The river stood still

@Thrax

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Another day on the grassy expanse, and now winter was constantly threatening to return. But today, was a day blessed by sunlight. As the sun fell on that painted landscape, Kuhn yawned, soaking it in while he could. The stone beneath him was still a bit could from the night before but was finnaly starting to warm up.

Always hunting, the cat's eye caught glimpse of a mass moving off in the distance. In the thawed season it's white form wasn't to hard to spot, farther north, he likely wouldn't have seen it.

Reluctantly, Kuhn gave up his sunning spot, dropping down to get a closer look. The cat lowered himself low into the orange, fall grass, and prowled forward to see what this was.
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 The large white bear hadn't made it back to the coldest and snowiest parts of the tundra yet. His excursions had brought him further south than any polar bear usually cared to roam but he was willing to cast aside all of his norms for the sake of exploration. The temperature was a bit warmer than he liked and it made him want to do little more than lie down and sleep, but he should save himself the trouble and just sleep whenever he got back to his precious snow and ice. 

 He would have been fine with travelling forward but he could swear that he smelled a something enticing. Caribou? Seals? Perhaps a rabbit or two? He hardly ever bothered with the latter as they were far too speedy for his lumbering stride, rabbits were a rare thing that only happened if they became too careless. Seals, though? He knew they'd likely be closer to the waters but they were a ways away yet, what he really wanted was to cruise up to another wolf pack and see if he could garner more information. After a well-earned nap, of course. 

 His nose twitched and he realized that, no, this wasn't the scent of prey. This was the scent of something else, something with the edge of a predator.He wasn't afraid of whoever it was, there really were no other predators that he had to fear, but he was curious.
 
 

  He lifted his head up, neck and nose extended as he peered in front of him but then realized there was nothing there. He would then swing his head around and turn, looking behind him to see the autumnal grasses... and nothing else. At least, not that his old eyes could see. It looked like... leaves and the normal forest colors. Hmph.

 Surely his nose wasn't lying to him. He sniffed and snuffled, lumbering slowly back towards the leaves as he followed where his nose lead him.

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Staying low, Kuhn moved forward in the grass. Something about the scent he was following seemed alluring, like prey, but more dangerous. Quietly moving forward the big cat finnaly rounded over a hill to get a closer look at it. He licked his chops in anticipation.

Upon rounding over a small grassy hill, that's when he saw it. From a distance he couldn't fully appreciate the size of this behemoth. Though now he was close; It was a bear but, bigger than any he had ever thought possible.

From his cover, he could make a move now and leap at it, though should he? Was this an animal he should eat? Besides, the thing looked to more than twice his size. Still unaware and lumbering forward, the great white bear was following his nose, coming closer and closer.

Struck with indecision, Kuhn hedged his bets and opted to hold still in hopes he wouldn't be detected.
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---

Dice roll indicated that Thrax should find Kuhn

 He could see the grassy hill before the forest of autumn leaves. It was a distance away yet and that was likely why he hadn't noticed the cat as of yet. The scent was strong, his senses had dulled in his later years but he knew that he could smell something. He didn't know what, but he knew it was a predator of some sort. He couldn't put his paw on it... Not a wolf, no, he'd come to learn the wolf-scent fairly well. Wasn't a wolverine, they had a unique musk that was entirely their own. Not a fox, they smelled more like prey than predator. 

 What then? 

 All the while he was trying to figure this out, he kept walking forward fearlessly. He knew it was no bear and thus he had no cause for real concern. He closed in on the grassy knoll and rose onto his hind legs so that he could see and smell better in front of him. That was when he saw the orange-striped pelt and the flicker of a long tail. 

 A tiger! Of course! Why hadn't he thought of that before. 

 "Am I interesting enough to follow, lad?" Had he been actively following him or was he trying to hide? Those finer details Thraximundar could not parse but he would take no real offense if it was the former. He had nothing to hide and he was hardly afraid of a tiger. He'd heard of no tigers really getting the better of a fully grown polar bear boar before, so long as one kept their wits about them and thought fast. 

 The behemoth dropped back down onto all fours with a heavy thud and stared at where he knew the tiger was while he waited for him to come out --or not-- before he would speak further. If the cat wanted to leave he wouldn't stop him.

