Watch was a rather odd Tark'ee. He had always proudly proclaimed that he'd been born in B'av, specifically Rekes, but didn't seem to have anything to back that claim up. Carus was, all in all, very suspicious of the Tark'ee. It felt petty, to doubt a teen's claims, but there were just so many gaps in the story that Watch had provided. The Tark'ee spent a strange amount of time trying to convince other Xunari, many of who weren't really willing to amuse him, that he was totally born in Rekes, just like them. Carus didn't see the big deal- most Xunari had been fine with the Tark'ee appearing, so stumbling upon another had been just another Wednesday. Still, part of him couldn't stand watching as the red Tark'ee went on another ramble. Carus approached Watch quietly from behind, his broad shoulders casting a shadow over the Tark'ee. Watch was in the middle of his usual monologue, chatting animatedly to the younger whelps as he tried to describe a memory that seemed just a little too vague to really be convincing. "So, you ever been to the bunker, then?" Carus asked, interrupting Watch mid-sentence. The question caught Watch off guard.

Carus observe as Watch's voice faltered, as he turned to face Carus, blinking in surprise. The room fell silent as a few nearby Xunari perked up, curious about where this conversation might be going. "The bunker?" Watch echoed, his red eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to gauge the intent behind Carus’ question. "Of course I’ve been to the bunker! Everyone from Rekes knows about it. It’s, uh, kind of a big deal, y’know?" "Right," Carus said, crossing his arms over his chest. "So, what did you think of the door? Pretty tricky to open, isn’t it?" Watch hesitated, his gaze flicking toward the ground for just a second before snapping back to Carus. "Yeah! I mean, it’s a tough one, for sure. But, uh, I've all been working on it since I first saw it. Lots of theories. You wouldn’t believe some of the things we’ve come up with." Carus raised an eyebrow. "Like what? Maybe you could help us with your latest findings then, since you know so much about it." The room’s quiet murmur of voices grew quieter still as the Xunari began to pay more attention. Watch’s face twitched slightly, and Carus could see the panic

flickering in his eyes. There was no backing out now, no changing the subject. He had pressed him, and at the same time had managed to make a jab right where it hurt. "Well, you know," Watch stammered, shifting his weight uncomfortably, "I’ve been really busy lately, so I haven’t been to the bunker in a while, but back when I was living in Rekes, we spent a lot of time, uh, theorizing. I didn’t have as much hands-on experience with the door myself, but " "That’s funny," Carus interrupted, his voice calm but with an edge that cut through the air. "Because everyone I’ve talked to from Rekes says the bunker’s only been found recently, and likely has been locked up tight since before we were born. No one’s gotten near it before now." The room went completely still. Watch’s face paled beneath his red scales, and his usual confident demeanour crumbled. His mouth opened and closed a few times, as if searching for words that wouldn’t come. "I well, you see " Watch stammered, floundering for an explanation. Carus leaned in slightly, his eyes boring into Watch. "You’ve never even been to Rekes, have you?" Watch’s shoulders sagged

as the weight of his lies crashed down around him. His tail, which had been twitching with energy moments before, now drooped to the floor. His eyes darted around the room, but no one came to his defense. The silence was deafening. Finally, Watch let out a long, defeated sigh. "Alright, fine. I’ve never been to Rekes. Are you happy now?" The Xunari in the room exchanged glances, some of them shaking their heads in mild disbelief, while others simply seemed relieved that the truth was finally out. Carus straightened up, his expression softening slightly now that the facade had crumbled. "Why lie about it?" Carus asked, his voice less accusatory and more curious now. Watch looked down at his feet, kicking at the dirt. "I just… I thought if I said I was from Rekes, people would accept me more. I wanted to fit in, y’know? No one really cares where a Tark'ee like me comes from." Carus nodded, thoughtfully. "I suppose I have nothing else to say, then." and turned to walk away. He frowned. While it always felt nice to be right, someone this time it didn't feel as good. He had genuinely hoped that Watch would

know about the bunkers, too, since it would've been a huge help. He sighed, glancing back at the notes he had been working on. He supposed that that also meant he'd have to work a bit harder than he had hoped to.