Set before Zee and Sirius arrive back home to the Armada.

Azure had not lingered in the tall grass plains long after his father took off on his word. The pack still believed him and his mother dead, and Az was determined not to be the victim of any happy tears or long-lost hugs. He backpedaled, heading north through the willows and even further - who knew how far members of his family explored, or how much distance was a safe distance? The young heir had almost forgotten another pack had taken the lands so close by, and he very near stepped into the redbud nook without realizing it would make him an intruder. Ugh, technicalities.

The alpha who ruled these lands and the volcano adjacent was at least not a stranger to him, and was on friendly enough terms with Ashen and it's empires that perhaps she'd consider giving him some form of sanctuary. It was not a horribly unreasonable request, was it? And so Azure tipped back his head and called gently for Recluse - hoping that no other who knew his voice was nearby enough to hear.


"Speech"

Habari had been quiet for some time, almost too quiet, outside of the little blib of her new cousin and the death of his parents the pack had hardly been shaken up much, or for that matter had they done much to shake things up themselves. Recluse had to admit it was a little demoralizing to have to feel like if she wasn't actively out there causing chaos no one else would, and with a growing litter on her paws she had had her mind occupied with them, they were nearly a year now though and she had to babysit them less and less, which meant she finally had time to shake things up, remind everyone that sitting on their laurels was not an option... But she wanted something big to do that, needed a catalyst.

And maybe, just maybe one had just arrived at her borders. Recluse quirked her head to the side, it had been some time since she'd seen any of the warlord's oldest brood and with no knowledge of what had occurred in Armada land she had no reason to hold assumptions about Azure come-a-calling... Maybe it was time to cash in that favor then? What would he ask of her in that case. She arrived before him with her head and tail held high, cherry gaze openly running over him with a somewhat critical look, then she softened slightly a playful grin pulling at cherry lips and she dropped her stance so her hips cocked. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" She asked, rolling the word pleasure on her tongue, her tone friendly, inquisitive, and clearly flirting. He'd been a yearling when they had last seen each other and yeah maybe he was looking a little worse for wear he was handsome and distinctly a grown man now... She certainly wouldn't have looked at him like this a year ago.

Speech

Art by MrRendy

The albino alpha did not disrespect him by keeping him waiting at her borders, and as she arrived to meet him Azure made himself incline his head in as much deference as he could muster. Recluse showed no surprise at his living, breathing form, so the rumor of his and his mother's deaths must not have travelled too far. It begged the question of who else knew - had anyone told Venom?

Abruptly he forced his thoughts away from the Empress Klein. She was not here, Recluse was. He'd called to her and she'd answered, and he owed his attention to the slender ghost who'd greeted him. Recluse eyed him with felt almost like predation, and the feeling was so foreign to the new adult that it left him temporarily without words. Azure recovered quickly, matching her grin with his own and trying not to let his own eyes wander from her flirtatious gaze. "Are you this friendly with everyone, or only young heirs to whom you owe a favor?" He challenged in his own playful tone. Azure hated to have to think of spending his precious favor on something as silly as sanctuary, though perhaps he could find a different payment for allowing him to rest temporarily within his borders.


"Speech"

Recluse hardly chaffed under his own gaze, pleased to see he was more than willing to meet her challenge. His question making a laugh rise from her chest, a foreleg lifting and she covered her mouth with her wrist as she allowed herself a bit of a giggle. "Well it certainly helps." Each word was carefully chosen, a deliberateness to each intonation and she allowed her gaze to wander again before snapping to meet his. "Why? Are you the jealous type?" She observed him carefully with a half lidded gaze, before settling herself down on her haunches, tail curling to neatly cover her toes.

"But you haven't answered my question, I assume the young heir isn't knocking on my door for a simple friendly visit." Not that she would mind if he was, but in her run-ins with the Warlord's family it had struck her that they weren't exactly the most social of wolves... Well except maybe his pretty wife, and she did suppose her aunt had managed to romance the taciturn man... Probably more than she ought to have.

Speech

Art by MrRendy

The underlying tone of Recluse's words and subtle movements was one that the young heir was not at all familiar enough with. Though it gave him some discomfort - mostly in wondering the proper response that would not offend the alpha - it also emboldened him to feel wanted in that way, spoken to like he was a prize. "I am in fact the most jealous man you'll ever meet." He responded, allowing his playful tone to shift into one much more serious. One bear-like paw was raised and directed toward her smaller chest, and he aimed to touch a single curved claw to her skin there.

