Not wanting to get involved in any of the tit-for-tat, Hattori kept to himself, waiting for the chatter to quieten down as Artorias moved to say his piece. He listened intently, first to the Lord of Cinder then the conversation that started to unfold around the topic as the other pack leaders began to say their piece. Admittedly, he had no skin in the game; he held no affection for the wolves of Norad and had never even personally met their leadership. He knew that they had settled in Auster, but that was only through observation, either his own or those of his fellow clan mates. Perhaps rather callously, he didn't particularly care about whether Norad succeeded or did not, it mattered little to him and Tojo at large, but the means of which it was taken over- well, Hattori did agree to an extent that it was not proper. Not how things ought to be done.

But even if he cared little for the politics, he himself had women and children he had taken it upon himself to protect. Even strangers to whom he'd never met or spoken to before, he wouldn't just stand there and allow depravity to fall upon them. He was a neutral man, but some things were intolerable to his sensibilities, he found his muzzle wrinkling at the thought. That Ashen had fallen, he did not blink or seem overly surprised- in his mind it had been a long time coming now.

The Kaicho wasn't entirely sure what was expected to come of this, Modesty suggested a siege and though many seemed dubious to the extent of the Syndicate's depths of depravity, Hattori did not doubt Artorias. He did not seem the sort to conflate the facts, twist the narrative to suit his purposes.

"I would take their proximity as a challenge," he pointed out, his gaze flitting to Avacyn and Delphi in turn. Not in accusation or making a dig at their leadership, but how else could the newcomers actions be taken? Because was it not a blatant show of disrespect? How much land was there free and available in both Boreas and Auster, and the Syndicate decided to wedge themselves as close as they could be, with thin stretches of no mans land between them. Land those sorts often felt entitled to cross. "Giving this...boy a- how you say, benefit of the doubt, his behaviour is disrespectful at best and incitement at worst. I do not think it necessary for us all to be friends, but I expect civility if nothing else. The Syndicate from what you say, seem incapable of that." Was his opinion on the matter, objective enough. "What would be your ideal outcome from this meeting? A show of force, mediation?"

As things stood he did not have any skin in the game, but he was not entirely naive enough to cover his ears and pretend things could not change.

Bramble sits straight as a board in her chair. She feels a certain tension throughout the room, but can't quite put her paw on it. Is this how all meetings would be? Not that she's against the seriousness of such matters, but were they not all acquaintances of some sort? If they weren't, why had her father invited them?

Several others arrive before her father speaks. Including a monstrously sized wolf that appeared akin to Sirius, and with him, a smaller girl who writing supplies. Bramble studies her for a moment, curious about her place in the meeting. Another girl appears similar in size to Haydee looking awfully nervous and Bramble can't help but smile encouragingly in her direction. Then a dark coated man with a serious look and ruby markings appeared. His aura alone nearly made her look away, but she doesn't. She was an important figure to the Hallows now and she wouldn't act as a pup anymore. Following up shortly after were two more leaders that she too didn't recognize, but Bramble would smile or nod at anyway or at least try to. Once her mother was in, the door shut, and everyone seated, Bramble turns her attention solely to her father.

With the meeting now underway, Bramble looks once more at each alpha to commit their name to memory. Haydee and Bellamy of Ethne, Modesty of Raider's Hollow, Basilisk of Armada, Philadelphia of Heidinn, Hattori of Tojo-kai, Kotori of Valta, and Avacyn of Elysium. It was a lot to remember so far, but there were twelve packs in total throughout Boreas and Auster. Well, eleven since the fall of Ashen, but she was sure someone would soon scoop up that position without fail.

Her attention then turns to the table that her father motions toward. She had seen the intricately carved map more than once and it never ceased to amaze her. Each effigy that stands upon the table marks a location for their respective packs, Bramble then noticing how some seemed to move or change more often that not. One such change is the new snake effigy that her father brings attention toward. Artorias speaks of Beauregard and Norad, their short lived reign now in the past with the forceful removal conducted by a Sephiran Saxe and his Syndicate. The shiver that runs down her spine at the thought of coming across such vile wolves is undeniable.

