Barrier Gulch desire and need and failure all spell out

Kemal is not offended by the honest response, it's of far more use to him than if Dracarys were to try and say what he thought would please the newly crowned king.

I have patience. He responds, eyes fixed ahead now. Demanding war in a fit of rage was never the best decision, even if their numbers grew. They had to be smart, play the long game. Maybe we will never need to fight at all. In truth, that was the preferred outcome. Kemal wanted no more bodies on Verpaz's doorstep.

Dracarys asks Kemal his plan, and despite how often it runs through the Águila's head, he does not answer immediately. We move inland, the lowlands are quiet now. No wolves wandering meant no wolves to recruit. There is a mesa and a lake. We live on the mesa, to watch the caldera, and guard the lake to grow green. He was not fond of the plant, but Kemal could see the potential so long as they found a herbalist. Not as a product, but as a weapon.

From there, we travel to recruit. The how was the problem. Soto clearly knew how to charm others, to convince them to his cause and hold them tight. Kemal was not blessed with such charisma. The cold season is coming, there will be wolves in need of shelter.

Gaze moving to eye Dracarys, Kemal decides to ask his opinion. You have other ideas? There are easier ways to gain members, but holding captives and raising pups took time that Kemal did not yet know if they had.

What he could tell from their short conversation was that Dracarys was smart. He had been distant from the pack, but that alone was enough for Kemal to have reason to reel him in.. if Verapaz had a future, then he wanted Dracarys to be a part of it.