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She was finally going to get a pony! Granted it wasn't going to be as lovely as the one Tara said she could have. It wouldn't have the wooden shoes to compensate for its short legs, nor would it be gray, but it would be able to speak Yiddish. If everything worked out as it should, she would have a nice cow-spotted pony with soulful brown eyes who was fluent in multiple languages.

All she had to do was deliver a message to Kina.
Easy Enough.

Well, almost easy. It had been a long time since she'd been to Kina's stable. Now, she just had to remember where it was in relation to her own stable, Winged Victory--or was it closer to Rising Star or Rogue's Gallery? Oh! Now she remembered! A beaming expression brightened her impish features as she continued to hopscotch her way to Lion's Pride.

Hopscotching, she decided in reflection, was probably one of the longest modes of travel. At least she made it, though she was quite tired when she managed to hopskipstomp her way to the door of the plantation house. Taking a moment to tidy herself, she smoothed her hands over the front of her crimson and robin's egg blue sundress before thudding her balled up hand against what she presumed to be the front door.

"If its that door to door salesman again just shoot him!" this the friendly call from the catling as she wanders out of the office to see who the visitor is. "and if they want money..Oh its you Ammy!"

the catling hurries her step to where the two women wait "what brings you all the way out here?"

Charna didn't quite like where this conversation was heading. Just the slightest furrow to her brow as she looked to Kina, as well.

"I thought they were upstairs with the nanny?"

Casting an equally puzzled look to the pixie, she reached up to pluck the persistent Chief from her shoulders.

" What's wrong, dear? What is this..news..you speak of?"

"Upstairs?" A relieved sigh left her at the news, and her smile returned. "I met the most peculiar man tonight. Jewell said he was good looking, but I'm not entirely sure about that. He had a certain," she made prompting gestures with her hands as if searching for a word, "I don't know what. But! He is getting me a pony, so I don't think he can be all bad." She drew in a breath, "though he is getting me a pony on the condition that I relate this news to you, Kina."

Chagrinned, she twisted in place, "I just realized something," she glanced over her shoulder and back to the door. "He might have followed me."

Eager, she followed Kina to the office. The sooner she delivered the missive, the sooner she would get her pony. That is if she got her pony at all now. If he had followed her, there was hardly a reason to give it to her!

The Pix remained standing, though she didn't stay still. Instead she paced a track on the office floor, wringing her hands anxiously. "Well, it started innocent enough, I thought. He tried to acquaint himself with Jewell, and after she left, he turned his attention to me. I was getting set to leave myself, and it struck me strange that he wanted me to stay. I didn't even know the man," she took in a breath, tucking a length of her hair behind her ear. "And then he said that he had a friend that he'd lost touch with, or at least that's what I believe he said, and that her name was Kina. One thing led to another and then he was asking where you were." She stopped pacing to blush several shades of red and a tint of blue, "I admit, I told him I could be bribed, but that was only because I wanted to see if he would try. Imagine my surprise when he shook a bag of coin before me! So, I tried to make it something difficult, so I asked for a pony."

Amthy was rambling, but she was trying to sort her thoughts. The easiest way for her to do that was to recollect everything that had happened. "He said he'd get me one just like that!" She said with a snap of her fingers. "But I wouldn't tell him where you were. Instead, I told him to tell me what it was he meant to say to you, and that I would pass it on. He said that someone was aiming to do harm to your cubs!"

With the last of that said, she spun to look at Kina, her hands touched to her mouth. "His name is Ari," she said as if it was an after thought, "do you know a man with that name?"

Charna froze in her spot, which was now besides the catling's desk. One hand rested on the wooden surface so that she wouldn't fall over.

A tremble of her bottom lip, turquoise gaze flickering from Kina to Amthy. She didn't even seem to be aware of Ares pawing at her feet. Finally, she regained the ability to talk.

"Hold on, Kina. Amthy..you said he had lots of money..and he gave you the name 'Ari'?"

She turned herself away from them, to look out at the drawn curtains.

" Was he tall...dark locks? Amber colored eyes?"

Her voice was low, and just slightly shaky.

"Unfortunately...Amthy, stay away from him if he ever approaches again. And Kina..I don't think the cubs are in danger. Not from him, at least. He's looking for Lions Pride. He'll do and say anything to find it."

She began to rub at her temples, whilst muttering slow obscenities to herself. After taking one big, deep sigh, she spun on her heels again a forced up a smile for the two.

"Well, thank you, Amthy, for the news. You might want to bring a friend with you when you retrieve the pony. Knowing Ahriman, he may try something."

"Kina...Have someone bring me a suitcase or two?"

"But I...you can't expect me to endanger you and the cubs, can you? Or the stablehands. He's not a good man, Kina!"

She knew as well as anyone, though, that the catling was near as stubborn as her. Maybe if she...

