[Keanu]

color=#BA3816

"Hello! Wall..keepers," torn ears lay back against her skull, she is slightly unkempt and it bothers her, but.. a glance to her stomach, than to her companion- a white blotted, steel coated little monster child.. or.. well.. another glance told her that Jezebel was, in fact, stepping closer towards teenhood, or.. perhaps..

"Please let me speak," both sets of red meet each other; however, her look is stern. "do not interrupt, okay? I don't know this.. area.. I don't know if they'll be hostile, and ah.. frankly.. even if they aren't.. they might end up being so 'cause.. if I'm being very real and honest here.. you've got kind of a.. bad attitude," the runaway peregrine offered a gentle laugh before looking away to the wall again.

"Wall people! My name is Keanu! I'm a.. refugee.. I'm.. with a child," of whom she believed was never given the chance to be a child, but ah, a child none the less, "We're seeking temporary refuge.. I'm very tired, and I believe she might be as well, she's not one for talking, she just looks really tired, so I'm kind of assuming.." BUT LET'S STAY ON TRACK..

"Oh right! I don't have much to offer- actually, I have nothing to offer if you give us sanctuary, except for work. I can work, and so can she, and.. if I have to remain a permanent resident, ah.. ah.. I can.. do that, if you find that necessary," but in truth? Keanu glances behind her and takes a long, loving look at the world behind them. She could never stay put again. Something in her wouldn't allow it.

"I can't speak for her, though. She might not be willing to stay for good.. and.. I won't force her, I'm not her mom-" fuckin' lord help whoever it really was- "but I'm sure she'll be grateful to.. whatever you offer us."

A pause in her babbling, she raises her head and listens. Was anyone listening? Would they be allowed to walk through and continue heading deeper without an escort?

[Jezebel]

color=#ff5e8f

Jezebel sits, rolling her eyes at nearly everything Keanu said, but she does as instructed. The removal of her tattoos, her fall from 'grace', she reaches up to rub the healing wounds above her eyes and breathes a sigh of relief. They would not remain scars, they would heal over and she would never have to see her disgrace in the reflection of another's eyes or in pools as she drank.

It was the only thing she cared about after leaving the jungle. Not her next meal, not shelter- that was Keanu's problem, and Keanu took care of it well enough- her thoughts were on whether she would retain beauty or if she would be scarred and humiliated. No. She is lucky. She is fortunate. She is free, and although she wants stability, her options are vast and yet.. limited.

Any allies of Saboro were out of the option, and she needed Keanu's intellect of the world outside to prevent her from being taken back on a silver platter. The only noise she makes is a soft 'mm' as the ex-peregrine finishes her rambling. Thank the Gods that nonsense is over.

[Blondie]

[size=undefined][i a e r a][/size]
^{ooc; authority iaera feels bad for being authority iaera}
-------------------------

