|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 8:44 pm
Amarynthos had never seen a tiger up close but this one was obviously special, and–well, not eating them. He’d been so ready to run, or fight if he had to, but the very large cat didn’t seem immediately aggressive.
Instead, it headbutted him with enough force that he stumbled back–just a bit! He held his footing and waited for the sensation of teeth in his flank, but it never came.
He hadn’t known many cats in his life, but that was a very cat thing to do. When it liked you.
He held his breath and then released it slowly as he gave himself the opportunity to actually look at it.
“It’s pretty,” Amarynthos said softly, but then repeated–a bit louder, “You’re pretty,” to the tiger. His heart was pounding, but it had only taken that one gesture to calm him a bit. If Ephesus wasn’t in his arms, he would have tried to pet him. “Is this your fountain? We saw the others here, we were looking for you. Where were you hiding?”
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 5:27 pm
Somehow, Ephesus knew that the tiger wouldn’t hurt them. But it was still stressful! He didn’t know what tigers usually did, and this one looked bigger than the tigers at the zoo when they went before with Devyn.
The tiger seemed to be staring at them -- through them. As though it heard what they were saying, but either thought the answer was obvious or couldn’t respond. He turned towards the fountain, took an easy step up onto the ledge, and stuck its head under the falling water. Only so it could shake out the water droplets from his fur.
Ephesus squealed and laughed in surprise when they were showered with water, and he wrapped both arms around Amarynthos’ neck to give him a hug. He thought he could feel his heart beating as quickly as his own.
“I think that means yes, and maybe he was stuck until the water started working again,” Ephesus suggested, but he had no idea where a tiger could have been hiding. Although, Amarynthos’ bear friend had been a ghost before it appeared to them.
But unlike the other tigers, this one didn’t have a collar. So Ephesus would just have to make sure he had a necklace or something made so he could keep it safe.
“You saved me, thank you,” he said, wanting to make sure Amarynthos knew how grateful he was for catching him. And protecting him from a potentially vicious tiger.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 7:11 pm
Amarynthos made a face, but he couldn't find it in his heart to be too upset about the sudden splash of water. Ephesus was laughing. He laughed, too, and drew him closer.
Though his attention wandered briefly to the tiger and what he was doing, he couldn’t keep his focus on anything but Effie.
“I’ll always save you,” he teased, and kissed his cheek again. “That makes the most sense, I think. I mean–about him being stuck. I don’t always understand magic.” There didn’t always seem to be a reason for things, but it only made him wonder how much magic was out there that they hadn’t found yet.
Even though they’d done so much on their Wonders, it still felt like there was so much to go.
…But when this was the reward, he really couldn’t complain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2023 11:20 am
The tiger seemed content to lazily wade and splash through the fountain, so Ephesus gave his attention to Amarynthos, smiling at the kiss to his cheek.
He wrapped his arms a bit tighter around Amarynthos’ neck, but not enough to hurt him. Just enough to pull himself close enough to playfully nuzzle his face against Amarynthos’, not completely unlike the tiger headbutting him earlier.
“I’ll just have to make sure I get strong enough to save you if you ever need to be saved,” he let out a contented sigh and closed his eyes for the time being. Maybe with the help of their bear and tiger friends, they won’t have to worry so much about the Negaverse hurting them or the people they cared about.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
