The clouds that hung overhead blocked out much of the sun, but they weren’t the dark grey color Lyla had learned to associate with rain. As soon as she had entered the gardens she’d gone to the nearest patch of flowers and rolled in them, coating herself in their scent as she carefully made her way back to the hollowed out area she’d made with her ghost friend Yona under one of the rare trees that graced the landscape. Carefully she peered over her shoulder from time to time, she didn’t want anyone following her to her secret hideout after all!

When the spot where she knew her treasure stash was hidden away came into view she paused, taking her time to examine her surroundings one last time to insure that no one was following her. Purple eyes glanced through the surrounding flowers, keen ears twitching with any perceived sounds. So far it seemed safe enough-

code by corvus | art by Shazaki

+5 Sing a song or serenade someone

It was such a lovely day, Spiritus couldn't imagine hanging out inside the pride. Not that Lorien wasn't a nice place to be, because it was, but they wanted to get out and about for a bit, perhaps meet someone new! That was always fun, and they hadn't been doing enough of that lately. So they meandered the fields that Lorien called home, humming to themselves and occasionally breaking out into full song when they could remember the lyrics and not just the tune. They were going to have to start working on some new songs soon, they thought.

They had fallen silent for a little bit, trying to think of a new tune, when they spotted movement through the grass. Spiritus paused, remembering way back, years ago, when they'd been attacked by a mongoose. Was another one back for revenge? Whatever it was seemed small... but no, not that small. It seemed like... ah, yes, it was someone else!

Hello~ they called out in a sing-song voice as they started to approach.

@Lyla

ART BY INKY, CODE BY DEE, MODIFIED BY GUNNER

Just as Lyla thought it might be safe to dart into her super secret hiding place and admire her many treasures within the sound of someone else caught her attention. She froze, peering suspiciously into the distance until the adult appeared. "Um, hi." she replied to the greeting, trying to angle herself so that her body covered the entrance to the den she had been about to slip in to. Oh no, she couldn't have a grown-up finding her hideaway! "I'm Lyla, who are you?" She asked, hoping words would distract @Spiritus from looking around too much so that they didn't notice she was trying to hide something.

art

+5 Sing a song or serenade someone

Luckily for @Lyla, Spiritus was quite oblivious. Like, painfully oblivious. So they didn't notice she was trying to hide something. I'm Spiritus! From the Plains! they replied, padding over and plopping their butt down as they looked around, admiring the view. It's really pretty out here. I'm trying to come up with a song about it... They considered it for a moment, then sing-songed, In the flower fields, where dreams are made, Colors all around in a bright cascade! That seemed like a good start. Though, they realized they probably looked pretty weird now.

Sorry, I just like coming up with songs and stuff, they said with embarrassment. Sometimes, they acted about the same age as the girl before them. Well, sometimes? More like most of the time. What're you doing out here? they asked, because that was the sort of thing one did to be polite, right?

ART BY INKY, CODE BY DEE, MODIFIED BY GUNNER

The plains? Lyla tilted her head to the side. "Is that another pride? I’m from the Cove, but we don’t live there anymore. Now we live in stink-erm- Obsidian Hollow!" she asked, correcting herself from referring to it as stinky hollow again. It still wasn’t home, but it was starting not to be completely terrible, maybe?

@Spiritus ’s song instantly drew her attention in and the girl took a step forward. "It’s a pretty song! I used to have a friend at the cove who made pretty songs, but I haven’t seen her since we had to move." she added, a bit sad to think about that actually. "Do you make songs about everything? She could make a song about anything at all and it would be pretty!" she gushed. When asked what she was doing she took a step backwards before sitting down over the entrance to her secret hiding spot and shook her head. "Oh, nothing, playing, hunting, baby things you know, I’m sure a grown up wouldn’t be interested in them." she assured the adult, feeling very smooth with her clearly not suspicious answer.

art

They nodded in response to @Lyla's question. Yeah! It's not that far away actually, just over there, they said, pointing out what they thought was the closest direction to the pride's border. They hadn't lived there for terribly long so far, and the amount of time they'd spent outside the lands meant they weren't as good at navigating them as they once were. That would probably change soon though.

