How do I follow you,

Aries enjoyed @Alexei, he was a pleasant man who made her chuckle lightly, in thinking how he didn't suit the tundra. It was far too cold to his liking, but she enjoyed the loyalty he had presented toward his pack ; which.. Made her think twice about some moments, but she thought it was best to find @Tiberius and @Olive and inform of so, just as she had done with Haldis. Their limitations didn't stretch far with children at their legs, and Aries felt it was upon her to support as much as she could. Most, if not all, Duskguard members felt this way.

"Pardon the intrusion," Aries found the two and bowed lightly at them, "but I must inform of some news I have learned."
 

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It was one of the rare times that he and @Olive had a moment to themselves. With the girls older now and knowing the surroundings of their den, Tiberius and Olive could be a bit more... around. Though it was as exciting as it was sad to see his girls go from new borns to growing girls, it was certainly an interesting adventure. He was sat with Olive, tucked beneath his chin as he tugged her to him when Aries came seeking them out.

The woman bowed and Tiberius tried to shake it off, knowing that it was likely in her nature and her upbringing but still finding it a bit awkward -- he was no make-shift King. "'Course, Aries," the titan rumbled, "wha' yer git?" He cast his molten gaze upon her, allowing her his attention. She was a valuable member -- as everyone was -- to Duskguard. She ventured and she learned, always bringing back information.

Her wanderlust always returned her home, though, and for that the titan was happy. ^^

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Olive, too, was enjoying herself. The nursery was quiet, with the girls all gone off of their own adventures. The pale mother and shadowed father sat within, allowing themselves to steep in the restful miasma before Olive was set to depart towards the Elsewhen, at the helm of the court initiative. It was funny to Olive, how quickly the Vale became the only home she could imagine for herself and her family. The appearance of the Vale's aegis coincided with Olive's matrescence, and for that, it was permanently fixed as an immovable force in her life; the greatest comfort and inspiration she had ever known.

To leave the Vale and her children, for perhaps the first time since they had claimed it together, was a big deal. Laying with her fiancé was the only conceivable way she could prepare for it.

Of course, Aries was always a welcome presence in Olive's inner world. She found the snowhare to have a profoundly calming presence and trusted the woman's judgement, which made her an exceedingly adept messenger and pack member. She helped out with the children, and even Aries's coat felt more like she was family than a stranger who fell from above. Without attempting to foresee the future, Olive felt as though she was well on her way to keeping her promise to build a sense of sisterhood between them.

Olive shifted away from Tiberius, as he tugged her back into his stalwart chest. Olive simpered and smiled warmly, nodding in silent agreement as their Chieftain welcomed her and the tides she brought with. It all felt lovely here, and she didn't yet suspect that it was possible that the Aries's news could somehow possibly spoil that.

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"I had met a man in the east forests of the tundra," would the woman start. Her body was a bit upon the alert was her tail swayed lightly in the air, a strain smile as she would re-count so. What was a friendly meeting would result in but news that she wasn't sure how it'd present ; as now Aries knew what had happened with Kuhn.. A gaze settled to Tiberius who was the closest friend to the tiger, before settling before the two, "he said he was from Shiroshika who returned to the tundra."

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Tiberius grew still as he allowed Aries' news to settle upon him.

He knew that it was unlikely that they would remain under Vanderfell's cover forever yet some part of him hadn't expected them to move back to the Tundra. His tundra. Tiberius felt the way his muscles grew taut beneath his skin, spine growing straight as he unravelled himself from Olive's warm touched and gave Aries a nod. In his brain he tried to flick threw the men that he knew Shiroshika held or possibly even one of Vanderfell's own -- yet without a description, he had only options and no certainties.

"Thank yer, Aries," the titan rumbled, "yer done well." He withdrew himself from the trio, his jaw working as he grit his teeth. In truth, he wasn't sure why he was so bothered. It was unlikely that Reiko would seek out Duskguard or him and he wouldn't stop his members from making friends in the Tundra, he wasn't so petty as to put his own personal problems with the Empress upon the shoulders of those who looked to him to provide a happy and safe home for them.

Still, it left a bitter taste on his tongue to think of the blue-eyed Empress. Would she attempt yet another ambush? No, he thought dryly, Kuhn wasn't just a lone tiger with a wolf companion this time, on their way back from a battle to save the life of Olive. Now, Kuhn had a home, those who would fight for him, heal him, defend him. It was likely only when the Council met that the news of Kuhn's allegiance with Tiberius had a shred of possibility of getting back to Reiko.

He wished it wasn't this way but it was. All he could do was shoulder it, grin and bear it and not bother any Duskguardian's with his demons. He pressed his nose to Olive's cheek as he withdrew, nodding to the women, "if yer will excuse m'ladies," the Chieftain would take his leave then, needing to be alone with his thoughts upon the news. ^^

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For so long, Duskguard had been alone in the tundra that it was almost a shock to the sylph to hear the name of Shiroshika mentioned. Tiberius pulled away from her, and a vacuum was left in his place. Immediately, she could perceive how his energy shifted, seized. She turned her head to watch him digest the information.

Hearing that they were no longer alone in the Tundra meant a lot to her, even more when one considered who that pack was — but whatever it meant to her, the roots went a lot deeper for the inkdark titan. She couldn’t blame him for withdrawing from the topic almost entirely; the man himself had professed many times that these emotional matters were not his truest forte.

Perhaps he would allow himself to have whatever gut reaction he did, and then would come back to this topic later. What was more likely, was that there was nothing to do. They all would coexist. They must.

Tiberius left, without needing as much as a kiss, and Olive turned back towards Aries with the faintest of appreciative smiles. Mostly, she attempted to express with visage alone that Tiberius clearly needed some time alone about it, but it didn’t mean that the topic was concluded. The Priestess, in lieu of their chieftain, had questions. “Back to the tundra, to their mountain?” she clarified, pushing herself up on her willowed forelegs into a position far less restful.

Olive’s ears craned forward, eager to drink in whatever information Aries proffered. She was now fully engaged. “What was his name? Was he friendly with you?” What she wished to know the most was the nature of their meeting. The last she had known of Shiroshika, they had hunted down and attempted to annihilate others. Was there any whiff of that happening here, especially considering the tiger they now harbored? Duskguard was far closer than the Everfrost ever had been. Tiberius, a defector, thrived here.

“Did he have any… curiosities, regarding Duskguard?”

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Tiberius had left, and she was lightly conflicted of so. The ties between him and the other weren't known to Aries, but she did know of the claims against Kuhn. The knowledge that the wolves of those mountains had attempted onto his life, and could be said for the very same reason, of land, of danger, such as the court that laid in weeks ahead. Even the snow-kissed woman could empathize such a reasoning, for a tiger was a fearsome being — but if one had yet to truly hurt or claw his way through.. Was it worth it? Was it worth the turmoils all around went? A glory yellow gaze would linger onto Tiberius, thinking how his close relationship with Kuhn was to affect such thoughts on Shiroshika.

Although it seemed roles were determined, Tiberius was well within the guarding of the vale, and the protection ; while Olive with such a mindset navigated through the politics that remained. Her attention returned to the Priestess, "it is what I assume, I did not ask much. His name was Alexei, he was a very nice man," she smiled, "he wasn't curious on Duskguard, but more of the tundra itself. It seemed he was not used to the land." Her experience with him was well-met, she thought even a friendship could bloom from so, "we even made plans to hunt together on another day." As she sat down with a curled tail, there was a more warmth to her tone then the more dire one of earlier.

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