Come find me in the woods tonight

For most of their life they've been content among the trees and thick verdant foliage of Aniadar. Swept away from barren and desolate lands this place of sheer life and abundance of vibrancy could have satisfied her for a lifetime. But there is an itch, or more like an ache, in the corners of their mind as they walk a worn path towards the western edges of the Jungle. Things didn't seem as green as before and the world around her left a bland taste in the back of her throat she didn't recognize. Every tree was the same as the last today, every bird call was annoying loud instead of a beautiful melody of their love songs.

This melancholic mood showed in their walk. A slower pace with body one part hung loose and another part basically needed to be dragged along one paw after another. Their brown eyes were fixed solidly straight ahead, not wandering, and staring out to a thousand yards in consuming thoughts. "I need to sleep." They mumble aloud to themselves, blinking once quite hard and giving their head a good solid shake.

To her, fall in the jungle wasn't very different from summer. The jungle was always humid... always oppressive feeling and being back here... brought to her memories of living in the mire. It made her rather nostalgic and kept her distracted from the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her whenever she allowed herself to dwell on them.

She hadn't expected to run into another, and she certainly didn't really feel like chatting, and yet, when she sees them and they speak. "Rest is important. Do you lack somewhere safe to do so?" Ever the kind soul, she approaches and then halts- her eyes studying the stranger. "My name is Ghyslaine, I don't know if I can help... with the rest thing, but I can suggest some safer areas around here." She offers quietly.

@Nazonal

_{— art by yumpy}

Come find me in the woods tonight

They're not too keen to see company heading their way, but maybe it'll help pass some time? They'd been wary of company lately but still it has turned out ok in the end. Conversation would pass the time and...

As Nazonal thinks these things to herself their mind suddenly falls silent with the drop of the name. They're entirely unable to stop their face from shifting. Where they were tired and weary before there is immediate recognition, there is a fierce wave of powerful emotion in their face. Tiredness overridden, Naz's response looked almost like an animal gearing up to decide fight or flight. Survival on the line. For these few seconds Naz feels like she has an upper hand, that she knows who this is and is being treated like a stranger. "I've lived here my entire life. I know plenty." It's more sharp and unfriendly than was usual for Nazonal. They like to think it's offense at the offer, being told where she might find rest on her own home turf. It's for absolutely no other reason... Nope not at all.

Despite the unwelcomness of her tone Nazonal's body does not seem to want to disengage. She's watching @Ghyslaine with intense, narrowed brown eyes and her body is still. They are unmoving.

Ghyslaine

They are sharp, like a claw when they speak, and her ears flatten against her head. Well, they did say they were tired, perhaps that was why they were grouchy. "Oh-kay then," She said, studying them with a puzzling expression- she couldn't figure out... the expression they had.

"Did I offend you?" She asked, curiously, completely oblivious as to who they were and what on earth she had done to get such a sharp tone. "I can just go, then. Sorry." She says flatly, as she readies herself to turn away- unsure of why they were so snappy, but if she was going to stand here and just get snapped at... she could go elsewhere.

@Nazonal

_{art by yumpy}

Come find me in the woods tonight

Nazonal feels a bubble of anger catch in their throat. Is entirely unreasonable to expect @Ghyslaine to figure it out on her own. Naz did not have the mental state to get to that realization herself. They step forward once and nodded. Yeah, sure. They could be offended. That seemed to be getting her to leave which, on surface, seemed ok. No... No it wasn't. Nazonal heavily sighed and sprang forwards, aiming to come up along the free side to which Ghyslaine was turning and lock eyes with her once more. Just a prickly as before, but with flares of conflicting feelings and surges of emotion riding up into their brown eyes.

I'm Nazonal.

Ghyslaine

As she turns to leave, they surge forward, and immediately she tenses, her ears falling flat, as her jaws peel in a snarl that dies as she meets their eyes. So they... weren't attacking her?

Her expression relaxes only slightly, as she studies them, and when they speak.

'I'm Nazonal.'

Ghyslaine's world stops, coming to a screeching halt. This... this was Nazonal, Nero's other... love? "Oh." She breathes, while her mind races, as she studies the other, getting a good look at her. Ghyslaine doesn't really know what to say, what can she say to Nero's... love. Damn, this was confusing.

