Dance lessons

"The young siamese tom padded through the somewhat crowded streets of the market. It seemed that almost everyone had come out to the market today which meant no room for him to try and make some money dancing. So Kovu made his way through the hoard of cats.

Aisling stood at the edge of a crowded booth, a feathered earring had caught her eye, but with such a throng of cats gathered around it She didn't have much chance of getting it. She took a step back and bumped into someone behind her, she turned around to apologized. Startled to see a tall, dark handsome tom behind her. She curtsied," I'm so sorry, I'm such a klutz sometimes. " She muttered apologetically.

Kovu jumped a little startled by the she-cat who had bumped into him. He wasn't used to being bumped into since he had out grown his tendancy to fall and trip over everything, guess not everyone had though. Turning to look at the she-cat who had bumped into him the tom couldn't help but smile at her. She had beautiful orange fur. "Hello, I'm Kovu," The siamese tom meowed holding out a paw. "Whom might you be?"

She smiled, so he was a flirt too,"I'm Aisling, it's a pleasure to meet the acquaintance of someone so handsome." She curtsied and and gave him a wink. "All the more reason for me to be shamed I tried to run you over!" Her flirtatious side was now overtaking her. "Say I'm on my way through the market, would you like to accompany me?"

Kovu smiled and bowed slightly back to the she-cat. "You are very beutiful yourself Aisling." The siamese meowed. He could tell that she really was a flirt and hell she was good looking so why the hell should he not flirt with her. "I would be delighted to come to accompany you to the market." The tom smiled walking with the she-cat. Kovu's mind was reeling while they were walking towards the market.

She took the strangers arm and walked with him," Tell me sir, what is it you do for your living?" She found the tom somewhat alluring and wanted to learn more about him. More than anything though, she was glad to have a male around. The tom looked lithe, sinewy, strong. It was days like today muggers and thieves were out in force, easier to steal, and easy to escape. She was not about to have her coin stolen. She worked hard for it, she looked him over out of the corner of her eye, and smiled.

The young tom looked at the she-cat. "I am a dancer actually, what might you be hun?" Kovu purred slightly as the she-cat looped her arm around the dark grey tom's. "So what are you looking for in the market today?" He asked looking at the orange and brown she-cat. The tom enjoyed this she-cats company and really did like that now he had something to do today.


She was surprised, male dancers were rare, but she knew they were popular eye candy among the she-cats. Married or not, they'd be happy to toss him their coin, especially when ale softened their inhibitions. She smirked, "When I'm not doing something for the king or heirs, I'm here running their errands," she chuckled "That's actually what I was here to get, but I like to browse for small bits and bobbles. I collect bits of leather, bones, beads, feathers and the like to craft with. It's a way to make a little extra here and there." She gazed up at the tom,"I actually had a feathered earring in my sights when I bumped into you."


Kovu nodded listening to the she-cat talk about her job. "So you are the royal go getter." He meowed then listened to her talk about the feathered earing she had seen. "Well it would seem that you aren't wearing it now. Why didn't you get it?" He inquired looking at the she-cat as they walked through the crowded market. Even though Kovu was talking to the orange she-cat his eyes were scanning through the crowds keeping an eye out for any thieves or mugger's, though he hadn't ever been attacked by either of them. "Have you ever had a theif or mugger come up to you?" The young tom asked curiouse about what it was like to be through that experience.

"Well yes, I am," she found her self grinning ear to ear at all the other jealous she-cats tossing scowls her way, she couldn't help, but to notice them as she walked by with Kovu."Oh you know, too many people pushing and shoving, I know a few of these vendours personally, perhaps I'll swing by the stall later to see if it's still there. As for ever being mugged? When I was a kit I had been walking home with my father when some ruffian tried to rob him, needless to say the young scoundrel was soundly beaten. One shouldn't steal from a guardsman." She smiled at the memory."Like I said though, it was long ago. Recently though, there have been more and more muggings. It may be something to do with there being so few guards about these days, who knows." She made a show of looking the tom up and down,"Say, I bet you'd make a fine guardsman, you have the build." She shrugged up a little closer than was necessary," I'm sure you'd look rather dashing in uniform," she teased as they left the over crowded and busy lower town and headed towards her small home.

