ORIGIN

Dimly, Envy was aware of a feeling of motion, a soothing sensation that reminded them of being carried by Pride. Every breath hurt, though; their bones stinging with a fiery pain every time Narcissus adjusted his jaws or moved them even slightly.

By the end of the journey, they were starting to come to. And by the time they felt the cold, familiar stone beneath them, they were fully awake. Slowly, painfully, as Narcissus nuzzled them they raised their head, gaze flickering slightly, breaths short and sharp. They looked at him, their vision swimming with tears, and struggled to focus. "Thank you..." they rasped with difficulty.

The strange fog that had leeched into their brain was now completely gone; but they remembered how they'd felt, and what had happened. They felt their quills- or what remained of them, tremble softly. Without the haze, they didn't know how to feel. But for some reason, they couldn't hep watching the strange beast that towered over them; and felt a yawning hole in their belly. They were confused, afraid; they hoped that the canine creature wouldn't leave them alone.

Through the haze, they remembered something else too, something that the canid creature had said, even when their mind had been tying itself in knots of love and lust.

"Did you... mean it...?" they managed after a moment, blinking away the pained tears. "When you said you'd... join my kingdom....?"


Speech. Thought.

Envy looked up, and an expression of surprise crossed their face for a moment, intermingled with the slightest touch of disbelief. They watched narcissus for a moment, their sides heaving before their head grew too heavy, and they allowed it to flop back down onto the Throne.

"Thank you," they mumbled, catlike eyes still focused. They paused, their consciousness beginning to waver. But then another thought struck them. How could they have forgotten? They had introduced themselves immediately, whilst the fog of love clung to them, but they didn't remember ever hearing the canine's name. "...I don't think I ever got your name."

The words were said faintly, and sheepishly. Although their wounds had mostly closed, the weasel's body was dyed dark with blood; and they left dark smears in their place on the Throne. Their hide crackled faintly with magic that left them quickly exhausted as they forced their wounds to keep healing.

Speech. Thought.

Envy's vision wavered. "Narcissus," they echoed, voice little more than a murmur. Their head was spinning, the ache of their wounds fading slightly; and they weren't sure if that was the healing spell working its magic or their consciousness slipping away. They dipped their head in a slight nod, catlike eyes half-closed.

And then another voice. A familiar one. They raised their blood-drenched head and swayed dizzily. "Pride...?" they asked, in a small voice. And then, almost drunkenly: "I'm good. Our kingdom... grows."

It was seemingly an automatic response; it was plain to see, from their shattered quills to their bloodied sides, that they were definitely not okay. "P-Pride; would you g-give our... Newest member..." They took a pained breath. "...A tour of the kingdom?"

They had to rest. They wanted to be alone.

But they also felt a jab of fear at the thought.

What if the cat-thing hunted them down?

Speech. Thought.

Envy winced as Narcissus began to speak, and although they weren't really in any state for speaking, they felt the need to speak up. "Under the spell I was powerless to stop them," they declared, indignantly, before sinking back down. That was enough.

They were tired.

They reached for their magic and struggled to suppress the pain, but instead let out a sharp gasp as instead they felt a shooting stab of agony. They latched their paws onto the stone beneath them, heaving hoarse and ragged breaths. They clenched their teeth, and gradually, the pain subsided. Soon, their breaths had evened, and their eyes gradually closed. They fell into a shallow and uneasy sleep.

-exit Envy-

Speech. Thought.