There is something not right about tonight. Tess huffed, and paced around the giant oak tree for the fourth time. Antonica glanced over at the young pup, hardly a teenager by all rights, impatiently awaiting the return of her older brother. She was cute, for a red-pelted wolf. At least she didn't have to clean hers every five seconds.
It's in the air, can't you smell it? The pup insisted. It was just the two of them in the vicinity, waiting to relieve the previous guards from patrolling. It was also poor little Tess' first time on patrol. The pup had a lot to learn still.
That's the Vampires. They dominate the night, remember? Antonica replied with a small smile. She smelled them too; they smelled like blood and death. But instead of using that as a means to avoid them, Antonica used it as identification. She, personally, much preferred the scents of humans and those fallen angels. Fallen angels smelled sweet. While none of them could ever recall anything about the afterlife, Antonica would bet money- if money mattered these days- they smelled like heaven. Like God, or whoever, sprayed them with whatever that lovely perfume was right before He pushed them from his clouds.
First, came the deafening crack of a gun. A howl pierced the air just seconds after the blanket of pure dread and fear clouded her mind. Something was wrong. Something terrible was wrong. Stay here. Antonica ordered Tess with a growl, and took off. Her pelt was such an unnatural shade of white that it almost glowed as she ran through the forest. For that reason, she rarely took night watches.
Antonica saw the scene in her mind's eye before she arrived. She also felt the pain of that gunshot. She wished that she could put her pack members to peace, but the fallen angels needed as many souls as they could get, and since vampires had none, it boiled down to her pack and the humans.
Antonica finally arrived; the scene was more heartbreaking while she was physically there than when she just saw it in her head. Heartbreaking because it paralleled to something in her memory. Heartbreaking because she could feel every bit of their pain- physical and emotional. Times like this made her hate being the alpha. Quietly, she morphed out of her wolfskin and approached the couple- Daniel and Katie. Katie had been shot... with silver.
"Daniel." Antonica spoke softly. He wouldn't take his eyes from her, his wife, laying on the ground, the silver bullet wound in her chest made her veins stick out of her skin in a sickly gray that looked black. The bullet was embedded in her stomach area. She didn't have much time.
"Daniel." Antonica ordered. He shook his head, not wanting to look away from Katie. Her beautiful brown hair lost its luster quickly, and started to look withered. "You have to take her to the angels. She is gone."
"Command me to." He was desperate, distraught. Antonica hated giving orders, but she knew Daniel probably wouldn't move until she did. Losing the one you imprinted on was just as awful as dying. If not worse.
"Take her to the angels. Don't watch them when they take her. Return to me." She commanded.
His mood changed to bitter relief. Katie's dying eyes fell to Antonica's- a horrible sight. Antonica fought to keep her eyes clear of forming tears. Gently, she placed a hand on the dying woman's forehead. "Sleep, my child. Feel no pain." Daniel changed to his wolfskin, as Antonica lifted Katie onto his back and tied her hands together quickly around his neck so she wouldn't fall off.
There is someone out there with silver bullets. I want the rest of you inside. Now.
[cont'd]

"Make me some coffee, please." Antonica asked whoever it was who came to check on her. It was finally breaking daylight. The vampires had scouted the whole area and didn't find anything. That was probably the most heart-wrenching of the whole scenario. Someone had breached the boarder and shot one of her wolves and got away completely unscathed.
A steaming cup of coffee materialized next to her, and she grabbed it. Daniel walked into the kitchen, his eyes bloodshot with a distant, surreal expression that Antonica knew all too well. He said a lot of words to her that night after he returned, and she let him. He had to get the anger out of his system. Since no one could find Katie's killer, he had every right to want justice... but if all he could get was some elementary relief by yelling at Antonica, she would happily grant it to him.
"I am sorry about what I said." Daniel spoke without tone. He was always a vibrant man... seeing him like this was eerie. "I know it is not your fault that Katie ..." His voice cracked when he said her name; he couldn't finish his statement.
"I forgive you. I understand you were not yourself, and you won't be for a while."
Does it ever go away? He asked her without words, knowing that she knew something of the subject. Antonica let her mind wander for a moment in sad, old memories. That awful night she saw Talon, the love of her life, writhing in pain, reaching out to her... when she turned away and left him. Forever.
No. I am sorry to say, it doesn't. You'll find a way to cope, to live, without her. But the pain will always be there.
You should find him, Antonica. It will be different now.
The beauty of being the Alpha was that not all of her mind was open to the pack. They knew she had a mate, but they did not know what he was before she changed him. They did not know what he did. They didn't need to know.
"That is mighty bold of you." Antonica gave him a serious expression, then stood up from the table. "I have to go speak to the council now-"
ANTONICA! The shout was so loud that she squeezed her eyes shut and held her head.
If you can't learn to think in a normal tone I will personally remove your brain. Antonica threatened in a dark voice with a hint of playful humor. Tess paid her no mind. The scent of death suddenly filled her house.
Vampires.
She ran to where they were, there were two of them. One she recognized from the city and one more she didn't. There were two werewolves with him.
"Close the blinds, it's almost morning." Antonica ordered. The two vampires were already looking rather... dead. The one she recognized, Benjamin, gave her a respectful, thankful bow.
"We found them just a minute outside of the barrier."
Her eyes fell on one of the werewolves and she felt her hair stand on end. Hate erupted through her. The light green-eyed and black haired werewolf lifted one side of his lips at her in a disgusting smile. "Hey, sis. Nice place you have here."
"You are no brother of mine, Convel." She growled back. Antonica, at the speed of thought, explained their relationship and rivalry to the pack. The other werewolf was a girl- who reeked of vampire blood- who stood on Convel's right side loyally, her lanky arms crossed. Like a stubborn child. She had fake red hair and dirty clothes.
Benjamin interrupted her thoughts. "They had these on them." He showed her a couple of handguns, but none had bullets.
"Good enough for me." Daniel growled from behind Antonica.
"We have the right to remain silent." The leader, Convel, said mockingly.
"Actually, you aren't citizens, so you don't." Antonica sneered back. Then she turned to the part of her pack who gathered, glaring at the three of them.
"I am going to take them in. Benjamin, you're welcome to stay here for the day if you wish." She asked two of her pack to help her with the others.
"You can't take me out there, I'll die." The vampire exclaimed.
"We'll avoid direct sunlight." Antonica responded bitterly, then thought it over. She couldn't let her personal feelings get involved. "Actually, I want you to stay here. Guard him, make sure he doesn't touch anything or go anywhere."
[cont'd]

