[IC] To be inserted into Kyr timeline later

[hunting]

[Being a perma-leopard has helped Lyncis' blood cravings, but it's yet to make any decent dent on his mentality, which has been trapped in a cycle of self-resentment since he attacked Argus. That stupid dream with shadow!Argus hadn't helped either. He feels less of a danger to Barghest now, but can he really remain a leopard forever? The Caregiver had been unsure about how much time Lyncis needed.

So today finds Lyncis studying himself in the portion of the river closest to the abandoned town.]

Comments

[thatsmycue]

[Pyxis and his Typhlosion-- now known officially as Explotaro, thanks to a memory-- come ambling up behind him. Pyxis is, of course, riding atop his Pokemon's back]

Yo! What's up, dude? Was your mirror back at the dorm not good enough?

[hunting]

[Looks up]

... it's not complete.

[compensate]

[ his approach is lazy, quiet - but he reaches out a hand to casually brush against the familiar cat's fur scratching behind his ears ]

yOU wERE hARd tO fINd.

[thatsmycue]

Eeeeh. I s'pose that might be a minor inconvenience, sure.

[handwave, handwave!]

So what's really up, then?

[hunting]

[Instinctively leans into that before he can help himself]

I wasn't hiding this time.

[hunting]

What do you mean?

[compensate]

cOUld've fUllED mE.

[ just gonna take a seat next to him ]

whAT ARe yOU dOINg OUt hERE, anYwAY?

[thatsmycue]

It ain't every day that you stumble across someone starin' at a puddle of water.

["puddle" huh]

[hunting]

I wanted somewhere quiet to think. Pearl's visits can make that hard.

[hunting]

... it's a river.

[thatsmycue]

River. Puddle. Whatever! Point still stands.

[compensate]

yOU'Re nOt stIll dwEllINg abOUt thAT bItINg thINg, rIGHt?

[hunting]

I just came out here to think. It's noisy in there.

[hunting]

... it can't happen again while I'm like this.

[compensate]

bUT yOU cAN't kEEp thAT uP, rIGHt?

iT's tEMPorARy.

[hunting]

[Turns to press a nose to his own shoulder and point out the Caretaker's sigil]

This preserves it.

[compensate]

sO yOU'Re gOnnA stAY thAT wAY fORevER?

iT wOn'T sOLve anYthINg.

[hunting]

[Jerks his head back around with a sigh]

What else am I supposed to do? Last time was you. What if next time it's Pyxis? Or someone not even on Barghest? I can't be like this! I can't be a monster!

[compensate]

i tOLd yOU, i wASn'T ANgrY.

whAT hAppENed dOEsn'T mAke yOU a mONstER.

[hunting]

... I know you weren't angry.

I don't want to be another of those people who mistreat you like in your memories.

[compensate]

[ just gonna sigh, as he bumps him with his fist - a mockery of a punch, though it barely registers ]

yOU AReN't. iF yOU wERE, yOU wOUldN't bE OUt hERE mOpINg.

[hunting]

[Going to nose that in return]

I'm not moping. I just... I don't know what to do about that hunger. If it's what I... it's not going to go away. When I attacked you... the sated feeling barely lasted a week. And the hungrier I am, the less control I have. It's like there's nothing but fog and red and the sound of heartbeats. A beast no different from this.

[compensate]

[ face scritches :vv ]

sO iF yOU dO iT OftEN, thEN yOU wON't lOse cONtrOl, rIGHt?

[hunting]

[Blinks a bit and ruffles instinctively in his throat, as well as nudges those fingers some. A big cat is still a cat after all.]

... it does make it easier to think again. I felt more like myself after... last time.

[thatsmycue]

Noisy, huh? I s'pose noise would make it hard to think.

[although Pyxis himself probably doesn't think it noisy at all]

Whatcha thinkin' about?