The Sentinels For there's one thing to be sure of, mate

tagging for reference only!  Though any are welcome to join. I was vague since the meeting isn't finished, but I figured it safe to assume that lasher went alone in his thread with Caiaphas <3

maybe if @Aria feels similarly they can chat? Lol

Dante was pissed, to say the least.  Despite his (rather reasonable, he thought) advice, @Lasher had chosen to go alone to visit his sea witch.  He could not believe she would have opposed it should one other wolf go with and pause well short of where their meeting would happen, waiting for it to be done to accompany him back.  He worried, and as a result was sullen.  It was the first time he'd felt completely let down by the dark alpha, and the hit to his respect was heavy.  An alpha that would preach caution to subordinates but treat his own life with such reckless abandon did not fit his image of the father, and it sickened him.

He knew the stretch of coast north was where he'd begun to see much of the activity, and it was that way Lasher had gone.  If he came back injured, Dante would have a fine "I told you", but the pragmatist in him knew there was a chance the alpha would not come back at all.  One wolf against three or four had little chance, and he cursed again their unwillingness to even consider what he had put forth.

He'd vented his frustrations to @Osprey after the meeting closed, discussing what had happened and the danger they now faced.  And now he sat near their shared den space, idly scratching at the bark of a tree and trying to sort out exactly how he wanted to proceed from this.

! yas rant thread

Like Dante, Aria was just as frustrated with Lasher's leaving alone. For different reasons than the man, perhaps, but all the same. If Lasher did not return well, she would place the blame upon Blue Willow. The young Beta had never properly met the woman, but she was quick to disagree with her and Dante without listening in full to their reasoning. Sure, Lasher had a strong bond with this 'sea witch', but if she was so intelligent and important couldn't she see that this was a stupid plan? Diving headfirst into... where ever, without the proper 'army', if you will? She worried for Lasher, holding concerns for him that were more intimate than Dante's, but concerns all the same.

The pale princess traveled through the territory with a dull expression, trying to move past the meeting like any mature adult should. She was working on not holding grudges, she felt that that was kind of what Pearl meant when they had their talk. Aria did not, however, have any remorse for the death of Behati. Most of it was her fault, but she did not care. Behati had no sound morals and cared only for herself- Karm(a) is a bitch. 

During her walk, Aria caught scent of the grey Beta, her ears perking and tail raising. She padded towards his scent, wondering if he was out. When she caught sight of him, sitting solemnly outside what she could only assume to be his den, she let out a bark. Her tail wagged in a friendly greeting, but her posture remained relaxed and neutral. "Rough day?" she asked, although her smile revealed it's joking nature. The whole pack was having a 'rough day', she could already assume why the male appeared so down.

He hadn't expected his fellow Beta to happen upon him, and when he heard another wolf, he turned with some trepidation, hoping against hope it was not any of the Mayfair clan.  He wasn't in the mood to deal with mincing words, and he knew if he ran across any who had agreed with Lasher's decision, he would inevitably cause a grievance.  Luckily it was Aria instead, and he relaxed, relieved.

"Just wondering if perhaps I made a mistake," he said somewhat quietly, though he didn't elaborate.  It was a dark, somewhat nasty thought, but he'd stewed over it last night and into this day, and it would not go away.  Ceasing in his destruction of the poor trunk, he turned fully to Aria.  "That meeting went well," he said, though his tone said clearly this was not the case.  He remembered that she had been on his side when the suggestion had been put forth, so did not try to avoid conversation.  Perhaps they could talk through it some.

She waited for him to perhaps elaborate, but he simply brushed over it- she didn't push it. The girl giggled a little at his comment, shaking her head with a bitter smile. "Went swimmingly," she responded, shrugging to him. "I trust him fully but- I actually encountered Ferahgo... I don't think it's a good idea at all for him to go alone. Or with whoever the woman was..." she said, her lips pursing as she thought about the topic. Had Dante met the man himself? She wasn't sure. She had met two of the wolves in the pack, neither of whom she was particularly fond of. Lasher was stronger than she was, but he was far more sane then this pack was. They thought differently- they were twisted. They might even have the upper-hand. She didn't have full faith in him because of this, and the thought of him injured or dead sent shivers down her spine.

She did agree, though she was perhaps more reasonable about it.  Dante could feel his anger and knew it was over the top - but he was not fond of being brushed off, not when he felt his advice had not even been heard.  "I do not care if he is a 'full grown wolf'.  There is a band of full grown wolves who obviously mean trouble.  It was reckless to go alone."  He made a disapproving growl, agitated.  The decision was obviously, in Dante's opinion, fueled by Casmir's condition and a desire for revenge.  They had gone after his children twice, so he failed to react rationally.  Would Dante be the same were he a parent?  He did not know.  But a leader did not have the luxury of making mistakes like that.

