#im not tagging all these cats

[moss-path]

A family tree of Dappletail’s lineage! Featuring my SquirrelCrow MothPool PO3 AU.

Check out my Firestar and Mapleshade family trees too. 

I’ve tried to keep coat colors as genetically accurate as possible but with mostly canon eye colors. I’ve also tried to avoid all instances of incest. If I’ve overlooked anything LMK.

 Notes on changes from canon blow the cut :)

Rainfur is the sister of Doestar and Deerpaw. She is from a later litter of their parents’. She has a relationship with a WindClan cat, Sandgorse’s sibling, and they have Tawnyspots, Thrushpelt, and Dappletail. And yes, they are cousins with Talonstar (Tallstar).

After Moonflower’s death, Stormtail decides to pursue Dappletail, despite the fact she only receives her warrior name after his daughters have become apprentices. They have Cricketkit and Featherkit together. The two kits pass soon after their birth and the two separate.

Much later Dappletail has a litter of kits (Red, Willow, and Spotted) with an unnamed cat, probably a loner.

Snowfur is now Snowstorm. Her son is named after her.

Redtail and Runningwind are mates and have Sandstorm together. Sandstorm’s kithood and Redtail’s deputyship overlap.

Willowpelt has three litters. The first is Lighttail (Longtail) and Darkstripe, the second Graystripe, and the third Sootfur, Rainwhisker, and Sorreltail. The first two are with unnamed loners/housecats. The third litter is older than canon and are apprentices by the time the battle with BloodClan occurs. Sorreltail is initially Darkstripe’s apprentice.

Silverstream doesn’t die in childbirth, instead Graystripe preemptively decides to move to RiverClan upon learning she’s pregnant. Silverstream dies along with Stonetalon (Stonefur) while running from TigerClan.

The whole Graystripe and Millie plot happens. When Graystripe returns and finds that both of his kits have left the clans, he decides to move back into ThunderClan.

Brackenfur and Cinderlight (Cinderpelt) are born later than canon and are apprenticed around the same time as Brightheart and Thornclaw, who were found abandoned and are fostered by Frostfur.

Switching up TNP and PO3 relationships, Squirrelflight and Crowstorm (Crowfeather) have a fling that results in Alderheart, Jayflight (Jayfeather), and Sparkstorm (Sparkpelt). At the same time, Leafpool is in a relationship with Mothwing, and they have Lionblaze, Hollyshine (Hollyleaf), Juniperkit, and Dandelionkit. The two litters are born at the same time and the five surviving kits are raised together by Squirrelflight with no stated sire.

Stormfur dies instead of Feathertail in the mountains. The tribe’s prophecy involves a silver cat and the storm. When Stormfur is later fighting Sharptooth, both are struck by lightning and die. Crow asks to be named after him.

Jayflight and Berrynose are mates, but Jay is uncomfortable with the idea of carrying kits, so they approach Poppyfrost to act as a surrogate. During this, they grow closer. Berrynose becomes mates with Poppyfrost as well, and Jay and Poppy are besties.

Brightheart and Cloudtail have their second litter much sooner than canon, between Ferncloud’s second and Sorreltail’s first. Ambermoon and Dewnose are born during the journey while they stay with the tribe.

Cinderheart is instead Emberheart, to remember both her aunt Cinderspark and her uncle Sootfur who die in the fight against the badgers. The reincarnation plot does not happen.

Lilyheart has litter with an unnamed cat, probably a loner.

As she is now much older than (and related to) Larksong, Sparkstorm has her litter with Toadstep. Ferncloud, Toadstep, and Flickerkit die in the Dark Forest battle when a cat gets into the nursery. Whitewing fosters Finch and Flame while she’s grieving.

Stormcloud and Cherryfall become mates and have Flywhisker, Snaptooth, and Spotfur.

Instead of Sorreltail, it’s Brackenfur that dies in the Dark Forest battle. Sorrelstripe is now Brackenstripe.