Oh, thanks! Yeah, sometimes. I just have to really think about it. And sometimes it's just changing up some words from another song. Oh, that sucks though. I know what it's like to have to leave home, they replied, thinking of how they'd had to leave the Brook back in the day. Wow, that had been a while longer than they'd realized. How time flew, apparently.

They gave Lyla a confused look at her response, just because it seemed off somehow, but since Spiritus wasn't a naturally distrusting sort they just rolled with it. That's always fun! They might spend more of their time playing than they probably should. Adult responsibilities and all that.

ART BY INKY, CODE BY DEE, MODIFIED BY GUNNER

So this grownup knew what it was like to have to leave home too? "Did you ever have to leave your home and life underground? My mama said we got “stolen” whatever that means, and papa got put in a dungeon!" she said dramatically, wondering if @Spiritus had ever been through anything like that. Maybe they could make a song about how brave her daddy was for surviving his imprisonment?

Her eyes narrowed as they said the things she offered as doing sounded fun. "You like to play? Most grownups don’t play with me, except mama and papa and my friend Miaran, I taught her how to play too!" hmm, maybe this lion would be worthy of showing her secret trove of toys she’d found in the exploding pumpkin. Or maybe they’d try stealing them! The sudden thought caused her a rush of worry. "You wanna play hide and seek? We could go, I’m, over there!" she suggested, lifting a paw to point to the other side of the gardens.

art

+5 Listen to someone vent their problems
+5 Meet a character from an allied pride

{Mmm, not underground, no. But I did hear that when my family left the lands I was born in it was because a bunch of rogues came in and were hurting people. Your story sounds way more dramatic though! Is your papa okay?} They couldn't imagine what it would be like to be a prisoner, from the sound of things. That sounded horrible, not having any choice in the matter of what pride you went to. Spiritus had always had a choice. Technically, they always would just because they looked like a boy, they supposed. That was weird to think about. Although, she'd just said her father had been a prisoner too, so maybe not. That made more sense to them though, because they'd never understood why boys were special like that. What was the difference? Okay, they weren't going to get answers to questions like that right now, or ever probably.

{Yeah! I love to play games!} Spiritus brightened immediately as the question was asked, showing they really were just a giant cub despite being well into the prime of their life. Some lions never changed. {That sounds good!}

They were going to be at a bit of a disadvantage for playing hide and seek, but they didn't mind that at all. Nor did they pick up on @Lyla's continued attempts to get them away from the area. They were just too excited by the idea of getting to play something.

When Lyla had first heard @Spiritus singing and approaching her, she thought they were going to be just another boring lion, but they actually wanted to play with her? She brightened up at the idea, forgetting all her complaints about her banishment into the dreary tunnels and being torn from the beauty and fresh air of the coastline. She stretched her head and tail both upwards and positively radiated with excitement - now genuine as she hopped away from the area she'd been hiding and moved to lead the way away from the random tree that dotted the flower gardens. "Ok! Do you want me to hide first or do you want me to count? I can make numbers now, I'm not a baby baby anymore!" She announced happily. Last time she'd gotten a grownup to play hide and seek with her she'd had to make Miaran due all the seeking as she had no idea how to count at that age.

art

Spiritus couldn't help but grin as @Lyla proclaimed she was a big girl now and as such she could count. How adorable. Had they been like that when they were little? Neither of their dads were around to ask at the moment, but they was going to presume that they were exactly like that. How about you hide first, they suggested. How long do you want me to count? Once they had that vital information, they placed a paw over their eyes to show they couldn't see and weren't peeking as they counted off steadily. One... two... three..... On and on until they hit the agreed upon number. Ready or not, here I come! they said then, dropping their paw and squinting for a moment as their eyes readjusted to the light. Only then did they begin their search.

ART BY INKY, CODE BY DEE, MODIFIED BY GUNNER