While our esteemed Pack separates into groups to casually explore a touch of Symkaria's nightlife before their prescribed bedtimes, I'm tickled to have the opportunity to share an all-new illustration by Elkleggs ("elkleggs" on Twitter) featuring an endearing flash-back moment between White Wolf and Yama's sister.
Please check out this chapter on Archive of Our Own to see the art and links to everyone's social media!
Simply search for: "KLeCrone Ao3 Winter of the White Wolf"
Winter of the White Wolf
Chapter 82 - Completely Inconspicuous
Summary:
Shuri, Yama, and Nomble aren't thinking of exploring parts of Aniana they probably shouldn't be while Barnes, Sam, and Ayo, well… pot, meet kettle…
Contrary to popular belief, Yama was no stranger to reprimand in her youth.
Whether it was the endless complaints about staying out well past her curfew, exploring beyond the borders of J'Abariland, climbing too high for her fainthearted teacher's tastes, or the handful of times she'd brought back ailing wildlife so she could nurse them back to health from within the comfort of her bedroom — she'd heard it all. And thanks to her siblings' loose lips and her mother's clever bribes, her mother heard it all soon after.
Traitors, all of them.
That being as it was, Yama's sizable experience in such matters made her feel remarkably certain that if someone — even Princess Shuri — had to specify that something qualified as 'staying out of trouble,' then it probably didn't meet the minimum requirements for such a claim.
She just hoped that the three of them would not come to regret her latest royal inclination.
"It's not far," Shuri casually reasoned aloud in a tone that distinctly reminded Yama of more than a handful of her own childhood exploits. The Princess regarded her immaculate Wakandan cell phone and didn't seek to obscure her choice to toggle on its ambient audio dampening field so that anyone nearby would struggle to follow her choice of conversation. That was Yama's first clue that her charge was embroiled in a potential scheme. The second more obvious indicator was how deeply enraptured Shiri'd become with the device in her hand which she presently utilized as a surrogate for her Kimoyo Beads while out in public.
Yama knew Shuri was not a fan of such devices. She preferred holographic interfaces and multi-input displays where she could use all ten of her fingers at once to try to keep up with the rapid pace of her genius mind. She found cell phones needlessly simple and restrictive, and she loathed holding an object between her hands only to thrum at it with her thumbs.
The fact that she saw no need to complain about such things while she was head-deep in reviewing M'yra's latest notes was Yama's third clue that their Princess was steadily building towards a polite request that, judging from Shuri's tone, carried with it a non-zero chance of edging beyond Chief Ayo's recently established comfort zone.
The fourth and final hint was that Shuri made it a point to conclude that certain topics were best broached when everyone — including Ayo, Barnes, and Sam — were gathered together again, which itself implied that there were subject matters she thought the three of them capable of investigating on their own.
Yama arched an inquisitive eyebrow from beneath the brim of her cozy woven hat, acknowledging Shuri's demure request for conversation. Ayo might've preferred to keep her own head bare to the elements, but Yama was content with her choice of accessories. It went nicely with her black dress, slim boots, and matching soft grey jacket. On the far side of Shuri, Nomble kept pace in a slightly longer dress that had faint embellishments that reminded Yama of the finely braided wig she wore as a means to more readily blend in with the residents of Aniana, Symkaria.
She and her sister Dora were not stationed merely as deterrents to the local nighttime foot traffic, but as guards and protectors. While Shuri was busy with her phone, Yama and Nomble took inventory of people and places around them, systematically assessing the danger they posed and their relative threat levels. On the whole? Most were a non-issue and fewer yet were armed. It seemed that by and large, the residents were so caught up in their own business that they paid little mind to the three women from Wakanda beyond marking them as a passing oddity in the predominantly light-skinned city.
Yama hoped it might remain that way. She found she much preferred the idea of being ignored over having Shuri be recognized by the wrong people.
While the Princess herself wasn't explicitly in disguise, she'd done what she could to subdue her appearance and not overtly call attention to herself or the country they called home. Shuri's two piece caramel, purple, and vibranium silver tunic nicely coordinated with her earth broth slacks. they were drab — for her — but they sported a faint flare of fashion-forwardness in their design. Yama didn't think they screamed "royalty" or "rich girl" so much as someone who casually kept tabs on the latest European trends and now sought to blend them with the fingerprint of her personal tastes.
That being as it was, Yama was well aware that all of their wardrobes were in far better condition than many of the people passing by them. She would have to talk to Ayo if it made sense to add more artificial wear to their clothing and footwear to help them blend in ahead of their planned outings in and around Aniana in the coming days.
The two disguised Dora kept alert to their surroundings, but Nomble made it a point to send Yama a quick glimpse of quiet disfavor for where the present conversation was no-doubt leading as Shuri casually added, "Her maps indicate it's not of notable interest to them."
'Them' was code for the pinpricks of moving red lights scattered about the city map in Shuri's fingertips. M'yra had apparently found a way to remotely indicate many of the roaming police patrols, including high profile areas they tended to congregate.
In theory the patrols were a mixed blessing. They assured Yama that if they were met with concerning discontent in the city, there were local law enforcement officers they could fall back on without directly involving themselves, and with any hope, they could avoid putting their underlying objectives at risk.
But Shuri's insatiable curiosities ran far deeper, and it was clear she'd chosen to view the open areas of the map as enticing pockets they could potentially explore without being overseen or interrupted.
Yama's own mind was quick to add '...or getting caught.'
That being as it was, Yama knew Shuri sometimes spoke to herself aloud in order to chase her thoughts, but in this case, it was clear she sought to politely entice her compatriots into conversation, which was itself a notable shift from their established dynamics as guards and guarded. Shuri knew well enough that she could make unilateral decisions and would be provided unquestioning support, yet it was not obedience she sought, but a conspirator in her scheme.
Which of course, Yama would not deny her, "Where is it you wish us to go?"
