He was spending more and more time in the forest nestled between two towering mountains, where the tall sequoias secreted a sweet, red sap like bloody tears. It was dark, but it was fortified, protected, and the more time the melanistic coywolf spend in the territories' confines the more he knew that it was where his Teaghlaigh would build their empire. His mother had told him many times, long ago, to never settle for what he wanted but this was not settling. The Ravensblood Forest was a logical location — self-sustaining — and the towering lookout spires on either side of it offered invaluable protection from others. Mentally, Arturo mapped out the forest once more as he walked the sands of Stavanger Bay, that the borders that would need the heaviest guard would be the eastern and western borders. The proximity to Blackrock Depths was prime as well, putting the aligned packs close for the benefit of one another.

Yes. Despite the Ceannasach's logical and calm demeanor he could feel the excitement, the pride to stake his claim rise strong within him. It was almost child-like the giddiness that tickled at him. A feeling he had not experienced in quite some time. The morning was humid, though the salty breeze rolling off the ocean was enough to keep the gangster pleasantly cool. Soon autumn would be upon them and not too far after would roll in winter. Arturo knew he needed to move, needed not to dawdle too long. Thankfully, Arturo had never been an idle man. Once he had a plan he begun to put it into motion and the gangster had no intention of sitting on this.

It was the strong scent of Donnelaith that drew the gangster out of his planning, startling him into the realization that unintentionally he was close to their borders. His steps ceased and he bowed his head to inhale their scents, having met a few of them recently but otherwise had done his best to stay clear of their borders. For a moment, the gangster thought of the small child: Chusi and the lovely bard wondering if it would be imprudent to ask to see them. The child Arturo understood: she had unintentionally triggered all of his paternal instincts having been too dormant in his time away from his children and their rejection of his “fathering” in their adulthood. The woman bard was another matter entirely though he was quick to brush it off as the simple fact that Arturo'd always held a great appreciation for beauty. Yes, surely that was it. He appreciated her beauty, and the spell her mesmerizing voice had left upon him. A soft scoff was given to himself before he turned and looked back to the long stretch of what seemed like endless beach before him though he did not immediately begin his trek back the way he'd came, lingering for a few minutes longer.

There was a scream of his name — or rather two syllables of his name — and startled he whipped around, his hackles bristling even as he recognized the voice of Chusi. He did not immediately register the scream as a happy thing despite that he could not particularly detect any sort of fear in the sound. Not until he heard the happy giggle that followed as he watched the child barreling towards him across the sand, her movements made slightly sluggish by the effort of running through the sand which constantly shifted underfoot. Relief flooded him a second later and his body visibly relaxed when he realized that she was not in any danger. It would seem that his overwhelming paternal instincts made him easily jumpy and unnecessarily protective when it came to the young. Did that mean he was out of practice? Was that something he would ever be out of practice for? No, no. They might have feigned dormancy when his children no longer needed him but they were still active. The ease in which he felt them for Chusi and Qilaq was proof enough of that.

He saw the ear to ear grin upon her muzzle and something warm burst within his chest, blossoming and spreading through him. A sense of pure joy that only children could bring to the gangster. Children were both his redemption arch and his Achilles heel but there wasn't anything the Ceannasach loved more than being a father. “Hello Chusi,” Arturo greeted her, bemused when the child nuzzled against his leg. “I-I think you've grown!” He feigned astonishment but he could tell that she had grown since the last he'd seen her. He remembered from his own children that they'd reached a stage where they grew rapidly. In what felt then like it'd only been a lazy blink of his eyes and they were their adult sizes. “Let me look at you,” He put a small distance between them, ducking his head down to her so he could 'hmm' as he made a show of studying her. Secretly, he checked to make sure that she was unharmed. It wasn't that he didn't trust the Donnelaith wolves it was just that he was a father and though he was not Chusi's this appeared to make no difference.

“Aha, mhm, just as I suspected,” The gangster grinned down at the girl when he was satisfied that she seemed in tip-top shape and good health. “You have grown.” He let out a soft chuckle, smiling warmly at her. “How have you been Chusi?” How has your lovely lady bard friend been? though he did not give voice to the second question, not wanting to divulge so forwardly that he fancied the scarfed Donnelaith woman and because he wished to focus upon Chusi.

