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I sorry for the wait, miss Kitty. <33 Going camping after tonight, but I'm gonna get the other thread up before then so look out for it!

Levent was ecstatic to be back on solid ground; he’d made quite a fool of himself licking and rolling around on the grass when they first reached the coast. The expression on his friend’s face had been priceless enough for him to ignore any other stares he might have received, however, and he’d said many a prayer to Allah (Yahweh, Jehovah, Tanrı, all the names he knew). He repeated his passionate praise each time he went on the rowboat and came back with more livestock and goods, until at last the only duty remaining to him was to help set up camp and organize the supplies.

So far, everything had been going perfectly. Lone and pack luperci alike came to see what the d’Artisan traders had to offer, and already they’d bartered off some of their goods. A few nights passed without incident, Levent sleeping curled up with Wilson and the kittens, and it looked like the next few nights until their departure would be just as great. He was fully optimistic, despite the apprehension he should have felt for the return voyage.

Presently, the Turkish wolf sat on one of the crates of goods, his book in his lap. His blizzard blue eyes scanned the eleventh sura again, his fascination for the great deluge in all books of his God rekindled after his own brush with the ocean. Kittens played around his feet, chewing on his cream toes when they weren’t pouncing on Wilson’s white tail—although the adult cat had made it clear he wouldn’t tolerate their rambunctiousness for much longer.

The man grinned and reached down to grab one of the kittens, licking its face until it was damp then tossing it up on his shoulder. The animal responded by confiding in him about Wilson’s bad attitude, which the wolf agreed with in a few theater-whispered mews; the tom shot him a dark look, his whiskers trembling with the strain not to smile.

Shutting the tattered book, he set it down on the crate and stood, just barely remembering to set the kitten down before he stretched his arms. He happened to glance up then, ignoring the bustle of camp behind him as his fellows prepared for trips or haggled with customers—and, none too surprisingly, noticed a shape in the distance that had to be yet another.

Levent Kartal grinned boldly, straightening with a flourish and striding confidently toward the woman in the distance. His face and posture left no room for suspicion that he had anything but friendly intentions, and he hallooed the other gleefully. “Come to trade?” he asked, his eyes falling to the pair of pheasants at her feet.

He forgot all about the kittens he’d been babysitting, until Wilson yowled behind him with the batch clambering on his back and biting his ears.

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The dreadlocked woman didn’t seem afraid, which was good; Levent was not used to inspiring fear in others, anyway, what with his scrawny frame and stupid smile. It would do d’Arte no favors to drive off potential customers even through just making her suspicious, and he kept his stance as open and amiable as he could, making it obvious he had no weapons to his name save those every wolf was born with. His tongue could be a bit of a weapon, too, often piercing weak spots and drawing out secrets—but now it was ready to do its true job, talking up a storm and trading. His heart felt light at going back to his old trade, and he realized how much he’d missed it as he prepared to answer questions and make offers.

A curious glance was thrown to the birds at her feet, and Levent realized he was not familiar enough with the species to greet them in their own language. They looked something like pheasants, something like cuckoos, and he gave up trying to identify them, to his frustration. Besides, the animals he had to focus on now were the parade of cats now caught up around his ankles; he scooped up a few of the kittens in his arms, greeting them with mews of amusement and admonition, and eventually managed to free his friend’s tail from their grip. As the young cats sat back down at his feet, he let Wilson up on his old place on the luperci’s shoulder.

“We have just about anything you’d want,” Levent told the stranger after this little act, grinning. “Livestock, herbs, and supplies for art and writing mostly.” He knew there were too many specifics to list, and if she wanted something in particular, she could ask for it. Hell, he might even be able to make a personal trade later if the pack didn’t currently have the goods she needed. God knew he needed to get back on the road again, although that might be delayed considering the circumstances at home.

