Getting to know you

Alfarinn chuckled at Aishe's retort, placing a hand to his chest. "You have a point, and since that was almost a compliment. I thank you." He wanted to add that she probably shouldn't ask Kem for any stories; those might convince her that they both were surviving mainly through luck.

Vaughn gave his answer and it made sense. His people were social. Vampires had likely been solitary hunters from the very beginning, whenever that was. Over the many many years their abilities changed and evolved into things that not only helped them hunt but also things that helped them blend in and survive better amongst the humans that they relied on for their very existence.

The Mayor asked what Aishe would like to know and Alfarinn turned towards his companion, giving her a smile of encouragement.

Aishe offered a slightly impish grin to Alfarinn and tilted her head. "It was, definitely, almost one."

Vaughn had addressed his question to Aishe and Alfarinn seemed all right with her asking questions. She considered for a moment, her green eyes resting calmly on the man across from her. It wasn't that she didn't have questions; Aishe had about a million and one of them. She had to think for a few moments before she could find a way to come at her angle in such a way as to not immediately offend.

When she finally found it she smiled. "My Clan has always been very pro-active about working hand in hand with humans," she said. "What of your Pack? How are the human members of your Pack treated? How do you choose who becomes... one of you, and who remains human?"

It was a vital piece of information to Aishe, who felt that Evenhet's philosophy was perhaps its greatest strength. She feared any alliance that cheapened the value of a human life; after all, she had been a vampire for only a few years and while she had immersed herself wholeheartedly into vampire life and her new lifestyle her human days were not so far behind her that she could forget them.

She glanced at Therese as she asked the question, wanting to see how they both reacted, but mostly interested in the Mayor's response. He was a public figure; she was prepared to hear something diplomatic. She hoped they would receive a truthful answer though, whatever it was.

She supposed it was to their credit that they both seemed to worry about humans, but then again neither she nor Vaughn were human. Humans had some value to the mulo. Humans were food, they were potential children, as near as Thérèse could determine, wolves would be nothing more than problems and competitors to the vampires. So a worry for human did not translate to any kind of regard for any other type of creature.

Thérèse was also very aware of Vaughn's hand on her knee and would have dearly loved to return that touch, but she couldn't. Not here, not now no matter how much she wanted to. Still, it welcome. Much to her surprise it slightly softened her perception f these creatures. Not that Thérèse was ready to be accepting and forgiving in any way, but perhaps she might be a bit more open.

The young woman's question took Thérèse slightly off guard, there were none who were not gifted among her family's small pack. It wasn't something in her realm of experience. She wasn't even certain why one would wish to belong to the pack without being able to run with it. Perhaps these vampires were even stranger creatures than she thought.

Vaughn raised his eyebrows at Aishe's question. He was fairly certain that he had stated the answer to it earlier this evening but perhaps she simply wanted him to elaborate.

"There are no human members of the pack, as you say, not exactly. We see that as careless and irresponsible to both humans and werewolves." Vaughn gestured with his free hand, pointing to one imaginary group on the table and another, swirling them about together as he spoke. "Humans within the pack run the risk of infection and being Gifted, as we call it, without wanting it. Our condition," He looked at Therese and smiled. "is a choice at the best of times. It is how we would prefer it to be in all cases but it is a virus. Accidents can easily happen with prolonged exposure to the pack and they find themselves exposed to the first part of the virus that causes our change."

"From our people's perspective, we travel. After the." Vaughn gestured towards air. "Treaty, we could not go into cities. They are needed for commerce but staying on the outskirts of a city, going in for as long as we could to do business, made us unwelcome transients who were not tolerated except for in short bursts. So we travel. That has not provided us with much time to develop bonds of deep friendship with humanity. As I am sure you are aware, it takes a certain level of trust to tell a secret which could change your people's very existence should it become public knowledge. You have to know that the right person is being trusted."

Leaning back Vaughn smiled. "That being said, there are humans that know of us and that we consider valued friends and allies. They are called Te'sorthene and are much respected. My mother was one. She later decided to become one of us, marrying my father and traveling on with the Kumpania."

He thought about the last thing she asked. "I don't think we would deny anyone the right to be one of us so long as they understood what that choice would mean and that there is no going back to being human again after its done. We don't live for eternity; there is strength in numbers. Obviously the pack would take a dim view of those who are mentally unstable and those would be a poor choice but I doubt you traffic with criminally insane humans either and discourage turning them into an immortal."

"We have kept to ourselves. Now we are able to move into the cities and that means more contact with those not a part of our pack. It will be an adjustment, I'm sure."

