He didn't wait to see any reactions, expecting his orders to be followed, but instantly started off out into the fields, one ear flicking back to make sure Reyes was following. For a while he kept quiet, just walking briskly, to irate to say anything without yelling. His gaze remained straight ahead, tail curved high and rigid above his back, teeth clenched. He was seething. Of course, with all these new recruits, he couldn't have expected the ranks to remain idyllic, ambition festered everywhere and challenges was a natural part of pack life. But he had hoped his members would be bright, and thoughtful, enough to keep from actually, physically tearing into each other; Not to mention pick a proper time! Really that was the part that angered him the most. Phoenix was missing, likely hurt and definitely lost, all their time and resources should be devoted to finding her, not squabbling over rank; There'll be plenty of time to do that once spring comes around!

When they had put a good distance between themselves and the rest of the group, Drestig breathed in deeply, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment and exhaling through his nose. "Come up here where I can see you!" He ordered, voice sharp, as he slowed his pace to let the younger wolf catch up and fall in step by his side. Once their eyes were aligned, the king turned his head slightly, fixing his subordinate with a steely glare before looking back ahead, continuing to move at a brisk pace. "Now, you mind telling me what the hell you were thinking?" His voice was low, but filled with fire, teeth visible at all times, even when he broke off, glancing sideways at the brute; "We all have plenty of more important things to do without having to break up scuffles within the pack!" The graying jaw was tightly set, ember eyes smoldering with clear anger. On the inside he was wondering if he'd made a mistake in accepting the burly wolf into the pack. Had he been the one to draw blood in this idiotic fight, Drestig wouldn't have hesitated to kick him out. Now, he'd give him a chance to explain himself.

Word Count: 370

At least he seemed suitably contrite, even if his answers were very unfulfilling. Drestig sighed loudly, frustration as clear in his voice as every fiber of his body. All of this nonsense was such a waste of energy! Had he been blind, thinking his subordinates better than this? Or was he simply too caught up in his own woes to face the facts of life? No..! His daughter was gone, the pup of Wild Rye Fields was lost and they should all be out looking for her. What was the purpose of a pack if not to raise its pups? If they couldn't even do that, then his whole mission had failed. The elder man growled lowly, shaking his head to clear the pressure of regretful thoughts. One misstep would not topple them, he wouldn't let it! And this won't happen again!

Reyes was promising as much, despite the convoluted nature of his statements. He'd made a mistake, but it wasn't one bad enough to throw him out over, not as long as he understood the error in it. Halting, Drestig bended back his head, taking a deep breath as he looked up at the clear sky, his breath forming a visible, grayish mist against its background when he breathed back out. Then he turned towards the younger male, expression still serious, but more composed. "Don't call me 'sir'," he corrected, gruffly, then continued in a softer voice: "It makes me sound even older than I already am." The ghost of a smile played around his mouth, most of his anger having evaporated just like the cloud of his breath. He was still far from happy with the brute's actions, but snarling and snapping rarely solved anything, in his experience. Instead he fixed Reyes with a stern look, voice serious, but measured as he said: "Look, I don't fault your ambition, rising the ranks is no bad goal for any pack wolf. But you gotta realize that brute force can't  solve everything! Rank needs to be earned, if you just fight your way to it, everyone you beat will end up resenting you." This was not a lesson the daring Avalon had ever thought he would be parting onto anyone, but it felt right to guide the younger man, as he had the others under his care for all of his adult life.

Sighing again, though this time much lighter and without the added sound, Drestig turned his gaze back out over the fields, their golden glory now hidden under the glistening snow. He spoke in a more thoughtful voice, brows furrowing slightly with the words: "You wanna be third or second, or even leader one day? Fine. But don't rush it, take your time. Prove to everyone that you deserve it, that you are capable, not just through beating them up, but helping them, sparring with them, hunting with them, getting to know them! Winning trust might seem harder at first than winning a dominance match, but in the end you'll find yourself much more secure in your post, and much less lonely." A soft smile curved the leader's lips as he looked back over at his subordinate, the domineering manner now mostly gone; "So prove your strength, in more than just force, to them and to me. And when you fight, fight fair." His head tilted ever so slightly as he watched and waited, hoping his less stern approach had managed to get through to the chap. But just in case, he bared his teeth in a wolfish grin, adding wickedly: "Or I won't hesitate to show you who really has the power here."

Word Count: 606

He had a vested interest in every member of his pack, to keep the group well functioning sure, but also because it mattered to him that each individual was happy. He thought he'd explained as much when he accepted Reyes into his fold, but perhaps it would take several talks like this one before it finally registered. He couldn't be so hard on the lad, the lone life was tough. Still, he would have appreciated a little more of a reaction to his words, if not thanks then at least a promise that he would mull it all over. It would seem that his newest member wasn't exactly the talkative sort though; Guess we'd have to get one sooner or later…

The king quirked a brow at the meek response, pausing in his tracks. He looked intently at the younger male for several breaths of silence, waiting to see if he would say any more. When it was clear he wouldn't, Drestig spoke crisply: "Good." He voiced the word slowly, swishing his tail behind his hips as he continued: "I'll watch that you do." If the boy wasn't interested in friendly advice, then so be it, he could be the harsh leader if need be. "Now get on out of here, I'm sure Askan's eager to give you some more pieces of mind!" He smiled thinly, motioning with his head to dismiss the brute. Yes, he would keep an eye on Reyes, and hopefully he would show some more thought in the future; Now for Icicle! That would be an entirely different conversation, and the alpha was eager to get it done with as well, spinning on his heels to head back and seek the out the pale lad; Then maybe we can get back to what is actually important!

Word Count: 300