It was a beautiful afternoon with the sun warming the ground with its light kisses. Anyone else may have been frolicking around beneath the trees or off practicing another play as Nyx was, but that was not the case for her male counterpart. Normally Nox was much more reserved and less emotional than his twin sister, but today the lion just radiated annoyance. How could she do that! Out of all things…it wasn’t bad enough that Nyx had teased him, but had actually managed to get him a hoard of hopeful females chasing him through the pride…
It was not fun. He did not appreciate the looks or the gifts in the least bit. Preferably he would rather enjoy his day losing himself in his characters or just enjoying a nap in the sun. Or a nice conversation even, but some things went too far. He shivered just remembering the awkward touches and the multiple looks of either despair or denial of his rejections from this morning. He had his twin and that was enough female company for him. Sighing Nox shook his head. It wasn’t really their fault…he had realized that Nyx lead them on…but still it was such an annoyance! Sulking the lion continued into the pride, hoping to avoid any more ‘chance love’ encounters.
-
Parachichi smiled to herself, her head tilted down as she moved quickly amongst the pride. She was quite good at avoiding people now. She had practiced her avoidance skills from a young age, much to Mother Parisette’s despair. She couldn’t understand how her ward was so antisocial, but being unable to voice a single word made conversation and making friends very difficult. The only friends she had were her adopted siblings, as they were forced to spend time with her.
She didn’t mind being alone. Artisans didn’t require company. Sure, making things with no one to give them to was boring, but Parachichi would always leave her crafts near to wherever the person she had made them for. Usually they found them quickly enough, a surprise gift, or other times someone else picked them up instead. She usually didn’t mind. Dyes and inks were useful to all performers, so it didn’t matter who took them, as long as someone found them useful.
In her eagerness to flee the more crowded areas of the pride, she wasn’t really looking where she was going, head ducked so as to stay as invisible as possible.
-
Fuming as he was Nox could care less about where he was headed or to even pay much attention to anyone as it was. So as much as he would deny it the collision was likely much more his fault than the girl’s. Cursing sharply underneath his breath Nox crashed right into the poor lioness. “Oiy.” Rubbing his head the lion’s violet gaze looked sharply towards the lighter form of a female. Normally he would have taken the hit and just given her a look before moving away, but after this morning…
Well there was more in him today than just a glare. “Hey!” He snapped pulling off of her quickly, “Watch were you’re heading!” Unless it was another one of those – ‘Oops! I never even saw you headed my way, Nox. What a coincidence! It must be fate that we ran into each other like this~’ The thought made him shudder. Still he wasn’t a complete grump, “You’re alright at least?”
-
Parachichi stumbled as she crashed into the larger male. The force from the crash sent her smaller frame stumbling backwards, barely keeping her footing, before crashing down onto the ground as she tripped over her own paw. The force hadn’t really been that hard, but her own clumsiness made it worse. She let out a huff of breath, staring wide-eyed up at the male.
She was completely silent, not even a squeak came from her mouth as he glared and snapped at her. She unconsciously shrank back against the ground, her eyes wide and staring directly at him, not moving. She didn’t even seem to register his question of her health.
-
With that dramatic of a fall he was surprised to not recognize her as a player. Still it didn’t help to separate her from the others than he had ran across today. Was she going to play the injured damsel now that he had no choice but to carry back? Or to nurse back to health and to slowly fall in love with? But why wasn’t she replying?
Nox sighed, “Okay. So you fell. Big deal. Did you get knocked senseless as well?” The male reached out to touch her shoulder, “Come on now. Do you need me to carry you somewhere is that it?” He had a soft growl in his throat, “Should I take the full blame since I’m the male and you’re now the hurt little one? Or are you going to apologize? Or say it was just a rare act of fate that we ran into each other like I’ve heard so many times before? What is it? Say something!”
-
Parachichi looked around them, breaking her gaze at the male, checking that no one had seen. They hadn’t. People were surprisingly blind to some things, or maybe they just didn’t want to get involved. She flinched violently when he reached for her shoulder, listening to his growl. As he demanded her to speak, she couldn’t take it anymore, and launched herself to her feet, stumbling back away from him, and nearly tripping herself again.
He was growling so loud…Her gaze turned almost desperate as it flicked around, passed him and behind him, trying to find a path to escape, without him following her.