Alfarinn listened to Vaughn's answer. His people weren't the kind open hearted individuals that would hold hands with humans and sing songs around the campfire. They, like vampires, had good reason to keep their nature a secret. Evenhet took great risks but also great care. They made small steps towards a day when they could live openly with mortals but they had plenty of time. Already several thousand years had gone toward convincing the vampires to treat humans with respect; it was not like this in the beginning.

"We work with humans very well now, at least I think so. It was a difficult adjustment, as you said, for many of our people. We understand that our level of cooperation takes time for all members involved. We had to teach the vampires that while they had indeed lived for several hundred years that did NOT mean that they were experienced enough at life to play parent and teacher to humans whether they wished for it or not. The superior attitude has taken some time to curb. I still see it on occasion."

He sighed and continued "We also have learned over many years how best to reveal ourselves, how to trust, what to do when an individual cannot handle... well, us." Alfarinn did not feel that now was a good time to explain that they could also judge a great deal about the stability of a person's emotions with empathy and that they could soothe their fears, even suggest they forget the whole thing if need be.

"I understand that the protection of your pack comes first, above all things. I don't think either of us are asking for you to become a part of Evenhet. We would ask, should this alliance between us happen, that you treat our human and vampire members with equal respect. We also protect our own. Obviously harming either race in Evenhet would be cause for us to potentially withdraw our allegiance."

"Thank you," Aishe said when Vaughn finished speaking. She had wished for elaboration on the topic of human and werewolf relations, and he had kindly provided. If it wasn't the answer she'd hoped for, that was no one's fault.

She had more questions pertaining to the security of Evenhet as a Clan but she did not voice them. For one, it wouldn't do to appear to have different information than Alfarinn and for another she still maintained the air of someone subservient. She did not want either Vaughn or Therese to realize she was more than what she looked like. For all they knew she was a familiar, a snack, a human representative. She wanted to keep it that way.

Yet, she did have concerns. So once again she sent them to Kiamhaat, to be sent back either to Chris or directly to Alfarinn. She suspected the latter since this particular question didn't pertain to their immediate safety but she couldn't be sure; Kiamhaat had great respect for chain of command and might very well send to Chris first just to make sure everyone was on the same page.

['Isu-mery, ask Alfarinn to ask Vaughn about the relationship between the two Packs,] she sent. [If they're enemies, will uniting with one Pack earn us the ire of the rest? Who are Aidan Xephier and Iov Hammerthynn to these wolves?]

She could only imagine that forming any kind of alliance with werewolves could potentially anger Anantya or Tacharan... that could work both ways. Aishe feared that allying with one would inadvertently cause a war with the other. She was sure Alfarinn had considered it, but she and Kiamhaat had had dealings with Xephier already and likely knew him far better than anyone else in their own Clan.

Very calmly and deliberately Thérèse looked Alfarinn square in the eye.

"While I cannot speak for every member of our pack, I have never treated any human as less than of us."

Her tone while polite and controlled could easily be taken as an inference that it was his people who had treated her kind as lesser creatures. But it was carefully veiled behind courtesy and round about phrasing. She did not want to start a fight or undermine an alliance but she could not help the extreme distaste she felt for these creatures. Not when she had first hand experience of what they could do, what they were like. No matter that so far she was not entirely put off by these two, Thérèse couldn't help but think about him and how different he was. How easy it would be for these Evenhet to go the same way.

Still, Thérèse offered a small almost friendly smile before absently flexing her jaw and again lapsing into quiet observation. She had other questions, but couldn't voice them. She was having a difficult time finding the weak points in her compulsions. He was doing a much better job of closing loopholes. If she were not careful he'd wall her off so badly she'd not be able to speak at all.

"I think that is a realistic thing to expect." Vaughn replied. Obviously if Evenhet harmed his own people then any alliance would be broken. The pack had good reason to hate and mistrust vampires and all it would take is one shred of proof that their trust had been misplaced.

"I know movie werewolves have a reputation for going on frenzied killing sprees every full moon but it isn't like that." Not exactly. Vaughn smiled and shrugged. "The truth is somewhat exaggerated for the sake of good drama. We do run and hunt every month but we do have control over what we are doing." Less, but it was still there. Woe be it to the human that appeared threatening to a wolf during the full moon. Self preservation is a strong impulse it would be difficult to overcome during the full moon.

"So long as we're still free to take down rabbits and the like." Vaughn raised his eyebrows inquiringly. The idea of vehement vegetarian vampires was absurd.

