Thread: War and Greed (Javorcek x ClearSight)

Danika had been to the Dark Forest a handful of times before. Her mother was a very skilled diplomat and would oftentimes go to the Dark Forest before a trip in order to purchase elven wares to be given as a gift to werewolf rulers in countries who may not have a colony of isolated creatures nearby. Wolves themselves didnt see much use in creating things that were beautiful as a race that admired the functionality of an object over anything else, the ornate qualities of a piece were usually used as a way to show the prestige of the owner, nothing more. It is a shame the pups are so little I wish I could let them see further than the castle walls so they knew how others lived. Perhaps she could bring them back a souvenir on their return journey, provided she didnt spend all of her money on armaments for her men first. Several of the forward squads had had to retreat in order to gather new weapons and replenish their supplies from the main army. The bronze swords that had served her men so well were being shattered to bits by mage spells. So now Danika was placed in the very awkward position of asking for aid from a people who preferred to remain neutral and retreat deeper into the forest rather than hold their ground and fight. We ask simply for a fair price for your ore and your men should be eager to join us in battle so that they may defend their lands from the invading human forces. The price for elven troops was high, and while Danika knew that the money would be well spent, she knew better than to throw all her kingdoms money away. You are human do you mean to invade us? The old elf eyed the princess carefully. So far, the wolves had been very respectful of the land. The forest was a little more crowded and nosier than usual, but the humans had not slain more wild game than they needed, nor had they chopped down anything to fuel their fires. We are not human. Danika bristled. We are werewolves. Our kind do not reproduce like rabbits like the humans do, we do not destroy entire swaths of forest for the sake of feeding our young, we do not pollute the rivers and lakes with dyes for cloths and leathers. She supposed she shouldnt be angry for the mistake, in this form, Danika did appear to be human and an elfs nose wasnt sensitive enough to smell the difference. At least she was thankful that the elf hadnt called her barbarian as the mages and humans sometimes liked to do. ---- After a long day of negotiations, Danika was eager to go back to her tent so that she could get out of her armor and collapse onto her cot. Life in the castle didnt require her to carry a metal suit on her back all day, and motherhood had made the wolf soft in general. Her rear and thighs ached from her saddle and it was difficult for her to walk without wincing, but somehow she managed to keep her gait steady and her face a mask of indifference. It was only when her squire had finished helping her out of her armor and then retreated out of her tent to give Danika some privacy did the princess sink to her cot and let out a whine of pain. Goddess, give me strength -------------------------------------------------- Ive got 10 silver on Cooky! Come on, Smithy! Show im whos boss. Im not fighting her! The cook grumbled in response to the circle of jeering werewolves around him and Sasha. And why not?!?! A few of the female soldiers glared at the chef expectantly, obviously they were taking offense to such chivalry. Shes just a pup! The cook said exasperatedly as he tried to grasp for excuses, not wishing to offend the female soldiers but also not wishing to hit a girl either. I am not a pup! And I can fight just fine. Sasha growled. The cook was maybe only a year or two older than her! Guh, this whole thing was embarrassing! The cooks, medics, and blacksmiths were not expected to actually fight in battles because it was difficult to find skilled replacements for them but still, the officers made them practice and spar. Whether it was to prepare them for a surprise attack that broke through their ranks or simply for the amusement of the foot soldiers, Sasha couldnt be sure. When the Seargent barked at the two of them to suck it up and spar, both specialists complied. The group that had gathered around them was soon surprised to see Sasha knocking the cooks sword away after a few blows, the young chef looking just as astonished as the rest of the crowd. Beginners luck Isolde! Get in there! The Seargent hollared and now Sasha found herself facing off against a female foot soldier who was obviously an Alpha. But again, Sashas speed, flexibility and agility made her the victor of this round. Enough! The Lieutenant barked and Sasha froze, mid-swing. Smithy, Ive got a present for you. Ulric pushed forward two beta foot soldiers her way and motioned towards a cart full of ore. Yer gonna show these gits how to forge a sword, theyre halfie, just like you. An all three of ya are gonna stay up the rest of the night and keep the forges burnin. We need as many weapons made before tomorrow as possible so we dont have to march with this damn cart full of rocks.