PROFILE ✬ ✬ ✬ ✬ ✬ ✬ ✬

[size=undefined]E[/size]ver since her unfortunate incident on the wall, Iaera had been both angry and determined. She'd done well that first day, but her nerves still ate at her so she finally resorted to a little bit of cheating she hadn't done since she was a child. Minute doses of valerian to help settle her nerves, making sure to never take too much to lose her functions. It was just a crutch, at any given time she still felt the grip of the world on her, the hateful whisperings of her inner self-loathing dialogue creeping up. But the worst edge of it seemed to be removed, she was scared, but that made her determined. Iaera never could explain it, how sometimes out of nowhere she found the gall to move forward into the unknown, perhaps she was stronger than she realized? The little wolfdog always counted it as a strange blessing and never questioned it; genetics maybe, her mother and grandmother were strong women. What a day it will be when she finds the empowerment that fueled Whiteraine and Style to move forward into all the unknown with grace, or at least strength. Iaera looked up at the wall then, feeling dread still pulsing through her veins. Systematically she had began to take her valerian and march to the wall and scale it and sit on the top step before the top. Then she began to sit with her front feet on the wall, back feet on the step, looking out, never ever ever ever ever down. It was a tiny victory, but it felt like the world to her; somewhere deep down the hateful voice mocked her, "victory? PAH! this isn't shit kid." She swallowed that lump in her throat and breathed out heavily, a frown pulled heavily across her face, but her muscles remained locked in place. She'd done this, and only this, for weeks, choosing different spots along the wall, doing a half-patrol, half- self-help seminar. It had been some time since she'd traveled into the lowlands and patrolled the true border, Iaera had faith that Aela or Eve or someone that cared an awful lot about the lowland border had been patrolling it. For the first time since she'd joined Gemini, she was doing something for herself. That would eventually help her do her job for Gemini, but right now it was all about her trying to come into herself.   She didn't wanna be afraid anymore, she wanted to be stronger than who she had been in the past. It was a long road though, and though she was seemingly on the right path to surmount this obstacle, there were many more littered out ahead. "Maybe some day I'll be brave," the maiden chuckled, "maybe some day I'll be good enough..." she finished in a soft whisper. For everything she had done for her pack, she felt it wasn't enough to repay them for allowing her in and allowing her to take rank. The Whisper-slash-Ranger had learned about duty, and been gifted with two ranks; even if she felt she was unsuited to the Ranger job, she refused to tell anyone, she'd fake it until she made it. It seemed today would be another good day to fake it for a while, as the sound of someone shouting up to the wall startled her nearly to the point of losing balance. As the Ranger regained herself, she heard a lower conversation, but her fumbling kept her from making up all of it. Instead she peered a tiny head above the wall, reluctant to look down. Could one do an acceptance without ever looking at the potential recruit? The tan and gray woman assumed not and closed her eyes with a sick look on her face for a moment. Laying down on the wall, back legs still on the top stair. Finally she opened them to take in Keanu and Jezebel, head cocked to the side. They looked a little tired, and oddly unkempt, the older of the two had tattered ears, the child with scars. Soft violet eyes study them with a blank expression, mostly because she was feeling too many things at once to accurately portray just one. When Keanu began to speak again Iaera tried to offer a faint smile, but it faded off her face when she said they were refugees. Tiny furs on the back of her neck prickled, though she couldn't place the uncertainty at first. As the small-from-a-distance-but-larger-than-Iaera woman continued to speak it became clear they were looking for some food and water and a place to rest for a while. As always unspoken, it implied they wanted protection too, food and water and a place to rest were plentiful in the neutral lands, Iaera should know. And yet, she felt for them, as was the way of the gentle heart. Everything in her nature wanted to point them to the choke point on the wall and welcome them with open arms and feed them and protect them. Unfortunately her job was not to be a gracious hostess, but the first line of protection for Gemini's people. As bad as she felt to heckle them at the wall when they looked so disheveled, they must be vetted. "My sympathies go out to you," her voice clear, the wall did have the magical effect of making her feel powerful. Tone was truly compassionate, but even an idiot could have sensed the... "but," that was arriving as Iaera still lay atop the wall, too locked in place to stand. "this wall was not built because all who came here were friendly people. You'll understand I have many questions to ask you, and if I think you're being untruthful, I will have to send you away." A frown pulled on her face, eyes screaming the 'sorry' to Keanu's reds. The Ranger had to protect Gemini, but she hoped she could protect these two as well; hopefully they were mutually exclusive ideas. "You say you are refugees, from what? You offer work in exchange for sanctuary, what sort of skills do you possess?" Sanctuary, Iaera kept herself from making a face, Gemini was so loose with allowing it's members to come and go sometimes she wondered why they ever held acceptances or patrolled the border. Philosophical differences she guessed. But then one last thought hit her mind as she looked at Keanu and Jezebel with a quizzical expression. "And, do tell me why you are so far inland of our territory," there was no malice in her words, but they were trespassing, even if by sheer accident. "Are the lowlands borders lacking their strength? Were they easily missed?" But it was not derision or accusation, a sincere question, Iaera had not been at the lowlands borders for some time, if they were lacking she would have to make sure to head down and reinforce them later on. "This is Gemini, by the way. And I am Iaera."

[Keanu]

color=#BA3816

'My sympathies go out to you,' came a voice from the top of the wall, Keanu cranes  her neck to see. Oh. It made sense for the wall to work like this, and she offers her ward a lopsided grin before returning her gaze to Iaera. 'This wall was not built because all who came here were friendly people. You'll understand I have many questions to ask you, and if I think you're being untruthful, I will have to send you away.'

To this, Keanu nods. "I don't think walls were meant to be very welcoming," she speaks to Jezebel, more so than Iaera, who she imagines can't hear her softer words. On purpose, of course. "We'll answer whatever you ask, so long as it isn't.. terribly personal, you know?" because there were just things you didn't discuss with strangers.

