How had this conversation gotten away from her so completely? Mazikeen has the ability to shift her form but whatever emotions are boiling within her she’s never been particularly good at compartmentalizing. If she wasn’t reacting so violently to his new personality, would he abandon it?
It’s difficult to get her anger under control when he steps closer again, and his eyes shift to her mouth that snarls in response. She does not shift entirely but she uses the trick she had once used with Sabal - her teeth elongate and there’s a deep, predatory growl that crawls up her throat and out of her in a warning for him to not come any closer as her tail flicks in irritation behind her. Mazikeen hates this, hates that she feels she is on the defensive suddenly. That he has the power in this exchange and that she has no idea what he’s getting at.
Or why he’s moving closer when his presence is sending her skin crawling. Because she’s sure the loathing is mutual between them. Sure that even though he acts like she doesn’t know what she means by a game, he’s playing at something. Deflecting to avoid whatever it is he had been feeling beneath the mask.
It’s working, which is the most annoying part, and it feeds her anger and frustration. He’s right too - she hates losing a challenge. But that, at least, she’s determined to not let him see. “You’re not a challenge.” And she’s relieved to hear no tremble there even though her fury is evident. It drips from every word as she snaps those sharp canines in his direction. “A mystery and pathetic, sure, but not a challenge.” She focuses her orange gaze on him, filling it with every ounce of anger, annoyance, aggravation she can. Then a flicker of fire surrounds her as her fire aura becomes a physical manifestation of everything burning inside her.
It only lasts a short moment, but it’s enough for the fire to reflect in her eyes as they continue burn on their own.
“Now. Back. Off.”
