Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

Aristotle tilted his head, listening to ames. The creature didn’t sound scary more curious. His breath probably didn’t smell all that great considering his main source of food was meat. His breath probably didn’t smell pretty at all. He didn’;t know how to fix it either, he ate meat and that was that. James, I’ve met a giant creature of greens and browns. He was bigger than both of us, and he had blades for front legs and no paws, or hands, or hooves, he just had big sharp blades. He and I sat and had a conversation with me. Did you try that with that big scary creature you met? Aristotle chose the diplomatic path for dealing with most creatures, attempting to talk rather than run or give reason to attack.

I mean Morpho jumped out of nowhere and startled me, but then we sat and had such a nice conversation. He was just as curious about the world as me, and he was just as curious about me as I was of his. He was so gentle he even patted my head when he let me get close and inspect his blades. Aristotle really didn’t see a reason to fear the things you did not know, or fear the things that were merely larger than you simply because they were larger than you. He wanted to know everything about the world around him and those that inhabited it. Besides James had run from him when they had first met, he had been terrified of him. Now they were best friends.

Then don’t fight, try talking. I bet they would be happy to sit and talk with you. I mean I eat meat and you were terrified of me when you first met me. Now we’re best friends aren’t we? Aristotle posed the question to his friend, hoping maybe he would help him see the world in a different light. He didn’t honestly know why James was so afraid of everything. By all right in James’ logic he should be afraid of James because he was bigger and different from him in so many ways. Instead he had been curious and wanting to know more about him.

Aristotle was remaining completely calm as he tried to breath logic into what was going on. James I’m not afraid because I have not been given a reason to BE afraid. The young lion reasoned with his friend. He had no reason to fear so he didn’t fear what he didn’t know. He approached it with an open mind and willingness to learn about others and new things.

The young lion jumped back as James reared up afraid of the horse coming down on top of him.He watched as James came down tears streaking the young horses faces. He couldn’t understand why James was so upset.Aristotle tilted his head as James spoke. But you’re not small. You’re bigger than me. And your hooves are hard and sharp. You can do a lot of damage with those things James. I’ve been kicked by a deer before, it really hurts.James You’ve had formal training, you can easily defend yourself now, I can just fight because I’ve had to learn to, to survive. You are better off than I am. Aristotle spoke trying to calm the colt. He stepped forward nuzzling his forehead against James’ in an attempt to calm the colt.

@James

James stared at Ari as tears streamed down his face, ears pinned and jaw clenched tight.

"He... tried to kill me!!!" James yelled, and shook his head wildly, trying to hold back his sobs, "He chased me down and cornered me, a-and he tried to kill me!"

Or at least, that's what he vividly remembered.

James felt faint all of a sudden and felt... hopeless. He backed away from Ari and shook his head, pissed off in more ways than one, "You- you don't understand! You can't talk to monsters like that. I gave him a stupid gift as an apology, to try and make amends. He didn't bat an eye, Ari."

He turned and walked towards the front door, mouth down-turned. He felt... betrayed. How could Ari have said that? How could he not have known how hurtful that was? James nearly died and... all Ari could say was, "Don't fight. Try talking."

He entered his house and did the equivalent of slamming the door shut as he propped what was left of it up in the doorway, before making his way to his bed to sleep off his upset.

@Aristotle

Ari

Hope is but a waking dream

A heavy sigh escaped Aristotle. Perhaps running is what you did wrong. You see hunters have an instinct to chase when something runs. Aristotle chuffed his paw across the dirt, before rubbing his right paw against his left leg again. That’s kinda what happened when I first met you. You ran my instinct to chase, said go! I couldn’t stop it. I can now but I couldn’t before. The young lion spoke quite ashamed of himself. Aristotle was remaining calm in the face of James seeming to have a complete breakdown. James, maybe you just need to look at things differently. The young lion was attempting to reason with the colt. Though it seemed to do little.

Aristotle watched stunned as James stormed out. The young lion huffed and batted a rock across the room. James just didn’t understand. Maybe the big creature had not wanted an apology after being screamed at and having someone run away from them. He knew the only reason he had not tried to eat James was because he was so much bigger than him as a colt. Now he could take down things just a bit smaller than him, he could take down deer when hunting and they weren’t small creatures.

Aristotle trotted back into his room and picked up his bag Aunty had made him and slipped it on around one leg and over his head. With a snort he pulled a large board over his doorway with a grunt and sighed. Trotting past James’ house Aristotle spoke loud enough to be heard. I’m going to Eridanus to collect seeds for herbs and trees and stuff. I’ll be back in a day or two. Aristotle threw the words at the closed door and picked up his pace heading for tunnel I. He saw no reason to hang around when the only person currently alive he wanted to talk to was mad at him. He would go back home to Eridanus, collect his thoughts and other things. Maybe explore tunnel I for a bit on his own. See what new things he could find.

@James
EXIT ARISTOTLE
(He's upset and doesn't understand why James is so upset. He'll give James a few days to calm down.)

James sniffled and curled up in his bed, still shaking a bit as he shook his head. Ari didn't understand. He had his instincts to run and hide, and Ari had his instincts to hunt. But it was mean of him to expect Ari to understand. But it wasn't nice of Ari to say he did, at the same time.

He shook his head and pinned his ears as he heard Ari speak, and turned away from the front room, laying his head down gently. He sniffled and let his eyes close, unhappy that they were fighting. Again.

Why did he have to be like this?

Exit James to sleep.