Ravensblood Forest There's a Whole Damn Army

Vagabond called his mate @Violante today. His meeting with Moonglow had gone well, but had left him wanting. He had spent so much time raising and training his pups that he hadn't thought about what he wanted to do. Aside from defending and representing his pack he also wanted to fight for them. He felt truly unprepared. He knew there were packs that trained for the fight, but he didn't actually know of any. He knew his conquest could lead him far from home, and that is what concerned him.

Her mate and her son had returned home at last. Violante responded to Vagabond's call instantly, and when she approached him, she leaned into him for a few moments. There was so much she needed to tell him. You'll never guess who I met up with while you were gone. Her voice was a low murmur. It had been a week since her meeting with Astraios, and she still felt uncertain about it.

The closeness of his mate calmed him until she spoke. His body tensed and his eyes grew wary as he looked down at her. Who? It bothered him that he hadn't been there to stand at her side, no matter who this person was.

Vorilye. He calls himself Astraios these days, trying to hide from Vex, she snorted, narrowing her eyes. He told Noir and myself that Vex resides to the west, in a region called the hinterlands. A three or four day journey away, alone and not stopping for food or rest. She swallowed, hard. What if she knows where we are? For the first time, she felt, and showed, her fear.

A snarl ripped from Vagabond's throat at the man's name. Where is he? It was agreed long ago after Lorelai's attack that if they ran into him he'd be captured. His body vibrated with rage that he hadn't felt in sometime. He pressed himself into his mate trying to calm himself.

If she knows where we are why hasn't she been here yet? He'd heard many stories of Vex, calculating or not, she'd have been here by now, wouldn't she? He couldn't help but wonder. I want to train as a warrior as well as a guardian. He stated his intentions. I was thinking about it on the way home, I promise it isn't coming about just because of Vex and Vorilye. He snarled out the names. He would be eager to destroy the wolves that had caused his mate so much anguish for so long.

Why the hell am I always gone when they show up? He seethed inwardly knowing the danger his mate was in did not help to ease his inner turmoil one bit.

I let him go. She had thought about it long and hard, and she would not be the one to rip a man from his family. She would not forgive him, but she would move on. Lorelai has no idea, and I'm not certain I want to tell her. She was only just now recovering from losing her family, after all.

If you want to train, then we'll train, together. But she did not like the idea. Even so, she wouldn't hesitate to die protecting her home, her children — especially if it was Vex coming for them. Still, she tried to be rational. She must not know where we are. But still she was unsettled.

Then, she voiced a new concern. The whelps will be old enough to travel, and very soon. Are we going to set any rules with them?

Vagabond frowned and looked down at her. Realistically, he wasn't the one who deserved to spill the man's blood. If Violante had chosen to let him go he had to support her decision. He was awed by her, she was beginning to break the cycle of violence in the Cruor family. He hoped the same could be true with Vex, but he doubted it. If Lorelai does not know, let's keep it that way.  The attack had plagued her nightmares, he wondered if she still had them, he certainly hoped not, but memories faded but did not simply go away, he knew from experience.

He smiled broadly at the notion of training with Violante. He cherished each moment he spent with her. He didn't exactly relish that she'd be tapping back into her past experiences to teach him, but she was the best source of knowledge they had. Where will you find the time, love? He knew she would try to make time, but he had a lot to catch up on, and he planned on pushing himself. I'd like to be ready as soon as possible, I don't like... not knowing what I'm doing. He finally admitted, his face growing distant, lost in time. The man had no formal training whatsoever other than his enslavement to be forced to fight. That was almost always dumb luck though.

When topic changed to their children he blinked and refocused on her. Perhaps they should take one member of Sacrarium with them? He didn't want to stifle their independence, but he didn't want them to be completely alone either. In case they run into trouble... at least we'll know... He trailed off. His face grew distant again, he couldn't imagine losing any of his children, the pain of it alone would break him. He shook himself and pressed into Violante.

She would not tell Lorelai, that was settled, now. One less thing to worry about, she sighed and rolled her shoulders. At her mate's questioning, she rolled her eyes and sighed, Oh, you know I'll make time for it even if it kills me. She chuckled darkly, shaking her head.

She knew Vagabond would struggle in any combat scenario — there was just no getting around the fact that, with only three legs, he wasn't going to be as skilled. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't make a formidable opponent if he really trained at it. Lips twitching in a frown, she spat, My father taught us all the art of war... and we were good at it. Her last words were filled with remorse. All those lives, lost to the Cruor cause. She wished she could take it all back. The best she could do now was be better, do better... and she was.

And then, their children. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she said, They've all proven themselves capable... I think we should give them a chance, but tell them to stay close to home.

He had no doubt that she would find the time to train with him. Part of him wished he did not have to use her memories of her fathers' teachings to learn, but he knew that it was a foolish thought. He kissed the top of her head. He knew he had to accept that he could not protect his pups forever, and that now would be as good of a time as any. With a deep sigh he nodded. You're right, of course you're right.