"Mm." Gaius gave her a long look but let it go. "We're nearly halfway through the two weeks; how are you faring?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“I won’t do it,” she said, knowing what he was asking. “If I die, then they won’t believe you, and will think I’m hiding, and then they’ll torture you and that’s worse. So I won’t.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Assuming they ever get over my walls," Gaius scoffed. "But we shouldn't be the only thing keeping you alive, though I shouldn't complain. I'm glad you're not going to do it." He was surprised she hadn't thought of that argument before, but he was glad she had, for her sake.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
She shrugged, still not sure that his walls would protect any of them. “Hopefully that will be enough to protect us all.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Hopefully so. It's protected me and my family for over a decade; I don't see why it shouldn't protect you and Tadaaki's family as well." The wolves had started up again, tentative and more subdued than before. Gaius looked up, brow furrowed.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“I don’t think they’ll come near,” Ky said, trying to reassure him. If they hadn’t gotten her last night, she couldn’t imagine they’d try now. Especially with the Marrow Man so close by.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I should hope not." Gaius continued to warm his hands. "I wonder if they caught anything." He found the savagery of wolves unnerving, but there was something about the tightness of their family ties that redeemed them in his eyes. In the eerie darkness with their cries echoing off the trees, he wondered if they ever thought about humans as anything other than food.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Maybe,” she agreed. “There’s probably bears in the area. Dunno if they can catch them.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Not too many bears," Gaius pointed out. "They've territories laid out. And I doubt any pack of wolves is foolhardy enough to take on a bear. I don't know of anything but a wolverine that would take out a bear unprovoked."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"How would you figure that? Do they sound different t your ears?" Gaius couldn't find any difference, other than the fact that they sounded scared.
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“No, I was asking,” she murmured. “If wolves and wolverines are different?”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Oh." Gaius had completely forgotten Ky was from the South, that the fauna was different from the North. "They're not wolves at all. They're closer to weasels or honey badgers. A bit bigger, with strong jaws and dark fur. They're completely insane; they'll take on anything if they want to. They kill bears, people, elk, anything."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“Oh.” She was silent for a moment, considering. “You’ve got a bunch of terrible things up here… no offense.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I could say the same about the South, but I don't disagree with you. The cold breeds harsh creatures. They've got to be hardy to survive."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
