Lyla was restless. She was getting older (or so she told herself.) and was really starting to get her paws under her and get around more. Life had been a bit weird lately. Somehow they didn't live at the cove anymore? She didn't know what was up with that really. She had all her treasures hidden there still, which was rather unfortunate considering she wasn't supposed to go back there again? Grown-up made the dumbest rules.

Wandering paws had lead her to the field that morning. The sky overhead was a bit darkened, but the rain would likely stay away for the day, it was just a bit gloomy and creepy out. She moved between colorful flowers as she sniffed the ground, pretending she was stalking something just like her papa did, or maybe she could find some good plants to take back to mama? Only time would tell what new treasures she unearthed.

@Yona

code by corvus & art by moogle

She wandered these days, the full expanse of the lands open to her as she was free to go wherever she pleased. It was nice, not being beholden to scent borders and things like that, which really she knew nothing of since she couldn't smell them anyway, and had been too young to be taught about other prides, which hadn't really existed around her. So she wandered with a carefree attitude despite her status in the land of the dead.

She wasn't the only one wandering, she noticed. There was another ahead, one who seemed around her age, and she was always eager to make new friends her age. Wait for meeeee! she exclaimed, though it was simple for her to catch up as she sprinted through the grass and flowers towards her newfound friend. Because they were definitely going to be friends. Obviously.

@Lyla
"Speech."

code by scorpixia♡︎

A call from behind her brought Lyla's head up away from the ground she was sniffing at as she turned to look for who was yelling at her. It didn't sound like one of her sisters, although it did sound like another girl. Her ears twitched as she sniffed, trying to get the other cubs scent as she sprinted towards her. Purple eyes widened in amazement as she realized the strange looking child did not in fact have a scent as she came running towards her. Weird. Who are you? She asked as she narrowed her eyes slightly at @Yona, although her expression was on of curiosity, not hostility. Lyla was more than happy to make a new friend and play with anyone who wanted to play, regardless of how odd they might be.

code by corvus & art by moogle

Oh yeah, introductions, those were good things to do. She had to know what to call her new best friend! Especially if she was ever going to introduce her to Bahati. It would just be embarrassing if she couldn't think of her name then! I'm Yona Kramer! Who're you? she asked, because all good questions deserved to be returned. Look at all the pretty flowers! she exclaimed, only slightly distracted by the sights around them. Most of her attention was on the other girl still. Most.

I've never seen so many flowers. Usually they were only on the um. Uh... Cacti! Yeah! she explained. Actually, she'd never seen this much green before either. Not until she'd started traveling with Bahati. Such was life when growing up in a desert.

@Lyla
"Speech."

code by scorpixia♡︎

The strangeness that was her being a ghost cub was quickly forgotten as @Yona introduced herself and asked Lyla what her own name was. I’m Lyla Nadjima-Huntsong! she’s gotten good at pronouncing her big name lately, especially her- what had Aphrodite called it? Her last name? Yeah that was it, and she was very proud of herself for it.

She turned to look again at the flowers, nodding at the assessment. my mama loves plants! Although some of them are no-no plants I’m not allowed to play with those. she said, remembering the time Miaran had rolled in a plant and Lyla had collected some after just be have it slapped away from her my her mother. It turned out cubs weren’t supposed to play with nightshade- rather hypocritical if you asked her.

At the word “cacti” she tilted her head. What’s a cacti? she’d never seen one before.

code by corvus & art by moogle

Oh dear, that was a big name. She was going to do her best to remember it though. Definitely the first part, the last part though... maybe not. There's bad plants? she exclaimed, picking up a paw like one of the flowers might grow teeth and try to bite her as she looked at it warily. Weeeeird. But apparently not as weird as her mention of cacti. Which was understandable given she hadn't really found a desert in the lands yet, not realizing she'd basically walked past it on her way in.

It's a big tall green plant, and it has a hard outside, kinda like a tree I guess but not that hard, and it's covered in spikeys, she explained, as children were wont to do. My daddy said they have water inside of them that you can drink, which is good because there's not a lot of water in the desert we live in.

Lived in, technically, past tense, but her concept of time passing wasn't very good.

@Lyla
"Speech."

code by scorpixia♡︎

Lyla nodded in agreement to @Yona's assessment of some plants being bad as weird. They were just plants after all. Wow, spikey trees! Neat! She wanted to see a cacti someday. She'd have to ask her mother if she'd seen a cacti before, she was sure she would have. Her mother knew all the plants after all. Every. Single. One.

A breeze rippled through the gardens, and suddenly something orange and round caught Lyla's attention causing her to turn. Hey, what's that fat orange thing! She asked out loud as she began walking towards the nearby pumpkin. She'd never seen one of those before either!

code by corvus & art by moogle

double, double toil and trouble;
fire burn, and cauldron bubble...

Nafasi watches from the bushes, never once letting herself be seen by those huddled around her perfectly-placed pumpkins. They really were a curious bunch, weren't they? Well, fortunately for them, the sprite was feeling extra generous today, and had a treat for them that she has been wanting to share. And so, it was with a small smile that the being craned her head, watching the lions for a few more moments, before giving a quick stomp of her paw against the earth.

Hm...

Without warning, the pumpkin suddenly splits down the middle, right in front of your eyes! And...oh? It looks like there is something tucked inside! Weird, but you might as well check it out. Investigating further, you find a collection of trinkets, feathers, gems, fruit, and other curious things hidden within the pumpkin, ripe for the taking! Looks like you got lucky today.

OOC Prize: Free Global Marking

Yeah! They were pretty cool. And sometimes they flowered, she explained, bringing it back to why she'd mentioned them in the first place, which she herself had admittedly almost forgotten.

At least she wasn't the only distractable one around, as her new friend made a beeline for the orange blob that was only familiar because she'd seen one once before. Oh yeah, I dunno, I saw one in the caves too, she replied. It made far more sense for it to appear here than it had there, that was for sure.

She reached out a paw with the intent of touching the pumpkin, forgetting that she couldn't interact with things that way anymore (always forgetting things, this one), only to jump back with a squeal as it broke open revealing a treasure hoard inside. What's all that doing in there!? she exclaimed with a little giggle.

@Lyla
"Speech."

code by scorpixia♡︎

Lyla's face inched closer to the pumpkin as she took a good sniff, noticing the strangely translucent cub to her side reaching towards the pumpkin. As @Yona squealed and the pumpkin cracked open (the other cub was strong! Surely this was her doing.) Lyla jumped back for a moment before she too noticed the trinkets and treasures inside it. OH MY GOSH! the girl exclaimed with a fit of giggles, her entire being radiating excitement as the feathers and gems and other fun things. Yona, I was looking for treasure and we found treasure! Real honest to the great huntress treasures! She bounced with excitement as she reached in to start pulling all of the objects out. We can share them all of course, what ones do you want? She asked, still unaware that the ghost girl couldn't actually carry any of them.

code by corvus & art by moogle