"Benjamin, a vampire, found them lurking around the boarder just before daybreak, with these in their possession. There is another, a vampire, but since is it daytime he is being held at my house." Antonica set the handguns down on the evidence table. "I would like to have them examined for traces of silver. I also would like the three of them to be detained, confined to the city until a verdict can be reached."
"Was any silver found on any of them?" One of the fallen angels asked from the bench.
Antonica hesitated. "No, there wasn't. But I don't think that eliminates the possibility that they made only one bullet."
"And why would they need to make only one bullet?" The angel asked diplomatically.
Antonica had thought this one out. "I think that bullet was meant for me. You see, Convel and I... have a brief history. He was once a member in the pack I omega'd- that is, I was the omega, and my older brother was the alpha- and he did not like my older brother, so he abandoned the pack at a vital time. It ultimately led to the death of my brother, and made me the alpha of the pack then."
"And how would killing you benefit this Convel at all?"
Antonica took a deep breath. "It is a complicated procedure. I evoke executive rights to consult the council in private about further inquiry about the relationship between Convel and me."
The angel looked disappointed, but had no say about her executive rights. He nodded solemnly.
"Very well." He said. "Convel and his party are hereby commanded to stay in a room provided at the Sleepy Mortals. During their stay they may not come in possession of any weapons of any variety and may not wander around the city without an escort. The vampire will be moved at sundown accordingly."
The guards who held Convel and his mate Shayla, dragged them away. Antonica's icy blue eyes went to the council, who had overlooked the introduction trial; Tribune, Ellisif and Saito, who all had remained silent to hear her speak on behalf of her pack, and Daniel.
From exhaustion, Antonica ran a hand through her silvery-white hair while the room emptied. She looked up again at the three of them. "I'd like to speak to you now, if that's alright."
[done]

The vampire left sitting in the room wore a tight, forest green dress that hugged her body in all the right places. Giving her a tiny waist, subtle hips and a shapely bosom. Her vibrant brown hair was tied back today in a ponytail, a cream ribbon holding it in place, her fridge left to cover her forehead as her locks- straight today- fell to her shoulders. Her right hand, index finger she wore a brown ring that looked as if it had been fashioned from a tree, simple but it contrasted amazingly against her ivory skin.

It was a rare sight to see Ellisif not looking at her best, often these times had only arose when she hadn't fed and those damned wrinkles began to show. But she had taken her blood yesterday, human and looked young and fresh faced for it. That didn't mean she was in the mood to be sitting in this room during the day when she should have been resting though, but these daywalkers always insisted on have meetings they considered urgent straight away. As far as Ellisif was concerned the dog was dead, nothing could be done about it and his could have waited until the evening. Of course she would never utter those feeling, nor even hint them. Instead she had listened silently, carefully to what the pack leader had said, she even looked concerned. But this was Ellisif, a professional to the very last.

"Of course Antonica, you may speak when you are ready." she replied, a hint of compassion in her voice, her face the image of kindness.

Of all the buildings in Lindville, the courtroom was the most preserved and the most tacky with cream coloured walls, oak trim and wooden benches that lined the room like church pews facing an altar. Historically, those benches could seat a public audience eager to witness the proceedings of a court case. Now, they were solely occupied by a bored-looking guard, examining a pistol and humming quietly to himself. Three council members sat at the front of the room, occupying what would have been the judge’s chair and the two flanking witness stands.

