Are you *kidding*?!" the Imp exclaimed. It tapped repeatedly its knuckles against Anubis' temple. "Hello? Is it open? Do you copy? Those ships incoming are coming from their fishing! There's gonna be enough leftovers aboard to feed you for a couple of weeks or so! Listen to your friend Azar: be patient and wait."

he sighed knowing azar was right. and if he didn't want to steal hed have to use the river fish. he looked on the horizon at the large ship."hmmm...your right Azar your right, I should get back. still why do I have the feeling I know someone on the boat coming in? its familiar somehow... he sniffed a bit then shook his fur. he then turned to the pack of GSDs wondering why they were so excited. he then went to an alley for a closer look of what was happening, his curiosity taking over.

Lucky let out a loud yelp. A combination of the horn going off and the young GSD springing from his back was enough to make his heart skip a beat. He squeezed the wall and took a few breaths to calm himself down, hoping not to fall and hurt himself.

"Y-yeah I'm fine." Lucky nodded and looked down at Levi. After regaining his composure he finished climbing out of the hole and reached his paw down to Levi. "Here we had better get to the poor guy, I probably spooked him...since we didn't get a proper introduction."

Levi took the paw out of courtesy, he could have gotten out on his own. "He's friends with sharks and a... lurker I think they're called. He isn't the type to get spooked by strangers," Levi said.

"No, Nonono.. Just sometimes he can get a bit, y'know, overexcited.." Maxine explained, stopping with him. "I just hope he dosen't make a choice he'll regret later.."

---



"Uh, it's for a month.. That's what the package was I think.." He answered, rubbing his chin in thought. "We're here with my parents.. A-and by parents I mean my owners, heh.."

Adrian's brow furrowed momentarily at the mention of "owners" "Oh that's uh...really nice. Anyway I'm sure you don't want to spend all day setting up for dinner. I could lend a hand if you want."

"You're not good at lying to me, you know that?" Martin asked "But I'll take the soda." he opened his soda and took a sip.

"Uh, Sure.. There's a lot of plates.." Rook agreed, waving a paw at the table with the plates and bowls on. "You need.. Uh, what do you need to put together again, Asimov?" Rook asked the young lycaon.

Flint looked genuinely hurt, his ears lowered and he put his unoccupied right hand over his heart.
"Me? Lie to you? Not in a million years.". He took a drink himself to hide the smirk on his face.
"Just, don't check...."

"If you say so." Martin replied with neutral tone, turning his attention to his plate once more. "Nice act though." he added.

Anubis looked at the imp on his shoulder, then back, then to the imp."so why are you an imp on my shoulder and not something else?" he asked azar climbing to the roof. he sat on the edge looking around for a subtle way out of town spotting lucky."whos that?"he asked azar after pointing towards lucky."And what are they?"

"Hmmph.". Flint crossed his arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes.
"What are you now? Some kinda dog lie detector?". The canine sounded either amused or annoyed, or maybe both. He flicked his ear and looked up at the ceiling.
"Not many people can catch that...". He muttered.

"Then relax, this place mends the soul, true, but also brings out a *lot* of overexcitement. An advice? Just follow the flow, don't stick to the old rules, be nice and you'll be better in no time at all! Lass." Again Victor flashed that grin.
---
"Do you mean, why am I not a pretty angel, or a tiny dragon, or a faerie, or some other cute mascot? Foxy, I am a familiar, a minor demon. What did you expect? And no, I am not omniscient, so I don't know who that pup is."
---
"MOMMY!"
"REGINALD!" the woman grabbed her dog in a powerful, loving embrace, much as each fisherman and woman did with theirs. Other ships arrived and maneuvered into the harbor, and soon, for almost half an hour, it was just like that, a welcome party in honor of the humans back from the sea.
Then the unloading started. here there wasn't a market to answer to, every single prey was for the consumption of the village, to be stocked and preserved. Some of that would be given to the resort in exchange for materials and other foods. Dogs and human formed a single busy swarm...

alright. alright. still don't imps change form? I know imps teleport but i've never got to deep on it.Anubis jumped down and ran off into some bushes at the edge of the forest. he looked back quickly seeing if he was followed then ran off to the river. he slowed down once he found the riverbed. By the way azar why are you my familiar? is there a system to that? he asked the imp

"If you say so." He said as he pulled Levi out of the hole. Lucky took a good look around himself, his tail wagging a little at the sound of all the dogs in the commotion. His nose greeted by the strong smell of the sea, rather than rabbits. "So this is Lancaster, not bad, well, anything's better than stuck underground...hey what's going on over there?"

He asked out loud, though it seemed like he was just talking to himself. His pace picked up to a light shuffle as he followed the noise, his excitement almost seemed instinctual. It was like his vacation had finally started.

