Animals In All Forms (Open)

[Ronno]

Oh boy! There’s nothing with a pet! Besides, a firestick’s a torch. What you’re is describing is a gun. And it’s obvious Moana here doesn’t have either. Just use your nose!

Ronno flattened his ears. “Of course, a pet would think that. And you can’t smell a firestick, stupid.” he snapped at the dog.

I mean, I never said I was a bear. I’m a shapeshifting demigod. I could be any animal I wanted to.

Well, Ronno did not like that bit, especially since Maui was so much heavier than him. Still, Maui didn’t return the challenge and that was a good sign— surely it meant Maui was too scared to accept the challenge, hah! Ronno scoffed, “So? Again, that’s no different than the rest of these Men pretending to be animals,” he smugly told Maui, completely oblivious of the fact that Maui’s shapeshifting was decidedly better than the best costume.

Of course, Maui’s delight in eating meat— that was enough to silence the frightened deer.

“Oh, no, I’m no pet,” he said, shaking in fear as he backed away from the deer using his feet and the palms of his hands. “I just live differently. And I believe her when she said she doesn’t have a firestick, or a gun, or whatever. She doesn’t have one on her.”

Especially given the unpleasant reveal Maui’s dangerous carnivorous tendencies, it was rather satisfying to see this bear back away in fear. “Just live differently,” repeated Ronno in the same mocking tone he used when Gobo had thought Man was his friend. Just look at how that turned out. “Sure, if that’s what you want to call it, pet.”

I am the daughter of the Chief, I don't lie about such things

Ronno’s hackles bristled in frustration. “Oh, and of course your lineage mean that you never lie, right, Princess?” Hopefully he managed to mask his true feelings of bitter envy: even this human got to be royalty, while he didn’t!

Fire-stick aside, I promise you I mean you no harm

Ronno snorted. “For what’s it worth, I guess,” he shrugged.

I don’t talk about my parents. I have no parents. I have no brothers, and no sisters. It’s just me

Ronno smirked: an orphan! Hah, just like Bambi! (Granted, Ronno himself had lost his sire before he was born— but he had his dame! That made Bambi more of an orphan than him, and Maui even worse— at least, in Ronno’s mind it did).

No brothers, no sisters, you know, that sounds pretty lonely if you ask me

Ronno whirled and stared at the interloper, Some kind of Artiodactyl, looked like a Pecora, the same suborder he was in— but that was as fair as he could get. (Never had he seen or scented a sheep before— the Game Warden’s farm kept a few milk cows, chickens, donkeys and horses, nothing else). Ronno stared at the she-creature: looked like she was one of those weirdos who liked to wear clothes like a Men. “Really? You’re rather large to have not been a singleton,” replied Ronno. (For both fawns and lambs who are born without twins or triplets tend to be larger).

And I'm, well, still getting to grips with this place

“Well, let us know when you figure it out,” replied Ronno drily, turning back to the Moana as she tried to explain the situation to the newcomer.

[Bolt]

Just like Robin Hood. I hope he’s nearby, right now

“I mean, of course I don’t know Robin Hood, so I can’t compare… Why do you ask some of the People for Nick? explained Bolt.

I don’t care if she does have tapeworms. She needs to eat more meat. Then again, since she doesn’t, that means there’s more for me

Well, Bolt had to agree with that— the only thing tastier than a hot dog was peanut butter!

Kid

Bolt twisted his head to one side; did Maui mean him?

I don’t talk about my parents. I have no parents. I have no brothers, and no sisters. It’s just me

Bolt gave a sad whine. “That’s terrible! You poor thing.” The American white shepherd mix thought for a second before saying: “My girl’s Dad is gone too. And of course I haven’t seen my sire or dame since I was eight weeks old. I did get to see my brother Maverick last summer, but that was…yeah, not under the best circumstances.”

The dog growled the instant Moana frowned at Ronno. How dare the buck offend the nice girl! Moana seemed to understand the dog and how much he missed Penny, something even Mittens had struggled with. That deer should be ashamed.

Almost on cue, Pua glanced over in interest as if he would challenge this statement and put Moana in that place, if he could, but he couldn't so went back to just watching the goings on.

