Bramblepoint Thorns and Berries

The Knight picked the day to go northwards to scout out the forest she hasn't discovered yet. She knew the area well around Broken Antler Fen but she didn't really know what was beyond the lake. She felt it was necessary to explore further. She wanted to know what was out there to see if there was any threats to the pack. As she moved into the forest she quickly noticed the amount of berry bushes and trees. Most weren't ready to be eaten except for a certain few.

The find was quite interesting. There were blackberry, raspberry, strawberry and blueberry bushes. She had already picked one from here and there. They were good as a little treat, maybe she'll take some back with her after scouting the whole place. Kinra moved around slowly though, there were many thorns around. One wrong step and there was be some painful consequences. Maybe that's the reason why she hasn't spotted a wolf yet. Snack heaven did come with a drawback.

As she moved she observed the plants around, naming most of them and then she spotted a nice fresh strawberry bush with several ready to be eaten berries. Kinra approached it, carefully avoiding thorns that were all around. She nosed the strawberry bush and was thinking about taking the whole plant back with her to the pack. She ended up decided to do so. She started digging near the base of the bush but carefully because she didn't really want to get her paws too dirt. Because of that it was bound to take some time.

Lumar had been enjoying a delicious snack from a few blueberry bushes.  The French girl found that she did not care if a berry was ripe or not.  It was food... so who cared?  A small part of her wondered how her asset Judas was fairing in their plans.  Hopefully good.  She wouldn't want to loose that asset just yet... she had big plans for him.  Such glorious big plans.

The yearlings thoughts about Judas disappeared quickly though, as the scent of wolf filled her nose.  Oh the foul creature... ruining her day.  Although maybe this could be another asset... just maybe.  although she did not think any wolf was a good one, including this one, wolves were not intelligent in her eyes.  So maybe she could try to use some manipulation.  Lunar began to pad towards the wolf, with a plan forming in her evil little mind.  As the wolf settled into her line of view she raised her voice for the wolf to hear.

"Hello."  She called out in her slurred French accent.  She let a look of sweet young innocence settle into her eyes.  The young not so innocent coyote's tail gave a playful wag.

Kinra continued to dig in the soft dirt, slowly exposing the small roots. This was going to be very time consuming but likely worth it. But the digging was interrupted by the scent of a coyote. She didn't really care much for it as long as mind it's own business. There were plenty of berries around and it was all for animals. She ignored the scent and resumed digging up until the coyote itself approached and greeted the Knight. Kinra simply looked at the creature. She had a complete neutral expression as she tried to guess the coyotes intentions.

Based on her knowledge of them they are not to be trusted. They are too small to put up a real fight so obviously they use a different strategy. That meant this coyote likely wanted something, likely the strawberries. Kinra wasn't going to fall for that little friendly trick, these were her strawberries and she was going to take them back to the pack. The Knight simply spoke "These are not for you." and then went back to digging, thinking that the coyote would just turn and leave. She wasn't here to play games with a coyote, hopefully it understood that.

“Of course those strawberries are not mine.  They are yours.  Berries are plentiful here.”  Lumar remarked with her slurred French accent, very innocently.  Obviously this wolf was so far not complying.  Maybe she could find a way, one way or another.  Her eyes scoured the ground, thinking of what to do  The yearling then glanced back at the other female with innocent determination shinning in her eyes.  The girl began to speak.

“Actually I wanted to offer you something.”  Lumar informed the wolf, now holding a neutral gaze.  Lumar’s gaze cast around the area, as if checking for anyone else around here.  Then continued to speak, with a lie.  “It would go both ways.  Help us both.”  Lumar was a greedy little thing.  So hopefully this wolf would be able to see straight through her, instead of get manipulated, because manipulation never ended well.

Kinra continued to dig for a while until she realized that coyote was still there. She was just going to ignore it since it didn't seem like it was after the strawberry bush she was trying to up root. She resumed digging only for a moment. The coyote was offering something. Kinra simply turn her head to look at the creature once more. Seeing nothing useful she found it hard to believe there was anything interesting the coyote could offer. Nothing! "What could you possibly have that would even come close to interesting me?" She said, Completely believing that there was nothing that could be offered.

However the Knight was still curious in what the coyote had in mind. She wanted to know what nonsense it had to offer. She rose up and stood on four legs with her head up high. She looked at the being then spoke neutrally. "Well, I'm listening." Kinra wasn't patient at all. She knew that this would likely be a waste of time but there was still that small possibly that there might actually be something interesting. The Knight wanted the coyote to spit out the offer now and directly.