“I,” the Turk said with a flourish, “am Levent Kartal of Cercatori d’Arte. Tanıştığımıza memnun oldum, Grace.” He grinned and rose from his stooping bow, which Wilson had somehow managed to ride out. “This is my companion, Wilson, and these kittens”—he gestured to them in another grand sweeping motion—“are up for trade if you’d like.” He saw their curious eyes widen as the woman reached out with her hand, and he added a little meow to encourage them. A black male, a bit bolder than the rest, strode up to her and gave her hand a sniff before his tail shot up happily; he rubbed his cheek against her fingers.

Tried to steer it so that she'd want to offer the horse. xD; Oh well.

The golden woman replied to their introductions cordially, and Levent found his smile growing broader at the charming sound of her voice. Any flirting would be postponed unless it would help trade, however; he’d simply give as well as he got and see what happened from there. He wasn’t quite sure how monogamous he was expected to stay as the father as someone else’s pups, although suddenly the thought of sleeping with a woman other than Hotaru bothered him.

Ah, well. Back to business.

Wilson looked surprised that he’d been greeted as an equal, as few luperci deigned to address a cat as politely as she had, but his tail shot up happily. “They’re not as cute as they look,” he warned, amber eyes narrowing down at the black kitten who was now commanding the woman’s heart. Levent looked like he was going to melt, too, as he watched the interaction; his tail wagged.

Her offer made him frown, although it was a thoughtful expression rather than a scowl. “I would have to see what condition they’re in,” he said, smiling at last. “Cercatori has many dyes already, as we are an art pack, but everyone knows the value of books.” He wasn’t sure how much of a trip she’d be willing to take, but he didn’t mind stretching his legs to see her goods. Actually, the idea of visiting her pack appealed to him.

“If you wouldn’t mind a stranger accompanying you, we could go back to your territory to get a look at those books or whatever you’ve got.” He grinned toothily. “I’ll probably bring some extra supplies along, our paper and paintbrushes and whatnot, and we can see if any of your comrades want them?”

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We can actually wrap it up here. :o Or next post can be your last one.

Wilson purred briefly in amusement. “Oh, we are bloody horrible,” he said, trying to sound alarmed at his own species’ evil cunning. “Especially the little cute ones. Me, I’m civilized, but once they figure out how to use their claws…” He trailed off there, both for drama and because he realized he was being a bit ridiculous conversing with this luperci. He grinned awkwardly then did all he could do in that situation: drape himself across Lev’s neck and sweep his tail affectionately over the Turkish wolf’s ears. “Lev can’t either,” he added, one last cheeky statement before he closed his eyes.

Levent could only laugh through the interaction. “Curiosity kills the cat,” he said, smiling although it was a serious warning. “The little villain will surely get into everything, but if you have another cat in the pack to show him the ropes and teach him the rules, he should get along fine. You can teach him high speech, too, if you work with him while he’s young.” He’d helped to tutor some of the cats in London, too, even if many of them spoke the same language as the large, intelligent predators; Wilson had learned both growing up too.

The female gestured for him to follow, and Lev paused for a moment, his ears pricking with curiosity as she mentioned a horse. “I’ll have to check her out,” he said, trying to sound casual although it was clear from the brightening of his pale blue eyes that the thought of a pretty horse pleased him. Even if Cercatori didn’t need any more communal animals, he might take her himself.

Grace suddenly threw him a look, and Levent calmly walked over to her and gathered the kitten into his hands with a soft mew, settling it down. He gave a more direct meow to Wilson, who sighed but leaped off his shoulders and gathered up the kittens, managing to lead them back to the camp where he would watch over them. He seemed less than pleased to be apart from Levent, but the kittens looked up to the white tom, and he could babysit them well enough.

“He’ll get used to you, sevgilim,” Levent told Grace, smiling. “I’ll hold him while we walk, at least most of the way,” he offered, stroking the kitten and nodding for her to go on ahead. “He’ll be ready to scamper around your den while you work in no time.”