With a series of ropes tied to small clay jars tossed over her neck, shoulders, and back, and trailed by a similarly burdened Kassander, whose tiny primate friend clung to his face and peered around with great interest, Katja had set out on a trade endeavor to the other packs. The list of possibilities was dismally short - after raiding Threar, she rather doubted that the culture of these Alacratian wolves would induce them to set aside their... sensitivity after a raid in order to gain a more economic standing. Their personal feelings tended to cloud everything in these lands... So instead she had set out to the packs that, presumably, held no ill will toward Yfir already. Imperium, Abaven, Donostrea, Fiori. Imperium and Donostrea were closest, so she would begin there first in the hopes of shedding some of the weight they carried before setting out on the remainder of the journey to reach Abaven and Fiori.

Imperium was almost startlingly close to Yfir's southern-most border, nearly as close to the south as Sonticus was to the north, and so she stopped there first. She'd left Imperium on a cautiously interested note as last they'd met, the young alpha clearly more versed in politics than she and yet just as clearly a hardened warrior. More importantly, he laid claim to the orchard, one of the few lands, and the closest land to Yfir, that could supply Kassander with the fruits and honey that he said were used to make his companion's potent beverages. An important resource and, though she admitted it to herself begrudgingly, a formidable bargaining chip in any future relations.

Bypassing the rest of Imperium's lands until she reached the orchard in question and then seating herself at a more reasonable distance from the border this time, she sent up a request for the alpha, and any of his pack he deemed necessary, to join him at the border.

(OOC: going to post a few more Katja posts elsewhere before I switch to Kass so just assume our favorite little redhead and his fox and his lemur are all sitting behind Katja if you guys beat me to it.)

Border patrol seemed like a relaxing picnic after her escapades in the north with the ruling pair of Imperium.  Her heart still hammered a bit at the thought of it and she was amazed they'd managed to escape back over the border and get away with it.  Were Sonticus' borders really so loosely guarded?  Birna paused in her patrol, eyes narrowing.  She found it hard to believe that a northern pack could be so easy-going in its policy and she immediately wondered if there were harsher repercussions waiting to bear their fangs down on Imperium.  Surely the other pack was not so cowardly as to simply let it go.  No, she was almost certain there would be hell to pay… and she grinned.  At last some backbone in Alacritis!  She truly hoped they would follow through with blood and fury. Birna continued on her way the thoughts of approaching battle filling her mind as well as the recklessness of the ruling pair.  The were either extremely brave, a bit stupid, or both she couldn't be sure… but they had a zest for life that she had not encountered in a long time if ever.  The chances they were willing to take, the daring, and well had accomplished the mission and discovered several interesting tidbits about the Sonticus territory so found herself unable to stay irritated with them.  Despite herself she found she was becoming very attached to Imperium and it's unusual characters.  More than ever… she was finally beginning to feel like she was home.  And she would do anything to protect it. A call rang out and Birna's ears flicked forward before she pushed off in a run to investigate the call.  Barreling through fallen fruit and brambles she arrived at the norther border of the Orchard to see a dark-pelted woman with silver eyes.  Next to her was a strange…. squirrel-like creature and an odd assortment of jars.  A traveling saleswoman?  What on earth was this?  And... and seated just a bit behind Katja was... "Kassander!"  The name escaped her lips just as she'd thought it.  She held deep respect for the boy who had, despite his gentler nature, rallied his troops in war against Arcanum to protect his family and his pack.  She had willingly battled alongside him and was glad to see he was doing well.  "I hope you've been well." Birna let out her own call for the alpha to let him know that she was there to assess the situation as well.  She trusted Kassander and so wasn't feeling terribly defensive as she turned her focus to the strange woman.  She felt a sense of deja vu but could not quite place it. "Greetings, I am Birna Xanilov,  who might you be and what business do you want with Imperium?"  Her gaze again fell quizzically to the little jars.  Honestly she didn't know what to make of this situation.   ""

