As Aresenn made his way through the rugged landscape, his thick fur bristled against the crisp breeze that swept down from the towering rock faces. The scent of sea salt lingered in the air, carried on the wind along with the distant roars of crashing waves. His keen amber eyes scanned the horizon with a watchful intensity as he patrolled the Polar Sound. Despite the harsh conditions of this northern region, midday bathed the valley in a soft glow, casting long shadows over the tufts of short grasses and lichens that clung to the rocky terrain. Aresenn's paws sank into the dewy earth as he traversed through patches of unexpected greenery nourished by freshwater trickles cascading down the steep faces of slate.

As Aresenn rounded a sharp bend in the narrow canyon, his keen ears pricked up at an unusual sound that echoed off the rocky walls. The distinct growl of a creature not native to these parts reached him, interrupted only by the soft rustle of the dry grass beneath his feet. Intrigued and curious, he cautiously approached the source, his heightened senses on full alert for any potential danger lurking. It was then, the source of the growl revealed itself—a ... tiger? It's sleek stripes a stark contrast against the barren surroundings. Its powerful muscles rippled under its tawny fur as it paced back and forth, its golden eyes locked onto Aresenn with an intensity he hadn't been expecting. Oh, hell no.

"Aresenn Praetor"

One could never have too many furs. It was the only thing that Kaino collected, aside from lovers. She loved nothing more than to get home after a long day of training and patrolling and sink into a soft nest of plush furs. Tiger furs were incredibly nice with their stripes and their softness. Kai already had two, but she needed more. It had been the plan to scope things out then bring a team to murder the tiger that she'd scented in the Sound, but someone had beat her to it. With a skip in her step, the purple and charcoal fae moved towards the sound of growls. As she neared, Kai caught the scent of one of the band. That red guy that she didn't know yet. He came into view a moment later. "Never fear," the woman purred playfully. "I've come to rescue you." With a flash in her dual-toned eyes, Kaino snapped her jaws at the tiger and the cat came for her. Smaller and faster, the fae ducked beneath the swiping paw and sank her teeth into the flesh just behind the tiger's elbow. It was tender and soft and tore oh so easily. "Speech"

His body didn't freeze out of fear, as one might expect. It was more the shock and disbelief at the sight before him that kept him rooted to the spot. A creature like this, so out of place in their world, had captured his attention and held it tight. And then, as a feminine voice pierced through the tension and a blur of movement caught his eye, he realized with a jolt that he knew this girl- he had seen her at the gathering. She was launching herself fearlessly at the predator, her determination evident in every edgeless motion. He couldn't help but remain ensnared by the unfolding spectacle, marveling at the unexpected courage and ferocity within this seemingly delicate being.

The ferocious tiger roared in a combination of pain and fury, thrashing wildly with its powerful limbs in a desperate attempt to free itself from Kaino's unyielding grip. Her teeth were sunk deep into the tender flesh of its leg, causing blood to spray out in crimson arcs, staining the ground beneath them. Despite the tiger's efforts, Kaino held on tight, determined to bring down her formidable opponent. As the chaos ensued, Aresenn's instincts kicked in and he wasted no time before joining the fray. With determination burning within, he lunged forward towards the struggling duo. His body collided with the tiger's side with just enough force, causing it to lose balance and tumble to the ground.

"Aresenn Praetor"

The red man slammed into the cat and the force of the strike bowled the tiger right over. Kaino released her hold on its flesh just in time. As the cat landed on its side, Kai leaped onto it, using her meager weight to hold it down as best as she could. The marbled fae bit into the side of the cats neck, keeping her forelegs against its shoulders so that it couldn't wrap her up in its grasp. That would surely be a hug of death. It was a little difficult to keep her attention on both the tiger and the red brute, so she didn't try. All of her focus was on the big, killer kitty. Kai whipped her head from left to right, tearing furrows into the side of the cat's neck. It wasn't deep enough to hit anything vital, but it would definitely hurt and it would definitely bleed. "Speech"

As Aresenn and Kaino stood atop the writhing tiger, it was clear that the beast's strength was waning. Yet, Aresenn couldn't help but wonder if this creature was truly a match for the formidable Kaino. She continued her relentless attack, her dual-toned gaze gleaming with both determination and a touch of madness as the tiger fought for its life beneath them. All around them, the Polar Sound echoed with the thunderous sounds of their struggle. The girl looked like she might have a potentially fatal blow on the tip of her tongue, It was hard to tell from his vantage. But the best assistance Aresenn knew to offer in their present situation was to restrain the cat's lower body. He locked his jaws into the loose skin at its side while using his weight as a counter resistant, trying to subdue the wild animal. They were making quick work of it, that was for sure. The once ferocious tiger now seemed like a mere plaything in comparison.

