the creature alliance - semi advanced discussion
Beowulf had changed into more civilian clothes, since his normal outfit was a bit much for where he was going. Walking down the dress of main square he turned down one of the many alleyways, into a maze of side streets, where not the most richest of folk lived. A group of younger canine children were playing a game with a ball and Beowulf watched them for a moment, before they stopped to look at the white wolf, running away to a different place to play. Not caring for the distraction he continued till he reached a small house, with a wooden door and a window to the right of it.
Knocking on the door once, oddly, the door unlocked and woman stood in-front of him (view spoiler). She was stunning her skin pale white like Beowulf and long white hair flowed down her back, with two large white ears on her head and tail behind her.
"Help back, my son," she said holding open her arms to him, and he embraced her.
She ushered him inside, and before closing the door she looked down the alleyway both ways, and closed the door locking it.
"Help me close the shutters?" she asked.
Once every shutter was closed, the woman motioned for her son to sit in the living area and offered him two types of teas, of which he chose the first. Disappearing into the kitchen Winona returned moments later, holding two cups resting on saucers, she offered one to her son and held the other in both hands as she sat.
"So what's new?" Winona cleared her throat and took a sip,
"New trade route," Beowulf said, and pushed over the folded papers.
Both of the woman's brows raised and she set down her cup,
"Interesting~" she murmured and picked them up, smiling, "Good to see they added a signature," "Our graphologist will love this for future use."
Beowulf took a long drink and stood, walking over to the small wood fireplace, standing quietly he watched the flames his tail flicking from side to side.
"What's wrong my son?" Winona inquired,
"If I'm worried about a certain person, what do I do?" Beowulf looked over his shoulder to his mother his arm crossed,
"You keep them close, and tell them what they want to hear," she whispered into his ear, standing behind him suddenly her hands on each of his shoulders.
"Mother?"
"Yes, Beowulf?" Winona turned her son towards her so he was looking at her.
"Can you get me information on someone named Anya Vos?" he requested, to which his mother's face suddenly became interested,
"This isn't a woman you're into, is it?"
"No," his voice was flat.
"That makes sense, now my little kippy, I will send these papers to your father and learn more about this Anya." She assured him,
"Thank you, mother," Beowulf said,
"Of course, I would do anything for my son," she hugged him tightly.
Anya walked casually as if she knew the place by heart, passerby staring hard wondering if they should recognize her as a fellow neighbor. She looked around to make sure no one was watching and then stepped towards the house, certain it was the one Beowulf had entered.
Anya walked down the side of the house and looked at each of the windows, frowning when she saw they were all closed. It was odd. Anya wasn't quite sure why she had followed him. Her mind had been set on remaining put, but it was quite impossible when curiosity nagged at her thoughts. Something pulled her to follow the man. And she became ever more suspicious when she saw he wasn't walking to meet the king or queen, but instead treading down odd streets and alleyways in order to find this small house.
Now that she saw this, she was fairly certain something was amiss. He may not be a spy, but it was certainly not what he had been leading her to believe. Anya knew she couldn't wander around the outside of the house forever, attracting attention from bystanders. She speeded towards the back of the house and put her ear against the back wall, listening. While her hearing was limited, that didn't make it awful. She just couldn't hear as well as the average citizen of the Canine Kingdom. If Beowulf and whoever he had come to visit were speaking loud enough, she might get a word in.
She heard Beowulf's voice, speaking of the trade route. Also a woman's, and Anya's thoughts immediately were drawn to him speaking of his mother. If it was his mother, why was he doing it when he had business to attend to? The next words from the woman Anya could only hear as muffles. She clenched her fists and pushed her ear further into the wall.
Anya's brows furrowed in confusion when Beowulf mentioned being worried about someone. Who could that be? She heard movement and then what could have possibly been a whisper. Anya couldn't tell and cursed herself for her butterfly trait.
The flames in the background seemed to crackle louder, screaming over the next exchange. She only heard the last words and Beowulf addressing her as his mother, further confirming Anya's assumption.
"I would do anything for my son."
The words echoed in her mind, made her feel uneasy. Instantly she felt her hand on the hilt of her sword, her anxiety spiking. Something was most definitely wrong. She could feel it in every bone in her body. The thought of a spy or war hadn't scared her at first, but to think that someone in power could really be the enemy was dreadful.
Winona released her son from the warm embrace, and he stepped away from her respectfully, having held her with great regard. She was a smart woman and understood how things worked, teaching Beowulf everything she could when he was younger.
"You will get those papers to them?" Beowulf asked her,
"Of course, I will set out tomorrow for Duset, before the sun rises," she told him.
Duset happened to be one of the small villages in the feline kingdom territory, and for a canine she was oddly not afraid of this place considering it would be full of cats.
Going back to his seat he picked up his cup of tea and drank the last drops in a long gulp, his mother's tea being something that brought back memories. Of years spent reading and being read to by her, while they ate and shared herb infused water. She was traditional, and most certainly mannered, so he had grown to be the same.
"Now, I best be off," Beowulf announced,
"It seems so," Winona gaze over at the cloak over the fireplace.
Taking his cup and saucer Beowulf placed them next to the sink and grabbed his coat from the coat hanger, throwing it over his shoulder, he quickly helped his mother open the shutters. Then made his way to the front door twisting the old rusted knob,
"I will see you two weeks from today?" he asked, stepping out onto the front step.
