Not Who I Expected [Kairos]

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[attr="class","finleybody"]Finley made the trip over here. She was tired, limping now. Her pink horns glowed softly as she turned the perception of anybody close enough to see her. They would see a whole dog who moved with only a small hitch in her gait. Not the gimp she was. Snow glittered on her dark fur. She looked towards the path she usually saw Queen Wren emerge from. The path was an opening that was irregularly shaped, eroded from years of spring thaw. Now, it had a powdering of snow strewn in by the wind. She hurried into the safety of the path, sheltered from the gust. The Alpha of Ash River Project sat down, favoring her left paw slightly. She could explain it away as a slouch in her posture from waiting so long though she had just arrived. [break][break] Another group of the poor pack's sick. The Vassals as they called them. She wanted her son to be alive. Finley loved the idea of reanimating the dead, but she hadn't allowed her own pack to put the Flaxrown dogs through any experiments with a high chance of death. All of this was in her plans she had made since she started to pursue the path of leadership. Keep them alive and whole and she'd have more leverage for the moment when Flaxrown finally turned on its Queen. She could introduce herself as the good Alpha of Ash River. The reasonable one. [break][break] She was almost giddy with the thought that everything was running smoothly. That, soon enough, she'd be able to get both Winterwood and Flaxrown on her page. The trip here had been long and she hoped that it would be with this delivery of Flaxrown dogs that she'd get to make her big move. Though she had been moving her chess pieces for well over a year, in the eyes of Canaria, she was a fresh new Alpha. She had to tread carefully. Her motivation for being Alpha was simply so she could have a bigger playground with which to satiate her curiosity. [break][break] The retriever mix sighed. Through years of her scheming and Machiavellian plots, she knew the truth was that others, while predictable, were variables. And variables, though vexing, were interesting. [break][break] Tag: Kairos

[attr="class","finleyname"]Finley Fear me you lords and lady preachers I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine [break][break] Date: January 310

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- Finley  -

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Kairos walked along the path he was directed to, his nose only briefly pointing to the ground to pick up another scent that had traveled it not too soon before him. It would seem that the one he was looking for had already arrived.

He couldn't help but wonder on what note would this meeting place him; his first official day as leader of the new land could very well end in an alliance, a newly made enemy, or anything in between. He wondered if such dire decisions would be everyday life for him; he did take on a pack that was in a lot of turmoil after all. It would be some time before things stabilized out. At the very least, he could count on his plan to be secure.

Kairos walked alone to his meeting. After he had told Wren the plan, he had taken her to a nice human territory to retire while he continued to research further into the affairs of Flaxrown Kingdom and Ash River Project. If all goes well, she just may live the rest of her life there in peace, but for now, he needed her away from the tension of the pack and he couldn't risk the possibility of an emotionally power struggle in this meeting. Fortunately, he had collected an adequate amount of information on the situation. Of course, he would have to get it verified before he could act on it.

Despite all sense telling him to stay focused on the task at hand, the cool winter winds and vaguely familiar to the coastal breezes carried him away for a moment. Vivid memories of heartfelt goodbyes and the promise of exploring the unknown came to mind. The thought seemed to be carried away by the same wind that brought it to him, fading with the final wonder how long would it take to sail from Eeley Seashore around Canaria and to Wither Isle.

"Are you Finley by any chance?" Φsiqe inquired the moment they stepped on leveled ground with the other canine. Ready to cut right to the point as usual.

"My name is Kairos. I believe you have business with Wren of Flaxrown Kingdom," He continued in place of the hasty bot, sitting across from the esper they were questioning with an easygoing smile. "I am here on her behalf for reasons we I will explain momentarily, but first I must know we are on the same page and confirm one thing. The original purpose of this meeting was to receive more ill members of Flaxrown to heal, correct? And also," Kairos nodded over his shoulder to the Chough whose faint humming began to slow until it was absolutely silent. "As a worker for a government registered organization, I am required to video document any conversation conducted in a businesslike manner. Do you consent to being recorded?"

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[attr="class","finleybody"]The dog that emerged out of the labyrinth of the cliff paths was not Wren. Finley had expected the weary Augment, still morning the loss of her son. A situation that the Ash River Alpha had taken advantage of when she was still a Gamma Spy. She saw the love of mother and son as a weak link to infiltrate the pack, and sent one of the spies under her to do the dirty work. Then, she nestled into the heart of Wren, twisted her beliefs in order to make her even fathom that it was okay to send the sick to be healed by Ash River. They were going to die anyways. She didn't realize that the disease was mostly in her head. The retriever mix felt uneasy when she saw the the healthy dog with his well-maintained Chough. This wasn't the dog she had spent the last few months breaking down until she meekly handed over the pack's Vassals over to her. It was a strange notion to the Alpha of Ash River: Spending so much time rehabilitating pack members rather than using them to further the members who weren't struggling with their issues of body and mind. [break][break] She wondered who this handsome male was. She didn't know his intentions, but kept herself guarded. It was the Chough rather than the dog who asked her if she was Finley. They didn't seem surprised to see the lean, tall female dog in the slightest. Which meant that they knew about her. Often times, Alpha Finley of Ash River Project, evoked an image of a strong, powerful male dog. A name for the new leader who still needed to build her reputation. She did the quick logic in her head. They were here on behalf of Queen Wren and, soon, introduced themselves as such. Her heart did a little somersault in joy, happy that her quick and stray thought had been correct and almost immediately confirmed. [break][break] "Yes, I am she," Finley answered. "The new Alpha of Ash River Project. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kairos." Her voice was sweet-sounding, with a cheery lightness to it. It matched her eyes, which looked honest and kind. She looked to the Chough. Carver had a Chough. There didn't seem to be any glitch in the system of this one to take advantage of. She'd have to tread carefully, especially with their intention to record. [break][break] Finley said, honestly, "Truthfully, I'd rather you didn't record our session together. Right now, I'm using one of my abilities to change your perception of me." She lifted her left paw. "My paw is a mangled old thing. I still feel a bit sensitive about it. But if you must record me for your government organization, which I can assume is based in Starlet, then you must. But, just understand, you're making a little lady uncomfortable." She didn't relax her perception abilities and so her pink horns kept glowing, warming and softening the strong lines and angles of her face. She wanted him to think she was uncomfortable. While she fully accepted her gimp foot by now, she had found it was much more useful to keep it hidden. It gave her more room to manipulate others. [break][break] "But sending the sick to be healed to Ash River? Is that what the Queen has told you?" Perhaps he didn't know what he thought he knew. That Queen Wren sent the pack members that were deemed the least useful, requiring some sort of rehabilitation in order to become full-fledged members. All as a sacrifice in order for Ash River to give her something which nobody could give her: Her son back. [break][break] Tag: Kairos

[attr="class","finleyname"]Finley Fear me you lords and lady preachers I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine

- Finley -

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Despite his causal demeanor and steady smile, Kairos was as observant as ever. He noted the confusion and unease at his approach and rapidfire questioning, but that wasn't anything out of the norm. In fact, it is just as common for the initial response to be hostility and refusal to cooperate as it is a nervousness. But what was unusual was how easily she relaxed into a friendly,happy demeanor once he explained that he was here in place of Wren. That was not the reaction of someone who feared they were being charged with a crime and relaxed when they realized they were only being questioned; that was the reaction was of someone who feared they had lost control on the situation and relaxed when they realized they could possibly still have the upper hand. Yes, he had found that the Ash River Project had its fair share of manipulators, and he knew that even someone who seemed as gentle and kind as herself was one he needed to keep guard over.

