She had become used to being the only pack in the east. Distantly she was aware of Lirim and Valhalla in the far west, but some new neighbors had crept in to the south. In fact, they were awfully close. It was too bad that Thalia's pack hadn't relocated closer, but crossing the Bifrost was still a big deal. The gap was closing between Abaven and the rest of the world. Theory had decided to scout further afield to get a better sense of where the other packs were located and what the lay of the land was like in between. As she got within sniffing distance of the Armada, she slowed to a stop and decided to explore the nearby woods. Maybe there'd be something worth harvesting around here. Ah! There, a soft clump of wooly lamb's ear. Those were great for small wounds in a pinch. Quickly she became engrossed in carefully unearthing the plant's roots. She could transplant this a bit easier, maybe even add it the growing garden. As she quietly worked, her ears remained alert for anyone approaching. Couldn't let her guard down this close to another pack.

He caught the Abaven scent in his nostrils to some surprise. He reminisced even as he stalked its owner. He had enjoyed teaching Poem, even if she had chomped at the bit to be free. She had been so full to honour she just about burst. Her sister had been cut from a different cloth, timid and fearful. Not a sign you should show to the wolves. She had not had an easy time in the Ashen lands.

All of that was before his armada had really taken hold, and had children of his own. Those kids had filled the void he hadnt even known was there. Hadnt known he had been trying to fill with Porm and Motif. He had let Poem go because her mother had died and some part of him could not be so cruel. In his past, he was a nightmare. Zee had made a husband and then a father, and for it he was kinder.

His reflections came to a stop as he saw the Abaven wolf. Cut from the same cloth as Poem, he suspected, from his very brief meeting of her. She had lost a child of her terratory, and he had found him first. Interesting that they should meet again. Interesting indeed. "Theory. I havent seen you in my neck of the woods before" he called out, amused.

She had almost cleared the roots of the plant when she heard approaching pawsteps. Theory's ears flicked to attention before she lifted her head, sneezing a bit from the dirt clouding her nose. She wiped her muzzle on her leg and turned to greet the voice, surprised by the titanic form of Sirius. He had been hunting for a lost puppy once and saved Void, mistaking him for his own pack member... and he had taken her sisters from her. So much had changed since they'd met on the sandy shores, both sopping wet. Theory eyed the black warrior, trying to figure out how to respond.

"Hello, Sirius," she replied, her tail lifting slightly but not enough to challenge his eminence. These lands were too close to his to play foolish games. "I'm just scouting out south. I was wondering who'd moved in, and now I see that I have my answer," Theo added, a bit of humor in her voice. "How's your Zeitgeist? Last I saw she was quite pregnant." No need to tell him that she'd tumbled from the cliffs and Theory had treated her for bruises and dehydration on Abaven's island shores. "Has the litter arrived? How many - and their names?" Small talk came easily to her and she was fond of Zeitgeist. The woman was a competent warrior and they'd had some excellent spars.

Well now. If there ever a question that would open his heart, it was this one. His stern, warlord mask slipped free and he grinned st her, open and delighted. "Ah!" He said, surprised and pleased both. "I hadnt realised you've met my near Wife." He admitted. His Zee had a way of making friends, and he wondered at this encounter between the two of them. It could easily have slipped his wife's mind after the drama of having kids and all that entailed. Or maybe she had another reason. He didnt mind, He trusted her beyond doubt.

"I have a brood of four, and they are almost more then one pack can bare!" He teased. "I have Mortis, Azure, Indigo, and Asla." He said, voice tinged with pride. Not that he had fully let go of his senses. He had stopped a polite distance from her, and taken a seat for the conversation. He watched her carefully, for surely she knew by now about Poem and Motif, and may well hold a grudge about it. He would attack her, if he thought her a threat. "How is your little Void?" He asked politely in return. "How is your pack doing?"

