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Long benched wooden tables veiled in the pale gold of dawns light were packed to the teeth with the hungry ranks of soldiers all gorging themselves on the meager rations that were commonplace among the army-especially in the face of Shens' shameful end. What remained of the palace kitchens was a small corner of storage manned by a cook or two and volunteers (those ordered by a city wide mandate) to lend their services to feed the once proud creatures.

Tag watched this all thoughtfully as he halfheartedly nibbled on a butter roll. How could one creature have changed so much for the worse? How had Shen managed to take so much even after his death?

The gray wolf sighed, giving in to the urge to drowned his worries a bit as he raised a bowl of wine to his lips and swallowed it in bulk. It burned down his throat pleasantly and he tilted back his head to quaff the last of it into his gullet, eyes closed as he felt the light buzz starting to flood his body. A belch escaped him as he opened his eyes....to find himself looking into an amused wolf face.

"Stray?"

Stray grinned and nodded, settling himself down and leaning forward so that his forearms rested on the table top, his paws clasped in a casual manner.

"The one and only Tag ol mate! Haven't seen you in a while. You avoiding the city on purpose?"

"No, I just have been busy t..training is all...."

"You soldiers and your training...." Stray shook his bushy head in mock despair. "I'll never see the appeal of getting your knuckles all bloodied up just in case you should have to fight a battle. I mean I understand the need for pups like you keeping the country safe and all that but why personally bludgeon yourself?"

Tag traced the lip of his bowl with a claw not really wanting to explain himself nor any of his troubled past to his friend. Pushing himself and training had been the only way he had found to escape how much of a failure he was. How the citizens of Gongmen shot daggers at him and his compatriots anytime he went anywhere or allowed himself to wander the streets. Becoming a better swordsmen and a better warrior had helped him forget his loss although everyone who knew him saw him now as cold and hard, an unfeeling beast with nothing but violence in his life.

"I don't know....I just want to be better. I want to somehow respect who I am again" he said finally meeting the black wolfs gaze with his own. "Right now I don't know who to respect or why I'm doing what I do. It just is..."

"It just is....?"

Strays' ears flattened and for the first time since Tag had met him he looked grim-even sad.

"Ironic isn't it? I'm a thief, a no good bastard who roams the streets, steals, lies, cheats, plunders and enjoys a good fuck with anyone willing and here you are a noble warrior, the son of Li (Boss Wolf), younger with a worthy and honest way to live-with no self respect and less of a purpose then the likes of me...."

Stray snorted.

"Infact I think me slurping over you that night was the first bit of action you've ever seen pup..."

"Fine, judge me all you like. You know who I am better than I do. I'm just being honest. I've never been good at explaining myself or showing feelings" Tag admitted hanging his head shamefully. "Yeah I've never bedded a women in my life, yes everything I've ever stood for has been taken away. I have no family, no friends and no life and yes I don't like myself much less respect how I stood back and allowed my family to be taken from me!"

He was crying as he stormed out of the mess hall and back to the barracks. He slid down the wall of his quarters hugging himself as the tears came freely. He wept, sobs wracking him even as his ears picked up the slight noise of paws approaching and someone sitting down beside him. The warmth of Strays pelt as Tag accepted the strong wiry embraced that shamed him but gave comfort that he hadn't experienced since losing his father.

"I'm weak" he whispered shakily completely expecting a harsh rebuttal or scolding. Instead he was surrounded by a warm chuckle, a soft growl that was heartening and sincere.

"You're anything but weak mate. You've lost more than most do their whole lives and still managed to survive and what's more you've become something that the rest of our face can look up to."

Pulling away and wiping his face on his sleeves Tag stared at the floor.

"However there's always room to improve. You certainly need to examine your taste in friends" Stray added smirking.

Tag nudged him playfully as they laughed together.

"I could, but then what fun would that be? Having you around is always an adventure"he growled back showing his teeth in a grin.

"Speaking of adventures mate, I've got a idea to liven up your life and give you some 'purpose'."

"How do I know that this idea involves trouble before you've even outlined any of it? " Tag growled goodnaturedly. "Because knowing you'd I'd guess it involves something on the devious side of things..."

"Well have a little faith and trust me Tag" Stray urged nudging the gray wolf again. "Just like before I promise you that even if it is a little questionable that if you give it a shot, you'll come to love it..."

"Oh I definitely love this!"

Ironically enough Tag had listened to his friend, had actually believed that it would be a reliable way to have fun without going too far out on a limb. Maybe it had been foolish to think that he could realistically trust the wolf to think of anything other raw entertainment and base pleasure...Maybe he should've known better....

