#Muse: Kotallo .

[vocesincaput-arc]

@unstoppablc liked for a starter [x]

He had been keeping watch over a single Tremortusk that had wandered too close to a small encampment for several hours and, unfortunately, the Tenakth had had no choice to move in when the machine started to attack. Despite his being along.

Kotallo was fighting it far longer than he would have liked (not that even he liked fighting one) before it's trunk managed to knock him down. The Tremortusk had started to rear up and was about to trample him when he started to roll out of the way. Unfortunately, he hadn't quite managed to get away completely and the heavy machine came down upon his prosthetic arm. Causing the metal to twist up into the remaining flesh.

Despite the injury and knowing he had no other choice to continue, Kotallo gritted his teeth and continued battling until finally taking the large machine down. He lay on the ground beside the machine for some time, almost passing out from the pain several times, before finally getting himself back to his feet. Kotallo salvaged what he could with one arm from the Tremortusk before making his way back to the Base for the first time in several weeks. Knowing that he would have to tend to his wounds before he would reach a Tenakth settlement.

With his Tenakth pride wounded from the battle and the loss of his arm still a difficult spot for him (despite what he might say), Kotallo kept the damaged arm on as he entered the Base. Not wanting anyone to see how it had been destroyed or how he had been reinjured. Instead of stopping in the common room, he continued through to his quarters. Letting the doors close behind him. If anyone had spoken to him or had even been there, he had not heard or looked at them.

Once inside and alone, Kotallo carefully removed the damaged prosthetic. Having to clench his teeth together firmly to stop from making a sound of intense pain as the metal was pulled from his shoulder. Once it was done, the arm was dropped to the floor and he leant one hand on the empty surface before him to steady himself. If he had been a lesser man, the Tenakth would have passed out from the pain.

But Kotallo didn't have time for that. He now had to tend to and dress the damage with his singular hand.

Leaving the door ignored.

[vocesincaput]

None of the about pages that I need to add for these muses are up yet either but I am drafting them so that they are ready. I still need to add the MCU muses.

Really hope I get my laptop back next week so I can do things properly.

MUSES ADDED SO FAR:

GOOD OMENS : Aziraphale, Crowley, Gabriel/Jim, Astaroth (an OC), Martyn Parry (an OC who also has several Doctor Who verses).

DOCTOR WHO : The 15th Doctor, Ian Chesterton, The Corsair (a semi-oc that was mentioned in the show and in some comics).

CRITICAL ROLE : Caleb Widogast, Vex'ahlia, Keyleth, Grog, Fjord, Ashton Greymoore, Sharali (an OC), Ashryn Daeris (an OC).

HORIZON ZERO DAWN/FORBIDDEN WEST : Kotallo, Erend.

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS : Viago, Nehuén (an OC).

KINGSMAN : Merlin, Arak (an OC).

OTHERS : Helen Magnus (Sanctuary), Dracula (BBC/Netflix), Jacob Sternwood (Welcome To The Punch), Leeloo (The Fifth Element), Samuel Drake (Uncharted (games)).

I've added a lot of muses from @vocesusurro to the Carrd, but none of them have the right pictures because they would be on my main laptop.

Haven't added any of the MCU muses yet though.

[i-lavabean]

If you've been personally victimized by Tenakth armor raise your hand

[aamusedly]

@cheatdeaths is looking for Kotallo.

Kotallo had been sitting at a table at this ruin of a bar for days now.

The owners had offered him a place to sleep, although it wasn't much more than a cot on the floor in the back rooms. They'd offered it out of pity for the still-bandaged and swollen stump on his shoulder, or maybe out of fear from the steely look of cold fury on his face.

His people were duly feared out in the Terminus Systems, considering every time they'd shown face off of their home planet it was with a river of bloodshed coming with it. And he made it no secret that he was Tenakth-- and a Marshall at that. His body was a mural of Tenakth tattoo work and paint, armor of repurposed machine parts, pallid grey skin visible between its seams. At least it earned him the respect of nobody bothering him to pay his mounting bar tab.

Nobody quite bothered him at all, really. It made it all easier to think, as silver eyes fixed on the far wall and he sipped his beer.

But no matter how many drinks he had, or how much he focused inwards, Kotallo had made note of the new face that had entered the bar-- and it seemed like she had clocked him just the same.

Intentional. Instinct had the Marshall bristling, turning his vice of a gaze over to her.

