2.

The chestnut stallion pranced underneath him, nervous even as he impatiently pulled it to a halt next to the giant of a stallion Brennus sat on. The chieftan was hunched forward, brow low with thought as he stared out over the sloping cityscape before him. The stench of burning flesh and wood drifted up the hill to sting at both human and horse nose alike, making all in the waiting party shift uncomfortably.

Brennus roused, casting a glance over his shoulder at the assembled men and women, then looked back towards Rome again. His eyes were on the highest peak of the city, the only set of walls between them and total defeat of their ancient enemy -- Capitoline Hill. Once the hill fell, so would Rome, and his people would be safe again from the Roman greed and need for conquest.

"You've only brought a dozen, Belenus. Is that enough?"

Belenus looked over at his men and women, hardened warriors all of them, then turned back to Brennus. "More than. We'll get you your victory, Brennus, but in return, you have to remember your part of the deal."

Brennus straightened, sharp black eyes going to the man on the horse across from him. Even by the Gauls' standards, Belenus's people were unusual. Their hair was often long, braided with bits of stone and beads woven into them and they favored leather armor with craftmanship Brennus envied in his own armor, metal plates hammered and attached to leather basings. Both male and female carried swords and axes, bows and daggers, and both seemed equally proficient with using them.

Each and every one of them, down to the youngest warrior, had a look to their eyes. Brennus couldn't explain it, but he knew the feeling -- these people were dangerous.

Exactly why he'd sought them out.

"I'll honor my part if you honor yours, Belenus. On my father's grave." He extended one calloused hand, his eyes not leaving Belenus's face for even a second. The dark-haired man considered for a moment, as if judging whether or not Brennus was telling the truth, then grasped Brennus's forearm.

"Don't make us ashamed to be on your side," Belenus warned with a grin, squeezing Brennus's arm. Brennus squeezed back just as hard; neither man showed even the smallest of flinches.

"I could say the same to you, Wolf." Then Brennus released Belenus.

The Pack's leader wheeled his horse around, kicking the beast back towards his companions. They fell into rank on either side of him, thirteen silent warriors armed to the teeth and hungry to do what they'd come here to do. Belenus could feel their tension and he approved, if only because he felt it too -- both sides of him.

Nostrils flared as he passed the hand that had grasped Brennus's past his nose on the pretense of adjusting a shoulder strap. He'd not smelt a lie or deception on Brennus, and neither had the other in him. Bloodlust, yes, and the burning desire for revenge, but there was no deception in Brennus, at least in this aspect. In others...? They would tread carefully in their dealings with him. Humans weren't as reliable as his people were.

Once they were out of earshot, Belenus reined his horse in the middle of a clearing. Nimbly, he leaped to his feet, resting a hand on the stallion's back to keep him calm. Around him, his pack dismounted, dropping their reins to the ground and gathering about him in a loose circle. Quiet. Waiting for him to speak.

"There is a building near the walls of Capitoline Hill. In this building there are enemies of the Roman leaders," Belenus began. He paused; no one interupted, just kept watching him, waiting. They knew him well. "The enemies are not our objective. There is a secret door to this building that leads to the very chambers the Senate uses. We will find this door and we will open it. Then we will tell Brennus and his men will do the rest."

"Why all of us? One of us could do it and be done with it by sundown."

Belenus turned to regard one of the younger men, a tall man of Frankish descent and a shock of bright red hair across his head. "Because, Fycus, it would take many more than one of them to do this. They would think me mad if I told them I would do it myself. Then they'd never agree to our terms. In addition, we'll need to hold the passageway until they get there, ensure that the Romans do not mount a defense. Understand?"

Fycus simply nodded, looking slightly abashed at not having thought of that himself. Belenus turned to the rest of the pack.

"Keep in mind, all of you, that this is not our homeland. This is not a dense forest where we can disappear at a moment's whim if things are going poorly. We must hunt together, as one unit, and keep each other safe. They may be only humans, but they are many, and very desperate. Any other questions?"

He looked at each of their faces, finding each one confident and battle-ready. Finally, he nodded his approval. "Good. Prepare. We leave at dusk."

The men and women nodded as one, then silently dispersed to go about their tasks -- cleaning and sharpening swords, checking armor, counting arrows, everything that a practiced group of warriors did. There was no nervous energy, only a heightened sense of purpose as they moved about their duties. Several fires were started, quickly banked and food produced to be roasted. Soon there was the mouth-watering taste of roasting meat drifting through the clearing, punctuated by the soft murmur of conversation.

Belenus strode among his warriors, watching them as they prepared. For many years they had lived in their mountainous solitude, spurning deals like the one he'd just made with Brennus. It'd been a hard decision for Belenus to make, but the tract of land Brennus was offering them was too tempting to pass up. Their people were growing -- slowly, but nonetheless growing -- and the small valley they currently dwelt in was getting .. cramped. His people needed a lot of space.

Thus he was here, dragging his people into a world and a conflict they had no part in. He paused to watch one of the women fletching arrows, hands on his hips.

"We shouldn't be here," a low voice said to his right. He didn't need to look to see who it was.

"It's necessary, Apona. Trust me."

The tall brunette folded her arms over her rather generous chest, staring at him with unflinching blue eyes. She was a solidly built woman, all curves and sinewy strength, a hint of far northern descent in her ice blue eyes. She was the head of the house hold, alpha female, and Belenus's right hand. "It's not you I distrust, m'lord, it's the word of someone from outside the Pack."

Belenus reached out, curling a hand around the back of her head. "In that case, my dear Apona, we will find his house and raze it to the ground and take what they owe us by force. Come now, don't tell me you doubt our strength against the Gauls'..."

The woman chuckled. "Well, when you put it like that..."

Belenus leaned forward, touching his forehead to hers. "Your leader knows what he is doing, denmother."

She clapped him on the shoulder with as much force as any of the men. When he raised his eyes to hers, she was grinning widely. "Then what are you standing around here for, m'lord? Get yourself ready. I shall see to the rest of the preparations."

The dark-haired man chuckled, rolling his broad shoulders as he nodded. "So be it."

Apona watched as he strode off, to disappear amongst the trees and prepare himself to lead them into battle. She was joined by another man, short and nothing but muscle and glinting black eyes.

"I en't likin' this, 'Pona."

"I'm not either, Fergus. But he's still the boss. Just tell everyone to be extra ready. Watch Brennus's humans as carefully as the others."

Fergus nodded, tilting his neck to the side until there was the pop of his bones realigning. "Wit' pleasure, denmother." Turning, he returned to his weapon, a double bladed axe, picking up his whetstone with one last look towards the forest beyond which Brennus's troops lay.