negotiations with courtfall were no longer at a stand still. there were still facets to be finalized, but the goal was in sight. bhediya bounced through the territory, pleased with her work. she would not worry about pygmalion's potential thoughts on her leave, not until sitting down with @Ibis.

when was their last true meeting? bhediya sat beneath the canopy and released a quick call for her child.

the smile faded from bhediya's face. ibis spoke and the counselor's brow immediately furrowed. there was something on her mind, bhe could tell. well, there was something..., the scout began, but it can wait a while. there was always an opportunity for conversation, so she was confident that they would eventually find the time to discuss courtfall.

for now, her focus was ibis. we haven't really talked in a while. you still doing okay? with all of the commotion, bhediya hadn't even stopped to complete a wellness check. better now than never, she thought, and waited for ibi's response.

bhediya's lips pursed in shared frustration. my current priority is making sure you're okay because you sure don't seem like it. the words came quickly with little forethought, though the inquiring tone wasn't uncharacteristic. ibis appeared overwhelmed, something that bhediya feared might happen once the pack truly got going.

if you need some time, all you have to do is say so. i'm sure kavik can step up for a few days, and if he can't, awol and i will do it. it was painful to see the girl so stressed, despite the veil that she was working to maintain. there were few things that bhe disliked about her, but the hesitance to share was most prominent.

she waited for a response before continuing. seriously. we're here to help each other out, ibi, that's why you picked this council. just say the word. an expectant glance shot at the young leader.

bhediya allowed ibis to finish. she didn't move to interrupt and kept her expression neutral. the goal was to foster an organic read of the leader's mind, free of visual influence. 

to ensure that the explanation had ended, bhe allowed a moment of silence. she settled back onto her haunches then, hoping that it might ease ibis's nerves. i was afraid of overstepping boundaries, she explained, defining what you are comfortable with us doing on our own might help.

up until then, bhediya was under the impression that ibis preferred having the final say. had she known that the girl felt otherwise, she might have hesitated to call so frequently. i've been at the border a lot, as you know, she quipped with a smile, are you okay with me accepting new members?

bhediya's patience had a limit, too. they weren't quite there yet, but she could feel the irritation bubbling. a small twitch of her tail tip acted as visual indication. she was happy to move on and did so when prompted. 

the original point of the call had been to ask for permission, but that was no longer necessary. i went to courtfall with pihu and finished negotiating an alliance. it'd been a long time in the making, bhediya thought.

andraste requested a barter system between packs for the caregivers. she also invited any of our sick members for a stay. she wasn't complaining, though. it was a smart idea. in return, i suggested we gather as one big hunting party when the herds move closer. 

the rest of what they'd discussed was a given. bhediya didn't think ibis would be too fond of the gritty details.

in truth, bhediya had some difficulty understanding it, too. andraste's way of speaking, while lovely on the ears, did make some concepts harder to comprehend. to make things all the more difficult, bhe understood about as much healer talk as a rock.

still, she had to try and explain. well, different plants grow in the mountains than do in the valley, right? duh. it'd be a lot easier to go directly to courtfall and collect what we need than to have to search the mountain range. same thing the other way around. 

plus, she continued, it's winter, so some of us are bound to get sick. and in spring, when both packs have pups to take care of, the healers might not have time to go looking. it's a matter of convenience, really. bhediya was quite proud of her explanation, especially because she'd pulled it all directly from her ass.

the explanation sufficed, it seemed. bhediya would be lying if she said she weren't very surprised. still, she made a hefty effort to keep that emotion to herself, instead putting on a more focused and levelled expression. maybe awol and i can go together. that would probably make pygmalion happy. it'd also give the two more time to bond, something that she figured they might need.

the scout cleared her throat. the tension here, it felt heavy, uncomfortable. they'd need to either switch up the aura or try this interaction again some other time. i can take lainie, too. i'll ask kavik first, but i know she wanted a chance to explore more.