Wolf RPG

Since their claim had been made, something had been bothering the yearling. She knew of their neighbors, had even before settling on the mountain, but the response they'd given to the tribe's claim seemed to make things far more real. She did not fear them, she couldn't, but was rather curious of them. Surely they were not fond of the dragoness' decision to settle down so near to their home, but choices had been made and claims solidified; Ryūjin was there to stay. It was due to her plan to remain there that she wondered if, perhaps, a council with the other's leaders might be called for. She knew not what to expect from them, or if her decision to do so would even be accepted, but it would at least be something. Intentions could be shared and reassurances made, ensuring both sides of a neutrality—if such was meant to be.

Whether or not she would do so was a decision yet to be made, for the yearling found herself uncertain of whether or not it would truly be the best course of action. The longer Asterr gazed out over the territory, however, the more benefits she saw to requesting an audience with the leading figures of the ridge. The only thing left to do, then, was decide who might be best to accompany her, for going alone would most definitely be foolish. Each member held a trait that she could value in being at her side during such a meeting, though it remained, still, a choice she struggled with.

As she'd neared the height of her thoughts, a familiar presence had neared her. A smile was fit snugly across his maw, a look she believed to fit him well. It grew infectious, even, as she found herself smiling as well in spite of the decision that bothered her so. Though his words had come first, she'd remained silent until after having felt the touch of his muzzle against her shoulder. It was the very same gesture that had led to him standing where he currently did, along with all of the others. It was a gesture she was quite fond of, too, for it signified trust. To get so close to another being, to approach at the necessary angle, showed one's belief that the other would not harm them. It was for that reason that she'd decided upon using it while recruiting, as well as when potential members came to their borders.

"Good morning to you, too, Jolon," the dragoness voiced, returning the greeting and then the gesture shortly after. Her head had then turned away, muzzle being used to point over in the direction of their neighbors. "I have been thinking," she began, gaze remaining on that which lingered in the distance. "And while doing so, decided to request a meeting with the leaders of our neighbors." Asterr fell silent then, allowing an opportunity for her words to sink in. She knew it had to be done, that an attempt at forming an agreement of neutrality needed to be made, but that hadn't made the choice any less difficult. "I do not wish to go alone, however." There were obvious reasons for that, of course. "Normally, from what I had observed in my place of birth, both the chief and chieftess would attend such formal meetings, along with their seconds. I possess no mate, and the other titles belong to no one, which has left me needing to decide who will accompany me." It was a harder choice to make than it sounded, really.

Her silver eyes soon found their way to his, their gleam betraying her query before it was even voiced. "What are your thoughts on this? Who might you believe to be best equipped for this meeting?" The opinions of her followers were, without a doubt, important to her. She valued what they had to say, the ideas they wished to share, and believed them each fully capable of coming up with peaceful solutions.

It came as no surprise that her query had then led to the male being thrust into thought. It was not a matter that could be so easily solved, not something that could be rushed into. One wrong move and their actions could incite war, despite however positive their intentions might have been. While they had a great deal of warriors on hand, or those with the capability to show greatness in battle, she did not seek a fight. What she wished for was peace, and there was a chance she would do nearly anything to obtain and protect it. Having that type of mindset made her value Jolon's need to give a great deal of thought to his answer, believing it to show that he wanted the same thing as she did—to live a quiet life without fear of attacks. In retrospect, it would have been far easier to obtain that had she decided to settle elsewhere; though, in truth, no land was truly free of violence, no matter how secluded it might be.

When he'd finally brought his thoughts to a close, a question of posed that she found difficult to answer. It was not because she did not know how to respond, but rather because the answer she had to give was unpleasant. "No, I am afraid I have not seen him around as of late..." the girl returned, a hint of a frown making itself known. "Do you think he may have left us?" Aside from Leo, Frostrar had been her first recruit. He'd been there from the start, even before they'd officially settled, so the idea of him having left did not sit well with her. It troubled the dragoness greatly, in all honesty, for his loyalty was something she'd wished to hold onto. If he could leave, someone who'd been there even before the start of it all, then what was to keep the others from departing as well? Such was something she was most displeased by having to think about, but knew she needed to in order to remain aware of all possibilities. A small sigh escaped her then, followed by a slow shake of her head. There was currently a task at hand, one she needed to remain focused on.

The next candidate was Noctura. That did not surprise her for he, too, was one who'd been there longer than others. There was also the fact that he was quite large, perfectly capable of protecting them if things went south. Still, there remained the matter of whether or not he would even wish to join her. He had proven to be less social thus far (something she aimed to change in the days to come), but surely he would have nothing against a diplomatic meeting? Honestly, she did not know, and so she'd decided to ask him later on. With a nod of her head, she silently revealed her plans, but did not prevent the male from continuing onward with what he had to say. At the mention of Leo, her ears pressed forward and she was quick to shake her head. "Leo will not be accompanying me. He is still too young, untrained—I cannot bear the thought of him being injured any more than he already has been." To go with a child might seem better than going with a couple of brutes, as it would come off as less of a threat, but she could not risk it. The boy had been her companion even before she'd decided upon founding a tribe of her own, and she viewed him as something similar to a son. No force in the world would be enough to make her lead him into a potentially dangerous situation.

Jolon went on to name a few others, but the names fell on deaf ears. They were each capable, yes, but they had not been with the tribe for very long. She did not yet trust them with such an important mission, which left her with only one other choice—the very same choice she would have eventually come to had she been left to her own devices, but hadn't wished to admit so right off the bat. "In order for this to go well, I believe it would be best if I am joined by those who have been here since the beginning. Not everyone, of course, but perhaps two would be a decent choice." She offered him a quick smile, certain he'd already pieced together what was coming. "I would like for you to come with me to this meeting along with Noctura, if he will accept the offer." Asterr trusted the males, really, and saw no one better than them to be at her side during her visit with the ridge's leaders.

Aside from their close proximity to another pack, she could think of no reason as to why the male might have left—it was for that reason that she found his absence most concerning. Either something had happened, or he'd needed no reason to depart. Both filled her with unease, though she could neither confirm nor dispute either. "I, too, hope he has not left us..." she began, brow furrowing briefly. "At least, not forever. Perhaps he needed some time away for some reason." Whether he'd left or not, she still found herself wishing to justify his actions.

Inwardly, she did her best to dismiss the thoughts. If Frostrar was meant to remain with them, he would reappear eventually. If not, well... his presence was appreciated while it'd been there. Rather than focusing on him, she returned her attention to Jolon and their topic of conversation. "It is fine, you are forgiven," the yearling offered. "I get the feeling that Leo might want to go along in spite of his past, so please, do not bring this talk up to him if or when you see him." The two had formed quite the bond, one filled with trust and the need to keep the other safe. She worried that, because of that, the hatchling would wish to follow after her no matter what dangers might be present. The danger itself might even drive him more, in fact, due to how long they'd been together and such.

The male's words signified, to her, that he had accepted her offer. Jolon would be joining the yearling whenever they went to seek council with their neighbours, and for that she was glad. "Soon, I believe," Asterr answered. "When exactly, I am uncertain, but I do not wish to put it off for too long. We must ensure peace before tensions rise too high." Little did she know, however, that within the days to come tensions would rise far past the breaking point.