Two Rivers Isle Listen here, child

@Vassago.
She called him now, expression frigid.  His insolence was the topic of a recent conversation with Malice, something that echoed poorly with her. Things had been hectic, yet now was a moment of stillness, evening close at hand, and she waited patiently for the boy she had once instructed in the ways of battle at an early age. she ought to spend more time with them, she knew, and she pledged too in the future. pyro she had not scene in ages, nor Vassago, yet their scents were strong throughout the territory.

Truth be told, Vass had forgotten about the fights with each of his parents. Though his pride then had been wounded, the boy had since been inflated, and that left his memories in the dust of his mind, unneeded and unwanted. Each night he still slept in the midist of his family, snuggling with the dark fur of whoever was closest, and each day he spent at least a little time with everyone. 

When Aunt Aero called to him that evening, coldness in her tone, Vassago was confused - he'd been a good child since then, as far as he could remember -  but nonetheless crept closer to her direction. 

He came into view of her eventually, ears pinned and yellow eyes wary. Should she lash out at him like Malice had, he'd have no choice to again run and hide - and her anger didn't scare him nearly as bad as Malice's. 
 
                             "Yes, Aunt Aero?"

He approached readily, for this the pale woman was glad. Her expression was cool, but it faltered at his polite greeting, and she settled for neutrality. "Vassago. How are you? " She greeted simply, knowing the topic she felt she might broach would not end well should she barge right into it. 

Yelling seemed it would not work with the child. Perhaps with Pyro; significantly better tempered than his brother, yet Vassago was perhaps more...full of himself,  at times. to put it nicely,  headstrong.

Aero seemed to soften when he showed himself, but neither moved closer - it was then Vass realized why he was here, and even as he began to step back, the white woman's words stilled him... She wasn't yelling? Curiousity kept him there at this point, and his ears cupped forward. 

                            "Goooood?"

The drawn out word was hesitant, ending higher pitched as if it were a question, and Vassago eyed Aeronwyn as if she would lunge at any moment.

Vassago eyed her as if she were in snake about to strike. Again, she wondered how the boys had been born so different; Pyro perceptive, thoughtful, yet lenient and perhaps a little meek, and Vassago, headstrong, loud and perhaps not as perceptive as his brother. "Your mother tells me that you asked of your past. Why we are here." she remarked, nothing short of casually. She wanted to know his views on the matter. Surely he was mature enough not to run away, she thought dryly a moment. she would hate to have to run after him like he was prey.

Even at his unconcealed glares of wariness, Aero didn't lash out. Vass softened, then, but her words did not make her trust him - he remembered clearly the way his parents had reacted. His words were curious, but guarded, and the boy still didn't move. 

                 "I was punished for that curiosity."

In truth, Vassago was not as dim-witted as everyone seemed to think - he knew Pyro would always be more intelligent than he, but the eldest child was a crafty little shit indeed. No more would he ask his parents of the dark wolves, and he would play nice until he was old enough to go out on his own and do what he needed to do; one day, he would know what that meant - in his heart, he didn't know what he would do when confronted with those dark wolves. He didn't even know how to find them, not yet - he only knew they were over a mountain.... Somewhere.... When he did find them, how would they react? Would he attack right away, aim to kill? Such a thing, he knew, was suicide - and he'd promised Malice he wouldn't get himself killed. Death hadn't quite ever made sense to the boy, and perhaps when he further understood, he would be unable to kill - but that meant targeting one of the dark wolves to prove a point! It was usually around then that the boy lost his train of thought - he didn't have the attention span to think or plan further. For right now, though, that was okay - until he could learn to swim and cross the river, it was all useless.

"And for good reason." she added onto his sentence smoothly. "You are young, Vassago. you have led a sheltered life on this Isle,  away from harm, which is more than most could ask for. you should count yourself priveledged,  and yet you still seek strife. there is cruelty in the world you could not know." She told him carefully, eyeing him without judgment, mere watchfulness.  

"Your parents sacrificed much to allow you such a life. such did I. you must promise not to, in a moment of brashness, destroy all that has been created here." she added. perhaps one day they would be strengthened enough to stand without fear against the brotherhood. yet their numbers were few.

Aero was on the side of his parents, but she still didn't lash out like he expected. It did, however, anger the young Rochester. Everyone kept assuming he would leave tomorrow and take down the pack - he was doing this to HELP them!

