[ Bardo is a cat that lives in grey areas. he's lived long enough and stumbled too frequently to jump to conclusions about anything; nuance is something he understands with painful acuity, and often to his detriment.

it would be easy to file Leaks as someone he needs to cast aside for pragmatism's sake. it would be for the benefit of Sisa, at the very least, to find ways to eliminate a threat to their entire population— cats are tribal by nature, and extradition is never not an option, when push comes to shove.

Bardo considers this. but he also sees the way the other cat struggles through the tail end of his words, gives an implicit permission to touch if asked first, and he wonders how it is that one being could be so full of malice and so achingly awkward at the same time.

he folds his arms. unfolds them. shifts his weight from side to side. thinks.

sighs. ] —You're gonna need someone to share physical contact with you, if you want to survive here.

[ a busybody innkeeper, giving sound advice to someone capable of mass murder.

he's pretty sure all of Ransen would demand his head on a pike if they knew he was doing this, but he's always been too empathetic for his own good. ] Might be easier to get that done if you don't hurt the people around you.