Following her son to the door she folded her hands in front of her, her dress reaching down to ankles and her ears listening to everything they could hear, so nothing could surprise her. The wind blew in her face, hiding Anya's smell and and voice.
"That's to long, but I suppose so," she said, holding his head in her hands and kissing his forehead.
Beowulf smiled, for the first time, before bidding her farewell and walking down the street back towards the palace.
Winona watched him go, her tail curled around her ankles and over her feet keeping them warm.
Something of papers. Anya retrained her mind on the task at hand, momentarily forgetting the anxiety writhing in her mind. The papers to Duset? Anya narrowed her eyes, even though she couldn't see what was going on inside. Having learned of Duset in strategical classes for her school, she knew that it was a part of the Feline Kingdom. She sucked in a breath, feeling a shred of disappointment that she was seeming to be correct.
Hearing that Beowulf was leaving the house, she straightened and angled her other ear towards the outside, not wanting to be caught. Anya listened carefully to the shuffling and another sentence that made her lips curl. Two weeks from today, huh? That could work . . .
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. A gust of wind blew Anya's hair in her face and once she recovered all she could hear was the door closing.
Anya stood for a moment, unsure of whether to follow him or not. The wind was blocking the noise of his footsteps so she had to be quick. But he caught on quite easily. Hesitantly, she peeked out from behind the back of the house to see whether she should.
Winona stood for a long time, till Beowulf was long gone and she could no longer hear his steps. She was the protective type, as well as someone that didn't like to be unprepared. The canine female closed the door to her house and was now standing outside, her bare feet on the stone road of the alleyway in-front of her house, she walked around looking for anyone that possibly could have been listening. Clearly paranoid.
"Something, is different," she mumbled to herself.
Having smelled something briefly, but then it was gone has the window direction changed again. The weather wasn't on her side clearly in this moment and she let out a frustrated sigh, before the smell was back, just long enough she knew that someone was very close to her front door.
Beowulf walked down the streets, it was good to see her again, and as always she looked beautiful. He realized he should have complimented her, knowing that times were difficult since she hadn't seen his father in over 4 years. Considering the two had used to be very close, up until the war got serious in the feline kingdom, and not just a rumor. So Winona had been forced to leave, even if she had safe passage.
Anya knew she had to be careful if she were to follow him. Besides, she had to get back to the palace quickly. This woman could be dangerous. She turned and went to the other side of the house as the door was closer to where she was currently standing and didn't want to risk being caught. Anya speedwalked down the side and stood just where the wall ended. The mother may still be out, she thought. Quietly, Anya listened, but the wind blew in her ears and the sound of birds chirping filled her head. There was no other choice.
Anya turned and saw the mother standing on the porch eyeing the neighborhood and felt her heart nearly skip a beat. She ducked back behind, wondering how she'd manage to escape. While she could just kill Beowulf's mother, it would definitely get back to him and cause much more of a ruckus than she'd like. But she couldn't stay here forever, remembering Beowulf's hearing and thinking her mother would notice her easily.
But this was so . . . boring. Sitting and waiting was never Anya's style, she much preferred action. So she stepped out while the mother wasn't facing her way and walked down the street, hoping the mother wouldn't confront her.
Winona stood for another five minutes before, she relaxed, she flicked a few dead leaves from her front step with her tail and turned to go inside. She opened the door and walked in, closing it behind her and locking it, with a key that sat on the counter neck to the door.
"Odd," she mumbled, and sat by the window watching to see if anyone walked passed.
Sure enough Anya walked past as if she was another person on the street, and Beowulf not giving her a description wasn't suspecting anything, and let her go without confronting her.
Anya followed Beowulf, but from a large distance. She really, really didn't want him to notice her this time. She memorized the route he had been going earlier so it was much easier to tail him this time around. She hid behind dumpsters and all the like, only not retching due to her reminding herself of the mission at hand. It was for a noble purpose, she told herself.
As silently as possible, she moved only before she saw him turn and when in public areas would walk normally, not even glancing at Beowulf and instead pretending she was searching for a specific address. Anya hadn't been trained to spy, but skills like that were heavily desired in high positions like hers.
Beowulf walked quietly, moving through the winding streets, his white fur bright and clean. His ears flicking back and forth, but unlike the palace there were more sounds so it was more difficult to tell he was being followed. The conversation with his mother was running through his head, there was a lot he had to do, but he was Beowulf. He'd been born for this purpose and luckily born with extreme intelligence which only improved his chances of success. Pulling a list from his pocket, he opened it, the paper held between the nails of his index and thumb.
"Paper, quills?" "Mother you could have done this yourself," he stated to himself.
Turning into the busy streets, he pushed through the crowd easily, till he was able to walk into the writing shop on the main street. Pushing the door open, he looked around for the best he could find and walked out after paying, holding the bag in his left hand. A man bumped into him and Beowulf was quick to react, his face contorting into something more sinister as he growled at him, but a hiss made it's way out and that was what caused the man to back away quickly. The hair on Beowulf's neck quickly relaxed, and he composed himself.
Anya nearly groaned out loud when she saw Beowulf wasn't heading back to the palace. I suppose it gave her more reason to murder him, but did he really have to give her more opportunities to be caught? She stalked him, noticing the small paper he pulled from his pocked and watched him study it. The paper was unlike the ones she had seen before and was bit crumpled, less official.