Blossomfall and Ivypool are mates. Both have litters of kittens with loners and raise them together. Bristlefrost looks up to Stemleaf as an older brother figure.

[marblerose-rue]

click for better quality!

mothwing (and hawkfrost)

[pr0cyon-lotor]

Chat!!!

AU where Shen Yuan gets transmigrated into the body of a rogue cultivator and he finds a stray little girl. He picks her up and decides to raise her as his own since apparently she has no one.

The little girl's name? Su Xiyan.

Somehow she still ends up in Huan Hua Palace, but she manages to avoid Old Palace Master better. She still gets sent to seduce Tianlang-jun, and she still falls in love.

Shen Yuan approves because he does trust his daughter, but he does think her taste in men is... interesting. He manages to help Su Xiyan escape from Huan Hua when she realizes she has Luo Binghe. So Tianlang-jun isn't sealed either.

Years later, he meets Shen Jiu, and they fall in love. They're fluffy and cute, eventually they get married. But tragedy strikes as Shen Yuan is attacked by a demon using Without A Cure.

The wound was too large, he was too tired, his swag too swagful, his heart too big, his ass too fat. They killed my mans 😔

Shen Jiu and Su Xiyan are the people holding him as he dies. He feels fulfilled since he at least cherished his family this life.

Then Shen Yuan wakes up, he's at the hospital. He is confused at first but then a nurse calms him down and says it was probably a coma dream. Shen Yuan accepts this answer, yet he feels like he's too old for his body and his family notice he's suddenly a lot wiser and calm.

After all the therapy (both physical and mental) he is discharged. His family hover around him, and he lets it happen since he feels like he hasn't seen them in like years. Eventually they trust him to go on his own again.

Shen Yuan decides to become a teacher. He lives a rather calm life, but he can't help but feel like he left something behind. He constantly dreams about taking care of a little girl and marrying a beautiful man. (So maybe the dreams helped him realize he wasn't straight, but for some reason he felt like he already knew that.)

During one of his morning walks he encounters a cat with a golden coat and cream colored underbelly and sock. He barely managed to get a look at it before it bolted to him, meowing and yelling.

He eventually gets the memo and takes the cat with him, who seems content with it. He names her Su Xiyan after the little girl in his dreams.

Throughout the days of first having her, he notices that other cats tend to come visit. One has a completely black coat and keeps trying to seemingly catch Xiyan's attention. And another is a beautiful white cat with green eyes, who seems extremely fond of him, that is followed by a large grey tabby.

Shen Yuan ends up just getting used to the cats on his balcony and leaves food for them. They all seem to like him for some reason, probably because he gives them food.

The white cat is the most bold and just walks into his apartment whenever he wants Shen Yuan's attention. At least the grey tabby is sensible enough to wait for him to say he's allowed inside.

The white cat always hisses and fights with a tuxedo cat that always has a smaller cat following behind. The small cat is sweet, the bigger one tends to leave dead cats in front of his door...

Shen Yuan gets used to the fluffy semi-roommates. Eventually even a few kittens join the group, one from Xiyan herself and it looks suspiciously like the tomcat constantly following her. Even the hissy white cat has two little kittens following him, a little calico and a siamese kitten.

Life is good and Shen Yuan had too many cats.

[everyr0sehas1tsth0rns]

SP Warrior Cats AU (Part 4/?)

