Rally the Whers.

[Shekru]

As per the Wher Hold usual, night had fallen. The time when its citizens were most active. The moon hung half-formed in the sky, shadow cast dark over her veiled face. Even still, the light was enough to illuminate the copse outside the Hold. The grasses had grown slightly dry in the summer heat, and they hissed softly beneath her boots. By now, word of the murder had likely coursed through the Wher hold. Fygwesk was curled up in the grass nearby, watching as his handler paced in the moonlight. Her mind was troubled. Death had been brought to Caspian, and not of natural causes. It was time to hunt for a new prey. The kind that feasted on human flesh.

"Call 'em." Fyg said finally, looking to her brown companion in a mix of deep thought and concern.

With a gentle croon to his handler, the massive brown acquiesed pleasantly. Come! We talk. Whers must do work. Fygwesk sent a feeling of duty, and an image of the copse where he and his handler were.

Fyg began pacing while she waited, hair coiled in a tight bun. Militant, almost.

[panther]

Danask grumbled as she stirred, lazy wher that she was, called again by Fygwesk.
She relayed the thoughts to her bond, who was busy playing with Romeo. It almost sickened the Wher to see her bond playing with such a trivial creature. But Danask would say nothing about it.

Danae stopped playing, and sighed, she had heard, and had been informed, but Fyg was now forcing them into the meeting, a meeting that she should have been directing them into.

She looked up, and made her way out to the courtyard, tugging her coat tighter about her. Danae’s head hung all the way, Romeo cooed and chirped softly, trying to perk his new keeper up, hoping that his charm would rouse her out of this dull mood that had come over her. But no such luck.

She went in, gave a half smile to Fyg as she arrived, a gesture, and not felt at all, as was quite apparent in her entire demeanour. She quieted Romeo, who was fretting as he curled around her neck.

“Thanks Fyg, I should have done this earlier. Who would have thought a murder in Caspian….” She sounded dismayed, she knew what it meant too, they would have to go on guard duty, Terwin and Hester had asked it of her. She had to oblige, it was expected. For no sensible person would be folly enough to attack in random fashions with Wher’s on guard duty. They would have to be completely folly.

[Xennai]

Aldesk stirred from his sleeping spot, luminescent eyes glowing softly in the darkness of the small room. He sat up, yawning cavernously, mind searching for his bonded’s. We are called. Fygwesk calls us. Danask and hers are going. Alder glanced up from what he’d been doing, looking over to the bronze. His twins were, thankfully, asleep. The two were absolute monsters, getting into anything and everything. When they weren’t doing that—only because Alder had yelled at them enough that they stopped—they were bickering. Uusually over him.

A hand ran through his dark hair and Alder sighed. He knew what this was about and, though he hated to admit it, he did not want to discuss the situation. It was all much too serious, much too heavy. There had been murder at Caspian. It had been a drudge, but it was murder nonetheless. A human life had been unwillingly snuffed and now…Now the whers would be called upon. As they always were.

The bronze handler stood, another dark shadow within his Dig. Accustomed as he was to the lighting, he wasn’t too bothered about it. As he stood, the brilliantly colored female of his pair—his little tiger Loki—stirred, her head rising, inner lids of her eyes opening as she regarded him with awareness. She chirped lightly, questioningly, and her brother stirred, his dark head rising. Alder sighed. “All right, all right. Hop on, you scoundrels.” There were twin choruses of joy and the two were on his shoulders, Loki to the right, Iago to the left, both their tails curled round his neck like different colored necklaces.

“I’ll be back soon, brother,” Alder called out to the bronze wher. He grabbed a pair of fingerless gloves and tugged them on, only Loki making little noises of protest. She was the pricklier of the two. He put it down to the simple fact that she was female. Aldesk made a groan as his rider left, guided by the image from his bonded.

Alder jogged to the copse, arriving a few moments after Danae had. He stopped when he saw the two other handlers there, the crunching noise that had accompanied his arrival stopping as he did. A light smile graced his handsome face as he made a little bow to the two women. “Hello.” When he straightened, smile was gone and a serious light had entered sleepy green eyes. “I’m assuming we’re here to discuss the murder?” He glanced from Gold handler to brown questioningly.

[Shekru]

The forrow burned in Fyg's brows was deep, dark. Enough so that the ratty bangs hanging over her forehead got caught in them sometimes when her head turned. She waited. In the hood of her jerkin, Faust slept. Being away from Fyg proved difficult for the little bronze, and so the woman had adjusted accomodations.