She couldn't hear his words amidst the noises of the urban area. Anya snaked through the crowd, inching closer now that the chances of him seeing her were lower. She saw him walk into the shop and stared into the window, trying to make herself inconspicuous and like any average person walking down the street. Though she did get a few stares given her expensive attire and sword at her side. When Beowulf exited, she stood behind someone else staring into the shop and watched. Anya saw his scowl and made a look of disgust. How could a man such as himself act so wild towards someone? It was in poor taste.
(totally okay)
A few other people had looked at Beowulf when he snarled, all of them equally horrified and scared when he looked actually angry. This behavior was common for canine-feline hybrids, though they weren't common in the last few years because of the tense and war. Even so, this mixed breed were more aggressive from an odd wild side that surfaced making them more hostile and dangerous.
"Sorry," Beowulf apologized to him, this got a quick nod and the man ran down the street away from the man that had snarled at him.
He looked around, though a few people had seen it, it wasn't that many which was good. His eyes caught something that seem familiar, but before he could look back and focus on it, that thing he had seen was gone. Beowulf frowned and walked at a faster pace to finish his errands for his mother. The man wasn't sure, but he thought he was being followed.
Anya's hand was at the hilt of her sword and she was in the shadows in an instant, the other hand clutching her heart. Had Beowulf seen her? She couldn't make a scene in public. The shadows would be much easier. Hesitantly she turned from the corner, seeing his fleeting figure in the square. She quickly dashed after him, making sure there were other people in front of her while doing so.
Beowulf seemed on edge as if he were looking for someone. That moment they had locked eyes . . . maybe he might not remember Anya. She hoped so. But what if he saw her later in the palace and made the connection? What if he already knew? As much as Anya didn't want to, she'd most likely have to kill the man. It wasn't due to fear, but more due to her wanting to remain as loyal to the king and queen as possible. That didn't make it immoral for her to do something like this, though.
Normally Beowulf wasn't to concerned about being followed, because no one had a reason to follow him, at least he'd thought their was no reason. Now he wasn't so sure, and being gifted with enhance intelligence, he couldn't let this puzzle him. As he walked quickly down the street with long strides, pushing through the crowd, he put his mind to the test.
"No, not him," "She's to young to notice," he mumbled, his mind rattling of people at the palace.
He had been ranting for maybe only a minute or two, when he stopped mid stride,
"Anya," he growled.
Beowulf's tail flicked from side to side, in anger. Of course, it all made sense she had been one to notice he sudden avoidance of her question and the fact he was in a slight hurry. Beneath his long coat was his sword and he reached down gripping the handle tightly, as he walked, if she attacked he would be ready. Masking his cautious behavior as his hand in his pocket, he tightened the strap of the bag with his supplies that went over his shoulder and around his chest. He continued to walk.
Anya had a feeling Beowulf had caught on given his sweeps through the crowd. She couldn't run off now given that he'd likely notice and had to hope for the best. Her heart stopped a bit when she felt his eyes on her. Only for a moment. Just a moment. But it was enough for her to know. Anya gripped her sword now and made her face one of stone. If he were to try to harm her, she'd be ready. Her tail didn't swish lightly, but instead was tensed and her ears as well.
Beowulf continued down, leading away from the crowd. Just towards the palace, just towards there. It would be fine. Anya ran through a list of excuses. It would be really messy if she killed him now. She had to make sure that outcome didn't occur. Silently she continued to follow him, a sense of dread rising in her chest.
Now there was only a question of whether they would confront each other. Would they ignore this? Anya's purple eyes bore into his back, almost daring him to turn. But he currently wasn't. Did he have a plan? Or was he floundering whilst running through a list of escape plans?
He wasn't going to harm her unless she attacked first, there was no reason to attack her, well there were a few he could think of in that second. Pushing that aside he continued his way back to the palace, he would take another day to bring these to his mother,
"Sorry," he apologized to his mother, as if she were next to him.
His large pointed ears were up and his tail flicked at the tip, he then suddenly slipped into an alleyway. He looked around for a moment, it was small and their were balconies on either side in jumping reach for him at least. Since he was part cat it would be easier for him to reach compared to the canines. He let go of his grip on the sword and jumped grabbing on the rungs of a balcony and pulled himself up, waiting to see if she would follow him and to know for certain. If she walked past he would jump down and leave, easy way to lose her.
Anya continued sneaking towards him, unsure of whether to be close or far, far away. Once the streets became more silent and she had to resort to hiding behind objects instead of people, she heard him apologize. To who? Anya bit her lip, wondering if it was directed to her. That would be awfully presumptuous, however, so she didn't start to fully worry immediately. But it was threatening and ominous the way he said it. Like someone apologizing for what they were about to do.
When he dashed around the corner, she stood dumbfounded for a moment. Anya didn't know whether she wanted to follow him or not. Instead, she decided to go around given the suspicious nature of his actions.
The walk was long, but her brisk pace made it only a few minutes to get around to the other side of the alley. She peered out and saw the stretching balconies from both of the rusted buildings. Anya also saw the Feline perched on one of them and narrowed her eyes. What was he up to?
Beowulf waited, looking up and down the alleyway, he was more certain she would walk in from the street, not the other way. But he was hidden mostly on both sides, but a white form in the shadows had a tendency to stand out quite a lot. Both ears were up and listening carefully for foot steps.
He'd been working in the palace for over 10 years, and this wasn't the first time he'd been caught, but the other times it was by people that were easier to kill and so it had been done without effort. This was a little different since the person he would be possibly facing was more talented then the others, but he was ready. He'd trained against wolves before, in the feline kingdom because they had been prisoners of war and it didn't matter if they died. In fact, he was very good against them.
