The call was noticed by the Fearghal monarch whom was already close by; thus it was unsurprising to find that he was the first to intercept the loner at Teaghlaigh's borders. The Ceannasach kept his posture unassuming, not yet ready to reveal his place at the head of the Family table just yet. For now, he was a guardian simply intercepting a loner at the borders: an easy enough sell given many's belief that a coywolf did not had what it took to lead. It was an ignorant belief, born of a prejudice that Arturo had long since grown tired of bearing the weight of. There was dominance in the gangster's posture, a bristle of his hackles in clear warning. They could parlay but this stranger was an unknown and had not yet given Ceannasach reason to bear trust. Not yet, anyway. “You called?” The gangster inquired, fixing the other man in his fierce gaze, fiery, red-orange eyes blazing like two aflame embers against the stark black of his mask.

Ceannasach greatly appreciated the submission that the other male showed. The gangster kept to his indifference, his fiery gaze steady upon the other male despite this. The stranger had not bothered with absent pleasantries which Arturo found himself grateful for. They both knew why he was there — as he bore no pack scent there was only one logical explanation — and being straightforward allowed for them to get right to business which was how Arturo liked to operate. Small talk was unnecessary to the Fearghal monarch and he used small talk when he meant what he was asking. Arturo was silent, respectful of the stranger as he spoke, explaining that he was a warrior and that he had vague healing skills and was good with pups. As there was only one pup in Teaghlaigh and as she was Arturo's ward and no longer in need of a sitter that particular trade was not in a high demand. That didn't mean it wouldn't become necessary in the future, and as it stood: Arturo did not involve himself in their trades for the most part. They were free to pursue what they wished.

The soft footfalls of Chusi fell upon Arturo's ears and though his gaze did not break from the stranger at his borders Ceannasach let out a low, quiet of rumble of affection when the girl nuzzled his shoulder. He was glad Chusi had came, it would do her good to see first hand how he expected her to handle loners at the borders. Yet, the atmosphere shifted violently as the loner choked out words addressing the girl by name. Yet, she had not so much as moved to greet him, had not even spoken to him. For a bizarre moment Arturo was confused and struggled to realize how he felt about this loner's claims of “missing her so much” and claimed that she and someone named Aggie (perhaps this was the one she called Darky?) had vanished. No, she had spoken of the mysterious Darky with reverence. He did not recall her ever mentioning her past caretakers aside from Lotte; of whom Arturo already knew. So, was this man her father? Her true father? No. Father wasn't a word Arturo felt her biological sire deserved. Arturo's hackles bristled at the thought of him stealing her away and it took all of his self restraint not to chase the other man away right then and there. Then again, it wasn't this stranger's choice just as it wasn't Arturo's. Chusi was old enough to make her own decisions. She wasn't a tiny infant with no voice to speak of her wishes. She would be where she wanted to be and they would listen and respect it.

Arturo was alarmed, hyper-vigilant given Chusi's naturally bubbly and affectionate disposition he sensed that something was very off in that she had not acknowledged the stranger. He did not look at her, unwilling to remove his fierce and burning gaze from the stranger. “Who are you?” Arturo demanded of the man. And how do you know my ward? the question did not spill from betwixt his lips but it was hidden between the lines of the initial demand.

Arturo did not fail to notice when Chusi stepped closer to him. He did not see the action but heard it in the shift of her weight, in the soft shuffle of forest debris and dirt underfoot, and just felt the whisper of her fur brush against his. Soft, like the flutter of a butterfly's wings against skin. Arturo's breath was near inaudible as he took it, the slight move of muscle in cheek the only indication that his teeth were subtly grinding one another as his jaw clenched as the male whom Chusi had greeted as Zephyr explained to her that he wasn't upset and that he never meant to lose her. Yet, never once had he asked her if she was upset that he had disappeared. Would Zephyr's reappearance stress her out? Upset her?

If there was one thing that Arturo had picked up on when it came to Chusi: she was incredibly resilient for one so young. She was immeasurably strong and brave and Arturo felt that she deserved more than apologizes and explanations. She deserved the stability and love that he and Teaghlaigh offered her (and Lotte too). Arturo listened to what Zephyr had to say to him, answering his demand with tear-filled eyes. Perhaps Arturo should have pitied him. Yet pity was not something Ceannasach could muster. He was unsure of how he should have felt: pity? Protective? Irritation? He was taking his social cues from Chusi whom lingered very close to him, had not greeted Zephyr with her usual enthusiasm nor aggression.

