This seemed right. He finally felt like he was in the right place. Myriad was not a temporary stepping-stone in his life. This was home. Although the territory itself was not familiar to him yet, he would soon be accustomed to the draping willows and cool streams. Now, he just needed to get to know some of the wolves that Riv had added to his ranks. Xephyris knew some of them, and was familiar with his leader's siblings. After all, he'd known them when they had just come out of the den with their mother. But now they had friends, and they had connections with the world around them. Seeking a comfortable place under a particularly tall willow tree, he would seat himself, feeling relaxed for once. Here he would wait to see if anyone might pass by. Perhaps today he would have a chance to get to know his pack mates. And when he was done settling in, it would be time to start building routine, and training to defend against possible threats. Today, it was just about making acquaintances. "Talk" "You" Think

Through all this time of thinking about her alpha duties and the new faces she would have to acquaint herself with, the grey male by the name of Xephyris had somehow slipped her mind. She had been feeling disappointed and slightly irked knowing that he would be in Myriad, following wherever she went - no doubt about that. It wasn't until she came across his scent that their couple encounters flooded back to her mind. A part of her didn't want to approach him, at least not today. Though the other part, the logical and reasonable side, told her to treat him like any other pack-mate in Myriad; with respect and fairness. As an alpha, she couldn't hold grudges and she certainly couldn't ignore one of her pack-mates.

So she found herself weaving through the woods, not at a particularly fast pace, following his scent. An anxious feeling was already boiling in the pit of her stomach. And when she finally found him, seated beneath a willow tree, almost peacefully if she could put such a word to his face, she knew she had to engage in some sort of conversation. "Xephyris," she began, her tone a bit more lighter than what she had used the last time they had spoken. "How are you...settling in?"

Now this, he had not expected. Zephyra, the tall, green-marked woman approached him purposely. He was surprised that she hadn't avoided him - surely his scent lingered. His silver eyes shifted to look at her, narrowing slightly. Was she coming to start trouble, now that she held rank over him? He rose to his paws to face her, his tail hanging at his hocks, even though he was slightly on edge. He said nothing, allowing her to begin, since she had been the one to approach him. It seemed she was just vaguely interested in seeing how he was settling in. Perhaps she was maturing a bit, or at the very least trying to take her job as secondary alpha seriously. "I'm settling in quite well," he said, his voice a low rumble, "How are you finding your new rank, Zephyra?" He supposed he must inquire about her as well. Surely she must be settling well with some of her family here, and her mate as well. Ah, that's right, she'd put on a little face when Riv had announced her as his mate, hadn't she? He smirked. "Will you and Riv be providing Myriad with an heir when the season comes?" he asked, quirking a brow as he tilted his head slightly, a subtle cheeky grin upon his mug. "Talk" "You" Think

Doubt crept into her mind when he rose to his paws to face her; perhaps not entirely believing that she was indeed taking an interest in how he was settling into Myriad. Sometimes she surprised herself. She never imagined herself desiring to talk to him, especially a conversation of the civil kind. Yet here she was now, taking her position and new packmates seriously. Almost coincidently, he inquired about her new rank and what she thought of it. She offered a nonchalant shrug, trying to impose the impression that she was not at all stressed by the many responsibilities and obligations. "It's a big leap forward," she admitted, not wanting him to think she was incapable. She just had to...find her bearings. "But I now know how I can serve Myriad best." Woah, that was some mature language for her usual potty mouth. Had some of Rivaxorus' words rubbed off onto her?

His next inquiry made her ears perk in intrigue and chin tilt in curiosity. Had she misheard? Had he really asked about Myriad's heir? Well, if she recalled the ranks correctly, it was usually one of alpha's children selected for the heir position. And...oh. At the realisation, she flushed the darkest shade of scarlet, perhaps the same shade as her eyes. She looked away in embarrassment, feeling flustered with all the emotions that had unleashed upon her. Was he really asking about this? "When the season came"? Maybe she shouldn't have approached him in the first place. "Riv and I haven't...discussed this as of yet," she stammered nervously, shifting her feet awkwardly. Myriad didn't need a heir just yet, did it? Besides, this was all way over her head.