Arturo chuckled at the child's comical look: with her tongue sticking out of her mouth before, apparently delighted by his attention to her growth she jumped in a circle, giggling. A sound that the gangster found that he missed in his life. He had never thought he would miss the giggling of a young child, at first. Though, admittedly, often times with his young their giggling oft meant they were getting into some sort of trouble or trying to hide something from their mother or him. Sometimes, their giggling was something to worry about. This did not, presently anyway, seem to be the case with Chusi. The gangster's tail swayed happily behind him, brushing against his haunches of his will and not just from the strong breeze that rolled constantly off the ocean. “You will.” Arturo affirmed with a sage nod. All too soon, perhaps. Children tended to grow so very fast. Too fast if Arturo was being honest. The worst part was the worry did not ever truly leave: even now full grown and capable of handling themselves like Fearghal's like Teaghlaigh in the world Arturo worried for his children.

Chusi admitted to missing them, to missing him and the gangster offered her a fond, sad smile. The truth was he missed her too. “Well; I suspect,” Arturo drew with a contemplative breath looking up and over the girl's head to the sentinels rising in the near distance. “I haven't spoken with Szymon one on one in some time,” Which was a shame, really, because Arturo rather liked the fair haired Cairn; but both men were busy and Arturo spent more and more of his time in the Forest he had turned his intentions of conquering to. Recruiting, border markings — it all took up time. Most of his time. “I don't know much of the other child, though I assume she is well too,” Arturo admitted. He hadn't even been aware of her presence until he'd seen her at the activity.

“What if you didn't have to miss me? I'm settling my Family in a forest north of here,” He gestured in the general direction with his muzzle. “What if you went with me? Became apart of The Family?” Arturo inquired, studying the girl carefully for her reaction.

As children were wont to do Chusi was eager to grow up, eager to be “one of them” as she put it. Her smile was wide, Arturo saw, her sharp adult teeth pearly white against the ebon backdrop of her lips as she inquired as to if he could teach her to fight. “I will teach you to fight, if that is what you desire,” Arturo agreed with a sage nod. She could be whatever she wanted to be: a fighter, or a stargazer, or huntress and anyone who told her differently deserved no part in her life as far as Arturo was concerned. “what mastery were you looking to learn? Guardian, Tactician, or Warrior?” For each specialty came with it's own specific lessons. “You will grow up before you know it, Chusi, don't you worry,” Arturo knew first hand how quick the time would fly by. “You should enjoy being a child while you are still one.” Being an adult was different, marginally so. There were so many responsibilities, and once you were an adult you couldn't ever go back. She did not seem overly happy about the vague answers he had for her and for a moment the gangster frowned, inhaling deeply and letting it out. It was his own fault, really, so focused on Teaghlaigh as he was. “No, no you can rest assured there's been no monsters.”

The gangster felt his heart thrum in his chest with delight when the child began to nod vigorously at his offer of her joining him. She expressed her interest in going with him verbally followed by who else was going. “Szymon and Doe will stay here. This is where they belong,” but not him. Not anymore. His path led him elsewhere despite that it would always be intertwined with the Depths wolves because of the alliance that Skellige and him had agreed on many months ago now. “but I have an alliance with the leader, Skellige that any and all Depth wolves are welcome at Teaghlaigh and to be treated as family in exchange for the same courtesies for us,” He informed her, fixating his gaze upon her. She could still change her mind, if she wished though, secretly, Arturo hoped that the fact that Szymon wasn't going would not hinder her decision any.

Chusi had brought up the young, pretty bard, inquiring if she would be joining him. “As for Lotte,” Arturo drew in a breath. “I cannot say. I have not asked her, though she is welcome to come with us if she that is what she wishes.” Arturo spoke, his ears cupping forth, towards Chusi as he watched for her reactions to what he'd shared with her.

Arturo was not precisely sure who 'Darky' was but as he didn't think it was much of his business the gangster didn't ask. Her reasons for wanting to be an adult were just, noble even and Arturo felt himself smiling down at her, charmed by her. “That is a very noble reason,” The gangster remarked with a thoughtful rumble of approval. He did not discourage her by saying that he (nor possibly the others) did not really need protection. As it was, Arturo was typically the one who did the protecting. Instead, the gangster sought to nourish her dreams, wanted her to flourish in what she wished to succeed in. As of the moment that was being a warrior. He did not raise his children in that negative way and he wouldn't raise his future children in that way, either, adopted or biological. “I will teach you all that you will need so that when you're an adult you can protect us.” The gangster murmured in a reassuring tone. “Does that sound like a good deal?” He inquired a few seconds after wards, leaning towards her with the intent of offering her an affectionate nudge providing she let him and sat still long enough for the motion to follow through.