“You spoke of wanting a home,” Arturo broached to Zephyr, “but before we take the conversation any further than this,” Arturo's gaze finally left Zephyr to peer down at Chusi, inclining his muzzle so he could better see her. “Chusi,” The gangster addressed his young ward with quiet authority in the smoky reticence of his deep, accented tones. “this is a Warrior lesson. You know this man. He has come to Teaghlaigh looking for a home,” Arturo's gaze flickered to Zephyr to assess the man close to sobs before them and the Fearghal monarch lifted his muzzle ever so slightly. “Your voice will weigh my decision. So, give me your honest opinion. What do you say?” He spoke with the rumbling encouragement and assurance of a father, wanting her to be honest with not just him, but Zephyr and herself as well. Of course there was a decision on Zephyr's part as well but this was just preliminary. If Chusi saw fit to give him the chance there was much to be discussed.

Arturo focused upon Chusi as she gathered herself, made her decision. She called her once guardian a friend and expressed that he had nothing left. Arturo nodded sagely, thoughtfully when Chusi spoke that they should give her once-guardian a chance. It was a fair deduction and Arturo wasn't about to deny the man the chance to make up for the tear between him and Chusi, nor was he going to disregard her opinion. Not when he'd specifically asked for it. Yet, the male had taken a step back, noticed by Arturo when his burning gaze snapped to the other male, noting the action with sharp observation. With cracked voice Zephyr refused. Fucking stood there and refused. After Chusi had vouched for him. Without warning, the composure, the cold and distanced exterior was melted so quickly by his wrath. “Are you fucking kidding me?” Ceannasach demanded in a low snarl, his lips curling back from his teeth. Was Zephyr really going to stand there looking all piteous only to shove what attempts Chusi was making at peace and amends back in her face?

It was a low blow and Arturo didn't appreciate it. She'd offered him a fucking olive branch and he'd swatted it out of her mouth because what? He didn't like that she didn't run to him, ecstatic? Or because Chusi hadn't turned her back upon him (Arturo)? Arturo realized that Zephyr had no idea the kind of man he was pissing off but he would learn if he didn't backpedal and think about his choice rationally; though the words had already been spoken and the girl's feelings could have already been shattered. “She vouched for you to me and you just fucking throw it back in her face?” Arturo's question was harsh, his emotions taking free range across his face. He didn't care. Chusi was Teaghlaigh. She was family. She was as good as a Fearghal and Arturo was protective over her. Because he was the head of the family and it was his job but also because he cared for her.

“You can accept her fucking offer and we talk like men and you try to fix things with her. And yeah, it's gonna take some fucking time. Children get upset with you, sometimes you hurt them and you don't mean to, but it's nothing that time, patience and backing your words up with action to prove you mean what you say can't fix,” Arturo, as a father, knew first hand. He'd had those times with all of his children (was possibly going through it currently with his eldest, Bain). Then again, Arturo had never wanted to be the father he had. Or rather, the father he didn't have. Cynbel had wanted nothing to do with him and the one time they'd met had been a lying douchebag. Arturo wasn't a perfect father but he tried his best to be what his children had needed — just as he tried now to be what Chusi needed.

“You don't get to decide what's best for her or not. She decides it. Running away isn't going to fix anything, I can tell you that much. It's going to make it worse,” Arturo's lips curled back to expose his teeth as his tail rose over his back, his hackles bristling. “You fucking walk away from her now, without even giving this a chance you don't need to fucking visit her. If you walk away ...you come anywhere near Teaghlaigh or it's surrounding territories my wolves and I will kill you.” Arturo didn't play shit when it came to The Family. They would find out just how merciless the gangster could be, and that he meant what he said when he told them The Family looks out for it's own. If his words upset Chusi then, well, they upset her and he would explain his reasoning to her later if he needed to. It was not too late to salvage what remained but that ball was in Zephyr's court once more. The gangster had lain down his ultimatum and whatever the other male decided would be it. If he decided to give it a chance it would take time for both Arturo (and maybe Chusi) to trust him but it wasn't an impossibility, yet.[/td][/tr]

Arturo's muscles tensed when he felt Chusi press herself against him with a soft sob. His hackles bristled against his spine, if his looks could cut his gaze would be cutting Zephyr. Chusi's reaction only reaffirmed Arturo's belief that he was right in making his threat. Any wolf that was willing to hurt another over and over didn't deserve their love. He had came with apologizes, had spoke that he hadn't meant to hurt her and yet here he was fucking hurting her. Directly. Arturo had a hard time believing that this wasn't intentional. Perhaps it hadn't been intentional the first time but any beast truly sorry wouldn't be so eager to slap her in the face and hurt her further. If not for the fact that he had just given his word the coywolf would have loved nothing more than to chase the bastard from his lands for this. It was grounds for it. Teaghlaigh was family and Zephyr's slight to Chusi was a slight to Arturo and every single one of The Family. That was how their family worked.

