Ooc: Set First, before meeting or Venom

The Warlord completed his circuit of the Armada. The familiar land worn beneath his paws. The scent of the Armada, and the earthy, swampy scent of the Weeping Woods rich in his nostrils. They had been here for a long time now. The Armada had grown in this space, and other packs had grown around them. There was a sense of crowding around them. The idea had been niggling at the back of his mind for a while now. It was no small thing, and he gave it time to smooth down the edges.

He stretched his legs, and waited for Azure’s patrol to cross into his. Knowing his son would be along soon. Where was the largest space of land unclaimed? The North, definitely. The desert had Aerie, and Valhalla. To the East of the land had Abaven, Ashen, Habari, and the Armada. A crowd.

A hint of brown and greens appeared on the border across from him as Azure trotted into view. He lifted his paw, and waved, waiting for his son to get closer.


"Speech"

Azure was nearing the end of his patrol route when the gesture of his father across the way caught his eye. He paused, confusion washing over him briefly. Was it something to do with his newest slave? Had Sirius passed by the slaver’s camp on an extended patrol? Gritting his teeth, the Champion approached.

“Father.” He greeted, brows furrowing quizzically. “Is everything alright?” There was an odd expression upon the Warlord that Azure did not often see and it was clear the man had been doing some deep and solemn thinking before Az had arrived. Suspicion and worry began to prick the fur upon his nape but he ignored it, directing his full attention toward the Fatalis patriarch as politely as he could manage.


"Speech"

“Azure.” He said warmly as the boy approached. He didn’t immediately answer, his mind still working through it. There was so much here, to the very foundations of the Armada. So many years of work. How much would they lose? It would be no small feat, but perhaps the Armada needed this to grow.

“The South has become crowded of late, don’t you think? Penned in by Habari, and Abaven. The pirates a stone throw away.” The only neighbour he had wanted was Ashen, and while they would always be dear allies, the Armada had grown and changed from its position as their vanguard. “The logistics of moving would be difficult. Do you think it would be worth it?” he looked to his son, and it was clear his opinion on this was important. What did the Armada need to grow? Space, and freedom of movement?

"Speech"

Sirius took his time in getting to the matter at hand, Azure’s stance remaining patient though the bewilderment was still in his eyes. He was able to relax much further as his father continued, confusion turning to surprise, surprise then becoming enthusiasm. Moving away from Ashen was all he’d ever hoped, though not something he’d ever had dared to bring up. Venom and Sirius were extremely close and Az assumed it would not be easy for his father to approach the topic of even further withdrawal from their closest ally. “It has.” He said simply, giving a solemn nod in reply. “I think it would be well worth it. The pack has grown stagnant and lazy, perhaps they’re too comfortable here.”

Already the gears in his mind were turning, his latest extended patrol still fresh in his mind. Where could they go? Where could they house their wolves safely, but away from the continued squeeze as more and more packs moved in? “It’s a shame we can’t claim the battlefield itself. The northern territories breed a hard wolf, tenacious and adaptable. I’m not a fan of the snow and I’ve no appreciation for a land that never sees a blade of grass, but perhaps there’s a compromise to be found up there.” Somewhere that saw a decent summer but a cold winter, where the wolves of the Armada were forced to put effort into their survival beyond their ingrained habits in the lush plains. His fiance would be unimpressed with the cold, but a part of him held hope that the discomfort might manage to pull Hana out of her odd new funk.


"Speech"

His son's enthusiasm surprised him, and perhaps sealed the fate for the Armada. His co-leader gave no resistance to the idea of moving. He seemed all for it, already considering places the pack could move. “Ah.” The Warlord said, amused. “Our thoughts are already aligned. I was thinking North as well, less packs to crowd us up there.”

He lifted his head, taking in a breath of the Autumn air. If they did this, they would need to do this soon, before winter set in. “Let’s take a trip North, today. See what there is to see.” he said, glancing over to Azure. At his son’s agreement, they left the Armada behind, and headed North.

They followed the stream, skirting around Fireside and heading towards the battlefield. His son was right, near the Battlefield might be a good place to start. They moved through the barren field, and he sniffed the entrance of the mines, marking it mentall in his thoughts. The warren beneath might make for an interesting den that could be warmed in winter. He put it aside for now, wanting a lay of the land, and they made their way to the mile high woods. The mess of trees was hardly a new sight for him. “I’d almost forgotten it, but I heard there used to be a pack here. A long time ago now.” He mused


"Speech"

His father quickly accepted his words, explaining that they were aligned more in thought then he’d anticipated. Azure nodded, a ghost of a smile upon his maw. “For now, until the whole damn empire follows us there too.” The news was exciting enough to break the mask of the generally stoic man, the joke flowing easily from his maw in reply. Thank God. At Sirius’ suggestion to go now he was entirely on board, sending a sharp bark backward to his trailing companions so that they could pass the news on to his fiance and children that he’d be absent from the den for longer then he’d anticipated. Lyre, he hoped, would not take his absence as an excuse to try and run.

