<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;">Oh damn! You guys have been posting up a storm! Sorry for the relative inactivity, I'm busy just like Nocturnewolf.<br/><br/>In the future, I think I might adopt a more edit-heavy strategy like Kitts and Allie, so I can get my initial post up as quickly as possible, and add in minor details which don't involve other chracters (like internal thoughts) afterwards. I didn't mean for this post to take half a day to write, but I kept getting preoccupied by other things.</div></div></div><br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>"I've been faced with such breath-taking beauty such as yours. You can hardly blame a simple kitsune for finding it difficult to control himself in the presence of such as you. Especially after having seen you in a more...natural state. I feel as though the view will be nestled within my dreams, where such an unearthly beauty such as yourself belongs..."</div></blockquote><br/><br/>Kahimori's 'beauty' is so taken with his prosaic compliments that, for the second time since she's met him, she is rendered momentarily speechless. Of course, she'd always appreciated his majestic appearance, but only now that she'd spent some time in his company did Xali appreciate the sweetness of his tongue. Xali had long grown used to leers and compliments alike, but somehow, when coming from this exotic yet humble creature, she was caught off guard. Her little pink nose turned bright red, and the edges of her blush peeked through the thin fur of her face and neck. She rolled her head slightly, almost as if she were embarrassed. "Well, it's only fair, don't you think? I mean, I get to see a lot of you all the time." she noted, not looking him directly in the eye.<br/><br/>Fortunately, once they were out in the hall, he returned to his usual jovial self, jokingly announcing his plans for 'bikini chain mail'. Xali laughed along with him as he went through an exaggerated pantomime of wearing it. "Ha! As lovely as both you and Vendra would be, those tight two-piece chainmail naughties aren't usually<span style="font-style: italic">armor</span>, per se. Sometimes they're enchanted with Mage Armor, but mostly such 'armor' is more intended for the boudoir than the battlefield." She glances at Vendra and smirks. "And if you do follow his advice, don't get one made out of ordinary-size links of mail. It pinches, even through cloth. Ha ha!"<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;">I'm assuming that the armory has mundane utility items besides weapons and armor. 10 foot poles and all of that stuff since Kahimori is.</div></div></div><br/><br/>At first, Xali assumed that she wouldn't get much use out of the group's visit to the armory: she relied on magic for offense and defense alike. Her martial abilities were more of a fall-back. The finely crafted Vanadiond short-sword that she carried served well against most foes, excellent for targeting vital spots, but weapons that primarily caused internal bleeding, like arrows or daggers, didn't work very well even against those undead with flesh still on their bones. To have a fall-back weapon if her spells run out, she selects a nice, solid-looking steel mace with four bone-breaking flanges. As she looked it over, the leopardess nodded approvingly. "The urgency of war has improved the craftsmanship of the wolf-clan's weaponsmiths, I believe."<br/><br/>That was the only weapon she had real need of, so Xali then turned to more mundane necessities. The softest bedroll she could find, a week's worth of dried food (though it'd be a day or so before she needed any; Satrina would sustain here for some time), a set of lockpicks, and a half-dozen empty glass flasks. "The undead may not be the only monsters we encounter," Xali explains, "And many wild creatures contain parts that are useful in the creation of potions, which I've some skill at."<br/><br/>Deciding to leave most of her spare clothes behind for the time being, Xali decided that these items, in addition to her scrolls, spell components, sword and shield, would suffice for this mission. "Excellent," she reflected. "I do believe that's everything I'll be requiring for the journey.<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>"Alright guys, Sura's ready. Everyone got their gear together?"</div></blockquote><br/><br/>Conveniently enough, Brady chose that moment to appear. "My dear, your timing is impeccable. Let us keep her majesty waiting no longer." Momentarily, Xali regretted the fact that her clothes, while finely-tailored, were relatively humble compared to some of her more elegant pieces. But there was nothing for it - and besides, she did want to look like a soldier rather than a courtier.<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;">I'm not sure if Xali's 'Eagle's splendor' is still going or not, but I suppose it's not HUGELY important whether her charisma is a 14 or an 18</div></div></div><br/><br/>Xali licks her palm and takes a few moments to smooth out any rough spots in her fur, then holds her head up high and sets her posture.<span style="font-style: italic">Humbe but not too humble, not too familiar; gracious, but not fawning,</span>she thought.<br/><br/>Following Brady, Xali slowly strides into the chamber where Sura awaits. A momentary shiver of excitement runs up her tail when she sees the wolf princess: she'd been prepared for Sura to be beautiful, but she hadn't expected<span style="font-style: italic">this!</span>That slinky little nightgown-like dress she was wearing concealed almost nothing of her divine curves. Conflicting emotions wrestled in Xali's mind. On the one hand, she couldn't take her eyes off Sura's delicate beauty, and she felt a little aroused just standing in her presence. But on the other hand, Xali was suddenly very self-conscious, reminded of her every flaw. She knew when she was beaten. Xali thanked the gods that Sura wouldn't be traveling with them, even though thinking of the<span style="font-style: italic">advantages</span>of Sura's company made her tingle all over. Then, she realized that it wasn't polite to stare at royalty. Her heart was beating a furious tempo.<br/><br/>"Your majesty!" Xali curtseyed politely, not as low as she would in a human court but low enough to indicate her respect. She curled her large tail around her waist and inclined her head, though that only meant that she shifted her gaze from Sura's face to her equally lovely legs. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance. I am Xali Aravith, a recent addition to our noble cause. I and my companions humbly request an audience to discuss implements and knowledge of the arcane, for we are on the cusp of undertaking a vital task."