He used to say that beings like us were meant to be monsters, like them. That the one we worship gave us claws and teeth to tear our prey apart and shred their dignity for our sustenance. Monsters, huh. We all play our part in this show, and I'd rather go off script and create my own backstory than conform to the one written on paper.
Or, ya know, at least fucking try.

"Oh, how I yearn for the stories you could tell...amicus meus."

Acute latin lyrics and accenting carried my words to the object that I fiddled with below me. My paw overturned a metal cylinder that was no bigger than a hare, positioning it around to find the best point of entry. The exterior of the metal object was malformed from weathering and the surface of it had tragically deteriorated. My tongue made a clicking sound of disapproval and pity as I shook my head, lowering my gaze only slightly to get a better look at the holes perforating through it, littering all around the surface as if it had been in a fight... one with teeth mangling it in such a way where its scars could never be healed. The punctures were almost big enough that I could see to the other side at certain angles.

"But would you even let me in on something like that? I'm sure those stories still haunt you too. You poor thing..."

My voice trailed off into an audible exhale. I tilted it back and forth before pawing it away and letting it roll off from the broken wooden tree trunk-like pedestal that I had it on.

Finding something that I could bring back with me was like finding a black cat among piles of charcoal in this field, or whatever idiom the herds were using these days. My head dipped in defeat as I let out a forced sigh before peering up at the hills in the distance. Rays of light were just beginning to filter through the overcast morning sky and hit the trees with their first touch of heat for the day. Being up through the night left me with the pangs of exhaustion, though it was more felt through my body than anything else. If it had not been for that persistent... thing taking up residence in my thoughts, maybe, just maybe I would have been able to let myself drift off. But alas...

I grabbed the ends of the small animal skin bundle in my jaw before swinging it up and continuing my trot downhill towards a valley-like dip in the land. The temperature dropping could be felt through my fur as I left the sanctuary of the warm morning rays and pushed on into the dimly lit area, coming up on a larger structure that looked like a half-sunken orb with a chiseled our hole on the front.

"Mm-oh?"

My voice murred through the muffled hare skin. Trotting up to the thing and circling around it showed me that the hole was only on one side. I dropped my sack carefully on the ground before excitedly sniffing around. Iron. Oxidation. Tin. Flecks of, ah wait. Thats just dirt. Burnt... something. Smells lke one of those plants full of seeds that I set on fire that one time. Eck.

I snorted and reared my head back up to full height.

"I wonder..."

Lowering down on my belly I shuffled forward until my head was at the entrance of the hole. Hm... looks like it'll fit? My nose twitched frantically and with giving a quick look around to make sure I was at least alone within my immediate vicinity, I shuffled my head into the hole and looked about. Light crept through the gaps along the rim where the rocks lifted it up but that was about it.

"Hn..g."

My body squirmed as I groaned before I opted to push myself first on my side and then on my back to look upwards.

"Oh ho ho... Jackpot baby!"

I laughed as oogled at the thin metal strands hanging from the top of it. My shoulder squirmed as I reached...they were just too big to fit through. My jaw took a few snaps at the air as I began yanking a few of the metal ropes from their nest and letting it fall around my head and neck.
When would I find something like this again, I'll never know.

"Speech"

After the attack on his pack lands, the Warlord was making his way North. The easiest path was to follow the frozen stream as it wound its way West, inching closer and closer to the Northern territories as it went. It skirted around Fireside, and he abandoned its course as he made his way into Veteran’s Plateau.

Not many wolves were willing to brave the freezing temperatures and leave their packs or borrows. He assumed it was for this reason that he ran into no wolves until the Plateau. Of course, it could be that loners had the same misfortune befall them - without the might of a pack to back them up. The night was going to be forever etched into his memory. Of the dire wolves as they invaded his territory, and fought the Armada wolves as they had formed a protective ring around their young, and fought for their lives. If the Titan found any of the ice-age dire wolves in his path, he knew what he would do to them.

