I don't own any familiar characters or places. Tamora Pierce is the genius that created them.
April 21, 250 HE
For a Scanran, I suppose that Rosto the Piper could be considered handsome. That is, if I were into that sort. I don't look for loving very much I suppose but no one could accuse me of being a honeylove. Those women scare the daylights out of me. I heard rumors that the old Alpha used to be a bardasher, before our current Alpha beat him down. My Nurser used to warn me away from such things, saying it wasn't proper though I was left to discover what the two were myself. That is a story I am not willing to get into. Ever. Anyway, back to my visit at the Court of the Rogue. I declared myself to the Rogue and he simply stared at me. Taking that as a sign to leave, I attempted to do so. I was stopped by a man who couldn't have been much older than I. I gave a lazy glance back at the Rogue who only smiled. Did he really want me to start baring my teeth now? I didn't have any qualms about it, but it was such a pain. If my Nurser knew I was saying things like that, I'd get bitten twice over. A Wolf should never hesitate to bare her teeth. Not to say I can't, I just don't ever feel like it. Those that don't know Wolves should be treated like newborn Cubs, at least that's how I feel. They don't know a thing about being a Wolf so they don't know how we work.
"If the Rogue is too scared of receiving a Taking himself, I suppose you'll do." I had addressed the cove in front of me, though it was loud enough for everyone to hear. At that, the Court fell silent. I kept my eyes on the cove before me but felt all eyes on me.
"You shouldn't mess with a cove who's got his hands in everything everywhere." I heard the threat in the Rogue's voice.
"It's precisely because a cove's got his hands in everything that'll make him easy prey for a Taking." I really need to hold my tongue sometimes, but Wolves fear nothing, or shouldn't. Me? I just don't know when shutting up is for my own good. With that, I did a Wolf basic. I kicked the cove in front of me as I jumped and was by the door before he could shout an alarm. Speed was a basic skill of a Wolf. If we want to be neutral, we run. If we want to protect, we strike first. If we lost in either, we were dead.
I glanced back at the Rogue, with as wolfish a grin as I could manage. "I suppose someone in your Court will receive a Taking, then." I just need to find a proper target. Maybe the cove that stepped in my way? Why not? He seemed pretty important to the Rogue.
Afternoon
This morning I saw my neighbor, Miss Cooper enter the Dancing Dove for breakfast. How odd. I was told that the Dogs tried their hardest to avoid interactions with the other side of the law. I used my morning to track my prey of course. There were complaints of some sort of energy sickness, a feeling of energy simply sapping away and the person withering away. This set my teeth on edge. The city of Corus reeked of my prey and those that hid him. I've met my prey once but it was an illusion cast by his Gift so I suppose that I've never met him. Of course, he leaves me with a name and a challenge. Just the memory sets me on edge. "Can you come find the great Torsti? Come, Wolfling. Surely you can hunt better than that?" I spoke with a few of those who complained about suddenly losing their energy. Torsti must have had contact with each in some way. He was gathering energy for a reason but that reason was as much a mystery to me as a Dog being friends with the Rogue. The Dogs must be blind to not notice the energy leaving Lower City. I picked right though. He would attack the slums and the Cesspool first. After all, who takes notice of those places? There are too many that are simply tired and need rest. There is nothing I can do at the moment but wait until the true terror begins. By then, those Dogs will have to take notice and the true Hunt can begin.