Logs:Border Wars: The After Talk

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Border Wars: The After Talk

"I'm going."

Dramatis Personae

Noah, Melissa and ST


Melissa wants a word with Blackheart, Noah's going with her. Part of the Border Wars plot.


The Crosscut C02

Melissa followed along to wherever they chose to meet, Noah in tow and looking vaguely irritated about it. "I'm fine, No. Promise."

Blackheart has made sure that Jerry's body has been returned to the Forsaken and there's been a packet that was handed over as well. After that, he and Ishmael find a seat at the corner of the bar and wait for Melissa and whoever else that was coming along with her.

Noah had to go outside with the others to see the body. It helped him calm himself a little, but it is clear he isn't leaving Melissa alone with Blackheart. He doesn't come too close, he certainly doesn't sit at the table, but he crouches, nearby, maybe out of earshot, maybe not. There, in that odd crouch of his he just watches, mostly the Pure. Very much like a guard wolf, hard eyes on them.

Melissa took a seat and ordred a drink, eyes flickering to Blackheart, then Ishmael, then back. "Thanks for meeting with me, I'll keep this pretty brief. Back in Georgia there was kind of a similar situation. Bunch of sick fucks fucking skinning wolves and leaving them from trees and shit to be found." She gave a vaguely apologetic smile, likely because of the language. "Sorry. Anyway. Same thing, they hit the Anshega and Forsaken and the Anshega approached us with what they knew so we could work together." The drink arrived and she took a quick sip. "Same situation as in there, not everybody could get past old bullshit and misinformation and play nice, so I worked as a liasion between the two groups. I did a good fucking job, I learned a lot, and I'm offering to do the same thing here."

Ishmael watches Noah warily, keenly aware of the Rahu's agitation, but unable to put a finger upon the source. He knows all too well the volitile nature of Uratha emotions, though it seems Noah is being more protective than hair trigger. At least for the moment. Ish offers Melissa a polite smile as she speaks. "It sounds like we'll need someone of the sort to deal with Bryce's pack, at least to serve as a buffer between tempers. Everyone has a breaking point, though I'm glad everyone was able to restrain themselves tonight."

Blackheart gives a nod to Noah when he crouches down, he's guessing he's a Rahu. Matches the night and things. He then looks back to Melissa and there's a smile, "It's not putting a strain on my time stopping and talking." he tells her. Then he listens and those black eyes of his grow thoughtful for the moment and he nods, "As Ishmael has said, we will probably need a few people to be go betweens. I understand the distrust." he tells her. "So if you think that your pack or others won't want to spill blood over it, then I'd say with your experience you'd be fine doing that." he adds.

Melissa nodded in agreement with Ishmael. "Hopefully the ones that just want to start shit will leave it the fuck alone and not involve themselves, but I know wolves well enough to know that's pretty fucking unlikely." Her drink was swallowed as she gave Blackheart a smile. "Good. The boys don't have the same view of the Anshega that I do and haven't had the same experiences, but I think when they see that I'm safe and making progress they'll be happy to jump on board. Where are each of you thinking I should start?"

Noah is agitated too, though it's carefully held beneath that cold mask he stares out from. The perceptive will notice it, under a full moon, it's so very hard to keep completely under wraps. Worse for a Rahu. Slight twitches in his muscles, subtle little ticks. Though no one at this meeting seems to be making it worse. The nod Blackheart gives him isn't returned right away, he is just stared at for a long moment, but finally the Hunter relents and actually bows his head to him. He is deathly silent, and with the stares he gives, that could be good or bad.

Blackheart gives a look from Noah and then to Melissa. There's a bit of a curiousness there for a moment, then he looks thoughtful again, "Well, have you had experience with a certain group more than the others. I don't want to point you towards the Predator Kings unless you know how to handle them." he admits.

"I think the best option would be to get the intel packet to as many Forsaken as possible, whether packed or not. That will let you get a feel for which may need your intermediary services more than others." Ishmael points out, nodding to Blackheart. "Some may want to do segregated scouting of the threat out of distrust, but in truth, it may be for the best that we don't force integrated sorties right off."

Melissa cleared her throat quietly. "Most of my contacts were Touched. I know that the Predator Kings can be dicey so I'm willing to take any advice either of you have. The way I see it, Anshega killed my first mate and I was hell bent on revenge killing Anshega back. I bought into what I'd been told and they were monsters, then I met some and actually talked to them and at the end of the day there are differences in philosophy but the biology isn't different. All wolves, all blooded. If taking mates away is the ruler to measure monsters, then I and most of the packs I've been in don't measure up either. Monsterous is monsterous, a dead mate is a dead mate. Forsaken have done things just as evil as the Anshega have been accused of." This statement sounds like it comes from experience. "I understand the Touched now. I'd like to understand the others. Both sides have people that don't want any more dead wolves to bring back and the more we all know about each other the closer that goal gets."

Noah says, "Ninna Farakh." Noah seems to know them well enough. And proof positive he can hear the discussion too. Or parts of it. His eyes staying on Blackheart, they never waver, but it seems clam enough. It's all he says though, and he's incredibly hard to read. As a Hunter he's probably run across them more than once. Good or bad."

Blackheart gives a nod to Ishmael's words, "You guys should spread the information and things. I can put you in contact with some of the Ivory Claws and a few Predator Kings that I believe you can help with. If you should ever feel that it's not right or that its just overwhelming, we'll get you out. No reason to let you stay and feel uncomfortable." he admits.

Melissa looked over to Noah and canted her head a bit, wrist scratched at. A moment later she looked to Blackheart again and nodded. "Thank you. I'm hoping that we can build something that goes beyond dealing with the Hounds so that the next time there is a wider threat we don't have to do the song and dance."

Well, now, Noah speaks for real. Straightening a little in that crouch, his gaze now encompasses Blackheart and Melissa, "I will go with her. I will get her out if she needs." It doesn't sound like a question, or a really a demand so much as a firm statement. He finally speaks something real, adding to this.

"And that is fine." Blackheart nods to Noah as he stands. He buttons his coat after he does. "I will bid you all a goodnight and safe travels. I need to return home. I've got a lot to get together." he tells them with a slight bow. Then he's turning to leave.

The irritation returned to Mel's expression. "Don't need a babysitter, No. This isn't my first rodeo, I didn't get my scars by being coddled and protected." She drew in a sharp breath suddenly, like she wasn't getting enough air, and signaled for another drink. "Double, hey? Please." Her attention snapped to Blackheart. "Thank you, I appreciate your willingness to do this."

Noah bows his head to Blackheart, this time a lot more respectfully. Perhaps he expected an argument, and is glad one did not come. Especially on a night like this. He glances at Melissa then. "You do not, but I am coming anyway." Simple, no argument from him. He has his reasons.