COUNT THE STARS ☆ vathmos

[wormwood.]

i was born, on the highway, in a train wreck

with a heart, that was beating, out of my chest

Vathmos's recent return to Tanglewood had been... bittersweet. Sweet, because Aurum was overjoyed to see his old friend around again, after so many months without her and so many hardships having happened in her absence. Bitter, however, because it seemed as though Vathmos would not be welcomed back entirely with open arms. Aurum had only been watching silently from the sidelines, but just watching the interactions between Vathmos and Snarl had been enough to make him wince, and he had wanted to get involved somehow, but knew well that both of them would just end up aggravated at him in the end. Even if Aurum didn't hate hyenas as many of his kind did, he could very much see why their culture, instincts, and attitudes could make things very frustrating, especially when you made friends with them. Even if Vathmos would deny that she was truly friends with Aurum, even if the proxy ended up dying to protect her. Sometimes she seemed as though exactly the type to receive a friendship bracelet from Aurum and tell him it was stupid, but then utterly refuse to ever take it off again. Just the thought of such a scenario brought a faint smile to Aurum's mouth, and allowed him to relax after all of the recent stress in his life. Aurum had, very unfortunately, missed his chance to hang out a bit with Vathmos by bringing her back to town when she had first arrived thanks to the unpleasant little interaction between the two hyenas, and the rest of his day had been utterly filled with proxy duties along with being forced to heal, so it was only a day or so later when he was actually able to put aside time to find her.

Thankfully, it wasn't very hard to find Vathmos. Mainly thanks to the heavy scent of death and decay that the hyena carried with her everywhere she went. A scent that, even when dampened by the mixture of mud upon her pelt, was too distinctive to belong to anyone else. Aurum had spent only a couple of minutes searching around town before that scent had hit his nose, and he found the hyena laying near the edge of town, chewing on the bones of... something. Aurum desperately hoped that it had been a piece of fresh kill, and not a clanmate. Trotting over slowly, the proxy settled into a sitting position and wrapped his tail around his paws, giving Vathmos a moment to acknowledge his presence and stop chewing for a second. Once she did so, he smiled at her, his voice accompanied by a pleasant hum, "Hey, Vath. It's good to see you... I figured maybe we could do some catching up like you suggested? I know things have changed a lot since I last saw you, and I wanted to wait until you had settled in a little bit." He very much wanted to talk, but he could also understand if the hyena refused him, considering she might've thought a day wasn't long enough to settle in, or was still perturbed by Snarl's treatment.

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[Vathmos]

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VATHMOS

INFORMATION ROLEPLAYER MISC.

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If you asked her, Vathmos wasn't quite sure how she ended up being friends with Wormwood- Aurum. She would probably deny it, however. She detested any appearance of weakness that befell her. Vathmos' first priority upon her return was to feast. She wanted to be full again, and more vitally, put meat back on her bones. Showing up on the Tanglewood border with a thin torso and new scars was an insult to herself. She couldn't let her other clanmates see her in a weakened state, especially Snarl.

The first thing she ate when she returned was a rabbit- then a few more. Normally, she would drag a fresh kill to her own home and eat it in private there. Vathmos wasn't ready to return to her house yet, so when she took the torso of a deer out of the supplies, she carried it to a private spot and continued her munching. She knew Aurum would want answers. "Why did you leave?" and she wasn't quite sure if she was ready to answer.

Vathmos could see the lion coming out of the corner of her eyes, crunching on a deer rib, breaking it into two. She continued, licking the blood away as it slopped over her face, and digging into the bone marrow inside. She stopped mid-action, eyes leaving her meal to look at the lion. Catching up? Oh right. She could do that. She let the bone fall from her mouth, ears perking and turning the rest of her head towards the lion. "Uh... Sure. What's up with the new name?"

