Just after the "soak into my bones" thread. Mid-morning. Skyfire had finally cleared out all of the rough minerals from her coat after meeting with Cairo and the albino wolf with the black snake. Skyfire shivered at the thought of that slinky thing around her neck. How did that woman ever get a snake for a companion? Ick. Skyfire rolled her eyes as she cleaned the last of her tail, watching it shimmer in the sunlight. "There. Now I feel better." she mused to herself as she inspected her reflection. Skyfire's coat was shimmering and waving in the slight breeze, and it draped around her body like a cape. Slender legs, shoulders, and neckline all gave the hint that she was a runner and an explorer. Skyfire disliked the idea of fighting unless it actually came down to defending those she loved or was close to, but she would use her nimble body to out maneuver her opponents. While lacking the strength to fight others bigger than her, she had the endurance to out run them, and to fight for long periods. So long as someone didn't bite her in half, Skyfire was fine. What Sky was generally good at was remembering landmarks, preserving information in her mind, and locating the best secret ways to travel. She was cunning, yes, and made decisions pretty quickly. Even if some of them were brash. Sky had yet to regret a single one of them, but that would bite her in the ass one day, she figured. For now, she didn't focus too much on the past as hunger settled on her mind. Within the hour, Sky had a rabbit in hand and was feasting off its carcass. How she longed to taste the flesh of elk and moose again. While Moose had more of a gamey flavor than she liked, the dark red meat was always so filling. Plus, their hides made excellent carpets in a den. Not as furry as bear or buffalo, but just as warm and comfortable. How she missed her den with her hides and bones to chew on. The world was a lot rougher than she thought it would be. Sky was no longer having things handed to her. Now she had to earn her keep. Skyfire thinks. Skyfire listens. "Skyfire speaks."

The Warlord made his way into the Hot Springs. He had heard how Zee had, more than once, met a member of Abaven here. Not to mention she had told him it was a place even a brute like him could relax.

He wasn’t sure relaxing outside of the Armada territory would ever be on his agenda, but he was curious what brought the wolves here. He didn’t like a mystery to sit unanswered, and so with Marshal in the air above him, and Bast sulking through the undergrowth, the Warlord would explore.

The scent of the hot springs took out most of that sense, and so he was forced to rely heavily on his eyesight and the scouting of his companions aas he continued forward. He wrinkled his nose, not because the scent was unpleasant, but because it was overpowering.

Because of this, he missed the scent of the dead, and would have missed the wolf entirely, if it wasn’t for Marshal, wheeling in the sky above as though he had found something on the forest floor beneath him.

Moving with a weary caution, the titan of a wolf would make his way closer, until the sight of the eating wolf would enter his vision. He paused there, on the outskirts of her dinner place. ”Well hello there” he mused. He sniffed the air cautiously, and she was close enough now for her scent to reach him. There was no hint of Abaven in her coat, or any packs for that matter. A loner, most likely.

"Speech"

Although occasional glances to the sky would alert Skyfire to an odd creature circling above her, one she couldn't make out, Sky paid no mind as she continued to eat her rabbit, slowly plucking the fur off as she made her way down the body. While rabbits held little meat on their bones, it would suffice for the time being until she could get something larger to eat. She missed the days where her food was brought to her - when she was younger and couldn't hunt for herself of course. Elk and Bison were typically on the menu for her to eat, but since going out on her own she had little choice in things to eat. She even had to scavenge from time to time, which she greatly displeased. The aged flavor, smell, and toughened meat was really hard to get used to. However, she had to learn to not be picky. It was slow in progress. Being a Queen had its priviliges until you were tossed from your thrown. In her case, she was stolen from it. One day, she would try to claim it back. As she pulled off an ear, a rustling came from the bushes in front of her, and because of the smell radiating from the hot springs, she couldn't smell a thing. When a dark face appeared in the clearing, greeting her softly, Sky relaxed only slightly. She was cautious since she still had food here even though she mostly ate it. "Hello.." she said, noticing that the flying creature above was with him, and that a second creature, a feline, also stalked behind him. It was a peculiar gathering of creatures before her, not one she had seen at home. While Skyfire didn't trust the newcomer, she didn't perceive him as a threat. If he came to steal her meal, he could have it. Skyfire didn't know if he was here for the hot springs, or if he was looking for something else. From the distance, she could smell that he belonged to some sort of pack within the scent of the sulfur. She could only see his face peeking out from the bushes. "I imagine you came here because of the hot springs?" she asked. Besides the other two wolves she met, the hot springs seemed to be a particular popular place. She would have to keep that in mind as she settled into her new home, whatever that was. This place was very different from her other home, and the amount of varying environments was puzzling to her. Skyfire wanted to explore every bit of it, even if it took the rest of her life. The other half of her wanted to reclaim her throne, wherever that would be in whatever pack that would be in. So long as she was treated like a queen, Skyfire didn't really care if she had a throne or not. She demanded and deserved respect, that's what she excepted from anyone these days. Skyfire thinks. Skyfire listens. "Skyfire speaks."

