[PRP] Smooth Talker (Hiana & Quinlan)

[Velveteen Angel]

The skittish female had taken up position in the most dry area that she could find. Far, far away from the large bodies of water that made her quiver and shake. Instead, she was living off the smaller puddles that she would find in the drier area. It was still grassy, but the grass was mostly dead and it seemed that few people came through this area. Which, in reality, suited Hiana just fine.

It wasn't that she was anti-social or anything, she was just...scared. The last few encounters had not left her happy, and so perhaps it was best to stay on her own.

Still, she found herself lonely most of the time.

She heaved a heavy shy from her perch on top of the the bent and dent tree. Her form was rather obvious on the gray branch, her paws and lower body giving away her position as her upper body blended in rather well with the dead grass.

Cajanic

 

[Cajanic]

Quinlan moved happily along, feeling content in knowing he had shown his magic to a couple of animals and they had really enjoyed it. One even thought he was a God in disguise, and that his illusions were the real thing. that made him feel like he was doing something right- magic was supposed to be intriguing.

It was supposed to be something that you couldn't understand.

As he moved along a particularly secluded area, he noticed an old tree in the middle of an orange field. Sitting within it seemed to be a lioness, which surprised him. Why would anyone be lying down in such a dry area? It wasn't the most appealing place to call home. Curious, he ventured over to her, looking up into the tree.

"Hello there," he said brightly, "what's such a lovely lady doing all alone in a place like this?"  

[Velveteen Angel]

The appearance of another lion - a darkly coloured male, which made it even weirder in the hot, dry environment - startled her and she jolted on her branch, almost sending herself toppling off of it. She dug her claws into the bark beneath her, halting her fall and blinked in surprise.

"Uh, hello," she responded in confusion. "Uhm, me?" It took a moment or two for her to formulate a response, and even then, it was a rather stupid response.

"Sitting?" She responded, and almost immediately regretted such a weird answer. "What are you doing out here?" She added, hoping to steer the conversation away from that response.

Cajanic

 

[Cajanic]

Quinlan laughed.

"Sitting? Well, I guess I could have figured that one out for myself!" He said, very amused. "I suppose I'm... walking." He chuckled lightly and let his tail swish from side to side.

"But to be a little more specific, I was just passing through on my way to the next pride lands. I like to show them my skills and give them a little entertainment, you know?" He smiled raising an empty paw for her to see. With a flick of his wrist, a small, white flower appeared on his pad, more lively than the layout around them.

"My name's Quinlan- what's yours?"

Velveteen Angel

 

[Velveteen Angel]

She cringed a little inside as his response. Great, he was mocking her. Just what she needed! Another jerk in her life! Why did she keep finding stupid, mean boys? She was sulking inwardly, writing him off as a jerk without much of a second thought.

However, as he continued to speak, she was instantly entranced by the flower that appeared on his paw. She gasped, delicately, eyes going wide. "How did you do that?" She demanded, curious.

She hesitated before offering her name though. Cautious, as ever. "Hiana," she admitted finally. "Just call me Hiana."

Cajanic

 

[Cajanic]

"Hiana! That's quite a lovely name," Quinlan told her honestly, watching her with a smile. She seemed a little irritated with him, and he wondered if she had taken his jokes the wrong way. He supposed it could have come across like he was mocking her, but he wasn't sure.

Hadn't they both been joking?

"It's magic!" He hummed brightly, setting the flower on the ground and hovering a paw over it. "Well, it's almost magic, anyway. It's an illusion, you know? A trick too fast for the eyes to process. It's something I've been working on for a while now."

He stomped his paw on the flower, raising it a moment later to reveal the flower, not smashed, had changed from white to yellow. "Do you like it?"

Velveteen Angel

 

[Velveteen Angel]

Hiana's eyes were wide as she tried to follow his movements, but he was moving too fast and she just wasn't sure what she was supposed to be looking for. It was weird, one second the flower was there, then it was gone, and suddenly it was a different colour and gosh! It was magic!

"What sorcery are you involved in?" She demanded. "What is this?" She was just utterly baffled.

Had he made a deal with a god?

Cajanic

 

[Cajanic]

Quinlan laughed lightly, amused that she seemed so taken aback. It wasn't the first time someone had been stunned by his illusions, and he certainly hoped it wouldn't be the last. He liked seeing the wonder on the faces of those he managed to impress. Some lions saw right through him, others thought he was some kind of devil and attacked.

so it was nice when things remained friendly and far from dangerous.

"If you like, I can show you what I do," he told her, "at least for one trick. I don't like to give away all my secrets, but this art will never spread if I don't talk about it a little, right?" He watched her, smiling brightly.

"Perhaps we can find somewhere to relax a little and I'll fill you in," he offered.

Velveteen Angel

 

[Velveteen Angel]

Hiana hesitated for a moment. Did she want to know how it was done? It would ruin the magic, she thought to herself, but she was curious none the less. She stared at his paws, looking for any clues as to how he'd done it, or where the magic was coming from.

She took a few moments, before she looked up and smiled shyly. "Perhaps you could just show me more magic," she said softly. "It's so beautiful in its mystery, I don't know if I want to ruin it."

She might bug him about telling her the truth later, but for now, her heart was racing in an appealing way, the thrill of the magic and the illusions filling her. It was a nice feeling! A nice thrill! Instead of the fear that ate away at her slowly, she was...excited. Happy. Intrigued.

She wanted to feel this more, and knowing might ruin that.

Cajanic

 

[Cajanic]

Quinlan smiled. Ah! A real fan, then! It seemed like she didn't want to know how the illusion was done, which made him very happy. It was so much better not knowing how and just enjoying the acts. He had always felt that.

"I would be happy to do that, too," he chuckled lightly, "and you're absolutely right- sometimes the mystery is the best part."

He motioned for her to follow him, heading towards a cave he had seen earlier. He would be able to do some more interesting tricks in an enclosed space. And, well, it seemed like it would be more comfortable for the both of them, anyway.

Velveteen Angel

Last for me!

 

[Velveteen Angel]

Hiana wondered whether she was making a mistake, following a complete stranger into a cave when she hadn't known him for more then a few minutes, and it could be that he had made some scary deal with a god to give him powers. Still, she was curious, and she felt...happy. Maybe that was part of the magic that he possessed, taking her mind of everything and focusing it only on the mystery that laid before them.

She had been so anxious, so nervous before he arrived and now she wanted to relish in the mystery.

She rose to her paws and began to follow him, her pace eager and almost playful. She wanted the magic, whatever that magic might be. For a moment, she wanted to be happy.

Cajanic

Fin!