[center][b]Lakeside[/b][/center] --- The lycan peers at the trio before her with yellowed eyes as they make a scene at the lakeside. She crooks her head back towards Kouri and huffs, tossing her head at them before she begins to stand upon her back haunches. As she does, her appearance begins to seemingly melt back into her human form. Upon her clothes, sigils burn brightly as she transforms. From her, popping, cracking, and faint noises of discomfort come from her as her body reorients itself. Back to being a human, she stands taller than Kouri, stretching herself out with a gasp and another sharp pop before the magic runes begin to fade and leave the clothes whole upon her. A simplified uniform more in place upon a noble man than a kind with a frock coat trimmed to fit her frame. Alex pauses for a moment, taking a moment to brush gore and grass from herself that had stuck to her fur previously as she sizes up the three before her and tries to calculate her response. It was apparent on her face she wanted to go off on them, but with Kouri there beside her, she attempted to compose herself. “Listen, I don't really care if any of you killed some lackey or not,” she sighs and shoves her hands in her pockets. “Right now, you're all screaming of incompetence in some form.” She steps forward, “Cuz from what I've heard from the three of ya, is that you three barely scraped by disabling the bomb, while allowing the leader of the ruckus free to cause more trouble after [i]he[/i] let [i]you[/i] live. Your actions,” she gives a pause, allowing it to sink in. “Have brought the downfall of two of your compatriots. Two, who I might add, were chosen as carefully as you three for their own merits. Who possessed skills equal, not inferior, to your own in their own rights.” Her gaze falls upon Kasim, “And yet, when there are still dangers to my friends and family, are here bragging and making a show about felling a single foe and seeking to do more against a foe liable to be far greater and with more followers at his command than the fight just undertook. I'm also hearing you simply idling about after this singular achievement, allowing allies to suffer their end. How many more will be allowed simply to die so one might bask in the limelight, hmm?” Before Kasim even had a chance to respond or interrupt her flow, her attention snaps to Alicia, “This, followed by undermining and starting fights with your fellow Blades while there is still danger for this town. I don't know if you are aware, but here in the Blades, whatever social rank you held before coming here... It doesn't matter. You are all no better than each other. You may have your airs and flowered words, but I for one never cared for them. What I see here, are those equally to blame for the death of allies, shifting that burden as if they had no part in it. If you seek to impress us. Stand up to your enemies, not your companions... And take responsibility for your own actions, or lackthereof.” Finally she directs herself before Zayn. “And, yet, the information is appreciated. You have done a good job in seeing the bomb disabled.” She bows her head, “You have my thanks this day for ensuring one part of this potential calamity did not come to be.” Alex looks at all three of them, “You all have my thanks, criticism aside. I am appreciative of all your contributions, minor or great. You have helped to save many lives this day, and I'm afraid I can't voice how much that means to me.” She shifts back to Kouri's side, visibly stiff in her movements and the observant would notice her more than a little high-strung at this moment as adrenaline still ran through her and concern begins to slip through the flawed mask she had tried to keep it behind. “There's obviously more to be done in the town, but James is still a threat. I don't think he'll let us catch him so soon, though... We have no idea what he's capable of...” "Amanda would know." Kouri states plainly. "She isn't due back for another week, however... We won't know anything more until the ball is settled." She says softly, more to Alex than to the trio. Looking around the area she spots others approaching. "I would say most of the Queen's Blades are experiencing some form of success, at least." She relaxes some at that comment and nods, “We should hold off until Amanda arrives, then.” Alex looks out at the other arriving Blades and exhales deeply. “As much as I would enjoy ripping out his throat for what he has done...” she growls before reigning it back in, “It would be better to know what we're dealing with...” She searches the newly arriving faces. “I expected Mikan back by now...” Out of the corner of their eyes, a small, brown ball of fur peddles its way through the waters of the lake, onto the shore. He stumbles and bounces his way back to Kouri and Alex, and hides between them: Thane, the marten, was safe. --- [b][center]Rayvon Krayvitch[/center][/b] --- Rayvon wipes her bloodied hand on her pants, Wayne failing to accept the ring and her donation of blood to him all but overlooked in the stream of villagers willingly running up to nourish him. She blinks and looks back at the carnage before shuddering and clenching her hand tight about the ring. The rogue was right, maybe. Wayne did not wish for the ring as a token or was too incoherent to accept it. The dead did not need it, especially a dead man who terrorized the people here. Confusion floods through her before she shakes her head, noticing people beginning to stream away from the Westward tower. She crooks her head to the side, perhaps they were simply free and checking on their loved ones from this district. She allows her attention to roam across the area. The towns people appeared to be taking it upon themselves to clear up the troubles of this area. The commotions from East and West appeared to have died down. She had no clue what was going at the Inn, where she had seen so many rush off towards, but in the same instance, she did not wish to interfere. As much as could have gone wrong here, it was a possibility that a new presence might be enough to set off whatever foe was there and escalate the situation. Her shoulders slump as she looks at the plume of fire. She had heard of the might of the Queens, so surely they must be faring well. Her presence would not likely be of use there. Guilt begins to flood her as she begins to walk the streets, holding the ring in her hand that she had been ready to act against another living man for. She did not wish to bear this weight upon herself. She pauses before a stone mason's before stepping inside, blinking her eyes as her eyes adjust to the dark. A man stood inside, holding his family close in the wake of the averted disaster. Rayvon flushes at walking in on such a personal moment, but before she could slip out once more, the man was looking up at her questioning. “I am sorry, I... I had a request... The water fountain was destroyed... and it took the life of one of the Blades...” She shuffles on her feet as the man began to grow visibly irate. “I just thought, when you had time, if you could rebuild it... As a memorial to the one who sacrificed herself for this town.” The man grows more somber at that and nods slowly, “Perhaps I can, when word has come that it is safe across the town and we needn't fret.” Rayvon pauses before moving forward and setting down the silver ring and fishing out all the gold coins from her purse. “I hope this is enough...” She mumbles placing down the payment and turning to go, hastily. She felt embarrassed and dirty from utilizing the ring in such a way, but it put it to some use, and not as a mere thief's coin for self-serving purpose. Departing from the stonemason's, Rayvon, at a loss for what to do with herself, heads to the lake. If the queens had any more instruction for her, she would fulfill that task. If not, she would return to the Town Square and help clean up the damage and see the dead to their final resting place.