#cornerstonc

[royalreef]

@cornerstonc liked for Natori.

"Felines smell very warm, don't they?"

"Yes, yes!" Miranda's quick to add on, perking up at the same moment, the blanket shifting off of her shoulders and rolling down her back in a slow landslide. "Warm, mostly, yes. It is the fur, is it not? And small mammals like that — they always smell much warmer than the larger ones, even if the larger ones might be warmer. Nearly hot, even. Burning, but without the burning smell, just very hot, nearly humid but not quite, not dry either."

"Right."

This contents Bellanda, who tilts her head up, chin first, has to close her eye to think more about it. Not much in this language describes smell, she's noticed, and the feeling is a lot like trying to squeeze a lot of thick paste out of a too-small tube. There's too much experience to fit into these words, this kind of song, too simple to really carry the full breadth of experience which she knows like no other. She'll try, though. If nothing else, she and Miranda are up here to try, and try they will.

"He doesn't have the milk-smell, does he? That's also common in mammals. He's more like an otter or a whale, in that sense, but not like seals. It's like a sweetness that carries close to the skin, but it can turn acrid over time. Maybe it has to do with the fur?"

"That could be it," Miranda takes her turn to add, tilting her fin towards her sister, waiting to help add clarity to the pieces she's adding. "But they get moreso as they get older; the mammals do, I mean. It gets sharper, more potent, and then falls off again, gets more muted. It is not quite like the scent of poor health, there is not a sour note of immune activity nor the rot-scent of truly failing health, it does not have the strange elements you see with sickness... It usually just gets lesser, though. Other things come out, as the large-smell vanishes."

"And because he is a cat," Bellanda lifts her hand to punctuate this comment, gesturing towards her younger sister, "he always has an earthy-note. Like... Combining with the warm, hot, scent. Smells like the earth, but not quite the dry earth, more like the earth inside the earth, like opened soil. Not wet, either, but richer. All around you."

Miranda flicks her fins at this, wiggles them with a smile tilting her lips. "Right! Felines always smell like... like a den, perhaps? Like earthy, usually dried grass or vegetal scents, but all around you, and very thick off of the fur, usually clinging directly to it, or upon something they have touched. So hot that it is like they have been laid out to dry, but you have laid down in the middle of them, and they are sticking to you."

Bellanda rests her hand down again, resuming her thought.

"And they have an oiliness to them, too, yeah? Like the otters, but like birds as well. Not like fish oil, but it sticks to your hand and your head. Like mink, maybe."

"Have I tried the mink before?"

"No, I don't think so? Remind me later to show you. He smells closest to the mink. He's more oily than the younger cats, but has more of the dry scent to him, over the fading older-smell. Maybe dusty is the right word for it?"

"Dusty could work. Musty, maybe, like the way landfolk rooms settle, the way they get untouched after a while. There is no movement in there, nothing to stir it all up, so it all begins to form a singular note... It is not like stagnant water, does not smell so dangerous... But it is like he has been there, or has settled like them, yes?"

"Yes, and he smells like other cats which have done the same. I could count them, but he's not much like the others, is he? Not like the one you hang out with, but maybe she's just the odd one out. I don't think I've met many cats, before."

Miranda nods to this, finding it acceptable. Acceptable enough, anyhow, because what happens next is her immediately turning the conversation away from scents and towards the topic of more typical domestic cats, and trying to get Bellanda to agree to come see some with her. Cats are one of the wonderful things about the land, after all. It would be a shame if Bellanda missed out.

[fledermuse]

@cornerstonc (for Natori!)

───── ⋆⋅☀︎⋅⋆ ─────

Futari, one of the residents of the Cat Kingdom, had been... strange, as of late, to put it bluntly.