[chantillyxlacey]

Okay so here's a concept I've been marinating on for a while and keep forgetting to talk about

Persona AU for the Horizon Series :0a

Aloy, of course, would be the Wildcard

Gaia would play the role of both Igor and your first Navi character until Beta showed up

I haven't quite settled on what the mechanism of awakening to a Persona would involve in this AU, but they're summoned using a Focus. Second Awakenings would happen as part of the plot like in Persona 3 rather than at the completion of Social Links like in 5

Here's the Personas I have the main Gaia Gang cast assigned and thoughts about their abilities:

Aloy - Mnemosyne

"The Titan Goddess of memory in Greek mythology. She was mother to the nine Muses and was often called on by bards and kings to aid them in remembering both poetry and history. According to some legends, she invented spoken and written language in order to preserve and expand mankind's collective memory."

Element: Fire

Weapon: Spear (pierce damage)

Weakness: Nuke

2nd Awakening: Apollo

"Twin brother to Artemis and one of Greek mythology's Twelve Olympians. His many domains included truth and knowledge, culture, medicine and healing, and prophecy; he later also became associated with the sun. He was an expert archer, wielding his golden bow and arrows with a skill that no-one but his twin could match.

Varl - Orion

"A huntsman of great renown in Greek myth, he was a hunting companion and friend to the goddess Artemis. His death came at her hands when she was tricked into shooting him with her bow. To honor his memory, she placed him in the heavens as the constellation that bears his name."

Element: Ice

Weapon: Spear (slash damage)

Weakness: Pierce damage

Other Abilities: Buffs; Debuffs

2nd Awakening: None :(

Erend - Heracles

"A half-mortal sun of Zeus and the most acclaimed of Greek heroes, known best for his supernatural strength. His famous Twelve Labors included feats such as slaying the invulnerable Nemean Lion and regenerating Hydra, and taming Cerberus, the three-headed guard dog of the Underworld."

Element: Electric (no resistance)

Weapon: Hammer (strike damage)

Weakness: None

Other Abilities: Buffs

2nd Awakening: Hephaestus

"The Greek god of the forge and one of the Twelve Olympians. An unparalleled smith, he created nearly all of his cohorts' most famous armaments: Poseidon's trident, the helm of invisibility used by Hades, and even Zeus' mighty thunderbolts. He was assisted in his work by the Cyclopes and two living golden statues."

Zo - Polyhymnia

"One of the nine Muses of Greek mythology. The Muses were goddesses of the arts and granted divine inspiration to artists of all persuasions. Polyhymnia was the patroness of hymns, religious poetry, and sacred dances."

Element: Bless

Weapon: Bow (pierce damage)

Weakness: Curse

Other Abilities: Healing; Status Ailment Cures

2nd Awakening: Persephone

"The goddess of spring and the Queen of the Underworld. According to Greek myth, she was bound to spend half of each year in the world of the living and half in the world of the dead. The changing of seasons was said to come from her mother Demeter's grief when Persephone descended into the Underworld, and subsequent rejoicing at her return."

Kotallo - Perseus

"A hero and demigod from Greek mythology. He was exiled by an unjust king with the impossible task of slaying the Gorgon Medusa, but with the aid of winged sandals loaned to him by Hermes and a mirrored bronze shield gifted from Athena he was able to overcome the challenge and return home victorious."

Element: Wind

Weapon: Greatsword (strike damage)

Weakness: Psy

Other Abilities: Minor Healing

2nd Awakening: Aether

"One of the Protogenoi of Greek legend: the first generation of gods who preceded the Olympians and Titans. He was the sky itself personified, his body made of the pure air found on mountain tops, between clouds, and in the realm of the gods."

Beta - Iphigenia

"According to The Iliad, she was the daughter of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae. After her father offended Artemis, the goddess becalmed the seas in retaliation and prevented the navies of Greece from sailing to Troy to wage war. An oracle proclaimed that the price for fair winds would be the girl's life, offered as a sacrifice."

Element: Nuke

Weapon: None

Weakness: Fire

Other Abilities: Navi

2nd Awakening: Artemis

"One of the Twelve Olympians of Greek legend and twin sister to Apollo. She was the goddess of the hunt and mistress of all wild places and beasts, and later also became associated with the moon. She was gifted a silver bow and arrows by her uncle Hephaestus, her skill with which was unequalled by any except for her twin."

Alva - Metis

“The goddess of good council and planning. She was an advisor to Zeus during the war with the Titans for control of Olympus, and later his bride. A prophecy stated that any son she bore to Zeus would overthrow his father, just as he had done. To prevent this, he swallowed her whole.”

