Welcome to Gaia! ::

Desmond watched his guardian carefully, curious of her interactions with the blind doe. Liadain had never been a creature known for her compassion and tended to see physical deformities as weaknesses, something he had always seen as a little cold-hearted. She turned her nose up at first, as if doing so was her default response, but in the end she reached out, touching noses with the other doe, if only briefly.

"Don't call her refined too loudly, it'll go to her head," he said with a smile, meeting Liadain's gaze. His doe snorted in disgust at him before turning back to gaze out at the crowd, as if she were keeping watch for all of them. Vexation made a small noise before wriggling into his lap from under the table. She was big enough now that she wouldn't be able to stay there comfortably, but she took Mark's compliment happily, giving her a wide, fox grin. "Vexation is a right troublemaker, but she's getting...well, I wouldn't go so far as to say 'better', really. She's just not as bad. And," he added, growing a little less jovial, "being in Palisade might be a bad idea for a few days, thanks to our butcher friend."

Desmond gave her a cheeky grin as a serving lady came by to leave drinks at their table. After putting in an order for two bowls of the soup Mark talked up, he waited for the server to leave again before continuing.

"Yes, well. You're not the first I've met with a disagreeable view on the traditional feminine ways." His eyes dropped to the glass he kept spinning in his hands, his face softening a little as if one lady in particular had come to mind just then. "I used to be adverse to it. But I have since learned better," he said, eyes lifting, grin widening. "I was a right fool before that." At that, Liadain snorted and almost seemed to roll her eyes at her chosen.

Vexation touched noses with the doe, tail wagging enthusiastically. The fox held a fascination with the guardians and was always willing to make friends with them.

"Ah, if you don't mind me asking, has Nuala always been blind?"

He thought back to his choosing and realized he couldn't remember a thing about the other totems. He'd seen only hers, the pale gray of it shining in the darkness as if it had shone with the light of spirits. Well, he supposed it had. "I'll admit I didn't even spare a glance at anything but Liadain's totem when I went to the tree. She, uh, had quite the pull."

With surprising speed, the server returned and placed two steaming bowls of what Mark had called 'hotch-potch' between them. The smell was amazing, though the soup looked unremarkable on sight alone. Face neutral, he filled his spoon and took a bite, surprised when it tasted even better than it smelled.

"Well then. You weren't kidding about the food." He took a few moments to swallow some down, pleased at the warmth in his belly. Then he said, "What's your stance on the Wardens, Mark?"

He made a humming sound, his good eye glinting with a knowing light. "Mm, yes. You're not the only one to feel that way. And," he said, giving her a smile, "I know for a fact that even a small field will do for training."

Whether she rose to the bait or not was up to her, but he had a feeling she would. He could see the frustration in her gaze, plain as day. Soibhan had had the same frustration in her own eyes. Sometimes she still did. Things were moving too slowly, without any kind of order. Granted, the wolves had been silent since the Masque, but they had proved their ability to strike at a moment's notice. It seemed obvious to him that preparedness for a possible no-show enemy was better than being caught with their trousers down.

Vexation tolerated the doe's bath for longer than he had anticipated, but eventually, her own incessant need to move had her up and about again, this time to explore the rest of the tavern. He kept his peripherals on the little nuisance but let her go where she pleased for now.

Desmond saw the light in her eyes and knew that she could be trusted to know. That light... he'd seen it sometimes in himself when he looked in the mirror. It was the need to make things right, to avenge someone or something. The need to keep others from feeling the same pain you felt yourself.

"It's...unsanctioned," he said quietly, taking another spoonful of soup. He could see Liadain's ears snap once, back and forth, out of the corner of his eye. "But yes, there are others who feel as you that have begun taking certain things into their own hands."

What he didn't mention was the unrest amongst even those of the splinter cell. Everyone was starting to wonder whether they were all fools chasing fairy tales at this point, with almost a year gone by and no sight of the wolves.

He pondered her words, though it really didn't deserve much deliberation. If she was a spy sent to rat them out, he'd eat his smock. Even the emotions he was getting from Liadain tended along the lines of acceptance, though she'd never say so as directly or in as many 'picture words'.

"We're to have a large group training session soon, outside Palisade. The time and date aren't yet known, but I could send Vex to let you know when it happens. She's amazingly good at tracking, so she'll find you. It's something about the foxes of the Wardwood I think." He gave her a smile before tucking back into his soup for a moment.

Soibhan had brought the idea of a full group practice up to him and he'd found it a splendid plan. Insofar, they had only practiced in small groups of two or singly, but never all together. According to the gaelic woman, every person had a different skill set and it would benefit everyone if they could try and teach those skills to everyone as a whole. Although, he wouldn't mind if Edgar conveniently declined to show up.

"You and Nuala have a very unique skill set that could come in handy. Soibhan will be intrigued to learn it."

He gave a short laugh and a look of bemused consternation came over his face. "Ah, well. Soibhan is our leader, as it were. She's...an interesting sort." Setting his spoon beside the now empty bowl, Desmond sat back in his chair. "You'll either love her or you'll hate her. Though we have only a few that fall into the latter category so far."

At that, Liadain's ears flattened to her skull and she gave an imperial snort. "Uh, my Gray Lady here is one of those. She comes from Gaels and has lead the splinter cell guardianless up until recently. Hot-headed, defiant, determined, reckless, and passionate are all perfect ways to describe her."

There were other ways he would have used but it was better to keep those to himself. Even the thought of them began warming his cheeks and he coughed, sitting upright once again. "She tends to frequent the Bawdy Boar or the training yard of the Swan, if you're so inclined to meet her ahead of time. She's a good fighter, and teaches well those that don't know how to fight."

Desmond's face reddened and he unnecessarily adjusted the sleeves of his coat. "Well, you see... I was moving some things from my smithy with a cart and...may have...hit...her?" He grinned sheepishly and tapped the side of his face, beneath the scar of his left eye. "Bad depth perception and all. I ended up rolling the cart over her sword and snapping it. She damn near killed me with the broken pieces before demanding I make her a new one."

Oh how he had hated her at first. Soibhan had been everything he never wanted to see in a woman. Back then, he had seen the fairer sex as flowers, dainty things that should follow their men, do their duties, and be thankful of their husbands. He kept that part to himself, given his present company. Mark wouldn't appreciate his old sentiments, just as Soibhan hadn't. Only difference is that he didn't think Mark would slam him up against the wall and press a dagger to his throat for his stupid comments.

"At that point, Soi had already started forming the splinter cell. She saw the fire in Liadain's eyes and asked the doe if she wanted to fight. My Gray Lady made the choice for me." His chuckle was warm and held no bitterness. It had ended up for the better, after all. But then he grew somber, his smile fading. "A part of me was glad for it. It gave me a way to pay the wolves back for my sight."