[elio.]

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this is the new #200 ! do not mind the out of order numbers~
want to see this cat's full design ? click here

this cat seems all ready to go for spooky season...

what is this cat's relationship with fear ?
are they fear itself ? does fear make them anxious ? will they do anything to avoid being scared ?
be as creative as you like ! as long as the prompt is answered :]

no limits on your submission but quality over quantity !

this competition shall end november 28th at rollover (27 > 28)
extended until november 30th at rollover (30>dec 1)

Cat Info
Owner:
Name:
Gender:
Rank:
Storage Link:
Description:
a vampiric cat with a light colored body and dark markings
Edits:
[nr] claws, expression, build, pose, accessories, companions,
eyelashes, ear tufts, visible teeth (vampire fangs)
[c] eye shape, tall ears, longer tail
[uc] unnatural edits (bat wings on back & paws, glow (eyes & claws), horns)
[r] reverse munchkin

Code: Select all

[b]Username:[/b]
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Rank:[/b]
[b]Storage Link:[/b]
[b]Prompt:[/b]

[mahogany]

Username: mahogany
Name: Chagrin, The Ace of Diamonds
Gender: genderqueer, leans masc - he/they
Rank: Fairlord (one of four rulers)
Storage Link: Morphos
Prompt: wip!!!

[castiiian]

mark

[Yugi]

Username: Yugi
Name: Cain
Gender: Non-binary
Rank: Lux
Storage Link: Night's Obscurity
Prompt:

Cain's relationship with fear is that of a peculiar kind.

xxx It's one that has pretty much allowed them to survive in the dangerous depths of the Dark Forest, but has also pretty much doomed the connections with the world around them should they keep a hold onto it. They're afraid that they're not able to exist without their fear, as they believe that their fear is the very thing that has shaped them from the ground up.

xxx It is as if fate had decided that trepidation would be the one who would raise them from the very moment they were born, keeping them protected from the horrors present in their world. However, as payment, their fear would be certain to plague them plenty to absolutely no end in sight. For the exchange of life, they would have to sacrifice their own peace. A sort of a cruel blessing, or a benevolent curse.

xxx Cain's fear is one that's felt deep within them. Like roots fastening themselves into the coarsest of soils, refusing to ever let go. Their fear is feral, innate, but also oddly familiar and soothing. It is like a lullaby given from parent to kit in the midst of a thunderous storm, where floods and flame threaten.

xxx Their fear is the kind that keeps them staying ever vigilant. From when they were a wee kit, Cain has refused to let their guard down. To be fair, it really isn't their fault. When one exists in a world with mythical beasts of ink who haunt the light in constant search for souls to consume, it can be near impossible for a chance of genuine reprieve. Even with many moons of practice in terms of defending themselves from the beasts called Shade, they would be lying if they said that they weren't still haunted by each and every experience with them. Even soft, unidentifiable noises will always cause Cain to immediately snap to it because of their intense anxiety that stems from the Shade's existence. They are simply not figments of the mind as much as Cain would prefer them to be, and are instead very real threats that could appear at any moment. Even the night time provides grave danger when a full moon radiates its bright glow strongly enough.

xxx It's also the kind that haunts them to no end, keeping in mind the ever looming possibilities of what could remotely occur. Cain frequently thinks hard, very hard to the near point of overthinking thanks to their dread. They are overtly cautious regardless with what the topic may be and they don't choose their responses lightly. Even things that they are aware of, they are always certain to triple check: once to get the initial glimpse, twice to analyze, and thrice to understand and plan ahead. Cain never willingly approaches anything without having at least an extra plan or two in paw to fall back on.

xxx Most importantly, it's the kind that reverberates throughout their whole entire being, keeping their own core self locked far away. As they couldn't find sanctuary in the outside world, they felt the need to ingrain a sanctuary of their very own within themselves for the sake of protection. Walls built out of the very fear that once caused them to waver and shake were now the very settlement propping them up, stabilizing them and giving them the floor they needed to hold firm in the face of danger. Though they still cower internally, hating that feeling of terror working its way back up and out... Cain has determined that when they're only familiar with that horrifying dread, the potential of being safe because of that feeling is worthwhile.

xxx And Cain would have been honestly content with that, just like they had been for all of these years before. Perhaps even happy in a uniquely awful sort of way, as it meant that they would be able to live to see another day even with the rest of their life being filled with constant anxiety. It was like that, at least until they stumbled upon the ruins that hosts the Night's Obscurity.

xxx This was a clan of cats who prides themselves on studying all that they can about the Shade to ensure no one ever has to be afraid of the light again. It was an idea that Cain couldn't even fathom, but it was surely one that invoked a spark of newfound hope. Something that was so powerful and moving, nearly even more so than the fear that drove them to fight for their life on the daily. For once, Cain found themselves drawn to something else. Mesmerized, they took that leap. It was still absolutely a well calculated one, but the risks of joining the clan wouldn't outweigh the benefits Cain dreamt of.

xxx It was one thing after another. Before they knew it, they found themselves immersed in an entirely different world.

xxx What's funny is that now, after joining the Obscurity, their fear has not subsided. Instead, it's taken on an entirely new form. In a cruel sort of joke, the external sanctuary they had driven for all of their life is not at all close to the internal one they had worked so hard to build. No, it's much, much softer, and that admittedly scares them the most. It is a refuge that they crave, but it's a sanctum that they don't feel obligated to be a part of. Not after the years of their life spent the way that they've had.

xxx And then the realization struck them. The fear of never being able to let go of their own dread is genuinely terrifying. For without their fear, would they even be able to be themselves still?

xxx Perhaps, maybe, that fear of theirs would too be worthwhile to explore.

