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Description
Takoda sat in his usual reading spot on the large stone atop the hill in the center of the plains where the pack was camped.  He looked around for a moment, taking a moment's break before going back to his book.  As he looked toward the east, he could see a lone figure walking across the plains toward his hill.  It was a wolf, definitely a male, carrying a large container.  Takoda closed his book, keeping a finger in the pages to mark his place, and stood to better see this new arrival.  "Sabre!" he called out, waving to him.
Sabre waved back, hefting the container onto his shoulder.  It wasn't long before he reached the hill.  He set down the container and shook paws with Takoda.  "Is that what Kalira sent you for?" asked Takoda.
Sabre nodded.  "Not sure why she wants it, but I got what I was asked to.  What are you reading?"  Takoda held up the book, showing its title on the spine:  The Power of One - An Alpha's Role.  "Self help?" asked Sabre.  "Do you really think you need it?"
"Nobody's perfect.  Besides, Kalira loaned it to me when she left, and we all know she doesn't need any improvement."
"Heheh, very true.  How much longer do you think she'll be gone?"
"Well, there's no real way of knowing if she's found Hige yet, so she could be gone for quite a while.  I mean, she just left yesterday morning."
Just as Takoda said this, he heard the calling of a familiar voice.  "Takoda!  Sabre!"  It was Kalira, waving to them as she crossed the plains, Hige walking beside her.  Takoda smiled at Sabre and started toward the new arrivals.
"Welcome back, Kalira," said Sabre.  "And welcome back, Hige."  He reached his arms around the two, hugging them closely.
"Thanks for the warm welcome, bro," said Hige, patting him on the back.  "Now, I'd kind of like to say hi to Takoda, too, if you don't mind."
Sabre laughed as he let go, putting a paw on Hige's shoulder.  "Same old Hige," he said with a smile.  Hige held out a paw to Takoda, who took it in his own before giving Hige another hug.  "Welcome back, Hige."
"Thanks, Takoda.  It's great to see you again," said Hige with a smile.
Kalira cleared her throat, calling the attention of the other three.  "Sabre, did you retrieve what I asked you to?"
"Yeah, I've got it right here," he said, holding up the case.  Kalira stepped forward and opened the case, removing the single item inside:  a steel halberd.  She turned and held it out to Hige, who hesitated for a moment before finally taking it in his right paw.
"What's this for?" he asked quietly, staring at the weapon.
"You always wanted a halberd, didn't you?" said Kalira with a smile.  "Think of it as a gift for coming back.  You deserve it, Hige."
"How much did you pay for this?" he asked, running a paw along the polished wooden shaft.  "Mahogany isn't cheap in the local markets.  Nor are the steel and silver in the blade."
"Nearly 2000 gold.  Cheaper than we expected it to be.  We got it from a shop next to an inn in the city of Sina," said Kalira.  "We still have about 8000 left," she said to Hige's shocked expression.  "Of course we didn't spend it all on a gift."
"Speaking of Sina, I think it might be a good idea for us to head to the city and alert the local Judge of the Dunists' presence here," said Hige, looking at Takoda and Sabre.
"Dunists?" asked Takoda.
"Yeah, Dunists.  An army of conquerors, I suppose you could call them.  It's kind of like a local legend.  You mean to tell me you don't know anything about it from all your reading?" asked Hige, looking at Takoda in sarcastic amazement.
"The stories say they live on an island off the eastern coast.  Supposedly, Dune is an immortal, leading his army onto the mainland after 10,000 years of preparation to conquer the world.  The truth is that Dune is a criminal.  He was exiled to a prison island that was later abandoned.  He somehow convinced the entire island that he was a god, with the exception of a close few who helped him keep up the charade.  When he died, his son took his place, calling himself Dune as well, telling the followers not that he was Dune's son, but rather Dune behind a younger visage.  This is the way it's been for the past 2000 years.  The first proper male child is trained to become the next Dune while female children are given to lesser families to be trained as soldiers.  He's a disgrace to wolves everywhere as far as I'm concerned.  Kalira and I ran into a pair of his followers in the Ilati Forest yesterday on our way here."
"And they've probably followed us," Kalira added, looking back over her shoulder.
"They did follow us," said Hige quietly.
"How are you so sure?" asked Takoda, looking in the direction they had come from.
"I can smell three grey foxes.  And our friend Velox isn't one of them.  So unless they're travelers hiding out of fear, they're either bandits, mercenaries, or Dunists.  Watch for movement."  He turned and walked ten paces from the others.  "I know you're there.  Come on, show yourselves.  You can't hide your scents, so just come out."
As Hige spoke, a patch of underbrush moved slightly, almost unnoticeably.  Hige slowly raised a paw to point to it, the others looking in the same direction.  Hige planted his halberd in the ground, unslinging his bow and drawing an arrow from the cylindrical quiver at his waist.  "Show yourselves or I'll shoot.  I can see you moving and I can smell you, that's all I need."
