“Joining the Ridge until the time comes that I make the separation and put this plan into action is not necessary,” Ragnar told Ayvo softly, not wanting the other man to think that he had to join Horizon Ridge simply because it was where Ragnar was currently located. “I will not tell you what to do, the freedom is yours to choose, but maybe joining another pack might help with potential recruits,” Considering with his duties as co-leader, head warden, and perhaps more importantly as a father would keep him, unless business demanded him elsewhere, pretty much inside Horizon Ridge’s borders for quite a stretch of time; and if not inside the borders then it would keep his proximity close to that of the Ridge’s. “When the time comes for me to part ways, I plan on it to be on good terms with my alpha, and I will seek out those who have sworn to help me to make sure minds have not been changed,” And if they had, Ragnar would not hold it against them. As of right now, this was nothing more than a potential idea: there was nothing that said he would be able to actually form it, especially since if and when he did it would not be until his children were older and he knew he could leave Pump on if not good terms than at least neutral ones -- especially given that he intended to claim this very forest and it was very close to the Ridge.
“I stand for my culture, my religion, for fairness and survival; on the opposite side I also stand for justice. I stand for family and my kinsmen. I have heard these wolves speak of a ‘moral code’, it is not something I have ever thought of. We will raid for food and medicines because it will further ensure our own survival. I have no interest in pack alliances, unless I have no other choice or it proves to be purely beneficial to us. Wolves are quick to swear their alliance but in War they will not aid you because their pack will always come first to them; I expect no less. It is what I would do.” Alliances were messy and more often than not falsehoods to be excluded from raids - not that it would honestly be enough to stop Ragnar, anyway. He focused his gaze and attention then back upon Ayvo, knowing that if he had a problem with any of that he could walk away from this meeting cleanly.
