"You two!" came a voice from the trees.
"What do you mean, 'we'?" Ivy blinked, pointing at herself.
The leaves rustled as the echo faded, leaving a tense hush.
Ivy's ears twitched; she glanced toward the shadows, uncertain who, or what, had spoken.
"It's me! the one you ignored!" the voice barked, frustration crackling in each word.
Ivy's ears perked up, her eyes widening as she grew cautious.
"You'll regret ignoring me!" the voice roared from the darkness, trembling with anger.
"Grizzler, hurry!" Ivy's voice cracked as her hooves pressed against his back.
Grizzler turned, eyes wide, scanning the shadows as Ivy pushed harder.
Then he sighed. "You've got to be kidding me…" He muttered, rubbing his forehead.
Cougar stumbled out from behind the tree, legs quivering with every step.
"You kicked us off that mountain! Well… mostly Grizzler, and you tried to eat me!" Ivy froze mid-push, her hooves hovering uncertainly against his back.
"Y-yes!" Grizzler said as realization struck him.
"Bad lion, bad lion," Ivy teased, her tone dripping with mockery.
"No!!" Cougar shouted.
"It's Cougar!" he barked.
Ivy tilted her head, clearly enjoying how flustered he was.
Grizzler went quiet; the light in his eyes dimmed as he stared at his claws.
His voice dropped, low and steady. "What do you want from us?"
Even Ivy's smirk faltered; she glanced at Grizzler, concern flickering in her eyes.
"I just wanted you guys to follow me, since, you know, I am a famous lion."
"Can't you just admit you want to be our friend?" Ivy snorted, hoof half-covering her grin.
Cougar froze, his ears flattening.
"W-what? No! That's not what I meant!" he stammered, his tail flicking nervously.
He coughed, trying to bury his embarrassment beneath a thin act of composure.
Should I tell them? Cougar thought.
About the mountain… No, that'll only make things worse. They won't trust me.
I'll tell them later, he decided, forcing a smile.
Cougar nodded, convincing himself.
"Hey! Why are you smiling?" Ivy asked.
Cougar blinked, caught off guard by her tone.
"Nothing," he said quickly, though the corners of his smile trembled.
"You're not coming with us, lion," Grizzler muttered. Each word seemed to hurt as it left his mouth.
Cougar's ears drooped. For a heartbeat, the forest felt colder.
He opened his mouth to argue, but no words came.
"Sorry," Grizzler said quietly. "I just can't trust predators anymore." He stepped forward, his steps slow and deliberate.
Cougar's tail twitched, his gaze dropping to the dirt.
"Come on, Griz! You're a predator too!" Ivy teased, her laughter cutting through the gloom.
Ivy's laughter faltered when she saw his expression.
"Oh," she murmured, realizing she might've touched a nerve.
"It's different," Grizzler said, his voice losing its edge.
"I've lost the courage to return to that mountain… and I've got nowhere else to go," Cougar muttered, swallowing hard.
Mountain lions… always end up alone, huh? His laugh was soft, but it carried more pain than humor.
Neither of them answered. Only the wind stirred, scattering his voice like dust.
"At least let me tell you this!" Cougar's voice cracked, but the forest swallowed it whole. Their silhouettes had already vanished between the trees.
Cougar stood there for a while, staring into the trees.
Then he turned and walked the other way.
"Guess that's my answer, huh?" he whispered, his voice barely carried by the wind.
"No, it isn't," a voice called from the other side of the forest.
"Wh—who's there?" Cougar asked, concern in his eyes.
A leopard stepped out from between the trees.
"Let's have some fun, mountain lion," the leopard said, his grin sharp as glass.