she didn't want to assume the worst. she couldn't, else she'd feel more hopeless than she already did. Dutch wandered away from the cave in Wolfpaw Lake, the little den they had all shared empty now. Beryl and Gimli where nowhere to be found. Godbrand was safe at least, so she could stop worrying about her son. but the one remaining, and her only daughter... she was lost without them. the dwarven woman called their names until her throat was hoarse, her panic refusing to track them properly. she wandered farther from Ashen's lands, away from their makeshift camp, determined to find her kids. with Hannibal's absence, she was both pissed off and worried about him. he should be here, trying to find their kids with her. but it was just Dutch. like it always was. she didn't know if she'd ever forgive him for this. Godbrand's little eyes as he looked around for his father at the meeting, only to be disappointed... Beryl and Gimli having no playtime with the man... she shut her eyes, knowing she had made a mistake in returning to the pack. without Hannibal, she had nobody there. what she should do was go to Olympia - it had been close and the people seemed good. Celestin had answered her questions too, leading her to believe it was perhaps a decent place toward outsiders. she now sighed, hanging her head as she stood amongst the Deluge's entrance. Dutch didn't know where her two children were, but she only hoped to find them soon.

Sirius wasn’t certain what he thought of Dutch - Who had failed to produce pillows or armour for Deathbelle. Regardless of this, she still seemed to be in the good graces of The Empress, and that was good enough for the sworn guard. Even if it wasn’t, her children, well not Deathbelles, where still of the Ashen pack… and Godbrand had begun to grow on him. It would matter to him, even if just because of the child. The titan bastard often scouted the territories around the Ashen pack lands, to ensure no enterprising rogues decided to make use of their home. Not that they would settle for long, with how inhospitable it was in the wake of the volcano. Regardless, he liked to leave a fresh scent trail around. It brought him close enough to hear Dutch’s cries, and understood the importance. He strolled closer to her, his imposing raven hanging tightly to his back, large wings partly spread for balance. “Dutch?” he said, voice a tinge gruff as he looked to the other woman. “Your children are missing?” he had spent so much time comforting Deathbelle and her brood, that he had failed to realise their absence. “If someone has taken them, you can count on me to fight for their freedom and protection.” he said, still a tinge gruff. He didn’t often show his softer side, nor like letting people know his weaknesses. "Speech"

someone she hadn't seen in months but knew was around suddenly appeared. Dutch stared up at Sirius, some defiance crossing her eyes. she knew that bitch Zeitgeist blamed her for, of all the stupid fucking things, pillows. well, she was sort of busy being captured by her former band leader to deliver them. along with the armor lost; which she told Deathbelle about anyway, Dutch had sought shelter in Ashen for her children's sakes. and now she learned from passing gossip he was mated or something to that slave. so excuse her for not knowing what to think of him too anymore. "is it because they're Kleins" she tried to sound brave as she spoke, despite her insides squirming uncomfortably. Dutch wasn't scared of Sirius even if she had lost their practice matches. the woman needed to know if he actually did care about her children because he never visited her when he knew she was in the pack. she thought they were at least friends, but then again... she thought she was friends with Valkyrie. she didn't want to be in debt to anyone again, let alone him who she could never repay. "or because you care about their safety?" she didn't wait for him to reply before she added in, almost defeated; "they are my children. I will fight for them if they were captured." because that is all she could hope to do for her kids. fight for them with every breath she took. knowing they would be safe in the Ashen empire even if she should happen to fade away or die from her efforts. "there's two of them missing, Sirius. I need someone to carry them back home if I fall" she added in, distractingly turning away from him to wander further into the cave system. she once more called out for Beryl and Gimli, resisting the tears in her eyes.

