this entire thread is M for mature/foul language.

Tahlia wasn't much of a fan of Polaris, but it did have one redeeming quality. A motherfucking river.

So it wasn't as impressive as the body of water in Fornax, but for a homesick hybrid who was overly-attached to the water, it would do. It was enough for her to feel at home diving into the stiller parts of the crystal river, floating or tiredly paddling from here to there.

She was in Polaris for one reason and one reason only-- the Olympics were here. What was an Olympic? Tahlia had no idea, but she thought it reasonable to pay her darling older brother a visit. 'Older.' Yeah, right.

She'd seen him, vaguely, from the river, wrestling with someone else. A cat a little bit smaller than he was. And, as he turned away out of the fighting ring, Tahlia dipped herself under the deep waters in the river, sailing towards the edge of the shore.

Silver, mucus-slick fish brushed by her waterproof feathers as she dived. She didn't mind-- nor did she have the time to study them for a few moments. This was far more important, because caves know you have to greet your brother somehow when you come all this way to see them.

The hybrid lifted herself out of the water, green eyes peering over the edge of the steep shore. She made an attempt to draw up her magicka-- though found herself quite unable to at this exact moment. But that was no matter. Tahlia knew exactly how to fuck with Eythan.

A chirp-- that was all she needed. A quick, loud, potentially familiar chirp to Eythan before she dove back under the surface of the water with an inward splash, awaiting her victim to come and investigate.

@Eythan

Polaris did, indeed, have a motherfucking river, and Eythan was grateful for that. His wrestling match with Imperia had left him a thirsty bitch and that shit required slaking. Delicately as possible (i.e. hanging onto the steep bank with his ass and with his wings all the way out) he took a good long sip and turned away to go back to the ring.

Just as he about made it to the fight club happening, there was a loud chirp that sounded more like a shrill squeal. Definitely bird, but also definitely familiar. Familiar along the lines of Aure, but that one was elsewhere. The sound was just barely hiking above the level of the crystal river, and sounded like it came from that way as well.

So, dumbass he was, Eythan began to trot towards the river, peering over the edge just where Tahlia would happen to be.

@Tahlia

What a dumbass, the hybrid thought as she lurked under the water, waiting. As Eythan's face appeared over the edge, the wyvern burst forth out of the water with a billowing splash and magicka flowing through her.

Her gemstone illuminated the grey-blue feathers around it, and the magic flooded straight to her voice. "HEY, BROTHER," Tahlia squealed-- her voice reverberating throughout the caves at Maximum Volume, straight into Eythan's face. The sheer noise caused some loose rocks overhead to crumple and fall to the ground with a clatter. "WHADDYAH DOING?"

She scrambled up out of the crystal river, claws scraping against the cave floor as she got onto the surface. Droplets of water washed off her back as though they were duck feathers, and the hybrid spent a moment shaking herself dry, sending a cascade of river-water in all directions.

"I saw you fight!" She squabbled in a voice that seemed like a whisper, compared to the volume she just managed. "Couldn't pick on someone your own size, huh? Did you ask the judges specifically for a gem half your height or did they feel bad enough for you that they did it unprompted?"

Her tone was playful-- if this had been anyone else, she'd likely be far nicer. But, this was Eythan, and this is the treatment that he'd have to tolerate. What else are little sisters for, after all?

@Eythan

Eythan didn't have time to even think of the word--- "FUCK!" His ears immediately pinned back, bracing himself for the oncoming verbal assault on his very eardrums. The gryphon, now sopping wet and with a little sister shrieking into his face, scampered backward and shook himself. No amount of head-shaking and moving away could save his poor hearing. For a moment, every other sound in Polaris seemed muffled save for the persistent ringing obliterating the newly-formed headache he had. Least to say, he was in a "HOLY SHIT!" state of being.

A conveniently falling rock was the final nail in the goddamn coffin for Tahlia. Whilst the wyvern was shaking herself off, Eythan was already formulating a plan. He only briefly waited for her to speak --- still in a muffled, unintelligble manner, mind you --- before hunkering down. "I'm going to kick your fuckin' ass for that, you little shitgremlin!" Starting right in with the insults, the gryphon barreled head-long into his sibling with a mock-roar of pure, brotherly fury.

@Tahlia