"Yes! She's an excellent fighter. We sparred long before she was a mother, and I believe before you formed your pack." She'd certainly smelled different then, not the heavy new musk that Sirius wore. This must be the scent of the Ashen Armada. Theory couldn't ignore that he was the one who'd captured each of her sisters in turn, but she just couldn't reconcile that fact with the strangely jovial father before her. He was almost... doting. His face completely lit up when she asked about his children. There's my opening! Now more than ever, Abaven needed strong allies. If Winterfell could turn on them due to Acere's own poor leadership, well, the future was unpredictable at best.

Theory wanted to rest knowing that her packmates were safe - and Poem herself had said that the titan hadn't treated her terribly. In fact, he'd helped train her to be the warrior that she was today. Even if the circumstances were questionable, he did return her sisters safely in the end. If nothing else, he was a man of his word. Unlike Acere. "Your family sounds lovely. I'm glad they're flourishing. Our own orphans - Void included - were recently reunited with their mother. She finally returned home safely after getting separated from the pack during the explosion," she murmured. "They're yearlings now. Can you believe it?" Which meant soon she'd be turning two as well. Was she really that "young?" Theo felt so, so old. "Abaven is getting on well. We're preparing for an upcoming raid. Acere of Winterfell in the far north has made some foolish decisions and bargained away his pack's services to a band of raiders. To my knowledge, it was on behalf of a less-than acquaintance. They are now taking orders from the same Valkyrie that ran the market you attended," Theory said carefully, dancing around Motif's enslavement. "They were our allies but I plan to sever our relationship after the raid. You can't trust a fool, right?" she laughed. Now she just had to wait for his response.

“I trained her myself, she bested me shortly before we had children. What a woman.” a touch of awe in his voice, mingled with the love and pride that always surfaced when he mentioned his Wife. there was simply no woman or wolf in the world who could compare to his wife. Theory would go on to talk about Void, and how he had been reunited with his mother who had gotten lost during the volcanic eruption. He grew a little more somber. “Yes. I never found the pup we lost in the same event. Her mother eventually vanished too, I don’t believe she could remain in these lands where she lost so much.” he said softly. He didn’t like failing his wolves, and his inability to find the child would stick with him for the rest of his life. The seriousness faded as Theory brought them around to Ace, and a snort escaped the Warlord. Perhaps not a very Alpha-like sound, but oh lord. He chortled. “This would be the same Ace with a stick up his ass?” he clarified, but he already knew the answer. How many Ace’s that ruled packs and went to slave markets where there? “Yes, I met him at this market.” he gave Theory a sidelong glance, prepared to retaliate if she got offensive or aggressive at him. “Maybe i’m partly at fault here. He offered his own strength as bids, but when he decided to take offense to me, he was too cowardly to face me alone. I thrashed him and his second both in short order. Perhaps he lost some of the credibility of offering just himself and decided to offer his pack to soothe his wounded pride.” He did not think well of this Alpha, who had acted high and mighty over little things, and then failed to have the bite to back his words. “No. You can not trust a fool.” he agreed easily. “And I would be a fool not to clear the air. I brought your Motif, I do not know if I saved her from a fate, or took her into a worse one. She did not give me her true name, and I had her in my Empress’s pack for a short time before her sister came looking. Poem is cut from an entirely different cloth to this Ace. She did what she believed was right, and was willing to trade away her freedom for it. I wanted to train her as my pupil. Perhaps even my successor one day. She is a rare wolf. When her Mother died, I gave her back to your pack, because keeping her would have been the wrong thing to do.” "Speech"

The more he talked, the more Theory felt herself relax. Maybe he reminded her of Rhyme - just the littlest bit. A different, very huge version of him. There was a warmth to his voice that hadn't been there when she'd faced him off on the beach over Void. Having children certainly had seemed to mellow him out. "I'm sorry. We have all lost so much to the eruption," she said quietly. Wolves had disappeared into the ashes never to be seen again. At least they had bodies to bury when Shaye and Odysseus passed. Theory couldn't imagine how much worse she would feel if her mentor had just disappeared, never to be heard from again.