"Why are you following me," Beowulf hissed, jumping down from the balcony, his feet making so sound like a cat.
In the dark of the alleyway, this was more easy and visible to see that the man wasn't fully wolf as everyone assumed.
Anya sighed when he turned. Confrontation would be quite annoying indeed. She wouldn't attack unless he threatened her or tried to harm her, so Anya hoped this would go smoothly. But dangerous people often held high positions.
"It seemed awfully suspicious what you were doing earlier. I do hold position as head knight and it is my duty to protect the kingdom, so if I encounter strange activity then I will sniff it out." Her voice was void of the former sweet girl he had seen earlier and a bit of her true self was shown. The cruel side. The ruthless one. "Really, you hardly have a right to ask. You shouldn't be so upset considering I'm clearing your name off my list by doing this. Or is it . . ," Anya stepped forward and said, "is it possibly that you do have something to hide?" While she didn't smile, her eyes sparkled just a bit and her mouth clenched in order to hold back the sly giggle in her throat. Beowulf appeared nearly cat like in the darkness, which she supposed suited him if he were a spy. Anya didn't suspect that he might not be a wolf, but simply found it amusing.
Beowulf stood quietly, he didn't have any visible weapons on him, but they were all animal-humanoids meaning no one was helpless. He didn't move from his position, not wanting to get her rattled up or aggressive, but he could feel the hairs on the nape of his neck and all of them were up.
"I see," he murmured, his voice deep.
He could hear the difference in her personality, it was like that sweet and fake expression was never shown. It didn't surprise him to much, expect for the fact that she was able to change it so quickly, making him weary of her.
As she spoke, he listened, trying to understand what she was trying or had figured out already. When she took a step forward and towards him, he growled, it came from the depths of his stomach.
"And if I was?" he questioned, taking a step towards her in warning.
At this point it was like to dogs and whoever backed down first would be considered weak and Beowulf wasn't about to act weak towards someone else, no matter gender or age.
Anya had distracted herself from all of the worrying, now caught up in the excitement of action. Her heart thrummed to the thrill of it all, craving for more. She liked making people scared. Especially someone powerful like Beowulf.
The growl didn't make her step back or hesitate, but she didn't intend to continue any further unless forced. It was simply to get a reaction, and the growl was enough to make a small smile curl up her lips. "And if you were? Well, I'd have to kill you." Anya said this yet didn't reach for her sword, hands neatly grasping each other and eyes boring into Beowulf. There wasn't a plan in mind. Now it was really just her toying with her prey. If it did end in bloodshed, she'd at least have a new skull for her collection. And now that he'd led her to this secluded alleyway that'd make things easier. But Anya didn't feel like giving into bloodlust today.
Beowulf didn't like to admit defeat and this was one of those times, fear wasn't something he liked either, so when she took a step forward he couldn't help letting out a growl of warning. He certainly didn't underestimate her, Anya was strong and he knew this, seeing her train many times before.
"I would do the same to you," he replied.
He didn't like how she seemed to be enjoying this, she was different from him in that way, because his blood-lust was different. It was more so of a when he started to kill, he couldn't stop and that was what made him dangerous.
While they spoke and had their small stand off, Beowulf was calculating escape routes and ways to get past her, his extreme intelligence taking control along with his more wild side.
"Well, are you?" Anya asked, cutting straight to the chase. Her beautiful curls swayed slightly in the wind, her purple eyes revealing nothing other than pure glee.
The more nervous he seemed, the more riled up she got. Anya realized she should be thinking of how to escape, but she'd cross that bridge when she got to it. Besides, was there even a need for a plan? Beowulf wasn't being the aggressor, so there was no reason for Anya to be even a little bit worried
"There's no need to beat around the bush. If you'd like to know, and I'm being completely honest, I have no reason to kill you right now. Of course, that could change. The decision is really yours. You do have the intelligence to make one, right?" she asked, her eyebrows quirking upward. Anya knew he'd make a choice, but simply wanted to dare him into doing something. All of her actions were a wide invitation to come and get her, to tear her to shreds. But she had a feeling he'd be smart on this one. It wouldn't be good to have a head knight go missing, even if her rank was lower than his.
Beowulf new the situation he was in was difficult, so he sighed and stood up, standing straight but relaxed. Putting his hands into his pockets, and leaning more so on his right leg,
"No," he said, there was no hesitance in his voice and his expression was stone cold like usual.
He nodded, having the ability to make such a choice, he wasn't stupid that was for sure and he looked at her dead in the eyes. Taking steps towards her, not showing any signs that he would attack her, and stood a foot away from her. Standing over her by quite a bit,
"I'm not a traitor to this kingdom," "I suspected you as one for a while, but my suspicions are nothing after this confrontation," he said.
He turned on his heels and walked down the alleyway, what he had just said was made to turn the tables, not many people could make that statement without stuttering or fumbling their words. But Beowulf wasn't hesitant and instead turned her words on her to knock her off her suspicions. Beowulf gave a wave of goodbye over his shoulder, heading back to the palace.
Her smile grew at his response. Good, he wouldn't pick a fight. When he stepped towards her, she remained still and inclined her head to look at him. He was tall and unnaturally so, making it uncomfortable for him to be so near.
