There was a certain foolishness in his brother that made it obvious why he had not been chosen to lead this family. It was not something that was immediately obvious as Alexander admired the male and thought at times he would've been far more suited to be the Patriarch - the Prince, the next Emperor. For the longest time he had not understood his Father's choice to name him Heir, just as many would likely not understand his choice for Dragos to be his. Including Dragos himself.

Yet in moments like these, Alexander understood. More than anyone he could understand the risks involved here, in dabbling with the enemy and trusting the words he spoke. But it was there that @Anthonius was misunderstanding. This was not trust, this was not a desire to give him a chance. This was Alexander protecting his family. Protecting the Savante and their secret. If it ever got out...

The dissent shown very obviously to their enemy amongst them was not something he had wanted to be made clear, yet @Valerian and Anthonius both showed their disobedience clearly. It made his irritation bubble into a boil, the length of his tail lashing behind him. "Arról beszél, hogy megvédi ezt a családot, de tetteiben mindent kockára tesz. Az itteni ellenségeink rájönnek a gyengeségünkre – és mivel jelenleg úgy tűnik, hogy nem tudják, kik vagyunk, csak feltételezhetjük, hogy ezek különböznek egymástól. Érted?" You speak of protecting this family, yet in your actions you risk everything. Our enemies here will find out our weakness - and as they currently do not seem to know who we are, we can only assume these are different. Do you understand?

His voice was kept low, no higher than a normal tone but there is a certain edge to it that he is unable to hide. "A te halálod minket is meggyengítene." Your death would weaken us as well. For Alexander knew that even if Anthonius were to fight him and survive the battle, his survival could not be guaranteed. Did he truly wish to weaken them because of pride? The children born were his - they meant more to him than anyone could ever know, his brother's assumption that he would do anything other than protect this family had his heart torn.

Blue eyes turn to @Odium finally, brows furrowed. "There is too much between our families, even if you are unaware. I cannot promise you will ever be welcomed here, but if it is allies you wish for, you will have to move a mountain itself to prove yourself. Is this truly worth the effort?" This male did not know him, this family, or the Hollows more than the fact it was a prideland territory. Surely there were other options - less complicated? There was no outward aggression toward the male outside of a defensive, protective stance over the territorial border.

Valerian looms unhappily in the shadows, allowing his father and uncle to linger at the forefront. It seemed @Anthonius agreed with him, which bolstered Valerian’s nerve. They had come all this way in flight of their bloodline, they had lost so much. He was afraid of it all happening again, and a blurry whine starts in his ears, growing only in volume as he tenses his jaws.

@Alexander’s low voice was sharp, careful and Valerian scowls, angry and on edge. “You know best, father.” he utters quietly, a frustrated edge in his voice. The whine in his ears had grown to a rumble and he cannot bear it. Valerian turns away, the tightness in his chest too great.

With a displeased lash of his tail, Valerian slink into the darkness of the tunnels without another word.

/exit Valerian

art © yumpy

If You Think You're A Hero

Odium stood tall, his tail eerily still behind him as he focused on the lions that surrounded him and called him enemy. They saw him as such, all but one... and he seemed to have some weight behind his words. After all, Odium had not been attacked yet - and he could only assume it was thanks to the man they all looked to... the one who had approached him with an open mind.

The brown pelted male ( @Anthonius ) spoke again, insisting that Odium would have no qualms with doing the same with their own corpses. To an extent, he was right. Odium would in fact have no issue laying flat all who oppose him. if there was a lion who wished to be his enemy, he would be treated as such.

Thankfully for them, they were seen currently as potential allies... therefore, Odium had no intent on causing them harm for now.

Wordlessly, Odium would angle his muzzle down to glare up at the brown and speckled male as he spoke, but still he waited for the one who seemed to be in charge to speak.

It was then that @Alexander ♔ spoke, but it was not to him initially. Instead it was to the man who had just voiced his own opinion... and from the edge in the red and white male's tone, it sounded like he was getting a scolding. The younger male he had initially been speaking with ( @Valerian ) seemed quite unhappy when the male's words... calling him father before leaving in a huff.

Curious

Finally the words spoken were in a language he could understand, and he listened intently. It was true, there seemed to be a strange animosity toward His family and that of this pride... and although he didn't understand why that was, he could very much guess. Still, to have any allies at all was better than nothing.

A scowl darkened his features. "I will not wear myself down proving anything to allied men I could not turn my back to in battle." He said simply, looking the leader dead in the eye with his own dark void of a gaze. "It is painfully clear I am not welcome, nor am I trusted... but call upon me if you need a spy, informant, mercenary or even an assassin - and you will bear witness to my hatred then." He looked upon the others before turning his gaze back upon the leader. "But I do not work without payment."

