*Enedia and I bow with respect to him*

Hi. I do apologise if we bother you, we have come to simply greet and if we are stepping on your toes, we'll simply leave.

Silas: *watches for a moment and subtly takes in both of your scents* No offense, but I’m not buying that you’re just here to talk. Magic users don’t usually poke around our territory without an agenda. Luckily for you… *he groans as he sits down on a tree stump and makes a bit of a show of laying his walking stick across his lap for easy access* the Alpha’s away so I can afford to take some risks with who I let hang around. So let’s hear it. Why are you really here?

Enedia: To offer our services with kindness.

I-I just wanted to see if you are alrigh-

Enedia: You are trying to find someone, yes? Someone who needs to be taken down and presented to your alpha. I have heard of your group, I respect them, but I am aware of limitations they might have. I understand the risk of having a magic user around but some risks you have to take. Not now, perhaps, but at some point.

Silas: *nods* I will take your offer to the Alpha. He will want to know about a potential ally against whatever is going on in Elmwood once his hands are a little less full. Thank you for the offer. *turns his head to look at Bear*

I’m alright, thanks for asking. I’m just an old dog with a few scars. *Pauses and raises an eyebrow* Do you take that disrespectful crap from her all the time, or just because you’re keeping the peace around a stranger?

Don't-

Enedia: If you seek an ally, best not insult them.

...I just wanted to say hello.

Silas: Miss, part of my job is watching how people behave to predict how they will behave in the future. It’s part of how I keep this pack safe.
Now, I don’t know if you treat this man poorly because you think you’re better than him because you have magic, or if it’s because he lets you walk all over him, or if you just plain don’t get along, but treating him like you do leaves a bad first impression. If I insulted you, well, *shrugs* you insulted someone else in my presence first. Maybe we can do without your help if that’s how you treat people.

Enedia: We have a history. One pleasant for him to create worlds of nightmares for me. He created my history, all the deaths that have happened that I was forced to witness. If you'd met your own creator, I no doubt that you'd have your complaints as well.

*Enedia eyes me*

...I-It is true.

Silas: I guess if I met God I’d want to fight him over some things, sure. But I’d lose if I tried it. Aren’t you afraid he’ll just erase you if you go too far?

Enedia: I exist in the minds of others. I am with you now, aren't I? And that who has introduced you into this world is aware of it. And if not your own creator, others know of me. If I am wiped from his mind, I exist in others.

I-I don't want to get rid of her either. I have plans, although they take far too long to even try to begin a chapter.

Silas: Fair enough. This isn’t any of my business, anyway. I just don’t care much for bullies, hurt or not. There are other ways to right wrongs than vengeance. *mutters* I ought to know.

Enedia: If I may ask, what happened previously? Both the mention of vengeance and the scars.

E-Enedia, I don't think we should pry so much.

Enedia: How are we to know this man if we do not ask questions? You and I know very little. To simply say hello and leave is not assisting ourselves and him.

Silas: *lifts an eyebrow* Not one to pull punches, huh? I can respect that. Long story short, my brother tried to kill me in order to take my position as Alpha when I had my own pack. I almost died trying to punish the one who caused me to lose our battle.

Transformation pains and old age. Not a good combination.

Silas: Can’t say I’m a fan of it, no.

I imagine most weres don't get to old age.

Unfortunately, you’re right

Those are some wicked looking scars, I imagine you've seen a few 'wars' in your time. Deposed by a previous clan perhaps?

Silas: *smiles ruefully with a small nod* An alpha, particularly an old one, always has a target on his back. I lost my position fair and square. Honestly, I don’t miss the responsibility.
I heard rumors a unicorn was wandering around the territory with Alpha’s blessing. Truth be told, I thought the others were joking.

Ah, well what's the point of being a good rumour if you can't prove it.

*eyeing the stick...

Is that from age, or an old injury that hasn't healed or set properly? I don't need to imagine the restrictions on medical attention for a biological shifter, for obvious reasons. Surgical stitches and implants would be useless, if not flat-out lethal. Even dental fillings must be... *small wince* ...unpleasant.

Silas: *chuckles* Are you good luck, too? We could use it.

*digs the stick into the dirt* A little of both. My younger brother ripped me to shreds when he challenged me for alphahood. *he gestures to his scars* Most of it didn’t heal nicely. Couple that with my age, and you get a gray-muzzle that doesn’t go on hunts much anymore.

But you’re right. Vets, doctors, it doesn’t matter, you Shift once while you’re healing and you’re worse off than when you started. Maybe that’s why we regenerate quickly. If we didn’t, we’d probably die off.

Well... assuming this wouldn't be an affront to a lycan's dignity (and I apologise in advance if it is), but a spot of healing magic would right any lingering injury effects. And while I can't do much about age, I could boost your endocrine system to release more endorphins when you shift. That would dull any other residual pains.

I wouldn't think of tampering with your scars though. That's your badge of honour.

Silas: I admit I wouldn't mind feeling a little more spry, especially with a murderer loose in town. What will I owe you?

