Honestly, it had hardly occurred to me that Zelda might be unused to such conversations, that she at her age- was an acceptable example of a child and that I was perhaps the unusual one branching outside my age bracket so to speak. Honestly had I been aware that I had placed her on the spot I would have made some attempt to re-do my words. Maybe. If she was going to help me one day she would need to learn to speak correctly, to speak politically, to question everything and I saw no reason why she couldn’t start now. I had things to learn still myself, things I would one day look back upon and laugh over in my failed attempts to perceive it and yet for now at least, well, I thought I was doing rather well in the least. Some part of myself simply thrived upon this, upon….understanding others and perhaps twisting them just a little my way though they rarely notice. It is all good practice, or so I should think, for what is to come later on. Impa was silent for some time, staring off into space as if the entire day was confusing to her let alone the conversation. Honestly there are times when I question my own choice in confidantes. She seemed a little….hazy for want of a better word. She did, at last, seem to manage to speak, her words surprisingly well placed considering the way she looked. I always was suspicious of some healing plants, maybe I needed to look into that more. Her words however, saw my features frown ever so slightly. The exact details of the treaty between Achilles and Impa were not my concern and yet a single sentence within her words seemed to irritate my mind a little.
“You mean to say that if Widow should make some claim on Asteraia one day, despite the fact she is a loner, you would hold Diveen accountable and consider the peace between the packs void? Your choices are yours to make, Impa, but holding a pack accountable for it’s former members is foolhardy. It’s also contradictory. Some wolves have been members of more than one pack, would you hold both packs accountable for their former member’s actions?”
One eye lifted slightly as I regarded her. Perhaps she misunderstood my meaning and yet if Widow is the example we are to be using then let it be so. Perhaps Widow had gone to Diveen as a child, yet before Diveen she had been born to Asteraia, by Impa’s own foolish reasoning she herself would be held accountable for Widow’s actions. Maybe Impa simply wans’t all that intelligent. Shame really, she had held such promise and yet truly she should consider finding herself a suitable advisor- one to assure that the promises made were not so easily undone with technicalities such as that.
“When a wolf leaves a pack they break ties with it, Impa. Holding wolves accountable for who they were in the past- I think, is……let us say an interesting choice on your part.”
My words remained loose, easy, offered with a smooth and callous ease though the slither of amusement behind it was surely not missed. Judging a pack based on its former members is a fool’s errand- it will achieve nothing and she herself, to my knowledge- has been fighting that very thing in some attempt to turn Asteraia’s image from the pale thing it had been before. Her words however, are a curious thing, they say much of her, more then she perhaps intends to and in this I will not forget. The following words see a simper of sorts return to my lips, shoulders rolling in a shrug.
“How you treat those who act against you is your concern, beneath Isola the binds of Spirane and Diveen were powerful and remain so. To strike one pack was to strike both. I feel those bonds are less potent now and yet that show of force was not easily forgotten. Clearly you are more….benevolent.”
I chuckled softly once more, finding humour in my own words as my tail flicked about. Surely I shouldn’t tease at her so and yet I hardly meant anything by it, she could use a smile, honestly. Even despite her apparently strange ideas on former pack members I still found myself content in her company, I still enjoyed her presence- she had some wit about her and that was refreshing in itself.
“As for turning a failed pack around I suppose that is impressive. It was impressive when Achilles did it, when Danearys did it, when Devil May Cry did it, when Heyel did it though I don’t believe any of them faced quite so many….obstacles as yourself. I think you have done well, your pack gets larger each time I come. Though tell me, what will you do when you can no longer defend it- your children are too young to rule in your stead, will you attempt to continue until they are of age?”
My words, this time, were polite- there is, after all, much to be respected in a wolf of such an age remaining undefeated upon the field of battle and indeed I found myself curious of her answer all the same. Would she have another rule until her children were of age, or would she attempt to hold the throne herself? I have always found succession to be a curious topic. Her mention of brushing herself against me however was met with a marked downturn of my features. She was rather….not healed and honestly I had no desire to be bathed in her blood.
“Umm, very well, I suppose although if you could try not to leave….bits on me I would appreciate it.”
As I said, she was still suffering the wounds of battle and I hardly needed those bits afflicting myself. Then again I was headed for the beach- did it really matter? My mention of this Viora seemed to delight her, well, as much as I think she ever looks delighted as her head lowered to my own and she spoke my own lip quirking slightly at the words.
“If I see this Viora again, I will pass it on for you.”
Attention turned then to Zelda, the violet of my gaze narrowing slightly, head tiled in a moment of confusion as she hesitated, her words seeming to halt as if Impa made her nervous in some fashion. For her part however, Impa seemed….pleased with Zelda, my own form shifting slightly, allowing the Alphess closer as she came, her words holding a kindness I never truly would have thought possible from such a creature and yet it was, well, nice really. I felt my lip pull upward a the words, head nodded in assurance allowing Zelda to continue to speak if she desired, though as I had suspected Impa knew little of those that came before Jaidah. Maybe we could find this Galileo one day, maybe he knew more.
“Thank you, anyway, we….appreciate what you offer. Zelda and I will head to the beach, unless there is more you wish to discuss? Things are….shifting lately, I will let you know what I find if I find anything that might be useful to you and yours though.”
She was letting me use her pack, letting me tease her a little on occasion- I am willing to return the favour in some regard at least, another grin resting on my features now, waiting to see if Zelda had more to add or Impa more to say.
“Unless you want to come to the beach with us of course Impa?”
I chuckled softly, I somehow doubted she would.