belladonna, in italian a beautiful lady; in english a deadly poison.

Ah, how had Lakota possibly forgotten how recruiters were the flies, and the Threshold the delightful molasses they all migrated to? Perhaps she was getting old. Ancient, Aodaun informed her cheerily. Stuff it, or I'll turn you into a rug. A deep rumbling noise - his form of laughter - was all that was given in response. The woman cocked her hip as the handsome man turned towards her, eyes lush and verdant as they fell upon her equally vibrant gems. Lakota offered a simpering smile, a dash of danger in the folds and corners. He had no idea what he was getting into, but Lakota had always loved fresh meat. They wriggled so beautifully in their skin, confidence lost in the new lack of familiarity the land often brought about. The nomadic warrior had never had such limitations. Perhaps this stag would prove to be a better candidate by displaying the same absence?

Though he seems to be bewildered - only a little, she noted with a weird sense of pride in him - by Aodaun's presence, there was little hesitation before a smirk went curling up his lips like tangy smoke. He mocked her words back at her, and the lithe mare let a little piece of laughter slip from her tongue. "I like your spunk," she grinned, all mischief and intrigue. "My name is Lakota, but most call me the Poisoner. This is Aodaun," she dipped her darkened muzzle towards the bear. He was quite amusing, so she deigned to at least share her name and title. It was so rare to find an interesting fellow in the belly of the gateway, but always a pleasant gem to venture across. Of course his radiance must have given him away, for the lumbering beast in the distance made his crashing announcement rather plainly. When it was Thor who came into sight, Lakota's teeth grit in silence where it was unseen. Eyes went cold as they traveled to the stallion, the weak, turncoat, bleeding heart bastard. Lakota held no love for him, and any respect he may have garnered from her had been demolished when he had fought and then run crying back to the murderous bitch of the Edge. He was a weak-willed coward in her eyes, and nothing more.

When his eyes fell upon her she briefly regarded him, nothing but cold violet fire in her eyes, a desperate desire to let it burn him. Or perhaps she'd melt the lining of his lungs with a corrosive poison in her misted arsenal, let him choke to death on his own betrayal. Ah, but words were the universal distraction, and the princess slimmed and smoothed her feathers easily. Nobody but Thor would even notice her change in demeanor, for it had been reserved solely for him, and had existed only on the plane of interference between their locked gazes. Turning back to let her gaze fall upon the stranger, she cocked an ear towards the turncoat and half-listened, watching as from the distant northern woods another approached. Everyone is desperate for new meat, Aodaun huffed sarcastically in her head. Lakota concealed a grin. Isn't it pathetic that we're among the rabble now, too?

Midway through Thor's speech something crawled from his mane to chirp down at Aodaun. The bear turned his regal head to regard her coolly, and though he nor Lakota held ill-will towards the little girl, they'd neither feel comfortable encouraging her behavior when she was implicitly tied to the brute she clung to. In their silence as they fell to their thoughts a horned maiden arrived, spouting off just as much as Thor had. Lakota could not help but laugh, the mocking tone only barely apparent. "My, aren't we all eager? Recruiting is such a game sometimes, but you're lucky to have three of the four herds of Helovia at your hooves Rohan." Glancing between Sialia and Thor she shrugged one delicate shoulder, as uncaring of what they thought of her as she was the endgame, whomever Rohan decided to follow. "I hail from the Hidden Falls. I'm sure we're all eager to answer any burning questions you may have, it's clear we'd all love you in our herds," she said smoothly, but her eyes glittered with mocking amusement at this competition they were all holding with one another. At least she hadn't launched directly into trying to sway him to her herd, as the others had.

Did nobody care for impartial sharing of information anymore? You just don't care, Kota, Aodaun huffed at her knee. Lakota grinned. Now ain't that somethin'.

@[Thor]

Lakota