She'd let him go at the Battlefield but followed behind from a safe distance. He intrigued her, she wouldn't lie - his strength, his presence. The attraction was intellectual. There was so much to learn from him. Her life was dedicated to studying the dance of battle. Only when she could prove her mettle would she be worthy of the Vaelnaris name. There was a lurking suspicion in the back of her mind that she'd lost Baelerion again because wasn't ready yet to have him.

She was superstitious by nature, but as she arrived near the Armada's territory, Vera looked absolutely ghastly. The white female's coat was naturally dipped in sooty greys and blacks and she had smeared deer's blood across her face liberally beneath both eyes and across her snout. Her front legs were slick with it and her fur was matted down from the gore. It was a ritual of her own design for strength, valor, and power. If she arrived painted as she did, there would be no turning her away. She was irrationally certain of it.

Although she was doused in blood, her ribs peaked from her flanks and she altogether looked unwell. It was as if she hadn't eaten in quite a while. Vera was fasting as part of her ritual, but she had fasted so intently and for so long that the world occasionally tilted on its axis when she rose quickly. Her breathing came heavy and hot as she approached the edge of the territory. Unsure of what to do now - she was used to being a respected warrioress in her lands, she had never been anyone's peon before - Veraxes paced restlessly at the border.

wc 283
twc 283/1500

Sirius' broken leg could not have come at a worse time, their lives were already altered so drastically with the rise of Ashen's Armada and now their strongest warrior and alpha was incapable of battle. Zee was doing her best to maintain her duties as well as assisting Deathbelle with keeping the rest of the empire fed and protected but in truth she felt like she was drowning. As she came upon the strangers scent her slender legs along with her distracted train of thought came to a glaring halt. The distinctive smell of blood was almost entirely overpowering that of wolf, and Zee's hackles rose in a fury she'd not often felt. She'd never been the possessive and protective type, though she assumed it was Sirius' influence and her new position at his side in the Armada. She started back up along the border line towards the scent, moving as fast as she could manage to intercept the blood-cloaked stranger before they could invade her precious land. A snarl was torn from her lips as she came upon the pacing woman and she stepped towards her boldly. "This land is claimed. This will be your only warning, leave or I will make you leave." Her snapped words came without greeting. The diplomat within the new queen was silent. Hostility was not the way she'd liked to greet a stranger, but when that stranger came and paced the borders painted in blood it spoke of more then a trade agreement or a friendly introduction. "Speech"