The fact that Merlin had accepted her offer of hot chocolate made Atbash both excited and nervous. On one hand, the savannah was excited to do something she missed from her time in Snowbound. She liked making hot chocolate for visitors and joiners alike - and missed doing so, if she was quite honest. But on the other hand, Atbash wasn't exactly prepared to make Merlin hot chocolate despite asking to do so. It was more of a spur of the moment thing, almost something that was said instinctually. "Sorry, don't mind the mess." The savannah chirped, looking back at Merlin to make sure the other woman was still following her. "I, um. I honestly wasn't expecting anybody." Realizing what she said, she quickly tried to explain, "N-not that I don't mind you coming, of course! I just hadn't prepared any hot chocolate beforehand." She laughed awkwardly, walking into the kitchen to start pouring some water.

?? ?????????  《》 Following after the savannah, her eyes glued to the tail bouncing and bobbing before her as her mind drifted on the trip to atbash's home, coming back to when her attention was called, smiling with a slight fluster. Ah, there were so many new sights and things to investigate all around herself, and honestly, she was grateful that Atbash had offered her some hot chocolate. It had been a long time since she had had any hot chocolate or the chance to speak with another woman and the feeling of the swamp pressing in was certainly new.

Stepping into the boundaries of the savannah's home after pausing to wipe her paws the best she could outside of it, she would step inside softly, her eyes adjusting to the difference in lighting, looking around for a place to settle down as Atbash continued to the kitchen, "Which mess? Everything being here just means you live here - and that it's part of your history and who you are." she giggled softly, warmly gazing around. Maybe she could learn a little about her from all of this, "Hot chocolate is a very interesting topic within itself. Do you make it yourself, or do you make it from a powder? Both ways are nice, I've made several batches myself but it's very nice to taste another's recipes.", she didn't feel like she was intruding, if anything maybe this would be a chance to make a new friend.

??? ?? ?????????  《》 v sleepy it may not make sense whoips

?????? & ???????? & ????????? ????????

"It's just powder, nothing special." Atbash replied with a little laugh, a more genuine one rather than one out of embarrassment or awkwardness. She appreciated Merlin's compliment on her home, seeing it more as a way to get to know Atbash rather than an actual mess like the savannah did. "I used to make them all the time whenever I lead a group called Snowbound." Her voice was soft, reminiscing on her time as a Snowbounder. "It was a place where the snow never melted, so very cold, y'know? It was a tradition to offer our visitors and joiners hot chocolate for coming all the way there."

?? ?????????  《》 Taking a comfortable seat upon the available couch, gazing around the room in a sense of wonder, taking in the different trinkets and belongings with a content smile, grooming the remaining grit from her paws before curling them up under her body to rest in a loaf position on the couch. Turning her head as she took in different sights, the unique scent of the house calming her nerves.

"powder still makes a good drink - one of these days I'm going to have make you a fresh batch.", she murmured softly as she curled her tail about her hips, ears pricked as she listened to her move around, "a group called snowbound ... and it was cold all year-round? It sounds like a lovely tradition, I'm glad that you've kept that tradition, Atbash.", there was a fondness in her voice, eyes of green gazing around with curious yet content light.

??? ?? ?????????  《》

?????? & ???????? & ????????? ????????

Loafing was something Atbash often did to comfort herself; it reminded her of how her mother used to wrap her tail around her, and to see Merlin loaf on her couch made her heart warm. Merlin was clearly comfortable here and that made Atbash happy. The two of the just met, but she had a feeling they were going to be great friends.

Atbash poured the powder into a couple cups of hot water, gently swishing around the powder with a spoon to actually make the hot chocolate, listening to Merlin in the background. "I miss it there. It was the very first group I joined, very hospitable and open to others." Not that Tanglewood wasn't, of course, but there was something about the former Tribe that made Atbash want to go back. "But Tanglewood is my home now, they don't really have it as a tradition per say but I'm glad you accepted the offer." With that, she brought the cups to the table in front of her couch, gently setting down Merlin's close to her.

