It was odd to be out on his own, Kanzi realised as he walked. It was just...odd. Not bad! Well, sometimes it was bad, like when he got a little bit worried at noises at night. He wasn't a coward, but he'd grown up with his grandfather nearby always and his grandfather was a strong male. He could have taken on anything in the night, and come out just fine, so now that Kanzi was on his own, he wondered if he perhaps hsould have hung around his grandpa more than his mother and learnt how to defend himself instead of playing games.
It might have been a better use of his time, but it would have been way less fun, he realised, with a chuckle. During the day, the fact he'd played all of his childhood didn't bother him, it was only at night that he worried.
It was daytime at that moment though, so Kanzi walked with a bit of a bounce in his step, unconcerned for the moment.
It had been another wonderful performance. Taking a bow with her twin the lioness could have not felt more at peace with the world. Everything was working wonderfully in this pride full of players such as herself. Even better that she had another side of her soul standing next to her on the stage. Bumping her rump against her twin’s Nyx laughed before jumping away. “Go on without me I want to practice more!” Grinning to herself the lioness headed into the den shared with her brother and dug for the hidden pelts and mane beneath. Swinging it on the lioness stepped out of the den with a heavier step and a less feminine swagger. It was so much easier to sneak for her to sneak out this way. Else she would have to run away from the costumers who liked to fuss over her appearance. Maybe she should have went with her brother when asked to get her custom fixed for their next performance…oh well.
Winking at several fans the lioness –now lion or even better, Nox- walked away from the main area of the pride. Like always she wandered out further than most and found herself walking through the groundling’s forest. Which was fine. While others may have feared the trickery of the mysterious lions that lived out in the woods Nyx never did. Perhaps it was because both she and her twin had so much in common with the groundlings? They respected each other and even played tricks together. But today she didn’t feel much up for their play. Instead she, or rather he, was just enjoying the solitude of the forest. Suddenly a burst of energy hit and the lion ran forward through the edge of the woods and jumping acted like a spirit would as she made her way away from the heart of the forest.
Kanzi's tail flicked behind him as he wandered along the edge of the forest he'd come across, not really game enough to go into it. He was a little bit daunted by the close trees and slightly darkened atmopshere. He'd never really been in a forest before, not on his own and certainly not one this big, so he didn't feel confident going inside. Instead, he just walked the edge of it, peerin in occassionally with undisguised curiousity.
He was curious, but he wasn't stupid enough to risk danger going in. Still...it looked kinda pretty when he caught it in the right light. He paused and smiled, tilting his head. Well. Maybe he could go in for a moment? He thought to himself, staring at the patch of forest that was more brightly lit than the other places. Thefolage of the trees above the forest weren't as dense as the rest, so beams of light were shining down, illuminating the undergrowth and the trunks of the trees.
It looked magical, like the forest that usually hid princesses or something. Kanzi stepped passed the first line of trees, but was still only partially in the forest, peering around him before taking another step in.
Nyx paused as opportunity presented itself. The lion had been moving towards the borders it seemed and now there was some stranger in the pride’s territory. Still he was a cutie. Peering closer through the trees she nodded in approval. Maybe it was a good idea to meet this one. They wouldn’t want someone to come into the pride and cause a ruckus after all! She grinned. What a horrible excuse. But she didn’t care.
Sneaking around the stranger Nyx found herself brushing past his rump. Deliberately brushing her tail against his backside the lioness chuckled lightly to herself before fading in with the trees. “Ooooh.” Calling out teasingly the lioness broke out into a series of bird like noises mixed in with some creepy, haunting noises.
Kanzi was just starting to relax in the forest, thinking that it was quite nice and peaceful when he felt something brush passed him, causing him to jump. Did something just...brush his butt? The creepy noises that followed made his eyes go wide as he glanced around, trying to find the source of the noise.
Please tell me I didn't just get groped by a ghost, Kanzi couldn't help but think, even though the thought was ridiculous. There weren't ghosts around, were there? No way.
“Uh, hello?” He called out, his voice low and cautious, as he continued to glance around, hoping that the source of the noise would become obvious and not be ghost.
Nyx grinned like a chesire cat from the shadows. She knew better than to brush past again else she would really get caught by him. So now what? Slinking through the shadows the lion paused as a twig snapped beneath her paw. Oh shoot! Bouncing back she tumbled away from that tree and towards another one. How had she been so clumsy? Cursing softly under her breath the lioness was thankful for the sudden breeze which rustled the leaves around them. That at least made up for her stumble surely.
She let out a cackle of ghoulish laughter. It was eerie how well practiced it was that it bounced around the whole area of trees. Pressing against another tree Nyx waited to see what his reaction would be to that. Maybe this was even better than practicing by herself. Though she knew that the tricks would have to end soon…but still for now…just a bit more.
The breaking twig reassured Kanzi that it wasn't a ghost, he decided firmly, having nearly jumped out of his fur anyway. The rustling of the trees all around him made him feel...less certain of his conclusion. Was he about to die? Oh, he should have stayed with his grandpa and mum! He thought suddently, feeling a little bit babyish, but come on, he was getting groped by ghosts! That was scary.