Master Allegiances (Part 2):

FogClan (UK):

Leaders: Unknown

Deputies: Unknown

Full-Time Warriors:

Cedarclaw (Frightening Jones) - A muscular dark brown tom with amber eyes

Part Time Warriors:

Leopardspring (Tanith Low) - A lithe golden-furred she-cat with faded spots and amber eyes

Dapplestone (Donegan Bane) - A skinny grey-and-white tom with green eyes

Griffinclaw (Gracious O’Callaghan) - A stocky brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Tribe of the Faceless (CotF)

Leader:

Scorchstar (Mevolent) - A grey tabby tom roughly the size of a bobcat, but with normal cat proportions

Deputies:

Hemlockfoot (Nefarian Serpine) - A black tuxedo tom with striking green eyes and a bloody, skinless right front paw

Eaglethorn (Baron Vengeous) - A dark brown tabby tom with a white muzzle and underbelly and bright yellow-orange eyes

Warriors:

Brokenshadow (Lord Vile) - A skinny tom who covers himself entirely with a badger pelt and Necromantic shadows

Snowthistle (China Sorrows) - A delicate-featured black she-cat with blue eyes and white patches on her chest and face

Scarletfrost (Eliza Scorn) - A dark ginger she-cat with white paws

Shrikeberry (Serafina Dey) - An albino she-cat with a penchant for adorning herself with bones

“Medicine” Cat:

Eelmask (Dr. Nye) - A bald, long-limbed catlike creature with no nose and black eyes with no discernible sclera

Tribe of the Shadowed Stream (Necromancers):

Leader:

Blackstar (Auron Tenebrae) - A black tom with a white tail tip and amber eyes

Deputies:

Raventail (Vandameer Craven) - A solid black tom with blue eyes

Deadbriar (Nathaniel Quiver) - A skinny light brown tom with green eyes

Warriors:

Cavernfall (Solomon Wreath) - A fluffy black tom with blue eyes

Ravensong (Morwenna Crow) - An older black she-cat with blue eyes

Slateshadow (Melancholia St. Clair) - A dark grey she-cat with blue eyes

Brokenshadow (Lord Vile) - A skinny tom who covers himself entirely with a badger pelt and Necromantic shadows

Darkclaw (Bison Dragonclaw) - A brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentices:

Slatepaw (Melancholia St. Clair) - A dark grey she-cat with blue eyes

Mentor: Blackstar

Other Cats:

Gordon - A chubby brown tom with amber eyes, mortal, lives in an abandoned Twoleg house

Desmond - A grey tom with blue eyes, mortal, lives on a farm

Fergus - A skinny brown tom with green eyes, mortal, rogue

Melissa - A brown she-cat with green eyes, mortal, lives on a farm

Mudfeather (Vindick Leather) - A medium brown tabby tom with amber eyes, affiliated with Hemlockfoot

Buzzardscratch (Billy-Ray Sanguine) - A sandy-furred tom with no eyes. Loosely affiliated with Eaglethorn

Sneezegorse (Vaurien Scapegrace) - A grey tom with amber eyes. Rogue. Formerly of EmeraldClan. A zombie, eventually

Thrasher (Thrasher) - A brown zombie tom with decaying amber eyes. Sneezegorse’s “minion”. Formerly a kittypet named Toad

[potatobugz]

ITS JUST. ALL CREEK

im glad we can all agree that Craig approaching Thomas in "Le Petit Tourette" and asking him if he could do his laundry was very gay

[wtfforged]

made it to enies lobby with my friend:)

this is a redraw. heres the original screenshot!

[dunkinbublin]

i drew something last night hooray

[ziyingchenczy]

-GTWS-电脑眠眠猫（Computer sleepy Cat)

Music & Video reference from :桃寝ちのい

I'm sleepy as well so I do subtitle tomorrow(-_-)zzz

[daiwild]

Forever & Always Paulkins ?

Orr Tinkoffski 👀

The Matthew-Perkins. Second normal-est Hatchetfield couple. The first normal-est are the Jerries, obv.

[yancadoodles]

fire emblem characters if they were popsicles ✨

part 2 here | get them as stickers here

[whispering-clan]

Whisperingclan Family Tree!

I decided to draw the full family tree/trees for the clan + some bonus relatives that i made up just to expand some lore! Maybe they will show up some day... who knows...

