He was studying the Collector, his mind working swiftly. He had his own ideas, already, and cold restraint masked the cunning rippling through his thoughts.

Tahi-shei's answer took his attention, and he glanced down at the younger deer. "If I were stuck in such a position? If there is no time limit I see little issue. It is a matter of waiting--perhaps forever, if necessary--until you come across a dead Gembound, but keeping that intact until you arrive here is another matter entirely. I do not see how it is really possible, unless they are very small, die very close, and... well, you could become a medic, I suppose, in Canis. You are bound to have a failure eventually," he added, with dark humor, "but that seems a tad... a bit of a stretch, for something like this. I would not give up my antlers but whether you value yours is up to you."

His magic flickered, and he opened a link to Tahi-shei's mind directly, his thoughts quiet but clear: 'I have another possibility I might try, if all of these options are unsavory to you, though it is a minor risk.'

The Collector waited, leaning to one side on a stack of bones, claws tapping against one another in a constant, slow-paced, quiet clicking.

He let them decide, the grin on his face still glinting beneath the hood, his voice silent.

@Tahi-shei

I have an alternative plan, too -- but mine poses a risk as well. I think it'll only work if he's in a good mood. I think it'll have to be a one-or-the-other... I'll follow your lead. If it fails... I guess I'll figure something out, he thought, not in the slightest disturbed by Pride's intrusion. He was actually more surprised the stag hadn't done it earlier. Then, to seem less suspicious, he nodded gratefully. "Well, if there's no time limit..." The Collector's suggestion that everyone here was too young to die of natural causes struck him as odd, but he supposed that if it were possible to die of old age, he'd find out eventually.

Tahi-shei turned his head to the side. "Just so we're totally clear -- the price of severing my contract is my antlers?" Still not agreeing -- just asking. Clarifying. Maybe trying to get the Collector to say something? It was uncertain -- Tahi-shei seemed to have assumed that a sufficiently powerful creature could have the same powers as Pride, the most powerful creature he knew, and was therefore being careful about his thoughts.

@pride

The Collector did nothing but incline his head, a murmur-hum of agreement coming from him. His arms were folded across his chest as he waited, almost jaunty, for Tahi-shei and Pride to make their decisions.

And Pride simply watched, silent--waiting for the same.

@Tahi-shei

Tahi-shei had been hoping that the Collector would pigeonhole himself into a corner. Agree to something he didn't quite mean to. The devil, of course, was in the details. Tahi-shei could still try to execute his little plan, but... would it work? It posed a little bit more risk, but... was worth a try. "Now, please forgive me if I am vastly incorrect here, but... the price of severing my contract is my antlers, and there is no time limit on my contract." His eyes danced. "And you implied that my antlers ought to grow back, if not by your tampering. That implies to me that you, who I think I can assume is generally a very intelligent creature, at least assume that my antlers will drop in the first place. After all, why would something be prone to growing back if it was not intended to be lost? Unless, of course, you were lying to me, which would set a very poor precedent for your dealings."

He inclined his head slightly. "So, therefore, could I not simply wait until a time comes where my antlers drop naturally and bring them, severing my contract not now, but at that time?"


@pride

"That would be very clever, Tahi-shei. Very clever. If any of that were true," the Collector said, half-dour and half-amused. The younger deer had leapt to conclusions like a gilded squirrel, really. "That is my price for severing the contract now, first of all. For wasting my time until now. If it continues, well." Claws spread, gesturing lightly outward. "The price will go up. As for... shedding? And regrowing? Your own body parts, I have no idea. I said they may grow back, or they may not... how I take them."

"Now make your decision. You are still wasting my time, and I am contemplating the price going up."

Pride glanced sidelong at Tahi-shei.

It hadn't been a bad idea, by any means--and he did lean in to murmur, "My antlers do regrow," though it had so far only happened once, and when they had been damaged. Magic, huh? -Anyway, he looked back to the Collector.

Too many variables hadn't yet been defined. Pride sighed through his nose; the Collector was arrogant, growing irritated, but perhaps he had that right. As much as Pride wanted to be annoyed, he was trying to be less forceful these days and... really, nothing he had said had been particularly unreasonable.

Yet.

@Tahi-shei

Tahi's stomach did flips. He'd meant for Pride to take his chances earlier, but now exactly what Tahi had feared was coming to pass -- he was running out of time. The Collector grew impatient. So now, he was left thinking, with anxiety turning his stomach and his stone heart fluttering like a caged bird in his chest.

Did he trust Pride more than he feared the Collector?

Tahi-shei didn't know. So he did what he did best -- he reasoned.

He had no idea what Pride's plan was, but he didn't think the Collector was exactly in a good mood. Certainly not anymore. Now, he no longer had time to discuss. Was cowing to him really a coward's move? Was it brave, or just childish to risk himself and Pride for a chance at freedom? What did the crown do? Was it worth it? What history did it hold? How far was this going to take him?

He'd made an agreement. Trying to sever it was childish. Adults owned up to the consequences of their actions, didn't they? Tahi-shei thought so. Thought that maybe, this wouldn't be so bad. If... If Pride would take the first option, if he didn't think it was murder to let another die, if he didn't think it was wrong... how could Tahi-shei?

Distantly, his conscience said, Pride could be wrong.

Endless paths split before him. He wanted to be good -- wanted to be helpful. Wanted to do what he was supposed to do. Wanted to not fight still-small fate. He closed his eyes, imagined the paths... and like a vision, he saw a chariot (though he would not have been able to give it a name) treading down one and coming towards him instead of going away.

Tahi-shei nodded. "I am sorry for wasting your time. I'll keep my contract. Thank you for your patience." And with that, he waited patiently to be excused.


@pride

The Collector again spread his hands, as if inviting comment--but then he simply vanished from sight.

Perhaps he was annoyed that his time had been further wasted, but there was no way to be sure.

Pride glanced down at Tahi-shei. The younger deer hadn't asked him to go ahead with his plan--he'd mentioned following Pride's lead, but that certainly hadn't been explicit enough for him to intervene. In his mind, then, the deer had made his choice, and Pride gave him a faint shrug.

"I do not think you are in much danger. It is... unsavory, yes, and unfortunate to be locked into. And my recommendation, if you can, is to remove the gemstone from a body before handing it over. I do not know what he would do with one," Pride added, frowning faintly. "Unless he specifically demanded that you leave it on?"

@Tahi-shei