Sirius said nothing of her stumble, instead asking where she was from. "Oh, a land far across the sea," she informed him. "It always feels like spring and summer there. It rarely ever gets snow, and only then in the most northern reaches. Sometimes it gets a little too warm, but there are ways to thwart the temperature." With no rocks in her path, Isa was back to keeping pace with the Dire brute, her gait smooth and practiced. There was barely any pain in her injured leg. "The most fortunate held homes with underground caverns attached. The caverns stay cool and some, like my family, were blessed enough to have natural pools in theirs." Because of this pool, Isa was also a very good swimmer.

As Isa shared the beliefs of her people with the man, giving him a glimpse of the culture that she came from, Sirius scoffed and Isa's ears instantly flicked backwards. He was being insensitive yet again. This time she couldn't stop her tongue from wagging. "Thank you for throwing the beliefs of my decimated homeland in the dirt." Her tone was cheery, but her words were definitely not. "I find it interesting that you believe anything is stable or capable of being stable. We're nothing but waves on the ocean of time. The ocean is unpredictable. Anything could happen at any time." Both of their lives were proof of that.

"Isa"

She told him a little of her land. A place far across the sea, and which was a much warmer climate than here, He had gotten accustomed to the cold, and his fur had thickened dramatically in his later years. He wouldn’t do well in the heat, he knew. It was interesting that their world was almost a parallel of this one. Caves to keep cool in hers, and here they had their homes in the caverns which were heated by underground magma. They were about half way up the trek now, and the Armada territories were unfolding around them. “You're very welcome.” Ah. Yes. He did have a habit of dismissing most beliefs with contempt, didn’t he? He had met a few religious fruitcakes in his life, and it hadn’t endeared him well to belief. “Nothing is stable, but it won’t be a storm that tells us everything is falling to shit again.” He said. They had enough storms here that that would be a tragedy. “I’m sorry about your homeland.” "Seer"

The man was so very, very aggravating. There were so many things that she could say in response to his acknowledgement of being a heathen, but in the end Isa held her tongue. He was being a brat just to be a brat and she wouldn't feed him too much.

Surprisingly, Sirius followed up with apologizing about her homeland. Isa didn't quite know how to take it at first, but she felt truth in his words. The woman's voice was soft when she responded. A simple, "Thank you," was given. After that, she remained silent, focused on the continuation of their trek up the mountainside. It wasn't that she didn't want to continue speaking with him, it was simply that the woman didn't know where to go from here. 'Sorry about your dead family. How about that weather? You see the eagles flying over yesterday?' So, rather than just adding filler to the conversation, the blue fae kept her silence.

"Isa"

They lapsed into silence after that, and he was all too sure that her family was now present in her mind. Partly his fault, but he hadn’t invited her on this outing. She’d shoved her own face into his business, so it wasn’t his fault if she got bit. But the silence sunk into them, and he knew how it felt. To retreat inside yourself. To feel the missing presence of the people that used to be there. They were almost at the top of the mountain now, and the wind was really starting to bite at them. He thought of her words, of being accustomed to a different climate. His mouth set in a grim line, and he gently eased himself out of the fluffy cheetah coat. “Here, but if you get it dirty I’m taking it out of your hide.” He warned her, and placed the coat of his wife over her shoulders. His heart squeezing so tight in his chest that spots danced in front of his vision. Then it was over her shoulders, and he was stepping back, breathing a little quickly. The scent of Zee was long gone from it, or he wouldn’t have been strong enough to offer it. Many nights he had spent with it wrapped around his paws, breathing in the scent of it. Gone. Gone, and he wondered if he would forget what she had smelled like. "Seer"

Isa hadn't realized quite how cold it would be up this high. The higher they went, the colder it got and eventually the woman's teeth were chattering. She refused to slow down or stop, however. Stubborn as an ox, the cobalt lady was intent on completing their journey. She did notice that her toes were feeling a little numb and the cold was tightening the muscles around her injured ribs once her body began to shiver.

What happened next, Isa could never have expected. Sirius stopped in his tracks, turning to face her. The woman stopped as well, tilting her muzzle upwards to look the tall beast in the eye. What was he going to insult her with now? Instead, he unclasped the spotted cloak from around his shoulders and placed it around her own instead. The heat of his body instantly enveloped Isa and she couldn't stifle a sound of comfortable pleasure from escaping. Blue eyes closed and the woman nestled into the fur, ears perking as Sirius threatened her.