A warm chuckle rumbled in Arturo's throat as she spoke of eating the monsters. “I can't imagine monsters would taste very good,” He scrunched his nose up for show, playing along. Delighted by how easy it was to slip inside the role of father and how entirely unbridled he was about it. He very much doubted her father would come looking for her and if he did: well Arturo would have contingency plans in place for that. Chusi didn't need anyone in her life that would abandon her. No child deserved to live that sort of life. She needed stability. A Family. Like the Teaghlaigh. Like him.

“Skellige is the Depth's Alpha. He's Szymon's brother,” Arturo explained with practiced patience, remembering to be specific. Children tended to do better when things were specifically explained to them., in his experience. “You can just call it The Family, if that's easier.” Boadicea's native tongue was not the easiest to pronounce, admittedly. Arturo himself had only ever fancied it enough to name his children following her tradition, and accordingly his pack. “If Lotte doesn't want to leave Donnelaith she doesn't have to, and if she decides to stay where she is, you'll tell her she's always welcome to visit and sing for us, won't you?” Yes, Arturo would like that a lot, admittedly.

Arturo grinned down at Chusi at her inquiry. “Oh, I don't know,” Arturo hummed, inhaling deeply and letting out a theatrical, thoughtful sigh. “You do have some impressive teeth.” Arturo observed, glimpsing at her from the corner of his eye.

“I know so,” The gangster confirmed for the girl with a sage nod of his head. Of course onhav whether it was noble or not was a matter of opinion and in Arturo's there was nothing more noble then wanting to protect the ones you cared about. It was Arturo's reasoning for everything: For The Family. It was oxygen that breathed life into his inferno. The Family guided him, motivated him. The Ceannasach did not just lead The Family: he lived it like all the others. They were his life blood. No, there would never be anything more noble than protecting your Family. “That's very true.” Arturo remarked about the monsters. He couldn't argue with that logic and so he didn't.

“A brother is your siblings. Born of the parents as you.” Arturo explained. He, himself had never had any siblings having been the only of his litter and for reasons unknown to him his mother had never chosen to have more children. Whether his father did or not...Arturo didn't know and didn't care. Cynbel hadn't came around and Arturo had never made to contact him. “Teaghlaigh,” Arturo spoke it again, slowing up his pronunciation of it, sounding out the syllables (because Tori isn't totally sure how to say it herself, oops) for her.

The gangster chuckled at the girl's attempt at flattery. “Perhaps,” Arturo offered her elusively with a flick of his tail. He lifted his muzzle for a moment running through the pros and cons of her request knowing that he would not truly refuse her subtle request. Though Arturo was not sure how to cushion the gesture so it did not look so menacing or threatening to the girl his lips curled back to reveal his own sharp teeth to her so that she might see just for a few moments. “What do you think?” He inquired of her after a few seconds, glimpsing down at her, fixating her in his fiery red-orange gaze curious as to what she'd have to say about his teeth.

My, what big teeth you have. All the better to eat you with, my dear. Was all that he was able to think about and he scoffed lightly to himself. Such a morbid children's tale.

She spoke that she didn't have any siblings and Arturo offered her a soft smile. “You wanna know a secret?” He inquired softly, giving a pause only to hear her response before he added, “I don't have any siblings either.” Arturo wasn't honestly sure what factors decided how many pups a mother would give birth to in a litter. Those dynamics were very so far above the gangster's own head. Perhaps it depended upon the mother's age, or where she was in her heat cycle when she was during the time of conception, or perhaps how many litter's she had previous played a role. He had been his mother's first but unless Duana had lied to him his children had been his ex-lover's first. Unknowingly, Arturo's brows had furrowed slightly as he contemplated it, before he realized he'd lost himself in thought and refocused his gaze upon the young Chusi as she repeated Teaghlaigh to him.

“Very good, Chusi!” The gangster praised her with enthusiasm. “That's exactly right: Teaghlaigh.” He nodded his head a few times, a warm chuckle spilling from his lips, reminiscing about how at one time a much younger Arturo would have never thought there was anything else he enjoyed being as much as a gangster. He'd learned with the birth of his children that, that wasn't true. He enjoyed being a father just as much as he enjoyed being a gangster (if not more). He knew that Chusi was not his child and that perhaps she did not even need a father. He did not set out to become that role to her, never wanting to force it upon her but he could not help his paternal and nurturing ways, nor the gentleness the girl inspired in him. They were far too ingrained within him.