Fygwesk rumbled as the gold's bond appeared, alerting his own companion to her approach. The air outside was cool, and ruffled through Fyg's hair like a ghost. Why it was Fyg chose her meetings outside may yet be a mystery. Then again, fresh air was good for them, so they'd have to suck it up. She turned on a heel, belt adjusting faintly to the point of dropping a single glove.

"Unless you wanted t'talk about a bake sale, sparky, then murder it is." Though the words spoke levity, her tone did not. Fyg seemed low. Distracted by the tummalt of plans and processes going on in her head. Of the three on the hill, she was relatively certain that she had the most experience when it came down to guarding, hunting, or tracking. She could be wrong.

"We're gonna need t'start patrollin' at night. I d'know how you feel about it-" She looked at Danae briefly. "But I'd like at least two of us out 'ere per night. Switch off and on which nights, I don' care who pairs up with who, providin' there's at least one scrapper per pair, in case runner poo hits the spinnin' wheel. Either you or I're gonna have to talk t'Bynor about supplementin' some guardfolk. Two Whers and handlers for the entire Hold isn't enough for a nights' watch."

No, Fygwesk was still brown. That hadn't changed. But the fiesty woman that handled him had gone from devil-may-care to Captain of the Guard. She looked to Alder then, "Would you pair up with Laier for your nights?"

[Marnark’tranarprol]

Laier finally arrived on the scene ... sprinting again. Apparently, she and Lask had a habit of ranging a bit farther afeild. And all this getting called back on a moment's notice was going to eventually make a runner out of Laier. Though ... she was going to have to invest in a better breastband if that was going to be the case. She was too well endowed for this much sprinting!

Behind her, slinking around, came Lask. Laier often wished the little green was big enough to ride ... but it simply was not the case. She came to a stop a few paces from the rest, sucked in a lung full of air, and paced the rest of the way in, letting the air go slowly to try and calm her breathing. "I'm late, aren't I?" She asked, looking at the other three.

Of course she knew why the meeting had been called ... who hadn't heard about the murder in the hold? A body would have to be living under a mighty huge rock to not hear about it! But Laier was refraining from commenting any further until she had a better idea of what was actually going down... five minute rule and all that.

Curling up on the ground nearby, Lask huffed and flicked her tail at Fygwesk, flirting a bit. But not too much so as to be a distraction. Lifting her wings a bit, she dropped her snoot into the leaf litter there on the ground and blew on them. This apparently completely delighted Lennier, who had been riding on Lask's head. Hopping down, the young blue flitter started chasing the blown leaves ... and carrying them back again to watch them be blown away all over again.

[Xennai]

Alder was not amused by Fyg's joke, no matter the fact that it was uttered more out of habit than actual humor. Or so it seemed. He huffed, arms folding over his chest. The twins uttered simulataneous squeaks of protest and took off into the air, both scolding him in their little voices. Alder glanced up at him, head shaking back and forth once. It seemed to quell both Loki and Iago. They settled back down to his shoulders, bickering slightly. The bronze handler sighed and gently grabbed Iago, his hawk's eye. He tucked the firelizard down his coat as Loki settled contentedly over his shoulder, tail curling about his neck once more.

His mind turned back toward the matter at hand now that his twins were settled. It was a sobering thought after the brief levity that Loki and Iago had brought him. He inhaled deeply, listening to Fyg attentively. She knew what she was talking about, he had to give her that. She was the hunter, she was the one who best knew what they had to do in this situation. He knew that.

When she asked him about pairing up with Laier, one dark brow arched. Alder was saved from replying just yet but the arrival of the handler who had been linked to him in Fyg's mind. Alder had not yet formally met Laier. He'd seen her around the Wher Hold and that was about the extent of it. He glanced her over, taking her in in just a few minor seconds. She had red hair as well, though it was a different hue to Danae's. The Gold handler was warmer, more red, where Laier seemed to have more of a brown hue to her.

Interesting.

Laier also seemed very aware that she was a woman. Alder could tell in an instant that she knew that, that she dressed herself very much conscious of that fact. Tongue in cheek, he considered her and compared the woman he was in company with. Danae, Fyg and Laier. All very, very different.

