Shadewood "I'll trade my heart for a hug, right about now. It hurts to be doomed."

@Amaya & @Reiner to join for additional threads towards trade!  Spree pls?

It was directly after he had concluded his decision of who to choose that Cry had chosen to summon her. Within the Keeper's Meet, the sanction of solitary presence within a trio of large boulders whom he and Reiner sat upon, did he ask her to meet him at. Fog coursed over the grounds in lazy huff of silence, but mysteriously, only on the outside of the open formation. A perfect meeting place for mysteries to be discussed. 

The gray furred woman had by now settled into a routine that suited her well. She was able to do all that she could for the pack and still have a little time to herself. Amaya still had to figure out what trade would he best for her, that she could do well and support the pack. So she used her free time to see what other things were out there for her to do. She however wasn't exploring those options when she heard his call. She perked her ears determining the direction before moving to meet him. As always she was curious about what he might want to talk about, perhaps pups again. She could answer his questions regarding that for sure.

When she found Cry she noticed right away that he wasn't alone. The gray woman offered a smile to both wolves. “Hello, I came as soon as I could. I hope I'm not too late,” she said in greeting as her gaze passed between the two. Cry's companion was a wolf she hadn't met yet so she wondered what sort of business might involve the two of them.

The Bull sits quietly alongside the shadow, broad and eerily quiet akin a gargoyle perched on a gothic tower. His attention only shifts when he hears the sound of approaching footfalls—of who he assumes is the person Cry spoke of; Amaya. She is not what he expects, but perhaps that is why she is perfect. Her greeting is light-hearted, and even an apology is added. He glances momentarily towards the shadow, before giving a mute nod in greeting.

It was time. She came prompt, swift and sweet as delicate as the first fallen petal from a tampered flower. She stood before them with modesty, something that he had always prefered the majority of company to have, once upon a time. 

"Amaya," he began after relishing the last reassurance he could garner from being beside Reiner before hopping free from the pedestal bouldertop, and landing with a heavy thud near the gray and timbered fae. "Shadewood needs you." It was a monumental turnpoint for the pack, and it was clearly much more detramental than what he initially made it seem. "However, before I ask you to do this, I need you to convince us you are ready for such a task."

There was no point attempting to deceive her into deceiving them. So for intel purposes, he informed her. "One of our members was maimed by an outside source. As we need someone to find out who did this to them." Cry had no idea whether Phex had come across Amaya yet or not, but he gave silence on the floor should she pipe up and claim she knew, or the silence would settle, and he would continue. Should she not know it was Phex hurt, his plan would go much more smooth. If she knew, then he had an improvision sitting across the very top of his tongue, primed for fire.

The man with Cry remained silent after she'd spoken. The only greeting she received from him was a nod. She thought perhaps he wasn't much of a talker or maybe he had something to say later. Cry's voice brought her attention to him as he came to stand near her.  He spoke her name first but then said words she wasn't expecting at all.

Shadwood needed her.

But how could she be the one that could help. The gray woman was confused but stated, “I will do everything I can to help.” She wanted to make that clear. She was a part of the pack now and cared about their well being. Anything that she needed to do was what she would do to ensure they had their needs meet. Her confusion only grew as he spoke of her convincing them that she was ready for the task. She wasn't sure if she would just come out and ask what task it was she needed to be ready to carry out or of she should wait for him to tell her. In the end she stated, “I'm sure I'm ready for any task you set for me.”

It was only after she said that she learned more about the situation and it was even more shocking than what Cry had said at the beginning of this meeting. “Who was it? Are they okay?” She asked first because that was most important. One of her family had been hurt badly and she was concerned for them. There was the second part, the finding out who had had hurt one of her packmates. “What exactly do you need me to do to find out?” She asked because she'd been called here for that reason. She felt there wasn't time to waste, they needed to know.

It’s quite a show.

Persuasive in a way that the Bull could never be, Cry butters the woman up; explaining the situation as if Amaya is Shadewood’s only hope. There is some truth to that, for they did need a spy with a good head on their shoulders… one they knew wouldn’t stab the Keep in the back. The Bull isn’t convinced yet that Amaya is the one, but the shadow seems convinced, and he knows his people better than the titan did.

He remains above them, watching curiously as Cry spoke and Amaya answered with enthusiasm. So far, he needn’t speak up, and the less he had to force himself to use his broken voice, the better.

So she didn’t know- good. “It was-“ his tongue stuttered, throat constricted as though even breathing her name would hurt him all over again. The livid man closed his eyes, taking a breath, and finally released her name. “Phex.” 
His gaze glared a permafrost patch into the robust grass patches and natural mulch, his heart breaking within his irises.
or was it? “Bringing his view back to the plain woman, the need filled his voice fully, fueling it with the insistence he desired for his point to be made. “A member of the Melonii did this. And I ask you to find out who it was, and gather as much information as you can from their pack- from within.” He took a slight step forward. 