Marshal, who scouted the way before the Warlord let out a piercing cry, warning Sirius that he was no longer alone. Slinking into a crouch, the scarred wolf made his way into the plateau, circling the spot Marshal had cried above. Bast, the snow leopard, left his side and began to circle in the opposite direction. The Bear remained where he had started, sinking into a crouch to wait and see where she was needed. Between the four of them, they effectively surrounded the stranger. Sirius was taking no chances, he was at War with those who had wronged him. He approached the wolf from behind as their rear dangled helplessly in the air, their head occupied doing… something inside of an abandoned structure. “Speak, wolf, or die.” Sirius snarled.


"Speech"

"Hm..yeah. That's one, two, three, four..."

My maw mouthed the rest of my count as reddish-orange optics lazily scanned the underside of the metal piece that I was lying beneath. I had gotten most of the metallic strings that had been dangling - the rest were just out of reach. Flipping hole... my shoulders couldn't fit through and that was the only reason. I groaned and turned to look left and right. The rest was bare... I guess I was done here. With a grunt, I began shimmying from my position on my back to my side when I heard a bird making a sound from the skies above. Did it sound like a crow? Hm. I decided to discard the information figuring some bird had found it's breakfast and continued backing my way out of the structure.

Absentmindedly, I looked around for my little makeshift satchel before I began to feel the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. You know that feeling where you know you're alone but you could just feel the notion of something or some -

"Speak, wolf, or die.”

Woah. The low baritone sound echoed through my skull and I felt like, for a brief moment, I was a kid in trouble.
My breathing hitched and I felt my heart sink to my gut out of pure surprise.
My head snapped to my left and I found myself standing between another male wolf and a hard place. Slowly, my paws turned and I positioned myself cautiously to face the voice head-on and that's when I realized another figure circling to my right. Eyes flitted from one being to the other and that's when it dawned on me... the fucking crow. Ugh. I should have been more attentive...

Apart of me wanted to facepaw, another part told me not to move. Mmmph, why didn't I just keep walk- No. That find was worth every moment. My barrel chest expanded as I took in a slow deep inhale. My focus settled back on the larger black male, taking in his stance. Hey hey now... why the tension? The stance, the voice, I could have laughed or pee'd a little on the thought of how eerily similar he sounded like...

"Sir, just scouting Sir."

I barked in corporal fashion while sitting down to aid in giving off my position to not be a threat, and hopefully appease his rigidity. My back straightened up and my ears stood up straight. This guy looked like he wasn't playing any games today. My eyes stared forward at his form, but not his own gaze. Hm. One... Eyes to the right. Two... My gaze flitted up before lowering back down. Three... Three? Was that necessary for one wolf?

"I - Well."

I cleared my throat and lifted my head up slightly for...confidence? Sure, lets go with that.

"I..."

Let's go Ciel, cut the shit.

"These lands are not marked, Sir."

Honestly, atleast THIS part wasn't.
So what's the deal Sir 'I need bodyguards because I'm clearly not fucking big enough'.

My knapsack was off to the left and behind me - I could feel it with my tail. Using it, I tried curling my tail around it to scoot it closer to my body. I felt my nose twitch subtly as the wind shifted slightly more in my favor. I wasn't close enough to get enough information...that bothered me. I leaned forward an inch to try and get a better sniff but... nope. Nothing but the touches of his musk along with, no there was something else. Other, beings? Smells? Fuck, I really couldn't get a good read. I groaned lightly to myself and settled back down into place, feeling a tinge of defeat.  

"Speech"

The Warlord watched as the stranger responded to his voice, and turned to the larger wolf. He was wise enough to keep his movements slow and careful, but when he barked out his answer, the Titan Leader felt himself slowly relax. The (very confused) stranger looked far too out of place to have any part in the raid that had taken place on the Warlords lands.

