she regards him steadily, gaze unflinching, as he introduces himself. saga pegged him as a cove lion correctly, but his comment piques her interest. "does that mean you will be joining in the fighting and bickering for a rank, claw?" she drawls, lifting a paw to loosen a shell from between her paws where it's nestled tightly against a claw. irritated, she tosses it aside and places her foot back on the dark sands. it's a lukewarm taunt - she's not the best at genial jokes. all she has is dry sarcasm and insults, most of the time. perhaps it's why she gets on so well ( horrible ) with hakon.

ha. maybe she can joke.

"saga sigrun. obsidian hollow gentry." she finally adds, bowing her head briefly in a more polite, formal greeting.

@Claw

ART BY BUNNY, CODE BY LARS

She commented on his being new and rankless as of now, and once again a smile pulled at the corners of his serious façade. If she had known him better she would have outright laughed at her own question. In fact, it's even quite funny to Claw as well. He shook his head lowering his gaze as he stifled a laugh before @Saga introduced herself in turn.

He dipped his head to her in respect for the rank she held herself. Then he answered her question, a ghost of a smile still present upon his lips.

"It's a pleasure, Gentry Saga.

And to answer your question... in short, yes. Though, I do not intend to bicker for such a thing. I am interested in the Gentry role as well, though I will be attempting to acquire it though less... violent means."

Meaning... he was a terrible fighter. He didn't want to say that out loud, however. She was a fighter, and proud of it at that. He didn't want her seeing him differently or looking down on him now for this lack of skill on the battlefield. Instead he decided to portray himself as more of a pacifist. What can be done with violence can also be achieved with peace and logical negotiation.

As he spoke he kept his head high, his stature proud as he displayed confidence in his ability to achieve such a feat. Though, he was sure she would scoff at the idea of a peaceful rank claim.

image by moogle/code by saph

less violent means. an interesting concept. she ponders it and can't quite wrap her mind around the concept. "and if someone challenges you for it?" she questions further, brows furrowed thoughtfully over her brown eyes. she does not think less of him but it's a nearly unimaginable idea for she. "are you a pacifist or simply new to the battlefield?" she further questions, running her gaze up and down his form thoughtfully. he seems young, unmarred. untested - to think a leader would give him the rank this way is almost alarming. "one can be remedied," saga continues, jerking a paw at the area she'd been training on when he stumbled upon her. the other? well, not so much. vellen knows that saga sigrun will never quite understand the idea of pacifism

@Claw

ART BY BUNNY, CODE BY LARS

@Saga seemed outwardly confused, and Claw watched her reaction carefully. She questions him, genuinely curious about what he would do if someone were to challenge him for the position. Gods, he hoped it didn't come to that when the time came for him to ask for rank.

She questioned him once again, what his stance on the battlefield really was. He was worried that if he told her the truth, the small glimmer of a possible friendship between them might be lost, yet in the way she offered that one of the two could be remedied... Was she offering to teach him how to fight?

He supposed it would be quite useful to him to at least know. He wouldn't have much to worry about if he could stand his ground in a fight... and sooner or later, he knew he would find himself at the opposing end of someone's teeth and claws. It was only a matter of time.

"If someone were to challenge me... I suppose I would ask them if there was any way we could come to some kind of logical agreement. There's no need for bloodshed between pride mates in my own opinion. A pride's bonds must be strong and healthy, not ripped apart by squabbling over such mundane things."

He sighed, looking at the paw she had moved to gesture to her training grounds.

"But... I do understand that sometimes physical altercation cannot be avoided. Even when presented with logic, emotions run unchecked... fights still occur."

He looked down to his own paw, extending the claws to see them. So unstained with the blood of his Felidae brethren, unused for anything but feeding himself and sometimes others.

"I never learned how."

He admitted, he couldn't avoid the question. He wanted her to think highly of him, but he figured the truth was better than lying to her. He wasn't so much a pacifist by choice... he HAD to be. He didn't know how to hold his own.

image by moogle/code by saph

despite his youth, he's a tactician. though she's certainly a warrior, less of a thoughtful creature than even the rest of her family, saga can appreciate that even if she can't quite understand it. "curious," she remarks as he admits he never learned how to fight. he doesn't seem wildly intent on learning or perhaps on the concept of violence as a whole. bloodshed between pridemates, between family, is not unusual for her and hardly something to be concerned or insulted by. different lives, she supposes.

making a soft sound in the back of her throat, she shakes her coat and levels a steady stare on the man. "if you would like to learn, i could help." her eyes shift to regard the sea and the black sands. "but not here. not now. it's time for me to go home but call me when you're ready." she offers with a vague smile. "i'll be gentle." this, again, is a soft teasing comment. she doesn't want to baptize him in blood but he needs to learn, regardless.

she'll wait for a response before departing for them both to go their separate ways.

exit unless stopped ( just figured i needed to wrap this up with all of saga's crazy shit going down LMAO we can do another thread soon!! )

ART BY BUNNY, CODE BY LARS

Claw gave her a genuine smile as she offered to help him learn to fight. He surely would need it, and he felt a sense of security knowing that there was someone who knew him... accepted him... and was willing to teach him.

"We shall see each other again, then. I look forward to our training together."

He says before she turns to leave, giving her a smirk at the promise to be gentle. Then, as she goes on her separate way Claw decides he was going to stay a while. He nestles down in the warm dark sands and focuses with eyes closed on the sound of the rolling waves just ahead.

EXIT CLAW

(OOC: good idea lol, we will have them thread again!! That was super fun!)

image by moogle/code by saph