As her father continues, she draws her gaze up from the table to those who sit around it. Each hold a place in the world, in the finite thread of things, and she wonders how they will take it. Do they all have the same impression of The Syndicate? Or were their perceptions different? If what her father says is true, she silently thanks him and her mother for training her in combat. Out there, away from Hallows territory, there was no telling who she would run across.

With the floor now open for comment, Bramble perks up, eager to hear the different opinions. First is the very large Warlord, Basilisk. His viewpoint is far different than her father's causing her brow to crinkle in thought. Had he not come across Sephiran though? Were those in allegiance of The Syndicate varying than their leader? Next comes an eye opening surprise that leaves Bramble's ears falling backward and her heartrate picking up slightly. When the glass bottle clunks heavily on the table, Bramble isn't sure what to make of the Raid Queen. The audacity of Modesty was a bit shocking if she were being honest.

The words she speaks though send Bramble's gaze moving toward Haydee and Bellamy, question in her gaze as she wonders what their role is in the equation. Left with more to question than not as Modesty makes her exit, Bramble is left with little time to ponder when the impish Delphi speaks up. The girl speaks well and with attempted confidence, something that changes Bramble's mood in an instant. Though she's still shaken by the outburst, she glad that someone is at least somewhat on her father's side. Even if it's not a true alliance, help is always welcomed. Right?

She notices then how Kotori appears... indifferent. His expression taut and perhaps slightly satisfied? Bramble's eyes flick over to the door that softly shuts behind Modesty. Did this Kotori have issues with the Raid Queen as well? Was his paw mixed in with her troubles? Or was he just full of himself? Trying not to make assumptions of wolves she didn't know, Bramble moves her attention from Kotori to Haydee as the other young girl begins to speak softly. The words whispered toward her father leave Bramble blinking slowly, her mouth pulling tight against her teeth. If the man was truly alive and being cared for, had they not though to inform the woman of such things? Or were they more caught up in covering their own butts for perhaps causing the injuries to him? Once more, Bramble doesn't wish to make preconceived notions of situations she wasn't involved in. Except... she had been there the day that Modesty's son had burst into the room with the news that he had indeed died by attack of polar bear and several others on Ethne's lands. How was the leader to explain that?

Still watching Haydee carefully as her mind reels around what had just happened, her ears perk when the girl continues on after a stretch of silence. Her comments on Norad and Syndicate leave her exhaling softly. The fear of losing loved ones was nothing to take lightly, that Bramble understands. What she doesn't understand is why Haydee swirls back around to her grievances with the Raiders. Was that truly the reason she was stepping down? If so, why not have this Saga come in place if she were the one to be leading now? Why was Bellamy here as well? The situation became ever more confusing, but Bramble continues to be still, expression neutral, with lips tight, taking everything more than seriously.

Curious more now what the others have to say on the matter as Haydee wraps up her piece, Bramble is quick to turn her gaze to Avacyn. The woman is pretty with her galactic purple fur and with her soft spoken voice, Bramble can't help but listen intently. What Avacyn has to say is just and she understands what keeps the woman from political matters. Family was nothing to take lightly. In a sense, Bramble agrees that perhaps the entire Syndicate is not wholly evil like this Sephiran is, but if they willingly followed beneath his order, did that not make them agreeable to his ways? There's a question there that she wants the answer to. Do they treat everyone by their own actions or were they to be held accountable for the pack name they wore as well?