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If Kuhn had any intention of testing himself against the behemoth, it was all but gone now that he had been found out. The creature seemed to call out to him, so the game was up. With the element of surprise lost the cat relinquished his crouched position in the grass, standing up to reveal himself above the low vegetation.

Not moving forward, he only stood there in the tall grass. "Apparently you are." he responded calmly, shaking out his mane, while tossing his tail to and fro.
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 And there he was, fully exposed. The large feline of the tundra. The tiger. Thrax approached the man, coming within several yards if allowed but no closer less it come off as threatening. He didn't want to do so, never really desiring to intimidate other creatures... anymore. 

 The cat answered him and what he said brought a rumbling laugh from the white beast. His craggy faced creased into a smile as he responded, "Am I your first polar bear, then? Or should I take it that I am just so interesting?" He was joking with the large cat, amused in his words and finding that there was no need to be guarded. Why bother with such things? He was perfectly fine with being open and in making new friends. His primary focus of late had been the wolves but he was open to a feline as well. Why not have friends in all places? He always counted it as a good thing.

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Not being able to decide if he was embarrassed or grateful Kuhn wondered why the great bear haven't taken offense to being stalked. To most, being silently followed by a cat was generally offensive. Was this creature really that capable, or did he just not care?

To further add to injury, the bear stepped closer to the big cat, causing him to take a step back. Part of his hesitancy, was mitigated by the bear's general warm tone and question. "Well, you are the biggest bear I have ever seen..." Kuhn returned with a nervous chuckle. Though, the bear gave him little reason, instinctually his hackles began to raise, though Kuhn showed no other signs of aggression.

Even though he didn't intend to, the tiger couldn't help but think about the best way to fell the giant, looking at the bear's imposing size up and down.
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 The biggest? How flattering, even if it was factually true. There was something inside of him that purred when others remarked on how big he was. Likely because that had been his claim to fame in his glory days. He was big and was able to ruthlessly overthrow any opponent that stood against him with brute force. 

 But that was all in the past. 

 "Then, yes, I must be your first polar bear. We are all fairly big, relatively speaking." Well, save for the sows but even most of them rivaled the size of their brown bear cousins... so he'd heard. He'd never actually seen a grizzly bear himself. Perhaps now that he'd taken to visiting the wolf packs and making a point to wander further south, he would eventually run into one. 

 He could see the hackles on the beast rising but he couldn't decipher if it was defensive or offensive... If it was the latter, he would have assumed the cat would have been far more aggressive so perhaps it was defensiveness. He would approach no further, not wanting to make the other man uncomfortable or otherwise upset. "I'm not in your territory, am I? All of the border marks and such sometimes confuse my old nose." Cats claimed territory, right? He was remembering that correctly? All of the border marks and territories of other animals were all a bit confusing to the solitary bear species. He knew the smell of a lot of different wolves generally meant a territory but the specific borders were a hit or miss on whether he would notice it or not, same went for the felines if they claimed territories.

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The mind of the cat couldn't help but wander. If he had to take down a beast like this, he would likely need the element of surprise. This bear stood so tall and had such a weight advantage, that if practically any creature was caught, it was done for. Kuhn's eyes wandered as the bear spoke examining the area around the fellows neck.

The tiger's hackles began to fall, as the bear really gave him no reason to fret. In fact, the big fellow's way of being was rather soothing, in contrast to his imposing appearance. If it came to it, Kuhn figured he could handle himself. "Polar bear?" Kuhn replied, sitting on his haunches. "Big... You don't say." The tiger continued chucking with a toothy grin.

For a moment, Kuhn stood back up, before bowing down to stretch out his back. "No, this area is nobody's territory" elaborated the tiger, deep in the stretch while extending his claws. "Im curious, what are you looking to eat around here... You got to have a big appetite?" he added, with a yawn.
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 "Polar bear?" The cat said, to which the great white beast would nod his head with a muted rumble of assent. "Big... You don't say." And then, thoroughly amused at that statement, let out a rumbling laugh. What a sense of humor, so far, he thought this fellow was alright. 

