[M] The Cobra and the Viper
#1
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Word Count :: 366 Made this mature just in case


Helotes stood before the D’Neville mansion, looking up towards the dark and cracked windows of the second floor. She was up there, Halo Lykoi, the cousin he had yet to meet and had avoided until now. She had recently given birth, and even if wasn’t for her being a new mother her reputation had preceded her and he knew of her viciousness. It was not that Helotes was afraid of meeting her, but he wanted to make sure that when he did confront his superior that he was ready. He clutched one of his beech wood staffs in his hands, the muscles of his fingers tensing. He had been training since the moment he had arrived here, and he was now well versed in both hand to hand and horseback combat. Though he wasn’t a master with the bow staff, he was quite formidable with it, and his mare’s hooves were sharp; they would be a force to reckon with on the battlefield.

He took a deep breath, he knew she was inside, he could smell her and her new puppies; they lived on the floor above him and he often saw Halo around; she was a dark and venomous looking female and quite attractive, though Helotes could feel his balls retreat whenever he saw her. But she was family and he respected her position in the clan, and now he was ready to prove himself to her. He cleared his throat and then made a yipping call with her name written all over it, directed up at the mansion. He knew she would hear him, but if her pups were sleeping it would not raise them. He did not want to invade her space by going and knocking on her door.

He waited then, eyes flicking about to make sure no one was watching or there to eaves drop; Enkiel was over by the guest house but far enough away not to disturb them and Helotes had noticed Jacinto go to the stables earlier but other than that it was all quiet on the home front. His umber eyes moved to the door where he knew she soon would appear; he stood tall, muscles tensed.


Image courtesy of filtran; Table by the Mentors!

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#2
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--

Apparently they believed she was a mere dog, ready to obey their call without hesitation. Oversized ears sprung on top of her head, unable to place the yipping voice that had called for her specifically. Fingers continued to brush against a light tan puppy cheek. How dared he disturb the warrior queen from her prolonged moments of happiness? These red eyes wanted nothing more than to gaze upon her precious offspring forever, and her caring hands wished for nothing but to groom the silky tuffs of thick puppy fur.

With rapidly dropping mood, the auburn hybrid cautiously rose from her seat on the bed and walked to the door. She resented the caller now, but knew that this was her cue to escape now when the darlings were asleep. Although her grace was exquisite to say the least, it seemed to her that her body’s population of muscles screamed in silent dismay as she moved. With the time around Itachi’s birth serving as a lonely exception, Halo had worked her body every day since the day she first had stepped into the clan’s precious lands. She hadn’t kept up with her previous, daily routines as well as she should, and it made her feel slightly ill whenever she skipped the heavy sessions in the early mornings.

She descended halfway down the stairs before pausing, leaning back to have the worn armlet of the stairs support her lower back. One of the fresh Lykois was it? The one that had been sitting next to Ratzana, if she was not entirely mistaken. It granted her a bad impression of him from the very start, but Halo was able to forgive if she learned that he was unaware of the inconvenient fact that her half-sibling was a traitor of many levels. Oh, yes, the very thought of the rat-tail canine made her teeth grind together.

But her lips smiled at him, so pretty and approving of this appealing figure of fresh meat standing by the door. You called?”

Halo Lykoi


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#3
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Word Count :: 332 OOC


She arrived and he stiffened, she was a succubus descending towards him, crimson eyes full of power. He feared her in that instant, but it passed quickly. She smiled and he could see behind it, it was the smile of a crocodile, but he returned in, in a half sneer half sly grin as per his usual. She was an exquisite creature indeed, feminine and strong, and he wondered what male dared tame her to mate, or if like the praying mantis she devoured her lover’s head while copulating. Yes, forgive me if I disturbed you. I am Helotes Lykoi, son of Kaena’s first son Kerberos and current Hastati to our great clan. I have come to you, master Triarii, to prove myself as a worthy warrior of Inferni. The words were sharo like daggers and to the point, somehow he felt this formality was the best option with her.

Now that they were face to face he had a chance to size her up properly; she was lithe and muscular, her dark hair framing her sharp features, her fur smooth as honey. She was quite entrancing, but she put forth an air of a killer. The Lykoi tattoo was emblazoned upon her breast and Helotes nearly moved to touch the twin marking on his shoulder; she was a Lykoi through and through, there was no denying; some of his other cousins had heritage that was harder to discern.

He looked her square in the face but lowered his ears and tail, showing respect to her dominant position; it was her approval he sought and he would do whatever was needed to gain it. He lifted the staff from his side and drove it swiftly into the ground in front of him with force, the muscles of his chest and arms pronounced. He realized he was peacocking, but it could not be avoided; she must see his loyalty to Inferni in every move he made; she was the path to Ezekiel’s grace.