━ [b]MY SKIN IS A STORY┆LONELY. CLINGY. HATEFUL. ━

[wormwood.]

i was born, on the highway, in a train wreck

with a heart, that was beating, out of my chest

Why did you leave? It was certainly a question that lingered on Aurum's mind as he faced Vathmos, and more than once since she had returned had it lingered on the tip of his tongue as well, but he resisted asking it, mainly for his own mental health. He knew how Vathmos operated, and even if he knew full well that they really were friends despite her protests, he wasn't sure if he was ready for the female's instincts to tell him that he owed her nothing, and had wanted to strike out on her own. Aurum was certainly overjoyed to have the other back, but it had never been a surprise that their friendship was volatile, stretching back as far as when Vathmos had first unintentionally raged on him and injured his leg. For now... he just wanted to keep the peace between them. He wanted to relish in the fact that one of his first real friends was back. The heavy questions could come later. For now, all he wanted was to talk to her and relax. When the other confirmed that she was alright with talking, Aurum allowed himself to lay down near her, his heavy body settling against the soft earth to put less strain on his tired muscles. At her first question, the lion let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head a bit, "Yes, that... well, I didn't change it until recently. Well, if you can call a few months ago recently. I just... I didn't really feel like Wormwood fit anymore, you know? Worm was the name originally given to me by my parents because it was supposed to be an insult, and... I didn't really wanna have that hanging over me anymore. I chose Aurum because it was what Ament used to call me, in his raptor language. It apparently means "gold." Aurum was unsure if Ament had arrived before or after Vathmos had disappeared off of the face of Tanglewood, but he could always explain that as well if she didn't know.

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[Vathmos]

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VATHMOS

INFORMATION ROLEPLAYER MISC.

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Vathmos left for, what she had felt at the time, were good reasons.  Aurum couldn't understand how Vathmos felt. He couldn't understand the hyena's primal urge for a group, for solid living, for stable food. These were all things she had in Tanglewood, but he and the rest of them couldn't understand her. She felt like she needed other hyenas, that they could provide her with real stability, but when she tried to go to them, maybe find another group of exiles... they bit her too.
Exiled hyenas, despite needing the comfort of one another, didn't hang out with eachother. They were exiled from everyone, even other exiles. She figured, that's why Snarl already hated. Vathmos... wanted the comfort of other hyenas, but she did not think she would find that in Snarl. From what she knew, Snarl had a level of ferocity rivaling Vathmos', but a heart more closed then her own. And Snarl was promoted. Ugh. She visibly cringed at the thought. She would have to do what Snarl said. Ew.

She turned her attention back to Wor- Aurum as he spoke, ears perking as he explained the story. Ament? That's right. That had been the raptor. She didn't have many interaction with him, but that was the sole member of Tanglewood Vathmos had actually feared, and respected out of fear. "I guess that makes sense. Ament called me Torvus. It meant savage or something." She certainly liked it, but she hadn;t felt a need to abandon her name. Not like Aurum had, or, as she suspected, Snarl.

━ [b]MY SKIN IS A STORY┆LONELY. CLINGY. HATEFUL. ━

[wormwood.]

i was born, on the highway, in a train wreck

with a heart, that was beating, out of my chest

Vathmos was right, in that Aurum couldn't truly understand her reasoning in leaving Tanglewood. Lions, although not quite as driven by pure instinct as hyenas, also had their own innate desires. Stay in prides and packs, because that would keep you safe, and would make hunting easier... there would always be females to watch the children, and everyone could work together under one common leader. Most other lions would be yearning to return to a life where they had a pride of others like them, but... Aurum wasn't like most lions. His pride hadn't reflected safety, or home, or family. All it had represented to him was thinly veiled insults, being tossed aside and berated, as well as everyone shunning him. Hell, if he hadn't grown up fast – both for himself and for Poetking – he probably wouldn't be alive today, since no one truly cared enough to want to protect or nurture him. It was nearly impossible for Aurum to understand Vathmos's leaving because his old home, his old pride... it didn't represent the safety that Vath felt about her pack. No, instead, Tanglewood represented that safety for him, and that's why he didn't think he could ever leave.