As Avacyn ends, Hattori begins. Bramble's rapt attention turns suddenly to the Kaicho who she was surprised spoke at all. His appearance indeed gave off the aura that he wasn't one for words, but that made them all the more valuable. She thinks hard on his words. They don't all have to be friends, but civility is expected. Which The Syndicate appears incapable of. It was something she would take to memory, preparing herself to be cautious if she were to ever cross their paths. Hattori's question though does have her turning to look back up at her father. What was his intended outcome? What did he have planned? What else did he intend to speak on?

table coding by bunni ♥

The little golden and ginger scribe scribbled and scribbled and scribbled. Quickly making sketches and notes as events occurred, and people spoke. Looking up now and then to catch faces and voices. She paused while Modesty made her piece, and sketched the scene as the woman walked out.

She continued to be as unobtrusive and unnoticeable as she could. Catching glimpses of the map and the icons on the table she would pause to sketch each emblem as much as she could and make notes about each pack leader as she observed. She maintained that she had no voice in this matter, only to observe and record.


"Speech"

The floor was opened to discussion, and there was initially a pregnant pause amongst all the alphas as thoughts were gathered. The first to speak was Basilisk, and though he was young, he did have the prudence to ask for proof of these claims. Artorias nodded his head; he did not expect others to take his word at face value when it came to matters so grave. Fortunately, he had more than enough proof to offer. "A fair question, Warlord. To that, I'd invite any who need further affirmation to speak with Beauregard or Bellatrix Ravenwood, the two Norad wolves who witnessed the threats of violence and murder to their kin. Their actions of abduction, blackmail, and threats of pedocide. I'd also invite you to get testimony from Mercury or Ezra, the wolves who accompanied me to meet with the Syndicate leadership. All of them will attest to Sephiran Saxe's threats and his pack's support of them. Any other interaction you've received from them is likely a cleverly crafted ruse. If you wish, I can call Mercury in to testify right now." Hopefully multiple eye witness accounts backing up his words would be enough to convince the others of the truth. Otherwise... well, the next time there would be proof would be when the Syndicate decided it was time to spill blood and by then it would be too late.

No sooner had he finished responding to Basilisk, the loud thunk of glass on the stone table brought Artorias' gaze over to an almost amused Modesty, were it not for the scorn in her eyes. She declared the meeting hypocritical, which instantly had Artorias fixing a hard yet confused stare at the Raid Queen. Modesty had chosen this moment to vent all her frustrations at her pack's and family's mistreatment by wolves at this table, though to his knowledge only Ethne had taken any sort of action against the Raiders. He knew inviting both parties here had been a gamble, but it seemed like it wouldn't be paying off tonight. "Modesty-" Artorias tried to interject, but the femme was on the warpath and would not be stopped. She suggested siege at the solution to their problems, but adamantly refused to be a participant for any of the wolves present. She rose and went for the door, but Artorias stood abruptly, following the Raid Queen with his gaze. "Nobody is asking for your wolves to risk their lives for them, Modesty. I least of all. I'm not here declaring open war, but I am suggesting means of keeping our loved ones safe when it's clear there's a pack willing to use them as weapons against us!" Artorias hoped his words would be enough to get Modesty to stay, but he would not prevent her from leaving either. In the end, Modesty left the delegations with a glance back at him, but nothing more. They would be speaking of this later, he was sure...

Heaving a sigh, Artorias hung his head and slumped forward against the stone table. Once the stillness in the room resumed after Modesty's departure, Delphi voiced some crucial intel for the collective. Heiðinn offered their aid as an outpost and even knew of the location where the Syndicate had taken up root after they left Auster. Art turned surprised and delighted eyes over to the young woman, then swiftly scooped up the Syndicate effigy and placed it on the Polar Sound—right next door to Heiðinn and Elysium. That was gravely concerning, considering Elysium was one of the packs Sephiran had openly threatened. Art gave Avacyn a cautious glance. "Your insight is extremely valuable, Philadelphia. But I mean what I said to Modesty; I do not want open war with another pack and I'm not asking for others to put their lives on the line." Artorias liked Delphi. He liked Víðarr and Tenshi. He liked Heiðinn. He was not about to ask them to go to war without a just cause.

