for Tiberii

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The meeting had left him with more questions than answers. He had been through pack meetings before, and most were uneventful; boring. But this one left a disaster in its wake, and he had concerns he would need to address and information he would need to obtain in order to do his job properly. Hexx cared little for the drama this Kuhn sought to stir, but now he left as a potential threat to Dawnbreak.

Dark paws carried the Lothar with a driven purpose, trailing Tiberii immediately after the Dawnbreakers dispersed. His nose told him she was close, so he paused and beckoned her through monotone vocals. ❝ Tiberii. ❞ the man rumbled, dark ears drawing atop his crown. Eyes flickering briefly to ensure listening ears were not linger nearby, ❝ Allow me to cut to the chase, I need to know more about Kuhn, ❞


❝ ❞

Skill: Expert Guardian 1/5

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A flurry of emotion had been set loose within her. The words of the tiger echoed with harsh dissonance through her head, playing on repeat with a building intensity on each play-through.

And Tiberii tried to see where she'd gone wrong. She recalled her other encounters with the tiger. She recalled the stories and lessons she'd learned from him, she recalled his stoic patience and mysterious way of caring. And she just ... could not understand where his discontentment and hatred had blossomed from. The bull did not know what had been said to him behind the scenes, but if there was one thing Tiberii knew about Aurelia, it was that she was honest. She was not a liar — it wasn't in her programming.

The titan paced, trailing back and forth as her lips lifted in a distasteful snarl.

Her ire was still at the forefront.

She heard her name from behind, and it stalled her pacing for a moment as she lifted her head. A golden gaze turned toward Hexx as she attempted to quickly wipe the snarl from her lips. A fire still bloomed behind her golden gaze. Hexx, she'd greet, unable to disguise the rough edge to her voice. The stalwart wanted to know of the tiger — a fair thing to ask after the threats that had slung from Kuhn's tongue.

She'd sigh, a deep and purposeful exhale. Kuhn's been a friend of tha family since before my sisters an I were even born, she'd start, remembering as far back as she could. She did not know just ... how deeply the relationship between Kuhn and her parents had been, however. She did not know that perhaps that was why their alliance had died with her father leaving and her mother dying. He'd always been aroun', since as long as I can remember. A friend, I thought, she'd continue, pressing her ears backward atop her head. I 'ave no idea where tha came from. Or why he's so ...

Hateful? Wrathful? Mean?

She'd shake her head, scowling.

I won't 'ave him talkin' to my family tha way. She'd lift her ears, turning her bold gaze back toward Hexx. I 'ave no idea if he'll try ta come back here, but after those threats... She'd only pause for a moment before making up her mind. I can't allow it.

It stung somewhere deep to say it out loud.

---

---

He watched her pace in silent regard, "Hexx" the words were clipped, but they bounced off him like a ball hitting a concrete wall. He studied her hyped emotions, boiling beneath the surface and spilling out. And in a display of his stubborn determination to discover what was going on here the beast sat and received a reluctant exhale, "Kuhn's been a friend of tha family since before my sisters an I were even born," more family drama, it existed everywhere he supposed.

"He'd always been aroun', since as long as I can remember. A friend, I thought," he knew what that was like, even had family stab him in the back. He listened, respectful and quiet, allowing her to say her peace so he could gather the information he needed - and maybe she could get it off her chest too. "I 'ave no idea where tha came from. Or why he's so ..." childish? Immature? He could think of a few.

"I won't 'ave him talkin' to my family tha way." he was relieved to hear it, that even though this cat had meaning to her she would stand up for Dawnbreak regardless, ❝ That is why I'm here, ❞ he agreed giving a small dip of his charcoal snout.

Under the monotone words was an implied promise,

one of violence.

"I 'ave no idea if he'll try ta come back here, but after those threats..." the mans lip twitched ever so slightly, rolling his shoulders back to raise his head. "I can't allow it." ❝ I won't allow it, ❞ he gave Tiberri a hard stare, before releasing the tension with a dismissive shake of his head. ❝ I'm glad to know we're on the same page, ❞ he rumbled.

❝ We should strengthen our borders, and remain on high alert; at least for a time. Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best ❞


❝ ❞

Skill: Expert guardian 2/5

---

Tiberii always felt just a bit unhinged, but this whole ordeal with the tiger had given her emotions a new, sharp edge. It was a new sort of pain, the slice of betrayal, and it burned in a way that was very different than the other forms of loss she'd experienced. Grief was heavy, grief was incapacitating. But this? This was invigorating in a manic sort of way, like a fire dancing across her skin.

It set her alight with a burning intent that she did not know how to comprehend.

The fire danced, and she would glance toward Hexx. There was a potency to his silence, but his composure seemed to steady the bull, reigning her in for a few precious moments as she threatened to overflow.

"That is why I'm here."

The words would hit her, the power of his loyalty steadying her as she blinked at him. The firmness of her lips would soften, turning upward into a smile. An' I'm glad fer it. Truly, she'd reply sincerely. His presence aside hers reminded her of the growing strength of Dawnbreak. It reminded her that ... she didn't have to do this alone. Solvi had told her that, and as much as Tiberii continued to try to run herself into the ground, she was trying to find ways to let others in.

"I won't allow it. I'm glad to know we're on the same page."

Tiberii would nod, listening as Hexx noted strengthening the borders. Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best, he said. He was right — and perhaps Tiberii would do well to learn more from the weathered man. She did not know much about him, for he was a man of very few, and very select, words — but she had known from the start that she'd trusted him. Yer right. Best we can do is hope he doesn't show his mug around here again after that.

And no time like the present, right?