She inspected his teeth, and he tried not to laugh at the 'aww' noise she made as she did it. “Someday,” The gangster drew with a breath and a slight duck of his head towards her. “Your teeth will be better than mine.” He spoke it with utter confidence. “There are things you can do to strengthen them, along side practicing spars,” Arturo told her. “Chewing on bones will help strengthen your jaw, and the calcium is good for your teeth and your bones. Playing tug-o-war helps, too.” His children had played it a lot growing up, and occasionally Arturo would join in but that had never seemed fair to him until they were older and bigger. There was no joy to be found in besting a child you had a clear advantage over.

The Fearghal monarch watched as the child's smile faltered, as he expressed that he, too, did not have any siblings. He spent a small measure of time trying to read her expression, trying to see if he could understand what was going through her head. Arturo had only aimed to curb any feeling of isolation she might have been feeling by being an only child by drawing a similarity between him and her. There were still differences, of course. Boadicea had been around to raise him, even if she had turned an ignorant eye towards the hell her pack had made his life until he'd been old enough to retaliate. Old enough to kill. Arturo's brow furrowed when the girl pressed her head against his shoulder and nuzzled., assuring him that it was okay, that he had her and that he didn't have to be lonely anymore. Admittedly, the gangster was baffled by this extreme and abrupt role reversal they had taken, though he kept his poker face in place to hide the fact that he was busy analyzing what the hell had just happened. Was he lonely? He didn't think so. He'd drawn strength and companionship from The Family, and when his children had been around and young, when they had still needed him, he'd been far from lonely. Even Duana though they had disagreed on many things had offered good companionship until their relationship had drawn to a natural end. “Thank you, Chusi.”

Their conversation made it's way back to Ravensblood Forest and Arturo was secretly glad for the chance of conversation, still feeling like it should have been him assuring her that she didn't have to be lonely anymore and definitely not the way it'd gone. The Ceannasach's lips pursed for a few seconds as he contemplated her question. “I think so,” He told her honestly, contemplative. “We will not want for prey. The tall sequoias will offer plenty of shelter against bad weather and heavy snows. They will keep us cool in the summer and warmer in the winter. The north and south borders are protected by towering spires from the mountain ranges that run parallel to one another. Plus we will be close to the Depths and Donnelaith so they can visit us easily and vice versa.” Tactically speaking: it was a good place to lay down roots and build his empire. Close to his allied pack. Fortified. Self-sustaining.

“I can bring you a bone, or keep one for you in Teaglaigh,” Which reminded him... “How long do you need to say your goodbyes? When should I return for you?” Arturo inquired wanting to iron out a day with her for him to return to ensure she had enough time to do ...whatever she needed to. Ask Lotte if she was interested, and inform them that she was parting. Arturo assumed it wouldn't take long but he certiantly didn't want to rush her.

She uttered her “you're welcome” in a whisper so soft that Arturo almost missed it. Would have missed it, likely, would he not have been paying attention. “No, it is not far,” Arturo confirmed for her with a slight shake of his head. It was much closer to the Depths than Two Rivers Isle had been and for that there was a silver lining to him having abandoned the idea of conquering the Isle he'd originally wanted. His patience had rewarded him and Arturo was happy with Ravensblood Forest. He regarded her question of making the trip to and fro by herself. Naturally, the paternal part of him wanted to say that she should take an escort with her — and perhaps he would slip in the suggestion — but also he realized it was important to allow her, her independence as well. The struggle was a familiar one. A little nostalgic, perhaps, but all too familiar. “Once you know the route I don't see why you can't make the trip by yourself, but perhaps the first couple times you should have an adult escort you, just in case.” He offered the compromise, leaving it open to hear any suggestion she might have had on the matter. Or flat out refusal. Devin had been his most stubborn and his most independent and Arturo found himself expecting the refusal.

“I will hide it for you.” He murmured in promise. He blinked down at her when she tried to decide when she wanted him to release her from Donnelaith's guardianship and take her into his own. “Which do you want, Chusi? Do you want me to return tomorrow for you? Or would you like an extra day with the bard?” He inquired of her, wanting her to make the decision for herself.

“Tomorrow it is then,” Arturo affirmed out loud, offering her a slight nod of his head and flick of his tail against his haunches. “I will call for you a few hours after the sun has risen,” Arturo told her so she had some sort of rough time frame to prepare herself for it. “Make sure you get plenty of rest and fill your belly before I call for you. It's not far but it is still a journey.” He parented advised her. She would have a lot of walking in store for her come tomorrow morning and he wanted her to be as prepared as she could be for the trek. “Go say your goodbyes and rest up.” He dismissed her with a gesture towards Donnelaith. It was only when he ensured that she safely crossed back into their territory did he turn his back to it and begin his own preparations for the day they had before them.