The black and white she-wolf was small. The sort of small where her head would barely hit his chest. Despite the disadvantage of size, she didn’t seem terribly fussed at his appearance. When he heard a gentle rustling near him, he turned and shot Bast a frown. She knew better than to show herself, especially in an environment where he couldn not scent an intruder that might sneak upon them.

Properly chastened, the snow leopard melted back into the foliage, and would continue to scout the area around them. A glance upwards told him that the vulture had done the same. Giving the two wolves the illusion of being alone.

The rising heat from the pools left a sense of dampness and warmth to the air, and the forest that grew around it was lush with greenery and life. It was an interesting land, but he wasn’t certain he saw the appeal. “Zee recommended the place to me, but I’m not sure what inspired her to.” He admitted to the stranger. “I’m Sirius, the Warlord of the Ashen Armada. And yourself?”

"Speech"

As she examined him, she realized that he was much, much, taller than she was. In fact, she was quite sure that he towered over her. Well, this wasn't good. It meant that he could probably eat her if he wanted to. Ears flattened slightly in this thought, but she fought to keep her composure. She cleared her throat as she watched the snow leopard slink back into the bushes. "Curious creatures you have with you, Sirius. Warlord of Ashen Armada." A king? He certainly looked the part. It was a far cry from her status as she had nothing to her name. He had an entire pack and territory to defend. In a way, it made her slightly envious, but she would never let that show. Out of everything she had been through, she enjoyed the freedom she had been granted. No baby sitters, no escorts, though the only sad thing was no servants. She quite enjoyed doing everything herself anyway. "I've been at the springs the last few days. Besides making you feel glorious," she said as she remembered the seething heat melting her entire body. "It heats the landscape around the pools, bringing in life that is more suited for higher temperatures." Skyfire had some knowledge of the fauna around here from her education back home, but she was hardly well versed. Whatever Skyfire said, she repeated from what she was taught. "I for one am the type to soak my entire soul in it. I love hot springs. It does wonders for my coat and my feet." Skyfire brushed her gray tail along her darker paws, seeing it gleam in the sunshine. "But enough about me. Where do you hail from?" Skyfire thinks. Skyfire listens. "Skyfire speaks."

He watched her in amusement as she tried the hard sell with the land around them. Emphasizing words as she explained how fantastic the hot springs had made her feel. “Sounds like a good way to get yourself killed if something is looking for the right time to end you” He said dryly. The Warlord had made his fair share of enemies since his rise to power. He wasn’t likely to surrender his inhibitions and relax his guard anywhere that was not with pack or family. He had too much responsibility to keep himself whole and protect those that relied upon him. “From the lands just South-West of here. You don’t have to go far before you hit the borders of the Ashen Armada” he explained. He had no issue with telling her where his pack resided. Its location was no secret, and friends and allies alike could find him there, surrounded by his strength. He gave no mention of his companions, who had vanished now from sight. “And you, who have no name,” for she had not returned his introduction with one of her own “Where do you hail from?” "Speech"

The comment of getting killed irked her a bit, causing her to scoff. "Puh-lease! Like anyone could resist the hot springs." Sky said as she thought about it for a moment. "Though - you have a point. Only if you have enemies or a psychopath tracks you." She couldn't deny it. While one was busy soaking in the pools, distracted with relaxation, it wouldn't take much to be grabbed by the throat. Especially by someone the size of Sirius. While Skyfire didn't have to worry about anything regarding stalkers or psychopaths, surely the world had their fair share somewhere. Sky wanted to stay the hell away from them because they were so unpredictable in a fight. She remembered her dad fighting one once. It was a rather scary fight. Sky tried to picture here his lands might have been like based on his description. She traced the sun in the sky, but since she had been in the area of the hot springs for the last few days, she had yet to see everything else. Skyfire had taken notice of his companions disappearing from sight which made her a little wary, but she said nothing. Staying on all four paws meant she could run in an instant, but with his size Skyfire was sure he would catch up in two strides or less. "And you who have no name." Sky scoffed again turning her nose upward. She wouldn't admit that she forgot to say her name. Sky had too much pride. She just didn't get to it yet, that's all. "I, Skyfire Turner," she said in a rather arrogant tone. "Reign from the southern Far Lands were fields were plenty, forests were thick, and our bellies were stuffed full of elk and bison! My parents ruled through our noble blood there until their arrogance got the best of them. Now I am here after a territory skirmish and escaping my captors." her tail flicked in frustration over memories of being bit on the back of her neck being held down against her will. Once she was able to get free, she ran as fast as she could, which was why she was at the hot springs for so long. Probably a stupid idea in case if she was being tracked. Skyfire thinks. Skyfire listens. "Skyfire speaks."

