He's holding a knife in his hand, sharp and clean but obviously well-loved judging by the notches in the handle. Durotan settles his gaze on Seine with calm eyes, voice rumbling low in his chest. "Time to cut your hair."
A child should never come to fear the voice of their parents. Never should they feel the clenching tight anxiety in their gut when they are addressed by them. Flinch not, wince, never wince. Seine expected at first his voice to be harsh, a roar, and constant anger. She is small, and easily spoken down to. Easily crushed by curses and roars of others. Yet when he addresses her, it is the calming crash of waves and never a roar. His voice is wind, that carries gently and warm across her back and brow. It has all the power to unleash storms should he wish and never once has he raised his voice to her. They made him Chieftan because of this, she is certain.
The Kossith are a hard, ferocious people. When she washed upon the shore of their Island she was half dead and bloodied. It was a miracle sharks did not take her, or the sun bake her alive on the hot sand. His hands, despite their size and very ability to crush her skull like a hollow shell, were the first gentle hands she had ever experienced. Only a child, and still had seen hardness she should not have known at a young age when he found her. Yet his gaze, his voice and HER voice, and comforting touch had the wild defenses in her mind calmed. They gave her no reason to ever rebel against their wishes. Never a reason to fight them, with all their hard lessons and teachings she absorbed it all. Though she felt slight apprehension as she saw the knife, knowing full well it was a necessary need to cut it. It had been a few years and already her hair reached beyond her waist, and almost too long to be useful in battle. Years prior she felt something opposite of fear to ever see the knife. That knife meant bonding. Quiet, bonding time with the figure she only ever considered to be a father. He had his clan to lead, and did not always have time for the strange child he had taken in. That much she understood. Yet when the knife appeared she almost eagerly bounded to him before, glad to know of all the hands of the clan that these were the most welcoming.Nearly a woman grown she nods slowly and pulls the braid apart and removes the ribbons and leathers, the teeth and the shells, letting them fall to the leather scrap by her feet. Chin raised high she meets his gaze, holding back the adoration and love she holds for him, for her.“May I be allowed one braid to keep? By my ear.” She is never afraid to ask, for the answers if rejected she understands and does not question. He is a good leader. He knows many things, and has many years of experience beyond her. He knows what is best, even for her.It never hurts to ask, though.