[SRP] The Lonely Hearts Club (Dysi, Viper & Noapte)

[Velveteen Angel]

Dysi had decided to take a walk, leaving his mate and his cubs for the afternoon. Maleficar must be used to this by now, he thought, feeling slightly guilty because he did leave quite often. Not because he disliked their company, but his paws itched for adventure and walking. He was not one to sit still forever, it would drive him crazy. In fact, even just staying still for a few weeks drove him slightly crazy.

He hummed as he walked, enjoying the freedom of movement and the rush of the breeze against his face.

 

[Velveteen Angel]

Noapte had found a gem; not in the form of an actual pretty stone but in the form of a pretty lioness who he now claimed as his own. He wasn't sure how she felt about that, but he had decided it. He had left her in the makeshift den they had found, but he would return. He was simply going to find something to impress her with; woo her even further under his charm. He was sure she was already transfixed by him, and why shouldn't she be? He was fabulous.

He moved across the savannah, scanning for any sign of something tasty to take home. Food would woo her over, he was sure of it. Who didn't like food?

Plus his stomach was grumbling quite annoyingly at the present.

Oh! Maybe he could bring down a buffalo.

 

[Velveteen Angel]

Viper was adorned in shiny rocks dangled across her figure, trinkets from her latest digs that she had convinced others to attach to chains and vines for her, so that she would not lose them. Around her neck dangled a pouch full of loose pretty stones that she would later use, or trade.

She loved being a merchant. If she couldn't' find something, she could always trade for it, and she had so many things to trade.

She grinned as she walked, her tail flicking behind her excited as she walked. She was going to do some trades today, she could feel it. It would happen and maybe she would get something good out of it!
 

[Velveteen Angel]

Dysi spotted Viper first, and grinned. She was a complete stranger but that’s what he preferred; he liked meeting new people and she seemed sparkly and friendly, so he set off towards her. “Hello Ma’am! I see you are quite well adorned!” He greeted cheerfully. “I am most impressed at your gems. Did you find them yourself?”
Perhaps she was selling them? Maleficar might like one…or she might hate them, he was not entirely sure his surly mate would appreciate a pretty trinket, but if not, perhaps he could gift it to one of his daughters; surely they would like them.
Well, unless they took after their mother.
Man it was weird being around grumpy females, Dysi mused to himself. Surely pretty gems would be a welcome gift though.



Viper glanced up at the sound of another person talking to her. The pale leopard was talking about her gems, and usually she would be concerned they were trying to steal them from her, but he was so friendly that it clearly couldn’t be that. Instead, she grinned back.
“Why thank you kind sir!” She responded cheerfully. “Yes, I did. Well most of them. Others I traded for.” She gestured to her neck where some of her finer gems lingered.
“Are you interested in any of them?” She asked. “I’m always happy to trade for something good!”


Noapte heard them talking before he spotted them, and his ears perked up. Gemstones? That would be perfect for his gem. She would be adorned, but that is not like she needed it. She was already gorgeous to him and that was very clear. He grinned. Maybe he could give it to her and flatter.
“I bought this gem, but it pales in comparison to your beauty” he rehearsed in his head as he stalked towards the pair.

“I would like to purchase some,” he announced, uncaring that he might have just cut over someone else.


Viper blinked at the sudden arrival of Noapte. Not one to hide her thoughts, she remarked, “You’re a bit of a jerk, aren’t you?”
 

[Velveteen Angel]

Dysi almost choked as he tried to stifle his laughter. He decided rather quickly that he liked this female. She was blunt and kind of reminded him of a nicer Maleficar. Not that his mate wasn’t ‘nice’ she was just nice in her own way.

He coughed, trying to clear the laughter and pretend that he wasn’t laughing at the appearance of the male. “I would like to purchase something as well,” he said softly to the female and tried to stifle a smile. “But perhaps you want to pick first?” He offered to Noapte.

“My mate has rather simple tastes, so it may take me a while to decide on the best choice for her.”



Viper grinned at the leopard, coming to a similar conclusion that he had. He was a nice guy, she liked him. The other lion was a bit of a jerk, barging in and demanding to be able to purchase something. If she wasn’t a merchant by trade, she would have refused to trade him anything.

But if she refused to trade people things simply because she didn’t like them, she would never have business.

“What type of gems do you want?” She asked the male, her tone clearly implying her dislike of him. I’ll charge him double, Viper decided to herself cheerfully. Or triple. But she’d give the leopard it for cheap, because he was nice.

She was not the most adept business person, letting her emotions rule her judgements a little too much.


Noapte nodded at the leopard. “Thank you,” he remarked to the leopard but his tone implied that he would have picked first anyway. “My mate deserves only the finest things in life.”


Woah, someone mated that jerk? Poor girl, Viper thought to herself.


He moved closer to Viper, unaware of her crinkling her nose in distaste at his closeness, eyeing the gems that she wore. A particular stone had caught his attention; it was purple but with speckles of red shining throughout it. It was incredible, and it reminded him of his pelt. He grinned. He would give it to her, and that way it would be obvious that she was his.
Perfect.
“That one.” He pointed at the stone which was attached to a piece of fabric to form a necklace.
 

[Velveteen Angel]

He crinkled his nose behind Noapte’s back. The gem was gorgeous, yes but it was so flashy and slightly obnoxious. Well, he supposed if that was what the girl would want, then it was alright. Seriously flashy.

He didn’t step closer to Viper, not wanting to crowd her, but he had spied a necklace that was a lot plainer and it seemed to suit Maleficar. It was a simple scrap of fabric (black in colour) with a pale purple gem; smaller than the one that Noapte had picked out but just as beautiful. He smiled.

“That small purple one is gorgeous, Miss. Is it for trade?”



That male was annoying, Viper decided with a bored look at him. “That one? Ahh that’s one of my finest gems,” she started to upsell. “It will cost you quite a bit, I’m afraid. I mean, it’s my best gem, after all.” He seemed vain enough to want the best. She grinned inwardly.

“I mean, that’s practically worth a buffalo or equivalent!” She mused, pressing her paw to the gemstone.

She glanced at Dysi when he spoke and smiled at him. “The purple stone? Ahh I can part with it for…say a hare pelt?” She did love hare pelts, because they were so soft. It was well under what the stone was worth but hey, the leopard wasn’t a jerk.


Noapte frowned. A Buffalo? He had joked about it earlier inwardly, thinking he could impress Parv that way. Perhaps it would impress her more if he didn’t bring home the kill but rather a necklace worth a buffalo?

“Deal.” He said stiffly, and smirked. “I’ll return with your buffalo.” With that he began to stalk off, in search of his prey.


Viper’s eyes went wide and she looked amused as he walked off. She didn’t wait until he was out of earshot before remarking to Dysi.
“He’s a bit of a jerk, isn’t he?”


Dysi was also surprised that he had agreed to such a price and was glad that his necklace would only cost a hare pelt.
He was a bit concerned about the male’s quest though. “Should we go and help?” He asked cautiously, already beginning to follow after Noapte.


Viper sighed. Damn, the leopard was too nice. She started to follow along however, remarking cheerfully, “fine, we’ll follow him but I mostly want to see him get his butt handed to him by a buffalo.”
She was glad she’d made two sales, and now she was going to get some entertainment out of it all!
What else could she want?

-fin-