AIN'T WHAT YOU COULD BE — intro/training

[THEM]

[align=center][div style="text-align:justify;width:55%;font-family:verdana;"]ooc. last few paragraphs are the important bits! just a silly intro with a lot of added internal monologue lmao

Only a couple of years ago, Kazuhira was born of a meager litter to a single mother. He spent those months out of the nest wandering where the prospects took him, aimless in his goals but brewing something bigger just below the surface. The depths were too dark to grasp for it then, but the waters were slowly growing clearer. Only six months ago he'd joined a band of loners to help them fight for - what was it - lost territory? An end to a leadership? The motives had a tendency to blur as the ulterior reared its ugly head in each fighter. He'd trained, kept the group organized where his leader needed a brain and a hand, and maintained tabs on the tension that had slowly wormed its way into the group.

He'd left before things could go south (before somebody decided an assassination was in order) and instead picked his way across the continent to make his way to Tanglewood. He had a personal interest in keeping his head securely attached to his shoulders, sure, but the talk of mysterious lands in the far reaches of the Beyond truly lured him out of the comfort zone he'd built around himself. Tangle wasn't intended to be the end destination, but he'd heard stories of warring factions spread across the map, and where his loner squadron avoided marked borders and sights of a nameless enemy, he was drawn by the possibility of that future he'd allowed to drift just out of reach. Into the unknown he ventured, and the rest was history.

Another rank. Another team. He had a house, now, which was far more than the pawful of utility tools he was usually handed when he joined another squad. Things were already looking up.

Where he'd been spending the past few months, dens were far more common - a few rogues of varying size packed together like sardines in a dirty hollow to survive the frigid night, leaving a kicking limb in his face, a rock digging into his back. Their supplies were useless against the chill, a blanket doing all but providing the body heat a hypothermic body couldn't. Their commander had advised against the bivy sacks, but a less-than-sharp rookie had tried to make it through the night in the sleeping bag because he must've been Too Good For Cuddling With The Bros, and when it snowed overnight he was a stone-cold corpse by sunrise. That was a lesson well-learned if he'd ever seen one.

So Kaz is pleased, to say the least, that he has a bed of his own and just enough square footage to stretch his legs. Far more accustomed to utility, he doesn't take up much space; there's some old furniture in the house but his belongings are confined to the corner of a bedroom, and he's hardly bothered to explore the litter-strewn rooms that still sat behind closed doors. With all the empty rooms in the place, there might be a pent house in his future. Until he's recruited a few housemates, though, he's alone. But Kaz has got his space, a woodstove to keep the cold at bay, and a deck of cards to keep him occupied while he figures out what, exactly, made Tanglewood tick, and that's good enough for him. He'd find his niche, just as he did among the rogues.

But he was far too impatient to spend another day waiting for a task to appear on his doorstep.

When he steps outside, the sun only barely scrapes the distant treetops. He's first blasted with a winter chill that bites down to the marrow. Then, the harsh light of the sun glinting off a fresh (but thin, the swamp never stays cold for long) sheet of snow - he pushes his glasses up the bridge of his muzzle and squints a little, blocking the light with his paw until his eyes can make the adjustment. It was never easy to switch from indoors to out, but the aviators perched on his nose were working well for him. He'd spent too much of his childhood watching life pass by as a blur of white light and indiscernible shapes, and the sunglasses an old buddy had heisted of a lonely hiker were a welcome improvement.

(-Right off their damn face! that same buddy would regale over a fireside meal, and Kaz wouldn't pipe up that he had to knock the human out first to get away with the trick. That friend was a dead one, now, gone far before Kaz even thought of leaving those loners. It was too late to ruin another campfire story with the boring truth.)

Kaz trudges outside and wishes he was built for this kind of weather, and pauses idly to pull a weapon from his arsenal, tucked under the cloth of a handkerchief that kept his neck warm. A whistle. Maybe he'd be marked the clan asshole for this one, but he was long past bored, and standing on his stoop while thinking about dead friends wasn't going to get him anywhere.

