After the Alpha Strike: Pilinde Preempts

[Jim Roberts]

[Feb 5 AM – The Godcarvers]

> “But I hope,” Jeyshann continued as she fixed her stare on Mithi,
> “that *you*, young Mithralia, are planning on similarly thanking the
> Captain here in a suitable manner for his part in tonight’s success.”
>
> “Oh, Oi am,” Mithi promised.
>
> And she did.

The next morning, as winter mornings in that part of the Plains tended
to be, was overcast and cold, and more than a bit breezy. However, that
was not enough to have dampened the spirits of the Godcarver camp, now
combined with Jeyshann’s Cat Mob. Any lingering doubts about whether the
previous night’s Raid had been a victory or not had melted away with the
morning’s sunlight, as diffuse as it was behind the cloud cover.

And there was certainly no sign of any unhappy spirits among those
emerging from the curtain wall flanking the show wagon turned bandstand
that separated the rest of the camp from the overnight quarters of the
Pussycats, their Pals, and their invited guests. This morning, all three
Pussycats looked positively perky, and not just the perpetually sunny
drummer, Mel. The wizarding couple looked well content, as did the long
legged scout Lomi and the two Junior Keerytes. Even Jeyshann looked
positively happy as she emerged, flanked by an equally cheerful Moon
Priestess and silver haired Chief Diplomat. Clearly the Cat Priestess
was in better humor than when she’d been quite literally spitting mad
not so long ago.

Not to mention a few other of the wilder spirits among the Cat Mob,
taking up the rear of the small crowd emerging from the curtained area
and on into the more public portions of the camp. Including a few lucky
lads looking equal parts dazed and pleased. Though two could be heard
questioning their peers about just what a “Mulligan” might be.

The free spirits emerging behind the curtain wall were, as was their
nature, entirely too late for Abbot Kenobi’s stirring Morning Mass.
Though if any even noticed the disapproving stares, none reacted, and
instead all cheerfully threw themselves into the collective task of
helping to get breakfast pulled together for all. Several times over the
course of the morning meal, Abbot Kenobi tried to call everyone together
to plan, deliberate upon, and choose their next course of action. But
somehow, each time he raised the topic, his Chief Diplomat Tramma found
one compelling reason after another to postpone what everyone expected
to be a long discussion until after breakfast.

Finally, once the meal was finished and everything had been cleared away
to Tramma’s resurgent high standards, Abbot Kenobi was finally able to
get the morning staff meeting underway. They had a lot of material to
cover, and many decisions to make.

“The first item on this morning’s agenda,” he began, “is what our next
step should be regarding our support for the dissident kobold faction,
now that I trust we have made a suitable gesture for their leader, the
self called Foreman. Following Captain Finfinfin’s example, I will start
with our most junior member to speak first.”

“No need for all that,” a voice interrupted from outside of the
discussion circle. A moment later, Huntress Pilinde stalked into the
middle of the staff meeting. A quite evidently bedraggled Pilinde, who
clearly had been up all night, running through muck and mire, and
entirely oblivious to any amount of mud and stray twigs she might be
bringing in with her.

Towards the junior side of the circle, Lomi couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Look what the wolf dragged in!”

“Watch it, Legs,” Pilinde shot back, but it was clear there was no real
heat in her voice. “While most of my pals were partying last night, I
was working hard, and was out on the periphery close to the Waterworks.

“On your own?” Captain Finfinfin asked quietly.

The Huntress swung to face the elf. “It wouldn’t have been any business
of YOURS if I was,” Pilinde shot back. “I don’t work for YOU. Or for
HIM, for that matter,” she added poking a rather dirty thumb towards the
Abbot. “But no, I was NOT on my own. Stern was with me. And even you’ll
admit that anything I can’t run or hide from, Stern could flatten.”

The handsome elf nodded at the truth behind her statement. Few things
could capture a Huntress in the Wild that did not WANT to be captured.
And any who attempted to do so would have been shredded by the hulking
Flying Tiger who’d apparently been at her side.

“Well I for one am glad you’re back,” Tramma interjected. “Where is
Stern, by the way?”

Pilinde shrugged. “Heading off to his camp to get some sleep. I’m gonna
join him in a minute. But I thought His Holy Molyness might want my
report first.”