She went from Puh-lease, that's silly to I have enemies hot on my tail in an instant. He almost laughed but reigned it in. Instead, he surveyed her some more. She liked to scoof and stick her nose in the air, that coupled with the information of her ‘noble’ blood told him a great deal about how she was raised. She spoke of her home land like it was a place that would make you fat and lazy, she wasn’t terribly surprised that they had fallen in a territory squirmish. Any rich land ruled by the arrogant and lazy weren’t going to stay in one set of paws for long. “How far ahead of your captors are you?” he asked, voice serious and stern, and his tail flicked behind him, just once, in agitation. He had an inkling she had inherited that arrogance from her parents. Her world had fallen down around her, and for all he knew she had slavers hot on her tail - and she took the time to bathe and relax in the hot springs. He supposed the only highlight would be that if they came this far, they would lose her scent track amongst the rising fumes of the volcanically heated waters. The words to offer asylum where at the tip of his tongue, but he would need to know what he was getting his pack into first. Besides, his help would not come without cost. "Speech"

The stern tone in his voice caught her attention, and after the interaction from earlier, Sky decided to change her tone a little bit. ”Acting with such arrogance can get you killed. Don’t ever do it. No matter what.” It was something her mother taught her many a time, and Sky typically refused to listen. There were reasons why her mother was powerful, and Sky had to remember why. Her mother was respected, respected others, and kept her tongue and pride in check. It allowed her mother to see most things others did not, and it made her a powerful tactician. Perhaps Sky could become the same thing when she got older. Her father was the only individual she had inherited most of her behavior from. He had been the biggest impression on her. Sky’s mother was like a deep running river with currents to suck you down, drowning you silently with one wrong move. Sky cleared her throat, the disturbing thoughts out of her mind, and cleared the troubled expression she had developed. Her captors, where were they? Then she remembered how she lost them. ”I used a tactic my mother taught me,”she started. ”I stayed in an area for a few weeks to see if they were following me. Since they didn’t, I kept moving. Since then, I’ve been here trying to decide what to do. All the wanted was the land, so I highly doubt I am of any use at this point.” While most of the arrogance was gone, she still had a slight attitude on her voice, but it wasn’t directed at Sirius, just the situation she had come out of. ”Pretty sure I am way ahead of them by now. My home is about a month’s travel away from here. I think.” she said, looking to the horizon a moment. Sky could guess that she had traveled for many days until she reached this place. Sky was running as far as she could until she couldn't run anymore, which is how she found the hot springs. Her paws hurt, her body ached, and the back of her neck where she had been bitten stung. Sky hated how her kingdom crumbled before her all because people were selfish, and her parents were fools. While she held her parents in high regard most of the time, the reason why her kingdom crumbled was because they took on an enemy that outnumbered. She supposed that was the honorable thing to do was to be courageous in front of your enemy, no matter how many they are. As a result, the kingdom shattered and her family separated. Likely, her parents were dead or missing, though it mattered not because she was here and they weren't. One other thing she was taught was to never look back, and so she wouldn't. Skyfire thinks. Skyfire listens. "Skyfire speaks."

