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Breakaway smiles a bit, something sly in the expression as Iron Hoof averts his gaze from her own. She finds his embarrassment to be oddly charming. There is almost a sort of modesty in it that she finds pleasing about the Buck-- especially as she has already judged him to be quite physically strong, if perhaps a little hot-tempered, though amiable enough after she had proven her point.

She steps closer as he lies down. The task does not seem beneath her at all, at least not in her opinion. After all, she has lived alone for many a season and her solitude has required her to do things far less savory than to pull a rock from one's hoof. Especially when the one in question is rather easy on the eyes.

"Hold still," she instructs. Calm and cool as she has ever appeared to be (except when she'd come half-snarling down the hillside). She examines the hood in question with a keen gaze, and catches sight of the stone. It's a sliver of one, slimmer than most-- a shard. There's enough of it sticking out to put pressure on the sensitive underside when stepped on, and just enough for her to grab it tentatively between her teeth and give it a sharp tug, pulling it free.

The doe smirks faintly, a teasing, confident expression as she watched the large buck. She tilts her head then a little, looking up slightly toward the treetops,

"Of course... Though I think perhaps we should find shelter before it turns completely dark. Already the sun is setting, and my own usual den is far from here."

Breakaway turns back to look at Iron Hoof, her glowing eyes all the more pronounced in the coming dusk. "Might you have a place nearby?"

Breakaway shrugs a little, carefree and unconcerned. She seems not to notice his nervousness, or if she does, has the grace to pretend otherwise.

"Of course not, as long as they are well mannered." A hint of a smirk teases her lips and she glances at Iron Hoof. "Besides, it'll be dark soon, and my own den is too far from here to make it before then. Wouldn't want me to be eaten by a lynx now, would you?" Though the idea of the tough doe being eaten by anything might be hard to imagine. "Or... are you shy?" Her voice drops, and she chuckles a little in that soft way of hers, low and teasing as she brushes a flank with his. "I won't bite... much."

The brown fire-coated doe chuckles softly at Iron Hoof's barely concealed eagerness to be off. She's very aware of herself. Perhaps more than a doe who is used to living alone might otherwise be, but it's not like she's a recluse. She's met plenty of other kimeti in her travels, and spent time with them, either in passing or in brief friendships. She knows she is, by many a Kimeti's standards, a very fine doe indeed, but her strength is that she isn't vain about it. It's only that seeing Iron Hoof so flustered makes her aware of it again-- and what doe doesn't like to be reminded of that?

So, she follows, walking at his side, and as the swamp around them darkens to night, the fiery glow-marks on her hide cast an eerie red-orange hue on the world around them.

"I should think that with your strength and my wits well... all of the swamp might fear us." Breakaway smirks a little, but it's hard to see in the dimming light. "Tell me about this tribe of yours?"

"Hm... perhaps so. I don't much like the idea of sharing space with so many others, and I'm more than capable of handling my own, but.." she shrugs, and flashes him a smirk, "Perhaps for less capable does it would seem like a safe haven." And no sooner does she say this than a lynx attacks them, clinging to Iron Hoof's head and she steps back out of reflex before snarling softly, a low growl rumbling in her throat as she lowers her hornless head at the thing.

"Must have stumbled into it's territory.." she says softly, causing the cat's ears to flick her way. For whatever reason, though, most of it's attention is centered on the larger target, who is, of course, Iron Hoof. Still, Breakaway doesn't let her guard down in case the thing decides she'd make a better rival.

It's not the first time she's fought off a lynx before, either, but she's never seen one with glow markings on it's pelt. Then again, she supposes if Kimeti can have them, then why not other creatures of the Swamp, too?

"Look out! It's getting ready to pounce again," sure enough, the cat's hind quarter's are bunched up while it hisses angrily at the two of them.

As Iron Hoof fights off the Lynx, Breakaway stands by anxiously, ready to intervene should she have to. Only, as it suddenly ends, she's left there blinking a bit in surprise. She's heard of Kimeti raising young lynx to be pets, but never for an adult Lynx to submit to another as a pet. She wonders if maybe this lynx is used to kimeti company-- perhaps it's last owner lost it, or had some other unfortunate end. In either case, she's simply glad it seems to have calmed down.

"Well.... that's a first. I've never seen a Lynx act that way before.." she watches it warily though, still not ready to completely relax around it, and keeps a bit more distance between them than before. "What are you going to name it?"

"Hm.. a good name." She smiles faintly and nods, stepping close to Iron Hoof once more as they make their way to the buck's den. She notes the large logs circling the area first, and recalls how she had first met the other buck. Inwardly, she grins a little.

By the time they reach the tribe, it's fully dark, and the markings on her hide glow fiercely in the dark. To any kimeti farther away, it would look as if there were fire floating through the dark. It's merely an illusion, though, of course, and as they step onto the large, flat stone, her hooves make hollow tapping sounds.

After a moment, she finally pauses to look around herself. She can't deny that the area is quite serene. There's a peace about the place-- and a kind of mystery. It's not often that the swamp clears out like this, after all, to reveal the littering of tiny, twinkling lights overheard-- and she's certainly never seen such a large, flat stone as this before.

She hopes they aren't planning on sleeping in the open.

"Is there a den nearby? You said there were others here, though by now I imagine they must be sleeping."

Breakaway smiles slightly to herself as she stands near the mouth of the cave, half watching Iron Hoof work to clear the den, and half staring at the stars overhead. Her mind wanders.

She tries to think of the last time she'd really seen the stars in so many numbers, with such a good view. Probably not since she was a filly, and had wandered over the more exposed parts of the marshes, where the trees were thin, and the grass was high.

But then Iron Hoof looks at her and she smiles slightly, sweetly, and nods to him. He seems.... caring. Perhaps, she thinks, not the brightest firefly in the bunch, but not exactly dull, either. His eagerness and vitality both amuses her and makes him endearing. And when she steps toward him, her tail flicks up along his flank to trail his side, swiping playfully across his face and she laughs a little, turning to look at him with glowing eyes.

"Well? Don't just stand there-- you coming in, or what?" She's firey-- full of life and bite, and her posture is strong and challenging toward him, but there's a softness around her sharp eyes. She has no idea what it is, all of a sudden, but she feels... good. She's glad to have met him.