Often, his attention was on his mate, the pups, or their immediate vicinity, so when he did delve past their small world this afternoon, he had not necessarily prepared to casually track after the new female. It was just a subtle scent of her on the breeze that lured him forward at first, urged by the unfamiliarity of it and the need to investigate (to perhaps remedy this) most of all. The wocha only knew a little about her and her two pups.. considering the timing of her arrival here and his investments being presently elsewhere—if not with the family, on the borderlands, or on the hunt to feed said family. He was busy these days, maybe a little short on sleep, but very content to curl warmly around the two little fuzzy babes and his mate at the end of his day and feel the rest of it all just melt away.

Beneath his long strides, the trail warmed enough to catch sight. Her coat was brighter than he had anticipated, and he honed in on the beacon she provided quite readily. His ears were pulled towards her and eyes on her keenly, observing and looking to gauge her reception of him. After several more strides closer, his lifted tail gave a small wave, and a greeting of a low whuff extended his interest her way. He slowed his pace, closing in on her and the cache she investigated at once.

In eyeing her carefully, he saw her give a start and his ears swung forward to attention for he did not know what would follow such a spook. But, her expression didn't speak of negativity, so Dio's tail swayed a few more times, swung heavy with the closest thing to apologetic he could find in him. Sneaking on her had not his intent—and neither had he stopped to consider her possibly being startled by a strange male striding up on her like this, truthfully, especially since she was so freshly anointed into the commander's rankings.

Still, her introduction came and her words so far seemed to swing for the better. "That's good," he chuffed, referencing to her was finding normalcy again. She would soon learn what normal would be like around here, he believed, and he hoped she was promising enough to continue to thrive among their mettle. "I'm Dio, Wocha of Drageda," he provided, which could warrant explanation of its own, but his stance was appropriately prideful, yet relaxed for now. Having her mention her pups, and knowing how new she had to be to everything Drageda, the guardian knew there were many ways this could go. "Were you own your own for long?" Asherah's actions and words alike seemed to imply it. She was lucky to have found Heda's good graces, he thought, and would find out why that was soon enough if he was attentive. "And alone with young ones could not have been easy. How old are they?" he asked, edging towards a conversational tone, despite the info-seeking nature of the questions.

She made him curious, but otherwise inspired an easy enough amicability in him. If Heda had seen fit to welcome her into their ranks with her younglings in tow, Dio hoped to see them all be able to immerse in what Drageda had become. He'd been among them long enough to know, and he felt, as a relative 'outsider' to the culture it had come from, he could help her ease into it as needed--so her questions were welcome. "Watcher.. roughly," or so he understood it, and it made sense, considering his basal understanding of the linguistics about it. "The head of warriors and guardians here, essentially. But yes, titles here are in a different language. It comes from the Heda's homeland," and as he sensed, had evolved over time to suit the needs of the residents. If she was keen enough to hear more, he'd have it for her, but his brow scrunched at her answer of a long, arduous road for her puppies.

"They, and you, are tough, then. Hopefully they can settle in well here," his more-relaxed tail switched softly, finding it commendable of her to have kept them alive through it all. He hoped his pair of delicate little lives would never need to see such struggle at a young age, and again, that hers would come to flourish here on the coast. And, speaking of his, answering her question was of high current relevance to him.  "I do, they're tiny newborns still," he supplied. Hers were much older, which was good--soon they could train in earnest for their roles here, while his hadn't even left the den yet. He tried not to get too impatient about them getting bigger and blooming, too. "Sirio and Dalia," came with more tail waves.

She understood, which was good, so he nodded. "A lot of the language is like that--sounding similar. Even if you don't speak it fully, you can still pick out a general meaning pretty easily. I came here not knowing any of it, and although I don't often speak it, conversationally, I've caught on," he detailed, as having once been a complete outsider to the language's structure. Exposure, and time, made him much more now; he only spoke it in small pieces, and when absolutely necessary, but understood it very well. "At times, yes, but mostly titles. Several here do speak it, but not all. I wouldn't call it overly frequent, more here and there." Which varied with the structure of the pack and times, with what the bulk of their ranks were made of. Heda, Tirgatao, and Eske were probably her best bets to learn from, if he were to guess. He and Portia knew enough, but he wasn't near the level of volunteering to help teach.

His ears shifted outward and her ache was very evident, even still. At least, he hoped she took solace from knowing it could be on the upswing here where the pups could grow comfortably, safe. "Hopefully the worst is behind you all, too.. worries and all," he mentioned with a slow nod. It wasn't going to be picturesque as could be always here, yet it had to be worlds better than struggling in the wilds with two young ones; he didn't want to think of it ever being like that, or worse, of Portia left to roam with their two, her their only support and safety..

"Ah, thanks, and yeah, one of both," his tail waved gently, proud, while shelving the somber undertone of her past strife. "I do think so.. It's a lot.. sometimes, but even still with them so young and it all so new still, there is only so much I can do and at the very same time, I only want to do everything I can for them and their mother," he spoke honestly, almost convoluted but true--she'd asked. So yeah, he could say parenthood suited him well enough so far. It was difficult feeling so attached to something so.. tiny, helpless, new, and yet..

Based on this, he had pretty good faith in her. She seemed level-headed and eager enough to want to fit into her own niche in Drageda. This came as a relief to see, and at a time when his young were growing up here and the defense of their homeland was paramount along with keeping them all happily fed, meanwhile knowing that they had intelligent sorts among their ranks was all in their inevitable favor.

He did agree, though. This trip into parenthood was being viewed in a much different light than any of his others. He did like to thank Portia for that, and the rest of the pack too. It wasn't like before in the Rise. It was something all its own and he fully intended to enjoy it for all it was worth--and knowing she had the experience behind her did count, as well. "Of course. I'm lucky to have them, too." he mentioned with a small tail wiggle. A younger Dio would not have known to appreciate it as he did now; he had been flippant, and greedy, and once it had cost him. But from those ends had come the beginnings that brought him here, to this, with a position and family to be proud of, well-supported and strong.

With them in mind, he eventually would begin to tidy up this conversation so he could return to his family and check in. Asherah would be free to do the same, for surely her young ones would be looking for her too. Overall, he was glad to know her better, and hoped that his words had given her more foundation for her place here on Drageda's cliffs.