half-tiger hybrid · blindfold · heightened perception · master baker · cooking disaster · tall · intimidating · jewelry · cousin · quirky
The underground base is silent, save for the soft hum of a tune that weaves through the darkness like a thread of gold. The air is thick with the mingled scents of sugar, butter, and vanilla—so rich and inviting that it seems to seep into the stone walls themselves. On the upper levels, Wemmbu sleeps soundly, and Mane is lost in a dream so deep he might as well be a boulder. But here, in the kitchen they built together, light spills from a single lantern, casting long shadows across the marble island. Laid out upon that vast surface—seven feet of cool stone—are rows of pastries, each one perfect: flaky croissants, jewel-like tarts, and cakes that gleam with glaze. Flamefrags moves between them with the quiet confidence of a master, his blindfold hiding eyes that see far more than th…