LOCUST POCUS!

Kadal's green eyes blazed with annoyance as he dragged to complaining dog into the Farm. He had tripped over a root as he escaped and supposedly broken his leg, and now the Alpha was reduced to dragging the golden canine to Gaoth. As soon as he released him, Locust seemed to recover and sprung to his paws, making a run for it. In a flash, he was pinned again, and this time the Alpha's fangs around his white throat. There was no surprise in Locust's eyes. He knew the instinct of a wolf, and had suspected he would be caught. But hey, anything was better than this right? What was this anyway?

OOC: F-PHAIL :D

Gaoth was there in an instant, hearing the scramble of fur on fur, and growls becoming evident from Kadal. Up on her roof, she could see and hear anything for what seemed like forever.

Padding forward on silent paws, she met the eyes of Kadal's dog. She frowned, "Kadal, must we really resort to violence for a single word with loners?" She forced herself to use logic and strong words on the Alpha, so she would at least seem like she knew what she was doing, as if she had wisdom far beyond her years. And hey, maybe she did. But in these times, she felt like a stranded pup.

"This is not just a loner. This is the lowest scum that can be found in this place. This is your spy." Kadal's claws where digging into Locust's scalp, causing him to give an involuntary yelp. Disgusted, he let the wolf-dog go, throwing him towards Gaoth. "He's your problem now. I'm going back to my clearing." With one last cold glance at the gold canine, he walked away, grumbling to himself.

Gaoth sighed, standing up before the loner. "Sit up. I only want a word with you." She said calmly, her cool blue gaze sweeping over him. He seemed capable enough, fit and fast, not faster than Kadal, but that was fine. He seemed well fed, so he could hunt for himself. And smart, if he was a spy, he had to be smart.

Locust glanced at the dog in front of him. "There's a lot of canines who 'just want a word with me.' I'm not exactly the most loved character round these parts." He gave his paw a lick, rubbing the side of his face. "I've done a lot of things others don't like, and they are going to kill me if they ever catch me. But of course I'm too quick to be caught by them, much smarter than most of em too. Now, what would you want? I've got a human back at town to deal with, and I was about to go investigate before that wolf came and dragged me away, so you'd better make it quick."

Gaoth nodded, "Understandable. I suppose a canine of your standards has a busy life." She narrowed her eyes, abandoning the nice, polite gestures. "What do you know about a white wolf called Kestrel?"

"Kestrel? He's an outlaw, a previous member of the Shen. He's gathered a pack of killers, supposedly trying to take over the forest. Now I think that's a little cliché, he appears to be a wolf with big ideas. It seems to be something to do with the Gods, but you probably already know that. Something you don't know? He has no base camp. His pack occupy the lands beyond to forest and he has several different camps."

Gaoth nodded along to the pieces and bits she knew already, the information already crammed into her mind. But the Gods? That was intriguing, if not a bit curious. She leaned forward a little. "Really now? Is there any possibility in I getting you to spy on him just for just a little longer?" She grinned, her eyes narrowing. The white dog felt smart and cynical, finally getting the upper hand in the strategic battle. Of course, this dog could always go and tell on her, but she had nothing to tell. Besides, she wouldn't tell anyone her ideas or her plans.

"Spying? I prefer the term 'observing.'" Locust grinned. "What's it it for me Gaoth? I'm risking my life here, I'll need something in return. Locust does nothing for free."

"Fresh deer for the next two moons. I'll even throw in a hare here and there." Gaoth threw out just as quickly as Locust could stop talking. She couldn't wait for more information. "A fawn if you can find out what he plans to do with the Gods." Why not? Now that she's really tried it, she found she loves hunting. She'll tell Kadal what's going on so he doesn't get spooked by the loss of deer on his territory.

"A break from hunting? Why not." Locust smiled. He loved tracking and the actual chase, but he had never felt comfortable killing the prey. "I'll do that."

Gaoth flicked her tail, an agreement that the deal was set. "Good. Now, when should I expect my information and where do you suppose, I should drop off this payment?" She asked, her grin gone. She'd give him a deer every three days. A deer would easily last that long, even for the hungriest of dogs. A fawn would be the bonus once she gave him what she wanted. It'd be harder to find this early in spring, but she'd manage.

