*Appears behind Lester and Omni looking over their shoulders* What are we up to on this fine spring day my dear fellows? *I whisper softly so as not to disturb the rabbit*

Lester: Learning restraint, sir. *he averts his gaze from the rabbit*

*Smiles and hugs the both Lester and Omni* Sounds like a good pasttime that we all could stand to practice now and then my friends.

Lester: *returning the hug happily if a little stiffly; the struggle is evident in how tightly wound his muscles are* Indeed. A gentleman keeps his promises.

*Smiling I lift the two of you to your feet as I stand up with you, lightly pulling you into a different direction in the woods, leaving the bunny to continue on its quite way* An honorable and noble goal to be sure my friend. Now if you would both come with me I shall be more than happy to try and slake the hunger that seems to have formed inside the both of you.

I see Omnikitsune living up to his name with those tails.
Also, when I first saw the thumbnail, I imagined something completely different.

XD I can definitely see why! It wouldn't surprise me if such an entity lived in the sidhe, either

Lester, if you want food, just ask! Melanie does some fine cooking at th-

Enedia: But what do your instincts tell you, Lester? Look at that plump, juicy rabbit. Wouldn't he taste so nice?

Acrathia: *Sighs* Not this again...

Imolda: I concur with Enedia. Rabbits are meant to to be hunted, hence their rapid procreation... Plus they're tasty too...

Enedia, please, don't do this again.

Enedia: And why not? Imoldra's right, rabbits should be hunted by a predatory animal like Lester is.

Lester: *clamping his paws over his ears and whimpering* I am not an animal. I am a gentleman.

Enedia: But a gentleman needs to eat. Are you hungry, Lester?

Lester: *wincing and trying not to look toward the rabbit* No. That is the problem. I am not hungry, but I wish to kill it. That is not a gentlemanly thing to feel.

Enedia: You'll be surprised by how many animals gentlemen killed from your era of history.

Lester: *clamping his hands down tighter* I was one of those men... my family regularly participated in fox hunts but I always hated it... *he squeezes his eyes shut* Why do you want to torment me?

Enedia: Sometimes you have to let go.

And sometimes, Enedia, you should know when to stop. It's okay, Lester, you are always welcome to have something at the farm.

Lester: *shaking his head feverishly and shivering* I made a promise to my wife. I... am... a gentleman... *he curls into a quivering ball and sobs* Thank you, Master Bear, but I have no appetite.

Well, you do need somewhere to be safe from these instincts. Come on, we've have a nice chat.

Lester: *shakily gets to his paws and dodges around Enedia fearfully*

*I hold Lester's hand.* It's okay. I'll make sure that you see no rabbits from this point forward.

Lester: Thank you, my friend.

I have to take care of my friends. Even if I'm followed by Enedia.

Lester: Why does she follow you, sir?

Sometimes the world needs you to take care of a person who may treat you badly, because you know that there is far more to them than just a bad mood.

Lester: *nods with a faraway look in his eyes* I can understand that.

As much as you may fear her, there is a lot to Moth that you don't know.

Lester: *with a small smile* I fear her, but I do not hate her. She and my wife react very similarly when they are afraid.

There is a lot to Enedia that you don't know about. Even if you are looking at her now, you can tell that she is alone and afraid.

Lester: I have no doubt. *frowning* But why does she wish me to behave as an animal, Master Bear? I have done nothing to offend her... or perhaps I have?

You haven't. It's just in her nature to make people animals. Thankfully, I feel as though she just wants a friend.

Lester: *confused* Perhaps she and I do not know each other well enough, but surely we can be cordial without tempting me to break my promises?

Of course. You just have to be a gentleman to her.

Imoldra: *shakes his head in confusion* I don't get what the problem is.

Lester: *quaking at the sight of the hulking wolf* S-sir. *he bows*

Lester: I shall try.

Imoldra: If you are hungry, and the rabbit has so willingly wandered near you, you should eat. I do not understand your objection to the natural order of things.

Lester: *still cowering* It is not natural, sir. At least, it is not to me. I am a human... a gentleman... or I was once. I promised not to lose that part of me.

Imoldra: * sniffs with derision* I forgot how humans consider it more "natural" to have their meals killed elsewhere, cut up to the point that they can no longer be recognized, and served to them on a silver platter. At least this way you can see and appreciate the life that is being given so that you may live. Yet you humans are far more comfortable having it all done by someone else, and not having to contemplate the natural cycle of things.

Lester: *head still bowed* Sir, I am not unfamiliar with the process. I may have been a noble once, but my father thought it proper for me to learn to clean and dress whatever I killed during our hunts with other families of stature. He did not believe in raising a son who could not get his hands dirty. What I am uncomfortable with, if you will permit me, is giving in to something that I never felt as a man. This desire... this... need to kill for the sake of some bloodlust when I see these creatures, that is what I despise. *his voice quivers with held back tears* It was never a part of me until I was cursed, so I fight it. I reject it. If I did not, I may well forget who I was.

Imoldra: * tone softens a bit* Yes, I had the misfortune of observing what passes for a hunt with the nobility of your time. Hunting for furs or trophies. No respect or regard for the life that was given. A self-congradulatory expression of civilization's " superiority" over nature. There is no honor it the "hunts" and I understand your aversion to it. What you need to understand is that there is an inherent difference between hunting something because you wish to stuff it and display its corpse as a trophy, and hunting because you need to eat.

Lester: *hazarding a very brief glance at the gigantic wolf* That is what grieves me, sir. I am not hungry, I simply saw the poor creature and this is my response. Killing it would have no purpose other than to quiet my instinct.

Imoldra: Ah. I believe I understand now. You are compelled to hunt even when you are not hungry. Many of my children have struggled with the same condition when they first turn. You have my sympathy, and my apologies for encouraging it earlier.

Lester: *bowing deeper* Thank you, sir, for having pity on me.

Imoldra: I pity nothing, least of all you. You have come to recognize the difference between your hunger, and your bloodlust. You actively resist killing for killing sake. A feat that some of my children have yet to master. Pity is reserved for those who are stuck in their own weakness, you at least are actively resisting it.

It's tough when instincts steer you one way and logic steers you another.

Quite so!

I love this whole 'fighting urges while slowly transforming' thing

I'm so glad that I hit upon something that you enjoy ^w^

XD The sad part is Omni probably is actively hungry. At least I assume so, judging by the way he's salivating right now.

He probably is >w< Transformation is hard on a body. Lester was mainly speaking for himself... at least, that was my intent

I figured as much.

Omni: L-looks so ... *Growl* yummy.... *He licks his lips and wet nose absently as he crouches and his tails wag faster*

Lester: *resisting the urge to lunge at the rabbit before his companion can take it* But do you, Omni the human, truly wish to kill it?

*I whimper* But I'm hungry....

Lester: *holding you by the elbow* Kitty will make something more appetizing for us, I promise. If not for your sake, fight the urge for mine. I made a promise and I do not wish to break it today.

Will there be meat in it?

Lester: Of course. We are both carnivores, after all. Will duck suffice?

I suppose. Never tried it before, but ... for some reason, part of me likes the sound of it more.