ooc: set after the meeting, when Roman's explained everything to them. this is also a lame starter, but roman wants to meet everyone, yes.

The white queen had taken a liking to the land that the Tortugan empire had claimed, but she still hadn't met many of the members, aside from the meeting. She needed to get an idea of who they were as a person. She'd taken a liking to the lake as well, finding herself drawn to its shores when she was contemplating things. In the slowly setting sun, she found herself watching the reflection of the sun as she sat at the lakes bank, her violet eyes watching the water. Her mind was busy, but she was interested to see if any of the other wolves would be lurking, at this hour. After all, the lake was a large source of fresh water for the wolves and prey alike. At the thought of prey her stomach rumbled sligtly and she mentally hushed it, she could eat later, but for now she felt like getting to know those under her rule, and figuring out just where everyone belonged in the ranks. So she would wait, wondering who may or may not make a late night appearance at the banks of the water, and wondering if they'd be interested in conversation. Speech,

Qanik

in defense of the innocent

Having worked much of her rage and hurt out on the battlefield, Qanik was returning back to the lands she called home, to lick her wounds and rest. First, though, she would need to stop at the lake to slake her thirst after the battle and the long return journey, to maybe rinse the reek of blood from her stained pelt, and that was where she discovered a problem.

Distracted by the dull ache of the puncture wounds by her ribs, Qanik was not paying attention when she came upon the lake. If she had been she may have chosen to ghost away before she was close enough to be seen, to find another water supply or to circle to the far side of the lake where she did not have to interact with the wolf waiting on the shore - Roman Armada. But she'd looked up too late to remove herself without being impolite, for she had come up nearly at Roman's side before she'd noticed.

She hesitated at the sight of her new alpha, but the hitch in her stride was barely noticeable as she continued up to the lake itself to allow the waters to lap gently over her toes. She nodded to the alpha to be polite before plunging her muzzle into the water, rinsing the taste of blood from her tongue, then drinking her fill. Leaping full-on into the lake to soothe her hurts and rinse the gore from her pelt seemed like a rather impolite thing to do in front of her alpha, who she hadn't even greeted properly, so with a sigh she turned back to the other pale female.

Her feelings about the alpha were still mixed. She had nothing personal against her, but her emotions were still raw and confused, too newly come down from the hurt and rage that had driven her to the battlefield to begin with. She would have preferred to hold off on speaking alone with the alpha until she could be certain of herself, but circumstances had forced her.

But when the time came for her to open her mouth and speak, Qanik found she just didn't know what to say. "Roman Armada," she began, then paused, covering her hesitation by taking a seat on the shore. "Good evening."

Oh, that she weren't such a babe-in-the-wood when it came to such things. In all her six years, her pack had never had a change of alpha, she had never had to deal with the uncertainty of new leadership. Now in the space of a few months she'd gone from happy pack member to rogue to pack again, and she felt like she understood less of what was going on than wolves a quarter her age. She was out of her depth here, and drowning in emotions and politics she had never known before.



speech.

cowardice is the only sin

She questioned herself. She questioned whether she really deserved the place she had. She was terrified she couldn't live up to her father's expectations. She felt so much, but she couldn't let it out. She was an Armada, and Armada's didn't second guess themselves. Armada's were the superior race, the superior blood-lines. So she would make herself appear confident. She figured if you walked long enough like a duck, you'd become a duck. So if she walked like a leader, she would be a grand leader. Her thoughts would be interrupted by the appearance of a white woman, and her own pallid head would turn slightly, her violet eyes resting on the woman she recognized from the meeting. The white woman had introduced herself to be called Qanik, and when she spoke, greeting Roman, the white woman's jaws would peel back in a warm smile. "Good evening to you as well, Qanik." She spoke sincerely, her voice soft and warm. She glanced out at the lake, her violet gaze lingering on the water for a moment before turning back, her eyes seeking the blue eyes of Qanik. "The lake is beautiful." She commented softly, before asking her next question. "Is everything alright?" She asked, her voice ladened with concern, the other woman seemed that she had just come from a fight. Speech,

The auburn and silver woman was happy and content here. It had been a short while but the fae had already found a comfortable den and had still had time to practice her fighting on a red fox that she had eaten later for dinner. The woman was stuffed full of food and happy to take a short walk along the shoreline to stretch her limbs.

