pantheraleo | 2nd Roar [Voice/Action] More like a Whimper

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2nd Roar [Voice/Action] More like a Whimper

[Ever since his arrival to Luceti Simba has been plagued with occasional nightmares. However, lately they've been getting worse and more frequent. In House 45, some whimpering and moaning can be heard from where Simba usually sleeps on the floor. His legs twitch as if he's running in his dreams, and eventually wakes up screaming.]

NOOOOOOOO!

[He looks around in a panic, ears plastered against his head as he pants. Eventually he realizes where he has and starts to calm down. Using a paw to brush some tears away, his eyes then fall on his nearby journal. Needing someone to talk to, he pulls it over and opens it up. It's really early in the morning at this point and he's not sure if anyone will be awake but... he'll try anyway. He stammers a bit as he talks to the book.]

Is anyone there?

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[Nope. Definitely wasn't paying attention. But now she's just staring at the Journal.

It still sounds young. Maybe there's a chance of avoiding being eaten.]

I've... met a couple horses here. Who can talk. And now... a lion.

Wow.

[So going to get eaten. Every single person here is. She's sure of it.]

So. [Think fast. Think fast. New topic. Needed.] That why you're up? Nocturnal and used to hunting and all?

[Nevermind that there are giant wolves and dragons already around. Simba is hardly the biggest threat in Luceti, but still he's found that some people are afraid/nervous of him.]

No. I usually sleep at night. I can't hunt yet, and the lionesses usually do that anyway.

[There's a pause as he figures he should explain himself.]

I... had a bad dream.

[She can hear the sound, faint though. A minor hiccup in a night's rest. Still, she's silent until it passes, waiting to see if she can stay with the Journal or if she has to abandon it to reassure her housemate that she's still right there.

But she stays. All's well.

Well enough, anyway.

And she decides to go with honesty.]

Bad dream? I have lots of those.

[Simba's ears lift in interest. Someone else that has bad dreams? Maybe she can help him. He sounds hopeful.]

Really? So then what do you do?

[Sit awake all night and tell myself that if I can just make it to dawn, I'll be okay.]

I run.

Run?

[That sounds kind of weird, but...]

Does it help?

It's tiring.

You just... keep running. Until you're too tired to move. Then you don't think. You just fall asleep.

Do they come back? After you run, I mean.

Sometimes.

Usually not until the next night.

[He's quiet as he thinks about this. Maybe... maybe that's something he could try. It sounded tiring, but... if it helps.]

What do you dream about?

[He knows that's kinda a personal question, but if she doesn't want to say, she'll say so. Or that's what he thinks anyway.]

[It takes her a moment to answer.

There's no reason to lie to a muttation.]

The people I killed or helped kill. Dying.

[A mutation? He would take offense to that. ... If he knew what it meant.]

You killed your own kind?

[That's bad, but...]

My dad... he... he died because of me.

[So in a way maybe they weren't all that different?]

[...That sounds very, very different than the Games.

And from someone close to her dad, well.]

What happened?

He died trying to save me from the wildebeest. But I caused the stampede, so it's my fault.

[Even if it was an accident it was still... still his fault.]

[In Clove's world, an accidental kill is still a kill. So she won't argue there.]

Sounds pretty bad. Nightmares are definitely understandable.

[Well at least she understands. And Simba is glad for that much.]

Yeah. But maybe I'll try what you said.

[It can't hurt, right?]

It...

What really helps. And this is why I run.

[She pauses, thinking. Maybe this thing and she have a little in common.

Still sure it's going to try and maul her one day, though.]

I run because... when I wake up. When I've had a nightmare. That's all I want to do. Run.

So... When you wake up...

What do you want to do? What's your first reaction?

[He has to think about this a little bit. It's not pleasant thinking of what happens ever he's had a nightmare, but he manages.]

When I wake up I'm really scared. Sometimes I cry. But I guess... when I wake up I want to be close to someone else or talk. I guess that's why I used the journal.

[He's tried to sneak in bed with Rainbow Dash before after all.]

Then maybe that's what you should do. If it helps.

[A pause. A few false starts, and then--]

I'm not usually asleep.

[She hates this place. This isn't the constant struggle for survival like in the Arena. It's nightmares and having to live. Knowing she died. Her memory's been messed with twice. Three times, really.

It's making her weak. Inclined to talk to muttations. And kids. And... destroying everything she's supposed to be.]

My name's Clove.

Maybe you're right.

[Sometimes it does... although this is the first time he's ever been able to talk about it. But if one day none of that works, he might try the running thing. Who knows.]

I'm Simba.

Edited 2012-10-15 07:17 (UTC)

Simba.

That's an interesting name. I've never heard it before. ...I haven't heard a lot of names here before.

I've never heard yours before either, but I like it.

[It has a nice ring to it.]

[She actually smiles a little bit. Just for a moment.]

I... hope you get some sleep.

[Simba smiles too.]

Thanks. You too.

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2nd Roar [Voice/Action] More like a Whimper

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