Image courtesy of filtran; Table by the Mentors!

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#4
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--

She laughed; the raining tones gentle and so eternally soft when compared to the fierce appearance of blood-lit eyes. Perhaps this one had done his homework before deciding to come to her. How this woman loved this type of formality. She knew well that she was easily seduced by friendly exteriors and pretty words. The son of Kerberos didn’t need to do much more to get to take the first step in the right direction. As his uniquely shaded orbs of orange investigated her, so did hers him. The woman had seen his face more than once, but she hadn’t taken the time to properly acknowledge his existence before now.

Who could have branded the Star of Chaos into his flesh? Her own had been granted her as a gift from the Kaena Lykoi herself. It was most precious to her. Kaena was no longer the woman she once had been. Age had started to catch up with her, but it was the warrior’s wish that the old woman could brand the family’s insignia into her young children’s flesh when they came of age. Her grandmother was immortal in her eyes, and she had scarcely begun to fear that there would be a time when it was time for Kaena to leave this world.

Disallowing thoughts to wander off tracks, dark pupils rose to admire his face. The family resemblance was beautiful to her, and although she rarely settled for the shallow shell of another, the appreciation was seen in the slight increase of her smile’s sugary curve. It mattered little that he decided against lowering his gaze. She would allow it, because he had excelled where others usually failed. She exhaled in light amusement as he did this peculiar move with his staff, but she didn’t comment on it. He was here to prove himself as a worthy warrior?

Her palm lifted to press against the branded star on her chest, and she stepped as closer to her cousin, as if her curiosity was enough to leave her hovering just beyond his personal space. Everything remained soft in her features, however. So few were worthy of this place. Would this one be any different?

Clawed fingers had rested peacefully against the soft fur on her chest, but it didn’t mean they weren’t dangerous. With the similar velocity of a feline’s swiping paw, her fingers curled slightly and lashed out for that pretty face of his, wishing to connect with soft skin tissue and release rows of blood in their wake.

Halo Lykoi


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#5
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Word Count :: 350 OOC


She laughed but he had been expecting nothing less; the stiff formality of dominance and submission observed by a pack usually fell to the wayside between the warriors. It had been that way in his old clan and it seemed to be that way here. He relaxed then a little more, but then she moved towards him. Her gait was like that of a cat and he could barely keep his eyes from noting the sensual sway of her hips, this desire doubled even by the sweet smile of her face. But when she was close enough to him that the formality was broken, he became extremely alert. Here was the head combatant of Inferni, the variable queen of violence, mere feet away from him.

She said nothing, but she did not need to, there was no need for her to give him warning about what she was about to do, he could basically sense it vibrating out of her form into the ground and into him. His eyes widened, and pupils dilated, and this was the only physical sign that he knew she was about to strike. Like a viper she lashed out, razor sharp claws aimed directly for his face. Had he not been so keenly aware, had he not been so enraptured by her, he would have surely lost an eye.

Like a fly suddenly finding itself caught in a spider’s web her wrist was suddenly nestled in the palm of his hand, his claws creating a dangerous cage around it. The whole act had happened in less than a second and the dark Lykoi stared wide eyed at his cousin, hardly believing it himself that he had caught her. He held onto her wrist longer then he intended but then pushed back from her, strong legs propelling him. She meant to duel then? He readied himself, clutching the staff horizontally in front of him. He wished he could be rid of it, rather fighting with tooth and claw, but Ezekiel had wished he become well versed in weapons combat and so he accepted the crutch begrudgingly.


Image courtesy of filtran; Table by the Mentors!

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#6
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--

A short, exhaling sneer seemed to lash out between not-so-sweetly-smiling-now lips as her slender, copper painted wrist was imprisoned by a larger set of fingers adorned with elongated claws. Cream-gloved fingers flexed with the yearning for the male’s blood, but wasn't about to get any. Pupils seemed to dilate within their violent pools of sharp scarlet. Handsome Helotes had really set out to impress her, now hadn’t he? Reflexes were good and his skin was still intact. Disappointing, but it was mandatory for her to approve of this.

The soft fur along her slender spine raised with the arrival of that special thrill that she so adored. Yes! The Triarii had half expected him to lash out with something of a similar nature in retaliation, but he offered her nothing but the release of the hand he so swiftly had caught. But now, the black in her eyes went into full retreat, becoming mere pricks amidst storming seas of blood-red. The fingers on her freed hand curled into a cracking fist as she half-turned her feminine frame from him, watching him position the staff horizontally before him through heavy eyelashes.