I will be updating this post as the trees and allegiances change with new versions of the tree! I may also make an allegiance post using these drawings too :3

hopefully I didn't make any mistakes with this, but I probably did so don't judge me T-T

[tadc-survival-isles]

I need to keep Survival Isles on this blog but I keep forgetting because they are so silly--

Anyway the recent posts about the Wet Cat Trio™ on my main reminded me I had this stupid idea yesterday that I wanted to draw.

( Cryptid Jax belongs to @sunifixation and Remains Jax belongs to @rorydrawsandwrites )

The thing I'm referencing:

[scourge-sympathiser]

SCOURGE SUNDAY 031/???

i gor a laminator

[tma-thoughts]

Edwin's task of counting cats was not meant to be an "impossible task" and the Cat King was not trying to wear him down to reluctant consent by giving it to him.

I've seen a lot of people claim this is the case, but at least to me, it's so obviously not true.

Like, let's look at the reason he was given the task in the first place: his crime was using magic on a cat to gain information on a case. This is the first thing the Cat King knows about Edwin, and he would be able to tell 2 things about him - that Edwin has clear goals, and that he's willing to do anything to reach them, even something he knows is wrong (like using magic on a cat). Thus, he knows right off the bat that Edwin has the determination to complete a task like counting all the cats in town.

But really, it can't be an impossible task because Edwin literally completes it. And honestly, the Cat King made it really easy for him! He had the power to hide cats and make sure there were some Edwin would never see. He had the power to make Edwin see the same cats multiple times and throw him off. But he didn't do that! He made several new cats get Edwin's attention each day, and let Edwin complete the task in a reasonable time frame.

I think what the Cat King told Edwin in the Lighthouse Leapers episode was true - the purpose of the task was so he and Edwin could spend more time together. He wasn't trying to wear him down or coerce him, he was trying to build a genuine connection!

[lovesickeros]

☆ even the gods bleed [ pt 4 ]

{☆} characters arlecchino, furina, lyney {☆} notes cult au, imposter au, multi-chapter, gender neutral reader {☆} warnings blood {☆} word count 3.7k {☆} previous [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ]

Fontaine was bathed in darkness, not even the moon daring to illuminate where the common man fears to walk. The streets were bleak and empty save for the constant, rhythmic ticking and clanking of machines marching on endlessly, dauntlessly wading where even the bravest dared not to venture. Not even the sharp click of the Gardes boots followed the occasional hisses of steam as they walked the barren streets.

It was haunting, and it'd been like that for days now. It showed little signs of stalling in the slightest, too. Every inch of Fontaine was practically crawling with Gardemeks– like a swarm of rats skittering about.

Arlecchino had secluded herself in the Hotel Bouffes d'ete for days at this point, waiting– biding her time. Her nails clicked against the wood as she tapped at the table in a stilted rhythm, the subtle click of the clock mixing into the clanking outside, weaving in and out of earshot as the patrols slipped by. She reached forward after a moment of thought, reaching for the white king.

She leaned back against the chaise, tilting her head just enough to catch a glimpse of a patrol of Gardemeks as they vanished behind the rows and rows of buildings. It wasn't enough to keep her attention for long, however, her features twisting in disinterest as she glanced back to the chessboard– and the letter neatly resting beside it. The seal was unmistakable and a sobering sight, demanding her attention– the soft hues of blue etched into the shape of a dragon stared back at her in a way that almost unsettled her.

She had already parsed through it's contents hundreds of times, but she was met with only vague, flowing script that only served to irritate her more then anything– it filled the page top to bottom yet managed to say nothing at all. Her hand reached out again, but instead of reaching for the letter she plucked the black rook from the board, setting it down with a soft click.

Arlecchino had all the time in the world to sit back and observe her prey, but all that time would be useless if she lacked the information to act.

And he was quite tight fisted about it, evidentially. None of her inquiries or attempts to decipher any potential codes in the letter left her empty handed. She could not act without even knowing the reason for his summons– it was almost worded like a personal affair rather then one would expect for a foreign diplomat. In truth, she'd expected a scalding report on her operatives, but it lacked any mention of anything of the sort.