"Yeah I'm farily new so I don't really know anyone around here and thank god you saved me from the crowd" Kovu chuckled as they walked through the crowded market. "I never really got out when I was younger father was a little crazy and my mother a little over protective so I haven't atually been mugged. Let alone as a kitten. Though up against a guardsman not suprised they were beaten." The siamese tom nodded every so often as the she-cat talked. He enjoyed the sound of her voice. The tom couldn't help but notice as the orange pelted she-cat looked him up and down. He was thankful for the fact that he managed to hide his own blushing with a sneeze. "Thanks, but if I wanted to do something like that I would have been a blacksmith like my father wanted me to be." The large tom couldn't help but let out a low growl as he spoke about his father. Kovu had noticed they were walking out fo the crowds but he had no idea where they were going. He just followed her lead in a blind trust.

She was surprised at the contempt Kovu had for his father, well now she knew Haven wasn't the only one. "Well, suppose if you ever tire of dancing you could always test your metal." In a quick fashion she steered him away from the uncomfortable subject and towards something less touchy. "So, how many felines do you have fawning over you kind sir," she probed gently, she didn't tend to like gossip. However she was curious, as always. They were nearing her small hovel and she was thinking of inviting him in for some tea.

Kovu appreciated how quickly the she-cat changed the topic of conversation because talking about his father to long usualy drove him to the tavern and that usualy led him to ale and that led him into drunken squables or other interesting conquests. The siamese tom's mind jumped back to reality as he heard the orange and brown she-cat speaking again. With a slight chuckle he replied. "One maybe two depends, are you counted as fawning over me now?" The tom gave a cheeky smile as they walked. He had taken notice that they had now reached the somewhat residential area and that the market was far behind them now. For once the young cat was at a lack of words and was just walking along. But as many cat's do Kovu hates the silence so he found something else to talk about. "I like your collar." He said taking a paw to gently teas at the feather.

She smiled as he caught on to teasing back," I suppose you could count me, although I have a reputation to tease handsome toms." She sent him another smirk as they came to her small cottage, a fence made of sticks and driftwood haphazardly lined the boarder of the land she owned. Wild flowers grew in abundance around the home. She stepped withing her fence line and turned her attention back to him. "Oh this old thing?" she smiled at a far off memory only she could see."My brother Tyral gave it too me before he left to join the army and travel about the human kingdom. It means a lot to me, even if it's not worth much outside of my own heart." She smiled, her heart longed to see Tyral again, she missed her goofy brother and his silly antics."She took Kovu's paw in her own and led the dark furred cat towards her home," I'm not trying to be forward, but it's still so hot out, and those markets will be crowded awhile still, would you like to come in for some tea? I grow a lot of it here in my own backyard." She gave him one of her famous big eye'd smiles." Some company was always appreciated..." She hadn't had many over, she was always worried to be mugged, but this one seemed more than trustworthy.

Kovu smiled as the two of them teased eachother. "Well then I would say at least one girl has 'fawned' over me." Reaching the beautiful she-cats home the tom couldn't help but admire how nice it looked compared to his own, with the nice fence and flowers growing about all Kovu had was a field of dandelions wich he had yet to cut. "Well I think anyone would be lucky to have a brother as noble to go join the army." The tom meowed with all the sincerity of his own heart. When he was offered tea the tom couldn't help but accept he had never had tea before since usually his drink of choice was ale but he could not resist the she-cat's smile. "It would be an honor" Kovu said as he followed the she-cat hand-in-hand into her home.