"Is that so . . ," Anya murmured, more to herself than to Beowulf. She wasn't sure what to make of that. She'd always covered her tracks so it wouldn't make sense for him to suspect her. But then again, Beowulf had never done anything remotely suspicious until today.
She frowned at his wave and stood in the alleyway, thinking. If his goal was to throw her off, it did. But it didn't make her suspicions clear. No, not at all. In fact she was now more curious than ever. Anya's strange smile returned and she headed the other way, back towards the palace.
Beowulf had waited two months before returning to the streets of the canine kingdom, he was almost certain that his mother was going to scold him for this, she hated him being late and anyone in general. Walking down the same street, he made his way to door of his mother's place and found her waiting, her arms crossed.
"You took your time," she commented,
"I was held up, and had to let things cool down," he mumbled, lowering his head and his tails going between his legs.
In his eyes she was a superior and he needed to respect her, plus she was a powerful female and knew how to do things right. Winona motioned her son inside, and closed the door behind her after checking down the alleyways.
Like the time before, her expression was serious and she looked dangerous, she most certainly was.
Anya was annoyed. She'd gone a few times before to see if this man would show up, but he never did. Fashionably late. She made sure to be wearing something more casual, a red skirt and a black blouse. Her hair was put into a bun as well. The goal was to appear like a different person at a first glance and she hoped it would work well.
Anya saw he was standing in front of the door for a moment and stayed in the shadows, waiting until the door closed. She wondered what would happen if she confronted them. She'd decide on that once she listened for a bit. Anya was quite bold this time, quietly walking up the steps of the front porch and listening by the door. Like previously, it was a windy day and the breeze made her scent hard to pick up.
The shutters were closed by Winona similar to last time, and Beowulf made his way to one of the chairs in the living area, he sat down swinging one leg up and over. He clasped his hands in his lap, watching his mother sit down across from him in her own seat.
"So you were held up?" she questioned him,
"Yes," he sighed, wishing she had forgotten, but of course she hadn't it was his mother afterall,
"By who?" she continued to press.
"Remember that person I told you about, Anya was her name," he sighed, "It was her,"
"I see," "Well that will be troublesome," she stated.
She reached over the arm of her chair and grabbed some papers that rested on a coffee table,
"Like I said last time we spoke, I met with your father in Duset,"
"Was it good to see him?" he asked,
"Of course, an interesting man, a general in the feline kingdom if you remember," she chuckled.
"How could I forget," he looked at the fire to his left, watching the flames,
"Don't be like that," she growled warning, "I also met a sweet girl, feline messenger, she will be our messenger and should be arriving soon," Winona informed her son.
As the woman spoke to her son, Shanti was walking down the streets, looking for the house number. She was shaking under her coat and clothing, her long fluffy tail double in size out of fear. Like mentioned she was a feline and a messenger, not to mention scared out of her wits.
It was easier for Anya to hear the conversation this time since she wasn't at the back. The wind was still heavy on her other ear, though, and annoyed her.
Ugh, they were talking about her. This was definitely shady business. When they mentioned the father, she gripped the hilt of her sword. A general for the Feline Kingdom? That was Beowulf's father? Her mind took a moment to comprehend that fact. He could have been adopted, but either way it was apparent he had loyalties elsewhere.
A Feline messenger, huh. Well, not if she could help it. No one would be causing harm to the alliance, especially the Canine Kingdom. Anya heard footsteps from afar, but chose to ignore it. As long as they were far off she wouldn't turn to look. Now that she knew he had something to do with the Feline Kingdom, she was unsure what to do next. The end goal was to kill him, but how would she get to that step? Anya couldn't alert the Canine ruler without being questioned. They continued to grip the hilt of their sword, trying to think of a solution.
Winona's head shot up, she smiled,
"I believe she's here," "Don't frighten her, I found she can be quite jumpy," Winona warns her son.
Walking to the back door she opened it to find Shanti about to knock on the door, she gave a welcoming expression to the younger girl, and welcomed her inside after she calmed down.
"What is your name child?" "I didn't ask you last time,"
"Sh-shanti," she replied hesitantly,
"Well Shanti this is my son Beowulf," "You may see him often, so don't be scared," she assured the child.
Beowulf looked at the feline, he remembered that these were the types of people that had started this war and part of him couldn't see how. But that wasn't his place to judge, because he was on their side and couldn't think like a canine in that moment. His mother most certainly didn't, that was for certain, she was a feline in the heart and mind yet trapped in a canine body.
Anya breathed heavily on top of the roof. The 'I believe she's here' made her quite anxious, but it was just for that messenger. She hopped back down, attempting to be as silent as possible but still making a slight noise.
She almost rolled her eyes at how nervous this 'Shanti' was being. She'd be easy to kill, but useful enough to keep alive for a while longer. Anya hadn't killed a child before, but she assumed she was capable of it. She hoped.
She was a little pissed at how careless they were being. They had a literal child being used for their spying. Did they really think the Canine Kingdom was so weak? Anger pricked inside her, but she calmed it. Now was not the time for rash decisions.
Winona turned her head, she thought she had heard a soft thud outside, she waited for a moment but after not hearing anything else assumed it to be a bird on the roof.
It was true that the female wolf didn't think highly of her own species and the reason for that was unknown, but she most certainly was looking down on them as weak.
Taking her seat again, she looked at Shanti,
"You have a message from my husband, yes?" she asked,
"Mhm," Shanti nodded,
"Alright, spit it out then," she said, waving a hand at her.
