Total word count: 1472
The day was coming close to an end and the entertainers would soon begin their performances. Rei was already waiting in her usual spot to watch the performance. She so loved the dancing and singing. It always lifted her spirit and made her heart soar. There were days she cursed being a royal and today was one of those days. She so badly wanted to join in on the dancing and the singing that she could just taste it. However being a royal the activities were considered beneath her status and not something a princess should be participating in. She had never told another soul how she felt, she feared even telling her twin sister Ami how desperately she wanted to be out dancing with the entertainers and singing to her hearts content. Of course as a cub she had spilled her guts but after being told by adults that being an entertainer was beneath her and something she should never want, she kept her desires to herself. A mixture of happiness and sadness washed over her as the entertainers began their show. Oh how badly she wanted to be among them...
Hok'ee was doing his usual thing and checking out the ladies that were gathering to watch the entertainers do their number. He was sauntering through the cheetahs gathering, winking at the ladies he found mediocre and making kissy faces at the ones he really wanted a piece of. As he moved through the group he spotted his half sister Rei and for a split second he could have swore he saw a look of unhappiness on her face. Hok'ee knew well that Rei was half of the twin set his father and Emi had and he wondered perhaps if the unhappiness that crossed her features had anything to do with her twin not being around anymore. Being a twin himself he knew how lonely it could feel not having your twin around. He changed his direction to head for Rei, he hoped to perhaps help her feel better and know she wasn't alone. He brushed aside the wonders of why no one else seemed to notice her sadness with the reason that no one else understood the sadness that could come with not being with ones twin. As he approached her he spoke up to get her attention. "Hey Rei."
Rei turned her head at Hok'ee's greeting and smiled at him. She and Hok'ee really hadn't spoken much in the past even being siblings. They weren't too different in age but she had been more introverted and tended to play either by herself or with Ami. Having Hok'ee actually come to her was a bit new but she was willing to be nice to him since he was her brother. "Hi Hok'ee. How are you?"
Hok'ee smiled back at her. The whole greeting seemed awkward but mostly because Hok'ee wasn't really good at speaking to ladies without flirting and flirting with his half sister was horribly inappropriate. "I'm... good." He replied and with a few moments of silence between them things only got more awkward. "Rei the reason I came over was so I could ask how you were doing? I noticed you looked a bit sad a little while ago and I just wanted to come check on you and see if there was anything I could do..." Hok'ee laid his ears back on his head while waiting on her reply. Despite being surrounded by other members of the pride their conversation wasn't over hearable because of the loud sounds accompanying the performance by the entertainers.
Rei's ear fell back on her head as well as she eyed Hok'ee. She was a bit surprised he had noticed but he seemed genuine with his concern for her well being. "Well I could be better but I'm not great..."
Hok'ee nodded. "Is it because of your sister?"
"What?" Rei looked at Hok'ee in surprise. She hadn't expected that question.
"Well I mean since Emi and Buluu made her leave for the rogue lands to do some 'growing up' as they called it I just figured you might be missing her. I miss Bara a lot when she and I are apart." Hok'ee said. "I mean it just seems harder for twins like us when we are apart compared to our other siblings."
Rei's ears perked as she listened to what Hok'ee had to say and then she nodded. "Yeah I guess that's true but that's not really what's bothering me..." Rei paused for a moment and thought whether it was a good idea to confide in Hok'ee but she did think that if she could trust anyone with her secret it would be Ami. Since she wasn't around Hok'ee would be the next best to trust being a twin himself. "It's kind of a secret, if you want to come with me I can tell you." She told him and then got up and started walking away from the group gathered for the enterainers show.
Hok'ee raised a brow as Rei got up and walked away but he followed her away from the crowd far enough out of ear shot that no one would over hear them.
Once she was satisfied with the distance she stopped and turned around to face Hok'ee. "Ok this is something I really don't want anyone to know but I trust you on mostly the sole fact that you are a twin just as I am. I know as a fellow twin you would keep my secret just as Ami would." She explained to him and after all that she took a deep breath and began what she had been hiding from everyone. "I know just like Ami I am considered an Heir and may possibly one day be the Boss Lady of the pride but there is something I hav always wanted to do but I know it would not be appropriate for me to do..."
Hok'ee was pretty much confused by her criptic explanation but he knew the feeling of not feeling you belonged in the position you were in. And while her description wasn't exactly that, it was a version of it that he recognized and could sympathize with. "You know Rei whatever it is I am sure it would not be as frowned upon as you feel it could be."
Rei sighed and looked down at her paws. "Hok'ee, I want to be an entertainer. I love to dance and sing. Everytime I see the entertainers perform it makes me sad because I want to be out there with them. But they are middle class and I can already hear mom and dad saying there is more to them than just dancing and singing and those things are not good for an heir to be doing." Rei closed her eyes and a frown set on her lips.
Hok'ee bit his lip lightly and took in a deep breath. "Eh... Well Rei they would be right about that last part. I have to admit I've had a few entertainers as companions and I know Emi would not allow that of you." Hok'ee replied but an idea came to him. "You could ask just to join in with their dancing for fun but not actually take the rank. Tell them you just want to every now and then when you had an open time in your schedule of duties. I could go with you to help you plead your case to Emi. The worst she could do was say no."
Rei looked reluctant and a bit fearful. She was afraid of being told no or judged because of what she loved to do. "I just don't know if I could handle being told no..." Tears were slowly coming to her eyes as she thought of her mother telling her she could not do something she loved.
Hok'ee smiled at Rei and nudged her shoulder with his forehead. "Would it be worse to be told no or to never know if she would say yes if you did ask?"
Rei considered that question and slowly came to a realization. "You know what, you're right. It would be so much worse never knowing for sure if she would say yes or not." She replied and her ears perked up in a renewed sense of hope. "I'm going to ask her... First thing tomorrow I will ask her." She said but then her ears fell slightly as she gazed at Hok'ee with an embarrassd expression. "I would like to take you up on that offer to go with me though."
Hok'ee chuckled and nodded. "No problem Rei. I will always be here for you if you need me. I'll meet you here in the morning. Sound good?"
Rei nodded and smiled at Hok'ee. "Yes that sounds great."
