TABAXI OWAIN TABAXI OWAIN TABAXI OWAIN :D
I don't know how I feel about this drabble. I don't think it's my best work, but it's whatever. I just need to get these brain worms out. @stormsincoming you're the only other person I've seen talk about this au so I'd figure I'd tag you :]
Owain, despite his claims, was a cat. Kind of. Technically, he was half-Tabaxi. He had cat ears, he had a cat tail, he had whiskers and eye slits and fangs and claws. Otherwise, he was a normal human, when he ignored the instincts, which he had become an expert at. He thought his other half was human, at least. He couldn't truly be sure on account of not knowing either of his parents.
Arthur had always encouraged Owain to do what his instincts demanded from him, but many of those things would be unbecoming of a knight. A knight was not supposed to scratch things, climb random things and perch, or nuzzle into soft, warm things. Mordred made that very clear when he found Owain curled up in the library, purring softly. It was weird for someone so human to do things so animalistic.
When Owain arrived in Bannerfall and donned his very cat-inspired armor, it became much harder to ignore his heritage. His helmet constantly pressed down on his ears and rubbed at his whiskers. His armor held his tail tight to his back and was too clunky to pounce or climb in. It was horrid, if Owain was honest. But the worst part was the constant teasing of him being a cat or "Big Kitty" as he had been dubbed in recent months.
He was not a cat. It was insulting to even imply as such. Of course, no one knew of Owain's heritage, so they were not intentionally insulting him, but it still grated on him. No matter how much he denied it, people insisted on referring to him as a cat. Any self respecting Tabaxi or half-Tabaxi would be insulted by such a claim. And, despite Owain not wanting to acknowledge his half-Tabaxi status, he was insulted by the claim as well.
He was especially insulted when the first thing Shandrea said when she confirmed that she had seen his face was "You really are a cat!" Owain, against his will, had hissed at her, before quickly clenching his jaw. "You even hiss like a cat!" She had squealing.
"I'm not a cat!" Owain huffed. He was slowly becoming more distressed as his ears desperately pressed against his helmet and his tail pressed against his armor in an attempt to flare up and make himself seem bigger. "I'm... I'm half-Tabaxi," the knight carefully admitted. "It is incredibly insulting to compare a Tabaxi to the common house cat."
"Oh, I'm so so sorry. I had no idea," Shan sounded a bit panicked as she tried to rectify her statement. "I will never do it again, I swear. I'm so sorry. Is it also insulting to call you Lion?"
Owain considered it for a moment, "I do not believe so? If it is, it does not insult me. You don't have to stop. I would actually prefer if you forget this entire interaction happened and act exactly as you would if you did not have this information. Good day."
And just like that, Owain turned away to retire to his house for the evening and to desperately beg the Knight God for not being able to properly restrain himself.
