Speech

Torin had been making his way back home, feeling the pull of Lirim dragging him back home. He missed his familiar home, he missed Derecho. But he had promised himself he'd make one more stop on his way home, a scent of a new pack having lodged itself in his mind. He was slightly unkempt as he approached the border in the forest, and Torin stopped to take a moment to settle his fur. Aware he was probably very tired looking but at least he could try and make himself look a bit better.

Torin wondered vaguely why the scent of the pack was familiar to him, tugging at his memory but unable to summon anything else concrete. Sighing and shaking his head Torin summoned his voice, sending out a call for any high ranking wolves within the pack.

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A call hit the idle ears and the phantom perked up. Hannibal's slim features tensed due to the unfamiliarity of the call, also the urgency. It sounded of diplomacy and assumed the High Lord would meet the summons promptly. Yet, not after long something told the beast to make his way tot he borders just in case. As a high ranking wold of the pack he had full right to meet any summons no matter the importance. If it was a case of diplomacy he hoped Tyranis had already arrived. Hannibal felt as though he didn't have enough knowledge of Tyr's standings with the other packs to make deals or speak on his behalf. But, the male would give it his best shot. One day Hannibal may have his own pack and it is best to have some knowledge of neighbors.

The albino slithered towards the borders with a confident yet neutral demeanor. He held mild dominance but not enough to be directly off putting. Erovrare was a strong pack and must appear as so even if they were new. As he made his way through the thicket and laid eyes upon who he assumed howled the beast moved to get closer. Stopping his steps at about seven tail lengths away Hannibal offered the greyscale stranger a firm nod. There was no reason to threaten the stranger since he hasn't passed borders and was respectful enough to call before doing so. "Greetings." A pause. "I am Hannibal Klein, Taskmaster of Erövrare. What brings you to our borders?" A black and white brow raised as the sturdy heathen looked over the opposing male. It seemed the stranger was mildly fatigued due his outward appearance but other then that Hannibal had little to note.

""

“Stand down Hannibal.” Tyranis commanded as he stepped toward the two having seemingly appeared from thin air. He recognized the silver male as one of the leaders of his uncle’s pack, although after his meeting with his mother he loathed to consider any wreckage a member of his family. “Torin isn’t it?” He questioned, his head raised over his shoulders as he stepped closer to the male in a sign of dominance. These were after all his lands and even the courtesy of another alpha was due to him in his own home. “What brings you to my borders?” He asked, his voice calm but his eyes as steely and narrowed as ever. The dark thought that his mother might have convinced Lirium to attack him twisted coldly in his heart and the king let the hackles between his shoulders rise slightly for good measure. Speech, Thought, You

Speech

Torin watched as a pale, rose-tinted male appeared before him, slight wariness in the way he held himself and Torin lowered his tail slightly, deferring some of his own dominance towards the unknown male. A question and a name fell upon Torin and he nodded, his jaws parting to answer the question when the sound and scent of another wolf interrupted him, quickly followed by the other male's appearance. It struck him just before Tyranis appeared that whoever was approaching was the one that carried the familiar scent. Then the younger man appeared before him and it struck Torin like a tonne of bricks.

"Torin Adravendi-Valentine, yes." He said, casting a quick pointed glance at Hannibal as he said his full name. Partially in service for Hannibal but to give a proper full introduction after so many years. "I had not expected to see you here Tyranis." His tone was careful, aware of the edge to the way Tyranis was holding himself. This time Torin lowered his tail and head more clearly, giving over to the more dominant stance Tyranis held in his own pack lands.

He watched the familiar man carefully. "I am now the primary alpha of Lirim, with your uncle as my second." Despite allowing Tyranis to hold the more dominant stance he hadn't submitted to him, and as he spoke it was clear from his tone and his posture he was proud of his position, no hint of his doubts would be allowed to shine through right now. He got the impression from the two men before him any weakness he projected would be grasped onto and torn apart, like a helpless fawn.

"I am here on a diplomatic visit as an alpha, to establish relations and potential alliances with the other packs of Boreas." He paused for a moment, watching Tyranis then glancing at Hannibal, not wanting to ignore either as he spoke. "Am I right to assume this pack is more recently formed?" It wasn't exactly the same scent Tyranis had held when he'd visited Lirim for the same reason so many years before.

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It seemed just as Hannibal had finished speaking Tyranis decided to appear out of thin air. His dominance dissipated as he was in the presence of two domineering Alphas. A simple gruff nod could be seen as he was told to stand down. It seemed his High Lord's attitude had been a bit high strung lately. The Tyranis that Hannibal had met before the pack was formed was much more easy to speak to and be around. Of course Hannibal understood that being an Alpha was not all fun and games. The albino did everything by the book and did a lot for the pack as a whole. Every waking moment was spent searching for servants, patrolling, or even hunting. The male was easily one of the more active members of the pack and held high rank for good reason. The cold attitude he received from Tyranis was beginning to wear on the naturally abrasive beast and put negative ideas in his brain. He would never challenged Tyranis but perhaps the pack was only big enough for one dominant male.