Then the conversation dramatically changed tone. Theory's eyes widened when Sirius snorted and said that Acere had a stick up his ass. She wouldn't have expected that from him and couldn't help herself from laughing aloud. "Yes, I suppose we're talking about the same wolf. I don't believe it's any fault of yours. My moth - " she looked away and corrected herself, "my mentor told me of his rash history while teaching me about the other packs in the land. Of course, much has changed since then, and I thought he had settled into better manners in the north. It seems like nothing has changed." She frowned slightly, thinking back on what Shaye had told her about Acere refusing to step down when ordered to. An alpha needed to rely on their pack to listen and respect their authority, otherwise it was a madhouse. Theory was grateful that the wolves of Abaven had respected Shaye's choice of successor.

"Thank you for that kindness. Poem hasn't forgotten it and neither have I. Motif has returned safely home... I don't know if she will ever forgive herself for missing Shaye's death, but we all did. She passed away alone with one of our greatest warriors - but we will never forget her. Shaye's memory lives on in me and both of my sisters; in some twisted way, I suppose I'm in debt to you for reuniting us," Theory said, chuckling bitterly. Life had a funny way of working things out. The titan that stood before her now, touched and transformed by the love of his life and fatherhood, seemed to be an entirely different beast. Maybe even an ally.

Well that was interesting. She changed words that sounded very much like ‘mother’ into mentor. He wondered who she was talking about, but ultimately it didn’t matter. He doubted he would know the wolf. Theory, Motif, and Poem were the only Abaven wolves he knew, and well the relation between Motif and Poem had been confirmed, he could only guess that Theory was a sister to them from how similar her coats were and closeness in age. He was interested in hearing about this pack's run-ins with Acere, but ultimately him and his pack were a very long way away, and had very little to do with each other. Other than the slave market. Her gentle words and forgiveness startled him, he had not expected to receive it. He had anticipated only an uneasy truce, and hidden reservations. “Well. I wouldn’t go so far as to say you owe me anything” he said softly. “But I do wish Poem well, and that she flourishes in your pack. It's clear her return there meant a lot to her” he said. He moved the subject away from the touchy-feely things, which he wasn’t wholly comfortable with, and back to the interesting tidbit she had supplied. “So this Acere is raiding you and yours? You’ll have to tell me how that goes.” he mused, already thinking about how Ashen was going to mock raid the Armada for practice. He had a feeling for Theory it was not a mutually beneficial thing, but a betrayal. Her words had said as much. He considered for a moment heading to her pack to meet Acere head first. If only because it would have amused him gratefully, but he was not prepared to leave his pack for so long, and Abaven was not his ally. No, but he would be interested to know the outcome. He already had a feeling Acere was amassing a fighting force on his side of the world. "Speech"

"I'm sure she'll be happy to hear your wishes and the news of your children," she replied. Although Sirius had committed a grievous offense against her family, he hadn't known Motif's fate at the market. Theory had to believe his intentions weren't sinister. Although Motif arrived in poor shape, something told her that was less about her treatment and more about the unaccounted time between her release and return. Poem had been in the best shape of her life when she'd arrived at Abaven's borders. He had truly turned her into a warrioress to be reckoned with. The spars of their youth were long gone - in fact, she would have liked to face her again soon. They'd be on entirely different footing. "But yes, I would like to discuss the matter further with you. Plainly said, I believe his "contract" with the Hjarrandi extends past this single raid. I don't believe any pack is safe. I do not know the exact terms of their agreement, but I would be on your toes. We were considered allies and he merely sent a messenger. I am not sure he would be as kind to someone he's lost to before." Her tail swished as she waited for his response. It wasn't necessarily an open offer of support, but it was a tidbit of information Sirius might find useful. "Once the dust has settled, I'd love to invite you, your wife, and family to join us for some food, maybe spars, and conversation. I'll send my raven ahead to let you know when, if you'd like to accept." There. That sounded like a real friendship to her.

He considered her a moment, caught by surprise that this friendly, unexpected banter was taking so many turns. First, that she was willing to build a friendship with him, despite what he had done to her sisters. Second, that she would offer this knowledge to him, freely and without expectations. "Well." He said quietly, she was a young Alpha, but she did not reflect it. He had a feeling she could be a force in this world. "I'll certainly keep your words in mind. In return for them, ask me a favour in the future and I might be more inclined to agree to it." He said softly. It was a small favour for a small favour, but Sirius was a warrior. He might fight for her over something that did not affect his pack, in the future. He might even protect something of hers, if there was anything she wished to keep safe.

