Word Count → 340 :rompt #1: See what Inferni's closest neighbors are up to -- you can go the sneaky route and spy, or you can just ask someone of a foreign pack if they have any news. Either works!

Willam hadn't been this way since her original trip when she was headed for land's end. Of course she had never made it to land's end but had ended up never making it that far. She had put that behind her for now. she had found a place to stay and was satisfied with that at the very least. But she had chosen to head back out once again, after having explored her new home a bit first. She had used the time to rest and feed, gaining back her strength once more before wandering out past the borders once again.

As per usual Châtiment had seen Willam headed somewhere and so he had taken to following after her. Willam couldn't explain why the equine did that but it was something he had always done since he had been first led out to join on hunts with a travois attached to him so that kills could be easily dragged back. When Willam had left with the instruction to find land's end the stallion had chosen to follow after her even then. It was why she still had him now. All because he chose to follow rather than being forced to do so.

The coyote female traveled along the base of the mountain, having headed in a westernly direction. She had started out in the morning hours after she had finished her morning rituals and found it already approaching the evening hours by the time that she had finally found an end to the mountains. There was a path, well not so much a path but a stretch of tree filled land between the base of the mountain on one side and a flooded area on the other. She ended up not being able to travel too far before she caught the tell tale scent of a marked border. Not wanting anyone to get the wrong idea she sent up a howl to alert of her presence. With her large mass it wasn't as if she could be easily overlooked anyways.

Word Count → 335 :: Out of Character text

Willam certainly hadn't expected the lack of warmth to the words that she was greeted with. It reminded her of the wolves that had burned down the church. She also didn't like the way that he was eyeing Châtiment either. The female moved closer to the horse, moving to stand in front of the equine. She didn't normally think the worst of others but she wasn't really used to associating with those outside of where she had lived. It made her wonder if all wolves were really this nasty. From her experiences none that she had met made a good case for them.

"No reason in particular. I didn't even know there was a pack here when I had started walking. I was only following the mountains towards their end." Even if she wasn't fond of the attitude that he presented himself with Willam still answered him honestly. She hadn't come seeking out the pack but had only been looking to figure out just how large the mountains were and what she would end up finding once she had managed to make her way all the way around them. While she hadn't had any actual speculations she would have never guessed that this would be it. And she still hadn't made it all of the way to the mountain's end yet.

She glanced beyond the male and towards where the mountain continued on, looking to see if a way to bypass the pack and continue on could be found. But that didn't seem probable unless one were to climb over the mountain and that really didn't sound like a practical thing to do. Willam turned her attention back tot he male instead. "Do you display such coldness to all those that respect the borders and announce their presence or is this a special circumstance?" Was it a regular thing or only because she was a coyote? After all that had been the reason that was given for the attacks that had happened on la Chemin.

Word Count → 592 :: Out of Character text

It was more like his licking his lips while staring at Châtiment that wasn't appreciated. She didn't want him to randomly attack her faithful companion. After all she used the horse for larger hunts, not that she had done so while living in Inferni yet. She depended on Châtiment to haul back the larger carcasses. So the male looking like he was ready to eat her beast of burden wasn't something she was going to stand for. If he had only been looking then it wouldn't have put her on guard but the way he displayed his thoughts by the licking of his lips that did it.

"There isn't another direction." She was following the mountain and to do so she had to walk beside its base. Going any other way wouldn't be following the mountain. "To see where the mountain ends you have to walk beside the mountain. The mountain won't move simply because a pack chose to take up residence next to it." If it could then she would just ask the mountain to shove aside so that she could continue on her way without disturbing the pack.

She wasn't looking for a way to go past him but a way to bypass him entirely so that she could continue her journey. Or maybe if she could even see exactly where the mountain ended so that she wouldn't feel as if she had failed the task that she had settled herself with and therefore have to suffer penance for the failed task. But it seemed that was the only option left to her.

The male drew her attention back to him and caused her to feel pity for him and his pack. "You have been under attack as well? Did they burn the... I mean, was you home burnt?" Willam managed to catch herself before asking about the church. She was trying to curb all of her talk away from religion but it was hard since that was all that she was used to. "Do you know why you were targeted? Or was there no reason at all for it? Did any lose their lives?" Perhaps she was prying too much but she knew exactly what it was like to have your home destroyed for no reason at all. It had happened in la Chemin. They had always kept to themselves so there was no provocation for the attack but it had happened anyways. She also had no idea how many were dead or were simply elsewhere since they all had to grab what they could and scatter quickly or else be consumed by the raging inferno that had once been their home.