Kazuhira takes a long, deep breath, and blows the whistle with all he's got.

"At-ten-tion!" He used to be a little pitchy, back in the day, but he's got a strong bark now that makes a few passerby jolt right off of their paws. He ignores the discomfort that settles over the little cul-de-sac like a plague, because it's all his doing - he wants them to be a little pissed off, a little scared. It'll make them work harder. "I've been waiting around for all of three days watching this group operate. I don't care about the new leadership, the cold, whatever excuse you pull out your ass - I don't like what I see. You've got yourselves a diverse group of workers - teammates - that have a varied skillset," Like that giant fucking spider, he nearly spits, "And I'm still waiting to see that strength put to good use. What is this, a fucking retirement home? On your feet! We're training, going full Thunderdome out here."

Yelling at people might as well be an Olympic sport. Gold star for whoever gets somebody crying first, silver to whoever goes long enough without a voice crack. Kaz thinks himself the world champion, at this rate, but a solid part of him wants to shovel snow directly into his scratchy throat as he marches out into the road. It's easy to fall back into the rhythm he used to live for, back straight, paws touching, voice harsh and unyielding in sympathy. "Get out here! There's no hiding, I'll raid your goddamn house if you think you've gonna sit on your ass and watch. Pair up quick, too, before I put you with someone twice your size and watch 'em knock your teeth out just for fun."

[wormwood.]

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

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

Aurum had attempted this thing once before with the group – the whole training hard and trying to become better fighters thing. It hadn't gone amazingly... well, it hadn't really gone anywhere at all. Sure, people had showed up, but it had ended with Feza with her tail tucked beneath her legs, fear in her eyes because she was utterly unable to think of how to fight back. Now, that wasn't from lack of him trying hard enough, though. Sure, perhaps he hadn't been as... loud as Kaz was currently being, but he had called for people, and had encouraged them a bit forcibly, which wss the whole reason that Feza had ended up participating. Honestly a part of Aurum really hoped that the snow leopard didn't show up to this particular little get together, since he was fairly sure that Kaz would make her cry, intentionally or not. Still, there seemed to be no guarantee that if Kaz heard her bright and loud voice, he wouldn't immediately go chasing after her to get her to participate... whatever, that wasn't his problem. Sure, he was Captain of the Guard now, so the wellbeing of his fellow tanglers was a high priority – as it always had been – but that didn't mean he needed to worry about Feza every waking moment. She probably could've benefitted from some training, and as long as Kaz didn't physically hurt her, then it wasn't really any of the angel's business. As for Aurum? He didn't really feel like he needed too much training, considering the amount of constant practice he had, not to mention the fact that he had fought pretty damm well in the somewhat recent raid, but it could never hurt, and he was... fascinated by this Kaz fellow, to say the least. He had never seen the other's face around before now, which was pretty surprising for the Captain, since it was rare for someone to slip in below his radar. Still, it was a pleasant surprise, and even if the new guy seemed like a bit of a hardass, it seemed as though he had good intentions.

Aurum made his way over to the training session rather slowly, mainly because of the fact that he was still getting over injuries inflicted at the raid on the Pitt. It had been a few weeks now, but he had already been pretty fucked up before the raid, and even with Moth and a somewhat injured Selby helping him, his muscles and cuts were still aching from beneath their bandages. Still, the one eyed lion made his way over confidently, even if there was a bit of a hitch in his step as he lifted one of his back legs, the deep scratch wounds there, along with the dull pain that came from moving his injured joints, causing a little jolt every time he lifted the limb up too far. Settling down a few feet away from Kaz, the lion blinked one blue eye at the other for a long contemplative moment before tilting his head to one side, rumbling softly, "I suppose I'll participate. More training is always nice, and hopefully this will go better than the one that I tried to hold a little while ago..." He honestly wasn't sure how many people would show up, considering the fact that he had already seen a couple of nearby npcs giving each other weary looks before bolting off spouting excuses about hunting or border patrols in order to get out if having to deal with Kaz. It seemed as though the other male had gained a reputation after only this one event, and that thought made Aurum chuckle, shaking his head a bit. He could tell that Kaz wss probably going to be an interesting guy, and in the back of his mind, Aurum thought about how Leroy would react to Kaz. He'd probably either love him or hate him, or some mix of hatred and respect. Leroy clearly respected initiative, since it was the whole reason that Aurum had been promoted to his current rank, but he also enjoyed relaxing when the time came, and Aurum honestly wasn't sure if he could imagine the male in front of him ever relaxing, considering the stern look that Aurum could get the barest glance over the sunglasses, along with the tensed form and loud and demanding – if a bit hoarse – voice.

