Zelda was alive to remember what Asteraia had been like when it had been ruled by a cannibal queen. Not all cannibals were bad, not all were good either, but the Monster, while terrifying in Zelda’s mind, had kept them under control and given Moladion a long term of peace that hadn’t been experienced again in some time. Now, peace had fallen again, and with a new apparent cannibal queen who now ruled with much the same mind as the Monster. Or so Jinx had said. Zelda was willing to give them a chance, especially seeing as Blackthorne, who was not a cannibal was more a monster in her eyes than those cannibals had even been. She had many thoughts on them, mixed feelings, and while she didn’t approve of what they did, at the same time them being contained, controlled seemed to have silenced the free lands for the time being.

Zelda listened though as she posed her own question to Elohim. His huff of a laugh wasn’t missed upon her tan rimmed ears, but only served to cause her to tilt her head curiously. She was trying to understand some piece of information that was clearly missing, something he quickly filled in for her. Information that now Glorall and Iromar were joined by blood, family, a powerful bond. ”I doubt Blackthorne really cares much about that bond, unless he plans to exploit Eden for it. I know little of your father, but what my mother says of him, but I don’t see your father as one to be exploited. Do you? You probably know him far better than I. Unless… that inlies the problem, that you see it going the other way?” She prodded, though she didn’t fear Eden, everything she had been told was he was a good and decent male. Nothing Zelda had seen of him really made her worry or fear that he would do something terrible. Honestly, seeing Blackthorne be manipulated by Eden was something she would look forward to in that case.

”If all it took were blood, and this is your father’s nephew, wouldn’t he side more with his own child’s pack? The mother of his children? He has investments in Taviora too if this is your reasoning for me to worry. I see why you think I should worry, but I’m not so sure it would work quite, that way with him, I may be wrong about him, I only met him a few times, my mother I also think knows little about him despite loving him as she does. Should this be something I worry more about, Elohim?” She questioned back, Zelda wasn’t sure how much her mother, or Shem for that matter, mattered to Eden, Shem was here, Asriel had left to join him what felt like eons ago now. Maybe it was time she pay her brother a visit, see if he found what he was missing and needing.

Though Elohim was curious all on his own. He appeared to be about her age, and really in a few ways he was like his father. Different as all wolves were from their parents, but children couldn’t help but take certain traits from their parents and family they were surrounded by. ”It is only because I treat everyone with the same kindness and respect I hope to receive in return that my paws are ‘clean’ as you say. Even Blackthorne has been treated as such, though I don’t think he was ever given such a thing his entire life, not unless it involved fear. I empathize with him, his life… his plight in some ways.” Zelda’s eyes went to Elohim’s, tired, almost sad in some ways, she wasn’t as good at keeping a poker face as he was. Emotion boiled up to the surface with her family so easily, it took a lot of concentration to do otherwise. She shook her head then breaking the eye contact. ”Not having power, is the best way to live Elohim, you are doing it right, but I believe the ones that do best with power are the ones who ultimately never wanted it in the first place.” She said her eyes returning to his own, she believed he was speaking the truth, but she was as well.

This conversation was a lot deeper and more heavy than she had been anticipating, though at the same time having some of it off her chest felt good. She didn’t mind sharing her true thoughts about it. His last tagged on question though was not forgotten. She thought about Tezcacotl, Citlalli, Petra, Shem, even Mochimal and Niyol. She did not fear what Taviora may have in store so long as her family rose up, but Zelda wasn’t planning on letting them lead soon. Even other packs she wasn’t sure if she was worried. ”No, I don’t think I am.” She answered simply, ”It would do little good anyway to worry about what’s to come when I can do nothing about it now. Though, I do want to get my paws on Blackthorne’s boy before he can be as broken as his father is. I guess that is why he has been so quiet. Perhaps he is finding parenthood to be very challenging in its own right.” She couldn’t help but snicker at the idea of him being tormented by children. Unable to kill them so easily. Maybe he will learn why it was that Pine and Aster caved so easily. Maybe she should return the favor? Unlikely, though the idea sounded good in her head. If she wanted to start a war that was.