Oopsy, well, now it was Bolt’s turn to be ashamed: no animal like hearing that their person wasn’t the best girl in the world. The dog should have been more tactful.

Well what does she look like, and I'll make sure to tell you if I see her!

Bolt pranced. “Well I— I don’t see colors very well, but she’s got red hair, brown eyes, the sweetest smile, and the nicest scent, kind of like blue jeans and horses.”

No brothers, no sisters, you know, that sounds pretty lonely if you ask me

Bolt turned with a bark at the interruption, teeth bared and hackles raising until he located the voice.

Sheep!

While his cattle dog side focused mostly on cattle, Bolt’s German Shepherd lines (the ancestor of the American white shepherd) had for centuries earned its keep herding sheep. It was all Bolt could do to not run around and herd her into a corner, even though she was one of those funny critters who liked to walk on their back feet and leave clothes. Bolt met the sheep’s eyes with a steady stare that would make any border collie proud.

[Maui]

A sheep--dull creatures, so inactive, and not the best to eat because of all that wool--approached, offering her opinion on his family matters. It was making Maui a bit angry. What didn't these people understand about him not wanting to talk about it?! And with Ronno acting as high and mighty as he was, it made Maui want to transform back, and lock antlers with the runt. Maybe teach him a lesson.

Being fawned on helped cool his temper. It was nice to be adored. And the people in the parks were always ready to idolize him.

Still, Ronno was yapping again, sounding more and more angry. "Hey, she's not a princess." It was something of an inside joke between him and Moana, and Maui didn't appreciate anyone treading on his territory. Besides, he had a feeling Moana was going to say the same thing, and it was better coming from him, more intimidating. Ronno needed to be knocked down a peg or four.

Bolt felt... bad? For Maui? He even whined about it. Maui squatted down next to Bolt and reached a hand out, poised to pat Bolt's head and scratch behind his ears. "It's your friends who are important, kid." Pup. "Good friends make all the family you need." It was weird to admit it. And he still wouldn't make the connection that he and Moana were like siblings. But he felt like he could give the advice to Bolt. "I know a little girl who calls everyone her family. Every friend she makes becomes another cousin." Maybe that would make the dog feel better.

At Bolt's confession of not seeing colors well, Maui interrupted. "That's true. Dog eyes are terrible with colors."

[Little John]

Little John was feeling very disturbed by the fact that he and the others with him in the area were trapped in the park with no way to go back to where they came from. After knowing this, though, he came to realize that he must make the best of his stay in the park; part of that involved getting along with those he met and working with them. However, he found it difficult to get along with Ronno due to the way the deer was being towards him. Feeling irritated by this, the bear turned away from the deer, roughly shaking his head, and turned back to Bolt.

“Sure,” the bear said, nodding his head. “I’ll go and ask people for Nick.”

Little John then thought that the best person to start with in asking for Nick Wilde would be the sheep.

[Moana]

Maui trying to defend how he’d never said he actually was a bear seemed to make little difference to Ronno, though Moana could have told him she didn’t think it would, the deer was just determined to dislike them.

Not a fair view, Moana told herself, and for a Chief.

Pua was starting to not like his insinuations on Pets either, but it was the deer’s rude remark to Moana personally that really made him give a defensive sort of snort.

“Oh, and of course your lineage mean that you never lie, right, Princess?”

Moana gave him the sort of look Maui used to always have coming his way, though he still pushed it, but in fond teasing now as opposed to trying to get to her. She was about to explain how it wasn't the same, when Maui did such for her! Moana glanced to him, a bit stunned then gave a grateful smile.

"And...", as she turned back to the deer, Moana sighed, torn between not answering his other question on lying, because she didn't really owe him an explanation, but also realizing that wasn't really the right response either, to let his insinuations sit. "...I try for honesty", she ended on.

What Bolt said on his girl, Penny's, parents being gone, or her dad at least, distracted Moana from her annoyance with Ronno. She, thankfully, didn't know what that was like, but she knew what it was to lose family. His description of Penny was so sweet and made Moana smile again after giving a sympathetic look.

