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 Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 3:46 pm
 Monroe's rusty orange hat sat low on his brow, shadowing his face as he waited for the heat of the day to die down. Under such a thick mane and sweater he hated the heat of the day, and he could feel his skin crying for a cool ocean-side night breeze.
It seemed he was always waiting. If not waiting for the cool of night, he was waiting for his next meal to present itself. If not waiting for a meal he was waiting for slumber to make his eyelids heavy and carry him off. But he was waiting, and it always came without incident. No exciting endeavors, no unexpected surprises. It seemed as though thus would be his curse, and he hated it.
He was just about to fall back into slumber under the shade of a tree when he heard paws crunching through the underbrush.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 3:58 pm
 The young lioness known as Jude was unusually devoid of her usual cloud of smoke as she trudged through the thick underbrush on this side of the island. She couldn't say she was happy that she was out of herbs, but it was a change, and she embraced it. But, that didn't stop her from keeping an eye open for more.
As she continued to move along she noticed a new scent in the are. Lion, and male. She tilted her head, her long black bang momentarily revealing one eye, before she straightened her neck and the curtain of hair covered it again. She couldn't hear him talking, so he was obviously alone.
Curiously she trotted toward the scent, staying wary of any sudden movements or sounds. She was brave, and she was far from afraid, but she was not stupid. And when she caught sight of them male she thanked herself for her intellect. The male was large with the thick full mane of a healthy, strong lion. But, he looked drowsy.
With a loose smirk on her lips she trotted toward him. "Hey there, big guy."
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:13 pm
Monroe had not planned on her paying any mind to him, and so he was unpleasantly shocked when she did, despite the fact that he'd been wallowing in his boring life just moments before.
"Hello." He responded in his gruff, unamused voice. He looked the female over, raising and unseen brow curiously at her peculiar mane and markings. She was obviously a strange one, which might have explained her interest. Perhaps if he threw something shiny she'd be too distracted and he could slip away unseen. He frowned, thinking of what sort of unintelligent creature she'd have to be to fall for something like that.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:18 pm
"Oh, well, you seem enthusiastic." She mumbled, looking him over once more. He wore funny clothes, and it made her grin widen slightly. "I'm Jude. Any chance I could get you to tell me what's getting you so down?" She trotted a little closer to him and sat down, grin still plaster to her face.
Sitting near him she realized how hot he must be. She could feel the heat attracting to his thick body like a moth to a flame, and she nearly felt sorry for him. Her thin coat was easily aired, and her bangs kept the sun from blaring into her eyes. It was rather pleasant being her. Too bad no one else knew what it was like. Drugs, sex, and music. That was her life. Hmm... sex sounds kind of nice right now.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:26 pm
He nearly snorted. Enthusiasm rarely, if ever, made it into his vocabulary. He nodded his head curtly at her, giving her a skeptical once over before he spoke. "Monroe," he offered simply.
He thought about her request for a moment. "I suppose that would be a lot of telling. Life in general, that would be the simplest way to put it. What isn't there to get be down? Day by day things waste by, and day by day you grow older until you day. Every day a life is lost for the sake of others, and every day a life is lost because of malicious acts. I just don't see much point in being very happy." His voice was low and near whisper as he spoke. "Does that answer your question."
He turned over on his side abruptly, away from her. His mood had obviously worsened in saying all this.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:35 pm
Her grin promptly turned itself upside down. "That's quite a terrible way to think about life." She said gravely. "You'll never get anywhere if you think like that." She shook her head and tsked at him, her smile slowly returning.
"You have to think about all the good stuff." Her cool voice returned and she tapped on the base of the tree he leaned against. "Think about the music. The different beats. It's.." She drawed out the word, thinking, "kind of like comparing lions and dragons to other lions and dragons. Each beat is different, never quite the same as the last, and never make the same impact. Some are hard and resounding, some are soft and barely heard, but when they come together they can make something beautiful."
Her grin had returned full force by this time.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:41 pm
He listened to all of this with a neutral expression. At then end of it all he simply shook his head. Music? What was so great about music? How would it change the lives that were being lost every day? He didn't think it did.
"I'm sorry, I just don't see how any of that is significant." He looked over his shoulder at her, his face clearly showing he wasn't getting a word that she said. "I like music, but it's not going to change anything." He admitted.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:53 pm
She furrowed her brows. He was definitely a tough one. "Well, what about friends?" When he gave her a doubtful look, she felt the need to continue. "Lovers?" That look was different, one she couldn't quite make out.
"C'mon. You have to have some good friends you really care about? Someone who you tell your secrets to? And everyone needs a lover once in a while. It releases.." she ran a paw up his side, "tension." She finished with a cute smile. "I think those are the kind of things worth living for. People you share your life with."
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:00 pm
Monroe shivered slightly but shook of her paw, a little angry this time. "They'll age and die just as soon as you." he growled. "Lovers are twice as bad, for you'll give your soul and then they'll disappear!"
He was standing by now, facing her with his fur bristled. "There is nothing you can say that will make me believe that this life is anything to be happy about!" He pulled his hat down as low as he could and turned his back to her once more. "Couldn't you just leave?" And after a moment he did hear her retreating foot steps, and his shoulders relaxed.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:04 pm
But she was only gone for mere moments. She returned to his little clearing with a happy smirk and two rolled up leaves hanging from her mouth. In moments, as he watched incredulously, she had a fire built and was expertly lighting the two rolled up leaves on fire. She handed one to him, attempting to coax him when he hesitated.
"Take it. Smoke it. Bask in it's glory. When all else fails to make life worthy, the green succeeds." She took a long drag from her own 'green' and sighed contently. Maybe she couldn't say anything to make him think different, but she could give him something to make him feel different. And she knew that this wouldn't fail.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:07 pm
Monroe hesitated a moment longer, but carefully took the burning leaf and brought it took his lips. The drag he took was short lived as he was thrown into a fit of coughing at the unusual smoke entering his body.
"That's suppose to make it better?!" He sounded enraged. Not only was he coughing, but the smell burned his nose and made his eyes water. How could she do this in such a relaxed state?
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:08 pm
She laughed as he began to cough. "That just the green playin' tricks on ya!" She grinned. "Chill. Sit back and take it in slowly. You'll feel it. It's like a big paw swiping all the bad stuff away, and you just feel GOOD."
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:12 pm
He had to admit that he liked the prospects of feeling good for once. Staring at the leaf long and hard, he finally brought it to his lips again. With a look at Jude he slowly drew in on the leaf and felt the thick air filling his lungs. When he breathed out again a remnant of what had entered his body left in a small puff and he watched it, waiting for the feeling.
It took a few moments, but it came. She'd been almost right. The bad didn't go away, but he found himself not caring about it anymore. It didn't matter. And that made a rare thing appear sluggishly on his face. A content grin.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:16 pm
Jude nodded her head. The herbs had taken effect on her too, and she seemed to be in a whole other state of being. "Why did I ever think a day without green was interesting?" She chuckled. "This stuff is the s**t." He head continued to bob, as if it was just too much effort to stop it.
She didn't know why she used herbs. She had no real problems to get rid of. No hardships. It was just something that had worked it's way through her family. Though it did make her feel like she wasn't quite as alone as she was.
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:19 pm
"Why didn't you just start with this?" He asked, and amused look coming to his eyes. He took another drag, this time really letting the smoke fill his lungs deep, then expelled his breath with a chuckle. "Y'know. This alone might convince me that life is alright. If you can feel something this good, why the hell wouldn't you want to live?"
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