Some day she would learn but today was not that day. Siduri had, yet again, followed along in the footsteps of a random badger. It was as though the little striped assholes had a vendetta against her. The girl didn't know why. She'd never eaten one. Never even bitten one. Yes, she'd peed in the burrow of the first badger, but she never hurt any of them. Why then did they insist on getting her lost? It was frustrating.

The badger ducked down a hole and Siduri cursed loudly. "Ye blackguard! Ye son of a bilgerat! Ye... cabbage sucking, striped... short-legged little...jerk!" With a groan of frustration, Siduri threw herself to the ground. Her head thunked off of something hard and hollow and the girl hissed, sitting back up and rubbing at the sore spot on her head. Looking down, she noticed some weird shape that was way too round. Little paws fiddled in the dirt until the artifact popped out and into her paws. Sid's multicolored eyes lit up. She had no idea what a helmet was, but it looked like it went on your head so that's exactly where she put it. With the old, filthy helmet in place. Sid looked around. Now where was she?

Words

The ageing Warlord moved through the lands of Boreas with familiar ease. He didn’t do a great deal of travelling these days, and the need to do so hadn’t struck him for a long time. He wasn’t sure why it had now, but he let it take him from the Armada. Wandering down South to warmer territories. Here the Summer season was more blatant in the lush green life around him.

When he reached the plateau, something caught Bast’s eye, and the leopard moved away from him to investigate. He turned to follow her, until the glint of steel beneath rust and mud caught his eye. Beneath that was a small young body, a bright and colourful one.

He slowed his steps, fighting back a grin at the sight of the giant helmet on the little pup. “Hello, what have you found there?” He asked as he approached.


"Speech"

A normal child would have turned tail and run from a stranger. He was a big, toothy stranger at that. Sid wasn't a normal kid though and she didn't think in terms of size and strangers and whatnot. She was a Raider and Raiders feared nothing. Not even big, sabery, stripey giants like this big guy. She didn't fear the cat either and made a little face at the big feline, pulling her lips back and flashing a crazy little grin.

The man questioned her and Siduri removed the dirty helmet from her head, giving it a little twirl on her paw. Her accent was thick and Scottish, which was funny. She didn't even know anyone with such an accent. "It looks like a protector for yor brain basket, right?" Sitting on her haunches, Siduri gave the outside of the helmet a knock. "Protection for yor wee thought maker, eh?" Then she handed the item to the man. "What do you think it is?"

Bast, who had been raised with multiple litters of children, immediately pulled an exaggerated face back at the kid. Wiggling her ears for good measure. He laughed softly as she pulled it off and aptly described it. “It does indeed” He agreed easily, watching her twirl it on her paw. “It looks like a helmet, I bet it would shine quite nicely if someone cleaned off the rust and mud” He added thoughtfully.

He took it when it was offered, looking it over and giving it a few sharp taps, dislodging some of the dirt. “It would need a few dents worked out of it as well, perhaps some ear holes cut in…” He grinned, and handed it back to the pup. By now, the scent of her pack had well reached him. “You're pretty far from home, aren’t you?”

"Speech"

Siduri was terribly pleased when the cat pulled a face right back. Her eyes lit up and her grin widened to a genuine smile. Okay, so the cat had earned the girl's respect just that quickly. Siduri was as easy as she was difficult. It was fun to play whether it be faces or words or games. Having someone else play back without much prompting, it always made the girl happy.

The brute looked over what he called a 'helmet' and made a few suggestions. He then mentioned how far she was from home. Just like that, the helmet was completely forgotten. The pastel child looked about, her ringed eyes scanning her surroundings. "Ye know, I don't rightly know how far I am from home?" Dropping low, the girl began picking her way sneakily around the big man, pretending that she was stalking something, until she came back in front of him. "I was followin' a wee beasty and didn't pay attention at all." She sat once more, a little shrug lifting one pastel marked shoulder. "I always find my way back somehow."

He watched as she looked about herself, and admitted she didn’t know how far she was from home. He knew where the Raiders lived of course, and the scent in her coat. The last thing he needed was to be accused of kidnapping of their young pups, but he could hardly leave her out here either.

“What kind of beasty were you following?” he asked as she moved behind him. He didn’t turn his head, but his ears turned back to follow her. Instead of pouncing him, she stopped in front of him once more. “I know the way to the Raiders, if you’d like some company on your walk back” He suggested lightly.


"Speech"

"What kind of beasty? Well, the most dangerous, trickiest beasty in all the land!" Sid leaned in to whisper conspiratorially to the striped giant. "A badger. They're horrible things." She nodded as though this was common knowledge. Everyone should know that badgers were horrid little bastards.

When the man offered to walk her back home, Siduri's eyes narrowed for a moment. "Everyone always wants to walk me home. First that Artorias fellow, now you, uh..." Siduri gestured to all of Sirius with one paw. "Whoever you might be." With a mischievous little head tilt, the girl spoke again. "What if I walk you home instead?" Where did he live? Was it cool like the castle? Would there be a Mrs Big Man there that would brush her fur and tell her stories?

“Badgers can definitely be ornery” he agreed, nodding his head at her wisdom. Fighting back another grin as he did so. He did startle a little in surprise at the mention of Artorias. That certainly wasn’t a name he expected to pick up here. “I’m Sirius, and Art is my son in law.” He said, voice rich with amusement.

Amusement that turned into a startled laugh, and he paused to clear his throat. “Ahhh, that would not be wise. Your pack and my pack don’t exactly get along. Your alpha would not be happy to hear I led you to my home.” He explained dryly. He could already hear the accusations of kidnapping…


"Speech"

The big guy admitted that Artorias was his son in law. Hmm... Everyone was related, it seemed. The man said that his name was Sirius and the girl nodded. "I'm Siduri but you can call me Sid." She was very proud of her name and thought that it was the prettiest name she'd ever heard. Full of herself? Yeah, probably just a little bit.

Sirius said that their packs didn't like each other and Sid frowned. "Why doesn't anyone like us? Artorias said the same thing! Then he told me that I couldn't visit even though I made friends with Briar." Sid turned goo-goo eyes up to Sirius. "Do you know Briar? She's so nice. She told me stories, let me sleep with all of her kids and she brushed my fur!" A little wiggle of happiness sent the kids shoulders to shaking for a moment. She adored Briar.

"You know, I could just follow you home like you were a badger. You have stripes, you know. Then you didn't take me anywhere. You just saved a pup that wandered into your lands." With a sweet, toothy smile, Siduri wiggled her brows. Ohhh, she was a clever one.

His heart went out to the kid. Her pack hadn’t exactly made friends out in the world, and it was clear that she was feeling that now. “I guess, the longer a pack has existed, the more history it creates. The more history, the more complicated things can be” He told her, sighing at the wide eyes she shot him. If their pack had better relations, he would organise a playdate. But as things stood…

“Briar is my daughter” He explained, knowing she deserved every bit of praise the pup gave her. He chuckled softly. “I suppose you could indeed” He agreed, and he would lead her right back to her pack. It would work for a little while, at least until she started recognising what was around her.


"Speech"