?? ?????????  《》 giving a faint purr as she loafed, settling into her fur with a relaxed expression on her face, she would listen to atbash speak, her eyes dancing across spines of tomes and novels to far for her eyes to make out. her purr grew a bit louder, eyes squinting with happiness, she believed that the two of them would get along just fine.

turning her head as she came in, she gave a fond smile to her, "the first group you joined?", she would murmur softly with a slight tip of her head, "if you don't mind, would you be willing to show me where you lived?", she asked, a bit shyly, "the weather where i used to live was rather ... mischievous, though i did live all over the place. it was always very pretty when it snowed, though rain came before the snow", she chuckled warmly, a fond glint to her eyes. "i'm glad that you offered, or we wouldn't be sitting here now.", she smiled at atbash as she reached for her own mug to bring it close with a gentle hum, sitting up so as not to spill the liquid.

??? ?? ?????????  《》

?????? & ???????? & ????????? ????????

Atbash's ears pricked up at the mention of taking Merlin to Snowbound, her one eye sparkling. "Oh, I'd love to!" She purred. "It was always snowy there, very cold. But I loved it. Definitely a contrast to Tanglewood." She laughed. "The only reason I even joined here was because my brother was the former leader here, before Aurum and before Elsweyr."

?? ?????????  《》 Chuckling softly to herself as she saw the savannah's ears prick up, the sparkling in her one eye. She couldn't help the thoughts that hit her with the force of a thousand stones, blazes, that's really cute., she thought to herself as she licked a spilled droplet of hot chocolate from her own fur, grooming the paw that it had fallen onto. "Snowy and cold? That definitely is a contrast to the swamp. Your brother used to lead here?", she wouldn't ask why - if Atbash felt like telling her, she would let the Cipher tell her herself. Family things could be a sensitive topic for some and with her own family dead, she couldn't blame anyone else - it was mostly a private affair unless one was very public with what happened in their families. She couldn't even remember the feeling of her siblings holding onto her, she could only remember holding their hands as light faded from their eyes and the sickness took them.

Abruptly shaking her head to clear out the memories she didn't wish to relive, she smiled, "I'm sure he was a brilliant leader, Atbash. I don't know him or his story but if he has such a friendly sister, he must have been an incredible man himself.", she purred.

??? ?? ?????????  《》

?????? & ???????? & ????????? ????????

//Retro to Caesar's attack

Atbash would like to keep her family affairs private, but unfortunately with having Caesar as a littermate, things tended to slip out whether she intended on it happening or not - whether it came from her mouth, or some sort of rumor Caesar started. Vigenere was the same way, she knew, but it was hard not to talk about things when you were a leader. Rumors got around, whether you liked them or not. "He did." She giggled a bit at Merlin's compliment, holding a paw over her mouth as if trying to hide her smile. "He was a good guy, a great leader. He was always making sure Caesar and I didn't get into too much trouble when we were younger."

Suddenly realizing that Merlin likely didn't know about Caesar, Atbash went on, "Um. Caesar is our younger brother, he... he's not the best person." To say the very least, that's for sure. Killing Vigenere's fiance, killing their parents, attacking and scarring her, causing more trauma than Atbash would like to admit.

?? ?????????  《》 A soft puff of warm breath, a smile on her face, gazing at Atbash warmly. Licking her lips to clear them of cocoa, she settled for casually observing Atbash, her expressions were vivid to her, like a fresh rain. She had been alone for so long, always traveling that the chance to sit down and talk, even if not fully a heart to heart... it meant a lot to her. She'd been lonely since birth, her parents had loved her, yes, but she had been alone, never making a substantial relationship or connection with anyone, only her pet ducks.

Listening as she spoke, she began to let her walls down, allowing herself to relax and begin to feel the warmth of a friendship. That's what she wanted, what she needed. "Its alright. You don't have to tell me if you don't feel comfortable with it, Atbash. Your behavior is enough to tell me its not an easy subject to talk about", she offered softly, moving her paw over to put it gently on Atbash's in what was meant to be a gentle way. She knew how it felt to want to keep secrets buried, and she wouldn't force them out of Atbash, when she felt comfortable enough to tell her, she would listen when that time came.

??? ?? ?????????  《》

?????? & ???????? & ????????? ????????