For a second he was worried that she would refuse to cooperate after all. He didn't see her explanation as an excuse to weasel around legal affairs; it seemed earnest enough. He let out a sigh of relief when she did condone afterall.

"I can't thank you enough. Believe me when I say that getting that "Yes" is the hardest part. I am sincerely sorry for putting you in this uncomfortable situation, but hey-nobody actually goes through all of these videos unless we really screw things up," Kairos started, emphasizing his point by turning to the Chough and sticking his tongue out in a mocking manner before returning his focus to the Alphess. "So lets try not to mess anything up, okay?"

"First and foremost, he have a lot of information that needs to be unloaded before we can get orientated enough to actually conduct business." Kairos continued, stretching his legs. "I think its fair if we continue this game of 20 questions until we are both satisfied with what we learned. I asked you three questions-"

"-and I asked for an identity validation as protocol mandates-"

"-Which means you have two more questions. But yes, the Queen has told me that she has been sending the sick members of her pack to be healed by Ash River in hope for a breakthrough that could help with the reviving of the son and all." He calmly replied. His careless demeanor shifted as he lowered his voice and the furrows in his brow became more pronounced. "To be honest, I think its just a nice story to cover what this really is; using dogs as currency to pay for a shifty service..." and once again, his body relaxed to his standard demeanor. "But lets not get into that. Its still your turn after all."

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[attr="class","finleybody"]Kairos seemed to believe her apprehension was due to being embarrassed about her deformed paw rather than because she had to be more considerate of her words. If he did go back and reviewed the video, he would see that she was being honest about her foot. Her paw was much smaller than the other, twisted at an odd angle. When she was born, her entire leg was permanently bent against her chest, looking like a bird's wing at rest. She could move it at the joints, but the bones were curved. Her legs were broken several times, set straight. By the end of it, she had a usable leg, though much more pain. Perhaps one day, she would divulge that information to him. When it best suited her to do so, of course. An inch of honesty reinforced the best-told lie, after all. [break][break] Her expression brightened when he spoke about the sick being sent to Ash River Project to just being a cover story for something far more sinister. He was a lot more clever than he let on and that excited her. Perhaps he'd be a formidable adversary if she wasn't careful. Finley's horns, which looked just like rose quartz, glowed softly. She smiled playfully. "So, am I being recorded now?" Her eyes looked bright and she gave an easy, cheerful smile as she looked directly at the Chough. In a chipper tone, she said, "For the record: My name is Finley, Alpha of Ash River, and I fully consent to being recorded." [break][break] Then, she turned to Kairos, carefully choosing her words to avoid saying anything incriminating. "So, we have important business to take care of. And I want to cut straight to the heart of the issue: The dogs of Flaxrown. The Vassals. I can promise you that they are fine. I'm sure that Ash River Project's reputation might have had you worried, but it's now under new management: Me. And you'll find I'm not quite as... violent... as Carver was. I hope you do find me civilized." She smiled charmingly. Her words meandered as she spoke. "It's quite a shame, honestly, having the reputation of a once-great pack in shambles... anyways. Now that I've thought about it, I do have a question. Long term, I'll be dealing with you, yes? If so, does that mean you are the new leader of Flaxrown Kingdom?" [break][break] Finley wondered just how far he had talked with Wren. If he really convinced her to relinquish control of her precious Kingdom. Though she seemed interested, she was mostly fishing for knowledge to see just how different the dealings from now on will be. If he would let her keep the Vassals to test on as far as she'd want, she'd love working with him, but she could see in their short interaction that there was an honorable sense about him. That he wouldn't let her use their lives, even for the noble pursuit of knowledge. He was probably would bring Flaxrown to its former ideals in the same way she planned to make Ash River great again. [break][break] Still, she should have expected it. You could only push something so far before it bounces back into shape.[break][break] Tag: Kairos

[attr="class","finleyname"]Finley Fear me you lords and lady preachers I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine

- Finley -

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When Finley questioned Φsiqe, the steady rhythm of its hovering slightly altered to give the impression that the Chough was nodding. It had such a unique blend of artificial and personality that made it eerily on the verge. Would it be rude to not acknowledge it? Would it be weird to treat Φsiqe as if it was his partner? Regardless, it responded with saying "Thank you for your cooperation...also, that is one of your two questions."

"Oh, thats low Φsiqe." Kairos chuckled, shaking his head. "But yes, thank you once again."

Finley wanted to be very precise in how she expressed the words she wanted to say. She wanted to make this meeting as quick as possible to avoid it saying something she would regret. He didn't know how much of it was to be a part of her power game or how much of it was to avoid trouble for things that may be going on. Naturally, his objective was the opposite of hers. A dog like himself had nothing to hide and could probably talk forever. Regardless of who would win in a battle of words, he could at least feel that her enjoyment was genuine. He doubted that this situation would lead to a war. An agreement could most certainly be made.

"It is a wonderful time for a change of direction." Kairos mused. "You are certainly conducting this a lot smoother than the many dogs I had to confront to get here." Kairos chuckled once again. His ears perked when she had muttered about Ash River Project being left in shambles. He could almost feel her frustration in her voice. She was either a top-notch actress and very well earned her crown of Queen of the Heartless or she sincerely regretted that her pack had been marked with the stigma of ruthlessness in the first place. There was this theme of duality that seemed to hang around Finley; what is real and what is not. She knew when and when not to express sincerity and throw a facade to the level where they are nearly indistinguishable. And despite his understanding of this, despite knowing that she had same amount of paws in the events between Flaxrown Kingdom and Ash River Project as the old Alpha if not more, Kairos was a canine with a big heart and optimism that made him assume the best of everyone. Finley would be no different.