As more people wandered over, some intrigued by the event itself and some just intrigued by the seemingly mad man in the middle of town screeching for people to come over, Aurum couldn't help but feel his amusement grow as he glanced around. Shifting his wings a bit to stretch them out before he felt a pleasant pop, Aurum questioned curiously, "I don't believe I've ever seen you around before... or at least we haven't interacted directly. My name's Aurum, and I'm the Captain of the Guard. Big fan of training myself." He usually just ended up doing it directly with training dummies, since it required far less preparation and the gathering of other people, but he could also understand the route that Kaz was taking, since sparring with others was always far more exciting, and gave more varied and interesting reactions from your opponent. He figured it was fine a bit to introduce himself and possibly chat a little with Kaz at the moment, considering the fact that several people were still just milling about uncertainly, and most of the true fighters hadn't arrived yet. Besides some of Tanglewood just not being very good fighters or strategists, there was also a part of Aurum that felt amusement crash like a wave over him as he saw some others yawning in exhaustion from having been woken up from the whistle, or just flopping down where they were... perhaps this was why his last training session hadn't exactly gone spectacularly. He would have to try and hold some more after the mess hall was completed, possibly in junction with Kaz. Even if the war with the Pitt was essentially over, that didn't mean that they shouldn't have a good attack force in case of sudden new threats, right? He honestly prayed that there weren't too many hidden new enemies lurking within the supposedly safe shadows, but he also knew better than to try and lull himself into a false sense of security. The moment that they were all feeling nice and warm and safe, shit always seemed to go wildly south around here. It was a sort of unfortunate part of living within Tanglewood for some reason – or any of the various groups lingering around, honestly.

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[Blazic]

[arcy]

-

-

Crowley had been around for .. well, a long time. Like, a long time. He'd seen a lot of wars in his time, was "involved" in some. As such, in this context, it might be kind of .. strange, that Crowley doesn't know how to fight. Even when he was in a more common form. .. Listen, to be entirely honest, he'd just faked it. Miracles were his thing back then, and it's not like Hell wouldn't appreciate some sloth in the name of evil or whatever. He didn't have miracles now, though, so he kept on getting fucking trashed cause he was small and lanky and most certainly not a fighter. Slinky and graceless.
Still, the serval can't help but groan at the shouting he hears. He knows that sorta thing. He doesn't wanna do it -- the shouting alone causes his fucking headache to hike. He was sneaky. He was real sneaky. He could get out of it, right? .. He was also hurt, but he doubts three minor* injuries will stop this fucking dude, and he'll fucking know, if he's sticking around. So, first taking the chance to bury his head beneath his wings for a good few, healing seconds, he finally gets up, stumbling just slightly. Fuck. Shit. This sucks.
*surface level. More to it then that.
To be entirely honest, seeing the cheetah gave him a flash of .. anxiety. It's not him, it's not the other one, but for a second, he almost thinks it is.
He's pretty sure that demon wouldn't be here yelling about fucking training, though, so, after reassuring himself by glancing between Aurum and Snarl, he settles. Right. Right. If nothing else, both Snarl and Aurum are here. Neither of which he can spar with. Because he's fucking small. He's so small -- it's weird. Bigger than a cat, smaller than literally everyone else. He'd been considered pretty tall when he'd been human-shaped, but that was cause there was less fuckin shape diversity.
Right. Right right right.
"Crowley," The serval allows, sounding put out. He seats himself beside Aurum and makes himself small, shutting his eye, his fuckin -- his one goddamn eye, what the hell. This is gonna suck. If Crowley hasn't picked up fighting in six thousand years, he sure as hell won't now, probably. He's only ever been good as a ... as a distraction, in actual, live combat. Yknow. Barreling into people and climbing over their faces like a goddamn madman. True stories, that was all he'd done.

