Ragnar glimpsed away from Thistle at her question, angered that it sounded like she was basically telling him that the old man had, had a point. That he didn't deserve to lead because his methods weren't “normal”. Because he wasn't friends with everyone, because he did not accept charity, nor did he give it. Because he didn't believe in the ideas of allies because he knew, deep down, that if they were ever called upon they would put their own pack and subordinate's lives before needlessly wasting them. It was what Ragnar would do, but then again he never entered into an engagement that he couldn't nor wouldn't keep; and he wasn't going to tell Thistle that she wasn't a good leader because if he believed that he would have never made her his Queen. Ragnar thought his decisions through, especially when it came to things as important as co-leaders, and Thistle
knew that.
If you and any of the others think that he was right then usurp me. Kill me. If I do not deserve to lead, if I am not worthy of having wolves follow me, then by all means, take over. He hissed at her.
Better yet, I'll drag him back and let him lead since he is apparently, right, and knows so much better than me. We'll see how long Stavanger Bay stays. Ragnar would have liked to thought that his subordinates would not let that happen but he didn't know; what he didn't understand was if he was such a
horrible leader, if he was a child, if he inspired by fear why all of the times he'd been a leader no one had stepped up to say anything or challenge him. If someone thought they could do it better, if they had what it took to step into his paw prints then Ragnar would let them and he would watch them fail, buried under the weight and burdens that he bore every day in the name of his pack and his subordinates that he loved.
He was being cruel and he knew it, but he took Thistle's question how he had, even if it had been a massive misinterpretation. Do you honestly think wife that I would have made you a Queen if I thought you would be poor at it? Ragnar inquired drawing a cruel, sharp 'hmm' in his throat.
Up north we did, Ragnar responded simply, still seething a little from what they had previously discussed. He took her nibbles in good face but he was still a little irritated. If it wasn't for him Stavanger Bay wouldn't exist, and Horizon Ridge might have well been dead, with the combination of the bear and Wheeling Gull Isle. Someone probably would have stepped up, no doubt (and it helped having core wolves that he relied upon like Julooke and Verrine) but even so would they have done as well? Maybe. Maybe they would have done better. But Ragnar had stepped up and led them away from the dangers, and while not kind to outsiders was not a tyrant to his faithful subordinates. Or so he thought, anyway, but then again his opinion of himself was bound to be incredibly biased.
