the colours that i can't change

<style type="text/css">q {font:13px Georgia; color:#9E0853; font-weight:bold;}</style>Her head bobbed agreement when Chakra mentioned she had never met a Horizon Ridge wolf. She herself had never met a Neverwinter Forest wolf. It could be the fact of distance, as Jinx privately thought, or as Chakra said, the fact of discipline. It was not like a wolf to wander so far from its territory. Jinx was somewhat of an anomaly in that, but she had her reasons: the ferns would not return until spring, and the hard spores were precious to her. More than that, however, was Jinx's tenuous loyalty to Horizon Ridge, but it would do no good to tell Chakra of that.

She could have said much more about Hawkeye, how she was insane and flipped from one extreme to the next in mere seconds, but she would hold that information writhing under her tongue. Perhaps if she could claim to have followed Hawkeye once... But none of that information was to her benefit. Either way, she would reveal herself as a pack deserter, or an overly opinionated outsider, neither image particularly desirable. But she didn't have to think long on what she would say about the Plateau's Alpha, for Chakra was quick to turn the subject back on Neverwinter Forest, or at least, why a wolf from elsewhere would give any information at all.

Jinx's reason for that was simple: the further she could stretch her friendships, the more places she could go when inevitably she gave up on Akhlut's regiment of light. It wouldn't do to say that, but thankfully, Chakra provided her with a rather clever lie: Why, my lady, to prevent the spy! She chuckled softly around her ferns, glanced up to realize she had no idea where they were in relation to the borders (Neverwinter, it turned out, was somewhat labyrinthian, and easy to lose oneself in). Horizon Ridge has no secrets but each wolf's own secrets, my lady. From one strong family to another, it is good to know which rivals to keep the closest eye on, no? I assure you, you will find no quarrel with us. I will spread word of the Spider Queen's influence and sway over Neverwinter amongst my peers, and our wolves will respect your lands utmostly, in fear of the wrath of Feralheart. The Spider Queen seemed an unsavoury title, but it was a throwback to Chakra's earlier analogy, even if that was somewhat unclear.

Chakra would get no information about Horizon Ridge's layout, where it kept its caches, where its wolves denned, or what the easiest way to penetrate its heart was. She would get nothing about Akhlut's physical abilities, especially given Jinx knew nothing of them herself. Or maybe the Feralheart would get those things if she pressed a little... It has hard to say with the slippery Kesuk whether revealing things was beneath her or not. On one hand, she would bolster Neverwinter, and on the other, show disloyalty. Jinx danced a fine razor blade between misunderstood woman and villainous devil, but all to her own advantage.