"Aresenn Praetor"

A squeal of pain was pulled from the cat as whatever the red man did apparently hurt. The tiger tried to spin and protect itself, but Kai pressed her weight onto its neck. She used the moment of confusion to take a deep breath and reset her bite. With the flesh and fat already torn away, the next bite would find its target more easily. With the cat thrashing and the gold flecked brute holding it down, Kaino bit down with all of her might. Fangs sank deeply into the neck meat, then pushed past it. She could feel one fang grate against something hard while the other nicked something soft. A river of blood poured into the fae's maw as she severed the artery within the cats neck. The feline jerked and kicked, the action scraping Kai's fangs against that hard bit of throat once more. Was that... the windpipe? The tiger struggled so much that Kai released her hold. The woman danced back, mint and ice eyes watching as the white ground beneath the feline ran red. A small huff of amusement ghosted through pink nares and Kaino gave a little shrug before her haunches folded. The woman sat in the snow and watched the death throes of her new blanket. "Speech"

As Aresenn watched the tiger slowly expire in front of him, his heart pounded in his chest. He couldn't help but feel mildly impressed with the girl who he had aided in taking down such a powerful creature. The air around them was thick with tension and the unmistakable scent of blood, creating an almost tangible aura of danger. Yet, they stood tall and triumphant over the dying beast, its once fierce eyes now glazed over and lifeless. Even in its final moments, the tiger was a sight to behold.

Aresenn remained silent for a while, allowing himself to bask in the satisfaction of their victory. His eyes gleamed with pride as he watched the tiger's body convulse one last time, its lifeblood staining the pristine snow beneath them like a macabre painting. After a few moments, Aresenn's attention turned to Kaino, his gaze lingering on her victorious expression for a split second before speaking. "I would say it's probably safe to celebrate now,” he said with a hint of dry amusement in his voice. He began to relax the tension from his muscles. "What does the tiger slayer call herself?” Aresenn asked as he casually wheeled away from the bloody massacre to find a place to make himself comfortable while maintaining a conversational distance.

"Aresenn Praetor"

Blood turned Kaino's coat all manner of blacks, reds and browns. She didn't mind one bit either. It was all part of the game. She'd get herself all clean and tidy before returning home to Nila. Her sweet Sidi always worried so. Honestly though, Kaino did enjoy being fussed over just a bit, so maybe she'd leave a little blood. Once the cat was well and fully expired, Kaino slid a bone handled knife from the bracer upon her foreleg. With precision and obvious experience, the bob-tailed fae began removing the cat's pajamas. There wasn't much that Kaino loved more in the world than a pile of warm, soft furs to melt into. As she worked, the red man questioned her. Standing fully erect once more, a pink tongue lashed out, lapping a bit of blood from her lips. She flashed the brute a grin. "Kaino Saxe," The paw with the knife gestured in his direction. "I didn't catch your name either." "Speech"

Aresenn observed Kaino with a mixture of interest and a subtle acknowledgment of her expertise in handling the aftermath of their battle. He honed in on her movement as she handled the blade with an obviously practiced skillset. As she revealed her name, he nodded in response, offering her the ghost of a half-smirk. "Aresenn Praetor," he replied simply. His amber eyes briefly shifted to the discarded fur before returning to meet Kaino's gaze. "I take it that's not the first in your collection." His tone was casual, but it wasn't void of amusement.

Getting a good look at her now, he vaguely remembered that she was the late comer the evening Sephiran had called for a group assembly. That was the first time he had ever noticed her presence, as well. "How are you related to Sephiran?" He asked with carefully expressed interest. He knew of Seph's siblings. He either failed to mention Kaino, or purposefully left her out. Which wouldn't have been the must unusual thing the Saxe brute had ever done.

"Aresenn Praetor"

The man gave his name as Aresenn and then made a comment about her supposed collection. Kaino flashed him another grin and gave a nod. "I've a weakness for soft furs, Aresenn. She let his name slip off of her tongue, giving it a breathy note as she did so. "Nothing like sinking into a pile of utter comfort after a long day of hard work."