-

[fulzanin]

WE'LL MAKE A WAY WHERE YOU CAN FIND YOUR PLACE
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hearing a sudden loud and booming voice that demanded for her presence sent the snow leopard sprawling. By the name of all the cardboard boxes, that was a voice that shrieked louder and almost struck as much fear into her as Aurum used to! That was saying something! Carefully the snow leopard set down the festivity that she had been working on in her home. Special little ornaments. It would be a while before she finished all of them. Feza came bounding from her home and over to the congregation. The wording was.. odd, as she turned it over in her mind. What was a 'thunderdome'? Or that 'retirement home' thing that had been mentioned. It left Feza confused, and it was clear on her face as she shuffled over. What even was this? She didn't know. "I, I don't think knocking people's teeth out is, is, uh, good." The vibrant feline mumbled. She was no fighter. She barely lasted a few seconds against Aurum during their brief spar. Not that Feza knew that this was a training session. Feza was small. Snow leopards usually were decent in size, but Feza was not the cause. She was barely able to stand at the same height as a regular feline.

Ears perked, hearing how everyone was introducing themselves. She relaxed, her wings shifting a little to fall into a more comfortable position. "I'm- I'm Feza, I'm a Guardsman and, and the self-appointed party thrower of Tanglewood. I haven't seen you around before. You said three days? That's super long." Of course Feza's introduction to this loud and booming person sporadically derailed as her mind changed topics. She shuffled on her paws, tail swinging slowly behind her. She didn't like being shouted at. Aurum did not shout at her anymore, and Feza did her best to show that she appreciated such. She took the conversation the two had to heart. She didn't want her teeth knocked out, or dragged from her home, or.. any of the things that had been shrieked about. It contributed to her somewhat nervous expression and stance, feathers fluffed a little in a visible message of nerves. "What, what's that 'retirement home' thing that, that you, you mentioned? I've never heard of that before." Again her mind darted off task, caused from her nerves and her overall sporadic memory and thought processes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
THE EMPTY CHAIRS WILL BE RESERVED FOR OUR PITY

[ABATHUR .]

This quiet little town was not at all ready for a drill instructor.

The piercing shout of Kazuhira Miller was enough to shatter the delicate quiet, like a baseball bat to a window, suddenly booming outwards, summoning all who heard. Perhaps out of curiosity at who dared yell as if some God had slighted him, perhaps indignation at the vague insults the feline threw at the clan - either way, Abathur was caught up in the pull of his voice, crawling silently towards the source.

It made sense to him that it was Miller who was shouting. Despite how they were introduced to each other, the man clearly had an air of authority about him - that didn't mean he would easily forget how simply he was almost completely reduced to a squeaking mess just at the sight of Abathur. Perhaps he had the wrong impression overall, though, because this seemed like a meet and greet, not a sparring session, as would fit someone with military training in their blood. He moved to stand next to Feza, listening to her - well, frankly, listening to her babble, unspooling like a rabid mole holding a fire hose. "Retirement home, hypothetical nursing area, designed to care for elderly, specifically elderly beyond self care." He remarked, facing Miller, an unasked question desperately trying to escape his mouth. Instead, he said, "Greetings," shifting to cover as little space as possible, leaving some of his leg joints soaring far above him.

