There was nothing. Nothing at all.
At first at least.

But then somehow things started to come to her. The feeling of warmth, the recognition of of scent, the awakening of the taste that her tongue tasted upon her lips, the sound of the early city and snoring.
Snoring?

Her eyes still closed Kiren, inwardly rose an eyebrow but cared nothing about her senses being a bit ‘off’ or so it seemed. She turned around but stopped halfway, she couldn’t turn completely around to lay upon her stomach, but lay upon something.
Or judging on the feeling of warm skin and small hairs; someone.
Someone?

Not yet opening her eyes she frowned and tried to remember last night, she tried to remember it trough the annoying fly that was buzzing inside her head.
yesterday….

the wine had been Tairen, the music had been great; the dance had been fantastic, and the man she’d danced with was so even more. Sure he had been quite a bit younger then she was, but to him it had seemed like she was the younger, and not for the first time she had secretly thanked Rialt and especially her bond to him, that made her age utterly slow.

Kiren slowly moved up a bit and opened her eyes. well at least it wasn’t the booze that made him look so good yesterday she thought appraisingly as she let her golden eyes gleam over him. Flashes of the previous evening and night came to her mind and she had to grin. Sometimes it was really useful to have these young looks and golden eyes; a lot of men became interested in you and you could chose the one that looked the nicest.
Carefully she got up; slowly in order not to wake up the young man besides her what was his name again? Thom? No that’s not it… Tim? Nono… neither that…. Well doesn’t matter anyways as she pondered over his name she walked around in the room.
She was still at the Drunken Maiden by the look of this common bedroom good saves me time to find my way around she bended to pick up some of her clothes and a bit later she left the room, clad in a long shirt and carrying her other clothes as she walked towards the bathing area which was empty for the moment.

The cold water hitting her head did little good for the buzzing and Kiren wondered briefly how Rialt wold react. He was up right now, doing office-things or at least that was what it felt like trough the bond, and as usual he had a hint of amusement the came trough the bond, amusement about her hangover.
She washed away her thoughts with the cool water and made her way down to the common room, in need of some food in her stomach. at least my hangover isn’t that bad and I’ll hold it in most likely the last thought was a bit wry as she remembered moments that she’d felt like she was going to die after a long night of drinking.


Michael; the innkeepers son was about the only living soul downstairs and he cast her a sly grin and wink; one that she answered with a chuckle. “Something to eat please Micha” She said softly, minding the buzzing that had started to get louder since the cold water on her face.

Mishael was wandering around the city looking for a tailor when he got a message from Strongneck, the pack leader. We hunt, brother. Find Golden Whelp before the sun hits it's zenith. Mishael looked at the sky and judged about a quarter of an hour til zenith. With a fair well message, Strongneck sent The image of a wolf pup that glowed golden outside an inn called the Drunken Maiden. at least she remembered to send an image before she went off Mishael thought.

Fortunately, Mishael knew where this inn was and set of quicky. he sped up the leasurely stride that he normally used, and channeled a bit of air to part the crowd. Even though he knew where the inn was, he still got lost a few times.

Within ten minutes, Mishael was walking through the door of the inn. It wasn't hard to spot her, she was the only person in the common room and looked to be waiting for someone to come through the kitchen door. "Hello, Golden Whelp. The pact is hunting and requests your presence. We have until zenith, so you might want o eat something before we leave." Mishael could smell the sent of stale wine on her. "It might even help you with your hangover."

He waited for the young man, who could only be the owner's son, to walk through the door carrying a plate with a bowl of porrage on it. The boy placed the bowl on the table in front of Kiren and turned to Mishael. "Would you like anything, sir?", the boy asked politely. "No thank you, we will be leaving very soon." Mishael then walked over to the window and peered at the sun. Kiren proceded to eat the porrage with out comment.

Once she was done,Mishael then led her outside, after waiting for her to shout a goodbye to the proprietor's son, and into an alley. Once inside the alley, He seized Saidin and wove a Gateway to the forest outside the city. A wolf walked up to them. We hunt was all Strongneck needed to say.

