Snippet #2489378

Arrianonna:
1. I do not know how well this alliance is going to work, because Beetlestealer is also a born leader, and is more likely to ignore me because I am a wanderer, and have had no formal training.
2. We are rapidly approaching the Pronghorn border. Luckily, there are no herd bases around here. Just the Mai, who are the ones we are going to see. The Mai pride is one of the larger lion groups, which isn't saying much because its only 6 people, as the leader died recently. Luckily, the lioness now in charge will be sympathetic, and very happy to help fight.
3. Border guards will be unhappy to have ever heard of me. Stupid pronghorns will not be getting in the way of my plans.
4. I also don't know what Beetlestealer thinks of my fighting techniques, as the last time we stopped was for Vyjallen's birthday party. I know she doesn't particularly approve of Minty and Xue, who are sort of impolite and antisoscial.
"Hey Arri? There is a lion out here who is demanding to speak to you." I sit straight up, blinking sleep out of my eyes. I don't want to know what i look like right now, but I pull a brush through my hair, which seems to have miraculously gotten longer again, and when I actually pick up a mirror...
"Damn." Looks like time to pull the old dye bottle out again. Probably for the rest of my fur, too. But first, actually talking to this person, after getting dressed. Pulling on a green three quarter sleeved shirt, brown leggings, and black boots doesn't take long, so stifling a yawn, I walk out of my tent.
Blinking in the sunlight, I almost walk into Beetlestealer, who looks like she has been up for hours. She isn't wearing armor, but a blue top and gray pants.
"Sina wake you up too?" I ask, motioning to the pronghorn border. She shakes her head. "Tezecan is most definitely a morning person. He walked in and started jumping on my bed at six this morning." She stifles a yawn. "What's this about Sina?"
That isn't too difficult a question to answer, as Sina comes to drag me over to the clump of trees where a youngish lioness is sitting. As she sees up approaching, she stands up and walks over.
"Good morning. Would you be Gwaeda Many-tail?" She asks me. I nod. "Good. Ree would like to see you later today." I look at her questioningly. "Who is Ree?" She sighs. "Teresa, the current leader. She is interested in your plan for the destruction of the pronghorn nation." I nod. "Oh, her. So that's who took over? Wow. Man, I remember her being kinda crazy." The lioness sighs again. "She still is. Her husband dying didn't help." i whistle. "She was married to Klin? Geez, I've been really out of it the last few years." The lioness shrugs, and continues, mildly irritated by my interruption. "She expects you, Beetlestealer, and Lilazni as well as one other person at noon. Understand?" I nod again, and she runs off in the opposite direction. Immediately, I say "Vyjallen" at the same time as Beetlestealer says "Tezecan". We then look at the other one like they are idiots. "Are you crazy? He is seven! A war negotiation is no place for little kids!" "Well, he wants to be a great warrior, so this would be a good experience for him." "This isn't a game! Its not experience, its distracting! We need somebody who knows where input is needed and will be involved in the fighting, not a pup to get underfoot." She glares at me, and I glare back. At this point, Sina proves to be the tie breaker. "I think Vyjallen would be less likely to wander off as well. The lions don't really like crocodiles, generally." Beetlestealer mutters something under her breath and stalks off. Sina and I look nervously at each other. She goes to wake everyone else up, and I go to find some orange hair dye. Arctic foxes are not supposed to be this far south, I learned a few years ago. Hair dye is just generally simpler, and involves less explaining.