He listened to her speak about the Flaxrown Vassals. It was once again an argument that was reasonable enough. She didn't seem like the kind of dog to outright lie, and there was a certain half-truth to what she was saying, as "fine" can be a very flexible word. Perhaps she had done whatever she could to ensure that the poor dogs weren't tampered with too much and "fine" was more on the high range of "in good health". Perhaps they are in physically good condition but have undergone psychological trauma that they may never recover from, in which "fine" would be on the lower range of "in good health". Regardless of what fine was, it most likely wasn't dead, which would have really posed a problem for him.


"A reputation in shambles? Try the pack itself." Kairos snorted. Despite this being a giant chaotic mess, he sincerely was enjoying cleaning it up. He had nothing to really complain about, after all. "But yes, you will be dealing with me from now on. However, I am not the Flaxrown Kingdom leader,..." His lips parted long enough to be in the motions of explaining himself, but he shut them once again with a sly grin. Playing a game of beating around the bush seemed like a fair way to get more information. "So you asked me two and Φsiqe one which means I should have 2 questions...How far is the research on the revival of the dead going and how soon will we be able to see the results of your pack's efforts?" His the ears atop his head shifted and his gleaming eyes focused as the readied themselves to detect the slightest falter. This information would be the game-changer. From here he would have the bare minimum of knowledge he needs to work out his first offer.

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[attr="class","finleybody"]Finley smiled, appearing charmed by his words. It was easy for her to separate emotions from her actions. She didn't really care for other dogs as long as they were either interesting or useful. If she could get this strange new dog on her side, perhaps she could coax even more control from the dogs of Flaxrown. She thought of her mission as growing a fire from nothing more than warm tinder, lovingly blowing on the barely-there embers and providing friction when needed. Ah, this negotiation might turn into a great deal for both packs. She considered herself crafty and artful. [break][break] What would have happened here should Wren had been here instead? Perhaps she could have played around with the experiment of watching a sweet mother descend into a madness that she had helped to create. But for now, the Alpha of Ash River only looked on with her warm, brown eyes. She was easy for most dogs to trust, but Kairos seemed understandably suspicious. She was, after all, a dog who was born and raised in the Ash River Basin. Now, she was the pack's leader. There had to be a reason for that. [break][break] She enjoyed how carefully he proceeded with the questions. Making sure they were doled out evenly between the two of them. Without structure, she might have been able to glean a bit more information than he had wanted to divulge. But this way, it would be harder for her to trick them out of him. Innocently, she asked, "Oh, we're still keeping track of questions asked and answered? I suppose I'm still accustomed to the conversations I had with Queen Wren." She switched gears after her passing comment, finally addressing Kairos's line of questioning.  [break][break] Finley brightened up when he asked her, excited to share the findings with him. "Now, you can't have me reveal every one of my pack's secrets. I may seem like it, but I'm not some naive girl who stumbled into the position of Alpha. I'm a highly respected leader within my pack for a reason. But I will say this: We have had a successful experiment in which a dog was brought back from the dead." She wagged her tail with slow sweeps, brushing the light powder behind her. She didn't mention that the dog had been dead for a few minutes. A powerful shock restarted the heart. The dog suffered severe brain damage. He was alive, if you could call it that. "Of course, there are kinks to work out," she said with a smile. "But, honestly, I don't think that bringing the dead back is the solution to the Queen's problem. Death is death. It happens. Part of life is accepting that, no? I've told her as much. But I simply must say that it has been quite fascinating to see the limits of the body." [break][break] Finley lifted her left paw, which appeared healthy and normal thanks to her abilities. "I would make the trip out here again, but not so soon because of my paw. Anyways, I do invite you to come over to Ash River some time. Especially if you do want to see the results of our work. But I will say this: I only want to make dealings with the leader of Flaxrown. Not a proxy. It's not because I'm trying to be difficult. But because in matters regarding two packs, shouldn't it be leaders who are going to be deciding things?" [break][break] Tag: Kairos

[attr="class","finleyname"]Finley Fear me you lords and lady preachers I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine

- Finley -

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"Ah, you aren't so good at this game, huh?"Kairos joked with a lighthearted chuckle. Finley tended to phrase things in the form of a question, which made things a whole lot easier for him if he was willing to take it that far. He didn't bother trying to guess the authenticity of it; he would just take note of it every time they interacted with each other...provided this wouldn't be the last time. 

For such a bubbly dog, Kairos remained just as still and focused when Finley began to explain the progress. Usually he would be ready to match any dog's enthusiasm when it begins to display as they are speaking about something they liked. And Kairos could tell Finley genuinely liked it; the tail was not always truthful, but it was a hell of a lot more honest than most dog's mouths. After a moment had passed, Kairos gave a thoughtful hum and shrugged his shoulders, relaxing back into his easygoing posture. "I'm with you when you are right. You already know I find the foundation of the deal to be sketchy..."

Kairos was not surprised by Finley's sudden boldness; she was trying to wrap this up. She was tired of this game where he was obviously looking for a clear winner.

"Once again, I'm with you when you are right. So lets make decisions, because a lot of things have happened since you last met up with Wren." His Chough's humming suddenly became faintly audible again, perhaps out of excitement. Kairos cleared his throat and continued. "I don't like the title of liar hanging over my head, so I will go on  and get that out of the way first. I am not here on behalf of Wren. I am here on behalf of two or three Flaxrown dogs who were afraid their 3 or 4 dozen packmates were upset enough to go raid Ash River.  The Wren you know may has well have disappeared off the face of Canaria because the only powerhouse pack in Heartlands is a HERD-allied, government supported hybrid project called Knights of Heartland led by yours truly."

"What a tastefully placed humblebrag, if I do say so myself!"

"You think so? I think it sorta came off a little less dramatic and more asshole-ish..." Kairos seemed to contemplate it for a moment with a worried expression before shaking it off.
" Anyway, I have a pretty murky idea on the conditions in which the former agreement was made, but seeing how both of the leaders of the parties in involved can no longer uphold their ends of the deal, we can override it with a more clear and documented deal. I've gotten enough information needed from you to give my proposition. And you are probably thinking "proposition? but we haven't even negotiated!" and to that, I say because there is no need to.  If you are not as conceited  and even a touch more practical than your old Alpha was, you would know that with our combined resources at hand, even if you rejected my terms, went to war, and came out on top, I would not nearly lose as much as you would. The other reason that we don't need to because I trust that even though you are deceiving me in some way I cannot quite put a paw on, its not in your vision of being Alphess of Ash River and I like the direction. Its a lot better than a war that might let another Carver come into power."