 Completely at ease with the current situation, and certain that this would only help, the bear plopped his bottom down in the snow unceremoniously after the cat did. He did so with a sigh of content. It felt nice to rest his paws and his bones, youngsters sometimes took rest and relaxation for granted... but not he. Not anymore. He would take full advantage of this lapse in his travels to fully recline and be content. 

 "Well, that is certainly good to hear. I'd hate to be intruding." Especially on someone's hard-earned territory. He was no ruffian and could not abide bad manners, especially in himself. "Well, usually I'm into hunting seals. Maybe a walrus or two if I'm lucky enough to catch one off guard." He was a large beast but he'd known plenty of polar bears felled by those tusks, one couldn't get careless when hunting those massive beasts. "Although around here, I assume there's only caribou? Regardless, I am partial to larger meals though they used to be larger when I was younger, you know?" He reached one of his forelegs up and started scratching at his chest nonchalantly as he reminisced. "I remember one time I ate two whole walruses by myself! Mind you, one of them was a bit older and battle-worn but taking out two walruses is no easy feat! One hit from those tusks can fell a bear twice my size with ease!" Okay, he might have been embellishing a liiiiitle bit but he was lost in the tale and of thinking of those long-gone days. "I remember I had to dodge like the Mad-Hare God Thunderpaw to keep from being impaled!" He said with a rumbling laugh and a twinkle in his eyes. "Nowadays a couple of seals is enough for a couple of hours... although now I'm on the hunt to satiate my knowledge, you see. Lots of interesting things have been popping up recently, don't you know?"

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Watching the bear take his seat further eased the cat's skittishness, as he transitioned from a stretched bow to laying on his chest.  The old timer's stories really caught Kuhn's attention, evidenced by his perked ears. It wasn't every day the big cat met a fellow big game hunter.  Flicking his tail back and forth Kuhn leaned in, really seeming to take in the bear's stories.  "Oh! seals?  I tried that once, there are quite a lot to the east, I once hunted there with a wolf that goes by @Vendrussel.   I had a rough time at it, because I'm normally an ambusher, rather than a runner, though a lot of opportunity has opened up with group hunts, I think these wolves are on to something."      

Always eager to hear about different types of prey, Kuhn shifted his posture and licked his chops in excitement.  "Walrus?  Is that like a seal?  Really, I have mostly stuck to the Caribou and the boar, they are simple to take from cover."  

The cats laser like focus was locked to the bear now, looking like he could pounce, hanging on the old timers every word. The man was right there was a lot of interesting things lately...
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 Oh ho! Thrax could see the way the cat's eyes lit up with excitement, how he would ask questions about what he was saying. The great white bear didn't need further prompting, he could tell that he now had a captive audience and the floor to continue with what he wanted to tell. He also ended up learning a bit more himself! He figured that most of the seals were there but he didn't know about this other wolf in that direction. Perhaps he was due to visit another pack if this Vendrussel was not alone. "Seals can be a bit tricky for a first hunt! Though fortunatley they're awkward on land, makes it a bit easier when you catch them out of water." There was a twinkle in his eyes as he continued, "But my method is usually grabbing them from their holes. You wait until they poke their noses up to breath and snatch them out of the water where one paw swipe can end them." He could see it now, right before his eyes, the triumphant feeling when a seal poked its nose up and he would grab it and haul it onto land. He could dispatch them easily with one mighty paw swipe. 

 He supposed that wolves and tigers though couldn't really hunt seals the same way that he did. It took a lot of strength to haul them out of the water like polar bears did. It was likely easier to catch them on land. "I agree with you there, wolves seem to be moving into the way of the future! Catching prey is made much easier with allies to help balance out the weaknesses of solitary hunting." Like him with the faster prey, he could likely stand a better chance of catching a deer with someone else there to help him pin one down. 