                       "When I grow up and earn my trade, I'll be ready to take on an unsheltered world - I can't be kept here forever. I can't just live my life and die without ever seeing the world. I wouldn't ever put my family in danger!"

His little stump of a tail lashed, ears pinning again, and Vass' yellow eyes flicked to the earth to glare at it. Why didn't anyone understand that he was only trying to protect them? This was FOR his family, not against them.

Headstrong. her eyes narrowed, and she continued. "When you grow up I hope you will be far less foolish then you are now. seeing the world is on thing. provoking the pack we have fled from in order to allow for a better life is another. yes, do not put your family in danger. listen to your superiors,  Vassago. they know far more of the world then you." she paused before continuing.

"Promise me, Vassago, that the decisions you make will not come from rashness, pride or some feeling that you need vengeance for something you do not know. see the world, do not challenge what you can not." she told him, waiting for his response with a gaze that focused on him as a hawks might.

Vassago's gaze snapped back up, and though he was silent through her words, his yellow eyes burned like fire - he was polite enough to not speak over her, but when she was finally done, he rumbled in his chest. Despite his anger, tears welled up in his eyes. Why didn't anyone believe in him? Why did they think him stupid? His words were soft, contained, but laced with hurt and rage. He held his aunt's gaze, lips pressed in a tight line as he held back tears.

                     "I'm not a FOOL, and I don't need to promise anything. I want to PROTECT my family, and I won't let anything get in the way of that."

His anger was apparent now, yet she met his emotional, angry eyes with a cool stare. "how will you protect your family?" she asked, tone a littler gentler. she genuinely wanted to know; what did this boy feel he needed to prove? why the interest in a past he did not remember, and the desire to protect and explore? was a phase, or something deeper, she thought she ought to find out. the boy had potential, yet he needed strict schooling. perhaps...if the path of a war or was something that he sought...she would have to speak to Burke and Malice of this.

Still, his Aunt didn't lash out - at this point it was a surprise, but nonetheless he was still pissed - but kept his gaze. She asked only one question this time, a little more nicer than their conversation so far, but the boy was already closed off. 

                         "Why? Gunna go back and tell Mom and Dad?"

His own words hadn't softened, striking out mistrustfully as he lifted his chin. Telling the Warlord was as good as telling Malice and Burke himself - and that was dooming any mission he planned on. True to his word, he would grow first, and only after earning a trade and a true rank would he go on his little adventure.

"No, Vassago." she told him simply. amazed that she had not yet become irratated by his hotheadedness, she continued. "Because I am Warlord.  and it is my duty to teach those interested in their mercenary trade. and if I am correct in my assumption that this is the trade you seek, then I must know that you will not take what I could potentially teach you and use it poorly. If you so wish, I will speak to your parents about mentoring you. But I must know...that you will not use your skills in a poor manner should you obtain them." she told him. there. she had offered to him what she had sought to, and now it was up to he boy should he wish to learn from her or pursue another trade, another mentor. for he had potential; much of it. he must only use it wisely.

The conversation took a wild twist as Aero spoke - each word brought his ears up and forward a little more, his glare fading into a look of astonishment. Vassago nodded at her assumption, but stayed quiet until she was done. In fact, he stayed quiet longer, for a full few minutes. The wheels were turning in his head: Aeronwyn was offering to teach him, to talk to his parents about his lessons - he could be trained by the Warlord of Arthendal! 

                            "I promise. I'll use them only to protect my family."

His soft, gentle words were honest and true - he wouldn't use them in a poor manner. Never planned to, in fact: to him, his reasoning was rightful and deserved for all the wolves here.

His reply as expected, and the correct one, yet his arrogant, seemingly reckless attitude put her at pause a moment. He could be. A great wolf, should his arrogance no recklessness be checked. Perhaps training would help with that and with a nod, her demeanor softened. "Very well, Vassago. I will speak to your parents, and if and when they think you ready for training, I Will call for you." She told him, the slightest of smiles at her muzzle. The brothers balanced each other out, she thought. 

With that said, she dipped her head in farewell to the child and spun on her heel, a quick glance back at him carrying her small smile as she headed off to perhaps hunt, then speak to his parents when the time came too.

Aero's temper faded, her demeanor settling, and Vassago was so happy at her words that he rushed forward and pressed into her chest, rumbling joyously in his throat. 

                             "Thank you!"

He stayed back as she took off, waiting a few moments till he thought she would no longer see him and bounding -- literally -- up into the air with a bark of excitement.