It had taken far too long to make this trip, but there had been so much to balance back at the Crest, he had not felt that things were stable enough until recently. With @Danica tucked safely within her own sanctuary and @Cessair entrusted with keeping an eye on the pack while they were gone, he and @Raela had made the journey south at last to visit with Nina. It was far past time to tell her that her daughter had not only been found safe, but was now tucked securely under his wing so that he may help repair her shattered life. It was necessary to return the respect that had been shown to him by Nina's own personal visit regarding Daniel's passing, as well as to further foster the positive relationship he wanted to maintain between the Crest and their neighbors. No more did he want there to be tension and suspicion, to have to worry about tangled politics and poisonous gossip, much less for it all to exist due to grudges of the dead. The air needed to be cleared, and he would see to it personally that it was done.

Secret Woodlands was the perfect pack to start with. Not only did he trust Nina to be honest and direct with issues that may be presented to her, but she was connected to most of the Crest's problem areas. He needed to know where the Crest stood with the Caverns, now that the purported 'traitors' were passed. It was also important to know what Nina would and would not hold against Gent and his subordinates should he choose to interact positively with @Iopah's new domain. It was in anticipation of this discussion that he brought Raela with him, wanting her to be fully involved in the diplomatic relations held with other packs, refusing to ever repeat such incidents as Tokino's cluelessness at the meeting in which Minka had declared war, nor the position he himself had been put in when attempting to deal with an alliance that was willing only to respect the Leigh queen. Most of all, however, he simply wanted Nina and Raela to meet and know one another.

When they at last arrived at the Woodlands' borders, he tossed a smile Raela's way before tilting his head back and sending up a summons, requesting Nina's presence specifically.

The new Queen of the Crest was still burdened with as many of the insecurities and as much of the nervousness as usual as the two leaders made their way down from the mountains and back onto lower ground. This was one of her duties that the agouti female had yet to take on. She had to meet with other leaders and wolves of note. There was not only that, but also the fact that she was now a key player in the Crest's diplomatic relations with the rest of the world. She had as much of a say as Gent, and just as much power. That didn't mean she ever had to butt heads with the man; their discussions were always amiable and easily resolved, of course, but just knowing how important she was in all of this was enough to set her nerves jumping. She hated having so much pressure upon herself when the voices in her head still refused to acknowledge  the slightest bit of skill or proficiency in these kind of things. 

In reality Raela was quite good with relationships; and there was no reason to believe that this would not carry over into meetings such as this. Still; the slender, smaller woman felt her concentration drifting off into “what if”s and other useless worries as they walked. Gent had confidence in her at least, and the dark behemoth was right there if she needed him. The closer they got the closer she stayed to his side. The woodlands had once spawned traitorous creatures that had badly maimed poor Lugh, and she only hoped they would not meet any such fate. Her companion seemed to believe Nina had things under control, and was not someone to be so cautious of. His assessment surely helped, but being so on edge already it was no wonder that she refused to tread more than a step or two from his protective presence. Perhaps the rest of the Woodlands wolves possessed more of a propinquity with the Crest than they had been lead to believe. 

Her face had dissolved into a most blank and solemn expression by the time they were close enough to stop at last, and the giant wolf's smile was the only thing to break it. Raela grinned back, almost shaking herself with the realization that she'd probably looked quite a bit worried at first. This was a big day. Her face softened once more as Gent summoned the Matriarch of the thicket, and a silvery puff of air flowed from the new Queen's nostrils to meet with the chill of late Autumn in a quiet sigh. When Nina arrived she would be ready with a smile; hopefully enough to mask the younger woman's apprehension. 

The winter came, accompanied by an alarming thought on Nina’s conscious. With the cold came aching bones and it was even harder for her to move around than it had been before. In no time, it would be spring and it would be time for her to step down as leader and allow Aideen to rise to leadership. Of course, Nina would remain in the thickets as an advisor of sorts to her pupil if need be. But other than that, Nina’s plans were to retire so that she could live a peaceful life as an Elder. She knew the only areas of expertise she would be able to exhibit now were leadership and her healing abilities, but it had been so long since she had applied the latter.

