He hadn't really intended to come out this direction. His mind was just thinking about a million things at once and his wandering paws had carried him out this direction. He blinked when he realized he had walked out of Fiori's lands and into the nearby young forest. He smiled a little as he looked around at the trees that surrounded him. This place held good memories for him now. This was where he and Arivae had met for the first time. That felt like it was ages ago now even though he knew it had only been a couple of years. Things were so different then. His biggest concern had been getting used to a new place and a new pack. Things were simpler then. A soft sigh passed his lips while he walked, letting his mind wander again. He hadn't been up north since they moved to Fiori perhaps just once to feel the snow again. He couldn't say he missed it any more. After all, he had been young when they moved. He still prefered the cold, but that wasn't home for him any more. He had grown used to Fiori and the East. His pale paws carried him at a slow walk while his two-toned eyes looked around him thoughtfully. Speak Thought Others

Usually he stuck close to Avalon - at least within her scent range. Call it paranoia it meant spending a lot of time around imperium. Either way, he figured it was unhealthy and he should get away despite his silly fear. Now that Vereux was starting on the path to healing, he didn't feel much like a warrior anymore. If it was one thing he didn't expect it was to run into Tiburtis here. Since he had been caught up in his own thoughts it had been a little to late to hide. Now in plain sight and not too far from his son Vereux froze for a moment.... but somehow he felt no tension between them. At least not for himself towards his son. He was calm. Not his son, but simple a man he could be proud of. “I never expected to run into you here of all places.” the male spoke as he kept his distance respectfully from the other. Making sure his good eye was facing him as he kept his tail low and posture a bit that way as well. He didn't want to look threatening or too friendly after all. So this was what going out and socializing meant. “I speak”

He didn't notice his father's presence until his voice cut through his never ending thoughts. He stopped dead in his tracks and his two-toned eyes locked onto Vereux's form immediately. Tiburtius was honestly a bit surprised that he recognized the man across from him so easily. He couldn't remember when he had last seen his father. For a moment he was just quiet while he tried to gather his thoughts a little better. The last time he had come face to face with a ghost from his past had been with Bacchus and that had blown up in his face at catastrophic proportions. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice. He didn't know if there was even a bridge between him and Vereux but if there was he didn't want to risk burning it. But as much as he wanted to, he just couldn't find a scrap of anger in him toward the man. With Bacchus it had been different. Bacchus had lived for a while with them in Fiori before disappearing, only showing back up to challenge Leo. That had hurt. But Vereux... That had been a life time ago. He had long accepted that he may never see him again, but now here he was. "Well... Fiori is right over there," he finally commented with a small motion of his head toward the direction behind him. "Though I don't guess you'd know where I've been living." Okay, perhaps he was still a bit bitter. Speak Thought Others

Somehow, the bitterness he had felt melted a little. He should take Avalon's words to heart now. Tib looked like he had been through a lot. Vereux, genuinely smiled at the man. His head tilted to the side as his eye closed for a moment. True Fiori was nearby, but he had forgotten it was around. He wasn't exactly welcome there. As much as he desired to just say hi again to all of them. He was no longer a part of their lives, that had been true such a long time ago. After Arian died even so, Vereux had been concentrating on his relationship with Avalon. Since he seemed to suck at those. “It's not my business to know what you've been doing. My attention towards it wasn't welcome.” He looked off to the side. “Well, you're all your own men now - you decide what you think of me. Athena and Amalia did a fine job where I failed. ” Bitter or not he was in a good mood and didn't mind. He sat down, “How have you been.... Tiburtius? “I speak”

"It's not my business to know what you've been doing. My attention towards it wasn't welcome." Tiburtius' brows pulled together with confusion at that. What did he mean? His ears flicked as he settled down on his haunches. He really had never brought the topic of his father up with his mothers, mostly because he did everything in his power not to bring up subjects that might upset either of them. Had they told him to stay away? The thought brushed away some of the small pieces of lingering bitterness he held. Vereux's leaving the first time around had been his fault of course, but perhaps the years of absence hadn't been entirely his own doing. Tiburtius rarely left Fiori after all. "You're all your own men now." That really hit Tib more than just seeing his father for the first time in years had. Somehow it hurt more knowing all of his brothers were gone. His father asked about how he had been and Tib would shrug slightly in response. "I've... been okay. My brothers have all disappeared so I've been looking after my mother and Amalia a lot. They've been pretty busy though with my sisters and the pack and helping Leo with his kids." He hesitated for a moment before adding, "I have Arivae though." He smiled a little at the mention of her. He didn't want to make it seem like everything had been all bad recently. At least he had one light to brighten his life. "She's... well, I asked her to marry me. So I guess you'd call her my mate? I'm not sure." He chuckled awkwardly, shuffling his paws for a moment. Speak Thought Others

