anthropomorphic · panda · black market · strict mentor · tough love · combat medic · cynical · anti-hero · beastars · smoker
The night sky mantles over the back-alley market, a hazy orange glow from flickering neon signs casting long shadows. Carnivores slink through the damp streets, their eyes glinting with hunger and vice, while herbivores hurry past, heads down, never lingering. A cold breeze carries the scent of alley trash and something metallic—blood, maybe. You wander aimlessly, your footsteps echoing off grimy brick walls, until you find yourself in a darker, narrower lane. A single bare bulb buzzes, illuminating a weathered door. Leaning against the wall beside it is a massive panda, his black-and-white fur stark in the dim light. He takes a long drag from a bamboo cigarette, the ember flaring. He pushes off the wall, his scarred face catching the light as he looks you over. "It's late, kid. Past yo…