Kotori didn't say much, and Haydée still looked to be reeling from Modesty's words. When Ethne's leader did speak, it came out in confused questions. She asked why Modesty thought Gilgamesh was dead and Art just sighed and gave Hay a look. "Has she been permitted to see him or retrieve him?" was all he asked. If Modesty had not seen Gilgamesh since her son came screaming that Ethne had killed him... well, who was Modesty likely to believe? Her own son or her enemy? It was a messy situation all around with the Raiders and Ethne, one Artorias did not have the time nor patience to try and sort out here and now. Haydée did confirm his claims about the Syndicate though, vouching for the events that went down as well as the lingering threats against Beauregard's children. Artorias nodded his head; hopefully that would help for some of the evidence Basilisk asked for. But then Haydée surprised Artorias by announcing she was stepping down as alpha and handing Ethne over to Saga, the bear he had seen. Art looked at Haydée shocked, but the girl had gone silent and was just staring at Ethne's effigy on his map. Artorias didn't know what to say at first, but ultimately gave a curt nod of his head. This was her decision to make. "Haydée, you are welcome to stay and report anything here to Ethne's new Leader." Or if she wished to leave, then like Modesty, he would not stop them.

Next was Avacyn, and much to Artorias' disappointment, she, like Basilisk, also did not see the threat made to her pack as a serious matter. She did not want to immediately assume the Syndicate was a threat to them and withheld from casting judgment on the pack as a whole. Artorias lifted his gaze to Avacyn. "The alpha speaks for the pack, Avacyn. You know this. I know this. Everyone at this table knows this. Even if Sephiran's underlings aren't as far gone down the path as he is, they aligned themselves with him and his beliefs for a reason. They helped him accomplish his goals for a reason. Are you willing to take a risk with your pack's safety believing that they won't also choose violence against you because their alpha declared you an enemy?" Artorias understood Avacyn's reluctance to condemn the group as a whole, but when the head of the snake had its fangs turned on you, it was far safer to assume the rest would bend to his will and do as he commanded. He let that question linger with Avacyn. How much was she willing to risk on a blind hope of wolves she'd never met before?

Hattori was the last to speak, and his words were terse and to the point. The Syndicate had shown no civility or respect to the customs of natural law and rights to challenges. He also asked what Artorias hoped to gain out of this meeting. That led them nicely to the matter Artorias truly wished to discuss. "Regardless of whatever interactions you've had or not had with various Syndicate members, the matter of fact is this: Sephiran has declared three packs at this table his enemies. His own kin voiced their support for that declaration as well. That means regardless of if you've met them or not, the Syndicate considers you, Basilisk, and you, Avacyn, their enemies." Artorias looked around at the delegation one by one while he spoke, "All of you know the kind of wolf I am. I do not condemn easily. I do not choose violence as my first option, and I do not seek to start wars. That is not changing today. If war is coming, it will not be by the Hallows' paw. Maybe Modesty is right and the only solution is to siege, but that is not why I asked you all here today. I asked you all here because I wanted to warn my friends. I wanted to let you know what danger lurks out there and what faces it wears. And more importantly... to discuss what comes next and how to protect ourselves."

Artorias picked up the effigy of Ashen, now little more than a memento and a page in the history books. "With Ashen gone, the Empire is gone too. The alliance is fractured, but it does not need to be broken. I want to reforge the bonds we share, temper them into something stronger, and ensure every pack at this table lives long into the future. I want to broker an alliance coalition for the mutual protection of us all. A defensive pact." Artorias gestured across the map to the various packs, many scattered about across the continents, though some closer to others. "We've all seen darkness and danger in our lives. Whether it was the endless winter, the Long Night, or threats from our own kind, we have all endured by working together. I'm not proposing we change who we are or alter our identities. I'm not proposing we even stop raiding for resources we want or for honing our strengths. What I am proposing is that when we face mortal dangers that threaten our very survival, we band together instead of perishing alone. We survive as one."