Tribune sat in the middle, perched upon the high chair lined with black leather, his posture upright and attentive, gripping the armrests and fixating his solemn gaze upon the woman standing below him. Her brow was creased with concentration, her icy-blue eyes betraying no emotion. To the untrained eye she appeared calm and composed when recounting the events surrounding the death of her pack mate. But Tribune had deciphered the nuances in her body language, the subtle variations in the tone of her voice and the wavering complexity in her word choice and sentences. All of these things, once combined, unconsciously registered as indicators, which, when processed, computed an accurate index of Antonica’s psychological frame and state of mind. More simply, he could read her like a book.

The werewolf’s request to speak to the council in private was made in earnest, although he wouldn’t understand why until her motive was made clearer. This wasn’t the way he usually conducted investigations, however, Ellisif had already granted Antonica an audience, perhaps opening her mouth too soon without considering the opinions of her associates.

Tribune frowned and then spoke in a deep, resounding voice that echoed throughout the court room, “Granted, Antonica, you may speak before this council in solitude. Understand, however, that any comments made regarding this murder investigation cannot carry any weight until Daniel, the two werewolves, and the vampire are sufficiently questioned before the jury. In fact, I’m inclined to withhold consideration for anything you say regarding this murder until the opinions of the involved parties are accounted for. This being said, if you have any outstanding concerns, do not hesitate to bring them forward.”

He pulled out a large notebook and a pencil, prepared to take notes of the ensuing conversation.

"Welcome to Sleepy Mortals!" Jean almost bounced will energy as she welcomed the few vampires, werewolves, and the rare human visitors who have walked in for a room to stay for as long as they need to. Jean moves her headset to where it holds her bangs off of her face as a werewolf walked in to reserve a room on the first floor. "Convel...never heard that name before, does it have a special meaning?" she gave him a smile, but he didn't even bother to answer her "Well, alright then, I understand with being new to town and all you probably don't want to talk to me right? Oh well I guess. Here, I'll at least show you to your room." Jean led him to room 7, a room with a twin sized bed that is actually quite large enough for 2 or 3, a lounge chair, and the re-enforced oak door with tiny carvings that look like flames-but its hardly noticeable-to seal the room tight. "So here it is, a room fit for comfort right...?" Her voice trailed off as she looked back at the werewolf to see him glaring at her. "I'm sure you'll want to want to get settled in so I'll just leave you be" With a smile, she leaves the room key on the bed and leaves the room as quick as she can, almost slamming the door behind her.

"That was...kinda awkward, but I'm sure he'll settle in just fine." She smiled at the door behind her and hummed on her way back to the front where she seen a young werewolf woman waiting at the desk "Oh gees miss, I'm sorry. You haven't waited long have you?" The woman looks at her like Jean has lost all her marbles,"I haven't waited too long, but if you could hurry up it wouldn't hurt."Jean puts on a smile and holds her hand out to the lady, "Welcome to Sleepy Mortals, I'm sure I can find you a room." The lady ignores her hand so she puts it down, and checks the room numbers that were still open "Anyway lets get you into a room Miss....?" "Shayla." "Alright Shayla, just follow me and I'll show you to your room" Jean leads her to room 13 on the second floor, its built the same as all the rooms but the second floor rooms re-enforced doors-the re-enforcement was really to keep the building in one piece. The room has a full sized bed and the door is thick but has floral carvings in it. "I hope you don't mind the door, my parents gave each door its own flare" She waves her hand towards Jean as though she brushed her away "Its quite alright, just let me in the room. " Jean nodded with a smile she opened the door for Shayla and handing her the key.

After getting a dirty look from the woman Jean showed her around the small room "It really is more than-." The woman cuts her off rudely "You may go now." The woman told Jean with a blank stare, as though Jean was a bug. "Um, alright...I hope you get settled in well." She smiled at the woman, but it faltered under the emotionless stare so she hurried out of the room, shutting the door as quietly as possible. "Whew, I can already tell she'll be a handful here...."

Kaito hummed a nameless and sad tune, back against the wall of a dilapidated building. His eyes stayed shut, but the young man would be able to hear if a pin dropped in the alley closest to him. After all, his guard was never truely down. Even if he looked as if it was. One hand rested in his pocket, while the other fingered the small harmonica that hung from a chain around his neck. The events just last night had left such a horrid feeling throughout the pack, and even he could feel it. Being originally of another pack, and being a lower subordinate, he had a limeted connection with the rest of the pack. But he didn't mind. After all, his mind didn't need to be discected on a regular basis. But the feelings since the event were running srtong, and constant. There wouldn't be a way that he wouldn't feel it.
He tried to Keep his full focus on the here and now. At this rate, things would only get worse. And all hell could break loose at any moment. If he let his emotions run wild, he would be unprepared for when it came. And he wasn't about to do that. He just had to be patient and alert, two things that he seemed to refuse to live his life without. Oh, yes. Patience and alertedness would not be excused from his daily agenda because of a little sliver of hell breaking loose. He had to wait, and save his energy for when the rest of hell came crashing down. In a way, it was so uncharacteristic of a werewolf to hold back his emotions, but he'd trained himself well. Waiting had been a major key to living his life. He would have no trouble waiting more.
Kaito let one eye open, watching a couple of humans pass by on normal buisness, gossiping between one another in far-too-loud whispers. This dull kind of movement seemed to be the only kind that he'd seen all morning. A quite after the storm, so to speek.
Even for a patient mind, boredom was still boredom. Not that he'd wish hell to break loose immediately, but with the events last night, he would have thought that there would be a little more unease. The whispers that people beleived unhearable were far from interesting, and he was tired of them.
Kaito straightened, opening his eyes again and begining on his way. He'd find a less desolate street to watch. Maybe he'd hear something a little more interesting from a whisperer.

