Holofernes

❝And you, you follow philosophies, but me, I laugh, I choke
"Well, hello, my hollow Holofernes"
I wink, but you don't get the joke
"Hold the hand of the god-child, " they said, "as he falls from the sky,"
"Be good to me, " I beg of him
"Be good to me, " I beg of him
Be good, be good, be good, be good, be good, be good, be good
And he replies (oh), "No, no, not I"❞

That Unwanted Animal.

Holofernes is not a nice lion. He cares for work. Work, work. His woman lay with him and she wake without him in a bed of grass. Whenever she calls for him, he is never there. But he makes her seen when he is. Occasionally, he'll bed with other lionesses and her herself has to come to terms with the fact she is not the only one. He is big and brawny, whereas she is delicate and divine.

“Holofernes,” she huffs aloud once he has made himself a seat in their den, “won't you stay tonight?”

“I cannot.” He replies simply, too caught up in his work to even look at back at his lover.

---

“I... What?” Holofernes gawks, asking loudly: “What do you mean I'm not your heir anymore? You said I was special!”

“I did, and it was a mistake, dear.” Quasimodo replies pointedly, twirling a rat skull between his claws by the eye sockets. “I have someone special. Found him wandering as a babe.”

“You're kidding? That reindeer dung?” Holofernes hisses rather angrily and steps up towards the king. “What does that rascal have that I don't?!” He snarls loudly, baring his crooked teeth.

“A mutation.” Quasimodo chirps, setting the skull down and getting up slowly on old bones. “A heart. He is not selfish, nor greedy. Unlike you.” His eyes sharpen with disdain and he can see the younger lion fuming. After moments of thought, he grumbles. “But I know someone who will take you in. Cornelius.”

“Cornelius?” Holofernes repeats the name on his tongue.

“He has a knack for kinging lions without mutation. And lions with lesser marks.”

Holofernes doesn't know what to do. “And my mate?” He speaks up after a moment of muttering. “What about Lafayette?”

“You may come visit, if you'd like.” Quasimodo hums before turning tail. Turning his back to Holofernes. The young lion refrains from doing something he may regret while the king is not looking.

His Lover:
https://www.lioden.com/lion.php?id=794207320619