His eyes crept over her face, and swiftly over her posture as he awaited her answer, trying to gauge her thoughts before she could say anything. She shrugged casually, as though the rank she held was no big deal. He huffed slightly; of course she thought nothing of it. Just as he thought - he hadn't expected her to take her leadership role too seriously, anyways. But then she spoke again, and he was surprised that she would admit it was a big leap forward for her. Only to go on to say she now knew how to best serve the pack. Impressive. Perhaps she did care after all. Which he was glad to hear, considering a pack would never stay afloat if its leaders didn't take an interest. As she then looked away in embarrassment at his inquiry, he let loose a hearty chuckle, his grin expanding to reveal his teeth. Okay, maybe he'd pushed her a little too far. But he couldn't just allow her to feel too comfortable around him - it was in his nature to push buttons, to remain somewhat unapproachable. He shook out his coat and looked to the dangling willow tendrils, letting his grin simper off into a neutral expression. "No matter, there's no rush," he responded, his voice returning to a rumble, "You're both too young to worry about such a thing. Gotta focus on keeping this pack together, first. The rest will fall into place." Would she realize now that he was pestering her on purpose? He glanced to her again, silver eyes seeking out her deep red eyes. "You won't scold me now for stepping beyond my boundaries, will you?" he queried somewhat testily, although his words were almost intended to remind her that she indeed held rank over him. She needn't feel like a child in front of him, even if he was overly brash and forward. She was a Queen. His facial expression remained stony as he watched her, his flicking tail the only indication that he was waiting to be amused. "Talk" "You" Think

No rush, sure, if only everyone could lay off the pressure. First becoming mates with the alpha and now providing the pack with an heir. Well, excuse her, but if wasn't plainly evident, she wasn't even an adult yet. Did other yearlings go through the same problems? Oh, like every other canine her age would happen to become an alpha because their lover just happened to create a pack. Thanks. She didn't ask to lead a pack, especially not now, when she clearly wasn't qualified for the job. Maybe when she was much older, and certainly more wiser, would she have considered her own pack. Maybe - that was a highly unlikely maybe. But she loved Myriad, if that contradicted all her raw emotions, and yes, she was proud of Rivaxorus, proud to be his queen. Originally she hadn't thought such a rank would exist - the secondary alpha. She had just wanted to be a mere warrior; an average pack-mate sitting in the backdrop, until the Tsubasa rank came along. And she just found herself in it - the queen of Myriad. One day a student of Fiori and the next a queen. Okay, let's just go with the flow.

For once he had suggested some useful advice. Huh. Leading the pack and keeping it afloat seemed like a good plan, while everything else would somehow fall into place. She had to admit; that did take some of the pressure off from her shoulders, especially coming from one of the most unlikely canines to utter such words in that sequence. Was it possible for the grey male to have such a positive influence? "I guess you're right," she agreed with a nonchalant shrug, feeling like he should receive some credit. Wait, wait a minute, hold up. Was she agreeing with him? And actually saying it to his face? Woah, what had happened to her? Maybe this alpha rank was maturing her more than she expected.

As he sought her rubies, his following inquiry brought a small frown to her ebony features. Scolding? Why would she? Yes, she was a leader with an apparent abundance of power, though that didn't mean she could misuse that power. She didn't want to be a dictator, or like that Sin Hellstrom. She wanted to respect her pack-mates, and in return she expected that same level of respect back. And yes, he had stepped out of line, she had to admit, though she was willing to spare him. "Oh, I think I'll give you a warning for now," she replied in a light yet slightly stern tone. This didn't mean he could always push her buttons, and there would come a day when her patience would run out - when there would be no warnings left. Hopefully he wouldn't get to that stage; she didn't expect him to.

