OPEN my melancholy blues

[Montgomery]

Clearly, they did not have any earth elemental users. Even if the congregants had someone who controlled the elements of the earth, many members were carnivores. The carnivores were often the strongest in the group too. Montgomery could not single out a group in favor of the rest for the sake of numbers. Thankfully, Meteor had some work for them. The canine's interest peaked at 'however,' but his expression dropped at the mention of human garbage. Even if it was a way to acquire resources, it was still sorting garbage... but there was a positive.

Meteor did not know what garbage was afloat, did he? Montgomery pondered if there was anything of value among the trash. There was so much of it that there had to be something. The canine made an internal note to mention it to his congregants, but keep it from any of the Descendants of the Departed. They would not be too pleased with anything being taken, but finders are keepers, aren't they? A smile graced his face. "I am sure we could provide some laborers to clean up in exchange," he mentioned. 

The issue was getting a swimmer though. Montgomery was not fond of swimming in the cold waters of his territory, but he knew one individual that was. Lucia. The cabbit hybrid had a water repellent pelt and swam regularly, but her chronic condition was currently flaring up. Along with that, not to mention Lucia's history with the Descendants of the Departed. Lucia had experience with an animal named 'Meteor.' Unbeknownst of Montgomery, that was the new pharaoh that stood before him. The lion had been quite abusive to her and that led him to be hesitant. If he mentioned the task to her, she would surely want to go, but what about her condition and her past? The archon was worried she would get too invested and hurt herself, whether mentally or physically, but she was their best. Internally, he was kicking himself and internally debating his options. He even considered lying by omission. 

The dog set his worries aside (or tried to at least). "As long as you provide them enough to last awhile while back home and not just for the day, then we have a deal." He looked back at the rocks behind him. Montgomery squinted out at the horizon once again, as if to check if the walk got shorter. With a sigh, he got onto all four paws. Nope. Still the same.

With a long stretch, he turned his attention back on Meteor one last time. "Now, before I head off, I don't think I caught your name. You are?" came his nonchalant question.

MONTGOMERY S. - ARCHON OF COG