Noted for being a rather wonderful artist of landscape pieces, he had made countless canvases to decorate the great King's walls and more. Yet, something seemed to be rather off these days ─ The usually outgoing cat had become more reclusive. Hardly anyone had heard from him. Those who managed to spot the feline noticed that he no longer wore his artist apparel of sweater and paint-splattered apron. He simply wore the collar of his prior human. Nothing more. He wandered the streets of the kingdom, seemingly out of his mind.

Thing Futari's whiskers trembled as he picked up the sense of someone following behind. He turned, standing on all four paws, bristling as he glared in alarm.

"What is wanted?! Stay back!" He snapped, his pupils mere slits. The eyes seemed different, too ─ Somehow wilder and more feral than they had ever been.

───── ⋆⋅☀︎⋅⋆ ─────

[godofvillains-aa]

@cornerstonc​

❛what good is a plan, no matter how smart, if it only ever is in theory?❜ 

     “A good plan is only a ‘good’ plan if it’s carried out successfully. Obviously if nothing is done with the plan, or it fails, it means it was pretty shitty...”

[fledermoved]

@cornerstonc​

—–🏵️🏵️🏵️—–

“Ohhhh shit.... Okay. Hallucinating again, I guess- Cat people? Cat- Cat people. Oookay. That’s.... That’s fine. That’s alright. You just... You stay there, and I’m gonna....” Phil’s gaze flickered about in discomfort, hands fidgeting before bringing the cigarette to his lips for a drag.

“-... Keep smoking my cigarette. No funny business. No turning into a demon.” He pointed his finger firmly at the creature to show he meant business.

—–🏵️🏵️🏵️—–

[jabbers-wild-world]

@cornerstonc liked for a starter! (featuring Hunter!)

“Flapjack, stop that..!” The little palisman continued pecking at him, tugging at his clothes and his hair, as much as Hunter may have tried to wave him off. “Stop it! I’m not leaving this spot, alright? The scouts are-” He stopped abruptly, catching the sound of voices from just outside the alley.

“Thought I heard something over here!”

“Think it might be the kid? You know, uh.. the Golden Guard kid. We’re supposed to be on a lookout for him, right?”

“Yeah. The emperor’s been worried about him and wants him back home.” Footsteps drawing closer only made Hunter’s nerves worse. He knew the truth, but- The ragged sheet was abruptly lifted off the haphazard hiding place he’d made for himself, and it was only a brief moment of eye contact between him and the scout before the young witch took off as fast as he could, knocking the scout aside just a little, just barely avoiding the second one and sliding through his legs. No, no, no! They’d found him! He had to run, had to get away fast!

Quickly, he dodged through the small crowds of people, ducking and weaving as much as he could, Flapjack flying right at his side as the scouts shouted after him.

“Hey! Wait! Sir! Sir, wait!” They thought they were helping, thought they were doing something good, but they didn’t know! They- Hunter hit the ground hard as he tripped, looking back to see he’d knocked over a cat.

“Ah! Sorry, sir!” He offered, quickly picking the cat up and setting him back on his two paws, brushing him off a moment. “Didn’t mean to knock you over, I-” Flapjack chirped in his ear, gently tugging at his ear.

“Where did he go? Did you see him?”

“I gotta go! Sorry again, sir!” And he was off again, quickly ducking down the nearest alley to hide, hoping against hope the scouts would just pass him by.

[madamhatter]

A little, almost defeated sigh as he holds up a tiny pinafore (tinier even than one intended for a human child, as expected). "How is it they are always outgrowing their clothes so fast..?" [ cornerstonc / Natori bemoaning the grandkid maybe? Pls lmk if this doesn't work! `~`;; ]

In all the paths of life, Sophie Hatter imagined herself, and none had ever been eventful nor exciting. Those were the most fitting for a woman of her disposition, the eldest daughter, with no fortune to her name nor any to find. Listless days spent within the atelier or the confines of home, seeing nothing else desirable or deserving in her life besides what was given her. Never would she be ungrateful for her circumstances, for such selfishness is unsightly and unbecoming of the person her mother tried so hard to raise her to be. 

