Wolves Should Stick Together (Talbot)

[Deleted]

Deep within the forests of Arnul, Agatha enjoyed her hair swooshing behind her, bits from under the hood she had over her head, as she was moving from tree to tree, and now and then jumping to the ground and moving further there. There were plenty of stories she could still remember from her parents, the bedtime stories they told her, things she always kept in herh ead. It was harder though to think about that time, because it was one of the few remaining good memories she had left of her parents, after feeling as betrayed as she had.

She was looking for something, or better said, for someone. There had been plenty of rumors coming from the werewolves, things that she definitely still cared about, even if she did try to keep herself out of the pure politics. Still, the news of a werewolf having been named Alpha of all the wolves, was hard to overlook, not to mention to ignore, so she had to go out and investigate it as much as she could. She was good at getting close, especially after her sneaking into the palace more than once, she was sure her sneaking skills were quite on edge lately, but that was only something she gladly used to her advantage.

This deep into the forest, she knew that there woulnd't be much werewolves that weren't already busy with something. After all the local pack met up close to here, and most others would either be hunting, training, or just meditating. Her own meditation usually resulted in more training for herself, since she had a hard time sitting still, and especially if she wasn't surrounded by nature, she found it impossible to concentrate enough on the calm partso fh er mind.

In a silent motion she ended up on the ground after jumping off the tree tops, looking around until she saw some of the wolves, making her way over to them calmly and kneeling down when she was closer. "I'm looking for someone, someone important. I was getting close, but there is always a lot going on this deep in the forest." She said, before raising her hand, a small handkerchief in it that she let the wolves take in and it's scent. All she needed was a confirmation that she was still goign in the right direction, and she figured that the wolves would still be as useful as ever in that endeavor.

As soon as the wolves gave her the answer she was hoping for, she thanked them and took their warning to heart that this person she was looking for should not be underestimated, or pissed off. Luckily for the second part, she definitely wasn't planning on pissing this person off, she was just too curious now, and the well-being of her fellow werewolves was still just too important for her. She stood back up and looked in the direction she should go, concentrating and thinking to herself that she must be getting close.

As Agatha arrived at the spot she saw him, she looked around for a few seconds, having to admit that he did find a good spot for taking a moment alone, now she only had to hope he wasn't going to react unfriendly because she was interrupting that moment sort of. She softly walked closer, her footsteps barely audible by normal folk, but not hiding her presence from him either, which she probably would have to do her best to do so anyway. She just didn't want to come off as hostile, even though she was prepared to be, if he was going to attack her, or put her people in danger.

[Talbot Kincaid]

The rhythmic sound of steel upon wood reverberated throughout the small clearing. It's echoes cascading through out the forest. The lone figure stood a top a fallen tree, a hefty ax grasped between both of his scarred and tattooed fists. Despite the sweat the lined his body his movements were relentless, mechanical, always maintaining that same steady rhythm.  The ax rose in to the air only to fall, sending a flurry of chips to the ground beneath him, in an instant the woodsman's tool was rising once more into the air. To one side of the man were several fallen trunks, several axes of varying sizes embedded into them, and to the other was a stack of squared sections of lumber.

The process of turning logs into workable wood was a labor intensive process, but that was exactly what Talbot Kincaid was looking for. Manual labor had always helped him clear his head and place his thoughts in order. The harder and more monotonous the work the more meditative it became. The events that had transpired the previous days had driven the formerly reclusive Alpha to make plans for the future. Not simply for himself, but for the entirety of his race. In his attempt to conceptualize all of the possibilities and variables that the future might hold he had retread into himself, almost completely shutting himself off from the outside world... almost. 

He hadn't the need to hear them, he'd already caught their scent. Despite the figure approaching Talbot from down wind the inconsistent draft of the forest had carried their scent to him several moments before they had entered the clearing. Talbot gave the figure a sliver of his attention as he continued his work. The thump of steel and wood continued for several long moments before he brought up one large hand and wiped the sweat from his brow. Finally, he turned to meet the individual who had intruded upon his solitary moment, bring his ax up to rest upon his shoulder as he looked upon them.

Despite the hood, the scent of the stranger was unmistakably feminine and that of a Werewolf. It was a scent that Talbot had caught several times in the past few days. He had paid little mind to it though. Many wolves had taken to following him since being named their leader. None of the other's had dared to break the unmarked circle that made this clearing his own though. Talbot allowed the uncomfortable silence to stretch on longer than was polite or necessary before completely and utterly shattering it.

