Cannival The lioness found it hard to lean down and sniff the ground for scent trails with a wiggly pup riding shotgun but she managed just fine. The eruption had displaced many a wolf and on her travels west she'd come across a small child who'd apparently escaped their family in the confusion. The black and white pup squirmed and cried when Cannival picked her up but after a while of walking and murmured conversation they'd come to a decision they both approved of - Pestilence would ride upon the lioness' shoulders like a good girl, and Cannival wouldn't eat her. (Though she wouldn't have anyways, Pestilence needed her confirmation) As she approached an area heavily scented by strange wolves, Cannival begun to get nervous. Pestilence had reassured her more then once that no one would eat her, but the lioness couldn't forget the last time she'd had a pup in tow escaping a fire. She stepped up to the border and waited, and waited some more. Wolves usually howled, but.. Canni somehow thought a lioness' roar at the border wouldn't be well received. She looked back at Pestilence and cleared her throat. "Would you mind?" She asked the pup kindly. Pestilence obliged, letting loose a howl for Sirius specifically. Her mother would just kill her if she knew she'd run away, at least Sirius understood. "You.""Think.""Speech"

The little howl from Pesto at the border had him running, what was she calling about, why was she outside their temporary camp? The titan appeared at a dead run, a snarl already on his lips when he saw the shape of a lioness first, and then that of a puppy. It was the second that brought him up short. He couldn’t launch himself at the invader without hurting little Pesto in the doing. His face contorted, like he really wanted to keep a snarl in his expressions, fangs tilted upwards, before he managed to control himself into something more neutral. It was clear he wasn’t happy about it. “What do you want for the pups safe return?” he asked her curtly, assuming she could speak. He had heard of other predators that were capable of it, but it was possible that she was not able to. If she couldn’t negotiations where going to be really, really hard. He would start with neutral negotiations, but he was prepared to switch to violence in a heartbeat, his paw suddenly digging in behind him, so he could launch himself forward in a heartbeat. The lioness might have some height on him, but less than the average wolf did. "Speech"

Cannival Cannival reached over her shoulder to collect the pup from her shoulders to deposit on the ground at her feet. Pesto had a sullen expression on her face, upset at losing her riding buddy but not wanting to interrupt the adults' conversation. "I don't trade in infants." She told the direwolf with a small smile. "I found her wandering outside your... borders - if you can call them that - and felt I should bring her home." The lioness lifted an oversized paw to put upon the pup's head and ruffle it gently. She pushed Pestilence gently towards Sirius, and the little pup walked dejected back to her guardian. "My name is Cannival." She offered politely. "I want only for friends and alliances. I've found myself... nomadic, lately. It's always nice to know you're surrounded by allies while sleeping under the stars." A familiar scent suddenly hit the lioness' nose and her brows furrowed in confusion. Her sense of smell was not as acute as that of a wolf, and she was unable to place it mixed among this pack of strange wolves. Curious. She looked over his shoulder as if she could see the owner of the scent just beyond him, and frowned. "You.""Think.""Speech"

Sirius frowned at the big cat, weary on the balls of his feet as he watched her. Once she deposited the pup on the earth, he was tempted to leap at her, but knew she could strike the much closer pup before he got there. Well he waited, holding off on his attack, the lioness took a moment to speak. She informed him that she didn’t trade in infants, but he watched her, weary and distrusting. The urge to attack her was strong, especially having come here with one of his precious charges in tow. He gave her a disgruntled look as she mentioned their borders - in case she hadn’t noticed, there was an active volcano wreaking havoc on the land… Cannival pushed Pesto and the small girl walked towards him, the moment she was close enough Sirius lashed out, grabbing her by the scruff and pulling her closer, depositing her into the fluff of his chest and cupping a hand about her midriff, creating a blockage of his own body. He rumbled silently at her, so she would feel it in his chest. She would know he was displeased - or at least, that was likely how she would read it. Zee would have known that his protective streak was in overdrive, and it was either clutch Pesto, or attack Cannival. He had decided for the moment to settle on the former. He considered her words, and the fact that she had brought the pup back to them - despite his reservations on the idea, she had asked for nothing and sent Pesto safely back to his arms. If she had done anything else, he would have attacked her on principle, to teach a lesson that the pups of Ashen where not to be messed with. Instead, she had done them a good deed, and had to consider compass on right and wrong (Zee) would likely tell him that this made Cannival almost a friend, and not an enemy. “Well, you have my attention. If there comes a time you need it, you might come to Ashen and ask after Sirius, and I will do for you a favour.” he promised her. Surely thats what her comment on allies and sleeping under the stars had hinted at. "Speech"

Cannival The lioness did not miss how protective this Sirius was of the child, and she wondered if it might be his own. She didn't fault him for it, for a lioness encroaching on a wolf pack's land with one of their pups in tow could be disastrous. Thankfully he seemed to be keeping his protective energy on holding tight to the child instead of attacking her. "You misunderstand." She replied patiently, casting a smile down to the pup buried in his chest. "Trading a child for a favor is still trading a child. I need nothing from you today nor tomorrow and not in the foreseeable future." It made her a little sad to think that this wolf might not be able to recognize a gesture of good faith, any wanderer who stepped over a misplaced pup should return them without expecting anything in return. "I should be on my way but it was good to meet you, Sirius of Ashen." She made she she'd remember his name in the future, should she stumble upon him again. "Keep an eye on the little one." The lioness paused to give a cautious smile to the direwolf, and then turned away from him to leave. A part of her wondered if he'd attack now that her back was turned, but she did have need of friends and allies and a large part of that relationship was to give them trust. -exit?- "You.""Think.""Speech"

The lioness spoke with what came across as infinite patience, as though he was a miscreat child who did not fully understand the ways of the world. His grip on the pup before him tightened, not enough to hurt her, but certainly she would struggle now to even wiggle. He was surprised by this lioness, who must have had all the confidence in the world in her herself, believing she would never need a favour from the likes of him. It was the parting words that did it, he let out something that sounded like a cross between a groan and a growl, soft enough that only the pup would have heard it. He moved around the pup, pushing her gently behind him as he moved after the lioness. One might think his actions predatory, if not for the words that followed. In a reluctant, rough flow, he would speak. “Wait…” he said, grimacing again, as through the words pained him. “No matter what your thoughts on favours, you did me a great service, looking after the little one. I.. that is… thank you.” his expression twisted into a grimace again, as through the words tasted sour in his mouth. “And I do believe I owe you a favour, whether you agree or not.” Sirius’s honour was his own, as strange as it could sometimes be, and despite himself, he was tied to that inner code. If he ever crossed paths with this cat again, he would hope to return the favour, and this remove his debt to the feline. "Speech"

Cannival Cannival was amused at how vehemently the direwolf insisted a favor in return for the pup's safe return and she sighed softly as he spoke up again. There wasn't any favor at all she could think of that he could fulfill, nor would she envision herself wandering back to this pack at a later date if she was ever in need. It felt good though for someone to feel indebted to her, as she had felt towards two packs now. "Very well." She agreed gently. "I need nothing from you now, but if it makes you feel better then I will remember your offer and should the day come that I'm in need, I'll find you here." If the lioness knew of the precious slave they held within their borders she'd have found her favor - and fought for her if the favor was not enough - though no one had told her Motif was missing and as far as she knew, the little yearling was safe with Abaven where ever they'd moved to. "You.""Think.""Speech"