OPEN questions

[???]

The question shouldn't be how, but why?

Why were they here?

An albino serval stood on the shore of the black sand beach with a dull expression and a thousand-yard stare, but it would not be the first thing the Descendants of the Departed would notice. Instead, the lack of transportation or a method of arrival would be what they would see. Their arrival was a mystery. Such a small, fragile creature should not be able to get through treacherous seas without anyone or anything accompanying them... Yet here they were. The strange serval stood tall and unscathed for all to see. They were dry as can be. How strange.

The feline's gaze lacked any real emotion behind it as they surveyed the territory. Another question would come to mind. Where? Where were they to go? They stood motionless, only moving their head to acknowledge the many features of the volcanic territory as they went methodically from left to right. Suddenly, they paused. The creature squinted. Moments later, they continued to peer sideways. Their mathematical turn ended at the edge of the coast moments later. 

Their head whipped around towards the volcano-laden horizon. Pink paw pads started to graze the ground and built up to a brisk walk in no time. What were they looking for? When would they acknowledge their surroundings? They just trudged forward. It was unclear whether they had a goal in mind or not, but the albino just kept their head straight, paws forward, and moved on.

The question that one may ask next would be 'who?' Who were they? Well, that was one the albino serval could not even answer themselves. In a sense, they were nothing, yet everything all at once. It was quite the predicament. Until someone assigned them a purpose, they were utterly useless. The serval was a blank canvas and a tool to be used by all. In time, maybe they could become a weapon driven by simple commands or a friend under the guise of a transactional relationship. The possibilities are endless for them... yet they have no identity. They are simply no one. When would they know the answer to who they were? Will they ever be someone? The answer was unknown. 

For now, 'who?' remains unanswered. The other questions of 'How? Why? Where? What?' all needed to be answered beforehand and then maybe an answer would appear. In the meantime, the serval could only move forward in their travels, leaving the black sand beach behind them as they walked on.

[VALE]

graphic gore ★ genderfluid ★ three eyed crow

The three eyed crow circled high above the serval. Their white fur stuck out against the black sands—almost like a beacon—but the animal didn’t call out greetings or request an audience with the Pharaoh. So, then, not a typical stranger… which was both intriguing and dangerous.

However! Vale had never had a normal response to danger. Xe fled the eruption. And, yet, xe enjoyed hunting coconut crabs despite hating the taste of those dreadful not-sentient carnivores. Dying was *annoying*, but potentially worth it xe learned something useful in the process. Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back!

With a cackle of a caw, the crow circled lower. Head tilted to the right, xe studied the serval.

“Aye, you a future friend?” Vale cawed.

Noisy wingbeats as Vale circled closer to the serval. However, xe wasn’t stupid; xe stayed out of range of an attack. Vale might’ve followed up with a threat or insult, but, hmmm, that seemed a bit rude. Maybe the feline had suffered a concussion or intense brain damage to arrive on the volcanic island.

“If you’re a future friend, you gotta prove you’re smarter than a coconut crab!”

YOU NEVER TRUSTED ME ★

BUT I’M OVER IT NOW

[W]isker

[???]

The cackle of a crow and sound of it's beating wings echoed inside of the serval's tall ears, but barely registered in their mind. Instead, they kept walking. It wasn't until Vale cawed that their attention redirected. The stranger's eyes snapped up to the crow and they halted in place. As the bird circled closer, their gaze intensely locked with xyr own. A 'future friend?' And one that was smarter than a coconut crab? Their assumption was surprisingly vague but had one goal in mind. There was many options to choose from and the feline's gaze narrowed as their mind unconsciously cycled through them. Ultimately, they had to cater to the crow before them.

Their bottom fell to the sandy ground with a softened thump and their front legs raised up as if they were a begging dog. Suddenly, SNAP! All in one movement, their legs moved to their sides. They flapped helplessly as the serval rose to their feet again. With another loud snap, the feline's back legs shifted to the middle of their abdomen and their backside tilted downwards. Albino fur sloughed off, from head to toe, and was swept away by the wind. The pale skin left behind was progressively being filled by the beginnings of white feathers. At the same time, the bones in their front paws extended outwards with a multitude of cracks sounding out and their back legs were becoming keratinized, losing one toe in the process and the dew claw being shifted to the back of their new foot. A soft squeak echoed out from the shapeshifter's maw as it started to extend forward into a point and harden. Their beak clattered together excitedly as, in one final movement, shrunk down.

A caw exited out of what now appeared to be an albino baby crow. Their pale pink gaze looked up at xe curiously. With a flutter of their small wings, the bird awaited xyr hopefully pleasant reaction. After all, weren't they supposed to be future friends?

[VALE]

graphic gore ★ genderfluid ★ three eyed crow

At the serval’s sudden shapeshifting, Vale cawed in alarm and zigged away. However, as Vale adjusted xyr flight path to cruise by the stranger (in a wider circle), xe blinked all three eyes in bamboozlement. The stranger wasn’t shapeshifting into an aggressive shape, unless it thought baby bird barf was an elemental attack.

“By Requiem’s scales, became a current friend! Current! Friend!” Vale squawked. “You’ve proven sentience, so become a current friend and tell me the fuck you’re doing on Cannibal Island?!”

Vale’s wings beat noisily as xe circled the baby crow, quite reluctant to land and get near the thing. Children were petri dishes of diseases! They carried plagues in their grimy snotty pawpads! Or, well, feetsies in the case of this baby crow.

YOU NEVER TRUSTED ME ★

BUT I’M OVER IT NOW

[W]isker