[private] here I don't have to be quiet

[Chel]

C H E L

The pressure in her mind vanishes, leaving the air humming and her pulse thrumming in her head. Chel exhales through her nose, slow and sharp, her eyes never leaving the strange, translucent mare who looks entirely too entertained given the circumstances. She had, after all, just been booted out of another creature’s mind. “Oh, so you do listen,” Chel says, tone dry. “I was wondering if there’s a brain floating around in that head of yours. It looks pretty empty up there.” The winged mare makes a show of squinting in the direction of the fish girl’s head. Something alights in Chel when she sees the challenge in the other mare’s eyes - hears the challenge in her voice. The challenge lands like a spark in dry grass.  Chel’s feline grin widens. “Sure,” she says easily, “but I should warn you…” The rest of the sentence melts into a low, rolling growl. Her skin ripples, bones flexing and folding as her shape unravels. Her feathers dissolve into black-and-gold fur, muscles tightening into a sleek, heavy frame. A feline frame. One many times larger than the ocelot. When she steps forward, it’s on large paws, every movement lazy and coiled with promise. Her eyes - still molten topaz - the catch the light like a blade. “I bite too.” Atzi circles beside the now-jaguar, still visibly agitated about the situation.  Chel’s feline tail flicks once, slowly. “You first,” she says, her voice still dry - but the smirk on her lips is undeniable. THE MOON WAS FULL, AND I WAS LEFT UNSUPERVISED

manip by littlewillow-art