Lillie sprawled in front of her den, eyes half closed as the sun beat down into her pelt. It felt wonderful, the sun, as wonderful as she did this day. She hurt, but that was okay. Her jaw especially, but it was worth it: she had done pretty well against Avalon, and she was pleased with the results. The girl yawned again, head settling down on her paws in a drowsy gesture. She would continue t fight, she decided, but outside of Abaven's jurisdiction. In Abaven she would continue as a messenger, even if no 'training' as of yet occurring... and she'd continue to learn Italian, when Starling came back. A small smile crossed her lips; that day was full of both frustraion and joy, though thankfully joy was definitely the emotion that ruled it in the end. She really couldn't wait for the older boy to return; she loved the sound of Italian, the feel of it on her tongue. In the meantime, though, she'd simply practice the simple words she was taught.


speech"Italian"

Bass knew that he needed to talk to the girl. He had been ignoring it for awhile, plus trying to get on his packs ass about getting up and doing something had left him rather busy. Letting out a long sigh, he rose to his paws and jumped off of his perch on top of his den. Careful not to crush the blue flower that Finch had placed there, he peeked in to tell the shy girl where he was going. She asked to come with him, but the Azat turned her down. This was something that he needed to do with just the two of them, although he was pleased that Finch had made a friend outside of her family. Nuzzling her softly he walked away, searching for the girls scent.

It didn't take long before he found a faint trail, following it all the way back to the girls den. He saw her laying there, and was shocked to hear some Italian words leave her mouth. "Who taught you that?" he asked, a single brow raised as he paused a few paces away from her head. Their family used Italian to communicate, and he was curious to why Mira's daughter knew a few words. He paused for only a moment though, his tail sitting idly at his hocks. "We have much to talk about Lillie, but first let me welcome you to Abaven."

Another sigh left the man's maw, ears flickering as he felt a touch of awkwardness brush against him. "First off, your mother. Is she well?" Even though she had left his pack twice, the second without so much as a word, he did still care for the woman. Gods knew why. He wanted to know if she faired well though, and if she was still lingering around Alacrita. "And second of all, I think you might have guessed that I was told everything that transpired between you and Vana." Fixing the girl with his firm golden gaze, he paused for a moment, but otherwise his body was relaxed. "Now the fight was between you and Evangeline, I do not wish to scold you for that. I spoke to Valentine and he thinks the same thing, that it was between you girls and should need no intervention on our part. However, the fact that Vaio had followed you outside of pack lands is not acceptable. She is young and blind, and could have gotten herself killed. You need to watch your tail when you leave pack lands." He kept his level gaze on her, taking a breath to make sure she understood. He was not talking to her like a child, but like he would any pack member in trouble. It may sound a bit like scolding, but the man couldn't help it. His intentions were to not treat her like a whelp, she was old enough to know and understand pack laws and boundaries. "Speaking of you leaving pack lands, I have hear and seen that you have been spending more time outside of Abaven than within it. I know that Allen is busy with his young, but that does not mean that you cannot approach him about training. It is a two way street Lillie, and you must put in more effort if you wish to do well within this pack."

Words reached her ears, and the girl jerked, ears flattening. She... had not heard a thing. Or smelled anything. How was that possible? She wasn't dozing off that much, was she? And... Italian? She had spoken Italian? Craaap. She didn't mean to, she was just thinking of the words! Ears still flattened, she sat up in a hurry, stammering out the reply, "U-uhh S-S-Starling." Green eyes glanced away, and stayed that way even with the greeting. She had a bad feeling about this conversation already - and she was right, with his next words.

Ears less pressed against her skull, but clearly showing her uncomfortableness. One of those ears flicked at the question, and she shook her head. "I do not know." There was nothing more than that: she truly had no clue; she had not seen head nor tail nor even a hair or whisper of her mother since nearly a year prior. Sometimes she wondered, but more often than not she simply... didn't. It was hard to even understand herself, why she was okay with her mother gone, okay after her adoptive parents' deaths. She was, however.

Ears once more flattened all the way at the mention of Vana, and a hard, icy expression settled over features. Green eyes rose to meet yellow, icy flint meeting that firm authoritative gaze. A curt nod was all Bass got in response; she understood that. Clearly. It was made very obvious by Motif, who didn't even give a damn. Lips almost lifted in a snarl as her eyes flashed, with luck, she was able to keep that snarl down, forcing it deep within her. Even if Bass noticed it... it wouldn't be hard to guess that the anger was not directed at him at all.