The sound of the man's labored breathing brought Isa's eyes opened again and she could see the panic in his gaze. Concern etched itself on the fae's features and she took a step forward, saying the giant's name for the first time. "Sirius?" The oxygen was thin up here. If he wasn't careful and couldn't regain control of his breathing, there was a very good chance that he could lose consciousness.

"Isa"

He watched her sink into the coat. He was right, the cold had been getting to her. No doubt her injury would cramp up tomorrow if she didn’t get some warmth back into her. Perhaps it had been foolish to head up the mountain. He had hoped to put her off, but she had stuck to him. Tight as a bur, and thrice as annoying. He didn’t realise how visible his grief was until she pointed it out to him. Speaking his name and closing the distance between them. He raised a paw, pressing it into her chest, and stopping her in her tracks. But he didn’t do anything more than that. Holding his paw between them, his wife’s coat around her shoulders, and heaviness in his eyes. He sucked in another deep breath. “This was a mistake. You’ll catch your death up here.” He said. He still hadn’t moved. She looked so small in his wifes coat. About the same height as her. Vulnerable, and cold. "Seer"

As she stepped towards him, one big paw came up, pressing into her chest to hold her at bay. Isa's gaze remained drawn in concern. His eyes were still wide and his breathing was still staggered. It took him a moment, but eventually he spoke. When he was finished, Isa shook her head. "Sirius, sit down, close your eyes, your mouth and breathe through your nose." She couldn't quite remember where she'd heard that before, but someone here had told her when she mentioned how different the air was.

A second surprise for Isa this evening. Sirius actually listened. His haunches folded and he sat on the cold, snowy path. The woman nodded in approval and began to speak, hoping to distract him from whatever ghosts had entered his mind. "I chose to follow you up here. I'm cold, but I'm in no real danger. I'm not too proud to admit when I'm bested and I would stop well before my life was at risk." Isa's trademark mischievous look was directed at the man, trying to lighten the mood. "Besides, what kind of slave master would you be if you let the goods be damaged?" The fae's expression grew serious and she spoke once more. "I trust you to keep me safe as you would any of your packmates. You're doing a great job." One blue eye winked as her shivering fully subsided, the cheetah cloak doing its job well.

"Isa"

He frowned heavily at her, but sat. It was either that or hold that pose between them forever. One paw lifted in the air. He hadn’t sat to obey her, just to change position. Watching her cautiously, as if she was a snake that could strike at any moment. When she spoke, she certainly didn’t sound on the verge of death. There was plenty of fire to her words, and even a compliment thrown in there. He scrunched up his nose at her. It was the best he could do for a snarky response. He didn’t entirely trust himself to speak just then, and he was concentrating on his breathing. Bringing himself back under control. Seeing her small shape in the coat had almost been his undoing. If he had trusted Isa just a little bit more, he would have fallen, and let his tears melt the snow around them. Foolish, sentimental fool that he was. He straightened instead, slowly getting back to his paws. “Alright then” He said, turning from her and restarting the journey they had stopped. Trusting that she would say something if the cold got to her. The world had really opened up beneath them now. You could see the woods rolling out on one side, and the cove on the other. Evidence here and there of the pack that lived within these borders. "Seer"

Something that she said seemed to get through to him because Sirius sat. He seemed a little surprised by it too. As he sat, his breathing evened out and he was back to, well... not normal. She would probably never consider him normal. He was back to himself. That was good.

The man seemed to accept her words about letting him know if she needed to turn back. He rose and began moving up the mountainside once more. Isa stopped, looking out over the edge of the slim pathway onto the pack lands below. She could make out the orange glow of the fire, though it looked terribly small from up here. On the other side was a cove. She hadn't been there yet. "Since I'm your prisoner," the woman joked, "Would I need an escort to travel to that place over there?" It was an honest inquiry. She did quite like exploring and the woman had a feeling that there was something special down there.

"Isa"

He glanced in the direction she was pointing, his eyes roving across the Cove that was still a relatively new piece of Armada territory. “The Cove? No, you can go there, there or to the woods.” He told her. They were Armada territory, and she wasn’t quite as much a prisoner as she made out to be. But. oh, he couldn’t help himself. “I’ll allow it, if you’re really, really good” He added in, as if she was a pesky child that needed permission. He was already turning from the cliff side, eyes to the path ahead so she wouldn’t see any hint of amusement in his expression. Only hear the dryness of his voice. As if he really did believe she needed to behave herself to be let out anywhere. "Seer"

Sirius agreed that she could travel to the cove or the woods as they were Armada territory. So he was giving her a little bit of freedom. That would be nice. Isa didn't like sitting still. She liked keeping herself busy and, coming from a seaside pack, the cove below was intriguing. She wondered what she could find there to bring back to the rest of the Armada.