The thoughts left his mind as he moved to take a few steps to the side and back. Giving the two leaders plenty of space to converse. Hannibal would not leave until told to but he would keep his mouth shut for the time being. The male had no idea who this Torin was nor of Lirim so he was on high alert. Though, it seemed Tyr had some familiar connections with the pack in question which peeked his curiosity. Hannibal was horribly unaware of the large families that hold reign within these lands. To him all the natives were bastards beneath his Klein gaze. Though, with the last question even with a glance from Torin, Hannibal remained silent. It would be rude for the taskmaster to answer before the alpha.

""

He released a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding at the sleet male’s offer for an alliance rather than to throw down the gauntlet of war. “Yes I see.” He responded, then answered his next question; “Newly formed and with a new structure.” He paused, recalling what little he had learned of Lirium the last time he had been there. He gave a small glance at his taskmaster then returned his attention to Torin. He supposed it might do the pied male some good to learn how to manage relations with another alpha although the foundation for their alliance had been laid before the king had even been born. “What would you hope to gain from an alliance?” He asked tentatively momentarily gripped by fear that Hannibal might interject with the offer of slaves. Speech, Thought, You

Speech

Torin kept himself as neutral as possible as he watched Tyranis loosen slightly, though he was clearly still holding himself within his power. He sensed that even though he was exuding dominance Tyranis was being careful and Torin couldn't blame him. He'd had a few years now to work on his presence and his ability to work with others but he still wasn't totally comfortable and with a foreign alpha he felt that even more than with potential new pack members.

Tyranis posed him a question and Torin took a moment to think over his words before finally speaking. "Ideally?" He began, watching carefully as he spoke. "The maintenance of peace." He paused, letting that idea sink. "An agreement of peace between our packs, and should it come to it support if the other falls under the ire of another pack." He paused, again.

"Anything more than that could be discussed."

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He hadn’t expected the other male to be so agreeable, he had in fact arrived at his border ready to render flesh. Instead Torin offered him something he desperately needed. A promise of peace and an ally. “We are a pack of warriors mostly, but we are few in number and have recently been graced with not one but two litters." He gave Hannibal a short look before he returned his attention to the other alpha. “I have no reason to turn against you and would welcome an alliance…” He trailed on then lowered his head slightly as he prepared to broach unfortunate news. “I will warn you however, my paternal uncle has become mad with righteous fury, he may very soon raise an army to attack us. Would you still be willing to defend us with such a present threat of war in the future?” He asked, his tone carefully neutral as his eyes gauged the other male’s reaction. He hadn’t told any of his pack what had happened on Mount Vulcan, or that Acere had so vehemently sworn to oppose him. This would be news to Hannibal who as far as the king was concerned stood in his vanguard. Speech, Thought, You

Most of what was said on that day was news to the taskmaster. One would think with such a high rank within a newly formed pack he would know the ins and outs of their politics. Yet, as his alpha spoke surprised riddled his not so delighted features. Hannibal didn't even know his alpha had an evil uncle nor did he know they were on the brink of war. Worry filled the beasts mind as the thought of his darling offspring filled his mind. He hoped for their safety this unknown alpha of Lirim would agree to an alliance.

Thoughts of trades filled his mind. Slaves, perhaps. Yet, the opposing alpha did not seem like the slave type. Despite his outwardly tired appearance nothing but simple neutral came from his naturally dominant form. Hannibal was very able to read the room and wouldn't dare sacrifice the chance of aid when it comes to war by mention servants. No pack should know they keep servants until Erovrare improves upon their numbers and defenses. Even Hannibal being labeled as a slaver was risky to the lively hood of his pups and would likely not mention the depths of his duties to outsiders for a long while.

<>For now, Hannibal remained silent and allowed Tyranis to have the floor.

""

Speech

Torin listened as Tyranis spoke of his pack, nodding thoughtfully at the mention of their own predicament. He could sympathize with Tyranis' desire to ensure the protection of his pack, especially if one of those two litters was his own. Still, it would be lying to say the news of such a young pack already garnering ill will didn't make him uneasy. It was enough to make him question what sort of wolves he was speaking to right this moment; even so, he managed to stifle his grimace.

"I hope you can understand my... reluctance." He began, choosing his words carefully. "If what you say is true then I do not feel I can make such a choice lightly." He watched Tyranis as he spoke, though he never totally let the other man, Hannibal fade from his focus.  "I do not feel it would be right to make the decision without first consulting my own pack; at the very least my secondary alpha and senior warrior should be allowed their input before we make a conclusive decision." Lirim wasn't a pack of warriors, their only senior warrior to speak of was his father with only three other dedicated warriors to speak of... But he wasn't totally without sympathy for the young alpha if after speaking with Frostbite and his father they determined an alliance was worth the risk he would not hesitate to help them out.

"I will return here within a month's time, with our decision." He did not allow it to be a question or a suggestion. He knew it was a way to get out right now but Torin would not allow himself to be bullied into a rash decision. So he watched, carefully.

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