The coyote sat down.  Well she would eventually have much to offer, even though right now she had very little to offer or give, but no matter!  She could always lie.  “Well.”  Lumar began.  “I have very much to offer in fact... if your interested.”  The girl offered with a lulling tone to her voice.  “There is much that you could wish for and much that I could give.” 

Lumar’s eyes surveyed the wolf.  She wondered where this wolf was from.  Did she come from Judas’s pack?  No... probably not.  This wolf did not smell the same.  So Lumar decided to ask where this female was from.  “Which pack do you come from Miss?”  Lumar asked.  Then paused a moment before continuing.  “Just curious."

Kinra decided to play the impressed wolf rising her voice up but staying friendly. "Oh, so you are a coyote that grants wishes." But the Knight didn't believe such thing. It always took hard work to get what she wanted. Chances are there was a price to pay for taking shortcuts or trusting a coyote. It asked where she was from but she didn't feel like giving that. Information wasn't free, especially if it's from someone outside of the pack. Even if that info wouldn't mean much, telling the coyote that would feel as if she was betraying Sebastian.

The Knight had something else in mind instead of chasing the creature away. For she thought a little before testing the coyote with it's offers. "Hmm, if you can bring me a male wolf willing to work as a Knight with me and then I'll consider listening to anything else from you. I can't tell you anything until that is done." Kinra went back to her neutral self and returned to dig out the rest of the dirt under the strawberry bush.

Lunar had no idea whatsoever as too what a Knight was, but didn't ask.  She would find one.  She was sure she could.  Hmm... maybe Y or Judas was a Knight.  She'd have to ask them.  Although, then she would have lost her two semi-trustworthy spies in that Pack.  So on second thought she probably would not even try to find a Knight.  Unless she was suddenly inspired for some random reason.  Lamar also found herself wondering why this wolf even wanted a Knight in the first place?  Why would she even need that thing or creature.  There was also the fact that this girl had called her "The coyote who grants wishes".  Even Lumar was pretty sure that she was anything but that.  Yet, the coyote didn't say anything on the granting wishes topic, there was no point in pushing that topic any further anyways.

"Sure, I'll bring you a male wolf Knight."  Lumar began, despite all of her thoughts on deciding that she did not and would not get a Knight.  Still it was better to strike a deal with this wolf, that she could end up regretting  not taking advantage of later.  "Yet, as you can probably guess, I of course want something in return.  When I bring you this Knight that you wish to have, you must repay me by becoming my spy.  If you do not abide to the end of your bargain... then deadly consequences will await you.  Very deadly ones indeed."  Lumar threatened and offered in her slurred French accent.  Then she awaited the wolf's reply to her deadly bargain.

Once she was done digging out the rest of the dirt she spoke. "Right." As expected the whole thing wasn't free but at least now Kinra could see what the coyote was after. Spying could only lead to gathering information. Since the coyote was basically trying to recruit her as a spy that could only mean the creature likely got involved with other wolves as well. At first thought Kinra didn't want anything to do with this anymore but on second thought this all meant that the coyote could have a lot of useful information on other packs. It's shady business, obviously something a Knight should avoid. It would be best to dismiss the creature and end all of this.

Still this was kind of a one time chance, if there was a way to keep up to date with other areas then that would allow Kinra to make better decisions. It's funny to think that her role as a Knight was very favorable for the work of spy. She works with the Alpha and with all other members but it was never for collecting information. Kinra had mix feelings about all of it but in the end why not take advantage of the coyote. "As a Knight I should eliminate you here and now." She said as she approached the coyote by walking all high and mighty. Then she stopped and looked straight into the creature's eyes. "I'm sure I'm not the first you asked. You might just have information that could very much be useful to me, that's the only thing holding me back. If wolves trusted you with the information you give them thanks to your 'spies', you could very well use that trust to cause chaos among packs. That makes you a high threat." Kinra paused for a short moment. "This is your only opportunity to make a real bargain with me, It's your life that's on the line though. And if you ran away I could very easily warn every pack about your spy works. I can let you go and let you do whatever you want freely, I'll even consider helping you out but in return can you give me all that I want?" Kinra believed to have completed cornered the coyote in it's own game.

Hover for translation

 

Lumar listened, but didn’t care what this wolf said very much.  If her cover was blown by this wolf, she would make sure that this female went down to fate alongside her.  “Soufflez ma couverture et vous serez mort avant le matin.” Lumar whispered in her native tongue.  Not caring that this wolf probably had no idea what she just said.  The coyote flicked her eyes to the wolf’s.  Locking eye contact.  She would not let this creature threaten her, that was just a huge no.  The only one that ever deserved to decided what happened was herself in Lumar’s opinion.  No one else.