Listening closely to what Vathmos had to say in response, Aurum chuckled a bit, one of his ears flicking as he stretched out. It didn't entirely surprise him that Ament would choose a name for her that meant savagery or hostility. There were very few people that Vathmos seemed to legitimately get along with, and Aurum felt a sort of honor in being in that exclusive club, even if he wasn't quite sure if the hyena would ever truly respect him. Shaking off such thoughts, Aurum spoke softly as he thought back to Ament, a faint smile spreading across his muzzle, "Yes, well... I had already been starting to feel like Wormwood didn't fit anymore, especially considering nearly every new joiner would give me an odd look when I introduced myself. So, when I thought back to Ament and his name for me... it just felt right. Especially as a sort of way to honor him... I have no idea where he is now, truthfully." It had just seemed like one day the raptor was there, and the next day he was gone, a fact that had made Aurum's heart ache severely when he had found out. Sure, perhaps Ament couldn't truly speak beyond his own raptor language, but that didn't mean he hadn't been a friend.

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[Vathmos]

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VATHMOS

INFORMATION ROLEPLAYER MISC.

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Perhaps, if Vathmos stayed for long enough, and let it get through her thick skull, Tanglewood would come to represent the sort of safety net she so desired. She didn't really have a choice though, either. Vathmos would never be accepted into a new hyena tribe for her markings. A wave of sadness washed of her as she thought back to the Spotted Hide tribe, they did not reject her for her crimes, or for her ferocity, they rejected her for her blood.
Her efforts were fruitless in the first place. Hyenas didn't want her, but Vathmos wanted them. She wanted to go back to that society, but even other tribes had inspected her for markings, gave her more, and banished her. How could she return to a society that didn't want her?
Meeting the other hyena here had not been much better, either. Snarl already detested her, and Vathmos wondered if she would have to fight for respect from the alien hyena. Snarl would probably agree to such terms. The interactions Vathmos had had with her so far only filled her with rage. Some stupid part of her wanted Snarl to like her, and the other part wanted to kill her.

She looked back to Aurum, going on about Ament and his name. "I have not seen him in a long time either... a few other members appear to be gone since I left, too." She couldn't remember her names, but she could remember their faces. There was a blind dog, a red guy, another dog, that bird.... "People seem to come and go here. Not loyal in that way." Vathmos was aware she was in that group, too. "Anyways... did you want to ask me some stuff?"

━ [b]MY SKIN IS A STORY┆LONELY. CLINGY. HATEFUL. ━

[wormwood.]

i was born, on the highway, in a train wreck

with a heart, that was beating, out of my chest

Rejection. It was a feeling that both Aurum and Vathmos could relate to, considering their backgrounds. Vathmos, rejected for her blood and what it represented, and Aurum, rejected from his family and his home simply for not being the preferred son. Neither was fair to either of them, but hopefully both could find a home within Tanglewood, even if Aurum had to be the one screaming from the rooftops that Tanglewood could be the home that the hyena desired. It might've seemed a ridiculous mental image to most, but if standing up on one of the roofs of the many homes scattered around and shouting would actually get the point across, Aurum wpuld do it in a heartbeat. After all, it wasn't as if he didn't have wings to just conveniently fly up to a rooftop.

Pushing away those unpleasant thoughts, Aurum was unfortunately only forced with more when Vathmos brought up that many people had disappeared since her last time being around. Sighing heavily, the proxy nodded, his eyes glancing around almost wistfully as he thought of the many faces that were still missing, "That is true... many people have drifted off, or gone away, or maybe even been taken. Some don't even go because they mean to... I miss most of them as well. But all I can really do is hope they'll be back one day. Like you." He offered the hyena across from him a soft smile, before blinking in surprise at her next words. Questions? Well, yes, he supposed that was why he had come over, wasn't it? Shifting a little bit on his paws, Aurum nodded before speaking, "I suppose I did... I'm not even sure what to ask first, to be honest. Did you... were you... did you meet any other hyenas while you were gone? I know that hyenas tend to... gravitate towards each other." He motioned a paw a bit awkwardly as he spoke, demonstrating that he didn't quite know the exact wording for how hyenas tended to find each other.

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[Vathmos]

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VATHMOS

INFORMATION ROLEPLAYER MISC.