At the sounds of the howl, Mercy was not far behind the larger woman. She had been walking around the trees, looping around their base as she thought of what to do next with her apprentice. She felt a little out of her league being a mentor, and she was glad that Siruis didn't think that she was a complete idiot. Yet. There was still time to change her mind. Elongated tail streamed behind her as she tried to catch up with Birna, but the multi-hued warrior beat her to the borders. Slowing to a trot only a few paces behind, Mercy took the time to look at the black and gray woman who was standing a bit away from their scent marker. There were odd contraptions tied to her and her partners back, leaving her head tilting at an angle. What in the world did they have going on there? Eyeing Birna, she moved to stand at her side, aiming to leave a foot or two between the two woman. Picking up a pack scent on the two, her eyes narrowed slightly, finding it hard to take them off of the jars. "And I am Mercy, what do you have there?" She asked, cutting straight to business. They were odd looking things, with an even stranger creature aiding them. Gazing at the little guy, she sniffed the air again. Never before had she seen something quite like that...

"Speech"
'thoughts'

Esti heard Katja's call. She didn't know if she would be "deemed necessary", but she figured if Valentine needed her, it would be better if she was there than if she wasn't. As she approached, she heard Birna's call. Birna was a good girl, but she wondered how Birna would react to seeing Katja, the woman who apparently killed her "lacking" alpha. Esti entered the area, slipping on a lopsided smile, "Katja, Birna," her eyes slid over to the Destruction woman. Her smile didn't falter this time, "Mercy." Her attention would direct back to Katja. After their spar and learning about her killing, Esti began to wonder what kind of woman this was and what kind of pack she led. It didn't help that now she sat here at Imperium's borders with another wolf and... some other things? The titan woman was more than intrigued by this alpha, but she would keep her thoughts to herself as she remained standing a small distance away to Katja's left and waited for Valentine and his commands. ""

Even though he didn't keep the visitors waiting, by the time Valentine arrived at the border a small crowd had gathered. His gaze was immediately drawn to Kassander. The King was relieved to see him there and in, as far as he could tell, good health. That last time they'd spoken the Ebony king had been rather down. Not long after that Katja had come to Imperium claiming to have taken over Ebony and she'd been rather vague about how exactly she'd come into possession of it and not a word had been said regarding the fate of the former king. He appeared well and for that Valentine was grateful. His gaze flicked to Katja and he addressed her first. "Katja, Kassander, welcome." Valentine dipped his head to each in greeting before the jars finally caught his eye. He was vaguely familiar with those things, familiar enough to know that they usually held something of interest. "What have you there?" ""

The novelty of her wares was already gathering quite a crowd, which Katja viewed with quiet satisfaction. She inclined her head in acknowledgement of Esti, the wolf who had met her on the borders last she had come here. "I am Katja Finnvi," she informed those who had gathered in lieu of their alpha, though she would wait for his presence before beginning... negotiations. "Alpha of Yfir." And at their questions about the jars, she simply smiled a tight-lipped smile, and waited. She was not left waiting long, moments only, before the tall gray alpha appeared to welcome them. She dipped her muzzle in a respectful greeting of her own before nudging her mysterious vessels forward. "Samples, of a sort," she began. "Yfir has learned to create these fermented beverages, called 'alcohol', of various flavors and strengths. This," she nudged the first, "is called 'mead'. It is the strongest we offer - most suitable, perhaps, for ceremonies or special occasions. This," she pushed forward another, "is a 'wine'. I am told that the flavor changes depending upon the fruits used, but that this particular type is made from the juice of grapes. It is a deeper taste, rather than the sweet, but is less strong and so perhaps suitable for more common uses. And this," she moved the last type forward, "is a 'ciser', a drink made from apples and honey. It is much lighter than the other two. Summery. I'm told it tastes like... fun." She waited a beat, then tilted her head. "Feel free to taste them if you like, or have your wolves test them if you would rather keep a clear head. Kassander and I carry plenty for each pack to sample as they desire. We wish to open trade with surrounding packs... if it is in Yfir's best interest to do so." Her words implied that Imperium was not their only option, though left unsaid was that to Katja they were the best option - the pack that had the most in common with Yfir as well as control of the north's most abundant of the resources they required. This negotiation would require the most care. "

