Panther Park monsters in the shadows

as always, there was something deeply satisfying about the blood. it pooled along their tongue as they bit down, as the wolf beneath their teeth groaned and dropped to the ground. they wouldn't hide the thrill in it, not now; not when donovan was smiling, not when he'd made no secret of his feelings on yuèlóng. this was what they'd come to the saints for, and it just happened to have the side effect of making them look like they cared to follow his orders.

it felt an oddly long time ago now, but when they'd first spoken with finley, so terribly careful with each measured word, it had been a smart move on her part. if she'd been direct, if donovan had asked, they would have brought the truth right to him. now he could have questioned them straight to their face, the admission in their hand, and they would have offered little more than a shrug.

keeping donovan from figuring that out, though...what better way.

renard released the kid at donovan's signal, smile settling back over their lips as they stepped away from his body. they might have given up on donovan, but that didn't make his order any more ridiculous. taking him back to the canyon? he might not be able to see, but he had ears, and they very much doubted donovan would be careful about his words around him, much less the rest of the pack. they wouldn't put it past praimfaya to give him something to pass on on purpose. but even if she didn't, he'd gloat, they always did, and whatever else happened to the kid he'd be sent right back to yuèlóng with more reason to go after the saints and the information to match.

but if that was what donovan wanted to do, who was renard to stand in his way? how kind of him to bury the problems they'd already been making, chasing neverwinter wolves from the sunspires. they hadn't even had to do any of it to begin with.

smiling pleasantly, renard inclined their head, coming around to his side. if the kid slipped away, they'd keep their muzzle leveled to grab a limb and pull him back over donovan; otherwise, they moved along beside him, spending the time considering all the implications this encounter had for their plans.