Shaking off these thoughts, Alder nodded. "Yes, you're late," he said simply and turned to Fyg. "I don't think I can do that," he stated baldly. "Much though I'm sure I would enjoy Laier's company" --he inclined his head slightly in the green handler's direction-- "you always complain of my womanizing ways, Fyg, darling." An emphasis of his point. "Throwing a woman I have not met at me late at night, guard duty or not, is not the wisest thing to do in this situation. I think it'd be best if I were paired with Danae. She can handle my charming ways in a way that I don't feel like decking her." He smiled sweetly at the brown handler and then turned to Danae, dark brows raised and an appealing look in his eyes. "Danae? It's up to you..." Fyg be damned if she didn't like it. He was thinking of logistics, thinking of what would be best--for them, for the Hold, for everyone.

[panther]

She waved a hand to Laier, “No worries Laier, what was mentioned before was simple greetings, so long as you can forgive us elongated repetitions, you’re perfectly on time. Ah, and Laier of Lask, Fyg of Fygwesk, and Alder of Aldesk” Introducing them as quickly as possible. She tried to comfort the green handler. Danae nodded to Fyg, “Actually, I had call from both Terwin and Hester to start patrols, because of this situation.” She informed Fyg, “And, actually I had planned for all four of us to patrol each night, on the proviso that we work in pairs. The hold is too large for a pair to manage the entire area. Danask is good, but I know that she is not capable of smelling blood at half way across the hold.” She shook her head.

Then Fyg moved onto who they should be paired with. Danae shook her head, pairing Danask with Lask? Possibly not the best of ideas. But as she opened her mouth to say something Alder spoke. She hushed herself, and stuck her jaw stubbornly as he spoke. Then he said for the pair of them to join, and she regretted having thought her earlier thoughts.

“Well, I was going to mention how it would possibly not be a good idea to push Danask and Lask into close working environments.” She commented, “It’s happened before, not only does Danask get grouchy, but when she is nearing a Run, she can spur on greens, its like her hormones just set greens off, it is why Lask is situated a few Dig’s around from Danask, and the last thing we want is for Lask to go on a Run when there’s a murderer out there, and drag two of our four Whers off to chase.” Danae pointed out. How fortunate were the impressers of males. They didn’t have to worry about the effect of females… on each other. “Also, which ever way we do it, we must have one who knows the hold, with one who does not. Laier and I have been residents here for a longer time than either of you, and quite frankly, it would be better if we paired as such.” She said, temporarily ignoring the comments of Alder, she would address them, but not yet.

“Also, Fyg, I have already spoken to Terwin of this, We are getting some of their finest swordsmen, and archers – not that the Hold was particularly prepared for this, and only minute few are to be willing for night work. It’s the most likely time for a Murderer to strike unfortunately.” She paused, “because of this understaffing, Hester is going to send to the Weyr, for any man or woman who can bear arms, for any rider they can spare. Even though a dragon’s eyes are little use at night, they are good for keeping check on the minds of people, day or night. And their eyes are sharp enough in the day.” She mentioned, she knew enough on the subject.

Romeo sat before her, looking up at his keeper, neatly drawn into himself as he eyes her with whorls of colour. Danae stroked the creature’s sinuous form, he was still so tiny, so delicate. So opposite to the rather strong Danask. Fragile and breakable. As opposed to Danask, who had never so much as sprained a muscle when running.

She sighed, returning to the question of her pairing with Alder, She didn’t meet his eyes, knowing he would be asking for it there too, “Well. I am not adverse to such, however, perhaps it would be wise to rotate every now and then? Keep us sharper, we can also assess what Wher is good with respect to what, I know Danask isn’t possibly the best at scent, but she’s sharp on sound, and superb on heat. “But, he makes a strong case, Fyg, you would wind him senseless, I know you mean no harm, and I also know he invites it, and Laier? I doubt Alder would be good company for you, Danask is strong minded enough to Keep Aldesk in check, which in theory should keep his bond in check. I am however, loathed to pair a bronze and a Gold, it makes the other pair look weaker, ideally, I would pair Gold and Green, and Bronze and Brown – but as mentioned I cannot.

“Though, Fygwesk, is strong, he would make up for any size that Lask lacks, he likely is as strong as Aldesk or possibly Danask. So, unfortunately… I think on this instance, logic is so that Aldesk and Danask shall be patrolling together.” She said, still not meting his eyes, she was not giving in. She would not. Not after what had happened, but – logic was infallible, if she could find a hole in it, she would, but as of this? She really felt like the situation was to be no other way.

