I know I am a monster |Stargazing| Is there any other term?

Muscle to muscle, and toe to toe
The fear has gripped me, but here I go

Bandaged but still mentally hurt, the child sat next to the marble slab, head angled up to the sky. A soft noise came from her, pained and scared and alone. Lonely. This scared girl felt lonely, most seemed to avoid her during the day on the rare occasions she left Moth's house.

A star flashed in a line across the sky, a shooting star. Pages of gods and goddesses returned to her. Lips quivered and she tried to speak. [color=#98c3e1]"And Gaia sent a scorpion after Orion, stung him to death, then took the scorpion to the heavens to remind the world to be kind to all animals. And she set Orion into the heavens in front of the scorpion, so that he would forever be chased." She caught sight of the belt of Orion, a bitter smile on her face.

[color=#98c3e1]"The hunting dog Laelaps was sent to hunt the fox who could never be hunted. Zeus, knowing the hunt would be eternal, turned them to stone and set them into the sky. Canis Major and Canis Minor." That smile grew. Greek mythology always piqued her interest.

— Reggan

ATBASH CIPHER

you laugh and smile at me, but you don't see a thing !

In a way, Atbash related to Ares's loneliness. She was far from her family, with her parents and one of her brothers dead, while the other was a disgrace among the family. Atbash had learned her lesson on trusting Caesar, as much as she still wanted to believe he was just misguided, and anger filled her every time she thought of her younger littermate. Vigenere had been Tanglewood's previous leader and that was mainly why the short-tailed savannah was even here in the first place; she felt guilty for not doing anything to stop his death. Unlike her, he had a chance to save Tanglewood from its demise, whereas her group had been destined to fail when it was burned.

"Isn't it a little late for you to be up, little one?" Atbash's voice was gentle as she approached Ares, a soft smile on her face, before she turned her attention upwards, where Ares's attention clearly was. "It's gorgeous, isn't it? It's so strange how we can see the light from stars so far away." She made no comment about the beliefs Ares held, mostly due to not believing them, but also because she didn't entirely hear what Ares was talking about.

bio | female | loner, no group

© madi

The woman never looked up at the sky and saw constellations. Heard stories in her head. No, her tribe had not been like that. They saw beauty in the earth and the living things that surrounded them than the coldness of the sky. Cipactil gave them all what was necessary along with the lesser gods that they gave praise to. What Ares spoke of was foreign and strange but it did bring to her a certain amount of curiosity. She could understand the child's loneliness and she wished that she could help in some way. She was thinking of crafting a gift for her to have and maybe it would life her spirits. The lioness of fire and flames made her way forward, slowly her ever burning mane and tail giving some light to the darkness. Bright blue eyes wandered here and there as she looked up at the stars but she saw nothing. There was nothing in her mind to be seen.

It was just an expanse of dots. Nothing more. Her concern was on her daughter though and she lowered her figure to settle close to her. "It is cold out here and she thinks that maybe she should come inside." She didn't want Ares to get sick, not after all the trouble she had already been through and the trauma she had to endure. The woman was still mad, still upset that they had attacked her like that. But she gently sighed and leaned forward to nuzzle the kid gently, carefully.

Muscle to muscle, and toe to toe
The fear has gripped me, but here I go

The child was quiet as Atbash approached, simply glancing at her with a nod of greeting. Late? [color=#98c3e1]"Not sleepy, too restless." Turning her gaze back to the stars, a smile lifted on her face, [color=#98c3e1]"I wonder if there are animals in those constellations. Big dog and little dog.. Leo and Cetus and all the others." She knew Atbash wouldn't answer but it didn't matter.

Elsweyr's voice moved Ares out of her star-trapped gaze. She looked to the lioness, taking in her features in the dull light. Even she looked as though a constellation. Everyone's beliefs were different, but beauty was a universal aspect of it all. To her mother's words, she shook her head. [color=#98c3e1]"Not cold. Houses are... confining. Too small."

— Reggan

ATBASH CIPHER

you laugh and smile at me, but you don't see a thing !

Like Elsweyr, what Ares was speaking of was foreign to Atbash. Not completely foreign, she somewhat knew what the young Tangler was talking about, but she wasn't an expert on constellations. Rather, Atbash was more knowledgeable on the physics and physical properties of stars. That didn't mean she couldn't admire how pretty the constellations were, though. "Why bears?" Atbash asked, amusement in her voice as she spoke her question. It was just funny to think of how others have come to name and make shapes with the stars in the sky.

bio | female | loner, no group

© madi