If I only could make a deal with god Eva couldn't get all these branches out of her fur, they were more twigs than anything. Now also her fur was soaked with water, though the sun was doing a good job of crying it, getting her fur tangled within the little twigs in her fur. Luckily no injuries, but that storm had done a number on her, where was her brother? More than that, where was she. And she felt fear crawling in her chest but she tried to keep calm, though she stepped on a painful rock near the borders of a scent line. "By Denki, why did this have to happen." Eva said shaking the pebble free from her paw. She stopped though, she couldn't cross these borders, that'd be a bad idea as any. "I have to find somewhere to rest, if anything." Eva's sea green eyes shined brightly as she searched around. Leave the borders alone, leave them alone. You can't cause trouble, otherwise you'll definitely get hurt and that isn't good. Eva growled to herself, she looked at the sky. "Don't suppose any of you could help me. Denki, Itsume, Zakuro?" she said but then groaned, of course they wouldn't she had to figure this out herself. Well, getting these twigs out of her fur would be a good start. So she sat, trying to stretch her neck around to grab them, though she did not succeed.

For all that Raisa could tell, the small fae did not know she was under surveillance. The sooty queen had seen the young woman stumble across her borders, look bedraggles and forlorn, and had been trailing her ever since. Over the past weeks the queen had become intrinsically familiar with her territory's landscape, and found it no great struggle to remain hidden. The lithe alphess heard snips and snatches of the creature's murmurs, but nothing concrete. It occurred to Raisa that perhaps she had been too lax with her borders, but her curiosity was a powerful force to contend with. She had never seen such a tiny wolf before! Raisa chuckled as she saw the fae's head turn upwards and a look of disgruntlement cross her features. "I've seen no gods here thus far," she called out, wondering if she'd startle the woman. "Mayhaps I can help instead." She saw no reason to proclaim the woman a trespasser just yet. She looked as though she'd fallen on hard times, and Raisa was not one to make matters worse for any who had not done her wrong. As it was, the young wolf look lost and scared, and for that Raisa was sympathetic. Sanctuary and force in equal measure, she thought to herself, recalling the standards she had set for Ebony from the instant of it's creation. "Talk" "You" Think

If I only could make a deal with god Busy trying to get twigs out of her fur, she was slightly startled by the wolf, and she was part of the pack across the borders crap! Her ears pulled back, she didn't hear all of that did she? Obviously she did judging by the comment on her small prayer to the three gods. "Well if they did everything for us life wouldn't be worth living would it?" She commented, it just came out though. As she awkwardly pulled herself back. She couldn't refuse the help but then she'd feel bad. If she couldn't take care of herself, what use was she to anyone? "Ummm, are you sure? I mean isn't helping a stranger a bit orthodox?" Eva said, her sea green eyes didn't make eye contact with her. She didn't like being placed on spotlight really, she wasn't sure if someone would hate her or not. Like this wolf, offering help out of the blue. She wanted something didn't she? She wanted something in return like everyone else who had stabbed her in the back.

Raisa shrugged at the woman's skepticism, noting it's validity and reason. If some stranger had offered her assistance in the midst of her wanderings, spur of the moment, Raisa would have responded similarly (if perhaps with somewhat stronger language.) It wasn't as though the cinder-coated queen expected this girl to hand over all of her burdens, nor was Raisa prepared to deal with that. "I only meant that you look weary. I happen to be the leader of the pack lands here. If you need a place to rest for the night, you would be welcome among us." Raisa was well aware that many alphas would not let a wolf within their bounds for any reason other than joining or plotting, but she simply did not see the point of this. While small in number, a benevolent alpha attracted rogues, and the weary. After time, after growth Raisa planned to find herself with a large bay of allies willing to repay their debts. It was in part an act of kindness... But she would not deny the plot. "My name is Raisa Xanilov, of the Ebony Throne. Might I know your title?" Raisa wanted to know more about this fae. She felt fairly confident in charming her into residence, assuming the small creature sought a home. Perhaps rest and kindness would get her that much closer. "Talk" "You" Think

If I only could make a deal with god Eva watched her, now she felt bad, obviously she was only inquiring what she had seen. Of Course! And this was a queen no doubt, the ex-princess let a sigh escape her lips. Welcome there huh, well she couldn't decline. She wasn't exactly fit for living on her own, not right now after the storm. Her tail made a flick as it tucked slightly. "Right, I'm sorry for assuming." she said eyes lowered. Then it was asked of her title, title, what a joke. "I can't refuse the help, not like I can do it myself." She shifted slightly. "Not much of a title, it's just a name, Eva, Eva Cote." she shook herself, the twigs still tangled in her fur. Eva thought to herself that she was simply lucky she didn't get hurt more than she had from that storm.

