Think You're Funny, Think You're Smart

some time after the whole ban on certain individuals in SS since that thread was started last month

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Early sun crept through frozen trees, the snow that crunched underfoot different from the paths of her home. She hadn't realized how far she had gone at first, the fading darkness from night a cloak to the trail ahead. Maybe that's why she only realize now that she had strayed so far from home... The rays of sun now glistened off frozen water and untouched snow. For a moment all she could do was stare, her eyes drifting to the heavens where colors have now begun to paint the sky before eventually drifting to the near distant spirals of home.

Things had been...quiet, in a way. True, relations had officially been cut with that immoral tiger and their borders had grown quiet, but even still she couldn't help but feel suffocated at times within her walls.

How many people still stared? Whose words whispered on the wind?

How many conversations ended short because she couldn't bear to look at her mother?

It wasn't that she was mad anymore, and maybe deep down she knew it had never been her fault, but now she couldn't think to face her after all that had been said. She still spoke with her and there were times they spent together, but that wall never went away. The wall she herself had built and now struggled to face.

A silenced sigh bloomed from her nostrils as frozen clouds spiraled forth. She had wandered too far, even for simple space she shouldn't be alone beyond their claim. Somewhere to the south laid woods claimed by the cat, and though she didn't smell him in these woods she knew she only tempted fate straying from home. Already Hotaru silenced the thought of a chance encounter. There was too much there to unpack still. Raw emotions that made her muscles ache and tense the way they did when she trained.

If she ever saw him again... she feared what she might do.

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Sick of the usual boar, hunting caribou past his borders lead him to that small patch of forest that lie almost in the center of nothing. It was odd that it was even here, perhaps the gods made it as a respite from the winds.

Walking into the wind, the big cat caught a scent of one of those mountain wolves. Curiosity nagging him onward lead him to a pale woman gazing to the sky, at first it looked like Reiko herself. But after a moment of stalking, Kuhn recognized her as the mouthy daughter of the petty little empress. She appeared to be alone.

Already close and sauntering in slowly he laughed out loud at the irony. The laugh might have been meant to sound menacing, though his face clearly showed a lack of malice. Flicking his tail back and forth he smiled mischievously. "Are you lost?"
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As if her thoughts had summoned the beast a laugh beckoned behind and Hotaru was quick to face him, the fur of her nape rising as she found herself now facing what she feared. Of course, unlike what she had envisioned she could only feel small compared to him, her limbs growing numb as she too froze to the spot just like the river. Even still, she stood defensively.

“I can find my own way.” Truthfully she had not expected to find her tongue but at least that still worked. Then again, it may very well doom her just as well. Despite their last meeting though he seemed...calm? Truthfully she found him hard to read, his mannerisms too different from the ones she knew, but for now, he held a mischievous grin. “And what of you? A little close to forbidden waters don't you think?” Little did she know they were, if anything, closer to his territory than her own.

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Despite sensing her fear of him, her words where still as proud as ever. Even when she didn't have her little army with her, she spoke like this. At least she wasn't the type to patheticly hide behind others.

At first it all caught the cat off guard, his eyes narrowing, tail lashing. Though after a brief flash of frustration, he expression calmed again. Taking a few steps forward, his head dropped below his shoulders, inspecting the wolf, paying little attention to her personal space.

"So what if I am..." , he responded, prowling around her, making use of different angles. "What brings you so far from your home? I have never seen you venture far. Until now."

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She had hit a nerve and even if he did not wish to show it, he had. Perhaps she would have been proud of herself had he not quickly advanced, head hung low yet still his stare bore down on her it seemed. She could smell the rot of his breath as another step brought him unnervingly close, and with his advance, she'd pace herself another two steps back of her own. Instinctively she felt her tail raise on guard, nose wrinkling from his foreign stench. “You don't believe that some do not like to live caged behind safe walls?” A lie, but perhaps there was some truth to it.

Never once would she let her eyes slip from his figure as he circled and once he grew too far out of sight she would find herself spinning in tandem. Realistically there was no reason for him to blindside her, she was sure he would break her bones with ease, but even still she would not openly give him the chance. “I'm young but even I know more exists than what I can see from the top of that mountain.” Haruki had probably seen so much by now. How far had he traveled?