While hints of his joking attitude remained in his voice, Kairos's posture and attitude finally reflected the confidence and seriousness of the traditional brand of Alpha.  While his colorless eyes couldn't show the fire intensity that was inside, it radiated out from his being. 

"So here are my two drastically different propositions;  the first being that I request all but one of the dogs given to you from the moment Ash River and Wren started negotiating until now. The strongest; the most compliant; whatever it be doesn't matter; its your choice. They will be the symbol of our alliance. I will sponsor your pack and suggest individuals that don't aren't of the Knights of Heartland agenda to seek help from your pack, unless I deem them too much of troublemakers for even to be part of your...research. Because of my placement in Canaria and support, I don't need the sponsorship. I only ask that you treat my own dogs as allies for whatever that is for your pack."

"The second proposition is that I take half of back and we continue these routine meetups so that I can have updates on your progression in reanimating Wren's son and the status of the bartered subjects. Unlike Wren, I will not tolerate any secrets being kept when it comes to the status updates. They will be recorded like this one and reviewed for inconstancy.  If ever a problem is spotted in one, or if you are not able to revive Wren's son by the end of spring, then I will request detective research from HERD on the proposal of Ash River an emerging organized crime syndicate. That can be...quite messy."

"It is part of the aforementioned scenario where you two "really screw things up" I do believe?


"Most definitely. And its just a lot of work and then the humans start to get all anxious and it all should just be avoided. But yes, if you do bring the little former-prince back to life, then all our agreement conditions will be met and we can go about our business never having to interact with each other again. And while I have a clear bias on which proposition seems better, I tried to make them as reasonable as possible and in a way that can either altogether avoid or stave off a battle."

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[attr="class","finleybody"]Finley’s smile as he spoke never faded. Nor did the light in her eyes. She wagged her tail softly, even in the small jabs he took at her, trying to play with her pride and greed to manipulate her: “Not good at this game,” the accusation of deception, and the very tempting propositions that she wanted to take, but did not trust the terms of. He was attempting to use strategies that didn’t work on her sociopathic brain. Ones that she could recognize rather than fall victim to. [break][break] She knew the reason for her coldness was the constant use of her abilities to hide her deformity. It kept her emotions at arm’s length. And she believed dogs can only make two kinds of decisions: Emotional ones… and good ones. And she listened very hard at his proposition. [break][break] Finley pouted when she heard that he was not here on behalf of Wren. That he had lied to her and she didn’t catch it. It could easily be read as suddenly being overwhelmed by the truth, as her expressions other than glee were hard to read on her dark face. The Alpha hated being wrong and it did throw her a curveball. Now, she had been waiting for a new King to emerge from Flaxrown and suddenly, there is a new group functioning in the Heartlands. Knights of Heartland. He led it. And they were allied with humans. And… now that she thought of it. She was actually a bit excited. Perhaps they’ll be able to learn of humans. Get access to equipment and knowledge that they could only dream of. [break][break] “It’s Alpha.” She corrected politely. “Please, Alpha Finley, as I introduced myself as.” There was a reason for her correction. It was because she’d rather have dogs that hadn’t dealt with her yet to expect a strong, powerful male dog and get a tall, graceful female. Her name could be either gender, though was more usually masculine. And her title was traditionally always male. She’s expect the mistake to be made more than once. And she’s expect to correct dogs her whole time she led Ash River Project. And she was okay with that. [break][break] The Alpha of Ash River nodded after all that Kairos said and addressed each thing in part. He had crafted the deal assuming the worst of her. He hadn’t realized that she had planned to give all of the dogs back… eventually. She shook her head and chose to go forward with the plan, speeding up the timeline in order to perhaps get access to human-grade equipment and medicines from the Knights. “I accept neither proposition. Again, I’m not being difficult. It’s just that… neither deal sounds very attractive to me nor do they seem the best for Ash River or the Vassals that were given to us. Like I said before: I don’t believe that reviving the Queen’s dead son is in his or her best interest, but our pack is more than willing to give it a go. Again, I do invite you and any in your pack to visit ours if you are interested. No need to send for someone to give status updates when I am not hiding anything. Come and see for yourself when you get curious. Again, I oversee my pack's relations as Alpha and..." Finley held up her paw to remind him. [break][break] “See, Leader of the Knights of Heartland, I simply think you’ve forgotten who has the leverage in this little deal. Sure, you can raze us down for defying us, but isn’t that making you just like the dog whose name you use as an example of the bad to come of this?” It’s a lot better than a war that might let another Carver come into power… “You will not let another Carver come into power as it was under his rule that such a shady deal took place. You want to avoid a war as much as I do because war is expensive in both resources and bodies. [break][break] “But we have all of the Vassals and we are doing the research. In a deal, both sides have something to offer. Please, let me have a say in the terms of our agreement and I think you’ll find that I’m a lot more reasonable and fair than you could have ever considered.” [break][break] The Alpha, not Alphess, of Ash River stood up. Her horns still glowed pink but now her eyes flashed gold as she completely hid her limp with her powers. She could have hypnotised him if she wanted. But then she’d be puking her guts out all the next day just like she had when she did the same to Carver. She approached Kairos, making sure his Chough was recording the information, because he could look over the film later and see her deformed paw. [break][break] “Here is what I suggest: I give back all of the Flaxrown Vassals. All of them. You can ask them about their stay and they'll tell you they were taken care of. Subject to experimentation, yes, but well taken care of. And all you have to do is supply Ash River with human-grade equipment, supplies, and medicines. The benefit is two-fold: Flaxrown gets their Vassals back and we can go further in our research on resurrecting the dead.” Finley smiled. She had been thinking so hard about how she could give the Vassals back without upsetting her pack or keep them while placating Flaxrown. And, she felt that this trade was more than fair. Human-grade supplies and equipment were rarer than experimental subjects, after all. [break][break] Tag: Kairos

[attr="class","finleyname"]Finley Fear me you lords and lady preachers I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine [break][break] [break][break] Can you hear me my peers and privy counselors? I stand before you naked to the eyes I will destroy any man who dares abuse my trust I swear that you'll be mine [break][break] [break][break] Storm the master marathon I'll fly through by flash and thunder-fire I'll survive then I'll defy the laws of nature and come out alive then I'll get you

- Finley -

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Kairos was quite surprised at the correction he had gotten from Finley. It showed with his furrowing brow and nervous smile. "My apologies, Alpha Finley. I guess old habits die hard." Kairos corrected himself fluidly nonetheless. His surprise did not stem from being embarrassed about being wrong, but rather confusion about the inconsistency. At the moment he had met her, especially during the moment he requested permission for recording, she had been laying her womanly wiles on him quite thickly. As sweet as honey and feminine as a doe in spring; she even had called herself a "little lady" and lowered it to "girl" at one point. He had heard her call herself "Alpha Finley", but the way she had acted suggested that she was impartial to being called Alpha or Alphess; if anything she would be flattered by it.

