we built this city on broken glass

"I'm out"
"Fold."
"I'll raise you."
"All in."

Frost's hand reached easily forward to slide that cash towards the center of the table. Several pairs of eyes watching him incredulously now. His own violet gaze lifting from those cards in his other hand to meet the gazes of the three men who sat around the table opposite him in that dark corner of the Ark. Poker was one of the few games in which his near apathetic, emotionless demeanor seemed to serve him well. The stallion near impossible to read. That callous temperament crafting a wariness of sorts from the other players even though he had met at least two of them before. His reputation so often preceding him amongst the Were-community alone. One finger lifted to trace the edge of one of those playing cards, Frost waiting for that Werebadger seated across from him to make that final move and inevitably lose that game. He could already see their cards- through their own eyes. The game had been lost from the beginning and yet, more often the not, Frost rarely chose to activate that affinity. Winning that game with his own cunning was far more rewarding then that simplistic cheating.

The sounds of those fights and the cheering from the crowd battled against the beat of that music that all but blasted from the sound system. The Ark full to the brim tonight and yet the full moon had a habit of rallying those more animalistic instincts to the surface in even the calmest amongst their species. The scent of blood permated that heady wave of sweat and cologne and a multitude of other animals scents, Frost briefly turning to peer over his shoulder and into that crowd to spy that fight going on within the ring. An oversized monkey attempting to battle an angered dog. For all his love of war, of a fight, of coaxing out that violence in anyone and anything- this battle appealed little to him. It was barely a battle. The monkey was playing it safe and the dog fell for the same tactics over and over. A snort of sorts was released from his own nose as his attention returned to that game a large. One of the men sitting opposite him drawing a heavy drag on his cigarette, filling the air with the scent of smoke and ash. He had never truly liked the scent of fire. Not when it mingled with blood. Frost forcing away the thoughts that lingered upon the edge of his mind- only for that cacophony of sound to rise from behind him once more. His head turned sharply back to that ring.

He was aware of that pack bond before he was aware of the coyote herself. That look of surprise managing to acoust his features as the snowy haired man rose from his chair. His decidedly short human stature making it difficult to see over that crowd and yet his gaze managed to spy his Malia as she leapt into that ring. Whatever words she was offering were impossible to hear, her mind almost equally as difficult to locate in that swarming sea of thoughts and yet those murmurs of 'cheat' were already passing through the crowd. The injured dog was quick to scamper from that ring, the flashing glass in the orangutans hand readily spied and yet it was Malia's appearance that intrigued him the most. Had she felt compelled to save the life off a fellow canine? The woman always had held a sympathy of sorts for those like her and yet- he had seen her view the domestic dog with discontent all the same. It was, he suspected, far more to do with her sense of justice. The honour of a fair fight. One he could perhaps incline himself to agree with. The law of the wild was much the same. The stronger survived- their battles held without weapons or powers. She was foolish perhaps, to throw herself into that ring and yet to rescue her would betray some lack of his confidence in her ability to fight for herself. Malia was by far one of the most talented fighters he had ever seen. If she was determined to take on that monkey, without his glass, then so be it. Frost rather inclined to stay and watch his little coyote bring some glory to her pack name.

Such entertainment, however, was to be decidedly short lived. That command to stop seeing his own head turn as 'Saint' Raven emerged from that crowd. The woman holding an authority to her slender figure he was unused to seeing upon her, one that suited her, even if he hardly believed it to be more than falsified bravado. Her infiltration into that ring however could mean only one thing. The Alpha and Beta, Tetradore and Tobias- were not here tonight. How very intriguing. That money he had been a single hand away from winning was easily pushed towards his companions then, the Werebadger glancing upward as Frost moved to press into that crowd, the stallion ignoring his name on the man's lips. He hardly approached that ring, now filled with Raven's dark shadows, rather, he lingered within the depths of that crowd as the Werewolf stood between the monkey and his own coyote, commanding that the former leave for violation of Ark rules. Yet how curious that expression upon the woman's features, as if she were almost in pain. His affinity reached silently for her mind in that moment only to find himself near wincing at the...chaos that existed within it. Half of her thoughts were decidedly human and yet the other half were.....something else. Something far more savage.

How intriguing it would be to see that side of the woman. The one he knew existed and yet had seen little true evidence off in any sense. That feral side she feared. Frost's gaze narrowed upon her. He had come to something of a stalemate with the woman of late. Frost still inclined to find her 'goodness' near unbearable and yet he saw little need to break her as he had done once before. She had baked him gingerbread after all. His gaze moved to follow that retreating monkey as he began to head for those doors amongst the booing of the crowd and yet.....he hardly reached them. 'Louie' it seemed, was in possession of friends- and a number of them. Multiple people within that crowd had begun to shift into Ape-form now, one man, no more them several feet from Frost himself, shifting into a truly sizeable Silverback Gorilla. The crowd beginning to back away from him. This was getting rather intriguing.

Louie, it seemed, had managed to climb up and into the rafters of that ship. His challenge screamed out towards Raven herself. That rival pack, it appeared, after the Ark itself. The Monkey King having chosen a night in which Raven was guarding it alone. A cheap act even by his own standards. Frost wholly content to make his own exit then. This was Raven's problem and not his own. Tetradore could take care off his own business and yet it was that singular stray thought that caught his attention. His eyes drawn towards that ring once more. Another Orangutan moving through that crowd to swing into that ring- reaching for Malia. Louie so demanding to be brought the coyote.

Malia, move!

Whether or not such a thought would reach her in time he hardly knew. That monkey coming from behind her. Frost himself already moving once more, shoving several people out of the way as he vaulted onto that stage in turn. Irritation lacing his form as his voice sliced through that near hushed crowd now. His form paused beside Raven then, his gaze cast briefly toward her, assuring himself she was still sane, before returning to the monkey attempting to restrain Malia.

"Malia is not part of the Nightshade pack, she is mine. Whatever shit you have going on tonight does not involve her."
"and who the hell are you?"

Those violet eyes lifted upwards once more to eye Louie above as the monkey spoke. Frost well aware of that Gorilla moving towards them too. Great. That crowd was a veritable powder keg set to explode at any moment. How unfortunate he might so be forced to light it.

"Duck."

The word was directed at Malia alone and yet the obscurity of it seemed to startle that monkey behind Malia just long enough to prevent him reacting to what came next. Frost waiting for Malia to do just as she had been commanded before he stepped forward to deliver that rather powerful roundhouse kick, as well aimed as if he had been his equine form, to that orangutan standing behind her. The primate crashing to the floor with a decided thud. That quite exactly what Frost thought of 'Louie' and his band of primates. That too, it seemed, the very catalyst for that entire Ark to break into complete and utter chaos. Several people had lunged to attack those monkeys, hundreds running for the door, shoving each other in every direction as they did- such action sparking several smaller fights to break out, a chair hurled into the crowd as more punches were thrown. One of those apes launched himself at Raven, another trying to grasp Malia's back leg with the clear intention of throwing her while Louie continued to shout orders from above. Frost, it seemed, having started a complete and utter riot.

FrosT