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Vathmos was getting tied of Snarl already. She'd been disrespected before, and normally she would fight them for dominance. She hadn't been disrespected like this in Tanglewood and she couldn't solve this problem with a simple bite to the throat. Snarl was higher up than her, and more importantly, Tanglewood would kick her out too. Then where would she go?
Maybe challenging her to a spar would be a safe alternative. Or, if Snarl would agree to it, Vathmos could challenge her to a formal fight and they could finally duke it out with eachother. She just wanted to fight the striped hyena already. Her thoughts were pulled away as Wormwood started speaking again, and Vathmos' ears perked to listen to him. "It's... a little complicated. Hyenas need eachother to survive, and anyone who says otherwise is already dead." These were facts of life. Most prey was too big to hunt alone, and hyenas were somewhere in the middle of the foodchain. They had to band together to overrun and outnumber prey and predator. That was the way. "I ran into two other tribes, but.... they didn't want me." The new scars on her neck proved as much. Specifically, she ran into two groups: Three Jaws and Al'Choraiv. Al'Choraiv's leader was a murderess. Vathmos was impressed by her, but when Ahrikvask saw her marks the chieftan had her bitten and run out of the area. The tribe didn't have any claim to land, being nomadic, so they ran her sufficiently far away from the tribe.

━ [b]MY SKIN IS A STORY┆LONELY. CLINGY. HATEFUL. ━

[wormwood.]

i was born, on the highway, in a train wreck

with a heart, that was beating, out of my chest

Normally, the proxy wouldn't have approved of any fighting between clanmates. It went against the entire point of Tanglewood, and pretty clearly fell under the whole "no hurting clanmates" rule that Leroy had been looking to enforce more strongly as of late. However, Aurum had certainly seen this far how Snarl treated Vathmos, and he couldn't say that he wasn't a little annoyed by it as well. He was beginning to think of Snarl as a friend, but Vathmos was a friend as well, and he really didn't appreciate the insulting way the other hyena spoke to her. So, if both parties agreed to some sort of fight or spar... well, he would probably allow it, provided it didn't end in death. When Vathmos spoke, Aurum felt a soft chuckle leave him, his eyes seeming to get a bit of a far away look as he nodded, "Trust me, I'm aware of how hyenas work together to survive. Back when I lived with my pride, we lived near a tribe of hyenas in the area. Usually we managed to avoid conflict, but whenever there was anything... well, let's just say there was never just one hyena coming." He could still remember them losing a few lionesses to a pack of hyenas when the worst of the fighting had broken out. That had been a dark day. At her second statement, however, Aurum felt confused. A faint frown tugged at his muzzle before he tilted his head to one side, his words slightly hesitant, "Didn't want you...? That's ridiculous. Vathmos, you're one of the best warriors I've ever seen. You hunt well, fight very well... why wouldn't they want you?" Despite having more of an understanding of hyena culture than most, that didn't mean Aurum knew everything. And he certainly didn't know what the markings on Vathmos meant. For the most part, he thought they were just scars, acquired from random battles.

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[Vathmos]

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VATHMOS

INFORMATION ROLEPLAYER MISC.

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Maybe in different circumstances she would tolerate Snarl's mistreatment better, or she would try some other means of compromise. All Vathmos felt when she thought about the hyena was annoyance and a budding rage. Their last interaction made sparks fly between Vathmos' teeth, and she wondered how long it would be before they got into a brawl. It was inevitable, until one of them proved stronger than the other.
She tried to vanquish Snarl from her thoughts. She wasn't important right now- Vathmos was talking to Aurum now. She nodded in agreement to his fist statement. "Never one. At least three." In Spotted Hide's conflicts with lions, they tried to have a ratio of at least five hyenas to one lion. Otherwise, they tried to avoid them. Her ears tilted back and she made a small "mm" noise when Aurum expressed his confusion. Her tail sagged and she felt the wave of shame hit her again. She looked at the ground for a moment, averting her eyes from the mighty lion. The hyena took in a heavy sigh, raising herself to a sitting position and lowering her voice.

"You can't tell anyone, Aurum."

━ [b]MY SKIN IS A STORY┆LONELY. CLINGY. HATEFUL. ━