"I won't tell anyone!" James whispered back, giggling childishly.

He pranced too, copying Ari's movements much more easily since the trotting movement he did was much more natural for him. The colt giggled happily and took off at a slow canter, tossing his head happily as he turned to face Ari again, no longer afraid.

"I'd love to take you! We can go now if you'd like! I'm sure we can find Titanite watching the rainfall somewhere!" James exclaimed happily, his shy enthusiasm shining through more and more as the minutes passed in his new friend's presence.

James tossed his head and cantered off, turning his head to make sure Ari was following, "Come on, Ari!"

He dashed through the trees, very agile on his thin legs, able to whip past trees easily and hop over roots and logs, heading for the last place he'd seen his friend.

@Aristotle @Titanite

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Aristote perked at the whispers of his comrade. Elspet had been interesting but the young lion was feeling a kinship with the young colt. They were both young blooded creatures, easily excitable and ever so easily cheered.A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, however he only allowed one side of his face to rise in a strange look. He was trying to keep his teeth from showing. Even to him when he looked at his reflection he was intimidated by his own teeth, so he was sure they would frighten the poor boy as well. Thanks.. The grateful response from the young lion. He really probably did spend a bit more time in the mornings than he should on just grooming his mane alone. He really didn’t wanna anyone to know just how prim he really was when it came to his looks. But he couldn’t help it, he was handsome and he knew for a fact that as he got older he’d be one handsome creature by the end.

Finally as they both pranced, Aristotle couldn’t contain the grin that pulled at the corners of his mouth revealing his large teeth. He couldn’t help he had made a connection with someone his own age, what wasn’t there to be happy about? Well other than being on opposite sides of the food chain. But then I wont tell if you don’t.

The smile on his face spread further finally reaching his eyes as they glittered with pure excitement. He could meet more creatures! James would take him to meet others! He wasn’t going to be alone anymore. Not that being alone bothered him, it was mostly he was curious how many species of creatures were living in this strange world he had been thrust into.

Aristotle watched James for a moment as he ran down the path. James looked back at him, this time he got the hint. Leaping to his paws the young lion raced after the colt. They were nowhere near equal in speed, a thoroughbred at full trot could easily out pace a young male lion. But then James wasn’t trying to get away anymore, so instead Aristotle ran beside his new friend’s side. I can’t wait to meet your friends James, I just hope they like me. He really was worried that being what he was they wouldn’t like him and would quite possibly run from him, or worse attack him.


@James

James grinned right back, showing off his weird herbivore teeth and flappy lips, before leading Ari towards where he'd last seen Titanite, going at a steady lope, which wasn't much faster than a brisk trot for him. His sparse mane flicking up and down with each bob of his head, his lips twitching before he let out a happy whinny.

"Titanite's super nice! They made me a little house if you want to see it! They don't get metaphors or games, though, but they're fun to talk to and they listen really well and have lots of stories," James spoke excitedly, definitely happy to be able to share the discovery of his new friend.

James galloped into the grove where he'd left Titanite, and grinned when he saw the titan, cantering up to him without any fear, "Titanite! I found a friend- I told him about you and he really wanted to meet you! His name is Ari!"

The foal turned to face Ari when he arrived, unable to keep his smile from his face, "Ari, this is Titanite, my friend!"

@Aristotle @Titanite

It had been half asleep; half dreaming, something confused about light and leaves. Or had it been-? Had it been awake, but dozing?

It wasn't sure, but the abrupt arrival of one of the Fast Things startled it from its rest. Ahh-... James was recognized, almost at once, and the tree-beast tried to recall it.

It had eaten leaves. It had... built a house from them? Titanite looked around, but there was no sign of it. It must not have been here, then. And behind James, a lion cub--unknown to it; another fast thing.

Hmm.

Titanite's voice came rasping, hollow, more wind and branches than a real tone. "Jamesss," it said, slowly. "Good. It iss... good that you are alive. Ar..iii?" it then echoed, turning to stare at the cub.

@Aristotle @James

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

As the eager smile spread across his young muzzle. The horse was almost twice his size in both height and weight, but that only made the young boy even more eager to become friends? That was the word he felt suited what they were becoming.His strange new friend seemed to smile back flashing blunt teeth meant for grinding plant matter, rather than his own sharp pointy chompers meant for eating things much like his new acquaintance. The horse’s lips flapped up and out with his smile. It was strange but for some reason he liked it. His new friend looked silly when he smiled.

Aristotle trotted at a mildly relaxed pace in order to keep up with the horse that was leading him into the deep darkness of the forest. His broad head tilted up in an attempt to catch glimpses of the orb lights hanging above them. This was a new adventure to him, a new place to explore and investigate. Latte tinted dishes flicked lightly in order to catch the horse’s voice as he spoke. The young lion’s gaze fell from the canopy and landed back on his tall friend. He was speaking of the creature he was taking Aristotle to meet. The creature’s name was Titanite at least that was what the young lion had gathered.. That’s an intriguing name they have. Is it alright if I ask what it is that Titanite is? I’m rather curious. The young boy asked his new friend as they trotted along.

Aristotle pushed through the underbrush barely more than a few steps behind the colt. So how much farther.. The young boy began to ask a question but stopped. His brilliant blue eyes falling on a strange creature. It seemed to be an amalgamation of sentient plant life. At least that was what it looked like to the young cub. The young boy boldly walked up to the creature without any fear at all in him whatsoever. The look of awe and curiosity clear on his face and in his eyes. One ear was turned to catch his friend’s voice as he spoke, though his eyes were trained on the interesting new thing his friend had brought him to.