"For all the members of the former Ashen Empire, I ask you now to renew our vows to one another and reaffirm our alliances. We already face a threat from the Syndicate whether we like it or not, and now we make the choice of breaking apart and going alone or sticking together as our packs have done for years." Artorias turned his gaze over to the other alphas—to Kotori, Hattori, and Delphi—and looked to them with hope. "To my friends who weren't a part of the group before, I invite you to join the coalition. I mean what I say—nothing about your lives, your cultures, your habits needs to change. But if danger threatens any of us, all of us will respond to protect and defend, lest we are forced to face the dangers alone like Norad did." For Kotori specifically, Artorias met his brother-in-law's gaze with a proud gleam in his eye. "Kotori, I know you have long sought an alliance with the Hallows. You've shown tremendous skills and growth as a leader, and if you still wish it, I would be glad to discuss an alliance between our packs." That only left Haydée and Bellamy. Artorias regarded both Ethne ladies with a gentle look. "Haydée and Bellamy, I cannot ask you to make decisions on behalf of Saga. But what I will ask is that you take this information and these offers to her, and let her decide as Ethne's new leader what course she'd like to take. If she'd like to discuss matters further with me, Hearthstone's gates are always open." With his plans and propositions laid out to the alphas for consideration, Artorias once more took his seat while he waited for their opinions, quietly sliding one of his paws over to brush against Briar's on the edge of the table. He had never felt this nervous at a meeting before in his entire life.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

It had gone horribly wrong in the blink of an eye. The Raid Queen got emotional and left, although with what she said Bellamy could hardly blame her. The woman remained quiet, allowing the words to settle over them. At Artorias’ question, Bellamy turned her gaze on the man. “When the Raider saw what happened we expected war over them coming to retrieve his body. We would never deny them the ability to see him, or move him if they had the skill of a healer to ensure his life. We’ve been doing what we can to stabilize him, but considering before things got this bad my daughter had been maimed in an attempt to mediate, we were hesitant to send a wolf to them and potentially make the situation worse.” Yes they had been cautious to protect their own, but when you needed to worry about yet another raid, siege, or full blown war at your doorstep…

“Despite what the raiders think, we do not want Gilgamesh dead. Had he not lunged at my daughter with her back turned, the incident would not have happened and he would have been escorted out of our borders.” Bellamy sighed. “We are doing the best we can with the situation. Every move we’ve made thus far have made things worse, and I know Ethne is not guiltless in all things. There have been mistakes made, and I do not know if things will ever settle between our packs. I can not blame the raiders for their ire, but I can promise that once we can be sure Gilgamesh is stable enough to be moved by our healers we will reach out to them if they have not come for him already. We only want to ensure that he will live.” And as she had said before the pack would not stop the raiders if they came for him. She rose, gaze flicking to her daughter.

“Our pack will stand against the Syndicate as a defense,” She agreed, echoing Haydee’s statement. “After what was done to Beauregard and his family, and how family and friends were threatened, we would be ignorant to ignore the threat.” Her gaze returned to Artorias. “I will leave Haydee here on behalf of our pack, to relay things back to Saga. I have some matters I should attend to.” She dipped her head to the Lord of Cinder. “Farewell, Artorias.” The woman turned, hoping to beat her daughter back to the pack. If the Raiders hadn’t attacked by the time she returned… then she was going to them.

-Exit Bellamy unless stopped.-

"Speech," 'Thought.'

Kotori listened quietly as Artorias layed out his thoughts to every wolf who had questions or opinions laid out.  So, Artorias wasn’t suggesting war but instead for everyone to defend the other should trouble rear up?  Kotori knew his initial thoughts but waited and chewed on them while Bellamy said her piece.

“Artorias, I would welcome a discussion later in regards to an alliance.  Even without an official alliance, Valta would be ready to defend the Hallows whenever it's requested.” Family was important to Kotori and he had never tried hiding that.  

“I’ll offer this.  I am willing to assist another pack who is being threatened by this syndicate. Only threats from the Syndicate is offered at this time to non-allies. The Armada and Elyssium also only have to call and Valta will come to assist.” He wouldn't offer to protect other packs for any other reason.  At least, not unless a pack could convince him it was beneficial to Valta to give them aid at risk to his pack.

