Neverwinter Forest Are you tired of unexpected guests in your villa of villainy?

Skipping since Tzila's gone inactive!

They were thinking in two very different directions.  Mal was worried about the costs of now not what might happen in the future.  After all, he was more apt to stay and keep to himself rather than deal with anyone else.  One would hope that it would end up meaning that nobody would bug him in turn but so far you could see how well that had worked out.  But if they actually kept it so that it was just actual tasks that had a price, maybe it wouldn't be bad.  Better to be an "ally" than give them a reason to be twits.  So, figure out specifics when it's required then?  It seemed to be the best way to confirm without giving them any ideas.

But that didn't mean he trusted a damn thing Stickhead had to say.  There had to be some way to make sure this wasn't some sort of trap where this pack was gonna try to bleed him dry no matter what answer he gave.  Has it been mentioned Mal didn't trust them?  'Cause he didn't trust 'em.  But he'd sort of been given a bit of an out when it came to this all -- as what's her face had gone and made a rather large booboo within earshot.  Mal was stupid about a lot of things, after all, but he wasn't totally dumb... If they added on some later tax, he could bow out.  Right?  Hell, it'd be better to take an one-time hit than end up constantly under their paw.  Or at the very least, time for them to get impatient, screw up, and reveal their true colors.

Because of what's happened, I'll say yes to an alliance on a trial basis.  Prove that your packmates can keep from causing us trouble over a two month period and then it can be confirmed. -- After all, you must understand that hearing your companion wanted to steal doesn't exactly inspire trust.  Mal was wearing his most reasonable of expressions.  Oh yes, you had to agree it was perfectly sound arrangement, was it not?  If they couldn't keep their paws to themselves, then it wouldn't be a very good alliance anyway.  

Honestly, it was probably the most fair thing he could say without just bowing to their will like some sort of starstruck tween or something.