And then it clicked. Suddenly, not only had his confusion been cleared, but all the prior confusion he had held. What he just recognized was not an inconsistency; it was a shift. The color of the chameleon changing to reflect the environment now that the heat had been turned up. 'She is too fluid for her own good.' he thought, unable to help the sly smirk that was starting to turn the edge of his left lip upwards. Now he only wondered was she shedding colors to show her true self or another mask...that and if he could turn up the heat so high that she would get on the aggressive instead of the passive-aggressive.

He listened to her words, nodding and silently mouthing a few to show that he was paying attention and not just glossing over what she had to say. He once again had a look of surprise when she requested human grade equipment. His eyes nearly bulged from his head first, then he burst into laughter. Such brazenness! Such haste! It was almost a little hard to pull himself back together from the laughter, but he did eventually.

"Sorry, sorry its just...yeah. I think we are definitely on two different trains of thought...let me just." Kairos stated,shifting his posture back to his former professionalism and clearing his throat.

"I can't help but notice how fixated you are on Wren; your concern for her well being and understanding what is best for her. I know it must be hard for you, considering that you may have such a strong emotional investment you have with Wren, but as I stated earlier; on your behalf, consider Wren to have disappeared. As far as for me? Wren is only the gauge to see how much progress has been made to the situation between when she had last handled this to when I had last handled this. As far as those who have trusted me in to deal with this situation, just meeting with you without taking any more "sick vessels" to be "treated" is exponential. So whether I bring back all, all but one, or half and what method I go through with to achieve it-with the exception of the rare situation that ends in our decimation and/or no retrieved vassals- I will have achieved what has been requested of me and those who I am here for will be content with it. And thats really all that you have that is the "leverage". In my proposition, I'm saying that you either give me that in this way or I will take it and you get nothing because I neither need nor desire what you can offer me otherwise. At this moment, at least. Not with the dark cloud that floats over your land." Kairos stated quite bluntly. Rolling his shoulders, he continued.

"Which brings us to why I have such an explicit way of wanting things to be done without compromise. As you stated before, your pack has gotten quite an unfortunate reputation, but this event has pushed things from dislike to hostility. In fact, the only thing that is keeping your pack from potentially being ostracized by all of Canaria is how covert its been kept until now. I'm the first "outsider" to be informed. And from an outider's prospective, I can say that you have in no way convinced me you are innocent in all of this. I for one believe that this was an effort on the entire pack of Ash River Project's part to conduct this circus performance of a deal. As for the Flaxtown members? They think you are no better than Carver and want you and the rest of your pack to be burned to the ground. So think of these propositions as tests; they were never meant to be deals because you haven't proven your pack is trustworthy enough to deal with yet. They are putting you on the right path; one being a full time commitment with the potential of great profit and one lasting to spring and will only help you get to a neutral reputation with no profit respectfully if you can meet the terms of it."

"You have offered your honesty and transparency, but it is still under your terms and your control for limited times of surveillance. I'm giving you a test without a cheat sheet, or even a hint that you can prepare for, so that I can either be ensured that you truly mean what you say or that you are the best actor in the world that will never drop the ball; as that would reflect badly on anyone who is committed to being allied with Ash River. Especially things that are hybrid projects in their heavy observation stage." Once the basal had clarified what needed to be said, he let out a sigh of exasperation and continued, more from the heart this time."As I stated earlier, I believe in your vision as Alpha of Ash River to be earnest; but I'm not particularly dumb or charitable." He would definitely be leaving the charity to his father. While Kairos did in his core believe that every person had the ability to do good like his father, they diverged from there. His father was one to think that actions of compassion and support would thaw out their heart. Kairos believed bad would keep doing bad so long as its more convenient. "So maybe when we get on the point where I don't mistakenly call you by the wrong honorific and you see my intentions no better than a megalomaniac's, then to a point where the majority of the dogs in Knights of Heartland go from wishing plagues upon you to "Maybe that Alpha of Ash River isn't so bad", and then to a point in which I can even discuss the highly classified human-technology in question we can actually have your desired deal."

Kairos' head tilted as he pondered over something as an afterthought before he decided he would, indeed, speak it. "But even with all that being said, I suppose it would be unfair of me to ask you to wash your paws clean without showing you mines. As agents of HERD that aren't part of the secret forces, we have to follow a transparency policy; if ever you want any information on an agent, all you have to do is request it and you will receive a transcript. Some business-related information, like this meeting for example, will be a simplified unscripted transcript that would require one to know the date, time, and location it took place in order to get a more detailed transcript. But every one of them is available to the public in some way. And since we are born and raised into the program, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that everything within my entire life is documented for your viewing purposes. If ever you are interested in looking into it, you can ask my little buddy here." Kairos said, shrugging a shoulder to the hovering chough. "Or really any other HERDer you come across. There is at least 4 positioned to the Southlands; two of which I completed my training alongside." As much as he would like to reflect on the good times they shared together, he had business that needed to be conducted. Besides, he could read about it at any time.