The walk was uneventful, though each step further into the crisp northern air brought more enthusiasm from the Champion. The Armada had been something he’d been born into, not something he molded with his own four paws. It’s laws and regulations, it’s territories and it’s founding members, they were all there before Azure had been born. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to seriously be scouting for a new home, at least not before Sirius retired from leadership.

He kept a watchful eye upon his surroundings, investigating as Sirius did as they passed different landmarks and biomes. At the sight of the towering trees the warlord spoke, bringing his son’s brow to rise. “What happened to them?” He asked, a trace of concern in his tone. Had the woods failed to provide for them? Had the winter of mammoths froze them to death in their dens?


"Speech"

The Warlord huffed a soft laugh at his son's humour. “Let's head that off at the pass.” he suggested wryly. This move was for the Armada, not the entire Empire. “I’m not entirely sure, they hadn’t seemed a big pack. My best guess would be they drifted apart without appropriate leadership.” He suggested. That seemed to happen occasionally to packs.

He moved through the woods, and glanced up at the mountain beyond. A brief glance, before he did a double take. Bringing his attention back to it again. “Are those caves up ahead? Caves could be a large benefit. Not as deeply buried as the warrens of the mines, but still easier to warm than open air.” He suggested, indicating they check it out. There was already a decent hint of chill in the air. The Warlords thick coat meant he enjoyed a good breeze, but some of their smaller, younger members might struggle with it.


"Speech"

He gave a dismissive grunt as Sirius’ reply came, explaining that it was more than likely the pack merely drifted apart, a fault of their leadership and not the land itself. Azure’s head dipped in acknowledgement, following his father’s gaze through the forest as they continued their quite-extended patrol. If the pack had simply dissolved, so had Az’s interest in it.

The gnarled trees rose further over their heads as they walked, and Azure paused at the base of one as his father’s head turned west. His mutated paws came up, pressing firmly against the wide trunk and in a brief moment he was upon a low hanging branch, thick enough surprisingly to comfortably take even his own weight without a crack. “These trees… they’re interesting.” He murmured, finding there was space upon the branch to walk along the bark almost as naturally as grass. “I fear the kids will climb them, but perhaps it’s a lesson that would be quickly learned.”

Arching his head back he squinted up into the canopy, following the line of branches that extended like a ladder up into the uppermost reaches of the forest. This territory held a danger the plains did not, even to the wolves who might call it home; somehow still, Azure felt he enjoyed these woods more than the Weeping ones he’d been so fond of all his life.

With a reluctant sigh he leapt from the branch, finding his paws upon the solid ground and almost missing the lack of height. “There are fresh trails scattered in every direction.” He observed, a trace of awe in his tone. “These woods, I’m sure, would alone serve to feed us fine.” He lingered still among the moss wrapped trees, until his father’s suggestion willed him forward. “Alright then, let's go check out your caverns.” He agreed.


"Speech"

The Warlord inclined his head in agreement at the dismissive grunt. He agreed with the Champion. A pack crumbling beneath the sloth of leadership was… disappointing. But alas, it was a long time ago and of no consequence to them. “The trees could be dangerous to very young pups, but perhaps if we den elsewhere and use this for hunting, it will be fine for the youngest of us.” He agreed, both with the sentiment of kids climbing them, and the suggestion that the woods could do well in feeding them.

He could feel Azure’s reluctance to leave the woods, and marked it in his mind. Azure wanted this territory, and the boy's words had the most sway to him. More than any other of his children. Azure, after all, was the one that had stuck by then even as he grew and changed into a fine young adult.

With Azure at his side, they moved towards the mountains. Their height inclining over a great distance, starting at a height that would serve only a short climb, and eventually soaring into almost unreachable heights. It would mean that much of their back was protected by treacherous hiking.

He moved between the fork of two sides of the mountain, and noted the large expanse of caves on both sides. He could immediately see how defensible the Northern caves were, while the South was large and roomy. They could make use of that, somehow…

“The Obelisk would stand well in the centre here. If we claimed territory such as this, I would wish to build something more defensible heading North West.” he mused, as he ducked into the South caves. He could immediately feel a warmth in the air. “I wonder if this mountain is volcanic. It doesn't look it, but the air has that feel to it.” this would be… excellent in winter. Defensible and warm both.