"Abathur Everman. Will wait until end to be paired." Frankly, he wanted the chance to fight Miller himself, not in the overly machismo wanting to puff out his chest, but out of a sense of curiosity. What does a man who thinks it appropriate to run a drill when you've only been in the place for three days fight like? Though he would accept just about any partner. His powers were minimal, but he could still hold his own; maybe not enough to win, necessarily, but enough to make a tactical retreat, which was far more important to him.

tags - "speech"

[Perseus]

Well... That was rather abrupt.

The blind canine relied on his hearing. It was always his finest aspect, especially after his eyes began to cloud. Today though, the boat known as Perseus was rocked. A shrill tone that could be classified as a dog whistle filled the German Shepherd's ears, causing him to groan in dismay. Pitchy and unpleasant, Kaz's voice could be heard from afar. Hell, even without his hearing, he'd probably be able to hear his obnoxious voice from across the world.

Disgruntled, he arose from the swamp floor with a huff. Perseus considered remaining on the floor and heading back to sleep, but ultimately decided to get to his feet. There laid a curiosity inside him. He had to approach. In no time the canine appeared before them with a dull expression. With what vision remained, Perseus scanned their figure from bottom to top.

An underlying thought didn't clear his mind though. Why such an troublesome entrance? Perseus couldn't imagine the dishonor that followed their initial first impression. Such a controlling figure had to seem so insecure. Hell, their demands were almost extraneous. What gave them the right, as a complete stranger, to command them? Yet,here the German Shepherd laid before their feet and listened along. The stranger's flare was rather interesting.

Despite Perseus' obvious curiosity, their demands would be met with no acknowledgement. The canine merely peered towards his colleagues who were chattering away and introducing themselves. Unless addressed, he would remain silent.

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[THEM]

[align=center][div style="text-align:justify;width:55%;font-family:verdana;"]There was a thing about war he'd come to understand: it never ended. The fighting stopped, maybe, and there were agreements, metaphorical cease-fires, false displays of mutual understanding between leaders. But the tension, it stayed forever. Hatred bubbled up inside until it boiled, and any declaration of peace would become useless when any minor conflict swayed that careful balance. A mere breath in the wrong direction could cause another crescendo into massacre, making true peace nothing more than a myth to recruit more willing bodies.

Peace. Kazuhira was a name that meant peace.

Ironic, the cards he'd been dealt. Whatever Tanglewood had faced in the past would rear up again and bite them in the ass someday.

The wildcat is unreadable behind the dark tint of his aviators. He's good at his job - his expression is distant and flat, just enough to convey equal parts acknowledgement and a vague sense of eternal disapproval. Kaz was used to the rumors, what he could've possibly done to scare off the rare dropout, how massive or how nonexistent was his body count. Talk was inevitable. He simply didn't care what they thought of him when the session was over, as long as they did what they were told in the meantime and used their head a little in the process. Chit-chat made them breathe easy, and he wasn't here to play nice.

There seemed to be a ripple of apprehension working its way around the small group that had gathered. They were taking the time to awkwardly file up and introduce themselves, and Kaz was almost ready to quip that he didn't give a shit who they were if he was going to have to pair them up himself like kids on a field trip - but he doesn't, only flicking an ear in silent acknowledgement. In spite of the outward persona he didn't look down on his recruits, he hadn't from the very beginning; no matter how vicious his words, he was fighting to make them better than they stood the day before. The worst of his criticisms were withheld for private talk, as was his praise, making him nothing more or less than the rock they should anchor themselves to for guidance, for leverage. How they chose to interpret this was beyond his control.

Speaking low, he breaks his stance to acknowledge the arrival of Aurum. "Miller, Captain. I'll request that you pair with her." Gesturing Aurum towards Snarl, he gives the Captain a firm nod. He'd seen the lion before, politely congratulated his promotion at the meeting, and decided it would be rather inappropriate to treat his superior with as much severity as the others. "You're invited to supervise if you prefer, sir."

