The time that her father had been away hadn't been spent lazing about. Aslatiel had taken charge of the Aramada. Patrols were sent out regularly, a schedule having been set. Hunts were formed and game was brought in. Thankfully, predators had stayed away from their borders. With the snow melting and the land not locked in the eternal grasp of winter, hunting grounds were open once more. The world had space again. Aslatiel had spied her younger siblings here and there, save Gossamer. They were all grieving, so she didn't bother them with duties and whatnot. She'd been spending a fair amount of time with Briar though, which was nice. She'd taken quite a liking to her younger sister and felt like an asshole for hating the bunch without reason. She'd been a spoiled child once upon a time, but that seemed like ages ago. Aslatiel was different now. Older. Wiser. More worldly. No doubt the yearlings wouldn't understand much of that, but if they wished to become close to her now, she wasn't opposed to it. The morning patrol had just finished and Aslatiel returned to the common area. She checked the water barrels to make sure that they were still full, peeked into the kill den to gauge their resources, and stacked a bit of firewood that had fallen. The days were running together with all of the work. The young Fatalis woman had fallen into leadership easily, but was ready for it to be over. She had never wanted to rule the Armada. That had been Azure's dream. Azure... Even now she didn't believe that her brother would allow a fire to consume him. He would have fought to his last breath. If the bodies had been found laying beside a campfire... there was no fighting involved. It just didn't make sense and if it didn't make sense, there was a fair chance that it wasn't true. Time though... Time would tell whether or not her brother was truly dead. He could traipse back into the Armada any day. She would be ready for him. As for her father, she hoped that he was doing what needed to be done. She hoped that he would return to them, a stronger man. Whatever outlet he needed to assuage his grief stricken soul, she hoped that he found it. Aslatiel was ready to have her father home. "Speech"

I can't destroy what isn't there

He returned to the Armada, more sore of body, but more peaceful of mind. He had not intended to use Art as an outlet for his suicidal tendencies. If he had been functioning and thinking he never would have gotten that far. Grief, apparently, was blinding. He had recovered enough to limp home to the Armada, leaving behind the two wolves who had done much to patch him together again.

He needed to see his kids. He knew that he had been terribly blocked off to his children, but looking at them all he could see was Zee. it hurt, but it was not fair to them.

Tired paws brought him to the Armada borders, and he raised his head as he crossed over, calling out to Asla. His Reaper, who was proving her ability in that role every day. The two leaders needed to catch up, and he wished to see his daughter.


"Speech"

Asla was more than a little surprised to hear the call of her father from the border. The young woman lifted her head from the stream where she'd stopped, licking away the water that clung to her chin. She then eased into a distance eating lope, moving in the direction of her father. What would she find when she saw him? Would he be back to his normal self? Had he worked out all of the grief and angst that had been eating him up inside? She would soon find out. Coming upon the limping form of her father, Aslatiel arched a brow. What in the hell had he gotten himself into? "Looking a little rough around the edges there, Papa." Coming up close, Asla placed a kiss upon her father's nose before gently pulling him into an embrace. "I missed you," she admitted. "And look, I didn't burn the Armada to the ground afterall." Always with the snark. She wouldn't be Asla if she didn't spread the sarcasm. "Speech"

I can't destroy what isn't there

He grinned at Asla as she came into view. He looked a mess, but there was more life in his eyes then the last time she had seen him. He had remembered how to move the muscles of his face into a smile.

Asla approached him without hesitation, kissing his nose and hugging him. He wrapped a paw about her, bringing her in close, and jumping a half circle, spinning her through the air. He could only get away with it because of her size, and he wasn’t afraid to use that against her. Especially if he managed to get a laugh.

He almost tumbled when he fell on his paw, and it reminded him of its numerous aches and pains. He caught his balance, and let her down gently. He flinched at her choice of word ‘burn’ proving that his time away hadn’t healed all his wounds. He couldn’t bring himself to comment on the word, so instead he said. “I missed you, and I got out some of my aggression, I think” he nodded his head towards his injuries.

"Speech"

The young woman did laugh as her father swung her about and for a moment, she felt like a young pup again. Like she was so very old now, right? Sometimes she felt old. Events had a way of chipping away the layers of childishness and the events of late had taken some very big chunks of her. It warmed her heart to see a little bit of happiness in her father. Once he settled her back on her paws, Asla's tail swished back and forth at her hips. She missed the flinch, thankfully. When Sirius said that he'd gotten some of his aggression out, Asla laughed aloud. "I would bloody well hope so. What did you do, wrestle a bear?" With a pull of her skull, she motioned for her father to walk beside her. They would walk back home together. Hopefully he would tell her how he'd managed to get himself so messed up. "Speech"

I can't destroy what isn't there

It was good to hear her laughter. He felt it settle down gently on his soul, and knew how much he had needed to hear it. To see for himself that all was well in the Armada while he had been away. He leaned close to her as he followed her direction and began to walk.

“Not exactly. I was forced to remember what exactly i’m fighting for it just took someone knocking some sense into my thick skull. As you can see, it took a few hits for it to sink in.” He raised a paw again at his damage, before settling into his stride beside Asla.