"I do believe that it's polite to cough or make some sort of indication of your presence whenever you wish to get someone's attention." the beast said, lazily running a hand through his sweat soaked hair in halfhearted attempt to brush it into some semblance of order. "I have a niggling feeling that you aren't that sort of wolf, considering the hood and all. It gives a rather mysterious air, a certain sort of anonymity."  Talbot walked a top the fallen log, closing the distance between him and his mysterious visitor before coming to a stop just at it's end, less than a third of the clearings distance between them. 

"So what have I done to warrant such a clandestine meeting, love? Going off the fact that you haven't tried to sink a silver dagger in me yet I'm fairly certain that you aren't here to kill me. Unless, of course, you're looking to deliver some melodramatic monologue about how 'No one wolf should lead us'. If that were the case I'd like to inform you that it hasn't worked out well for the last two fellows that have tried it in the past few days. I'd be sporting enough to let you skulk away and try again later if that was your objective. Trying to catch my off guard didn't work too well for one wolf though. You, however, seem to have a touch more stealth than he did. You might offer a bit more in the way of a challenge. If you aren't here to off me and you know who I am, you must be aware there are proper channels that would allow you to meet with me in a much more official setting.

"If neither of those happen to be the case, then I've just made an incredible ass of myself by assuming my own importance. In which case I would have to apologize and ask for you to find it in your heart not to repeat what I've just said." By the end of Talbot's ridiculous monologue the wolf was sporting a childish grin. Granted, it was comprised of sharpened fangs that seemed to dull the mirth, but it was an innocent smile all the same.

[Deleted]

Agatha had made sure on purpose that her stealth wasn't top notch, although she knew for damn sure that it would be one hell of a challenge to actually fully sneak up on him, but that might be an interesting challenge for another time. Right now she just wanted to find out what kind of person was now leading her people, and with that said, she didn't only count the werewolves under that, she also counted the actual wolves themselves under that category, and it would be interesting to find out and see how he thought of this. Her eyes stayed calm under the hood, following him until he eventually turned to face her, taking in most of his features and smiling casually with the remark he made soon enough and the hand he tried to make his hair look somewhat reasonable.

She smiled and shrugged casually, cocking her head to the side as she looked at him. "In usual circumstances, concerning the usual sort of individuals, yes, than you are definitely right. This however, was also for me to see how sharp your senses actually are. There's something to be said for first hand experience over just taking someone on their word." Agatha told him casually, but honestly as she looked at him, as it was also a way to see if he could understand a simple thing like that, or if it might be something that hurt his ego for example. Werewolves were temperamental enough, especially when it came to who was the boss of them, so in her opinion it was quite crucial to find out how much he had that under control himself, and how much he was going to be able to keep it under control of others. "I usually prefer being unseen, than seen. It is the way I am used to things, and it is what I do." She told him, before she slowly but surely grabbed onto the hood, then took it off eventually, looking at him, curious for his reaction.

Agatha studied him when he was closer to her, her head slightly to the side again as she tried to get a clear idea of what was going through his head, but she had to admit that he was surprisingly different already than she had expected, she just didn't know yet if it was in a good or a bad way. She smiled and slowly put a few steps closer to him and raised an eyebrow slightly when he called her 'love' as it was kind of funny in a way the way he said it. "Clandestine wouldn't exactly be the word I'd use, and if I hadn't wanted you to notice me, I would have put more effort into it, just like I wouldn't have come from down wind. I'm just here to talk, it shouldn't be surprising that someone that cares about what happens to her people, both the ones that can transform and the ones that just live with nature, wants to figure out what kind of a person got himself into a position of power." She told him, both talking about the werewolves and wolves, curious if he'd notice or not and what his reaction would be to her forthcoming answers. "I don't really do official settings, that is not exactly the way to keep a low profile, which would complicate my work quite a bit." She added, as she shrugged and smiled slightly.

"So no, neither one of thos is the case, so I'll be gladly waiting for a moment to hear this apology of yours, it would be nice for a change to have someone in a position of power, who knows when he makes a mistake, and when to apologize for it. She said, before she shrugged for a moment and thought about the rest of what he said of finding it in her heart not to repeat it. "You do not have to worry, I will not, I'm mostly here to figure out what your plans exactly are, and your intentions."