Shuri shifted the phone's display so Yama could more easily see the details while Nomble took a step to the side and turned her body so she could further block the phone from the view of casual passersbys. With steady, confident strides, she raised her eyes to survey the streets and rooftops. It was improper for two Dora to find themselves distracted at once, and although Nomble fell into their division of labor effortlessly, it was clear by the wrinkle above the bridge of her nose that she was well-aware of where these decisions might lead them.
"Just here," Shuri's finger tapped a corner of the screen, noting the address of the break-in that remained unreported, and that Barnes believed might've been the work of a potentially super-powered individual. Perhaps the same one responsible for the assassinations, perhaps not. The burglar had fled when the tenant returned home, which not only made their underlying motives unclear, but it made Yama wonder why the tenant had chosen not to report the break-in to the authorities. From her own experiences of hiding injured wildlife in her room, Yama was inclined to think perhaps the tenant had something to conceal as well. But what, and from whom?
Clearly Shuri shared some portion of these respectable musings as well.
"It's not far," the Princess reasoned. "It could prove helpful to better understand who wished to visit it and why. I was thinking we might split the distance in that direction. There is no need to draw unnecessarily close."
Yama got the impression Shuri was keen to leave a portion of her underlying worries unsaid. It was not their responsibility to solve the petty crimes and grave tragedies of the struggling country, but it was readily apparent that the nature of the killer pursuing royal quarry hit close to home, and that she was disinclined to ignore it outright if they had the power to stop more heartache. They had little to go on, but the breadcrumb that one or more super-powered individuals were potentially also responsible for a peppering of break ins left her genius mind struggling to connect the dots, if there was any connection to be had at all.
"The most direct path appears favorably unobstructed," Yama readily agreed.
Shuri's eyes brightened at Yama's unified resolve, and the Princess glanced towards Nomble in what Yama took as an opportunity for her to object to their proposed course of action if she saw fit. Her sister Dora in her black dress, long braided wig, and painted face didn't look thrilled at the idea to intentionally wander more closely in the direction of a location of interest, but she didn't say anything outright.
"We'll be quick and keep to a distance some blocks away," Shuri insisted in a vote of confidence to their brooding scheme.
The high-heeled guard on the far side of Shuri only made a half-hearted grumble, earning her an esteemed compliment from Yama, "You do a fair impression of Ayo, you know."
Nomble cocked an eyebrow. She would not debate Shuri directly, but Yama's idle remark coaxed her to softly air her concerns aloud, "The downtown portion of the city is more densely populated, even at night. I need not remind you that I am the only one among us who is fluent in their regional language, but that I speak with an accent, clearly marking us as foreigners."
"It is not a crime simply to walk the streets. Besides: I speak a dabbling of conversational Hungarian many are fluent in, and we all have robust translators if we have need of them," Yama tapped behind her ear, indication their communication devices. "There is no harm in being woefully uninteresting tourists."
"It makes for a poor story for why we are out at night as we are if someone broaches us into conversation," Nomble countered, being mindful to space out her replies as they passed by a slow-moving older man coming from the opposite direction. The audio dampener Shuri'd activated would dim and garble their conversation, but it would not drown it out entirely if they were too close to others or too loose with their lips.
But Nomble had a valid point. It wasn't as if Aniana was a popular travel destination. Yama wasn't even sure if it had a single museum or resort of note, but it sure did have a lot of bars and twenty-four hour liquor stores. With a casual flourish, Yama extended her hand in the direction of a group of drunk women cackling and carrying on across the street, "Perhaps we were out drinking? We would be in good company."
The suggestion earned Yama a resigned sigh from Nomble, but Shuri conspiratorially added, "We will stay far away from trouble's reach."
"And, as ever, I will follow where you lead."
Yama could practically hear the space where she left out 'my Princess' on account of being undercover as they were. Shuri caught it too, but she opted to address Nomble directly, "And if I were not here with you, would you then be further inclined to investigate?"
Nomble frowned at that, "That's not a fair question."
"It is a question though."
Nomble shot Yama a quick look that the younger Dora easily shrugged off, already knowing her sister Dora's answer. Nomble was many things, but she had a strong compulsion to help where she could, duty permitting. After a few more long strides across the wet concrete, she quietly admitted, "I likely would be inclined to investigate, were I to remain inconspicuous."
"Then we can be inconspicuous together."
Nomble raised an incredulous eyebrow at Shuri's claim, "...Have you ensured the mirrors in our transport are functioning properly?"
The humor underpinning her remark got a smile out of Shuri, "I will not make your responsibilities more difficult than they already are. Promise." She casually inclined a hand angmad added, "You may even provide me with gracious feedback on how I might improve in my performance as your charismatic traveling companion."
Yama was mindful to remain on her guard, but she let the whites of her teeth show in a respectful and highly professional grin.
Nomble's expression was far more tempered, but it was no longer brimming with private discontent, "We have a little over half an hour until we ought to be back."
"Is that a yes then?" Yama slyly inquired.
"Yes, I'm curious too. Let us see what we can learn in the time we have this evening."
The deeper they strode into downtown Aniana, the more Yama found herself reminded of the many tireless lessons she'd undergone over the years that further honed her senses so that she could pinpoint the most worrisome aspects of her surroundings.
Contrary to certain uncultivated options, their training was extensive as it was ever changing. Her youngest sister once joked that a Dora's primary purpose was merely to stand tall, be silent, and look intimidating, and while yes, some days were composed of hours on guard, most days also involved supplementary tasks that strengthened their resolve long after their initiation ceremonies.
There was time spent exercising the mind and body and physical sparring, of course, but there were just as many tests that sought to push their capabilities as individuals and harness their unique teamplay in both pairs and groups of various sizes and compositions. Beyond keeping up to date with the latest intel and testing all manner of equipment and technologies, they were coaxed to readily adapt to the unknown.
