the creature alliance - semi advanced discussion

Sabu was perched on the edge of the fountain in the main square, a long tail flicked back and forth in and out of Layan's reach, as the youngest of his siblings sat in his lap. Shanti has insisted that they all go into town and out of their basement home to get supplies, then after a few minutes of arguing Sabu had reluctantly agreed. She was starting to understand what bugged him and made him give up, so his winning streak in their arguments had gone into a decrease. While she and Valens, his other brother, were in stores ​he was tasked with watching over Layan.
"How long till they get back?" Layan asked, breaking Sabu's train of thought.
"Probably not that long," he offered, though that wasn't certain.
It was maybe five minutes later then two figures walked towards them, side by side, the taller being Shanti and the short Valens. Sabu argued with his sister often, but he was always worried for her, she was a young female and quiet beautiful. Her long white with grey streaked hair was clean along with put together, her tail was brushed and fluffy, her body curvy yet slender. Then there was Valens his lower body entirely that of a snow-leopard and he wasn't able to shift out of this form, so at that moment Shanti had everything resting on his back which he didn't seem to even notice.
"Sorry that took so long," Shanti grinned, her sharp white fangs shinning in her smile,
"It's fine,"
"Be faster next time," Layan sassed.
Valens swatted the youngest over the head with his tail lightly, to towards their only sister.

The siblings walked the streets of main square, Sabu and Valens on the left talking to each other about a possible hunting trip, then Shanti on the right giving Layan a piggyback. It was a warm day, and the siblings were all enjoying the company of one another.
"I got a job," Shanti announced.
Sabu and Valens went quiet both of them looking at her with surprised matching blood-red eyes, Layan pulled her hair to get her attention.
"Where?" he asked,
"Yeah, and why didn't you think of telling us?" Sabu hissed, quite upset and on the verge of anger.
"I did it on a whim, thinking it was time I did something more then watch over Layan," "He's getting to old for me anyway," mentioned as a side thought.
Sabu was cross the hair on his head sticking up, similar to that of a threatened cat, he wasn't pleased with her sudden 'whim' as she called it. He was worried that something would go wrong. Taking a deep breath he looked at her again, as Valens put a hand on his shoulder,
"Where?" "And what is this job?" he inquired.
"I'm a messenger, meaning I will take messages from one place to another," she blurted, saying it quickly.
That apperently wasn't what Sabu had wanted to here and his face looked ready to explode,
"You could get yourself killed!" he scolded.
Shanti didn't reply for the rest of the way back to their basement home, and let Valens open the door following Sabu inside and setting Layan on the ground. Once she put him down she unpacked everything from the bags on Valen's back.
Sabu motioned for the two other siblings to go to the bedroom, so that he could talk to Shanti. They nodded and went to the room the three boys shared, Shanti had her own but it was a fraction of the size.

"I don't want to talk to you," Shanti stated bluntly.
All the cabinets in the small corner kitchen were open, as she lifted groceries from their bags, placing them into the cabinets and closing them once she was finished. She held an apple in her hand when Sabu grabbed her wrist to stop her, and try to get her attention.
"Shanti, this could get you killed," he told her,
"But it pays well," she replied.
Pulling her wrist from him, she put the apple on the counter, and jumped up. She sat down her legs crossed as they hung off the edge, her tail tailing to the ground, and her hair covering the counter around her.
Sabu sighed, she had her mind set on this and it was going to be difficult to change it,
"Where do they want you to go?" he asked, trying to be as gentle as possible.
"Well the first place is a town in the canine kingdom," she told him, her hands were in her lap, he could tell she was tense,
"How much are you getting paid for this?" he pushed, trying to get more answers,
"The same amount as I would working for two weeks," she stated.
Sabu's brows raised, so she was getting paid well, but that still didn't make up for the fact that it could get her killed or captured then killed. He groaned internally.
Before he could reply to her answer she spoke again and put a gently hand on his shoulder, smiling at him comfortingly.
"I can fight, so don't worry," "You taught me,"
"I hope it was good enough," he mumbled, a few tears in his eyes, scared for his little sister.
"I will be leaving tomorrow," she warned him, and pulled him into an embrace and he held her tightly.
She was brave and Sabu trusted her more then he wanted to, because if that wasn't the case he could he told her and she wouldn't have gone. But there was nothing he could say that would be enough to keep her home,
"Okay," now he was crying,
"Shhhh, it's okay," she whispered into his ear stroking the back of his head.
He remembered this feeling and comfort from one other person, their mother, she had told him this and held him the same way so many times before when they were working in the palace. Now he was able to see how Shanti was like her, with gentle arms and soft voice.