It was quite unusual for anyone to be visiting the Woodlands from another pack during the winter, unless they were in need of aid. The Hervok held in on high authority that it would be wisest to remain home during these times, a reminder that she had lost many due to its disastrous effects. So when Gent’s call echoed through the snowy territory, it was Nina’s immediate assumption that something was wrong. It took her longer than she would have liked to get to the borders, due to her aging health and joint pains, but she got there none the less. Immediately, her banner rose, only because Gent had brought along a companion. The golden brown woman’s single emerald eye evaluated the lady, deemed her no threat, and gave her a brisk nod before turning her attention back to Gent. She was blunt with her greeting, "Is there something wrong? I was hoping we would be meeting on better terms the next time we spoke."  While she was unsure if the unknown lady would know what she was referring to, there was no doubt in her mind that Gent would. Silently, she waited, anxious to hear what the Crest alpha would have to say.

It seemed he was to be met with nerves no matter which way he turned. Nina remained regal in appearance no matter the age that was beginning to plague her, but the concern was evident within that single emerald eye. Just as had been done for Raela, an easy smile was pressed upon his lips, a natural reaction that aspired to sweep away the other woman's worries swifter than words could. When it was not hello that immediately crossed her lips, the beast's ears pressed forward as though her words were unputdownable, for there was a possibility that he and his queen had stumbled upon yet another misfortune. To know that she merely was unnerved by their sudden appearance put him at ease once more, and he continued to be quick to put negative suspicions to rest.

"We've come with some good news, actually," he assured her. Despite the shattered earth between Nina and her daughter, Gent knew that it would bring the woman a sliver of peace to know that Danica was safe and in good paws, and that would come before the business portion of their agenda (which may or may not end up confirming Nina's anxiety, depending). Yet first,

"This is Raela; she has stepped up to take on Minka's responsibilities," and has done a marvelous job he might have added, were he one for such flowery digressions, "and we've both been taking good care of Danica. I recovered her from the creek, and considering the circumstances, she's doing well. Participating, has goals. Getting better."

It relieved her to great lengths that it was only good news that Gent brought with him. It seemed that, as of late, most of their meetings were of a morose nature and never truly ended on a light note. As he introduced his new female lead, Nina nodded her head respectfully in acknowledgement to the other woman, a small smile tugging on the golden brown woman’s black lips. Perhaps they were finally finding the stability they needed.

The next words to leave Gent’s lips grabbed Nina’s attention fully, and her single eye was trained on the man, ears flicking forward to listen to what he had to say. It seemed that even though she had not been able to give Gent’s message to her daughter, they had ended up finding one another. She did not bother concealing her smile at this, conveying her gratitude towards the other man openly. Her daughter had been lost for quite some time and if Gent was helping her find herself once more, it was what must be done. Unfortunately, Danica’s healing had to be done away from Secret Woodlands.

She remained strong in appearance, though she was tired and continued, "Thank you…for coming over here and telling me this…especially with the awful weather approaching." She could feel it in her aching joints and the way her once dislocated leg cracked and groaned with each step that she took. Curtesy of her brother, no doubt. Luckily, things were better on both ends and their relationship was repaired.

The Queen of the thickets did not keep them waiting for too long, though it surely felt longer in the mind of a tense young matriarch. When Nina finally emerged, Raela drank in her appearance for only a brief moment. The other female's tail rose, and, recognizing her position as a guest on foreign lands, Raela lowered her gaze. The slight submission was actually more comfortable for her; with the title of Leader being so new and all. She caught Nina's first nod in her periphery, and turned her golden eyes back toward the other's feet. The older woman was much the same height; being only a tiny bit superior. The more obvious difference however, was in their builds. Where Raela had lean, slender muscle built for endurance; Nina was bulkier. The scar over her eye was immediately commanding of respect, even more so than her simple presence. This ruler was no rookie. 