“We will have free nights, certainly for one, I need these, my work will not stop simply because of a murder.” She said glumly, “For the first week, we will keep a full schedule, obviously we will not have the same night off. And the remaining pair will split, and more guards will patrol with them, this way we can cover as much area, though not quite as effectively.” She mentioned. She hoped what she was talking was sense, it made logic in her mind, but then, she was quite stressed over this all.

[Shekru]

"I was thinking match two of the larger Whers with the smaller. Aldesk would be a good mix for Lask, but do whatever your brain thinks is best." Whether or not there was a stress on 'brain' was up in the air, but the look Fyg leveled toward Danae suggested it was likely there was. She responded to Alder in kind, brow frowning.

"I would hope, for the sake of Pernese life, you would be able to put your womanizing on hold in order to keep your head in your duties of guarding the Hold. If I'm wrong, perhaps you should be excluded from the rotation. I'd be more than happy to take up your slack if filling your bed weighs that heavily on your mind that you can't focus." Her tone was sharp, eyes wild in the night. She stepped past the glove that had fallen from her belt, hands on hips. Her voice had dropped its lazy drawl, teeth on the edges of each word. "Trying to pair yourself with Danae so you can flirt more with our Gold handler in a situation like this is sickening."

Was she penning for a fight? Who knew. But Lask was getting a rather cold greeting from Fygwesk, who watched his handler with a hawk's eye. He did, however, take a moment to give a return croon to the smaller green.

[Marnark’tranarprol]

Laier nodded slightly in silence, as she was all eyes and ears to the meeting. Listening to what was said, and what she was going to be asigned. Though, honestly, it seemed as if there was a clear break of authority going on, and no one knew what they were going to do. Orders and ideas flying in all directions. Accusations included. Alder's suggestive attitude, Danae's frustrated one, and Fyg's indignant and aggressive one ... ohhh, this didn't look good.

When Fyg stepped toward Alder threateningly, Laier hopped forward and deftly inserted herself between the two handlers. She put her own fists on her own hips, glaring at the two of them. "Enough!" She called, firmly. "Listen to yourselves!" She admonished. "Here you are, infighting! We have someone out there we have to find, and catch, before they kill again. And what are you doing? By Faranth, people! Have we lost all of our senses?" She demanded.

She leveled a finger at Fyg. "Cool it. And start thinking again. We don't need you biting at the wrong set of heels. We need you to think, to figure this out." Laier then turned her attention and finger on Alder. "And you. Keep it tucked. Both figuratively and litterally. Lest you get it bit off. There is a time and a place for all things ... and this is not the time for your cheek." She gave him a firm look, and then stepped back again, taking up her own proper place.

Laier was, after all, only a greenhandler. "And, finally ... we seem to be forgetting ourselves. This is not a democracy." She nodded to Danae. "What she says, goes. Not up for debate." She crossed her arms over her chest, and looked to Danae. "I think it makes sense, so far as it goes. Untill we either get more man power or wherpower. Or we catch the crook."

[Xennai]

Alder listened to Danae, a smirk curling at his lips as he heard what he wanted to. What she said did make sense; all of it did to his thinking. Arms crossed over hs chest as he glanced from the gold handler to the brown. Alder nodded, satisfied.

And then Fyg stepped in.

Her words felt like hot whips across his skin. They felt like molten metal being poured down his throat to curdle in his stomach. They were hot accusations and the fire from them only lit his own temper. It blazed in his eyes, turning the sleepy green suddenly hot and fierce. His jaw clenched and he stepped forward, knuckles turning white.

Laier stepped in then, separating them. Alder barely heard her words. He glared past her at Fyg, incensed, wanting to hit the brown handler so bad that he was shaking. How dare she? How absolutely dare she? He was not thinking of sleeping with some woman right now! He was thinking how best to salvage a situation and help his new home and had used her previous knowledge of him to help that a long!

ALDER![/color] Aldesk roared in his handler's mind, snapping into his consciousness with a vengeance. The man shook his head like a canine besieged by flies. There was blood in his eyes and Aldesk was not going to shake it out of him.
Listen! Don't. You can't. Bad. Very bad. Don't hit friends. Don't hurt holdmates. Bad bad bad. Stop now!

