Azure was feeling too many things and it was getting hard to shove them all aside and pretend that it was all okay. Every fight he'd fought had been a loss, he didn't get along with pack members, and now he'd lost Asla too. He didn't understand how he seemed to repel everyone or how to even begin to change himself, he didn't even know if he wanted to change. What was wrong with the way he was? Magnus and Malalia both seemed to think he'd make a bad alpha, hell Azure bet if he took a poll of the whole pack that they'd all vote for Mortis. Everyone loved Mortis. Even his mother loved Mortis more then him. What did his winged brother have that he did not? Other then the obvious, of course, Azure could see nothing in the other boy that he himself was missing. It was time finally that he talked to his brother about his worries. They hadn't had a real conversation since the competition was announced, since their father took them on a hunting trip. Even then the conversation had been supervised, their father never left their side. Azure needed to know what he was doing wrong... or rather, what Mortis was doing right. "Mort?" He called out as the other boy's scent grew stronger. "Mortis?" The frustration was apparent in Azure's voice, though he did his best to keep it pushed down. It wouldn't help his case to let his anger get the better of him and hurt his brother, especially when he needed his help. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Mortis Fatalis Mortis, despite the very rocky nature of his relationship with Azure, loved the boy. He could never forget how Azure was the first wolf he had played with. Well Indigo and Asla had learned to explore together, it had been him and Azure. The two similar-tones brothers against the world, side by side. Even the betrayal of the cliff incident hadn’t washed it away, though it had opened his eyes and cautioned his heart. Occasionally, when Azure’s gaze was elsewhere, he would shoot his brother questioning, pondering expressions. Wondering what had happened to that simpler time and purer love. It wasn’t often Azure sought him out, so hearing his brother call his name, the young boy straightened, tucking the wings he knew his brother converted to his side. No point rubbing it in, when there was nothing either could do about it. He put a diplomatic, friendly smile into his expression. Even when he was tired, or angry, he had discovered the secret to reaching for one. “Hey Azure, what’s up?” "Speech"

Mortis wore the same smile he always did, and Azure's frown deepened as his brother directed it upon him. The proud boy was not one to share his feelings, and now faced with the question on why he came to see Mortis he did not know how to reply. He murmured a quiet indecisive noise, puffed a breath out of his nose, and tried to look nonchalant. "Have you talked to Asla lately? I think something's wrong with her." It was the easiest way to begin - not a cry for help or need for a hug, just a casual discussion on their sister's recent crazy. Slowly he could shift the conversation towards how he and her had fought, then try and find a way to segue into his recent 'social' problems with everyone else. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Mortis Fatalis The young heir shook his head thoughtfully. “I’ve seen her around, but I haven’t spoken to her much. Why, what do you think is wrong?” he asked. He knew Azure really did care about their other siblings, so there was the strong possibility his concern was genuine. Either that, or he was alienating them one by one. First with Mortis, then Azure, and Indigo next? He shook the thought from his mind, giving his brother better than pettiness. He also had the feeling Azure wanted to talk to him about more than just Asla - after all, it was highly unusual for the other wolf to seek him out on purpose. "Speech"

Azure had hoped that Mortis noticed the changes in their sister, it would be harder for him to convince the winged boy that something was wrong if he hadn't noticed it himself. "She's just.. different. She goes and wanders off the territory, she's so angry at Malalia." He sighed and hung his head, glancing around shiftily for a moment before continuing with a quieter voice. "She even talked about killing mom. We had a big fight." Out of all his siblings, Azure had always been closest to Asla. The fight they'd had hurt his heart and it was very rare for something to pain the stubborn boy in that way. His eyes slid shut. "I don't know what I did, but everyone likes you. Maybe you can fix what I broke." His tone was bitter, but sad. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Mortis Fatalis He spoke of Asla’s moodiness, which Mortis had seen a little bit of. It always hurt him to see his sister unhappy. Hearing that she was angry at Malalia caught him by surprise. Did she begrudge him a friend? Asla had always been closest to Indigo, and even Azure. He loved his sister, but he had felt left out a lot during their childhood. If she was jealous about Malalia, it would cut him deep. When Azure told him about killing their mother, Mortis’s eyes blazed in sudden shock, the mask slipping free for a moment as his emotions displayed themselves to the world his sadness at the closeness of his other siblings. The sheer horror at the thought of hurting their mother. Then the mask slid back into place, and he shifted into an expression of neutral puzzlement. “I spend most of my time getting to know people, and finding things to appreciate about them. They like me because of the work I put into it Azure. Of smiling, even when I'm angry.” he paused, still trying to deal with what Asla wanted. “I can… talk to her, if you like. But Azure, you should work on making a political face. It’ll make it easier to rule when you win.” "Speech"