Beowulf looked at this girl, she was young maybe only 17 years old, he wondered how she had come to get this job and why risk coming to a kingdom that would have her killed. The more he looked at her the more he realized she was very thin and wasn't wearing good cloths, that must mean she was poor. He was brought back to the present by Shanti's voice,
"Beowulf is to meet Aragon Otaktay on the night of the full moon, in Isitoa, a city by the river," "Don't be late and make sure you aren't followed," Shanti recited.
"Thank you, Shanti," Winona replied, she looked at Beowulf and he quickly added,
"Yes, thank you."
Winona stood and walked over to a cabinet she took out a small bag and handed it to the girl,
"This is your pay," she stated,
"Do you have a reply?" Shanti asked.
"In fact I do," Winona smiled, she pulled the girl close and whispered into her ear, Shanti nodded,
"I will tell him," she said, thanking the two wolves before rushing out, after putting the money into her shoulder bag.
Shanti walked out and closed the door behind her, she was shaking again, her ears twitching and she walked around the corner just catching a glance of someone watching the house. Her eyes grew wide.
She shuddered at the thought of a Feline and a Canine getting together. It wasn't that she didn't support the mixing of species, but it was just a betrayal when it was the enemy.
Anya thought for a moment, unsure of when the next full moon would be. She'd have to ask someone, that's for sure. She sighed, knowing that he'd likely be extra, extra careful for followers, so she'd take her own route.
What was the response? But before she could think of anything, her prey fell right into her trap. She was shabby looking and small. While Shanti was only a few years younger in age, Anya felt superior given her status and maturity. She put a finger to her lips and swiftly snatched the girl, lifting her in her arms. Anya had super strength so she weighed practically nothing. Mimicking Shanti's timid footsteps, she walked down the steps and ducked into the shadows of one of the homes, hidden by bushes.
"Now, your name was Shanti, wasn't it? Well, it doesn't really matter. If you scream, I'll kill you. In fact, I'll make sure I find your family and make them hate you all the way until they bleed out. That sound fair? Now, Shanti, I need you to tell me what that woman said to you, okay? Be a good little kitten and tell me everything," Anya said in a low whisper, her voice menacing and eyes piercing. She didn't have to be as threatening as usual since the girl would be scared of a fly, but thought this would do the trick.
Shanti stood, there for a moment, she should be running why wasn't she running. Someone had been listening and that person was right in front of her and now she was going to die she knew it. When this female point a finger to her lips, Shanti turned and tried to make a dash for it, but she was quickly grabbed. She struggled all the way to where Anya was taking her, her hands turned into paws as she scratched at her, but this lady wasn't even budging.
"Yes, please don't kill me!" she begged.
This girl was shaking, her ears were back and her tail was curled around her feet which like her hands had shifted into paws, her tail and hair were on end like a scared kitten. She nodded frantically when she asked if that sounded fair,
"But she'll kill me," "If I tell you I'm going to die," she was crying.
"I won't kill you if you behave," Anya said cautiously, quite agitated from how cowardly this kid was. She really didn't feel like upping the number of people she'd killed, it would leave too many traces. And maybe a part of her didn't want to kill a child, but she'd never admit that to herself. It was not what she'd expected from a Feline. It was a bit amusing.
"Oh, she won't know. Besides, she'll likely be dead before she can even think of you. It'll be no skin off your back," Anya whispered and couldn't help the evil grin that spread across her face. Seeing her all afraid and curled up made her feel powerful. "You just tell me this one little thing and you can go off to tell him. It's not that hard. Besides, you don't want to die, do you? Think about your poor family, all alone and waiting for their little Shanti to return, only to find me in your place." Mentioning the family part earlier had been a wild guess, but it seemed she had struck right. Now it was time to hammer it home until she cracked. Anya almost felt bad for her. She was likely only doing this because it was the only job she could have and she reminded her of Nora, her sister. Nora was never as pathetic as Shanti, but that weird feeling inside of her wanted to protect her. She shoved it down, keeping her terrifying gaze trained on the Feline.
As these slightly morbid thoughts were going through Anya's mind, Shanti could only think of what Sabu had told her, he had said something to similar that this job was going to get her in trouble or killed. Part of her was certain that this person had nothing to stop her from killing her, and she was scared for Sabu, Valens and Layan. Her three brothers who wouldn't have any idea that she had even died.
"B-but," she stuttered, the white female wolf in that house wasn't going to be easy to kill, she knew it.
She listened to the rest of what Anya had to say, she didn't know this persons name and had no idea what was going to happen next. But she decided that she was probably going to quite this line of work once this last message was sent, but she had to consider the fact that Winona had looked into her background, siblings, and everything.
"Okay!" "Stop!" Shanti flicked her tail at Anya trying to get her to back up a little.
This person's eyes felt like daggers looking into her eyes and then into her soul, like she would kill her with a glare. She put her claws out to try and keep even a little more distance,
"The lady said they have a side target they need to deal with," "Her name is Anya Vos, she works in the canine palace," "I don't know anything else," she quickly spat out.
She saw the girl considering, finding it laughable that she thought there was a choice. Anya had to be patient, though, so she waited. Though she also tapped her foot on the ground whilst waiting the few seconds.
"You doubt my ability?" Anya said, thumbing her sword's hilt. She continued looking at Shanti as she felt the hilt, wanting her to shrink. Anya did realize that the woman in there was likely strong and very alert, but still felt it in her ability to end her life. It may just be more of a challenge than she'd prefer.
