I let my arms sink down as well. "I was told that you are a wise man. You know why you have to take potluck with me now, I guess?" I look around into the trees and bushes to see a little flash up from sharp teeth here and some curious eyes there, while Lyall seems to be confused.

"I don't know what you are speaking of, Vinge." He growls again and his wild eyes observe me.

"I would like to talk to you, and only you." I look him in the eye and have to grin. "Can we agree on being equal in this meeting? If so, you may call me Ethan," I offer him my first name as well.

Names are a difficult thing. At some point, names and titles mean absolutely nothing, but then again, the way someone gets addressed tells so much about a person. It's hard to distinguish which titles are given and which are earned.

"If we are so equal, you should have addressed me differently," he raises his head to look even taller than he already is. He starts walking around me and I can feel his gaze. "If you wish to speak with me alone, you at least need to get rid of that weapon you carry, friend." His words are filled with sarcasm as he pronounces the word friend.

I lick my lips. That doesn't start too well. "But, you have those pretty claws and I only have my charming face," I tell him before thinking further. I guess I should have taken his claw. Taking the ax into my hand, holding the handle tightly, I can hear Tristan's voice in my head. He tells me to play calm, to trust the peace.

Making a decision I swing it into the opposite direction of where Lyall is circling me at the moment. The ax sticks into the next tree there and I can hear rustling leaves. Most probably there was one of them hidden next to the tree and got startled.

"I never said, we need to make friends," turning only my face to Lyall. I can feel the tensions in the air and would love to fight that big guy. Not out of anger, but more out of curiosity. Is it possible that this animal-stage works out some strength I didn't know yet? I killed a lot of them, but Lyall's stage of being is new to me. I think I didn't see a beast that survived so long and maintained to keep a human lifestyle in a community.

"Good, because I don't make friends with your kind in

general," he finally growls. The thrown ax doesn't seem to impress him much. He stops, after he surrounded me one more time, getting closer to me and leaning his head to one side. "I can smell your curiosity," he murmurs. "Why do they all of a sudden send a beginner like you, huh?"

I have to honestly smile. That's such a good question. I would have liked to see that answered by myself.

"Beginner, hm? Maybe they think the best way to talk to you is plain honest anyway? What could go wrong?" I eye Lyall and out of an instinct straighten out. I really don't like to be the short guy. Seeing that Lyall is still eyeing me closely I add, "Of course I'm curious. I'm in this world for quite a while now and never had the chance to talk to someone like you," I make a short pause, "You seem like someone who is good at surviving."

Lyall grins; at least I think that's a grin. He turns around showing me his back before starting to walk away. I keep standing where I am until he turns around looking at me.

"What's up, Vinge? Follow me." He nods towards the cave, in which the beasts seem to stay over the day, but for now, it is empty. Good. He is willing to talk to me alone. Even though I'm surprised I try to act as if I expected that outcome and follow the wolf-like vampire.

The cave is pretty large and it leads into some more tunnels inside. The main room is decorated with hunting trophies - all made from big animals that most probably were caught by one of the tribe members.

There are a lot of furs lying out. All their furniture is made out of them, incorporated with bones and wood. It's much cozier than I have expected. Lyall offers me to sit at one of the tables.

"Now, we are alone. And I listen," he simply says while we sit down.

I take another moment to look around. "Nice," I compliment before looking back to Lyall.

On one hand I really have to be careful how to start this, but on the other hand, I doubt that there is any other way for me than straightforward. I wouldn't be able to act differently anyway.

"There is only one reason for me to be here and it's because Warlow can't come anymore. I'm not sure how much you heard already while I was announced, but there is a problem that needs to get solved. Now you and I need to find out what that means for our alliance."

Lyall nods slowly. "I only heard that you took Warlow's place. I thought you guys just had a new election but I'm getting the feeling it's something different?"

"He's dead - including his human companion," I take a moment to see Lyall's reaction.

Lyall frowns. "Dead? How's that?" He really seems to be surprised - or is a very good actor.

"Pretty obviously not because someone really wanted me to take his spot," I grimace slightly. "Did you notice something odd lately amongst your people?"

Lyall narrows his eyes at me. "You think that it was one of my people killing them?"

I raise an eyebrow. "I think that you can't blame me for asking this question." I lean forward, placing my elbows on the table while trying to figure out how to make that sound less blaming. "Look, that's a pretty direct way for some to blame the other side. I don't want to guess - I want to find answers." My opponent is calm but watches each of my movements closely.

