V-Agate-One was enthralled by Nidhogg's vivid description of an owl being turned inside-out. V-Chaos-Eleven felt like her stomach couldn't sink lower.

Don't get her wrong. She could deal with violence. She DEALT in violence, mostly. Just... Not that kind. Not at that level - to making someone else disappear completely. A pile of wet bones.

But she snapped back from her horrified shock to shout at the same time as Agate, as if they had the same thought at the same time - "YOU'RE an asshole!!" Before shooting a glance at their sibling, as if they'd have to fight over the sentence now too.

"Are they stronger than Aethril? And if they're so powerful, why aren't they here to beat us up right now?"

Eleven paused, considering her next question, and whether asking it would bring her any comfort. "Can they turn us into their guys too?

@Nidhogg

Again he tried to reply to both children at once. This time, he was "working" in the meantime: he scrambled up and around an outcropping, coiling up like a serpent (but with feet), and peered around from this slight additional height. "I don't know! I don't make the plans. Ask VARGAS," he repeated, becoming irritated now. Then he calmed himself, reminding himself in a rare moment of maturity that he was meant to be the father here, or something. He sighed. "Sorry. It's annoying because I don't have authority! If I tried to say 'okay, let's all go kill Order' he'd probably hit me for it. And he can win," Nidhogg added, with a grimace.

He hated that guy. In a dull, vague sort of way.

"We DEFINITELY don't tell Aethril to do anything. But-" (and here he looked around more slowly before descending, as if ensuring she wasn't somehow overhearing, before lowering his voice) "-she could probably kill them all by breathing at them so I dunno why she isn't." Was that treason or something to say? Nidhogg didn't know. "I don't think they're more powerful? Even all together. But they MIGHT be here! That's WHY we're here. In groups. Because if a bunch are hiding and try to come out we can't get caught alone, see? So we're looking for them so we can kill 'em." He nodded as he set back off again, feeling Very Smart.

Until Eleven asked the final question. Could the Hive convert Valkhounds and the like-? Nidhogg paused, staring off into the middle distance, forefoot raised into the air. Truth be told, he had no idea, but he had already said 'I don't know' to like, six things, and he was starting to look stupid even by his standards.

So he bluffed.

"Y-yeees..?" he half-asked, looking to his children. "I mean, yes! That's what they do. So we could lose half our guys! And that would suck! So we have to be careful. And never eat the white shit," he added, with a firm and authoritative nod that mostly hid his total ignorance below.

It didn't take a genius to work out that he wasn't entirely sure, but he was doing his best to fake it, at least.

@V-Agate-One