"I guess you're right." When she spoke, he couldn't help but to do a double-take, a flash of surprise crossing his features for a brief moment. Was she agreeing with him on something? He couldn't believe it. But perhaps he'd said something that actually resonated with her. Huh, who would have thought? He cleared his throat with a gruff cough, having nothing more to say. And he didn't want to draw too much attention to the fact that they weren't being disagreeable with each other. It didn't seem right to be lacking conflict, but perhaps it was a good thing. Despite their clashing tempers, they were starting to move past their initial impressions of one another. As he watched her face, noticing the small frown that crossed her mug for a moment, he wondered why she seemed displeased with his teasing query of scolding him. Was she uncomfortable with the amount of power she held in her paws? He couldn't understand. He envied her authority, in fact it quite irked him that she had risen so suddenly above him in rank, although he tried not to show it. Did it not please her that she needn't take crap from anyone anymore? When she finally spoke, he grinned, tail lashing with amusement. "How many chances do I get?" he asked in an amused tone, "I'm a bit of a trouble-maker you know, you'll have to keep me in check lest I may misbehave." There was little else he found amusing than ruffling someone's fur. He wasn't one for prancing through fields or splashing in puddles, after all. If he wasn't being kept busy, he'd have to entertain himself somehow, of course he wouldn't tell anyone how to keep him out of trouble. He rather enjoyed pestering others from time to time. "Talk" "You" Think

Like how he always studied her features and read her emotions, she too observed his expression when she admitted her agreeing with his statement. A look of surprise flashed onto his grey complexion; just like that. At the sight, her cheeks flushed a scarlet similar to the shade of her eyes, her head lowering in embarrassment. Perhaps she shouldn't have uttered those words, at least not out loud. For some reason, it brought a strange, murky feeling inside of her. She'd couldn't quite explain it. It wasn't like when she agreed with the alpha, or her brother (okay, maybe a little, though at least she was trying to be more closer with her family). Though another part of her told her that it wasn't something to be ashamed of. Sure, she agreed with him for the first time in ever; let's move on.

To be honest, sometimes she felt a bit uncomfortable leading a pack of wolves mostly older than herself, if not thrice her age. Sometimes it felt like no-one took her seriously, or like the pack wouldn't be able to stay afloat for long. There had been a part of her that always wanted to be a leader, to lead an empire so superior her foes would tremble in her wake. Of course, now that she had finally received this power, perhaps a bit too soon for her liking, she had come to understand that leadership isn't entirely about power, but responsibility. Two yearlings with responsibilities larger than their own age; what could possibly go wrong?

And it seemed many things could prove to be difficulties, like how this man continued to push her buttons and insist on an irrelevant topic. Such things she took as challenges; obstacles that would make her a better leader. "Oh, I wouldn't recommend sticking around to find out, if I were you," she replied in the same, light tone. It wouldn't last for long, however. Her patience was starting to run out; him testing his own boundaries. Why did he want to know such facts? Wasn't he familiar with the rules? The standard code of conduct for all packs? "Is that so?" she mused in response to his mischievous statement, raising a brow in mock surprise. "Then I doubt Myriad has a place for wolves who need their own leader to keep them in line." Her words were starting to grow more stern, though nothing hostile of the sort. She just needed to make it clear where she and Riv stood in accordance to the behaviour of Myriad's members.

Xephyris as well was trying to ignore the fact that they had come to some sort of agreement on a certain subject; it wasn't like either of them to agree with each other, but it made total sense, and they were on the same team now, so they had to side with each other from now on anyways. Regardless of their first impressions - and boy were first impressions strong - it seemed that first impressions could indeed be overwritten, given the time and consideration. Although he had noticed her embarrassed expression, head lowered and cheeks glowing red, he would say nothing of it. He didn't wish to draw attention to her state of mind, no more than he would want attention draw to his facial expression of surprise. So it seemed they would silently and mutually agree not to mention their agreement on one subject at all, but to remain quietly cooperative on this matter. Instead, he would focus on how he irritated her. On how easy it was to force her to lose her patience. "Oh, I wouldn't recommend sticking around to find out, if I were you," she said to him. She was holding her patience with him, but it was becoming clear that it was wearing thin with his constant challenges. Still, she'd just maintain a light but stern tone in response to him. He was impressed by her ability to remain calm in front of him, following his somewhat challenging statements with mere amusement. Perhaps deeper inside she was fed up with him, but it didn't show outwardly. "Don't mind me," he said with a snort and a flick of his tail, "I am here to serve you, and Riv, despite my outward stance. I am not here to rebel... I'll certainly always push buttons, but I'm here to add my strength. Both in body and in mind, and if I force you to think beyond the norm, then that's merely part of my accomplishments." He eyed her with cold silver orbs, his tail flicking mindlessly as he did so. He wasn't worried when she said that Myriad was not the place for wolves who needed a leader to keep him in line. He needed to monitor himself. He snorted at the concept. He knew this already, he had merely been teasing her, to see what response she would give, to see if she'd easily be pushed over, or if there was more to her, despite her young age. "Talk" "You" Think