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[attr="class","finleybody"]The disrespect he displayed with his laughter surprised Finley. She thought him more professional than this. And it only showed her that he wasn’t as experienced. “Well, perhaps if you can’t even pretend to respect me and my pack, then why should I even bother being here. Why waste my time coming here? Why waste the pain? I see it for what it is, even if you refuse to.” She put a little bit of exasperation in her voice, though she was emotionally distanced to the entire situation. She wasn’t angry, but she wasn’t going to be completing a deal with a dog who didn’t even attempt to give Ash River a fair deal. [break][break] Take the Vassals, force you to work for us, under surveillance, progress reports... Finley knew that agreeing to that deal, even the better deal he offered would have been showing Canaria that Ash River was a meek little lamb, obedient now that the bloodthirsty dictator was gone. And the last thing she wanted was for her pack to miss Carver. Kairos arrived to this meeting under false pretences and was now throwing around demands. Claiming they had no leverage, yet demanding their resources and offering none of his own. Did he really think she’d lay down and take it? [break][break] “Ash River Project isn’t some outcast pack that deserves to be snuffed off of the face of Canaria, Kairos. I love my pack.” And that much was absolutely true. “But no, Kairos, you don’t speak for all of Canaria. But I promise that my pack would be more pleased to be martyrs after the Hell of getting rid of Carver than we would to bow down to whatever demands you bark at us without a single shred of consideration for us. So, the deal you are offering, in no uncertain terms is… we give you Vassals and you don’t kill us? I think, in this case, I’d rather gamble that Canaria will see this meeting for what it is: A bully trying to muscle a weary pack into doing what they want. A pack who had just fought through its own dark times and is attempting to reclaim its identity and repair its reputation. You’ve recorded it. It’s public record. I have a feeling I won’t have much trouble finding allies.” [break][break] Passion would fit in this moment, Finley thought to herself, because right now, emotions did not come from her heart, but her head. She could put fire and pride in her words. Perhaps that could evoke something in Kairos. Have him reconsider his orders, if these were orders he was following. [break][break] “So, no. I will not usurp a dictator and promise my pack that I will regain Ash River’s glory only to sell it to save myself just so I won’t be called another Carver. Just so a human-allied pack of dogs can say, Perhaps I won’t kill these dogs. I am not here to take your unannounced and unfair tests. I was here to talk with Wren--a Queen you are so quick to say has disappeared, a dog I honestly care about… You told me to consider her disappeared, as if that would make me feel better. What have you done with this grieving Queen? And… yet, you consider Ash River to be full of monsters that need tamed, plagues wished on them. Please. Make the recording of this meeting public. Honestly, at this point, I don’t want to give the Vassals back. They are living dogs. Dogs we have taken care of and I would not want for one second to give them back to a pack who thinks so little of us and what we do. Because these were dogs who were broken and are now on the mend. Was it really so much to ask for recompense? Especially when you want us to continue down the path of reviving the dead without giving us the resources to complete our mission?” [break][break] Finley spoke as if she was a kind-hearted female. Lies came easily from truths. Verily, Ash River was struggling to right itself after the assassination (still not publicly announced) of Carver. And the Vassals were in one piece. A few better than when they arrived. A few worse. A few the same. The lie was in how much she cared. She cared nothing for the Queen except to see how crazy she could stir her mind. She cared nothing for the Vassals except to see how she could use them. She cared nothing for the pride of Ash River except to turn it into a playground for her to explore her curiosity. And she played the emotions expertly. She knew what they felt like, but was numb to them. Sociopathic for as long as she used her powers to hide her paw. A long term effect from bending perceptions. [break][break] She sighed. “I will resume this negotiation when you and the Knights of Heartland aren’t so ready to see us as adversaries, but as fellow dogs. Wish a plague upon us? Taking tests? If you already decided my pack deserved to die unless we do as you ask, then obviously, you weren’t ready to have an intelligent conversation with me about the future of my pack and these poor Vassals caught in the middle.” [break][break] She raised her brows inquisitively, her expression looked raw and honest. An act because her heart was empty. “Does it make sense now? Why I refused your deals? Before you even came here, before a single word was uttered, you had decided that you were above us.” She was careful not to show him disrespect. Not to incite him, but to explain, passionately, almost tragically, why her pack deserved his respect. Finley could see that he was a good dog. That he had a good head on his shoulders, but she didn’t want to continue negotiations in this manner. She got up to leave the scene and moved with a stumble. [break][break] The Alpha sucked air through her teeth with the pain and lifted her paw to take the weight off of it. Her horns still glowed softly, the pink light reflecting on her glossy fur. It showed that she was still using her powers to hide her paw from Kairos. The snow powdered her dark coat. [break][break] ((OOC:Perhaps Kairos helps her home and they learn a little bit more about each other?)) [break][break] Tag: Kairos

[attr="class","finleyname"]Finley Fear me you lords and lady preachers I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine [break][break] [break][break] Can you hear me my peers and privy counselors? I stand before you naked to the eyes I will destroy any man who dares abuse my trust I swear that you'll be mine [break][break] [break][break] Storm the master marathon I'll fly through by flash and thunder-fire I'll survive then I'll defy the laws of nature and come out alive then I'll get you

- Finley -

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Kairos never thought for a moment that taking on a responsibility like this one was going to be easy. Fortunately for him, it was the thrill of the challenge and the possibility to create something amazing by the likes that Canaria has never seen was too overwhelming. This was, in fact, the first stepping stone to that future. Whether it would be rocky or smooth was the question.
Finley seemed upset that he laughed at her ridiculous deal. She probably saw it at as a blatant disrespect. She probably didn't know all the proper processes and transactions that went into pulling off even half of what she was proposing. Kairos couldn't be bothered to explain it even if he wanted to; as he had alluded to earlier, even discussing the technology with canines outside of HERD was classified. Thats not to say he wouldn't be pulling some strings if given the opportunity; for whatever reason he thought she could have him pull those strings for her own pack before he could his own was bad.
But coming from her own mouth? It was worse than bad. Not because Carver was such a terrible person; the ambivalent feelings regarding everything from Wren to their leader, the inconsistencies in information from when they initiated the conversation to when he revealed himself, and the loaded and melodramatic scolding that only further emphasized point A and B....if he was to believe every word of it was honest truth, Kairos wouldn't deal or make a promise with a leader so clearly emotion and recollection volatile.
"Hey, I already said my apology. You can chose to believe me or not when I say I mean no disrespect; but just because I'm laughing and smiling doesn't mean I'm the one here who thinks this is a game." The dogo answered her question with a shrug.

"And you are right; I do not speak for all of Canaria. But I will point out that I'm unaffiliated to Flaxrown Kingdom or Ash River Project. I benefit nothing from wishing a plague upon a pack who never personally did me wrong; that was a notion already planted, watered, and taken root over many days of turmoil before I had even known about either packs. That was how things were when I got there. I had already explained that much and I'm not really going to repeat myself; but I'm assuming you were trying to twist my words to make a point rather than being accurate. However, if it were true, I wouldn't be here alone to talk with you since I'm not the only one who would have had these feelings. Seeing as how I don't feel that way, I wanted to hear your side of the story, and I wanted to do it in a way that wouldn't incite an attack if things went wrong, I am here alone. I also have no doubt that you love your pack; but you must think very little of every other dog if you think making this video public to share your grief and my "awful bully tactics" will erase every inconsistency in both information and heartfelt testimony regarding the situation from their minds. I came out here to hear your side and I'm thinking that your excuse is lukewarm at best. I can't be the only one to see it that way, since you have brought in the hypothetical situation of speaking to the public,lets address it, shall we?" Kairos said, looking over to Φsiqe to bark a friendly hello.