Element: Psy

Weapon: Bow (pierce damage)

Weakness: Wind

Other Abilities: Status Ailments; Status Ailment Cures

2nd Awakening: Minerva

“A highly revered goddess of the Roman Pantheon. Equated with the Greek goddess Athena, her domains included wisdom and strategy in warfare. She was born as a grown woman from within the skull of her father, Jupiter, clothed in full armor and wielding a spear.”

Sylens - Odysseus

"A hero from Greek mythology and the main character of The Odyssey. He was well known for being crafty and using trickery to outwit his enemies. His idea to sneak soldiers past the impenetrable walls of Troy using the Trojan Horse broke the ten year long siege on the city and secured victory for the Greek army."

Element: Curse

Weapon: Sickle (slash damage)

Weakness: Bless

Other Abilities: Debuffs; Status Ailments; Poison

2nd Awakening: Hades

"The enigmatic ruler of the Greek Underworld and lord of both the dead and the riches that dwelled there. He preferred to keep himself remote from the Olympian gods and thier affairs, so there are relatively few stories known about him. Few people dared to speak of him directly, for fear of drawing his attention."

[vocesincaput-arc]

Kotallo gave a unamused 'Hmm' that he only just managed to hide a tinge of his slightly drunken state from.

"Each time I start to understand these ancient humans they... surprise me." He replied as he looked at the date. 'Humans enjoyed... this kind of thing'? he asked himself. A deep frown on his brow as he swiped to the next image which caused him to frown even more. Kotallo went to lean on the console before him and stumbled slightly, face tensing in annoyance (and a little embarrassment). The Tenakth looked at his shoulder and then the floor, seeing his mechanical arm beside his feet. He had had no idea it had fallen off.

Kotallo gave another sound and looked at one of the empty tankards. What had Erend been giving him?

"In my defense, I was left unsupervised." ↳ @vocesincaput (Kotallo) — memes / accepting!

        "I guess leaving you alone with Erend is functionally the same as leaving you unsupervised." Aloy eyes the empty tankards of ale on the table and imagines she knows a little bit about how it all happened. "I still don't know how you stumbled across that kind of data. I've been searching Old World ruins since I was a kid and never ran into this, uh..." She's not sure what to call it. "Animal art?"

[s1lentlamb]

like for a teeny tiny starter from muses listed below . ✨

GETO SUGURU .

KONG SHIU .

GOJO SATORU .

RYOMEN SUKUNA .

NELL CRAIN .

JILLIAN HOLTZMANN .

THEODORA .

GELLERT GRINDELWALD .

KOTALLO .

THE SALESMAN .

VEERA RATANAPAKORN .

KINN THEERAPANYAKUL .

[elialys]

For the WIP guessing game: light?

From On the Wings of the Ten (Aloy x Kotallo, HFW)

Kotallo is moving, his hold on her changing, pulling so she will shift her position against him. She follows his wordless suggestion once more, until she’s looking into his eyes. The only light in the room comes from a candle he lit when they first stepped in, the nature of which has been flickering faster and faster as it starts to falter.

From Caught in a Comet's Tail (Helen x Dale, The Newsreader)

He begins pulling on the small contraption. Between the music and the blood rushing against her ears, Helen doesn’t hear it, but she feels the small vibrations of it, or at least imagines it very well, following the descent with the light touch of his fingers upon her skin, all the way to her waist, while his lips suck on the skin of her neck.

From an unpublished Peter x Olivia oneshot, post 4x15

That ray of light happens to shine right upon Olivia, still observing herself in front of that mirror, making a portion of her body glow, sunlight refracting off those droplets on her skin; lost in his musing, he wonders if this is what she sees when he glimmers.

Send me a word and I'll look for it in my WIPs!

[starliitstories]

plot: After your muse throwing a coin in a wishing fountain, Kotallo met their gaze.

“It’s a strange tradition.” A former marshal stated, brown eyes still looking straight at the other before shifting them towards a fountain. “Throwing shards... I mean, MONEY to a fountain.” Kotallo continued, his only arm pointing to a water. It made no sense to him. But this was not the West, after all. There were countless traditions, ways of living, to learn and adjust. It sometimes even annoyed him. Being a man of honor, a Tenakth and a man who was used to his old habits.  “It makes no sense to me.” His low voice continued and admitted. Once again but his tone was not insulting but only puzzled, merely trying to figure things out. His head tilted to the side, dark brown eyes observing the other.

[aamusedly]

Following the Courier out of Zion and into the heart of new world civilization had been... impulsive. It was a decision made so quickly that he'd hardly given himself time to pack any supplies, unnecessary though it was to a skilled forager.

As a Marshal of the Tenakth tribe, Kotallo had never been known for any sort of impetuousness-- but a lot had changed, and his options were few.