"I have someplace else I could stay. It's well protected, honest!"

She was just lying through her teeth now. But..wait..maybe the Alcina clan would take her in? Perhaps it wasn't a lie!

Amthy listened to this all, eyes wide with surprise and a measure of concern. She hadn't even considered that the man might be trying to find Charna. Fingers pressed to her mouth, she made a low sound of dismay, "Oh, Charna, I'm sorry! What if I led him here? I hadn't meant to if I did," she said in a rush before looking at Kina. "I sorta mentioned the clubhouse, too, but it wasn't in relation to you or Charna, but he does know of its existence."

She nodded her head, listening to Kina. She wasn't one to argue with a person in an authoritative position. Pointing at the floor, "I won't go anywhere, I promise. Well, not that I won't leave this spot, but that I won't leave this house," she said in a ramble. "I should have pressed him to find out exactly who he believed to be the threat. I wasn't thinking...well I just wasn't. She's right, Charna, you should stay where people love you and will protect you, and right now that's here."

"Well, if you're certain he wouldn't have had me followed, either by himself or by someone acting as his agent, then there isn't any harm in letting Kina make sure the property is secure," she smiled pleasantly and canted her head to the side, "and if he didn't follow me, he doesn't know where this place is...so you're safer here than somewhere else."

Rubbing her lips together, she cast a glance around the office. "I hate to be a bother, but I'm rather parched from hopscotching my way here. Do you think that I could have a cup of tea?"

With Charna gone, and Kina otherwise occupied, Amthy made a leisurely circuit around the office. Nosy by nature, she fondled the odd knickknack and investigated books and papers. Not that she could read, but she was making herself right at home. Besides, Kina was there and could tell her when she was doing something bad. Amthy was a lot like a child in that respect.

"I wonder who Ari is," Amthy said mostly to herself, just giving a voice to the thought that kept on bouncing around through her airy little head. "Whoever it is, Charna doesn't seem to have a high opinion of him. I can't think of anything Charna could have done to make someone angry with her, but then I don't know her very well." Amthy was rambling, it, along with being nosy, helped her feel secure.

Since the office was cub proof, it was also Amthy proof. After a few more moments of poking around, she settled down onto a perch of her own. Smoothing her hands over her lap, she tucked the fabric of her dress around and beneath her knees.

"Are you worried, Kina?" Curiosity wound through her voice as she turned her attention to the desk. "What do you think he wants from her? Do you think he'd try to hurt you and yours to hurt her?" Her mind turning back to the warning about the cubs.

"I'm sorry to hear that things have been so difficult for you, Kina. Having children shouldn't be a time filled with apprehension." Luminous eyes turned toward the office door as she gave a scrunching wiggle of her pert little nose. "I believe she went to get tea," Amthy said slowly, "but that doesn't mean she didn't leave," she observed as she tucked her feet around the legs of her chair. "Ari seems to have her a bit shook up, so she very well might have."

Oh, Kina knew her far, far too well. Charna had been going back and forth in her head, trying to weigh the pros and cons of just running away right then. Ultimately, though, she'd just remained standing in the kitchen, hovering much too close to an exit. Her cheek were flushed with silent screams, and her eyes were just the tiniest bit glassy..

And this was how Ares found her. The Rottweiler, having been raised with this family, was particularly attached to them. Charna, his 'mother' and owner, was the one he followed the most and held in the highest regard. Kina he trusted and respected, and while she was not his actual "owner", he listened to all of her commands. As with Charna, if Kina said a person was "all right", the puppy would immediately back down. The cubs he adored and had unending patience with, even when they were pouncing on him and biting his ears. He protected them all fiercely, even though Kina usually asked for the protection less, and loyally loved them all.

His head cocked in a mix of canine confusion and concern, as he whimpered a little 'are you all right?' The sound made her jump just slightly, and her immediate reflex was to snatch up the tray with the tea that she had actually prepared, and give a smile as if to ward off any doubts about what was going on.

"Hello, Ares, my beauty.."

The same cooing voice she usually used to soothe him. He still didn't look convinced.

"Just took me a while to make the tea, s'all. Shall we head back in?"

She walked through the portal ahead of the dog, knowing he'd obediently follow, even if he did worry the whole way.

The telltale color in her cheeks slowly fading, and her eyes returning to their usual state, she tried out the smile for the women, again. She placed the tea tray on a table near the pixie.

"Sorry about that. Took me a while to find everything. "

A warm smile to the pair. "After tea will you take Amthy up to see Aysel and Katyana Char?. I really need to get things started.. as it is its going to be after darkfall before we finish checking the perimiter... Amthy you dont mind sleeping over do you?"

A brief nod and the catling is off calling over her sholder " I wont be long at all" before heading out the front doors shouting for the stable hands and the guard captain.