Aelfwine's arrival would ordinarily have been a moment of joy and greeting, but it is somewhat overshadowed by the palpable tension rippling between Ampere and Reichenbach. The latter displays a quick temper that resonates with Volterra's own, and he glances between them with his hard muscles firmly tensed in preparation to step in should things escalate further. He takes a step forward, staring sternly between the two of them and showing that he's quite ready to place his colossal bulk between them should either of them show signs of attacking.

Internally, he's furious. This is not what the Throat's mighty military should be doing. It shouldn't consist of a dwarf who launches keys at his king in an attempt at humour, or a fiesty man who swears at his queen in an act of insubordination. It should consist of hardened warriors, willing to fight and die for the cause. Attempts like Pippigrin's are not acceptable, and the Sultan is sure to keep his gaze hard as he looks upon the tiny soldier. Look what he's caused!

He forces a smile as Reichenbach speaks of having his ass handed to him by Isopia. "Ah, we have something in common." The words are amused, but with an undercurrent of tension that he simply cannot let go, not with the current situation around him. As Ampere begins her speech, the goliath finds himself looking at her with admiration, her words firm and mildly frightening even to him. She might be small, but she is like the storm, and she's not a mare to be crossed.

"To add to that, we currently live in some of the most dangerous times that I've ever known. Kaos' threat is very real, and our best asset here is our unity. We are strongest when we work as one, and we cannot allow ourselves to be divided by such small, insignificant things." By that he means the throwing of the key, not Pippigrin himself. He glances sternly between all three warriors as he speaks, although his gaze softens as it lands on Aelfwine - she's blameless in this, and has been nothing but loyal so far. "I am sure you meant no offense or harm, Pippigrin, but you must start to think before you act. Look what you've caused. We do not have time for acts like this, not now, not ever." Perhaps he should punish the little man further - strip his rank, or sentence him to hard labour for a month. He just cannot bring himself to, though, because he knows the dwarf has a good, brave heart and it was just a slip of judgement rather than a genuine attempt at malice.

Ampere continues, and the behemoth falls silent to listen. Her ability to conduct a meeting far outstrips his own, and he has to remind himself that she's an old hand at this, whereas he is still learning the ropes of a role he'd never thought he would obtain so soon. Leading the Throat is a baptism of fire in all senses of the world, yet Volterra cannot for a second allow anybody to see how much he's learning as he goes along. He must present a strong front, one of utter confidence, as though he knows exactly what he's doing. It's the closest thing to lying he's ever done. "In the depths of the Marshes, there is an altar that we helped build when we were doing Kisamoa's bidding. The altar has an odd script on it, which I've visited numerous times but have not managed to decipher. We intend to suggest that regular patrols are sent out to the Marshes to search for clues and try to work out what the altar is saying, and we will require one of you to join each patrol to keep it safe should anything happen. This is a responsibility that you must not take lightly, as the patrol could well consist of younglings and inexperienced fighters who will rely on you for protection should you be attacked." His words are strong but wary, to try and portray the seriousness of the situation.

"To that end, it is vitally important that you are all battle-ready. We are going to work closely with the crafters to outfit you with weapons and armour, but you must not rely on those tools. Your main assets must always be your body and your mind, so make sure you spar regularly to keep up your condition. Fight in all manner of weathers and landscapes, so you are prepared for any eventuality. If any of you need any assistance or wish to test yourselves against me, I am more than happy to oblige and I'm sure Ampere is as well." Not to sound arrogant, but attempting to conquer Volterra is a formidable task for any warrior.

"It is also important that we swell our warrior ranks. The three of you will be the first port of call for anybody in the herd wishing to become a soldier, so be sure to offer your help and advice to these budding warriors. It is also wise to educate none-military herdmates whenever possible, so that everybody in the Throat has at least a rudimentary knowledge of how to defend themselves. We will be keeping an eye out to decide who to promote to Gladiator, so be sure to work your hardest." He glances between the three of them. They are all strong in their own way, but there's not enough of them to truly call the herd protected.

"It will not be easy, but I have faith in all of you. We can do this. We can conquer Kaos, and we can elevate the Throat to greatness once again. Work hard, spar regularly, and know that myself and Ampere are always here to help you if you need it." He falls silent, glancing to the Sultana to see if she has anything to add before looking to the warriors. "Do any of you have any questions, or any suggestions?" It's important that they be given the chance to say how they feel and how they think the military should be ran.