"Speech"

The pair moved forward, weaving through the unfamiliar woods onward toward the mountain range that had caught the Warlords’ eye. Azure trailed alongside him, taking the opportunity to leap gnarled branches and exposed roots before the forest began to thin. Living here, one could close their eyes and imagine they could fly. The Champion was already sold.

As they neared the mountain it became apparent how much larger the rocky mass was up close. It towered over the direwolves straight into the heavens above, bringing Azure to hesitate as they exited the woods. Defensible surely, but where would their wolves live? It was a far cry from the Armada’s shores, and none of their members as far as he was aware had experience scaling cliffs so sheer and dangerous.

It wasn’t until they neared the shallow valley between the mountain’s fork that his hesitations began to lessen. He remained quiet, observing with a mixture of anticipation and fear as they continued their exploration. “There’s an underground river of lava not far from here, perhaps it’s close enough to share it’s warmth.” He commented in reply, drawing on a nearly-buried memory of his trip to the ice bridge with the Armada Queen.

Sirius had begun to poke around in the caverns and Azure idled briefly at the southern cave’s mouth as his father disappeared within it. The Long Night had cursed him, and so far Az’d had little success in banishing the lingering fear of darkness that had remained when the sun returned. A den was one thing, but a series of tunnels deep beneath stone? His ears pulled back with uncertainty - an expression he rarely allowed another wolf to witness - and he forced himself to follow, venturing into the expansive cavern just as far as the light could spill in. “Don’t get lost.” He called after his father, forcing a tone of boredom to counteract the stress in his words. “Mother would be quite cross with me for allowing it to happen.”

Azure knew he had to put his own fears aside to provide for his family and his pack, it was expected of him as a leader. The mountain was defensible, hidden, private - everything the Armada needed to prosper. Climbing the ridges would build strength in even Ophelia’s thick legs, the battlefield was near enough for any member to make frequent trips to and from, and then there were the woods… for the woods, Azure could endure the darkness. “Seriously though, neither of us are any good at navigation and from scent alone we know no pack has laid their claim here. Without a navigator or a source of light, it’s not safe to explore too deep.” From the bits and pieces he’d learned on his trip across the continent with his mother, Azure knew enough about cave-ins and landslides to have a healthy respect for the caverns. “We should get a rough picture, make our decision, and return more prepared to map out the deeper tunnels later.” Zee, he was sure, could navigate the passages with skillful ease without risking both the Armada alphas accidental deaths beneath a mountain of stone.


"Speech"

The Warlord turned back to his son, a brow rising in surprise. ‘That explains the warmth” he noted. That was good news. The lava would supply them with warmth all year ‘round, and perhaps their Master of Arms could find a way to make use of it… he shook off the thought, and moved carefully through the cave entrance. It opened up into a wide expanse, but the deep shadows kept him from drawing a mental image of the space around him. He could hear the soft dripping of water somewhere in the distance, and if he wasn’t mistaken, felt a hint of a breeze running through the cave.

At Azure’s words, Seer looked back and grinned. Finding that his son hadn’t ventured very far in. “No, I don’t suppose she would.” He agreed. Remaining within talking distance of his co alpha. He sighed, casting another look into the darkness before returning to Azure. “You're right, we aren’t, but your mother is. I can imagine she would be very pleased to build a map of this place.” She had always wanted more reason to explore. Perhaps it would be good for her, to have a very good reason to explore this place. “Come on then, let's see how far this valley goes.” he said, indicating with a nod of his head for them to move further between the teeth of the mountain. They explored around the outside of the mountains for a while. Until the sky began to darken in the late afternoon. At which point, the two towering giants convened in the heart of the valley. The Warlord seated himself in the earth, and looked across the Azure. Drawing two lines with paws. “Pros and cons of moving here. Cons, the winters will be colder then the pack is accustomed to. Pros, if we collapse any tunnels that head to the outside, this valley will be far easier to protect and petrol then our current home.” He indicated to Azure for the other man to add his piece.


"Speech"

Sirius thankfully did not press the Champion further, and Az released a small breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding in. Stepping out from the tunnel he joined his father in the valley. The area between both teeth of the mountain was of comparable size to their meeting place now, but situated more central than ever. Already it was apparent where their obelisk may go and the firepit before it. Azure’s thoughts raced as they explored further, reconvening eventually as night began to fall.