Of course, Sirius had to throw in a jab, but it was humorous all the same. The slender fae released a genuine, mellifluous laugh, shaking her head as she began walking along behind him once more. "When have I ever been anything but sweet and charming, Warlord?" Isa knew that she was neither of those things when she was with him. He knew it too. To everyone else that she'd met, the woman was a right peach. Then, just to be even more of a little shit, she threw in an, "Are we there yet?"

"Isa"

Oh really, she was going with that? He huffed a laugh back. Welcoming the distraction of her voice. Welcoming any distraction, even if he could barely stand to look at her while she wore that coat. But he didn’t have to. His eyes were on the path ahead of them. It was narrow here, and it made sense to concentrate on his footing. “Sweet and charming? Your lightning on a stick. Except, I can’t stop reaching over and poking you to see if I’ll get stung.” “Almost.” He said, and they were. The Watch point was just ahead, as well as the bones of the observation post he and Andy were building together. He made his way to the watchpoint first. Grabbing at one of the spare cloaks that was kept in an oiled bag for safe keeping from the weather. He turned to her then at last, and thrust the coat out towards her. “Give” He said, making a gesture of ‘come’ as he waited for her to hand his coat back towards him. "Seer"

The man's response had her laughing once more. Lightning on a stick, was she? "I'll take that as a compliment," the fae spoke through her laughter. It was almost nice, talking to Sirius this way. This was polite banter rather than their usual scathing remarks. Isa admitted that she quite liked it. He could take her witty remarks and counter them with remarks of his own. She very much enjoyed wordplay.

Upon asking if they were almost there, Sirius replied seriously. When they arrived at the outpost, he wasted no time in thrusting a different cloak at her, demanding his in return. Isa shrugged, it was his fur, after all. The woman seated herself on her haunches and undid the clap that had kept the wind from sweeping the cloak away. Isa handled that clasp delicately and when Sirius waved his paw and told her to give, she shot him a glare. "Be patient," she advised him.

Opening the clasp, Isa slid from the cloak, the cold chill instantly biting into her with her established warmth stolen away. The fae grimaced as she handed the fur back to him, taking the one that he offered her in turn and instantly wrapping it about herself. Isa was freezing now that she had to start all over again to build warmth within the new, cold cloak.

"Isa"

He stood impatiently as she fumbled with the clasp, and clutched at the coat the moment it was in his paws again. He held it tightly against him, and something soothed in his chest that had been awry from the moment he had handed the precious garment over to her. He breathed it in, but of course there were no remnants left of Zee. just himself, and now a hint of Isa. He shook the coat over his shoulders. Careful not to let the wind snap it from his paws. And then it was secure. The coat he had handed over to Isa was thicker than the cheetah coat, but she still looked miserable and cold. They were at the top of the mountain now, and there wasn’t much warmth to be found here. Well. He supposed he owed her some warmth, if nothing else. He stepped towards her, turning around until they were side by side, and then lifted his paw. Inviting her into the warmth of his side with a wordless gesture that she could take or refuse. It was up to her, but her choice would likely set the tone to the rest of their evening. "Seer"

The sudden change in the brutes demeanor when the cloak was handed back was very obvious. It was obviously very important to him. As he settled the fur back around his shoulders, Isa watched. "Thank you for letting me borrow your fur." She continued to try and wrap her own more tightly around herself, searching for any bit of warmth to get her body jump started. That warmth would come from a very surprising place.

Sirius moved and seated himself next to her. The blue woman narrowed her gaze slightly, but she could already feel the warmth pouring off of him and so having him so close beside her wasn't too bad. Then he lifted one thick foreleg, welcoming her against him. That was suspicious and Isa hesitated, leaning away from him slightly. Ah... but it would be so very warm... She considered it only a moment more before taking the man up on the offer and sliding into the hollow between his foreleg and chest. His fur was much thicker than hers and the warmth encompassing her was instant. "You never realize how cold you are until you aren't anymore," she informed him, her teeth still chattering, though they would quickly stop doing so.