 Thraximundar chuckled as the striped feline leaned in, ready to absorb knowledge about a bear's most dangerous meal. "Haha! That's where you and I differ, I'm not much good with the faster prey and ambushing doesn't always work well for me but I digress. Now, onto walruses!" The main topic! Here, he would spread his paws out wide to show the size of the great beats. "Imagine seals but this wide, lad! Every bit as big as me, some bigger if you are fortunate --or unfortunate-- enough to see them! Now, imagine seals that large but with tusks that come out of their mouths as long as my foreleg." He stretched out one of his massive, feathered limbs for the tiger to reference. He could feel himself getting excited from telling the tales of the dangerous animals! He could picture them himself in his mind's eye as he tried to do justice to the beasties. "They've got thick blubber that's like the strongest of armors, even we have difficulty slicing through it and breaking into their hides. They're the biggest and most ultimate prize. Every bear-boar wants to hunt one, it's like a rite of passage from cubhood to adulthood for us. Dangerous though, for many boars have been slain trying to accomplish this task." He gave a nod of his head, thinking back to a particular boar that he'd seen get killed on the ice for his trouble. He also remembered the glory and triumph he'd felt when he'd slain his first walrus, it had been a rough fight but he'd managed it without losing life or limb. "There's nothing like the feeling of taking down one of the most dangerous prey-creatures in the tundra!" He said with a happy sigh as he reminiscied in memories. 

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Hunting talk. For Kuhn this happened to be one of the few things that kept the big cat intrigued, and there was no shortage of it here.  He noticed that once he let his interest be known the old-timer was taking the stage, though he didn't mind, in fact there was a lot to take in here.  Kuhn only watched and listened curiously tracking the movements and gestures of the behemoth with his eyes.   He really had some good points on waiting by their holes, that could actually work for the cat, who typically relied on strength and stealth anyway.  "I might have to try that..." Kuhn uttered softly, not upsetting the cadence of the bear's story. 

Intriguing, the topic of walrus, at the very description, Kuhn's heart began to pound as if experiencing the thrill of the hunt himself.  A bit of his feline pride urged him to want to make an attempt at such a dangerous beast. As he thought it over, a wicked smile crossed his face, imagining what it would be like. 

At this point the bear had the floor, and nothing really came to mind for Kuhn; just listening for more, still hanging on the words of the old-timer.
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 Oh, the youthful excitement in the cat's eyes! He could see the intent there! His talk was likely making the striped fellow want to try the hunt himself! And more power to him though he would be loathe if he didn't speak of the dangers. I can see that look on your face!" He remarked with a knowing smile. "You want to try, eh?" He didn't even really need a confirmation as the man was as easy to read as the day.

 "Well, I can't stop you but I can caution and prepare you." He felt like he was training someone for a very special mission while reliving his glory days. "Use your speed where you can but don't underestimate the beasts. They're big and lumbering like seals but can turn quicker than you'd think they could." He said with a nod of his head. If kids were going to get up to mischief, then it was his duty to prepare them for warnings sometimes only went so far. Preparation was the true savior. "Hm! I feel like that's a good lesson for life in general, never underestimate your opponents! That's how I got this!" He said pointing to the broad scar across his face. Oh, he had so many stories to tell and share of his life and so little time. He had a brief lull there when he remembered something.

"Oh! Where are my manners? I never gave my name. I am called Thraximundar." How could he forget to give a name? 

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Though he was glad to be listening about this particular topic, Kuhn found that he didn't have much time to interject. The bear had taken the floor, and the amount to process without actively being engaged in the conversation was alot.

A moment ago, he found that the bear had held his attention, but the amount of verbage was draining the energy from the solitary cat. "This walrus thing, I might have to try when in in the west..." , the cat breathed, before consigning himself to licking his paw.

So this old timer's name was Thraxa'somethin. No doubt he was a fountain of wisdom. Or more accuratly a fire hose. "I am called Kuhn or Khun, either works for me... It's good to meet someone else with a passion for big game."
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 Oh, the old bear could drone on and on and on when given the chance. He loved to talk, and he loved to entertain those in front of him. Sometimes he didn't notice when he was starting to bore his listeners... like now. "I suppose every young creature should try it once!" Er, maybe that wasn't exactly what he meant. "That is to say, any young creature that normally hunts big game." He wasn't sure if he'd ever encourage a wolf to try and certainly not a young one! He wasn't even sure if they could break through the hide! This tiger though, he was large with powerful claws and fangs. If taken by surprise he could probably nab one.