[Talbot Kincaid]

"So you've come to make sure that this new Werewolf leader, this Alpha of Alphas, isn't some heartless bastard and a complete waste of fur, is that right? I'm wounded that you would think so little of me." Talbot placed his free hand over his heart, feigning something akin to pain. The wolf snickered at his own jest. "Since you aren't one to take others on their word you won't listen when I say that I'm just a bit heartless and only half a waste of fur, hm?" Talbot raised a brow as he removed his hand from his heart. He had long ago out grown the temperamental nature of his people and abandoned much of the pride that defined them. In Talbot's opinion humility and serenity suited him better than the brash pride that defined his youth. 

As the younger female closed the distance that separated them he could feel her eyes upon him. He doubted he fit anyone's physical description of an Alpha. There was nothing regal about him and he was completely lacking the savage grace that so many of his peers seemed to flaunt. With his scruffy beard and scores of tattoos that illustrated his body he looked more akin to the bandits and thieves that filled the darkest corners of the human's cities. There was an odd shimmer in his eye and something off about the manner in which he carried himself that made it hard to complete the illusion of being a common ruffian. 

Despite what she had said Talbot was mildly surprised by her presence, if not amused by it. "It might come as a shock to you, but most of the other's tend to avoid directly speaking with me. Speaking with an Alpha is daunting enough for most wolves. Standing next to someone who can impose their will upon you is something that sets most people on edge. Talking to one that's been placed above other Alphas? Let us just say that no one else has come to gauge just what sot of man I might be."  Talbot found her mention of the wolves of Arnul woods interesting. Not all of his people still found kinship with them.  

The mention of her job was the second time the visitor had eluded to her mysterious nature. A woman who valued discretion, subtlety, and to go unseen. From how she carried herself and her stealthy approach she was a thief of some sort. Whether she was a taker of fortunes, secrets, or lives was yet to be discerned. Whatever the case woman was interesting, there were no two ways about it. If she was here to learn of him she would have to return the favor. Besides, she was the only conversation that Talbot had received since being named leader, barring the whining and demands of the other Alphas.

"Bah, a technicality. You're still here to see me, you simply don't want to go through the official channels. I'm a man of my word though. I humbly apologize for aggrandizing my own importance and making assumptions. Even though I was mostly correct. I will have to apologize for one other thing.  I simply can't go around discussing my plans with anyone who asks. I haven't the slightest idea of who you are or where your loyalties might lay. You say that you care for the well being of your people, but I too find it hard to simply take someone's word. That is, unless, you're willing to divulge some more information about yourself. In exchange I'd be happy to tell you my intentions and a small portion of my plans." 

Talbot swung his ax forward, embedding it into the tree before hopping down from his perch. "So, how bout we start off simply enough. I'll even go first. My name is Talbot, Talbot Kincaid, as I'm sure you already knew." He extended a illustrated hand towards her. "What might I call you? I can't very well keep calling you love and stranger for the remainder of this conversation."

[Deleted]

Agatha shrugged, although there were signs of admitting that he had a point in what she was here to try and figure out, as she didn't think it was that seriously surprising that at least someone had the guts to try and find out for themselves, instead of just taking some semi-politicians word for it. She cockedh er head to the side, some of her red hair falling in front of her face and to the side over her shoulder with her hood now still off, thinking about the best way she could reply to his words. "It is not personally that I think so little of you, but throughout the years, the werewolves that made these kinds of decisions, and some other of the minor Alphas have a knack for making the same bloody mistakes, and I mean the bloody part literally." She said, not being afraid to honestly say what was on her minda nd how she thought of some of the other Alphas that she had observed and even met. "Hm, look at who has a way with words, instead of already flying off the handle because I stepped on your tail, 'cause it's so long from your ego." She said dryly, with a slight teasing grin, before she shrugged innocently while looking at him.

Agatha knew plenty of not judging a book by it's cover, and even less a person by the way they simply looked. After all, her entire life she had been making use of that very fact herself, how no one ever really expected her to be capable of what she was when they just saw her as the girl she could be, instead of the Black Butterfly, the way she had mostly dressed herself now, but she also wasn't too worried right now in showing her true identity to him either. If she needed, she could always call in some support, either from her underlings or even from some of the wolves she had asked for help earlier. She did however wonder how it became that someone so different than other Alphas, was appointed to this position, who came up with the idea, after all, you could say what you wanted, but plenty werewolves weren't the smartest bunch.