"Lucky for your suitors, I'm not in the mood to cut out anyone's heart today." He aimed to apply a small amount of pressure with his paw before withdrawing it, almost enough for a gentle push. "My mother and I have been proclaimed dead, it's all very sad. Unfortunately, the illusion is to be broken just as soon as Sirius drags her home, and I'd really appreciate somewhere to lay low so I don't need to be involved in all the touchy feely emotional stuff that comes with your big brother reanimating."

Azure gave her a flirtatious smile, cocking his head to the side. "It's such a small request really, I can find some way to make myself valuable to your pack in exchange and if you're feeling gracious enough to allow me to keep your favor tucked away safe for a rainy day."  


"Speech"

Recluse chuckled as Azure admitted to being a jealous man, she tsk'd a few times and shook her head lightly. Well, she'd have to fix that. She watched him lift a massive paw, even let him place a claw on her chest. She watched him with cherry gaze, intrigued and yet also sizing him up even as he spoke. She let him push her slightly, providing her own small pressure back so that she was not moved by his little push, though not more pressure than would simply keep her steady.

Azure would explain what brought him to her doorstep and she kept her face mostly unchanged, eyes narrowing only a little as he explained his familial... situation. Finally, he really got to the meat of their conversation. Recluse feigned a thoughtfulness, tipping her head to the side and hmmming loudly. "Well, I am also a jealous wolf, though not in love or carnal desires, no. But I hate to share things once they are mine, and dislike giving them up even more." She eyed him up and down, and then took a step, and another so she was crossing the threshold of her pack now, circling him if he'd let her. "If you wish to retain your favor is there anything more... substantial, you can offer? Something a bit more long-lasting to remember you by so the parting is less... painful?" She made to try and trail her tail over his spine before coming to stand before him again, crossing over her border, placing herself physically between him and the sanctuary he sought.

Speech

Art by MrRendy

This situation was not how Azure had pictured it in the slightest, though he found it was becoming harder to remember exactly what he expected the longer her hungry eyes remained upon him. He swallowed and stilled as Recluse began to circle him. The prideful part of him wouldn't allow his confidence to crack, to turn with her as she conducted her inspection. Instead he watched her carefully from the corner of his eye as she disappeared behind him to his left, and caught her return from his right with barely a turn of the head. This unfamiliar dance was not unlike the one of predator and prey, yet Azure did not hate feeling the prey as much as he expected he should.

While she spoke he felt the soft fur trail along him, an unwilling shiver jumping across his spine and bringing his teeth to grit. "Mmm, that.. depends.." He started, working to fight off the brain fog that was starting to settle comfortably within him. "..on what exactly you have in mind." Azure reminded himself that this was an alpha before him, not some desperate lone female suffering through her season. Underestimating Recluse would be a bad idea, yet it was hard to feel threatened by her when she was treating him in this way.


"Speech"

Recluse was not that much older or even that much more experienced than Azure was, it had only been just under a year ago that she'd had her first litter, but she would never admit it. It was all in the confidence, and it had long served her well. It particularly worked when the men before her wore their inexperience on their sleeves. She kept doing that... maybe she just drew them to her, though she would have been surprised to find out Azure was naive as he seemed. Even still he seemed to rise to meet her challenge rather than rolling over and letting her steamroll him, sort of the way Beat had.

Recluse tried to keep her giddines from her face as Azure reluctantly asked what it was she wanted from him. She ran her gaze over him yet again before offering him a flirtatious smile. "Just a night or two." she chuckled then, "Or rather days, I don't know if you're used to being up at night but if you wish to be even a temporary part of this pack you may need to adjust your sleeping schedule." She lifted a paw and glanced over her nails as she spoke, before lifting her gaze once more and flashing another smile as she added: "Provided my asking price isn't too steep."

Speech

Art by MrRendy

Azure really, really tried to keep an unreadable expression. It was something his father was quite good at and a skill the young heir envied, but Az wasn't sure if even Sirius could remain straight faced under these conditions. His brows raised, his head jolting back slightly in shock. Unexpected, though perhaps had he had more experience with overly flirtatious conversations he might have been able to see where it was leading.

His mouth opened as if to speak, then shut. Eventually it opened once more. "My sleeping schedule is flexible." Az grasped upon the easiest part of the conversation and clutched it like a lifeline. This was a fine line to walk, Recluse had power and status higher even then his own.. offending her would not be a smart idea. The temptation to accept her offer was there as well, but Azure knew he was inexperienced and hated feeling a fool. The last thing he wanted was to leave the ghostly alpha unsatisfied and have that follow him around forever. And then there was Hana...

