Flo's Challenge to me

[Ranger of the North]

Aaawwhh, poor villain-child needs a huuggg :'I


Poor Kif! Now I'm really curious as to what Jen-suk has done o:

[TheSongOfTheStars]

Yeah, me too. Currently I have no idea what sort of blackmail he's struck to get his adopted son a wife.

[Ranger of the North]

Yeah, me too. Currently I have no idea what sort of blackmail he's struck to get his adopted son a wife.

Death-threats? XD

[TheSongOfTheStars]

No, I think it's something more intense then that, something shameful or dishonorable Kif doesn't want anyone to know. Death threats don't seem Jen-suk's style either.

[Ranger of the North]

No, I think it's something more intense then that, something shameful or dishonorable Kif doesn't want anyone to know. Death threats don't seem Jen-suk's style either.

Illegitimate child? Assassination of a political rival? He's adopted? (Which isn't really dishonourable, but he might want to keep it a secret for some reason.) Spared an enemy? Killed an innocent? Or something Jade did, which he wants to keep secret to protect her?

[TheSongOfTheStars]

Those are all good ideas. I may end up using one of them. Or not. You know how it is.

[Ranger of the North]

I do indeed XD

I might be able to come up with more later, if you need 'em ^^ c:

[blackbird.]

ooh this is really interesting!
it's kind of hard to see whose side i should take because it seems so complicated
so intriguing, really wants me to know more about their intentions.
one critique though would be that the dialogue is a bit confusing because it's just back-forth and it can be hard to keep track of who's saying what. but that's just a minor point.
good job! c:

[TheSongOfTheStars]

Thanks! I did feel like there was a bit too much dialogue and not enough description/movement to break it up

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"SNAAAAAAAAAAKE!"
763 words

It was late. And both the otter and the young snake looped around his neck should've been in bed. But neither of them mentioned that fact as the hours rolled away like waves on the ocean.
At least the kitchen was getting clean.
The kettle began boiling and Lionel set Adrian down on the table as he poured the hot water into the cups.
"Honey?"
"Sssure," Adrian replied, curling himself once around the warm base of the cup "Thank you."
"Of course," Lionel pulled out a chair and sat down across from him "After this, we need to go to bed."
"Okay," Adrian dipped his head into the cup and sipped the hot liquid "Mmm."

Lionel laughed quietly "I'm glad you like it."
Adrian smiled and took another sip.
"So," the otter leaned back in his chair "How'd today go? I didn't get to talk to you after dinner."
"Fine."
Lionel frowned at the unusually short answer from the normally talkative boy "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Adrian took a long sip of tea and pretended that there really was nothing to talk about.
"What happened Adrian?"
A sigh shivered through the snake "I don't like the new master."
"Ahh," Lionel set his cup down "You've met Quive?"
"Not exactly. He was in the servants quarters, bossing everyone around."
"Right, Freeta mentioned that everyone had been moved around."
"But why did he have to do that? We were all fine where we were."
"I'm not sure," Lionel bit his lip lightly "He's probably just trying to help."
"I don't think he's doing a good job," Adrian scowled at his tea.
"He's only been here a day. Give him some time, I'm sure we'll all be fine."
Adrian was about to reply when footsteps sounded in the hall and the door was pushed open.
"What are you doing in here after hours?" The hound barked as he stormed into the kitchen "You should be in your room. Not here!"
Lionel gripped his stick and used it to prop himself up "I'm the head cook, Master Quive, I stayed late up late to finish cleaning so the other servants could accustom themselves to their new rooms."
"You should have left the instant you fini-" Quive's eyes touched the table and he jumped a full three feet back.
"SNAAKE!!"
Adrian hissed in surprise at the hound's reaction at seeing him and coiled himself up on the other side of the coffee cup, shivering.

"This is Adrian," Lionel said, his voice holding even, but the lines beneath his eyes tensing "He is...under my care."
"But he's a snake!" Quive snarled, backing towards the door "A scummy poision-toothed-"
"That is not acceptable," Lionel cut him off, his voice taking a rough edge "Adrian is not-"
"It is a threat! Does Master Hreth know you're keeping this thing, in the kitchen nonetheless?"
Lionel's jaw tightened as the sound of Adrian trying to stifle his sobs crept upwards.
"Adrian's presence here is fully sanctioned by Master Hreth, now," Lionel clutched his stick, leaning heavily on it "do you require anything or do you simply enjoy making children cry?"
Quive glared at the otter as if he would've gladly required his throat.
"I'll speak to Hreth about this," he hissed "Either you or that thing is leaving. Both, if I can help it."
"Please, do speak to him and explain how you made a child cry," Lionel's voice was one breath away from threatening "Perhaps you do not realize it, but I can easily find employment elsewhere. I would like you to explain the sudden absence of the head cook to Master Hreth."
Quive's hand was on the doorknob "I'd be my pleasure to do so, cripple," he spat, before slamming the door close.
For a moment Lionel stood, stunned by the encounter, before he collapsed back into his chair, muscles shaking.
"Are you okay?" he asked Adrian, his voice half-choked.
The little snake shook his head, tears running down his scales "I want to go to bed."
"Alright, alright, good idea," Lionel extended his paw and Adrian slithered up his arm to his neck.

"You know, those things, that he said, aren't true," Lionel said quietly as he made his way down the dark hallway "None of them. I want you... I want you to promise you'll forget every word because it'll only hurt you if remember them."
Adrian sniffled.
"Please. Adrian. Promise me."
"I promise," he said miserably, rubbing his face into Lionel's fur.
"Thank you," Lionel stumbled into his room and set Adrian down "Now please, go to sleep."