Moonspear be mine

He should have known that she followed him for the intent of revealing her latest thought. Generally that was how such things worked as of late, where one would find the other to impart news or whatever came to mind to tend to any number of concerns that had been tabled. This time was no different and he listened to what she had to say with minimal reaction; surprise instead had stolen away what little response he could have mustered up.

They had talked of such a thing once before, when Dragomir had still resided along the slopes. A time when they had thought of him as highly as one of their own—when was the last time he had thought of him? Even here it was a fleeting thing, a memory that flashed by to leave him with a sense of déjà vu.

But what did he think about it?

His features set into a frown for a moment, though it was more out of thought than disappointment. A brief break in his stoicism, only to be replaced by a searching in her gaze that wanted to suss out more than ambition and concern for what lied beyond their claim. Politics wearied him.

“Laying claim formally to the glen would benefit us,” he opted to open with. “I admit I am tired of our hunting grounds also being grounds for misfortune at the jaws of others.” Putting his son out on that front line, however, stirred a feeling that he didn’t quite like. Children had complicated his life greatly; how simple things had been when it was only his own ambition to consider. How he had pined for a stretch of ground to claim for his own, though in truth once upon a time it had been to try and steal a certain pit viper princess away.

“I think Osiris has potential to do well, but it has to be his decision to do it,” he went on afterward, reaching some natural conclusion for himself. “We can guide and teach him all he is willing to learn, but you know I won’t push him into something he doesn’t want.” Of course, he also knew that winter would put a strain on their resources too; with a robust claim came many mouths to feed… and then there was always the coming spring to consider too.