"Now, I won't take your road and opt for empathy appeal to my crowd; go on and on about how what feelings you have in this one short announcement of Wren's disappearance are what dozens of canines have been experiencing for weeks in a multitude far beyond what concern can develop from talking and taking from a grieving dog that, from what I can tell, rendered no concrete results. Just more words and more vassals taken. In fact, you have acted surprised when I said that Wren told me they are being healed and admitted to the fact that they have been experimented on. Or maybe I could just point out that you were the one talking to her. Even if it was entirely the previous Alpha's idea in which was left ultimately in the dark of how it would end, you had a hand in directly enforcing it...which in itself creates a plethora of contradictions and implications that my head is swirling to wrap around. Or we can talk about the contradictions and inconsistency like how you have had a breakthrough on reanimating the dead without human-grade technology but need human-grade technology to complete your research on a deal that was made without it or the knowledge of possibly receiving it. But my campaign is not a mud smear." And that was Kairos' very own truth. She had twisted his words quite wittingly, but he had still gotten the upper hand on her by hiding his identity. The contrast between what she was saying when he was just a Wren proxy and when he had established otherwise was too strong.

"You love your pack, but you should acknowledge that what transpired between Flaxrown Kingdom and Ash River is now a part of its history-a history you are a highly active part of- and falls on the pack as a whole, not just the Alpha, because it took at least one to make the plan and more than one to execute it and keep it going. Even I, who had noting to do with what happened and am trying to make an entirely different pack with a different mode of operation have to deal with it because it, so I don't understand why you think being a "victim" of your own pack leader excuses that, especially if you are claiming you have what it takes to be the new Alpha now and not before it had gotten to this point. It also involved members outside of the pack, another pack itself, which is a very sensitive subject that was handled in an insensitive way and created an even bigger mess. Just because I'm holding you accountable for what happened and saying that I wouldn't give a single investment to how its standing now doesn't mean I'm looking down on your pack and I don't think its worth investing in later. As I've said repeatedly now, I think you are trying to move in the right direction; but I want to see you make that move first, especially now that my thoughts are wavering a little. Seeing how you feel returning vassals to their normal lives for resources as a "fair trade" doesn't help. Are you asking for payment for healing them? The payment was experimenting on living beings who didn't ask to be put in that situation and forgiving the unspoken apology. So yes, they are living dogs, but they were also living dogs before they were in your pack's "care"."

Kairos sighed, looking over the cliff. The sky was beginning to tint into beautiful oranges and yellows. How he would have loved to be on a dock in Flaxrown watching the sun set at the moment. Or just getting a drink of water; he was getting quite parched from all this talking. But he would have plenty of time to do that. Rolling his shoulders once more, Kairos face Finley once again, tone warm and lighthearted as ever; not that it would matter.
"I'm out here because I think that the former Flaxtown Kingdom members really don't want war, but they don't just want their vassals back; they want an apology. An apology that they can see and not get word of mouth about for once. And I think that rather than an apology it would have been awesome form an alliance where dogs who had been traded away, experimented on, and torn from their normal lives are actively seeing Ash River evolve into something good; seeing as thats how you get such dogs and their packmates to stop looking at Ash River as adversaries so better negotiations can happen as you wish. But I don't like what I have been hearing,and talking to you in person makes it seem even more suspicious of the idea that this happened because Carver was especially cruel and that is in fact what you want rather than how you can break even from a mess that you was part of creating. At the same time you don't believe my motives, or my mode of operation, or all of the above. I'm not going to stake my resources on this as is; and if you don't want to show that isn't the case, feel free to send the Vassals back no strings attached. No alliances and nothing other than wishing you the best of luck."


((Hmmm, I dunno. You could make an effort to move it in that direction but as it stands, things aren't going well enough that Kairos would even think she would want him to. ))

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[attr="class","finleybody"]Finley stopped and listened politely to his words. She felt like she had befuddled him enough. That she threw the whole kitchen sink at him and, other than that, she really didn’t want home alone in the middle of Winter with her gimp foot and nothing to show for the trip out here. Well, at least, from her outburst, she got him thinking about Ash River's perspective in these things. But she needed more than that: She wanted to bring him back on her turf. Show him how different Ash River was now that she was the Alpha. And the way things were going, she knew she’d lose him before she got to that bit. Time to switch gears. [break][break] She was well aware of the psychology that supports decisions. The harder one has to fight for the choices they make. The harder one has to work to get to the end, the more they believe in it. It was one of the many mental biases that any intelligent organism had. Anything with a shred of thoughts. Hopes. Dreams. Motivations. She had experimented with enough dogs to understand simple things like this. So, how hard did she have him work for this? How frustrated did he get? [break][break] She played the expression of weary shame. She looked at her paws, focusing on the deformity that only she and the Chough could see. As if it tugged at her heart to be an accomplice over this whole debacle. Despite the fact that she completely orchestrated it. Though she must admit that his appearance was a wrinkle in her plan. A delightful one. She enjoyed his company. He was cunning. And she wanted to see what his human-based training entailed. And perhaps get some human-grade equipment later on. [break][break] Finally, she said, “You’re right. We have to change something.” She turned herself around and caught him with a baleful expression in her eyes, which she quickly softened to something like resignation. She wanted it to seem like it was hard for her to say this. Like it was against every fiber of her being to relinquish anything to him. “I want to give them back. Honestly, I do. But… I just thought I could get something for my pack. Something more. So, consider this what it truly is, Kairos.” She paused for effect, but made it seem like she was searching for the right words. “A leap of faith?” Her voice was sweet and hopeful, a little defeated. [break][break] She sighed and lifted her paw. “Consider this an olive branch... And an apology.” Her horns stopped glowing as she released him from the use of her powers. She let him see what it was that was so wrong with her foot because he had revealed a lot about who he was, probably when he didn’t want to share that much. Did he want to tell her that he was part of a human-allied team of dogs? Probably not, but she needed to reciprocate that if they were to have any sort of relationship that was more than business because it was in the relationships that true leverage was. [break][break] Her paw was twisted the wrong way and the only reason her leg was straight enough to walk on was because it had been broken and mended multiple times when she was a puppy. She walked on the calloused edge of her foot, worked to be somewhat usable in that she could run, but it hurt. She could jump, but it hurt. And in the end, she had seen a three legged dog manage life in a much easier way than what she ended up with, but she had to marvel at how close they had come to making her whole again. “We’re not using lives willy-nilly, Kairos. See, I was once a Subject, too.” That much was true. “This is why I love my pack.” And her pink horns started to glow again and her paw appeared whole and perfect again. [break][break] ((OOC: Yay, cooperative Finley!)) [break][break] Tag: Kairos