Sometimes the 'unknown' was as simple as sensory deprivation: to fight or think quickly while blinded, disoriented, or otherwise incapacitated. It was not uncommon to be asked to fight with a disadvantage, such as having your dominant hand tied behind your back. That was not one of Yama's favored activities, but admittedly she did not tire of watching her Chief challenge unexpecting initiates to combat under the guise of 'taking it easy on them' by only meeting them with one arm while they were welcome to use both of theirs.
A time or two Yama might've been reprimanded for taking bets on how long it would be until they folded under her relentless assault.
…Okay, perhaps more than a time or two.
That being as it was, the exercises they regularly underwent prompted her and her sister Doras to form new solutions for impossible situations. They leaned into teamplay, trust, and the deep instincts they'd spent years finely honing like master musicians or fine artists.
The difference was, it could be hard to tell by appearances if you simply judged a Dora by how long she could stand motionless in her guard. But out in the field? You could spot the difference almost immediately between a jumpy First Year and one who had learned to breathe in turn with her senses.
Aniana's streets may have been new to Yama, but contrary to what others walking nearby might've seen in her pleasant smile, her instincts were alive and well. Her eyes were sharp, and her focus was not on the hum and chatter of the dreary city, but on ensuring their Princess was well-protected by a veil of positively unremarkable company.
Tasdi — her beloved sword sister who had transitioned to walk among the ancestors during the Battle of Wakanda — had once remarked that it was a rare skill to be able to pace like a commoner all the while planting your footfalls with the certainty of a trained guard. It was too easy to be one or the other, but Yama leaned into her skills and made it a point to walk with lazy, casual steps, all the while remaining highly tuned to her surroundings.
She kept up conversations with the women around her not because she was being lax in her service, but because she was well aware it would benefit their appearance, especially when Nomble — bless her heart — was prone to fall silent when focusing too hard.
But not Yama. She could carry on whole conversations while her other senses sought out the world around her like a living, three-dimensional puzzle that carried with it deadly serious risks when viewed from the proper angle. So though she carried with her a pleasant smile, she remained keenly aware of the gravity and potential consequences of their present circumstances.
Even so, it would have been insincere to not admit to herself that it was at least a little bit thrilling to be out on dangerous foreign streets while debating the finer points of various regional foods with Princess Shuri. Yama'd been pleasantly surprised how quick her royal charge had been to follow her lead on keeping up appearances with the unsung value of small talk when out and about mingling between passing crowds.
It was a peculiar, but not unpleasant feeling to be not only entrusted with her care, but respected enough to know that such idle conversations were not itself evidence of being lax in her duty.
"Have you decided on some potential locations to eat tomorrow?" Shuri inquired as she tabbed through a seemingly endless number of windows on her cell phone display. Her Princess's ability to multitask remained a suitably impressive keystone of her own vast repertoire of skills.
"I've narrowed down some options depending on who is craving what and how adventurous we're feeling in the morning. There's a Sokovian cafe a few blocks to the east with a number of regional offerings that the reviews imply are quite authentic."
Shuri glanced up, but not before her own brown eyes casually scanned their surroundings as they walked. Satisfied nothing was out of place, she inquired "Have you had them before?"
"A few, but not many of them. I haven't had any of their dishes since the time when Sokovia's capital still stood, before what remained was absorbed into the surrounding countries."
Shuri glanced across to Nomble in an attempt to draw her into conversation if she found she could spare the bandwidth. It was so strange to see her sword sister without the pattern of vertical tattoos falling over her right cheek, and her face framed in that long braided wig of hers. Idly, Yama wondered if it was warmer than her own knitted cap, "And you?"
The corner of Nomble's mouth twitched slightly, "I have never partaken of their regional foods. I… did visit, though. In the time after Novi Grad fell from the sky. I traveled there to offer aid, survey the damage, and to relay what I saw so we could better understand the technologies used in such a horrific event. And moreover, what risks it posed."
This was news to Yama, "You did?"
Nomble bobbed her head once but kept her eyes focused on their surroundings as they passed a corner store.
Shuri's looked up from her phone to address Nomble beside her, "I reviewed the reports, but I was not aware you were one of those who were among those tasked to see what was left behind."
"I was one of few who spoke their language, though not well," Nomble explained. "I accompanied some of our own. It was a grim, eye-opening trip, especially as we learned more about the troublesome root causes. But it is strange to think that all that remains of it now is the memorial and those that escaped that once called it home. Even its language is now considered endangered, to be joined by some of those that saw increasing disuse during the Decimation and the time thereafter. But it is good to hear their traditional cuisines persist in the face of that kind of adversity."
"It is," Shuri readily agreed, "And I'd be curious to try them too."
The heaviness of their conversation faded as the three of them came to a stop to wait for a break in the opposing traffic so they could cross the street and continue working their way slowly towards Shuri's intended location, which looked to be a few blocks from where the unreported break-in had occurred. Yama was comfortable with the buffer Shuri'd chosen to give them, and while she would protect the Princess regardless, she was pleased that Shuri hadn't been inclined to draw too close to the building itself and the added risks it presented.
That being as it was, their Princess's ease with their present surroundings was feigned at-best, though she did what she could to blend in and not artificially strain her guarding Dora. As far as Yama could recall, Shuri hadn't left Wakanda's borders more than a handful of times since the Decimation lifted. Those trips were closely supervised, especially since Queen Mother Ramonda preferred to keep her children close after five years of wondering if she'd ever see either of them again.
No, Yama didn't think that Shuri had recently trespassed on foreign streets like these where it was all-too-easy to pinpoint who their government programs had carelessly left behind. And she certainly hadn't done it without her brother watching out for her, which made their guard and the resounding trust Shuri showed them all the more important.
Being in unknown territory could be unnerving, but Yama was pleased to discover that Shuri was more self-aware of her surroundings than many of those she'd guarded over the years, and far more capable, certainly. She was neither a naive child nor a stranger to combat, and while they were not peers, Princess Shuri appeared content to lean into the outward appearance of such bonds so as to not attract unnecessary attention. It was complimentary and nourishing to see such mutual respect mirrored back at her, though under the surface, Yama was well aware that her sworn duties were to protect Shuri's life at any cost.
