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We'll See Where This Goes -- Ccl and 432302

Posted 2024-10-24 08:30:30
"This is Tika," Raziel sighs. "She's a huntress, not a guard. Right, Tika?"
Tika sniffs, tossing her head into the air to regard the white wolf. "And who is this?"
"A guest," Raziel insists. "Not a threat. Do we have your permission to pass? As if we needed it," he adds lowly. Tika was a brilliant hunter and a ruthless fighter, but that was all she did—fight. Raziel loved her dearly, but lately, his patience for her had worn thin.
Tika regards them for a few seconds, then steps aside with a scowl. "Fine. Branwen's going to be upset at you for going off by yourself, you know."
"Thank you, Tika," Raziel says, and continues forward, beckoning the cryptid after him.
Clementine
#145210

Posted 2024-10-24 08:32:39
The cryptid studied Tika for a moment, then scoffed and followed Raziel. She was unconcerned about the hunter, knowing she could easily slaughter the entire pack herself if she felt too threatened. She hoped it didn't have to come to that. Branwen. Most likely the alpha here. Good to know. Tika's going to get her precious little throat slit if she annoys me, the cryptid let herself think, sighing.

432302 - Semi On Break
#127877

Posted 2024-10-24 09:51:59
The clearing opened up, revealing a modest camp, lightly sparser with trees, bushes, and rock dens and cut through by a shallow creek. About twenty wolves of every age went about, many pausing to stare at Raziel and his visitor. Raziel trotted toward a large cave in the center of the clearing, ducking through the deerskin curtain. A fire was lit in the cave, illuminating the dura and antlers decorating the walls. A lean, pure-black wolf sat behind a fire, wearing a sacramental headdress of antlers and a necklace of vertebrae. She was engaged in conversation with a ruddy brown wolf—the herbalist, Antonio. She perked up when she noticed Raziel approaching.
"Antonio," she said, "can you give us a moment?"
"Of course," Antonio said, exiting the cave and leaving Raziel and the Cryptid alone with Branwen.
"Hello, Raziel," Branwen said, rising to her feet and stepping over to them. She turned to the Cryptid. "I'm Branwen, alpha of Endeavor Pack. How can I help you?"
Clementine
#145210

Posted 2024-10-24 10:15:48 (edited)
The cryptid took a moment to choose her words carefully. "My name is Claire, alpha of Darkmoon's Storm. My scouts found your... friend, on our territory," her tail flicked towards Raziel briefly. She figured nobody needed to know her real name, considering it would allude to her actual identity and she didn't want the wolf knowing about that just yet.

432302 - Semi On Break
#127877

Posted 2024-10-24 12:34:49 (edited)
"Pleased to meet you, Claire." Branwen nodded in greeting. "I hoe your pack is prospering. Mine, though..." her gaze grew clouded for a moment. "Well, we're still recovering."
"Branwen!" called a voice from the cave's entrance. "You won't believe what Lucienne's going on about now, she's terrifying the pups again-- oh."
"Hello, October," Branwen sighed.
The wolf was halted at the entrance, a few yards from Raziel and the Cryptid. He was a reddish brown, mottled with dark patches splitting his face and blotting across his pelt, like grey clouds blotting out a sunset. His pale blue eyes met Raziel's quizzically, than flitted over to the Cryptid. "A guest!" He grinned and trotted over.
"You are excused, October," Branwen said dryly.
October ignored her, instead settling himself beside the Cryptid and preening like a songbird. He sat with the black half of his face towards the flames; Raziel wasn't sure if he was cold or just thought he looked dazzling in the firelight. Knowing October, probably the latter.
"What brings you here?" October said over Branwen's muttered "Out."
Clementine
#145210

Posted 2024-10-24 16:28:42
The Cryptid studied the wolf named October. She was quiet a moment before she growled softly. "You really should go," she turned her head to glare at the wolf, her third eye opening suddenly. "This is a private conversation." She stayed still a moment before her third eye snapped shut and she returned her attention to Branwen, secretly hoping the alpha hadn't noticed the third eye the Cryptid had.

432302 - Semi On Break
#127877

Posted 2024-10-24 17:08:18
October's ear flicked irritably, then he glanced at Branwen, who widened her eyes at him in warning. He stretched, yawned, and stood. "I don't see what you could possibly have to say to her that you can't say to the rest of us."
Raziel grimaced. He'd hoped October would drop it- he'd forgotten that he was dead stupid. Fortunately, Branwen intervened. "October, that's enough."
October glanced from her, and back to the cryptid, a twinge of suspicion in his pale gaze. He hesitated, then turned and prowled out of the den. "Fine," he said with a long-suffering sigh. "I can see when I'm not wanted."
Branwen watched him leave, then turned back to Raziel and the Cryptid. "I apologize for October's...antics," she said. "He can be awfully thickheaded. Would you like to see the rest of our territory, or were you just hoping to discuss?"
Clementine
#145210

Posted 2024-10-25 04:47:15
"It's alright. I was hoping to discuss an alliance, considering how close your territory is to my own." the Cryptid responded, sitting down and curling her tail up next to her paws. She had to remind herself that her tail wasn't as long as it usually was considering she wasn't in her regular and preferred form at the moment. "It'd be a shame if we wound up in a fight," the cryptid herself wasn't sure if her words were a threat or not. She had decided she approved of Branwen, Raziel was undetermined, and she wanted to smack October, and she approved of Tika's fiery personality. The rest of them she wasn't sure on yet.

432302 - Semi On Break
#127877

Posted 2024-10-25 06:59:13
"I don't suspect we'd have any reason to fight," Branwen said, "but I agree it makes sense to establish a preventative alliance anyway." She met the Cryptid's eyes. "I'm open to negotiating terms. Our pack can offer yours meat and furs for trade, and support from attacks from our mutual enemies."'
Unsure why he hadn't yet been dismissed, Raziel shifted uncomfortably. Branwen often had him sit in on her duties as leader of the pack—though technically, that was October's role, as her second in command.
Branwen turned to Raziel, and he hesitated. "Do you have anything to add?" She prompted.
Raziel pondered for a few moments, but made up his mind. Branwen should know before she forged any contracts. He said slowly, "Branwen, I… I don't mean to start a fight, but our guest here… she isn't exactly a wolf."
Clementine
#145210

Posted 2024-10-25 07:12:37
The cryptid growled softly. If he messed this up for her, she would personally tear his veins out. She did not speak, waiting for Branwen's response to Raziel's words. If it went over badly, she could always just fess up and pray it didn't end in a fight. As long as nobody started a fight, she'd figure it out.

432302 - Semi On Break
#127877

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