Starglow Basin Serpent

He didn’t speak right away, letting the silence do its work, but he stood firm, his posture relaxed but intentional. If this was some kind of test, Castel wasn’t about to fail it. He’d been in far more dangerous situations than this, and he’d learned early on how to hold his ground without making the first move.

Whatever this was—approval, disapproval—it wasn’t his game. Not yet. He flicked his gaze briefly to Leto, who looked uncharacteristically subdued, tail waving low as if waiting for something.

Approval, maybe? He didn’t know, and he didn’t care much either.

Finally, Castel’s smirk sharpened slightly, and he dipped his head, his words deliberate and smooth.

“Castel,” he offered.