Before any vestige of an age old friction between the Druids and the
more Establishment Oriented members of the Tellic Clergy could reassert
themselves, Tramma once again skillfully inserted herself into the
conversation. “Thank you, sweets. Now, do you want me to give the Abbot
the background on what you were doing, or would you prefer to?”

Possibly aware that she was being gently chastened by her best friend,
Pilinde relented just a little. “Sorry, Abbot. It’s been a long night,
and I’m a bit rough around the edges. But I’ll speak for myself. I knew
when last night’s Raid H-Hour was as well as anyone here, and it was
clear ahead of time that you weren’t going to need ME. So I thought
you’d appreciate having some boots on the ground nearby that oddball
Prison Camp where your Foreman lives when you guys did the Big Strike,
just in case those Engineer bastards decided to strike back at the
Foreman’s people, not having anyone ELSE to hit within range.”

The Huntress nodded towards her pal Tramma as she added blandly,
“Songbird certainly knows ME well enough to keep in contact, so I could
alert her to alert YOU to bring in the cavalry if the Foreman’s guys DID
get hit after your Raid. But they didn’t.”

“It is always best to be prepared for the unexpected,” Ben observed
sagely. “Than to get caught with your knickers down.”

Pilinde, meanwhile, was continuing on with her story. “Before heading
back here, I stuck around long enough to look in on some attack wolves
those Engineer scumbags have helping them use to guard the Foreman’s camp.”

Lomi chuckled. “You mean, you were trying to liberate them,” the long
legged scout mused.

Pilinde drew herself up to her full height, ready to snarl back.
However, she then let out a sigh, and gave her fellow Wild Woman a weak
grin. “Well, yeah. Only when I got to talking to them, I found out that
they’re working FOR the Foreman’s crew. And were happy there. And while
I was talking to them – and giving some much needed bellyrubs – one of
the Foreman’s henchkobolds popped out of nowhere, on the OUTSIDE of that
prison camp they’re in, mind you, and gave me a message from the Foreman
to pass along to all of you.”

Standing up straight, she quickly rattled off the key elements of the
multipoint message. “First,” she began, “the Foreman is indeed
impressed, and agrees that you really ARE on the side of the angels. Or
at least, the Eagles, which is good enough for him. Though he thinks St.
Mikhail’s Sword might have been a BIT over the top, but he’s certain it
will leave a message for anyone outside of Ground Zero who survived.”

“Nothing like a Giant sword of St. Mikhail’s to drive the point home and
leave a long lasting IMPRESSION,” Ben noted in a satisfied tone.

“More to the point,” the Huntress continued, moving on to the next item
on her list, “he’s now agreed to work with you, and suggests that you
meet face to face to discuss where to go from here. And to meet pretty
much NOW, right by the guard wolf kennels I can show Lomi well enough on
a map. And to go ahead and bring along a handful of bodyguards if you
want, but not a whole circus. Oh. And to be sure to bring the ‘silver
haired one’.”

Pilinde blinked as her gaze swept between her old friend, Tramma, and
Laquendi, seated with the other members of Team Keeryte. “Sorry,
skipper,” the Huntress added, reflexively picking up the respectful rank
name given to Team Keeryte’s leader. “I didn’t think to ask whether that
meant Songbird here, or you.”

Tramma looked at first the Huntress, then at the Drow. “Both?”

Laquendi answered, “Both?”

Together they nodded in agreement “Both,” with Laquendi turning to
Pilinde and adding, “Both is good.”

Turning back to the Abbot, Pilinde continued, “So anyways, Abbot, I
kinda thought you needed to hear that right away, before you spent the
day planning. I don’t know about some of you, but I certainly heard
Medicine Woman Jeyshann’s impatience, so I thought I’d do my part to
hurry things along.”

Jeyshann gave Tramma a small smile. “This friend of yours. I am
beginning to like her.” To Pilinde, Jeyshann gave a nod of approval.
“Thank you, Huntress. Your concern, and efforts, are greatly
appreciated. Certainly by me, and hopefully by our Holy Man, here.”

Pilinde, meanwhile, was attempting to stifle a yawn with only
indifferent success. “So, if anyone has any questions for me, lemme hear
‘em now before I go sack out. Or better yet, get packing. You’ve got a
date with the Foreman.”

“Best not to keep the Foreman waiting,” the Abbot nodded. “Pilinde, may
I once again offer my thanks.”