Wraith knew he was taking it too personally, but even still, his Alpha's words felt like a stinging insult as they insinuated he was incapable of teaching. The northerner couldn't count the number of pups he had helped to raise over the course of his life; his parents were quite prolific and had large litters each year despite the treacherous weather of the highlands. But that experience was now considered useless here, by this wolf. Of course, he hadn't told @Nicolò of his past experiences so he knew he couldn't exactly blame the male.

However, he had no intention of bringing up his family. Not with this male in this situation on this night. None of it suited and there was a severe lack of trust on both sides. It was a foreign concept to not trust his Alpha and sat ill on the black wolf's shoulders.

"In part," Wraith relented. He could understand wanting the best for the next generation. What he didn't understand was against what standards was he being judged as incapable of performing such a task. Reminding himself to remain polite - it wasn't in his nature to be disrespectful to his leaders - Wraith smiled and took the fault onto himself. "I'm sure it is only that I was raised differently that has me lacking full understanding. But the sentiment is clear."

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de

Silence passed between the two men as Nico waited for a response. When it finally came, it was what he had been hoping for. In a way, Wraith understood where his thought process was leading him and the alpha could appreciate at least that. He was a respectable man and Nicolo looked forward to getting to know him better in the future, but now he was finally starting to feel the effects of his lack of sleep. If his sister woke up, she would surely wonder where he was and Nico did not wish for her to worry.

With this in mind, he flashed Wraith a smile, his deep voice, once again, making an appearance, "It had been wonderful making your acquaintance, Wraith. I must get some rest, however. I hope you get some as well." He nodded towards the other man in farewell before taking his leave and tracing his path back to his sister's resting place. Hopefully, the cold would no longer keep him awake and he would be able to get some rest before the day truly began. With that in mind, he settled in beside his dear Adele and did his best to calm his mind so that he could fall asleep.

WesternStock @ DA, KYghost @ DA & Dawnthieves.de - Table by PuppyThief

As @Nicolò said his farewells and made to leave, Wraith nodded politely and watched him walk off. He couldn't find it in himself to hate the man despite the insult to his pride. As far as wolves went, Nicolo wasn't awful. But as far as leaders went, the northerner found him just as lacking as his superior found him. Of course, Nicolo had his father to compare to and Wraith knew none could compare to the warden of the north.

Despite his alpha's well wishes that he get a good night's rest, Wraith knew sleep would be hard to come by for him tonight. His mind was too filled with failings now brought forth to the surface, a fact that his ghosts delighted in. They hovered close, yipping and laughing in his mind's eye nearby. Frustrated beyond words, the brute of a wolf began to run out beyond the boundaries of the marked packlands towards the nearby mountain. He forced himself up the steepest of cliffs to drag his mind from its trenches and focus on his pawsteps. Alas, his ghosts found him at the top of the ridge and some did a re-enactment of their death for him even as he snarled for them to knock it off. Only with the morning light did their spirits fade to wherever it was ghosts went to during the day.

Burtn @DA & Dawnthieves.de