Beauty, in the Beast World

Word from the Tiger King

{The image above was generated via prompt, using Gencraft, I did my best to get it right and this was as close as I could get it.}

As Lila and Curtis rejoined the rest of the family, the warm scent of food greeted them. The air was filled with the crackling of the fire, the rich aroma of roasted meat and the earthy scent of freshly gathered herbs. For a moment, no one seemed to notice the change in Lila's form. She quietly moved to take her place, feeling a flicker of hope that perhaps, for once, everything would remain undisturbed.

But then, Aves, the ever-observant, looked up from his seat, his next morsel paused halfway to his mouth. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped as his gaze fixed on her. "Lila, you look..." His voice trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished as he stared in disbelief.

Lila's face flushed a deep shade of red. "Aves, why did you stop talking so sudden—" Thomas began, turning toward him. But his words died on his lips as he, too, caught sight of Lila. One by one, her mates followed, their gazes locking onto her, each falling silent. The quiet stretched uncomfortably, and heat rose in Lila's chest.

Are they making fun of me? The thought made her stomach churn.

Finally, she broke the silence, her voice shaky. "S-stop staring at me. Yes, I have a tail, but I'm still me, aren't I?"

Lyris, who had been sitting quietly beside the fire, slithered over to her with the grace of his serpent form, his lavender eyes filled with intrigue. Circling her like a curious predator, he studied her transformation with interest. "Lilac," he said, his voice gentle but firm, "we're staring because of your hair. It's gone silver again."

He moved in front of her, his hands finding her face, cradling it tenderly between his palms. "We don't care about the fact you can transform," Lyris reassured her. "If anything, it makes you even more beautiful than before."

With one hand, he pulled a long strand of her hair forward, letting it fall into her line of sight. Lila gasped softly, her heart skipping a beat. He was right—her hair had returned to the pale, silver-white she was born with. The shock of it made her feel as if she were staring at a stranger.

"B-but how?" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking louder would shatter the moment.

Before she could process further, Winston approached, his pale blue-silver eyes gleaming with admiration. His usually stoic expression softened, and a rare flush of color crept into his cheeks. "I knew you used berries and leaves to dye your hair," Winston murmured, his voice low, almost reverent, "but now, Lilac, you look even more beautiful than when we first met."

The others, not to be outdone, followed. Atlas and Zache came up to her, wrapping her in a warm embrace. Their strong arms enveloped her, comforting her as they had so many times before. "We could never see you any differently, tail or not," Atlas said, his deep voice soothing the anxious beats of her heart.

Zache, always a playful one, gave her a wink and tugged lightly at the end of her renewed silver hair. "It suits you, Lila. Besides, now you match Lyris and Curtis in more ways than one."

Zephyr, who had been quieter than usual, stood at a distance, his green eyes tracing the delicate shimmer of her silver scales. His wings fluttered softly as he approached, his gaze locked on her with awe. "Your scales... they're mesmerizing," he said, almost as if speaking to himself.

Tears welled up in Lila's eyes, her heart swelling with emotion. She had been so worried, so fearful that they would look at her with judgment, that they would see her transformation as something strange or unnatural. But here they were, standing beside her, showering her with love, affection, and admiration. Not a single one of them had turned away.