"Anything?" Shuri kept her expression pleasant but her voice low as they walked along the pockmarked sidewalk and approached their intended breaking point, which was a few blocks and around the corner from the location that had piqued Shuri's interest.
"No."
"Alright," with casual steps, Shuri turned right into an adjoining alleyway that Yama took for a spot away from wandering eyes on the street. As the Princess used her cell phone to increase the intensity of its onboard audio dampener, Nomble slipped a reconnaissance Kimoyo Bead low along the wall as a precaution and Yama padded towards the far end and positioned one of her own higher on the wall and discreetly activated it before returning to Shuri's side.
"Give me a moment," Shuri quietly concluded as she fiddled with her phone. Yama could tell she was tempted to lean into the speed and ease-of-use in using the holographic arrays of her Kimoyo Beads, but knew better than to risk those advanced technologies being overseen by anyone passing by. Yama didn't know the details of what their Princess had planned, but she and Nomble wordlessly fell into loose formation on either side of her and more closely inspected their surroundings.
The slim alleyway between streets was dim and barely wide enough to fit two people across shoulder-to-shoulder. A few mismatched upright trash bins collected the refuse from adjoining buildings, and the overflow from them was scattered about on the wet ground nearby, producing a marinade of foul smells Yama did her best to ignore.
All-in-all, it was a suitable location to stop for a brief time. There were clear exit routes to either side, and the prominent reek and the uneven, sloped ground easily convinced local foot traffic to use the wider and better-maintained connecting streets a block away.
Beyond that, the narrow passage afforded another boon to Yama's keen eyes: that the walls were close together enough that if needed, she could scale the space between them without issue, even in the heeled boots she was wearing. While members of their Pack had casually made mention of the precariousness of Aniana's steeply sloped roofs and how only a super soldier could easily manage them, Yama was confident she could traverse them given the opportunity.
…Just… preferably not when they were so damp.
Her eyes dipped back down to the ground at her feet and those figures casually passing by the opening on her side of the alleyway to guard. Most simply kept pace with the person in front of them, and fewer yet chanced to glance their way. The fact that they were dressed mostly in blacks and greys didn't hurt their perceptibility either.
A step further back in Yama's peripheral, Shuri toggled a localized scan with a quick flick of her fingers. She must've enabled gestures to help speed things along before giving the readouts a once-over and confirming, "We are clear of surveillance."
"We should not plan to linger longer than needed," Nomble was quick to add as she eyed the spaces to either side and above them.
"It won't be but a few minutes," Shuri insisted, plucking a Kimoyo Bead free from her wrist and rolling it through her nimble fingers. As she did, the bead activated and a pair of paper thin wings unfurled on either side of the silver sphere. Like a spark of liquid metal, the vibranium reshaped itself into a beetle-sized drone Shuri'd recently been tinkering with in her lab between projects.
Nomble raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the tiny hovering contraption not because it was a new sight to her, but Yama was betting that it was because her field etiquette restrained her from asking why Shuri was quick to leverage her drone after she'd so recently convinced Sam to keep his own pair stabled for the time being.
Their Princess must've picked up on Nomble's silent observation, because as she calibrated the drone she reasoned aloud, "You must admit, it's not nearly so noticeable as the others. And unlike the colorful suit that accompanies them, the three of us blend in just fine."
Neither of her guards chose to debate her claim, though Yama was impressed that Nomble made time in her guard to remark, "At least you had the wisdom to turn down those oversized sunglasses Okoye suggested."
At her words, a small smile crept into the corner of Shuri's lips as she evaluated the drone. "Griot, soften the stabilizer so the reactions through the gimbal are more fluid, then repeat six-point calibration." While the small drone pitched higher and ran through its maneuvers, Shuri slipped her fingers into her pocket and retrieved a pair of fashionable black, gold, and silver eyeglasses that were no-doubt embedded with far more tech than the slim frames let on. Her shoulders hefted in an easygoing shrug, "It is easy enough to activate their supplementary tint if the midnight sun becomes too troublesome."
In response, Nomble just made that face like Ayo sometimes did when she chose to keep her words for the Princess to herself.
While Yama couldn't view the overlay projected directly onto Shuri's lenses, she found the eyeglasses gave the Princess the aura of a young professor inspecting her latest creation. With effortless movements, she toggled a few more settings on her phone that granted her optional remote control of some of the drone's key systems like its onboard cameras. She must've thought it preferable to manually pilot the bead-sized drone closer to her target, but why? Griot was advanced enough to return there and back without issue. What was it Shuri was searching for?
The veiled warriors on either side of her kept watch as the drone zipped up and away over the buildings into the damp night. Once it was out of sight, Yama found herself compelled to pull out her own cell phone so she could check in on the roaming police patrols. Her proximity sensor would notify her of any nearby, but it was wholly preferable to avoid them well ahead of any unexpected close encounters.
"Griot, extend scan cycle frequencies to account for unexpected interference. Look for any outliers."
…It wouldn't hurt to lightly converse with Nomble so it didn't appear as if Shuri was talking to herself in the chance someone happened to glance down the alley at them. The sight of Nomble in her braided wig prompted Yama with a casual topic of conversation to accompany their steadfast watch, "Sister, do you think he misses his long hair?"
Nomble raised an eyebrow, doing what she could to track the sudden pivot in conversation. She latched onto the underlying reason for it immediately, "His hair?"
"It would have been longer in his memories. I never thought to ask what prompted White Wolf to trim it, but I think I preferred it long. It went nicely with his beard."
While Nomble didn't speak to the claim outright, Yama felt certain her sword sister shared her casual opinion.
"Do you remember when he consented to having his lion's mane braided by my youngest sister?"
