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Shinn grabbed some meat for himself and began to eat happily. He was very hungry, and Mazzia's cooking was very good.

Standing and bowing to them, Lauvel said. "I would be honored to dine with you." Lauvel had been taken aback by Azrael's admission of fault. It didn't really feel right, but the werewolf's emotions were carefully hidden, even in his human form.

Azrael smiled. "Then please sit." He said, gesturing to the long table. "I shall bring some hearty food to restore your strength after that long journey." He told him. Azrael knew that the pack couldn't stay where it was, those armies had come a long way, and he knew that if you spent the resources to get somewhere, you usually planned to stay. He didn't want to be a burden to Talithan or his people, but it was the only land that would accept, or at least that was his hope. Azrael disappeared briefly in a back room and returned with a wooden slab bearing fruits and dried meat.

Lauvel was receptive to the concern and held a hand up reassuringly. "Don't worry, nothing bad has happened at home. Sure some outsiders did try to set camp inside our lands, but Lord Talithan expressly forbid them from entering. They left without quarrel, from what I know." He told her, and clearly loosening up.

Azrael set the wood slab that acted as a tray onto the table and sat beside Miluiel quietly smiling at her.

Lauvel examined the food that had been set in front of him and tried a few of the berries. They didn't taste too bad. Lauvel looked back to Miluiel. "Well, your father was very curious as to how you were all faring out here in the wilderness. In fact..." He trailed off as he went to his cloak and retrieved a letter and a wooden parcel. Placing the box on the table in front of Miluiel and Azrael, he said and handing her the letter. "Lord Talithan wrote the letter before he learned of where those armies were headed, so had me ask you to forgive him for being trivial." Lauvel said to her bowing as well as he could sitting at the low table. Sitting on the floor without a chair was not something he did often.

The letter was written in flowing elvish script read:

"Dear Miluiel,

I wish you good tidings for the spring. I almost sent a letter when spring came at home, but I remembered that spring doesn't come so soon up north where you are. Your mother also sends her regards, hopes that your family was not too cold during the winter. I have insisted that you would be fine, but I know that she is merely concerned for your well being. We know that you are in good hands with Azrael.

You should also know that your brother has returned home from his time studying with the Gray Elves. It was a good step for education, but I think that there may have been some negative influence on him. He seems to have acquired some Gray Elf snobbishness, and after visiting with your family and your tribe, I can't help but feel a bit off put by it. Your brother was curious for your well being though, which was good, especially after the way he had reacted when he had first learned of your marriage to Azrael. Though I can't help but feel there may be something that he suppressing. I wish I could find a way to get you two to talk, which hasn't given that he wasn't here when you visited home.

But I suppose that I have been getting around the point. I am curious as to whether you and your family would be unable to visit with us here this year, for the spring. The blossoms will be blooming in full soon enough, and I wish that you were all here to see it. I hope that things are going well for you.

Hoping to hear from you soon,

Your father,
Talithan"

Azrael smiled. "I don't see why we couldn't visit. Given the situation, I think we would have ended up seeing him soon, one way or the other. And if this whole matter blows over without issue, the pack will have no qualms with having Shana take my stead temporarily so we can visit." He said, trying to put a good spin on the recent events. Azrael's attention was soon taken by the box that Lauvel had placed on the table in front of them and, , letting his own curiousity get the better of him, opened it. His sensitive nose was met with the sweet smell of honey and a few lumps wrapped in fine cloth. On top of the bundle was a note, written in a common language that Azrael knew how to read, thinking that Talithan had intended for this to be read together. "Here are a few gifts for your family," he read aloud, "My wife insisted on sending a few treats for your children, and I decided to add a few gifts as well. I hope you enjoy, under the treats is something that we had made for Azrael." Azrael put the note down closer to Miluiel and lifted the cloth wrapped parcel. What he saw was a large clasp, made of well polished electrum, with a chain. It seemed to be one of the decorative clasps that he had seen elf noble wear during his last visit to Miluiel's home. The clasp bore the symbol of Azrael's tribe mixed with symbol of Miluiel's home nation, and given the size of the clasp, and the size of the chain, it was clearly designed so that it would go around Azrael neck in his wolf form. "How generous of them." Azrael said, impressed with the gift, as such metals were rare among the tribe. "With a gift like this, it would only be polite for us to visit."

Lauvel smiled and examined the clasp. "Its fine craftsmanship. The material is also quite long lasting and valuable." He commented. Electrum was a precious metal the lay between silver and gold in value. "I am happy to hear that you wish to visit, as well. You have become a person of interest among the populace of the larger settlements and the capital, Azrael." He confided to them, spurred on by Miluiel's insistence on being casual.

Azrael smiled and nuzzled his wife. "It would be good for her to see her the other side of her family. She had no grandparents on my side." He said pleasantly. Azrael looked at Lauvel kindly and said, "We would be happy to have you guide us back, Lauvel. But while your here, we would be honored to have you rest in our home. And please eat, I am sure that you are hungry after that long journey."

