Raven has a camp. She's camped a bit away from the road after a bloody blizzard that she slogged through, and more snow is still falling. At least a rabbit got too near her, and she had fresh meat for dinner. It was a decent stew at the very least and she had hot tea. Raven is also certain that there's something watching her camp. It wasn't a definite thing, like eyes peering out of the darkness, or people standing there. Just the wind changing like it was whistling around something, or a shadow shifting, or a hint of not-snow and not-tree in the air. Raven sips her tea and tries not to scream and throw knives at shadows. Grrr. Long cold day. And she keeps smelling wolf. If there was wolves out there, they'd either get bored or come nearer.
A wolf walks calmly from the nearby woods into the clearing and sits, watching Raven calmly.
Raven looks at the wolf and sips her tea. She pokes her fire and wonders if she should just keep letting the rabbit cooking so that it could get more tender. The thing must have been all fur, bones and muscle. Raven is still keeping an eye on the wolf.
The wolf barks suddenly, but does not get up.
Raven reaches for her knives and pauses, "I ain't easy prey, wolf."
The wolf makes no movement, but continues to watch her. After a few moments, a group of five more wolves leave cover and join the first. Raven notices for the first time the fact that these are rather large wolves.
Raven absently gauges the distance of the wolf - wolves and the layout of her camp. Raven stands and watches them.
After a few minutes, the first wolf stands and walks forward, stopping a few feet from Raven.
Raven looks down at him, "I ain't moving my camp, and you might as well admit that you're a were." Raven doesn't have the patience for coy prancing around. She isn't going to be afraid. Unless if they all attacked. And she didn't need that. She hated the Mainland. It was too cold.
The wolf shifts in form, changing to be a rather large and muscular man. "That should have been obvious, girl.
Raven shrugs and doesn't invite the wolf closer.
MachoAlpha motions to the others, who change in like fashion to become a small warband.
Raven remarks, "It's an honor to meet your clan." Raven relates, "I'm called Gliss, a Huntress, follower of the lady. Good hunting to you."
MachoAlpha comments, "Gliss. You're from far away, then."
Raven nods, "I'm travelling. The snow slowed me."
MachoAlpha says, "Was it your plan to visit our clan, then? You've been travelling in our territory for two days."
Raven comments, "I'm heading south. The peoples of a town - um - Highwall? They said there was were near here. My Lady has asked me to see if the were here follow the Lady."
MachoAlpha comments, "I see. Then you should want to keep moving. These are hard lands. And you don't want to spend much time. Storms are coming soon."
Raven nods, "I've seen the storms." Big deal. Snow was snow. As was wind. Or rain. You got used to things. Raven wants to know, "Does this clan have a name?"
MachoAlpha says, "We are the Night Claw."
Raven comments, "N - Nyaht Clow. I see."
Raven asks, "Do they follow the Lady? Or has she been forgotten here?"
MachoAlpha says, "We know of your Lady. Maybe she knows of us. She should."
Raven smiles, "All people are Flock unto the Lady."
Raven states, "They need merely accept her."
MachoAlpha relates, "There's something you should accept, then. You're deep in our lands, and you have no permission to be here. Lady or no Lady."
Raven says, "I did not know I needed permission to follow the road."
MachoAlpha remarks, "You know it now."
Raven inquires, "Then I shall leave your lands as soon as I can. What do you wish as reparation?" Raven waits.
MachoAlpha asks, "I see you have some manners, then. We do demand tribute to the good of the clan. But we have manners of our own. Do you mind if we discuss it together, all of us?"
Raven shrugs, "I can wait."
MachoAlpha looks at her in a way that makes Raven think he wants /her/ as a tribute. MachoAlpha says, "Not the whole clan. Just my men and I. And the Other, but he's nothing."
Raven mentally notes the term 'Other.' Raven looks over the wolves. Raven technically looks over the 'men' but they were hairy enough to be wolves. Bleh. Big idiot smelly men. She mentally thinks they are baffled by things like doors and conversation. And multisyballic words. Then again, she's in a bad mood.
MachoAlpha motions to the others, who assemble by the fire. Out of the corner of her eye, Raven sees another, much smaller figure move around the perimiter of light cast by the flames. One of the men brings out a small cask and empties it into a pan, which he places over the fire.
Raven waits for them to think of something that she _might_ agree to. Raven sits on _her_ seat and sips her tea. They shouldn't be using her fire.
MachoAlpha nods at the pot on the fire and looks back at Raven. "k'ai. Very good for meetings." Faint smells of alcohol and spices emenate from the warming pot.
Raven nods, "I see." Raven doesn't attack the idiot for using her fire without asking. Raven reminds herself that she's far from home and they may have different cultures and customs. Then again, she carried that wood. Though she was drying a little of the local stuff to feed the fire nearby.