Hige fitted the arrow to his bow, drawing it back.  The others watched intently, none of them moving.  Hige aimed his bow directly at the moving vegetation and fired, smiling in satisfaction as a fox jumped up out of hiding, cursing at how close the arrow had come.
"There you are," said Hige cheerfully.  "Now, call out your friends, or the next one won't miss."
"There are no others," said the fox.  "I'm here alone."
Hige set down his bow and drew a dagger from the inside of his duster, throwing it at another patch of vegetation.  Another fox bounded out of the grass, yelping in pain and sucking on his scratched paw.  "So I missed again.  Still closer than I was expecting.  Now where's the third?"
A fox slowly stood up between the other two, looking embarrassed at she and her companions being found so easily.  "Are you Hige?" she asked.
"Indeed I am, Vixen.  And you are?"
"My name is of no importance.  We are here to deliver a message to you from our captain, Reirun, whom you disgraced in the forest."
"Hah!  If that was a disgrace to him, then he doesn't know me too well," Hige laughed.
"Hige, stop messing around," said Takoda, stepping up beside him.  "What's the message?"
"Unless Hige agrees to Dune's offer, then a bounty shall be placed on his head and nowhere will be safe for him, especially not safe from Reirun himself," said one of the two males.
"Well, I hope it's a big one," said Hige.  "I think I might be worth quite a bit."
"So you refuse?" asked the Vixen.
"Indeed I do, Vixen.  Any more questions?"
"None at all.  But you won't be among the living for much longer," said the Vixen, turning to leave.
"Can I have my dagger back then?" asked Hige.
One of the two males picked up the dagger and threw it at Hige contemptuously with his scratched paw.  "It's nice.  Could be worth quite a bit on the local market, or on the battlefield.  Be sure not to lose it," he said with a sneer as he followed his companions away.
"Well that went well," said Hige, turning to face the others with a broad smile.  "So, what's the plan?  Are we headed to Sina?"
"That would probably be the right thing to do," said Takoda, exchanging glances with Kalira.  "Go and warn the Judge in Sina that they're coming so that he can prepare to defend the city."
"Because if Sina falls, they control the capital," said Kalira thoughtfully.
"Then what are we waiting for?  Let's get going," said Sabre, pulling Hige's halberd from the ground and holding it out to him.
"Actually, Sabre, I think you'd be better suited to this weapon than me," said Hige.  "I am grateful, Kalira, but I'm more of a swordsbeast myself.  Is that okay with everyone?"
"Of course, Hige.  It's yours, after all, do what you want with it," said Takoda.  "Now, let's head back to the camp and get the others.  Then we can start for Sina."

Description
Takoda sat in his usual reading spot on the large stone atop the hill in the center of the plains where the pack was camped.  He looked around for a moment, taking a moment's break before going back to his book.  As he looked toward the east, he could see a lone figure walking across the plains toward his hill.  It was a wolf, definitely a male, carrying a large container.  Takoda closed his book, keeping a finger in the pages to mark his place, and stood to better see this new arrival.  "Sabre!" he called out, waving to him.
Sabre waved back, hefting the container onto his shoulder.  It wasn't long before he reached the hill.  He set down the container and shook paws with Takoda.  "Is that what Kalira sent you for?" asked Takoda.
Sabre nodded.  "Not sure why she wants it, but I got what I was asked to.  What are you reading?"  Takoda held up the book, showing its title on the spine:  The Power of One - An Alpha's Role.  "Self help?" asked Sabre.  "Do you really think you need it?"
"Nobody's perfect.  Besides, Kalira loaned it to me when she left, and we all know she doesn't need any improvement."
"Heheh, very true.  How much longer do you think she'll be gone?"
"Well, there's no real way of knowing if she's found Hige yet, so she could be gone for quite a while.  I mean, she just left yesterday morning."
Just as Takoda said this, he heard the calling of a familiar voice.  "Takoda!  Sabre!"  It was Kalira, waving to them as she crossed the plains, Hige walking beside her.  Takoda smiled at Sabre and started toward the new arrivals.
"Welcome back, Kalira," said Sabre.  "And welcome back, Hige."  He reached his arms around the two, hugging them closely.
"Thanks for the warm welcome, bro," said Hige, patting him on the back.  "Now, I'd kind of like to say hi to Takoda, too, if you don't mind."
Sabre laughed as he let go, putting a paw on Hige's shoulder.  "Same old Hige," he said with a smile.  Hige held out a paw to Takoda, who took it in his own before giving Hige another hug.  "Welcome back, Hige."
"Thanks, Takoda.  It's great to see you again," said Hige with a smile.
Kalira cleared her throat, calling the attention of the other three.  "Sabre, did you retrieve what I asked you to?"
"Yeah, I've got it right here," he said, holding up the case.  Kalira stepped forward and opened the case, removing the single item inside:  a steel halberd.  She turned and held it out to Hige, who hesitated for a moment before finally taking it in his right paw.
"What's this for?" he asked quietly, staring at the weapon.
"You always wanted a halberd, didn't you?" said Kalira with a smile.  "Think of it as a gift for coming back.  You deserve it, Hige."