Azure struggled to somehow collect himself once more, though his illusion of confidence had for the most part been cleanly shattered. "What makes you think a jealous wolf such as myself would accept a mere night or two?" He attempted, though as soon as the words had crossed his lips he realized he was talking himself in the opposite direction. Fuck. Backpedal, backpedal. "By that point you'll owe me again. A mere week of sanctuary is not a fair trade for your requested few nights." ...Salvaged? Azure didn't feel like it was, but damnit he was trying.  



"Speech"

Oh this was fun! Beat had been so reserved, clearly so much more worried about protecting her and not assuming anything and it was admittedly more fun to watch Azure openly squirm. But then she wasn't exactly playing the same game with him as she had been with Beat.

His brain finally seemed to catch up and he confidently assured him his sleep schedule could be adjusted, and then he seemed to finally give her an answer. Her brows rose as he responded and the woman chuckled. "So which is it?" She asked, watching him with a critical eye. "Are you so amazing that a single night with you is worth more than trusting you on my lands and with my pack? Or do you feel that you can offer more?" She narrowed her eyes at him, calling out his sudden 180.

"You asked me what I wanted, if you are not satisfied with my offer what would you offer instead?" Would he use his favor to get into her lands? She had lobbed him a soft ball, it was in his court but in truth, she was still holding all the cards, and mixed metaphor aside if he wanted into her lands he had to be willing to play ball.

Speech

Art by MrRendy

Recluse lobbed the ball back to him and Azure grimaced, he did not want to waste his favor on something so silly as this, and at the same time he could see value in having an ally such as Recluse behind him for the day he eventually took the throne. He couldn't answer outright her questions, she had called him out for his sudden change of tune and also managed to prod the weak spot within him that was very much still virginial. Was he worth more than one night on her lands? Azure sure hoped he was, but truth be told he wasn't sure. "These nights, are they to be claimed at a later date?" He raised a brow, looking the alpha up and down and giving real consideration to her request. "Or do you intend to drag me directly from your doorstep to your den?" The young heir still did not quite grasp at Recluse's motives - was it common for her to request payment in sex, or was it more she was looking for?


"Speech"

It was like Recluse was on the hunt and was closing in for the kill, she could see him falter, asking her what exactly it is she had planned and she would go for the jugular... metaphorically. The woman softened slightly, giving him something to cling to, a moment of comfort to let him hold onto so he wouldn't be drowned in his virginal awkwardness. "You've been through enough lately, I'm willing to collect at a later date." She did not pelt him with pity but she would play on a light amount of empathy. "I'll dictate the time but we can go at your pace, we can make it as transactional or nice as you'd like."

The final snare, the wire sliding closed around his throat: Recluse stepped aside, turning horizontally so she could gesture into towards her pack lands with her muzzle. "Your choice. Her tone was warm, welcoming even. Her words clear, accept her offer, use his favor or shove off.

Speech

Art by MrRendy

Recluse ended the discussion with a simple offer of choice and Azure grimaced. He especially did not want to waste his favor on this - not a favor so open ended and without strings attached that there were thousands of other things it could be used for. An ally in a siege? Her support for Azure to take the throne over Mortis? Or perhaps, a more long-lasting relationship between them where he could come to Habari to release whatever frustrations the Armada would not allow him to release. Recluse had been the wolf to teach him about slavery, and he'd always wanted to hold onto that favor for if the day ever came where he found one for himself.

"Okay." He responded softly. "At a later date." It couldn't be that bad, could it? Who knew, maybe she'd forget about the promised one-night-stand and never claim it, or maybe she'd show up a year from now after a broken heart and just want a quick rebound fuck to forget about them. Azure could not pretend to understand her intentions, but he did know that this was an easy, effortless, risk-less thing for him to provide, while also building a bond with another alpha. If Recluses words were literal, a very strong, intimate bond with another alpha. Az wished he had the balls to talk to his father about it, to prod the warlords' thoughts and see if there was some reason behind the request that he'd missed out on identifying.. but alas, this was not something a man spoke to his father about. "Show me to where I can sleep tonight?" He took a step toward and past her, to where she'd gestured with her muzzle, then paused and looked back at her waiting an escort.

"Speech"