If she accepts the rank/agreement, then she can be accepted with my next post and we can wrap this up. 1,016 words.
####Languages were not something that the man was knowledgeable in, though he was beginning to understand some of the French that Ayita spoke in their home. Otherwise, though, he strictly spoke English, regardless of how many others seemed to speak other languages. The language he spoke was the one that was most commonly used in the pack—although Jacquez also spoke a great deal of French, it seemed—and therefore, he saw no need to go out of his way to understand many others. It would be a useful skill, but it was not something Vigilante cared to spend his time doing, when there were more pressing matters to attend to. It seemed as though Firefly had understood the girl’s words in another language, though, judging by her unhappy reaction, and the doggish man raised an eyebrow at his pack mate curiously, though a quick shake of his head then depicted that it was not important. If what the girl had said in another language was something important or something he should know, Vigilante expected that Firefly would tell him. It seemed they were definitely on the same side, in this situation, and both wanted the best for the pack and its members; he hoped she would voice any real concerns, if they were specific. He did appreciate knowing that she was not a fan of how this was going, as well, and he nodded to show her that he was acknowledging her opinion. He also felt that this, as she put it, “reeked of rot.” He saw no reason that they should even waste more time with the young girl, but the conversation continued around him, and then it was his turn.
####There was no pressing need for the girl’s skills—he already held the co-rank of Blacksmith, and he hoped to avoid any actual requirement for weapons—and she had already proven that she did not know her place in the presence of pack members when on their land. Truthfully, he saw no reason that she deserved to be accepted into the pack, but Firefly’s next words also took hold in his mind. As much as he wanted to avoid the war, the fact of the matter was that he would not be able to completely avoid it ever. If there happened to be any foundation for his suspicions with the girl, then it would be better to always know where she was, in the case of something happening. He was not actually suspicious about the girl having involvement in the war, but he most assuredly did not like her attitude. It would be easier to turn her away from the pack completely, because they did not need someone with an attitude like hers in the pack, and perhaps she would also learn her lesson from this encounter and seek shelter elsewhere, with a better knowledge of how she is expected to act around others. It was obvious her social skills had never been worked on extensively, and though he felt it was a parent’s job, he was not dealing with her parents. The only one he was dealing with was her, and he did not like the way she spoke and acted.
####Nodding again at Firefly’s words, Vigilante suppressed a sigh. This was the first time he’d ever actually encountered anyone at the borders during his patrol that was not already a pack member. All those that he knew that were not already members of the pack had been met on unclaimed lands, and even then, some of his own pack members had been met out of the pack’s territory, like Heath and Finn, though she joined later. It was most unfortunate that this was the first joiner he had encountered, and he was not sure how to go about things diplomatically when he really just wanted to push her along her path and ignore her. “I am Vigilante Haskel, Constable of Cour des Miracles,” he introduced himself, hoping that it would let everything else roll smoothly and that the girl would also give her name, as Firefly requested. He did not like that the girl had not given the information immediately upon being found by himself and Firefly, but he supposed he should not be surprised. As it was, she needed an attitude adjustment in the most serious manner possible, but he did not know how to do that for her.
####“Taking into account all that she has said,” he began, indicating the woman beside him with a small sweeping gesture, as it was important to him that she knew he was listening to what she had said. Relationships with his own pack mates needed to be kept high, and he wanted her to know that he respected her opinion. It was important to him. “I’m willing to allow you residence here as a Serf, the lowest ranking adult in our pack, until you prove that you are able to respect those that deserve it. You would remain a Serf until further notice, at my discretion.” Now it would be left completely up to her, and no one could say he was not trying to be fair in his options. Keeping her as an omega seemed fitting, as she had trespassed and disrespected, but it would keep her under supervision, since Firefly did seem concerned about the possibility of a spy. “Does that seem fitting to you? You know more about the packs involved in the war than I do, and subsequently, you know more about what they might stoop to or do,” he added quietly, addressing Firefly alone. He did believe that using a child, for that was what the young girl was, as a spy was disgustingly low, but he knew very little of Dahlia de Mai, and knew nothing of Inferni. This was foreign territory for him, especially because he was always the one with the upper hand in the past. It was difficult to know he was not completely in the know about the current happenings, but he felt he would need to trust Firefly’s opinion on that.