The Warlord listened quietly as she explained her tactics for losing those that wished her harm. She wasn’t terribly clear, but it sounded as though she had taken some measures to ensure they had not followed her. A month clear was something, but Sirius knew if he was in her paws he would be looking over his shoulder for a long time. The only naturalised threat was a dead threat. He was surprised how easily she told all this to a stranger, especially a rough giant such as himself. He supposed she had never heard of bounty hunters. The thought caused his lips to twitch. No, he would not gift her to the highest bidder. But there were others in the land… he thought of the band Hjarrandi, who had made their fair share of enemies when they opened up a slave market to move their wolven goods. “So you're a Princess without a Kingdom. Do you plan to sulk around the Hot Springs for a time? The Ashen Empire - of which the Armada is a part of - can always use new bodies. There are ways to rise in an Empire, if you wish to be somebody again.” a light grin appeared behind his words. Was she ambitious, and driven enough to work her way up from nothing? She no longer had an Empire of her be the future ruler of, but that didn’t mean she had to be a skulking rogue for the rest of her life. Ambition was always rewarded in the Armada "Speech"

"So you're a Princess without a Kingdom. Do you plan to sulk around the Hot Springs for a time?" Skyfire scoffed and looked off to the side. Of course she didn't intend to be here the rest of her life! It's frickin' fall, okay? Winter was coming and she had no home. This was her second winter coming, but her first to be by herself. When she was a pup still, only a few months old, her parents took care of she and her siblings so they had nothing to worry about. Now? She didn't have a den or any of her warm furs to sleep on. Not to mention she didn't know what the animals did in winter. Where would she get her food besides scavenging? "The Ashen Empire - of which the Armada is a part of - can always use new bodies. There are ways to rise in an Empire, if you wish to be somebody again." Skyfire glanced at Sirius. Who did he think she was? Some desperate pup who didn't know how to take care of herself? Well. That she was, but that was besides the point! She wasn't that desperate to join any old pack and stoop to lower levels just to get by. The opportunity that was present, however, was to make a name for herself and to earn her keep. Well - she would have to do that anyhow wouldn't she? It was her opportunity to prove to everyone else that she was to be respected and revered and that she wouldn't tolerate anyone that wouldn't even give her a proper greeting! The smirk that Sirius had played of something else too. A test? A test to see how she would react and if she would take him up on his offer? His Armada pack sounded like a group of sweaty, stinky, fighters that did nothing more than protect themselves from threats, and eat maybe once in a while. Ew. If she joined the Armada, then she would have to get sweaty and stinky herself, wouldn't she? You didn't get the things you wanted without working for it. If her father could put up with it, and her mother, then she would too. If this was a test to see how she would handle herself, then she would show him up! "Yeah... yeah. I'll join your armada. I want my name back!" Skyfire exclaimed, stomping her foot. Skyfire thinks. Skyfire listens. "Skyfire speaks."

The Princess stomped her foot, and announced that she wanted her name back. Well, if she was that ambitious maybe she would be a Queen one day, but in their Empire instead of her old Kingdom. It would take a long time, and she would have a lot to work up to - and perhaps that working might make or break her. Only time would see if she would be worthy of the time it would take to train her. He lowered himself to her shorter height, and pressed his muzzle against her forehead, if she allowed the gesture. “Excellent, I’m glad to hear it.” he said, approval in his dark tones. He straightened again, looking about the steamy environment, and the lush bushes. “Welcome to the Armada, Princess. Shall we show you the ropes then?” if was a gently put order, for one who perhaps would still be learning how to take them. His grin was both teasing and friendly, as he turned, and began to head towards the Armada, expecting his new recruit to follow. He buzzed with interest, though he did not show it. He always looked for the ambitious, and would put in the work to help her rise. Only time… only time would tell if she had the actions to put with her bravado words. "Speech"

Sirius seemed happy that she was going to go along with him. So much so, that he suddenly lowered himself and his massive came closer to her and he touched her forehead with his nose. Sky would not and could not move for the sake of not knowing what he was doing, and being intimidated by his size. Then finally, he called her a princess. About damn time someone recognized her royalty! Skyfire puffed up her chest with the title and gave a quick nod of acknowledgement. A way of saying "You're damn right I'm a princess!" "Shall we show you the ropes, then?" "Hell yeah, I'm ready! I'm so done with these stupid boring trees and grasslands with no furs. Except the hot springs. I will always love those." Whatever these ropes were, she was ready to take them on. Skyfire was going to make a name for herself and make sure everyone knew it. Skyfire smirked as she followed Sirius, thinking about it. Surely a girl like her would not take the ice cream from the person in the white van promising of more, but Sirius had something to offer she couldn't refuse, unless it was a flat out lie. Regardless, with winter coming, she would have to make a decision sooner or later anyway. So why the hell not? Bite of more than you can chew and see where you ended up! Not the smartest idea, but perhaps it would lead her somewhere. Skyfire thinks. Skyfire listens. "Skyfire speaks."