-
Nox smacked the ground with his paw as she pulled back. Seriously? Did he look that threatening to this girl? He nearly felt sympathy for her situation and was about to pull away before the teasing image of Nyx flashed through his mind. Had she taught this one the best way to pull at his heart? The fact that he couldn’t stand to see someone looking so threatened? The pull of guilt was instant. But then the memory of the morning came back and so did his anger.
“Will you stop!” He hissed reaching forward for her, “Do you want to make a scene? Trap me as the antagonist of this?” Pausing Nox sighed, “Can’t you just tell me if you’re okay or what you want from me? How about this I’ll apologize if you apologize.” He took a breath and stared at her before growing again, “Hey! Answer me!”
-
Her expression was lost as he spoke, her red eyes staying almost impossibly wide. She flinched back at his sudden smack on the ground, and as he reached for her. She leapt backwards, again further away from him. Her body was tense to run, when a familiar voice (well, familiar to her at least) cut over the angry growl.
“Hey! What are you doing to my sister?” Aureliana, a usually playful and mischievious groundling, was furious. Parachichi was obviously afraid of him, which meant he was Aureliana’s number one enemy. “Back off!” She barrelled over to them, planting herself between the two and almost knocking the green lioness over in the process.
While Nox and Nyx looked so similar, Aureliana and Parachichi looked…nothing alike. The groundling was purple, blue and gold, while the artisan was yellow and green. They even differed in size, as Parachichi was of a smaller frame than Aureliana.
Parachichi looked relieved at the appearance of her sister, calming now that someone stood between her and the stranger.
-
Terror once again. Nox shook his head at her reaction to him before taking a deep breath. This was ridiculous. Was he really lost in anger so much to be out of character like this? But before he could pull back or even try to become calm another character entered the stage. And her energy sparked his own. “Nothing!” He replied angrily, “She’s the one who crashed into me and now won’t even say a word!” His violet gaze was furious.
He peered around the new lioness at the ‘sister’. Was she smirking now that she had support? No, he couldn’t get a good glimpse of her face. But now that there was someone else who actually raised to his anger, “Can’t you tell her to stop acting? I’m sick of females staging themselves in my life today, alright?”
-
Aureliana’s eyes widened, mimicking her sister’s former expression, though the wide eyed look faded quickly and furiously, replaced with anger. “JERK!” She bellowed. “That’s why you’re harassing her? You need an apology that badly? For some supposed acting to get your attention? JERK!”
Parachichi flinched behind her sister, the yelling startling her even though she knew it was defending her, not against her. She brushed against her sister, revealing her worried face to the male accidentally, while she tried to calm her sister.
Aureliana was in full defence mode, however, and didn’t calm, though she placed her paw over her sister’s gently. “My sister is a mute, and I can guarantee you one hundred per cent that she was not ‘acting’ to get attention, especially not yours. Just because you’re a Player doesn’t mean everyone will swoon every time you walk passed.” She recognised him as a player from visiting her mother, though he might have just been watching, but with his attitude, she doubted that.
-
Nox’s gaze narrowed. “If only you knew…” He nearly laughed at her insult, but it did startle him. Jerk? Really? Though it lacked a certain finesse the insult was enough to jar him. Who was she to call him that? If only she knew how much he had to put up with this morning. Still it wasn’t the girl’s words which made him fall back, but it was that look on the other’s face. What?
Was it really true? Nox swallowed. If that was the case then well…of course. He sighed. Still this other lioness made his blood boil, “I don’t care! Well I do- but that’s not the point!” He took a breath before pointing, “If she was mute she should have at least signed or something instead of just sitting there. And I don’t want everyone to swoon! That’s the problem!” Frustration hit him and he just looked away before growing at a bush. Females! “As it is…I didn’t mean to overreact so much.” He mumbled quietly looking back at them.
“Still it’s not you who I need to talk to in that case.” Standing tall the lion brushed past the loud one to the smaller lioness. His gaze already had melted into the calm, even slightly caring one that was more natural to him. “I’m sorry, little one. Maybe I did overreact a bit. But-“ He pulled back at glared at the loud female, “You have not gone through the annoyances that I have this morning. That I can assure you.”
Aureliana continued to scowl at the male as he stumbled through his ‘I don’t care – no wait I do’ and following grumpiness. Ugh, such a jerk. “Signed? What do you think the whole terrified expression was,” she snapped. “I’m pretty sure that’s the universal sign for ‘I’m afraid of you, get away from me you crazy jerk’.” Admittedly, she could understand some of his confusion. Parachichi was poor at signing. Aureliana knew what she meant simply from many, many hours of practice at reading the young females expressions. “You don’t want everyone to swoon, and yet you assume Parachichi is after you?” She rolled her eyes. “Vain.”