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The cat seemed to get the reaction he wanted in a way, circling around her.  She obviously didn't trust him out of her line of site, wary of the large predator.   Content proving his subtle point, Kuhn leaned back on his haunches, with a grin, partly entertained by his own antagonism, but equally impressed with the girl's ability to deal with it.  Her, mannerism was different to her mothers in a way, she seemed to have more grit, perhaps and ability to compartmentalize.  Though, Kuhn was well aware of rash she could be.  Nonetheless, she wasn't typical and the cat was intrigued, ears cupped in her direction. 

"Hmm... I can see where your coming from.  Sometimes travel, that's the only way to learn, and you must have to learn fast.  I saw that you have others counting on you."  Cracking a half sarcastic smile, in reference to the last time they met.  Still, he seemed ready to listen, just sitting there tossing his tail back and forth.
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“Don't pretend you know my life.” Ever defensive the words slipped with ease as the cat settled looking oh so smug. They were from two different worlds, no matter what he may believe he would never understand her the way he thought he would. That being said, he wasn't entirely wrong, but it was his own actions that played a part in the reason she now needed to learn. It was his own actions that would thrust the weight of a crown atop her head so young.

Hotaru did not move even as Kuhn got comfortable. She didn't particularly feel like fraternizing with the one that had stressed so many at home simply by showing his face. “If there's something you have to say, just say it. I won't stand to be a part of your games.” Behind her the princess' tail gave an annoyed flick. She had left the mountain to clear her head not fill it with mind games and stress. She was fortunate his little friend wasn't here to rile him up. If anything, it seemed she was the cause for Kuhn's disobedience. Her mother had struck a deal once before and there were no issues until the wolf started showing her face. What even was her name?

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Rolling his eyes, the cat remained relaxed. Of course he didn't know her life, though the princess' words where quite juvenile, smacking down any sort of olive branch.

Learning from last time, perhaps he had to try to be the bigger person. Instead of acting on the instinct to tell her to 'fuck off back to mommie' he was able to hold his tongue.

Unlike last time there was no need to project strength here.

Exhaling into the cold air, "It makes sense you would say that, perhaps I pushed you to hard."

At least he could offer her that, though he never had any plan to obey anyone, it made no difference that either this girl or her mother where royal. In fact part of this problem is that he may have expected to much from the young girl because of this.
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Once more he refused to be straight with her, instead diverting her words to some...some— whatever he was doing. Only for a moment did she think to lower her guard, though she would swiftly mentally hit herself for even thinking such. This was his game, it's what he did best. Too many times now he has crossed her mother only to come back and smooth things over with a chat. That would explain what he was doing out this way now, wouldn't it?

He just wanted to play his cards and laugh all over again.

Still...it seemed at the very least he held no intention to fight. She would be grateful for at least that much given there was no secret as to who would win. Finding the will to calm the hairs along her back she would at least let her muscles relax even if her mind remained sharp. Taking a breath she'd repeat herself, “What do you want?” There was no reason for him to care for her nor how she had been treated by him or anyone else.

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"Just understanding." he responded quickly, a bit put off by her continued resistance, showed by a twitch of the ear.  At this point he doubted they where anything alike.  They where nice people, living behind their walls, concerned with superficial things.   His life was different, honest, harsh and brutish.  The least he could do is to set his conscious at ease with the person who he was actually at odds with.  Afterall, his recent war had been with Reiko's daughter and none else. 

"I don't care about royalty, its all the same to me. Your threat of force, with my own." He elaborated, still calmly postured.  "Not everyone in this world is so full of kind words and propriety. Outside your walls, neighbor deals with neighbor, gift is traded for gift, and treachery is returned with treachery."

"Your kinds mistakes the crook and the honest, raising your walls.   I understand why you hate me. "
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No matter what he said she wasn't sure if it would change how she felt. Each word made bile rise in her throat for reasons he would never understand, no matter how much he claimed to. “No. I don't believe you do.” Her words were spoken with haste as the girl's ears fell back against her skull. Did he think this was some spoiled royal mindset she had? That she was stupid to how cold the world could be?

“You think me a fool? That I have lived a pampered carefree life? I don't care that I am royal. some days it feels as if I would be better off without the crown.” A crown she shouldn't even hold yet. A crown that should have been shared. “You do not know me. You do not know my past. Don't think you are so special that the anger I feel is for you and you alone. I'm angry at all who think they can just take and take and take with no consequence.” The more she spoke the more her paws found steps on their own, right up until she was as close to face to face as the girl could get despite the height difference.