It was obvious to Arturo that the male was ignoring him. Mistake. Ignoring Arturo Fearghal was not a good idea. His threats were not empty: he meant them. They were promises and Arturo, a man of his word, kept his promises. “I don't pity you,” Arturo corrected Zephyr, his lip curling back at the word. In truth, Arturo couldn't care less what Zephyr had or didn't have. Any pity he might have felt had long since burned away to ash with the way he treated Chusi. “The only reason you're still standing there is because I gave her my word that she would make the decision.” Arturo didn't think he deserved the third chance since he had thrown her second chance back in her face and if not for his own intervention there was little doubt in the gangster's mind that Zephyr would have walked.

Arturo supposed he should have been more sympathetic. It wasn't easy being a father, and he doubted that Zephyr had any children of his own. There had been no manual for it and Arturo hadn't had anyone's wisdom to go off of. It had been all trial and error with his first litter. A very large part of Arturo hoped that Chusi would tell him to get lost, but that was because he no longer though Zephyr deserved her kindness. Despite his own selfish wishes he would respect what she decided, as they'd established. One step at a time, he reminded himself, fixing his ward in his burning gaze from the corner of his eye. Her fur had tear streaks and his heart clenched with pain that she was hurting. A low growl rumbled in his chest but he would not back out on his decision. The ball was, once more, in Chusi's court and as much as Arturo suddenly wanted to shield her from all of this he understood that, in the end, it would help her to either make her amends or make her peace with the man before them.

Chusi re-aligned herself so that the side of her face was pressed against his chest, though Arturo was unsure whether the girl sought comfort or she sought to keep him in check. She needn't bother if it was the latter. Arturo had made his position clear to Zephyr: if he came near their borders or in the surrounding territories of Ravensblood Forest he would be killed. The kill order would be sent out to the wolves of Teaghlaigh and Ceannasach knew that they would not disobey him. For if they did they would suffer the same fate. Zephyr deserved the death threat on his head. He had indirectly insulted Chusi and hurt her — thus he had indirectly insulted and hurt Teaghlaigh. Besides, any man who truly loved his child would not so willingly turn his back on her. His unspoken i love you hung in the air, eliciting a scoff from the gangster. Running away, refusing the second chance wasn't love. It was cowardice. It was (or so Arturo believed): things didn't go my way so I'm going to throw a pity party and if things still don't go my way I'm going to run away'. Arturo was disgusted and though it did not show on the stony, angered expression of his face he was glad that Chusi had told him to leave.

Despite that he knew that she was hurting, and as if she were his own flesh and blood he hurt for her though he knew that he could never shoulder the pain and rejection she was now faced with. If he could, he would take the burden from her. Arturo had learned long ago to conceal, don't feel manipulate pain to make him stronger. This, too, would make Chusi stronger. As far as Arturo was concerned it showed Zephyr's true colors to the girl. It was a shame because Arturo would not have intervened if the the meeting would have went differently. He would have let them rediscover their battered and broken relationship with one another. If Chusi would have began to think of Zephyr as a father opposed to her Arturo wouldn't have fussed about it. He would always be her Ceannasach, her mentor. Yet, it had gone rather unfavorably and though he was not disappointed Chusi remained his ward.

Arturo watched Zephyr leave, fully intending on following him to ensure he fled even their surrounding territories, but was not so eager to leave Chusi. Without another word, when her ex-guardian was out of sight she pulled abruptly away from him, turned tail and ran into the heart of Ravensblood. He glimpsed over his shoulder to watch her, deliberating. For a moment Arturo was torn, but in the end decided to let her be, to let her have her time to herself to process. They would talk about it later, when she was ready. Thus, he followed Zephyr's trail closely, only doubling back to finish his patrol once he was certain that the male was gone.