LEMMEAT'ERD<

Kadal burst into the Farm, face drawn into a snarl. He had heard something that had made him so angry, he had come without any of his packmates. He hadn't stopped moving despite the long journey, and he was resisting the urge to pant. He stood there, eyes burning, the stereotype wolf, the wild beast, the killer. "I demand to see Gaoth!"

Gaoth jumped to a start at the massive paws scraping away at dirt as they pounded across the earth. The dog scented the air, but found no trace of Kestrel, so she felt no need to worry too much. She stepped out of the barn, leaving her nest behind and shaking her pelt once to clear away any trace of hay from her fur. Narrowing her eyes in curiosity at Kadal only momentarily, she stepped forward, ignoring every trace of anger he held. She kept a solemn face and stood before him, "You wished to speak with me, Kadal?"

Kadal swung round, snarling. "Is what I hear true? That you released the prisoner?" He began to pad towards her, saliva dripping from his jaws.

OOC: He's so charming :D

ooc: Isn't he? :P

Gaoth blinked, sitting down with a calm disposition. Despite the wolf's bad temper, she was determined to keep the conversation as quiet as it could be. And besides that, she wasn't about to let Kadal bully her around. If he didn't want to work with her, he could leave at any time he wanted to. "Is that a problem?" Kiluar didn't know much, especially since neither Kadal or Gaoth had managed to come up with any ideas. Until her spy came back with news, they were sitting ducks.

"He was the only lead we had! If you couldn't get him to talk freely you should have given him to us! We'd have made him say all he knew. But just because you are too weak to torture him does not mean you can release him! Do you think Kestrel would hesitate to attack Utilli?" Kadal snarled. "Even if he knew nothing we might have been able to have a prisoner swap!"

Gaoth struggled not to snort back at him. "If he has taken Utilli, it's for a reason. That dog is just as mindless and unprepared to fight as the chicken that roam the farm." She blinked, flicking her ear to ease an itch rising in it's tip. "The prisoner wouldn't have said anything, even if you killed him. It would have been one more useless death. He's too loyal to say anything and quite frankly, we've said nor done nothing for him to hint to Kestrel." She stood up, her fur one nerve away from rising on edge. "Do not misplace that for weakness. You should learn to keep a level head." Her eyes narrowed and though she didn't care much for a fight before, she didn't really care if Kadal dropped all alliance and fought her to the death right now.

Kadal snarled, but realized she had a point. He breathed in deeply, though it did little to calm him. "Did you learn anything at all? Anything about what he intends, why he wants it?"

OOC: I love how she hasn't tried asking Kadal about what he thinks Kestrel might be doin :D

ooc: NEVER EVEN OCCURED TO ME!

"I've learned a few things, but nothing that might help us now." Kiluar said she shouldn't say anything about what she'd learned to Kadal, so she'd have to lie about it. Where was the wolf now? Back with Kestrel? She had to wonder, but not for longer. "He's your brother, you know him best. What is our white comrade up to?" Better for her to ask the questions than him. She might let something slip and then she'd loose all those wolves helping her. She couldn't risk that.

"I-" Kadal caught himself. "Listen, I know you're lying. I am a Shen, and we known for being mistrustful and overcautious. I have spies everywhere. Though they didn't hear the exact words, I know that you learn something off that grey idiot. Now tell me."

Gaoth felt what should have been her eyebrows lift ever so slightly. "Afraid to answer me, Wolf? Does the great Alpha of Shen not know what his own brother might be doing?" She felt no need to tell him what she already knew. If anything, it might actually anger him. Well, that's what Kiluar said, and for the time being, she had more trust in him than the Alpha. He was too impulsive. Couldn't he sit down and think for at least a moment or two? But then again, maybe her news might just roll right off his shoulders. She didn't know.

"No more afraid than you are Gaoth. In this time of hopelessness, is it that bad that we do not trust each other?" Kadal grunted, trying to relax. He had to think. "If you tell me what you learnt, I will share whatever you think might help."

"I've always believed that he wild lupine never trusted lazy mutts. Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's both. It all depends on the canines involved, I suppose." Her pulse still felt slightly jumpy, but not enough to get any sort of adrenaline rush. The white dog didn't feel any of her fur rise, though she was close. "I've learned that you are the son of the White Phantom. And whether or not that bothers you, I don't care. It's a simple fact, and it doesn't determine who you choose to be." She didn't care who he was the son of, but if Kestrel was trying to live up to his father, she'd like to know exactly what the great wolf had done in the past before he died.

Kadal frowned. "I know who my father was. Anything else?" Once it had hurt him to know that he was not the son of the one he thought he was, but now it didn't bother him.

"Nothing else. That's all I know." Gaoth frowned, "So what do you know?"

"About that... Very little. My father wasn't around to tell me about his deeds. It never occurred to him to visit his sons. Though I can't say I blame him for that. Kestrel himself you have killed him given half the chance."

"And no one of your pack is old enough to remember not a single detail?" Gaoth found that hard to believe. But she needed to know what the Phantom had done, whether it came from the Shen or she went out and visited the fox she had seen before. The dog found herself becoming desperate to know what was to happen. How would she defend her dogs against the unknown?

"The Phantom's attack killed many of the forest wolves. There was an edler who told us tales of the past, but unfortunatly she passed away at the begining of winter. But the tale of the Phantom is a well known one. I don't think there is a single pup who hasn't at least heard of the tale. Me and Kestrel were only just weaned at the time of the war."

Releasing a long sigh, the dog felt her head fall as she closed her eyes. They were getting no where fast. She didn't think Citali would know of the tale. Once again, perhaps the fox, Kuni did. But would he be in the same area he was before? Wouldn't he be smart enough to move where no one would find him again?

Shaking her head slowly, she said hopelessly "We're running out of options very fast." She could feel that dark hollow hole in her belly, quickly stretching into an endless pit as the choice of giving up was pushed closer and closer into her paw's grasp. Gaoth didn't know how much more she could take before finally breaking.

"Bring your wolves at dawn," The white dog turned slowly toward her den, her mind reeling with the plans she was attempting to make without flaw. They'd all be risky and far too dangerous, but there wasn't much more she could do. She'd do them herself, but she wouldn't be quick enough for this. "I think I may have a plan."

"Gaoth..." Kadal paused, but shook his head. Best not to question. "Very well."

The dog dipped her head, sure to give the Alpha his respect, and pawed her way over to the den. This task would not be easy. She should rest up, she'd be one of the first to go.