However, all the strangest arrangements find her way; an unlikely conversation held with the most improbable of persons: a feline advisor to a feline lord. An elderly soul is drawn to another elderly soul; however, the blatant matter is that one was older all around, and one self-prescribed that to her. No matter, equilibrium is found through the passage of experiences shared. 

Especially as Naotri raised a pinafore that wouldn't fit any human toddler or baby Sophie has ever encountered or held. Calloused hands folded her back, the human treads closer with curiosity alight in her eyes. "Oh," her brows raised, recognition apparent in her voice, "it seems they will never stop growing, even when they come into adolescence." 

She squints over the outfit before glancing away. Martha's socks around the age of two were smaller than that pinafore, but it would be a surprise to compare her shoes back then to now. A familiarity comes to her with a slight smile. "Sooner or later, they will be towering over you by the next morning, and you would not realize how soon it will come." 

"There is a point where I have a box back at home with all the sweaters and shirts Martha had growing up. She was once a poppy as a child, but now she's growing like a sunflower," she laughs. "She needs convincing that she used to fit the clothes I made her. Though, she has no problem understanding that she had grown so much that she cannot wear what she did when she was ten." 

"Mmm..." Her voice falters at the impending future of loneliness that comes with age. Once her sisters grow up, they would have outgrown her. "Everything seems to go by so fast, no matter how much you try to keep everything moving slow and well, just to enjoy every moment." 

"Say!" She shakes her head, drawing attention to the advisor, "How big are they now? If anything, I can make something she can wear for a bit longer. Of course, at no charge." 

[chainsxwsmile]

🐶 whispers just if you want to aha ;; i understand if you maybe don't have ideas for him `D`;;

Send “🐶” For a drawing of your muse as my muse’s species!

Natori might be a filetail catshark (Parmaturus xaniurus); it was the only catshark species with the closest color to Natori!

[chat-blanche]

nudges a pencil into the inbox for cornerstonc maybe

🥥🌴🍹 Vacation Time!

(Yes that's Natori in a pineapple shirt and flower lei and hat)

[soulcluster-moved]

@cornerstonc​ / natori "Have you ever heard the adage 'A friend to everyone is a friend to no one?'" Natori's gaze is downcast, averted absently to the china in his paws (a new pattern from the last several times, he notices; it reminds him of something his grandmother might have owned). The baron's tea this time is quite robust in flavor-- woodsy, even, with some warm spice he can't identify lingering somewhere behind it. Natori's palate is vastly unsuited to discerning most subtle flavors, despite his best efforts, but he tastes... perhaps sage or rose. He must offer his most genuine admiration before he leaves this time. "Just the other day someone saw fit to... ah, bequeath that wisdom unto me, I suppose." He may sound somewhat less impressed with that wisdom than his makeshift mentor might have hoped.

From his seat, Humbert’s amber eyes turned from the open window to meet Natori. “I can’t say that I have, though I grasp its meaning well enough.” If you spread yourself thin among so many people, how many did you truly know on a deeper level?

Though Natori’s displeasure with the sentiment he couldn’t decipher quite as easily, but he supposed no one would like to be told that they come off as superficial. “Under what circumstances was this maxim given might I ask?”

Natori had yet to comment on today’s blend of tea and he hoped that the other wasn’t holding back any negative comments out of politeness. It was a given that his blends sometimes did not turn out as well as he hoped, but mistakes were part of the process of improving.

[royalreef]

@cornerstonc​ inquired:  whispers idk if natori counts as a muse you already know but uh. maybe for him if you feel up to it?

(( Itty bitty kitty man becomes a Diver-Pacific. The pre-modern Merkingdom already included quite a few Diver-Pacifics, they’re regarded as largely inoffensive and make up most of their big cities, and quite a few of even high-ranking people who serve the Throne are Diver-Pacific. Similarly, they’d also be in a similar position to Pacific-Migratorys as a not insignificant number of them are High-to-Middle Royals. No one would be too pressed nor raise an eye at a Diver-Pacific being an advisor to the presiding Ts’yute, and they have a reduced restlessness compared to their Pacific-Migratory counterparts that makes them settling into a position like that more agreeable.

