Dragoncrest Cliffs fuck a 9 to 5

backdated to whenever necessary/appropriate

It slowly had dawned on him that his title here was now superfluous. A cheka guarded Heda; that was how it always had been. With no Heda, there was no one to guard. Right?

Well, maybe not. With @Blixen taking the reins, perhaps his role was more important now than ever. Vercingetorix had no qualms about Antumbra's daughter leading--she was the best wolf for the job--but she was a great deal smaller and younger than Heda had been. He worried, faintly, for her safety in this turbulent time.

Of course, he wouldn't ever say that, especially not to her face. But he wondered whether she'd have him as her cheka, even if it wasn't in his traditional job description. He wondered if she had even thought of it.

He weaved through the trees approaching Hougeda, then stopped by the shore of the small lake and let out a call for the new leader.

it's easy when she's keeping busy. things are fine, after all. she's got her mate and she's got her kru and they are, somehow, continuing forward. ajatar will be heda, and ajatar is fine, blix realized a while ago that one day she'd have to follow ajatar as heda. 

but then she remembers that nomi died before blix could tell her about mallaidh, and that ajatar, for all that she is admirable, is not nomi, and eastwood and artaax have both just -- vanished -- and things are less fine.

these are things she cannot share with her pack. she's never been as good at compartmentalizing as her brother (who, she believes doggedly, will be back. when he's .. processed.) so she keeps busy, and everything is fine. verx's call summons her from patrol, not too far off from the cheka. she makes her way toward the lake until she sees him, and straightens up -- in the wake of nomi's death, she's been trying to adopt a more formal style of leadership, as if to fill the space left by nomi's austere presence. "what is it?" she asks, taking a seat near by.

Blixen came promptly, and his first inclination was to start off with small talk. How are you holding up? But the ruddy young woman gets right to business, and Vercingetorix is, for once, grateful for the chance not to blather on. Short and sweet, to the point. They are hurting too much for courtesies.

I was wondering if you still wanted me to be cheka, he said, straightening and looking her in the eye. For you, I mean. I'd be more than happy to do it, but I understand if you have someone else in mind.

Even as he said it, he knew it was ridiculous. Who else was equipped for the job like he was? Blodreina, he supposed, but he suspected the gona's ambitions lay higher; she might refuse such an offer outright. Maybe Mallaidh, but the two were too close.

No, it had to be him, right? He waited patiently for her response.

verx's question surprises her, though maybe, in retrospect, it shouldn't -- but she hadn't really been thinking about the dynamic shift in drageda's loss of heda. her old childish fantasy comes back to her, just for a moment (her and mallaidh, of course, as it was always meant to be). no, that wouldn't be a good idea at all -- and honestly, the only other wolf blix would consider for the job is helix, who's in trigeda now. swallowing to cover the twinge of sorrow that thought brings, blix nods. 

"i don't have anyone else in mind," she tells him, offering a wry smile. "i'm happy to have you as cheka -- as long as you also want to keep the title." after all, she's no antumbra, let alone heda. her and vercingetorix barely know each other -- something that will have to change, actually, if they are gonna keep working together.

He broke into a smile, and the expression was uncharacteristically bashful, boyish. Yes, I'd be happy to serve as your cheka, he rumbled, giving her a nod. It's an honor, Blixen. Truly. These next few moons, they aren't gonna be easy, but. . .

His gaze wandered, slightly--when had he become so goddamn sentimental?--before returning to the wormana's face again. It'll be okay. We're going to make it. Great, now he was giving her a pep talk. Somebody get Oprah on the phone and tell her she's being replaced by a wolf, please.

Anything I should, uh, know? Verx asked, a little awkwardly, as if to kill and bury his moment of shimmering, gag-worthy optimism. Not that you've got skeletons or anything, just, like--I dunno. Anything that would make either of our jobs easier, I guess.

blix flashes a grin -- not that she'd expected him to object, but still. she's not arrogant enough to think she doesn't need help with keeping on top of everything, and vercingetorix is capable, and honestly, likeable. sometimes he reminds her how bobby was when he was a kid -- she likes that playfulness, especially when it comes with a good work ethic. 

at his question, she shakes her head, and then pauses. "well," she says, becoming visibly flustered. in everything that happened, she never had a chance to tell anyone about -- "mallaidh and i are, uh, are mates now," blix says, somewhere between sheepish and proud. "since -- when i was a kid, wildfire was kidnapped, and ajatar suggested it might be because of heda's status, so -- not that i'm anywhere near heda's status but we have enemies here, so. probably.. good to know, just in case." pause. "i mean, not that mallaidh can't defend herself, either," she adds, voice taking on a decidedly more sentimental tone as she thinks of her very capable wife.

His eyes widened at the announcement; like mother, like daughter, it seemed. Wow, congrats, Blix, he said warmly, smiling. His face grew serious as she went on, and he nodded. Of course, yeah. I'll keep it in mind. But yeah, Mallaidh's a badass. Y'all will be fine. I'll make extra sure.

Verx shifted a bit, feeling the conversation come to its natural end. Hey, thanks, he concluded, blinking softly at Blixen. I appreciate you taking a chance on me. Well, that was a dumb thing to say, considering he already had the job experience. He really needed to get to know Blixen better.

Should he tell her about Aure? Probably. But. . .maybe at a later date. (Inadvertently. At the worst possible moment. Natch.)

For now, the two parted ways on a good note, and the future looked bright. If only.