driftfleet | (no subject)

[Sorry Monty, her tail is poofing up.]

Don't be stupid! I wouldn't let anyone touch you, let alone hurt you!

[Monty clucks his tongue quietly, moving a hand up to the base of her tail to rub and soothe.]

Renart, I mean it in jest. I don't expect anyone would actually commit murder here when we've an audience watching at all times we're outside some private quarters.

[It's certainly going to deter him.]

[She huffs softly but relaxes, shifting slightly closer to him as her tail settles down. Cheater.]

You never know. It would be good for ratings.

Renart!

[He briefly swats her bottom before going back to stroking her tail.]

Don't be ridiculous. How would anyone even get away with a murder here?

[Oh, if he's going to do that when scolding her then she really wants to sass him....]

Easily, I imagine. You'd just have to be smart about it.

I'm not murdering anyone for ratings. [There's another swat, mock-indignation clear in his tone. He has an idea what she's playing at.] And neither are you.

[She wiggles her rear, but pouts cutely at him.]

Not even one woman no one would miss? I'd be doing it for the good of the foxes.

Not even one. And judging from that response to her missive, she should be sorely missed and your vulpine revolution set ablaze before it could reach the barricade.

You have such a way with words, even when you're disappointing me.

At least I do try to avoid disappointing you too often. I hope it's not too awful here. [He frowns slightly, hands pausing for a moment in their petting.] If I had the power I held in Between it would be easier to protect you, you know? [As little physical power as he might have, Monty's aware he did have some political sway.]

[She hums and sits up, curling in his lap and tapping his chin.]

There's still plenty you can do here. You can help me keep an eye on my Story, for one. I've been keeping it in the air vents.

And anyways, having you here makes this place a thousand times more tolerable. I don't mind being here as long as you're here too.

Aren't there rodents in those? [You told him there were space rats, Renart. Aren't they in the vents? He pouts a bit, but lowers his head to nip her finger playfully after a moment if she hasn't moved it away.]

Occasionally. I'm keeping their numbers down.

[Which is probably not the best mental image when they're being flirty.]

[It's really not, and Monty wrinkles his nose accordingly.]

You're entirely too vulpine sometimes, I hope you're aware. [He sighs before leaning in to rub his nose against hers. It's a prelude to another kiss.] It's already getting you in trouble here.

It isn't. It was her fault.

[She's purring softly, though.]

I can't help the way I am, anyway.

[Monty's well aware that it's mostly Renart's fault, but he is biased in the vixen's favor.]

No, I don't suppose you can. But you can just ignore her and the fox with her. It may be for the best just to keep the peace. You already know you're the queen of them all. Do you need to prove it?

It isn't about being queen of them.

[Her expression sobers.]

I can't just abandon them. They're still foxes. They're my kin.

[Monty tries to place himself in her shoes for this. What would he do if he found people using 'domesticated' humans as pets?]

You're going to make this more difficult for me. [But he sounds resigned.] What would you actually like to do?

I wish I had a good answer for you. Or any answer at all, really.

[She shakes her head.]

We can't very well remove the foxes from that park. It would be unsafe. And we've got no way of going back to their home to return them, which is what we should do.

[Monty mulls that over, trying to think of a compromise.]

Is there any way you could teach them to be more like foxes again without being aggressive? Perhaps undo some of the conditioning?

I don't know. They've been selectively bred for who knows how long....

[But it's worth trying, isn't it? It's all she can do right now.]

I might as well try, though.

I'll help, if I can. You're free to teach them how to pester a human properly with me.

[Yes, he's offering himself for nips and snarls, but it's a small price to pay if it will keep Renard from tangling with Wrath.

Really? You're sure you'd be okay with that?

[Because she can't imagine any human being able to stand an entire skulk of foxes getting bitey.]

If you could keep it to under five after me at a time, that would make things more manageable, but I think I can handle foxes biting me.

[She chuckles.] They're smaller than I am, at least.