Golden-hazel eyes evaluated the lakes shore and were surprised to see the forms of two females she had met briefly at the first pack meeting. Her eyes warmed at the thought of company, and she quickened her pace to greet them. This encounter would be much different than the last, she was sure. She had been in desperate need of food and shelter those weeks ago. Now she was relaxed and willing to show a bit of the personality that she often kept hidden from strangers.

She reached the pair quickly, due to her long limbs and equally measured strides. A smile spread warmly across her ebony lips as she dipped her head to the first, the alabaster queen. Then she turned her head to see the second, and felt her muscles tense.

"Are you alright, milady? Has someone attacked you?" She turned her head to the queen and gave her a questioning stare, hoping that the queen herself had not turned against her own member. The air hadn't seemed tense with battle...perhaps she was hurt from an opposing pack? Concern came off her pelt in waves.

Qanik

in defense of the innocent

At the woman's words, Qanik, too, swept her gaze out over the lake, and her whole demeanor softened. "Yes, this is a beautiful place," she agreed. "All of Tortuga's lands are. They are..." she paused a moment, searching for a way to express the feelings that winged through her chest at the thought of the lands, of the pack, but finally she just settled for, "They are home."

Roman questioned her, asking if she was all right, and Qanik's pelt rippled as she thought about her answer. No, she was not all right. She was off balance, emotionally tender, still fighting with the hurt and anger... but it seemed rude to say any of that to the wolf who had unwittingly caused much of that, and physically, her wounds were not bothering her.

But before she could answer, another wolf was approaching them, the young wolf who had joined the day of the meeting. She gave Roman a respectful greeting first, as she properly should as Roman was the alpha, then turned to greet Qanik as well before tensing up. This girl too - what had her name been? - asked if she was all right, asked if she'd been attacked.

Qanik flicked an ear humorously. "Surely," she chuckled, "but he looks as bad as I, and it was by mutual agreement. We were simply sparring - perhaps we got a bit carried away by it." Her gaze traveled to Roman, the wolf who had declared them an army, and neutrally continued with "And it is the duty of every warrior to keep their skills in readiness, is it not?" She studied the alpha intently for a beat, then added, "I am fine - the wounds will heal, and I have had worse."

She wasn't sure what to make of this Roman. She called them an army, told them they would inspire fear, yet she herself seemed... serene. Well, respectful, anyway, which wasn't quite what she was expecting. With a purely mental sigh, with her anger fading into tiredness, Qanik admitted to herself that she might be letting her hurt over the abrupt and unexpected change in leadership affect the way she was viewing the woman. Perhaps she needed to reserve judgement for now.



speech.

cowardice is the only sin

The pallid woman watched Qanik carefully. Though she wanted to encourage her members to strengthen their fighting skills, she didn't want them to injure themselves beyond repair. She nodded as the woman spoke of the Tortugan lands, Qanik was right, the lands were beautiful. The presence of another, a female who stirred strange feeling in the Queen, distracted her. Nodding at Melody's greeting, Roman looked at Qanik, waiting for her reply to her own question as well as Melody's. She nodded thoughtfully at the woman's response before speaking kindly towards them both. "I can't argue with that line of thought, Qanik." She said with a slight smile. "Just be careful." She added softly, and was surprised, that she was already growing to care for the wolves under her. It wasn't the same care she had for her family, but it was still... care. "Have you been in Tortuga long, Qanik?" She asked, curious of the woman's ambitions. Turning to Melody, she inquired, "How are you settling in Melody?" ooc: crap reply is crap. Speech,

The multicolored fae allowed her muscles to relax, felt as the fur lie flat against her neck. So they were not under attack. The girl had been sparring. A smile spread wide across her face as she nodded at Qanik. She had forgotten all about sparring! She had been forced to use large game to practice her fighting skills since longer than she could even remember.

"So that's something that we do here? Would you like to spar with me sometime, milady? My skills at fighting are far less than excusable." She was excited about this idea of sparring...she could learn so much and develop all sorts of new tactics. It made her proud to call herself a Tortugan.