"NO!" Alder roared, both verbally and mentally. "No!" He stalked forward, pushing Fyg in the chest, not caring now, past caring. How dare she? He didn't care if she fell; he didn't care if she hit him. He wanted to hurt her. That was all he cared about. "I am not thinking with what you're thinking I am, you insensitive cow! I'm thinking of what's best for us, I'm thinking of what's best for the Hold! Don't you even dare pretend that I don't know some poor person has been murdered. Don't dare think that I don't know what my duty is!"

He pushed her again, pure anger on his face. This was not hatred, this was not vengeance, this was not revenge. This was anger--pure and simple. That was the most dangerous of all. Alder snarled and Aldesk burst into his head again, radiating the power that was his right.

STOP NOW! Back away! Now![/color] Aldesk roared, head shaking but stepped back. He was shuddering, his body wracked by infuriated shaking. His hands dove into his hair, gripping at the inky strands as he growled. He had not lost his temper in so long. He had not been so furious in much longer.

He stalked a few yards away, cutting a swathe through the grass. He glared at the three women, his teeth clenched as the anger coursed through his body, turning his blood hot and molten. He bit his lip until it bled and growled. Furious tears tracked down his tan face and he swiped at them, just as angry.

[panther]

Well that did it. No murder in caspian would besiege her world like this. She would NOT let it interfere with her company. Her Hold. It would not break them.

Alder pushed outside of the binds of their circle/square and pushed Fyg. Danae wasn't going to stand for it. She might be short er than the pair of them but she pushed between them with the speed of a whippit.

She stoo with a shoulder facaing each of them, but her eyes were glaring at Alder. Hand pressed harsh against his chest. Her other hand was extended between herself and Fyg, trying to keep the woman from attacking.

"Alder, Shard it." she cursed at him, "You are too volatile! Calm down, for faranth's sake man, you'd imagine you were ten turns junior than what you are. Now stand straight, step back and we'll talk like civilised human beings." She warned him, her hand taken pack for it's hard press against him, hand forming into a warning finger.

Now she turned to Fyg. "Please don't provoke him, it's not necessary, so please, just ignore it, he has his fualts we all do, but don't highlight them." She was warning fyg to, her own eyes closed of emotion she was being a leader now, she had no choice, there was descension in the ranks. Severely so.

She lowered her arms, and looked to Laier. "Laier is right, we are a team in most instances, as I try to stress, but I am calling my authority now. You will do as I say, and no matter what, Fyg and Alder I will not pair you two. Laier, I would love to partner you, but with these two it's not going to happen, Fyg, you are less volatile than Alder, nad I would hate to think what he would do in the company of perhaps the lord holder's finest guard if they disagreed with him, I am the only person here who can call rank on him, and He will obey that." She talked almost as though he were not standing to her side.

"Now, Are we clear?" Not even an asking of opinion. She searched faces respectively. Fyg, Laier and Alder, not even waiting for a response. "Then, I am glad to say this situation is resolved, You will begin patrolling in an hours time." She now stood, firm jawed and stubborn between them, glaring out at space meeting no one's eye, but she would be the last to leave.

[Shekru]

Laier's interference called the raging storm behind Fyg's eyes toward her for a brief moment. The huntress had awoken and her prey was being denied her by an obstacle. Two, in fact! And then the pushing began. Briefly taken off guard by the shorter women between herself and Alder, Fyg stumbled back a step, madness seeping into her reaction in the form of a cackle. An all out /cackle/. It didn't stop until he turned away from her, and then the woman crowed in triumph. "/I/ am insensitive? It was you who said you could not be trusted to patrol with the green handler. You are a disgrace to the honor of your bonded. Learn restraint, you petulent child!"

Fygwesk.. stayed put, actually. The brown watched, muscles tensed and ready to explode into action should the situation escalate.

So white was the righteous fury in Fyg's mind that it took a long while for Danae's words - her commands - to sink in. The brown handler turned her back on the red headed woman and went to stand near the brown Wher. Something Danae says had the huntress turning around swiftly. "Due respect, Queenhandler, but I do not think you have it in you to cow him into obeying. You have given him too much, and he knows how to circumvent your ire." With the situation in the Hold and on the Copse, the hot-head had finally blown her top and the magma flowed from her mouth without cease.