A few hours later the young wolf found himself in a teahouse of some sort in the lower district although from the looks of things half of service was of the more seedy devious kind. Sitting in a reed woven chair he leaned back into the cushion as he surveyed fellow customers and the odd patron along the corners ordering heavy to fill bulging gullets. Women danced round winding poles in the middle of the establishment blowing kisses and dancing to the slow hypnotic music. A ragtag band of musicians played their instruments with drull expressions as though they'd witnessed it all before and were only there because they had no other alternative place to be or more pressing obligations.

Drink after drink and the party became more colorful and lively. The burn of wine down his throat became a constant one that pleasantly made pleasured growls escape him and a smile appear unbidden on his muzzle.

"Sure you love it" a sultry voice to his left purred. "And you'll only come to love it more the more you relax and 'blend' in."

Groggily amused Tag turned to stare into two very green eyes that batted playfully at him from below a flattering set of lashes. She was a natural beauty though in his drunken state he couldn't quite tell if she genuinely enjoyed being here with him or if it was more because she had no choice. Licking his lips he stood and wobbled over to plunk down next to her on a bench. Thankfully it hadn't been that long of a distance to cover!

"What the hell do you mean by that?" he growled shaking his head and trying with all of his might to get his limbs to cooperate with him. As it was, sitting up straight and trying to look dignified was plainly out of the question.

The snow leopard winked at him and scooted closer leaning into his side and nuzzling in under his chin.

"Which part? Blending in or loving being here more?"

Everything was a haze but he managed to turn his head and look down at her his paw still clasping his drinking bowl.

"Being here...I guess. Blending in is easy, a wolf drunker than is respectable because his life is a joke and he wants to get away from his failures and escape for a night....I'm pretty sure that I 'blend in' as you put it quite well."

"Are you so sure of that wolf?"

Confused he pulled away from her tilting his head, muddled mind fighting to gain purchase and register something of their conversation.

"Am I missing something here? What do you mean am I sure? What is there to be sure or unsure of? I've screwed up my life" he declared sarcastically. "Shall I confess my sins to you as well? All of my tresspasses and how many times I've dishonored myself and my family...how miserably I'm dishonoring myself now in being here."

The she cat took a moment and then again slid closer apparently undeterred by his outburst.

"Then do I blend in?"

He studied her a moment and then nodded still confused.

"Y...yes you do. But what does that have to do with anything? You're here, I'm here...what does it matter?"

"Tell you what...if you come with me...do whatever I say and help me take care of a problem or two I might have some information that I think you'll find most interesting..." She raised an eyebrow her tail somehow finding it's way up to twist around his chin and around his neck gently.

"Like what?" he scoffed doubtfully. "Like I'm about as great around a woman as an old man with no teeth and a gas problem. Like you can tell I've never really done anything before when it comes to being with someone?"

"How about that you're Tag, son of Boss Wolf and I know how you can avenge him as well as find your family?"

Tag laughed heartily at that.

The snow leopard for her part waited patiently without the slightest trace of amusement.

"Are you kidding me? That's a good un'! Where did you get that? Did you study up on the easiest way to get into my pants and just decide to go for it?"

"As much I would enjoy getting into your pants puppy" she growled flatly, "I'm not kidding at all. I'm dead serious!"

Taking another swig from his bowl he smirked mockingly at her.

"Say I were to believe you? What would I have to do?"

"Well....first of all sometime soon I need protection when I travel home tonight. I have a hit on me, not necessarily because I've broken the laws of Gongmen but because I have sensitive information concerning certain things that could be dangerous in the wrong paws...."

"Fine...I'll take you home if that's all that it takes" Tag said still trying to shake off the haze. "Not sure how much use I'll be though like this..."

"No worries...I'm sure you'll do just fine. I'll even sweeten the deal for you. Get me home and I'll not only give you some information but I'll happily get into your pants, no strings attached..."

"No need, my friends abandoned me and a peaceful evening walk will probably clear my head....Tell me though, how did you know who I was? Reputation? Someone spill the beans or have you been spying on me?"

Tilting his head he gazed at her sidelong.

For a heartbeat she just stared back, then leaning in she slowly dragged her tongue along one of his ears making him shiver.

"I knew you because of your scent pup..."

"Now you're completely playing me Ms..?

"Newleaf, call me Newleaf."

"Newleaf then. You really think you can pull my strings don't you?"

"I'm not sure" the feline whispered softly into his now wet ear. "You tell me...."