Many years the were had weathered, and in that amount of time he had come to learn that fewer and fewer seemed to give that delicate balance of life the respect that it truly deserved. As time went on and the world around him changed, he had watches the ideals and aspects of those walking this earth alongside him also shift. Where once there had been a concern for all living things, when it was an unspoken way of life to give as well as take, now there seemed to be so much greed and gluttonous hunger to have whatever it was that their fleeting fancies so desired - even if that object of want was not their to take. That was perhaps the biggest problem that Roman had with the mindset of the new world they were all forced to acknowledge. Species that were once in abundance, living as their creator had intended all thoughts thousands and thousands of years ago were now teetering on the edge of extinction, struggling to survive as their own worlds slowly began to shift and shatter around them to such a point that they could no longer call those ancestral grounds their home. Wild and dense forests once untouched and untainted by the hands of man, so full of life and beauty as well as mystery were almost entirely destroyed by deforestation as humans uprooted mighty trees and ripped into rich soils like it had always be theirs to do with as they pleased while they built their homes and vast industries responsible for the pollution that seeped into the earth like venom, dealing damage that could not be undone. Somehow, that sense of replacing what was taken so that things could recover from the harvest didn't seem to be as common as it used to be. This destruction, this new and selfish lifestyle so many seemed to adopt, it was baffling to Roman. There was no trusting strangers anymore, or so it seemed. Where the ravenous hunger had come from, he hadn't even the slightest idea but it was perhaps one of the reasons that Roman was slow to trust others unless they were family. Just maybe, it was because of how things were now, how drastically morale and virtue seemed to diminish into a near non-existent state of being that played a part in his lack of desire to linger in any one place for long. He knew that not everyone in the world was out for themselves, that there were still others like himself and his family that believed in honesty and doing what was right rather than what was more beneficial to one's own needs or wants, but those beings seemed to be few and far between, the number of souls with fair intentions smaller it seemed than he thought there should be.

Greed was something that Roman had never felt within himself and yet he could easily see in others. The way that their eyes would glitter wickedly as selfish, deceitful minds began to work on how they could manipulate those around them to get it, the way they would get do whatever it would take or walk on whomever they felt they needed to in order to obtain that object of desire, it left a foul taste in the were's mouth. Especially when it came to matters that didn't just affect oneself, but also innocent bystanders that didn't deserve to be subjected to the unfairness that such acts of gluttony and ruthlessness could easily bring. Hunting was a perfect example of this. So corrupt by the lust for what many considered "trohpies", those that hunted would go to devious lengths simply to take the life of another just so that they could brag about it or make some sort of meager profit. Roman was a predator. He hunted and he took the lives of living things, but the differences between himself and the dark hunters that relentlessly pursued the she-wolf could not be more vast. Yes, the were understood what the purpose of such a race was. They were to act as keepers of the delicate balance between the human world and its supernatural counterpart. Yet, such a gift of supernatural strength and sense was often abused and applied in ways that Roman considered to be unjust. He had yet to come across a dark hunter that did not kill for nothing but pleasure, thirsty for whatever bounty was offered or simply for their own motives. They seemed to be so prone to believing that they held some sort of superiority over others, even going as far as to think other races as nothing more than a blemish on the world that needed cleansing or purifying. Not every being in a singular race was good. There were weres out there that were feral and savage, killed without thinking and took pleasure in the fear they could induce. There were fae that were no better than common thieves, deceitful and cunning as they stole from others only to increase their own wealth. Every race was tainted by those who were cruel or dishonest, just as every race had within it those who were good. Not all dark hunters misused their gifts given to them, entirely respectful of the balance that the world's creators set in place from the dawn of time. Not all weres killed senselessly. Not all fae took advantage of or played tricks on those around them. It was easy to forget that at the end of the day, so long as there was some sense of morale understanding and mutual respect, they weren't as different from one another as they might think.