The woman on the far side of Shuri kept her hand closeby the cylinder of her spear as she paced a few steps closer to her side of the street and casually turned in towards Shuri. Yama pocketed her phone and did the same and the two effortlessly traded off views on their respective sides of the alleyway. The established practice ensured their huddle not only appeared more believable, but it ensured fresh, rotating sets of eyes on their surroundings.
She was thankful for their training that movements like the Guard's Dance provided them, but she found she wouldn't have minded stopping in a location where the smells of forgotten refuse were not so overpowering.
Nomble managed to look casual while remaining tightly on her guard, "It would be difficult to forget. He was patient with her as she tried out many styles as compensation for borrowing one of her strong hairbands."
Though she didn't look up from her work, Shuri found the bandwidth in her reconnaissance piloting to inquire, "Is that why his hair was sometimes so wavy? Because of the tightness of your sister's braids?"
"It is."
"I did not realize it was credit to her handiwork."
"You assumed it was one of us?" Yama's sharp eyes continued to scan the horizon for any signs of concern.
"I had my suspicions, but it was not as if I could picture Ayo breaking with her duty to sit and idly style his hair with braids."
Nomble snorted at the ridiculousness of such a scene, while Yama volunteered, "Well I have many photos of my sister's fine work if you are ever curious or in need of a new background image or rotating screensaver for your devices."
Shuri smirked at the remark, but Yama could pinpoint the precise moment her Princess's thoughts returned to their present circumstances and the weight surrounding Barnes and his unknown future with it.
There was sadness heavy in the eyes behind those thin eyeglasses of hers. A deep, unquenchable guilt and responsibility she clutched to while she worked the controls of her phone in symphony with her occasional verbal commands. Her next words were for Griot, "Tighten review of the localized signal interference and triangulate its source." Shuri pursed her lips and took a deep breath in and out before adding more softly, "Have you shared them with Barnes? The photos with the braids?"
"A few of them, yes. He remarked he recalled no such designs, but that they might've proven useful to keep his hair out of his face while in combat."
Shuri snorted lightly and spared Yama a glance that was ripe with all the words left unsaid for a hopeful outcome for their Lost Wolf and the fears that sat heavy, like sharp rocks stacked high upon their chests.
All of a sudden Shuri's frown returned, and her focus went to the view beyond her glasses, "He was right. Beyond the—"
"—sst!" Nomble's low warning cleanly cut across the space between them and immediately put Yama on high alert. "At the far end across the street. Two men. Both armed. They passed by the opening and retread their steps for a second look."
Yama knew better than to turn behind her to peer in their direction, but she caught the underlying implication and risks immediately. It would not be her first time fending off sweet words or petty thieves who took them for easy prey. While Nomble feigned disinterest, Yama glanced past Shuri and Nomble to the west end of the alleyway as she ran numbers and waited for an update. Nomble idly regarded her nails for a moment before quietly adding, "After conversing, the taller of the two has split off. I think he means to circle around to the other side from the south. They pose little threat, but it would be good to avoid a confrontation if we can."
Although the outlying streets of downtown Aniana were not crowded, they were not empty, and if they chose to raise arms against those two men, such a scene had the potential to provoke a host of unnecessary questions, especially to three women who had sworn off anything resembling 'trouble.' Yama's insistent words were for Shuri, "We should go before they think there is a chance they can draw close or pin us from either side."
For half a second, Shuri looked as if she considered asking for more time, but she deferred to the urgency in Yama's voice and fell into step behind Nomble, who turned and quickly headed back the way they came. The three of them moved steadily away from the opening in the alleyway, and Yama glanced back so she could keep track of the leering man still visible at the far end. He stepped closer, hollering for their attention with an air of feigned politeness. His thick Symkarian was rapidly translated on the go by the communication nodule behind Yama's ear, "Hey, you don't need to be in a hurry like that. I just thought you might wanna know that one'of you must've dropped this." The snake in a gentleman's guise leaned over, pretending to pick a bauble off the ground and tempt them closer to inspect it, even though Yama's shark eyes knew there was nothing between his thick fingers, "Looks like one of your earrings."
It was not the way of the Dora Milaje to desire violence, but in the moment, Yama found she wouldn't have minded if such a blissful opportunity were to present itself were it not to put their far more important objectives at risk.
A pity.
When none of the three women saw fit to respond to his cordial advances, the man began padding forward into the alley at an increasingly urgent clip. He switched to heavily-accented English as he continued his feign, "One of you dropped your earring. Look? See." As he approached, Yama hung back a step in a play to entice him deeper in until he would no longer be easily visible from the street.
One step.
Two.
Three more…
After another beat of prowling footsteps, he stepped around a trash can, and in doing so: came within range of the Kimoyo Bead Yama'd hidden high on the wall.
She hoped he saw the satisfaction on her face as she pressed her thumb along her wrist and activated her Cry of Ngai Bead.
The effect was immediate, and the man's hands shot to either side of his head as he curled over and let out a short yelp of pain which the hidden bead would also conveniently drown out. Yama was quick to tune the sonic pulse to a respectable level that would not only leave him with a disorienting headache, but temporary deafness.
He made a quick scramble forward, but only succeeded in toppling into a trash can that fell over with remarkably little noise at all thanks to the audio dampening field. Yes, it suited her sense of justice nicely that he would have to suffer in the wretched smell of that alleyway until he came to his senses or she thought to deactivate the bead.
While he staggered in confusion, Nomble, Shuri, and Yama hurried out the exit from the far end of the alleyway. Nomble might've said something under her breath as she glanced both ways before urging Shuri in front of her and to the sidewalk on her right. Yama followed close behind, sparing a glance left, down the sidewalk the way they'd come only to spot the man's taller partner a half a block behind them with his hands in his pockets and his eyes locked on hers with a predator's intent.
Once Yama fell into step, Nomble moved ahead of Shuri, leading the way and creating a buffer on either side of their royal charge. Yama ensured that her own body remained between their pursuer and Shuri as she kept her voice low and urged the Princess forward, "He is likely to give up the chase when he sees we are out in the open and not so easily trapped."