“Are you capable of that?”

Amaya was a little disappointed that this was the first she was hearing that one of her packmates had been hurt. She wasn't surprised though, she was to some extent still rather new so she could see why she might not have been told before then. Her eyes widened when Cry told her that it had been Phex. The gray woman had found her to be such a nice girl, she didn't deserve what had been done to her.

It seemed that Cry wanted her to infiltrate the Melonii and find Phex's attacker.  The question was could she do it. A glance was given toward the man behind the leader before she met Cry's gaze. “I am,” she told the dark man confidently. Whether she actually could or not didn't matter it would be for Phex.

Gonna skip @Reiner to keep this going <3

Cry watched her. Really watched her. Not just to see if this scheme was going to be worth it, but watching her to make sure she was in fact ready for such a challenge. He also wanted to imprint her face in his mind, just to ensure he would remember her- for she could well enough be killed should she be found out. 
He never forgot a face.

“They have been seen around Phantom Hollow- I’ve been told they’ve moved. Be sure to clean yourself thoroughly of both my scent and of everyone else’s you’ve interacted with, here. Can’t be given an opportunity to be traced back here.”

A slow second of pause before he added, “You need to use a loner mentality. You know nothing about us. You’re just living your life and need a place to stay.”

He could remember that the Melonii were truly secretive, but should Baby Season have hit them as hard as it hit Shadewood, they should need extra help. “Sell yourself well. Especially your midwife capabilities.”

This was a very big and dangerous mission she was taking on for the pack. Amaya wasn't sure she was ready in that moment but she would be by the time she reached the Melonii pack, she had to be. She wanted to show Cry and everyone else that she could do this and do it well.

She didn't have to ask where to find the pack she was supposed to infiltrate, Cry supplied the information. She was thankful that he had also spoken of making sure she was clean and didn't have any remnants of the keeps scent on her. She nodded, “I will make sure. You don't have to worry Cry,” she told her tone confident. She was at least for that part of her mission.

She waited for him to continue and as he went on she felt a little more confident about this whole thing. She knew what she had to do. “That will be easy. I've been a loner long enough to know how to think like one.” Things were different for her now of course but Amaya was sure she could slip back into her old life easily. It hadn't been that long since she'd been there.

He had another tip for her before he was done, or at least before it seemed like he was finished. “I am sure I can do that too. I have plenty of great qualities. Why else would you have brought me into the pack if you didn't think I could benefit it.” All the things he'd spoken of Amaya was sure she could do and the rest could wait until she was in the pack. “When should I return?”

It actually pleased him that she was so confident- but wasn't that what confidence was meant for? It wasn't feigned, he could see that. She was brave, willing to become an agent of the Keep. And from such a display, he felt something well up in his chest that he couldn't pinpoint the name of it. But it bordered a bit on something akin to both pride-
and possessiveness.

He would be keeping an eye on Amaya, if not out for her, should she return with everything they needed. "Whenever you are ready." It was a rather default response...but nothing was ever default for Cry. Nothing he had ever said held a 'basic' meaning- everything held something hidden that only the most inquitive and aware of minds could percieve. Should Amaya feel herself ripe within the timeframe she places on herself, full of information and prepped well to return, then her heart and mind will lead her home. 
To him. 

"I will wait for you, Amaya." He had no other choice. But it was heartfelt. And more lethally, Mindfelt. Meanwhile, he walked closer to her, and dipped his forehead atop hers, a promise in it's own right. A gift. And once he felt a breath pass between them, he pulled back, with nothing more to say to her. And should nothing else be said between them all, he would pass a look to Reiner and leap back atop the rocky mound to confer a bit more with Reiner.

Amaya understood what was being asked of her and how dangerous it was. She didn't know if she was the only one that could have been asked but she was honored. She knew she'd only been with the pack a short time and Cry needed someone that he could trust to do this and she wanted to show him that his trust wouldn't be misplaced. She just wished she could know what laid ahead for her.

His response to her question of when she should be back didn't give her a specific timeframe in which to work. Still she understood that it meant she should only come back when she felt the time was right. She nodded at his words, “I will return as soon as I have the information you need,” she told hoping that she wouldn't let him down.

She smiled when he told her he would wait for her, “Don't worry too much about me while I'm gone,” she said but really she hoped he would worry. Knowing she had someone back home that was would help her determination to find out what she needed and return home as soon as she could.  When he laid his forehead on hers she closed her eyes, this could very well be the last time she saw him if things didn't go well, “Thank you for this chance,” she whispered before he pulled away.

Once Cry had joined Renier atop the rocky mound she took that as he cue to leave which she did after dipping her head to both men.

[Amaya's exit]