“And you know what's sick about it all? They can. So long as you're big and strong or a man or even if you just have that power behind you. You can do whatever you want.” A sting bit her eyes, though a spark kept the tears at bay. Maybe once she would have collapsed here to cry, but frankly, she was tired of crying. “We were kind, but not everyone pays that back.” He himself was included given the numerous opportunities he had with Shiroshika. For a moment she could stand in silence realizing now how close she had come. When she finally found her voice again it was low and eerily calm.

“You want to know what I want?

I want to live one day without fearing for my safety.”

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Clenching his jaw, she told him that he didn't seek understanding. In a way he did believe her to be a fool, but it wasn't for the reasons she might expect.  Never had he taken anything from them, his only crime had been disrespect, which she so naively thought she deserved. For that she was a fool.  Her mother was a fool. 

Obviously she had none for him either, as she was in his face as she continued, his whiskers reaching out to meet her. He never expected respect from her.  "What have I taken from you? " he asked, knowing that he had only offended their pride. He had tried to pay Valmua's debt, but they where insistent on war. 

Her closeness made him uncomfortable, though instead of lashing out he sat up turning his shoulder to her then circling to her side to make some distance. When her voice calmed, he paid closer attention figuring these words where more important than the rest. Letting a moment of silence fall over them, his tail evidenced that he was thinking.  

"It sounds like we share the same vision. Though, I will tell you why you; and your mother are a more dangerous creatures than I.", his ear twitching.  "People like you are kind and believe yourselves to be good.  Others will follow you, and they will die for you.  No matter what someone like that does, they believe in their own kindness, they have no hope of restraint if they go astray, and will cause endless pain. Creatures like this send their subjects to be butchered, in the name of love.  A creature like me doesn't claim to be more than I am. " 
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To her surprise, it seemed the cat was uncomfortable with her as she neared his face. Kuhn moved, circling to her side a distance away to which she'd only turn to watch. Had she not been livid perhaps she would be overjoyed that she could invoke such a feeling in someone like him, but that would be a celebration for later. “Perhaps to you it is not taking.” His values and rules were clearly different from their own if he so truly believed he had done no wrong.

“You have taken from our source of food. You have aided others in trespassing and antagonizing on known claimed lands. You have taken our trust and our sense of safety. We may not be perfect, but we can at least admit that much. At least we did not enter your home to purposely instill anger or fear.” They had not toyed with him and for whatever reason, he felt fit to treat her pack in entirety as a toy for his own amusement and entertainment.

Hotaru wished to roll her eyes as he began speaking of similarities but would do her best to refrain so as he was quick to turn the blame to them. “I guess we will have to agree to disagree.” Truthfully, she could not speak for her mother. She could hardly remember a time she bore her fangs and even then it was not her alone who take action. There was still the presence of their samurai to come to the rescue.

Hotaru wouldn't dwell on the memory to scrutinize his words though, instead shoving the thoughts from her mind she continued. “I do not believe in sending someone to die in my stead. I don't believe in taking joy sitting back and watching my packmates die or grow wounded for my actions without my own involvement. If someone wishes to fight I can't stop them but by no means am I sending someone to their death in the name of 'love'.”

Besides, could he really say he was not the same as he painted them to be? He too had someone he loved, or at the very least cared about. Would he not die for Valmua? Could he truthfully say she would not for him? They certainly seemed to defend one another last they were in her land. Too often she coiled around him like a snake so who was to say she would not take fangs intended for him as well. He was no different. He just wished to paint blame where he had in actuality wronged.

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All at once, he had had enough of this child, baring his fangs and releasing a frustrated hiss.  "You are an idiot."

"Every step of the way I have tried to make things right, but I'm wasting my breath with you, and your wretched mother.", Recalling that he had not willingly taken anything from their cache, and it was him that first attempted to get Valmua to leave, further he had tried to repay every inconvenience with gift. It didn't mater.

Though all these wolves knew where threats, fine words and a despicable propriety.  Soft, kind, and evil people.  Turning to leave with a lash of his tail, he marked the nearest tree as his own. 

Looking over his shoulder one last time, the tiger projected with a confident boom, "I feel sorry for those you follow your miserable blood."

He would never ask them to forgive him again.
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Hotaru only stood in silence as she watched the cat stalk off. How he could believe his view was so right she would never know, but she supposed it mattered little. So long as he stayed the fuck out of her home she couldn't really find the will to care. Just let him be gone and done with. Hotaru might not be the best ruler, she would not deny, but she was young and trying; nor were those at Shiroshika kept by force. They choose to stay and could leave as they please. Speaking of...she too should return home before her little trip was too long spent and the guard were put on alert.

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