Calm. Calm wasn’t something that took Jaws easily. Usually calm came before the storm, calm came before something that she couldn’t really handle. If she’d only known the fate of nearly her entire bloodline, and her great grandmother upon this mountain, it would have all made sense. Things would have made more sense had she only known what came before her-- but there would be no such luck. There would be no such luck for the creature of smoke and bone. Everything that rattled around in her skull would remain unexplained, likely for the duration.
From a ways off, she could hear the returned call of… one of them. As the painted mare came into view, Jaws watched carefully. This was one of the ones that had come to see them, that had soured her mood simply by appearing. That had caused the stress that Jaws feared more than she cared to admit. It was important that she not look like she feared anything, but that would only get her so far. More than anything, of course, she feared losing him. Jaws took a moment to steady herself once more-- too many emotions. Her feelings have always been too big.
Jaws does what she can to soften her gaze. It had started as a bit of a scowl-- sorry. She doesn’t necessarily mean it. It takes the smoky mare to arrange her face into something that’s a bit more reasonable and social, and she only hopes that it happens before Oswin is close enough to register. Her ears pitched forward, studying the stranger’s face as she finally spoke. “I’m Jaws,” she takes a breath. Every time the smoky creature had to introduce herself to someone new, the anxiety would start to creep in around the edges.
Oswin’s question was something Jaws should have rehearsed her answer for. She knew it was coming, yet she was uncomfortable. It was hard to just know what to say. Hell, no matter what she said at this point, she’d likely sound unreasonable. Better to just go for it. “I just want to make sure that my dad isn’t undergoing extra stress.” Jaws took a moment and a deep breath to steady herself. Her words had to be chosen with care-- couldn’t make Rade look weak, because he wasn’t.
“I’m here on my own accord,” she continued. “I don’t know how much time I have left with Rade, but I don’t want to spend it looking over my shoulder and worrying about relations going sour with the Vulcans.” It was no secret, after all, that the boss was aging. For all of the smoky mare’s emotion, she held no venom. With a soft sigh, Jaws assessed the painted mare. Her gaze was measured. Careful. “If there’s a way I can put your mind at ease, then maybe I can do the same.” An eye for an eye, right? Something like that.
mare. smoky black. 15.2.
rade’s daughter. |