He glanced over at Therese after she spoke and noticed that she was stretching her jaw again. It shouldn't still be hurting her; she should be completely healed. Vaughn wondered if it was now a psychological trigger of some sort. Something she did when the memory of the 'attack of pallets' was brought to the fore. Frowning to himself, he silently went over the times he had seen her make the gesture. What had they been speaking of?

Alfarinn nodded to Vaughn, noting that he was agreeing to at least not harm his people. A part of his attention was taken up by the voice in his head asking him questions and giving him information.

He turned to Therese and favored her with a sympathetic smile. He did not know what was bothering her about this meeting but he wished he could help in some way. "Thank you. They are not less, just different"

Returning his gaze to Vaughn he asked.

"The other pack that is here in Nachton, what kind of relationship do you have with them?"

Would they be collecting more enemies than the Anantya? Alfarinn was not sure he was ready to gain the ire of the older vampire clan much less add a group of werewolves on top of them.

"It would seem some of our people have had some contact with them as well." He would let Aishe fill in what she cared to about their meeting with the other werewolves.

Aishe blinked at Therese for a moment at the woman's vehemence. "I didn't mean to imply you had," she said gently even though the woman had addressed her words to Alfarinn; it had been Aishe's concern, after all.

She lifted her shoulders and said, "It's just a time for plain speaking. I'm sure we're all going to brush on topics that we find uncomfortable. We can work through them."

She smiled encouragingly at Therese. Of course they were going to hit on things neither Pack nor Clan wanted to bring up frequently. But if they really wanted to function together and not start a war, that's what they had to do.

The conversation switched lanes slightly as Alfarinn voiced Aishe's concern regarding Xephier's wolf Pack. She just shook her head at her Clan leader, not really willing to expound on the details of that association.

"I'm not the right person to elaborate," she said, "but we have had contact, yes, and it was much like this." She smiled at Vaughn. "Tentatively feeling each other out to see how the land lay, as it were."

Kiamhaat had had far more contact with the other wolves than she had. If they had further questions as to the nature of that association they should go to him. He was the one who'd fostered a very tentative truce with Xephier.

She was somewhat relived not to have mortally offended either of them. Logically she knew it was wrong to judge these two by the actions of someone else or even by the memories she'd inherited from generations of her family.

Giving Aishe a weak but sympathetic smile Thérèse shrugged. There was no way to explain.

"Of course."

Again Thérèse tried to focus on the situation as a whole and less on her own personal dilemma. She raised her eyebrows when they spoke of the Kadzait. Apparently these mulo got around. But it gave her concern. While it seemed these vampires wanted to coexist, it was possible they were looking for the stronger ally. It was possible they'd play each pack against the other.

She wondered if perhaps after this meeting the next step might be to find the other alpha and get their impressions of the vampires. That, however, was tomorrow's problem.

Vaughn raised his eyebrows in surprise. Alfarinn had not mentioned the other pack when they had spoken before. He had gotten the impression that the leader of the vampires did not know about them. The man's companion suggested that the Kadzait had also come looking for an alliance. Were the vampires hearing from both and then choosing the one that offered the better deal?

What if they were? Would he do things differently if he had more than one option?

In answer to the question, he shrugged. "In the past we have not been friendly with each other. There has been aggression on both sides." Who could really say who started what any more. "It has been more quiet of late. They have a new leader, as I recall." Just as the R'asa did. Vaughn wondered if he should make peace with the Kadzait. His pack would certainly take that news better, even understand it. The two packs were less different than they were alike. Vampires were something unnatural. The other pack could be seen as the brother that you fought and competed with constantly, ultimately of the same blood.

"I am not opposed to speaking with Kadzait if they are willing."

In fact, Vaughn thought it might be best to find their pack leader first. He would rather speak with him alone where they could talk plainly without a vampire, with who knows what kind of motives, there as a moderator.

Alfarinn had listened to Christian explain a bit about the other pack. He suggested that they speak with the leader of the Kadzait as well. He was perfectly willing to do so. As far as he was concerned they both deserved to be free to be themselves, within reason, where ever they wanted. He was not going to stop them and he hoped that none of the Evenhet would either.

Allying with one of the other was a big step. Both packs together would at least be better than fighting a potential war with Anantya AND another pack. This alliance was hard enough to consider without having to choose sides with the werewolves.

Vaughn said he was willing to speak to them.

"I will see what I can do." He would see if Kem could arrange a meeting. "Unless that is not necessary." Perhaps they had customs for speaking to each other much like the vampire did. Either way, Alfarinn understood that they might speak more freely without a vampire presence in the room. Later, once they had come to an agreement or agree that there would be none, then they could all speak again.