 "A pleasure to meet you, Kuhn. I haven't conversed with a tiger in, uh, well," Ever? He wasn't really interested in his younger years and likely just ignored them or chased them off if he saw them. "I don't think I actually have." He said with a rumbling chuckle. "And since I've got your ear, what is it that you normally hunt?" He said that he was a fellow big game hunter, so he had to assume that it was caribou or other types of deer. Maybe even wolves. But everyone knew what they said about assumptions.

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It seemed that the old timer's dispensation of wisdom was slowing down some. Kuhn alternated between nodding his head and licking his paw as the bear continued on the topic of the walrus, somewhat tuning out and trying to imagine how he might go about taking on a beast like this, or, what it even looked like.

Crescent like claws returned to their hiding place, when the cat was directly addressed. "Oh me? Anything that runs on four legs really..." he responded with a wicked smirk. "Anything that can be ambushed... " Curiously, Kuhn did carry with him the scent of wolf, particularly his lover, Valmua, along with a few other trailing scents of previous prey.

Flicking his tail behind him, "Well I haven't met a polar bear ever... It's good to meet you. I have to say you are the biggest thing with fangs I have ever seen." at this point, the cats gaze was a bit more direct as he sat calmly and confidently.
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 Anything that ran on four legs? He could smell the wolf and assumed that that was one of the things he caught on four legs. Despite his penchant for wandering around and chatting with the beasts, he couldn't really get upset at the turn of fate. It was the circle of life, things being eaten to fuel other things. Even the tiniest of bugs had to eat to stay alive. With how this one smelled of wolf, they must be a hearty part of his diet!

 "I take it that wolf is a favorite of yours, then?" He said with a laugh on the topic of the fellow's canid-smelling coat. He had no reason to assume that Kuhn did anything less than eat wolves. In his younger years he might have tried the same before he got into the knack of wanting to converse over eat and fight. 

 "Likewise, lad!" He said, meaning it. It was good to meet this young tiger. "Thank-you for indulging my stories, I know I can get on a tangent sometimes." Most of the time, actually. He sometimes found that his audience had been bored to sleep! "Just wait till you meet some of my bretren! Some big fellows there! Hmph! I imagine my brother Hrodulf'rn might have even surpassed me in size! Keep a lookout for him, won't you?" Ah, his sweet brother. Always the more peaceful of the pair but still a boar through and through. He wondered if his brother had gotten into conversing with the various creatures around the tundra as well? "Ah, I remember when we used to sneak off from under our mother's nose. We used to get into all sorts of trouble." And he seemed about ready to delve into another impromptu storytime.

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Mid moment, Kuhn was observing his own paws, when he heard the bear ask him about eating wolves. Returning to their hiding place, Kuhn's claws retracted as he turned his attention to the bear. A favorite of his... The tiger couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the irony. "They make a great meal..." He said noting his own scent with a long pause before continuing, "No... I actually have never tried eating wolf; as annoying as they can be with their pack drama."

Kuhn smirked a bit knowing it would be unlikely the old timer would pick up on the source of his amusement. Secondly, the cat apparently found it funny that he mentioned hunting with them earlier, and how he now found himself covered in @Valmúa 's scent. Throughly amused, the cat tossed his tail back and forth as the old timer went into another tangent, already prepared to space out.
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 All sorta of trouble indeed... and then he began to--

 Wait. What?

 He blinked, mismatched gaze looking with some confusion at the tiger. Here he was smelling so strongly of wolf and he didn't eat them? "I-I'm sorry?" He said leaning in a bit and squinting, obviously trying to make sense of the new information. Was there something he was missing? "If you don't eat them, then, do you live with them?" Now that would be an interesting tale! He'd love to hear about a tiger that lived amongst wolves. What sort of insights could he have? What sort of stories? 

 Now the roles were reversed with the polar bear listening intently --ha, if only he'd known the truth-- while he waited to hear what the tiger would tell him.

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Not the best at hiding his emotions, Kuhn nervously licked his chops, feeling his face get hot. "Well... I, spend alot of time around... them, I..." .

Not exactly sure how to answer, his relationship with the wolves of the tundra was complex. He wasn't sure where to start though the scent he carried was something he was proud of, regardless of how odd it may be.

"Well, that's a long story, right now, I have a wolf that lives with me, and she is my..." he continued, stopped up on what the title to give their relationship.

