There was darkness everywhere, in very imaginable (and several ones that you would never think of) shade. Actually, some of them were so thick that they felt almost solid.
- Remind me once more, why do I put up with you, Alpha dear? – an annoyed, male voice rang from the direction of an almost material figure. In the darkness, his grey eyes were unnerving. Nearly as strange as the golden ones of the second person. Nearly.
- Because I'm charming and irresistible, Storm. Ever had any doubts about that? – a cheerful tenor voice announced. The man called 'Storm' growled softly.
- While I understand that in your tiny, dusty from disuse brain you can't comprehend the seriousness of our predicament, I would be really grateful if you just shut up.
The other voice turned steely.
- And while I understand that you are a coldhearted bastard and don't care about Wildfire in the slightest, I would be equally grateful if you just pulled that cane of yours out of your arse and let yourself feel for a while. Maybe then you will be able to understand why I'm getting restless.
- Shut up, both of you. We can't afford to fight amongst each other. – A third figure materialized from the shadows.
- Why Raindrop, I didn't know you cared. – Storm sneered (or at least that would be his expression if you could see him).
The completely black figure made a distinctly feminine noise of disgust.
- I don't. I just don't want to loose any allies while we're still at war. If you want to slit each other's throats, do it after – and only after – we have won.
- Ahem.
A fourth shape solidified from the darkness. Hazel eyes flashed and a clear alto rang through the non-place.
- All of you, stop it. Raindrop, kindly follow your own advice. Now, to go back to business. What do you know about Fire's situation?
Storm took his time with answering.
- He is weak, Erui. The bloodline showing, apparently. I'm honestly surprised he's still alive. – the sneer became even more evident in his voice.
- Bloodline showing? – Alpha snapped. – Said the guy who is the worst racist I've ever had the displeasure to meet. Fire's still grieving, which is perfectly excusable. Grim was the last person alive from his family.
- And that doesn't help us. Not at all. He must be ready to fight by the end of the summer, and in his current state, he won't even be back to normal! – Raindrop was clearly distressed. Panicked really, but you don't say such thing about a lady. Or at least that's the rule.
- Do you really have to behave like this? – Erui sighed heavily, then raised his palm, seeing that Storm was about to answer. – Don't, just don't. It was a rhetorical question. The real one is, what do we do about Fire? We have to train him, but he isn't about to trust first person who just shows up and says 'Hello, you wanna know how to kill a Dark Lord? I can teach you, mate!'.
- Well – Alpha was obviously choosing his words carefully – he may trust me, but only if I …say, send him some books about DADA. They would of course contain Gwalir magic, but he needn't know this. Not yet, anyway.
- He has to practice if we want him to be ready. – Raindrop would have fidgeted nervously, if shadows were capable of this.
- We can always drag Rex Candidus into this, as long as we don't tell him the real reason. – Storm seemed quite taken with the idea. – Now, lets get out of here. The whole 'astral projection' business is tiring like hell.
- If you say so.
And with this, the darkness suddenly seemed much more normal.