His father sat and Azure mimicked him, his head tilting to regard his father’s drawing in the dirt. “The winters being colder is a good thing.” He argued flatly. “The north has higher expectations than a lofty beach-side den. Here, I think even Ophie could find good health. The prey is hardier, the terrain punishes sloth, shivering burns calories.” Truly, even though winter was already coming up on them, the pass between the mountains did not have a biting chill to it. The air was colder, though the mountains would shield them from the buffeting winds. “Cons, we’re going to need a lot of torches.” Az’s eyes flicked to the southern tunnel openings and ran up along the mountain’s side, imagining how many passages lay beneath and how often a torch might need to be refuelled to keep the path safe to traverse.

A thought crossed his mind and Azure’s gaze returned to the valley. Standing, he paced across the sparse grass until he’d arrived where logically, he assumed the obelisk may go. Tilting his head back, the Champion released a powerful, sudden howl - one he might use to summon the pack from this spot. The sound reverberated off the stone and into Az’s bones, a soft echo lingering from the cave systems long after the howl had died out. Yes, Az decided he rather liked it here. “Pros, your favorite son finally gets his throne?” There was a playful twinkle to the man’s eyes and he gave his father a grin, remembering the first time he’d as a young child, asked the Warlord to construct a throne.


"Speech"

The Warlord nodded his head, conceding the point to Azure. So long as they had the heat source in the tunnels, the weaker and younger of the pack wouldn’t suffer overtly. The rest of them would get hardier from the exercise. “Ophie could get a watch point on the mountain, and make the trek each day” he said, answering amusement in his own tone. His daughter's weight would never sit well with the Warlord. Perhaps here she would finally lose it…

“Perhaps we could set a young wolf in each generation as a firestarter, and ensure the torches are lit each day, if much of our homes are going to be in the caves.” He suggested. He would need to speak to someone, perhaps Zee and Ruga about the dangers of constant fire in enclosed spaces. They would need a method that produced little smoke. Azure spoke, and the Warlords tail flicked behind him pro indeed. he thought. But there was a grin on the ageing Warlord's face. He felt young, emboldened by the excitement of the ideas building between them. Here, Azure could truly make a stamp on his shared reign with the Warlord. The Armada of the beach was something forged almost entirely by his sire. Here, Azure could understand the weight and empowerment of building something of your own. “Cons,” he said softly. “Azure got his asses kicked in the valley.” Then he launched himself playfully at Azure, a bear hug falling down on the other boy in a roughhousing manner that hadn’t happened between them since Azure was very young.


"Speech"

While his father did concede his point, Azure’s brow raised pointedly toward his father. The amusement in his tone at Opehlia’s approaching predicament was one that surprised him, though perhaps it shouldn’t have. Sirius had put forth every effort to help his daughter find health and fitness, it wasn’t the Warlord’s fault that each avenue had failed. “Poor Ophie.” He mused in return, his tone sarcastic.

At the suggestion of a firestarter Azure gave a shallow and contemplative nod. So long as it wasn’t a duty that would overshadow any Armada youth’s (who undoubtedly would be one of his own litter) training, it was an acceptable idea. A way to bring purpose to some of the wolves who had grown sluggish and lazy basking on the beach beneath the summer sun.

His father’s words returned his attention sharply, his ears flicking forward as he blinked back his surprise. Azure was not a playful wolf, not even toward his own mate or children. It took a few moments for his rationality to catch up with him - to remember even the concept of roughhousing - and the Warlord was upon him.

Azure could not move at speed the way a smaller wolf could, but still it was the Champion’s first reaction. He spun, curved claws grasping the dirt desperately as he sought to vacate the area the Warlord was due to land. His weight impeded his escape, his father’s bulk coming down upon Azure’s hind end and smushing his pelvis into the dirt. “Cons,” He wheezed. “No more grandchildren.” Kicking out with his hind legs, he worked his way out from beneath Sirius’ massive frame, sending a glare over his shoulder that may have looked more genuine than he’d intended.

Finding his feet, Azure scampered backwards to gain some distance from his assailant, eyeing him carefully to ensure he’d be more prepared should the Warlord attempt another hug. A thought had occurred to him before Sirius had launched his unprompted murder attempt and Azure voiced it now - definitely not hoping that it might distract from his embarrassment. “Do you think anyone will try to leave?” He murmured, thoughtful. Ophie surely would hate the added expectations of living in the harsh north, but it wasn’t just his sister’s opinion that worried him. Hanako too adored her cushy lifestyle, and somehow Azure doubted there was a stocked pond of fish within the tunnels.


"Speech"