As they stepped inside it was pleasantly cool, a small cottage like structure dug into the side of a hill, thin stone slabs replace the dirt for a floor, the main room was rather, well, roomy and naturally lit by three small round windows that faced out towards the kingdom. The lower town could be seen to the right, and the palace just beyond that. A large table held the center of the room and was spacious enough to fit six cats, although only two chairs rested beneath it. A fire place set of to the left of the table, before it a rug of multiple pelts sewn together guarded the hearth. A black kettle and an assortment of other cooking utensils hung in and around the mantle and hearth. A small ladder lead up to a loft overlooking the whole home, a small cot could be seen just beyond the lip, but nothing more. As Aisa lead the tom in by his arm she motioned for him to grab a seat as she rustled through some of the cupboards on the other side of the fireplace. She bought out two small clay mugs, sugar, and an assortment of herbs and spices. Quickly looking through them she picked out two and set the rest of her miniature apothecary back among the shelves. With a quick wink she stepped out into her backyard to fetch water from the brook not far away. Trusting the tom in her home, knowing there wasn't anything of monetary value within. Once back inside she placed the herbs inside a cheese cloth and set the water upon the hearth to be heated. "You know, my mother was the one who was into herbs. My father taught me what she had taught him," she looked over to Kovu and stoked the fire a bit. She took a seat beside him and looked him in the eyes, sometimes it unnerved other cats, when she gazed at them so. However, she like to study their eyes, she found with most cats that so much could be gleaned from them. They were windows to the soul after all. Trying to keep things light she stuck up another conversation. "So, sir Kovu, I was hoping I could entice you to teach me something. I've invited you for more than just casual talk. With festival here and all, I-I..." She looked to the ground a little ashamed." I want to know how to dance. My father was a soldier, not a dancer, it was never something I learned and... Well, I plan on dancing the night away this festival! I've promised many a tom a dance sir. Will you help me? I'd hate to break a promise.." She smiled again and tried her best to look pleading. The teapot began to whistle..

Kovu was lead into the small home. It was very pleasent inside he could tell that Aisling took good care of everything inside it looked very clean. Compared to his own home atleast. When the siamese tom was at home he had a tandancy to leave everything everywhere so there were cups in the table and variouse other areas of his home. Being in this one gave him the need to clean his own. The young tom sat down when the beutiful she-cat sat him down. As he watched the she-cat mill around the home he felt the need to come and help her with grabbing cups or setting the fire but like any normal cat in a strange home or in his home he had no idea where anything was. So he just sat quietly watching and smiling as Aisiling walked around. The tom couldn't help but feel good as the she-cat walked outside to grab herbs. He felt like the she-cat trusted him even though they hardly knew eachother. When she came back and was talking about herbs Kovu snickered before saying. "If I had to go and choose the herbs I would probobly kill us both." Listening again as she talked about wanting to dance he couldn't help but notice how she mentioned promising many tom's a dance at the festival and couldn't help but wonder if she was just trying to make the tom jealous though he wasn't the jealous type. So Kovu meowed. "Well after we have our tea I would be honored to show you how to dance." The tom got up before Aisling had a chance and grabbed the pot off the fire. "Well I got the pot but I have no idea what else we do to make tea" Kovu meowed blushing a bit from embarrassment that he didn't know how to make tea which seemed to be the easiest thing to make.


She snickered at his passing joke, but his admission that he had never drank tea was a little different. "Well, I imagine most prefer ale or mead or win, but I have no taste for alcohol. So I make my own teas!" She smiled and beckoned him over with the pot. She put a few scoops of sugar in each cub and had him pour the heated water into them over the small balls of herbs she had wrapped in cheese cloth. After a few moments, she gave the Kovu the go ahead to take his first few sips of chamomile-spearmint tea. After taking a few sips herself she prodded," Probably not as good as ale , but what do you think? Might you like some to take home with you?"

Kovu had precariously picked up the small cup in his paws as he peered into the bottom of the glass through the stained water. With a moments hesitation he took a few sips. The tom actualy liked it. So he took a few more sips before answering Aislings question. "Well, it is fairly good. Only if you don't mind." When the tom had finished his tea wich really didn't take him that long. He looked over at the she-cat and meowed. "Would you like your dance lessons now?"


She tossed down the rest of her tea, and stood up. She curtsied towards the taller, darker tom, "I'll follow your lead."