No charge. No tricks, no contracts, no 'first born son' or any of that nonsense. You have your job to do in the grander scheme of things, I have mine.

Silas: *raises a skeptical ear* No strings sounds awfully close to "too good to be true". But then, who am I to doubt a unicorn?

Alright, if you want to consider this a form of 'payment' or 'contract': catch your murderer. Save more lives. I'm offering you aid to that end, so we're both combining towards the same thing.

Silas: That’s an easy enough thing to agree to. *lifts a hand paw to shake on it and seal the deal, but finds himself at a loss*

*nods and telekinetically shakes the paw.

Silas: *freezes at the unexpected contact for a moment* Was that you just now?

It was... but if you'd be at ease with a more formal shake and eye-to-eye contact, I can do that too.

*removes the glasses and projects the human spirit image.

Silas: *stumbles backward a step at the unexpected sight* Quite the party trick you’ve got there.

*shuffling a foot with hands behind back...

Well... it's not much different to yours, in principle. Two selves in one form - in rare circumstances unicorns are occasionally made, not born, and this is the original 'me' you're looking at. As a Shifter, you know the dangers of overprolonged transformation and letting instincts dominate you. Now think about what happens if those instincts belong to a being capable of being more sapient and knowledgeable than yourself, but lacks the experience and comes to understand that as a gestalt, the two selves can learn from each other, offer different insights and perspectives, and function more effectively and uniquely than either could alone. Multiple personalities but without most of the drawbacks... bickering notwithstanding.

Silas: *nods slowly* I can understand some of that. My wolf is me, but also isn't... if that makes sense. He knows how to survive when the human side of me would die. He understands nature more than I ever could. And, by the same token, I understand logic and nuance and mercy more than he ever will.

Acrathia: Well I do enjoy risks... *materializes from black and indigo energy* So loyal so vigilant, your alpha appears to have a fine guardian in you...

Silas: *tenses, immediately taking a fighting stance just in case* I do my best. You seem to know enough about me. Who might you be?

Acrathia: For the sake of this conversation, you may call me Acrathia. You don't need to be so tense dearest, I came here out of sheer curiosity. I have no intention of harming you or yours...

Silas: You might be surprised how often I hear that, Acrathia. If you're telling the truth, I apologize for appearing harsh. But I'd rather be safe than sorry, especially around someone who smells so strongly of magic.

Acrathia: Of course. One should never fully let their guard down, not for me, not for anyone... but enough about me, how are you and your pack doing? I understand there have been troubles?

Silas: *still not relaxing* We’re surviving. I can’t say the same for our two latest victims. Two suspicious maulings in as many days has us on edge.

Acrathia: Understandable, the last thing either of us would want is another witch hunt. They may have been named for us, but it is no secret that Imoldra's children were frequent victims of them as well

Silas: Like you said, it’s still a very real threat. If the people of Elmwood knew our secret, it would be pitchforks and silver bullets for us. Nevermind that we’ve saved this town more times than I care to count.

Acrathia: Enough to make one resentful isn't it? I'll never understand the loyalty you and men like you exhibit. I can understand helping those in need, but there needs to reciprocation, or at least some damn gratitude. Alas... we seem to be destined to hated... regardless of our intentions.

Silas: It’s a out of loyalty to my Alpha, to be honest with you. If we weren't defending these blind people on his orders, I wouldn’t bother. Well… for the most part. It’s not as if the whole town is a mob looking for a target. There are some good folk here at least.

Acrathia: And yet you serve this alpha despite, as I understand it, you being ousted by him... I have to ask, isn't it rather awkward to do so?

Silas: *briefly confused before chuckling slightly* Oh! Oh, I can see the confusion. No, my pack was in another state. My younger brother ripped me apart and left me to die. Hell, I probably would have finished the deed myself if it weren’t for Decker finding me. I owe him my life.

Hello, Mister Silas, Sir. Pardon the intrusion, but I couldn't help but ask. Is that a Shillelagh?

Silas: *glances down at the stick and then back up at your approach* It can be if I need it to be. You’re polite enough that I hope that I don’t.

I'm just someone who appreciates ties to my celtic roots. So when I come across things like that, it always makes me smile. I'm curious, does this mean you hale from the Emerald Isle yourself? Or perhaps some member of your family?

Silas: *relaxes slightly but remains at the ready* My family’s either Norse or Celtic or both. It gets murky around the 1400’s. *lifts stick* But I just picked this thing off the ground to help with my knee.

Yeah, I'm much the same. One might say that I'm a mutt, if you'll pardon the term. Blood from all over Europe. The Irish is the strongest, though, albeit diluted by a few generations. There's a sort of magic about the culture and its music that calls to people, if that makes sense. I suppose that's one reason why I'm so fascinated by it. That, and the tales that can be told by wise storytellers.

Silas: *smirks* Some of the best folk I know are mutts.

I've got to admit, I know very little about the culture. Hell, I know very little about most culture. That's the thing about living in a pack all your life; it's insular. The only culture that matters is the Alpha's.

Doesn't your alpha allow you to learn and do some research in your human form?