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"Ah, The lion in the botanical garden?"
The boys around the table looked at him with wide eyes.
"Lion? There is a lion in NRC?"
Silver nodded, "It has been here longer than us I think."
Silver had come to the library to work on a group project with Kalim, Jamil and Riddle. Unfortunately, he had fallen asleep just a few minutes after they began and only woke up just now.
"You mean the thing scaring students out of the garden…was a lion?" Riddle inquired, looking bewildered. Silver tilted his head, He didn't know anything about students being scared out of the Botanical Garden.
"Scare? The Lion is quite civil i believe. I find it hard to believe that it would scare off other students."
"You sound quite familiar with it." Silver glanced towards Jamil, who was sitting beside Kalim. He thought for a few seconds before replying.
"i suppose He is my 'napping buddy' ,as my father puts it."
"Your what?!"
-
The first time Silver silver met the Botanical Garden's lion, he had just been admitted to NRC. He had wandered into the garden while looking around the school grounds and could not help but fall asleep under one of the trees.
The Botanical Garden really was a great place to take a nap. It was hardly visited by people and the trees provided ample shade from the sun. So when he woke up and realized that the sun was about to go down, he wasn't that much surprised.
He was surprised, however, to find a large animal hovering over him, emerald green eyes digging holes into his face.
Silver blinked slowly. The grass tickled the nape of his neck, as if clarifying that he wasn't dreaming still. The boy felt slightly confused. He wasn't aware that NRC raised wild animals.
As his vision cleared, Silver could make out the features of the animal clearly. The light falling from above them casted a shadow on the animal to the point it was difficult to clearly distinguish the actual colour of the skin and mane. But the shadow could not hide the glowing eyes that reminded him of the greenery that surrounded the small cottage he had lived in his entire life. The animal even had a scar over one of them.
The animal opened its mouth, flashing sharp canine at Silver. A low but threatening growl echoed in Silver's ears.
From his experience with animals, both wild and tame, Silver realized that he was likely intruding on the it's territory, which explained the less than friendly stare.
Silver knew he should get up and leave. Perhaps even apologize for being an uninvited guest. However, the Botanical Garden was really a good place to nap and Silver felt his eyelids getting heavier again.
Silver raised his arms, fingers snaking through the unruly mane. The animal, Lion, Silver realized just now, flinched back. But before it could escape from him or bare its teeth at him, Silver grabbed it and rolled on his side.
So warm and fluffy.
Silver let his eyelids shut close, holding the animal close to his body. His head practically buried in his mane.
-
After that incident, Silver often found himself wandering into the Botanical Garden during his free time. The first few times, he couldn't find the animal and almost thought he had dreamt that whole incident.
On his fourth visit, Silver finally stumbled across the lion again.
It was laying beneath the tree Silver usually naps under, basking under the shade. Unruly brunette mane, yellowish brown skin and eyes that were closed. There was a thin scar on it's left eye, starting from above the eye and ending at the cheek. Given how still it was, it was probably also napping.
Silver walked up to the sleeping animal and sat at a distant. Close enough to still be shaded by the tree but far enough to not disturb it.
Growing up in the middle of a forest, Silver had seen all kinds of animals. Birds, rabbits, cats, panthers, bears and lions as well. However He instantly knew this one was unlike any he had met before.
Animals felt a pull towards him, as father puts it. He never had trouble befriending even bears as a child. However it was clear that this lion exuded a threatening aura towards Silver. It was a particularly territorial one from the looks of it.
Silver calmly gazed at the Lion's face. The scar made it look even more intimidating. Silver could not help but wonder where it had gotten that scar from.
Silver thought for a few seconds. Could it be a beastman? However he had heard that beastmen usually did not transform into their beast form in front of others, especially not strangers. And this was the Botanical Garden of NRC, which was open to all student and staff. It was hardly believable that a beastman would not only return to their natural form here but also nap away without any care.
The boy blinked, feeling sleepiness creep up to him. Looking at the dozing lion, Silver felt the urge to take a nap as well.
Thus, for the second time, Silver fell asleep in the presence of a not so friendly wild animal.