The flick of her tail didn't really make Anya step back, but she more so did it of her own will. The girl wouldn't be able to harm her or catch her off guard. It was like a pebble bouncing off concrete, she simply decided she'd allow it.
Anya's face twisted into disgust. "Are they that obvious?" she said in a half whisper, more to herself than anyone else. "You know, I've decided you don't need to relay that message back," she casually said, once again lifting up Shanti and covering her mouth. While she didn't show this visibly, she felt fear prickling inside her. To be openly targeted specifically was something she hadn't anticipated. Anya couldn't back down, though, not now. "Don't worry, I'm taking you to see my sister until we figure out a plan. She's nicer than I am and will enjoy the company. She'll mend you clothes, give you a bath so you don't smell like dirt, and more," she said, halfheartedly trying to comfort the shaking cat. More importantly, Anya had the sudden need to get the hell out of there. It suddenly wasn't so interesting to listen to Beowulf and more important to get this walking liability out of sight.
"No of course, not," she says, she didn't want this person to prove that she was strong on her, that was far from what she wanted.
She shrunk back more then she already had from Anya she had no idea that the person she had just told this message to, was the person they are referring to. She was still at least a little great full that there was a slightly more comforting distance between the two of them now that she had moved back and also done the same herself. Even so Shanti was still really scared and her guard wasn't down, not that it would do much help, she wasn't physically strong just very quick.
"But you said-" she fought to pull the hand from her mouth, she kicked and fought, clawing at anything she could.
She stopped for a moment to here the rest of what Anya had to say, she looked up at her, no she did not want to be near more canines then she had too. This was the opposite of what she wanted, the complete opposite.
Inside the house Winona and Beowulf had been talking about things other then work, more just catching up on each others lives. It may not seem like it, but the two were decently close, other then just being mother and son. Sure their family life was a little strange since Beowulf had to show his mother great respect, but still he was her son.
Anya was annoyed at the cuts that might appear later. Her clothes were thick, but the fabric was torn in some areas. The clothing was dark and not very noticeable but something she'd have to see if Nora could mend.
"Ugh, stop looking so stupid. I'm not going to hurt you, you're likely going to live. Just be quiet and obey and everything will turn out okay," she said, rolling her eyes as if this child was crying over spilled milk.
As she walked away she stared longingly at the house. Anya had been itching to gain new information, and while she had, she also had a new problem. She supposed it was a good thing she had followed Beowulf. Her life could have been in more danger and Anya really didn't care for that.
Anya headed down a few side streets and various areas, seeming oblivious to the constant clawing. "You know that won't do anything, right?" she said after a while. While it did burn, it still didn't hurt as much as it would the average Canine. They arrived in front of the apartment complex. Anya was about to head in, hesitated, then quickly darted to the alley beside it. She climbed out the railings jutting out until she found the right one. Anya knocked on the door and almost immediately the door opened.
Nora stood for a moment, immediately noticing the squirming child in Anya's arms.
"Anya, if I may ask, what are you doing with that?" she asked. Nora hadn't had visitors in quite some time, so anyone other than her sister was a shock. She was glad it wasn't an adult, though, seeing as they were more threatening.
"I'll explain once I get her in," Anya said, pushing past her younger sister. She was very cold to Nora at times, but now that she was focused didn't want to be bothered with pleasantries. She placed the Feline on an armchair. "Bet you've never even sat in one of these," she said, judging her with her ice cold glare. Nora shot her a warning look as she put the emergency curtains over the door. It wasn't for situations like these, but more so she herself could feel safe.
She wasn't normally this jumpy if she was being honest, Shanti had never been this jumpy, but since meeting Winona and going into the canine kingdom that had changed. It was mostly that she hadn't realized how scary the world could be, since on their first meeting Winona had threatened her, with killed her siblings and letting her live to deal with the guilt if she stepped out of line.
Shanti was a little more then in a flight, fight, freeze response in that moment, so her normal senses had gone out the window and she was simply trying to fight back. It was a time like this that she wished she'd gotten the ability Valens' had, it would have allowed her to run. Seeing this wasn't doing anything for her, she stopped clawing, deciding to just squirm to make this as annoying for Anya and wait for a chance to run.
When she opened the door, Shanti was surprised to see this new person, she tried to stop Anya from pulling her inside but eventually failed. She was sat down in an armchair, it was nicer then the two she had at home, considering one was a wooden chair another a bad rocking chair then the third thing they had was a stool.
"I have," she hissed, and stayed in her set, realizing she most certainly wasn't going to be running out of this one.
Once Nora turned, she stared hard at each of them. "Now, I want someone to tell me what is going on. You just brought a . . . Feline into my home and I need answers," she stated, trying to keep calm. It was so overwhelming to have these two in her home and they seemed quite serious.
Anya arched a brow at Shanti, wanting to give a retort but deciding against it. She began, saying, "Nora, this girl is a messenger for the Feline Kingdom. Don't worry--I said don't worry! Calm down, Nora. Anyways, she was being told to send a message targeting me. I couldn't let her go free, so I took her here," she said.
Nora was practically fuming, but kept it all inside just barely, though it was visible in her eyes and the way her mouth twitched. "Anya, you're telling me you brought a Feline spy in my living room?"
