He had put off further diplomatic visits for some time, working on getting Aerie settled and his own malinois pups better trained. And they were - for the most part. They were scrawny, long-legged adolescents now, and for the most part they obeyed, except when they didn't. Except when they found something chewable. Except when they got bored.

The long journey north was tiring them out enough, and keeping their clever minds occupied enough, that they caused relatively little mischief on the trip, and he was fairly certain that they would behave themselves during his unannounced meeting with this pack's alpha as well. They ate constantly though, and half his attention was always on finding fresh game along the way to supplement the dried stuff he'd brought along, because they ate prodigious amounts of food to replace the energy they burned keeping up with him.

When they reached the snowy border, a murmured command had both pups down on their bellies waiting alertly while he stepped forward to call for the alpha.

He wasn't expecting any visitors...maybe save for one, but it certainly wasn't who he thought it might be. With the first of the raids out of the way, he was prepping for the next one, but he supposed it could wait for now. He didn't recognize the voice that called for his attention at the border, so he moved at a decent pace while his foxes joined him along the way. The pack had grown significantly more than he thought...but so his great disappointment, half of them weren't doing their part, excluding those who had gone raiding. The others? They had something else coming. Although his mood was soured with certain things, he didn't allow it to show as the border - and the stranger - came into view. He didn't recognize the male at all...that much was obvious. He was young, but it was obvious he was an alpha of another pack. The two dogs at his side were curious to see, but then again...he had two foxes at his own side. He approached the male until he was a few tail lengths away on his own side of the border. "Welcome to Winterfell. I am Acere, the alpha. What brings you to our borders?" "Speech"

He was not kept waiting long before the other alpha approached. He studied him as he did, and it was intriguing how alile and how different they were. Both tall, red-eyed males, though the other had a couple inches and some weight on him. Both flanked by young companions. Both held themselves as warriors. But where Eligos was still quite young for his rank, the other was almost too old to still be holding his. Where Eligos was dark, the other was pale. It was... interesting.

At the other male's greeting, Eligos inclined his own head. "I am Eligos, alpha of Aerie. We have only recently moved northwards from Auster. I felt it prudent to introduce myself and my pack to the packs here, and to invite you to join us at our trade fair at the close of winter."

There was no doubt at all now that the younger male was an alpha. Ace could tell before he even had to say it. He could see it in the way he held himself. His tone. His eyes even. He had to admit, he was curious about this alpha...wondering if he had heard of the old king yet. No doubt Theory was out and about spreading the word of his so-called "betrayal" on Abaven with the raid. As if packs had never raided each other before. He had to keep himself from scoffing at the thought, and instead, chose to wear a neutral mask as the stranger began to speak. "I am Eligos, alpha of Aerie. We have only recently moved northwards from Auster. I felt it prudent to introduce myself and my pack to the packs here, and to invite you to join us at our trade fair at the close of winter." Of course, he had never heard of Aerie. But...this man's scent vaguely, vaguely reminded him of someone he met sometime back. Ash? Ashley? No...it was a guy...Ashiel? Maybe something like that...while he was naturally the curious type, he didn't feel like questioning this man on who his family was at the moment. But...he did know that the only pack that resided in Auster was one that the Abraxas occupied...but they weren't his concern, either. He had knowledge that they had occupied Abaven for a time, but that was before he arrived there. So whatever things they had done or whatever their reputation before, did not concern him now. "A trade fair, hm? It sounds like something my pack and I would be interested in. And what, may I ask, does your pack like to trade? Does Aerie have a certain specialty that not many others have?" For Winterfell, of course, it was nearly everything that existed in the North. And...while it wasn't perfect yet, he was working on a way to mold the steel he found into whatever he wanted it to be. "Speech"

The older alpha settled right into the idea of a trade fair without any further question of who Eligos was, or what Aerie had once been, which after the tension of his encounters with Valhalla and Lirim, and to an extent Ashen, was a relief. "As far as goods, we have no particular specialty as yet," he spoke slowly, "as we are still new to that particular aspect of pack life." Acere didn't need to know that previously the family had focused far more on conquest than trade. "We do have some who craft items to assist in hunts and in battle, but our primary trade is our own skills as warriors. As guards, trainers, raiders... and other such things." He didn't, either, need to be clearer yet about Aerie's willingness to disregard the generally accepted ideas of morality, not without having observed more about Acere himself. "We also buy and sell information obtained by our scouts."

"As far as goods, we have no particular specialty as yet," Well, he supposed that wasn't uncommon. No doubt Aerie would find something sooner or later that they'd specialize in acquiring or making themselves from the materials they could find. The northlands offered much in the way of northern animals. He could often find polar bears, penguins, seals, and many more northern dwelling creatures that he often used in his crafts. No doubt there might be rare herbs up this way, too, but herbology wasn't his specialty. "We do have some who craft items to assist in hunts and in battle, but our primary trade is our own skills as warriors. As guards, trainers, raiders... and other such things." That definitely piqued his interest, though he did well to not show too much excitement, however. His gaze lifted a bit more to meet Eligos' own and the interest was visible. Weapons and things used for hunting would be quite useful for them, especially since he had more plans for raids and the like on the horizon.

"We also buy and sell information obtained by our scouts."

That in itself was interesting to hear. While Acere was generally a man of honor and his word, he couldn't deny that times were changing. After the raid on Abaven, he doubted he could trust Theory not to try and stick a dagger in his own back despite her pack winning. The idea of buying and selling information for one's own use...or perhaps for the use of others...was questionable, but he knew things wouldn't always remain as they are now among the packs. Sooner or later someone would decide to go a step further, and he'd be damned if he sat back like a content hound waiting for someone to come around and ambush his own. "I must say, I'm intrigued. Not many are so open about your last statement. Many choose to hide their intentions whether they're allies, enemies, or otherwise..." He wasn't sure what to make of it quite yet, but for now he'd keep his thoughts on the matter reserved until he learned more about Aerie, or perhaps Eligos himself. "What do you generally ask in return for your services? Say I wanted someone to come by and show us some new tricks, or a couple more heads for a raiding party or something more...brash...what's your asking price?"

Eligos shrugged with seeming indifference at Acere's comment about wolves not usually being so open about their willingness to trade information and the like, though he was anything but indifferent. "It would hardly stay secret for long anyhow, and keeping quiet about it would mean we'd never sell anything, so there's little point in trying to beat around the bush about it. Either one wolf will want to hire us, or they won't... and someone else will."

The other alpha started casually probing about the details, and Eligos carefully didn't smile. "Every contract would be negotiated specific to the situation and our needs at the time," he said gravely. "But one could expect we would be willing to negotiate for such things as preserved food, furs, decorative goods, herbs, hunting rights, a share of anything taken, and the like. Occasionally we would accept payment in kind, depending on the situation. We are certainly willing to provide teaching as a service, but I do not see it as likely that we would provide individuals for a raid. My preference would be to keep such engagements within Aerie, rather than mixing with wolves of another group, unless it is for something larger than a raid that would involve multiple packs."

He wasn't certain he would be willing to risk Aerie on something like a full scale war without a solid and extremely lucrative contract, but he wouldn't dismiss the idea out of hand as long as Aerie was not the primary participant, and therefore wasn't left with all the repercussions if the group lost. Raids, on the other hand, he was more than willing to involve himself with... but only if the raiders were entirely Aerie wolves. Folding his wolves into another pack and trusting to a contract to keep them safe from their supposed allies in the midst of a raid... No. Better that a raid be performed with only wolves he trusted implicitly.