"Hi?" She offers, rather weakly, because what else can she say? She stares at them, somewhat impassively, as she considers the lioness. There wasn't any guide to handle this, and so she merely watches her- considering. "This is awkward." She offers, with a slight smile- maybe she can win them with kindness?

@Nazonal

_{art by yumpy}

Come find me in the woods tonight

Oh. It's a sound nearly nothing, barely a breath. But it hits like a truck to Naz's chest. Nazonal gets to watch as Ghyslaine is let into the truth that they'd known the last few moments. They get to see realization dawn and she's struck by how beautiful this other is. Of course she would be, of course Nero loved her too. Nazonal had never before been bothered by their own appearance, wild and unfetted with goblin like teeth sticking out just slightly over their upper lip. But they feel ugly all of a sudden, imperfect and strange. They're on the same footing now and Nazonal feels ill prepared, self conscious. Angry. Confused. This isn't a meeting Naz had mentally readied for, it's all she can do to feel safe is to look a little angry and a little fierce. Like a porcupine showing it's quills while backed into a corner. They're scared.

You still want to leave? Awkward didn't begin to cover the feelings Nazonal was going through. Their toes curled down into the ground, driving sharp claws in to the soil there at their feet. They took an awkward step backwards to make sure there was room. Naz's desperately grabbing claws were dragged through as she moved without lifting her paws fully up. She's stiff, they're watching Ghyslaine with immense judgement, distrust, conflict. It's nothing good but all conflict reminded internal for Naz to suffer on their own.

Ghyslaine's eyes study the other lioness, noting her dark brown colors- and her slightly larger stature than what she has. To her, she can see beauty on the other lioness- and she envies her darker fur- that would aide in slinking through the jungle. While, Ghyslaine's fur was perfect for the plains, she had struggled whilst living in the Mire to blend in.

Nazonal speaks, asking if she still wishes to leave, and Ghyslaine merely stares at her- rather dumbfounded. "No, I... I didn't expect to meet you." She admits. She takes in a shaky breath, and sits down- showing that she wasn't just going to flee- instead, as long as Nazonal wished- she would engage in conversation. "Ah... Nero just recently told me about you." She offers.

There is a flicker of memory in her mind, and she remembers now seeing the lioness near Nero at the rainforest challenge- when she'd been pulled away to deal with the drama surrounding dear Olive.

@Nazonal

_{ART BY YUMPY}

Come find me in the woods tonight

I know he did. Naz's lips flare a little in tempered anger, the suggestion of mood not an intention for violence. The moved to sit down as well, sharpy glancing away while head began to feel muddy. You broke his heart... Not that Naz had been much kinder either. There wasn't much logic to it, a more analytical lion or one less emotionally involved themselves might see Ghyslaine standing up for herself, her wants. Nazonal just saw her best friend hurting.

She saw the woman who made it hurt, and the one who could fix it. Nazonal had failed at that.

But then they sighed suddenly. It was a full body exhale that left their legs shaking below them. An enormous amount of tension let go. Do you think you two would be happy, if there was no me? She actually trusted Ghyslaine's perspective on this probably ten times more over @Nero's. Not like, I die but just.. he never met me, it's just you.

their words send a prickle of anxiety through her fur, that @Nazonal knew that she had just found out about her already... oh dear. the next words, strike ghyslaine like a physical blow, and she flinches. 'you broke his heart.'

she hadn't wanted to hurt him, she had never wanted to hurt nero. never nero. except for the one time with the stick, but even then... she wouldn't have been able to hurt him. "i know i did, and that wasn't what i wanted." quiet words, the guilt clear in her gaze. she wished, wished there had been some other way- that she wouldn't have had to compromise herself

she expects blows of violence, not the next words that come from nazonal. "i... no. nero cares about you- and there being no you would hurt him... and after all of this... i don't want him to hurt anymore." she takes in a deep breath and lets it out in a long sigh. "there... things were always complicated with us. i guess i can't be surprised that this is too." she says softly, honestly.

ART BY DISPERO, CODE BY LARS