Shanti walked along the streets of main square, currently there was a farmers market taking place with all sorts of vendors, meaning it was a perfect time to get a gift for her brothers. It was her first day back from the canine kingdom, and she hadn't been able to speak or send letters to her older and younger siblings in over a week. So this gift was going to be an apology as well as saying she missed them, since they had never been apart for so long, and if she was being honest the long time spent apart had affected her.
Moving towards one of the pottery vendors, she smiled sweetly, but she still got a huff of annoyance directed towards her. In the feline kingdom Yukihyō (snowleopard-humans) weren't as respected as other species because they didn't keep one partner but rather had multiple and weren't known for being loyal. Shanti being at the age for a Yukihyō to start mating meant she was already labelled as distasteful for males. As a result shopkeepers weren't often the kindest to her when she was alone and without her brothers, who were treated just a bit better then herself.
"I'd like to buy your cheapest vase," she requested, "Please," Shanti added hastily.
The man just grunted and grabbed the vase setting it on the counter and telling her the amount. She took out the amount and placed it on the counter,
"You're coming up a bit short," he informed her,
"Really?" she frowned, "But I counted and put down the right amount?"
"Sorry," "You counted wrong," he hissed, his ear turned back suddenly in aggression.
Shanti was angry, this wasn't fair, why did this always happen. Taking a calming breath she put the extra amount that she didn't actually need to pay on the counter,
"Better?" she asked,
"Yes, thank you," the male muttered, and let out a hiss of disgust.
Shanti opened her bag and placed the vase gently into it, making sure to wrap a blanket she had inside around it to keep it from breaking, since had needed to pay extra and didn't want that money to go to waste. She knew she wouldn't get a reimbursement if it broke, just by judging how the man treated her in that moment. Her long tail flicked, fluffing up twice it's normal size, which already was very fluffy. Turning briskly on her heels she let her tail knock over a few pots on the counter, that rolled and hit the stone road.
"Hey!" the man hissed, "What was that for, you need to pay for those, if you broke them,"
"Why would I do that?" "You cheated me out of my money," she snapped.
Shanti wasn't normally aggressive, but she most certainly wasn't a push over and wasn't going to start being one now. She waved goodbye and started to run down the street, as the man yelled at someone to chase after her. Rushing down the street in her ankle length dress, she took a second to kick off her slipper shoes, which were slowing her down. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

Shanti was laughing as she ran her heart out, which was a little comical considering she was being cased and yelled at my an angry man. Her long tail helped her balance on some tighter turns she had to make.
"What about?" Shanti yelled, she had lost the man in the crowd and slowed down waiting for the girl to catch up.

Shanti laughed a little, she had already recovered, she wasn't a cheetah hybrid but she was still able to run decently quick with a strong recovery time.
"Thanks," she smiled.
She checked her bag, making sure she hadn't broken the vase, since she had paid extra for it afterall.

"My brothers," she announced.
Shanti had three brothers, Sabu, Valens, and Layan; Sabu being the oldest and then Shanti, then Valens and finally Layan. She started walking again, her bare feet brushing the stone road quietly as she walked.

