Redsand Canyon nom nom nom
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#1
Random Event 

Fleet-footed Aiofe stole across the borders as quick as a fox, taking care to roll herself in the old markings as she came upon them. 

She carried the smell of these foreign dust-dry wolves as she danced along the cliff's edge - seeking a meal, a cache, with the vain hope that this masking tactic would be efficient.

It would only take a minute or two; the risk seemed minimal to her, from what she had gleaned of these people.
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#2
It was unfortunate for their intruder that Arsenio had made himself an active presence on their borders. The Greek man had carved many paths, discovered numerous ways to traverse the terrain, and he had found himself feeling stronger with the courses that he set for himself.

The masking of the foreigner might have worked, but Arsenio had been placed on high alert. He had anticipated that Ramesses would visit them, would try to force his entitled opinions and needs upon Mereo. When the mercenary caught the scent – no matter how faint – of the stranger, he bristled and charged into a search.

When his eyes fell on a pale, red-marked figure, he could not help but to believe that it looked to be a wolf Ramesses would treasure, would call beautiful. Arsenio lunged for the intruder, glacial eyes dancing with pent up rage.
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#3

There wasn't much for her to find. No time for it; soon as the faintest scent of dry meat was detected, there was something greater to sweep it aside.

The man came - a crackling fire, singing teeth that clipped over her head first, then everywhere somehow. A low sweep of her body barely saved Aiofe.

She gave up the hunt to save herself. It would not be enough to avoid the pursuit of this man; a conflagration of malice. She whined and moved as best she could, but felt the strike of teeth across her skin.
an hour of wolves and shattered shields
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germanicus had withheld his own annoyance upon the matter of ramesses' visitor.

his reasons for being upon the border were simple: the advent of season and women in it had made him acutely aware that his own wife would soon be in their number.

the whine from the stranger heralded his own arrival. arsenio dominated the scene. the imperator moved to assist, aiming to slam his body into the intruder.
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The woman was swift!

Arsenio laughed mercilessly as she ducked out of reach of his glinting teeth. The whimper that fell from her mouth did not spark guilt in the mercenary. He had many things to protect in Mereo. It did not matter if this fire-touched creature had come searching for scraps or for a place in their ranks. They had done it wrong.

The Roman appeared in the blink of an eye. Arsenio caught his gaze for only a moment as the dark man charged into the fight with the intent to stop their fleeing target.

The redstone mercenary aimed a sharp snap of his teeth for the retreating figure’s rear ankle.
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Oftentimes where there is smoke there is fire, though in this case the smoke came after.

Teeth vied for a piece of her. When she moved to flee there was only a wall of black to stop her, and the slicing of fangs in to her hock...

A shriek as she buckled and became a puddle against the dirt. Eyes wide and pleading to them both: spare me!
an hour of wolves and shattered shields
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it was over as swiftly as it it occured. germanicus stood near and exchanged a long look with his brother-at-arms.

spies? already?

"who sent you?" the man demanded in a rough voice that he would have kept only for the company of other soldiers. he did not care that she begged for mercy or was a woman. germanicus had learned not to underestimate a soul.
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The intruder buckled, spinning to look at them with pleading in her eyes and on her face. Arsenio towered over her, ready to use his teeth again if she should try to wriggle away. Germanicus stood beside him and did not hold back from snapping at her, demanding answers for why she had been sent to their canyon.

Arsenio felt his lip curl over his teeth, but he did not strike the woman again. He waited to see if she would speak to the Roman and answer his question.
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They had her surrounded.

The smoke asked for answers. Aiofe was distracted by the pain in her bloodied ankle and curved her body to inspect it, dabbing red with her tongue.

If she understood she gave no indication.
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she did not answer.

germanicus had one of three options: to release her, to bring her to ruenna, or to begin his interrogation.

she held no scent of ramesses. but there was also no reason to trust her.

allowing the woman to leave might bring down a greater force onto their heads. bringing her into the canyon would let her eyes see their number.

he snapped forward again, aiming a hard strike that might render her unconscious if it landed along her skull.

a fourth option.
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The intruder did not answer him.

She moved to lick gingerly at her wounded ankle. Arsenio stared at her in wonder, surprised that she wouldn’t speak for her life, that she didn’t understand the gravity of her situation. The Greek man glanced up toward Germanicus and frowned thoughtfully.

Perhaps she is simple, he remarked with a small nod toward her.

The Roman did not appear to care. He moved to strike at her skull – a motion that Arsenio believed would incapacitate her without killing her. The mercenary stepped back to see if his strike would find its mark.
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The swift motion towards her caused Aiofe to duck, flash her teeth, lick the air; signs of warning mingled with submission.

It mattered little - the dark man had aimed with purpose, and down she went, asleep against the dust.
an hour of wolves and shattered shields
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"she is. and perhaps starving besides." it explained why she had entered the canyon despite the borders. but it was a vast place still.

the imperator rolled his shoulders with a cut of breath. "we will take and leave her outside the sunspire." he thought of their numbers and the extra strain aquene might acquire being handed a patient who could not yet contribute, or perhaps would not wish to do so.

but he did not move to seize her yet. the eagle looked level at the greek, inviting his opinion.
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One strike and the intruder had fallen still.

Arsenio watched her, unsure what would best suit their needs. The mercenary could not help but feel that if they carried her out of the canyon and left her outside of the mountains, she would only scurry back in hopes of finding food again. Would they continue to chase this strange little being from their canyon, each time?

What if she comes back? Would it not be better to keep her… see if she will work?

Worse yet, Arsenio thought of Ramesses setting his hungry gaze on her soft features, the curious coloration of her pelt.

What if Ramesses gets his claws in her?
an hour of wolves and shattered shields
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"i had considered that bringing beyond the borders might reveal us to someone who cannot show their loyalty."

he looked at the downed woman with a thoughtful expression. "she might be a burden, one we cannot afford. either way she would be in the responsibility of lady ruenna while she recovered."

another young woman. if malila joined the auxilia, perhaps this one might be the only one for which a match might be found.

"if ramesses found her it would be one more diversion for him before he set his sights on mereo." it was a cold answer, but germanicus could not be asked to care about those not inside their walls. 

the other was inclined to keep the woman. germanicus straightened. "we will inform the other soldiers and keep her beneath a guard while we decide what should be done." it was his final compromise. he did not want to keep her. but arsenio's words reminded him that this was not a choice he should make alone.
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Germanicus had his reasons. He responded in the way a soldier would.

Arsenio nodded his head and shrugged. He couldn’t be bothered with showing mercy for the stranger, not if she would bring trouble to their people. The Greek man did not know her. He only thought that she seemed too simple to be held accountable, or to be set free in the wilds. Considering what Germanicus had shared, he did not feel compelled to push the matter.

I’ll drag her along, then, he suggested.

The man bent to take her scruff in his teeth. The blue of his eyes found the Roman’s gaze. Arsenio offered a small nod. He was sure that the Imperator would find the right answer for the stranger. He did not anticipate that it would leave her in too great of a risky situation.