Perhaps that had been what originally pushed the lion into that defense of the she-wolf. She had been outnumbered. No, Roman didn't know exactly why it was that those hunters were chasing her through the trees. She could have easily done something to deserve that very chase that had her running for the very life that resonated within each and every rapid heartbeat. The shouts of the hunters hadn't been shouts of anger, though. And when they had successfully flung those bolas and ensnared her, their voices had held within them a sneering and almost arrogant note that gave Roman the impression that what they wanted with her was not to right some wrong she had done, but rather it would only be out of some sick sense of pride and pleasure that they would do as they so desired without a sense remorse or regret. It had been more than enough for Roman to allow that fierce predator in him to act as he easily took from them the two senses so many took for granted before taking from them their one and only life just as they had undoubtedly done to gods only knew how many other innocent weres, witches, vampires, and fae not too unlike the lupine near helplessly bound by those constraints twisted around her forelegs. There was no remorse in the lion as lethal teeth made frightfully quick work of the hunters' windpipes, effortlessly ripping them open to let that crimson life force spill into the forest floor around their mauled bodies, dispatching them as though they were nothing more than the very pretty the were hunted. After all, when those meant to be the ones to guard that sacred balance became corrupt and failed to be what the world's creators had intended, who else would be there to ensure that they, too, did not begin to overwhelm the world? Roman was a tolerant being, typically slow to anger just as he was slow to fully trust. He was willing to give most any soul the benefit of the doubt unless shown a reason that he should do otherwise, and this was one of those times where he hardly had to contemplate on which side he would take. If she had truly done something to deserve having been hunted by the two now lifeless men now splayed out on the ground in their own blood, then the lion's intervention could be considered her opportunity at a much fairer judgment when her actions would come to catch up with her. Not many believes in karma anymore, but it was something that Roman was certainly on the more optimistic side of.

Closing what little distance there was between himself and the bound she-wolf, not even the smallest lingering traces of that killer he'd been moments ago, his expression shifts into something kinder. He was hardly some cold-blooded beast that seized every opportunity he could find to strike down a dark hunter, that much couldn't be clearer in this moment as he asks after her well-being before settling there beside her to break her of those bonds. If anything, there was something about her, some unexplainable aura he couldn't quite place that reminded him of his younger sister, Dea. Moving himself to sit upon powerful haunches, the lion watches with golden-hazel eyes as the unusually marked she-wolf rises up to all four paws, shaking herself before settling into a sit before him. It is then that he can feel that gentle press within his mind, her soft voice echoing within his thoughts.A single flick of his right ear is the only reaction to the unusual sensation, Roman having never been around another with telepathic gifts before."You're welcome, though there is hardly anything to thank me for. I have little patience for those who hunt others unfairly or for sport. I am just glad to see that you are not hurt", he answers her back in a soft growl that rumbles through his throat, the lion shifting massive front paws as he regards her for a moment when she offers him her name."Roman. It is good to meet you, Raven", he replies once more to the she-wolf, this time offering a slight dip of his head to her respectfully. It might seem odd to outsiders, to those that did not know Roman and the way that he was, but such gestures were a common occurrence for the lion. Besides, it wasn't as though they would be able to shake hands like they would had they met under much different circumstances and in their human forms. He turns to look over st the cold corpses of the dark hunters for a moment before turning his haze back to Raven, a fusion of concern and mild curiosity finding him then."Do you know why it was that they were after you? It may be best if we don't linger here any longer, in case they have companions nearby", he says then, the lion rising to all four paws, gesturing for her to follow him if she so desired as he moves further into the thick and damp undergrowth, cool shadows cast across his golden back as his muscular frame pushes easily through the brambles. It was only a matter of time before the bodies left were discovered, whether it be by more dark hunters or perhaps other unfriendlies and Roman wasn't interested in having to dispatch anyone or anything else should things take yet another unexpected turn. It wasn't exactly a good note to arrive in a new city on.