She could lose her patience. She could burst with all the pressure building inside of her, overflowing. She could snap out at him, losing her temper and throwing a tantrum. But what good would that do? It would probably severe what weak bond they had made in this encounter alone. It would bring them back to the beginning, how they had first met with a staggered start of hostile first impressions. She didn't want to be feared, hated, loathed by her pack-mates. She wanted to be looked up to, respected, admired - a true leader in Myriad's eyes. Though that didn't seem so likely to believe, considering her young age and inexperience, it was something she could work towards. Keeping her patience plentiful was one way to go about that, if only her pack-mates wouldn't take advantage of their seemingly infinite second chances. Forgiving, patient, but not one to be taken lightly.

She was surprised he would have anything to add to her warning, at least not so much. For someone who she thought never took her seriously, he was sure loyal to the pack, and spoke highly of such loyalty. Well, that was what it seemed. He could mean every word he spoke, or he may be muttering it just to impress her (and impressed she was). She didn't want to doubt any of her pack-mates; she wanted to trust their every word. But she would observe him, see how long his loyalty to Myriad remained. For a while, she hoped. "Well then, Xephyris," she began in a slightly casual tone, a small grin tugging at her lips.  "Myriad needs someone to lead the fighters, to train them and strengthen the pack. Someone like you." Scarlet eyes sparkled as she took a pause. "How would you like to lead Myriad's first fight training?" It wasn't a promotion, per say; just an extra responsibility for the male. She was yet to discuss it with Riv, though if he proved himself leading the training, perhaps a promotion would be closer than he thought.

Was she losing her patience, or was she keeping it cool? It had started to get hard to tell, even for him. Her tone remained even, although it looked like she was perhaps a little tense. His thick, lengthy tail waved to and fro - he was satisfied with this interaction, and he would try his best not to push his luck with her now. No need to push her over the edge, for he had no desire for this to end in violence if it didn't need to. And truly, it didn't. Although there was a great deal of aggravation, there was no true threat, no real need for bloodshed. And he didn't want to be known amongst his pack mates for fighting with his own, especially his superiors. He was not a rebel, although he might be a little hot-headed and stubborn. As she spoke, Xephyris would listen intently to the tall, green-coated woman. His interest was piqued, and he found himself leaning in just a little closer. Was she really suggesting to him that he lead the fight training. Pride instantly swelled within him, and he found himself nodding his head, perhaps a little too soon. His mood and train of thought shifted rapidly as she made suggestions - he wasn't sure if she truly meant it, but he would do his best to follow through. Perhaps she was testing him, but her cause didn't matter. Xephyris would take her words seriously. "I shall make arrangements immediately," he rumbled with an odd bit of enthusiasm, "Let's hope I can impress you, m'lady... Zephyra. If you'll excuse me, I'd best get busy..." Silver eyes met her gaze, before he'd dip his head and turn to take leave, pausing only if she wished to say anything more. "Talk" "You" Think

It wasn't a bribe for him to change his behaviour, nor was it an offer for him to take lightly. She didn't go around asking every wolf in Myriad to organise a hunt or healing training. Anyone other than him could be leading this fight training, but she had chosen him, him out of all wolves. Hopefully he was aware of that. It was an opportunity to be grasped with great responsibility, to be approached seriously. Who knew? Perhaps he could truly impress the alphas and earn himself a shiny title, just like he desired. Only if he took the opportunity. What he put in was what he would get out. If he showed them leadership and wisdom, the capability to influence and train the pack - his absolute best, then he would receive the very best.

She had interested him, piqued his curiosity, and she truly had to control her grin from growing any wider at the sight of him leaning in slightly. At least he would take the role seriously, she supposed. It would finally get the pack into action. They had settled in for long enough and now it was time to strengthen Myriad and its members, to watch the pack grow. It all started with these initial meetings, where she saw potential in a canine or two. "I look forward to it," she murmured with a dip of her head as a silent farewell. "I'll make sure everyone in Myriad attends." He needed time to prepare, and she would give him the time he needed. It shouldn't be rushed, after all. She only trusted that he would please her with his efforts.

-exit Zeph-