'You say you are refugees, from what? You offer work in exchange for sanctuary, what sort of skills do you possess?' Of course she knew admitting they were refugees would walk her down this path, but she was terrible at hiding her intentions and knew she would be an even worse liar about where they'd come from. The ex peregrine knew honesty was the best policy; however.. even she didn't know the extent to all those who loathed Saboro, or those who would ally with them after she'd left. All she knew was this wasn't Borogrove, nor Tortuga, and it was certainly not Alteron.

So it seemed safe enough.

"...Saboro," after a long pause, Keanu barks the name that made Jezebel's fur stand on end, and herself to stand as well. The gray ward bristled with anger and let out a growl, edging closer to Keanu, who turned to give her a 'stand down' glance. "You need to sit back down," her words are stern to the child, who proceeded to do as she was told, but reluctantly, stiffly. Keanu could see the look of betrayal in the fallen fledgling's eyes, but she dismissed it to continue her very adult conversation.

"I'm.. I was.. the Peregrine, I was.. I was proficient in stealth and.. alliances, or negotiating them, and.. tracking.." which would then explain why.. they were.. so inland of the borders, and her face burned bright red beneath her freckled fur. "Oh. Oh, I'm so sorry! Please, please, we.. I didn't know we trespassed," and it was remembering those who did trespass in Saboro which prompted her response to rush beside Jezebel, who she stood over protectively, despite the animosity they both felt. Her fur bristled, she couldn't help but raise her tail. "Listen, we're sorry, I.. I didn't mean to travel so far in, we'll leave. I kept us as hidden as possible until we came to the wall, if we were missed.. if we slipped through, it's my fault. Don't harm her, she didn't mean to, she was following me," her ears pinned back as she pleaded.

She hoped no one would come along the wall below and challenge this, she hoped desperately to keep blood out of it, and all the while Jezebel sat in awe and disgust as Keanu stood so close to her. "I.. I don't think I've heard of Gemini," she can't recall, she doesn't remember. "I can hunt, I can do whatever you want, just please, don't hurt her," her tail drops, but she keeps her ears up. She listens, she waits, she prays to some nameless, foreign Gods for mercy over her stupid mistake.

[Blondie]

FRANCISCA

If she were a different wolf, perhaps Franky would have made friends with Iaera. In times she considered reaching out to the other ranger she saw around (for it was always the two of them, crisscrossing the wall day in and day out. Oh sure, Franky had thought about it. But she hadn't, and she didn't, and maybe she never would. The scar tissue on her heart was still to thick, maybe.

Maybe someday.

The blue ranger had been passing by this little acceptance (a loner and a child? It was good they'd found Gemini), content to let the other ranger handle it. If she needed help, Franky would be in range even if she continued her patrol. There was a world where nothing had happened and Franky had walked by without a care in the world as the strangers were welcomed in.

But in this world, she heard the word Saboro.

Franky wasted no time and within moments she was suddenly behind Iaera, her hackles raised defensively. Her one good eye bored into this orange stranger and listened with panicked intensity. She didn't recognize the rank Peregrine, but it sounded something like a tracker. But more importantly, the stranger had said the Peregrine. That sounded like an elite. What was an elite doing at the borders of Gemini, with a child?

The blue girl leaned in close to Iaera so that she could whisper a command to the other Ranger without being overheard. "Get backup. Find the Queen, or the King, or even the Cavalier." She kept her single eye on Keanu, least the stranger try anything. "Tell them a stranger from Saboro is here. Don't leave that out. This is serious - now go."  Hopefully Iaera would sense the urgency in her voice and listen. Hopefully...

Once that was done with, she turned her full attention to Keanu. Paranoia threatened to overtake her, but she kept her old Saborako posture and calm and simply watched the two Saborans with a threatening stiffness. "Who are you? How did you find this place? Why-"  No, that wouldn't do. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Keanu, and...

And then she turned her gaze on Jezebel.

The child would be less likely to lie. The adult could be a spy, using the puppy for leverage, but they could not leave a child raised in Saboro alone. Her gaze softened, just a touch, as she looked over the gray child. "Why did you leave Saboro?" She asked Jezebel. "Whatever anyone else told you to say, I want you to tell me the truth. We'll keep you safe."  She cast a suspicious glance at Keanu for a moment before fixing on Jezebel again.

