<div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">I agree with Kahmori on how we should distribute our spoils. :3 Xali could use the Cure Light Wounds potion with her low HP, and I could use the greater hit chance from Bull’s Strength.<br/><br/>As for the mundane items… well, I don’t really need them, so I vouch for selling them too. ^^</div></div></div><br/><br/>Hopping off the back of the wagon, Alexei cast a wary glance around the surrounding buildings as he shouldered his backpack. Although the sensation of being in a metropolis as renowned as Lakehaven was quite a thrilling prospect for the lupine, he couldn’t help but feel a tinge of uncertainty in the back of his mind. All around him, the characteristics of a war city could be seen in the grand fortifications and well-armed soldiers, an environment that the reclusive wolf would take some getting used to. However, more pressing were the questions revolving around the goals he hoped to accomplish during his service. Would he find the answers he had been searching for here? He had been unsuccessful the last four years, and there was little indication Lakehaven would be any different. Yet, he had already encountered many surprises during this trip, from himself and his compatriots. Maybe, just maybe…<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>”None among Caleb‘s forces were present in the ambush. Caleb uses his conquered nations conscripts to perform most of his suicide or within anthro territory missions. Doing so allows him to keep his the numbers of conquered nations thin, it lessens the risk of rebellion as they have few soldiers. The ones attacked were mostly of Nulas.”</div></blockquote><br/><br/>As Alexei trotted past Kahmori, his gaze momentarily caught the human cleric clinging nervously to her blanket. If even he was anxious, he could only imagine what it must be like for her to be in a city populated entirely by her enemies. However, his greatest surprise came when Vendra replied to the kitsune’s jovial statements, a response that caused the musing canine’s ears to perk up curiously. She had offered her services to the kitsune barely three hours ago, yet already she was so willing to divulge information regarding her former superiors. Despite his misgivings, he found his admiration for the human girl growing, although he wasn’t ready to admit it just yet. Furthermore, it gave him another tidbit of data to transcribe into his notebook later that night.<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>“Alexei!” Rela shouts without warning as she jumps up on his back, forcing him to give her a piggyback ride.</div></blockquote><br/><br/>The wolf found his musings abruptly interrupted by Rela’s playful tackle from behind, yet apart from a small stumble he caught her form easily and held her up against his strong shoulders. Grasping her wrists as she wrapped her arms around him, Alexei carried the catgirl around cheerfully as she spoke, taking in the warmth of her body against his own. How much he enjoyed that touch…<br/><br/>Alexei halted upon finding the small vial of green liquid dangling before his face, his eyes widening as she described the potion’s effects. He barely managed to catch it as he let Rela’s wrists go, allowing her to slide off his back while he rolled the glass container in his hands, and before he could even manage a “thank you” the catgirl had slipped away to rejoin her fellow guards. Shaking his head, he let out a light chuckle as he watched her ever-bubbly persona vanish out of sight. He was going to miss her, a feeling he normally didn’t exude readily, but with her charm it was nearly irresistible.<br/><br/>Sauntering casually after Kahmori and Xali, he raised his duom onto his shoulder while jamming his free hand into his pocket. He normally was used to lingering in the background of large groups, saying little and keeping an eye on those he deemed interesting. Even so, he began to wish he could get over his idiosyncrasies and find as many reasons to chat as the kitsune, to start his personal information gathering if nothing else. It seemed that would have to wait, however, as he stepped into the line of recruits, watching Drir attentively as he waited.<br/><br/>Upon spotting the trio of intricately-armored wolves, Alexei found himself straightening up and taking on a rather statuesque demeanor. He could quickly tell they were quite high on the legion’s positions, and the little shred of wolf instinct in his mind told him to be mindful and polite to his superiors. Eyeing them cautiously, he watched as the other recruits’ names were called off, and before long he found himself alone with his travelling companions.<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>“Forgive me for withholding introduction. I am Leon, second commander of Lakehaven. Drir was contracted to find a select few of outstanding ability. As time progresses…I suppose we will see if he chose correctly.”</div></blockquote><br/><br/>With a respectful tilt of his head, he took Leon’s paw and gave it a firm shake. “Nice to meet you sir,” he stated softly, averting his gaze downward in a submissive gesture. “It is a privilege to serve amongst the soldiers of Lakehaven. I hope I do not disappoint.” He soon withdrew his hands behind his back while watching Leon and Drir bidding each other farewell.<br/><br/>Once the minotaur had made his leave, he immediately turned his attention to the other wolf, picking up his affects once Leon gave them their first instructions. Behind his cooperativeness, however, his eyes began to gaze over the wolf pensively, his analytic mind trying to find details to include in his large journal. Having made a career off information, he knew its value and couldn’t help but try to accumulate it whenever he could.<br/><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Heya, just letting you know I finally got a picture of Alexei up on his description in the first page of the thread. It’s taken a while because I’ve been drawing it myself little by little, and even now it’s just black and white… Yeah, I know its kinda lame compared with the pics you guys put up. Stop laughing. X) I’ll see if I can’t make it better by coloring and shading it later.<br/><br/>Also, going to follow Kitts’ example and put up a theme song for Alexei too. :3 Hope it’s to your liking!</div></div></div>