"Until then. If you need assistance then let us know. We can at least deal with problems on a case by case basis."

He was not willing to make a blanket offer of aid just yet but depending on the situation he might be willing to help.

Aishe continued to smile at Therese, wishing she had something like Kiamhaat's glamour to help put her at ease. it was clear that she wasn't enjoying this meeting whatsoever. If anything she felt the woman's stress and anxiety growing.

Well.. it almost seemed as if it would be over soon and both Clan and Pack would take what they'd learned and apply it - in whatever fashion they deemed appropriate. Aishe briefly hoped that her anxious question did not inspire a previous nonexistent pact against the Evenhet, but she'd had to mention it.

She hated to think of Xephier as being treacherous but Kiamhaat had told her what the content of their meetings had been and she had to agree; it sounded like he was loathe to make promises even though he seemed to want to.

There was no need for her to add anything above and beyond what her leader had said. She simply maintained what she hoped was a calm, unworried, and confident presence by his side.

Unconsciously Thérèse wrinkled her nose. If they reached some kind of resolution with the Kadzait her work for her keeper would be that much harder. This one mulo could, through her, ruin two tentative agreements, the possibility of some kind of peace. There had to be some way for her to escape his commands and still keep her family safe. Thérèse would happily go back to Europe if she could but even that was closed off to her.

It seemed natural that Alfarinn would offer aid, or to at least consider aid if they needed it. But would he help with this? If she could could communicate it. Irritated Thérèse forcibly shoved all these thoughts away for a moment. In that one moment she found herself offering Aishe the first genuine smile she had all night. The young woman, whether she be pet or vampire, seemed genuinely concerned. It was possible she wasn't being fair to them. Not probable, but possible.

Vaughn lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "I am sure we can find each other but if not then I let you know."

The good thing about being a werewolf was that you knew one habit all the others would share. There were only so many places to hunt in Nachton and during the full moon there were two packs out doing so. It was not the best way to come across each other but if more conventional means failed it was an option.

He squeezed Therese's knee lightly once before letting go and standing up. Reaching across the table, he shook Alfarinn's hand and then offered his to Aishe.

"It was a pleasure to meet you."

The things people are taught to say to each other. Such vague communication didn't happen as a wolf. That virtue had great appeal to Vaughn. He spent so many hours not saying what he wanted, saying things he didn't truly mean and offering friendly greetings to people he would never normally associate with.

Oddly though, neither of these two seemed very bad. Aishe was pleasant and friendly. In other circumstances it might have truly been a pleasure to have met her. This meeting had been business and that, even at the best of times, tended not to be a pleasure.

Everyone made their goodbyes and the conversation ended without bloodshed. That was a step up from the past, he supposed. He was still troubled by Therese's reaction and as he escorted her out of the night club, Vaughn continued to ponder it. Perhaps he should speak to Alfarinn about it. If it concerned vampires then he might have a better idea what kind, or clan they were. It might be best to find out what he could on his own first. After all it could be that he was wrong and no one was bothering Therese.

He just didn't believe that.

((OOC: Both Vaughn and Therese out, with permission ))

Alfarinn watched the two werewolves leave with a half smile on his face. He turned to Aishe, chuckling softly.

"After a couple thousand years you start to think you've seen it all....and then something like this comes along."

Who would have expected werewolves to come looking for vampires and asking for an alliance? As someone who had been a part of the war between their races it certainly wouldn't have been him.

The business portion of the evening was over and he found himself in a nightclub. Turning to Aishe, he grinned.

"So, do you think Kem would come after me with a cudgel if I asked you to dance?"

((OOC: Out pending a response. ))

Aishe made her polite farewells to Therese and Vaughn, shaking the Mayor's offered hand firmly. At Alfarinn's words she smiled and looked up at him. "I'm glad to know it doesn't get completely monotonous," she said to him.

At his next question she laughed softly out loud. "Cudgels aren't his thing," she said, looking at him with wide-eyed mock-innocence. As they made their way to the dance floor and she took her Clan leader's hand, she shook her head and finished her thoughts. "No, but if I were you I might sleep very lightly for a few days."

She grinned back at Alfarinn, clearly joking. Kem wasn't the jealous type; having a bond between them helped reinforce that as well. However, Kem wasn't the only person with a vested interest in Aishe's happiness, and by her estimation the other one was far far more dangerous.

"It's Chris you might have to watch out for. I hear he's a mean hand with a cudgel. Or a shotgun."

She continued to smile innocently at Alfarinn.


((ooc: Aish out too!))