It had been...difficult in those days and weeks since Tetradore's death. That spotted Leopard so having assumed the Alpha role of sorts within the Ark and in the absence of his favoured companion, the boy so often spending his time wandering from that throne above the battle rings to Tetradores bed and back again. His fractured, broken thoughts so seemed to fial to process that loss and grief as Raven and Samantha and Alexis had, the lanky deviant having simply become almost obsessive over his belief his companion would return, a good portion of every evening spent laying atop his brothers bed in the sheer and simple belief he would return. He waited. Each and every day. Each and every night. He waited. It mattered little how much Jackal begged or the other staff pleased for him to so come away, that Tetra was not return, that he would not stroll back into that room and collapse between those navy sheets. Even Raven was so unable to convince him of this. Tobias, it would seem, loyal even after death, un-fadingly so. The boy lured from that room only when he was required within the depth of Ark, presiding still over those fights below, taking his own place within the ring though he no longer competed within those pairs matches. The boy refusing entirely to fight beside any other. His volatile nature so giving way to those shocking acts of violence any time another so dared suggest they might take his companion's place- dead or otherwise. Tobias still seating himself within his own chair, refusing to seat in Tetra's own. The boy believing, entirely, that he would return. Surely he would come tomorrow, or perhaps the day after? Surely he would not him here to go to a place he could not be found. Tetra would not leave him. Never. No. This he knows even if others don't. Tobias unable to understand time, each hour merely passing into the next. He need only wait. The boy entirely content to wait for eternity if required.

It is only Jackal knocking upon that door that draws Tobias from his dozing state, ears lacing back as the little Mexican man enters, eyes averting in an effort to placate the alpha male before so announcing there was a witch lingering about the door. That spotted tail lashes about, Tobias so loath to be interrupted from his endless waiting. The boys temperament having shifted to something entirely volatile of late, the man given to aggressiveness so much so the other staff had given to providing him space unless he was required and yet- somehow- that Ark continued to run almost....flawlessly beneath the Leopard. Raven so taking care of those administrative tasks. Tobias commanding that ring and those within it. His reputation it seemed, even without Tetradore enough to keep any challenges from approaching. His aggressive state, too, having warned off potential problems. He rises at last from that bad, heavy paws padding across that wooden floor, throwing his shoulder into the door to open it before stepping out and onto the landing. He makes his way easily down the stairs, reaching for each of his pack mates in turn, assuring him of their location and them of his, Tobias having become desperately protective of them in those passing weeks. Minding them. Yes. Minding them for Tetra. The crowd readily parted to admit him, his Leopard skin giving way to his human flesh (mercifully dressed tonight) as he makes his way those last few strides, towering form pausing before the woman.

For several moments those near black eyes rove across her form, his features expressionless, fingers taping against his arm as if attempting to decide how displeased he was with the woman, a hiss of sorts coiling within his throat all the same before that fractured mind so seemed to find connection of sorts. Head tilting suddenly, curiosity tainting his features now before that lopsided grin falls into place. That deranged boy so seeming to have recognized her at last.

"Riddles!"

madness, as you know, is like gravity: all it takes is a little push