[Marnark’tranarprol]

Despite her earlier efforts to try and calm things down, it seemed that it escalated anyway. Laier frowned pointedly, but again held her silence. She really had no weight to throw around amongst these three. Every last one of them outranked her. About all she was good for at the moment was that she might be able to hop in and pry the two apart should it come down to blows. She sighed, slowly and silently, watching and witnessing what went on. The heat seemed to just go up and up.

Finally, as Fyg stepped toward her own wher, and Alder stalked off a few paces, Laier nodded to Danae, ignoring the words that were still flying from the two. "Ma'am." She said, simply, before heading over toward where Fyg was standing. "Come on." She insisted, taking a firm hand on Fyg's arm and turning her around to take her away. "Lask ... Fygwesk." She called, in turn. "We have our orders, let's get things moving, shall we?" She asked, in a calm, light tone.

Lask got to her feet, and padded over toward where the brown was. She paused only a moment, to look at him, before turning and following after Laier, without a word, comment, or emotion to express. Flicking the end of her tail lightly, she strode out to follow the two handlers.

"Whether she have it or not ... it is not our place to question it." Laier said, quietly. "How she handles him, is her concern. Come now ... we have a Hold to keep. They are depending upon us."

((OOC - hope that's not too much Gmodding, Shekru))

[Xennai]

Alder snorted when Danae decided to interpose. Oh, she did it now, but never before, never before the situation had gotten out of control. No, she waited until after, when he had lashed out, when the anger had been too much for him to handle.

Oh, he doubted she could have stopped him had she tried before, but still, it was irksome. It painted him as the handler who lashed out, the handler who was considered unstable, the loose cannon. He scowled, swiping at his face and glared at the three women. They didn't understand; they didn't get it. There was just only so much estrogen could do before testosterone took over.

Alder seethed as Danae talked about him as if he were a child and incapable of understanding that she was talking about him. He stood a short ways away, arms crossed over his chest. From within his jacket, Iago's tiny little head peeped out. He chirped softly as his sister nuzzled at the handler's cheek, crooning herself. He glanced at them, feeling marginally better. He reached out and stroked the hawk's eye and rubbed at the hawk's eye's head. He watched the women balefully, listening to their decisions and ideas and all other routes of conversation without any imput.

But he growled when Danae mentioned cowing him and when Fyg made another snide comment about the gold handler giving him too much leash. As if he were some sort of pet! Iago and Loki echoed his sentiments with twin creels of annoyance, their eyes whirling orange and red in empathy for their master's emotions. Not that it could match what the brown handler had said about him not deserving Aldesk, about not deserving the bronze. Teeth gritted as Alder thought about it again.

Shards, it was at moments like this he wished he hadn't transferred to the Southern region.

[panther]

Danae stood – quelling her anger and nerves with each other’s most severe emotions, her shuddering barely suppressed between them. The same as standing between Alder and Fyg done nothing to kill either emotion, only heighten them.

Then to make it worse, Fyg lashed at Alder again, and then questioned Danae’s own ability. Danae’s Jaw set and she pulled herself up to full height (which wasn’t much) but it made her look more confident, “I do not make any under my roof cow before me Fyg, as well you know. I expect people to treat each other with respect, and kindness, perhaps both of you should be schooled in it. Just because a person can highlight their own faults – doesn’t mean their strong enough to take criticism on it. And if you don’t learn to guard your tongue – both of you” She looked pointedly towards alder for a moment, “Then you will answer to me. I am the queen handler – and I don’t generally pull rank, but if you two refuse to play nice, then I Will..” She bit, the final words almost a growl.

She looked angry herself, I will teach these good for nothing handlers some respect! Not only for me but for each other. I cannot have such dissension in my ranks, it will not do. [/i] she chastised herself. She was on a severe learning curve, and well… so was the case with learning curves, sometimes they needed a sharp interaction with another, to bring them into focus. And Fyg and Alder had provided that.

So, mentally she came up with a plan to rectify this, it would piece together slowly, and it would need a little time, but given the pieces, and the picture she wanted, she hoped she could arrange it right, and that everything would fit together smoothly. But she doubted that.

As Laier tried to lead Fyg away, Danae looked over gratefully to the green handler, her eyes a look of silent thanks that she hoped Laier would notice. But she gave a few thought to Danask, who would relay them to Lask,
my own thanks yours, she happy one will agree, mine will step up though. Sent only to the green.

Danae turned away from the girls, feeling quite disheartened, but she turned to Alder, anger and nerves still riffling through her system, coming out (likely) as a form of aggression.