The ghoulish laughter basically sealed the deal for him thinking it was a ghost and his eyes were extremely wide. “I'm not afraid of you!” He belted out, in a last ditch attempt to not act like a terrified baby.
Her grin just spread even wider at his reaction. Oh yes. This was definitely a good ghost that she had created. Should she finish up the job? Howl like a madman and watch him flee? Her violet gaze softened though as he yelled at her. Oh really? She tilted her head quietly before making one last whistle. Walking softly through the trees the lioness came out behind the stranger and after walking right up next to him whispered, “Looking for something?”
Pulling back she tilted her head, portraying the obviously confused lion that just walked into something weird. “There a reason you’re screaming to the woods?” She had coughed lightly under her breath and realized that her voice was even scratchier than what it normally was when she portrayed a male. The ghost definitely had its effect on her as well.
Kanzi stood firm, trying hard not to tremble. He wasn't going to shake just from some noises. It probably wasn't even a ghost. The last whistle made him glance around sharply, but the whispered words right behind him made him squeak and leap in the air. He spun around, eyes almost impossibly wide and his jaw snapping shut so no more embaressing squeaks would come out.
Oh thank Mkodi it's not a ghost! Kanzi shrieked inwardly, eying the male before him with a great deal of relief. However that relief soon gave way to embaressement. Great! He'd acted like a cub for no reason at all, and this male had seen it all.
“Oh, uhhh...” he stammered, trying to regain some of his tattered pride. “Zi let his imaginiation get the best of him. Sorry if Zi disturbed you!” He unconsciously slipped back into his cubhood speak pattern, a habit he'd picked up from his mother.
Oh what a reaction! Nyx was delighted at the other’s fright. That just meant that she had done a good job on the character. Next time she had such an act on stage she would do wonders with it just from this interaction. The gleam of amusement in her eyes nearly gave her away before she shook her head, “Don’t worry about it. Though…”Here Nyx tilted her head. Why was this guy speaking like that? “I don’t know why Zi has to apologize? I don’t blame you for getting startled out here.”
She nodded slowly and looked around, “It is creepy here. Especially since the ghosts like to act up on days like today. Not that I believe in things like that of course.” Turning she looked back at him, “So what is a kid like you doing out here anyway?”
He blinked, wondering if he saw amusement in those eyes for a moment but it was gone so soon that he wondered if it had been there at all. Perhaps his terror was funny to the male? His ears drooped a little in embaressement. “Zi -uhh, I mean, I shouldn't have been yelling and carrying on like I was,” he tried to explain his apology.
But his eyes went even wider at the comment. No! There couldn't really be ghosts. He unconsciously took a step closer to the male – the definitely not a ghost male. “There are ghosts in the forest? That's impossible. Ghosts aren't real.” He didn't know if he was protesting the male's claim, or just trying to convince himself.
His embaressment came back full force at the 'kid' comment and he instantly protested. “Zi is not a kid! I mean, I'm not a kid.” Just because his mane wasn't completely grown in yet... “and I was just having a look around. The forest looked kinda...nice, in the right spots.” It was a lame reason even to Kanzi. Way to not look like a kid, Kanzi thought to himself in annoyance.
Raising an eyebrow Nyx watched him. “It’s fine.” She repeated before just shaking her head at his reaction. Secretly she did it to hide the grin that had spread across her features again, “You must really not be from around here then. But secretly they say that this area of the forest has some weird spirits here. Not that I know.” She shrugged, “Not like I’ve heard anything out of the ordinary. You know ghosts are supposed to howl or something.” Nyx looked back at the other lion before shrugging lightly like it was nothing to her.
“Oh?” Nyx scoffed at him lightly, “If you say so, kid.” Stretching Nyx looked away for a second her gaze straining. Was it time already? If she wasted anymore time here then Nox really would have her hide. A shame because this kid really amused her too. “Well enjoy the forest as much as you like. But I need to head back to my pride. A show can’t perform without all of its players after all.” Taking a step away she paused and looked back towards him, “No one would notice a stranger if you wanted to watch. Not that I’m asking you to or anything.” Turning back away she slipped back into the forest’s shadow.
Kanzi nodded, unable to deny that he wasn't really from around here. He wasn't really from around anywhere near 'here', but that was sort of the point of exploring. He was supposed to be far from home, but he really wished he hadn't chosen somewhere that was haunted. He blinked at the male, looking worried still but trying to hide it, he mimicked the shrug as if that was totally fine and that ghosts weren't a big deal.
He frowned at the repeated 'kid' remark and opened his mouth to protest but the male was sounding like he was leaving. Wait! No, he couldn't leave him in the forest! What if the ghosts followed him out of the forest? Not cool. He hadn't heard the ghost with the other male around, which he didn't even think to connect the male with being the ghost, rather that he was scaring them away.
He hesitated and tried to pass off his step to follow the male as an accepting of the invitation, rather than fear. “Well, I guess I can spare a little while,” Kanzi announced, but the male was already leaving. He blanched and bolted after him. “Hey, wait up!”
(WC: 2237)