Together they sat there as the icicle of a woman warmed up. They sat silently for a long while, neither of them really needing to say anything. Isa considered their position. The last man to touch her had been her husband. Though there was nothing remotely sexual about their current situation, she couldn't help but think about how very long it had been since she'd been so close to anyone. Ears slicked back against the fae's skull once more. "Thank you," she spoke softly and simply. Nothing more needed to be said.

"Isa"

“Yes, well, I can’t have my wolf freezing” He said dryly. Not letting on how difficult it had been to let go of the coat, just for a little while. Well, not letting on in his words, even if his actions had betrayed him. She hesitated to accept his gesture, which was why he muted his response. Instead of fully drawing back with a hiss, he just let out a soft nose like the zap that came from static build up. She was very cold against his side, and he pulled her in close. Letting her share his warmth for a while, since he generally had much to spare. It was a little awkward, especially knowing how prickly a wolf she was, and how easily they got under each other's skin. But sometimes, when they said nothing at all, their differences could be forgotten. So he let silence take them. Offering nothing more than a simple nod at her thanks. Letting his eyes stray to the wide view beyond. It was getting late, and the sun would sink below the horizon soon. If she thought it was cold now, she wasn’t at all prepared for that. Why had she followed him up the mountain again? He had no desire to head to bed, but perhaps he ought to pretend, to let her off the hook of whatever responsibilities she seemed to feel she owed him. Then she could go to her warm cave at last. "Seer"

As Isa moved forward and settled into his side, Sirius surprised the hell out of her by making an exaggerated zap sound as though she had struck him like the lightning that she was. The sound and the humor of it all had caught her so off guard that a sudden, surprise laugh erupted out of the woman. Her smaller frame shook with mirth as she continued to laugh, but soon she was silent once more, though a smile lingered on her maw for a long while after. They were getting along!

The silence between them was easy and soon Isa was actually comfortable in her captors embrace. At some point her eyes had closed, the warmth making her a little tired. A sudden gust of wind in her face brought Isa awake once more and she gave a little grumble, turning her cold nose in to sleepily bury it in the massive man's chest. "If we're staying overnight up here, I'm going to have to use you as a blanket," she warned him, unsure if they were staying up or going back down.

"Isa"

He hadn’t expected her to react so positively. He couldn’t help a small chuckle escaping his lips. Her laughter had been so open and innocent. Without the bitter jabs that had surrounded most of their interactions. They fell into companionable silence for a while. Mostly in that time, he fought his conscience to lead her back down the mountain, and his desire to stay here. Where he could see over the entire pack, and feel the wind in his coat. He wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about Isa, nestled into his side. She was a prickly demon of a woman whose verbal jabs landed like needles through his veins. But there was something about not being alone, too. That helped. He startled when she spoke, breaking the silence that had crept up between them. She had dug his nose into her chest, looking small and vulnerable. He was at risk of treating her as if she was those things, when he knew the truth. “We should head down the mountain.” He said, though he made no move to rise, or shift in any way. "Seer"

Her question was answered as Sirius suggested that they go back down the mountain, but he made no move to do so. He held her against him just as he had been this entire time. After a moment of stillness, Isa retracted her nose from the thick fur of his chest, tilting her muzzle upwards to peer at his face. "Are you sure?" He wanted to stay up here, she felt. "If you want privacy, I can make it back down the mountain alone." She came up here with him so that he wouldn't have to be alone, but his anger and anxiety had vanished and so she would be okay leaving him in this state.

Isa didn't pull away and wouldn't do so, lest she risk wasting the warmth that they'd created together. His words would choose the direction that their night took. Now that they'd already been this close, Isa would have no problems clinging to the dire brute through the night for the sake of warmth. With the furs that he had stored in the bags, she was sure that they would be fine. It was his choice, however.

"Isa"

The restlessness that had burned through him had all but melted off by now. He actually felt tired. Perhaps he would manage to sleep more than a few hours in a row this time. Perhaps if he made his way off the mountain… but the moment he reached their den, he knew the feeling would return. Then he’d restlessly lie in the bed he had shared with his wife for an hour or two, then he’d be up, and patrolling the borders. Isa offered to make her own way back down the mountain. She’d be going alone in the twilight at this point. Down the icy path, with numbed paws. He wouldn’t have her taking that chance. Not on a path she’d only walked once in her life. “Stay.” He said instead, though he knew he was subjecting her to a cold night on the cliff if she did so. "Seer"