I wish I wasn't sitting on the boxes behind Arsenaal like a schoolgirl stuck outside during recess. I had a task, at least, which kept me from feeling any stranger about the arrangement. I know that if Davante had the chance, he would be standing in my place with all the confidence in the world. In his absence, he left me. Alright, I'm sure there is some reason he trusts me enough to handle whatever it is that he has arriving, but it ... I don't' know. I don't know why I'm questioning myself, why it even comes up in my mind that I might not be capable of something my brother expects. Has that ever been the case? Have I actually ever let him down? The answer is no. I would never let Davante down, regardless of the circumstances. When choosing someone to stand in his place, surely that's the line of thinking that brought him to me, right? Not that I'm the only able body? Granted, he could have had Finley, he could have had any of his employees... and here I stand.

Or sit. Or whatever.

The sandwich was discarded aimlessly when Davante's shipment arrived. Quick to jump from moment to moment, I was on my feet with my head tilted curiously, allowing the dark brown curls to cascade over my shoulder as if to emphasize my curiosity. When the man was no longer a shadow coming around a corner, I exhaled the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. Though I offered a sense of confidence and authority, inwardly there was jelly cushioning my spine and I wanted to melt into a puddle when the man's emerald eyes took in my figure. He was clearly sizing me up, attempting to understand why this small woman was standing in the place of a man who radiated dominance in a way I would never. After offering him the briefest of excuses for why my brother was not present, we ducked into Arsenaal to keep prying eyes where they should be. Away.

Inside, I caught a gentle hint of my own amber perfume as I ran a wine-color painted nail over my lips, my eyes caught intently on the box the man had brought inside with us. I couldn't deny the small frown that befell his lips was amusing â€" why were these men always so serious? I took that brief moment to let my lips curl upwards into a smile that exuded my amusement â€" dare I say a smirk, instead? As if to keep a smirk at bay, I licked my lips and nodded as to promote the idea I was not deaf and dumb.

"I think that's his name," I agreed, nodding when Tobias' name came from the stranger's lips. The were-leopard's name made me smile; why the hell not? The guy was a doof, a straight, raging goofball that liked to play fetch with maces. Rather than exemplifying why I knew the Leopard, I returned my gaze to the box that was hoisted onto Davante's workbench. I kind of wanted to open it, sort of like a child at Christmas or a girl who just received an online shopping order â€" but then again, as I crept closer to the box the man's voice range out with a hint of trepidation that halted me in my tracks. Instead of listening to my better judgement, I ducked around him while his back was towards me in order to get a good look at the box.

His fault. He wasn't looking.

"You fetched it, hm?" I asked, looking up at him from my place on his other side. Quiet and typically graceful, my movements wouldn't have alerted him quick enough that he might stop me from looking into the box. My arms crossed over my chest while a bright, mischievous grin began to touch my features â€" the blue of my eyes brightened so I could look up at him through thick lashes outlined by one very arched brow in a manner entirely characteristic of my brother. "I don't care where it's from or how you fetched it," I started to say, unable to help the humorous lilt in my voice. " You don't seem very canine, though. You've got something more predatory - ... more, hm... "I trailed off, taking a step back to see if I could judge him better than my immediate perception. "...dare I say, feline?" The inquiry was light hearted, encouraging him to realize I was clearly finished wondering what was in the box. That kind of inquisition I could withhold until my brother's arrival.

To emphasize my prediction, the way the light radiated from the ceiling lamp created a distinctly feline-looking creature, patting at the man's shadow the way a cat might a toy. "You must be Tetradore, then... Yes?" I asked, intoning that I knew the answer and that it was merely an invitation for him to tell me I was right.