"Do you have any evidence that it was one of us?"

"If I would have evidence of that, I wouldn't sit here to talk with you," it slips out of my mouth before I could think a second time about it and Lyall growls at me.

"So we are just the simplest answer to your question? Is it like that?" His eyes have a slight glow and I know that I'm on thin ice with what to say.

"Actually, you know as well as I do that there will always be vampires who see it that way. I'm not one of those. I was looking at the corpses on my own and I'm not convinced at all," I lean back again and open my arms in a gesture of conclusion. "Hence why I'm here instead of speculating."

Lyall frowns again but seems to be appeased for the moment. "I doubt that it was one of mine. See, even if one of mine would have killed the vampire, to regain his appearance: Why would he kill a human, as you said? None of my people got lost the last days. Not even in weeks."

He also leans back. "If you insist, I can call them to come here, so you can see them. I guess you know what to look out for to find evidence they didn't kill a vampire,..." his statement fades out.

I am pretty surprised that he actually offers that. I didn't expect that level of trust and goodwill. On a second thought - that might be a trick to see if I trust him or he is simply bluffing. That's tricky.

"As much as I would love to make sure on my own that their aura is not soaked with death spirits, I think I'll take your word for good." Seeing his lips slightly twitch I'm not sure anymore if he is just pleased that I trust him or if it was a victory for him.

"I wouldn't want to see that case treated fully openly as of yet - and as for the human... when someone kills a vampire to get back who he was, do you really think a human would make much more of a difference then? Unfortunately, she was one of these ladies whose company is paid with coins. So it would be an easy kill."

"You might be right but even then I would know that somebody's missing here," he murmurs before he nods lightly. "I won't tell my people as long as it's not necessary," he then says.

"Warlow wasn't here that often lately, was he?" I ask curiously. It's not that I doubt that he was good at his job, but he was more into pleasure hunting than hard work.

"No he wasn't, but we normally didn't meet each other if there was nothing to talk about. After the Great Battle, I kept the peace between my people and yours and there weren't a lot of things to argue about."

"Hm," I can't hold back a bit of a disappointment though. I thought that there would have been at least a bit more information about the human companion of Warlow or that he was chitchatting a bit here. There are little other pieces of evidence left that I can follow.

I have some memories of the Great Battle coming up but try to not let that shine through. It could be interpreted wrong when I start smiling now. "I'm not Warlow," I point out instead.

"I figured that. So, what do you suggest?" Lyall wants to know with another grin.

"I'm taking this pretty serious," my eye twitches as I try to buy myself some time to think.

"I will not pretend to understand you and your way of living, but I need to learn if I want to find my way into this position. I will make sure that our and your interests are taken into account equally. Leaving that one murder aside, I never want that there are incidents just because we did not talk to each other. I will visit at least once a month to share information. Both ways," I lick my lips.

"I suggest that you be pretty careful who to trust. This time it was one of ours, but if it wasn't you - who could tell that it's not one of yours next? After all, we are all vampires."

"Don't think I don't take it seriously either. I'm aware of the burden I carry. I'm not a fool," He nods. "Sure, it seems to be worrisome for both of our kinds. If you also doubt that a human is responsible for that - the only answer is that it was either one of my kind, but not belonging to my tribe... or it was one of your kind... Maybe someone wanted to get rid of Warlow? But well..." his grin grows.

"You seem to be the one taking profit by getting his post... and I don't want to impute that to you."

Now I have to smile too. As if I would have expected to land on that spot. "Seems like you got me straight away..." I jokingly say but become serious again.

"Lord Blackwood takes this very personally. As an attack of our kind as vampires - no matter how we've chosen to live. I know I'm new and you owe me nothing, but I would like to ask you to do me a favor and make sure to look out and inform me, as soon as anything changes. May it be the tiniest thing," I realize my commanding tone in the end but can't change it anymore.

Lyall's grin disappears. "Of course I would report any treacherous thing that comes to me, but I can assure you, that none of my people here is responsible for this. Anyway, I will tell them to keep their eyes and ears open - if anything happens within this forest, we will know it and tell you about it." He smiles again at the end of his sentence.

I think we found a common ground pretty quickly and I hope that this is not just talking but that those actions discussed will follow. With that, my duties are fulfilled and the official part is done for today, but I would like to find out more about this man, with whom I will have to deal with. How to find out if what he says can be trusted?

"That's good. I'm happy we can come up with that kind of arrangement without any bad blood." At some point, the simplicity of how they live and are arranged is refreshingly new. I consider a few moments but finally ask, "Lyall, do you allow me a personal question?"