Raisa waved the woman's apology off with a flick of her tail. The woman seemed reluctant to accept the sooty fae's assistance, and that gave Raisa pause. Perhaps she was a loner by choice as much as circumstance. Either way, Raisa shrugged. "No need for apologies Miss Eva. And why is it you feel so uncertain about your abilities?" As far as Raisa had seen the woman looked to be of decent health, if a bit bedraggled. All things considered, despite her size, she seemed as capable as any other. Raisa nearly asked if she was some kind of lack wit, but held her tongue. She was not that creature any more, so rude and callous. This fae had clearly just come out of a hard situation, and Raisa was not about to make it any worse. "In any case, do you have a pack, Eva? I could offer you a den for a night or a lifetime, if it suits you. Pardon my saying, but it seems to lone life has gone hard for you." The Queen did not wish to offend, and waited to see what might come of their interaction. "Talk" "You" Think

If I only could make a deal with god Why did she feel so uncertain? Well she couldn't do anything god damn right, she wasn't much for fighting since she hated pain barely could handle a rock in her foot really. She was smaller than everyone, and the way she saw it, if someone else could do it, than they probably did it better than her. "It's just how it's always been, I'm not exactly a high and mighty queen like you. I've had life hand fed to me since day one." she had been well taken care of, but now she slightly regretted that fact. Even after her parents died and the kingdoms collapsed. Eva blinked at her, lone life, one could only shiver at the thought of Eva all alone out there. She wouldn't know what to do. "I had a pack, a couple of hours ago. A storm swept me up and here I am, but the packs I belonged to died once the alpha's died from each one. That's how I got these twigs stuck in my fur. I have nothing to go back to anyway." Eva said with a shake of her head. Why was she talking so much, probably because she had to, or that now that she was here she was trying to communicate with Raisa anyway. "I'd rather stay away from a loner life. If you'd accept me, maybe you could make some use of me." selling her life away seemed the best option.

That Eva had had a pack so recently threw Raisa off, assuming that of course her loyalties would lie elsewhere, but it soon became clear that this was not the case. Raisa did not think it wise to question the woman's dedication so instead she nodded. Eva's tone denoted a certain hopelessness that filled the sooty fae with the odd urge to comfort her. Raisa took a few steps closer and smiled. "There is a place for everyone in my pack, Eva. Two orders of knights are charged with educating. Perhaps in time one discipline will call to you, and you can find your place." Raisa repeated the mantra of her pack in her mind and smiled: Sanctuary and force in equal measure... Raisa knew that if Eva swore herself to the Queen's service, the sooty fae would do everything in her power to do right by her. "Talk" "You" Think

If I only could make a deal with god Well, it wasn't too bad she guessed. As long as Raisa wasn't one to act like her parents had towards each other after they split. Such idiots was what she thought of them, and in all honesty she had only been slightly sad about her mothers death when it happened. After all her father didn't like her, or her sexuality so there had been no reason for her to care anyway is he hadn't cared about her. "I guess, there is no harm. I hope so, don't really want to stay useless forever." she flicked her white tipped tail and stood up finally sighing a bit of her stress away. "I don't have my doubts that you're a better leader than my alpha's were before they died. They would cause trouble between the two packs I was split between due to having a parent in each. They didn't realize they were as bad as each other, so even if I had the chance to go back, I don't want to. There's nothing worse then only being able to sit back while both your families talk shit about each other and have no idea what it's doing to their youth's." Eva dipped her head. So she gave a small smile, "Now...do you mind, helping me pull these twigs out of my fur?" her teeth were barely able to reach one on her back as she tugged it out carrying a bit of fur with it. After this she needed to soak herself in a body of water for sure.

Raisa nodded slowly, drinking in the woman's short tale of her past. It seemed sad to a degree, and the sooty queen felt sympathy towards anyone who felt the fates had displaced them, or that they had not yet found their way in life. While another's request to help groom themselves might have set the tall woman's teeth on edge, it was not the case with Eva. Raisa only chuckled and set in to help. It was certainly quite the tangle, that couldn't be denied. Inbetween, Raisa spoke of her plans. "I will instate you as a commoner, Miss Eva," she said after spitting out a twig. "After a time, once you have your bearings, perhaps you'll find an order that calls to you and you can begin training as a squire." Though she lacked a certain degree of confidence, Raisa was not certain of the woman's pride. She waited to see if he decision would irk Eva, or otherwise put her off. If she was the sort to profess uselessness yet expect exceptions, Raisa would have to adjust her measure of the girl. So far she had seemed to be a decent sort, but they were of course quite new in their companionship. "Talk" "You" Think