race me! race me!

Hanako wasn't so sure what to think of his offer. It was very kind of him and she liked the idea of having a cat friend but she wasn't sure what Toshi would think of it. The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt his feelings, or for it to come across as though he wasn't valued or seen as useful...even if he didn't really do that much these days. But that was aside the point. Either way Hanako didn't know what to say at this point and she simply responded with a soft hum, making it clear that she'd think about it some more before she made up her mind.

Really though, Hanako shouldn't have been surprised at how easily Mortis made it look. As limber as a cat the Fatalis scaled up the tree, using his claws to grip into the bark as he moved from branch to branch, before squeezing past her to make the tree house nice and cosy for them to enjoy. Distracted by the rug on the floor Hanako didn't notice when he pushed his little trinket, but if she had she wouldn't have pointed it out anyway. His secrets were his to keep, she knew better than to poke her nose where it didn't belong. Instead Hanako pawed at the leather rug, it wasn't soft or plush in any sense of the word but she supposed it was better than sitting on gnarled wood. All dainty and elegant, Hanako turned on the spot before she laid down and made herself comfortable, leaving plenty of space for Mortis to slot beside her if he so chose. Her front legs extended out before her whilst she tucked her rear ones in by her side, her tail curling over them as she let out a happy sigh.

"Not bad." Hanako finally said, as though she'd thought long and hard coming up with a verdict. Both in regards to his tree climbing skills and, as he put it, his humble abode. She laid there comfortable with the relative silence, only for an old thought to emerge in her mind once again. A question she couldn't resist asking."So what's the story with Ashen and the Armada?" She tipped her head just a little as she rested her chin upon her legs.

She'd been curious for a while and so far no one had explained the dynamic to her. She knew that the Armada served the Ashen Empire but the reasoning and history behind it was unknown to her. With Azure she might have been a little more hesitant to ask, as it always felt a little improper to pry and poke him for information, but with Mortis her inhibitions-for the most part- were lowered. They stood on more equal ground and she suspected that he'd help her with whatever she wished if she only asked.