"Leave it in the School playground. My eh... associate, will receive it, though he might not be there the first time.We still have to deal with this human that suddenly appeared the other day." Examining his claws, the golden half-wolf glanced casually over his shoulder, out of habit more than fear. "There's rumours it almost killed a loner the other day, and we'll get rewarded good if we get rid of this inconvenience. First come first service. Start leaving the food next week, and as soon as it arrives I'll start towards Kestrel's lake camp."

ooc: Sorry for butting in, but I just have to say that I adore Locust's...Locust-ness.
X3

ooc: It is epic, I will admit. :D

Gaoth stood up, nodding. "Very well, we've made business. It's an official deal then?" She narrowed her eyes, if he was unsure of anything at all, she wanted to make it very clear that if he crossed her, he would feel it. A lot.

OOC: Heh. He's more fun to RP than Kiluar's stubbornness :D There's a lot of speech involved normally though >.>

"Hey hey, no need to look at me like that! I might be wanted, but I'm reliable. Most of the time anyway." Shaking his head, he looked up. "It's a deal. Oh, and one more thing. I'd like freedom to wander near the territories. I get chased out too often for my taste."

The dog nodded calmly, "I will talk to one of the Alpha's and get back to you on that. No guarantees, I'm afraid. Of course, you're always welcome on the farm." Frowning she sighed, "Unfortunately, I'm finding more and more that wild canines tend to hate it. And I'm beginning to realize why." The deer out here were hard to catch, but oh so rewarding.

Locust raised and eyeridge, looking around at the slow-witted fowl that wandered around the farm, seemingly oblivious to the presence of the canines. They'd had several life-times to try and adapt, but still hadn't managed, and where easy to catch. "I guess chicken is more of a town stray delicacy. Say, are you still recruiting? My associate is a hired gun, and he works cheap and effectively. I think he'd find this place suitable. Town life is harder than you would imagine, especially during the Winter and the beginning of Spring. There is no warm food anywhere, or good shelter. He lives in the School House, where I am currently taking residence. You may want to speak to him when you deliver the first payment, though I must warn you. He is slightly... Alarming."

Gaoth shrugged her shoulders. "I don't scare easily, Locust. But I will see your associate. Is there any sort of code word I could use to discourage a fight between the two of us?" She didn't want to have to kill a recruit if she could help it, she needed as many paws as possible.

"Hah. A codeword? Anyone who comes to his home is there only to make a deal. He scares everyone else away. Anyway, he is a powerful ally, but only hired. He form no bonds, and will leave as soon as his part is fulfilled. If you extend the length of my payment and allow him passage too I' sure it will be enough, seeing as I'm staying with him at the moment." Yawning, the gold canine looked around. There was hardly a soul in sight. Poor dog. She was hopelessly outnumbered. "I've had a change of heart. I'll spy for you. I'm sure my ally will be able to deal with a hunter."

Flicking her ear, Gaoth forced herself to stay still. She itched to go back and find the building the spy spoke off, but she steadied herself. "Change of hearts don't happen without a reason. Especially like a canine for you. What's your reason?" She didn't narrow her eyes, but her brain was racing at a thousand miles an hour prodding through each and every possible suspicion.

"Well. You're doomed to be blunt. You know nothing about your enemy, your pack is hardly thirty head strong, and you are utterly defenceless. Kestrel knows your base, he knows what you do, and the only reason he hasn't attacked is because you aren't a threat. I'm taking pity on you. You need the help sooner rather than later."

Gaoth shrugged. "He doesn't know me, he knows nothing of my strategies or my allies. He only knows my weaknesses." The white dog flicked her tail, "I'll be at the farm. Tomorrow I'll go see your ally and hopefully gain a friend. See you around."

Locust said nothing. To make a friend of the cat-dog was like trying to find a bee amongst a nest of lizards, unlikely to be found alive. Ah well. Wordlessly, he turned and began to trot towards where he thought it might be that the dunes where. It would take about a day to get to Kestrel's first fort, the Valley.

Gaoth grunted to herself, hoping she wasn't just pulling her own leg. Her hopes were riding upon the shoulders of that stray, the spy. "May Tsuki guide your paws." The she paused. What had she just said? Who was Tsuki? Shaking her head and blaming the lack of food messing with her mind, she padded back home. Maybe she would stop in with Kiluar once more.