Sure enough, the raven started wailing apologies and compliments his way. Honestly, the cat was more satisfied with its pleading tone and desperation than any apologies just for the sake of ones life. He considered, for a slight moment, what would happen if he still bit the bird's head off. It was a comforting image, but then, would he really be in the right? This thing could talk. It wasn't a lesser 'bound like the mice and rats he ate. This was a bird, like Bevy or Azazel. He liked those birds... so maybe he could live with himself if he let this annoyance live. He wore a satisfied grimace as he considered his options.

"Fine." Finally, the cat stepped backwards, letting the bird up. "I won't eat you this time, but watch your mouth from now on. There's bigger, meaner things than me in this cave." His eyes wandered to the golems, and he seemed to tense. "That stone has a map carved into it, for your information." He moved over to the tablet and shuffled it back face-up. None of the etchings had broken off, but the top edge was sharp now. He cussed under his breath as he ran a paw across it, testingly. "You didn't mess up the map at least, but now I have less room for everything." He complained passively, calmer now. "Are your wings okay?" He placed a paw over the tablet as he looked over at the bird, curious to see what damage he'd done. It had felt good catching him from the air like that. He'd have to remember that move next time he needed to get up high.

Oh, this was it he could feel it. The leopard would bend down and bite his head off and then there would be no more Krakarak. Just a bleeding bloody stump with no head. He scrunched his eyes together as he prepared for the worst-- only to have the leopard let him go. Oh sweet merciful heavens! "Oh yes yes! Krakarak watch his mouth from now on! No more bad mouthing for him, nope nope nope! He swears it! Krak Krak!" Pfft, as if that would hold for even a day. It was too much fun to bad mouth others and see how funnily they reacted. He would just be careful around this cat.

Filled with a little more confidence since the cat had chosen to spare him the raven hopped over to the feline. Head poking to look at the map. He pecked it a few times before deciding that it wasn't worth his time. It wasn't even shiny or pretty. How was this a map? It was a rock. He stared at it, head tilting to the side. Then he peered up at the leopard, uncomprehending. "Is rock." How could a rock be anything other than a rock.

At the question of his wings Krakarak preened them and put on a look of hurt. "They will be okay... maybe... Hurt some." While they were a little sore they weren't really all that bad. Krakarak just liked to fish for attention and sympathy where he could get it. He hoped this leopard would fall for his act and fawn over him after he so meanly leaped into the air and grabbed him.

____

words: 273
tagged: Cancer
ooc: ---
muse: 5/10

"Talking"
Thinking

table by chelsea

The bird still didn't understand the concept of his map, so Cancer gave up on it then and there. Well, the bird at least. The map needed more work. He bent and scooped it up between his horns again, then with a scoff, started walking towards the spire again. "Maybe that'll teach you not to mess with cats, then." He wasn't moved by the bird's injuries, real or not. In fact, he felt the bird deserved more than he'd gotten- but that was just vanity speaking.

"You'd best hop or fly back to where you came from, Kraker." He glanced back at the bird for a moment, lidded eyes disapproving of its act. "Unless you can tell more more about this place, anyway. I'm sure your brilliance is needed elsewhere, though, so run along." Cancer would just like to get back to the task at hand. He could only hope, or maybe pray, that this black bird would leave him alone now that he'd shut it down.

He was expecting sympathy but got none. Then again, when did he ever get sympathy after he'd been abusive before? Never. Not that he deserved it anyway. Krakarak simply stopped preening his feathers and turned his sad beady eyes to the leopard but even that wouldn't work. "Kraaa...." He croaked in dismay when he realized that he wouldn't be able to get through the leopard's tough exterior to the maybe soft cat underneath. Ah well...

The raven hopped away a few paces but turned back when the leopard spoke again. Gee, he wasn't like Arkrael. After they'd gotten over their disagreement she'd been nice and welcoming and even followed him along to Canis. Not this guy, he seemed to want nothing to do with Krak. Well, the raven could oblige. "Yes yes! Krak know that this place is magical! Krak! And blue." He nodded his head up and down as if he'd said some of the best information in the world. "Also, have heard bad things happen when attack that thing. So shouldn't or be very bad for you, Mighty Leopard." That was really all he new. The bird didn't frequent Polaris very much and what he did know were from rumors he'd heard whispered by others. With dark plumage like his it was very easy to hide and gather information without others knowing.

Still, when the leopard said his "brilliance" was needed elsewhere Krakarak couldn't help but beam. Brilliance. Why yes, he was brilliant wasn't he? He helped the leopard to realize that the stone was just a stone and nothing more. He was the smartest bird ever! "Krakarak might be needed elsewhere. Krak Krak! The Bone King Aza'zel might be needing his assistance." He didn't know that for certain but why shouldn't he? If Krakarak was so brilliant.

____

words: 300
tagged: Cancer
ooc: ---
muse: 5/10

"Talking"
Thinking

table by chelsea

Turns out the bird actually had some good advice. He mentioned bad things happening if one attacked the spire, and the cat paused to look at him for a moment of consideration. "Really? Good to know." He made a mental note not to cast magic or fight crystal spires, then turned back towards his task. The bird seemed plenty fine with the idea of leaving, and Cancer was fine with that in turn. He'd be at peace, etching walls and tunnels into his stone tablet and working away at solving the mysteries of--- wait, did he say Azazel? The cat stopped dead.

"Wait!" He whirled around in a momentary panic. Azazel had been hard on him last time they'd met. The big bird had berated him for being stupid and selfish. If he learned that he'd sunk his claws into a friend of his...

