Flower Festival Gardening

[fluo]

The Royal Rainbow Troupe was never going to miss an opportunity to perform. The whole tribe had spent the last few weeks preparing tirelessly; collecting the prettiest flowers they could find. Many of those flowers now ringed the 'stage'; a flat cleared area that had been pounded downs by heavy hooves to make it a suitable place to perform. Located in almost the exact middle of the festival, there was no way to miss the action.

The many Acha of the Royal Rainbow Troupe are giving out small posies to anyone who wanders close, tempting them into stopping to watch the variety of performers waiting for the spotlight. The space is only wide enough for one at a time and there seems to be some jostling as to who goes first, an issue that is soon sorted out when a doe covered in intricate markings prances forward to begin her dance.

She moves with a fluid ease; her gaze beckoning, her body shifting easily into positions a few moments ago you would have said were impossible.

The Tribe Leader stands nearby, his grin wide and proud. His voice occasionally booms out, welcoming everyone to share in his pleasure.

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OOC Note:
The Royal Rainbow Troupe is here for your entertainment! You are welcome to come, collect a little posie and watch the performances. They'll also happily except flower gifts from their admirers.

As always, any Acha is welcome to join the troupe. Just ask Watch Me or corner Prize and you’re in without question.

Non-Acha are also welcomed, but only as tribe followers and helpers. They are still not allowed to perform. 



original

[fluo]

Back with his tribe and back on safer grounds, Quiverstep slipped on his mask and busied himself by handing out posies to passerbys. (Mind you, only to the ones with two eyes.) From the corner of his eye, he watched Skindeep perform, still amazed at her acrobatics even after all this time. 

[fluo]

Hemlock was loathe to admit she felt uncomfortable around fellow achas, but with so many flashy colors, quick dance routines and over the top grand displays, she felt herself pulled in. And what's this? They gave away posies, more flowers for her rightful crown as Shadow Queen of the Swamp. It's not an official title yet. She was still "earning her stripes" and learning the land with her minions (loss passerbys and canines). Operation Swamp Domination was still in its beginning stages. She needed to amass an army first. She approached a fellow black acha with his own canine and little bug in tow. Vetch was looking pretty unceremonious next to her without his own flowers.

"Hey, give me one. I want it top and center on my crown."

[fluo]

"Ughm..." A strange sound escaped from Quiverstep's mouth. He darted his tongue over his lips and tried again, looking around desperately for some help. Watch Me? Prize?

The doe whom he faced wore a skull proudly upon her head. It was covered it flowers but it was still clearly a skull. And she had these poisonous looking drips... Quiverstep shivered and hoped she wasn't wearing an Acha's skull.

Oh no, now the Acha-slayer was demanding something. He zoned back in.
"I-I... w-what colour?" he managed to squeak.

[fluo]

Ahhhh, the acha had such a lovely voice! She almost swooned. It would be perfect with some songbirds. Yes, she needed songbirds but her canine kept on eating them. As if reading her thoughts, he looked up at her expectantly. She knew just how to answer.

"Little Nightingale, I'll take a purple one and Vetch here will have white for his pure heart." 

[fluo]

The nightingale nickname barely registered. Vetch? Who was Vetch?
Quiverstep looked where the other Acha was looking and almost baulked when he saw it. PURE HEART? He had been engrossed by the doe and her so called crown, but how on earth had he not seen the Devil's dog? OH WAIT -- MAYBE BECAUSE IT WAS SEE-THROUGH. SEE. THROUGH. And those sharp-looking teeth. A-and that tongue. Suddenly Quiverstep felt quite happy with his flying, orange nuisance.

Where were his tribe members? He stole another glance around but not wanting to keep the Slayer waiting, he bent down to clasp a purple bloom gently in his teeth. "H-hmere y-yoo go, m-miss," he managed, waiting for her to lower her head. Did he really have to do this?

[fluo]

Three kin were off to the sidelines while Skindeep performed. Each one doing something very different than the other two. While one pair of eyes were constantly on the contorting acha, the other two pairs were only occasionally sparing her a glance or two.

