Leopards Shouldn't Perch

Ossifer peers at Ilistala, an enormous leopard unscrupulously.

Thick white clouds scud across the sky, blotting out most of the sunlight. They move quickly, pushed on by a strong breeze.

Ossifer begins to wield a package of meat in their left hand.

Proselyte Ossifer, the Ossein of the Gloaming says to Ilistala, an enormous leopard, "Sit."

Proselyte Ossifer, the Ossein of the Gloaming says to Ilistala, an enormous leopard, "Sit?"

Ilistala, an enormous leopard shakes her head at Ossifer.

Aphid Tau, the Twilit says, "No cake for me, not for now."

Ilistala, an enormous leopard sniffs at the meat in Ossifer's hands.

Proselyte Ossifer, the Ossein of the Gloaming says to Ilistala, an enormous leopard, "Fly?"

Proselyte Illyria, Listener of the Silent Knell thinks to herself: Ilistala does not do tricks like some common hound.

Ossifer nods slightly at Tau.

Proselyte Ossifer, the Ossein of the Gloaming says to Ilistala, an enormous leopard, "Play death?"

Ignoring the commands, Ilistala, an enormous leopard tugs the meat out of Ossifer's hand and trots off with it, looking mightily pleased with herself.

A small, sweet smile flits across Illyria's face

The ghost of a smile passes fleetingly across Esei's lips.

Illyria caresses a cat of black ink gently.

With several beats of her wings, Tau alights upon Esei's shoulder.

Illyria gently lifts Tsillah up to her shoulder.

Ossifer puts their hand on their own shoulder.

Standing two feet tall, covered in a dark, soft fur, and adorned with bony horns curling forth from their head, they are a nimble shadowcaster faeling. They have gaunt features and haunting, empty eyes. Their fingers are long and thin, ending in sharp talons. Their feet are long and similarly clawed. Their limbs are twig thin, and their joints are angular. A pair of batlike wings that protrude from their back are lined at the seams with thin, white bones.

Ilistala, an enormous leopard attempts to climb up on Ossifer's shoulder, the packet of meat now entirely absent. It goes about as well as one might expect, given that she is considerably larger than Ossifer.

Ossifer is pressed to the ground, a loud crunching sound reverberating from them.

Ilistala, an enormous leopard hops off of Ossifer, sniffing at the faeling now pressed into the dirt, her head tilted to the side.

Ossifer doesn't move.

Ilistala, an enormous leopard paws questioningly at Ossifer, though her claws are not out, as if checking for signs of life.

Ossifer very slowly rolls to their back, with many creaking and crackling sounds.

Ilistala, an enormous leopard sniffs Ossifer, trying to decipher just what that smell emanating from them is.

Illyria drifts over, a few inches off the ground, and plants a kiss on Ilistala's nose.

Ossifer weakly lifts a long-fingered hand and pats Ilistala, an enormous leopard. The hand falls heavily back to the ground.

Proselyte Ossifer, the Ossein of the Gloaming says, "Ow."

Ilistala, an enormous leopard places her hand under Ossifer's before it reaches the ground, purring.