re: Amaranth, Shrike has the sort of admiration/fear for Amaranth that you have for someone you're pretty sure you're supposed to be like but will never actually reach the level of. That and the fact that Amaranth drops so easily into instructor/commander mode in conversation with Shrike really only makes that more of a thing.

That said, the gradual like... slide toward a more level relationship has been interesting, which I think is sort of a combination of Amaranth putting together more about Shrike's background and Shrike becoming comfortable enough just... existing... to occasionally make deadpan jokes in Amaranth's direction. And, I guess, Shrike becoming more cemented/secure in avante is a big part of this, and probably also the fact that Shrike gets along pretty well with Cardigan, lmao.

Anyway re: the Bully Shrike Club, like—I've said before that Shrike has an incredible weakness for very assertive smaller pretty people and now they've formed a power couple, but also she's incredibly flattered and terrified that she gets to sit with them in like, the Dangerous Adults Club. (Also re: that conversation, she hasn't really gotten to addressing it yet either there or elsewhere, but I think she and Cardigan both had the simultaneous revelation that the other one has. so many fears)

anyway it good