He'd not imagined sitting beside her at any point, not really at least. He had been a lot younger when he had first met her - a lot dumber, a lot more foolish and a lot less in control of his temper. Now, however, it was pleasant to be able to functionally talk to another that had, even in Iromar, been prided on her mind. Perhaps it had been the oddity of their culture that had always intrigued and yet baffled him. Having been raised without a solid culture, the rules and regulations of the new rule had been off putting. Still, he had never blamed wolves like Rogue for having implemented such rules, or for having torn his mother from the throne. It had been her fault for not being strong enough, and his fault for not being old enough (as silly a reason as it were) to do so before Baphomet could have had the chance. Maybe it had been better this way, though; he had a pack, he had comrades, and now he had potentially one of the better wolves of Iromar's hoard. Ah, he could not help but smile inwardly to that.
When she spoke, he had turned to face her, meeting her gaze coolly and nodding every so often. What she spoke of was interesting, surely, and something he found himself chuckling quietly over. So, it was not simply him who saw things in such a way? Isola had been always been a wolf most admirable, though her father and, seemingly, the rest of their family could not have the same said for. Azrael had been most obnoxious, insulting without reason and ah, Heyel - had he not threatened the daughter of a wolf he now called pack? A strange lot, that part of the family. It was interesting to hear such a perspective from her though, and he mused over it in silence for some time. Logical, he figured, that she would understand the sensitive nature of war in such a way. He hardly knew the details but it had never shocked him to find out that Iromar had been the one to tongue the wound; Vague had done so, over and over, long before Ishtar's rule. He imagined... it had been much more than simply Ishtar's actions that encouraged the war.
"You have given me quite a bit to consider. Admittedly, I find it difficult to blame either leader for such an outbreak of war. I'm sure we can both agree that both seem to enjoy, how you say? Poking at the injured bear."
He chuckled once more at his own humor, shaking his head slowly. For all her faults, he could understand why a wolf such as Ishtar might take so unkindly to the Angels, even if they were not innately the type she had an issue with. They had been abrasive to Tesseract in the past without reason other than his heritage - that was Moladion, however, and undoubtedly Ishtar had held others of Heyel's blood accountable for his actions, too. War was such a folly endeavor. Pack relations just seemed to get a hell of a lot harder - he sighed over that fact, berating the fact that he would surely have to make some sensitive decisions at one point or another. It was only when she spoke once more that he regained composure, straightening up and watching her with a tilted head. Perhaps he should have pressed the matter further - a woman in which she cared for so intensely? But truly... who was a wolf like Tesseract to judge? Had he not knowingly taken his sibling as a mate? Of course, he hardly saw Caligula as such - to him, she was the secondary half of his soul - and yet, that was how the world chose to view such a matter. Of all wolves within Moladion, he understood the frustration of being condemned solely because one's affections were labeled as misplaced. Rather than smirk or laugh, he merely smiled earnestly and nodded, bowing low in a moment of respect.
"Perhaps now would be an excellent time to inform you that Isola has approached Caligula and I in regards to an alliance. Perhaps, if you so desire, I can pull at the strings and build a - hypothetical - bridge across this river. Access to she, and she access to you."
He raised a brow, the corner of his lip pulled up into an expectant grin. It would benefit not only her but also he - to create such a possibility of them seeing one another so freely? Well, such a thing could create or deepen their trust and loyalty within him, something he hoped to invoke in all wolves that intended to live along side him. As for her skills? That took more consideration. Information, of course, was of utmost importance and yet, now it would become too risky to send one to infiltrate too far into a pack. Still, they would surely be of great benefit - he merely needed to better analyse how to utilize them.
"For now, I would like for you to keep a keen eye on any loners you see about. They are, of course, potential life blood for the pack and potential informants. I do not believe Moladion has entirely recovered from the impact of war, and I wish to know what ripples continue to move through our society."
He narrowed his eyes, rocking back into a more comfortable position as he thought in silence. Indeed, things had already started to change more so than he had anticipated. Perhaps... perhaps Rogue already knew more from her time spent in the outside.
"I hear a wolf has founded a new pack far north. Tell me, Rogue, have you heard such things too, or have my ears already begun to fail me?"
If so, perhaps he would need to approach such a wolf with haste. One could not expect to become much if they did not take change by the reins, after all.
T E S S E R A C T
[ five - soul of caligula ]