Umbrus

Umbrus will come to suspect. Less mindless than his brother Scintillo, Umbrus will constantly study Scintillo's outstanding colorations and will forever suspect that Chaw's clan was not where they originated. However, his cunning will cause him to hold his tongue, and eventually distrust Toxin, whom he knows holds the secrets of their origins. Instead, Umbrus will continue to serve Chaw, and even come to see her as a motherly figure, and come to love her as such. He will serve her to the end, even if Toxin reveals his secrets. Toxin will one day attempt to convince Umbrus and Scintillo to return 'home' with him, and Umbrus will vehemently refuse, and protect his brother Scintillo. Umbrus does not, in truth, know how Toxin will react...

Umbrus regards Starling, who claims to be Toxin's clutch-mate, with some trepidation. He watches from the shadows, and sees her trying to convince Toxin that Chaw is weak and will expose her throat in due time. While Umbrus intended to take control one day, he would sooner hurl himself into the Wyrmwound than bow to these outsiders. 'Outsiders...' Umbrus mulls the word over in his head. Within this clan it seems to be meaning less and less with each new arrival. For now, he contemplates how he might turn these circumstances to his advantage. Should he report to Chaw and crush this little rebellion before it begins, later to take his own place at the head of the clan? Or should he let this play out, and let the two sides weaken themselves, and then make his move? These are the things contemplated within the shadows of the ever-expanding lair...

His fool brother continues his little crusade. His fool clanmother continues her little conquest. Chaw's foolish mate continues to fall to uselessness, especially beside the great mage Ratha, who continues to play with her little dancing lights and magic tricks. Toxin and Starling continue their little plots. It would provide Umbrus with plenty to do, if it weren't all so tedious. Though he watches for an easy victory to present itself, he has heard whisperings in the scavenging missions that he and the others have been sent on. Whisperings of his old clan. Whisperings of yet another survivor - quite possibly his own father. the prospect fills him with excitement, though he can do nothing as yet. The whisperings point to the Lands in Shadow to the east, and he has yet to be sent there, and so cannot follow his hunches. For now, he wallows in his boredom and explores the ever-expanding network of tunnels beneath the Wandering Contagion that serves as his home.