Anya fought the urge to roll her eyes. Now was not the time for a sisterly quarrel and she needed to defuse this. "The girl is poor! She has no loyalties and she'll do anything for a bit of money. We'll just pay her," she said and turned back to Shanti. "How's that sound? You get a bath, dinner, food, and money. More than those Felines are offering you, huh?" The tone was a bit mocking, but she was actually being serious. She needed this girl to hush up and soon. "You can send the message, only maybe something a little bit different. Maybe you can even start a new life. I have connections, you know," she stated, looking at a vase and twirling a black curl with an extended pale finger. All of her movements were a performance, all meant to focus attention on her.
Nora set her mouth into a thin line, knowing she couldn't just kick this cat creature out of the house. Her sister was providing all of this for her and as much as she was horrified she knew that everything would be lost if she let them free. "You don't know who you're messing with when you talk to those Felines," Nora tried. She didn't really know what they were like, but wanted to help Anya solve this in any way she could. "You might not like our side, but it'll be better for your safety if you just listen to us," she said, picking up on the implication from Anya. It seemed to her that the girl was more focused on the money than the actual war.
Shanti shrunk a little when Anya arched her brow at her, she assumed that was a warning to keep her mouth shut and not test her, which is fair she didn't want to be testing either of these woman. She had also come to realization that the person in front of her was Anya Vos, the person she was supposed to mention in the message, Shanti wanted to kill herself right there in that seat. Her thoughts were interrupted as the two sisters began to argue, she looked at both of them, staying quiet. Part of her wanted to speak up and say she had a name, but she was asked a question.
"I don't need a bath, and I don't want to be here, I have siblings to take care of," she said, she stood up.
It wasn't all about the money it was the fact that this was the only job she could get, considering her specific feline species was being hated on by all the others to a point where as a female getting a job was near impossible.
"Also I can't!" "She knows everything, Winona knows everything, she'll kill Sabu Valens and Layan," she told them.
Shanti and her brothers were already in to deep, and it was her fault for dragging her self into the stupid job that would take anyone, and she hadn't even thought the idea through and instead just blindly jumped into it.
She moved away from her seat and to the other side of the room, away from these people, this Shanti was different from the shaking one that Anya had seen. This Shanti was scared but also something more then scared.
Anya looked down on the girl. "You look disgusting," she said, much to the dismay of her sister.
"Anya! You can't say that to, well, maybe she's not our guest, but she's here right now," Nora said, but she didn't deny what Anya had said. The girl was dressed shabbily and was clearly of low class.
"Sit down," Anya said, stepping forward. "You can't just stride into this kind of business and expect to casually walk out of it. This is a war you just walked into. Did you ever think of that when you decided it'd be worth it to mess with a war? Don't act all high and mighty, miss kitten." Her words were spoken with true venom. This cat was just painful to look at. So pitiful and gross, like a crushed bug still grasping for life.
She was pissed off at the next statement. Really fucking pissed off. "I can kill that woman whenever I want to. The only reason she's not dead is because I need information from her. Also, I was being truthful when I said I could provide a new life. I'd give you the things you need and an escape if you could just shut the hell up," Anya said, already tired and feeling her glare becoming even more deathly. She wasn't in the mood for this child to be talking back. Nora stood awkwardly in the back, afraid that if she got involved it might not go well.
Once the two were at each end of the room, Nora stepped to the middle, looking back and forth at each of them. "Look, we can calmly deal with this. Uh, the, uh, Feline wants to be home with her siblings. Anya wants you to not bring that message back. How do we solve this . . ," Nora said, deep in thought. "Well, you could . . uh, silence, uh, was her name Winona?"
Anya rolled her eyes. "I was already going to do that, Nora." Now she knew the name of the woman. Winona. "Look, Shanti, all we need is your cooperation. You realize if you tell that general a single thing about me you're dead. More dead than if Winona finds out you don't. You don't want to see that side of me, do you?" she said, leaning forward, the shadows hiding everything but her shining eyes.
Nora didn't like seeing this side of her. The side that was so fox-like. The murderous one. She wished Anya would show her wings, but they were tucked away in her clothing, which she also noticed had some rips.
Shanti frowned, again, but she did as asked and sat down. She turned her back to them, her legs against her chest, and her head resting on her knees. This most certainly wasn't the escape she was hoping for, but if things worked out she could get to Sabu and they could just wander from kingdom to kingdom. It didn't matter what happened next, other then she had to responsible as the older sister to two younger brothers to be a mother. That was her job. These thoughts went through her head as she sat quietly,
"Fine," she grumbled.
Her tails flicked from side to side in frustration at these people, her ears were flat against her head as well, honestly she was glad she had at least left some marks on Anya.
Nora smiled a little now that the girl was finally caving. "Anya said your name was Shanti? May I mend your clothes? I know you may not want me to, but it's been bothering me," she said, feeling a bit rude for saying so. It was true, though, and it needed to be said. The clothes were shabby and needed to be fixed.
Anya began, saying, "I believe we can triple the amount promised. How much was it?" She knew the girl was likely to swindle her, but if it got too high she would just threaten her life again. The cuts on her hands were there, but she didn't bother to clean or bandage them. It would seem weak and she wanted to appear untouchable to this feeble child.
"Yes, and I don't care," she didn't like that she was caving.
Yet it was better then be killed or having her brothers lives being threatened, that possibility was still on the line though, she knew she had to get back soon to her brothers and they had to move.
She turned and faced them, her red eyes watching Anya, it wasn't that much money but enough for her siblings and her to get by for the week.
"1000," she said, "Don't trust me?" Shanti removed her bag and tossed it to Anya.