She nodded, able to translate much of what he said. She'd since learned what horses were, though still had no experience with them (water or otherwise) and blue jeans were what everyone around here seemed to like to wear best. So Penny would probably look like any other girl of the place if she saw her, except...not like those who visited. Not as hard as it seemed, and she had a name to ask after.

Maui's words on friends making up for loss of siblings helped Moana see it was probably an oversight on her part and Maui just didn't connect the dots the same way she did that she was like a surrogate sibling for him. "Exactly", she smiled again, though she wasn't bothered by being an only child...and had a family. Even more of one with Lilo's inclusive nature, as he explained to Bolt.

[Ronno]

Ronno shifted his weight and stomped a foot. While he was proud he had put that Maui in his place, it wasn’t terribly safe either.

Pua was starting to not like his insinuations on Pets either, but it was the deer’s rude remark to Moana personally that really made him give a defensive sort of snort.

The Artiodactyl returned his challenge! Ronno pawed the ground and swept his antlers: he hoped the brute wasn’t stupid enough to not back down. “I’d think again before challenging me again, runt. It’d be fawn’s play to land a tine in your eye or side… Besides, surely you realize that unless you’re a dog or a cat (even then, I’d watch my back), men only raise you until you’re big enough to eat? Men pretend to be your friend, get you nice and fat, get rid of your caution…then bang!” Ronno stared at the bear. “That’s what happens to pets.”

Hey, she's not a princess

“Weren’t you listening? She just said she was the daughter of a chief— that’s a human leader, isn’t it?” replied Ronno, more confused than mocking (for the most part). “Oho, wait, is she a queen like a wapiti or an empress like a moose?” Ronno guessed it made sense: humans weren’t much bigger than whitetails, but they were fierce enough to clean the better title.

And... I try for honesty

Ronno scoffed. “That’s what Gobo, my love’s brother, thought. Thought that until he got a firebolt in the chest!”

It's your friends who are important, kid. Good friends make all the family you need. I know a little girl who calls everyone her family. Every friend she makes becomes another cousin.

Reluctantly, Ronno had to agree: his alliance with Amaritudo the red fox and Tiberius the Trigg hound had been most beneficial. Ferox, Karus and the rest of his siblings, though he loved them, weren’t half that helpful. Then there was Nero, that wolf-dog friend of Tiberius Amaritudo was supposed to introduce Ronno too.

But he couldn’t let Maui know he was right! So he settled for just snorting, “That’s just something orphans say so they’re not sad all the time.”

That's true. Dog eyes are terrible with colors.

“Whitetails have more rods than cones too: I’d say it’s more important to see a hunter in the night than a purty flower, myself,” said Ronno drily, unable to resist a smirk. “But I can see all the colors that matter!”

I’ll go and ask people for Nick

“Just breathe wrong,” snapped Ronno. “That’s all it takes for him to find you."

[Little John]

Little John didn’t know how to react to how Ronno was interacting with the others in the attraction, but he did know that the deer was irritating him with his use of the word “pets”.

“Well, I can’t speak for everyone out here,” the bear said, “but I can say that something like that has never happened to me. I never even saw or heard of a human until just a couple of minutes ago.”

He turned away from the deer and started walking away from him. But then, after taking five steps, he stopped and looked back at the deer to say one more thing to him.

“And don’t call animals you don’t know ‘pets’ anymore,” he said. “It’s really annoying.”

Little John then turned away again and walked off, hoping to find something else of interest that would hopefully get his mind off Ronno.

[Ronno]

“Well, I can’t speak for everyone out here but I can say that something like that has never happened to me. I never even saw or heard of a human until just a couple of minutes ago.”

“Well, lucky you. I guess you really lived a sheltered life, huh?" sneered Ronno.

He turned away from the deer and started walking away from him. But then, after taking five steps, he stopped and looked back at the deer to say one more thing to him.

Ha ha! Ronno had scared the bear off! Chased him away! That jagger Bambi— he could never do that!


What a courageous buck Ronno was! Just wait until Faline heard about this: then, then surely she’d realize what a mistake she had made!


Why, she might even return to him!