Anger, brief though potent, flowed through Antonica. Life had by no means been easy for her, but never had she ever been exposed to an individual so... detached... as Tribune. Especially to disdainfully grant her something she had a sacred right to. He must have misunderstood her. She knew, despite her current state of mine, that he and the rest of the council were just doing their duty to Lindville and its inhabitants.
"I don't come to you formally today; what I speak of now, I do not come forth as Daniel's representative. I speak as one of you with a genuine concern for Lindville." There was that present waver of fear behind her voice that she couldn't entirely cover. The thought that she would fail her duty, to protect people. Information was vital for survival, and so, the Council had to be informed. It would be a boring explanation, and she was almost positive Ellisif would not care any more about her kind than she ever did. But for Saito and Tribune, the information might prove more useful.
"When Alphas have pups, the eldest inherits the pack. If that new alpha has pups, the eldest of those will take over. But if the current alpha has no pups, the next eldest sibling inherits the pack. And so on. As you know, I had an older brother who died from a very tragic event, and after his death I inherited my pack and now, am the Alpha."
"What you don't know is that I had a younger brother as well. He is no longer my brother by label, but blood does not lie, nor will our inherent right to rule. He betrayed our pack at one of the most vital times for something petty-" Her eyes went to Ellisif subconsciously-"which resulted in the death of Will. He is a selfish, power-hungry disgrace of my kind. Convel is my brother, and if he has not changed in the years I haven't seen him, he will be looking to challenge me."
Frankly, an outrageous primitive part of her wanted nothing more than to sink her fangs into the black hide of that poor excuse of a family member. But the Council was there to promote peace among the races. In a fair challenge, it would be just her and him for twenty-four straight hours of cat-and-mouse. But she didn't count on him playing by the rules. Convel indulged in chaos.
"I understand that my duty is to take in all Werewolves who become citizens of Lindville, and I recognize that it may be a failure on my part, but I cannot accept Convel or his friend into my pack again. Once in the pack, since he is related to me by blood, he will have access to the minds of everyone." Convel would want to become a citizen, and if the council forced her to take him in regardless, at least she would also be able to access his mind.
"And also, I realize it hasn't been proven yet, but please try to understand. He potentially just killed the soul mate of someone in my pack. I am afraid the effort of keeping an eye on Daniel wouldn't be worth it." She felt her mouth suddenly go dry. "You see, Daniel, for a while, won't know what to do with himself. He'll feel like he's lost his will to live at all- that's what happens when your mate dies. And if your mate is murdered, since you have nothing more to live for, you seek nothing but the destruction of the murderer." Unaware if her explanations were effecting any of them, she looked at Ellisif again- Vampires were the only other race with soul mates, and possibly her last hope of getting them to understand. "Is that what it's like for your kind, too?"

Lexan poke his head over the edge of a tall building, gripping the partly-intact stone with his hand so as to keep from falling suddenly. He kept his speckled wings out, keeping balance and letting them flutter slightly to keep himself from tumbling foreward. The people walking below didn't seem to notice him, but in a way, that was kind of a good thing.

A wide, childish grin spread across his face as he noticed his favorite pet wolfy coming through the narrow alleyway below. Lex had been looking for something to do, after all. The events of the night had left everyone with an unpleasant demeanor, and he just wanted to get his mind off things. His own mind was depressing enough, and with all the unpleasant auras, he just wanted to have a little fun.

He straightened, stepping back from the ledge a moment, then running and plunging down, holding his shoulder where the left arm had been severed to keep his body a little more balanced. He kept his wings half-spread, one out a little more for his unbalanced body, and turned his position just in time, widening his wings to slow his drop, and hit the ground perfectly on his feet in front of Kaito with a soft 'thud.'

He dropped his arm to a normal position and let his wings fold in to hide beneath his white leather jacket. Kaito met him with an unsurprised nod of the head, but continued walking.

"Dimitrius," He aknowledged, giving a polite, but bored smile to the white-haired fallen.

"I swear one of these days, i'll manage to get a reaction out of you, Kai." Lexan replied, pouting and following Kaito. They'd both arrived in Linville around the same time, and Lexan had been bugging him since. Of course, Kaito seemed to want to settle himself down in Lindville, and Lexan was just waiting for something to push him out.

"Well, i wish you luck, then," Kaito responded, giving a look of doubt that Lexan could possibly startle him. After all, Lexan had been trying to do so for quite some time. Kaito was just too laid back.

"You're such an odd wolfy, aren't you?" Lexan said suddenly, stuffing his hand in his pocket. "It can't be good for you to be holding all your emotions like that. maybe one day you'll just explode from holding them in."

