Temperance nodded slowly and stood up, shaking out their fur only to realize that Pride was right, they were sparkling.

Making a sound of dismay they tried to lick it off, only to find out that it wasn't going away. They whirled their head around to look at Pride in betrayal, "Dad!! I don't want to sparkle! Now when I go hunt I'm going to be seen easier!"

They pouted and looked away, tail flicking in irritation as they followed Pride, lingering just behind his front legs on his left. They looked up as Pride spoke, tempted to huff and decline, but they nodded solemnly instead.

"Papa's nice," they said softly, "I like his cuddles. But you don't, not as much as him. But then how do you get along?"

How could a hugger love someone who wasn't?

@Pride

Pride gave his son a brief glance. There was real emotional distress, and then there was lashing out, and he knew that he'd have to draw a line there somewhere.

"I told you it would wear off soon, Temperance. And it's polite to express gratitude for a gift, you know--to say thank you when something's given to you. It's how you show your appreciation." While still kind, his tone now held mild reproach. Had he been so remiss in teaching them manners-?

His side-glance held a bit of reproach in it, too, but nothing severe; it wasn't a mood-ruining outburst or the like so much as a minor note, if a serious one.

The question rather took him by surprise, and he glanced with curiosity at Temperance. "I don't mind touch, as long as it's with family, but you're right, I don't enjoy it as much as Mercy does. You don't need to," he added; "everyone is different in that regard, and in many others. You don't need to be the same as someone, or even share all their views and likes and dislikes, to get along with them--to even enjoy their company."

His gaze swept back forward as he walked, his pace stately and unhurried. "It was at a difficult time in my life. I struggled with my temper, too--something I'll tell you about when the time's right--and there was a lot of danger and sadness in the caves." He was silent for a beat, pensive, as his mind ran back over that era. It wasn't one he wanted to revisit, really. "I stumbled into a garden, in Eridanus. It was... beautiful, but overgrown. Full of ferns, and flowers, and hanging ivy; it was peaceful and wonderful. And while I was there, Mercy came in. He seemed frightened of me, and I couldn't fathom why--that goes back to his past; perhaps he'll tell you about it, some day. But I tried to reassure him that I was peaceful, and he in turn warmed to me, and welcomed me into his garden. I had not felt so... at home, anywhere, in my whole life; it was like his garden was a sanctuary, his kindness an invitation simply to be myself, to relax. There were no expectations of me, no demands. He simply lay down, and told me a beautiful story, with creatures and situations I knew nothing of and had never heard of, but it held me rapt. And then he told me another story, and another."

Pride remained silent, but his expression was both distant and content at the memories, his voice soft. "Mercy has a way with words. A way with his kindness that I don't share, though I wish I did. He made me feel at peace." He glanced to Temperance. "He's a good lion, your papa."

@Temperance

They were tempted to ask how soon but they were already pushing it. They clenched their jaw and looked away, mentally berating themself. How dare they treat their father so poorly?

"Sorry," they mumbled, sighing softly, "Thank you."

Temperance felt more miserable than they had earlier, wondering if they should have just declined and went straight home. There they could have lain, curled up in their little den away from everyone, alone and unable to make anyone else miserable too.

They looked up at Pride as he spoke, brows furrowed and mouth down-turned. They looked away and clenched their jaw, working it as they thought of what to say.

"... Should I find a Mercy?", they asked, "Or... should I talk to him, maybe? I don't know."

They stopped all of a sudden, their expression going from mad to very distressed, unable to help but sniffle gently.

"... I-I feel like I'm caught between, dad," they sniffled, "I just... I'm not a deer, I'm not a leopard and I'm not a boy or a girl! I'm just- I'm stuck, I don't know what I am or what I'm supposed to be and I can't stand not being sure!!"

They planted their butt down and just sat there, withdrawing into himself. They couldn't stand themself.

@Pride

The apology, and thanks, were met with a gentle nod and a softening of his expression.

But the cub's response to his story of peace and acceptance--of home--was not what he'd expected. Temperance didn't comment on it almost at all; in fact, he simply seemed more miserable, somehow. "Mercy is 'a Mercy,' and yes, I think he'd be good to talk to. That's why we're heading to him, hm? He's understanding, you know. He may have better advice than I can give, or at least comfort."

