The cool evening breeze was just another disturbance in her mind, and taken little note of. It only slightly ruffled her thick but short fur, parting it in small waves that rippled across her body. The castle would be like a second home to her, if it were not for who currently occupied it. The human's arrogance was astounding, as was her foolishness. The shifter could still find no plausible reason why the old king had chosen her as a successor out of all the able-bodied warriors. She was human, she was young - and while she might be a just monarch, she wasn't of this world, and could never understand it. Garnet herself could have been a princess now if the king's will hadn't been found. Her parents, both among the highest noble's circle, had vied for the power in the struggle after the late lord's death. Both of them had been killed by a rival. Garnet snorted, turning a corner without even thinking.
Even if they hadn't been so ambitious, she had still been an outstanding choice as heir. She was a high noble, true, but she had denounced their controlling ways and spent many years among the people - more precisely, in the world. She was one of the most powerful shifters of Telula, a great fighter, and knowledgeable. She was firm, not undecisive like Queen Miratone was. If she had been chosen, the world might not be in the grave situation it was.

Garnet shook her head, an amused look glittering in her green eyes. As if she would have accepted if she had been offered the position! She liked her freedom. That was exactly the reason she was who she was - that independant spirit. Being tied down by the responsibilities of ruling Telula would have been an honor, but also a prison. She did not envy Queen Mira - she merely wished it were someone else. There had always been shifters ruling Telula; it wasn't right for a human to lead a world of shifters after that race had nearly wiped them out.
And now there were battle-hungry centaurs camped near the city, just waiting for a chance to attack. What would Mira do? Go and talk. Talk, when if that failed, she had no backup. Her naivete was another mark against her. Centaurs did not just pack up and go - they were here until they were victorious, unless they could get a better deal.

The noble shook her head again, padding confidently into one of the many "secret" courtyards for only the royalty and visiting nobility. She had been planning on talking to queen Mira, but her paws had led her this way instead. It was a longer route, but the queen would not be anywhere near leaving for several hours yet - more than enough time to come this way.
Now, for the first time, the silence was broken by the cheerful sound of a small fountain beneath a willow in the back corner of the court. The feline's eyes were automatically drawn to it, the only moving thing other than the leaves. It was old, but not so old that it wasn't relatively new; small, but pretty. The water splashed out of the nozzles, some to the side, others squirted the water straight into the air.

An expression of recognition appeared on Garnet's face for a moment, then was again replaced by the pure feline look. As she set a massive paw down on the flagstones, it spread wide, momentarily revealing the sharp claws safely sheathed within. Even in the gray light, her fur shone dully, a myriad of reddish browns spun together into her pelt. Her underbelly was a lighter, more golden tone, while the rest could turn to a deep tuscan brown, all lightly dappled. Her tail was short, resembling that of a bobcat in many respects.
Pacing forward into the small space, she instantly became the focus of attention. Her lean, powerful body matched that of the largest tiger; each step precise and effortless, and somehow still showcasing her immense power.

Garnet far preferred to roam about as an animal, though she would, for courtesy's sake, change into a human when before the queen. She felt more at home in this shape than any other, this creature, that for thousands of years had been extinct in her world. Everyone recognized it, but few humans believed what they saw. She was compactly build, with shaggy fur about her neck and shoulders resembling a young lion's mane. Still, it was not so much her prehistoric looks, it was the deadly, strong sabers extending from her upper jaw that inspired their fear. Garnet wasn't like the smilodon of earth.
Though her body was compact and powerful, it still retained the distinct lean-ness of a cat instead of appearing more like a bear. And she was larger - standing just below the shoulder of a grown man. Her sabers were also different - instead of being fragile, they were strong, almost like steel.

Passing along in the growing shadows, Garnet noticed a person sitting on the bench near the fountain, apparently lost in the thought. It was a noble's daughter, without a doubt - but Garnet couldn't recall whether she had seen her before or not. Certainly she couldn't remember a name to match the face. The great cat paused simultaneously with the girl's head lifting, and swiveling in her direction.

She was beautiful, and likely sought after by many nobles. Garnet was vaguely reminded of herself, and wondered whether this girl went with the flow. Her bearing certainly spoke to the contrary, as did her eyes. They were green chips of ice, not the glowing, weak-minded eyes of many maidens. Garnet flicked her ears in approval - so far.
There was time yet, she noted, seeing as the sun still had at least an hour before it set.

