the warlord (it still sounds as new and strange in her own mind than it does black hat's) moves through the densite, mind working. serem, tzila, polari, the grunts. those that were not in immediate danger of challenging her, a few she might grow to call allies. vanity is a wild card, at the moment, and valour and black hat remain potential threats, though their motives she has yet to clearly discern.
and so when she catches the latter's scent does she thread her way toward where he stands, poised, outside of Vengeance's den. she'd been by earlier, if only to confirm it stood as still and empty as it had early, and the day before that. she pauses a short distance away, stance at ease as she speaks, greeting him not as a warlord would some lesser but as a packmate. she is in no hurry to press her authority unless it is warranted, and thus far, it is not. "black hat." a nod, then, indication for him to say his piece.
he chucked, disarmingly charming, and yet she could not afford to grin, to feel the pride at his praise. she nodded, accepting the words at face value, though she hardly thinks he's sought her out only to ensure she knows his pride. and there it comes, assurance, and then intention, requests. at first it seems simple; her mentor will take his leave, unbound, and she will not worry that his motives might be mercurial, changing. an easy solution, then, though she remembers a spar wit Hashut, seemingly so long ago. The simplest target, path, was anything but, and so she was silent a long moment as she gathered her thoughts.
"your actions are your own choice; I won't try and keep you here if you want to leave." she states, knowing this to be true enough.
"but the nightwalkers are not your future recruits. do not try to make them into your own followers." she has learned the importance of keeping a pack together, remembering well the emptiness that had been Blackfeather.
we were too few.
the 'deal' he speaks of is interesting; she makes a note to ask
@Serem of it when she sees the woman next. she pauses once more, before continuing after a beat.
"I don't see why we can not be allies. I can't speak for Moonspear; you'll have to speak to them yourself." hunting grounds, explicit guidelines; those things can come later, should black hat's group even be a success. she will seek out her general for the details, understanding her lack of experience in this area. she's careful even as she falls silent, knowing the silver-tongue that many of the members seem to share, and determined not to fall prey to it so early in her leadership.
that was it, then. she wants to breathe a sigh of relief, wants to ask his advice, do a thousand things besides. but she only remains still, features set as she regards him. "alright." she agrees, wondering if she should watch him while he remains. doubts begin to creep in once again, shifting in the slightest when he glances away. she is not vengeance, who had brought this pack into existence and existed as an uncontested leader. until two days ago.
"I will," she replies, as it seems the best thing to say. "you're welcome back again, if you want. you've taught me well." sentiment. perhaps it's stupid of her to bring into what seems to be a mostly political discussion, but she feels it needs saying. without him, and the time he'd spent teaching her, she would just have easily been the broken body on the borderline. with that, then, she turns heel and cuts toward Serem's den, seeking to inform her and do something about the weeping gash across her neck.