Really, his options had been singular: go with Kaj to the city and figure it out there, or die in exile. But here and now, staring up at neon-lit gates and rubble cobbled into a city, Kotallo might've felt a touch of buyer's remorse. He was a sore thumb here in his tattoos and paints, his armor of bone and steel, his glaring stump of an arm covered only in blue rags.

It likely made him a target, if the massive serrated maul strapped to his back wasn't a clear warning.

Kotallo stopped as the Courier did. She hadn't spoken in a while now, which was all well and good for the somber Martial. His face turned down to stare at her, carefully blank. "No," he answered simply. "I've never been this far West."

"What kind of... jobs?"

@aamusedly / kotallo 🫶

it's rare that kaj gets nervous, but it happens. joining the ncr as a girl pretending to be a woman; the first time in the lucky 38's elevator; smothering in the carpet before she met caesar. always some combination of fear and thrill at the promise of opportunity--though it's more fear than thrill, now. she feels strangely uncomfortable with her tag-along from the canyon, though he hasn't done anything wrong by accompanying her back to vegas. it's the recognition of something familiar in him, maybe. kaj recalls her mother the most, her father a distant blur. remembers being a little girl running through a camp at night, laughing. a voice, shouting fondly: tsula, come back here!

they've not gone into the strip yet. instead, she's planning to do a few cleanup chores in freeside first with kotallo nearby. to get to know his opinions and try to carve herself into a person that he can trust, to get him closer to finding whatever he's looking for. they're avoiding the legion camp in case she gets recognized as caesar's, because that will probably kill the entire operation in its crib.

kaj puts her hands in her pockets as they approach the gates, her scarf pulled down around her neck, her hat keeping the heat off her exposed hair. though she tries to draw on her charm, it's difficult with so much anxiety in her chest. small talk, then.

"ever been this way before?" the courier looks up at the gates, face impassive. "they say freeside's the best place for a new start. everyone needs someone to do a job for them. lot'sa caps."

[vocesincaput-arc]

@heartsdefine continued from [x]

Kotallo watched her until she finally agreed. He gave a small nod and stepped closer, eyes immediately looking over her wound.

"You should have asked for aid when you got back," the Tenakth stated quietly as he took the needle. Carefully placing a hand upon her shoulder around the wound whilst studying the cut to make sure of the best way to stitch it.

[violentlydone]

eve's totally normal multi-muse composed of a normal amount of muses.

GAMING. aloy, canon compliant, HORIZON. kotallo, canon compliant, HORIZON. cirilla of cintra, headcanons-based, THE WITCHER. jaskier pankratz, show-based and game-inspired, THE WITCHER. lisa sherwood, headcanons-based, DEAD BY DAYLIGHT. ellie willians, show-based for now, THE LAST OF US.

LITERATURE. amren, headcanons-based, ACOTAR. nesta archeron, headcanons-based, ACOTAR. annie cresta, canon compliant, HUNGER GAMES. enobaria gaschill, headcanons-based, HUNGER GAMES. swan de beaufort, headcanons-based, THE RAVEN CYCLE. ronan lynch, headcanons-based, THE RAVEN CYCLE. orla sargent, headcanons-based, THE RAVEN CYCLE. daenerys targaryen, headcanons-based, A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE. sring venka, canon compliant, THE POPPY WAR. alina starkov, headcanons-based, GRISHAVERSE. nikolai lantsov, headcanons-based, GRISHAVERSE. nina zenik, headcanons-based, GRISHAVERSE. yadnichyevo (or nik's demon), headcanons-based, GRISHAVERSE. karen sirko, headcanons-based, DAISY JONES & THE SIX.

FILM. dani ardor, headcanons-based, MIDSOMMAR. cleo cazo, canon compliant, SUICIDE SQUAD. barbie roberts, headcanons-based, BARBIE UNIVERSE. ronal, canon compliant, AVATAR.

TELEVISION. leah rilke, canon compliant, THE WILDS. shelby goodkind, canon compliant, THE WILDS. shauna shipman, canon compliant, YELLOWJACKETS. octavia blake, canon compliant, THE HUNDRED. villanelle, headcanons-based, KILLING EVE. bela talbot, canon compliant, SUPERNATURAL. claire novak, canon compliant, SUPERNATURAL. dean winchester, headcanons-based, SUPERNATURAL. lydia martin, headcanons-based, TEEN WOLF. max mayfield, canon compliant, STRANGER THINGS. sister beatrice, canon compliant, WARRIOR NUN. bela prasad, canon compliant, the sex lives of college girls. cassie howard, canon compliant, EUPHORIA. rue bennett, canon compliant, EUPHORIA. dorri mackleberry, headcanons-based, THE SIMPSONS. sherri mackleberry, headcanons-based, THE SIMPSONS. terri mackleberry, headcanons-based, THE SIMPSONS. elizabeth stonem, canon compliant, SKINS. harper spiller, canon compliant, THE WHITE LOTUS. allie pressman, canon compliant, THE SOCIETY.