Levi followed Lucky, and made attempts to find Reginald in the crowd.
after a while, it got easier because the group formed orderly lines. He eventually spotted him and his mom. "Hey, Reg, Justine. Finally found you. Anything I can help with here?"

Maxine sighed and turned to Victor. "You're right, I shouldn't really worry, it's a holiday afterall.." She answered, rubbing a paw across her forehead. "..And please, don't call me lass ever again or i'll tear your fur off.." She added, giving a warm smile at the end to show she was joking.

Adel went over to Khun, and brought him back to his parents, an arm around his shoulders. "Mozha, fazha... I vant to help him. He vants to go to a village on zhe ozha side of zhe island. I can not let him go alone through zhe jungle." He paused, and, having not seen any change in his parents faces, added "I vant to help people. It is what I was born to do, und it is vhat I did in Germany before... please, let me go vith him. Please..." he begged, looking at one parent, then the other, then back to the first.

His mother sighed, and took a few seconds to talk. "...You can go. But you better come back alive, und you must make sure to stay safe. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, mozha. Thank you." He hugged his parents, and started to leave with Khun. As they were leaving, his mother called out "Just remember that I want grandkids!" He didn't understand, and just shook his head, grabbing Khun's walking stick and shutting the door behind them.

Outside of the room ... "So I guess ve are ready. Please lead ze way?"

"There are very few cases I didn't detect a lie, Flint." Martin replied "And even fewer lied I have ignored." He took bite from the steaks and after he swallowed it, he continued "And just for the record - I do not tolerate lies, nor liars."

~~~~~~

Soon three wolves stood in front of Balkan and Chieftain Amelia in a straight line, saluting.
"Where's Varg?" Balkan asked.

"Nowhere to be found, Ambassador!" the three replied as one.

"I asked a question and I want it answered!" Balkan commanded again and stepped in front of Vex.

"Where's Varg?" he asked the question once more.

"Nowhere to be found, Ambassador!" Vex replied.

"True!" he stepped in front of Ur "Where's Varg?"

"Nowhere to be found, Ambassador!" Ur replied.

"True!" he stepped in front of Ulv "Where's Varg?"

"Nowhere to be found, Ambassador!" Ulv replied.

"Lie!" Balkan replied "You know where he is! Tell me!"

"I can't!" Ulv replied.

"Why?" Balkan asked.

"He's my brother and I won't betray my brothers!" Ulv answered.

"I am your brother too! Now answer!"

The wolf took a deep breath, then replied "He's following your orders, Ambassador!"

"Oh?"

"I took the right to represent him!" Ulv replied, quickly changing the subject.


Balkan sighed "So, by representing him, you will take his punishment as well, as the wolf law commands!"

Ulv nodded "By the laws of our ancestors, I will do what I have to do. What will it be?"

"Tomorrow morning, fight against Ur and Vex." Balkan replied "Whoever wins will keep the honor of the group intact." Then the half-wolf saluted the others "You are free until tomorrow morning!"

"Yes, Ambassador!" the three wolves saluted once more and headed away.

Next to the hut remained Balkan and Chieftain. "I had to do it..." he muttered.

"Shadowclaw, there comes a point in one's life in which you must *trust*. This is that moment. Just speak the word and we'll go, or we'll stay but you must drop your defenses. I know it is a lot to ask of you. But nevertheless, it must be done."
---

"Because I must just make sure that you use your powers as less as possible. The shamans of Arcadia already told ya. there are...things in the between realms, that you don't want to meet. And your powers are like pheromones. So, fly under the radar and we'll be okay."
---

"Hi Levi and doggie I don't know! We're going to help dressng the fish! And we get leftovers! Want to join?"
---

Victor raised his paws in mocking self-defense. "Perish the thought! So, would you like to know the sharks?"
---
"Yes, I see. But don't worry, we are not ignorant in the way of the wolves. I just hope I'll live to see the day it won't be necessary anymore."

"Sure," Levi replied. "And this is Lucky, but that's about all I know right now. He saved our tails from the rabbit hole I accidentally brought us into earlier. I didn't know those guys ate meat."

Anubis went into his hole to eat then a few minutes later grabbed the rope he stole and went back to the harbor." oh come on those German shepperds are still here? now how do I set some traps?" Anubis said to himself looking around from behind the crates he hid behind before. he then found an opening and quickly to the chance and hid behind some more crates with a hole in them just big enough for a pup to squeeze through. he took the rope tied it around him and the other end onto a post. he then sat down on the edge his tail sticking through the gap in the crates, as he read on the fish that swam there.

Lucky and nodded. Now this was something he was quite familiar with. One cannot grow up with a proud native Tlingit heritage and not learn a thing or two about dealing with fish. Summer Salmon was an Alaskan Staple. "Sure! I used to do this sort of thing with my dad all the time, way back when I lived up north. " He said towards the pup. "Oh, and yes, like Levi said, my name is Lucky. Slipped my mind that you haven't officially met me yet. Nice to meet you." He said and extended a paw outwards to shake.

Reginald, instead of shaking, grabbed Lucky's paw and with surprising strength dragged him toward a large and long table, where humans and animals were already working. "Great! Now you take a knife and open them. Toss the interiors into the bucket. Wear the apron, though it's fun to lick all the blood from your fur. Don't stuff yourself now, we'll have a feast by the end of the day!"

Levi followed after the two dogs.
when Reg told him what to do, he grabbed an apron and put it on. "huh. Never had to wear an apron before. Oh well, let's get cutting."

"I see that you made yourself two new friends," Reginals' Mom said. I hope you guys are staying for dinner. And you surely are not going to dine with leftovers, it's bad luck. These are supposed to feed the sharks for good luck and be used as bait for our next catches."

Lucky went to work gutting the fish and dumping the innards into the bucket provided. It took him a moment to get into a workers rhythm but once he started it was hard to stop. He nodded towards Reginalds mother and smiled.

"Sure I'd love to stay for dinner." Lucky nodded without missing a beat in cutting the fish. "I'm sure the feast will be better than the leftovers anyways. And I'd shake your hand but I'm covered in guts. The name's Lucky by the way."

"Nice to meet you Mary, Lucky gave her a curt nod. "I don't think I've talked to your sister much, but I'll keep that in mind if I see her. And that Scottish accent probably comes from me mother's side. She is a Sheltie after all." Lucky chuckled, letting the full accent flourish for a moment.

Really? Our family's from Scotland as well. Our grandfather fought in the war and much like other soldiers he decided to move here together with his dog. Reginals is a descendendant from that dog too."
"My ubergrandpa was a soldier!" Reggie said, wagging, working with the knife like a real pro.

When Levi heard this he stopped what he was doing and looked up. Sure enough, while she did look like Justine, she wasn't her.
Levi began to blush a little. "Oh, I guess I wasn't really paying attention earlier. heh. Sorry I called you Justine." he had a bit of a nervous smile, but he resisted the urge rub the back of his head with his fishy paws.

"Trust is earned, as far as I'm aware." Shadowclaw replied "As much as I'm aware that only Gilestra and the wolf warriors outside proved that they mean no harm to me. How can I be sure for you?"