He clocked the moment the man realised he was surrounded. Despite the knowledge, he showed a little spine, pointing out the unmarked nature of the lands. Respect. Sirius Fatalis relaxed his offensive stance, letting himself fall into a (slightly) less threatening stance. “Your right, these lands aren’t taken.” He nodded his head, and with a subtle flick of his paw, his companions stood down. Marshal completed one more tight circle, and then moved further afield, scouting the lands ahead.

“You’ll have to forgive my aggressive appearance,” It was as close to an apology as the rigid Warlord could give a stranger. ”I’m Sirius Fatalis, Warlord of the Armada. My lands were raided by a type of wolf I’d never seen before only a few days hence. I’m tracking them down to the North.” He explained. “They started appearing shortly after the Ice bridge formed in the North-most peak of Cathedral point, do you know anything about that?” The Warlord had so far only heard of it from second hand reports.


"Speech!"

TABLE & CODE © SKELLE 2020

I couldn't stop myself from swallowing the pool of frothy saliva that started right under my tongue. It wasn't from nerves, at least... I didn't think it was. My best guess was that it was from that bird that was still above us. My stomach tightened at the thought and I swallowed again, taking that as an affirmative. The realization of missing any meals for the past day, maybe it had been a little more than that, was getting to me now that there was prey about. My eyes kept on his form while trying to keep the other shadow in my peripheral when I was able to. This guy was on edge...  I felt that permeating from his form. I didn't blame him though - part of my own chore growing up was to patrol out of the same kind of necessity.

“Your right, these lands aren’t taken.”

Ah,...est autem lapis rimas. (The stone shows its cracks.) Perhaps my answer lowered his guard, albeit, marginally. My eyes went from his tucks back to his body while I looked him over. The one other being that I saw earlier, and I still had no idea what it was, disappeared from my line of sight. That made me nervous, and I know that it would just continue to irritate the back of my mind like a gnat to a flame. What to do...

“You’ll have to forgive my aggressive appearance,”
Should I though?
"I’m Sirius Fatalis, Warlord of . . . do you know anything about that?”
Do I know anything about... Man, you've got bigger problems than just little 'ol me."

"Sir. If I may."

I swallowed again, flicking my gaze down to my paws out of habit before bringing them back up as I heard my fathers voice to keep my eyes up. Slow. You can do this

You're asking if I..."

I pushed my sack back under the dome behind me and stood up, casually looking around, giving an introspective expression as I did so.

"A mere hungry loner, a neutral party."

My voice, not as deep as his yet, expressed the casually jovial essence of a friend talking to another dear friend. My tongue rolled over my Latin accenting as I tried to enunciate my words. One paw in front of the other, keeping the same amount of distance between us as we were, began to nonchalantly walk around to his right flank while I spoke.

" 'Fresh meat', yes? I mean, that's what they call newcomers?"

That wasn't a lie, I did just get to these lands a few moons ago.

"Someone who has probably spoken to...meh, 5,6, maybe 9 wolves since i've been here. Someone who has had eyes on..."

I shrugged.

"Things here and there within these parts for the last few days. Just last night there were these two other wolves that were - Aw, well. You're probably not interested in that."

I laughed lightly, flipping my tail casually behind me.

Blood orange eyes cut over to him just long enough to take in how he was reacting to me before lowering back down to the ground. Ugh, silly habit. I brought them back up to his body. The sun had finally come over the mountains and it's early morning beams began to slowly light up the dip in the land where we were situated. No longer being in the shadows, I caught a glimpse of where the other figure had moved to and made a mental note of the resting position. Wait... what's that thing in the background. It was a little far...Is that another - It's a bear. Is it? It is. It's gotta be a bea- WHY. Does this guy have a bear? And HOW did he... I took in a slow inhale and let it seep out of my lightly agape maw. 3. 2. 1. Reddish harks flipped back for a moment while I continued my saunter around him, in part annoyed, in part out of sheer skepticism. This guy may be all show if he needed this amount of backup. If Sirius had stayed where he was when I first started my stroll, I would have come around from behind him by now and would have ended up on his right side, still keeping a few yards of distance between us. The guy didn't seem like he might have been one for, hm, intimacy.