After sitting for a few minutes, suddenly the front door swung open and Kiren immediately connected the certain sound of his footsteps with the new scent that drifted in. Glow Storm.
Her former mentor in the ways of her kin walked up to her and greeted her as the old friends they were. "Hello, Golden Whelp. The pact is hunting and requests your presence. We have until zenith, so you might want to eat something before we leave. It might even help you with your hangover."
Kiren grinned at his words and nodded softly. She didn’t quite know when exactly Zenith would be, but had a feeling that it was very near.

As Michael walked in with a bowl of porridge for her, he asked the asha’man whether he’d want something as well, and at the old geezers words went back behind the bar, to where Kirens weapons were.
It was a habit of the andoran woman to just come to the drunken maiden, give her sword and bow to the innkeeper or his son, and then have some fun. After all, a woman with large weapons did scare away the men.

The gaidin quickly ate her porridge and then got up to follow Mishael after going to Michael and getting her weapons back.
As she shouted a greet to the young lad she got out of the inn and followed her wolfbrother into an alley where he created a gateway.
Without even a second doubt about what she was doing she stepped trough. These hunts were somewhat frequent, and Rialt would not be panicked by her sudden change in place, especially not because there was no sign of alarm comming from Kirens side of the bond.

As they stepped out into the forest near Tar Valon, Strongneck, the leader of the pack walked up to them. We hunt was all he said. Was all he needed to say. Kiren briefly flexed her joints and then started running along with Glow Storm and Strongneck towards the pack, exchanging messages of greetings to all the wolves in it.
In their run, Strongneck let them know what they’d be hunting for; a doe, one big with young at the moment, a good prey for the pack.

"It's been a while since I last saw you" Kiren softly said while she exhaled during the run, Sure she had a good condition, but she was by far the best runner in the Tower, and she knew that by the end of the hunt she'd be quite tired of all the running. now however she felt nothing yet; except the buzzing in her head that was all but calming down by their fast pace. at least the food has helped a bit she thought as she let her left hand rummage trough one of her beltpouches in search of a little sack of herbs she had prepared in the infirmary and that she always kept close for these occasions, featherweed to sooth; especially good for headaches.
It took a while before Mishael answered her, his voice as soft as hers, but then again, when they were running or hunting together, they never had hasted conversations. and Kiren wondered if they ever had had a hasted conversation, Glow storm was calm in all the aspects she knew of him, in his teachings, his daily manner, his decisions... It had made her calm as well; sometimes at least.

As mishael ran after strongneck, he siezed the one power. Hunting with the one power hightened his already accute sences and allowed him to chase the prey down a predetermined path. As he ran, he mentally murmered greetings to the wolves of the pack.

During they're brief run to the prey, he heard Kiren's question. And, as always, she was slightly out of breath. "You may see little of me, but I see much of you." He felt her start to lag behind, as is what he said startled her. "You know that I knever belive that my mentee's are fully trained, even ones as skillful as you." His voice was calm and soft, the voice he only took with his pupils or former pupils.

Just then, Mishael caught the sent. It was, as the pack had told him, a doe with it's young. Mishael then managed to pinpoint it's location by judging the angle that the Shinning Walls or Dragonmount were pictured in the images. He then took the lead, as he normally did. His pace slowed as they approached the doe until he stopped just out of sight of the deer.

He then peered around a bush at the deer and made his "battle plan".

Flame Wind, flank left and bring Cloud seeker with you. You are to startle the deer at my command and force it south.Mishael sent an image of that part of the plan to Flame Wind and Cloud Seeker. Azure River and Aurora Star, you take Strider and and flank left of the deer. Yet again, Misahel sent them images of what he wanted done. Loneley Ear and White Eye will stay back and watch. Misahel Growled at the 2 cubs to make his point clear, he didn't want the young ones to foul up his plan.Midnight Spark, Grey Streak, Golden Rain, and Spring Sky will help to funnel the prey towards Golden Whelp, strong Neck and myself. Understood? The pack almost howled it's understanding at him. Get to your posts, now! Mishael then led Golden Whelp and Strong Neck to there spots.

The plan was ingenious, first Flame Wind, Cloud Seeker, Azure River, Aurora Star, and Strider would startle the deer south, then Midnight Spark, Grey Streak, Golden Rain, and Spring Sky would keep the deer heading straight for strong Neck and Golden Whelp. When the deer sees olden Whelp and Strong Neck, Mishael would weave Mirror of Mists to make multiple images of Strong Neck. then Mishael would move in for the kill. "Simple, but ingenious" was how Mishael always discribed his plans.