"I promise."

[Blondie]

[size=undefined][i a e r a][/size]
^{ooc; left it ambiguous as to who she actually found, so whoever wants to pop in can.}
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PROFILE ✬ ✬ ✬ ✬ ✬ ✬ ✬

[size=undefined]T[/size]he spotted woman looked up at Iaera and for a moment the Ranger smirked, not at Keanu's grin, but at realizing that someone finally had to look up to see her! The little short wolfdog! Ha! For a couple of seconds she soaked it in before returning her face to a more serious, businesslike expression; putting in the back of her mind another reason to like the wall she was so afraid of. The Ranger notices her mutter something to the child after nodding about being told she'd have to answer some questions and appear to be truthful to get in. It irritated her slightly, the child had yet to speak, and she wondered what was being said to it, but she remained straight-faced. Finally Keanu looked back up at her spoke up again, offering honesty within reason, Iaera nodded. Her job wasn't to play 20 Questions like a fuckboy, she just wanted to make sure Gemini would be safe with these two in it's midst. That was her job, after all. After her question it seemed there was an unnecessarily long pause, was it worry in the strange woman's eyes? Iaera couldn't tell too well from the way she was looking down at the pair, and glanced at Jezebel, sitting quietly as well. The hesitation went far from unnoticed, and Iaera felt her spine tingle just a little bit, was the ex-Peregrine forming a lie? Or was she simply afraid to speak it and have it appear before her? Did she think Iaera untrustworthy? Or she could possibly just be thinking of the best way to phrase it, the Ranger scolded herself for being too up in her head. It was in her nature to give everyone she possibly could the benefit of the doubt. Finally, a single word slipped from the red-eyed woman's lips, Saboro. The wolfdog opened her mouth to speak, "Saboro... I've never--" but she cause Jezebel's reaction. It seemed startled and unrehearsed, standing suddenly, bristling with a dangerous look. Was that fear? Or something else? Either way the truthfulness in the knee-jerk reaction made Iaera feel better about Keanu's hesitation. As the stranger settled the very upset child back down, Iaera heard a flurry of motion coming along the wall but paid it no mind, assuming it was children running the length or a patrol on the ground. She continued speaking and just as Francisca had heard it, Iaera did too, 'the Peregrine'. Iaera was not a master of packs and their inner workings, but she had learned that typically only the very special members were 'the' a singular rank instead of 'a' of a plural group. "The Peregrine, sounds special..." Behind her Francisca was coming up the steps hard, Iaera turned to look, moving her hind in out of the way, missing part of what Keanu said. She turned back to look just as Keanu stepped protectively in front of Jezebel and Iaera's fur bristled, immediately insulted as the woman pleaded to not harm the child. "We are not cruel here without reason, and you are still on the proper side of the wall," her voice terse as Franky was suddenly beside her, "but of all the things we will do, we would NEVER harm a child." What a place she must have come from to have such a strong fear reaction to something as simple as an accidental trespass. People did that in Gemini ALL the time. But things were shifting, it was rare that the fellow Ranger she often passed would appear at one of her acceptances. Thus far they had done well to stay out of each other's way, so her being here kept Iaera from allowing her bristled fur to settle back down. There had to be a reason she was here, and sure enough, she was about to get it. As the larger ex-Saboran leaned over to her, the gravity of the situation was clear. Get reinforcements, get the King or Queen? The Cavalier? Saboro. Saboro. It meant something, and Iaera was happy to let someone who knew what it meant stand there and speak instead. Her good nature got the best of her, and before she turned to descend the steps and run for aid, violet eyes would meet Keanu's red ones, "Now would be a good time to be entirely transparent," her voice was hard, like a threat, but her eyes read the truth of her concern. Then she was down the stairs, quite happy to be away from the wall, at least momentarily. But her job was not over, she had to find aid, find the royals, get someone. Iaera could do that, and thankfully for her and Franky, she was a formidably fast runner. The wolfdog got good stamina and shape from both parents, her mother had been a runner, messenger before her capture, father a prized sled dog. Little and short as her legs were, they could quite often carry her faster than those whose legs reached out longer than trees. When she broke into a run she was gone from the Wall near immediately, charging into Gemini in search of aid. Admittedly, Iaera wasn't entirely certain where to start looking, but she had an idea of two. She would round the castle, then head into the willow grove she called home, seeking the old tree with bones, then she would gallop towards the mountains, searching, searching. Should she find anyone, or multiple ones, she would call out to them, "My King/Queen/Cavalier/other!" allowing herself to appear more out of breath than she truly was, urgency in her words, "The Rangers request your presence on the border, a woman and a child, refugees, from Saboro." If it was as important as her blue coworker made her believe, the Ranger-slash-Whisper would be certain to stress it. Her curiosity was piqued really, why this name, this place held such an air of fear, or uncertainty. Iaera was eager to get back, so when she finally found someone, anyone that would go, she began to gallop back to the Wall, making a bee-line for the steps she really didn't wanna fool with. The tan and gray maiden would allow any she had managed to find to traverse them before her, since she was so uneasy with them still, and so that she could remain in the back, with her feet planted on the top step. Violet eyes sweeping from the refugees to Franky to any others on the wall. What was this? Saboro...