Birna was swiftly joined by Mercy and Esti and as the woman introduced herself Birna felt a wave of respect wash over her.  So this was Katja after all, new alphess of Yfir, formerly Ebony.  She was tiny compared to Birna's massive girth but the bear woman knew this viking could fell wolves larger than her if she were crossed.  A reminder not to let herself get to comfortable with her size.  Brute strength  certainly did not guarantee victory. Sky blue eyes would narrow and her head tilt to the side as she stared at the jars, taking in Katja's words.  Drinks?  She leaned over to cautiously sniff the one called 'ciser'.  He nose wrinkled and she glanced back up, uncertain.  The liquid smelt strange, unlike anything she'd really ever taken into her body before and her eyes moved to rest on Kassander, searching, analyzing.  She trusted him and doubted he would stand by and just let them be poisoned.   Ginglerly Birna's tongue graced the foreign liquid as she lapped a little in her mouth.  Her head shot back up, lips smacking as she tried to get a taste for it.  Brow quirked at the odd warming sensation that spread down her throat and through he chest. "It's… complex.  The drink is cool but it feels warm in my throat.  The flavor is… very strange to me, I'm not quite sure if I like it or not."  She looked to the others to try it, to see what their thoughts were before turning back to Valentine.  "I leave it in your capable paws Rex, I best be getting back to border patrol.  Kassander, it is good to see you.  I wish you and Katja well." -exit b/c lunar needs to chill on the threads like seriously- ""

She eyed the alpha as she introduced herself, head dipping in respect. When she dropped the jars and introduced them by name, Mercy sniffed at each jar. Two of them smelled sweet, but the other one almost burnt her nose. The girl jerked back her head as she sneezed, looking rather sheepish at her reaction. She watched as Birna took the first sip, and explained its effects on her. It made her cautious to try it, and she instead lapped up a bit of the substance that she called wine. Mercy smacked her lips together as its almost sweet, dry taste lingered on her tongue. It tasted like fermented fruit, like the rotten ones that sat on the ground of the Orchard. It was cold, like Birna said, but made her throat and tummy feel warm. Letting out a small giggle, she sniffed at the other jars again. "Its all warm in my belly, its so strange! I like it..." she muttered, still reluctant to try the stronger one, if it burnt her nose she had no idea what it would do to her belly.

"Speech"
'thoughts'

OOC: Whoops! I forgot Esti was next. Sorry! Don't let that stop you from posting, Iko

His eyes locked on the containers as they were pushed forward. He was inclined to be suspicious of strange things being offered to him and were Kassander not there he might have refused to sample them, but Valentine trusted the former king and that trust was enough to cast aside any suspicions he may have had. Unhindered by distrust, the Rex was left with a hungry curiosity. First Birna then Mercy sampled the jars and when they were done and had voiced their approval, Valentine leaned forward and sniffed at each one in turn. Neither had touched the strongest one, the one called mead, and so it was that one that he decided to try. One small taste was all he required, the strange liquid and the foreign feeling it left in its wake caused his head to jerk back in surprise. Valentine's ears pricked forward and he stared at the jar in surprise as he felt the mead work its way down his throat and pool in his belly. Oh interesting! The Rex was immediately intrigued. If only a tiny taste could feel like that, what must a larger quantity do? Perhaps this was something Cascade would appreciate taking with him. "That is an interesting drink indeed," he murmured thoughtfully as his gaze rose to seek out Katja's. If they were to make a trade it was in his best interest to keep the extent of his interest hidden. "If we were interested in such a substance, what might you be looking for in return?" Those containers caught his attention as well. They were different than the things he'd found in the Range and in Sonticus' ship, but the concept was the same. The idea was in its infancy, but he had an idea... "If I may ask...those containers, where did you get them?" ""

OOC: I'll post quick as to not interfere.

Esti took a while making up her mind. Birna and Mercy tried the other two, which only left the strongest one. Her hesitation gave Valentine enough time to snag the first taste. They all seemed interested and surprised. Esti wasn't about to be left out. After Valentine, Esti tried the strongest one, taking a bigger taste than she should have and swallowing it quickly. She stepped back, suppressing a noise, but coughing softly as her nose wrinkled a bit, "Yeah, burns-" she muttered, swallowing a few times as the substance worked its way to her belly, leaving a small, fiery (although not totally painful) trail in it's wake, "but not in a bad way. I like it. A lot." She Cleared her throat again and stepped back, thinking about the flavor and feel and what all kinds of fun she could probably have with it if she had more. ""

"Kassander!" The sound of his name from a female voice was startling, and he sat straighter and pricked his ears forward in curiosity. He didn't know anyone except Valentine and Integra in Imperium, did he...? Wait, was that... "Birna?" he returned incredulously. What was she doing in Imperium? Had she and Bjorn left Fiori? He wanted to ask how she and her brother were, how life had treated them since they had helped him in the siege, but this was after all a business meeting rather than a social gathering so he held back.