There is no dearth of capable leaders to take my place.  He presumed much, and it only drove the wedge deeper.  Dante had given Lasher the leadership in good faith because he truly felt, at the time, that it suited him.  Now Lasher had all but thrust it back should he not return, and Dante wondered if maybe it should not have been given in the first place.

The girl nodded, letting out a breathy 'hmpf' of agreement as he finished. "It was extremely hasty," she added, also thinking of Casmir, herself, and the pups. The pale beta sat, her tail swishing irritatedly behind her. She remained silent for a moment before, as usual, she pinned the situation upon herself. The girl took blame for a number of situations in the pack, her personal belief in her lack of ability often the punching bag of her unnecessary guilt. "I suppose it is my doing. I had warned him of the packs intent after my own encounter with them, perhaps I should have left out some detail- or advised not to go after them," she thought aloud, her tongue gracing her lips with frustration in herself.

slight assumptions about the meeting >> kinda sorta. we'll see how badly this ends up in comparison when tuesday rolls around lmao!

"Obviously, that advice would not have been heard," he argued with a bit of a sardonic edge, knowing it was uncharitable.  Though perhaps not as out of line as what he said next.  "It is a poor leader who disregards the fears of his packmates," he added in a bit more subdued manner.  They were words he maybe should have kept to himself, but Aria was in the same position as he, and he felt she would understand they did not condemn Lasher.  They simply condemned this action of his.  "And a poorer one still who does so for the sake of revenge.  It was no one's decision but his own.  That much was clear."  What shocked Dante was that Blue Willow had agreed with it.  How could she not see how reckless her mate's actions were?

lol, hopefully won't end too badly :p I hope this makes sense- I was struggling to word exactly what she wanted to ask. ugh

Dante seemed to reassure her, in a sense, and she calmed slightly. Although she couldn't really tell who he was talking about now. However, regardless of what she had originally said- she did try to stop him from acting so ignorantly. It was he who hadn't listened. She gave another bitter smile to her packmate, tail flicking curiously now as he spoke. "Excuse my asking..." she began slowly, testing the wording of her question before asking, "but do you think that he is doing his job as a leader?" she asked. 

Aria had known he was speaking collectively, not referring specifically to any one wolf; Lasher included. The answer had seemed clear from his past comments, but she wanted an answer that referred directly to the Mayfair man. She was curious. The only thing that the sweet fae had been exposed to was Lasher, and before him chaotic and strict leaders who cared only for the higher or the ranks. She knew what she believed to be right... but Dante was old, he surely knew more than she did. Aria knew not that he had given the pack over to Lasher, and therefore did not ask, but remained curious of his thoughts on leadership. "I'm only asking because you seem to be knowledgeable when it comes to leadership... You certainly seem to think he's making a mistake," the girl then added, not sounding condescending or sarcastic in any of her tone. "I agree." 

"In this? No.  In all other ways? Yes."  Dante sighed, frowning.  He did not want to let his doubts mire them too much, not until he'd had a chance to speak with Lasher afterwards.  This had colored his view of the Alpha definitely, but Dante was a harsh man.  And he knew this.  There were times when a mistake was irreversable, and a friendship tainted forever.  He truly hoped this was not one of those, and that it was all a misunderstanding brought about by the suddenness of the attacks and the fervor Lasher felt in the meeting.  Perhaps he truly hadn't heard their advice soundly.

"I think he has allowed his emotion get the better of him.  And I hope it comes to nothing."  He would not see Lasher harmed, not even for his own justification, and he definitely did not wish to reclaim the crown.  He'd given it willingly and gladly, and it would be a grudging reclaimation if it ever came to that.  For much as he disagreed with this, he still felt himself unsuited to the task.

The girl remained quiet for a moment. "I see," she answered, her head tilting. She had other questions to ask, but she could not decide if they were appropriate or not. Did he think Lasher would die? She certainly wasn't sure of it. But there was no way she would be able to tell. Her heart broke at the thought of it- half fell to her feet while the other was lodged in her throat, making a dry burning sensation replacing it. She shrugged. "I suppose we'll just have to have faith in him," she muttered softly, before looking back to Dante. 

"I suppose so," he replied back, though he did not know if he was able.  Finally, at length, he shook his head. "Not much that can be done now.  I plan on speaking with him when he returns."  The if he almost placed there was for now denied.

"Thanks, Aria.  It was good to talk."  He hadn't spent much time with his co-beta but she seemed to have a level head.  He could perhaps see what Lasher had when raising her to the position.

Aria gave a soft smile, nodding to him. "It was," she replied quietly, standing and shaking off her fur. The girl gave him a quick look down before she decided she would leave. "I'll seek him out soon as well," she added, "Have a good day, Dante," she then said, and turned to go, making her way through the redwoods and towards her den for a bit of rest.

"You too."  He watched her go, then shook his coat out and set off for the western shore.  He'd do a run by Stavanger just to be sure, not trusting things to stay quiet while the alpha was gone and knowing he could allow nothing to endanger them in the meantime.