“Alder” Her words hissed between gritted teeth, “What are you trying to achieve?” She shook her head, anger fading from her voice as her words advanced, looking at his with broad confusion. “I don’t understand, you… you seem so able in some respects, and yet you have the most obscene knack for angering Fyg… Why? You should know better than to give her ammunition, and you should know better not to rise to her taunts.” She shook her head again, eyes unerring from him, confusion and incomprehension in her eyes, she narrowed them for a moment, as though she might trying to see through some façade he was presenting them with.

He was a bronze handler, she was meant to be able to rely upon him… but… thus far? He was not helping her. Not in the slightest, in truth? It could have been he was making it worse. But she wouldn’t let that happen, he would be a help to the Wher hold, and he would prove his worth, “You know, all you have to do, is prove your complete capability to keep a level head, and see beyond a buttocks and a bust…” She shook her head, “It’s not an enormous ask of you Alder.” She stepped back from him, still facing him, feet sure on the ground despite the darkness. Her intentions of departing for a few moments obvious. She felt rotten, and she needed to go get Danask, as well as ‘quip herself with a few items for her own safeguard on these patrols. But , that was little more than a convenient excuse right about now.

[Shekru]

She was fine. She was cooling down. And then someone touched her. Laier's wrist was caught by the brownhandler's free hand and the brass-eyed woman gave the greenhandler a -stare-. "Do not. Touch me." Fyg said in low, steely tones. A brief tug dislodged Laier's hand from her arm and Fyg released the other woman's wrist before moving to Fygwesk. Sliding into the Wher's straps, she held on as Fygwesk rose to all fours. "May not be your place, Laier, but I question everything. Get used to it."

Danae's words had Fyg and the brown turning around to face her, listening as she railed on. The brown handler had seen and heard enough as it was, but she owed the woman her ear, at least for the time being. "As you wish, Wherholder." Having so said, Fyg and the brown turned back toward the hold and took their leave of the copse. It was up to Laier to catch up.

[Marnark’tranarprol]

Laier sighed quietly, allowing Fyg to leave her own way. She watched as the brown handler mounted up her dragon, and at that moment wished she could similarly ride Lask. But the green was by far too small to be riding. Much less for any distance. When Fyg and Fygwesk took off across the ground toward the Hold, Laier moved out at an easy loping trot after them. Could she keep up with the brown wher? Not a chance. But she'd get there eventually anyway. All this running and dashing and trotting around was certainly going to make an endurance runner out of her, if nothing else!

Lask twitched the end of her tail, and then moved out after her handler and Fygwesk. She acknowledged the message from Danask with a wordless emotional nudge. She had nothing to say ... there wasn't anything to say. But she relayed the message anyway. Which only made Laier fear that when it came to the two handlers, they were going to think she was a brownnosed suckup or something. There really was no winning in the game of life, it seemed.

Lask, for her part, was aware that they were off to guard the Hold. But from whom? She didn't know, and she was more than certain that Laier didn't know. All they knew was that there was a murderer out there. So, what were they supposed to realistically do? How were they to know who to stop, and who to allow through? Who to chew on?

That thought appealed to Lask, though. She wanted to chew on someone. She'd never chewewd on anyone before, but the idea appealed to her all of a sudden. Maybe she'd ett to chew on somebody tonight?

[Xennai]

Alder scowled still, arms crossed over his chest as he listened to Danae's reprimands. He nearly snorted as she mentioned pulling rank on them. That she could do, and probably would if she had to, but he thought she was well aware that he and Fyg could knock her on her gold handling bum with little effort. Oh, she was tougher than she looked but he and Fyg...Well, they were cut from cloth that were closely related.

The lower-ranked women left and he was left with the only person who outranked them in his new home. He glowered, twin flitts crooning soft encouragement to him. He felt Aldesk lurking in the back of his mind, a solid presence that suddenly voiced his thoughts.

No anger her. Make things worse. Be nice. She not trying to hurt you. Trying to keep order. Alder snorted softly and then looked at Danae, his face muntinous. But at least he looked at her. At least he listened, even if he didn't like what he heard.

She thought him incapable. She too was saying he didn't deserve Aldesk, that he didn't fit his rank, that he was nothing more than some teenage boy incapable of controlling himself, incapable of controlling anything. It smarted. More than smarted, it hurt. He thought that the other handler had understood, he thought she'd seen through it all, seen that the playboy image--.