"I don't think so," Kaito replied, letting out a solemn chuckle. He wasn't in the mindstate for any of Lexan's antics, but he felt no reason not to humor this child-like immortal. But part of him wanted Lex to go annoy someone else for a while.

Lex roled his eyes. Kaito was even more boring than usual. Probably because of what had happened. He stopped mid-stride and watched Kaito take a new spot to stand guard. Lexan only wanted something to get his mind off of things. And that hadn't been helping. But after all, Kaito was a part of the pack since he'd come here, and was probably hung on all the feelings going around. Even if he didn't show it.

Lex sighed, going in the opposite direction. He needed something to occupy himself. He bit his lip, rubbing his severed limb as he walked. Oh yes, he needed to lighten his own mood. Maybe he'd pick a new subject to play some games with. Illusions were always fun, and a nice escape from reality. Maybe sometimes it was mean, but... Lex figured he could live with that.

Seemingly disinterested, Tribune tapped his chin with his index finger while Antonica presented her concerns. When she had concluded her short but passionate soliloquy, he cleared his throat, reverberating a deep, guttural vibration around the room.

“I’ll take note of your trepidations, Antonica. But what you have just told the council does not substantiate the action you want us to take.” Tribune folded his hands, sternly placing them in front of him. “First of all, I will state again that judgement for Convel, his pack mates, and any other parties that surround the circumstances of last night’s murder must and will be reserved until they have been given a fair chance to be cross-examined by this esteemed court of law. Given that Lindville is in need of healthy and hard-working citizens, we cannot establish preconceived opinions regarding the morality of Convel and his fellow travellers based upon the frailty of anecdotal evidence.”

“I would also like to make you aware that if you participate in a “challenge” with Convel, you are jeopardizing your responsibilities as pack leader. Should you lose, the outcome raises severely uncertain consequences, and the integrity of the survival bargain must not be threatened merely to preserve this particular ritual of pack culture. Nor will I allow the hatred between the two of you put others in danger. If the council decides to admit Convil as a full citizen of Lindville, you and your pack must acknowledge his full rights.”

“All this being said, Antonica, I do find value in your concern that if Convel is of the character to disturb the peace, then having access to the pack’s mind may be dangerous. As such, I will leave the final decision of whether or not to accept him Convil into the pack to you.”

Jean was roaming around sweeping and dusting when she spotted the two werewolves who had checked in earlier, Convel and Shayla, speaking to each other in the dinning room, and hoping not to be noticed she see tried to sneak out of sight. Without even blinking, Shayla had looked at Jean the second she tried to leave "Excuse me, can you get me a glass of water?"
Turning on her heel to face Shayla, Jean placed a smile on her face. "Of course," she said, "Would you like anything else?"
Jean watched as the woman took her sweet time thinking about it. After what felt like hours the woman nodded, "I would like something to eat," she placed her chin in her hand as if she were bored with Jean "What would you reccomend?"
Jean looked at Shayla "Well, for one such as yourself Miss, I would reccomend a steak... possibly medium rare?" with the reccomendation came a odd smile from Shayla.
"Of course, go and make it for me will you?" Shayla smiled at Jean but she realized in an instant that it didn't reach her eyes, and that if she didn't move now she'd probably never get the chance later, "I'll be back as soon as possible with your order."
Walking away Jean could hear one last part of their conversation, and it was from Convel, "I don't comprehend why you asked that blabbering fool for anything..."
~tiny skip here for the cooking~
"Here's your steak and water miss" smiling, she placed the food on the table. Right as the plate touched the table both Convel and Shayla got up to leave. With a smile full of ice Shayla spoke while Convel just gave Jean a quick glare, "You took too long and I'm afraid I've lost my appetite."
Dropping her smile as soon as they leave Jean pitches the meat grumbling to herself, "And I thought they'd at least turn out to be secretly nice..."

Tribune's words at first stiffened her. It was her own fault, technically- she never brought up the tradition of changing powers, because she had arrogantly made the mistake that no one would challenge her. She made a mental note to write up an amendment to bring to their attention. But later, not now. Now was too vital. His second point sent a jolt of relief through her so powerful that Antonica was positive it was visible. To expend her sudden burst of energy elsewhere, she began gathering the legal documents that appeared on the desk in front of her.
Ellisif hadn't spoken, and that concerned her. In the regard of mental, blood and emotional bonds, Vampires were the only ones proven to have them. Humans, it was certainly possible, but not all of them had such blessings. Antonica looked at her one last time, saying a silent prayer to her goddess that Ellisif would speak on her behalf.
"I don't know." Ellisif spoke. Plain. Cold. Brief. But behind a smile that she kept as the essence of sympathy. "I have not had this luxury of a mate, as you call them."
The two women stared at each other blankly.
Ellisif finally sighed. "However, from what I know of vampires, soul mates do exist. And the death of one has been known to cause the death of another- the soul mate of the vampire who killed the other's mate- so the two can live in an eternity of loneliness and hatred."
Antonica's expression softened again. She had a gut feeling that talking about such things wasn't Ellisif's forte, but she had to think it was vital to bring it up, and support Antonica, in the first place. Before Antonica could open her mouth to thank her, Ellisif continued.
"But I do not know for certain, as I've said, I've never experienced it."
The atmosphere of the room suddenly changed, at least to Antonica. It got darker and more foreboding.
"Though, Antonica, you have. If this bond between mates is so strong in your kind, where is yours?" She wasn't being mean, oddly, her face was pure logic. A reasonable train of thought to bring another point to the council.
"If this bond you speak of is powerful enough to break one's will to live, or to care about the life of others, how did you manage to leave yours without breaking down in self hatred?"
Antonica couldn't speak. She had a point, but Talon and her were... different. Antonica chided herself for thinking that, she sounded like an obsessed teenager. She just stared at Ellisif, her lips barely parted and a bit of disbelief stirring in her blue eyes.
"Therefore, no, I don't think the loss of his mate is a logical reason to forgive Daniel should he turn to extreme measures. You have just proven to us that self control can be maintained from the loss of a mate. To your kind."
Feeling inside out and invaded, Antonica shakily thanked the council for their time and consideration, bowed her head and left the courthouse quickly.