Beyond the obvious, the trouble from Yama's perspective was that they were now inexplicably heading deeper into downtown, inexplicably towards the home that'd been burgled that the three of them very reasonably had chosen not to draw unnecessarily close to. The streets and sidewalks here were more active here, with enough pockets of people that Nomble saw fit to pass through and around them, clearly hoping to lose the man behind them in the small crowds.
Unfortunately, he was a tenacious sort and neither their calculated movements or the cover of night saw fit to deter his steady advance.
Though the slender man trailing them could not know it, any attempts he made on them were immensely pointless endeavors. Yama wouldn't even have to extend a fraction of her spear to teach him a lesson, and neither she nor Nomble would allow him to come within an arm's reach of the Princess. Any attempts would be met with far more force and prompt retaliation than he could possibly realize.
But close-quarters violence was not Yama's only concern. If he was armed, it drew out the possibility of gunfire with it, and though Yama did not think this was the sort of man that would use his weapon as more than a threat for them to cower in fear of, she remained aware of the possibility that she might need to raise an energy shield against such a bold choice in the blink of an eye.
She was confident she could reflect gunfire, but it also meant it could ricochet into crowds, which was something she wholly wanted to avoid. Yama wished to think they had things handled, but like so much else, such counters and everything that happened after would risk drawing needless attention to themselves, and Wakanda with it.
The three of them knew it was unwise to run outright from a predator, but they kept close together as they hurried ahead, hoping he might give up pursuit of his quarry. Shuri still had her glasses on and was head-down in her phone, and for a moment Yama wasn't sure what she was up to until the man half a block behind him let out a yelp followed by a half-stumble and a curse and began frantically swatting at his neck and what Yama would have bet was Shuri's miniature vibranium drone.
Nomble must've caught the short outburst from a short ways behind them, because she turned her braided head long enough to catch Shuri's mirthful shrug, "So many pests this time of year. Must be from all the rain."
Their feet didn't stop moving as they attempted to put distance between themselves and their haphazard pursuer, even though they were inadvertently drawing closer to that flat with the unreported breakin they'd sworn off passing unnecessarily close to.
But that wasn't the only problem closing in on them, because no sooner had Yama chanced to wonder how she was going to explain this to Ayo, then the proximity sensor on her wrist vibrated an impassioned warning. She wanted to keep her hands free in case she had need of them, so rather than pull out her cell phone, she instead rapidly conferred with the sensor along the crest of one of her beads. It produced a small lighted pulse which indicated one of the roaming members of the police had strayed from their patrol, and was presently heading in their direction.
She wanted to imagine it to be a mixed blessing to be met with an esteemed officer of the law, but in truth? It was far better to continue to avoid them unless absolutely necessary. Better to simply work their way around them, lose their pursuer in the crowds. But it was clear they couldn't presently go back the way they came, they'd have to make a wide arc and—
Shuri's steps suddenly slowed to a stop that was abrupt enough that Yama nearly walked into her charge. The Princess urgently reached ahead to grab Nomble's wrist, "We should not go further."
Nomble was startled by the sudden contact, but she immediately stopped where she was, "Why?"
The expression on Shuri's face grew deadly serious, and though she didn't offer up a clear reasoning, Yama was inclined to take her suggestion as established truth.
"Left?" Nomble inquired, knowing they couldn't stay put where they were, they couldn't go back the way they came, and now their Princess was saying they could also not continue forward.
"Left," Shuri readily agreed, scurrying across the street with renewed urgency as they hurried to put distance between themselves and the man still insistently trailing them.
…What had become of Shuri's small drone?
The haptics around Yama's wrist cried out for attention again. When she glanced up to track the directional indicator, she was caught off guard when she inadvertently met the eyes of an officer walking in their direction on their shared sidewalk. But if they circled back, they—
"We should keep moving in this direction," Shuri repeated, as if she knew something but was disinclined to say more… why? Was it because of the ears around them? Local surveillance?
Or something else entirely?
"That will lead us directly into the officer ahead of us," Yama softly pointed out, clearly at a crossroads of how to proceed.
"It's the best option we have," Shuri urged.
By the frown on Nomble's face, her sword sister didn't look at all convinced, but she kept a steady, unhurried pace as they approached the portly officer. It was clear she hoped not to draw his attention, but that his professional presence might deter the man that remained in quiet pursuit of them a block or so behind them after making the same left turn they so recently had. Maybe they could simply pass by the officer without earning more than a fraction of his valuable attention?
Unfortunately, they could not be so lucky, and as they approached, he came to a full stop ahead of them and leaned his weight towards them.
Yama didn't get the impression that a predator explicitly stood in their wake, but as they drew closer, his evaluating eyes looked over the three well-dressed women as he visibly deliberated his next words. He directed his inquiry towards Shuri in what must've been in Symkarian, because a moment after he spoke to them, the translator alongside in Yama ear kicked in, "Little late to be out and about without a chaperone, isn't it, ladies?"
Nomble came to a stop and cleared her throat, responding in a pleasant tone after Shuri thought to drop their audio dampening field, "We were just headed back from a social evening."
"Is that so?" The officer shifted his weight and assumed the presence of someone that took it upon themselves to know too much about other people's business.
Why did they have to get the officer that wanted to indulge in the whims of his own self-appointed authority? Yama casually spared a glance over her shoulder to the slender man that'd been trailing them for a couple blocks now. He hung back in the shadows while he calculated his next move.
But Yama was already working on her own.
Many possibilities presented themselves at once, but she knew she must be calculated and swift in her decision making.
She could of course not simply walk or run past the officer without making it seem like they were up to no good, but she could also not risk physically engaging him anymore than she could feign interest in what she suspected would be a growing list of boring questions he had for them. And if he — like any overactive authority figure — suspected something was amiss or that the answers he was being given were meant to hurry him along in his duties, he was likely to only double-down on them.
