The trip with Bones was nice. They took their time, walking leisurely, absent of a pressure to rush and be there at a certain time. It was nice to take the time to take in the scenery though the landscape held nothing for the pallid Princeling. In reality, he enjoyed simply being with Bones, glad that had wanted him to go along. Ira didn't like leaving her side but gave her space because he did not want to appear clingy — which he wasn't. He trusted that the wolves of Swiftcurrent Creek wouldn't harm her though the only one he knew besides Bones was Bazi and even then Ira couldn't say with any sort of conviction that he liked her. The pallid Princeling received the feeling that such was mutual. Ira minded his tongue in the wintery Queen's presence for Bones' sake alone. It was hard, surprisingly, but he did it, offering up a charm full of falsities and deceptions to ensure that he had a place alongside the Tortuga girl. Pretending to be something he wasn't was annoying but Bones was worth it. And...maybe someday he convince her to join him...if and when he decided to try to make a go of it. The whole leading thing. It was what Jinx had groomed him for, after all. Even Lecter had aided in his teachings.

Silver eyes moved to his dark companion when she spoke, asking him to help her hold strong to her loyalty to the Creek. “I promise,” Ira shot her a cheeky little grin but if she really wished to stay at the Creek then he would aid her in staying true to it. In truth, it didn't matter to him which pack they called home — as long as she wanted him with her he was contented with purely being by her side. She was all he wanted, and all that he needed. He drew to her side, careful not to touch her too much, having found (by accident) that she didn't like anyone getting too close to her bum. It filled Ira with horrible nightmares of what they had done to her, his lovely Crossbones, but knowing it he tried not to stay away from her more sensitive areas even though though it had been done purely on accident. He made to brush his muzzle against hers, and attempted to give her an encouraging lick to her cheek before he turned his eyes to the Plateau which loomed before them impressively. He had never before been to the home of her father — having had no real need — and admittedly it felt a little strange to be meeting her family now when they weren't, and as Bones had clearly told him, probably would never be anything but friends (not that Ira gave up that easily; he was surprisingly defiant) but he wanted to know that one of her parents wasn't a ruthless little bitch.

“I'm ready for anything,” Ira told Bones in a flippant manner, a smirk tugging at the edges of his lips. He tried to make it sound as casual as he could but he was nervous to meet Atticus, though he had no intentions of letting it be known. Ira supposed, in the truth of things, that it didn't matter what Atticus thought of him but still it was the first time that Ira actually wanted to make a good impression on somebody. Which was bizarre to the pallid Princeling. In that new territory he found his nervousness not sure what to make of his desire to appease Atticus' standards; and not quite so sure that Ira enjoyed the desperation that came with it, on top of that.

Ira was tense at the approach of an unknown man, though the grey male's greeting held a friendliness that Ira, instinctively, didn't trust. In Ira's world no one was friendly without wanting something from him, though that belief seemed a little ridiculous to the pallid Princeling. Eyes of frigid silver watched him as he inquired as to if they were seeking someone in the Plateau or not. What else would we be standing here for? desired to slip from betwixt Ira's lips full of the contempt he felt at such a redundant and useless question but he bit it back for the sake of not wanting to start off meeting Bones' family — despite that he suspected the a man wasn't apart of said family — on the wrong paw. While she might have found his insolence and patronizing way charming Ira was beginning to realize that if he did not implore charisma every now and then his goals might truly be impossible. In thus, Ira favored silence deciding to let Bones answer that question, else he end up causing them trouble, and Bones had, had enough trouble in her life.

Bones didn't have a chance to get words out, however, for Fox herself came bursting onto the scene, and flung herself right at Bones, ignoring Ira and the man that had greeted them at the borders. Time, in a bizarre warp as adrenaline shot through his veins, seemed to slow down allowing Ira to notice every single movement that passed. Bones yelp was like a sharp knife through his heart and Ira's instincts took over, attempting to force himself between the two of them wanting nothing more than to shield Bones with his body. “Get away from her!” Ira commanded baring his teeth in a threatening display, hackles raised and throat protected with the tuck of his muzzle downwards, not caring that Fox was once his leader, not caring that he was out numbered. The only thing that mattered was Bones.