If Sirius knew the woman's thoughts on his wife, he would have retaliated then and there. Sometimes, he could be a bit of a senseless, selfish, brute, who was protective in an obsessive, dangerous sort of way of the one he had claimed as wife. Luckily for all, he did not know, and instead his attention was drawn to the words ‘Klein’ as Dutch asked him if that was the reason. “I will be honest with you - my duty to their bloodline is a part of it, but a lesser part then it use to be. No, I have spend some small time with Godbrand, and I have grown fond of him.” a slight grimace, at how easily this pup had also wormed his way into the titans heart. The last thing he needed was to feel responsible for an ever growing pile of wolves. It was also true that his loyalty to the Klein’s wasn’t what it used to be. His loyalty to Deathbelle was absolute, but his obsession with Zee had alienated him from other Klein after the way they had treated her. “I know you would, but you would need not fight alone.” He would never deny a mother her right to fight for her children, and he certainly wouldn’t get in her way. What he would have was her back, and he would take on that fight if she failed it, to keep her and her children safe. He followed after her as she continued to call for her children, prowling more silently beside her, taking in the scents around them, and looking for any sign that wolves - adult or children - had been here recently. "Speech"

she didn't really give a rat's ass - or any other ass - if Sirius took offence to her dislike of Zeitgeist. Dutch felt the woman was possessive and petty, and she had made that clear to her the moment they had met. the dwarf was quick to put her in her place. slave of the empress or slave to cleaning up shit, it didn't matter. because what did was that she was being judged for failing to deliver pillows. people should focus on what mattered and grow up. she also wasn't looking for sympathy and kept her capture to herself. if they both chose to be upset about such petty things, they were perfect for each other in that regard. Dutch had half a mind to reject Sirius' company and continue on her way. she certainly placed as much space as she could between them as her stubby legs would allow when in the old days she would have welcomed his company and help. "I don't know if you noticed, but I've been raising them alone" she sounded bitter, knowing that Hannibal had made promises he couldn't have kept. the point was, she could handle fighting alone too. "I'd give my life for them, but I'm a small wolf and that'll only get me one chance" there was no illusion about her stance in both height and the world. she was dirt. heck, she was less than dirt. Dutch only had her children. if it came down to her death for them, she would in a heartbeat. "Beryl!" she shouted, rushing forward to look at the water and hoping she didn't spot their bodies in their depths "Gimli?!" finding nothing, no trace of them - not even a scent - she held back a dry sob.

“I have noticed his absence.” Sirius agreed cautiously. He had a suspicion that the man had been caught up in the eruption, and wondered if he had passed. He dared not speak it out-loud, least Deathbelle catch wind. She was dealing with enough heartbreak as it was. As he cast a sideways glance to Dutch, he realised here was another soul hurt in his potential passing. Dutch continued on, determined to set home the fact that she would fight for them. He agreed with her, he truly did, he was here as back up, and to ensure Godbrand still had a mumma coming home to him, and, hopefully, some siblings too. He hadn’t interacted much with the boys siblings, but that wouldn’t stop Sirius from contributing to the search for them. Dutch rushed forward to check the water, and came back empty handed, he could hear her frustration and fear, but he had already established his inability to comfort others. He was good at ripping people apart, not so much at putting them back together again. He had forced himself to do his best to comfort Deathbelle, and she was his childhood best friend. He had no clue how to comfort Dutch, nor considered it his place to. He continued searching, putting his nose to the earth, and looking for a trail. What they needed most was a starting point. "Speech"

Sirius would offer a brief little sentence, trying to remain cautious of all things. the dwarven woman chuckled bitterly. "I'm not a Klein" Dutch retorted crossly, lifting herself from staring at the ground to face him again "so his loss won't be felt that much by me. it's my kids. he's their father. he should be here for them. especially right now." when they had no doubt took off in different directions when the quake had happened. Hannibal should have helped gather them; his other children were yearlings now and he had no excuse not to help. "honestly, Sirius; I'm not in love with him" she scoffed. even if she enjoyed his company, Dutch felt he was more a friend than anything else. there was still no illusion that she was just some bitch that bore his kids. "I can get over it, but my pups need him. it's why I came to Ashen. I risked everything for that goal" she shook her head a bit violently, her long ears flopping against her skull. and now that Hannibal was gone... she didn't know what to think. "if these pups weren't half Kleins, I would take them elsewhere." if the dire wolf wouldn't be honest with her, she gave him a few of her own thoughts. once they were grown, she would leave. if they wanted to stay or go with her, they were welcome to. all Dutch could hope to do right now was raise them with the right ideals. she sighed. "they aren't here."

