Page 120 "Alekris, you can stay here." Orders flow from the hunter in a smooth, easy fashion. She feels confident, assured. She looks down at her data pad, and back up at Alekris, seated across the table from where she stands. The wolf queen narrows her eyes but does not speak. "Wolf, you know who you're meeting with? Location set?" Wolf salutes her, mildly sarcastic. "Good." She offers him an equally snide smile in return. "Civrak." Alekris's son perks up in attention, his chain mask rattling. "You're needed in maintenance, Braxis is waiting for you down there already." She paces, cloak fluttering at every turn of her heel. Clenching and unclenching her fist in concentration. "Right then, get to it." She nods cheerily to her shipmates as they scurry away to their designated positions. Only Alekris has not made a move to leave, and Shadow's eyes eventually find her, curious. "You can come with me if you like. I have—" "I would have words with you." Shadow closes her mouth. Her head tilts lightly, an invitation for the wolf to speak. But Alekris takes her time, as always, a clever headed creature. She inspects Shadow like some juicy, yavirsii fig. "Notice anything ...different?" she asks, standing with a grunt of effort. Shadow shakes her head in confusion. "I... noticed things seem a bit ...tense?" "Hmm, I wonder why that is...?" the wolf muses as she walks, and then abruptly changes the subject. "How is Variks?" [i]Variks[/i]. The question appears out of nowhere, stopping the hunter in her tracks. Hot and out of breath in a matter of seconds, her heart thrums against her chest. Since recent events, she can't even hear his name without practically falling apart. Clearly noting this, all four of Alekris's eyes squint down at her once again. "He's... fine," Shadow offers weakly, breaking herself out of a stone-stiff posture. The confidence she felt only moments ago begins to melt away. "Anyways," she adds, desperate to change the subject Alekris is not so subtly trying to bring up. "There's a pesky group of Wolves that keep stealing our supply crates. We've just lost another one and I figured—" "Lost another one?" Alekris ticks disapprovingly. "How we've lost so much lately," she sighs. The ex guardian shuffles, uncomfortable as Alekris sets eyes of ice upon her. "Have you [i]lost[/i] anything recently?" Heart hammering so loud she's sure the eliksni must hear it, Shadow swallows, ignoring the question. "Uh, like I was about to say before, you're more than welcome to come with me. I could use the help—" Thanking the Great Machine, the hunter quickly takes her leave as a couple of vandals round the corner of the hall. "You know where to find me!" she calls out, breathing a sigh of relief and leaving the wolf scowling after her.