It was Thunder's eyes trained on Skindeep. A smile playing at her mouth as she watched. This act was her favorite out of all of them, and she wasn't going to miss a single second. Her best friend, and another one of the only kimeti in the tribe, was next to her. The light pale and red streaked body of Let Me Fall was twisting and knotting in much the same way Skindeep's was. "Don't let Mister Acha-Only catch you doing that," Thunder said with a hiss to her companion. The movement stopped and Fall was standing next to her again. "He doesn't care," Fall replied with her usual lisp, "he just doesn't want me doing it on stage."

Bring in the Night was three footsteps behind the sour kimeti and rolling her eyes at the whole scene. She was only nearby for a chance to leap to the stage and tell one of her newest story-songs to an appreciative audience. In the mean time, it never hurt to wander around and pass out posies with the rest of the troupe.

[fluo]

Hemlock and Quiverstep had been noticed. Or rather, Hemlock had been. Watch Me was staring at them from across the crowd of Acha and onlookers. He had put on his own his garish flower-covered bone mask and seemed to be trying to send feelings of kinship to the dark doe.

Skindeep finished her dance, bowing neatly to the audience before trotting off stage. Knowing full well there was still a pair of eyes on her; she stretched her lithe body and shot Thunder a playful glance.

"We need the next act." Prize, looking as peeved as she usually did, appeared at Bring in the Night's side. "You're up."

[fluo]

And just like that she was rightfully crowned. This acha was good at ceremony and pomp. "When I take over the Swamp, I will spare your life. You have impressed onto me that you will be an amazing bearer of crowns. " She winked and thumped her tail across his flank with camaraderie.

A newcomer had appeared and judging by deference given, he was one of the ringleaders. With a matching flowering skull, the bright kio came on really too strong. Sure, she knew she was a great beauty along with determination and intelligence, but sugar was hitting on her so unabashedly. She looked back except she's been told by others that her "Come hither!" stare was more of a cross-eyed leer. Self-awareness, Hemlock lacked it in spades. And with this kio's presence brought on a changing of acts. She wondered what the performance would be.

"I'm Hemlock" she announced to the kio and acha with many animals. Vetch huffed. "This is Vetch. He would like a baby pink posey." 

[fluo]

Take over? Spare... life? This girl was nuts.
The terrified Acha bowed his head at the other, jumping when she thumped her tail across his flank. Oh, bless Watch Me. He had come to save him!

With Watch Me's arrival, the Acha introduced herself as Hemlock. (Quiverstep didn't find it surprising at all that she was named after a poisonous plant.) And Vetch would like... OH. Quiverstep scrambled to choose the prettiest white and pink posies from his pile before presenting them to ghostly animal. He seemed to be in this doe's good books, and he wanted it to stay that way.

[fluo]

Since his staring at been noticed, Watch Me covered the space between himself and the startling lovely doe. If there was anything funny about the way she 'leered' back, he certainly didn't notice. He came to a stop proudly beside Quiverstep, looking over his shoulder once at Bring in the Night as she took the stage before focusing all of his attention back on the situation at hand.

"What a fantastic doggy." Watch Me declared, apparently unfazed by the creatures ghostly appearance. "My own Perfect Star is around here somewhere..." The Kiokote cast a quick look around, but his pudgy Sand Dog was nowhere to be seen. Probably stealing some food from somewhere.

"Hemlock, was it? I am Watch Me. Leader of The Royal Rainbow Troupe." He waited for her to look suitably impressed.

[fluo]

Hemlock pranced a jaunty little tune. She was pickled pink as was Vetch. They just looked so dashing with their new blooms. All in all, a fitting attire.

"Thank you." She wasn't without manners.

Very impressed, she looked at her would-be compatriot. It was only a matter of time before he joined her ranks. And what fun! He bought with him a flurry of likeminded achas. And he graced them with a compliment. Vetch was very pleased. So pleased that he was licking his balls on sight. How dreamy this all was!

"How lovely," she commented honestly. "I think I will just sit down and watch my potential tribe-mates now. This is a bright and energetic army befitting of my great stature." Since they were all on the same side now, she felt it would be kind of her to let them in on her grand master plan. "For swamp domination, my new best friends!" She toasted them with a flick of her beautiful crown and set her eyes on the stage. Showtime. 

[fluo]

Swamp domination. She really was messed up in the head.
As the crazy one -- Hemlock, it seemed -- turned to enjoy the show, he muttered something about having to get back to work, and with a quick bow, he was gone.