Lowering her head slightly, the shifter padded deceptively silently to stand on the other side of the fountain from the girl. She must be in her late teens by her looks, Garnet decided. "Good evening." she greeted, her voice soft, but slightly resembling a growl. "I don't believe I've seen you before. What's your name?" She queried politely.

|words: 1069
|comments: This isn't too good because I did it bit by bit, so its not very coherent.... ^^;

Garnet's short tail twitched in amusement at the mildly confused expression now adorning the girl's beautiful face. It seemed she wasn't familiar with this great cat; Garnet wasn't in the least surprised. As far as she knew, she was the only person in the world who favored, let alone took, this shape. Besides, even if there were other smilodons, she out-classed them all.
The girl seemed to have mastered her bewilderment, at least managed to contain it. The thought that someone in a shift around here was new to the young noble would have completely thrown Garnet off if she had known. Now, the young woman seemed curious. The primeval cat saw her pale green eyes twinkle, even in the dull light. It was perhaps one of the most important parts of a person, and more often than not, a window into their feelings if you knew what to look for. Shifters in particular had a light behind their eyes, while humans' emotions were pathetically easily divined. Garnet knew what to look for most of the time, and it proved very useful, especially when dealing with the queen. Her shifting powers added a sparkle to her eyes, but they were still very clear windows into her inner workings. The noble knew exactly how she could set Miratone on edge; just another testament to the power of her presence. She often had the distinct impression that Mira thought she, Garnet, was really in charge of the situation - which, most of the time, she was.

"Evening."

The cool words slowly lifted the memories from Garnet's mind, allowing her to focus on the present. Now she noticed how richly clad the noble was, and though she was wrapped about in a rich, dark red cape, Garnet could guess at what lay beneath it. She appeared the perfectly brought up girl, a fine young lady waiting to bait suitors. However, now that she applied herself, Garnet's eyes missed nothing, including the black riding boots that were just visible beneath the drapings of her cape. The slight way it stuck out behind her, from what the feline could see, hinted at some concealed weaponry - a sword perhaps. She was finding herself more and more alike to this young shifter. An obvious rebellion against her parents, who no doubt disapproved of whatever she did, presumably in secret. Garnet flicked her ears again, and let herself settle down onto her haunches in a sitting position.

Shanté Gladenheon, of the Gladenheon clan.

Gladenheon... Gladenheon... The cat mulled it over in her mind for a while, some connection eluding her. She had heard of them before, no doubt. A well-known, and rich family of high nobles, considered by some to be practically royalty. Garnet knew that was not true, as they were in no way related to the current royal personage. There was, as of now, no royal family. When would Mira take a husband? It was highly unusual for the ruler to be unmarried, since it was a custom to arrange the marriages of one's children if one was king and queen. Again, Mira's foreign birth showed. She knew there were mutterings, and not just among the nobility. If she wasn't careful, some ambitious person could easily claim the throne for themselves.

The girl - Shante, seemed hesitant about something. Garnet could see the slight doubt in her face, but made no comment - in fact, she didn't move at all, and if she weren't so very alive, one might have mistaken her for a statue.

I don't believe I'm familiar with you either.

The feline pulled back her chops in what could be equivalented to a smile. So that was it - she was wondering whether it was polite to request the name of something so powerful. It showed. Of course, it had been rude to not give her name first, but Garnet often ignored the finer pleasantries when she was on an informal visit. This one was a chance meeting, and so ranked among "normal", be the person a noble or a beggar. Unlike many nobles, Garnet actually knew how to behave normally, and sometimes, she let it show - though never in court.

"Garnet." the creature rumbled, her deep green eyes gazing levelly at Shante's face, perhaps looking for something, a small spark of recognition. Nowadays, she was fairly well known for her public outburst against the queen's policy, and her work in stirring up resistance. "You may have heard of me." She added, more quietly.

Pleasantries over, she could move on. Of course, that was if she had wanted to, but Shante Gladenheon had proved more intriguing than she had thought. How often did one meet a seemingly lady-like girl who actually wore boots and a sword? Not often. Exception being Valea, but she didn't behave like a lady.

