hard sun [joining]

[Claudius Aston]

Herps derps ok <3

Claudius basically explodes at the end of this from all the dialogue. (Word count: 514)
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[/html] For all of Claudius' good intentions, his cousin still didn't seem to think much of him. Even though it seemed as though Anatole had returned to find his family -- hadn't he said that was why he returned? -- Claudius always felt like Anatole was disappointed in what he found in Claudius. Although Claudius was very well-versed in the art of letting others down, he had realized he didn't have to worry about it if he wasn't actually letting anyone down. That was the catch: he'd down nothing wrong to Anatole; his cousin just never seemed to pay him much mind.

Claudius watched the other male as Anatole kept his gaze fixed on Ulilohi. Ulilohi responded, but then deferred to Claudius and stepped back. Claudius hesitated, glancing from one to the next. Was it really his story to tell? He supposed so. Between him, Anatole, and Ulilohi, he was the only one who had witnessed everything from start to finish.

"Da-wa-wa-a...li... was re-mo-oved... Another... wolf f-r-om the... other AniWaya," he began, and then glanced at Ulilohi when he realized he'd said 'other' in such a caustic tone, "came a-a-and told... us... that Da-wa-ali... had... taken the t... title... of chief... wrongly... Ma-a-aaska... took us to war... with... Crimson Dreams... to reclaim the pu-u-uppies of an exiled fa-a-a-amily... he exiled... Nayati... and Lili-a-a-ana... and then when th-e-e-ey left... tried to take their... children." He took a deep breath and then continued. "We att-a-a-acked Crimson... Dreams... and al-s-s-so too-ook... a girl... fr-o-om Cour d-e-e-es Miracles... hostage. Whe-e-een they... all attacked, I led th-e-e-em to Ma-a-a-ska... and we... lost... a lot of wolves... It was... difficult. A-a-a-fter tha-a-t, the lea-ea-ders of the two o-other packs... and I... occ-u-u-upoed... Ani-Wa-a-aya... since we had no-o-o lea-eader... and Da-wa-a-a-ali be-lie-ie-ed Ma-a-aska... We... occupied AniWaya until... Uli-lo-o-ohi... arrived," he explained, gesturing to the woman with his hand. "We i-i-instated... her as a... Councilwoman..." He paused, and then concluded: "Ma-a-aska... and Da-wa-a-ali... returned to... the Great Tribe. My mo-o-other... left a ye-ear ago... Attila... too. Att-i-i-la came... back... a while ago... he a-a-and my mo-o-other... are still... around... near Halifa-a-ax... and Ocèane... was in Ani-Wa-a-a-aya... for a while... But I haven't... seen Aurèle... or Athanase... since... you left." He let out a long whoosh of breath one he finished. His stutter made it so difficult to speak for a long period of time and he only grew more aware of how debilitating it was as he spoke.

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