Back to work she went, slicing through the thin layer of silver tissue that held the skin to the dead body. One ear shifted as the man questioned her once more. A gentle, sultry chuckle drifted from the fae and she gave her mint and ice eyes a little roll. "Pity that my sweet cousin never mentioned me, but I'm not surprised." Placing her paws on the cat, Kaino pressed her weight into it, rolling the corpse from one side to the other with a bit of huff and puff. It was much more difficult when something was just dead weight.

"And how did you come to meet my cousin?" Kaino got back to work on the other side of the cat and would have the skin removed quickly. She was curious though. Sephiran didn't like anyone, so why did he allow a non-Saxe to stick around?

"Speech"

Aresenn's sharp, analytical gaze followed Kaino's every precise movement as she worked. Her graceful gestures and confident demeanor revealed her expertise and skill, which did not escape his attention.  Her bright smile and the musical lilt in her voice as she spoke his name didn't escape his notice, but he pushed those thoughts aside to focus on the conversation at hand. He remained attentive to the conversation they were having. Aresenn's lips curved upward, the corners of his mouth curling into a subtle smirk as he replied, "I can appreciate that weakness for comfort." The image of Kaino Saxe wrapped in a collection of soft furs seemed perfectly fitting to him. It matched the impression that he was beginning to get of her. An individual who knew what she wanted, and wouldn't settle for anything less. Perhaps a small flair for the dramatic.

As she revealed her relation to Sephiran, Aresenn's brow lifted subtly in acknowledgement. "Your cousin, huh?" he mused, thoughtfully. That made more sense. But he didn't linger much longer on the topic as Kaino made an inquiry of a similar nature. How did you come to meet my cousin? "It seems like it was just an instance of the right place at the right time." he explained vaguely, not delving into the specifics of their interaction at first. But then he decided a little more detail wouldn't hurt. "We took down a bear together as yearlings."

Returning the inquiry, he asked, "And how do you fit into the dynamic of this lot?" Aresenn's amber eyes held a glint of amused curiosity, awaiting Kaino's response.

"Aresenn Praetor"

With a big push, the fae rolled the dead cat and its pelt came cleanly off. Moving to the side, Kai flipped the skin so that those lovely stripes were facing skyward. She rubbed it on the snow, ridding it of clinging blood. She had to move it more than once before the snow came away mostly clean. Once she'd reached that stage, she flipped the skin again and began to roll it into a tight bundle. Eyes scanned their surroundings and Kaino padded off for a moment, returning with a snow withered vine that had clung to one tree. She used it to tie the bundle shut. Much easier to carry it that way.

Ears perked as Aresenn spoke of killing alongside her cousin and Kai huffed in soft amusement. "Yeah, that would do it. He's a very simple man, my cousin." Some might not see it that way, but Kaino surely did. He was exactly what he was, her Sephiran. Simple as that.

Aresenn spoke again, asking how she fit into the band dynamic. Kaino laughed softly, her vocals smooth and surprisingly sweet. "I'm here to bring some sanity to the group." With a soft sigh, a smile still lingering on her lips, the fae spoke again. "Really, I just love my family. I'll do what needs to be done to make them happy." It wasn't something that she would normally say out loud, but he had asked why she was here and that was the very reason.

"Speech"

The rhythmic efficiency with which Kaino handled the tiger's pelt intrigued Aresenn. He watched with a quiet admiration for her skill, realizing that her penchant for furs wasn't just a simple preference but rather a practiced art. As she spoke about Sephiran, Aresenn couldn't help but agree with her assessment of him being a straightforward individual. Simple in his ways, yet there was a certain raw honesty to him that Aresenn found worth sticking around for.

As Kaino revealed her role in the group, a smirk slowly spread across Aresenn's face. "Sanity? That's a bold undertaking in a place like this," he remarked, his tone carrying a note of amusement. He appreciated the lightheartedness she injected into the conversation. As she continued, expressing her love for her family and the willingness to do whatever it takes to make them happy, Aresenn nodded in understanding.

Her candid admission about doing whatever it takes to make her family happy struck a chord with him. It resonated with the importance of loyalty and commitment to those close to her, values he held in high regard. "Family is a powerful motivator," Aresenn acknowledged with a nod. "It's the ties that bind us in this chaotic world."

As he spoke, his amber eyes lingered on her, taking in every detail of her appearance before he gestured towards the bundle in her paws. "Need any help with that?" he asked, his voice comfortably smooth in his low tone. The conversation between them flowed naturally- it was easy, and he couldn't help but feel casual interest in this unique individual.

"Aresenn Praetor"