She'd smile toward him, flicking her tail in an invitation to go together. And she would pause for a moment, daring to ponder a question. Ya know, she started, and she would begin to walk only if he had started to walk with her. Never did get ta ask ya where ya were from. She'd eye him for a moment, blinking. She'd opened up a bit about her past, and it only felt right to try to get to know him a bit more as their trust continued to grow.

---

---

"An' I'm glad fer it. Truly," to him he was just doing his job, whether it be for father or now for Dawnbreak, he was and always would be duty bound. Until he perished, and gods forbid it not be under the knife that he fall. It was the only honorable way to go. "Yer right. Best we can do is hope he doesn't show his mug around here again after that." he stiffed slightly, his eyes finding hers. ❝ Hope doesn't do us any good - only action. ❞ action would protect Dawnbreak, it would uphold their borders and prevent Kuhn from coming back around.

Not hope. Hope was feeble and fleeting.

He followed her invitation quietly, content to know she wouldn't be sitting on the situation at hand or allowing hope to play a major role in their outcome. "Ya know," a single ear turned her direction. "Never did get ta ask ya where ya were from." ❝ I never thought it mattered much - I'm here now. ❞

but, he had told Solvi...at least a little bit.

❝ If it will satisfy your curiosity my world was quite different, I was still - as I am; apparently that's not the case for everyone. But; we had placed called towns or cities. Big congregations of civilians that all lived together usually under one rule. Like Dawnbreak, but much larger. ❞ he explained as they walked. Keeping his senses on their surroundings. ❝ My father was the Commander of the city's soldiers ❞ himself included. But he'd wait for Tiberii to give her feedback.



❝ ❞

Skill:

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"Only action."

Tiberii would ruminate for a few moments on the words. It was strange for her to wrap her mind around ... Tiberii had always operated on action, but it was action that was driven by things like hope, protection, and holding together her family. If not for hope, how was she supposed to move forward? What was there to move forward toward?

Part of her softened, wondering where Hexx's hope had gone.

But it was not her place to ask. Not right now.

He was a careful soldier, one that hid behind stalwart duty. But she knew that there was kindness in there — kindness, caring, and good intention. And maybe ... just maybe ... some hope.

"I never thought it mattered much - I'm here now." She'd smile toward him. She was glad for it — him being here now, but it didn't stop her from wanting to know what made him ... him. The components of his past drove him to be who he was today. And so, she would listen politely, for once ceasing her noise and allowing the spotlight to shine on someone else.

She'd never heard of things like cities or towns, but she filed them in her mind as akin to Very-Large-Packs. It sounded daunting, one ruler overseeing so many innocents. And Hexx's father was a Commander, a ruler just like Tiberii's own father had been. An' that made ya a part of his army, ya? She recalled when she'd first met Hexx that he'd introduced himself as a soldier. And if her understanding of the word 'Commander' was correct, that would have made Hexx an underling of his own father.

It's a noble job. A hard job, she'd tell him as they moved, blinking. For a moment, there was quiet. Did ya learn a lot from him? She'd venture after a moment of silence. Yer father? Part of Tiberii often regretted not learning more from her own father. But she'd made the choice early in her life to carve her own path.

---

skill; n/a
notes; n/a

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"An' that made ya a part of his army, ya?" silver eyes would drop as his chest tightened against the memories; memories of training - of being out in the rain in the mud, bloody and battered, his body pushed well beyond exhaustion and forced to keep going. To prepare him to kill and to obey ─ and be very good at it. ❝ Yeah...it did. ❞ he mused, though his voice never faltered, there was something more beneath it. "It's a noble job. A hard job," Noble. The idea when he was a different man, before the death of his comrades, maybe would have made him laugh. Silver eyes only shifted to Tiberii; cold they lacked the pride a soldier might have before they got their hands dirty.

"Did ya learn a lot from him?" a single ear would flick as his eyes turned back to the path ahead. "Yer father?" he nodded slightly, ❝ Yes. He had a reputation; a lot of knowledge and power and a lot of respect ❞ he agreed, his gaze growing more distance if that were even possible. Commander Baldric was an honorable man; to those who didn't have to be behind closed doors with him. ❝ But don't mistake him; my father was a cruel man and training under his hand was such ─ as his only son there was no patience to be had ❞ he explained.

And then quickly, ❝ ...don't pity me, ❞


❝ speech ❞

Skill:

---

There was no light in Hexx's eyes as they spoke of his past. No fondness.

Tiberii tried to search that granite face ... vulnerability and curiosity present within her own features as she blinked softly toward him. The world rippled into silence around them, the soft crunching of their paws in the snow the only reprieve as Hexx tore his gaze away. Tiberii would frown, uncertain, and feeling suddenly guilty. "He had a reputation; a lot of knowledge and power and a lot of respect." Hexx was disappearing into his own mind, at war with himself as he retreated behind a solid wall.

He was protecting himself against his past.

Against Tiberii.

"My father was a cruel man and training under his hand was such ─ as his only son there was no patience to be had."

Tiberii would continue walking, keeping pace and respectfully pulling her gaze away from Hexx's only for a few moments to give him some privacy. " ...don't pity me," he would conclude, and Tiberii would press her ears forward, returning her gaze gently toward him. No pity, she promised, half-smiling in case he decided to look at her. Just respect, she continued, assuring him with a renewed strength to her voice.

Yer a good man, Hexx, she'd add, hoping her rough way of comfort was coming through to her friend the way she hoped. A good friend. She'd smile. Even if Hexx's father was a bad man, that didn't mean Hexx was the same as him. Even if Hexx had learned from a warlord, that didn't damn Hexx to the same fate.

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