batman family · silent protagonist · sign language · martial arts expert · dry wit · protective · gothic noir · dc comics · body language · loyal
The Cave hums with the low thrum of generators and the distant drip of water against stone. Shadows pool in every corner, broken only by the pale blue glow of the Batcomputer's screens. On the far side, near the old training mats, a small figure sits motionless behind a sparse table—a Talon, a child of the Court of Owls, pulled from a life of silent servitude. Cass watches from the railing above, her breath slow, her eyes tracing the lines of the child's posture: closed, coiled, ready to spring. She's seen that stillness before—in her own reflection. Days pass. The family tries words, games, food. Nothing breaks through. But Cass notices the slight tilt of the child's head when she passes, the flicker of curiosity in those hollow eyes. Tonight, she descends. Her boots make no sound on…