Claws flexed into the ground as the man continued speaking, and she nodded again, though in a much less curt fashion. What was being said was true, though more true of the past than now. She wished it were true now; however... Bass was also right. Her tense muscles relaxing somewhat - they had tensed at the thought of Motif - and she nodded once more, decisively. Taking a deep breath to calm herself more, she finally responded with words. "I understand. I will approach Allen once more." There was no point in arguing why she was spending more time outside - with her frustration, she would not be able to put it into words.


speech"Italian"

He didn't flinch when the girl startled, but it did shock him that he was able to sneak up on her like that. His steps were quiet silent, and he knew just where to step to not make a sound. Perhaps that was why she had been scared, but he didn't mind too much. Wouldn't be the first time that he had managed to sneak up on someone. When she said that Starling had taught her some Italian, his nose twitched somewhat. He was unsure of how he felt about that, it was something that he found special between his family members. However, he would not condone Star for teaching another, after all it was his knowledge and he could do as he pleased with it. Finch seemed to think that it was a secret code between them, and he smirked inwardly. Maybe teaching others wasn't so bad, after all Starling found it easier to converse in the foreign tongue. Maybe he just needed more wolves to talk to with ease.

Quickly their conversation turned, and he took note of her flattened ears. It wasn't until he mentioned Vail's name that she looked up at him, and his lips twitched at her cold stare. Even though the anger was not directed at him, he would not have her taken that kind of... eye tone... with him. Letting out a warning growl for her to smarten up, he said nothing else. Pack members would be treated with respect, that was the end of that. He would not tolerate his members acting like children and carrying grudges on one another. "Remember that this pack will fight for your life, and everyone in it." he finally said idly, a foresight for her to get over whatever darkness threatened to consume her. If his pack did not fight for one another, but instead against each other, all it would take would be a steady breeze to knock them over.

Lillie's attitude seemed to change as the topics turned, although he did on forget that she knew nothing of Mira. It worried him slightly, but there were far more important matters on hand. She said that she would ask for training again, and the Azat nodded. "As for this diplomat rank you spoke to Allen of. I have thought it over, but Abaven is no place for diplomats. We are mercenaries, we lend out teeth and claws to other packs in need. That in itself proves that a rank such as a diplomat could be harmful, we hardly see enough use as is. As a Pera you can help spread the word about us, to carry important messages from one place to another. Does this not sate your needs?" His words were not accusing, but his tone still level as he explained his thinking. Never before had he even discussed a rank with another member, this was the first. But Bass was a pretty firm no on this idea, it did not sit well with the pack that he intended to run.

She did not see the lip twitch, but she did hear the silence. She was not sure how that could be interpreted at all, would he tell Starling to stop? Or approved? She cast a glance up but his expression was smooth and neutral, and it remained that way with her answer of her mother. This man was much better at hiding emotions, or perhaps just pushing certain matters to the side. She wasn't sure how she felt about that; it made sense, considering he was an alpha, however... she still didn't like it. There wasn't a thing she could do about it, though. Not one thing.

At the warning growl, her eyes flicked to over Bass' shoulder, breaking off the eye contact. She knew what it meant, and she made an effort to raise her ears completely, though they still quivered back the entire time, twitching with her effort to keep them upright when instinct told her otherwise, when her emotions said otherwise. Another nod met his next words, but no verbal reply would be given. She also did not know how she felt for this information - would it really happen? Somehow, she doubted it, with Motif at least. The only thing that woman was concerned about was Vail; if she so much as had a stray thought regarding Vail's harm, she'd likely abandon everyone else to tend to her precious baby. Certainly not a point she would bring up with the woman's brother, regardless.

His next words would bring disappointment, and she carefully schooled her expression into one of... nothing. No emotion, not disappointment, or iciness. Her gaze returned to the bigger male, and she nodded, keeping that disappointment locked deep inside of her. It did flash on her face before she carefully changed her expression but.. she'd learn. Her head shook to the question. "Pera was presented to me after I asked of a diplomatic rank. Pera is not what I am - was - looking for, but it is a worthy substitute and the best I can get in this situation. If that is my option, then I will take it and make the best of it." The words were spoken genuinely, in an equally level tone.

speech"Italian"

He eyed the girl, at least she knew her place well enough to follow his warning signs. At Lillie's words, he nodded his head slowly. There was no changing his mind now, this was not a rank that he saw for his pack, or that he saw doing well at all. The messenger rank was as close as she was going to get, and as long as she was happy, it put his mind at ease. He took a step back, about to take his leave, when he thought of something. "I would like you to call a pack hunt, whenever you feel is right. I trust that you won't forget, mm?" He said, before he turned around with a flick of his tail. Abaven needed wolves who were willing to step it up and get things done. Was he testing her? Perhaps...

-exit unless stopped-