Kassander managed a shy "Hi Valen," as the alpha dipped his head to him, and shuffled his paws, staying otherwise silent to let Katja take center stage as she explained herself and the wares they carried. When Valen asked her where they'd gotten the containers, though, she glanced over to Kassander and raised a brow invitingly. He cleared his throat, shuffled his feet again, and raised his gaze to Valentine. "My companion Remy and I make them. I dig up the clay for him and squish it until it's soft and he shapes them into containers, and when they dry the ones that don't crack we use. They... they're very useful for... lots of stuff..." he added, trailing off and dropping his eyes again.

Katja remained silent and impassive as each of the four wolves chose to sample the beverage. Birna Xanilov gave a quick opinion before deferring to her alpha and indicating she was returning to her patrol - a warrior Katja could certainly approve of. Valentine questioned her about what she would want in return before unexpectedly asking about the containers themselves. Katja sensed a profit, but she had little knowledge of what the containers actually were, and with raised brow invited Kassander to explain them. He did not make an attempt to make a sales pitch for them, but simply an explanation of the methods, and Katja took up the thread as he trailed off. "In exchange for a full supply, from you we would ask for access to your orchards during the times certain fruits are ripened in order to harvest them. Supervised, of course. Yours is not the only orchard, but it is a convenient one to our lands and holds much of what we use in the beverages. A benefit to us both, hm? We would also ask for a single buffalo in addition." Her expression bland, poker face on, she settled in to haggle. This Valentine was a shrewd one, and she would need care to handle him.

When the conversation took a turn to the aspects of the trade, Mercy took a step back and allowed the alphas to talk. She was curious about what this dark woman wanted in turn for these drinks, and was surprised at the demand. While she didn't mind the asking of fruit, they didn't really use it that much for how much grew, but it was the prey that made her raise her brow. Purple gaze shifted from the woman named Katja to Valentine, wondering if he was going to accept it. The other male who had spoken about the clay pots though captured her complete interest, who was Remy? It was very interesting that they were hand made, and when the other were talking she laid on her belly and inspected the pot. It was very well crafted, she wouldn't have ever known that it had been made by a wolf and his friend. She looked up at him, a small smile on her maw. "Well done, these are beautiful jars." she complemented him, gaze shifting back to the container. Was Valentine interested in both the drinks and the things that held them?

"Speech"
'thoughts'

Ah, so Kassander made the jars. Interesting. Valentine filed that information away for later. The process of making those jars was, if he had his guess, tedious and maybe, just maybe, they'd be interested in jars that were already made. His offer still needed more thought, so for now he'd keep all knowledge of the ice and metal jars to himself. "Well done, these are beautiful jars." At this he nodded before agreeing verbally, "Indeed they are." Valentine's gaze sought out the distance as Katja listed her demands. They were a bit high in his opinion, but that was rather the point, wasn't it? "Access to the orchards and an entire buffalo for a few jars? Sounds like you would benefit far more than I would," he said casually as he studied the woman, his expression neutral. He wasn't quite ready for a counter offer. She hadn't told him how many jars was in a "full supply" and if it was a meager as he thought it to be, her offer was going to have to drop considerably. ""

Birna left and Esti had mind to do the same. She missed the opportunity as Mercy spoke up. The two other Imperium wolves commented on the jars and Esti simply hummed in agreement. They were cool structures. They could probably hold herbs or food or something if a wolf could easily carry them. Maybe they would be good for slaves to have strapped to their back, "Do they come in many sizes?" Esti asked simply, before drawing back to let the alphas talk. Esti listened to the little meeting, unsure on whether she should leave or not. She wasn't a diplomat. She didn't ever want to be a diplomat. As much as she loved playing princess, she never really wanted to be a queen. She would think over the words spoken, though. Katja seemed to stake a lot of claim with her offer. Was it a bluff? Esti didn't know. She didn't voice her ideas. She would let the two alphas talk it out.