Her own hands were empty for a tangible weapon and shield, but it shouldn’t matter much. He had been lucky catching her sudden attack, but she decided that this was luck only. He was doing well in proving himself worthy of her time already though, and she greatly approved of this, but he wouldn’t know this. ”Come on, pup.” The last word could only be interpreted as an insult to his being, but in return it was spoken in the most sensual purr there was.

Halo Lykoi


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#7
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Word Count :: 320 OOC


His heart beat began to quicken, his veins heat up with the adrenaline that only came with battle. He relished it, it made him feel alive! A couple days prior he had tasted the sweet nectar of victory when he and Vesper had fought and run off an intruder from Inferni’s borders. But this was not the same, this was much more important than some meaningless trespasser; this was a woman who could perhaps best him, even in his top form. Her eyes were like rubies and she goaded him, her voice and face no longer sensual but still holding a lust; for his blood.

A wonderful smirk came to his face, and his hackles raised fully and with his winter coat it made him look like he had suddenly grown the mane of a lion. He crouched low, paws clenched on the staff, eyes darting about her body trying to find an open point to attack. He decided upon the soft fur of her inner thigh, and without hesitation he took two quick steps towards the femme and thrust forward the blunt end of the staff. It was of no use, she had seen this coming a mile away and dodged like a tiger. But he was already planning the next step and swept the other end of the staff upward and then diagonally, giving her a sharp smack on her rump.

Perhaps this might not have been the best place to get in the first blow, but he did not pause to think on it and spun quickly to the side, staff whirling in the air above him before he brought it down sharply onto her shoulder. But this was all the luck Helotes was able to afford in the way of strikes, for Halo was quick for catching the pattern of his movements. He jabbed and thrusted to no avail; it was like trying to catch smoke.


Image courtesy of filtran; Table by the Mentors!

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#8
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--

Lovely curved chest heaved with the rising desire for added oxygen to flood her lungs and fill her muscles with weightlessness. Ruby gaze could have adored the impressive effect of his rising coat, if only this scene had held a different mood than this. In the art of war, Halo was a true business woman. War did not smile and tease and war did not wait. Much and more had been absorbed through experience, and it had not been lovely. Innocence had early been smeared bright red with despair and loss, and she could scarcely remember the time when her world had been different. Halo had found and captured the story she had wished would become true, but reality would never be as sweet as it always seemed to be in dreams.

The wooden weapon took a cruel leap to bruise her, but the Lykoi princess was swift on her feet and lighter than a feather. But now was time for evaluation, and the male was now for a second time about to surprise her with his abilities. She found him two steps too close still, and as her smaller body was about to push an airier distance between the two to plot her own agenda, he managed to hit her.

Two perfect rows of ivory teeth flashed then. She could have chosen to spend this time in light embarrassment, or she could move on. Perhaps it could have been a mean smack on her pride if this hadn’t been a violent session where the objective was to evaluate and learn. He had hit firm muscle, and while it stung, it didn’t cripple at all. And it was wonderful to have more gasoline poured into the fire. The staff fell hard against warm coloured shoulder now, but the lash of pain would be worth it, for her well-targeted kick against the middle- front of his ankle would surely inspire unfortunate sensations for him as well.

Again, the hand attached to the unharmed shoulder darted for his face, though this time in the form of a clenched fist in search of tasting the male’s chin. Perhaps the staff would be able to parry her last attack in time. Perhaps not.

Halo Lykoi


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#9
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Word Count :: 302 OOC


Soon her blocks changed flavor to that of the offensive. He managed to jump over her kick, the claws of his feet tickling her ankle as it swept underneath him, but it was barely a dodge. For a moment he lost his footing but like snake curved his back elegantly to regain it. However this did not afford him much of an advantage as her fist came straight for his muzzle. He pushed the staff upwards, hoping to knock her punch away, but failed, only managing to glance it off her rock hard forearm as her paw buried itself between the bridge of his nose and the corner of his eye. He was amazed at the brute force of the small woman and the blow nearly sent him onto his backside. He stumbled, losing the grip on the staff as it went tumbling away.

The sting of her hit quickly changed to a deep throbbing, and he shot his pinprick pupils at her, a growl rising in his throat. The pain only helped to spurn him on, his desire to prove himself to her slowly melting into a want of vengeance and victory. He opened his hands, his claws turning his palms into saw blades as he jumped at her, mouth wide of saber teeth, off white and glinting in the cold sun.