(If he ended up moving closer to the animal in his sleep…well he would be lucky to escape with only some bites on his body.)
-
On his third meeting with the animal, Silver was finally able to introduce himself.
"I'm Silver." He introduced himself and sat opposite to the glaring lion. It looked to be in a bad mood. Had Silver disturbed his sleep?
"Sorry if I'm disturbing you." he apologized just in case and leaned on the tree trunk. The lion let out a growl, emerald eyes following Silver like a prey.
"Do you live here? I didn't know NRC raised animals too."
The Lion roared loudly in reply. Silver took it as a 'yes'.
"it's a great place for a nap. I can't help but doze off when I'm here."
This time, the lion seemed to be saying "I know." . Silver smiled.
"Thank you for allowing me into your territory. I'll make sure to not ruin anything."
The Lion's face furrowed and it's forehead creased. If it was a human, irritation would be blatantly visible on it's face.
Silver talked with the animal for a few minutes. Eventually, he felt his eyelids growing heavier by the second. Eventually falling asleep mid conversation.
(and if he woke up to the lion laying beside him, he simply closes his eyes again and snuggles in even closer)
-
"I'm telling ya', he ain't here! Leona would never let another, let alone someone from Diasomnia nap in his spot." Ruggie threw his hand up as he, Jamil, Kalim and Riddle entered the Botanical Garden. Riddle and Jamil ignored him, only Kalim paid him any attention.
"But where else could Silver be? it's been nearly two hours since he went to get some plants." Kalim said, looking worried. Ruggie scoffed, he simply couldn't understand why Kalim was so worried. it wasn't like Silver was a child who didn't know how to protect himself against danger, no matter how oblivious he was.
However…
Ruggie looked around himself, If he had come across Leona then…
"Ouch! Why did you stop man?!" Ruggie winced as he bumped into Riddle's back. he was about to say something until he noticed that neither Jamil or Kalim were walking either. The three of them were frozen like a statue and looking up ahead.
Ruggie scratched his head and moved Kalim so he could see whatever had shocked them still, "What are you three gawking a…aough!"
Ruggie slammed a hand over his mouth,His ears twitched as his eyes became twice their size.
Silver was laying under the shade of a tree, eyes shut close. Ruggie could hear his heartbeat so it was clear he was just sleeping. having actually dozed off. He looked very peaceful. The only issue? He was leaning on a lion.
on a fucking lion.
on the fucking Housewarden of Savanaclaw.
Ruggie didn't know what shocked him the most. The fact that Leona was in his beast form, the fact that Silver was laying on him, or the fact that Leona's scent was all over Silver.
The hyena almost let out a whimper when the Lion opened one of his eyes and looked straight at him, not a hint of bother on his face.
"T..There is an actual Lion in the Botanical Garden! So Silver's napping buddy really was a lion!"
Ruggie snapped his head towards the Scarabia Housewarden, eyes about to leave his sockets.
"What?" He hissed.
"Oh yeah, you weren't there that day. Silver told us about his sleeping buddy at the Botanical Garden. Can't believe it was actually a lion." Kalim kindly offered Ruggie an explanation though the latter didn't grateful at all.
Oh sevens, no wonder Ruggie could sometimes catch Leona's smell when he was around Silver.
"Shouldn't we like…go and get him?"
"No!" Ruggie and Jamil hissed out together, Riddle looked at Kalim with a hint of ridicule in his eyes.
"He will be just fine. In fact, its us who won't be fine if we don't get the hell out." Ruggie could still feel his Housewarden's lazy gaze on them. No way he was going to stay here for another second.
"Are you sure..?"
"I agree with him. We should leave. He looks fine anyways." Jamil said, looking uncomfortable. Riddle offered a hesitant nod as well. Kalim was the only one who hadn't realized who the lion was.
And if Ruggie's guess was correct, neither did Silver.
Facepalm damn Bridget.
"Stay if you want, I'm leaving!"
Ruggie turned and practically ran out the Botanical garden, followed by a bewildered Riddle and Jamil who was dragging Kalim alongside him.
Safe to say, they didn't get the plants needed for their project.