There was this one traveling salesman...

Well, it could be worse, at least this time Almandine was stretched out across his shoulders instead of riding in his trading goods.  Rudy paused to adjust his jaws which were fastened to four corners of a deer skin.  Within the skin where a variety of wares.  Cleaned skins of various animals, dried herbs, assorted rocks, skulls, bones, feathers and assorted strange objects he'd picked up on his numerous travels.  He'd travel and trade the items for shelter, food or other unusual artifacts.  Alma, his traveling companion loved to lay atop the furs but it seemed this afternoon she would seek to lay atop his fur.

Rudy resisted yelping as the sleeping cat's claws kneaded at his shoulders.  Ow,ow,ow,ow… why did he have to choose such a prickly companion?  While he usually traded with groups of loners there were a large number of packs in Alacritis and the man sought to trade with the packs here before he moved on to new lands.  Almandine was right… he might have better luck.  Though packs could also be dangerous.  After all he was only one wolf and while Rudy was a good fighter in his own right he couldn't take on a whole pack.

Striding through the rich vegetation of the Serpent Plains the man paused as he caught the scent of a border.  Verdant gaze lingered along the ground, keeping an eye open for snakes as he approached the border and then when it seemed clear he carefully set down his wares and howled for the wolves of Abaven to see if any would be interested in a little trading.  As he howled though sudden claws in his shoulders caused him to yelp.

"OW!  Alma what's the deal?" He turned to look at his friend who was frizzed up and glaring at him from her cool violet eyes.  

"How about a little warning first before you go waking up the whole dam neighborhood?  Asshole."  She repositioned herself on his back and started smoothing her fur down and Rudy half debated dumping her off but knowing the cats claws she'd shred him all the way down before he finally dislodged her…. hairy parasite.

"Speech"
"Almandine Speech"