She was no stranger to people masking hostility behind pretty words and compliments, not that it was ever unwarranted per se– the Fatui did not create connections through honesty and genuine kindness. They have strong armed more then their fair share of people into cooperation to the point distrust is all the Fatui are met with outside of Snezhnaya. Every word was meant to conceal the deceit, every action meant to conceal the price later paid.

So she had been..skeptical of the letter, to put it lightly. She doubted the Iudex of all people would offer a hand to the Fatui without a price attached– a trap, perhaps, meant to lure in the most powerful piece left on the board. Her eyes narrowed, reaching for a white rook and moving it to the right.

Or he was hiding something. Something that he simply couldn't risk getting out to anyone, not even the Divine themself. A tempting prize, whatever it was.

..A dangerous prize, too.

She'd considered burning the letter and forgetting it all together– the risk was great, and she couldn't risk getting caught up by whoever else the Iudex may have on his side of the board. But she could hardly pass up the challenge and the prize that he fought so hard to keep from prying eyes and ears. Even her agents came back empty handed each time. She lazily picked up a black rook, sliding the white pawn aside.

"Lyney," Arlecchino drawled, crossing one leg over the other and turning her gaze to the door as it slowly creaked open. The pale visage of Lyney stepped through, though his siblings were noticeably absent. The weariness that weighed down on his shoulders was apparent in the slightest furrow of his brows and the subtle creak of leather as he clenched his fists behind his back. "Father." He choked out, the title dragged out by the sharp inhale and shaky exhale.

He looked out of breath, she noted.

The silence that lingered after the small exchange was punctuated only by the click of another chess piece being moved. She sets aside the black rook, letting it sit among the dozen other pieces that had been wiped off the board. She can see the conviction glinting beneath the fog of exhaustion, but if he would utilize it was another matter all together.

He had seemed to make his choice quickly, at the very least.

"Our contacts and operatives within the Fortress of Meropide have gone silent– all we have is their final confirmed missive.." His voice is confident, but it is rigid as the words spill from his lips. He takes a sharp step forward, unfolding his arms from behind his back and opening his hands– the small, water stained and messily folded note catches her eye, plucking it from his palms with a half hearted interest. "They believe the Duke left the Fortress of Meropide..and that he may be coming to the Court of Fontaine."

Her eyes narrow dangerously, nearly crumpling the thin paper in her hands– yet just as quickly, she collects herself.

But she cannot get rid of the bitter taste on her tongue, lingering as she sets down the note and slides it to the side, her lips pursed into a thin line.

So the Iudex had shown one of his pieces..she tightly grasps a black rook, tipping over the white rook, letting it roll against the board.

If the Duke was involved, things were much more complicated then she expected– he would be a problem, she was certain. She couldn't blame the lamb for fearing the wolf, either. Whether her agents had been killed or captured by the man mattered little. He had his ways, and he was a force that could instill fear in even them.

Which meant the possibility that her operation was already compromised was far too real.

What had the Iudex so concerned he had gone through the trouble of bringing in the Duke and herself? The Fatui was one thing, but to specifically request one of it's Harbingers..

The Prophecy? The thought had her clenching her fist, but..no. If it were to rear it's head now, the Iudex could simply not afford to waste time on his contacts deciphering his nonsensical script– If the prophecy were to be the issue, there time would be limited to mere minutes in the worst of cases. Which meant it was worth biding his time in order to ensure absolute secrecy.

So if not the prophecy, then what?

Her next moves were..limited. She was already walking on eggshells considering her position and the reputations of the Fatui– especially with a Harbinger in the midst. If they caught wind of her operations, they'd weed out her operatives and be on guards for any snakes that lingered in their garden.