Teeth gritted and he forced himself away from such thoughts. This was not a pity party. This was not a time to feel sorry for himself. Some poor soul had been murdered. He'd get through this dialogue with Danae and then he could go back to his Dig and drown his sorrows however the sharding shells he pleased. A deep breath.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't speak just now of Fygwesk's handler just now, thank you." He sounded cold, distant, much different than how he normally was around the Queen handler. He didn't sound angry, he just sounded cold, as if the winds of the High Reaches had suddenly infused his body. "As for seeing beyond some anatomical parts, that is my business. Clearly you have no higher opinion of me than that so I won't disappoint whatever misconceptions you have and explain. Goodbye, gold handler." He jerked a small bow out of respect for the twins and then turned to stride away, the anger and the shame pulsing through him.

[panther]

In a strange twist of their first meeting she lunged forward and caught his wrist – but it didn’t quite have the same effect, she was small, and would easily be dragged along by him if he chose.

“Alder!” She called after him, “Stop please, Shards it’s the last thing I want to have every person in this place think me incapable, least of all you.” She spat, not really intending on saying the last part aloud, but it slipped, so she carried on as though it was merely intended, for his rank, of course.

“Listen! Please, just for a while It’s all I ask, else we’ll be shoved into each others company and pressed into such indecency of conversation as we have been in the last few days, I’ll not have it. You vied for my words earlier, and now, now you push me away, no Alder. I’ll not have that. And call me by my flaming name will you?” She paused breath laboured finding that she had barely breathed between sentences.

She glowered at him in the darkness, “You don’t understand. Not at all! Your taking my words for superficial values and superficial impacts only. Think about it Alder! I’m asking you to look beyond because I know you’re capable of better, so my opinion of you is higher. So correct your mind you cretin.” She spat.

She whipped her hand from his wrist, and now it was her turn to fold her arms, and glare at him with stern amber eyes that showed her anger blooming within.

She idly noted something unfamiliar under her foot, she shifted it under her boot, before curiosity gripped her, she leant down and picked it up.

A glove… How odd.

She tucked it in her pocket for the time being, and resumed her glare at Alder.
ß

[Xennai]

She grabbed his wrist and he stopped immediately, nearly flinching under her touch. His anger was volatile and he was afraid, afraid he might hurt her either physically or verbally should he linger too long in her company. He would never forgive himself if he did.

He stopped, chest nearly heaving, such was the effort of thrusting back the fury that was pounding through him. A headache was threatening, one of massive proportions. He swallowed, feeling the nausea rise. But it was dispelled at her words. Dispelled when she said she didn’t want anyone to think of her as incapable…least of all him. His mind wanted to go rampaging down all the trails that could lead to but he stopped himself, turning round slowly.

The anger still festered in his eyes, turning them all the more darker, brooding, edgy. He listened, as she demanded, as she commanded. He listened without comment, though his mouth was tight, his knuckles white. He wanted to destroy. He wanted to tear down. He wanted to corrupt.

“If you think better of me then, Danae, then I’d suggest you stop the name calling. It’s really not that attractive of you. Leave it to me.” His voice was tight, the darkness blazing in his eyes. He struggled for a moment before the words left him again, before he could speak. “Apparently I did misunderstand, but so did you.” He glanced away, the struggle too much. The need to destroy rose all the higher.

He couldn’t contain it.

He moved quickly, purposefully. He grabbed at her face roughly but he was past caring now. His mouth sealed over hers hard, feral, hungry. He growled, taking her mouth captive, one hand yanking her against him as he kissed her hard and full. Shards, her heat felt good…

Abruptly, the bronze handler pulled back, imposing the distance between them again. He still looked full of an energy he couldn’t control now and his head was pounding, the headache having blasted onto the scene. He pressed a hand to his forehead, wincing slightly with pain, his eyes directed toward the loamy floor. “Sorry. I’m sorry,” he muttered. “You just look so beautiful when you’re pissed off…” He glanced up at her and then back down.

“I do like a good pair of breasts and a bum. Don’t get me wrong…But Danae.” He looked up at her, eyes suddenly pleading, soft. “The only reason I have ever turned to anyone else since I came to Southern is because I can’t have you…It’s not because I want you for your body, though it is a great one. I want you…for you.” He glanced back down again, embarrassment rising along with the anger and the shame.