“Do not threaten me.  It is me offering you a bargain, not the opposite.”  Lumar paused for a moment, before continuing with her slurred French accent.  “I can give and I can take... but I can not and will not be threatened.  It is your life in danger wolf, not mine.  Kill me know!  By killing me though, you will make powerful enemies.  Enemies who could take down a whole pack.  Maybe I’m lying, maybe I’m not, but let me ask you a question.  Are you really sure that you want to find out?”  Lumar still kept a steely eyed gaze, as she stared hard back into the eyes of the wolf.  What she had said had been both lies and truth.  Now though, Lumar was beginning to see no difference.  Only power mattered and she was gaining it.  Still she believed that everything she had said was true, yet it was not.  It could be though.  With time.  Time brought everything.  From power and glory.  To depression and despair.  All she needed was time.  Time.

Everything else the coyote said was total non sense, all of it. Not once did Kinra ever feel threaten by this creature. It having such threatening power was extremely low. The Knight also had plenty of support of her own with Sebastian and all the others. Unless this coyote was an Alpha of the wolf pack it's threats were empty. Kinra was not affected, it's obvious she doubted the coyote. "Even if you had such power I still wouldn't feel threaten by you. I have honest allies, many of them. Bring whatever force you have, we'll crush them." She said calmly.

If threats was the only thing the coyote would give then there was no point trying to make a favorable deal. In conclusion the Knight was better off just killing the thing. "But why risk having a war when I could just end it all here by taking your life away. No one would know and peace would remain." She said as she prepared to lunge at the creature. Unless it had something interesting to offer in order to save itself she would go for the neck and attempt to end the creature's life as swiftly as possible.

This was not working as well as Lumar had planned.  For a moment the coyote was silent.  Like many others worldwide, she feared death.  It was something that she didn’t want to fear, but it just came naturally.  What would it feel like to one moment be full of life and energy and the next moment deprived of everything.  She could not let it happen.  So a quick, flawed plan came to mind.  She hoped this would work.  This had gone to far.  It was time to end this... with no death.  For now at least.

“How about we both just leave quietly right now.  Deal?  That way neither one of us can have the threat of death in our ways.”  Lumar offered, but it was actually an order in her opinion.  She would leave whether this wolf attacked her or not.  She was starting to feel suspicious and felt uncomfortable here.  The coyote took a few steps backwards, as if to prove that she was going to leave now.

Kinra took a step forward after the coyote stepped back. The Knight believed that her own life was not in danger therefore the deal proposed was not favorable for her. However simply letting the coyote go was also more life threatening. Kinra decide to put her last counter offer. "That's unfavorable for me so unless you settle with giving me monthly information I'm afraid I can't let you and your spyworks go free. Assisting me will allow me to tolerate you but if you decided to flee I'll just have a group of wolves hunt you while warning other packs about you." She didn't truly have that power but she did believe that other wolves would help out.

The Knight prepared to jump forward to attack. "What will it be?" She said as she waited for the coyote's final decision. Either it accepts so it could be mostly free or it doesn't which meant Kinra would have to attack.

I’ll leave it up to you, whether or not Kinra gets any hits on Lumar or not.

Lumar stood still for a moment, weighing her options.  She had two choices, two that she didn’t like one bit.  Yet... she didn’t care all that much if someone found out about her ‘spyworks,’ because it’s not like anyone would ever believe that a coyote would go this far... right?  She thought about this long and hard.  Weighing the twi choices.  Finally after five minutes of thinking she knew what to do.  She was certain... yet uncertain too that this was the right choice.  The best choice.  This wolf would not, could not be an asset to her anyways.

She ran.  Lumar spun around a darted, quick as a flash.  As blind fear for her life pushed her faster and faster as she left the scene.  She would need to beware of these wolves much more than she already was now.  Who knew what the wolf would decided if Kinra told them of this encounter.  She would need to be much more wary.

The coyote took it's time and Kinra simply waited, thinking that maybe the coyote would become useful to her. In a split second the creature turned and ran. Kinra just didn't expect it and couldn't react fast enough to catch the coyote. It made a clean escape and there was no way she would want to chase after it with many thorns hanging around. She would just pretend nothing happend however the threat still remained. She doubt the coyote could obtain influential power she was still need to at least warn others just in case. But it didn't feel too important. She turned to pull out the strawberry bush along with it's roots and then began returning to the pack. She already had a place in mind to put it so that would definitely save time. Maybe she'll have the time to hunt down something. Who knows, but it was time to get back on duty.