His short answer did little to please her, and for his silence, she spoke enough for the both of them. She spoke of his loss as through she already suspected exactly what he did, and her words told she did not appreciate his caution with her feelings. Fair enough. “I believe the man is dead. I believe that if he was alive, he would be here - if not for you, then for Deathbelle, and those he promised a second pack to.” Sirius admitted. The loss meant little to Sirius, he had started to respect the man, but he wasn’t one of the wolves the tyrant was obsessively possesive over. His only concern was what it would do to Deathbelle if his suspicion came out as truth. “Elsewhere you would be a stranger, and one watching three is never easy. Here, I would aid you, and can take part in teaching them.” he said, it was a large offer coming from the sworn guard, who split his time between Deathbelle and her children. But he kept his promises, and if she wished to take him up on it, he would watch over her children and train them, as he did Deathbelles. “They are not.” Sirius agreed, he had caught no scent of them since entering this land, seen no hide nor hair. It was possible they had never been here, in the deluge. Sirius raised back his head, and let loose a chilling, deep howl, which swept across the land. In that call, he summoned Marshal, but he also called out for Dutch’s children, announcing the presence of Sirius and Dutch here. "Speech"

yeah, Hannibal promised a place to belong. another pack where she wouldn't be surrounded by strangers and have equal footing with everyone. but she didn't care about that. Hannibal could promise the moon and back; Dutch would still see him as a mortal man who made mistakes just like anyone else. the dire wolf before her assumed he was dead, else he'd be here. who knew where the albino man was? she had three kids to watch out for. she couldn't look for him as much as it was in her nature to look for someone that was close to her. Dutch snorted, Sirius obviously not understanding that his role was not to 'watch her'. she wasn't a child that needed to be tended to. "elsewhere, I'd have the same shot as anyone else. I'd be on equal footing" because she felt like she was just some woman who bore the latest Klein kids in Ashen. she wasn't stupid; she knew that the actual Kleins had more privileges in the pack. they kept slaves to tend to their needs. she was not a slave - Deathbelle made that clear to her - but she also couldn't shake the feeling she'd have better luck somewhere else. but she wasn't going to argue with the dire wolf. Dutch knew her feelings on the matter; she didn't need him to convince him out of blind loyalty to the empress and her empire. "I'm going back to my old den, pick up a scent properly and follow it. I don't need you with me, because I trusted you with Godbrand until I come back" and if Sirius was not there with her son and insisted on following her all around the map... well, her trust was misplaced then. her words weren't unkind, though. it hurt to leave her remaining son, but she knew she wouldn't be able to give him the attention he needed while Beryl and Gimli were missing. she needed someone to watch him, and she couldn't ask Deathbelle. the man's call went up, but no one had bothered to show themselves. Dutch took it as another sign they weren't here. without another word, she twisted her body to the entrance and exited the Deluge. she said exactly what she was going to do; go back to Wolfpaw Lake. find a trail. follow it. / EXIT & END

Sirius shrugged, she could think whatever she pleased, truth was, he had liked her more before she had slept with Hannibal. He liked her kids because Godbrand had made an impression on him, and perhaps because he had a weakness to kids. One he was allowed to accept because of her closeness to the pack, where he would refuse to indulge his weakness with others. Truth was, he liked teaching, it was one of his few pleasures in life. “I’ll keep my eye on him” Sirius promised as Dutch spoke of heading back and finding a starting place to get a scent. He had told her he would look out for Dutch, Godbrand and the others. Only time would prove that he was a man of his word. He paused, and looked back at the determined mother, seeing the resolve in her eyes. If anyone could find the errant kids, it was her. “Good luck” he said, but he wasn’t much for goodbyes. “Marshal will be a call away, if you wish for his help in searching, or need to contact me” and with that, he turned and looped gracefully away. "Speech"