"How much did you pay for this?" he asked, running a paw along the polished wooden shaft.  "Mahogany isn't cheap in the local markets.  Nor are the steel and silver in the blade."
"Nearly 2000 gold.  Cheaper than we expected it to be.  We got it from a shop next to an inn in the city of Sina," said Kalira.  "We still have about 8000 left," she said to Hige's shocked expression.  "Of course we didn't spend it all on a gift."
"Speaking of Sina, I think it might be a good idea for us to head to the city and alert the local Judge of the Dunists' presence here," said Hige, looking at Takoda and Sabre.
"Dunists?" asked Takoda.
"Yeah, Dunists.  An army of conquerors, I suppose you could call them.  It's kind of like a local legend.  You mean to tell me you don't know anything about it from all your reading?" asked Hige, looking at Takoda in sarcastic amazement.
"The stories say they live on an island off the eastern coast.  Supposedly, Dune is an immortal, leading his army onto the mainland after 10,000 years of preparation to conquer the world.  The truth is that Dune is a criminal.  He was exiled to a prison island that was later abandoned.  He somehow convinced the entire island that he was a god, with the exception of a close few who helped him keep up the charade.  When he died, his son took his place, calling himself Dune as well, telling the followers not that he was Dune's son, but rather Dune behind a younger visage.  This is the way it's been for the past 2000 years.  The first proper male child is trained to become the next Dune while female children are given to lesser families to be trained as soldiers.  He's a disgrace to wolves everywhere as far as I'm concerned.  Kalira and I ran into a pair of his followers in the Ilati Forest yesterday on our way here."
"And they've probably followed us," Kalira added, looking back over her shoulder.
"They did follow us," said Hige quietly.
"How are you so sure?" asked Takoda, looking in the direction they had come from.
"I can smell three grey foxes.  And our friend Velox isn't one of them.  So unless they're travelers hiding out of fear, they're either bandits, mercenaries, or Dunists.  Watch for movement."  He turned and walked ten paces from the others.  "I know you're there.  Come on, show yourselves.  You can't hide your scents, so just come out."
As Hige spoke, a patch of underbrush moved slightly, almost unnoticeably.  Hige slowly raised a paw to point to it, the others looking in the same direction.  Hige planted his halberd in the ground, unslinging his bow and drawing an arrow from the cylindrical quiver at his waist.  "Show yourselves or I'll shoot.  I can see you moving and I can smell you, that's all I need."
Hige fitted the arrow to his bow, drawing it back.  The others watched intently, none of them moving.  Hige aimed his bow directly at the moving vegetation and fired, smiling in satisfaction as a fox jumped up out of hiding, cursing at how close the arrow had come.
"There you are," said Hige cheerfully.  "Now, call out your friends, or the next one won't miss."
"There are no others," said the fox.  "I'm here alone."
Hige set down his bow and drew a dagger from the inside of his duster, throwing it at another patch of vegetation.  Another fox bounded out of the grass, yelping in pain and sucking on his scratched paw.  "So I missed again.  Still closer than I was expecting.  Now where's the third?"
A fox slowly stood up between the other two, looking embarrassed at she and her companions being found so easily.  "Are you Hige?" she asked.
"Indeed I am, Vixen.  And you are?"
"My name is of no importance.  We are here to deliver a message to you from our captain, Reirun, whom you disgraced in the forest."
"Hah!  If that was a disgrace to him, then he doesn't know me too well," Hige laughed.
"Hige, stop messing around," said Takoda, stepping up beside him.  "What's the message?"
"Unless Hige agrees to Dune's offer, then a bounty shall be placed on his head and nowhere will be safe for him, especially not safe from Reirun himself," said one of the two males.
"Well, I hope it's a big one," said Hige.  "I think I might be worth quite a bit."
"So you refuse?" asked the Vixen.
"Indeed I do, Vixen.  Any more questions?"
"None at all.  But you won't be among the living for much longer," said the Vixen, turning to leave.
"Can I have my dagger back then?" asked Hige.
One of the two males picked up the dagger and threw it at Hige contemptuously with his scratched paw.  "It's nice.  Could be worth quite a bit on the local market, or on the battlefield.  Be sure not to lose it," he said with a sneer as he followed his companions away.
"Well that went well," said Hige, turning to face the others with a broad smile.  "So, what's the plan?  Are we headed to Sina?"
"That would probably be the right thing to do," said Takoda, exchanging glances with Kalira.  "Go and warn the Judge in Sina that they're coming so that he can prepare to defend the city."
"Because if Sina falls, they control the capital," said Kalira thoughtfully.
"Then what are we waiting for?  Let's get going," said Sabre, pulling Hige's halberd from the ground and holding it out to him.
"Actually, Sabre, I think you'd be better suited to this weapon than me," said Hige.  "I am grateful, Kalira, but I'm more of a swordsbeast myself.  Is that okay with everyone?"
"Of course, Hige.  It's yours, after all, do what you want with it," said Takoda.  "Now, let's head back to the camp and get the others.  Then we can start for Sina."