SITCOMS. annie edison, canon compliant, COMMUNITY. jessica day, canon compliant, NEW GIRL. tahani al-jamil, canon compliant, THE GOOD PLACE.

ORIGINAL CHARACTERS. artemisia, dark elf serving her king, affiliated with @hauntingcurse's GOD OF WAR verse and @driedflwers's forseti. najat bakkali, detective obsessed with the serial killer she can't seem to catch. barbara byrd, famous holywood actress trying to escape her abusive husband's influence. mauve ishikawa, guitarist part of the mondial phenomenon "the atomic chic", affiliated with @wahrsagung (&co) solange koenig, sugar baby turned con-artist turned serial killer. henrike bane, overpowered therapist for supes, THE BOYS. lou archeambeau, dreamer part of kavinsky's pack of dogs, TRC, affiliated with @wahrsagung (&co) magdalene bakst, demon in the body of a teenage girl. soren ramsey, to be added. affiliated with sena. nephelle ayling, college student who decided to do her own thing and is now at a loss on what that entails. khairos, dragon affiliated with @hauntingcurse.

[warpaiint]

At least this was good, the ointment was in and he would not have an infection. Now, she needed to stop the bleeding as she looked over toward him. "Alright, go ahead and use it, and just focus on what I'm saying. If you pass out, I'll catch you, so don't try to fight that," Aloy said, as she reached her hand up to touch his cheek. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you while we're out here, I promise," She said, as she had come to care deeply for everyone in the base. They were more than just friends, they had become her family. A found family that she wasn't going to let go of.

Once he had the length of leather in his teeth and held tightly, she reached down and pushed the skin together. "I don't think I've ever told you about where I grew up," Aloy said, as she carefully pushed the needle through the skin, having to force it to ensure it went through and laced through the other side. "I use to live in a place called All Mother Mountain. Though, I wasn't born like anyone else. As you saw, I was born in a pod, created by Gaia. But I had a man who was like my father. In some ways, he reminds me of Hekarro," Aloy said, as she was pulling and looping back through, each stitch made tightly. She didn't worry about the blood on her hands or the seeping ointment; all that mattered what a steady continuous movement to stitch it up.

"His name was Rost, and he was tough and stern. As stubborn as a bristleback and protective as a father. He taught me everything I know, how to fire a bow and how to wield a bladed staff. Even though I had a focus, he also taught me how to find weak points in a machine, and to rely not on my technology but on my own skill," Aloy was almost halfway through the stitching, her hand moving with skill and grace of a healer as she glanced up at him from time to time, checking on him to make sure he wasn't passing out on her.

"He didn't know how to show love in the way some mothers might, but he did the best he could. We lived in a big cabin off the side of the mountain, just the two of us. To this day, I still hear his words in my mind, always telling me to keep going. That this world needs me, and that there is more than just what I want. It took me a long time to fully understand what his lessons were. He was a good man, I think you would have liked him," Aloy finished, tying off the last bit of the stitching as she put down the needle and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You still with me Kotallo?" She said, looking at his eyes, checking for shock or struggling consciousness.

He fixed his mental focus on Aloy's answers, jaw clenching again at the necessary press of ointment against the gashes. The pressure might not be pleasant, but the stinging was good, he reminded himself; the stinging meant it was burning away any infection. He had endured far worse.

Besides, in the meantime he got to understand a bit more about the Machines, how Aloy used that knowledge to tame them when needed. Whether flesh and blood or metal and cables, she tried to give all she met a choice, even room to grow if they wanted. A fine quality for a squad leader, and for a friend.

"I have one." Kotallo's right hand reached into a pouch at his hip to pull out a strip of layered leather, worn in the center with clear teeth marks. This was far from its first use. Placing it in his mouth, teeth settling into the grooves, Kotallo took a long, careful breath through his nose and did his best to relax his core muscles. He didn't look at the needle directly, instead staring ahead at nothing in particular.

[aamusedly]

Some thoughts for Kotallo's Fallout AU:

Hails from a tribe called the Tenakth, original clan lands in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

The Tenakth were descended from survivors of a native-led isolated community deep in the mountains.

