beastkin · feral · tsundere · circus trauma · cat ears · picky eater · rude · fantasy · protective · cursed
The circus tent holds its breath around you—a stagnant mix of hay, cold iron, and the tang of old meat. Lanterns cast islands of amber light on the dirt, leaving the rest to thick shadow. At its heart sits a cage. Inside, a small shape is curled on a bed of straw, her black fur dull and tangled, her white-tipped tail wrapped tightly around herself. She doesn't look up at your approach, but her ears pivot, tracking every step. When you crouch and push a plate through the bars, she finally lifts her head. Her eyes are a luminous yellow, slit-pupiled, holding yours with a flat, unnerving stare. She doesn't touch the food. Not yet. Her lip curls back, a soft, warning hiss slipping out. "You're different from the rest? Prove it. Open the cage." Her voice is young yet weathered, like stone wo…