Thick fog had driven the girl deeper into the burned woods. Finally the air around her was clear and she could see the ground in front of her paws. Lyla had been walking for several minutes since she left the "broken" pumpkin that had burst into fog instead of cracking open to a trove of goodies like the first one. Maybe she should go back to the gardens where she'd found the first pumpkin, but she was already here in the scorched forest and she was in the "instant gratification is best" stage of life.

Pausing in her steps she turned her head, @Miaran, you still there? She called back to the lioness she'd ran into a little while ago. How do you say "orange treasure rocks" in your funny words? She asked, her mind wandering almost as much as her paws were while she searched, sticking her nose into any nook or cranny she found as she went. It hadn't occurred to her yet that the pumpkins had their own name in the language she already spoke.

code by corvus | art by Shazaki

@Lyla had vanished into the swirling mist, leaving Miaran momentarily adrift, lost in a sea of gray. With only one keen eye, she strained to catch a glimpse of the girl, her heart racing as each whisper of the wind felt like a ghost of Lyla's presence. Miaran's ear twitched, desperately trying to grasp the fleeting sound of tiny paws, until, at last, she heard her name echoing through the haze. Compelled by the sweet melody of that voice, Miaran bravely stepped forward, emerging from the thick fog and drawing closer to Lyla's enchanting spirit.

Do you wish to know those words or what that plant is truly called? Miaran asked, her voice imbued with warmth. A gentle tilt of her head conveyed her delight, and with a sparkle in her eye, she added, roches au trésor orange As she observed the girl, her curiosity manifesting as she sniffed and explored every nook and cranny, Miaran felt a tender smile grace her lips. But be careful, my adventurous little one, for you might just stumble upon a mouffette in your quest!

table code by daanyen

The familiar voice of @Miaran sounded from somewhere behind her as she called back for her friend, signally that the woman was in fact still following her. She was just about to stick her nose behind another fallen, charred log when the question the older woman posed to her caught her off guard. Pausing in her exploration she allowed so time for the lioness to catch up with her. They have a name? She tilted her head to the side as she asked. She didn't expect the exploding orange treasure rocks to have a name, that was oddly specific.

She pressed her lips together as took in all of the words Miaran was saying. Repeating back to her Roches au trésor orange... hmm... her accent was horrible, and she butchered the pronunciation of the words as she said them clumsily. They were quickly forgotten again however as she mentioned finding a... mouffette? What's a mouffette? Is it a monster? She questioned, casting a sideways glance at the nearest hiding spot she was envisioning this mouffette jumping out from.

Rolling wildsevent 1d13: 2
You can hear the sounds of a long-ago battle: Snarls and clashing teeth and cries. They grow deafeningly louder. Until they all of a sudden stop and your heartbeat quickens. Are they coming for you now?

code by corvus | art by Shazaki

Yes, they have a name. We call them gourdes. It's the same thing in French, she said with disarming simplicity, as she joined the cub. A burst of laughter escaped her throat at the sight of the cub clumsily trying to repeat the same words. Try again, but watch your tongue and go more slowly at first, she encouraged him, her benevolent gaze on the child.

When @Lyla asked Miaran what she was talking about, Miaran slowly shook her head, an air of mystery in her eyes. It's a small black creature with many white stripes on its back. It gives off an unbearable smell. You'll be smelling that awful perfume for days if it sprays you, she explained, a slight smile playing at the corner of her lips before a sound of battle broke the moment. Instantly, Miaran rose with determination, placing herself between the girl and the danger, ready to protect her from any harm.

table code by daanyen

@Miaran laughed at her pronunciation and the girl felt her cheeks go warm for a moment. She let it pass quickly though, realizing in that moment she hadn’t heard her friend laugh that much in the past. She liked it when Miaran laughed, it was even more fun than the super serious Miaran she often saw. Gore-duhs she drew the word out slowly, trying to pick out the syllables as she pronounced them, Gourdes! she spoke with more confidence. Why are some words the same and some aren’t?

As she explained what the mouffette she was referring too was the girl instantly stopped, pulling her head away from the closest dead tree she were just about to inspect. Ewwww!!! she wrinkled her nose and took a backwards step closer to Miaran. That sounds gross! she declared, about to comment further when suddenly the sound of snarls and fighting rang out around them. Instantly the girl went diving under the older lioness, aiming to hide under her at the noise. Miaran what’s that?! she asked, ears flattening against her skull as she looked around at- nothing at all out of the ordinary besides the screams of battle.

code by corvus | art by Shazaki

The girl had managed to elicit a burst of laughter from Miaran, a sound so rare it felt like sunlight breaking through a storm. In that moment, the weight of the Executioner's darkness seemed to lift, if only for a heartbeat. Miaran regarded @Lyla with a slow, thoughtful nod at her attempt to pronounce the words correctly, a flicker of warmth igniting in her chest as Lyla eagerly began to explore the vast tapestry of languages. So many languages inhabit our world, Miaran shared softly with the cub. My Mari speaks a tongue different from my own cherished Français. A gentle laugh escaped her lips again, this time in response to Lyla's shock about the foul stench of the skunk, and Miaran shook her head, the corners of her mouth curving up.