Post-apocalyptic paranoia fed on the superstitions of the Tenakth, who formed a military-based society ruled by The Ten: veterans of the Anchorage war. Between famine, raiders, and radiation, their society turned to survivalist tribalism. Most of this history is lost, or tainted to superstition.

Surrounding clans, towns, and societies considered the Tenakth to be barbaric and insular. Rumors about them spread West.

The Tenakth were known for their extremely durable and vicious weapons and armor, crafted from machines salvaged from a nearby derelict military silo in the Rocky Mountains. They were best known for their bows and piercing arrows.

The growing Caesar's Legion had the Tenakth divided, and most (including Kotallo) started moving West to escape incorporation.

Kotallo was given the rank of Marshal during a battle with the Legion while heading out West. During the journey he was hailed as a hero for evading and holding off Legion forces.

He was orphaned at 6 years old after both parents died in a skirmish with a neighboring clan. He was communally raised, and it fostered a deep loyalty to his clan, particularly his Commander and clan leader.

Kotallo was originally descended from the Ute tribe, but knows very little about his heritage due to losing his parents.

The Tenakth settled close to Zion, where Kotallo and the other Marshals attempted a peaceful embassy with other neighboring tribes.

The Embassy was sabotaged by delegates of Caesar's Legion, who were attempting to split the tribes to incorporate them. Kotallo, one of the architects of the peace talks, was brutally maimed in the battle and lost his arm.

Tenakth tradition declared him useless to the clan due to his injury-- unable to fight efficiently, climb, or use a bow. As a Marshal, he was spared from a merciful execution, but lost almost all of his authority among the clan.

As the Legion encroached and began splitting off members of the Tenakth, Kotallo either journeyed West to try and salvage a life, or went with the Courier after their stop in Zion.

Kotallo despises Caesar's Legion, and will do anything to stop their cultural genocide.

He fights entirely melee, with a massive maul fashioned from machine parts in the Rocky Mountains.

While he was sheltered from most outside societies, he's very smart, and adapts quickly.

But he will almost never take off his traditional armor, no matter how much it might make him stick out.

[wings-of-the-ten]

New, or just a fun alternate, headcanon for Kotallo’s former squad. Again, based on nothing but 1am flights of fancy.

Kotallo used to lead Ram Squad, and Kivva was his second. When he became a Marshal, she took over.

That’s why they went with him so readily to the Embassy at Barren Light in defiance of their Clan leader’s orders. They were squad. They’d go anywhere for their beloved and fabled former leader and brother. Then it all goes to shit, and half of them got killed, leaving only Kivva, Pivallo, and Ezekko, all of whom got banished to dangerous and remote guard duty upon their return for their loyalty to Kotallo, whom Tekotteh despises. His insecurities about Kotallo being more worthy to lead are justified in his eyes because an entire squad disobeyed his orders not to leave the Bulwark, and followed Kotallo instead, hence the punishment.

If Kotallo goes back to the Bulwark, Kivva is kind to him, but Pivallo was different after Kotallo’s injury, and Kotallo never gets over how much that hurt. After all, squad is family, and he grew up with these folks.

Again, this is all unsupported musings but I live for that shit. Anyway, what do you think? What’s your headcanon for his squad?

[ragingbookdragon]

Behind A Warrior's Heart

Kotallo x Reader One-Shot

Word Count: 2.1K Warnings: Explicit Language

Author's Note: This train is getting longer and longer and none of you can stop me. Enjoy! -Thorne

**********************************************************************

“When we get inside, let me do the talking,” he muttered as they walked past the guards at the entrance of the Memorial Grove.

She rolled her eyes and adjusted the cloak at her neck, so part of her body was showing. “You do recall I’m the right hand of the Sun-King, yes? I know how to be diplomatic in front of foreign leaders.”

Kotallo glared over at her. “I’m not worried that you won’t be diplomatic. I’m worried that you will put your foot in your mouth and end up with a bloodied face or worse, dead.”

“Perhaps I may,” she agreed with a firm nod. “But it won’t be my blood and I won’t be the one dying.” Passing him, she walked up the steps, coming to a stop when the man sitting on the throne rose and took a single step towards them.

The Tenakth beside her gave a sharp salute. “Chief Hekarro, I bring you the Sun-King’s—”

She stepped in front of the Chief, holding out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chief Hekarro. I work closely with His Majesty, Sun-King Avad.” She smiled. “I came of my own accord to offer Carjan assistance to your war effort.”