“If another pack wants an alliance with Valta it can be considered.  For now, Valta only offers assistance with the Syndicate to the other packs.  I’ll be happy to tear up a wolf who has no honor, as would any of Valta’s fine fighters.” Valta had to prove several times recently their abilities to fight and some had gotten nasty injuries in this last battle. "I'd like to hear as much as possible about every member of the syndicate so they can be recognized easier should I run into one."  Some had already met them, he'd take what descriptions he could get of them, whether that was during this meeting or after the main meeting.

"Kotori"

Avacyn's gaze flicked over to Hanzō as he spoke, making a comment obviously intended for her and Delphi, and the thought brought a deeper frown to her lips. The fact that The Syndicate had chosen lands that pressed up against their own could be taken as a challenge had never crossed her mind even though it did make her nervous. The Tojo-kai leader had a point, no matter now much she didn't want to acknowledge it. She refused to be pushed out of the lands that were so important to her and her family, but it was becoming more and more difficult to ignore how they were being surrounded on all sides. Before she could finish processing that thought, however, Artorias began to address her and she turned her dark eyes back over to the Lord of Cinder.

Her ears flicked back at the challenge he posed her with, insisting that the alpha spoke for the pack and no matter what his wolves chose to follow him and help him accomplish his goals. She frowned, her brows knitting together. She knew for a fact that wolves could end up under the rule of certain wolves for a myriad of reasons and not only by their own free will so it was hard not to bristle at the fact that so many of them were so willing to ignore that possibility, but she was clearly in the minority in that train of thought and even if she didn't entirely agree with the stance she understood what Artorias was trying to get across. Whether these wolves were there by choice or by force they would still follow Sephiran's orders regardless–whether they did it with joy or with fear.

She wanted to say more, but she held her tongue for now, letting them continue on so hopefully more would come of this meeting than this. Hanzō said what she was thinking–what did he ultimately want to come from this? Artorias went on, pointing out how The Syndicate leader had declared three packs their enemy–The Hallows, Armada, and Elysium. She blinked with shock at this, taken aback at this. Now she was their enemy regardless of the fact that they had yet to even make contact with one another? What had she done to deserve that kind of reaction? At the very least Artorias insisted that he was not here to start a war. That had been her immediate concern. She and her family were in no place to start fighting on that kind of scale and she couldn't help but fear for the safety of her children and the many other young wolves that currently called Elysium home if that were to come to pass. It was the main reason why she was so hesitant and conservative in her motives.

Finally, he brought up the fact that with Ashen gone the Empire that had been founded around it had also dissolved. While she couldn't in good conscience agree to a war, she was far more favorable to the idea of the defensive pact he proposed. She had already considered The Hallows and Valta allies regardless of the fact that Ashen no longer gave them a common friend, but this would possibly encompass even more packs. She glanced across the table at Basilisk while Artorias continued to speak, pointing out all of the dangers they had already faced across Ardent. While she didn't know Basilisk personally yet, she supposed they now had something in common in the fact that they were both declared enemies of The Syndicate. Artorias welcomed the former Ashen Empire members to enforce their vows and welcomed anyone that had previously been outside of that agreement to consider this coalition for themselves.

After Kotori voiced his agreement to offer defense from any attacks made by The Syndicate, Avacyn glanced toward the earthen-hued male with a grateful nod. He had long been one of their allies and she appreciated his assistance regardless of how this might go. She took a breath and after a moment she looked to Artorias to reply, "Ultimately, at the end of the day, the only thing that matters to me is the safety of my family. I understand what you are saying about these wolves and their motivations, but when over half of my ranks is made up by pups and yearlings I hope you also understand that I have no choice but to be cautious and ask questions before I can even dream of acting." She sighed and added, "Regardless, I do agree to join this coalition you've proposed and will pledge my wolves to the protection of any packs that agree to this relationship as well. There doesn't seem to be any clear cut answer at this moment, but I can easily agree to defense and protection." She has long considered Artorias a mentor and a friend so she hoped the trust she had in him continued to lead her in the right direction.