Lauvel bowed to Azrael and Miluiel gratefully. "I would be honored." He said to them. He looked to the food and ate at the fruit there. It was a flavor that was certainly different. His eye caught several pointed green leaved below the fruit, and out of curiousity chewed it. It had a very breezy refreshing flavor. "What are these leaves?" He asked, interested in the flavor.

Azrael grinned. "That is mint. Or at least, that is the word that is used in common for it. We use it to soothe the mouth for toothaches." He said to the elf. "It doesn't really do anything for the toothache, but the flavor helps distract the mind from the pain. The less irritable, the fewer problems." He told Lauvel.

Lauvel smiled. "There were no problems during my journey, really. A lack of accommodations, but you can't ask for an inn in the wilderness." He told the two. They were such good people here, especially Azrael and Miluiel. He had always knew Miluiel to be kind, but Azrael had come off as a surprise. Lauvel had been expecting a hard man, and there was no denying that Azrael had been built incredibly tough by the life he lived, but Azrael was kind and not afraid to speak his mind. Such a thing was something he was not used to, but Lauvel found that he liked it. "I guess it would be better if you traveled in your wolf forms. A few of the rivers I crossed to get here have likely unfrozen, but they shouldn't be much of a problem I would think."

"Really, what form you take is your decision." Lauvel said. "But, for comfort's sake, I think that it might be best if you changed to human form when you arrive home." He recommended, also remembering the incident.

Azrael looked away for a moment, the memory of what his brother and those that had followed him did, was bitter in his memory. "What they did, was their responsibility, not ours." He growled in a low voice that was directed more toward himself than anyone else. "But, I do understand the ill feelings that we have been associated with, and will change our forms upon arrival." He agreed with a sigh.

"I know. Thank you for your words, Miluiel." He replied to her gently. He was largely concerned about Shinn. He had been happy when he had visited Miluiel's home, but had reacted very unpleasantly over changing his form. It was a bridge that would need to be crossed when they came to it.

Lauvel raised a finger and addressed the issue. "It might not go over too badly." He suggested cautiously. "While it is true, that many of our people still have some fear over what had happened those years ago, many of us are willing to move on from it." He told them. "We... really have been wanting to... make concessions for what our people have done to yours in the past." Lauvel was clearly uncomfortable about admitting this. It hadn't been so long ago that his people had learned of what they had done to the werewolves in the past, and it was becoming a great point for guilt, and some people had been accusing the elves of their nation that the event that had occurred four years ago, had been their own fault. Lauvel was one of those who thought so, but there was a hidden reason for his believing this. One that had been a major influence in carrying the Lord Talithan's message to them.

Azrael nodded. "I too, am quite glad to hear of these changes. They were halfway to sticking me, until everything had been explained." He said with a chuckle.

Lauvel smiled. "There are those who are not so thrilled with the situation, but we can't really fault them for that. A great deal of changes are being pushed right now, ones far different from the plight of the werewolves." He told them, leaning forward slightly, before turning to Miluiel. "I believe that you should hear of this now, but your brother, Lord Talinvor, has returned and has been quite a loud voice behind a few of the politically focused changes. Many of the noble houses are in an uproar over the matters, and to be perfectly honest I cannot see a good reason for some of these changes." Lauvel grimaced a bit before going into detail. "Most of these changes are beyond my understanding in the first place so I suppose I have no real place or reason to complain, but one I do see a bad end to is a mandatory term of service in the Royal army for all male citizens who are of age. Seeing as we have for centuries establish military service that has had a largely non-mandatory service in the military, with the exception of times of the greatest need, I am very doubtful of this proposition. Your father is by no means considering implementing this measure or any like it, but your brother has been very vocal since returning home. He is not the same person that he had been before leaving, if you'll pardon my saying it." Lauvel said bowing his head in apology.

Azrael scoffed at notion of mandatory military service. "If a person wishes to fight for his home or nation, that should be his or her choice." He said fervently. "Maintaining the home and making sure there is supply and place to retreat to, is far more important than fighting. And why can't a meeting be called for all the voices to be heard."

Lauvel, far inexperienced with werewolf culture was taken aback, but he recovered quickly. "Forgive me, Azrael, but we would have to call everyone in the nation, and that would take too long. Your tribe is very small and matters are handled much differently than a large nation, though I do not mean this as insult, only as a point for perspective. And as the leader of your tribe, do you not make the decisions?" He inquired of Azrael.

Azrael huffed and nodded. "As the Alpha male and female, both Miluiel and I share the final decision for all tribal matters. That much is true. However, it would be irresponsible of me not to hear all the thoughts of the others in my tribe. Perhaps you are right, I may have fewer voices among my pack, than in a full Nation, which might influence how issues are handled, but I cannot help myself in my thinking, for our culture is different from yours. I don't believe I have much insight into the workings of nations, I am afraid." He conceded, not wanting to take this discussion too far.