Three Black women on these streets was hardly inconspicuous, but Yama worried that spending too long on this call and response risked him recognizing Shuri under those fashionable glasses of hers, or any number of uncoordinated questions, like who they were or what they were doing in Aniana.
That left Yama with the thought that the best way to end this interview before it began was to rapidly earn his disinterest. Knowing what she did, there were two primary options which almost universally made onlookers uncomfortable.
The first was public displays of affection. Yama was not strictly opposed to such subversion, but they did not fit in well with their present circumstances.
Therefore, she conclusively dove in head-first to her second option.
She didn't know a lick of Symkarian, but she knew many from here were bilingual in Hungarian, so she leaned forward, put her hands on her knees, and hoped for the best as she threw herself into her performance. In warbling Hungarian she moaned, "...I think I'm going to be sick."
Yama made a pronounced burbling noise deep in her throat, and though she could see nothing but the officer's feet, each of them took a cautious step back, as if he was suddenly worried about the very real possibility of getting vomit on his clean black boots.
Yama moaned again and smacked her lips in what she hoped was a convincing performance of pre-vomit preparations coupled with what she hoped was a subtle back and forth sway of her body. She wasn't sure who it was, maybe Shuri? But she felt one of her companion's palms run soothing circles around her back as Nomble consoled her in smooth Hungarian, "I warned you to stop while you were ahead. C'mon sis, let's get you home. Have a good night, officer."
A little 'hork' of queasy agreement slipped from Yama's lips as the officer stepped aside and waved them on, standing clear of any lingering desire to come between them and their destination. Ever gracious, Shuri held up a polite hand in thanks as she kept close to Yama's side, feigning that she needed to ensure she kept her balance.
Once they were a block away, Shuri used her thumb to toggle the audio dampening field back on so she could whisper close to Yama's ear, "Good thinking. Neither of them are following us."
"Too close," Nomble noted, barely loud enough to be picked up by the amplifiers on their shared comms.
Shuri nodded once, and after another block she guided Yama into a thin street in an attempt to circle back around to their agreed-upon meeting point and more familiar streets.
When they were far enough away from the sidewalk at their back, Yama caught motion in her peripheral as Shuri's small bug-sized drone flitted by her and landed in the Princess's outstretched palm. Effortlessly, she reshaped the vibranium nanites into the form of a Kimoyo Bead and replaced it around the strand encircling her left wrist.
Nomble was first to speak, "Is this why you do think they are no longer following us?"
Shuri nodded once, "The one trailing us went back to check on his companion. I thought it best to deactivate the sonic pulse of the Kimoyo on the wall while I ensured we truly parted ways, but the reconnaissance on the alleyway is still active."
Yama stood tall as she shucked off her performance and resumed her guard, but not before glancing at the live video feed on Shuri's phone which showed the garbage-strewn man that'd tried to pin them bent over with his hands over his temples. He kept his hands plastered over his face like he was nursing a most pronounced headache of his own making, to which Yama had negligible sympathy.
Shuri thought to add, "I might've ensured the slender will be caught up in your snare for a short time before the sonic field deactivates. Perhaps it will make them think twice about pursuing such dangerous games."
"One can only hope," Yama agreed, keeping her eyes alert to their surroundings before she remarked, "Can we speak frankly now, then?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"Before we were interrupted you started to say something. What was he right about? Barnes, you mean?"
Shuri's frown only deepened, "He thought the thief in waiting of that building with the unreported break-in might've been a professional. I saw evidence that might corroborate that belief, because someone — maybe the same person, or maybe even the tenant — took great care to set up a perimeter surrounding it with not insignificant technologies."
"The road you did not want us to cross?"
"The very same. I do not think we are the only ones interested in surveillance, but I do not know who they are hoping to catch. I do not wish it to be us."
Yama nodded and glanced behind her. Although there was nothing worrisome to be seen, she couldn't help but feel she was being watched.
It was probably just her nerves and the afterglow of their recent pursuit.
"I'll report our findings to Ayo and M'yra," Shuri concluded.
"Ayo will wish to know how you came upon them," Nomble politely observed.
"It is not like that chase in Busan that made International news," Shuri was quick to observe, "We were far more discreet here, and we have time yet to corroborate our story."
"...Our story?" Nomble raised an eyebrow.
"It's important to have a cohesive story," Yama readily agreed, seeing the many merits of her Princess's wise suggestion.
As they resumed walking back towards their agreed-upon meeting point, Yama only wondered if at this very second, the others were corroborating their own misadventures too.
Yama found she wouldn't have put it past them. She only hoped they were similarly harmless.
[Chapter 82 Chapter Art, by Elkleggs]
[ID: An illustration by Elkleggs showing Bucky in Wakanda getting his hair braided by Yama's younger sister. Bucky is smiling and looks as if he is speaking with her while he waits to see the results of her pet project. Bucky has long hair and a short beard and is wearing a blue shirt and dark blue shawl over his missing arm. Yama's sister is wearing a short-sleeved red shirt with patterns and is very intent in her task. End ID]
This illustration by Elkleggs is just so warm and cozy and easy to fall into!
I love the idea of hinting at more of Bucky's life in Wakanda, and while there were certainly some rough and trying times, I'd like to think there were a lot of peaceful and nourishing ones too. There's something sweet about him connecting with the people around him, and the idea that asking to borrow one of Yama's sister's hairbands came with a promise that she could style his hair was an amusing one to me, and I adore Elklegg's take on their interaction!
Elkleggs ("elkleggs" on Twitter) captured such a sweet and charming moment with these two. Please check out her social media pages to see more of her beautiful art!
Author's Remarks:
I hope you're having a great month so far! We've hit over 700k words with this latest update, which is utterly insane to me, but I love how we are deep into plotty things now!
Fun fact! In the earliest outlines for this section of the overall story, nothing eventful happened during the initial exploration of Aniana, but what fun is there in that? ;)
I wonder what Barnes, Sam, and Ayo are up to…? I'm sure they're staying out of trouble too.