Kaz surveys the few that had wandered up behind Aurum, squinting against the morning sunlight to conclude that their blank and helpless faces would require him to put on the training wheels this time around. It seemed they weren't going to take the initiative and work without his explicit instruction - fine by him for this session, but he'd have them taking laps if they tried to play dumb again next time. "Alright! Enough bullshitting. You and you -" he waves a paw in Crowley and Feza's direction, "You. You." and another gesture towards Perseus and Abathur.

"Consider this an exercise in distrust. You're going to learn to fend for yourselves, without assuming that anyone will blow the whistle and stop the match -" He jingles the whistle around his neck, "Or run to your side on the battlefield." There's an air of authority about Kazuhira that doesn't require a rank to back his words. At least, that's the visage he's intended to create, pacing slowly across the span of participants. He doesn't look at them, instead focusing on the horizon line just ahead. They haven't earned eye contact yet. "To clear any confusion, you'll refer to me as Miller from here on out. For this session, I am your instructor - but I expect you all to take some risks and think for yourselves when my word is not enough. If you do something wrong, you'll know it." He ought to get a medic on the scene. Kaz was used to seeing rogues beat each other senseless, taking out their pent anger on each other under the guise of a particularly passionate spar - that didn't mean they got away with it, but he'd seen enough nosebleeds in his time to start a blood bank.

"We're going to keep this introductory match simple, but that doesn't mean I want you to take it easy. Focus on reading your enemy's movements - yes, this is the enemy, not your buddy - and analyzing possible outcomes. Your goal is to neutralize the threat by any means necessary, powers included. Keep in mind that any imbalances between yourself and your enemy can be just as much of an advantage as they are a threat." Their leader, wherever he is, probably isn't going to like this next bit. Kaz is vaguely aware of the rules that govern these clans, but he highly doubts that any serious injuries are going to come out of this routine - he hasn't pinned anyone here to be capable of hurting another without weighty hesitation, not yet. "I expect to see some claws, some teeth, a couple of bruises, because on the field you aren't going to get any pulled punches. You aren't going to win by pinning them and counting to ten, you're going to keep at it until your last move is the killing blow. Then you can break it up and wait for my instruction."

Kazuhira pauses in his place, takes a breath. He hates the spiel, but they're rookies at best, and a few of them - Feza in particular, but he isn't going to say that out loud - look like they'd cry at a paper cut. This will be a slow process, for sure, but he was willing to put forth the effort to shape this place up to par. Just when the tension begins to ease and it appears as though he'd lost his train of thought, Kaz gives a frown, baring his teeth a little before grabbing the whistle to send a shrill screech through the air. "Get moving!"

[Perseus]

With a paw waved in his general direction, the dog merely cranes his head. He could feel the gust of wind in his direction and the shrill tone of this stranger referencing him, but Perseus still chose to disengage. His nose turned upwards, sighing. “I don’t mean to be rude,” he started off with, “But I think I’d rather watch.” Yes. That was a blind man’s way of saying he didn’t want to participate, along with backhanding the know-it-all who seemed to demand their AT-TENT-ION! That said, he fell into silence. If any comments from this bumbling buffoon were going to be lashed in his direction, Perseus would be the one running the drills soon enough. Kaz would be running laps.

With Arachne’s doppelgänger as his partner, the canine was sure that he’d be an easy match. With eight legs skinnier than a tree branch and eyes the size of marbles, Abathur’s only advantage seemed to be their size and agility. For as much as he’d like to experience the thrill of the kill once again, he could not. Analytical, yet prideful, Perseus just managed to offer a nod towards the spider. Afterwards, he’d gesture similarly to Kaz and hope that Abathur would offer to spar with them instead. Who wouldn’t love to see their ‘glorious general’ make a fool of themselves?

//mobile, apologies

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[wormwood.]