The words that left her mouth were tense and filled with worry, even if their speaker remained outwardly calm. Raela glanced instinctively to Gent. They had not come bringing drama or tragedy, and surely her partner would alleviate the apparent confusion. At this point she was knowledgeable with regards to Danica; who was now both her subordinate and Gent's adoptive family. It made sense that perhaps Nina was a bit on edge about things. The swarthy King then introduced Raela herself, and she bowed her head as he did so. However nervous she had been, it was always easier to deal with in the moment. Nina reciprocated, and Raela managed a pleasant grin of her own. "Nice to meet you," she offered simply; then allowing her companion to take center stage. All that he said was true, and she was glad to see how relieved it seemed to make the other Queen. 

So far at least, Nina was holding up to Gent's description. Raela's muscles even eased some as the older wolf replied. Raela fancied herself rather attentive and observant, and she wasn't noticing anything that was cause for concern. If the Crest was taking care of Nina's daughter for her, there was little sense in not being on good terms. The Crest matriarch remained silent; knowing that Gent had come with much more than news of Danica. She gazed toward the towering black wolf in patient anticipation. 

As Nina mentioned the weather, Gent's muzzle tipped upward briefly, acknowledging the steel gray sky and the threat concealed within. It brought no worry to his mind as he recalled the winter previous, and the drifts and storms of ice that he and Sagacity had fought against endlessly. He was confident that he and Raela would be capable of making their way back no matter what the clouds above wanted to throw their way, but Nina's concern was appreciated for its own merit, and his gaze lowered once more she was given another smile.

"Worth it, don't worry yourself on our behalf," he assured her.

"There are some other things we would like to discuss, if you have the time?" he hoped it was appropriate, and that Nina was not under a time constraint at the moment. He supposed another trip could be taken; to give news of Danica truly was the main driving factor behind this impromptu visit. Yet the sooner the rest of it all was out, the better they all would be (or so he dearly hoped).

"There's a lot of... cracks, in the ground around us," he attempted to speak neutrally, "and I'd like to see them sealed up. Starting with Iopah."

Raela’s introduction was brief before Nina’s attention shifted back towards Gent. After all, they were already acquainted with one another and conversation flowed easier between the two of them. She smiled at his words, still pleased with the knowledge that they had come on peaceful terms and that her daughter was safely found and with someone that could properly support her. However, their conversation took a turn towards a more unpleasant topic.

Since Raela and Gent were particularly new to the Hervok woman’s life, Nina’s reaction showed freely. Her lips pulled down into a frown and her single emerald eye flashed dangerously towards the alpha pair in front of her. Iopah and Koda’s betrayal was not something that the Thicket’s alpha enjoyed speaking of, especially with members of other packs. It was none of their business and it should have been treated as such.

While Nina’s voice wasn’t completely cold, it didn’t hold the warm it had held upon her initial greeting when she spoke. "Oh? I didn’t think there was a problem? Whatever is going on is between Broken Timber Pines and Secret Woodlands…it has nothing to do with your pack." Her tail lashed behind her irritably. The Hervok woman did not address Iopah in particular, choosing to avoid thinking about the creamy woman who had gone against the law and betrayed codes that Nina had built the pack on. Gent didn’t need to know the history behind what happened.

Gent absolutely had not expected Nina to be thrilled with the topic he had chosen, but the extent of her displeasure caught him by surprise. Little but the knitting of his eyebrows relayed this to the other two woman, however, patience a strong suit within the man. When she parted her jaws to speak with him, the words were far from the collected dialogue she normally could be heard uttering. There was tension within her voice, and something not quite right about the exact structure of what she had to say. His mind wandered for a brief second toward wondering what, exactly, but quickly the man stopped himself. While not at all spoken in a way he had anticipated, this was still more or less the answer he had been hoping for.