[Jezebel]

color=#ff5e8f

'This is Gemini, by the way.'

Jezebel's eyes grew large, big round pink things, warm against the cold of her fur. "I know this place-" she begins, but Keanu interrupts. Keanu always interrupted, and as the woman began to babble about.. being sorry.. and.. harm, the younger of the two begins to bristle. "You're an idiot!," she howls and stands, shoving against the speckled adult, who looks back with confusion.

"You were always bad at your stupid job! You said you'd protect me, and now look! Look what happened!" her words cut deeper than any set of teeth or claws. Jezebel growls and backs away. It's only as she does this that she realizes the guard at the wall has changed.

"Who are you? How did you find this place? Why-" and then the woman at the top began speaking directly to her. 'Why did you leave Saboro?' She glares, eyes now narrowed, but how much of her annoyance could Franky see? 'Whatever anyone else told you to say, I want you to tell me the truth. We'll keep you safe. I promise.'

"This idiot here is too stupid to lie. Her name is Keanu, she was The Peregrine, and I was a fledgling," although Keanu omitted that part. "I don't know why she left. She had it good- a nice kush job where she could fumble her stupid dumb words with her STUPID DUMB FACE, but me? They took my marks, they made me common," and the disgust in her voice as she yelled hung in the air like a muggy, humid breath.

"I don't care about your promises. I want to see the fairy pools. Your prince told me you had them," she grunts. "He said you have pretty lights in the north, and an ocean, and I want to wait for him to return. Take me inside. I don't care what you do to Keanu, she can't go back to Saboro, though," which prompts a harsh laugh and a glance back to the woman who now stood with her head so low and the pain in her heart radiating all over her face.

"They'd slave her, they wouldn't even be kind enough to kill her- which they ought to for her treason, haha, idiot- so she won't be going back. Can you please come down and get me? I don't really trust her to keep me safe anymore," and so she'd wait, patient in the same spot with her head high and her ears forward.

[Keanu]

color=#BA3816

Keanu stumbles back at the shove, listens with heart on her sleeve as Jezebel berates her and proceeds to order around Francisca. If she weren't so remarkably hurt, if she didn't feel like such a beat dog, she would've tried covering the mouth of the fallen fledgling, but ah.. all she could do was watch the filthy little gargoyle dig a grave.

For her? For both of them? It didn't matter.

"I'm not a bad guy," she says softly, although her mind races back to Tessen and Reiss, how her heart went out to them and her words carried over a crowd.

Then to Aster, to Budapest and Sycamore. How she defended Sherry, but not the pink wolf's actions, just her right to live. She recalls how she would have not batted an eye to tear Budapest limb-from-limb if the matter turned grim. Sherry was a prisoner, and Keanu had been given a job. I'M NOT THE BAD GUY.

To Gregor, who gave her such an accusing glance when she reigned in Dexus- who was returning himself to Saboro, and she stole the credit. She thinks back to Tessen and Reiss, how her heart went out to them and her words carried over a crowd. I'm not the bad guy!

She recalls telling Naviti beneath a tree just how she felt, and when her Sunflower disappeared- even for a short time- how she ran to the arms of the Banshee, who she loved as much as the Saborako. There was no telling what it caused for either of the two who were left behind, or if they even knew she was less-than-faithful. Keanu couldn't help what her heart wanted, or how it worked. I'm not the bad guy..