What a lucky break it was, for Ronno to run into and thoroughly intimidate this monstrous bruin!


Oh wait, the bear wasn’t done talking.

And don’t call animals you don’t know ‘pets’ anymore. It’s really annoying

“Not as annoying as a pet who doesn’t realize it,” jeered Ronno. “When you’re a bear burger on some Man’s plate, don’t come running to me!” (Ronno wasn’t sure what a burger was, but Tiberius had mentioned it, and it sure sounded bad).


Much to his own surprise, he really did feel sorry for the bear. Ah well, he’d done his best to warn him.


With his head tossed in the air, Ronno prepared to prance off: all the better to leave now, while he was still undefeated.


OOC: Ronno’s not out of earshot yet, in case anyone wants to reply to the oh-so-charming guy.

[Little John]

Little John stopped in his tracks after hearing the last thing that Ronno said to him. That didn’t really sound good at all, so he turned back and headed back to the deer.

“Okay, here’s the thing,” the bear said, now a slightly bit more annoyed at the deer’s comments about him. “I lived in Nottingham for a lot of my life. There were never any humans there. When I was growing up, I helped my mother with chores in and out of the cottage we lived in. I ran errands for her. I took all the responsibilities at home when I got older and she got sick. And things became more difficult for me ever since she died. I had to all the housework all by myself, I tried to make money cooking food for families in need and ended up getting little to nothing from it, I even had to deal with a prince taxing me and everyone else harshly and a sheriff coming at my door to tell me that I’d be sent to jail if I didn’t have all my taxes paid in time. So, I ran off into Sherwood Forest and lived with Robin Hood there. I fought enemies with quarterstaffs and a bow and arrows, and I went with Robin on adventures that involve taking from the rich and giving to the poor.”

Little John let out a huff and hoped that everything he was saying to Ronno would sink in.

“I was able to live my life without any humans in it,” he continued, “so you better think twice before you throw the word ‘pet’ around at someone like me.”

[Bolt]

Bolt remained focused on the sheep, barely twitching one ear to hear Maui’s speech.

It's your friends who are important, kid." Pup. "Good friends make all the family you need." It was weird to admit it. And he still wouldn't make the connection that he and Moana were like siblings. But he felt like he could give the advice to Bolt. "I know a little girl who calls everyone her family. Every friend she makes becomes another cousin.

“Well… I can’t say that I agree with that… I mean, not every stranger is your friend— a lot of them are up to no good,” said Bolt softly— stickler for accuracy that he was, even he could tell from his voice that Maui meant well. “A good friend is a family: part of a pack. And a family is a friend. Why,” the dog gave barking chuckle. “My sister is a domestic shorthair and my brother’s a golden hamster!”

Besides, surely you realize that unless you’re a dog or a cat (even then, I’d watch my back), men only raise you until you’re big enough to eat? Men pretend to be your friend, get you nice and fat, get rid of your caution…then bang!” Ronno stared at the bear. “That’s what happens to pets.”

Oy. Bolt groaned and rolled his eyes. “Ronno, stop talking nonsense. People don’t eat animals, that’s ridiculous! They get food from the store or restaurant!”

”That's true. Dog eyes are terrible with colors.”

“Nope, most animals can’t,” agreed the dog, still not looking away.

“Not as annoying as a pet who doesn’t realize it,” jeered Ronno. “When you’re a bear burger on some Man’s plate, don’t come running to me!”

“I was able to live my life without any humans in it, “so you better think twice before you throw the word ‘pet’ around at someone like me.”

Normally, Bolt would ignore the virulent anti-pet propaganda— it was none of his concern if an animal was dumb to think that.

But Little John seemed to be agreeing with Ronno: that it was somehow bad to be a pet!

And a bear who thought that was much worse than a deer. (Oh, deer could be killers, but usually when treated like a pet or struck with a car. A bear, no a bear could chase people. Chase them, and eat them!)

Bolt snarled and swung his head to Ronno and Little John, breaking eye contact with his herding quarry for the first and last time in his life. “Hey! There’s nothing wrong with being a pet! If you were Beasts of the Hearth instead of Beasts of the Fields…Beasts of the Forests, you would realize that! Even the Beasts of the Pastures know that!”