When her alpha spoke up again with a direct question, Melody just could not keep the warmth out of her golden optics. "I truly love it here, if you don't mind me speaking so freely, miss. It reminds me of my birth pack. We lived by a river, my siblings and I. It seems that there is nothing to keep me from the water." she spoke fondly of her old home, and a pang of sorrow clutched at her heart. If only they could see her now, Sonata, Fugue, Harmony....and her parents. She hadn't seen any of them in years. They had to be dead...

Her auds returned in the direction of the alpha and she cleared her throat of the lump that seemed to have gathered there. She did not need to show her new alphess a weak and feeble heart, she had to be strong. Her golden eyes hardened and she straightened her body. " Yes, miss, I have found a nest to my liking. It was very kind of you to allow my entrance."

Hemlock hung delicately from the jaws of the youth. Her ambitions to be a warrior had given way to her her rekindled interest in herblore. Gossamir had studied the effects of poisonous plans since she was very young, schooled to be a saboteur. As of yet she knew little of the healing properties of plants but there was still so much to learn of the harmful side effects and she was certain she could turn them to her packs advantage. she knew she'd have to pic up the warrior's way again soon but for now she'd content herself with old hobbies. She was strolling along the lake shore at night, sapphire eyes gazing at the reflection of the moon in the water when she noticed the pale coats of Roman and Quanik and as she got closer her fellow packmate Melody. Curious she approached the gathering before carefully navigating her treasure out of her mouth. "Hello everyone, what's with the late night rendevous?" Sharpening my words...

The alpha bid her to be careful, and Qanik nodded agreement. Her spars were generally of a much more... gentle nature than this last had been, and now that she'd calmed she realized - much to her chagrin - that the risk to her and to the wolf she had similarly injured had really been too great for what little practice she'd gotten from the fierce and fast battle. The thought made her wonder guiltily if the other wolf was all right, if he had access to a healer or not, and she winced knowing that she, still angry and unthinking even after the fight, had not made it a point to make sure he got to where he was going all right. The youngling spoke up excitedly, asking her about sparring. "I would be more than happy to," she replied sincerely. "Though not so fiercely as this, I think - I do not believe our alpha would appreciate either of us laming the other accidentally." She smiled to take whatever sting might have been implied out of the words. Roman posed a question to her, and Qanik shook her head. "Not long... only since spring. Gossamir, Ritsuka and I joined the same day." Roman had asked Melody a question as well, and Qanik listened with half an ear, since she'd seen movement along the lake shore. A warm smile creased her muzzle - it seemed like she'd summoned Gossamir by speaking of her. Turning her attention back to Melody, she saw sorrow sweep over the young wolf, only to be pushed aside as she straightened back up. She studied her for a moment, recalling what the wolf had spoken of. "Where is your family now?" she asked gently, hoping not to upset Melody further but wondering what it was that had led to this wolf being alone, and so saddened. Gossamir had reached them, carrying some form of herb that Qanik admitted to herself she had absolutely no idea what it was. She carefully set the plant aside before speaking up. Qanik smiled at her irreverent manner. "Good evening, Gossamir. Melody - " she'd finally remembered the young wolf's name, thanks to Roman's conversation with her " - and Roman and I were just getting to know each other a little, since circumstances had us all here anyway." This put her in mind of what Tortuga was like before Roman took over, and in this Qanik had to admit the pack had improved - before every time a group of Tortugans met it was the same three wolves, never any more than them... Gossamir, Ritsuka, and Qanik herself. Now at least there was a little more life to the pack. She just hoped that it wasn't too little, too late, or that the bad would outweigh the good. Speech,

Politely, they would converse, and she felt herself relaxing slightly among her pack. Perhaps she'd fit in here after all- maybe one day she'd feel less inclined to slink away from the responsibility thrust upon her. She felt a smile dance at her jaws at the enthusiasm of Melody as she spoke to Qanik, a slight chuckle leaving her as the pair agreed to spar. Melody seemed to be settling in well. As the ivory drapped woman, (Qanik) told her of her time and Roman nodded, putting a mental note in her mind. Melody then spoke, asking to speak freely, and Roman felt puzzled for a moment, but nodded along as the woman spoke of the lands- and how she was settling in. "You're always free to speak freely, ladies. I value your input and words!" She assured soothingly. She listened curiously and attentively as Qanik posed a question to Melody, soothed internally that they seemed to be getting along well. The scent of another hit her, and she turned her head to see the arrival of Gossamir, and she smiled warmly, encouraging the young wolf to join them with a flick of her tail. She noted the herbs in her mouth, and when Qanik answered Gossamir's questions, "Are you a healer, Gossamir?" Roman commented curiously, genuinely interested. She didn't know if the pack had a healer, but she knew that the pack needed one. Contentedly she would wait, to hear their various talks and responses. Speech,

