Ayo looked around at the orange forest as he padded into a clearing, startling slightly when he saw that someone else was already there. That's Ren, right? He asked himself.
Yes.
He jumped at the small voice in his ear. A small insect flitted into his vision.
Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. The bug said, buzzing around his head.
Ayo nodded to himself, slowly walking towards him. Ren looked like he was painting something. That didn't really surprise him. Ren was a msanii, it was his job to make art. He was so engrossed in his painting that he didn't notice Ayo's presence until he was right next to him.
Ren startled at the sudden appearance of a lion at his side, letting out a short yelp and brandishing his paintbrush like a weapon. He relaxed when he noticed who it was. Ayo was surprised at Ren's reaction and jumped away from him.
"Oh, it's just you," Ren said, "Hey kiddo, watcha doing out here?" He asked curiously.
Ayo looked around for something he could write with, drawing a blank. Ren held out a blank canvas and a paintbrush as an offer. Ayo hesitantly accepted the canvas, and began writing.
"I was just taking a walk. I didn't think I'd find someone out here." He wrote. That seems to happen a lot lately. He added to himself.
"Neither did I. Sorry for scaring ya," Ren said sheepishly, "It's gorgeous out here," He added, looking around at the forest, "I thought I could get a good painting out of it."
"I just wish that this weather didn't bring so much death." Ayo wrote.
Ren cocked his head to the side in confusion, before it dawned on him, "Right. I never thought about it like that before," He said, glancing at the woods with a newfound sadness.
"Not many do."
Ren looked at the words, then at his artwork, already coming up with new ideas for paintings.
316/250 Words