Hunter was the first word to come to mind when Aurum laid eyes upon Hebi, and how could it not be? The being before him looked not only scarred, strong, and ready for anything, but from the... accessories that were draped over his form, it was clear that he had seen a thing or two in the past. It made two emotions clash within the angel as he grew closer – anxiety, and comfort. Anxiety, because if Hebi was within the mountains to join Elysium, then he had to be here to hunt something, which meant that he wanted to hurt the Elysites that the lion called friends. Comfort, however, because if Hebi was indeed sitting there with the intent to join, that would mean that there would be yet another skilled fighter within Elysium, which was never something to scoff at. After all, for such a relatively peaceful group, they did deal with fairly violent threats on a semi-regular basis, and having strong warriors to face those threats was only natural.

Choosing to err on the side of caution, Aurum was slow to approach, his heavy pawsteps deliberate as the lion emerged from between the snow covered trees, wings held slightly aloft. Given the peaceful expression that played across Hebi's face, it seemed clear that the other had not come for conflict. Or if he had, he was at least very skilled at hiding it. Coming to a stop in front of Hebi once he was only a few long strides away, Aurum cleared his throat, his voice coming out in a clear and warm rumble as he spoke, "Hello there, stranger. You're on the territory of Elysium, in case you didn't know. Could I get your name and business?" The lion's eyes trailed downward momentarily, lingering on the jasper knives for a long moment before he continued, "I hope you're not here to cause any trouble."" He hadn't meant his words as a threat, but they could easily be interpreted as such, since Aurum's protective nature had already begun to extend over his secondary home.

Aurum knew of war, and exile. Perhaps better than most might've ever expected him to. He had lived through two wars now, one when he had been merely a doe eyed cub, struggling to see what was going on between his Pride and the hyena pack that harassed and threatened them. The second, when he had been within Tanglewood, full of resentment and fury for those that had threatened to – that had – harmed his family. The war between Tanglewood and The Pitt had been a long one, one that had been going on since before the lion had ever even stepped over the boundary line, but it felt just as important to him as any other Tangler that had seen the beginning of it. The angel had lived to see the ugly and vicious exchanges between not only Tanglewood and The Pitt, but The Typhoon and The Pitt as well. He had given himself fully to the hatred that had boiled in his veins for the desert dwelling group. He had known that when he plunged his teeth into Kydobi's throat, clinging on for dear life as the other choked on his own blood in a desperate move to survive. Aurum hadn't allowed it then, determined to enact his terrible and final act of revenge. He didn't regret it, not now or ever. After all, it had been war, and Kydobi had resigned himself to his fate the moment he had chosen the side of The Pitt.

Exile was something that had never technically been forced upon Aurum, at least not intentionally. He had always resigned himself to his own acts of exile, like when he had left Tanglewood. He had left not because they had forced him to, but because circumstances had. He couldn't have remained in the swamp, not back then, when every day was another grim reminder of what had happened not only to him, but to his family as a whole. The Pride had been a more... complicated situation. The lion had technically never been exiled from his birth home, but the threats that his mother had made had certainly felt like an exile. What was he supposed to think, when she had attempted to kill him before, and told him to leave and never return if not with Poetking? The thought had once made his heart ache, desperately yearning for a place best left forgotten, but now it only left him... numb. Numb because, truly, that exile had been one of the best events in his life, because it had led him to Tanglewood, and to every event that had happened afterwards.

Needless to say, it would've been easy for Aurum to feel a sense of kinship with Hebi. In fact, he probably would, one day, as he had a habit of doing with everyone he came to care for. However, for the moment, the angel remained cautious, especially with the various threats that lingered around the other's neck. He knew that none of them seemed to have the intent to harm for now, but he also knew that could change, in a manner of seconds, just with an order for Hebi. Despite his anxieties over the other's companions, Aurum still found himself able to give a welcoming smile, his voice a deep rumble of greeting, "Hello there, Hebi. As Rin said, you're more than welcome to make yourself a home here. My name is Aurum... I'd also be curious to learn about your... companions. I recognize the black mamba, but what are the others?" Even as anxiety bubbled in his chest, Aurum couldn't help but feel fascinated by Hebi's companions in equal measure. Save for the ones near the gate of The Typhoon, Aurum didn't have a lot of experience with snakes, and it certainly seemed as though Hebi had quite a lot.