"There isn't," he confirmed in a calm voice, meaning more than one single thing by it. There was no problems on his behalf concerning Nina's relationship to Iopah as well as no problem between himself and the newly-established Alphess. "When I had come here with Minka, it had seemed you and your partner wanted revenge. Our pack will be regarding Iopah's with cautious neutrality; there is no benefit for us in escalating matters. I just wanted to be sure that you would not resent us for this."

He paused there for a moment, thoughtful about how many words he should assault Nina's ears with. She was an intelligent and experienced woman, needless of many clarifications, but some misunderstandings were too grave to risk. .

"If that's squared away, then we have only one more matter to attend to." This was the subject which he had thought would be tender; if Nina had so easily bristled at the mention of Iopah, he now had less confidence that she would be easily reasoned with when it came to her brother. Still, it could not be avoided, and Gent was tired of things being swept under the carpet.

"I've severed our ties with Maksim's river pack, due to differences. Among them being that a subordinate of theirs claimed to know who murdered Tokino, but demanded payment for his information. Months later we were finally told what he claimed to have witnessed: Tokino arguing with another man in the same area as he'd been found. The description fits Ash exactly, Nina," he spoke neutrally. The likelihood that this intel was true was just as strong as the possibility of it being false, concerns of which he had spoken to @Raela about already. Gent was, to an extent, more paranoid than the next wolf, and he saw it very possible that @Kisla might have seen fit to refocus the Crest upon the Caverns wolves with renewed vengeance in hopes of killing two birds with one stone.

"I don't trust the River wolves. We aren't here to make accusations. It could have been a lie, but I can't just assume so. I hope you understand that," he levelled. "Clearly, you have far better insight than we do into who your brother is and what he is capable of. What do you think of it?"

The conversation seemed to pass on amiably, and throughout the exchange Raela was content to listen and observe. She'd have to learn from both of them just how to act in meetings like this, and Raela was nothing if not observant. Everything was seamless, until Gent brought up Iopah. The change in Nina's demeanor was instant, leaving one of the new Alphess' ears to tip backward in discomfort. She was confused by the way Nina's tail flicked back and forth, as if she and Gent were the ones at the root of the trouble. She didn't think there was a problem? If Raela had been a bolder, or perhaps more foolish wolf, she might have piped up right then. 

Had the ruler of the Thickets already forgotten about Lugh's missing leg? Of his maiming at the hands of her traitors? It had almost driven Minka to war and now this woman saw fit to try and act as if the Crest had no business bringing it up? She saw the confusion on Gent's face, and cast her own look of disbelief Nina's way; though she was careful not to lock eyes with the already tense woman. Surely she was mistaken. Raela was thankful for Gent's calm interjection, but found herself unsatisfied. She knew Gent took little issue with the traitors, but her own opinion was much more... suspicious. Raela didn't trust the pale she-wolf an inch, and as long as she had any say in it, that woman would never set foot anywhere near their home. 

That was not to say though, that she wanted to hunt Iopah down and make her pay for her crimes. Neither of them were so rash, not to mention how much of a waste of their time and blood that would be. If did Nina however, then it was no concern of hers. Gent paused, and Raela held her tongue for the moment. The next topic was even more sensitive, and it was with a tentative eye she regarded the other leader. In her mind, Ash was on much the same ground as Iopah. Both untrusted, both suspicious. She agreed with the words her King delivered, waiting until he, rather intelligently, directed the question back to her, to at last speak her own piece. 

"If I may," she started, feeling her tail creep ever so slightly toward her hocks. The last thing she needed was to make any of this worse. "We're not looking for revenge here; with Ash or anyone else." Her voice was steady, placating, even. Revenge was destructive, and it very rarely led to the sort of outcomes its perpetrators desired. She knew that well. "We just want to know what happened, and the description they gave us is our only lead." She hesitated for a breath. "We had to at least ask."