Willow Ridge carve me out and put a light inside

the devil is & always will

They do love us, she insisted, and Sven couldn't hold back the audible scoff that left his throat. He supposed, maybe in whatever way love was defined to Archers, the others held some for Ravenna. Maybe that was where this disconnect was originating, and he supposed there was really nothing that could be done about that. They might forever view these family ties differently, but that didn't mean they couldn't find common ground still. So he kept his ears open, and continued to listen to her.

An alliance. Initially he wanted to balk at the word, but he knew she was onto to something. After all, as unreliable as they might be, they wouldn't go out of their way to hurt to the Ridge if they had their own packs to handle, would they? Sven was certain Greer wouldn't, but Morganna would forever be an unpredictable player. Still, as long as an alliance wasn't mistaken as an opportunity to walk all over them...

"I trust you. I won't undermine your leadership," he promised, and while the future could not be foretold, he did very much mean the vow in that moment. "If an alliance is what you want, I'm willing to give it a shot. There has to be ground rules, though. We still need our own hunting grounds and resources, we need to be respected."

be a gentleman.

It was clearly a conversation between the two family members about their family so Leotie remained quiet through it. That didn't mean she couldn't be there for both Sven and Ravenna. By being there she felt she was supporting them both and Willow Ridge. That was the least she could do after what the two of them and Enoki had done for her even before the had come to live with them.

Romanov had taken his leave, she would have to check on him later and make sure he was okay. He had not been there to see the dispute at the border so she worried this might upset him. After everything that he'd already been through she could understand him being worried or upset.

Her ears came forward as they began to speak of an alliance between the two packs. She didn't know the wolves in the other pack so therefore didn't have a problem with them if they weren't there causing trouble. She had no trouble forming an alliance with them if that was what Sven and Ravenna wanted to do.

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you

After just a little time, Romanov touched her, excusing himself silently from the discussion which her and Sven were having, not any subject which the young boy would probably want to be involved in. She would have rather him not arrive to begin with, hoping that he and his sister could savor their youth in ways she could not growing up, though it did not seem her little cousins would be so lucky either.

With Leotie still sitting silently as she listened on, Sven finally admitted that he could agree with the idea of an alliance. It would have been something Ravenna would have pushed for either way, yet was happy for age-mate nephew could agree to this none the less. "If I can round up Nicolo, I'd like to meet Greer and his mate somewhere between our two territories and work everything out..." Though her uncle was down and out at the moment since Enoki's disappearance, something which she could not blame him for.

the devil is & always will

She didn't confirm nor deny whether she agreed with his concerns. He wanted to trust that she would be strong for their pack, but it had yet to be truly tested how much Ravenna would allow her siblings to get away with. She was the one leading the pack now, however, and Sven would have to give her a chance. To wait and see how things turned out. That was a hard thing for the man to do, but if would trust any of his family to it, it would be Ravenna.

"If you need me, I'll be there for you," he informed her, knowing that it was a good possibility Nicolo would be unable, or unwilling, to go. It was unlikely he would be received well, or that Ravenna would want to risk trusting his tongue, but he still wanted her to know. He would suck it up and be a tame but steadfast support if she needed him to.

be a gentleman.

Though she had been silent through the discussion between Ravenna and Sven she could understand both sides. What had happened at the border was a catastrophe that she wished could have gone better. It happened though and now the two packs needed to move past it. They were family, that much she understood. She didn't know if she would ever know or understand the whole history of the situation but she did think an alliance with Greer’s pack would be a good thing for the ridge, at least she hoped it would be.

So far she had chosen to stay quiet but now she felt that is was a good time for her to speak. “The same goes for me too for both of you.” She was a part of the pack now and helping in whatever way she could was important. Especially all they had done for her in the past months. While she doubted Sven would have had it any other way she knew that they didn't have to use their resources to save her. “I would like to help where you need me.” She thought it was important that they both understood that too, she was recovered and it time that she really started to do her part.

Please see Kajika's OOC profile for OOC preferences, thank you

It was without a doubt Ravenna was going to do her best to keep this pack together, she always had and always would. Whether she would be great at leadership would be determined yet, for the leaderships in Willow Ridge has been rocky at best since her parents had died. Enoki had been turning the pack around, Ravenna felt, until she too had got off in search for her daughter. There was no chance of being anything like Elettra and Angier, but as long as she had them to guide her, it was all she could do to try.

Ravenna lifted up from her seated position, moving to touch her nose to Sven's nape in silent thanks and then turned to Leotie, waving her tail to the woman's words. "Right now, I think some rest is warranted." Between the little spat they had with Greer's pack, actually being able to go through with their hunt, carrying back the remainder of the food and placing it into caches, they had already a quote eventful day. There was no better way of pack bonding then to spend it nestling with one another in the pack den. Ravenna bounds forward, brushing up against Leotie and urging them to join her.

[Fade.]