The earth is just a dead thing you can claim

^^This was a new territory, both literally and figuratively, for Ozai, and though he had been welcomed here by the King himself, it still felt really strange to be inside pack territory. He’d been in pack territory before, though he’d never been welcomed by anyone, much less as someone as high as the king. Should Ozai feel like some sort of honored guest? His ears flickered and he shook out his coat, unsure what to make of it.

Maybe he was. Maybe he wasn’t. He didn’t know, but just being here, considering something he’d never considered before was… strange. Almost as if he was going back on a deal that he’d made to himself. Don’t ever join packs, he’d said, and now look at him, wandering aimlessly in wonder of which Vander-wolf would be the first to find him.

He stayed under the cover of the trees and the shade during the day, but as the sun set - Ozai grew more bold, deciding to revisit some of the places that he hadn’t quite had a good look at before. He’d visited the pit, and was on his way down the mountain when he thought he’d caught movement up ahead.

Was someone there, or was it something he could hunt? Was he even allowed to hunt while visiting? Likely not, Ozai decided, but he went to investigate anyway.

“Hello?”

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A day well spent as the sun caressed the horizon, the light of day dwindling into nothing as the stars above crawled out from their covers. Ira had finished rounding a patrol in record time and sought out to find her husband before they settled for the night, but it was an unfamiliar scent that halted her steps. Already she could feel the hairs along her spine rising at the realization an intruder may have slipped past though fortunately, she would not have to hunt them down.

A voice called from the rising slopes, the golds of her eyes darting to find the shape of a wolf making his way down the path. “Halt. State your name and purpose in Vanderfell territory.” There was no warmth to her voice as she quickly turned to meet the man halfway. At a glance, he almost looked like a bleached version of her husband, but there were clear differences between the men. Had they met at the borders perhaps she would have fancied his greeting more, but he was far too deep for her comfort. Not when she had children roaming.

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^^Everything seemed too good to be true. Where was the web, and where was the spider? She was, of course, right in front of him; it seemed as though he had poked the spider, as a matter of fact. There was negative amounts of warmth and welcoming in her tone, and instead, so much dominance in her aurora that she could make a grown man tremble.

Even Ozai would tremble with excitement despite lowering his head in a sign of submission. He almost nearly submitted fully to her, but worried that might look like a sign of guilt. Then again, if that's what she wanted, or if that’s what it took. She had told him to halt, though, so he halted, glancing towards her but not making eye contact - and if he did - it wasn’t and wouldn’t be long enough for her to consider that it was a challenge; just long enough to identity her, thankful for Heiro’s description.

“Good evening, High Queen Ira. My name’s Ozai, and I’m a potential recruit; Heiro said that he was the High King, and welcomed me in for a visit to see if I might like it here well enough to stay. Have I wandered too far?” Ozai would reply smoothly, hoping that the kind lad from before was truly the king, and not some lad who had just signed his death certificate! Though, to be honest, Ozai wouldn't be surprised if that's how his end came. 

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The man was quick to submit in her approach though it was her name that stopped her from questioning further. Carefully she eyed him, her gaze traveling the split canvas bleached upon his flank. So few if any other could claim such a description and she knew his word to be true. Though they had not met personally, Hiero had filled her in about a traveler staying if briefly. She was not fond of the decision to treat their home as a resort, especially with their brood wandering more freely, but by the time news reached her ears the man was already well within the claim. “On the contrary.”

She would bear no fangs for him despite her husband's, in her opinion, foolish decision, but she was not so trusting to let him continue wandering freely. “You have no guard?” He could go wherever he pleased so long as she had eyes on the man, though at this point one would likely not be needed. He would need to pick to bear their title or leave before he overstayed a far too gracious welcome.

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^^It was an interrogation that Ozai had expected, once realizing that this was the queen that Heiro had spoken of - yet, the only, or rather, the first question that came was pertaining to a guard. Ah, so visitors needed escorts, and Ozai was here without one, already fucking up and he wasn’t even a member of their kingdom yet.

“Not to my knowledge.” Ozai would reply swiftly with the nod of his head, pondering if she would take the mantle herself and act as his guide, or if she would be calling someone else to babysit him.

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Ira was less than pleased with his response. She found it hard to believe Hiero would not have someone watch over the man if he himself could not, but she could not change that which has already happened. Already, she knew that her husband had given him a tour when he first arrived, so what he now wandered for she could hardly garner a guess. The roan queen would stifle her annoyance with an inhale as her eyes trailed to the path he had come from.

“You have seen much of my land and your stay has been at the grace of my husband, but that grace only goes so far. I do not share the kindness he has shown you. Our resources and shelter are not for those free of hand.” If he wished to stay as a functioning member of the pack that would be one thing, but at this point, he would have to earn her trust. If he had come to freeload then she would swiftly deal with him here and now before he could take more undeserved spoils from the paws of her pack. “What are your intentions? You will decide now or you will leave.”

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^^Ozai wondered if Ira really thought him a blind fool as it was more than obvious that she did not share the friendliness of her husband. In fact, she was somehow quite the opposite, and he’d never truly known that opposites could attract until this very moment - but if she could be won over by Heiro, then Ozai, too, could do the same.

The fire lord was not a freeloader (at least not in this life) and therefore, he would give a nod of his head - deciding not to press his luck by questioning her. He was a stranger in her home, after all and Ozai wondered how he might act if he were in her paws.

“The intention has always been to join the pack, your grace, and I did not mean to overstay my welcome, but if you have decided that I am not a fit here or that you have no purpose for me, then I must respectfully apologize, and I will leave as requested. ”

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It would seem he did intend to join, though now she only wondered if it had been his intention all along, then why had he not simply joined from the start? The man seemed defeated before there was even true reason to be as he already offered to vacate despite what she had said. “I never stated such, only that you make a decision.” After all, why turn away an able body should he turn beneficial to the pack?

However, at this point in time, his joining was no normal one. She was not fond of his unofficial respite if his intentions had always been to join them. He was treated as a guest as opposed to a working packmate who earned his place on the mountain. Now he would have to work for it. “What is it that you intend to bring to Vanderfell?”

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^^Perhaps Ozai had misunderstood her words, but there was no going back now - was there? He was not a man that liked to recant his words, so he would not do so. He was just trying not to give her any reason to distrust him further, but it felt very much like he was digging his own grave.

What was it, truly, that he intended to bring to Vanderfell? That was a good question, one that Ozai was unsure if he had an answer that would be deemed acceptable to the likes of the High Queen.

“What is Vanderfell in need of, your grace? I am a fast learner, and my skills can always be improved. I would love to be cross trained in everything Vanderfell has to offer, though I enjoy fishing, stalking, and traveling.”

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Had he been another, perhaps she would have been delighted for him to be so willing to fill empty roles, however, at this point, there was no telling if his words were just to please her ears or genuine. She would not openly feed him what it was she wanted to hear, so instead, she would focus on what he already had to offer. Hunters would always be important, even if the skill was basic to survival, but she supposed it would be one way he could earn his keep. At the very least he could pay off what he may have taken rather she deemed him fit or not.

They had little use for messengers at the moment, but with few adults, it would be difficult to send any when there were needs to tend to at home. It would have to do, for now at least, though maybe she would be pleasantly surprised with time. “In due time. You will prove yourself as a Drifter. Spend your days tending to caches and filling those that are lacking. It should be no issue now that winter has passed.” If he was still here by the time he had earned his place then they could speak more on what skills he wished to hone and refine as a Laering, but that time was not now.

“You've had your tour and synopsis of our rules. If there is nothing else that needs addressing then you may begin your work now.”

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