She had followed the scent of Hecate through the plains and whatever had come from that meeting was a blur, but she knew in her heart she would've killed the woman- or died trying- to keep the red sister away from Bane. It wasn't for cruelty, it was to protect him. To protect her father, who she abandoned like her lovers and her brother and her friends. But I'm not the bad guy!!!

Her ears droop as she remembers Rosanna at the meeting of her kestrels, how the Peregrine painted a target on the girl for speaking about her family. Who later appeared on the border, seeking their dear uncle, and what did she do to repay the boy's loyalty? She captured him. She snatched him up and fed his innocence to the crocodiles and did so with a snarl on her face towards his sister, who only wanted to love him. But no, she exhales and looks up to Franky.

If only Keanu had known the irony behind looking Dexus' daughter in the eye and asking for mercy.

"I've told you who I am, she's told you who we are, and I won't speak any more on the matter. You can have all the information about that jungle from the girl, but I'll tell you nothing else," and although she ran, she still had her own loyalties, her own wayward morals to cling to. "I won't be waiting for you to retrieve her. You heard it as well as I did, she no longer feels safe with me," but why?

Had she not gotten them this far? Keanu didn't understand.

But then, as she looked to the girl who sat and waited for a new escort, she realized.. she helped a monster escape, and here it sat, waiting patiently for someone to take it into the village to massacre and destroy everything it touched.

"..Oh," she breathes out, "..I don't think I'm one of the good guys anymore," her voice hushed against the sound of wind picking up.

It was upon this realization that she began to turn and leave, her heart placed in the very grave that Jezebel dug, dirt packed on to ensure suffocation. She keeps her guard up as she prepares to leave, listening for anyone who approaches, ready to defend herself if necessary.

[Hayley]

i do!! sorry omg i forgot about this. i’ll post her up today!

[Eve]

//

[Francisca]

franky

i have seen what the darkness does

actions - “speech”

And suddenly, right before her eye, Keanu and her ward unraveled. Her gaze drifted between the orange stranger and the blue child and she tried to read between the lines, put together the missing pieces in her head. Saboro had changed its words and its names since she'd left, but she understood that Peregrine meant something and she assumed that Fledgeling meant something.

She regarded Jezebel carefully. Could that blue have been from Coven's line, as Indigo's had been? It was not the blue of her family (that would have been dreaming for too much), but what if... There were so many questions."Who are your parents?" Franky asked evenly, but intensely. The blue child still seemed dangerous, that she still held the same values. No, not the inbred fears. The values. That was different.

"-Which prince?" Franky asked suddenly as it clicked. "Where did you meet him?" For that was a matter of Gemini security. Well, this all was. But that was something unrelated to Saboro. If these Saborans had run into him... well, she couldn't be sure of their nature yet, so she couldn't help but fear the worst. Iaera returned with a wolf she recognized. She flicked her ear in greeting to the both, but kept an eye on the strangers. She opened her mouth to report, but then Keanu spoke.

"..I don't think I'm one of the good guys anymore,"

And suddenly she remembered the worry and the guilt. She remembered the way she'd paced the borders when she was first made a ranger until her paws bled, as if that would make up for the blood she'd left on Saboro's border. She remembered the feeling of Flynn's fur and the smell of his blood in the air as the world spun around her. She remembered exiling herself to the desert trip as if that would make up for tearing her mother apart on the border. She remembered the anger that Coven had put inside her and how it had taken long months in the dark to bleed out. She remembered thinking: how do you make up for doing terrible things?

And she remembered the answer: You don't.

You just do better.

Eve said, stay where you are. Franky said, "Wait."

Franky didn't look at Eve, despite the clever nickname. Her gaze remained locked on Keanu, and she swallowed thickly. Now was not the time to be too vulnerable, but just for a moment her gaze on Keanu was sympathetic. Then she let herself become more guarded. "We don't know the intentions of these Saborans." Now she allowed herself to glance at Eve and Iaera. For a moment, she was suddenly aware that the fate of these two Saborans probably rested on what she said next. It was a kind of power she hadn't felt since... well, Saboro. It scared her. "They may be spies. Or..." Her gaze caught on Keanu again. "They might be refugees."

How could she deny them the chance she'd had, if that's all they wanted?