"I'm not sure what information you're looking for that can be of any use. You'll have to specify."

I came back around and stopped at the sunken metal dome that held my head in it only moments ago, flicking the tip of my tail idly as I came to a close.

"But let's say I did. How valuable is that kind of information worth to you?"

I tilted my head and pursed my lips together, taking a short look off to the side while  I pondered it over.

"You know. In order to protect your lands."

I reinforced.
Which... was clearly... still not here. But that was a separate issue to follow up on if I came to care about asking.

"Just out of curiosity."

I blinked and shifted my stance.

"Sir."

My tone remained formal, maybe a tad arrogant. But I figured it was no harn. I had no shame in it - He needs someone to talk, and I gotta eat. And if I wasn't thinking about that damn bird before, then I sure as hell had nothing else on my mind now. I wondered if he would trade a meal for info... That being beside the point, I had done nothing wrong, and so I didn't see a reason to be scared of his intimidating, and yes, anyone with a brain would count him as intimidating, stature. Surprised, absolutely. Who the hell wouldn't be with this big guy and his band rolling up on the scene in this fashion. However, lessons have taught me to never underestimate. I didn't plan on starting now, especially since I've seen how a few loose cogs can hide from the surface level of one's personality. And how if you happen to be the right kind of trigger, boom goes the dynamite.

"Speech"

The younger wolf looked nervous, though he made efforts to push past it. Gaze going to his paws, and flicking upwards once more. It didn’t pass the Warlord's attention that the word ‘hungry’ had been slipped into his personal description. As the boy spoke, he began to move, making a slow circle around the Warlord. His attention slipping to the distance, as he assessed the situation and what was around him. As the boy moved, his confidence seemed to grow. And with it, his snark. The Warlord got back to his paws, and well he wasn’t… aggressive, per say, there was a warning on his lips as they peeled back ever so slightly. No, he did not allow the stranger to walk behind him. He wasn’t a moron. There were things afoot in this land that were new to the season. Caution had always been the Warlords nature, even as he believed himself to be invincible. He had people to protect, and in his bid to do so, there was little he would not do. He followed Ciel’s circle, making a stationary circle of his own. “Dire wolves, a good ten inches taller than myself” he said dryly. The Titan Warlord already stood a good distance over this wolf, the wolves Sirius spoke of would almost be twice the height of this hungry lonar. “Hard to miss them.” “Those that attacked my lands are dead,” a warning. He met Ciel’s eyes steadily. He did not like the way this wolf moved or spoke, he had been willing to consider him a harmless bystander a moment ago, but the more he spoke to him, the more the Titan’s skin prickled with warning. With the feeling that Ciel wanted something from him. “I seek them out now for the sake of Boreas as a whole, to gather intel, and understand what we are dealing with.” To be armed with knowledge lessened the chances of being taken by surprise again. Not that surprise had done the Dire’s any good, their bodies fertilized the soil of the Armada now. But - The Warlord understood trade. There were parties that he often traded with for better pieces for his gear, or the taming of companions for his pack wolves to raise. The old Warlord would have asked him what the worth of his life was - but that was before his Wife had tempered the worst of the habits ingrained in him during his service to The Empire. Now, he cultivated relationships and trade, and his pack flourished for it. “If you have seen any tracks that might indicate their whereabouts, or other such creatures that did not exist in Boreas before spring, I will trade for it.” He bargained. “For a small lead, I will offer you a small meal, such as a rabbit. If you are able to give me more, and help me discover where this ice bridge is, and what has crossed it, then I will feed you on the journey. I would give you dried meat from my stores on our return. Enough to keep you going for a good week.” "Speech"

Dire wolves, I was familiar.