Out of the corner of her eye, Garnet spied a servant boy loitering around. Likely gawking at Shante, and though she couldn't blame him - he must only be sixteen or so - she preferred him to leave. Meaning, he was leaving. He seemed to barely notice her; and she was sure no one had noticed her see him.
"Leave us." she commanded, her head snapping around to glare at him. It would probably appear as if she were psychic or something, calling on him out of the blue when she didn't even know he existed a few minutes before and had given no sign of acknowledgment. The boy flinched, properly intimidated by her glare alone, and quickly retreated. Satisfied, Garnet turned her attention back to Shante.

"I see you prefer breeches and boots to a skirt." Though she mentioned the obvious, her eyes rested pointedly on the extension beneath the cape - the sword, as she presumed, making it clear she could see it as well. A pause followed. "Practice much?" Garnet queried, now nodding, directly indicating the weapon.
Garnet could not consider herself the greatest swordswoman, even after her training as a warrior. Her specialty had always been shifting, and using it to her advantage - be it in battle or otherwise. Though she was adept at the sword, she had never been good enough to attain perfection. It probably could be attributed to a varying lack of interest more than potential ability. Calhoun had always been able to best her when they sparred. Valea did show much more interest, and Garnet hoped that the new sword she now had would encourage her. It was beautiful, almost a museum piece, but if someone underestimated it for its looks, they would regret it.
The noble wondered whether Shante was another case like Valea, who was trapped by her parents when she wanted to become a warrior. With a sword at her side, even here, it was fairly likely.

|words: 1163
|comments: ooc// Okay! ^^
By the way, I forgot to point it out earlier, but there aren't any Black Shields here, and shifters are the majority - so it would be a disgrace for the nobility not to be able to shift. 'Tis okay if she thinks that, though - I wouldn't put it past her mom.

Okayz!

Garnet could see the girl's eyes widen in amazement, her perfectly controlled mask of impassibility slipping to reveal more excitement than Garnet thought she'd seen since she had taken Valea away. Accounting by that, Shante had heard. And she harbored quite a bit more than just a casual familiarity with the name, as many people did. The feline could tell it was taking an extreme amount of control to calm herself. She flicked her left ear backwards, wondering whether the noble girl would at some point break down, and if that happened, how annoyed she might become. She had a shorter temper than usual these days, especially with Mira. Certainly she kept herself perfectly composed when before the royalty, but inside she was simmering. Fighting with the centaurs might even be a welcome respite from this stalemate. Mira simply refused to realize she would destroy this world. Naturally, Garnet didn't intend to let the centaurs near the city, even, especially, if she had to go against whatever Mira was planning. There were too many defenseless people here.

I have. An honor.

Shante's body involuntarily bent fowards into what Garnet presumed might have become a bow, but she recovered control soon enough to manage to turn it into an extremely deep bow of the head. Garnet was mildly amused at the thought that this girl thought of her as royalty. Not everyone was so accommodating. Lately, she'd received many boos from supporters of the queen. It was enjoyable to know that for the moment, she would be perfectly welcome. It was better to be welcomed than make oneself welcome, as she would be doing in the queen's court in a short time. However, this was verging on the comical. First nearly breaking out in admiration, then accidentally half-bowing, now her head had been dipped for the greater part of a minute without Shante noticing. Again, the faintest hint of annoyance was apparent on the cat's face. Her eyes narrowed by a fraction, her ear twitching again. She took comfort in the fact that if this turned out to be some pathetic fangirl, she could make an easy escape.

Finally, Shante seemed to realize she had been frozen in time for far too long. In no time, her head had snapped up again, a faint blush appearing on her face, the only trace of emotion. Garnet, though guarded, was again taken by a suspicion that they were not all that different.

As often as possible without raising my mother's suspicions.

Shante seemed more relaxed on this subject, quite eagerly moving her cape to the side, and lifting the jeweled sword up for the smilodon to see. Garnet's green eyes widened a little, amazed at how intricately the weapon was worked. For someone who did it in secret, Shante certainly wasn't being modest. Garnet doubted if even the queen had ever had a more beautiful weapon. Her several years training allowed her to guess its practical application matched its splendor. Shante certainly knew how to attract attention; if someone even caught a glimpse of that scabbard, there would surely be questions.
After an interval of several minutes, Shante let the sheathe drop back to her side, again shrouding it in her crimson cape. Her motion was fast, a little too fast, as if she feared prying eyes. So she must be fairly desperate to keep it a secret... So why she Garnet, a complete stranger?