But now the cub was elaborating; he was 'stuck between,' and listing labels that he didn't feel that he fit into. Pride listened closely--also coming to a slow halt just before him, peering down sidelong. He inhaled, thinking, and after a moment he spoke slowly, gently. "And why do you feel the need to fit yourself into any of those slots, Temperance?" he asked; and that was all he asked, for now. He would address it all once he heard the cub's reasoning, but his question was a gentle one, meant to provoke a little thought of the cub's own first.

@Temperance

Temperance shook their head, "Because everyone else does. Everyone else already knows who they are, even Ember a little bit. He's... he's Ember. You're the leader of the Seven and wise and smart. Mercy's the best papa anyone could have and he's kind and gives the best hugs."

They gripped their claws into the dirt, "I don't have the stamina to run like you do but my long legs aren't good for creeping. My magic won't work and I'm just mad for no reason. I want to eat grass but it makes me sick and meat makes me feel guilty and even my own body doesn't know what it is!"

They looked at Pride, trying so hard not to cry that their eyes hurt.

"... I'm not anything to be proud of. I don't feel worth it, dad," they said, "Not compared to anyone you know. I want to run away right now because- because I hate how you look at me like you love me when all I'm doing is just... is just useless. If I could hunt then maybe I could bring you like... a big rabbit or something, or if I ate green things then maybe I could go and find you something really delicious to try. If I could use my magic then I could show you how good I am at casting spells and we could practice together a-and have something in common maybe?"

They weren't a son or a daughter and every time they heard one or the other in reference to themselves they felt awful about it. Did they want one or the other? Well they couldn't decide that either! None of their family were anything other than one or the other, so they had to be too, right?

"If I just fit somewhere then I wouldn't have to feel like I don't belong," they mumbled.

@Pride

This was all, again, so out of nowhere that Pride was rather taken aback. He didn't know where such feelings came from, nor how to properly deal with them and he was rather glad they were headed toward Mercy. Maybe the lion would have a better way to handle such self-loathing. "Temperance, the only one who seems to think you aren't enough is you. If I caught anyone else saying such things about you I would thrash them. I would tell them, 'Temperance is my child, and is perfectly fine! There is nothing wrong with them," and 'them,' because the child had now spoken of being neither son nor daughter, and Pride attached zero significance or favor to such meaningless constructs. "They do not have to perform some grand task to be family. They are themselves, that is enough," and this mock-tirade had a front of severity to it, as if he were indeed chewing out some rude outsider.

Then, more kindly, he continued. "You do not need to fit any label, or category. Those are arbitrary and meaningless. I'd suggest you stop worrying about what you are and start thinking about who you'll be. It is, and always has been, your values that count; how you treat others. If you remain so focused on yourself, you won't be able to be friend, family, ally, to anybody else. And everyone feels bad, from time to time; you are not an outsider in that."

He glanced ahead; his nostrils flared at the scent of flowers not far off. "I think we're coming up on Mercy shortly. I promise, it will likely help you to talk to him; don't run away, Temperance, because we do love you. There's nothing wrong with you at all."

@Temperance

There was relief as Pride spoke up for them, berating the awful thoughts in their head when they couldn't. They looked up at him, the anger lost, their shoulders slumped instead.

"... Thank you," they said, swallowing hard and walking forward, rubbing their cheek against Pride's leg, hopping up to bump his shoulder instead, "I wanna see papa."

They wiped their eyes with a paw and slunk (or strode, it was hard to tell with their long legs) off towards the scent of their papa, picking up speed as they went until they were jogging towards him, eager to bury themselves in his fur and wash the hate away with his flowery scent.

'No running,’ they thought, a promise to themself.

Temperance saw Mercy and took off at a sprint, their steps still not as coordinated as they wanted them to be, though that was mostly due to just being... them. Slightly clumsy and tripping over things as they grew and it was no fault of their's.

"PAPA!!", they shouted, lunging with their paws outstretched to hug Mercy as hard as they could.

@Mercy