Kovu stood up and bowed slightly to the she-cat. "Okay so how much dance do you know?" The siamese meowed taking one of Aisling's paws in his own and then placing his other paw on the orange and brown she-cats hip. "Now your other paw goes on my shoulder." Kovu gave her a wink before continueing on with his dance instructions. "One, two, three; and a one, two, three ." The tom counted over and over again starting to lead in with his paw steps. The darkly pelted siamese took a few steps slowly just waiting to see how much dance she knew.

Aisling was really awkward, Kovu seemed so lithe and graceful compared to her, she felt as though she had two left paws. He steps we a little sketchy and behind his, but she did her best to follow his lead. With each step her confidence increased slightly and she slowly caught on to the lesson. A quick mind to pick things up wasn't one of her weaker qualities. She glanced up at Kovu, unable to hid her growing smile, "Wow, I can't believe I'm actually dancing!" For a moment she felt a little like a princess at a ball, she'd never really danced before this and was having fun. She concentrated a little more on avoiding the toms paws while they glided among her small living space. The furnishings being the only audience they needed. Now she would be able to dance at the nightly festivities and maybe even snag some dances with her crushes.

Kovu smiled he was slightly amused by her awkwardness compared to his own smoothness. The tom had ignored the fact that she had stepped on his paws a few times even if he were performing with one of the other dancers like Jet or Anastasia his paws still got stepped on. "So some things to remember are: When you can tell where your paws are always keep your eyes on your partners and keep your arms somewhat ridgid we don't want floppy arms." The tom snickered to himself 'floppy arms' he thought. "You are learning very fast." The siamese meowed with a smile. He started to pick up the dance pace a little then counting aloud again to substitute for the lack of music. "One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four." Without any music or counting Kovu had terrible timing.

With a smile on her face Aisa took his instructions to heart and followed his lead. The silence was awkward thanks to the lack of music, but she didn't let it spoil her fun one bit. As they twirled around in her kitchen she giggled. Now she knew why dancing was so popular! As she glanced out the window she realized it was well into the afternoon. "OH my! Dancing sure makes time fly." She smiled in Kovu's direction over her shoulder then turned her head back towards town. "You know sir kovu, it would seem the town is not quite so crowded. I suppose I should let you leave so you may go make money for your meals?" She feigned a pouty face. " I so enjoyed this though! Perhaps I can tempt you with more tea in return for more lessons?" She walked over and made him a tea bag to take home. "All you need to do is add sugar and warm water to have more tea and you can come by anytime and borrow some, I'll just borrow more of your time to compensate!" She reached up unexpectedly and gave the lithe tom a hug. "I do hope you will visit more? You can always bring more friend's with you, I'd love the company." She mentioned as she walked with him to her fence line. She didn't really want her new friend to leave, but she had to get ready to do her duties at the castle.

Kovu smiled as they danced he was suprised by how well she picked up dancing. The tom enjoyed that they could be in complete silence together. When they stopped the dance his smile couldn't help but fade slightly he was having a great time with this she-cat. "I guess I should." He said it with slight resntment then thought about it for a second and realised he really didn't have any money. "We will definatly have to get together again for some more dance lessons." The tom meowed as he was hugged by the she-cat. Kovu wrapped his arms around her as well before he was walked out to the fence of her home. It had been a wonderful day so far and wished he could stay with the she-cat but he knew that he should probobly get some money to spend on something other than ale and she probobly had some work to attend to. So with a bow to the she-cat and a kiss on her paw Kovu meowed. "Until next time Ms.Aisling" Before turning and heading in the direction of his home where he would drop off the herbs for tea before he would go to the market.


With a smile and a curtsy she saw him on his way, more than happy for such a wonderful new found friend. Her clumsiness had been a blessing in disguise and introduced her to a kind soul. She toddered of inside to gather her things and prepare for the evening's chores, but all night that night she would go about them with a smile on her face and a story for the girls. "


I had so much fun with this RP! I can't wait to continue on with the others!!! They are always open to anyone of my TGO compatriots!

Art (c) me
Kovu (c)
Aisling (c) me