He didn't have to be a member... nor did he want to be at this point. He'd just as soon find himself getting his throat slit while asleep in his den. No... he could settle for a mutual partnership.

If the job involved members of the family he had disowned - he would carry out such contracts gladly.

Then DIE Like One

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There was a level of irritation that Anthonius felt towards his siblings - an emotion that mixed with the immense hatred he had for the enemy at their border. He watched @Alexander ♔ lash his tail out, and the Noble was happy to see he was getting under his thick skin. Alexander needed to understand the seriousness in which Anthonius' words were implying.

"Én semmit sem kockáztatok a családdal, te tedd. Ha megölöm, velem együtt meghal. Ebben kisebb a kockázat, mintha kinyitnánk neki az ajtónkat, és beleesnénk a csapdájába." I risk nothing to the family, you do. If I kill him, he dies along with me. There is less risk in that than opening up our doors to him and falling into his trap. The fact that Alexander thought Anthonius was going to jeopardize things showed the lack of trust the brute had in him, and it was crazy to the Noble that he thought it was better to possibly let him within, and if not that to even ally themselves with him. For what? Information? They knew everything they needed to on their family, and they had more than enough means to protect themselves.

"You will never be welcomed here." He corrects, staring deeply at @Odium with a flash of fangs. He hoped it angered Alexander, hoped a seed of irritation blossomed at how Anthonius wasn't rolling over and allowing him to lead the conversation. That wasn't how things worked - not for him, and not when it came to threats like this.

@Valerian left, a bittersweet thing for the lad was on the same side as Anthonius. He watches his leave, before looking back to Alexander with narrowed eyes. You see your family is against this, and yet you entertained him. He mind says, shaking his head in distaste at the Sovereign.

"Any payment is allowing you to breathe still after leaving these lands." He spits, the idea of being in debt to an enemy is one so out of realm that he thinks Odium is stupid for even considering they'd honor such a thing.

It was as if everything he had said gone through one ear and out the other. It did not please him to see that his brother and his son were both acting so recklessly, despite everything. Willing to risk death with no promise of the enemy falling as well.

@Anthonius could speak about taking Odium with him, but there was no guarantee, but there was of his own demise. "Nem hallgatsz, elvakult vagy." You do not listen, you are blinded. He kept assuming that Alexander was opening their doors, but it was the opposite. He wanted to ensure that his family thrived here, and to ensure that they needed more information.

There was still so much they didn't know. To assume this family was the same as the other was...foolish.

It was his children that resided here - his wife, his husband, his newborns. Alexander was so very aware of any and all risks that it kept him up at night. If Anthonius died after fighting one with the curse, it would leave the family with one less warrior to protect those children he was so focused on protecting.

Still, he wanted to understand his brother, he wanted to assure him and assuage his anger, "Testvér, kérlek, bízz bennem. Egy lábát sem lépi be a Hollowsba, és esélyt sem kap arra, hogy ártson nekünk. Járőrözik a határokat? Győződjön meg róla, hogy nincsenek mások." Brother, please, trust me. He will not step a foot within the Hollows, nor will he be given a chance to harm us. Patrol the borders? Ensure there are no others. Brows furrow, features softening just a bit as those blue eyes search Anthonius' features.

After a moment, his attention turned back to @Odium, the first sign of aggression shown toward the male, "Go." It was simple, to the point. Ears sweep back, lips tremble. He had no desire to see any of his blood die today, or even risk it - and Anthonius was on the brink. So many had they lost in the war - he felt the hatred radiating off the male, he too held it deep in his heart, but no longer could he let his temper control him.

He'd already made so many mistakes during the war.

If You Think You're A Hero

Odium glared at the brown male as he spat, snarled, growled and barked. An attack dog, through and through... held at the nape by the man who entertained Odium's presence. The Demon flattened his ears as the dog barked that he would never be welcome and that any payment was that he was leaving with air in his lungs. A deep growl sounded deep in his chest as he slightly turned his head to acknowledge the brute.

"Your threats don't frighten me, dog." He snarled as he turned back to the white and red man before him. A command to leave... but it was followed by bickering between the other two males. Was it directed at him or the dog?

It mattered not who the intended recipient was. Odium had overstayed his welcome this day... "Call for me, and I will come. Ask a transgression against my kin, and I shall deliver." He would be within earshot - but he knew better not to tell them where he would be laying his head.

The distrust had become mutual.

Odium turned his back boldly to the men, confidence radiating from the gesture to emphasize that he was not afraid of them - even if it wasn't particularly true. He padded in the opposite direction, each step carrying him gracefully back from whence he'd come.

~Exit Odium - if not stopped

Then DIE Like One

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