- Yama's Youth - The opening paragraphs of this chapter made me smile so much. I love Yama's personality, and I have a very clear mental image of her not only doing all of those things multiple times, but I wonder about just what wounded wildlife she snuck into her room as a kid. It tracks with her empathy towards animals and her later interest in pursuing medical training, but I have to imagine some of those animals were more exotic than her parents would have liked… XD That said, I hoped you enjoyed her PoV for this chapter!
- Sokovia - We haven't heard much about Sokovia outside of Age of Ultron and some Zemo and Wandavision flashbacks, but I have to imagine something like that attracted massive international attention, even from Wakanda.
- Yama's Sister Braiding Bucky's Hair - This is a callback to an exchange from Chapter 61: "Sedimentary Rock and Sinkholes" -
[White Wolf] must've sensed the weight sitting deep in her gut, because he immediately sought a way to offer levity with his words, "...I don't take it any of you thought to pack an extra hair band..?"
Ayo smiled lightly and shook her head at the ridiculousness of the question he posed to three bald-headed Dora Milaje. She pulled herself to a higher handhold as Yama all-but hopped over the last crest of marbled grey rock and turned around so she could offer encouragements from mount-high, "If we cannot find something suitable, we can always request a drone to deliver a package of them," her dusty fingers crept into the many hidden pockets of her regalia in search of an illusive if altogether unlikely accessory.
"Please don't."
Yama grinned mischievously as she plopped down and swung her legs out over the drop and dug into one of her side pockets. With a practiced Dora Milaje flourish, she produced a thin blue hairband which she promptly tossed high into the air and caught with her other hand. Still smiling, she threaded it through her fingers, buying time while the rest of them continued their climb, "For all your awe surrounding our many technologies, I still find it curious how much sheer distaste you have for our drones, even the cute little ones with their melodic chatter in the cafeteria."
"I just have… history… with other ones, I guess," he deflected whilst pressing the front of his left shoulder against a groove in the buckling cliff-face so he could grasp a higher hand-hold just below and to the side of Nomble's chosen path.
"I would think our Princess would enjoy introducing you to one of the many companion drones she and the Design Group are developing," Yama mused, intent on idle chatter while those below her strained from their climb.
"If it's all the same to you: I'll stick with the goats. They're better company."
[...]
But what a view it was. They sat in silence as they drank and let their bodies rest awhile from their latest exertion and the extended time they'd spent basking out in the oppressive sun. None of them spoke to how remarkably dirty and sweat-drenched they were, but Yama made a show of tossing the hairband she'd scrounged up over her head to the man seated on the other side of Ayo. He caught it easily as she remarked, "You will have to thank my little sister for loaning you her hair accessory the next time you see her. If you choose to use it, you will be obligated to acquiesce to the agreement bound to it."
White Wolf held the thin blue hairband between his fingers as if evaluating it for flaws, but there was an easy smile spread across his face, "Is that so?"
"It is," Yama agreed, tilting her chin skyward, as if reciting a promise, "She said since I have found a way to circumvent her desire to learn how to braid different styles of hair, she wishes to practice on yours."
Nomble looked to be doing her best to keep the grin on her face from growing wider, "I would very much like to see your little sister work her craft."
"Fine fine," White Wolf hastily agreed, striking the necessary accord between them as he ran his hand through his sweaty hair and pulled what he could of his shoulder-length brown strands behind his head. His attention briefly turned to Nomble, "Could you….?"
She smiled and said nothing as she turned to help him, pulling the longest of his hair into a bun at the back of his head. There was only so much good the hairband could do, as the remainder of the chunky strands framing his face were too short to comply to her will.
- Exiting the Officer - The moment of Yama trying to figure out how to make a quick escape from the officer's questions was inspired by the scene in CA:TWS where Nat tells Steve to kiss her, because public displays of affection make people uncomfortable. Yama's angle on that here was equally effective. ;)
- Chapter Title Origins - Completely Inconspicuous - The title of this particular chapter is fairly straightforward, and I enjoyed the idea of these three trying to play at being undercover and only half-managing, not because they were being overt, but because sometimes that's just how things go.
[Book Art, by Shade-of-Stars]
[ID: A painting by Shade-of-Stars showing a teenage boy seated next to a wolf on the outcropping of a medieval roof. The boy is talking, and hidden below the pair is a black dragon, who appears to be listening in. It's nighttime, and beautiful auroras dance across the sky. End ID]
I can't recall if I've mentioned it here, but I've spent many years working on a YA High Fantasy/Steampunk book series that I was deep into the throes of editing prior to when "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" aired and I was prompted to dive into on this story. While I've no regrets and I'm really proud of what "Winter of the White Wolf" has shaped into, I'll admit that for a while here I kept putting off working on my original books because I kept telling myself that once I completed WotWW, I'd resume editing my books after.
But as we approach the two-year anniversary of this fanfic, I realize I'd really like to try to see if I can juggle both at once and use that forward momentum as a boon to see these important projects through with all the passion and earnestness they deserve.
So hey? This story isn't going anywhere, but I hope at some point I can share the news that I'm inching closer to finally publishing some of my original books, starting with "The Wolf and the Clockwork Hummingbird." If that's up your alley of interests, I hope you'll consider cheering me along for that too!
In the meantime, here's a piece of art that Shade-of-Stars did of three of the characters from the first book. If you follow me on social media, you're bound to see more of them too.
Please check out this chapter on Archive of Our Own to see the gorgeous art and links to the artists' social media pages!
Say hi and connect with me on social media:
- "KLeCrone" on Twitter and Tumblr
As always, thank you for all your wonderful comments, questions, thoughts, and words of encouragement on this story. Knowing that others out there are following alongside me on this crazy journey truly keeps me fueled to keep on writing, especially on these longer chapters which take a *lot* of time to write and edit. I can't wait to share the hijinks ahead!