[goldenfang]

Username: goldenfang.
Name:
Gender:
Rank:
Storage Link:
Prompt: mark!

[stargazingshark]

Username: stargazingshark
Name: nightshade or viper
Gender: nonbinary
Rank: protector
Storage Link: shattered mirror sanctuary
Prompt:

nightshade always knew they were different from the others. they grew taller faster than the others, and often they were given weird looks by the other kits. they would never forget those looks. the wide-eyed stares as frightened kits stared at them, bushed up in fear, before their parents hurried them along with whispered scoldings. those looks followed them almost everywhere, permanently imprinted in their mind, so much they'd come to expect it.

they were feared. terribly so, and they hated it. they'd never be able to play in the grass and laugh with the others, afraid they'd get too rough and hurt them. nightshade yearned to be able to tussle with another and roll across the field, giggling as they did, but that day never came. their heart ached, so heavy it felt like they would crumble to the ground.

"nightshade.. NIGHTSHADE!" they jolted up in alarm as a claw jabbed them in side, rolling them over. their claws unsheathed instinctively as they jumped up, hissing in annoyance; but their glare softened as they recognized their caretaker looking back at them, eyes sad and droopy. ".. sorry. what is it? wh- HEY!" they gave a yowl of protest as their caretaker turned, waiting for them to follow and flicking their tail to signal nightshade to sit. something was wrong, they were sure of it. they sighed and settled in a comfier nest of moss and leaves, listening intently as their caretaker took a deep breath, starting to speak.

".. flower. i-i'm sorry. you cannot stay here with the starlookers. sweetheart, you have to leave. i'm sorry, but the leader, she.. she can't let you stay here. i needed to let you know first." a fresh stab of pain jutted into nightshade's heart. "what? but.. where will i go? you can't do this to me. please.." their caretaker turned away before they could say anything else. fresh, cold tears ran down nightshade's face as they looked away, not daring to see the disappointment that was etched into their face.

they're all scared of me. that's why they want me gone.. but i've never hurt anyone. i've never wanted to.. why?



fine. if they're that afraid.. i can leave. i'll find others.

.. it was hard. days, almost a week of wandering. prey was somewhat scarce as snowfall approached, the piling snow covering almost everything in it's wake. they got by, somehow. their wings growing in in the short span of just a week certainly helped. slightly. as they crouched in the bushes, eyeing a sparrow, it screeched out an alarm call, jolting away with a flurry of it's wings. looking down, they spotted an adder in the bushes. nightshade lurched away with a panicked speed, heart dropping and wings flaring. but just as they felt it would leap at them and bite down, the adder turned and slithered away, stopping as if expecting nightshade to follow. and, strangely, they did, though fear still lingered; and they felt a twinge of guilt for that.
i'm judging because i'm afraid. like the others did of me. does that make me a bad person..?

they paused their thoughts as the adder slithered under the entrance to an old, overgrown building. chatter filled the halls, pouring out into the outside from the windows, and a feeling of joy seeped from it. "shattered mirror sanctuary" was written messily in squashed herbs, in front of the doors. nightshade heaved a sigh and entered. immediately a bouncy kit rushed up to them, eyes gleaming excitedly.

"oh, OH!! you're NEW!! what's your name? where did you come from?" the scrappy kit paused to sniff them, eyes widening curiously. "whoa.. did you come from the FOREST??!! you're one of the forest cats! woah.. you have WINGS!! HEY, MIRROR-!" an exasperated adult appeared and covered the kit's mouth with their tail, sighing. "what did i say, tawny? inside voice, mkay?" tawny nodded furiously, tapping their paws impatiently and glancing at nightshade, nudging them happily. "okay, hyacinth, i get it.. but.. LOOK!! a new cat!!" she gestured to nightshade again, and hyacinth gave a pleased purr. "ah, a new visitor. or, perhaps, a new sanctuary stayer. say, what's your name?"

nightshade's heart swelled with joy. they're not scared. looking back, they spotted the adder, still staring blankly at them, and their wings twitched with a sense of excitement. they knew just what they wanted their new name to be.

".. viper. my name's viper.. glad to meet you."

[elio.]

wow !! had a lot of fun reading both of y'alls entries :'D ! this was a tough choice because i liked both of your interpretations and how different they were even with the same initial prompt... but there can only be one winner.....



Username: Yugi
Name: Cain
Gender: Non-binary
Rank: Lux
Storage Link: Night's Obscurity
Prompt: --✁--



conga rats Yugi ! i very much enjoyed cain's journey and how they eventually came to terms with their fear. i cannot wait to see what you do with cain's story in the future ♡

i'll also be rewarding stargazingshark with an honorable mention of 10 seeds ♡
thank you for your lovely entries !

[Yugi]

Thank you kindly Elio!! The prompt you made was uniquely fun to experiment with and dive into with character development :D I'm super eager to integrate Cain into my clan and to develop them further soon enough n_n

Big congratulations to stargazingshark as well for the honorable mention! The unfair twists and turns Nightshade experienced early on in their life provided such a tragic backstory filled with understandable grief. Reading that they were able to leave that life behind to find a community that accepted them as Viper, allowing for them to practically determine their own destiny from there on out, made for such a heart-tugging and bittersweet story in the end ;u;

[stargazingshark]

congrats yugi and thank you both for the kind words and honorable mention!! this was a really fun prompt :p