She scowled as she was brushed aside; standing tense in case she had to tackle the male if he scared Parachichi again. She would do it too, despite strength or size differences.
Parachichi’s eyes were still wide, and she fell back a step as he moved passed Aureliana, but she did not appear quite as afraid. Her eyes flicked to her sister, before back at the male as he spoke. He seemed…calmer now. She glanced down at the ground.
“Poor apology,” Aureliana scoffed.
Grabbing something from the ground, Parachichi hesitated before stepping forward, placing the small purple flower by his paws, and retreating back a few steps. She stared at him, silent as always, and waited.
Realising he was…most likely not going to get the idea behind the gesture, Aureliana sighed heavily. “She’s forgiven you,” she pointed out. Parachichi offered him a tiny, shy, albeit still mildly afraid smile, and nodded shortly.
-
Nox just glared at the female, “I live in a pride of actors what do you expect?” He grimaced at the word vain. Maybe he was, but for a good reason. The thought of his twin made the lion see red again, but he quickly grounded himself on the sight of the smaller female. While the other may have made his blood boil it certainly calmed him down to see the one that he had scared so much before. “I’m sorry next time I’ll sing of my wrongs.” Not that he actually sang….ooh never. But the lion shook his head. “I really do apologize though for my behaviors towards you.” He spoke past the fiery one before blinking in surprise.
A flower for him? Then she really wasn’t upset at him anymore? What a heart. Nox felt his anger slowly fading as he took the flower and delicately twisted it up in his mane, “Thank you.” He actually smiled at the lioness before looking back at the other with a frown, “Thank you for the translation.” But he actually had a chuckle. “As it is I’ll take my leave now since I’ve caused such a scene as it is. “ Turning he took a step before pausing to ask one last question, “What is her name by the way?”
-
Aureliana still wasn’t convinced over this male, but she didn’t protest again, since he had tried to improve his apology slightly, though unless he sung his apology loudly and in front of the whole pride, but that was just her….stupid jerk, hurting her baby sister.
Parachichi smiled again as he placed the flower in his mane. She would have done it herself, had she actually known him and had he not been yelling at her moments ago, so putting at his paws was the best she could do. Even though he was acting nice now, she felt mildly relieved when he said he would leave. Then she could be alone again, as Aureliana would surely return to the forest and then the quiet would return, and quiet the thoughts rolling through her mind.
“I’d say you’re welcome, but considering the circumstances I’ll just say – think before you’re convinced people are lusting over you,” she snarked, rolling her eyes. She nodded as he went to leave, but was mildly surprised at his question. Giving him a suspicious look, she spoke carefully, “her name is Parachichi – or that’s what we’ve always called her.” Parisette had named her after a few weeks, when it became clear that she would not speak up to what her real name was.
Parachichi looked awkward as the two talked about her, and ducked her head, staring at the ground. Oh, how she wanted to be alone. People were so…complicated and noisey.
-
“Aye, aye.” Nox muttered before flashing her a bright smile, “I’ll take that to heart, mind you.” Still he nodded as he heard the other’s name, “Parachichi.” Nox wrote the name to memory before starting to leave again. He would probably make a later visit after a while to formally apologize. Maybe even find out what it was that the silent lioness liked and try to appeal to her that way.
As long as the loud one wasn’t around that was. The thought made him look back over his shoulder again with a frown. Sheesh! Though he was grateful for her intervention a part of him still bristled at her very nature. Whatever she was noble or commoner it still bothered him that she had put him down so quickly. Sighing Nox just shook his head. Whatever the reason he was going to have a nice long talk with Nyx tonight. Definitely. That in mind along with the name of another in his thoughts accompanied the lion as he faded into the forest and off of the stage.
-
“C’mon Chichi,” Aureliana encouraged as the male disappeared, shooting his retreating back a disgruntled look. “I’ll walk you back to Mama’s.” Parisette would soothe Parachichi’s still somewhat skittish actions, Aureliana believed. Their mother could make anything better, she thought with a tad of hero worship in her thoughts, as she led her baby sister away.
Parachichi watched the male disappear with her usual blank look, before glancing back at her sister, sighing to herself. She followed after the purple female with some reluctance, longing for her quiet again but fearing it would be hours now before she got it, as Mother Parisette would fuss. Her quiet had well and truly been shattered for the day, but she couldn’t find it in herself to blame the male who had been the source of the original break.
