[That's sort of like what's happening here, Tigerstar. Except it's not actually what's happening here at all, other than the part where he's being accused of not owning the squirrels in his hand.
Which is technically true. He looks briefly uncertain, pausing just a moment before glancing askance at the ex-rodents.]
No... who are you?
[He's been 'harvesting' rodents and birds from both the barn and forest for months without issue; the Ringmaster never intervened or seemed to notice. Which made sense. The wildlife belonged to her. He also belonged to her. His killing and using her fauna didn't change that--in the end, all of it was still hers.
But that's the only thing he can think of, at the moment--that this hefty cat is somehow a messenger of the Ringmaster's come to warn him against further predations. So he's actually asking when he says:]
no subject
Which is technically true. He looks briefly uncertain, pausing just a moment before glancing askance at the ex-rodents.]
No... who are you?
[He's been 'harvesting' rodents and birds from both the barn and forest for months without issue; the Ringmaster never intervened or seemed to notice. Which made sense. The wildlife belonged to her. He also belonged to her. His killing and using her fauna didn't change that--in the end, all of it was still hers.
But that's the only thing he can think of, at the moment--that this hefty cat is somehow a messenger of the Ringmaster's come to warn him against further predations. So he's actually asking when he says:]
Did the Ringmaster send you?