They sat there a long time, there was some whispered small talk between the four human born, while the wolves napped under the table. At one point they were offered food and drink, which they politely accepted. These people ate pretty well. The meat was well cooked and flavorful. The mead that they were offered was too strong for Michelle's liking and she only had a small piece before asking for water.

Yrsa spent a long time with, whom Keva could only guess were, her advisors. She had resigned herself to a wait but she wasn't expecting this. As the hours ticked by, and whatever sunlight they had long since faded from the lodge, and the light was replaced with candles and what could be had from the bonfire, Keva wondered if they would be expected to sleep in this lodge, along with whoever made this place their sleeping quarters.

The Shape shifters didn't drink too much, but they ate their fill, mostly out of boredom than from any real hunger. The wolves were given a large leg of lamb for each of them, even though the two men who brought the food, left it on the table. Javier was the one who had to give it to Hysminai and Soter. The fact they didn't have to ask for food for the two wolves struck Javier as a bit of progress, if nothing else. Seeing the two wolves as pets of theirs was better than seeing them as pure monsters.

Keva idly drew circles with her finger on the table as the night chill crept into the lodge, a chill that not even the high roaring bonfire was able to keep completely at bay. Yrsa had been dealing with her advisors ever since they came back from the judgement circle. Are they ever going to be done? How much crap do these people really have to deal with? They're living in a village in the middle of nowhere, too far north for anyone to care about, right? Yeah, and you used to live in a volcano that was 'too far north for anyone to care about' too. She smirked at her own sarcastic retort to her protest.

"Keva, you and your people have something to bring to my attention?" Yrsa asked loud enough to be heard throughout the lodge.

Keva started, being shaken from her thoughts so suddenly. She nodded and stood up. She motioned for her pack to join her. She turned to Huan Li. The Elder looked up and cocking his head softly to the side, smiled and nodded.

Keva didn't think she would ever garner any kind of acknowledgement from the Elder, and now he was giving her his full endorsement. It made her feel weird, like maybe he might be setting her up to fail. She immediately shook that thought away. No, this is too important, even if Huan is some kind of egotistical asshole, he wouldn't risk gaining aid against the vampires for his own pride, would he?

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Keva walked up to the dais and looked up at Yrsa, "When we first came here, we were hoping to find legends. Men and women who possessed the strength of bears, people who flew into mindless rages that made them a terror on any battlefield."

As Keva spoke, Yrsa's face was expressionless. Keva didn't want to offend the new chieftainess but she had to say what she came here to say.

"When we arrived, we found a land that was frozen, inhospitable, uncompromising, and deadly. The land almost killed us, and the people we met, were equally inhospitable, uncompromising, and deadly to outsiders."

Yrsa face darkened listening to Keva. The werewolf alpha continued. "Since then, I hope that we have found some common ground, some things that a relationship, maybe even a friendship, might be built from."

"What is your point, Keva, Alpha of wolves?" Yrsa asked with a soft edge to her voice.

Keva swept her hair back behind her, "I answer that question with a question, how much do you know about vampires?"

Yrsa looked at the red-haired woman quizzically and turned to one of her advisors. They conversed quietly together, only whispers were heard through the lodge.

"You would perhaps know them better as revenants, Cheiftess Yrsa," Huan Li said through the silence of the lodge.

Yrsa looked up from her conversation and nodded to the Elder, "Yes, we have such legends here, Huan Li. I hope that we have shown you that we are not so backwards or so remote and isolated here in our northern village, that we do not know of those parasites. What of them?"

"They destroyed our home and killed a number of our people," Keva said.

Yrsa leaned back in her throne, "We have our own issues to deal with, Keva. Neither I, nor my people, have time to see to the troubles of others. If you have an issue with the parasites, then I suggest you look to your own to deal with them."

Keva felt her cheeks flush with anger, "We came all the way here, to this frozen wasteland, endured having one of my people killed, having to fight for justice for that murder, and wait at your people's whim for weeks, and for what? Only to be told you don't have time for outsiders?"

Yrsa raised her hand, and Keva had the sense to let her rant die before she really got going. Her anger would not serve her here and she had to maintain control of herself. She inhaled deeply through her nose and waited for the chieftainess to speak.

"I did not mean to say that the hardships you have endured in coming to our lands, and everything since, was for nothing. But you must understand that hearing from outsiders that they need our help to fight in a battle that is not ours and we did nothing to enter into, is a little hard to swallow."

"Some would say that people who fight with the strength of bears and a murderous mindless rage would jump at any chance to fight, regardless of who it was against," Michelle said.

Yrsa snorted out a quick laugh, and nodded her head, "You would be right, some would." She turned to Keva, "What are you asking?"

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