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

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

It was odd, being treated with such a sense of respect, particularly by someone who seemed to be such a hardass when it came to everyone else that was present within the group. That wasn't to say that it was unpleasant – Aurum actually rather enjoyed the respect, considering how long he had been treated like nothing more than scum for his entire life – but it still gave him pause, blinking at Miller for a moment. When he was paired up with Snarl, Aurum felt a faint smile come to his face, turning to the hyena and rumbling softly, faint amusement in his tone as he took a few paces toward her, ready for a fight, "Might've been a little bit of both. Might as well impress people with my title when I introduce myself, right?" It was yet another verbal little spar between the two of them, to accompany the soon to be physical spar that would be going on soon as well. He actually didn't dislike Snarl that much. Sure, she could be a bit blunt at times, and certainly had a penchant for hurting feelings or being rude, but she still hadn't betrayed them or been downright awful just yet, so Aurum found himself excited to fight her not because he wanted to see her injured, but because he thought it would be a good fight. Glancing towards Kaz, Aurum gave a nod of his head before rumbling, his tail twitching with faint excitement behind him as he rumbled, "Don't worry, Miller. I enjoy participating in these types of things. Besides, don't wanna get rusty." He then turned his head back to Snarl, Aurum found himself faintly wondering if the female had been present for the raid on the Pitt. He didn't remember seeing her face out there on the battlefield, but that wasn't a guarantee that she wasnt there. After all, he had been fairly caught up in the thrill of the battle, not to mention the throngs of enemies that were rushing around all over the place, so he probably wouldn't have noticed her even if she had been there.

One eye gleaming a bit, Aurum lowered his head as he inspected his opponent, taking in both his advantages and disadvantages. He definitely had size and raw power on his side, along with actual powers, but Snarl could always end up surprising him. He had the weak spot that was his missing eye, although he had been growing better at dealing with that, not to mention the fact that Snarl was faster than him. He was pretty sure his advantages outweighed the disadvantages, but that wasn't to say that he was going to underestimate Snarl, or become cocky. He had seen more amazing things happen on the battlefield than a hyena beating a lion, and he knew he would have to be in top shape, just as Kaz had said. Part of him could feel adrenaline rushing through his veins already, always eager for some type of training, while also wanting a chance to show off his skills that wouldn't result in the actual death of anyone. After all, there was a reason that Aurum had been promoted to the Captain of the Guard, and along with his activity and dedication, he had good fighting skills and a strategic mind, and he wanted to be able to show that. Who was he really showing it to? Well... he wasn't entirely sure. It had been established several times that almost everyone felt like he had deserved his promotion to Captain, so it wasn't as if he was showing up some naysayer who thought he wasn't fit for the role. Perhaps it was just another silent "fuck you" to his parents beyond the grave, to show them how wrong they had been. Either way, he shook it all off, focusing on the task at hand as he faced Snarl, giving her a little grin and speaking from the back of his throat, "I'm ready when you are, Snarl." Despite Kaz's words, Aurum still found himself hesitant to go all out with his powers, at least not right at the beginning, since he felt he should give Snarl at least a little bit of a chance without him whacking her with flame wrapped paws with razor sharp tips. There was also no way that he was using his lava powers in this, since not only were those borderline homicidal in the best of cases, but it also drained him extremely quickly, making him nearly pass out the last time he had used them on Astiar.

As he readied himself for his own fight, he found his one blue eye darting over to glance at Perseus, the blind canine having swiftly shut down any of Kaz's attempts to order him around. Aurum had to hold back a snort, not wanting to seem outright childish in how much the whole scenario amused him. After all, Perseus was an intimidating canine, even for a blind old man, and Aurum was sure that if Kaz chose to be snarky, he would get swift comeuppance as a result. Hell, Aurum had at one point been on the other side of that comeuppance himself, and he could attest to just how unpleasant it could be. As he waited for Snarl to make a move, the winged lion glanced curiously between Abathur and their loud instructor, wondering if Kaz would take the bait and fight the large, many legged beast. Part of Aurum hoped he would, while part of him also hoped that he didn't, since he didn't want to see either Abathur or Kaz making a fool of themselves today.

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