The Warlord, looking at Theary now more as an Alpha, then a sister to poem, would offer her a slight smile. "I appreciate your offer, I will talk it over with my wife." he said. He would not make the decision for her and their children to make the journey without her agreement. He was not abashed to say it, either. His doting over Zee was never subtle. "We have not had a chance to truly speak before today. You are an interesting Alpha, Theory of Abaven."

She knew this was an enormous risk. He had a reputation as a temperamental warlord - a force to be reckoned with. But something about family life had seemed to suit him. There was a warmth to his voice that she recognized as paternal pride and he had overly postured or attempted to assert his dominance. Theory considered that within his rights so close to his own lands, but he had chosen not to. Maybe he had grown fond of her sisters. They had certainly spent a long enough time together. Although there was no ignoring that he had bargained for and won Motif, he had not set out to nab her of his own accord. She had to believe that he had somewhat noble intentions when he claimed Motif at the market. Who saw a lone child, caught against their will, and wished them harm? He had even honored his bargain with Poem. At the very least, he was a man of his word. Or so he appeared. Only time would tell, but she would like to find out. Having him in her corner might help her sleep a little bit easier.

"Please send Zeitgeist my regards. I'd love a rematch when she's feeling up to it, but if she's anything like you, I'm sure she's itching for a good spar," Theory chuckled. Poem had told her a little bit about his training regime. There was a reason her sister had become such a fierce fighter. "Yes, well," she stuttered, trying to think of something to say. Acere had looked down on her and treated her like a child, even before the raid. She knew that her role as leader was unconventional, but Shaye had trusted and believed in her. That was often the only approval she had been able to cling to. As much as Rhyme supported her, he was still her dad. Wasn't that sort of his job? Hearing a glimmer of something like respect coming from one of her older peers caught her off guard. "Thank you, Sirius, Warlord of Ashen Armada."

“She prefers Zee, she hates her full name” he said lightly, not malice to the tone, but he would be sure to correct it, so if they did have a play fate, she wouldn’t have to hear her dreaded full name. He wasn’t sure how Theory had caught it, but he supposed the cat was out of the bag, since Archon had first introduced the then-slave to Deathbelle with her full name.

“I’ll let her know, perhaps we could all have some turns with some friendly matches well we are over there” he suggested, hinting that he felt the chances of this meeting to be likely. Plus, it would be good for them to get to know each other's strengths. He had a feeling that their friendship might grow from this. He didn’t care much about alliances, Ashen was the only other pack he cared about. Perhaps it would be foolish to get involved…

Still, he was amused at her words on Acere, and he respected her sister, Poem. Somehow their worlds had aligned, just a little. Would it hurt to let them align a little further? “You and I could spar, as well. I would be interested in seeing how the sister of Poem fights.” he said. He had not trained her, but perhaps some of what he had taught Poem had been passed around.

It had been long enough since she'd encountered his wife that she couldn't remember how she'd introduced herself - had she heard the full name from Poem or somewhere else? No matter. She simply smiled sheepishly and nodded when he asserted her preference. Theory wouldn't soon forget it. "Yes. I'd love a truly friendly match," she sighed in relief. Managing the fallout afterwards would be difficult, to say the least. She had no interest in sowing hatred between them, but she also saw no use in keeping such an unreliable ally. "My mentor and father taught me alongside Poem, although I went through a period of training on my own... I'm not so sure how different our combat styles are," she chuckled. There was a brief time after she had been announced as heir that it seemed like she slept on the Battlefield. That time was long gone - she had other responsibilities now. Had she become soft? "I look forward to our next meeting, but I should be getting back. We still have preparations to make. Next time we meet I'll be telling you the story of our victory," Theory said, sounding far more confident than she felt. Ah well, if they lost, she'd have to make the tale just as interesting.