There was something about this stranger that made Zephyr feel he didn't need to have his guard fully up. Perhaps it was his carefree nature or his overbearing positivity. Whatever it was, he found himself smiling (actually smiling!) at his comments of Blackthorne's disappearance. Even if it was the barest of grins, it was a genuine mirth that had somehow wormed its way out of the ice that wrapped around the white wolf's heart. To hear another wolf speak about the terrifying leader in such a passive way confused Zephyr. Perhaps that's why all he could do in response was silently chuckle in the form of a ghost of a smile.

Slowly, his hackles lowered when Whelp informed him there was no need to fight. Though he had been a "captive" he was free to leave whenever he truly wanted. Side by side, the wolves made their way back to the edge of Taviora. The silence stretched between the two for several steps until Zephyr grumbled in a low voice. "What will your alpha do now that Blackthorne has gone?" Outside of confirming the brown wolf's curiosity that the wretched leader had certainly left not only Iromar, but all of Moladion, he felt curious about what the other alphas had in mind for the land. Silently, he wondered what he was going to do now. The swamps had been his home long before Blackthorne had taken over. He had been born in that vile place, but no matter what his opinions were of the land, it was all he had ever known of home.

"I doubt that those who remained after Blackthorne left will give up the pack easily. You may want to tell your leader to keep a close eye on Iromar for a time. Blackthorne wasn't the only wolf there she needed to worry about." Perhaps she would already know this, but he felt the need to warn her. "That land has been tainted," he said simply, giving no indication he was going to elaborate further. Everyone knew the history of the swamps. Many an evil ruler had claimed the rancid land as their own. It wasn't going to stop and to turn a blind eye to this fact was foolish.