"Avacyn Medacium"

Delphi listens. Her ears attune to the words being spoken, but her eyes stay upon the stone table before her. Moving from effigy to effigy, she thinks and thinks hard. With Vidarr crumbling to dust as the days move on, her position in the world of Boreas was new, fresh, something to be considered. Being here was an honor and a privilege and made her far more contemplative than she had ever been in her life. Preferring a reckless and spontaneous route, Delphi was more action than words, but this was different. Lives were on the line and it was her job to protect them.

As Avacyn’s words come to a stop, Delphi’s eyes linger on Fenrir’s maw and the effigy placed there for Heidinn, now Hemlock. “I cannot agree to join the coalition yet,” the words leave her suddenly, but she’s not one to beat around the bush. “As you and Hattori have mentioned, The Syndicate is on my border. To take a stand against them when my ranks are similar to Avacyn’s seems too bold of a move. Anyone who would come to aid us would be too late,” her voice though stern is soft as she looks up to Artorias.

“We will stay neutral for now. Neither for the Syndicate nor your coalition, but if they come knocking upon your door, I will offer what help I can. My wolves, they need training. I plan to look for more as well to help bolster our ranks. Until they can prove themselves worthy, I can’t in good faith offer their lives,” Delphi’s eyes hold on Artorias, hoping he understands. For as much as she wants such an evil entity to end in despair, she’s not willing to kill those close to her in the meantime.

Ignoring the drama, Hattori listened quietly, ears flicking to acknowledge whoever was speaking. Admittedly, he had come here as a show of grace to Artorias, the Aegis likely knew him well enough to know that he would not agree to an alliance this day. He was not quite so cut off from the world as he had initially intended Tojo-kai to be, but his principles still remained in place; Hattori had he and his own to look out for, he would always put them above all else. But still, would he truly just stand by and watch the world burn, if it came to that?

Needs must, and all.

He side eyed Delphi briefly, it seemed as though many were reluctant to act as of right now. And from a practical stance it did indeed make sense, his homeland was never quite at peace but the status quo-even if many did not like it- was a better alternative than outright war.

Either way, Hattori was here less to offer aid but air his opinions. Whether they would be taken into consideration by the others was neither here nor there, as he presumed many did not care to hear what he had to say.

"I do appreciate the offer, Artorias, " he dipped his head in due respect. "But unless the situation escalates, I see no reason to intervene. Should circumstances change I may reconsider, and you shall be the first to know."

Bramble listens to her father speak. His determination and passion speaks volumes in front of the audience he has gathered. Her own eyes linger around the room, watching the reactions and expressions of those that also listen. She understands that they too have much to consider in the grand scheme of things. If they did not trust her father, they simply might believe he'd gone insane. Who wanted to believe a pack of wolves would want to cause such evil and harm to their own kind? The concept itself is hard to wrap her brain around, but she tries her best. She's still learning and already she's learned so much.

And as the other alphas speak, her emotions begin to bubble. Holding onto her resolve, keeping her gaze steady now on the effigies that stand upon the table, Bramble can't help but be frustrated. Her father was willing to indulge information, offer his services, be selfless. But the rest of them? From what she could hear, they cared for no one but themselves. If evil were upon their doorstep, who would come calling? The Hallows. They were a formidable force and yet, these other packs just wanted to cower and hide? Ignore the evil that lingered in the north? She couldn't believe it.

Unfortunately, it wasn't her place to speak up. She was only there to listen and learn. Taking a deep breath, Bramble smooths her fur along her chest with her paws and allows her eyes to close for a moment. It was their choice and she had to accept that, but that would only mean they were alone in this fight against the Syndicate. What were they to do if evil did come knocking?

table coding by bunni ♥