Then the creature spoke, or at least that was what it sounded like. The creature’s voice as well was an interesting thing as it seemed to be made by branches and plants shifting together. Yes. My name is Aristotle, but James likes to call me Ari. The young cub responded to the creature after he spoke the boy’s name. Turning his head from the new interesting creature named Titanite and back to James he smiled. Then turned back to Titanite. You are an amazing creature, may.. May I come closer? The boy asked wanting to inspect the creature up close and personal. Heck if Titanite would let him the little Lion would probably spend several minutes walking around him, climbing over him, and walking under him. He wanted to know this creature more.


"Speech sample"

@Titanite @James

"He's... a tree! A talking tree," James explained, before they came upon the titan.

The foal let out a noise of excitement and hopped forward, tail flicking from side to side as he bumped his head against Titanite's side, so excited that he could squeal.

"I'm glad you're alive too!" he spoke, and turned to Ari again, absolutely overjoyed.

James shook his head out and trotted towards Ari, head down as he booped the lion's nose with his own, "When we get tired, I'll show you my hut, and then I'll show you everything here that I've found, like the snake pit and the pools at the other side of the cave. We can go swimming!"

James turned back to Titanite and situated himself next to the giant (at least to the two babies) before dropping to his knees and laying down, his hind legs splayed awkwardly while his front ones were daintily crossed. His little tail flicked up and down and side to side, his ears doing the same as he struggled to sit still.

@Titanite @Aristotle

Titanite stood silent, for a long moment.

James had come--slowly, his mind registered that. And James had, briefly, spoken; but the horse had then turned his attention to the other one. Titanite's eyes wandered to this "other one," inspecting the cub. It took him awhile to be certain he did not know Aristotle, and a moment longer still to decide that he didn't know what sort of creature Ari was.

"Come... closer," was all he said, rasping agreement and little else.

Beyond that, Titanite was nonplussed. He was not a social creature, not a particularly normal one, and never had been. James had arrived, and then, it seemed, turned his attention back to the other and the other, well--it had introduced itself. But with introductions done, the tree-beast was at a loss for what it was supposed to do next.

Titanite didn't even think to ask, "did you need something," or the like; he simply stood there, exhaled a slow sound like wheezing, and essentially turned back off.

He didn't speak further, root-feet instead settling with quiet creaks into the soil, pulling nutrients up through them; Titanite's face tilted upward, toward the light, and all six of its eyes closed.

Surely if they needed him, they'd tell him.

@Aristotle

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

He had asked what Titanite was, the answer though he wasn’t sure what he was expecting to be honest. The answer however was even more interesting than he had hoped. James responded with a resoundingly strange answer. A tree? How did you make friends with a tree? At that he was a.. Talking? Tree… Trees did not talk, he knew that first paw. He had tried talking to trees in his first few days. They never said a single word in response to his questions or musings. It didn’t take them much longer to reach the creature. Stopping he was startled at first, but soon curiosity and awe took over and made him approach without any fear at all.

He wasn’t just one tree, he was an amalgamation of trees, branches, and even vines intertwined to create a living mobile creature. He was awestruck as he walked boldly up to the creature.brilliant crystalline eyes looking over the huge creature.

He flicked his attention momentarily to his new acquaintance, glimpsing the exchange between the two creatures his attention quickly shifted back to the creature. He had to know how he was alive. He had stopped half the distance between them as he politely inspected the creature. Then it spoke to him in that grating vocal pattern. Without any fear whatsoever he stepped forward, close enough that he could touch the tree creature. You’re magnificent. The young boy breathed in awe as he spoke.

Even standing this close the young boy couldn’t surmise how the creature spoke or moved. After introductions were done, the creature turned his attention away and began ignoring him. The creature sank its feet into the ground, and seemed to take in something from the earth. The young boy watched curiously before moving even closer to inspect the tree creature. Standing up on his hind feet, the young boy placed a single front paw on the massive creature’s side. Blue eyes gazed in between the gaps of the creature’s body, the young boy trying to surmise where the glow inside the creature was coming from. You are amazing… How do you speak? How do you move? You’re absolutely magnificent. He was clearly awed by the creature known as Titanite. The young boy had no clue of knowing if he was being rude or not.

He backed up slightly and looked at his paws. Could he get something from the ground as the other creature was. The young boy closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of the earth below him. A surge of energy being released from his paws as he accidentally cast a spell to make seeds sprout.

@Titanite @James

James was very tempted to go, 'thanks!', as a joke, but held himself back in favor of poking Ari when plants started to grow between his toes.

"Ari?" he asked, poking him again, "You're sprouting."

It didn't seem all that normal to start sprouting, but since Titanite was right there literally sprouting into the ground... he supposed it couldn't be too bad. Supposedly. He poked Ari again for good measure.

"I still have to show you my house!" James said, nose pointed in the direction of the leaf hut Titanite had made.

He bounced from foot to foot in excitement, tail flicking back and forth as he looked down at the cub beside him, smaller than he was. He had a feeling that it wouldn't be for much longer. Fearsome and scary... but still his friend. Who cared if Ari had big teeth? He had a big heart, too, from what James could tell.

@Aristotle @Titanite

Magnificent..? Titanite looked down at himself, turning one hand slowly over, examining his own branch-fingers. A slow, thoughtful sound--a sort of burbling hiss--escaped him, and he looked back at Aristotle.

"I ssspeak... with wordss," the tree-beast responded slowly, puzzled. "I move... with my legsss... my armss." Pointed branch-fingers turned and twisted, clicking against one another one at a time.

Titanite turned a blank gaze back on the two children. He was not sure what they were asking him, or why; but it usually seemed the polite thing to reciprocate in conversation, and so he looked to the lion cub.

"How do you ssspeak...? How do you move?" Surely that was the polite thing to ask.

Titanite knelt, then, talon-branches gently reaching out to touch at the sprouts the cub was creating; he did not comment, but simply observed.

@Aristotle