Talking Shop

He nodded his head at her thanks. She was unusually small, this new Ethen Alpha. She was going to struggle in a world of giants, and he wondered how she would do. In the end, it wasn’t his problem.

The skin around his eyes tightened at the mention of Ethne’s overflowing stores and stock. The subtle motion is the only hint of anything amiss, and perhaps the new and young alpha would put it down to jealousy from a pack in the heart of a mountain in winter, and one in the bounty of Summer.

At her offer, he found himself hesitant. It was unusual for an alpha to freely give when they could stockpile for the security of their pack. She was young, and inexperienced. It would feel as if he was taking advantage of her. And he was young, and prideful. But he thought of his own pack, full of so many puppies, and so much lost. He would be a fool to turn it down. “How about this - you trade us your surplus, and come Spring, we will send you our first shipment of crafted weapons and armour?”

"Speech"