Oya

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You enter Olofi's Palace, a little taken aback by how nice it smells and how warm it feels in here compared to the brisk mountain air outside--upon further inspection, the walls seemed to be completely covered in pelts and furs of previous foes and food, forming an ornate but also cozy setting.

There's also stones and precious artifacts (presumably made by Ogun or found by Eshu) neatly stacked away into another corner, weaves waxpalm leaves forming "shelves" for each of them between a set of four stone columns, all in a row.

Toys and bones lay tidily placed in one corner, where it looks like a young Akogun once played--plus a sleeping area for all four wolves that call this vast room home. However, currently there's only two wolves in here, standing off to the right of the entrance you're standing in.

A dark she-wolf is loudly arguing with another, much brown larger wolf about the trivialties of how the first hunt of the day should go. Judging on how he seems to be slightly knelt down, meekly deferring to her judgement, you decide this is the wolf you should ask some more questions.

>"Salutations! You must be...Queen Oya? Nice to meet you!"

Spoiler"Sorry, I'm really busy right now, I'm not really sure if I can have this conversation..." She doesn't even spare you a glance as she responds, simply listening to your voice.

She finally gives one look over when you don't immediately leave, suddenly turning to you apologetically with a bashful smile suddenly melting her scowl. "Oh, but you must be the leader of another pack if the guards let you in, because I don't even recognize you. I should be polite. Yes, I am Oya. How'd you know?"

The wolf she was talking to seems displeased you've interrupted their discussion, sitting down and panting with a side-eye.

>"I met your husband. He said you're pretty assertive, so I just put two and two together."

SpoilerThe queen snorts and laughs. "Ha! I'm not assertive, he's just a pushover. You could say I get a lot more done than him, but that's because I prefer to live down to earth. His head is always in the clouds, chasing some new idea he has!" She pauses. "Not that I mind, because it gives me more time to do what I want, which is make sure everything is being run properly."

She definitely seems to be in charge, that's for sure!

>"Well, if you're so busy, is there anything I can do to help? Seems like you have your hands full planning this hunt for the day."

SpoilerHer deep blue eyes brighten. "Indeed there is. Eshu is all the way across the ruins holding watch--or he's supposed to be, anyways. More than likely he dozed off, because he was supposed to grab this artifact from me he requested. It's very important it makes it to him, so please be careful with it and don't delay," Oya urges.

She gives you a obsidian sphere, one that seems to ever so slightly hum in your jaws. You place it carefully on the ground between your paws so you can finish the conversation. You don't want to overstay your welcome, but you're a little curious still.

>"Does your fellow hunter live in this palace, too?"

SpoilerOya seems a little troubled you bothered to ask, which strikes you as strange.

"This is Sango. He's our second lead hunter--Osoosi is the first, but his party trains our whelps. My party, the one Sango leads, runs down the big game. He's very good at it...I can only hope to be quite as good." She sounds flustered.

If Sango was flattered by that, he isn't showing it--he simply continues staring at you like you're an eyesore.

Oya continues, however, "For now, I simply plan where we shall hunt, as I have a knack for telling the weather. Sango is fine at hunting in the rain, since he was raised in this area. But the rest of us, not so much. So we rely on my forecasts to tell what days are ideal to hunt."

>"Very cool! Well then, I suppose I'll leave you to it."

SpoilerOya nods heartily, sighing in what seems to be relief. "Very well. I hope you find everything to your liking here. Let me know if there's anyone I have to speak some sense into--most of us are nice," she insists, before giving a little jab at Sango with her hip.


As she says that, Sango glares harder you before standing up, indeed telling you it's time to leave! Maybe you'll chat with him once they get back. He doesn't seem too chatty right now!