"You may see little of me, but I see much of you." For a moment Kiren felt like just stopping and arguing with him about that not being what she meant, but she decided that it wouldn’t be of use anyways and kept running, trying to make her food not hop around so much in her stomach. "You know that I never believe that my mentees are fully trained, even ones as skilful as you." His voice was calm and soft, the voice he only seemed to take with his pupils or former pupils. Inwardly she briefly grunted about him taking everything so anti-social.

Sometimes she wondered what would have been their relationship had the asha’man not always been such a loner but would actually be somewhat sociable and understand what she meant. But then again, the guy was quite a bit older then her, and she often enough mused herself by blaming it on his age if she felt annoyed by him.

The scent of the deer suddenly reached her nose as she had put a bit of the hers she had in her pocket between her lips. Surely just nibbling on them would have far less results then making a decent tea out of them; but at least they’d help the buzzing in her head that became quite annoying by every leap she took.


As always Mishael took charge of the pack for the hunt, and as always Kiren just stayed a bit behind, far enough to hide her scent from his keen nose. She now ran besides Strongneck of whom she knew felt the same uneasiness.

She remembered the first time they’d hunted with Strongneck as the packs leader, it was merely two years ago. But the wolf had been... confused about someone else taking charge in the hunt. They always were, but then again, none would actually go against either Golden Welp or Glow Storm, after all, they were the strongest and oldest of the pack.

But still it was strange for them, no matter how much time passed. And Kiren often found herself wondering about what the other wolves were feeling about the two-legs in their pack. She often still felt lonely, even though she had the pack, but she still not truly was one of them, the only one she really connected to was Mishael; but he was a loner, and though they could often spend a lot of time together and not say a lot, it still felt insufficient to Kiren.


As the hunt continued she suddenly saw a few more ‘strongnecks’ Mishaels Illusions, the fun can begin. Anxiously she drew her sword and held it low, nearly scraping over the ground as she took her speed up a notch in order to be at the right place by the time the deer would reach her again.

As the deer spotted her for the second time, Kiren actually growled and started moving towards it as she saw Mishael move upon it.

Mishael's plan was always to kill the prey without playng with it, the pack needs the food, and he wouldn't risk letting the cubs go hungry just for his own amusement. but this time was different, he knew that the pack had enough food to last a week and Golden Whelp needed something to ease the ache in her head. Mishael slowly backed away from the deer to let Golden Whelp take the kill.

She had her sword drawn and was aproaching the deer. He mentally ordered the pack to circle the deer, but not to attack. He also told them not to harm the young one, no need to kill off the young when we don't need to. He then watched his former mentee move in on her kill.

((bah, very short))

As she was running besides Strongneck she suddenly saw Mishael move backwards a bit, making an opening.
This was something the old geezer did not quite often, not to say seldom, but she knew perfectly well what it meant. It meant that she’d be the one starting to take it down.

Off course when the wolves hunted naturally –something that she’d actually never seen while Mishael was there- then the leader of the pack would just do the attack she’d make and as he attacked the deer, the others would move in and take it down with him.
Now however, Kiren would nearly kill the beast, thus making it far easier for the pack to take it down.

She awaited the right moment and then made an angle in her running and caught the deer by surprise as it had not expected an attack to come from her point. Kiren quickly let her sword draw blood and heard the scared deers cry of pain and despair fill her ears.

With the blade having struck and cut the muscles of one of it’s legs, the deer fell and quickly Kiren jumped back as the rest of the pack rushed forward. She felt the hunger within her, the smell of blood was strong and times like these always made her aware of the dangers of losing her humanity. The good part however was that the hunger she felt now, the instincts of the wolf within her, drove away the feeling of intoxication from the alcohol the last night. –not that that would last long, but at least it helped at the moment-

She just stood there, watching the wolves do their dividing as she let her breath come back. Sometimes she wondered whether the hunt wasn’t too bothersome to still do it next time... maybe having stayed put in her bed –or rather the bed in the drunken maiden- would have been better.
The thought of that bed and the –quite good-looking- ‘boy’ in it suddenly made her want to turn around and run back... this was another one of those things that a hunt did to her, it sharpened all her primal instincts and always made the men look better afterwards.

She wondered briefly whether Mishael had these rushes of instincts as well.