The Warlord warmed his paws by the great central firepit. The chill was thick in the morning air, and he was grateful that the wind was blocked by the great mountain at his back. The pack had slowly grown into their home in the Col, and the place was starting to feel a great deal more like home. He believed a part of him would always miss the beach, but perhaps a fresh start was what they all needed. He wasn’t the same wolf he had been when he had claimed the Plains, after all.

As he turned away from the fire pit, he caught sight of Keahi as she moved through the central space. He raised a paw to her, and offered her a warm smile in greeting. “Keahi!” he called out. “Would you like to scout with me?”


"Speech"

Keahi has completely thrown herself into helping around the pack. The more she works and gets to know the wolves, the more she feels at home. It helps her feel accomplished to know that she is contributing to the packs needs. So, the tropical wolf raises with the sun, donning her polar coat and moving about the Col to tend to daily chores. The firepit has been her constant friend and the red wolf often pauses by the flickering flames to warm herself. After the red wolf stores some freshly tanned pelt, she moves through the central area on her way toward the first point pathway.

A voice calls to her and the focused Keahi stops to cast her gaze toward the firepit. Her face is serious as she runs through the next steps she has to do but everything swiftly changes as she catches sight of Sirius. A happy smile appears as he asks if she wants to scout with him and the tropical wolf changes direction to trot up to the tall Warlord. Her tone is light and happy as she says, “Always! What are we scouting today?” Red brows lift in question as she readies to follow Sirius wherever he goes.


"Keahi Mogotsi"

“I thought we’d head all the way down to the very end of this valley and explore around that geyser people have been saying is the source of heat in the Armada caves” He explained. It was a direction he hadn’t gone very often, but it would be good to get a better idea of what was heating the Armada. Better to know if it would cause them issues in the future.

It was a territory that was bound to be tricky and dangerous, so an experienced navigator at his side like Keahi would be a must. “You in?” he asked, giving her plenty of chance to back out.


"Speech"

Keahi listens intently to what the Warlord has to say, nodding her red head in understanding. Without a word, she steps closer so that she is stand next to Sirius, a teasing smile appearing as he asks her if she is in. Blue gazes meet and there is excitement bubbling in the tropical woman’s eyes. She was built to explore, the call of the unknown as intoxicating to her as strong drinks were to other wolves. A determined smile tugs at the corner of her mouth as she says, “I’m always ready for a good time.” A gentle laugh falls past her red lips as she prepares to follow after the taller wolf, red paws eager to touch the yet unexplored area. Well… unexplored by Keahi.

"Keahi Mogotsi"

The orange-marked girl stepped closer to him, as if to stand in solidarity to whatever adventure he proposed. A glance down at the shorter wolf told Sirius that she was excited and eager to explore somewhere new - even if it did have a chance of being dangerous. If he got her burnt by a geyser he would be regretting it. But he trusted her to have a better understanding of the lay of the land then he did. That was why he promoted her to diplomat, right?

“Excellent, lets go explore then” he agreed, and started to head towards the Western Armada wall so they could slip past the guard post there and head out to explore.


"Speech"

Sirius glances down at her and Keahi grins with enthusiastic anticipation back up at him. With a few words, the pair are off, the tropical woman in her polar armor, trotting happily next to the Warlord. They move swiftly, covering the distance easily and, whil Sirius’s longer stride means Keahi has to stretch her legs a little further and take more steps to keep up with him, she is happy to be out exploring with him.

Once they are firmly set in their path, the red wolf asks, “Sirius, I have been meaning to ask you something. Would you mind telling me the history of the Armada?” Ocean blue eyes flick up to the Warlord, as the walk. It was a question Keahi had been meaning to ask for some time but there never seemed to the right moment. She is interested to find out how the pack was founded and how long it has been around.


