ORIGIN

Envy grinned as the response was positive to the area around their home. For a bird who couldn't fly yet but still wanted a little height, the crumbled bricks should be easy enough for them to climb. They licked their lips excitedly, fur fluffing out along their spine. This was coming together better than they could have ever hoped! They had a follower now! They were a true king!

Envy nodded eagerly as Lust accepted their offer to collect the grass for them. "Okay! I'll be back soon," they said, and bounded off. At full speed without Lust to slow them down, they were able to reach the place they'd left the grass in a matter of moments, and bundled as much of it as they possibly could into their jaws. They scampered back with head held high and trailing strands tickling their short legs.

By the time they got back, their neck was beginning to ache from the strain of keeping the grass from tripping them up, but they deposited a bundle of grass at the base of the wall, spotting Lust a brick off the ground. They blinked, looking at her for a moment and inwardly hoping that the pigeon would be able to manage. They didn't give voice to these concerns though; maybe that would make her want to choose a different place, and they didn't want that.

After a moment, they'd begun the short sprint back towards the remaining bundle of grass, and left Lust to her climb.

"Speech."

Envy's paws were practically blurring as they bounded back towards the remaining grass. Reaching it, they gathered the foul-tasting stuff into their jaws, tightened their grip, and trotted back. by the time they reached the base of the pile and dumped the rest of the grass on the pile. They looked up, and were just able to make out Lust's fuzzy form above them. "I got it," they called, the tip of their tail twitching.

Envy rose up onto their hind paws and began to clamber up towards Lust. As an afterthought, they grasped a pawful of the grass in their claws and transferred it to their mouth. They quickly scaled the rest of the way, jump by jump, their skinny body almost weightlessly climbing up onto each stone. Finally, they'd pulled themselves onto the ledge beside Lust, and dropped the mouthful of grass behind her. They licked their lips to get rid of the grassy taste and then turned to admire the view. "This is the spot, huh?" they asked, sounding pleased, and satisfied. Their den was very close by. This would be perfect.

Envy settled back on their haunches, spine arched above them and looked back towards Lust with a toothy grin.



"Speech."

Envy watched Lust moving the grass pile. They sat back on their haunches and with a barely-disguised expression of disgust, began to groom their whiskers and chest, careful to remove any stray strands of grass and return them to the pile. Their tongue rasped over bony ribs and their fur didn't taste much better. Finally, they spat a clump of greenish fur onto the rock and batted it hastily out of sight, turning towards Lust once more to receive their well-deserved praise.

They grinned. "Glad to hear it," the weasel said, taking a moment to examine the ledge with it's nice little hollow and view. It really was pretty nice up here, but Envy had their own den, and they were a restless sleeper. They didn't want to fall to their doom and break like a sad little twig on hitting the ground. The weasel shuddered, looking down the wall to where their den was nestled below.

The derelict ruins of Orion stretched out beyond, so huge, and yet so familiar. Envy grunted with satisfaction, watching Lust as she worked and looking pleased. "Need anything else?" they asked. Envy had important business to get to, namely absorbing the remainder of that grassy clump for its crimes. Also, they were hungry. But they supposed anything Lust needed, Envy could incorporate that into their routine too. they had to be 100% certain she wouldn't leave. Not now, and not ever.

"Speech."

Envy watched Lust work away at the grass with a trifle of amusement and somewhat of a fascinated look to their eyes. They tilted their head slightly as she startled, their jaws breaking into a sharp-toothed grin. The little pigeon's praise of their work also soothed them, bringing a surge of pride to their heart. They chuckled softly. Sucking in their breath, they repeated a phrase that they knew, from now on, they'd be saying a lot.

"It's just part of being a good king."

Anything to gain the favour of their future subjects. Lust was making good practice, and they hoped that more would soon follow. they were going to be the most powerful creature in the caves before they knew it. They shivered with glee, gaze drifting back to Lust and examining her impatiently. When she spoke, Envy tensed, getting ready to run for some twigs, even if they didn't know where there could be any found in Orion. this place was about as dead as the caves could get. But the possibility of Lust moving her nest was simply out of the question. Eridanus, the closest place they could think of- would be a long, long way for a baby pigeon. "Say no more," they tittered, bouncing from stone to stone back to the ground. "Leave it to King Envy! I'll be back soon!"

They started on their way, but turned back when they a couple of feet away.

"Make sure no-one raids my den for me!"


"Speech."

Envy waited until they'd heard Lust's call of agreement before they turned away and bounded off, following a well-trodden path away from the den. Soon, the crumbled hall and the stream were lost far behind them. Although at first they sought straggly plants poking through the paving stones, Envy realized that they were going to have to widen their search, and with a long-suffering sigh picked up the pace, changing their trajectory.

They began to make their way towards the tunnel leading to Eridanus, hoping that they might happen upon a branch or two on the way. Was it worth it? Yes, of course it was. Soon, they would be powerful, and now they were truly a king.

They'd be back, with a hearty helping of sticks.

-exit Envy-

"Speech."