Blacktail Deer Plateau Mama said, burn your biographies

He wasn't necessarily wrong in his desire to stay close and defend.  Leadership who wandered too far tended to lose those who followed them, either to fate or to indifference.  It was hard to respect a ruler who was never home.

It showed a definite failing in his style, though, one she'd noticed since returning.  That is why leaders delegate, she answered.  In Ironsea she'd trusted Raptor and Erzulie while she was away, and Caiaphas had been assisted by Illidan while she wreaked chaos across the wilds.  As long as someone held down order and was there to welcome newcomers... Leaving is an opportunity to meet the neighbors, but also one to gain followers.  You can't always count on them to come to you.  So far they'd been lucky, but luck ran out.  It isn't good to be blind to those around you.  Ignored packs could bring trouble, especially if they saw a target who was unaware.

I would not recommend leaving for weeks on end, but days would not be remiss if you had a second to rely on.  She hadn't been meaning to open a conversation to advice, but Rosalyn had a tendency towards it when the dialogue led that way.  He was young and she didn't have anything actively against him; it was in her interests for him to succeed here.  Rusalka has a history of challenging, but ranks can be a gift you entrust.  She shrugged a shoulder.  She wasn't sold on the merits of a system that encouraged discord as much as theirs; could a captain ever truly trust a first mate who might only have eyes for their command?