Lyall just shrugs. "You keep on asking questions since your arrival, so why stop now? I still can choose to not answer them." A light smile and I'm not sure if he is annoyed or
just trying to be nice or both.

"I do understand that you don't care about your looks that come along with that kind of lifestyle. Did you ever try human blood on your own?" I ask curiously.

Lyall keeps on smiling, "Yes, I did. Actually, I lived about half a century as a normal vampire before I chose my animalistic path."

"I still don't understand, but I respect your level of discipline then. I figured the easiest way of not missing something is, not knowing it," I still can't stop eying Lyall.

"You don't need to understand that; many never do. Some start to do during their undying life and change their minds." He shrugs. "In case you have any questions about our way of living. I'm always gladly here to answer," he grins again.

Maybe it is because I was so long in that mansion and surrounded by the same people all the time that I can't stop asking questions now, but there is something that bothers me. I need to make sure that there is no past that destroys this alliance. It's better to find out now.

"As we seem to agree on the way we work together, I really need to know: You never heard of me before, did you?" I ask carefully, but he just keeps on smiling.

"I think I remember your name, to be honest. You were that promising soldier next to Tristan Blackwood's side, back then in the Dark Ages. When we would fight each other and establish peace here. I can't remember we met in person, and back then I was much more human-looking than I do now," he slightly shakes his head.

It's my turn to smile. "Quiet promising, well - depends to which side you look I guess. In the end, it was Tristan who caused the peace and me...", I'm searching for the words, "I was doing my best to serve him well."

"I didn't forget, Ethan Vinge. Tristan talked about you, and my people talked about you as well; especially about ... the way you handled things." He clicks his tongue.

"Anyway, that was long ago and as far as I can see you've developed into someone else. Times have passed and since the council seems to trust you - I shall, too."

I take a moment to sort my thoughts and my smile broadens into a toothy grin. Becoming someone else is not exactly what I would call it.

"Even though my military career seems to have ended," I take a side look at the mountain of a man in front of me, "I can't help but would love to see the two of us sparring at one point in my new career."

I can't hold back my eyes from gleaming slightly green in the dark cave. I don't know if that's a topic for a first meeting but I don't care too much. I needed to let him know that.

He shrugs, then chuckles. "You want to find out who of us is stronger? Well, I almost feel tempted to try a little fight in friendship."

I keep on grinning even though the way Lyall put it makes me feel like an immature child. I start to understand why Tristan likes him.

"Oh my, a fight on my first day? Who would have guessed?" I play shocked at his suggestion but lean forward again. Lyall's grin also broadens at my amusement and he also leans towards me.

"I have a reputation to take care of, you know?" I say in a way one couldn't be sure if that's good or bad. He all of a sudden starts to laugh; a deep, growly laugh.

"Well, I also have one to take care of within my people, you know? And right now, only my people are within reach, right?"

It is then when I realize that Lyall is at the same level as Tristan in his tribe, and most probably has the same social status. I straighten out and let my leisurely approach fall. How could I have thought there is a non-official part here? It is as if I would be in a room with Tristan, I shouldn't act as if I'm in a pub.

"Please take my apologies. I've gone too far."

Instead of taking my apologies Lyall leans back and laughs out loud. "I like you, little guy. You are one funny fellow." He gets up from his seat and the wood it's made of seems to sigh from relief.

"Getting cold feet, huh?" he teases.

I need to hold back but can feel my anger level rising as he calls me 'little' first and then accusing me of being afraid; especially because I just offered him an easy way out. He doesn't need to lose his face, just because I am curious. I get up in a fluent movement. "Size is nothing that matters in a fight," I press out through my clenched teeth.

Lyall looks back over his big shoulder and grins. "Ah, you warm up though, huh?" Obviously provoking me. He turns around like someone who is getting ready for a fight. His canines shine through his dirty grin. "You are right, but what makes you a good fighter when it's obviously not your size?"

I growl at him. Staying calm is somehow against my temper as it seems. "I'm not fighting, I'm having fun," I say while following Lyall a few more steps and I can feel the tensions rising.

"Since when is it forbidden to have fun during a fight?" He grins. Is he teasing or testing me?

"I don't know, I'm not the one trying to avoid blood spilling at any cost." I slowly and nearly unnoticeable take a better stance, while showing my fangs in a cruel grin. I will hold back. I don't want to start this one; at least once I don't want to be that.