I May Never Trust At All

MORGAN

Morgan nodded along to Noah's story; if she was to be committed to integrating herself further into the social fabric of Halo she had sworn to protect, she had to listen carefully to things like this. To learn how the Citadel ran outside of her own life, which had often been quietly pushed into a box of guard training and council work.

"You do important work." She said simply as they entered a door that would take them into a small room within the walls, large enough for a slit window and a bench, designed for watchmen taking breaks to sleep in: there weren't enough watchmen to justify it anymore, which was a sobering thought. "What do you do in Deepfrost, when it is too cold to venture out into the Tundras? Is there any way I could speak to the council to assist you?"

Well I guess it's only life, it's only natural

We all spend a little while going down the rabbit hole

Noah Olson We all want something to hold in the night We don't care if it hurts or we're holding too tight "As do you," Noah regarded Morgan's position and line of work. Being a member of the guard, let alone Captain, was important. After all, it was her guard that took on the charge of the cultists head on. Noah did not fight like them, he merely held the people together while the others did the fighting, and lost their lives for it. "Well, not a lot of hunters can venture out into the tundra during Deepfrost. I can, though, at least for shorter periods than the other seasons. My gift as an attuned is that I can transform into a reindeer. It comes in handy, here." He was sure that the shift given to him was purposeful. The gods must have known what path he would take in life, and that this shift would be one that would aid him well. "There are the limitations, though. I can handle more cold, snow, and ice than when I am in my natural human state, but I am at an almost higher risk because I am a prey animal." Every rose had its thorn, of course. "Weaver knows the needs of the hunters here. After all, before the Kraai, she was one." Noah shrugged a little. He wasn't sure he could tell Morgan anything to give to the council that Weaver did not already know. "I would like to bring some more organization to the hunters of Halo, however. Bring them together and offer education on hunting well, and preserving the herds of animals we have. Some people will just kill and gather without thinking of the natural order of things." He remembered his father talking about when he was a child there was a shortage of luxere because people hunted down the population to near dangerous levels.

MORGAN

Morgan supposed she did, though the insecure part of her that had gained a voice in the last hours spoke up: it's importance doesn't matter when you fail at it. Trying to bat that thought away she focused on what Noah was saying, knowing that she had hours of late night self-doubt ahead of her after this.

"I see...it must be odd to be able to transform into one of the creatures you must hunt." She said, almost to herself, considering the idea. Morgan was far from a vegetarian but she thought she might struggle to eat meat if she herself had been one of the animals it had come from. It had always been hard for her to understand how the Attuned felt in their animal bodies, the idea of the change somewhat unnerving to her in the first place; she couldn't imagine how it would play into being a hunter.

His ideas about hunting sounded good. "If they would listen to you, I'm sure that could be very valuable."

Well I guess it's only life, it's only natural

We all spend a little while going down the rabbit hole

Noah Olson We all want something to hold in the night We don't care if it hurts or we're holding too tight Noah shrugged. "It's not so bad. I mean, I'm a man. Being able to transform is just...a magic I have, it's not who I am." If Noah thought his identity was wrapped up in his shift, he might have a hard time eating meat. He understood where Morgan was coming from, but he was confident in his view as well. In his mind, Noah did not see himself as a reindeer, even when he may be in the form. He was still a man, he just had the ability to wear some different disguises. "I think I will speak with Weaver, when the time comes. For now, we have to focus on our people and keeping them protected. The cold would get to us all before any more spirits or cultists, if we aren't vigilant." he nodded again, closing some distance between him and Morgan to put a hand on her shoulder. "Speaking of, I have people I need to check on, and my own home to inspect. I am sorry about your guard." He gave a squeeze to her shoulder, should she let him have made the initial embrace. "If you need me, you know where to find me." Maybe she didn't, but the rest of Halo did. Giving her a final smile, of sympathy and attempted comfort, he turned and headed towards the heart of Snowcloak. -FINISHED