ฝhen the full moon turns ฝhite

in return, @Sorrel offers a version of their name - diminutive, short, clipped. beetle was used to the responses to his own name by now; usually some form of surprise, be it positive or negative. but it was his. sorrel's little blink didn't go unnoticed, but he was grsteful there was at least no scathing remark to accompany it.

i don't live anywhere. beetle frowned, his nose wrinkling in animated confusion as he tried to work out not living literally anywhere. or maybe living everywhere. how did that work? "a-are... are you sure?" he doubted he would find that fun. stressful, more like. although at least it seemed sorrel didn't think living under a sovereign was an amazing idea, either.

Are they sure?

Sorrel snorts. "Damn sure." The traditional life just wasn't for them - their blood sings for freedom no pride could ever give. Screw all that political shit. "I don't belong to anyone."

Sorrel could very easily go on a rant about their feelings on the whole thing, but their sour expression probably clues Beetle in enough.

"S'not so different from how you live. We just move more." From the scent of the jungle, Beetle's band had made a home there for some time. It was how Sorrel was able to sniff them out so easily.

Which begs the question -

"What about you? You gonna go sell yourself to some king or queen now your not-pride crashed?" Sorrel's head tips to the side, ears flicking forward and ruffling the locks of fringe about their face.

art © ale-tie | code © hinter

ฝhen the full moon turns ฝhite

i don't belong to anyone, they say, and, god, if part of him didn't yearn. there was a steady ache that bloomed in his chest; the weight of responsibility bearing down on him. @Sorrel's expression spoke of disgust at the thought of a tether - but perhaps they had someone they wandered with. beetle couldn't be alone. he couldn't imagine being happy alone.

we just move more. we. there was an us. understanding broke like dawn across beetle's features. a travelling band was not so different to a stationary one, they were right. both made their own rules. both lived outside the bounds of politics and war.

sorrel's question took him by surprise, and - kneejerk - "fuck no-" came his involuntary response, a scoff, almost a sharp laugh at its edges, and then he inhaled quickly, holding dark lips firmly closed, before that pretty mouth of his said anything else that could get him in trouble. there was a hint of mischief to his gaze, though - a shine like being caught, knowing that sorrel felt the same.

Oh, that's interesting.

Sorrel’s brows lift up into the dark fringe of their mane, surprise and delight slipping across their face. Baby does have a spine, then - maybe it’s just a bit hidden under all that plush fur? The feline laughs, but they aren’t laughing at @Beetle.

"Good," they hum approval thick in their voice as a grin splits their lips open. "Don’t let them own you." Because freedom, above all else, is the most important thing - right? What was the point of life if it was spent serving someone else? Fuck that, as Beetle so aptly put it.

"But - what are you gonna do?" There’s almost, almost an offer in Sorrel’s words, but they hold it back for the moment. It’s in their nature to bring others into the fold - it’s how they were raised, and it’s expected, really, for the group to grow with strays and tagalongs.

art © ale-tie | code © hinter

ฝhen the full moon turns ฝhite

sorrel's approval chimes like a bell, running like a wave across beetle's skin. stormy eyes darkened, a flicker of something unbidden moving across them, a sort of hunger buried just beneath the surface. don't let them own you. he would not be owned. could not be.

"i have to find somewhere, first. then i'll make it ours." he eyed @Sorrel for a moment, gaze levelling, curious. "you could come. if you wanted. and your friends," he added, completely an afterthought, focused on only the cat before him, the twitch of a smile hinting at the edge of his lips, a flash of white fang as his expression became thoughtful. "we're staying in the jungle... for now."

They let Beetle mull it over, silver eyes watchful - interested, but still amused. He's young, after all. Not much younger than Sorrel, but enough that there's still a hint of innocence, naivety, that Sorrel finds cute. Fragile, but cute.

Those silver eyes light up as Sorrel's dark brows lift in teasing, faux surprise. Ours? Their lips part to ask that very question - but Beetle surprises them by making the offer immediately.

Oh.

Sorrel's jaw snaps shut. They hadn't been expecting a genuine offer, not when they've been nothing but... well, an irritant. They aren't ignorant of their own annoying behaviour - they just don't care when it pisses others off. Sorrel doesn't need to make friends everywhere they go.

It takes a second for them to process. The boy's gaze is still on them, full of expectations. Sorrel's skin crawls.

"Yeah. Sure." They don't sound sure at all. The lion's head shakes as if to clear water from their ears. "Listen, Beets, I don't do group activities. I don't do happy fun times. I sneak around and steal shit that I want. You really want that in your group?"

The answer is no, but Sorrel will make the twerp say it to their face.

art © ale-tie | code © hinter

ฝhen the full moon turns ฝhite

beetle's steel-silver gaze was unwavering. he did not say things he did not mean - no matter how pretty the words were. waves shifted gently, soft white framing his effeminate features, cold eyes piercing beneath his dark brow.

"yeah," and so what if he was a little breathless? if @Sorrel was a bad choice, it was still his choice. there had been a fragility there, somewhere, between them - beetle couldn't pin it down, the where and whens, but between each biting word, wasn't there something else? besides, he was no saint himself. no matter what his family thought.

he flicked his tail, suddenly, sharp, dismissive. "think about it." he was already turning to leave, though torn, fixing sorrel with one last, lingering look - but he did have a home to return to, after all. sort of.

whatever. fuck it.

exit.