"Listen, Krakarak was it?" The cat trotted back over to him with a friendly, but not really heartfelt, smile. "You didn't tell me you were a Bonebound! That's impressive!" He grinned cheekily, then sat down and brough up a paw, hoping to swoop it around the bird and pull him into a hug of sorts, but only if the bird allowed it. "I know we got off on the wrong claw and all," He brought his other paw up to examine said claws a moment, appreciating the soft feathers that still clung there. "But I want to make it up to you. If the Bone King Aza'zel asks about those torn feathers, you can say you beat up a monster instead of what really happened, right? Get the glory, the praise of a hero... and if he wants proof, you bring him to find me in Pisces, okay? I'll back you." And hopefully the thought of a raven beating up a leopard would be enough to ease Aza'zel's wrath.

{ art by fennecfyre } ~ { table by aura . edited by banshee }

Whelp, it seemed as if his services were no longer required here. The dark bird spread his wings and-- "Wait!" Krak turned to the leopard with a surprised croak. The feline walked back over to him with a smile on his face. What a sudden mood change he had! He even went so far as to compliment the bird which caused the raven to raise his beak haughtily. "Of course! Krakarak knew Aza'zel from before the Bonebound! We Bone Buddies! Krak Krak!" He said proudly.

He allowed the leopard to pull him into a hug because he had a distinct feeling that this was going quite well. Something good was about to happen. Oh... and it did just get good. The raven listened as the young leopard tried to weasel his way out of getting told on. Krakarak didn't even know that the leopard knew Aza'zel and in all actually probabably wouldn't have told on him. After all, Krak had started the whole thing and he didn't want Aza to feel bad about him. However, if this leopard knew Aza'zel and was afraid of getting told on... Then perhaps Krakarak could change his story around so that Cancer was the bad guy. Unless--

"But why? Krakarak could say he was beaten up by leopard-monster. Krak!" A practically devious glint lit up in his beady eyes. "Krakarak no care about glory. He perfectly fine with letting Aza'zel get glory. Is leopard afraid that Aza'zel will come beat him up because he hurt one of his best friends, hmm?" Oh yes. He certainly was. The raven reached a wing up and pet the leopard on the snout but the glint in his eyes didn't disappear. "Aza'zel not be happy if his best friend in the whole wide cave was beaten up by someone he knows... He get reeeaaally angry and come after leopard. Krak Krak!" He grinned.
"But!" He fluttered up out of the leopard's grasp and landed on his head. "But! Perhaps Krakarak could not mention story or twist around so leopard isn't bad guy. If leopard helps him..." He raised his beak up in the air again and smiled.
"First, tell Krakarak name... spotty-butt." And his attitude was back. Why wouldn't it be? The leopard no longer held power over him. Now Krakarak held the reigns.

____

words: 386
tagged: Cancer
ooc: Cancer shoulda kept his mouth shut and let Krak leave XD
muse: 7/10

"Talking"
Thinking

table by chelsea

The bird was crafty. Cancer hadn't expected it to be crafty. As soon as he'd mentioned Aza'zel, the raven became devious, saying he didn't care for glory, and would rather tell Aza'zel, to see the horrors the bigger bird would unleash on the leopard. Cancer cringed inwardly at the thought. Aza'zel wouldn't be a problem later. He could tell he'd be bigger than the bird, and with his ability to climb and jump, he'd take him down easily if it came down to it... but right now, the Bone King had more magic than Cancer could ever dream of weilding. With nothing to use as an attack in that sense, Cancer submitted- but not entirely.

"Very well, Krakarak. I'll see what I can do." He smirked. "My name's Karkata. You can call me Karkat." He grinned reassuringly, his lie rolling off easily- it wasn't entirely a lie. This was his surname, but he and Bevy were the only two who knew it. He'd never used it since his birth. It had always been simple- Cancer. This bird didn't need to know that, though. The less he knew, the easier this would be to twist around and put himself in the advantageous position.

The Raven flitted down to land on his head, and though the bird was much heavier than Bevy, Cancer stood easily. The tablet was slid back and eased to the floor, and with careful paws, he'd push the tablet to the far wall and leave it there for now. "What do you need from me, anyway? You have wings and claws. Can't you do your own chores?"

The raven looked down at the leopard, staring into his eyes as he was given a name. Not the correct name but a name. Krakarak didn't know the leopard's real name and was none the wiser that this wasn't the leopard' true name. He simply clacked his beak together in pleasure, happy that he had the leopard cowed in submission. "Okay, Karkat. KARKAT!" He actually liked that. Lots of harsh sounds for him to yell out. In fact, he would yell them now just because he could and because the leopard couldn't stop him. "KARKAT KARKAT KARKAT! KARTKAT THE SPOTTY-BUTT! AHAHAHA!" He laughed out while still looking into the leopard's face. If he was hurting his ears he didn't care. It was too fun being loud and not having to worry about the consequences.

The leopard asked what he wanted of him and Krakarak half-lidded his eyes, an obviously pleased expression. "Patience, Karkat! I have plans... but I won't tell them now." Really, he had no plans right now but the idea of having someone to blackmail and use whenever he wanted pleased him. "I find you later. Karkat! Then, Krakarak tell you what he want you to do. For now, rest easy Aza'zel won't be coming for you! Krakarak!" He croaked out. Then, he opened his wings and took off. He wouldn't tell Aza'zel. Not yet... Later he might have some dirty work for the leopard to do and he would find him. He would always find those that he wanted.

____

words: 252
tagged: Cancer
ooc: exit?
muse: 6/10

"Talking"
Thinking

table by chelsea