Life was something that was ever changing... Ever altering the paths that every creature took. The male would think this as he looked across the span of Tortuga territory, his head, his heart, working with their own thoughts and feelings as he sat, watching. So many thoughts, so many feelings. Tortuga was a new home. A new chance to make something of himself and to live up to the nickname that he was bestowed upon as a child by his closest and most dear sibling. She was here too now, and Ritsuka was sure, soon, they would be spending a lot of time together, because they had much to catch up on.

They hadn?t spoken yet of the past... Though that was his fault. Directly after the meeting Ritsuka had only wanted to enjoy her company for a while, to be able to see Blizzard again, to know she was there. He had missed her when he left... And felt incomplete without her. But something within the young male?s heart told him that, once the past was shared... The time they were separated... Something was going to spark within him. An act that would bring a fiercer side of him. He wasn?t sure why... But something about Blizzard told him she hadn?t simply left to come find him.

That... Troubled Ritsuka actually. So he had politely asked his sister for some time before they spoke of such things. He was trying to prepare... To keep himself from exploding if that was truly the case. The male would give a soft sigh, ears flicking back as he closed his eyes. The thought of anything bad happening to Blizzard... Of anyone doing anything to her... Even a single cross word... Was enough to set the young male?s blood boiling. While Suka had not been particularly close to the other members of his family, well, Blizzard was another matter. He had always been close to her. Their bond was one that wouldn?t ever be broken. Not by distance. Not by anything.

...and he?d be damned if he?d stand by while someone tried. A growl rumbled through Ritsuka?s chest, and the male would get to his paws. He couldn?t stay calm. While wanted to use this time to find a way to keep his head but if anything it was just giving him time to imagine the worst. The more he thought... The more he worried about what had really made Blizzard leave. Had she been hurt? If she had... How badly? Who had done it? Had... They gotten away with it? That thought would bring not a growl, but a snarl of rage from him. Injustice... And then the guilty party getting off without any sort of punishment... It was enough to drive the male crazy.

Some time ago he had heard the howl... And while he had wanted to go right then and there to Roman and the others he knew he needed some time. But his state wasn?t getting better. The male would shake his head, ears flicked back as he started off in that direction. He wasn?t sure how many wolves would have showed, though he was certain, at the very least, Qanik and Gossamir were there. Perhaps seeing them would brighten his mood some... And maybe Qanik might have a suggestion on how to handle this situation better.

It didn?t take long before his thoughts had worked into a frenzy in his head, and Ritsuka found himself running to that gathering of wolves, as if trying to escape his own mind. He would arrive on the outskirts, panting, brow furrowed, with a frustrated look upon his face. Emerald eyes would look upon the others, ears tilted back as a sigh passed his lips. Part of him wanted to openly go up and talk with someone... Anyone... But he hung back, trying to settle that fire that stirred in his heart.

Qanik was the first to greet her from the group. She had to admit the squat, old warrior was really growing on her. Gossamir nodded. It wasn't a bad idea to get a feel for their new alphess in more relaxed terms especially since the pack as it stood right now was so small. It really did worry. There were larger pack nearby and who knew how long it would be before one got an idea to pick on them. They were tiny and vulnerable but she had no idea what to do about it. Hopefully their new leader had a plan. She blushed a bit as Roman asked if she was a healer. That was an interesting question indeed. "Not exactly, Miss Roman, though I want to be. I was trained in my old pack in poisons since I was very small. I understand the harmful side effects of plants very well but I'm at a bit of a loss as to how to use them to help. I was hoping to train with a healer here in Tortuga but it seems we're the only pack without one? just my luck." She frowned then her ears flicked forward at a a sudden thought. "Is there anyone that would ally with us? Anyone that could teach me?" Sharpening my words...