He went straight to Zee after leaving Azure to speak to Venom. The koi colored wolf was under watch in pack lands, with explicit instructions to go nowhere. He went first to the den, with the pups scattered throughout the pack exploring and learning, the alpha pair snatched moments of peace where they could.

He did detour to thr kill pile, snagging some seafood and bringing it to the door. Letting out a yip as he arrived to announce himself. "Love, are you there? I have news to share and need of your council" she was after all his compass. He needed to talk out his thoughts and plans with her, and keep her informed of what was happening. He also had the intention of convincing her to take the pups to the hollows for the duration. He didn't know how well that would go down, but he had to try. Be could send her to the Empire as he planned to with Mortis and Hana. There was still murkiness between his Queen and his Empress after the Deatbbelle fiasco.

The Warlord seated himself outside the door, seafood at his feet as he gave Zee a moment to answer his call.

Zee had been moping since returning from the cave that stole away her horns, and barely lifted her head at the sound of paws outside her den. Sirius' voice rang out along with the smell of fresh seafood and she let out a low grumble of argument before lazily getting to her paws. She supposed she still had duties to attend to, an alpha couldn't mope forever.

Her head hung down between her shoulders as she crossed the den, though she lifted it took look him in the eye as she stepped out of the mouth towards him. Her head felt too light, like she was missing something she'd had there all her life. It was hard to believe it had barely been a year or two since she gained the mutation. "Yes love, what is it?" She kept the sadness from her voice, moving up to nuzzle under his chin - something she hadn't been able to do comfortably since they'd first met and she was hornless.

Zee appeared with a muted sort of atmosphere, her head dipped, and he knew she was unhappy and uncomfortable with her lack of horns. The change to Sirius did not diminish her beauty in any way. He was pissed that something Zee liked was taken, and he had ranted and raved about taking on the fireflies before Zee had talked him out of it. Pointing out if it had taken away her horns, it could take away his claws. He flexed his paws reflectively, wincing at the mere idea. He had grown rather… attached to them. But that also helped him understand Zee’s pain and increase his anger over the whole thing. He wouldn’t have listened, except for the fact that he hadn’t been able to find the cursed creatures. So.. it could be said he listened, if his lack of revenge meant anything. He shook away the thought, concentrating on the slightly more current concerns. He looked down at Zee as she greeted him, and smiled fondly at the tawny wolf. He pressed a kiss to the tip of her muzzle, looking into her eyes for a moment. He could lose himself there, in that compassionate blue gaze. He almost did, and kissed her once more before answering her question. “I’ve heard news that the slavers that owned our Hana are coming here to collect here. The man that told us the news estimates their arrival to be a week out. He is a warrior newly acquired by Venom. I don’t trust him, but I can’t ignore his words, either. Azure… Azure was with me, and he looked as angry as…. Well… I do when I think something I love is threatened. He admitted it too, that he loves her.” he knew that was something his Wife would want to know. “He went to speak to Venom about keeping her wolf under our watch for the time being. I’m going to make plans to keep Hana away from the whole thing. I don’t want them getting close to our pack, I plan to intercept them long before they reach our borders.” He took a slow breath, he could keep rambling on, but he paused, and let Zee assemble her thoughts and speak. "Zee" & "Sirius"

It was easier to forget her own troubles when faced with those of their pack, and Zee frowned as Sirius began his explanation. The little koi-wolf was a sweet one, and Zee had had a moment of closeness with her while they gorged together on seafood in the nearby caverns. She'd been so worried about her future, and now here was an enemy waiting in the shadows to take it away from her. "Do whatever it takes to keep her safe." She agreed quietly, wishing once more that she could have her horns atop her head to impale the slavers on. Would she need to relearn how to do battle without them? With a sigh, she lifted a paw and drug it down from her eye to past her cheek. It was always something. Some enemy threatening their pack, their family. With their newest litter, they couldn't be too careful. "I'll stay here with the kids." There was a lot more to address, though frankly it wasn't often she disagreed with her warlord husband. With a nod, she agreed to the remainder. "Keep the untrustworthy wolf, talk to Venom, have Hana taken away, and.." Another sigh. Her son. "Azure.. well.. we'll tackle that later, I suppose." The direwolf boy was an aggressive one, and not fond of many. Zee found it hard to believe he could love another, especially one as low-born as Hana. "Speech"

The Warlord gave a sharp nod, knowing Zee understood. The members of the pack where there's, and they would do whatever they had to to protect them. He paused, both in body and frantically whirring thoughts in order to lean forward, and gently nudge his nose into the cheek she had just rubbed. “I’ll keep her safe. You have the harder job - herding those little beans” he teased softly. Zee trusted him to ensure these slavers wouldn’t get past him, and he trusted Zee to find a way to wrangle the collective many paws of their brood. Of course, she could call upon the pack as she pleased, but he would be taking Mortis away with his plan. His oldest son had been an easy wolf to call upon when it came to baby sitting or pup entertainment. “I’m glad for it - that Azure loves her. I think it's exactly what he needs to temper him. Turned out to be what was right for me, after all” he teased, kissing her nose. "Zee" & "Sirius"