"My mate..."

After releasing the words that same hot feeling washed over his face, somewhat in disbelief he let that slip. Perhaps it had been something about Thrax's way of being that made it so easy to be honest.

His muscles once again tensed up, prepared for whatever response, the bear might have for his odd tale.
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 The young tiger was like an open book. His emotions of embarrassment were easily read by the old-timer and for a moment he wondered if it was a source of shame in felines to be seen with canine companions. He knew from tales that canines and felines had some sort of rivalry but he'd never encountered such things himself. "There's nothing at all wrong with that, son. We can learn a lot from other species." He said, hopefully encouraging the striped lad to speak freely. There were no judgements here, not when Thrax himself spent time in the company of those who weren't bears. 

 Yet, why did he feel that there was more to this story? Something that would more clearly explain the metaphorical blush that colored the tiger's cheeks? 

 "Well, that's a long story, right now, I have a wolf that lives with me, and she is my..." Companion? Best friend? 

 Mate.

 His eyes widened a bit in surprise at that. Cross-species romance? Now that was a first, outside of legends, of course. Well, now the tiger had told him something that he'd never heard of before. How intriguing! How interesting! "Well, now, it's not often that I hear things that I've never heard of before, lad." He said with a chuckle. "I never even knew that tigers were monogamous." Then, he looked over the tenseness of the youngster. His embarrassment and his readying for potential judgements. 

 But really... who was he to judge? He was no one. Just a traveler with a penchant for collecting information, sharing stories, and giving his advice where it was wanted. 

 "This wolf sow, your mate," He never even knew that tigers took true mates. He thought they were similar to his own species where they competed for females. Although, he was no stranger to the concept of romantic love it wasn't something that he'd ever experienced himself... not deeply anyway. He'd had a sow that he was particularly fond of but, as always, they'd parted ways and had never seen each other again. Though he often thought of her every now and again, wondering of their cubs and if they'd lay eyes on each other again before crossing over into the next life.


 Regardless, he was losing himself in his thoughts. He focused back on Kuhn. "Does she make you happy?" That was the million-dollar question.

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Tensed up, and waiting, the judgement for his relationship never came, though he did catch the glint of the old timer's surprise. After all could he blame him, Kuhn hadn't heard of anything like what he and Valmua had before either. After a moment he relaxed, not exactly sure why he found him himself caring for the strangers opinion anyway. Once again he chalked it up to the openness of the bears being, or perhaps some desire to appear favorable to this big likable guy.

When the behemoth posed the question of monogamy, Kuhn's mind twisted wondering if that was how he felt. The tiger might say he would be ok with her, with another. Though deep down it conjured images of his competition in their death throws, while clamped in his Jaws. Though, the other day he couldn't help but be tempted by that cat @Agrona either.

The torrent of conflicting thoughts and emotions was apparent on the cat as he obviously squirmed at the question.

There was one thing that was certainly true, "She makes me very happy..."
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 It was always better to be a positive influence in someone's life rather than negative. He felt so much more joy now than when he was younger, just by not being judgmental and helping where he could. There was so much he wanted to know but felt that it would hardly be appropriate to drown the poor boy in questions over what was clearly a sensitive topic. Perhaps he'd gotten judgements from others or he expected to have those. 

 He couldn't read Kuhn's mind but he could see the twisting and turning of whatever thoughts were there on his face. Despite the torrent of emotions that the other felt, one answer was very clear. That his mate did make him happy. To this reply the polar bear gave a nod of his head. "Then, that is all that matters." There was a pause as he collected his thoughts and continued, "If you love her and she brings you joy, no one else's opinion should matter on the topic." A man's business was his own when it came to his romantic life. Do whatever felt right and all that jazz, he hoped that that would help the tiger's embarrassment and trepidation.

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As the behemoth continued, the tiger was still surprised that the bear gave such a gracious answer.  The solitary cat typically never looked for the approval of others but, this time, whoever this was seemed to strike a chord in him.  Perhaps this old timer was helping him untangle something inside of himself.  But one thing was for certain, Kuhn felt genuinely touched evidenced by his watering eyes. 

"Thank you"  -- was all he could really think to say, digging at the snow with a paw to try and sooth himself.
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