I mean I used to feel so sure [o, at the border]

[wormwood.]

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

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

Despite the fact that Vathmos was never really a fan of family or friends that much – as Aurum imagined most hyenas weren't – that had never stopped Aurum from getting close to her. Perhaps it was just because he was such a softhearted sap, something that both Vathmos and Snarl had easily recognized. Or perhaps it was just because he had been deprived of having true family and friends when he was a cub. Either way, he saw Vathmos as practically family to him, and even as she just awkwardly looked at him and gave him her own sort of greeting, he felt a wide grin split his face. A chuckle and a chuff left his throat as he gently butted his head against Vath's shoulder in an affectionate gesture, still overwhelmingly glad to see her alive and well again, "Ah... yeah, Beck happened to my eye. Happened a while ago. He scratched at my eye while he was all bloody and since his blood is essentially acid... well, Selby had to take it out. I've been coping pretty well, I think." He shrugged his shoulders a bit, offering the hyena a curt little smile as he sat back. Sure, maybe it was a bit shocking to hear one of your friends just casually talk about how they got their eye taken out by another one of your clanmates, but Aurum had just grown so used to only having one eye at this point that it was old news to him. Not to mention the fact that he was sure Vathmos had seen much worse things, considering her odd collection of bones, along with the stories she had told many times in the past about eating other hyenas and what tribes did to survive.

Aurum watched with a smile as Leroy came walking up, offering the Gerneral a dip of his head in greeting as the canine welcomed Vathmos back into the group. He knew that Leroy hadn't been quite as close to the female as he had been, but he didn't doubt that the other was also glad to see her, and he was always happy to see others helping him to welcome someone in, or back in. Particularly the General himself, considering the fact that it made the newcomers feel oddly special to have the head honcho around to greet them. He doubted the same was true for Vathmos, but he was also fairly sure that Vath didn't even know Leroy was in charge now, so she probably wouldn't have gotten that feeling either way. Aurum was rolling his shoulders, intent on catching up with Snarl as he led her back into the territory and back to her home, but then there was a new scent on the air, and Aurum's heart sank. Aurum knew very well how territorial hyenas could be, and even if Snarl and Vathmos weren't driven purely by instinct, it did happen to drive their decision making occasionally. When Snarl arrived and began to talk, Aurum could feel himself frowning, the desire to jump to Vath's defense growing by the minute. Still, he held himself back, just glancing back at Vathmos. After all, he was fairly sure she knew how to handle herself, and probably wouldn't appreciate him interrupting.

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