05-04-2009, 11:19 AM
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He blinked in unmasked surprise as the woman's words cut off his own. For a moment, all he could do was stare at her, finally straightening himself as her words sank in. His green eyes diverted as he pulled away from her, knowing all too well that though his reasons and worry were valid, Alexey was also right. She wasn't a kid, and the woman's strong will and determination were a few of the things that drew him to her like no other. Now that he'd physically felt with his own two hands that she was alright, he walked a short distance away, heading up to the porch and feigning interest in replacing a decoration that had fallen from the wall of the house. "You're right, you're not. But you're also not someone who can fight her way out of a bad situation." The decoration fixed, he turned back to face the woman who caused so many conflicting emotions in him. "Hell, Kol can get herself out of nearly any scrape that she gets herself into, and she damn near got killed! The only thing that saved her was you!" Emerald eyes took to burning anew as he spoke of his sister. It'd be a long while before he forgave her for the stupidity she had shown in this situation.[/html]
Taking a deep breath, he forcibly pushed his temper back down, knowing that it had a tendency to alarm those who didn't know him well enough. The last thing he wanted to do was to push Alexey away. "I'm not saying you're helpless Alexey, but it's a simple matter of logic. You're not exactly big, you're still getting used to being a shifter, and there are plenty of individuals out there who are more than willing to take advantage of that. Hell, my own grandfather probably has several offspring out there from doing just that in his darker years. Do you have any idea how badly it would crush Kol if something happened to you?" And me he thought, though he managed to leave those words out, still refusing to openly admit it. "It would kill her. I know my sister better than anyone, and she's never, ever treasured anyone as much as she does you. You're like the sister our own sisters should have been, but just never were. She'd never forgive herself if you got hurt, which is why she's so angry right now to begin with. She's not mad at you, she's pissed at herself for endangering you." He sighed heavily as he felt his anger begin to ebb a bit.
"Look...I just want you to use your head more than she does. I know I haven't been here long, but these lands are no different than any other. They're not a happy-go-lucky fairy-tale kingdom where bears are cute and cuddley and dragons breathe rainbows. I just need to know you'll be smart when wandering around the unclaimed lands, that's all. Don't hesitate to take someone with you, like me." He had surprised even himself with his ability to control his temper around her. Anyone else would have been called every name under the sun, losing a few of their more fragile possessions in the process. His own sister wasn't spared that kind of outburst, but then again, she only fueled his anger even more when he'd tried to talk sense into her.