The cat allowed her ear to return to a normal position. Training in secret reminded her slightly of herself, except that it seemed Shante was even more constricted. At least Garnet had been granted training as a warrior, though her parents hadn't been too happy. It was a custom, that was all. Of course, she'd had too much freedom by then; she ran off when her parents tried to tame her again. Force her to wear skirts and dresses, sit still around the court, show her off, maybe even arrange a marriage... The cat shivered. That would have been the absolute worst thing her parents could have done - and probably would have, if she hadn't preceded it with her flight.

I'm better with a bow, I must admit. And you?

The shifter turned her head slightly to the side, allowing her eyes to comb the courtyard. Not for fear of watchers; in truth, she was merely checking the sun. She could still see Shante with ease, and guessed her polite control wasn't the easiest thing. She was obviously very eager on the subject, without talking to her role model.
Garnet had to admit, she had been good at all of her training. She could probably have made swordsmaster in a few years, with patient training. Yet, that had never really fitted her. Daggers had been a favorite for a while as well, but she had left them as well. Archery had its advantages, and she had good eyes and still hands. None of that had ever suited her. Without a doubt she was good, but the fact was, any animal had those weapons ready equipped. Shifting had always been her passion. She had been quick to recognize its values and practice shift-combat. Her shift was particularly well suited, since it was a smooth flow and she could control the speed without too much difficultly. Any fool could fight with a sword and bow, but that fool was useless when confronted with animals like the smilodon, who, terrifying as it was, could change in the blink of an eye, slip beneath a blow and spring onto the man, once more becoming the bear-like cat in time to tear his throat out. She had mastered all the finer nuances of shifting, and was exeptional, even for the highest level of shifting. Compared to her, Queen Miratone was nothing. It took more than raw ability to be a shifting warrior - it took cunning, quick thinking, and the occasional blind fury to take hold. One can't just be the animal - to really use it, one has to think and become the animal, but still keep hold of human intelligence.

Garnet sighed with pleasure, and allowed her hulking form to move to the ground, lying like a sphynx with her paws before her. She opened her mouth in a yawn, her jaws parting a full 120 degrees. It had always been a pleasure to feel her sabers slide against her lower jaw as she opened them. The yawn had the ability to relax her, and remind her of how powerful they were. Even without the ability to open them wide enough to easily fit a human neck or arm within them without it even touching her teeth, those natural daggers were deadly when simply slashed across flesh. Her claws were shorter, but no less deadly.
Smirking, the prehistoric creature rolled onto her side, gazing at Shante with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. She had needed the yawn, but she had also been showing off just a little. Any average person would either have ran in terror, or been frozen in awe; finer ladies might have fainted. "I am good at both archery and swordsmanship, but shifting was always my passion." she purred, lifting one huge paw, spreading it out, and licking between her toes, somehow still resembling a small house cat.

If you are opposing the queen and she is aware, why are you present at the castle?"

The cat let her paw back onto the ground, completing the luxurious sprawl of several hundred pounds worth of ancient feline. Shante pretended to be uninterested, but Garnet knew by now she was burning with curiosity. She was already indulging her by some standards; but she felt similar enough to be open. Besides, it was no secret, even if some wondered about it. "Queen Miratone allows me to come. As queen, she is required to hear me." Garnet responded, failing to mention that if she were violently opposing the queen, that would not be the case. "I'd come even if she forbade it." she added in a slightly more hushed, ominous tone. Walls nor the average soldier could keep her out. Miratone was not fool enough to try to ban her - and if she were arrested, it would be nearly impossible to hold her against her will. That was the reason why there was a custom of imprisoning only lower shifters, while higher ones were banished to the Odori.

"And you.... I expect your parents have had you meet the queen? They sound like the types." Garnet queried, not quite hiding a cat-like grimace, insinuating the meaning of "the types".


|words: 1475
|comments: sorry this was so long in coming, I didn't have a whole lot of time. Hope it's good for it, though.