“I’m a pet— and I wouldn’t live without my people for....for all the peanut butter and chicken in the world!”

[Moana]

To his shame, Pua did skitter back, behind Moana, as Ronno lowered his antlers in challenge. But then the little pig just stood no chance against a deer! Moana frowned, and especially at his words as he went on, as she turned and scooped Pua up. "Well if defenseless little pigs are all you fight!".

Truthfully, Ronno's words made Moana uncomfortable, since she didn't have a good rebuttal. The villagers did eat pork, and there had been that time she'd commented about such in Pua's hearing...

But she'd never eat Pua! Though she knew trying to explain that he was different because she had decided so wasn't likely to go over well with Ronno.

Bolt was very on guard himself, but at least not rudely so, and given that dogs often guarded, she supposed it made sense.

“Ronno, stop talking nonsense. People don’t eat animals, that’s ridiculous! They get food from the store or restaurant!”

Moana just smiled, almost guiltily again. Well, she wasn't going to correct the sweet dog...

“Oho, wait, is she a queen like a wapiti or an empress like a moose?”

He seemed genuinely confused, and not mocking, so, prior argument aside, Moana sighed and answered. "No...it's...similar, sure, but...when people say princess they mean someone who...let's people do things for them and...needs a prince to save them. I saved my island all on my own...with Maui's help", she quickly added, giving him a smile that was both amused and apologetic.

He had helped, and she was still grateful.

Little John left, and Moana didn't feel she could blame him. If it didn't look like backing down, and wouldn't leave Maui and Bolt dealing with the rude stage alone, she would have done so by now as well. Plus the deer looked like he was going to leave on his own anyway, and despite what he thought of such, Moana would count that a win for them, since they had not backed down.

“I’m a pet— and I wouldn’t live without my people for....for all the peanut butter and chicken in the world!”

Pua gave a back up oink to this statement! Yeah! People could be the best! Like Bolt's Penny and Moana!

[Little John]

Little John looked over to Bolt, now under the belief that the dog had gotten crazy judging by what he was saying and thinking right there. The entire discussion that the bear had with Ronno was a disagreement, and there was nothing that showed that he was agreeing with the deer on anything he said.

“Now, don’t take this the wrong way,” he said to Bolt. “I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with being a pet. I’m just telling Ol’ Grumpy Buck over here...”

The bear gestured to Ronno as he referred to the deer by that nickname.

“...that the word ‘pet’ doesn’t apply to me. He doesn’t seem to know the difference between a pet and an animal who lives their entire life exactly the way a human does.”

[Ronno]

Well if defenseless little pigs are all you fight!"

“Well then maybe your defenseless little pig shouldn’t pick fights he can’t win,” sneered Ronno (a pig, she called the creature— looked nothing like a whistle-pig to him, but at least it was something) to call the spotted Artiodactyl. “And please! I’ve been fighting bucks since my antlers first came in, some of them early big as a moose! I’ve had 210 fights— fights, not sparring— and I’ve won 209 of them. And all but one of those battles was against bucks my size or larger; do you know how hard it is to find bucks larger than me?!”

(Of course, he had thrashed, not to mention chased, countless bucks smaller and younger than him, but he counted those as ‘friendly sparring.’ And really, given his size, it really wasn’t easy to find bucks larger than him anyway.

No, of the true battles, only one was with a buck who wasn’t at least his size: that last battle, with Bambi. Alas, that, the only battle that mattered— that was the only fight he lost).

He seemed genuinely confused, and not mocking, so, prior argument aside, Moana sighed and answered. "No...it's...similar, sure, but...when people say princess they mean someone who...let's people do things for them and...needs a prince to save them. I saved my island all on my own...with Maui's help", she quickly added, giving him a smile that was both amused and apologetic.

This…didn’t make much sense. “What are you talking about? Among cervids the doe or hind can and does take care of everything: she easily fends for herself and the fawns without needing anything. A buck or stag’s sole purpose is to guard the herd, to watch for danger and give his life protecting her. That’s…that’s why the buck or stag is disposable. The herd can loose us, the herd cannot function without the does… It’s a pleasant thought, that even I’m was worthless compared to a doe, but it was true: to loose a buck was unfortunate but irrelevant, but to loose a doe was a tragedy that effected the entire herd). A buck who doesn’t do everything he can to care for and lighten the doe’s burden doesn’t his antlers!”

