Wild Goose Chase|Clan Poldora, Beastlands

[Skittlebug]

Slaadi is making his way back from training with Keefe, one of the warriors in Aakel's unit who'd agreed to help toughen him up. He walks briskly, hoping to avoid the conflicts that so often happen between himself and the Poldoran kids. That was the point of training, of course, if he could beat some of them then he would be as good as them, and hopefully put an end to being picked on.

[Darastrix]

"Hey, lizard-kid." The speaker, a young jaguar Beast named Kade, pushed off of the tree he'd been leaning against and looked at Slaadi.

Kade was one of the quieter youths in Poldora. He didn't bluster and talk himself up like some of the others his age. He said little, listened a lot, and then he'd sneak around to listen some more. If challenged, however, he was more than happy to show that his lack of talk didn't mean he lacked skill to talk about, and he'd gained a small "pack" of his own. Two of them were with him now: a short, wispy-haired muskrat affinity and her companion, and a long-legged red wolf affinity. Together, they moved toward Slaadi, Kade a little in front of the other two.

[Skittlebug]

Slaadi slows when he's addressed, though he's close to a scowl, this was exactly what he'd been hoping to avoid. "What?" he answers roughly.

[Darastrix]

"Don't look so angry, kid," the red wolf Beast commented, crossing his arms over his chest. "Folks might think you wanna fight, and plenty'll take you up on it."

"Rufus," Kade said, quietly, cutting his eyes at the other boy.

Rufus sighed and looked away, his head tilted just enough to show his throat to the jaguar Beast.

Satisfied, Kade turned his gold eyes on Slaadi again. "You're the one looking for an odd fox-type Beast, aren't you," he said, his tone making it a statement rather than a question. "The kind of fox that doesn't live in the forest."

[Skittlebug]

Slaadi continues frowning as the red wolf speaks, but when Kade mentions a strange fox it turns into a frown of confusion instead of anger. Sure it wasn't exactly a secret that he was, but what would they care about it, other than taunting him. "What of it?"

[Darastrix]

"I've seen such a Beast," Kade stated. "She makes her camp some distance to the southwest, a couple of sun-marks away."

[Skittlebug]

Slaadi can't help but feel a little excited at that, though he tries to hide it. There's a good chance the others are trying to mess with him, if they found out about his mother. "What were you doing so far off from the clan?"

[Darastrix]

Kade made a dismissive gesture with one hand. "I was still in Poldora territory. But I'm going to join the black-feather warriors when I become a man. Ranging far without being heard or seen to gather information is good practice."

[Skittlebug]

Slaadi eyes the other boys, narrowing his eyes, "What proof can you give me that you aren't just trying to trick me?"

[Darastrix]

Kade shrugged, looking unconcerned. "If you're set on not believing me, you're set on not believing. I've told you what I know. If you want to use it, I'll show you how to get there. If you don't, it's no fur off my back."

"We'd rather you found her, though," the muskrat affinity spoke up. "The sooner you do, the sooner you can put all your attention into training. We don't need people half-assing it around here."

[Skittlebug]

Slaadi fights with himself for a while, but it comes down to one thing. What if Kade was telling the truth. He'd have lost this chance, and who knows if he'd get another. While it had become painfully obvious since he'd left the clan that his mother didn't want to see him, he still wanted some sort of closure.

He looks Kade in the eye for a long moment before sparing a glance for the muskrat. "Show me."

[Darastrix]

"Get whatever you want to carry with you and meet me on the southern outskirts of the settlement within half a sun-mark, then," Kade said. "If you get hungry on the way, I am not hunting for you." And as far away as it was, it was stupid to go empty-handed in any case.

[Skittlebug]

Slaadi does so, gathering a few essentials into a pack while having a back and forth with himself over whether he should be trusting Kade or not. In the end his curiosity wins out and he heads for the outskirts.

[Darastrix]

Kade was there, waiting. He has his own light pack slung over one shoulder and his little entourage was nowhere to be seen. He looked Slaadi over and gave a quick nod before letting out a few strange calls. A moment later, a young, black jaguar crept out of the shadows to join him. When he stepped into the light, faint spots could be seen.

"Stealth is coming with us," Kade stated, and started off.

[Skittlebug]

He isn't about to say it, but Slaadi is glad for the cat's presence. It makes him feel a little less vulnerable until the thought occurs to him that it would prove a great disadvantage were Kade to turn on him out in the forest...

Shrugging such thoughts off, though not far, he starts toward the forest. Getting impatient already he looks to Kade, "Let's go then."