After walking several blocks, Antonica had calmed down and realized that she could not leave Convel and his friends unattended through the city. She needed someone distant enough from the pack who could keep an eye on him. Sighing, partially with fear and partially with hope, she opened her mental links to detect the nearest werewolves.
Normally, packs are tightly linked from the mental bonds and unity that is custom to their kind, but something about pack mentality had changed with the great size of Antonica's. There was still the need to protect one's packmate, and absolutely the Alpha, but there were various levels of the bond. She suspected it had to do with the size of the pack. Hers was huge.
Kaito. Her eyes went to him immediately, standing guard. She smiled. He wasn't super close with the pack, kind of a loner. He looked (and radiated) some kind of... boredom. A need of change. After a quick mental analysis, Antonica determined he would be perfect. She crossed the street and gave him a mental probing, on the unlikely chance that she would catch him by surprise.
"Kaito." Antonica smiled at him genuinely- it was hard to not be happy around what one might consider a "good child". I have a favor to ask of you. It is something of importance to the pack. For the safety of all of us. She mentally told him. She wondered if he had any idea what happened that night- she wondered if Daniel's anguish was strong enough to reach even the most distant werewolves from the heart of the pack.
"Please, walk with me."

Kaito gave a light smile at her approach, paired with a small head bow in acknowledgment. He listened to her mental inquiry as closely as possible. He figured that this favor had something to do with last nights events. He'd not been directly informed of what exactly took place, but he'd snagged plenty of bits and pieces together to get the basics.

"Of course," He replied courteously, both to the mental statement and Antonica's request of walking with her as she went about this business.

Kaito straightened, bringing his back away from the wall calmly and beginning to follow her path, his hands held casually behind his back, his usual, gentle, slight smile on his face. He walked a short pace behind her, allowing his superior a respectful lead. In so many ways, he was the perfect subordinate. He asked no unnecessary questions, he waited and listened before forcing someone into a conversation. He never said no.

In a way, it was a bit of a weakness. He just couldn't say no to someone who seemed as if they needed the company, or someone to talk to. Perhaps even with something they couldn't do themselves. Of course he said no to pointless inquires, he wasn't stupid. But being obedient was just a bit of a habit. Most likely due to that limitless patience of his. He had no reason to say no to many requests, and simply accepted them as something to do, regardless of how tedious.

He was even quite happy for Antonica to be approaching him with something to do. He'd had no specific orders and merely stood guard, watching and making sure that nothing was going to occur. In other words, he'd simply made busy work for himself. After all, having something to do kept people -in other words, Lexan - from simply walking up to him with the sole purpose of trying to rip out an emotional response from him. As amusing as it was that someone would think that they could really get anything like that forcefully, it was still nice to tell these people once in a while; 'if you'll excuse me, i'm quite buisy.' Well, it wasn't as if he'd ever be rude to someone. A person who knew him would probably say it would be a cold day in hell when he gave an order rather than take it. Not that they would be correct, of course.

Antonica waited until everyone was out of earshot, and mostly out of sight. She walked in a straight line, until the cracked sidewalk finally ended and she was in the forest territory of the boarder she guarded. Then she walked a little farther. She didn't say anything to Kaito, but she knew he wouldn't fret or be concerned.

Finally, when she felt no presence of life around them, she pun on her heel and faced him. I need you to befriend these people who have placed themselves among us. She told him. She imagined them in her mind, Convel and Shayla, so he would also be able to identify them. There is a reason, I believe, that when wolf packs get over populated that some drift from the heart of it, like you have. Her words weren't hurtful or cutting, they were just as a leader's should be: purely logical and void of emotion. I need you to find out any information you can about if he has killed Katie, if he plans on killing again, and if he intends to join our pack.

Kaito was the best man for the job. He had no personal ties to the pack- aside from whatever the bond gave him- so if Convel or Shayla spoke badly of it, he wouldn't be angered. You have to get them to trust you, Kaito.