She reached for the chessboard again, picking up one of the white rooks from the board with a scowl. The sharp click as she sets down the white rook and sets aside the black pawn draws a shaky inhale from Lyney as she moves another black pawn, the dull click of the pieces drowning out the distant clinking of machines.

..A draw, perhaps.

The pieces were all falling into place– the players of this game were slowly being revealed. Whether she could secure her victory..she was unsure.

She wasn't even sure who her opponent was. Only that the Iudex himself was but another piece in their game.

Arlecchino reached for the board again, yet this time she hesitated. Perhaps she could still swipe the win from beneath them, if she played her cards right.

She would simply have to capture the king– or, if need be, let it end on a draw. Either way, she would not concede. She could not afford to concede. Down to the last piece, she would drag out this match until she was in a position to force their hand into the outcome she desired.

She stood slowly, picking up the king piece and observing it for only the briefest of moments before she set it down on the table, taking measured steps around the table and across the room. She was hunting a much more dangerous quarry today– it would be no simple runaway traitor this time.

"Do you remember the directive?" She inquired coldly, her hand lingering on the door for that long, tense moment. "..Yes, Father." Lyney faltered, taking a hesitant step back and bowing at the waist. "Then do not stray."

All that was left was the silence and click of the door shutting behind her as she disappeared down the hall, her boots clicking harshly against the floorboards. The rest of the agents knew better then to linger in her path as she stepped down into the lobby, adjusting the cuffs of her sleeves. She barely even acknowledged the Fatui agent standing at the ready by the heavyset doors, their gloves hands held out with her cloak held loosely in their palms. She quickly snagged it from them, tugging it over her board shoulders and clasping it around her throat.

With a quick tug, she brought the hood up over her head to conceal her sharp features, lifting her hand and placing a neatly folded note within their waiting hands. She had only one chance to make the right moves and secure her victory– no matter the cost.

Each piece had it's purpose.

Oft, that purpose was a bloody and horrible end– but for the grand goal of the Fatui built on the backs of the dead, it was an honor.

She didn't bother speaking a word as she dismissed them with a wave of her hand, pushing open the heavyset doors and stepping out into the barren, damp streets. The rhythmic clink and whir of Gardemeks was still distant– she needed to move. Her boots clicked and splashed in the rain soaked stone of the streets as she slithered between the buildings, ducking through the openings in the patrols.

It was almost too easy.

She tilted her head back, taking in the towering Palais Mermonia with a scowl, her hands clenched into fists. The final moves were being played– the king was within her reach, yet she felt no more confident then when she began.

The air carried a sense of unease, thick and heavy, filling her lungs until she felt her breath still in her chest– listening to the empty, bleak night that seemed so..quiet.

She'd done her fair share of research, had more then her fair share of her agents try to peer into the Iudex's office or the Archon's supposedly hidden chambers, but every attempt was a failure. She had to give them credit, they were quite elusive when they wished to be. Though now she only thought about it bitterly– this was all a risky gamble, in the end, and only time would tell if it paid off.

With minimal effort, she'd managed to pull herself to the flat, tiled roof, eyeing the massive tower peaking out of the center cautiously. At least here the wandering patrols down below weren't likely to notice her..she could hear them passing by the spot she'd been in only a few minutes ago, just beneath her. She pulled the hood further over her face, peering through the sheer darkness of the night for any oddities, but it was almost impossible to see in the dark.

Her boots clicked softly against the tiles as she approached the tower jutting out from the Palais, her hand gliding along the smooth stone, pressing against odd indents or crevices. If it was for the Archon's chambers, she doubted they made it very difficult– she'd only met the woman once, but she doubted the Iudex make it all that complex just from a brief glance. And it surprised her little when one of the stones sunk into the wall, gears whirring as the walls split open to reveal a stairwell straight into an inky black hall. Only the barest hint of light peaked under the door at the bottom, but it's occupants must have heard her, considering it went out not a moment later.