MachoAlpha gets comfortable. "Now, the tribute. It should be something good for the clan." He looks at her more intenntly. "Or at least some of the clan."
Raven sips her tea and estimates how long he'd live without his skin. She really should have walked less. Tiredness made her a little cranky.
MachoAlpha asks, "What do you have to offer?"
Raven isn't going to think about the fact that he's acting like he wants to have sex with her, "It depends on what you need." Raven questions, "How have I harmed the clan?"
MachoAlpha divulges, "You have insulted us by travelling our lands as if they were a common road. We cannot let you go further without a tribute. That would save our honour."
Raven tips her head, "An acceptance that this land is your own despite the road that travels through it?" Raven looks to see what this 'Other' is up to while the Alpha is attempting to answer coherently. Assuming the smallest one was the 'Other,' he seemed to be cowering at the edge of the firelight.
MachoAlpha comments, "Right. A gift to the clan that shows how much you've accepted it, that is."
Raven wants to know, "Would travelling with one of your clan and a monatary compensation suffice?" She notes that the other people were ignoring the smaller figure. Interesting.
MachoAlpha thinks for a moment. "How much money?" He seems a little disappointed, but not too badly.
Raven tips her head, "Enough to compensate for the time that the clanmember isn't with the clan and some to compensate for my offense." Raven rummages in her pack and hefts a bag, "Perhaps something near this amount, if that's acceptable."
MachoAlpha thinks for a moment. "A bodyguard, then. Or a guide."
Raven smiles, "Yes." Raven looks over the men.
MachoAlpha relates, "Then we have the pride of the clan here, take your pick." MachoAlpha seems to have given a cue, because all the men at the fire seem to be trying their best to look as manly as possible.
Raven smiles, "Perhaps your men should drink their k'ai." Raven sips her tea, "After all, I scarcely know your clan."
MachoAlpha laughs loudly. "A fine idea!" he bellows to the others, and the k'ai is passed around. Nobody seems to think of offering Raven any.
Raven sips her tea and watches to see who looks the least idiotic - or the least dangerous. They all look like dangerous idiots with enough testosterone to power all of Dexia for a generation. Raven mentally notes that her guide may have to travel with her in an unconscious state. Raven stands and stretches. With a bit of care, she moves unobtrusively nearer to her other pack and nearer the edge of the camp. The smaller one was still there. Still cowering. He would be easier to knock out. Assuming he was an idiot too.
MachoAlpha turns to her. "So what is your decision? Are you planning to take the whole night? You owe us tribute already, do you want more?"
Raven looks toward the Alpha, "I am not a member of your clan, but I wouldn't not presume to take someone as important as yourself." She takes the bag of money and tosses it to the Alpha, and then points to the one at the edge of the firelight, "Who is this one?"
MachoAlpha makes a disgusted noise. "That one isn't important. He's useless. An insult to mention him."
Raven comments, "Then I choose him. After all, you will not miss him."
MachoAlpha stands up, indignant. "That one? The Omega? You cannot choose the Omega with Alphas all around!"
Raven smiles serenly, "Do you follow the Lady, young man?" Raven interjects, "You have your tribute. I have chosen my guide."
MachoAlpha retorts, "Why do you insult us? You tell us that Alphas are not good enough to be your guides, and you want garbage like that Omega!"
Raven wants to know, "If he is garbage, then why should you complain if he goes?"
MachoAlpha declares, "The clan needs an Omega. How could a clan not have an Omega? He is the Omega!" MachoAlpha comments, "You must take one of us."
Raven says, "I have." Raven walks over to the Omega. Raven comments, "He goes with me." Raven rummages and tosses another bag to the Alpha, "Here. Count that as retribution for this insult."
MachoAlpha looks into the bag at the amount of gold. "Very well, then. This is not tribute," he holds the bag up. "This is payment. You have bought that damned Omega, and a curse on you for it. Take him and be done with you, we want nothing of your people in Night Claw lands."
Raven remarks, "Very well." Raven states, "I ask you to leave my camp."
MachoAlpha looks at the other men rise and make their way out of camp, deliberately leaving a mess in their wake. The Alpha turns to you. "You will leave our lands in the morning. And we will kill whoever comes after you." He turns and leaves as well. MachoAlpha walks over to where the form is still skulking at the edge of the firelight and stops. He grabs the figure and tosses it bodily toward Raven, where it stumbles and falls into a heap near her. "Take that garbage with you. He is not even the Omega of the Night Claw now. He is nothing." He laughs as he strides into the woods, to the accompaniment of baying wolves.
Raven silently watches them go and mutters in Dexian, "And if my people come, we shall be hunters."