"Then... I see why this could have been a problem for you."

My voice had lowered as I thought. Part of me understood why he was as intense as he was just moments ago. The other part still didn't understand then why he thought that I was a threat. Maybe it was just an overarching rule for him rather than a case-by-case basis? I suppose that made things simpler. Not easier, just simpler. I nodded, feeling the emotions that had me toying with my words earlier subside incrementally. I couldn't say that I felt bad for him, but I empathized with what he may have had to deal with if it did indeed consider Dires.

“Those that attacked my lands are dead,”

I held his unwavering gaze this time, taking in the gravity of his words. If his statement ran true, then could you - could I possiby understand what that truly meant? My imagination went wild for a second or two as images of the Dire wolves that I grew up around, randomized and were placed among these lands. These huge behemoths trampling about the area, losing sight of anything and everything but death. I pictured this man going after them, lying them flat on the floor one by one. My maw, which had been relaxed and agape, snapped shut as I felt the solemnity of that position wash over me in waves - It was a sobering sight to imagine. 'How many were there... I wondered.

He broke the silence between us, ultimately breaking the tension building up in my shoulders. I blinked and gave a brisk shake, ridding myself of the last of that tension before looking up at the sky while he spoke. It was still early, and I was game for a mission if there were something like what he was promising to be gained. The only thing was... I wasn't born here. I didn't know a Boreas from a banana. This meant asking around and unfortunately for me, the only trait I cared about sharing with my parental figures was the fact that wolves and I didn't always get along.

Sirius' offer was tempting. Much more so than the option of finding food myself while also trying to tinker. It removed a hassle from my schedule and this gave me a reason to wander about and ask questions. Might even help me find some good metals and ores. I gave another nod, this one more affirmative.

"Fair is as fair goes. I'll take your offer for a trade, Sir. Whatever information I can carve up will be brought back to you with haste."

I sat back down and strained reaching into the hole under the metal hub for both my sack and the metal wiring.

"Tracks, huh..."

I pulled out most of the wires... the last two were JUST out of my reach. God....dammit. I reached further, continuing to speak as I did so.

"Tracks, tracks... Hm. None that were visible anyway. No snow. No rain. At least not within the past day or so."

I pondered for a bit longer as I replayed my past few days in my head simultaneously pawing idly under the metal dome.

"Scents though. That's something that we can talk about... Ugh, finally."

I had reached the last couple of wires and slid them along the dirt and out from their hiding place. Sheesh, that was a strain on my shoulder.

I tilted my head from side to side, stretching my neck before tending to opening the small sack and moving out the pieces for me to see clearly. My focus was split which made it harder to think, that and the fact my stomach was still trying to twist itself into two parts. My mind left my previous train of thought at the feeling.

"Hey, your...uh, friends out there. Do they hunt?"

My rump fell to the ground and I began pulling the harder outer shell off the small metal ropes with my teeth to expose the pure metal within them.

"For you, I mean."

In case he thought I was an idiot by asking if they were self-sufficient. God, I hope for his sake they were. One by one I pulled my project apart and set the exposed mess to the side.

"It'd be easier to jog my memory while I'm still here, without my stomach trying to shred itself into pieces."

Three... Four... I guess I actually didn't need as much of these as I thought. Each one packed enough of the braided metallic strings inside that four could possibly get me by. I shrugged and pushed the frazzled mess into a small metal tin the laid among my other supplies before wrapping everything back up.

"However, also out of curiosity while I'm here. There is a pack border not too far from here. I wouldn't have a clue what they're called. But I got a clear whiff of it while I was down checking out the bigger pieces of metal. I think I saw some wooden enclosed housing or cave-like structure in the distance. Is that the pack you're from?"

I inquired while keeping my attention on my wrapping skills.