But when the girl dove beneath her, instinct ignited within Miaran. She instinctively positioned herself as a shield, her larger frame a barrier between Lyla and the distant chaos of battle that rumbled ominously closer. Miaran's singular eye strained to perceive the threat, but her heart raced with determination. As she scanned their surroundings, her fierce protectiveness surged, but then a sudden realization struck her — it was merely the aspirations she had glimpsed. It's okay, Lyla, she reassured, her voice laced with both strength and gentle caution. They cannot harm us. In that moment, the bond between them deepened, forged in the fires of courage and the fierce love of a protector.

table code by daanyen

She crouched under the older woman, already almost to big to fit under her given her colossal growing size but she shoved herself there nonetheless. The sounds continued, but as Lyla looked around she too did not see any source of the sound. As @Miaran assured her they couldn't harm them she moved to peer up at her from where she hid under the woman. Is it more ghosts? She asked, remembering the ghost she'd seen earlier, as well as her friend Yona. Yona was nice, and then once they'd seen earlier had left them alone. Maybe it was just fighting over dumb grownup stuff and not after them? She breathed a sigh of relieve before wiggling her way out from under Miaran, stumbling as she went and coming nose to nose with an orange pumpkin poking up from under another fallen charred tree. Gourde! She called happily, though the edge in her voice suggested she was still rather shaken up as she rose back to her feet and shook herself off, the sounds around them still unnerving the normally overly rambunctious child as she reached forward to pat the pumpkin to see what it would do.

code by corvus | art by Shazaki

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? But, unfortunately for them, the sprite was feeling extra mischievous today, and had a trick up her sleeve! And so, with a small grin, the being tilted her maw down towards the earth, eyes glowing, before she gave a pointed flicker of her tail and brought her vision to life in the process.

Uh oh...

"Boo!" The sound is loud and abrupt, filling the air in terror as the figure of a white, undistinguishable shape bursts up from the top of the pumpkin and up into the space in front of you. It's pale and see-through and the air suddenly grows quite cold, sending a shiver down your spine -- but you hardly have enough time to think, because that ghost is headed straight for you. Time to run!

Miaran's heart raced as she watched the girl contemplate her question about the ghosts, her brow furrowing with uncertainty. Yet, as the Executioner nodded slowly, Miaran felt a surge of fierce determination blossom within her. Oui, they may haunt us, but they cannot harm you. I promise, with every beat of my heart, I will protect you, she declared, her voice imbued with a passion that was seldom unleashed. @Lyla’s moved with curiosity as she discovered another pumpkin, her innocent excitement drawing Miaran closer as she followed the cub, who gently patted the pumpkin with her tiny paw, a picture of pure delight.

But in an instant, the warmth of the moment shattered. An icy chill swept through the air as a sinister figure emerged from within the pumpkin, its intentions dark and malicious. Miaran's instincts ignited, a low growl rumbling from her throat as she instinctively surged forward, positioning herself between the lurking threat and her sister's precious Lyla. Return to the shadows from whence you came! Leave the living in peace! she roared, her fangs gleaming menacingly as she defied the ghost with an unwavering ferocity, a fierce guardian ready to lay everything on the line to safeguard the innocence standing behind her.

table code by daanyen

She nodded up at @Miaran, feeling safer for her impassioned if slightly overly dramatic deceleration that she’d protect her at all costs. Some how the cub didn’t doubt it in the slightest. Miaran was one of the nicer grownups in her life, taking her on grand adventures though burnt rotting woods. Her heartbeat began to settle and the sounds of anguished cries were easier to ignore.

Until of course one of the ghosts came flying out of her gourde screaming at them. AAHHHHHH! she let out a high pitched scream of terror as she dove under Miaran again, pressing herself close to the woman as she caught a breath that had just left her body and her friend began trying to banish the ghost away from them. After a few seconds when her breathing was more normal and enough oxygen had returned to her brain so that she could think straight she spoke, Miaran, they can’t do anything to us remember? This one’s just a meanie! she declared as she stuck her tongue out at the spectral thing and took a step forward to try to squish the gourde it had burst out of. It was clearly a bad one.

The bad pumpkin squished she looked back to the older lioness, come on Miaran, lets go somewhere else where the ghosts aren't being dumb. She suggested before beginning to lead them away from that place.

-Exit-

code by corvus | art by Shazaki