"Most of the others haven't had to grow up themselves, see these woods themselves as their actual home instead of the homes they create in it. I also don't have a superiorty complex over the wolves, or other animals that live in these woods." Looks at him, with a calm smile on her face but wanting to make it quite clear that she was well aware, and somewhat proud at this point in her life of the person she had managed to turn herself into, and how different she was from the usual werewolves. She laughed softly for just a second and then shrugged, watching him when she heard what else he said. "Things are happening, the fact that you were appointed is proof of that, I just want to make sure you are really the man for the position. I care about the greater good, but the well-being of my kind, this forest and it's animals, is all part of that." She told him, another step closer calmly followed, her eyes wandering around them for a split-second, before looking back at him.

She listened quietly, not really reacting to what he said, thinking about it in the same time, until she eventually sighed softly and shrugged, realizing that he was right and that it would be fair, after all with how he had been reacting to her presence for now was better than she had expected, so she'd give him more of a benefit of the doubt and tell her something about herself in exchange for hearing what he had in mind himself.

Even though she didn't exactly flinch or show any other signs, she was on guard enough to shortly let her claws come out when she saw what he did with swinging the axe forward, then let them go back when she realized quickly enough that it wasn't a real threat, but there was no harm for herself if she just kept on guard just in case. "No, I'm not sure how well I would respond to such flattering words I've heard said moe when it's not meant, than when it is. But, Talbot, I'll go along with this. My name is Agatha Prudence Archer, and I am not one to easily give up information about myself, so... If you want to know something, you will have to ask me specifically." She told him honestly at first, then with a calm smile on her face.

[Talbot Kincaid]

"Well, Agatha, it's quite a pleasure to meet a wolf so interested in the plight of their people. I think you're rather fortunate that I was elected to this position. If it were any of the other Alpha's they'd have seen your desire to talk as insubordination and, in this time of war, most likely an act of treason. Then again, even hinting that you might doubt an Alpha is enough to warrant a good mauling. At least it did in my day. But can you blame them? Theirs' is a precarious position requiring them to balance fear and respect in equal measure. If that balance were to be upset their position becomes compromised and the next thing they know is they're getting tossed out of their home and out on their ass." Talbot knew well just how important it was to achieve that harmonious balance between the two. He had found out first hand what it was to be feared and many years later what it was to be respected without the former. 

"Now then, since you've agreed to play my little game I do hope you realize that I essentially hold all the cards. If I don't like one of your answers or I grow bored I can simply walk away and I lose nothing save for the first real conversation I've had the chance to engage in in over a week and the support of one lone wolf. Oh, I'm sure that you could make it very problematic for me in your own devious ways, but I sincerely doubt that you would jeopardize our races future over something so petty. Like it or not, I'm genuinely our country's best chance of making its way through this mess we've been roped into. I'm not boasting, it's simply a fact. You're incredibly lucky though as I've taken a shine to you since you first traipsed into my clearing. So I will try and answer your questions to the absolute best of my ability without divulging too much information and I hereby relinquish my right to storm off in a huff if you damage my fragile ego." Talbot figured that this conversation was going to take some time and decided to make himself comfortable.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a dull, steel case no larger than the palm of his hand. Flipping it open the Alpha male plucked a crisp cigarillo from within and placed it between his lips. He patted his other pocket and paused, a frown suddenly forming on his weather worn features. The man paused for a moment before slowly patting all of his pockets, starting with those of his worn trousers and slowly moving up to the breast pocket of his soiled white shirt. The small cigar drooped as he turned away from Agatha, breaking eye contact for the first time. Tal spied his haggard leather coat and snatched it from off the handle of one of his other axe's and patted it's pockets as well before letting out a triumphant cry. "Hah!" his smile returned as he took hold of a sturdy piece of flint shaped into a rod and brought it towards the tip of the rolled sheaf. His thumb blackened shifting human digit to wicked claw as it scrapped against the fling creating a flurry of sparks that ignited the tobacco filled tube. Tal inhaled deeply before billowing out a cloud of smoke. 

