![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
[open] november catch-all
Who: Astarion & Anyone
Status: Open
Where: All over!
What: November MANTA Board, Event, and Other Random Prompts--all will be in comments and I'll add as the month goes on.
Warnings: Nothing yet, but Astarion is a field full of trauma and makes a lot of things nsfw so tread carefully and feel free to use his opt-out if there's anything in specific you don't want to deal with.
November Event: Undeadly Experiments
MANTA Board: Claws & Companions
MANTA Board Gallows Gambit
MANTA Board Pollen Plants (nsfw + dubcon)
Status: Open
Where: All over!
What: November MANTA Board, Event, and Other Random Prompts--all will be in comments and I'll add as the month goes on.
Warnings: Nothing yet, but Astarion is a field full of trauma and makes a lot of things nsfw so tread carefully and feel free to use his opt-out if there's anything in specific you don't want to deal with.
November Event: Undeadly Experiments
MANTA Board: Claws & Companions
MANTA Board Gallows Gambit
MANTA Board Pollen Plants (nsfw + dubcon)
MANTA Board: claws & companions
[ Astarion is here at this cat adoption event, but he doesn't seem happy about it. The idea of a gaggle of cats going around hunting his only ethical source of food at sea isn't exactly thrilling to him, and besides, as wonderful as cats are, he doesn't want to be responsible for some other creature. And yet....
There, in the back of the group is a sleek black cat sitting by itself and licking its paws, disinterested in the other goings on or the other people trying to pick out the cat of their dreams.
That's the one Astarion walks up to and then kneels down next to. ]
Well, hello.
hunting (cw: rodent death).
[ On the ship, Astarion and Shadowlily the Cat can be seen stalking the rats together. Astarion is nearly as fast as the cat herself. That's surely just the slight-of-hand, right? No reason for A Perfectly Normal Elf to be nearly so good at catching rats.
But if the two of them end up a little bit covered in blood and with more than their fair share of dead rats, that's probably nothing. ]
She's young, you know. She has to be supevised.
[ #nailedit. ]
reclassing.
[ Well that's quite enough about rats. Astarion is far more likely to be found teaching Shadowlily useful skills like picking up keys, finding coin, and sniffing out treasure. Can a cat be taught those things? Can a cat be taught anything? Astarion seems determined to teach her.
So you might find him sitting across from her with his hands balled into fists, one empty and one with a coin. Or he might be taking her along a complicated little course he's set up for her as she brings him back a key.
Regardless, by the end of their little training session he's offering her pets and a very nice looking live mouse. He's very caring! ]
adoption day
It's not like he doesn't already love cats and as soon as he walks in, a blue-eyed, largely white feline makes its way up to him and meows loudly, as if declaring you will do nicely, human. even if you stink. And it keeps meowing, over and over, until Xenk picks her up. Which is how Xenk ends up carrying this ridiculously fluffy white cat in his arms, the cat resting on his shoulder and observing the world from her new favorite perch.
It's also how he finds Astarion at the very same event. ]
I see you've found a feline companion as well, Astarion.
no subject
But really, if it was supposed to be him, it should have a bit more definition to it. A more clearly cat-shape, and less of a fluffball.
Not that he has opinions on these things. ]
I haven't decided if I'm taking her. I'm simply observing.
no subject
I can see the recognition in her eyes. She is as drawn to you as you are to her.
[ Xenk says, adjusting his hold on his own cat, who is already too spoiled to be walking on the ground, apparently. ]
This is Frostbite. Despite her voluminous fur, she is likely the same size as the one you have engaged with.
no subject
It would be simpler if we could simply speak with animals. You don't know the spell, do you?
[ Tav did, and hence, no one else needed to. but Tav's not here right now so who is going to talk to all these cats!!! ]
Frostbite is very lovely, though. Anyone can see that.
no subject
[ He says that as she starts to wiggle in his arms, prompting him to change his hold of her, scooting her over to his other shoulder. She gazes intently at Astarion, her blue eyes meeting his red. Game recognizes game indeed.
Xenk is definitely already whipped by this cat. Is it any surprise, with who she reminds him of? (Yes, it's definitely Astarion.) ]
Patience, I have found, is the truest way to gaining their trust. Or perhaps food.
[ He motions towards the cat that's presently ignoring Astarion. Sometimes cats ignore yu as a show of respect though, so who can say if it's meant to be an insult or not? ]
no subject
[ Indeed the cat seems just as offended by this suggestion as Astarion does. Do you think her incapable of getting her own dinner, Xenk? How dare you! ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
Hunting
In fact, as much as he is like a cat in his own ways, he associates the creatures with Anders who would never shut up about the cat he left behind or whatever. So when he saw the creatures up for adoption.. well, initially he was going to by pass them and ignore them until a sweet orange girl would not stop rubbing up against his legs and merping at him...
It seems he was chosen. Not one to turn away a creature that is capable and will handle the rodent problem, he adopted her.
It's how he ends up with the cat on his shoulders looking at Astarion with him at the same time. Though there is no judgement on Fenris' face, there is on Pumpkinpatch's.]
I also came to supervise my creature, she.. seems unwilling to part with me and needs to do her due diligence of hunting.
[Why this cat wants to be around him when he is barely tolerating her is beyond him, but here they are.]
no subject
Are you certain it isn't a dog in disguise?
