Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Zeno Thul]

"She has expectations for continuing the Thul line. And yes, it is their choice. The Jedi will not take my children without some Jedi losing limb or life. But if that is a path my girls would walk I will support it fully. If the Jedi choose not to take them then I will deal with that when it happens." Zeno seems to have very rigid expectations, but a wide open mindset.

"And how is your family doing?"

[Aurilie Alde]

"I'll admit that it might seem a bit strange to think of the Jedi as a sort of boogeyman who will take children from their parents. I haven't exactly spoken to many parents who had gifted children or children who showed that potential." She gave a shake of her head.

"My family is doing well, at least I think so," she said with a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lip. "Ashley is almost 5 and has the makings of a young gentleman, who I think is showing a lot of promise. Admittedly, he is easily swayed into the antics of his younger sisters. Carlotta, has a good heart but perhaps too much energy to spend. I think she's misunderstood but some might say she's a hellion. The jury is still out. Susette is still a toddler in many ways and shy, perhaps a bit timid for someone of her age. We're often busy with our duties so often either other one or the other at home, mostly me as my duties require me to stay in Alderaan often. They can be a bit of a handful at times but they're darlings enough that it makes it hard to stay upset at them for long."

She gave a shrug afterwards. Rhia should probably cut them some slack...

[Zeno Thul]

"I enjoy watching them become more complex each day. Seeing them develop their personalities, preferences, and beliefs is so amazing," he says with a grin.

He then nods his head out towards the south east, "I'm picking up warmth over there. Or less cold as the case may be here on Hoth. Are the tracks taking us that way?"

[Aurilie Alde]

"I'll agree that amazing is one word for it," she gave a brief chuckle on that note. "I don't think I was so predictable in my own growth and I imagine that it would be the same. Having advanced expectations might be a recipe for disaster but I suppose some minute course correction might be warranted."

She nodded at the question and she led the way up to a slight incline where they could get a view of the snowy wastes. In the distance, they could see the large shapes that make up the herd of mammoth-like creatures. "There they are, it seems they haven't gotten too far. We might just have to be quieter on the approach this time around.."

[Zeno Thul]

"I function like this: I blaze a trail for my kids to follow until they decide to explore and I keep watching them in case they ask for help. Support their dreams and their hopes even if they aren't the same as mine. And as a result I have two wonderful daughters that still aren't too embarrassed to be seen with me," he says with a smirk as he starts in the direction Aurilie pointed out to follow herd.

[Aurilie Alde]

"That sounds like quite a feat that you've achieved, Zeno," she said with honesty in her words. Truly, she found herself questioning if her children would be embarrassed to be seen with her. Rhia, was likely prepared for that side-effect, at least she assumed she would be. "That is more or less one of the noble outcomes that I am aspiring toward. Whatever their futures are, I'd like to possibility that I could be invited."

"So how do you want to approach this one? I think we should only take the eldest in the herd here, I do see a strangler in the back." She said with a quick look at her scope before pointing out who she had in mind.

[Zeno Thul]

"The straggler is good," he agrees with a nod. "Should be easier and quicker to handle. And even the smallest mature one will be food for a day or two for everyone, maybe more."

"I am sure that your kids appreciate you. But I have found that the best way to keep them from being embarrassed by you is to be a corny parent when their friends are not around and keep distance when they're hanging with their peers. As long as they know you won't actively embarrass you they generally won't mind having you around. In my experience at least."

[Aurilie Alde]

She nodded and started to descend down the hill they were standing on, making her way to the long stretch of flat 'plains' below. Her movements were slow and deliberate, not to give the impression that they were little predators that were planning on charging them head-on.

"Good point. They might be a tad young to have too many friends yet with their homeschooling but soon enough they'll be old enough to even accompany us with our duties and hopefully make friends while abroad. That was how I met my first friends, at least. I have no plan to be overbearing, at least I hope I don't come off as such. I know most children don't appreciate a warden when they're trying to have fun."

[Zeno Thul]

Keeping his voice low while pretending not to stalk their prey, "I've never seen you as overbearing, you have your authority but you don't beat people over the head with it. You approach things more diplomatically than most."

His steps fall right behind hers, to mimic herd behavior rather than pack behavior. It made him feel... gross?... to suppress his inherent aggression. But he went along with the plan because he was not leading the hunt.

"So I imagine there will soon be negotiation training and exercises. If you haven't already started."

[Aurilie Alde]

"I'm glad you think so, thank you," she gave an accepting nod. "I admit that how I approach adults is not quite the same as how I approach my children. That said, I think I'm a little less formal and more lenient. At least, I'd like to think so."

She let out a sigh at that after she figured she approached close enough, crouching down with a knee nearing the ground. "There will be, yes. Their education has taken a bit of a backseat at the moment, both with schedules and our mission here. I'd imagine that Rhia would want to personally supervise that."

She gave a look at her rifle to ensure no ice was found on the moving parts before gesturing to take the herd's flank, assuming that she would be doing the shooting and Zeno would be doing the follow-up work.

[Zeno Thul]

He gave his own blaster rifle a similar check, giving it a once over. "Well, they are in capable hands. I have no doubt that they will be excellent scions of Alde."

He then moves into the flank and assumes a crouching position. Dialing his comms into Aurilie's, he gives her a go signal. "Ready when you are."

[Aurilie Alde]

Aurilie had wrongly assumed about Zenu's weapon of choice, that another rifle was indeed better than one. These creatures were rather nasty when confronted up close. This should make their tactics a little easier to coordinate. She raised the rifle and positioned it against her shoulder, giving a moment for her scope reading to show outlines of her potential target. For a slugthrower, her scope was of an advanced make at least.

"All right, the one to the second last one at the back of the herd with the missing tusks. On my mark..."

/Fade to Hunting?

[Zeno Thul]

Zeno flipped his rifle to stun. Better to save the meat. He followed Aurilie's lead...

/Hunting!