Pua gave a back up oink to this statement

Ronno jumped at the sound, staring at the animal with hackles bristled. What kind of noise was that?!

Ronno listened without much interest to the cinnamon bear, waiting impatiently for him to stop talking.

“Oh, is that so? Luckily you, living where humans haven’t conquered yet. I was born wild, I’ve been dodging Man since I was a fawn. My sire died before I was born, but the Great Prince of the Forest raised me like one of his own. My dame was able to raise me healthy and strong, as she had all of my brothers and sisters before me. I can feed myself on the forest alone. I can eat poisonous plants and thrive. I know what on the forest can hurt you and what can heal you. I’ve tamed Trigg hounds that would as soon tear your nose-leather off as look at you. I’ve teamed up with a fierce one-eyed fox to further my plans. Had I not been dragged to this wretched place, I would now be siccing a wolf-dog on the robber who stole my love. I can thrash my weight in wildcats. My hooves and antlers are all I need: I do not need tools like a man to defend myself. I have never run from any danger!” jeered Ronno, tossing his antlered head.

(Granted, the Great Prince raised all sireless fawns— that was his job as herd-leader; every free-ranging wild whitetail could thrive even on poisonous plants— that was why it was so difficult to develop captive feed for them; those same Trigg hounds were already tamed to their master and desperate for a forest creature who wouldn’t run from them; while Amaritudo has half-blind, he still had that eye—which had been damaged by a great blue heron, not exactly a terrible battle; and Nero, the wolf-dog, was torn between his boredom and obedience to his humans making him easily manipulated. Still, Ronno saw no reason to tell the group any of those mitigating factors).

“And, unless I’m currently speaking to a ghost, you haven’t lived your whole life without humans— not anymore. Best start watching your back, pet— you’re at man’s mercy now! Tiberius says that men like bear… They say bear tastes like pork…*” (Ronno didn’t know what ‘pork’ was-- but why let that on and ruin such a beautiful putdown?)

Hey! There’s nothing wrong with being a pet! If you were Beasts of the Hearth instead of Beasts of the Fields…Beasts of the Forests, you would realize that! Even the Beasts of the Pastures know that!”

“I’m a pet— and I wouldn’t live without my people for....for all the peanut butter and chicken in the world!”

“Oh, not for a dog,” drily said Ronno. “But see, Beast of the Hearth, I was born wild. I’ve seen what happens to deer who live as pets, seen it with my own eyes. Ends with a firestone through their belly, a antler-stone through their throat… Just ask anyone in my home about Gobo.”

“Now, don’t take this the wrong way,” he said to Bolt. “I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with being a pet. I’m just telling Ol’ Grumpy Buck over here...”

The bear gestured to Ronno as he referred to the deer by that nickname.

“...that the word ‘pet’ doesn’t apply to me. He doesn’t seem to know the difference between a pet and an animal who lives their entire life exactly the way a human does.”

“Because this Ol’ Actually-has-a-brain-in-his-skull Buck here knows there is no difference!” snapped Ronno, secretly pleased with his witty comeback.

A passing shadow made him shudder. It had been many years since a golden eagle or bald eagle had been able to take him down, but given the size of the flyer…

“Just ask Accipiter,” smirked Ronno. (It was easy to be confident when he had already met the Gryphon— still, he wouldn’t take any chances). “Hey, Gryphon! What does mean when an animal lives like a human?”

[Little John]

Wondering if there were any more animals who actually were pets and any more humans who were owners of said actual pets who were going to go against him, Little John listened to Ronno speak his piece. The bear was still disturbed and offended by what the deer said.

“Well, good for you,” he said. “That doesn’t make you any better than anyone I fought against when I was living the life of an outlaw in Sherwood Forest, though. Calling me, someone who has never lived with humans or even knew what humans were until now, a pet doesn’t make you any stronger than you think you are. I’m sure that everyone else out here knows that there’s a difference between a pet and an animal who has lived their entire life the same way a human does, especially the sheep that just came here.”