"Keahi Mogotsi"

They move through the Col and out pass the wall that blocked off most of their side of the valley to the outside world. It was a long hike through the mountains from there, and it seemed Keahi had some thoughts on her mind. The Warlord turned his attention to her and considered her words. “Would you like to know how it was founded?” he asked her, and then after a moment began the story. “It all started with Deathbelle. She was a Klein Princess from an empire that had crumbled, and I was her guard. After the fall of her fathers Empire, we found eachother again here, in Boreas.” He said, a faraway gleam in his eyes, and a hint of hurt appeared around the edges. He didn’t think it would ever stop hurting to talk about Deathbelle.

“She rebuilt here, under the name of Ashen. Starting from scratch, and building a banner to reunite the surviving members of her family. I had no aspiration to lead, but then I found Zee. She was a slave at the time, Deathbelle’s handmaiden. We had… an interesting dynamic.” The ageing brute gave a soft chuckle, and shook his head. Perhaps he was telling her too much. More than just the highlights. He was old, and nostalgic. He missed Deathbelle, missed the strength Zee had had in her younger days. He trailed off for a moment, lost in his thoughts.

"Speech"

The red wolf follows the Warlord past the wall that she and Ruga had built, slipping out into the surrounding world. As they settle in to begin their long trek, Keahi asks about the Armada and Sirius looks to her, asking if she wanted to know how it was founded. Red head bobs as she says, “Yes, please.” As they walk, the older wolf begins the tale and the tropical woman listens with great interest. Oh, Deathbelle? Questions begin to form in her mind but Keahi gives the Warlord space to talk and she listens with quiet attention.

A soft smile is on her red lips as Keahi moves, making mental notes as he speaks. Sirius gives a soft chuckle and the tropical woman turns her ocean blue eyes up to the ageing Warlord, watching the lines of his face and wondering what regrets hide behind his strong mask. A gentle smile is on her lips as she says, “So the Armada is part of Ashen? Do we pay tribute or something?” She watches him a moment longer before turning her eyes forward.

After a moment, the red woman speaks up, musing aloud, “You know, some of the greatest leaders that I have found, did not want to lead. But, when the role was forced on to their shoulders, they learned how to lead with grace and kindness. Their people loved them more than the ones who were bred to rule.” Her words fall away, the breeze snatching them away as she thinks of her homeland and how the rulers would toil alongside their people. Oh, how she misses her King and Queen.

Turning her gaze back up to him, she asks, “How did you get the Armada if you where Deathbelle’s guard? Did you have to seek permission? And what about Zee?” Curiosity burns in her blue eyes and she listens with great interest as the Warlord speaks.


"Keahi Mogotsi"

In his reminiscing pause, Keahi didn’t hesitate to inject questions. Clearly very intrigued by the history he was rummaging through with his words. He tore himself away from the past so he could offer her a slight, amused smile. “No, we aren’t a part of Ashen, or pay tribute. I’m getting to that” He promised.

“Yes, I asked Deathbelle’s permission. She wasn't happy about it, she didn’t want to let me go. But she did, anyway” He said. Because Deathbelle was a good person, who ruled with love and not hate, like her father before her. “I feel in love with Zee” He said, getting back to the story. “Unexpectedly, and completely against my will. It was when…” He paused, and, unexpectedly for him, the Warlord flushed a little. Too caught up in the history lesson, he had almost told her other people's private information. No, he would not share how Deathbelle had slept with her brother, breaking his heart, and giving Zee a little crack to worm her way through.

“... When a storm had hit, and I discovered her terrible fear of thunder. She was quivering in the bushes, having tried to get to me. Something about it… so vulnerable and afraid, but looking to me for safety. I think that was the turning point for me. My priorities began to shift. I asked Deathbelle to release me some time later, to form our own pack. She and I worked out a complicated agreement, and then she decided she didn’t wish to hold me to it, and gave me full freedom. Ashen, Deathbelle… Venom. They will always be important to me, and by extension, the Armada.” He said. “So the Armada started out as the Ashen Armada and was built as a pack of warriors to protect Ashen, before eventually it became a pack in its own right. With wolves that fell in love, and started families. It became so much more than a war pack, and so we broke apart a little more. Became independent. An ally, instead of subjects to Ashen”


"Speech"