[ P ] grim grinning ghosts

I'M AN ADDICT FOR DRAMATICS, I CONFUSE THE TWO FOR LOVE After the chaos of the ball, Ace had been so sure that there would be a revolt or something but all the events that followed were rather boring. Although, he feels very grateful to not have been stuck in any of the situations that led to imprisonment. Those crimes were certainly worse than him stealing some food and a ticket. They were ballsy though, he'll give them all that. With the change of the season came new rumors though. Something about the Fae Forest being haunted, but Ace isn't quick to believe things like that. He doesn't believe in the Fae as it is, but now there's ghosts? It's a little too far-fetched. But of course, as the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat. And so he steps into the woods with the glow of the full moon shining down above him. At first, he doesn't notice anything different. There's the same sounds of the breeze through the newly budding trees and the hooting of an owl somewhere farther away. It's not as cold as it had been with the winter frost, so he's rather comfortable as he walks through. He pays close attention to his peripherals for any movement, but so far doesn't see anything. They're wrong, he thinks. Figures. He finds himself feeling a little disappointed. But then he sees something fly past him and a chill creeps down his spine. There is no breeze, so how can he suddenly be colder? Still, he doesn't see or hear anything different. Weird… He tries to tell himself that he isn't afraid of these made up stories, but there's a little bit of fear starting to creep in, even if he won't admit it to himself. "Speaking."

{ Art by Aurru ; Table by Lauren } @Colburn

L

ike a stray cat Colburn had decided to follow Ace around, hiding in the shadows and watching him go about his business. It was his odd way of being affectionate. Wanting to be around him yet not making himself known. He wasn’t used to forming attachments so his behaviour was entirely strange and very creepy. The little thief didn’t understand why he was following Ace, but he figured it was a good opportunity to play a prank on him. Dark eyes glittered in the night as he scuttled closer, rump wiggling in a play bow before he sprang from the shadows and pounced on Ace. "Got yah!" he laughed, grinning like the fiendish gremlin that he was.

The mud that had previously slathered his body in thick clumps was mostly just small patches of dirt since the great bath war with the snowy girl. He was still a little grumpy with her that she’d managed to get him so clean and knew he had to work hard to cover himself in dirt again. Without it he felt his oddness was too exposed and that was dangerous. "Why’re we ‘ere?" he asked as if Ace had invited him along and he hadn’t been stalking him. He hadn’t been so far north before and he was surprised that Ace had taken them here. Maybe this was where Ace lived… if that was the case then knowing where to find him was a big bonus. To annoy him of course.

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

I'M AN ADDICT FOR DRAMATICS, I CONFUSE THE TWO FOR LOVE He had already been on edge just from the shift in the wind, but then something tackles him out of nowhere. Ace shrieks so loud, he probably just scared away any ghosts that might've been hiding. He's pummeled to the ground and almost starts to beg for mercy when he realizes just who it is. "You damn shithead!" he grumbles, shaking off all the dirt now in his fur. Maybe these woods aren't haunted by ghosts after all, just him. But despite how much of a pain in the ass he is, Ace appreciates having the thief as a friend. Although funny enough, he realizes now that he still doesn't know the fleabag's name after all this time. He won't give it to him. After giving him a death glare, his expression lightens and a slight grin paints across his face. "We? What makes you think I invited you here?" he asks with a brow raised. Clearly the boy had followed him here. For how long, he's not sure and maybe he should be a little concerned that he didn't pick up on it sooner. "I'm here to hunt for ghosts. Have you ever seen one before?" Part of him hopes he has so he can get a better idea of what he should be looking for. In the next breeze, he swears he hears a moaning sound. "Speaking."

{ Art by Aurru ; Table by Lauren } @Colburn

T

The shriek that his frightened friend made only encouraged Colburn. He gnashed his teeth together and growled playfully at the startled man, dark eyes glittering with mischief. It would be the closest the boy had come to finding a playmate although Ace wasn't always a willing participant in Colburn's pranks. He laughed with delight when Ace complained and insulted him. It was well worth hiding out and waiting for this moment to finally reveal himself. Whether Ace liked it or not he now had a partner in crime. The fact that he hadn't been invited didn't bother him one bit. Permission meant nothing to a thief. He lived a free life and made his own choices. "Didn' say I wasn't," he pointed out the flaw in Ace's logic even though it was impossible to predict his sudden appearance and ban him from tagging along. Not that he would have obeyed the no Colburns allowed rule.

Ghost hunting. The reason for his journey north was more exciting than Colburn could have predicted. He had a vague understanding of what spirits were and part of him wondered if they were connected to the fae. "Nah. Ain't seen a ghost," he admitted, looking around the forest with a renewed interest. He didn't know what he was looking for, but he would try anyway. A strange noise interrupted his paranormal investigation and he assumed it was Ace. "Shh. Tryin' to listen," he hushed Ace, not realising that it wasn't Ace that was moaning.

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck

I'M AN ADDICT FOR DRAMATICS, I CONFUSE THE TWO FOR LOVE The furball hasn't seen a ghost before either, so this could make for an interesting hunt. Ace still isn't sure what he should be looking for, but he figured it would be something out of the ordinary. Some have talked about them being balls of light, others whole outlines of the wolf who passed- just see-through. Did they have red eyes? No eyes? Glowy eyes? The boy tells Ace to hush and he looks at him with a furrowed brow. "I didn't make that sound… how do I know it wasn't you?" he asks, pointing a claw at him accusingly. It would fit the bum's profile of pranks after all. He'll have to keep a close eye on his friend. When the wind blows through again, Ace quickly glances at Colburn to see if the moaning sound is coming out of him, but it doesn't appear to be. "I think that's the ghost…" He feels a chill down his spine and is starting to get a little nervous, but he doesn't want to show it or else the teasing will continue. "Maybe it came from over there?" he suggests, pointing to a cluster of bushes in the woods that look suspicious just from the shadow formation. "How about you go take a look?" In the back of his mind, he wonders if it can be his turn to be the prankster. Colburn will have to fall for the trap first though. "Speaking."

{ Art by Aurru ; Table by Lauren } @Colburn

B

lack eyes narrowed into slits at the absurd accusation that he was capable of making such a weird noise. The thief was offended that Ace thought it sounded even remotely close to a noise he might make. He huffed and shook his head at Ace in response. ”You make weird noises. Not me,” he pointed out, and prodded his side with an earth covered paw as if it would make him produce a sound to prove his point.

If it wasn’t Ace, then who? Colburn glared into the darkness, ears straining to listen further for the sounds he’d heard. ”I think that’s the ghost.” Ace suggested and he cocked his head. It was possible. He didn’t know much about ghosts so it was possible that moaning was something they did. ”Let’s go say see,” Colburn urged him, more intrigued by the prospect of meeting a spirit than afraid of what that might mean. His friend pointed towards some bushes and Colburn crept closer, looking back over his shoulder to see if Ace was following. "How about you go take a look?" Ace volunteered Colburn for the job of ghost hunting and he flashed a grin. ”You ‘fraid? he teased, but did as he was asked and wandered over to the bushes.

art and code by Yahtzee-Penguiduck