My inquisition wasn't entirely knowledge for knowledge sake... I in part knew the answer and wanted a verification. That scent that was around that area, I didn't get that off of him. I still hadn't gotten close enough to memory bank his scent, but it surely was not the one that we were near to. He was away from home if that was the case... if so, why? I clicked my teeth together as I continued thinking. Honestly, this should be NONE of my concern. 'Not my circus, not my monkeys' As I liked to position it. It wasn't my pack, so it wasn't my issue to wonder about, BUT. I couldn't stop myself from wondering. I mean, and there's food involved here. Who gives up an opportunity like that??

"Speech"

Until this Spring, Sirius had been one of the tallest wolves in the land. He had never met a wolf taller. In fact, others had called his lineage and those like it ‘Dire’. Now for shaggier, taller wolves to appear from this ice-age like season? He felt it like a challenge in his blood. Bringing his thoughts back to Ciel, he knew he had the younger wolf at the mention of food. He still fiddled with the funny object before him, his paws straining to reach for… something as he spoke. It did not seem as though he possessed any current knowledge, but if he was willing to scout and keep an ear to the ground, he might still be useful to the Warlord. He snorted in amusement at the boy's next words. Yes, he was definitely hungry. “Marshal” he knocked his head towards the sky to indicate the vulture “Can scavenge up a few mice in no time. Bast” this time he indicated towards the snow leopard “Is especially good in a hunt. The Bear?” Yes. He knew it was strange she didn’t have a name, but that was her fault, not his. “I don’t ask her to hunt unless I feel like honey. Or i’m already bringing down something large and need the raw power” He chuckled softly. He didn’t mention that Marshal was already looking for something small, to ‘prove his seriousness’ and to keep the bite of hunger off the man's face. Sirius could be an asshole, but even he felt a little compassion seeing it in the man's eyes. There had been times in Seers life when it felt like he would never get a meal again. Sirius snorted in soft contempt as Ciel asked about the pack nearby. Fireside led by a man that Sirius’s boy Mortis had beaten in a fight before Mort had passed his first year. “No, my land is a little further East then Fireside.” there was a sharp sceeeeh of a raptor in hunt as Marshal made a kill in the distance. "Speech"

"Fireside..."

I repeated softly while I worked. Fireside. Fireside. I'd have to keep that in mind whenever I decide to take a trek around that area. I didn't know if I planned on staying around here for long, but it sure couldn't hurt to know what I might be dealing with later on. At least now I had an idea of where to find him again.

"If I did have anything worthwhile to tell you about, where would I find you?"

If Fireside wasn't the name of his pack, then what was? I glanced over to Sirius and then back down. His stature seemed much calmer than he was before, just that thought alone pulled a quiet sigh from my lips.

"Ciel. My names Ciel Mortifico, by the way. I can't recall if I introduced myself..."

I rotated my sack in a spin while holding down the mouth of it to form a twist I could hold onto. I placed my paw on it softly to hold it in place before pausing to think. I just took on something that now I was having doubts about. Finding Dires? Even if it was just information about them that putting your soul at risk. I didn't yet have my father's height and I wasn't sure if I was ever going to at this point. I wasn't a fighter that was for damn sure. As disappointing as that made him, it empowered me to find other ways of doing things. But this? This I wasn't sure now if I was prepared for it, even if I was getting food out of it.

"Sir. If I may inquire about..."

I paused, searching for the words. My eyes subtly darting back and forth between specks on the ground while I thought. I wanted to know how it felt to be in their presence. To go toe to toe with an animal of that stature... to put your life on the line while knowing that you might not make it out. How did he even escape from that...?

"Mm.. Nevermind."

My confidence dwindled as I wondered if I even really wanted to picture that. Not again. Marshal made a sound off in the distance and my head snapped up to look toward the direction it came from.

"Sweet!"