Little John looked over to where he just saw the anthropomorphic sheep moments ago, only to see that she was no longer there.

“Where’d she go?” he asked quietly before turning back to Ronno. “Anyway, I don’t care who or what’s out here. I’ve gone up against enemies and defeated them many times before, and I’m sure that people around here wouldn’t be any different from any enemies I’ve dealt with. I can take very good care of myself.”

[Accipiter]

Accipiter wheeled in the sky, enjoying watching the humans dancing below. Who knew Humans danced as well as Fauns? It had so many years since he gotten to watch their dance. The last of the best, the Great Snow Dance, had ceased many years before Accipiter’s great-grand parents were even born.

"Hey, Gryphon! What does mean when an animal lives like a human"?

The Gryphon’s ears twitched in shock. Every time he had met that Ronno before, the buck had been nothing but fearful and hostile to him.

To hear Ronno actually just ask his opinion! This was so unusual that Accipiter landed (once he had found a large enough clearing to avoid clipping his wings on anybody or anything.

The Gryphon walked quietly closer, listening to the bear’s speech.

”someone who has never lived with humans or even knew what humans were until now…

“Forgive me, Bruin, for my interruption. However I must know…before you trapped in this land, were you a Narnian bear?” Accipiter pleaded; torn between not wanting anymore of his land trapped here and the hope of a familiar face.

The Gryphon reluctantly looked at his companions. “Good day, Bolt and Ronno. As for the rest of you, I regret that I have never learned your names, but I greet you none the less.”

With that he returned his focus to the Bear. The fact that he hadn’t answered Ronno’s question bothered his conscience, but his answer would be determined by the Bear’s answer.[/quote]

[Little John]

Little John saw yet another animal in a form he never saw. He watched it fly around in the sky and down to the area. When the bear saw the large, winged creature arrive in the area, he was hoping that things would change for him for the better and not escalate from problems that were already big enough with just Ronno alone to even bigger problems. At first, the former bandit was intimidated by this creature, but when he heard it speak to him in a tone he found pleasant, he calmed down a bit and decided to respond to it.

“Oh, hello,” he said, trying to be polite as he talked to the creature. “A Narnian bear. Um, no. No, I never was a Narnian bear. What kind of a bear is Narnian?”

[Ronno]

Ronno’s disappointment that the bear’s fear-scent faded so fast was nothing compared to the insult from the Gryphon.

Accipiter had ignored him!

Ronno did not take kindly to any creature ignoring him. (Never mind that he frequently ignored creatures trying to talk to him, that was different!)

More than a little sulky, Ronno’s mood improved when Little John asked such a dumb question.

“A Narnian bear. Um, no. No, I never was a Narnian bear. What kind of a bear is Narnian?”

“It’s obviously the species of bear where he’s from, stupid,” smirked Ronno, glad to know something Little John didn’t.

“No, that just means a bear from Narnia!” pipped up a young were-man. “They used to have the Journey Into Narnia over at Disney-MGM Studios!”

“Yes,” snapped the buck, rolling his eyes: while he didn’t have a clue what the human was talking about (not only was he embarrassingly ignorant about the names of most of the attractions, he had arrived at the parks long after Toy Story Land replaced both of Journey Into Narnia’s successors and Disney-MGM had been renamed Disney’s Hollywood Studios). “And what kind of bears live in Narnia? Narnian bears!”

[Little John]

Little John was very annoyed by the way Ronno responded to him after the bear asked such a simple, innocent question.

“I had to ask,” the brown bear said to the buck, “because I never even heard of Narnian bears or Narnia. I don’t even know what Narnia is like. Not fair to call someone stupid for asking about something they never heard of, isn’t it?”

Little John then saw the young park guest come by and heard his response to Ronno. Of those two he just heard from, he preferred listening to the kid over the deer who did nothing but throw insults at him and others. Once again, he turned away from the buck and directed his attention back to the winged creature.

“What’s Narnia and the bears there like?” he asked the creature.