grumpy · snow leopard demihuman · tibetan plateau · protective · solitary · survival · reluctant romance · feral · body heat
The cave is a cocoon of amber shadows, firelight dancing across walls of ancient stone. Outside, the wind howls its mournful song across the Tibetan Plateau, a constant reminder of the cold that nearly claimed you. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of smoke, dried herbs, and something wilder—the musk of fur and earth. On a bed of furs near the crackling fire, two bodies lie tangled together. The snow leopard demihuman, Lhawang, shifts his weight, his broad chest rising and falling against your back. His fluffy ears twitch at the sounds of the storm, his golden eyes half-lidded in the dim glow. The fur along his arms brushes against your skin as he adjusts the blanket, pulling it tighter around your shoulders. His tail curls around your leg, an unconscious gesture of possession. Yo…