---

"Where are we going, again?" Shayla asked, flipping her awful red hair violently. she was annoying- like a bubble-gum chewing airhead. Only worse. At least those girls were cute. But she would serve her purpose. And when she was done... well, she would be done.

"I want to speak to that judge. I think I can get some information out of him." Convel said tonelessly while they crossed the street. Humans stared at them, but his favorite was the glare from the weres standing guard. Oh, they knew him. Convel was positive that Antonica did that. Put his face on a wanted poster in her mind so they all would see.

Too bad her reign was nearing an end.

Based on how that angel carried himself, Convel was sure he would be in the courthouse. It just seemed... fitting. Two wolves stood by the door loyally and kept their eyes glued to them as they approached.

"What do you want?" One of them asked.

"I want to speak to that judge." Convel said, with an oddly polite tone. The two guards looked at each other. Convel knew they were conversing internally, but it irked him that he couldn't hear what they were saying.

"Why?" The guard asked plainly.

Convel smiled genuinely. "I just have some questions about the laws of Lindville."

The two stood still for a moment, before one of them went inside to see if Tribunal would humor the presence of Convel.

Kaito listened to the task that Antonica told him mentally. He made note of all the important details in the task, and finally gave a slight nod to her, accepting the task. He had no response to her note of his lack of connection to the pack, as he was fully aware of his distance from both the pack's mentality as well as their social life. He already accepted that fully. He knew it would be a little time before he made any small relationships, and he sort of liked have a bit of a mental distance from everyone else. He didn't want anyone seeing everything in his head.

Of course, Antonica, he said mentally. I'll do all that i can. Kaito gave her a reassuring smile, his red eye glinting in the speckled sunlight that managed to leak through the trees, doing his best to convey that he would do all that he could to complete the task. I'll report to you with whatever i find.

He waited politely for her next move, whether it be elaboration, confirmation, or dismissing him. He was glad for the job, but a little less enthusiastic at the idea of trying to make friends with these people. But it was doable. He could be friendly with them, though staying to himself was more of a character trait of his. But he could handle the task. It would be simple to approach and introduce himself, as well as befriend them. The effort involved would be to get their trust to that level. But he was sure that he could handle that as well.

Tribune paced around his spacious office. Backwards he went, then forwards, then across the mesquite wood floor until he would stop suddenly to consider a particular circumstance, phrase or logical fallacy that had surfaced within the last few hours. His flowing white robes gleamed golden in the sunshine pouring through the round-top window standing tall behind his mahogany desk. Finally, with a sigh of submission, Tribune collapsed into a cushioned recliner beside a shelf scarcely populated by a dozen or so books. Reaching over, he carefully pulled a leather-bound volume from the top shelf. The Survival Bargain.

The Archangel ran his massive fingers across the cover of the delicate and valuable document, envisioning its contents. The murder, the mysterious arrival of outsiders: both were potential threats to the sanctity of Lindville, and The Survival Bargain was his only weapon against the irreducible uncertainty that would surround the proceedings of the next few days.

A knock on the office door regained Tribune's attention. Placing The Survival Bargain back on the shelf, he reached the door in three massive strides and opened it to reveal one of the courthouse guards. "One of the new characters in town is here to ask you some questions about the law, apparently. Should I shoo him away?"

Tribune frowned, his curiosity raised. "I was planning on sending one of my delegates to relay the laws and customs of the town to our new visitors, but seeing as one has already taken the initiative to seek me out, I will not deny him. On a separate note, I plan to hold a questioning session tomorrow in the main court room to uncover the details surrounding the murder. Soon I will be sending you a list of people who will must attend. You and your men will need to track them down and give them notice." Raising his hand in thanks, the guard left to bring Convil to his office.

"Thank you." Antonica gripped his upper arm in a customary gesture of appreciation. I shouldn't have to tell you, but I'm binding you to secrecy about this. You cannot tell anyone about what I'm asking you to do. If he does join the pack, he will know, and then I will fear for your safety. There were other reasons she was ordering him to stay silent, but they were best left in the dark for now. Antonica was playing a game of chess with only a queen and a single pawn against a full board. One false move would end her.

"Further, your guard shifts will be officially covered while you're doing this for me. I consider this part of your our duty of protection." Her mind was swimming, but she could at least set aside the worry of Convel for a while. He would be taken care of shortly. She said her farewells to Kaito and made her way back to the packhouse so she could vanish into her office and start working.

----

Convel stepped into Tribunal's office and let himself look surprised at the... grandeur. The angel himself only added prestige and, to Convel's delight, power. The room was spacious, a sign of cleanliness, possibly purity. But Convel knew better; no pure government existed. Not even the Great United States had one of those. No city could, either. He wondered what it would take to get someone like this Tribunal characters on his side. He wondered how much he would have to bribe him, or how much he would have to offer Shayla for. Or who he'd have to kill.

"Judge Tribunal, if I'm not mistaken?" Convel asked, bowing his head at the neck respectfully. "I apologize for not giving you warning before I came, but I did not know how. I have some inquiries about my rights and, if you don't mind, what exactly this great city of Lindville defines as 'murder'. I think as someone being accused of such a soul-tearing crime, I should know these things." He put on his best blank expression of being lost that he could form. But it wasn't very hard, considering he truly knew next to nothing about how Antonica managed to fit in all of the blood-deep unexplained magics of their people. But he would have to know. And he would know.

