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"There is no one who loves pain itself, who seeks after it and wants to have it, simply because it is pain..."

She had a feeling this wolf was full of his own intentions and ideas. He had a look about him like someone with a plan already in motion in his head. He just needed to get all the pieces together to make it work outside of his own mind. There was nothing wrong with an idealist, someone who knew what they wanted and would keep going till they got it. She believed that was called ambition and she wanted to have wolves like that in Iromar. What was that saying? If you can't stand up for something, you'll fall for anything. A strong united pack did not have to think alike or want the same things, but it was important that they had dreams and wanted to work to achieve those dreams, otherwise there would be nothing to unite them as a pack.

The male nodded in agreement when she said she never aimed to let something or someone just retain their current status and be satisfied with it. Everything should always be trying to improve and be better than their past self. That was the only way for the world to keep evolving, otherwise it would be just as stagnant as the waters of Iromar when the rains came. Shaddix admitted that he didn't know much about Iromar in the past so he asked what it was like. She smirked, always glad to share memories of a better yesterday. "I've been through two different leaderships here when I was younger. The first was the Demon era when Angels ruled in Diveen and there was hostility between the two packs. Andras was the leader here and though he had ideals for war, he was a strong and resilient leader and cared about those beneath him. Iromar was feared but not for kidnappings of children. Because the wolves who lived here were willing to do anything to keep their bloodlines pure and untainted.

"Maybe some of it was a bit petty with the whole Angel vs. Demon warfare but Andras had ideas and he put forth the effort to make them reality. He took over when my parents left and raised me to be strong and resilient as well. He didn't have to. It wasn't his responsibility. I wasn't a blood relative. I was just a pack member in need of guidance and even though he had a whole pack to look over, he still took me under his wing. As for the second leader, she was Aithne and she took over when Andras fell to lead the pack into a brighter era of peace with the other packs. She didn't rule by fear but inspired loyalty in her followers by asking about their hopes and dreams and what she could do to make them reality. She breathed life back into Iromar that it didn't even know it needed. I took things from both those leaders because I believe Iromar needs some strength and some inspiration to come back from where its fallen." She let all that sink in for a moment, gauging his reaction. Maybe he would think it corny to be so inspired by the past but that was what formed her into who she was today. She wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Andras and Aithne.

He then told her that he had only a few hopes and dreams and mainly, it was to lead. She lifted a brow expectantly, knowing there had to be more to the story than just a determination to be an alpha. He then said that he wanted Asteraia and that it was a birthright. She tilted her head a little at that. So his parents must have been alphas at some point. She could understand having the title of prince and having it ripped away before you even got the chance to see how you would do in the position you'd trained your whole life for. She didn't know much about the current alpha in Asteraia but she was meeting with an envoy to find some things out. It didn't sound like it was personal to him. He just wanted to lead the pack he felt was his by bloodright. The current alpha would definitely consider it personal but where should she stand on this?

Did the current alpha know of his ambition? If so, he or she would surely want his head on a platter. That might put Iromar in the crosshairs if they knew she was harboring Shaddix. She couldn't see exiling him for wanting something he felt was his but she also needed to walk a fine line if she wanted to keep peace with the current alpha of Asteraia. It was a tough situation. She didn't have to make a decision right away. She hadn't even met with the current alpha yet to see if peace was doable. "I thank you for your frank honesty with me, Shaddix. This information is important to you and I get that, but it's an ice breaker in the way of making alliances in the here and now. Your sanctuary is here unless I say otherwise." She knew that probably wouldn't be the most supportive answer he would be expecting but she had to be diplomatic about this as well.

As a pack member, he automatically recieved her protection but once he made an open challenge on Asteraia, she might be asked to choose sides and then she might be looking at taking her pack to war over a fight that's not hers. It was a very fragile situation, but again, she couldn't see making a hasty decision over this. His next question gave her something else to think about. He talked about cannibals running free and no one to keep them in check. She thought for a moment before answering. "It has always been the way of life to kill or be killed. Survival of the fittest. We, as a species, are the definition of that. I know that some of those cannibals were raised that way and know no other way to be. Some might even get sick by trying to eat prey meat because their bodies adapted to the rich protein of wolf meat. I do not blame them for their nature. I do not ask them to change who and what they are.

"I only ask that if they seek a home in a pack that they respect that pack's laws and know not to attack pack mate or ally or suffer the consequences. Just because they eat their own kind does not make them above the laws of pack. As loners, they do not concede to that pack law but as such, they have no backup should a pack decide to get justice for a death of their own. I believe in live and let live unless the lives of my pack are encroached on." Figuring that should explain her opinions on the subject well enough, she let the silence come so he could take in her words and respond as he felt necessary.