The Fetch Quest [Attn: Merlin's Wolves]

[Jacqui]

They talk of fire, of it being stolen and of young, foolish Cliaths barely old enough to be called such holding the blame. There are elements of this that make the young Full Moon known as Firebrand rather uncomfortable. Not distressed, per say, but she does fidget a little, the tall creature with the hair the color of what they sought. Does stare at Blind Eye and then away --

And then back again -- the way a child might when uncertain exactly how much an adult knew of their deceptiveness and how much truth could be offered without appearing foolish.

It may have read for disinterest, the way she turned her eyes away from the others and twisted about, this way and that and then back only to hear her newly minted pack-mate's undertone mumble. She opens her mouth to reply, Morgan, but the Adren beats her to anything but a slow blink of pale eyes.

They dart between the Adren and Rafael and she snaps her mouth shut so abruptly her teeth clack.

--

Her silence holds out just long enough for them to bid the Adren a farewell and begin Avery's challenge proper before she emits a quiet snort and a thin elbow finds its way into the other Ahroun's side. "I think she likes y'Rafael."

Then, a modicum more seriously: "I wonder wha' the Red Talons could possibly have had t'bargain with worth hidin' their tails from their deeds about? Maybe they meant t'get somethin' better in exchange for the fire and when it didn't happen, they didn't wan' to return empty handed."

[Damon]

To be sure, wolf's rage flares when he's delivered the sort of set-down you give a pup.

Has some measure of wisdom, though. He shuts his mouth, keeps it shut. By the time Avery casts a warning glance his way, he's already mute, glowering his indignity but saying nothing of it.

--

Later, though. Once the Adren's out of earshot: he gets elbowed. And grunts.

"Funny," he responds, acidly, but without real spite. "So, what. Do we find the kids first? Figure out what they got in return for giving the Talons Fire?"

[kai]

[Sorry about the delay, everyone -- some stuff came up, and Damon, Jacqui and I were also all figuring some behind the scenes pack stuff out!]


"If it was a worthy enough prize, they would not have needed to keep the bargain secret," Avery says to Morgan "Their secrecy betrays their own self-doubt, but only if we only go on what we have heard from a single voice."

She walks on, her packmates close beside her. And she nods.

"We look for the kids first," she confirms. "They have much to answer for. Their punishment -- and surely there will be one of some kind -- has not been given to me, but I am sure I will have to testify what truth I've learned from them. Do either of you know the rite of the Questing Stone? We may be able to find traces of them here to use, but otherwise it will be scent alone."

She looks up and finds the nearest wolf of the sept she can.

"You, there," she calls out, with a nod of greeting. She introduces herself and her packmates and gives a brief explanation of the quest they've been set, then asks: "I need to find a Strider Theurge tasked with aiding us by Blind-Eye-rhya. And perhaps the last place known that these two pups slept, if you know it. We would be very grateful."

[Jacqui]

There's a little nod from the redhead.

"I know it," Morgan affirms with what must amount to pride from the Fianna, the way her spine straightens and she swings her arms out at her sides as they walk. She quietens as they approach other wolves from the Sept, her thumbs linking through the loops of her jeans and her palms sliding down to wedge in her back pockets.

There's the sense of her, though. Across the totemlink, the impression of the young Ahroun's curiosity (and no small flicker of her uncertainty). For all that Firebrand was a tall creature with piercing, pale eyes and the slow burn of a full moon's rage, she was still, buried shallowly beneath it, barely more than a teenager.

[Damon]

"I got it too," wolf affirms, "but Morgan can do it."

He senses her eagerness. Pride in her knowledge. Wants to be useful. He gets that, though he wasn't much like it at her age. Or ever. Wolf's actually, come to think of it, probably the oldest of the lot -- might even edge Avery out by a year or so. Maybe he should be embarrassed. Avery's almost an Adren, and here he is, languishing somewhere in the midst of Cliathhood.

Doesn't seem to occur to him to be ashamed, though. Or envious. May not even have occurred to him that he's lagging behind.