Welcome to Gaia! ::

The gypsy jolted awake, hazy and disoriented. Usually, she slept lightly enough that any suspicious noise or motion would wake her. Usually, she would be instantly alert at the slightest hint of a threat. Here, however, in the flat that the Freds had provided her, Rajani felt safe. Safe enough to drift into a deep slumber. So when the loud knock sounded, it took her precious seconds to get her thoughts into order and take inventory of her surroundings.

She was safe and warm in her bed, in her flat, it was barely past dawn, and an intruder would not be knocking. However, there were only a handful of people who knew where she lived and none of them were really morning people. Though her panic had subsided, her heart did not slow. What happened? Had the boys gotten themselves into a scuffle again? Was someone badly hurt?

It was Oberon, from his vantage point in his stable, who provided her with the identity of the person disturbing her much-coveted sleep. Soibhan.

"Bloody hell," she cursed and rolled out of bed, shivering at the abrupt absence of warmth before she pulled on her soft, velvet robe - a particularly bold gift from the boys.

When she yanked open the door, however, her intentions of chewing out her friend were abruptly sidelined. Oberon had neglected to mention that the Gaels woman looked like she had gone a few rounds with a Wolf and come out the loser.

With a strength that one would not expect from one with her small frame, Rajani lifted Soibhan to her feet and brought her inside, Oberon following close behind. Though her flat was small enough to make the stable more comfortable most times, the stag was not willing to miss experiencing these particular events firsthand. He shut the door behind himself and started poking at the banked fire in hopes of warming the room for the humans.

Practical enough to value life over answers, Rajani sat the other woman down and fetched her precious medical supplies. Once she had looked the other woman over and determined she was not about to keel over, she fixed Soi with an inscrutable look. "What happened?"

While she waited for a suitable answer, she started cleaning the first of several wounds.

At least as bad, she thought, but did not speak. Instead, she waited quietly for more.

It was a dangerous quiet, as though she were poised on a knife's edge, ready to fall headfirst one direction or the other depending on which way the wind blew. The Freds might recognize the quality of this particular level of Rajani's fury, having been on the receiving end once or twice in their long acquaintance; but Soibhan had not yet witnessed it. She might not notice the danger - especially not in her current state.

So it was a brawl, was it? Perfectly reasonable, considering her temper. Never mind that even the first time she had met the Gaels woman, Soi had not looked quite this bad off nor been this incoherent, and she had just escaped a kidnapping at the time.

The gypsy's jaw clenched.

A brawl with Edgar, was it? Not surprising, considering the pair of them had been at each others throats since they had first met, by Soi's account. Whatever shreds of tolerance that they could manage to dredge up for each other was never meant to last more than a few minutes at best. They seemed to have a very keen eye for each others' faults. It was only natural that they come to a head. These sorts of things had to get worse before they stood a chance of getting better.

"Why, exactly, did the two of you decide to beat each other senseless at this unholy hour?" she asked far too evenly. Then she paused in her ministrations. "I assume you managed to give as good as you got."

The answer seemed to placate her somewhat. If Soibhan had come away from the engagement completely defeated, Raj would have had to have a few choice words of her own with the other woman. At least she had managed to hold her own in a physical confrontation. Of course, from what the gypsy understood of the ongoing disagreement between the two, that wouldn't settle anything between them - in fact, it might only make things worse.

"And do you always pick fights with people who just happen to be there?" she asked drily. To her credit, despite her general displeasure at the children who just couldn't seem to make nice, her hands were gentle as she continued tending Soi's wounds.

Honestly. She knew what the pair of them were going to be at each others' throats, but if this was going to become a common occurrence, then something was going to have to change.

"I didn't take you for one with soft skin," she said blandly. Of course, Soi wasn't too difficult to rile, so perhaps she was more sensitive than one might think by looking at her.

The gypsy frowned at the last of the many injuries - those on the face. She shrugged. "Maybe he reminds you of someone." It seemed plausible enough. In her many travels, she had seen countless people that resembled others from elsewhere. Sometimes there was a relation, many times, there was not.

...ah. Now there was a question.

Rajani might not have thought much of the question but for the tone in which it was said. Playing for time, she dabbed at the blood on Soi's face. Was she a good leader? Though she was fond of the Gaels woman, she was also realistic enough to know that it took more than her favor to make a good leader. The problem was that Raj was ever on the road. What time Soi was spending with their Wardens, Raj had not borne witness to.

"You have talent, I think," she said at last. "It sparks and flashes. But I have not yet seen you lead. I cannot know how constant that flame is."

"You should enjoy it while it lasts," she advised. Wouldn't it be grand it the Gwyn's Wolves not appearing were the worst of their worries. Of course, even that could cause problems, as it was even now. People had been slapped in the face with the reality of the situation, then brushed it off as a mad dream when no further evidence presented itself. They were happy to live in a frenetic combination of denial and superstition.

"If that boy's witch sister is right, they'll be back come winter." Though she was not exactly over-friendly with the noble-born foreigner she had once helped, she had made a few quiet visits to him and exchanged a bits of information and theories. It was his sister who really set her on edge, though. Uncanny woman. Rajani could appreciate her spirit, but she did not trust the hedge witch as far as she could throw her.

"I'm no expert in war, but instead of letting them go at it willy-nilly, you might try getting the lads and lasses organized," she said. Because in all the stops back in Palisade she had made throughout the summer, they gypsy did not recall one occasion in which she had seen anything more complex than a few Wardens drilling together. "Take them out of the city and remind them of why they're swinging sticks around and playing rebel hero. Their Guardians aren't for show." Oberon, thus far surprisingly quiet, snorted in clear approval of this sentiment.

Oberon flicked his ears back and leveled a flat look at Soibhan.

"They don't need words to convey their sentiments," Rajani said wryly. "Though the complexities of their Chosens' feelings with that particular issue might be a bit much for those who have yet to awaken."

The gypsy started tidying her medicinal supplies.

"But I was thinking something on a...larger scale. Put them through group drills, and if you're worried their Guardians aren't getting enough work, pit pairs against each other. Set them to practicing with others who won't hold back overmuch. They could probably use the time learning to work as a pair, anyway. That ought to help."

The gypsy had no argument for that, though she was not naive enough to believe that even the best or luckiest commander could make it through an entire war without losing anyone at all. She would have thought Soibhan would know that much, having led men into battle before. But perhaps she was more concerned about stupid mistakes than inevitable losses.

She could have offered empty platitudes. She could have said pretty words and patted her head and said everything would be alright. But coddling wouldn't get them anywhere. "Then perhaps you should stop thinking with your temper and start thinking with your head," she advised, though not quite as sharply as she could have. "You're part of three for a reason. None of us alone is prepared for this job."

She glanced over he shoulder from where she was messing about in a cupboard and added, "Quit blaming upstarts who don't like you. You'll get nowhere is you're messing about with the likes of them all the time instead of thinking of what really matters." Though it was certainly true that Soibhan and Edgar would have to come to some kind of peace if they were ever to work together.