Don't worry, this task will be confidential, Kaito answered to her request. He gave a calm, wide smile to reassure her. There is no reason to fret my safety at all. Even if that happens, you need not be concerned. It wouldn't bother him if his life were in danger. He was the type of person that probably could fend for himself, and if not, wouldn't care as much as he would if the life of someone else's life were on the line. This task was for the good of everyone else. If his life were in danger from the chance of them joining the pack, well, he didn't seem care necessarily. Not about himself. But that was one of his traits that made him a good subordinate.

"Yes, Of course," Kaito responded courteously to her final statement. He gave a small head bow at her farewell and watched her depart in silence.

After a moment, he departed from their place as well, a smile still on his lips slightly as he headed back to the rest of town. He figured that locating the newcomers would not be much of a struggle - he'd simply seek out the most unfamiliar scent and investigate. But he would need to asses what tactics exactly would earn their trust. Either way, he was glad for the task. Deception and gathering information was right up his alley, and at least he was being useful.

After a short while, he stepped back into the crowds of the streets. Despite his stature and peculiar appearance, Kaito's mellow demeanor let him sink into the background around so many people. It was almost as if he wasn't there. He'd take a few extra precautions in planning, and then seek them out.

Tribune followed the werewolf's introduction with a slight nod. "I'm afraid you're mistaken on at least two points, Convel. Allow me to explain." He smiled politely, sitting down in a chair behind his desk. "First of all, my name is Tribune, not Tribunal. That was your first mistake. Your second mistake was presuming that you're being accused of murder. While some may have their 'personal' accusations against you, their concerns are not necessary shared with the court. Right now, you're a suspect. A prime suspect, mind you."

Tribune lowered his eyes, then raised them again, this time gazing lazily at the wall behind Convel. "Many of Lindeville's laws were derived from the collapsed Common Law system. Murder was defined as the unlawful killing of a human being with malicious intent. This, of course, has been modified to include werewolves, vampires, and archangels; we're also willing to accommodate other intelligent humanoids that might happen upon our little city." Tribune made a stale noise that resembled a chuckle but that carried little suggestion of amusement. "As for your rights, any humanoid within the boundaries of Lindeville is protected by the provisions in our criminal law system. Essentially, you're safe from physical harm and exploitation - you'll also get a fair trial. Unfortunately, you're not subject to our civil, constitutional, property or labour laws. But this shouldn't matter since your primary concern right now is not whether you can buy a house and run for a political position."

"Of course you'll be wanting to know your rights. Under usual procedure you would make a meeting with one of my assistants and they would go over the Survival Bargain with you - our code of basic liberties and strictest doctrines. However, given the pressing circumstances, I will answer any pressing questions you have right now. But be quick, please. I'm a very busy entity."

Convel could only blink his light green eyes in surprise. This fallen angel was not at all what he was expecting. Which was saying something, because he really wasn't expecting much.

"Of course, Judge Tribune." Convel gave another slight bow of his head when the angel had finished his little run-down of what was going on. "But I have just one: how does one become a citizen of Lindville? I have heard of this city, and I see the rumors have been... exaggerated to some extent, but this city does have extensive potential. I would like to be a part of that." He paused. "After my trial is finished, of course." He quickly added.

He would have to look at this Survival Bargain himself, and see how Antonica managed to handle the challenges during its drafting. Since death was the only way to settle a challenge, he wondered how she managed to convince them to balance that part of their culture.

----

Antonica sat at her cherrywood desk with a fresh cup of coffee. Her copy of The Survival Bargain was opened on a bookstand next to her. She tried not to focus on her slip of mind, but it was hard, being a creature who's main drive was to protect others. The packmates who lived in her house were also radiating concern for her- for a whole variety of reasons.

Finally, Antonica picked up the black pen and decided to just write down the facts of the situation. Leaning over the table, she scribbled, "The right of a werewolf to challenge the Alpha cannot be ignored. Changing leadership is how we grow, and the Alpha, by nature, should be a compassionate leader. If werewolves feel that she or he is not, it is important they have the ability to change leadership."

Yes, establishing a mutual understanding was probably the most important part of bringing something new to the council. This whole thing was crazy, and after a moment of silent meditation, Antonica thought her self into a flurry that would potentially unravel Lindville. It left a hole of dark despair in her soul, so she banished the thought immediately.

She hated bringing faith into politics, but for this certain case, she thought it would be acceptable- possibly vital for the Council's understanding. She made another bullet and wrote: "In ancient times, we worshiped the goddess of the moon. Since the fall of government and as time went on, many fell from faith. It was always the belief that She chose who out leader is, and to prevent a challenge was blasphemy..." She knew the council would disregard this right away- as would she. Religion or lack thereof had no solid standing in Lindville. Faith is the opposite of logic. But the second part of that little tidbit had made her hand shake when she recorded it:

"If an Alpha refuses a challenge, it is considered that s/he is weak, and she or he will lose by default."