"Sorry,"  Talbot said, as he turned to face Agatha once more, tucking away his flint in his front pocket. Smoking was an oddly human hobby for a wolf to posses. Most of the beasts despised the smell of tobacco, but Talbot reveled in it and could often be found with a thin cigar perched between his lips.  "Right then, I'm curious as to what information you've actually managed to dig up on me. You don't strike me as the sort of person to go into any meeting without some information gathered before hand. Seeing as you tracked me all the way out here you've got to have something. What sort of rumors are floating around out there about this new leader? Whatever they may be I'd be more than happy to clarify their validity."

[Deleted]

Hm, she had to keep admitting that Tablot had quite the surprisingly refreshing view on things, and also on her, together with his knowledge of how the other Alphas would have reacted to this sort of action. She thought about this and crossed her arms in front of her chest, cocking her head to the side and thoughtfully keeping her eyes on him as she listened to what else he said to her. "I am one that was abandoned by her parents, without any cause, explanation, or whatever, so I cannot say that I really put too much importance in some temperamental opinions of some Alphas who can't put their own ego's aside for the greater good of their people, or the forests they live in either. But yes, to answer your question, I for one can blame them, they have had years to just put their own issues aside and their fueds with each other, instead of keeping themselves isolated, fighting among themselves, finding their own power and position more important than what happens to the rest of us. I am not a self-hating werewolf, in case you're going to say that, but I do hate how simplistic a lot of them still think, instead of using their actual intelligence. Besides, I grew up not even really knowing what an actual home was, these whole woods were my home." She told him, her look calmly but seriously on him at the same time, curious to her reaction as well.

Agatha smiled innocently and shrugged that way as well, after listening to his words again, thinking for am oment if he was just so proud of himself and loving the sound of his own voice, or if he was actually as genuine as he seemed, she didn't want to take anything for granted, not did she want to take it too easy. "You seem to still not understand why I'm here, at this point anyway in this conversation. The first five seconds of you noticing me and the start of us noticing each other, was already key in me deciding if you were somewhat worth it, or a threat, and so, since I haven't attacked you, or warned you to leave and never come back, I would assume if I were you, and you are as smart as you make seem, that I do not have any intention to harm you, or put our race in danger... Anymore than they already are." She told him seriously, and eventually with a sigh for a moment. A soft and more genuine laugh did shortly afterl eave her mouth when she heard him say that he had taken a shining to her and he would do his best to answer her, while throwing away his right to run off in a huff, even though she would have found it interesting to see how well she could keep up with her, or the other way around. He might be stronger than her, but she was sure there were things that she could do, that he couldn't even imagine, without having gotten the assassins training she had bene providing others for years. "Bursting your private little time here was a necessary risk I had to take, like you said yourself, my answer would have been quite clear, quite soon by doing so. I have to admit nonetheless, that you have found quite the spot here." She told him with a smile, before she made a slight bow on purpose with her head teasingly. "I appreciate you relinquishishing that right. But I can assure you, there are secrets that only I hold, which I will personally take with me to the grave, before I'd share them with someone that could use it for harm." She said with a smile first, then seriously as an attempt to make sure he understood that, because she meant every word of it.

Agatha had to admit she wasn't exactly surprised once the Alpha male took out a cigarello, although she did find herself to follow the events that transpired with him trying to find a way to light it quite amusing to watch, giving him the time and eventually shrugged when he apologized for it. "I thought you would be the kind of person that would enjoy that disgusting habit, but I'm not here to tell you what habits are good, and which are bad." She said dryly as she looked at him.

She wasn't really prepared right away to give him that answer immediately, since she didn't want to put all of her cards on the table. She didn't often play card games, but when she did, she often found it easy to see people's ticks and use them to her advantage. "There is not too much that has actual truth to it floating around, but it was clear enough that an Alpha of the Alphas had been named, and I knew that it couldn't be just anyone, just like I remembered the stories that my parents told me, before they left me, which somehow seemed to match things I heard about you, quite a bit." She told him, raising an eyebrow and smiling curiously, as if she wwas asking him how right she was. "But, perhaps you should be more concerned by WHAT exactly brings me here, made me take this risk and reveal myself with it to someone in a position of power, which I have only done once before. You must have realized by now that there is a very specific reason brewing which caused the Alphas to feel the need for you to lead them, finally putting aside the fighting amongst themselves."