Hekarro took her hand, heartily shaking it. “King Avad hadn’t sent word of your coming. The last we heard was a message from the Sundom after the massacre of the Embassy.”

“A tragedy,” she answered. “We lost good soldiers on both sides.” Shifting her gaze to the other Tenakth around, she added, “Fashav seems to be missed amongst the Marshals here just as much as he is in Meridian.”

“He was a good Marshal,” he said, pulling his hand away. “One that cannot be replaced.”

She met his eyes. “Agreed. But his death shouldn’t be in vain. We should be doing all we can to maintain good relations with the Carja and Tenakth.”

“And that’s where you come in?”

“It is. I go where King Avad and his soldiers cannot. I do what they cannot.”

Hekarro regarded her with a vaguely suspicious look. “What exactly does that all entail? From what I’ve heard of you, you are a spy.”

She tipped her head side to side, not exactly the nature of denying it. “The correct term is infiltrator. My job is quite simple. Get into places that are crawling with enemies and escape with whatever it is I need unscathed and unseen. Word is being sent back to His Majesty that I’ll be here fostering relations amongst Tenakth and Carja. I’ve no doubt that when his response comes to me, it will not only be given permission but highly encouraged.” Giving him a firm nod, she said, “I’m here to offer my services to you, Chief Hekarro. In whatever form you need them to come in. Spying, fighting, diplomatic association. I’m a woman of many talents.”

“I sense that you hide a warrior’s heart behind subterfuge,” he noted and glanced at Kotallo who was watching her with stoicism. “You won’t find many Tenakth willing to trust a woman of the Carja.”

At that, a devious smirk came across her lips. “Then I guess it’s a good thing that I’m not a Carjan, Chief Hekarro. I just work for one.” She turned, looking to Kotallo. “Your Marshal here has said he’d put in a good word with you, Chief.”

“Has he now?” Hekarro mused and Kotallo looked ready to murder her where she stood.

He growled silently and met his Chief’s gaze. “Aloy’s faith deeply resides in this woman. I’ve seen her abilities in battle myself. She fights honorably and speaks truthfully—when the moment calls for it,” he finished under his breath. “It would be wise to have her foster relations between the Carja and our people.”

“Kotallo rarely speaks such praise,” the man noted. “I do think it would be valuable to have you here.”

“Excellent choice, Chief Hekarro,” she agreed. “What shall I do first?”

Hekarro nodded to them. “There are rebel camps in the area. Helping the clans secure them from the rebels will be the first step in arming ourselves from Regalla.”

She tapped at her Focus bringing up the camps. “It seems Aloy’s taken out most of them in the eastern region but there are still quite a few in this area and west of here.” She swiped along the holograms. “I can take out these two within the next few hours and start on the rest in the week.”

“I admire your tenacity to get started, but you won’t be doing this alone.”

“Beg your pardon?” she replied, glancing at Hekarro. “Who are you going to send with me? A Marshal?”

“My thoughts exactly,” he said and gestured to Kotallo. “Since he’s already in Aloy’s service, I see no harm in him helping you.”

“Chief Hekarro—” Kotallo started but the man held up his hand.

“Our relations of peace are rocky as they are, Kotallo. We cannot allow ourselves to be beggars in moments like these. We must take what we are given and use it to the best of our abilities.” Hekarro looked between them. “Fashav was the best bridge we had. Now, it falls to you two.”

They looked between each other, and she leaned over into Kotallo’s space with a grin and chirped, “You and I are going to be the best of friends, Kotallo, just you wait.”

The Tenakth warrior glowered at her and through gritted teeth, hissed, “I cannot contain my joy.”

Hekarro smiled. “You two had best be off. Night will fall soon, and those two camps will be ready for you.”

She was already turning on her heel, marching down the steps. “I bet I can beat you to the first camp, Kotallo! Tell you what, I’ll even give you a ten-minute head start!”

Kotallo was still glaring at her back and then he glanced at Chief Hekarro. “This is a terrible idea.”

“So you’ve expressed,” the Chief said calmly, knowingly. “I beg to differ. Go on.”

He wanted to argue but the Chief’s expression booked no room for argument, and he sighed. “As you command.” Kotallo turned and hurried after her.

When he caught up to her, he griped, “You did not have to cut me off in the introduction.”

She barked a laugh. “Trust me, big guy, the day I let a man introduce me, is the day you scatter my ashes to the four winds.”

Kotallo glared at her back as she walked. “Let us hope it will be tonight.”