He did his very best not to think about what the pack was missing, and instead turned his thoughts into practical matters. “Keeping up on the stores and things been quiet without me?”


"Speech"

Asla snorted as her father explained his therapeutic process. It had taken more than one knock to get the point across. "Oh, of course. Couldn't be too easy, right?" She would have honestly been surprised if he'd come home unscathed. She'd suggested that he kill something and it looked like he'd done just that. As they began to walk, Sirius questioned her. "Patrols morning and night. A few kills have been in to replenish the stores. Wood is cut and stacked, though things are mostly thawed. You never can have too much firewood." Things really had gone quite well while he was gone. "Nothing to report." She gave a shrug. "Other than Gossamer is still missing." The girl had left during the funeral and had yet to return. Asla wasn't worried. She believed her younger sister was capable enough to be out on her own. She'd been more than capable at that age. "Speech"

I can't destroy what isn't there

They walked slowly together towards the communal space of the pack. Shaking his head in amusement at her first question. No, Sirius didn’t know how to do anything easy, it seemed. She filled him in on the patrols and supplies. She had done a marvelous job of keeping everyone on a straight path, and getting things done. Her and Naiche were a good team, but he was proud to see the work she had done all the same.

He nodded again as she mentioned Gossy. He would need to get an update there, soon. He was too possessive by far to let her out of his sight for too long. “Natha went after her and is keeping watch from a distance.” he should have ensured Asla knew that, but it must have gotten lost among everything else.

He let out a long, tired sigh. “Have you had any thoughts on the best way to test the boundaries of my terrors without hurting you?” it was a wall he had been knocking himself against repeatedly.


"Speech"

It was a good thing that Natha had gone after the girl because Asla wasn't going to waste resources trying to find her. She was old enough to handle herself if she'd taken the initiative to run off. She had companions to help her in her travels. Asla hoped that she found what she was looking for and came home so their father could stop worrying. Gods, had she been so selfish when she was a year old? The topic shifted to the night terrors that her father suffered from and he asked if she had any ideas. "I thought about it a bit. Other than chaining you to the wall or muzzling you, I have nothing." The young woman sighed and shook her head. "Honestly, if you wake and try to attack me, I'm going to attack you back. We might both end up a little worse for wear, but I'm obviously not afraid of scars." A little snicker left Asla. "I'm told that I'm still pretty with scars anyway." "Speech"

I can't destroy what isn't there

The terrors left Sirius thinking about Io, whose gentle patience had seen him through the last ones. He missed his sister terribly, and if her health hadn’t been at risk, he never would have let her go. He could only hope all was well for the two of them.

He cleared his thoughts - she wasn’t here now, but he had Asla. she might not be as gentle as Io, but she was patient, and she could kick ass. He grimaced for a moment, still thinking. “A muzzle might not be a bad idea.” not comfortable, but less chance of hurting his daughter. “Your up for this?” Asla knew what she was getting into, but he had to be certain she was comfortable with the idea.


"Speech"

Sirius seemed to like the idea of a muzzle, but Asla did not. She had faith in her father that, once she roused him fully form his night terror, that he would regain his sense of self and he would stop fighting. She shrugged though. "If you would feel better having one, that's on you. I won't force you, nor do I think you need one." She didn't want him to get used to having a barrier. He needed to learn to be himself again without obstruction. When asked if she was ready, Asla grinned. "You bet. We'll have you back to yourself before you know it." Besides, there was no one else that she trusted with the task. She would never put anyone else in harms way when she could take the brunt of the potential abuse herself. That was part of being a leader. You took the pain so your people didn't have to. That was exactly what Aslatiel would do. "Speech"

I can't destroy what isn't there

He was starting to like this idea less and less. Asla was fearless, perhaps even recklessly so. He thought of the way he had tried to hold onto Zee, despite the smouldering field of ash. He looked at Zee, his tiny child, who held much of her mothers looks, but her fathers spirit. Would she cling to him, even if it killed her?

He forced calm through his veins, the feeling of itchy panic a new and ugly sensation. He had never thought of the people around him as quite so fragile as he did now. He looked at Asla and he saw flesh and bone, mortality. She would have hated it if she knew, but he couldn’t help the new fear that crept into his bones. He couldn’t lose another, never.

He leaned into Asla, kissing her forehead again, hiding his eyes behind the gesture. She sounded so certain. He knew they had to try. “...Alright” he said softly, lifting his head free again. “Alright, but we take precautions.” it didn’t matter if she did not want to. If they didn’t, he knew he would never find sleep in the first place.
"Speech"

Sirius leaned in to give her another kiss and Asla allowed him to do so. The young woman pulled one of her father's giant forelegs into a hug. "The first step is to worry less." Worrying would only make him more tense, right? That was a logical assumption. "I may not be as good as Aunt Io, but I can definitely knock some sense into you if I have to, eh?" She grinned. Easy going Asla. No problems. Nothing to worry about. Though she did have worries. If her father couldn't get out of his own head, then things would drastically change for her family. Precautions were insisted upon and the young fae shrugged. "As you wish." Perhaps he could sleep in a collar and they could tether him to a boulder. She could sleep just out of reach. Or they could do the muzzle thing. Whatever he wanted to do, she was willing. Anything to work through this and bring him back to himself. "Speech"