They all disappeared huh? It happened a lot, it surprised him a little though. Usually those boys were close from what he took. Though they were well into their third year of life now - it was... kind of shocking. Where was his life headed now? Maybe towards a higher slope than it had been. Yes maybe the kids hadn't known - he stayed away upon request. Sisters! Well that was news to him. He wouldn't question how it happened because well it didn't matter to him. He only was proud really. Leo had children, ahh it had been a while since he heard that name. His deceased friend who ended on a bad word with him kind of hurt. Mate. That's what made Vereux's tail make a tiny wag, but he controlled himself. “That's amazing, I know it may not mean a lot coming from me but I'm proud of you.” he said. The urge to share his own life came up - but he threw the thought away. Tib didn't need to hear his sob story. “I'm sorry about your brothers tib, I'm sure your mothers appreciate the fact that you stayed.” “I speak”

Tiburtius did not want his father's approval to have weight. He didn't want to care what he thought. But, despite how much he wanted to separate himself from Vereux, it still felt good to hear that his father was proud of him. It pulled a small smile onto his lips, his tail wagging slowly behind him. He just didn't have it in himself to completely ignore that part of him that wanted to make his parents happy and make them proud. He knew he had done that, at least a little bit, for his mothers. It was somehow satisfying to hear it from Vereux. I like to think they do," he replied when Vereux mentioned his mothers, smiling and chuckling softly. He tried his best to be helpful to his mothers, especially with Jayne and Diana added to the mix now. He realized sometimes though that he may not have stayed in Fiori this long if Arivae wasn't there. "Did they tell you not to come see us?" he asked hesitantly after a few moments. He could have asked his mother about it, but he wasn't sure if he really wanted to bring it up with her. He saw her and Amalia upset too much as it was these days. Speak Thought Others

Vereux smiled, he felt every bit of joy to know his son was doing well. That fact in itself could put him at ease. However his question, crushed him slightly. He knew it was a harsh subject, but he knew tib of all his sons would no be able to think badly of his mothers anyway. He shifted slightly and let out a soft sigh. “Amalia told me to stay away yes. It was seasons ago though, I tried making a new life no matter what just so that she and your mother could be happy. See Tib, I was kidnapped, and in my absence it left a thick scar in all of your hearts.” he explained as he looked at Tib. “I never once stopped thinking about all of you, so to say I wasn't heart broken when your mother told me to stay away is an understatement. However it is my own fault and I've paid the price. And now... well I'm doing better than I was.” his tail flicked a little. “I'm in a pack in the north called Ivalice.” Vereux sat down and stopped talking. He didn't want to be annoying, but now he had gotten a few things out of the way. It was rare that he connected with others outside of his family. So even now he was better off than he would be with a stranger if he had to say so himself. Maybe... he should see Athena. Even if they had a rocky past, he still wanted to be able to speak to her normally every now and then. “Vereux” “Avalon”

He frowned as he listened to Vereux speak. He was sure his mother had her reasons for wanting Vereux to stay away, but it was just so hard to hear that their father had been around all this time and he hadn't been able to see him. Tiburtius wasn't upset with any party involved, he was just sad at all the time they had lost. He wondered often about how things would have been if things had played out differently, but he had to constantly remind himself that there was no going back now. Hindsight was 20/20. Now he could only come to terms with how his life was playing out now. Tib took note of his father's new pack when he mentioned it. He didn't know if he would ever actually go to see his father there, but he liked having the option either way. It was an option that he hadn't had in years. "Well... I'm glad you're doing better," he finally replied. Hesitating, he added, "I don't know if you'd ever be down around this area again now that you're living in the north, but... if you are I'd like it if you visited. Maybe you could meet Arivae." He was an adult now, he could decide weather he wanted to see Vereux or not. Speak Thought Others

Something about those words, those simple words, caught Vereux slightly off guard. Of course he would bite his tongue. He wouldn't show that it made him more happy than the other male would ever know. Vereux never thought he'd be able to say he was doing better. No doubt a foreign concept from the recent years of his depression. It made him smile though as Tib finished speaking. Yes he didn't know when he'd be down here again, but perhaps he would pay Athena a visit. He as afraid to, but perhaps just to say hi would be okay. “Maybe I will when I have the time, it'd be an honor to meet her for sure. Perhaps then I could introduce you to Avalon... she practically saved my life.” a soft chuckle left his lips. “And maybe I should say hi to Athena.” he wondered if that was a good idea. Whether it was or not if she didn't want to see him he'd simply leave. His tail flicked for a moment, as he looked at the ground. “Vereux” “Avalon”