"Three actually," she chuckled.
Shanti understood it was weird, most of the other Yukihyō thought it was insane and that Shanti was even more crazy.
"We all had the same mum, but different dads," she explained quickly, "And yes, I know that, I could say the same to you."

The pair of blood red eyes that had been passive moments before looked at Eve quickly,
"So you work for those hair balls," she hissed.
Clearly this Yukihyō didn't have good experience with the royal family or anyone in the high positions. She began to walk faster, Sabu would protect her, and she trusted him.

Shanti walked, she kept a faster pace towards the small street, it was two lines of three story houses. Each house had three levels, and each level was inhabited by a different family or person; so basically a very poor area.
"I'm listening," she said, her voice a little bitter.
She walked, until the second last house, and walked down steps to the basement door. Which happened to be the cheapest and smallest of floor of the three story house.

Shanti motioned for Eve to follow her inside,
"My mum was a servant, and got mixed up with the wrong male, getting them both killed," she mumbled.
Sabu was sitting in the main area of the basement, he was taller then Shanti with short hair, two ears like his sister, but his tail was much thinner then hers not as fluffy. Which was something Shanti inherited from her father, not their mother.

"Who's this?" Sabu questioned his sister,
"Hey Shanti," a smaller Yukihyō ran out from one of the two bedrooms, he tackled his sister in a hug.
They hadn't seen her in over a week after all and to Layan, Shanti was both a sister and a mother figure to him. Valens stepped out as well, he was visibly different compared to the others, his lower half being completely a snow-leopard; he put a welcoming around around her shoulder. Causing her to smile.

"Sorry, I didn't think of even asking or introducing myself," Shanti apologized, her mood completely different in seconds.
The siblings didn't have any being similarities, but still you could tell they were Yukihyō, because of the markings eyes and tails.
"Eve this is my older brother, Sabu," "My younger brothers are Valens and Layan," she introduced them.
They each greeted Eve in turn,
"This is Shanti," Sabu said introducing his sister, before she could do it herself.

(I mean sure, he's kinda difficult to talk to though so you know)

Sabu went to make something to drink, and eventually came back with tea. It was sweet with spices and different herbs to make it taste more then just hot water.
"Blow on it," he warned Layan.
The youngest nodded, and Shanti motioned for Eve to join them in the living room, handing her a cup of tea as well.

"Of course," she smiled at her.
The basement had four rooms, two bedrooms the smaller was Shanti's and the larger the three boys, next was a washroom and the main room held the living, dining and kitchen. There were three chairs, all different types, there was a rocking chair which was where Shanti sat holding Layan in her lap, the next was a stool were Sabu rested hunched over, next was a just a normal wooden chair, and finally Valens sat on the floor his lower body making chairs almost impossible.
"You can have Layan's usual chair," Sabu told Eve, he flicked his tail for her to sit down.

"How did you two meet?" Sabu questioned his sister,
"Oh about that!" Shanti set Layan on the chair after standing up, "Eve you tell him," she said.
Shanti rushed over to her bag, she pulled out the blanket, and unwrapped it from around the vase.

"Shanti, what did you do?!" Sabu looked disappointed, but not mad at her.
"What he cheated me out of my money, so a little swipe of the tail and suddenly there were broken pots," she confessed.
Sabu put his head in his palm, he then waved his hands at her for a moment in frustration then sighed,
"Hey, at least I got you something," she handed him the vase.

Valens inched over towards Eve,
"I don't recommend butting into this," he whispered,
"They argue, a lot" Layan nodded.
Sabu and Shanti talked for a few moments, it was some mad hand waving and Shanti crossing her arms after setting the vase on the table. She gave Sabu a unimpressed look, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her in a hug, both of them relaxed quickly.
"That finished quicker then usual," Valens commented.
"I heard that Val," Sabu said, not looking at his brother, who quickly looked around innocently.