Willam took a step closer to the borders, not looking to cross over and trespass but just to get closer to the male instead. The large female took to one knee and knelt before the other. She held one hand out towards him and wrapped the other around the crucifix that was attached to the rosary that she always wore. "Come here and let me pray for your safety as well as the safety of your pack." It was as much as she could offer but to Willam it meant a great deal since she was a firm believer in her faith. As long as this male wasn't looking to cause harm she saw no reason not to offer him compassion. After all her God had died when trying to unite the species. If he wasn't prejudiced then there was no reason for her to be either.

Word Count → 544 :: Thanks hun, this puts me at the 1500 words mark so you can take you time with this thread now.

There was purpose to it, it was to find out what was at the end of mountain. If she had any experience with cartography she could be mapping out the land for others. Instead she would have to settle for a mental map. While she will never know what is at the end of the mountain she had learned that there was a pack before the end could be reached. It was something that she hadn't previously know before. It gave her something to share to someone else who might not know either. So there was a purpose even if it was a minor something. But since she wouldn't fulfill that purpose Willam reached down to tighten the cilice on her leg, allowing the metal to dig into her flesh to cause it to bleed and scar once it healed.

"On la Chemin. Where I came from. It was a band of wolves in the area. They burnt the church where we lived. I don't know if any of my family escaped or not. They were setting fires to the borders as well to trap us inside when I had managed to escape." The news would do nothing to help him as it had happened some distance from here. "I am new to this area so I can't speak for anything that is happening around here. I can only sympathize with your plight as I have experienced one similar." She felt bad about not being able to give him any current news from this area. But he already knew more than she did. He had been gracious enough to warn her that even here there were mindless attacks.

"I am glad that everyone is alive. I will pray that this monster is delivered swift justice for their acts." If it was up to Willam she would wish to see them crucified. To watch them hang from a cross and suffer until they finally perished from whatever cause took them first. It was a long and slow death but she felt that types like those deserved no better.

"Yes pray, for your protection and for justice." The large female gave a nod of her head and smiled. When he had come near enough Willam reached her outstretched hand to him to try and lay it lightly atop his head. Willam closed her eyes and bowed her head as she began to speak in Latin. Deus te defendere et ducere. Tua iustitia velox. The words were spoken softly even if they were out loud. She could have said them in French or English but had chosen Latin since she was used to important passages of scripture to be delivered in Latin. Because of this she figured that it would mark the prayer as important and have her God acting upon it swiftly. Since it was a matter of innocent lives at stake she really wanted a prompt response. Willam fully believed that by uttering these words this pack wouldn't suffer a loss of life so long as they followed the path that they were to be guided on, as well as those that had transgressed against them would be dealt with and so they would no longer have to worry about that particular problem any longer.

Word Count → 327 :: Figure that we can end here.

She hadn't been allowed to lay hands on him so she had no idea if he would actually be protected or not. But that had been his choice and there was nothing that she could do about it. If he wanted to deny the pack protection then that was on him and not on her. She had given what she could and that was all that there was to it. She had done her part in putting the wish out there.

After the prayer as spoken she dropped both of her hands and stood up. "I wish you well as you deal with your monster." Willam gave the parting words as she moved back closer to the equine once more. She patted the stallion on the neck and turned about, heading away from New Dawn. She retraced her steps since she wouldn't be allowed to continue forward.

Perhaps the trip wasn't a total waste as she had thought it was. She hadn't completed the task that she had set herself to but had gained other knowledge instead. She had learned that there was more than just Inferni in this area. She had also learned that it wasn't as peaceful as it had seemed. Still, at least she wasn't being attacked in Inferni and that was a bit of a peace of mind. She didn't know what she would do if Inferni ended up being burned as well.

Willam headed back in the direction that she had come from with Châtiment walking along at her side. The large coyote female made the long walk back to Inferni. In her head she went over what she had been told. She didn't know the reason for the attacks and whether or not she should be concerned. She didn't know if their monster had any connection with what happened in la Chemin or not. It was a lot of information and uncertainties to weigh upon her mind the entire trip back.