Now noticeably less tense, Tzirret gave La'khay a small smile. He nodded and responded, "Tzirret does think he needed that embrace, but..." He shifted unsurely about the prospect of mating with La'khay again. Being his age, the physical urge was still there, and it was very powerful. However, he thought it would be odd to try it while also trying to get his extra feelings out of his mind. He stood for a while, thinking, but he found the more he dwelt on it, the more his mind was being clouded just looking at La'khay's body. After another few seconds, he made a compromising excuse to himself and took La'khay gently by the waist. "Maybe just quickly, before heading back." Tzirret said in a rush, "If La'khay does not mind."

[hr]
"As far as our knowledge extended, Meesei and myself discussed the matter last night and came to a few conclusions." Gallus responded, trying not to be phased by the eerie voice of Ra'jorr's amulet, "The options for levelling the base hinge on Orcrest. Either we, being my pack and Meesei's, travel to Orcrest ourselves, or we unite forces with the Senchal clan. We cannot take the base on our own and there is no guarantee that Orcrest has the manpower to take it either, at least not without crippling casualties risked. Contacting other clans would take too long, as would taking Orcrest's warband south to here. Not to mention that would leave Orcrest itself weakened. No, the only guaranteed option for taking the base is to unite. It follows then, to explore how to shift Senchal's warband."

Gallus spread his hands out either side of him and leaned over the table. "Currently, the warband here is guarding those who remain here. It will only be a matter of time before Vile's servants find this place. By then, your only option is a fighting retreat, just as you did to get here in the first place. Vile's forces are too strong and too well equipped to stand against here. I will not mince words; the pursuit will continue until we are all wiped out if nothing is done. Now, shifting the forces here would leave the civilians vulnerable, quickening the hunt if Vile finds them and depriving them of the manpower needed to move quickly. It may be slower to bring the non-combatants with the Senchal warband, but they will be better protected, and striding towards guaranteed safety with Orcrest." Gallus sighed, "As much as I can see, and my opinion is incomplete, those who would perish on the journey have their fates sealed here anyway. This is not perfect, but it is hope."

Then, Gallus gave both Ra'jorr and Do'ajee a glance. "You say it is not impossible, that is a good benchmark..." he paused and bowed his head, trying and failing to find a good way to say his next line, "To speak in such terms is heartless, I know, but if we were to attempt the journey, we need to know whether the number we would lose on the road would be preferable to those lost if Vile's scouts found us here after the days it would have taken to prepare."