~~~~~~


Balkan shook his head "I might be able to bring peace, but not even gods can take down the law of the wolves... that is unless they destroy them all, for as long as there's a wolf blood in this world the wolf law will live. The best thing that can be done is to change it... although it's almost impossible to convince anyone to do so."
The half-wolf turned to the lycaon Chieftain "Well, Chieftain Amelia, from now, until tomorrow morning, I am off-duty." he looked down at his paw just to realize he was still holding the vial. "By the spirits!" he looked back at the chieftain "Are there still available runners between here and the resort?"

~~~~~~
[/quote]
Amelia nodded. She gestured toward a female, and there she came. "Make use of her. And remember, change may come even sooner, when new wolves will join your communities. Don't think in such drastic terms. Now what do you need of my runner?"

back were Anubis was a GSD stepped on his tail, he yelled in pain taking his tail out and hiding quickly. After this the dog moved a crate to see what was it that made the noise. Anubis's hair was on edge and he slowly extended his claws."no powers just scare him or knock him out" he thought to himself as the german shepherd looked around. Anubis slowly and deeply growled then pounced on him in attack. a bit later the GSD was running around yelling about someone attacking him.

As soon as Victor said 'shark, Maxine looked worried. "S-Sharks!? Y'mean there's sharks around here??" She shouted, backing away from the ocean a bit..

"Well, what are you waiting for, dummy fox? RUN before an army of angry dogs decided to make our aquaintance!"
---

"Why, of course. They are our main attraction, didn't you read the brochure? The local pack's members are Pogo, Boombox, Popeye and Lady. Four full grown Great White Sharks."

Shadowclaw sighed "Guess I have to follow you in this, but only if Gilestra will be in it as well.."

~~~~~~


"I still have some things to clear out with Charlie..." Balkan said "And that is where the runner will come in. I need him to give this vial to Charlie. She must to drink every single drop of the medicine inside. It's important for her and me. Or we both will live in a lie..."

Yago nodded. "He will be present in any stage of this ritual. I won't have it any other way. He was the first to reach your heart, he will help you."
---
"I will provide to do so, Ambassador," the runner said.