“Bones,” Ira let out a soft whine. He desired to look at her, and if he had would have encouraged that she rose, that she didn't need to submit...that he wouldn't let any of them harm her. ”Just...give her space, Fox, please.” It was a very rare thing that Ira ever uttered such a word, and he expected to be forced down or tackled, or even killed. As much as he desired to see his mother again he was not willing to leave Bones now that he had found her again. Tearing his eyes off of Fox and her companion he made to move closer to Bones at the sound of her choked noise, wanting to hurl insults at Fox for doing this to Bones...because Ira had thought that she had been doing good, because Ira had worked not to say or do anything that might remind Bones of what had happened to her. “Bones...” He whispered, ignoring their audience for the time being. “It's okay.” I won't let anyone hurt you.

“We just came here to see her father, Atticus. And she wanted to see her cousins, too. That was all. But you can't touch her, understand? She doesn't like it.” Admittedly, Ira felt that he was putting it a bit mildly but he wanted to explain without really explaining it to them because as far as he was concerned it was none of their business as to what had happened...unless Bones wished to tell them.

There was a serious conflict of interest in the aftermath of Ira stepping forward to defend Bones, despite the fact that he didn't, initially, think that Fox was going to harm her. Ira's eyes narrowed when Fox snarled at him to never talk to her that way again, but she had stopped being his Alpha a long time ago and he didn't have to do anything she told him. Not that he would have listened before, either. The only woman he had listened to was deceased now, though he was becoming better at listening to Bones, driven only by similar reasons: respect and the fact that he cared for them. I'll talk to you in any way that I please, burned on the tip of Ira's tongue but with a show of great restraint he bit it back, because he didn't want to ruin Bones' chance of seeing her father again, if the damage he had done already wasn't already hadn't cost her. Whatever respect Ira had harbored for Fox was gone with the single notion that if she remembered she didn't care. So, therefore, he wouldn't care about her either, and if it was not for Bones he'd have made everything ten times worse than they already were just for the malicious glee in it. He was miserable so why not share it? Why not be the insolent Princeling that everyone already knew him as? The insolent Princeling that was all he knew how to be.

Bones' pleading made him actually feel regret but not for stepping between them and angering Fox — no for that he felt no regret. Merely, he felt regret for causing Bones pain, for upsetting her. “It's instinct for me to protect her,” But Ira offered no apologizes to Fox, knowing that he would apologize for making a giant mess to Bones later, in private. There was a part of Ira that wanted to encourage Bones to go on without him, that he would wait for her at the borders; that she shouldn't suffer what was supposed to be a happy visit that the both of them had looked forward too because he was what he was: an insolent little shit; but there was another part of him that didn't want to let her go alone with them. He didn't know who he could trust anymore aside from Bones herself and so he trusted no one but her. Ira felt a small surge of joy that Bones did not intend to go anywhere without him, it caused a warmth to spread across his icy heart but he kept it at bay, turning stoic gaze to the Plateau wolves.

Ira did not respond to Fox's comeback, instead giving the fire kissed woman he had, at one point, respected, a sickeningly sweet smile. It was a false smile, of course, for there was no mirth to be felt about their current situation. It was amazing, Ira realized, how thoroughly his opinion of someone could be changed in a short matter of seconds. It didn't matter, he had no intentions of having further contact with her after this and he hoped that Bones didn't either, though of course he would never presume to tell his companion what to do. Fox was being the world's biggest bitch to Ira, as far as the youth cared at the moment, and Ira wondered why he hadn't been able to see this part of her before. Eventually, Ira tuned Fox out, turning and keeping his attention upon Bones, unable to guess if she would want to stay or not. It was when the Tortuga native let out a sniffle that he was drawn to the realization that she was crying and guilt twisted his stomach, though he was not fully to blame (and therefore would not shoulder all of it). Ira turned at Bones' nudge and turned before he paused long enough to shoot Fox a cold glare over his shoulder with a loud snort before he continued after Bones, whispering, “I'm sorry.” to her softly and sincerely, wishing that the trip had gone the way they had originally planned it to go.