fata morgana

It had been easy enough to ‘trespass’ upon school grounds for they weren’t exactly barred off to the general public. Besides, as far as a great deal of would be professors knew - she still attended classes at their illustrious campus. A planned departure something she had purposefully not made well known and she would not until there was certainty she had been guaranteed a place within the barracks. But why wouldn’t she? There was no better candidate than she for the tasks carried out. All she needed was for one of the superior officers to take her under their wing, to offer the guidance sorely missed out on by having to dwell here of all places.

There was only so much that could be done in way of training alone within the courtyard, actions frightening off a number of wayward students that happened across her. And yet the ways some fled nearly sparked a drive to chase after them. At least them she would have gotten a touch more exercise in. But to that she refrained, it would do little use to get school security on her ass for something as minor as terrorizing her ‘fellow students’. Now she was so close to casting all that into her past, of leaving this place behind. There was just one tiny matter to deal with before this drool chapter of her life could close - dealing with Miss Studious Bootious.

All she needed to do was go beneath the guise of retrieving items left over, things that may have been lost when the college had been moved within Rionna’s grasps during the raging war she had been barred from beholding. Kept from witnessing his mother’s death… from just who had dealt that unforgiving blow. It brought fangs to grit, a sneer temporarily stretching over her visage before it fled with a snort. Her path swiftly deviating from where her own temporary boarding had been to intrude upon another’s. The door wedged but with a good deal of jostling Bastille was able to pry it open and with that barrier rid of she was granted free reign.

Nosiness getting the best of her as a muzzle ducked into various scattered belongings, surely everything holding their special places within her sister’s heart but that would not stop her from rooting around. Snooping to see just what dear Lyra may hide. Claws drummed, paws turning a few books over as if they might grab her interest - they didn’t - and pushing papers out of place in her blind search. Though it was not until the delectable aromas of dried meat caught the senses that attentions fixated. A careful bundle discovered buried beneath her desk, tucked deep within the folds of plush throws.

“Better luck next time sis,” a triumphant snicker lacing her tone the moment it lay uncovered before jaws swiftly seized hold. Pulling it free only to hop up onto Lyra’s once neat bedding to gnaw at the packaging which cloaked this new found snack from the elements. Thankfully fangs made quick work of parchment and twine and allowed her to truly indulge. Uncaring of whatever mess she may make as limbs splayed behind her and forepaws clung tightly to this unearthed treasure.

art + code: clae

Lyra —

Her door was open.

Lyra blinked, brow wrinkling as if somehow she was imagining things. Medical school was difficult and, while she was glad to be past the dissections, it hadn't gotten any easier. She'd been waking up earlier and earlier to shadow physicians at work in the wee hours. But she wasn't just tired. Her door was open.

And, if she wasn't mistaken, she heard odd sounds coming from within. It was... wet, at times. At others, it sounded as though someone was... eating? Her blood went cold as she inched near that fateful crack between what was supposed to be her safe place. Part of her knew that she should have ran to get security but she was still a Tiamat. Pride, anger, and morbid curiosity drew her closer.

Stupidity caused her to throw the door open.

"Bast!?" Her sister's name fled her tongue in an instant.

"Are you serious?" Blue-orange eyes bugged as she caught sight of her bed, her half-devoured snack, and the papers littered around her room. "How could you!? I've got so much to do tomorrow, I don't have time for this!" Her voice was a shrill whisper as it pierced the air. Exhaustion and stress made her quite breakable, but not so much so that she'd wake up her peers.

"Go, get out of her!"

Paws kicked at the bedding behind her as if it would truly bring even a passing amount of comfort to rearrange it further. Already it was in disarray from merely finding a place atop them before lounging out over the school’s definition of plushness. She’d felt far better within the estate though there was a soul one could only find here of all places. Such a being she intended to speak with whenever a destined return brought Lyra crawling back to the seclusion of the dormitory, to the promise of peaceful studies.

Each she may find… but only after Bastille was through with her. A tail twitched in silent aggravation as the rustle of packaging and her own chewing filled her ears. So much so that she almost didn’t notice the steps trudging up to a once secured doorway. Nothing but a quick glance confirming that she had failed to close it entirely behind her. Not that it truly mattered. Who else would bother coming here but the wolfess she sought? And as that door flew open the rest of the way, she was not left disappointed.

A wide grin spreading across her lips no matter how food stuffed into her cheek, “Dead serious.” Lyrics interrupting over top her siblings complaints, “Apparently you don’t have time for anything else.” Not even family. Disinterest reflected in the gilded gaze fixated upon the other woman’s face, “I’m not leaving sis and your piss poor attempt at telling me off won’t make me.” But there was something which might convince her as vibrant stare narrowed, “Though if you answer my questions three, maybe I’ll leave you be. At least for the night.” For there was nothing that would keep her from tormenting her own blood on any other occasion.

art + code: clae