The young boy watched as the massive, to him at least, tree creature lifted a paw and inspected himself. Yes the boy was completely enamored with the giant creature. He was an amazing creature. James in his own right was glorious, but a breathing, speaking, moving tree? How could one not be pulled into his wonderousness.

A single ear twitched in place on his cranium as the tree creature spoke again to him. WIth words. Of course what had he expected the answer to be. He wasn't sure, but the bluntness of Titanite was not lost on him. Of Course. I speak with word also, but how do you make those words? The cub inquired bluntly. He could feel the air passing through his throat and he assumed that was how he spoke. But I can feel the air passing through my throat, you have no throat to speak of, you're a tree. How do you make sound? Perhaps phrasing the question differently would help his question be answered more wholly. How did he move? Aristotle couldn't answer that question, but he had skin covering his body so he could not observe his insides. However he could see that the only thing it seemed holding Titanite together was moss and vines.

I'm not sure... I can't see inside of me. But I can see inside of you and you only have vines and moss covering you and holding you together. How do they give you the ability to move? For that matter how did he move? That was a question he would eventually have to answer. He watched as Titanite clicked his finger like branches together. Aristotle didn't off put at all by the way the tree creature just shot his questions right back, easily answering them without caring how blatant Titanite was being.

With his face turned to the orb lights hanging from the ceiling he finally gave up having no such feeling that anything was happening, or at least that anything was flowing into him. Actually he felt a little dizzy in fact, as if he had given energy instead of taking it. Aristotle opened his brilliant blue eyes when he felt James nudge him with his muzzle. He was sprouting? What in the world was James talking about, he wasn't a plant he didn't sprout... Did he? Suddenly no longer feeling dizzy, the young boy began inspecting himself. He didn't anything different. Then Titanite lowered himself to the ground and Aristotle followed his gaze. His branchy finger poking gently at one of the fresh sprouts around his paws. I.... I did that? Aristotle asked confused and exasperated. That would explain his dizziness if he had given his energy for them to grow.

Then James caught his attention once more. That was true James still needed to show him his house! Aristotle gave one last glanced at the plants that had sprouted around his paws before moving to stand near the horse. Let's go then! Aristotle chimed brightly, looking over his shoulder he called. It was nice meeting you Titanite, I hope you don't mind if I visit again! He truly hoped to sit and talk further with Tree creature, he was so interesting. With his goodbyes said the young boy leaped to a semi-running pace as he caught back up to the horse.

Aristotle’s attention was trained on the tree-ente. He was speaking. He stated he couldn’t see inside himself either. That made sense, of course they couldn’t.How could someone bend that way to look inside themself. The young cub looked closer, into the creature’s body. He could catch glimpses through the creature’s sides of its insides. They looked strange. Did he look like that one the inside?

His questions seemed to be stumping the creature. He wasn’t intending to do that just his curiosity was driving him to ask these questions. He wanted to know, He was fur on the outside. There was other stuff on the inside. He had caught rabbits and they had hard white things inside them, he was rather sure he had those inside him too. I’m not only fur, at least I don’t think so. Rabbits are filled with this red stuff that has a good but strange taste, and they have these hard white things inside. I think they’re in me too. He was trying to explain that he was filled with bones but he didn’t know what they were called.

Having torn himself away once, he had chosen to leap ahead of his friend in a random direction. He knew if he didn’t he would sit there all day and ask Titanite questions. He was such an interesting creature. Before he could go too far James came trotting up beside him and guided him in the direction. At this Aristotle flashed a slightly embarrassed smile and began following his friend toward his house.

It hadn’t taken them long to arrive at James’ house, it was a leaf and branch shack of sorts. He watched his friend go inside and get comfortable. Curious Aristotle walked around the outside of the shack inspecting it. He wondered how it had been constructed and by whom. He didn’t think James would be able to do it himself with those hard inflexible feet that James had.So who made you your house? Aristotle asked bluntly, he really wanted to know. He had been sleeping in the dirt without a shelter over his head, here his friend had a cozy little hut to sleep in.

Ari couldn’t help his rampant curiosity about the creature. It was clear that he couldn’t contain his interest in the tree-ente.Though his childish attention as it would, shifted back to his friend the colt. He wanted to see this house that James was so excited about. Besides he had Titanite’s scent so that meant he could hopefully find the creature again. He wanted to know more about it.

After inspecting the shack, Aristotle found himself back at the front of the hut. Inside James had made himself more than comfortable. He seemed happy here. A strange feeling of envy began to creep up on the young cub. The young cub took a seat near James as they began talking again. I feel bad too, he seemed slower than I thought he’d be, but that’s how plants are right? They’re slow moving? At least he had never seen a plant move of its volition until today that was. Do you think he’d be alright if we went back to visit sometime? Aristotle mused his question more to himself than anyone really.

The young cub felt the horse rub his head against him before he posed his own question. Friends? He wasn’t entirely sure what that was. He liked being around James but he just wasn’t sure what a friend was. I like being around you, does that make us friends? If liking being around someone meant they were friends, then yes he and James were friends. He had liked being around Elspet so did that make them friends too? The little cub was clearly caught up in his own mind for a moment. Stick together? That sounded nice to him. Not being completely alone most of the time would be nice.

Yeah I’d like that! The cub responded quickly to wanting to be around James more. It was true the cub was kind of on the small side, even for his own kind. A bright smile crossed the little lion’s face as the pair sat talking. So i have to know. The little cub began, it was of course a question, something he seemed to be filled with. Did you come out of a crystal? He wanted to know, had his friend been born the same way he had?

Large round audits shifted to catch his friend’s voice as he spoke of Titanite. He would very much enjoy going to visit Titanite again. He was interesting and magnificent. I hope he doesn’t mind, I’d very much like to sit and talk with him more. He said as he wandered the small hut. It wasn’t swo big they had to yell at each other to speak when he was on the other side of the walls, but did have to raise their voices due to the muffling of their voices because of leaves,vines, and branches making up the hut. Coming back to the front the young cub moved to lay beside the horse. His smaller form being semi-dwarfed by the much larger colt.

Slender whip like tail gave a soft serpentine wave as he sat listening to James speak of friends. I’ve met one more other than you and Titanite. She was a strange creature that had things called hands instead of paws. Those hands however had proved useful in applying his markings, but that information could come later if James asked about them.

She had been nice and he liked spending time with her as well. She was an interesting creature and she liked to talk. I guess she was my first friend. But I like you a lot more. She was nice but a little strange. I don’t think she would have played with me. He had played with his food before, pouncing them and letting them go from time to time just so he could keep chasing them. That had been how he had entertained himself. That is until he met James. Now he was meeting others and had a playmate.

Best friend huh? Did that mean they would take care of each other from now on? Aristotle was beginning to feel a deeply protective urge towards the colt, and a want to stay close to him. If this was what having friends meant, he could live with it. In fact he kinda liked it, having someone else in his life.

I like that, best friends. The little cub was very happy at this point. He had someone to spend time with. And I will always be there for you James. If you ever need my just call for and if I hear you I will come. He would always come to protect his friend from anything. With great care and gentleness, Aristotle turned his head to gently lick the fur on the colt’s chest. With his sign of affection over a wide yawn parted the little cubs jaws exposing his sharp teeth for a moment. He had no idea how tired he was until now, with that thought he lay his head on James’ front legs and closed his eyes. I’m just… Gonna…. Sleep for.. A bit… The young cub mumbled softly as he drifted off to sleep.


EXIT ARISTOTLE TO DREAM LAND