Layan and Valens quickly shook their heads, not agreeing with Eve's statement,
"They argue, like, all the time," Valen informed her, "Sometimes for hours, then we~" he pulled Layan to his side, "Have the break it up," he finished.
Shanti presented the vase to Sabu and his sighed, no matter how many times they argued it worked out eventually.

"There are good things," Shanti hip checked her older brother, he stumbled and frowned at her.
The two oldest siblings walked back over to their chairs, Shanti pulled Layan back into her lap,
"So Eve what do you do for work?" "Or have you struggled with that? I know Shanti did," he said.

Sabu nodded, he like Shanti didn't like the higher ups, not one bit. Yet when he heard she was supposedly fired he looked at her confused,
"Why?" "Because your a female Yukihyō?" he asked, not entirely sure why, but that was his first thought.

Someone knocked at the door, Shanti got up to anwser it, and sighed.
"I have to go, but don't worry this time it's in the feline kingdom," she told Sabu, putting a hand on his shoulder,
"You need to go, like right now?" he asked,
"Mmhm, but I'll be quick," "Eve you can stay as long as you need, Yukihyō need to stick together," she smiled.
Sabu exused himself a moment, and went to talk with Shanti,
"Who are you meeting this time?" he asked,
"Not sure, but the letter says they will know who they are looking for," she informed.
Sabu nodded, putting both hands on her shoulders, and sighing, before giving her a quick hug. He was always concerned when she left because there was always a chance she wouldn't come back safely.
"See you everyone!" Shanti waved, grabbing her over coat (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)].
Putting it over her shoulders, she quickly attached the clasp and put on shoes and walked out. She made her way down the streets, looking at the letter in her hands that told her where to meet and what she was supposed to tell this person. Silently she wondered who this person even was, because she had no description.

Sabu nodded, so it was partly what he had assumed, it frustrated him that other feline-hybrids didn't had the decency to treat the female Yukihyō kindly.
"I don't feel commanders are very nice ever," he concluded, and sat down in Shanti's chair, which Layan quickly climbed into his lap.

"Hmm, were they Yukihyō as well," "Or are you a mixed, if you are that's really interesting, since we can rarely get partners outside of our own species," he stated.
Sabu rocked back and forth till Layan fell asleep, he sigh, at times the youngest siblings was a handful getting into everything and pushing questions on everyone.

Sabu nodded along, but he was clearly listening to everything she said with full interest.
"That's impressive," "Do you have any traits you believe from that taint?" he asked.
He was now curious and when Sabu was curious he had questions to get a full understanding, it was the type of person he was.

"I have nothing against you, and I will respect you," he tells her.
He nodded reassuringly, Sabu was different then the other male Yukihyō, he understood respect and even to an extent that he'd chosen that he would break to norm for the species and stay with his partner for life.

"If you're using it on me then I will probably be upset," he says, "But if you're not, then I have no response to be upset," he assures.
Sabu looked at her with calm red eyes.

Sabu nodded understandingly, he looked over at Valens,
"Valens has his own abilities as well, I don't know if that is a comfort but I'm trying," he states.
Valens smiled at Eve, trying to be friendly, though most of the time he was quiet and stayed out of other people's ways.

They shook their heads,
"Shanti was the only one able to get a job," Sabu stated, "Our mother and Layan's father committed treason so we don't entirely have a good background according to most."

Layan had woken up from his nap and was playing with Valens paws, when the topic of disguises was mentioned he looked up.
"You could use cotton for a tail?" he offered.

Layan shook his head, and spoke quickly,
"I don't want to leave Shanti, Sabu or Valens," he said.
That was an honest opinion, Layan had spent all of his life with his siblings, and they had become his parents and siblings. Shanti was the most important figure in his life, since she was like a mother.

"I see," Sabu said standing.
He walked their new acquaintance to the door, and sent her off with some baked bread that Shanti had made,
"If you need a place to stay or keep warm," "Our door is open," he tells her.
Sabu wasn't the smiling type clearly, but he offered her a small one.