Azure watched quietly to see what Mortis' reaction would be, his own method of finding out if he truly was correct in his line of thinking that what Asla said was wrong. It had seemed like mortally Az was different then other wolves, sometimes the things he thought was okay was absolutely not okay to others. This time he got confirmation in Mortis' brief surprised expression that he suspected correctly, Asla talking about killing their mother was not okay. He nodded his head, as if to himself, and then straightened to face his brother once more. "I'll never be like that." He insisted. "I can't bring myself to care about the things they like or learn about them or appreciate them. I shouldn't need to be their friend to be their alpha, and I won't spend my life faking it." It was an argument he'd had many times before, one that no one had been able to change his line of thinking on. "It shouldn't be a popularity contest." At his brother's last word Azure let out a humorless bark of laughter, his eyes rolling skyward and his head shaking in disbelief. "Mortis, you don't need to do all that shit with me." His paw lifted to motion up and down his brother's form, as if he could see the mask the winged boy sometimes wore and was referring to it. "We both know I won't win. Dad doesn't want me to win anymore, mom never did. Magnus, Malalia, they both hated me instantly. I haven't even bothered with the other dozen wolves but they'd pick you too. Nobody wants to follow me, even when I'd be the best choice." He heaved a heavy sigh, allowing defeat to touch his shoulders. "I just don't understand why they can't accept me for me."   "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Mortis Fatalis He could not help but notice the way Azure studied his expression, and seemed to decide upon something. Mortis could only guess what, as he scruitinsed his brother behind his mask, he found himself wondering. Did Azure have a moral compass at all? He seemed to know how to love his other siblings, but otherwise it was like there was no dial-back option inside of his brother. “I think you’ll find your life will be a lot smoother if you did learn to fake it. And people would respect and adore you more” Mortis didn’t care about adoration, but he couldn’t help but wonder, did Azure? “I think you're the better warrior, and stronger. I’ve heard dad say he’s worried i’ll be a pushover.” did they both have doubts about themselves winning? He hadn’t expected to realise that. “As for everyone else… they all think you care only about yourself. Why should they care about you, when you don’t care about them? People like to think it goes both ways. If you ever want anybody to respect you, you’ve got to give them something to respect, and I don’t mean a fist to the face.” "Speech"

Mortis continued and Azure's head simply shook in reply. "I don't want adoration." The boy insisted. Did he even know what it was he did want? Power, he supposed. He wanted to rule not to have beloved subjects but simply to be at the top. Azure was proud and did not mesh well with wolves as dominating as he was, if he was the alpha then that guaranteed there was no one above him; there would be nobody who he had to please, no ridiculous rules to be forced to bow to. It was absolute freedom to be himself and Azure wanted that desperately. "It's not like I'd leave our members to rot anyways. No, I don't care about their hopes and dreams and hobbies but why should it matter? I will still protect them with my life just like dad does, and I'll make sure they're the most well-fed and healthy wolves in the land. That is caring for them. It's just caring for the Armada as a whole over any individual and not picking favorites." He paused a beat to study his brother and remember how close he and Malalia grew. Then suddenly the girl was promoted, given a name as their sister. It upset Asla for sure, he didn't know if any other wolves cared or not but it proved his point. Caring about the individual over the pack was foolish, and led to pain.   "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Mort shrugged, knowing he wasn’t going to get through to his brother easily. Perhaps he would think on his words, and see some measure of wisdom in them at a later date. He didn’t respond to Azure’s words, not wishing to argue any further. Mortis loved the wolves of the pack, he loved spending time with them, and winning their hearts. They were, all of them, a part of his family. So long as Azure stood apart, he wouldn’t get to experience the same thrill of friendships and loyalties. In fact, would the pack even wish to follow him? He shrugged off the thought. At the end of the day, Azure was still the stronger, tougher sibling.

“Did you want to get a bite to eat?” he didn’t want Azure to be a stranger, even if their opinions of views was so vastly different, even if he loved Azure more than Azure could ever love him.

Azure sighed, looking over at his brother with an expression that was almost sympathetic. He too realized that their opinions were too different, and besides he was beginning to tire of defending his side to everyone he came across. The benefit to family was that they'd need to learn to live together regardless. It gave Azure more reason to let the argument go. "Sure." He agreed, forcing a smile. Mortis was putting in the effort, the least Az could do was try and reassure him that he held no grudge. "Do you remember when dad took us hunting? I saw some deer over in the other plains, I'm in the mood for something fresh." And while the boys might not be able to take down a moose for Az's antler throne, maybe he could find a well endowed buck and still bring home a trophy. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."