[sleepytime-muses]

@givingupthemashaghost​/ @cornerstonc​​ asked for a starter, and Duchess is here to say meow!

  How did the feline mother end up all the way in the Cat Kingdom? She was merely taking a stroll about her hometown when she fell into a mysterious void or two and ended up in an enchanting but untamed meadow. An outsider to the kingdom of cats, but well upon meeting, probably indistinguishable from an actual villager... If not for the fact of her very thick French accent that accompanied her charming features.

As the other felines seemed startled by her sudden appearance, none really went out of their way to help her with her dilemma. Instead just pointing her towards the castle and staying back next to their homes. It was rather curious... She had eventually made her way down to the castle gates, and gently knocked before being escorted inside. Her presence spread quickly through the castle... The guards went to report in to the king of the newcomer.

“Monsieur!” Duchess called out to the passing advisor to the king, a pleading tone in her voice. “I am awfully sorry to bother you, but would you please give me some assistance? I’m terribly lost, and no one has been of help...”

[minstrel-mouse]

❛ sometimes we put our hearts in the wrong places. ❜ [for cornerstonc!]

@cornerstonc

❝ Oh come on, I’ve known Merra for years. She’d never do anything to hurt me. ❞ Tilo told the cat with a big smile on his little face. 

— It had only really occured to Tilo after he said it that Natori probably wasn’t talking about his wife. 

❝ You mean strangers? I’m usually pretty good at knowing who to put my trust in if I do say so myself. What about you? ❞ The minstrel mouse had found The Cat Kingdom fascinating ever since he first met Natori. Offering his personal brand of minstrel service to the Cat King could yeild a plentiful way to make a living while he was here. 

[chat-blanche]

@cornerstonc @celestialcomedy

[fledermoved]

@cornerstonc​

—–🐾🐾🐾—–

“Natta! Natta!” The sound of eagerly pattering pawsteps approached as Snoop rushed toward Natori, holding up an empty plate. A small paw tugged excitedly upon the feline’s clothing.

“I ate all m’food! Can we play now?” She asked, practically bouncing out of her skin. So energetic, she’d wanted nothing other than to play all day without pause.

—–🐾🐾🐾—–

[jabbers-wild-world]

@cornerstonc | continued from here!

“All I mean by it, is that I advise you to be cautious.” He quirked a brow, his tone remaining patient and even. “But, if you insist, I will keep my observations private. I meant no real offense.” Toki took a moment to clean his monocle, briefly revealing a faint scar across his eye, before it was quickly replaced to its usual perch upon his visage.

“I will say though, there seems to be some tension between those young cats, and your king.” He acknowledged. “That may be something to keep note of.”

[godofvillains-aa]

@cornerstonc​ asked:

"Is it always this cold in the human world? I can't imagine--" Spoken haltingly, through lightly chattering teeth. Natori thinks he is being quite brave in resisting the urge to curl into a tight loaf-like position, to retreat into his clothing like a tortoise in the vain hope of preserving what little heat his old body can generate. That simply wouldn't be very becoming of a cat in his position. [ cornerstonc ]

     “Well, not always,” he starts, looking down at the feline on two legs. “It’s just winter time. It usually gets pretty cold during this time. Snows suppose to be falling at the end of the week...”

    Noting how the other said ‘human world’ he assumed this feline wasn’t from here, but from another world.. Which meant his appearance was not from a quirk. Intriguing!

    “Also,” A boney finger gestures at Natori, “Those clothes aren’t gonna keep you warm here.. No wonder you’re cold... If you’re gonna stay here, you should probably get some heavier clothes to keep warm in...”