I woofed rising back up to a standing position and felt my tail swing low behind me. I grabbed my sack between my teeth and bounded towards the bird, mouth drooling as a ran, and skidded to a stop where I figured the kill was taken. My eyes turned back towards the man.

"Can I just... take it? Or is he gonna try to peck at me?"

I barked back at him, taking a moment to look at the bird before finishing my sentence. Yeah, I tried taking food from a bunch of crows before. With the amount of fur that I lost from their beaks snapping away at my noggin the last time, I wouldn't be trying to do that again.

"Speech"

“The Armada is just South of the volcano. If you hit the Ashen pack, you haven’t gone far enough” He explained. Of course, it didn’t matter if he reached Ashen or the Armada, he could find news of Sirius in either. “If you hit Habari then you haven’t gone South enough. Of course, you can reach me from any of these packs, as well.” and any news Ciel could bring them would be shared with those that were a part of the Empire.

“Ciel Mortifico, well met” he said politely. The man might yet be useful to the Armada, though the Warlord hadn’t fully released his guard.

He raised a brow as Ciel began to ask a question, and then quickly back tracked. Whatever it had been seemed quickly forgotten by the pale wolf, as he darted over to where Marshal had found a hare, but paused in time to remember his manners.

The Warlord made a gesture, and the large vulture lifted off again, leaving the prey behind as he took to the sky and began another slow circle. “Go ahead”


"Sirius"

"De Ah-ma-dah, huh?"

I repeated with a mouth already full, busily chewing on fur and bone.

'The Armada... This is the first i've heard of that pack. Not that I've really made it a point to learn anything of any of the packs around here. With that being said, I know that I did hold up my side fo the bargain, I would have to make my way around south starting tomorrow.'

I swallowed. This guy was known in a lot of different places it seemed. Maybe that would be something that I could use to my advantage later on.

"I'll be sure to remember."

I threw the comment back at the titan while I made a grab for another bite of the small game. Just in this one meeting, I found out so much. Dire wolves being around the area, at least 3 or 4 packs were around here. Hell... maybe he mentioned 5?? My teeth cracked through another set of bones, the ribs. The feeling of something warm going down to my gullet drew chemicals of excitement and I really could care less how I looked after that was set.

The meal was gone in a matter of minutes, and my stomach already wanted more but looking back at the man who stood before me and remembering that this wasn't something that he HAD to do made me suddenly feel smaller than I was. I gazed down at my paws and sighed.

"Thank you for the meal. It'll surely hold me over for another day."

My voice was quieter than before. Partly because I was about to ask for another catch and had forgotten my manner about being thankful for what was already given as a gift to me... the other part upset at myself for being such a pussy at not trying to sweeten the deal in my favor. I clicked my teeth together, holding my tongue and swallowing the feeling of greed.

My head dipped to the height of my shoulders in a small gesture of thanks before gazing thoughtfully over at the bird. That sure was one hell of a pet. I couldn't help but notice my mouth starting to drool as I stared at the creature, even going so far as to take a step in it's direction and holding that position for a moment before remembering where I was and what I was doing. 'No no... Can't eat the bird. Can't eat the bird.' I thought, still waving on what I was deciding to do. I grinned sneakily and made an attempt to bound and pounce on the bird anywho, fully intending on missing and hoping it would just fly away and remove temptation.

I laughed for a moment before looking up at the sky. The sun was high now. The day just beginning. I didn't want to be in this area for long and needed to keep moving to find more pieces for my distiller before noon. Taking a deep, slow inhale through my nose, I turned to Sirius, exhaling on my sentence.

"Well then, I best be moving on..."

I spoke, bending to grab my small makeshift skin pouch as I did so.

I gave another nod to Sirius, flicking my tail softly behind me.

"I enjoyed our meeting, Sirius. I'll hope to have something for you soon."

My voice was slightly skewed by the sack but still audible. After looking at him for a moment more, I took off running back into the field using the sun's rising position in the sky to guide me southwest.

"Speech"