[attr="class","finleyname"]Finley Fear me you lords and lady preachers I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine [break][break] [break][break] Can you hear me my peers and privy counselors? I stand before you naked to the eyes I will destroy any man who dares abuse my trust I swear that you'll be mine [break][break] [break][break] Storm the master marathon I'll fly through by flash and thunder-fire I'll survive then I'll defy the laws of nature and come out alive then I'll get you

-Finley  -

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Kairos saw Finley deflate. He initially thought it was because of his alternative option to have out of any deal, but she surprised him when she finally spoke. It wasn't what she had done that surprised him; he caught her in a web of lies and deceit. The only options are to try to lie and deceive your way out or come clean about it. She was mature enough to chose the later, and if he hadn't observed that much before he wouldn't be making any propositions like the ones he had in the first place. It was how she went about it. He didn't say a word when she spoke and she began to reveal the twisted and imperfect limb she was forced to support herself on in life, only straightened his posture and observed with soft eyes. How could he say anything? He hadn't anything like it he was delicately selected, monitored, engineered, and managed by an expert team of humans to ensure that from conception to adulthood he, his siblings, and even his parents and ancestors would be perfect by HERD standards. He couldn't imagine the feelings; both physical and emotional, of being impaired, and though he had been trained on it, his psyche was strong enough for him to know that no training could bridge that gap of experience and life; it is part of what makes her unique from him and gives birth to identity.

Whats more, he wasn't quite trained to handle it in this way. There were many things he was trained on, and quite a few of them he felt he was excellent at. Jumping into burning buildings and searching for living beings? Piece of cake. Convincing humans with weapons not to kill each other or him until a proper authority can sort out the situation? Too easy. Ushering the evacuation of masses to safe zones during disasters? He could do it in his sleep. But the consequence of it was that when someone presented him with their problem or ailment, his impulse was to help them. His first thought -the one that nearly left his mouth and was surprised Φsiqe hadn't blurted out anyway- was that if she was willing to pretend to be the primary working dog of a human business such as farm help or hospital therapy dog for an extended amount of time, he could probably arrange for her leg to be examined and treated. It was a ridiculous notion for many reasons; because it would be lying to the organization he worked for, because she was an Alpha and was too busy and dignified to go through with that commitment, hell, because that wasn't her intention at all when she revealed her leg. It was just a part of him to be that way; more so than many other HERD dogs who were as impulsive but at least could discriminate between a dog that directly benefits humanity from an independent one. It was why he felt a strong need for this pack to exist, even if it would only open doors of hardship and struggle in his future. 

"Right..." He finally spoke, rather distantly before shaking his head and rising to his feet. "Well...in any case, you don't have to convince me necessarily. I think that my first option will do you well in convincing others. It will take time, but eventually all the dogs will more than just come around to Ash River; despite the anguish and wrath I was introduced to, I can tell they are a compassionate bunch who will see your love for your pack as something to get behind."

Of course there was that lingering question of what did she mean by being a subject. Had an Ash River experiment made her that way? Had her leg been worse before and they were treating it? Had she had no leg at all? None of these questions were appropriate at the moment to bring up, as it was a sensitive subject. Maybe in time he will find out.

"I also think it is time to wrap up this meeting. Its getting late, dark, and cold. Definitely not something one wants to make a long trek back though." Kairos said with a chuckle. "We can walk and conclude at the same time if you would like. Φsiqe?" He questioned, looking back at the unmoving watcher.

"Hmm? Oh, my apologies. You two have been talking for so long that I just went into sleep mode."

Kairos wasn't quite sure if the chough was being snarky or simply stating a fact. He dogo simply snorted in reply and began the travel down the cliff.

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[attr="class","finleybody"]Pink horns glowed faintly as Finley started her trek down the cliff paths. She limped as she walked and looked back and saw Kairos there, with her. She was quite aware of the effect that her power had on her psyche. She knew that the more she used it, the less she cared and the more empty her soul became. That small reveal she gave him, showing him that twisted foot of hers, it wasn't enough to undo what she had done to herself. No, she'd have to spend longer without the glow of her crystal horns before she'd get her heart back. [break][break] "That sounds adequate," Finley agreed cheerfully to Kairos's suggestion that they conclude on the way down the cliffs. She shifted her weight a little bit so that she limped a little less and her gait appeared almost normal, though one could detect that her steps were a little off-beat if they studied her. Finley knew that this shift would tire her more, but at least it would hurt a little less. She wasn't a vain dog as a rule, but she knew that having others believe she was vain and acted on pride made it easier to deal with them. If she wanted to, really wanted to, she could beg on her knees and cry for salvation if that was the best path without hesitation. It was just that being a leader and the face of a pack which was proud of itself complicated manners. [break][break] "You know, I've held many ranks in my life. Not that I'm necessarily mercurial. Simply... curious. And I won't apologize for my passion. Only my rudeness. Mea culpa. I think a bit of passion is quite healthy." She glanced at him, her eyes flecked with the gold of her powers. She shared simple truths about herself, things that he probably had been able to surmise so far in their interactions. She was not a simple-minded Alpha who came across her rank because nobody else would take it. She had pushed and pushed for this rank. Though, he seemed to still be under the impression that she was here for the pack's sake rather than her own. If anything, the rise of Ash River was simply so she'd have more room to satiate her strange curiosity. [break][break] And her interest in Kairos and what he was building in Flaxrown Grasslands--namely, the Knights of Heartland--seemed fascinating to her. Perhaps she'd have to send a spy among him to learn of the inner workings of a human-allied pack. An action which would have no malice behind it. Just the same passing interest she held for trivial things. Like finding where the river's water was the sweetest or just how far a dog could mutate before they were no longer a dog or just how mad a Queen could become before her own pack rejected her or dissecting the soft palate of a brachycephalic dog. She paused, perhaps Kairos would be free to share the information if she simply asked. [break][break] "How much would you share of what you know? My pack's always welcomed guests. So, you are always invited in my territory, Kairos. We'll hide nothing from you." Her words were true for the most part, but that last sentence was an outright lie. There was a lot that they'd hide. There were horrors that Ash River would delight in that would never see the light of day. Things kept in the hidden corners of the pack's territories. But she also knew better than to do evil for the sake of evil. Finley never saw herself as an evil creature. Merely one who thought morals often got in the way of progress. "I suppose it would be too much to ask if you'd offer the same, yes? Given that we are on some sort of probation." She smiled light-heartedly. "I can't wait until I prove Ash River Project to be changed. For the time being, would it be too much to pick your brain if you were to visit? Compare notes? I'd rather we have a rather amiable and..." She sought the right word. "...organic relationship rather than one of inspections and reports."  [break][break] Tag: Kairos

[attr="class","finleyname"]Finley Fear me you lords and lady preachers I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine

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