"I suggest we have them kept under watch until we can determine the truth. I'm sure the Queen will have an opinion on it too. They know we're here now, and turning them away would be dangerous." Franky glanced at Keanu, one last silent plea: don't let me regret this.

coding © vixxie's codes

[Iaera]

|✬| gemini |✬|
the nymph; whisper & ranger

She stood and watched with a mix of fear and curiousity in her eyes. Tiny front feet still planted on the top step, peering over the edge of the wall, violet eyes focused on Keanu and Jezebel. Francisca seemed to have this under control, at least a little bit more than Iaera had. Now that this whole Saboro thing had come into play... Thankfully she didn't have to go far to fetch the Tauro Eve, a woman who frightened her greatly though she refused to admit it. And despite her loathing her breeding, it made her quite the quick sprinter. Meaning she missed very little of the conversation, ears perked as Jezebel set in on Keanu. The Ranger didn't miss the hard inflection on the word 'common', she tucked it away to study when she was in Whisper mode. It indicated that this child had once been something special and she was not anymore, the scars on her face plain. Little did she know what that really meant, though it might ring a bell for Franky. Instead she lingered, lip drawn up in disgust at the way Jezebel spoke. Entitled, obnoxious, realizing she could now play the victim because Gemini had offered her help. Iaera wasn't blind, and the gray child was making no effort to hide her malicious attitude. Holding herself like a tiny little God, completely turning on Keanu.

A single fang poked from Iaera's lip as she offered a steely cold stare to the brat. Keanu had obviously been protecting her, leading her through the world, running them both away from a place that was no good, and when Keanu thought Gemini was going to attack them for trespassing she begged for Jezebel's safety... This was how she was repaid for it? Iaera's face made no attempt to hide the irritation she felt within. Loyalty was one of the most important aspects in her life, a prized trait; undying loyalty to her friends. To see such a lack of loyalty or even a smidgen of gratitude took her back. This was a child, it stood to reason she had been raised in this Saboro. Was that was Saboro was? If so Iaera was apt to say that this Saboro was most assuredly no good and she understood the urgency. Suddenly she stepped up from linger silently on the step, if Francisca hadn't noticed her, she would now. "Nequam parum canem." The long haired woman standing near might not speak Latin, but the derisive tone and the fact that it was not spoken in the common tongue should have given away the fact that it was most certainly NOT a compliment. Though it wasn't spoken loudly, so unless Jezebel caught the woman's mouth moving-- the wolfdog wasn't sure how she could do so with her own mouth moving so loudly-- she wouldn't notice.

She might have lingered on it longer if not for the fact that the look on the ex-Peregrine's face changed. Suddenly the spotted woman looked upset and started kinda stuttering about again. Then the little woman turned to move away, looking dejected and the wolfdog's ears pinned back hard. Shooting a devilish look to Jezebel, who had just finished demanding entrance while Francisca still asked questions. Eve was moving to cut off Keanu, somewhat confused about the situation having gone to intercept. Clever nickname, Iaera would recall the use of nicknames in the future if the need ever arose. It felt like something that could be useful on the border, or out during a trip if things went south and it was imparitive that real identities not be used. The blue Ranger seemed to have the situation under control and she spoke to Eve with a strange level of authority. Something here was different, the word Saboro changed the whole way the game was played and Iaera wouldn't be soon to forget. After her fellow Ranger opted to bring them in, Iaera nodded and moved down the stairs and toward the exit. Going to meet Keanu now, slipping past the choke point and the two rattling skulls. Violet eyes would fall to Jezebel, "The entrance is here, you can walk,"a very deadpan tone, no rescuer would come to walk her in.

Maybe once she was a princess, maybe once she was special, Iaera didn't know, but Jezebel better get used to being "common". The wolfdog thought back to stories mother told her of her grandmother in Imperium. Grandmother once mopped the floor with an insolent princess, the thought made Iaera grin deviously as she moved past Jezebel to meet Eve and Keanu. A sneaking thought whispered in the back of her head that Keanu was quite skilled in stealth, perhaps it should be mentioned to Eve?"Welcome, come in and get some rest. If you are looking for company, my den is under a willow in the grove."

But it wouldn't be mentioned.

Iaera sympathsized with Keanu; the wolfdog mirrored Francisca's sentiment,
don't let me regret this...
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ooc| latin is a dead language so sometimes I have to improvise with new age words like "bitch" lol. canem is really more just dog/hound but ya'know.