He took a heavy swipe at her, meeting nothing but air and leapt like a deer past her, now to her back. He spun, crouching low to the ground, nearly kissing it, and swiped at her ankles, clawed finger tips whirling like knives. He met fur and flesh but could not tell the extend of deepness of the wound, if he even had caused any. His legs bunched under him like muscled springs and he prepared to tackle her.


Image courtesy of filtran; Table by the Mentors!

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#10
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--

She didn’t linger with the moves that failed to hit their desired targets. This was a beautiful dance with the promise of sweet red, and there was no time for either of them to pause and think. The wonderful throb of pain bloomed on top of her shoulder, but she relished it; the feeling of being alive and truly being in the moment.

An explosion arrived against her knuckles as well, but so much sweeter than the rest of her hurt areas. She was paid by gaining a temporary superiority, and watched him stumble and lose his not-so-secure grip on his staff. Flattened ears heard the vibrating, masculine growl loud and clear, but she wasn’t easily spooked by such things. She had looked the devil in the eyes and heard his evil laughter more than once, and nothing could compare. Nothing.

The Lykoi unleashed sharp claws at her. A rumbling sneer now escaped her gliding form as well, for she wasn’t overly fond of the idea of scars ruining her as good as perfect appearance. It was a small wonder she wasn’t maimed, considering what she had been through over the years, so it wasn’t acceptable for her to obtain deep wounds in a mere sparring session. But she could see her rage, and couldn’t help but become enticed by it. It wasn’t quite the same madness that she had seen in her father’s eyes, and that she knew lurked in her blood stream. But it was dark madness, and it was beautiful to her.

She avoided his hungry claws, and as he leapt past her she swirled around along with him. With her smaller frame, speed was supposed to serve her better than him. Claws kissed her ankles, but only barely, for she was in constant movement, and offered a low butterfly kick in the hopes of giving his face another beating. Landing on balanced legs, she drew back one foot or two, shifting her weight to prepare for the possibility of a powerful attack. Was the formal, polite man angry now?

Halo Lykoi


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#11
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Word Count :: 387 Poor, innocent stump...


She was quick and he was not quick enough and as soon as his claws had left her flesh her foot was in his neck, claws piercing skin. He was thrown back by the force of it, the wind knocked out of him and he coughed. His head swam, little stars flashing about in his vision. His mind turned dark and he felt the rage build, like lava about to burst forth from the womb of the earth. He righted himself to his full height before her, looking like some crazed demon, umber eyes like flames. His mouth opened wide, teeth barred to their fullest and saliva dripping. Desperately he tried to regain his sanity but it was swiftly falling away, and the beast within him was being revealed.

He bound at her, no longer on two legs but using all fours, claws ripping into the earth like a plow sending chunks of it flipping out about him. He wanted her blood, he wanted to rip her beating heart out! The world seemed to slow, the Lykoi femme no longer looked a threat but instead a small skinny thing that would be easy to break. He would tear into her soft flesh and render her useless forevermore.

The beast that was Helotes leapt into the air, a veritable roar emanating from his core, claws and teeth all aimed straight for her throat. At the last second though, his mind screamed at him "NO!", the part that was himself breaking through the part that was his father. He contorted his body, missing Halo all together and instead landing upon a nearly rotted away stump, which was rendered to nothing but wet saw dust by the force and strength of his attack. He let loose his rage upon the stump until the inferno began to die down and panting he turned to her, muscles still bulging.

He could have killed her! He needed to learn to be able to control his rage in the fight, but it was something he had always struggled with. He took deep breaths trying to calm himself and set a placid mask on his face, I concede to you, you are superior. It was all he could say; he wasn’t sure if he had proven himself to her, or made a fool of himself.


Image courtesy of filtran; Table by the Mentors!

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#12
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Halo believed she could see a monster with loose reins when she saw one, but fear didn’t come to carry her away like it might have done had she been younger and without that experience that made her into the fighter she was today. Once she had been soft and feared these foul things, but her father’s blood ran vicious through her and was a constant reminder that she belonged with these nightmarish creatures. The danger she saw within the dark orange of his eyes was unrestrained and real, however, and she couldn’t laugh it off.

But mindless rage took away reason, and within her shell existed cool calm and only that. But just as the dashing bull was closing in on his lithe target, he changed track and assaulted an innocent, rotted tree stump instead. The Triarii stood erect and stepped away from his raging form in a controlled stride, watching him work out his rage on his unfortunate target. One of her hands rose to rub against a sore shoulder—she was certain a colourful bruise was blooming under her soft pelt.