[ Dogs are so...needy....cats, on the other hand, are the perfect examples of creatures. They are perfect and do everything right and should definitely go be independent. ]
no subject
[He takes her from his shoulders and puts her down more kindly than how he speaks of her. She is quick to eye Astarion before wandering over to Shadowlily to try and clean the blood off the cat, she is filthy.
He looks at the rat corpses and then Astarion, there is no judgment in Fenris' face, nor mind. He understands that the want for sustenance and seeking it from a source he was accustomed to. It wasn't as if there wasn't plenty available.]
Do you need more than you have had?
no subject
[ He's half justifying himself to Pumpkinpatch, honestly, though Shadowlily seems perfectly happy to be groomed by the other cat. She looks like, well, the cat that got the canary. Perfectly happy with the current state of affairs. ]
But far be it from me to turn you down if you're offering. You're much preferable.
no subject
[Pumpkinpatch will only really hunt those that come into his room or wherever he's at in the moment. She is a good hunter but likes to have Fenris be near by at all times. She follows him around like a dog and brings him dead mice as if they are toys she wants him to throw.
Maybe he has. He won't admit it.
As for Pumpkinpatch, she dutifully ignores Astarion in favor of cleaning Shadowlily.]
I am, though.. though I must warn you, I chose to get the tattoo after struggling without my full capabilities when fighting the skeletons. I do not know how the lyrium in my skin being alive once more might change things.
[It had been something that had given him pause when he decided to get the tattoo. He had only just promised that Astarion could come to him but now that might not be a good idea.]
no subject
[ I mean, let's be honest, Astarion would keep her regardless of if she was doing that because cats are Good, and deserve to be admired.
He stills at Fenris's explanation, although not because he's worried about himself. Instead: ]
That's a big step. How do you feel?
cw: references to non-consensual body modifications
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
nsfw lads
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
hunting
[Naeva's eyes are definitely not extra luminous because there's so much blood in here. Absolutely not. Perish the thought.
Her expression is definitelypretty flat, though. Behind her, Thickrump thinks this mess is DELIGHTFUL. He can't help it. He is a cat.]
Seems she's a messy eater.
no subject
[ Is that a bit of blood dripping from his fangs? Nah.
Look in his defense, he needed a snack. This is hungry work. Don't @ him like that next time. ]
no subject
...Were those fangs?]
And hungry enough to eat...her own bodyweight in rats.
[She pauses, and looks at Astarion.] And you both wearing white. Pity.
no subject
[ Their stupid quest to take away the source of his food at sea. He needs to speak to a MANTA manager. This is discrimination. ]
Are you and your cat interested in helping, or only in delightful commentary?
no subject
[She's got enough control to not chew on her knuckle yet. Keep your cool Naeva. You can at least to find something better than a ship rat.
Thickrump considers the situation and mrows imperiously before looking intently further down the hold. He apparently can smell more rats further in.]
Ah. Well, apparently there are.
no subject
[ Like a cat?? He comment on the blood doesn't really click with him, mostly because the last thing he's expecting is to run into another vampire (or dhampir). And with the smell of blood everywhere, he's not exactly paying attention to her own slowed pulse. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
cw: violence/animal death
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
cw: astarion's backstory/slavery
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
i am laughing i'm so sorry astarion
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
reclassing!
But a certain conversation has stuck out at her ever since, and the questions she has have been a nagging presence, like a bell that won't stop ringing.
Lucky for her, there is something to distract herself with in the meantime when she finds him on the deck of the ship with a cat. She watches him from a distance for a while, admiring the way it seems to take to these new tricks he's teaching her, her lip quirking up ever so slightly when her paw taps one of his closed fits to find the coin inside.
That is when she will wander up to him, her voice laced with hushed amusement.]
She is quite the feline.
no subject
He approves of Benedikta's comment, of course. The way to his heart really is through his cat. ]
Isn't she? Anyone who says you can't teach a cat anything doesn't understand cats. It's about the right incentive.
no subject
She is leagues more behaved than Cid's cat, so she'll give Astarion that much. At least this one doesn't try to claw Astarion's face off when he so much as opens his mouth to talk about anything but dear Ashtail.]
You have experience with one?
no subject
I've never had one of my own--to the extent any person can be said to "own" a cat--but Baldur's Gate has many feral cats. There are no animals larger than a peacock in the city, so cats thrive there.
no subject
[She has no idea what a peacock is, but she would very much like to see one someday, if only because she'd love to know what sort of animal is given that sort of unfortunate name.
Benedikta remains where she is, crouched on the deck of the ship with her hand out, allowing her to approach slowly.]
I have never had a cat myself, but like you, growing up there were plenty of strays wandering around. I would sometimes feed them what leftovers I had in the night.
[Her voice and her gaze have gone distant, less sharp and more clouded than usual as she eyes the cat, or rather, the space around her.]
no subject
[ she seemed confused but he's helping. Also there's something about her and birds.... ]
That was kind of you.
[ Especially since he can only imagine resources were scarce, based on what he knew of her. Well, and that distance.
Astarion stands to look at her, leaving Shadowheart to her own devices for the time being. ]
But I can't imagine you stopped by to chat about cats. Was there something you wanted?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)