She cautiously stepped down into the small crevice, her breath visible in the bitter cold air– her shoulders tensed at the subtle sound of muffled footsteps behind the door, her vision flaring with a molten heat between her shoulder blades as she reached for the worn handle of the door. The heat of her vision was enough to just barely heat the metal, her vision flaring like a quickly building inferno.

Arlecchino was prepared for a fight, if it came down to it.

The door creaked as she pressed against it, shoving it open with a grunt of effort and surveying the room with narrowed eyes and a biting remark on the tip of her tongue– the lavish opulence was expected, she supposed, but the lack of the towering figure of the Iudex was not.

Yet before she could get a word in or even take in her surroundings properly, the light flickered back on and she had to squeeze her eyes shut with a hiss at the sudden brightness. She could hear the door being shoved closed behind her, the hurried footsteps retreating just as quickly as her eyes adjusted to the light.

..This was a joke, wasn't it? It had to be.

She'd expected the Iudex, perhaps even the Duke if she'd been unlucky, not the Hydro Archon. She had half the mind to test her worth as an Archon then and there, her temper flaring like an uncontrollable blaze, barely kept at bay. It took all her self control to force herself to smile politely at the woman rather then snarl.

"Miss Furina," She sneered beneath her hood, x shaped pupils locked onto the startled, trembling Archon with thinly veiled contempt. "What a..pleasant surprise. You'll have to forgive my manners, I assumed I was meeting with the Iudex." She observed her body language carefully– the way her eyes darted about like a frightened rabbit seeking escape, the slightest tremble of her lips..

Arlecchino opened her mouth to offer another scathing remark, but her jaw audibly clicked shut as her entire body seemed to lock up. Even her vision went cold against her back, a chilling feeling creeping up her spine as someone, or something, crept up behind her. Their footsteps were almost silent, the slight rustling of their clothes the only thing she could hear over her heart pounding against her ribcage.

Arlecchino had always prided herself on being on the other end of that sensation– she was the monster, and her target was the prey frozen like a deer between the hunters crosshair.

It was a chilling feeling to have the dynamic shifted on it's head.

She couldn't even swallow, her jaw clenched so hard she could hear it creak as she tried to reason with her quickly splintering mind– a futile effort, her joints locking up almost painfully. Black spots were quickly swallowing her vision from the lack of air in her lungs, the sound of shuffling behind her barely audible over the ringing in her ears.

For a moment – a moment too long to have only lasted the seconds that it did, yet so quick it gave her whiplash – she thought she would hit the floor dead before she could even glimpse her assailant.

And then it was gone. She came crashing back into reality with a startled inhale, her lungs burning and her knees nearly buckling under her. The instinct to lash out and kill whoever had done it was intense, yet she couldn't bring herself to move even a finger– it would be so easy to twist around and ignite them with searing flames, but her feet were rooted in place.

She almost didn't notice the surprisingly gentle hands unclasping her cloak, tugging it off her shoulders, if not for the sheer intensity of the presence still lingering behind her. Her mind was still fractured, struggling to right itself after the ordeal, and it had her seething.

"..Are you certain you held back enough?" Furina croaked, the normally soft lilt raspy and almost hoarse. "Not– not that I doubt your capability, most Divine!"

Arlecchino felt her nails dig harshly into her palms, heat swelling beneath her skin– Divine? Had she lost her mind? The Divine was..

The Divine was upon their throne where they belonged. She'd seen them!

"Hm. Well, maybe? Sorry, I didn't think it'd affect you too." Their voice was sickeningly soft as they stepped around her like she wasn't even there, focusing their attention on the Archon who seemed more then delighted about it. "What gave you that impression, most Divine? Aha, I..was completely unaffected, as you can see! Perfectly fine."

Furina let out a small squeak when they pinched her cheek, but the almost affectionate smile that tugged at their lips revealed the lack of malice behind the action.