Narrow chin lifted as the warrior woman looked down on her cousin through half lid eyes, the dancing red of her eyes partly hidden by dark lashes. Indeed, he seemed to be quite upset. Such a shame, for she had thought him to show such promise. Words were eventually spoken, but the taste of her supposed victory wasn’t very rich. Of course I am,” she sneered, turning her face away for a moment as fingers brushed away wild strands of hair from her face. She found discipline so important, and she wondered if there was any in him. If such mindless rage could remove his control so easily, he could too easily become an obstacle at the battlefield. Blind need to murder and destroy didn’t secure victory.

She turned her frame to him, crossing her arms before her curved chest, watching him through narrowed eyes. ”I see we’ve got some temperamental issues here..” Voice revealed that she didn’t approve of this.


Halo Lykoi


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#13
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Word Count :: 343 OOC


Where her words would have stung him at younger age they just slid off his back, and inside he could not help but relish in the fact that he had bruised her somewhat when she rubbed her shoulder. Only his eyes smiled at this, and he reached up to where she had kicked him, finding his hand came away wet with blood. It was an extremely superficial wound but it stained the soft gray fur of his chest crimson. She pointed out his lack of discipline and this did sting his ego, but only because it was the truth. Though his unabashed rage had served him well and brought him to many victories in the past, he knew it was a danger and a hindrance he must overcome.

Standing he dusted himself off, now completely himself again, cool and collected, but kept his eyes averted from her, Agreed. Sadly I am my father’s son, and part of me becomes him. He looked up to her face briefly, I apologize for this, but one of your prowess should be able to infer upon me a way to overcome this slight annoyance. it was a challenge to her albeit a subtle one; if she did not approve of him, then it should be her duty to train him to be so; it could be no one else.

Helotes suddenly felt something like a hot fire in the eye right above where she had struck him and he closed it instinctively; it was surely blackened, the white of orb stained red. It was an injury he had sustained before and knew it was fleeting, but he was somewhat annoyed at it. He cracked his eyelid though it stung so he could look at her properly. What say you master Triarii? Would you take this burden upon yourself? He wasn’t sure if she could afford to deny him, but she was a sly one, and a new mother. If she did not accept, he would go to the Aquila himself for training, if it must be so.


Image courtesy of filtran; Table by the Mentors!

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#14
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C8

It didn’t necessarily have to be sad.

The woman pfthed at his apology, and she took the few steps over to his form, leaving dark crimson drops on the ground from the red weeping swipe wound on her leg. She paid it little attention for now, but would tend to it later and hate him for threatening to stain her flawless appearance. He seemed to bleed more than her, and she was mightily pleased with this, and didn’t hide the returned smile from her lips. All in all she found herself relatively content with that short session, though she couldn’t immediately determine how difficult it would be to leash that wild beast of his.

”You need to learn to channel that rage,” she shrugged, scarlet hues eyeing his reddened eye. Every day couldn’t be like this one, but it couldn’t be too difficult to figure out something. It had been quite a while she had taken on a pupil of any kind at all, and so she would probably have to decide how to set it all up. A start could be for him to join her in her early morning sessions, though that hadn’t and would never be a must.

”Perhaps,” honeyed voice smiled and toyed. One of her duties was to help train the warriors of the clan, but she was a free bitch, and had no issues rejecting potential fighters. There was so much weed in Inferni’s gardens, and she had no interest at all to spend a significant time on something that would end up as wasted time. "Come back here tomorrow at mid day, and we'll see what we can do, okay?"

Halo Lykoi


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#15
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Word Count :: 279 OOC ::


He stood up a little straighter as she came near him, and again he could not help but flit his gaze down to her swaying hips for a moment. She scoffed at his apology, but he couldn’t help but grin, he could sense that he had done something right. He could smell blood, both hers and his, and hoped that this would not cause him any future problems with her. When she was close to him, he was once again enamored by her beauty, as deadly as it was. Helotes was quite the lady’s man, but this exotic flower he dare not touch; everything about her screamed off limits.

She pointed out again that he had to channel the rage and he nodded tersely. The idea of being able to funnel the beast inside him into something that could be a deadly weapon in battle excited him to the core. He smiled darkly, visions of using this rage in war to tear his enemies asunder pleased him. And Halo seemed to know exactly how to help him do this; how could she not with her confidence and skills?

She then said the words that he had been waiting for, that perhaps she would take him on and she asked him to meet her there the next day. He chanced a short wag of his tail and bowed his head to her graciously, You honor me with your time, senorita Halo. I will be here. And taking this as a cue to leave his made his exit back into the mansion; he would have to clean himself up and rest to be on his A game for the next day.


Image courtesy of filtran; Table by the Mentors!

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