his family before ... until she remembered that it had. Indirectly. She felt the sudden sinking in her gut of shame but didn't hesitate in her agreement. "Of course." She answered, not wanting to cause him any sort of resentment or animosity from his own relatives.

When he mentioned the market, he wouldn't have to do any convincing. It sounded like it would be a busy place, and she was all too eager to avoid something like that. "Yes, sir." She responded a bit more assuredly. Knowing full well there was no danger of her being tempted to push that boundary.

She understood why someone might enjoy the solitude of the mountain peak. It was quiet, except for the wind. But that was easily placed in the background as she pursued her train of thought. As they finished establishing the territory and boundaries, another thought came to mind. "What ... do you want me to do?" She asked hesitantly. Where was her place in all of this?

I can't destroy what isn't there

As he thought of any other points he needed to relay to her, he let his eyes sweep the horizon. Here was where his navigators scouted the weather, storms could sweep in quick and harsh this high up. An early warning was always a good thing. As she spoke again, he turned his attention back to her, and frowned. “For now, you will be ranked as a slave. I want you to learn, and strive to contribute towards the Armada. If you prove yourself, you’ll move up in rank.” He informed her. If she stayed stagnant, he would push her harder. She would snap, or she would rise. He did not like anyone remaining in the slave rank indefinitely. The point of it was to serve as a place to learn. There was no place but up.

“Come on, if you’ve finished taking it in, we need to figure out where to put you” He said. Running through in his mind. In his den, where he could keep an eye on her? Or a little further away, so she wasn’t near the kids? He thought about putting her to work. Suddenly being the sole parent of a large litter was… difficult at times. “How are you with pups?”


"Speech"

As he reiterated what ambition and progress could earn her, it left her feeling uncertain. She found it difficult to believe that she could be anything else, or had any worth beyond what she was instructed to at the given moment. She offered him a nod in acknowledgment, as she certainly wasn't going to tell him no. But it lacked any sort of enthusiasm that might have given an impression of a genuine agreement. Change was a scary thing.

Pulling her from her thought process, he brought forth their next course of action. Where she was going to be kept. It didn't particularly matter to her. If he had told her to stay where she was, she wouldn't have moved from the mountain peak. As they prepared to return from the heavens, he questioned her abilities with pups. She simply couldn't fathom making any decisions for them. Though she would certainly throw herself in harm's way if it came to that- not that she was a capable force of opposition. Truthfully, her abilities were likely not ideal, but she didn't want to disappoint any further. "I can learn." Adelina eventually responded, not sure she could offer a better answer than that.

I can't destroy what isn't there

She didn’t bulk at the idea of working with pups. Good enough for him. He, oddly enough, trusted this woman around his young children. “Very well then, you can take a spare room in our den.” He said, glancing towards her to see if she would protest at being so close to the Warlord. When she didn’t, he grunted and got back to his paws, before leading the way back down the mountain. They had done a lot of walking today, and Adelina could do with some fattening up. So he stopped them by the stores room first, going inside to grab a couple things. He came out with a pack, which he tossed over his shoulders, before leading her wordlessly up another mountain pass. This one leading towards his den.

He paused on the threshold a moment, taking in the verandah that looked out over the pack lands. From here, he had an excellent view of the meeting point, and the entrance of the market. A good place to keep watch over everyone. All seemed well, so he opened the door and led the way inside. Moving towards one of the small rooms at the back. The place smelled like pups, and the lingering taste of Zee. He ignored all that, and went into the room first. He opened the pack and grabbed out a couple blankets, and then some wrapped and dried food. “Here, settle in, and eat up.” He ordered her gently.


"Speech"

When he offered her a space near his family, presumably to help with the care of his youngest litter. She couldn't help but be surprised. But as he looked her over for any objection, she offered a nod in agreement instead. It wasn't her place to question him by any means, but she couldn't help but think surely there was someone else better suited for what he had in mind. And she was sure that his youngest would be more open to the guidance of their older siblings than an outsider. Then again, she had no idea as to what kind of lives they lived. Without further thought on the matter, she pressed forward to follow her Warlord back down the path that they had come- just to veer off in a different direction at some point along the way.

Adelina remained quiet and patient as he gathered a few belonging. When they arrived at their destination, she couldn't help but feel like an intruder in his family's space. It was empty for now, but she couldn't imagine the conversations that would ensue. When he led her to a back room, she was grateful that it seemed out of the way. She observed as he unloaded the pack with a few different things. On his instruction, she gently lowered herself to her haunches, allowing herself to succumb to the weight of the day. So much had happened, it was difficult to even begin to process. She glanced at the food she was offered, and took it reluctantly, unsure of what she had done to earn it. However, she couldn't stop herself from looking around the room, and then to Sirius. "T-Thank you." She said softly, not knowing how she would ever repay the kindness offered to her.

I can't destroy what isn't there

The room was fairly sparse. It had been used as a place of storage a couple times, and a couple stray scents still lingered. There was a slightly unused scent to it as well. Other than the pups, there weren’t many wolves who came and went from the Warlords den.

The Warlord nodded his head, shuffling his paws for a moment. She was all settled in, and had everything she needed. He found himself oddly reluctant to leave her to it. But he had no reason to linger, and knew she would likely be exhausted from the day. There was nothing else to it. “Alright well… this room is yours. Settle in, and you’ll meet the pups as they come and go. Well.. yell out if you need anything” He said at last, and shuffled back out the door. He would get her started on training as soon as possible. Tomorrow, he’d let her explore a little. Perhaps the day after could be used for starting her on the basics. He glanced once more time at her to see if she needed anything else.


"Speech"

As he gave his parting reassurances, she nodded along in acknowledgment. Something in her gut twisted at the thought of him leaving. However, she didn't have it in her to request that he stay. It would have been a selfish plea, and he obviously would have other responsibilities to attend to. So with a bleak attempt at a grateful grin, she offered a final nod as he lingered at the threshold of the room for a final opportunity of assistance. "I-I will." She assured, knowing full well that she wasn't sure if she could if she wanted to.

After his departure, she gently lowered herself to the floor. Resting her chin on her paws with her lingering attention settled on the door before drifting off to unconsciousness.

-Exit via Sleep-