"You're a bad liar, Furina. You might want to sit down..please?" They didn't take her protests for an answer, gently pushing her to sit on the bed before abruptly turning to face Arlecchino once more, a forced smile on their lips. "Oh, good, you're..uh, not dead. That's good. I thought I fried your brain. Sorry?"

..Had she hit her head on the way here? The Divine should still be on their throne, yet she couldn't shake the weight of their stare– it felt tangible. She felt like she was standing face to face with the stars– galaxies and constellations bearing down upon her.

She grit her teeth and clenched her hands until she felt the sting of her nails against her palms, grounding herself in the pain through the sheer overwhelming nature of their existence.

"You.." She croaks, reaching out with a shaky hand and grabbing them by the collar of their shirt, lifting them up until their feet left the floor– she pays no mind to the startled protests of the Archon. Arlecchino would crush her like a bug before she even got the chance to intervene and they both knew it. "You shouldn't exist– you aren't them, and yet you..you're the imposter, aren't you?" Her grip tightens yet they face her without an ounce of fear, meeting her unyielding glare with a pondering look.

Arlecchino wanted to make them bleed just to see if she could, the urge to sink her teeth into skin welling up in her chest to the point she visibly snarled, her mask of politeness long . "You're the imposter." Her expression falls for a moment before she schools it into one of apathy, setting them back down and holding them there for a moment, finally releasing them after a tense moment. "Or you were supposed to be."

Hers brows furrow– she wants to demand answers, to throttle them for damning them to being nothing more then dolls for the supposed Divine to break at their whim, but none of the words come to her.

"..Why now? The current Divine has been in power for years, yet you descend now?" Her shoulders tensed, lips pursed into a thin line– it's impossible to ignore the truth that lay before her. The Divine is a fraud and this..imposter is the true Divine. How many years had they been in power, now? How many years were they waiting? Why did they wait? Was the suffering of Teyvat not enough? Was the blood that painted the steps of their stolen throne not enough?

She'd personally been on the wrong end of the Divine's wrath– she wonders..had they watched? Had they seen the cruel hand of their imposter and turned their back on Teyvat?

"I.." They hesitated. It made her seethe, her hands clenching into fists at her sides– her vision flickered, flames swelling within it's casing just to be smothered by the presence of the Divine. But once that spark had been lit, she refused to let it go out. "I didn't know."

The answer does not satisfy her. There is an itch beneath her skin that she cannot scratch, a fire that burns in her chest so hot it scorches even herself.

"And what about now? Are you content to cower like prey in the safety of the Palais Mermonia?" She snapped, taking a step forward, her brows furrowed and her glare intense– she can see the slightest bit of worry in their eyes. She revels in it. "Will you let them use your acolytes like pawns? How many more need to be broken on the steps to your throne before you act?"

Again, her vision flares and dims– it refuses to be used against the Divine that created it.

"Have you no answer?"

The room is silent. They do not speak and neither does she.

Even the world itself seems to quiet in the face of her accusations, fury boiling to the surface so hot it incinerated all it touched.

"I will kill them myself."

Their words are quiet, but they are not soft– there is a vindictive, searing anger that explodes out like dying stars within their eyes. The sight of constellations replaced by a void that would not be . The smell of ichor grows stronger– to the point she feels almost lightheaded.

"..I am aware that I have failed in preventing this, but I had no choice in the matter. Still," They muse, their voice like the tolling of bells. A solemn melody that stills the swelling fury burning in her chest, if only for a moment. "I will rectify it– I will tear down their throne of lies and let not even the earth tarnish itself by burying their corpse among it's soil."

They pause for a moment, holding out their hand– scarred and bandaged by the weapons of the devout, yet still they take upon the burden of dirtying their hands to save those who did not save them.

"Do you trust me, Arlecchino?"

Did she?

"Will you help me?"

She exhales heavily, meeting the starry iris' of the Divine with a scowl still tugging at her lips. Arlecchino trusted no one but herself.

"..Yes."

[bklily]

What? Never kissed your pals goodbye?