The Desi'pvar snarled, or did the equivalent since her ethereal shape did not truly have lips, just a projected image for others to sense. Shuraala did not particularly wish anything to do with the hound, but he had been following her for too long now. He must have wanted something from her, for he didn't attack, but it was unsettling being trailed by a demonic canine. Despite her appearance compared to his, she did not feel like playing a game of Fox and Hound.

Whoever he was, the demon didn't advance, instead seeming content to watch for the moment. Shuraala pressed her ethereal body down closer to the fine weave of essence beneath her, clinging with claws of pure energy and directing her mind towards where the hound waited. Then, she spoke. Well, dear dog, did you need something of me? It's not polite to follow a girl all around the aether realms, after all, and not say a thing.

What could I need of a Desi'pvar kit? the hound responded, amusement in his searing voice. This one was powerful, Shuraala could figuratively smell the energy rolling off him, and it unsettled her. If she had been in her physical form her fur would have raised all along her spine. Though he had the scent of one weakened, the hellhound was still more powerful than Shuraala felt she could challenge. If he attacked, things would almost certainly go badly for her.

I do not know what goes on in the minds of twisted demons, Shuraala spat, still pressing in close to the weave. She hated to run from a battle, but it seemed like it would be the wisest decision in this case. Though I have heard many stories, and I know not to make pacts with devils. Speak, dog, what do you need?

The hound sneered, she could see a mental image of it in her mind: orange eyes gleaming, jaws gaping. Desi'pvar make wonderful spies, if you can convince one to cooperate. There was something heady about his voice, and it made Shuraala that much more antsy where she crouched, mere thoughts away from freedom. You're the first I've seen in a while.

Shuraala could feel the correct thread in the weave beneath her ethereal claws, between them, almost begging to be tweaked; but she hesitated for the moment. Mind carefully trained on the dog she put all her focus down on herself, thinking of the line that would set her free. She kept it carefully shielded, though, realizing that the intoxicating quality of the hound's voice was his mental suggestions. The canid ones always seemed to rely heavily on psionics. So you want me to spy on someone? For your Mistress and Queen, I would assume? Who would you like to know, then?

There is a location, the hound said almost seductively. A place, with a group known as terrorists, a hideout if you will. My master would like to know of it, if you think you can manage. They have already done far too much damage.

So, these terrorists are dangerous, then? the Desi'pvar clarified; this hellhound didn't seem particularly intelligent, or maybe whatever had wounded him had damaged his abilities as well. Is there some form of a reward?

The hound's tail flicked, jaw gaping in a doglike manner within Shuraala's mental image. Any one thing your heart could desire, nothing more, for aiding us in destruction of dangerous criminals.

Shuraala could have laughed, dangerous criminals? Perhaps mortal beings on the surface level would be taken in by a devil's charade, but he was quite foolish to expect it to work on a Desi'pvar who knew him for what he was. She was not that much of a kit, had not been for a very long time. Ah, good then. If I happen to find any place that meets that description, whoever these 'terrorists' are, I will make sure to tell them that the Queen of Demons is attempting to seek out spies. Then she pulled hard on the thread between her paws, feeling her anchorman at the other end, and then suddenly drawing closer as the rest of the realms leapt past her.

Izrask's ethereal claws met nothing but weave of the innermost aether realms and the hound howled in anger, striking at the place where the Desi'pvar had been just a mere fraction of a moment earlier. How could he have been so stupid! He'd given the mission away to a possible agent that did not care for gain, and was mostly immune to his powers! Sinking down onto his stomach, the hound shuttered. His Queen would not be pleased with him, at all. Well, at least he hadn't been banished into the Underworld and alerted Terohon this time.

Sean gave a start when the anthropomorphic dragon-fox reappeared in the booth across from him. It was not the sudden entry that startled him, he had expected that, but rather that her ruff was all on end. The human formed Rak'Shasa stared a moment, then smothered a snicker at her fuzzball appearance. "How did it go?"

"Not as well as planned," Shuraala replied sourly, scanning the gathered people for a server. Spotting one in apron she raised a paw, waving and giving a call of "waiter?" The server in question signaled back that she would be over in a moment and Shuraala slumped down into the boot. "Ran into some unexpected difficulties."

"Unexpected difficulties?" Sean parroted, one eyebrow raised curiously. Had he been in Rak'Shasas form his striped ears would be perked. "What sort of difficulties?"

Aala rolled her eyes and rested the back of her head against the booth cushion. "Some hellhound, an old one by the way I managed to sense him. Kept following me while I was trying to read the strands."

The Rak'Shasa shifted uneasily, examining Aala for any sign of wounds without a thought. Hellhounds could be deadly if they decided to attack. "You don't seem to be injured, what did it want?"

"For me to spy on some organization the Queen of Demons dislikes," she grumbled back, absently poking the little café's digital menu. "Something about Desi'pvar being better spies." Aala snorted.

The waitress had finally made her way to the table where the two aether realm creatures waited, NuPlume cyborware swishing like her golden brown hair. "Hello and welcome to McCaffrey's," the seemingly human girl greeted them, smiling widely. "I'm Sil, and I'll be your server. What can I get you?"

"Chavin, please,"Sean answered with a grin, momentarily turning his attention from the matter of a hellhound. "I hear such wonderful things about it."

"Great choice!" Sil grinned to match Sean's own, then turned to Shuraala. "And for you, ma'am?"

"Hsipian vanilla cappuchino," Aala said, waving a paw. "Sounds interesting, so I suppose it's worth a try."

The waitress jotted down their orders on her handheld unit, humming a little to herself. "One chavin and one hsipian vanilla coming up." She gave them one last grin then turned to trot off, hips swinging slightly to a melody that was only in her head.

The two aether realmers looked after her until Sean turned away and shook his head, a smile still painted on his face. "So did you manage to find our next stop in the strands?" he asked of Aala, mind back on the matter at hand.

Shuraala shrugged, idly twirling her ruby pendant as she thought. "Well," she said after a moment. "I did find a locale I would like to visit."

That made Sean's smile grow again for his expression had become more serious when back on topic, and Shuraala had to hide a grin and giggle of her own. Just friends or not, his happiness always brightened her day. "Any particular reason why?"

"Well," Shuraala began again. "You have Keiyanaan, and I like him and all...but well." She grinned up at Sean weakly, shyly. "I sort of wish at times I had my own bond, I mean. I was one of the ones that talked you into bonding, but have no dragon myself. Talina has Lamarith, and you have Keiyanaan, but I'm still alone."

He stared at her a moment, blinking while his mind worked through her words, then he started to chuckle. A light-hearted, good-natured chuckling. "You want to bond, then? So who's the lucky dragoness?"

Shuraala narrowed her eyes at him, just short of a glare. "Don't know about how I should not be the one feeling honored and she should, but it's a...chameleon queen, I hear she's bonded to a succubus necromancer. Most intriguing, to one such as me."

"Ugh, vampires," Sean shuddered, arms wrapped around himself. "Well, if you want to go, though...vampires aren't really a threat to us, I know. So where is this place? Keiyanaan has been whining he wants to leave Star City since that undead stole his mate."

"Nidus Avengaea..."