***

By the time they made it back to Memorial Grove, they were both ready to collapse in exhaustion. While they were successful in their mission, the two camps they hit turned out to be larger machine holds. Two fire-bellowbacks in one camp and a set of grimhorns in the other. The armor had held on her back but she knew there were burns somewhere along her shoulder and left arm along with various cuts to her right leg and thigh, probably a deeper cut somewhere else but she was too concerned with getting to a bedroll that she didn’t care. Kotallo didn’t fair much better and was sporting a few new scrapes and bruises, but they did note that he wasn’t missing anymore limbs, so there was an upside to the struggle.

She could barely see straight she was so tired and at one point stumbled and went down on one knee, bracing her hands on the floor. “Sorry,” she muttered. “Just give me a moment to catch my breath.”

Expecting a sharp word, she waited, but Kotallo merely bent down and curled his arm around her waist, picking her up and forcing her to put most of her weight onto him. “I will help you.”

“Thank you,” she said, ignoring the snickers and comments from the Tenakth they passed by.

Kotallo brought them to a secluded area near a fire where there were already bedrolls set up and he set her down. “Sit there and remove the top of your armor.” Before she could even ask, he added, “You’re bleeding all along your back.”

She saw the smear of crimson along his chest and armor. “Shit, I am, aren’t I?” Already pulling the cloak away, she undid the clasps of her top armor and let it fall, nudging it to the side with her foot. She pulled the tunic off and laid on her stomach, watching with careful eyes as Kotallo disappeared behind a curtain and reappeared moments later with what looked like a small jar. “What’s that?”

“A salve made by our medics. It will help with the burns and cuts.” He sat down and twisted the top off the jar, and she leaned over and looked into it with a grimace. “Lay still,” he commanded lowly, and she felt the cool salve touch her wounds. She bit out a grunt and put her face in her arms, muscles in her back and shoulders flexing underneath the pain. “It will subside in a few minutes. Bear with it.”

“Working on it,” she griped into her arms. “Shit burns worse than the cuts do.”

“You took the cut, you can take the healing.”

“You’re a right ass about things, you know that, right?” she retorted, turning to glare at him. “I know I took the cut. But it still hurts, and the medicine isn’t stopping the pain immediately so maybe cut out the mocking?”

Kotallo paused and met her gaze, something unsure in them as he said, “I…apologize. I am trying to be kind.”

“I—you are?” she doubted, brows furrowed, but she shook her head then laid her cheek on her forearms. “Then…keep going, please.”

His hand was rough against her skin, calloused fingers and palm swiping sticky, green salve over her back and shoulders, but she didn’t make anymore noise, simply watching him. His eyes were focused on the task at hand, ensuring that he didn’t leave any wound uncovered. “You fought well today,” he murmured.

“Thank you,” she replied softly. “You did as well.”

His gaze found hers for a moment. “May I ask you something?”

“My answer will depend on how invasive your question is,” she joked, and the corners of his lips curled upwards for a second then fell.

“Throughout our fights today, you kept looking back for me. Why?” She blinked and shifted her gaze; Kotallo thought she was looking at his arm, well, the lack of it and he scowled. “Did you think I wasn’t going to be able to fight?”

“Quite the opposite,” she said. “I wasn’t worried that you wouldn’t be able to fight. I was just keeping my eye on my ally.” She looked down. “I understand why Aloy prefers to fight her missions alone. It’s easier to focus on the mission if you do not have an ally with you. You are preoccupied with the worry of them falling in battle if you do.” She looked back at him. “I kept looking back to check on you that you were okay. If you took it as doubt in your abilities, you’re sorely mistaken. I know full-well that you can handle yourself in combat, Kotallo. Better than most men who have both arms.”

Kotallo snorted low in his throat and wiped his hand on his thigh, screwing the top back on the jar. “I appreciate your vote of confidence.” He started to move, and she reached out, placing her hand on the top of his thigh, causing him to jolt, startled at her touch.

“Kotallo, thank you.”

The calmness and true thankfulness of the words caught him off guard and he felt heat rise to his cheeks; he looked away with a cough. “You’re welcome.” Gently, he pulled her shirt down over her back. “You should rest,” he murmured. “I’ll be back in a few moments with something to eat and drink.”

“Take your time,” she replied and nodded at him as he rose from her and disappeared behind the curtain.

By the time he returned, she had already fallen asleep. The heads of the bedrolls were near one another around the edge of the fire, and he couldn’t help but smile as he saw her hand outstretched over her head, resting on the edge of his bedroll. Kotallo set the food and drink beside her, and he laid on his bedroll, freezing when her hand shifted, fingers brushing against his forehead and he turned his eyes up, gazing at the peaceful look on her face before he shut his eyes and let sleep overcome him.