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Description
Remus settled in beside Allerleirauh neatly, pulling his paws in together and wrapping his tail around his legs. That was what males here were supposed to do, right? Take up just a little amount of space, never speak unless spoken to. He'd learned about this part of the Olum culture after he'd begged for the Herbalist job, of course. Perhaps if he'd known, he would have waited for someone else to take it; or until someone outright asked him to do it. When someone finally had told him (more like he'd figured it out on his own, particularly through the story of Mourey), he'd frantically recapped everything he'd done since he stepped foot into the Olum camp as a friend rather than a foe. Had he been too pushy? Too outspoken? Too bold?

Would he ever be seen a real Olum?

Likely not. He knew this. He wasn't the right species, or the right mindset. He wouldn't fight anymore; the Olum were built on physical strength and power. He was a jaguar. His bright red pelt stood out like a sore thumb in the muted Olum landscapes, against the grayish brown pelts of his faction-mates. Their eyes were shades of blues and greens and light grays; the colors of the Night River. His were a light yellow. Even Allerleirauh, who wasn't Olum-born either, had gray-blue eyes and a dark, muted pelt that, at the very least, blended in with the dark crevices of the mountains. Also, she was a female. Automatically a higher rank than him.

He wasn't complaining; the Olum was his home now. He respected their views and culture just as much, or perhaps even more than, he'd respected Rome's. That was one thing he was good at: respect. So he'd work hard to make himself fit in with the Olum. He'd learn how males were supposed to act, eventually. He'd learn what it meant to be a high-ranked male, and a Rome-born male, at that.

But for now, as the meeting progressed, Remus kept his mouth shut, unless someone directly asked him a question. He carefully watched his comrades, reading them with keen eyes. Allerleirauh spoke more than him, though less than Ronin or Aurora or Ariadna. Ronin was an interesting one. Remus was indefinitely intimidated by her stoic, hard stare, her harsh voice, her air of superiority that no one else in the Olum really seemed to give off. She was young...was she trying to make up for that by making herself seem dangerous? It was working.

Aurora...Aurora interested him just as much, if not more. The scars across her face and body told a deep, troubling story: she'd stayed loyal to her aunt, the old Matriarch, Lene, even after her father had sacrificed himself to save her young life. But something during the final battle had made her switch. She'd given her loyalty to her mother, before she had the chance to die. She held a voice of maturity and wisdom far beyond her age. She...she reminded Remus a bit of himself, and a bit of his daughter, Artemis. His heart ached. If only...if only Artemis had a change of heart, just before her death. Maybe she had, and Remus had never given her a chance to prove herself before he'd ripped her throat out. He glanced at Ariadna, who treated her daughter with as much respect and kindness as she showed Ronin. What would have happened if Remus was more like his Matriarch? If he'd loved Artemis fully until the very end? Would his daughter still be alive, standing next to him here?

No. She wouldn't. If she hadn't died, he wouldn't be outside of Rome right now.

The meeting continued, Remus speaking when he was needed, but nothing more. Even if he was ridden with guilt, sadness, regret, and anger about his past, he knew one thing for sure.

He was happy here, and he knew he was finally, finally safe.

Remus's first assignment!!

+?? deni

from left to right

Aurora (c)
Allerleirauh (c)
Remus (c)
Ronin (c)
Ariadna (c)

Description
Remus settled in beside Allerleirauh neatly, pulling his paws in together and wrapping his tail around his legs. That was what males here were supposed to do, right? Take up just a little amount of space, never speak unless spoken to. He'd learned about this part of the Olum culture after he'd begged for the Herbalist job, of course. Perhaps if he'd known, he would have waited for someone else to take it; or until someone outright asked him to do it. When someone finally had told him (more like he'd figured it out on his own, particularly through the story of Mourey), he'd frantically recapped everything he'd done since he stepped foot into the Olum camp as a friend rather than a foe. Had he been too pushy? Too outspoken? Too bold?

Would he ever be seen a real Olum?

Likely not. He knew this. He wasn't the right species, or the right mindset. He wouldn't fight anymore; the Olum were built on physical strength and power. He was a jaguar. His bright red pelt stood out like a sore thumb in the muted Olum landscapes, against the grayish brown pelts of his faction-mates. Their eyes were shades of blues and greens and light grays; the colors of the Night River. His were a light yellow. Even Allerleirauh, who wasn't Olum-born either, had gray-blue eyes and a dark, muted pelt that, at the very least, blended in with the dark crevices of the mountains. Also, she was a female. Automatically a higher rank than him.

He wasn't complaining; the Olum was his home now. He respected their views and culture just as much, or perhaps even more than, he'd respected Rome's. That was one thing he was good at: respect. So he'd work hard to make himself fit in with the Olum. He'd learn how males were supposed to act, eventually. He'd learn what it meant to be a high-ranked male, and a Rome-born male, at that.

But for now, as the meeting progressed, Remus kept his mouth shut, unless someone directly asked him a question. He carefully watched his comrades, reading them with keen eyes. Allerleirauh spoke more than him, though less than Ronin or Aurora or Ariadna. Ronin was an interesting one. Remus was indefinitely intimidated by her stoic, hard stare, her harsh voice, her air of superiority that no one else in the Olum really seemed to give off. She was young...was she trying to make up for that by making herself seem dangerous? It was working.

Aurora...Aurora interested him just as much, if not more. The scars across her face and body told a deep, troubling story: she'd stayed loyal to her aunt, the old Matriarch, Lene, even after her father had sacrificed himself to save her young life. But something during the final battle had made her switch. She'd given her loyalty to her mother, before she had the chance to die. She held a voice of maturity and wisdom far beyond her age. She...she reminded Remus a bit of himself, and a bit of his daughter, Artemis. His heart ached. If only...if only Artemis had a change of heart, just before her death. Maybe she had, and Remus had never given her a chance to prove herself before he'd ripped her throat out. He glanced at Ariadna, who treated her daughter with as much respect and kindness as she showed Ronin. What would have happened if Remus was more like his Matriarch? If he'd loved Artemis fully until the very end? Would his daughter still be alive, standing next to him here?

No. She wouldn't. If she hadn't died, he wouldn't be outside of Rome right now.

The meeting continued, Remus speaking when he was needed, but nothing more. Even if he was ridden with guilt, sadness, regret, and anger about his past, he knew one thing for sure.

He was happy here, and he knew he was finally, finally safe.

Remus's first assignment!!

+?? deni

from left to right

Aurora (c)
Allerleirauh (c)
Remus (c)
Ronin (c)
Ariadna (c)