The audience had been rabid. Never before had the cast of performers received such applause! During the curtain call there had been whooping and howling from the front rows, and other stranger more bestial ones from the back that the crew had simply decided it was better not to identify...

Now at the afterparty, they toasted their success with bootleg liquor and smooth jazz. Enjoying a bit of well-earned revelry and excess after all their hard work. The Play was unlike any other they had ever performed... it was apparently a classic hardly anyone knew about, and they'd been sworn to secrecy about the updates to the narrative the playwright had made. An eccentric fellow to say the least, he'd brought to the director all these unusual little "rituals" for the crew to perform while backstage. It was all just a bit of harmless fun. Though as the partying performers discussed their favourite moments together, less fun was the emerging realization that nobody seemed to remember what roles they'd performed during Act 2 at all. As if the entirety of that hour and a half had simply vanished from their collective memory.

The sound of hooves heralded the arrival of another guest to the party. It was Her. Cast in the role of the Queen, even off the stage she retained a commanding presence with her crown of golden horns. As the starring actress this triumph belonged to her most of all. There wasn't a soul in the theatre who hadn't been moved by her solo performance in Act 1, Scene 2. In fact... her song was the last thing the cast agreed unanimously that they remembered clearly before their memory of events failed them. If she noticed their murmurs of gossip as she passed them, the goat did not show it. Swishing her tail as she strode confidently through the lounge, leaving dancing puffs of cherry-flavoured smoke and hushed conversation in her wake as people moved aside to make way for her passage. If anyone could remember the events of Act 2, surely the leading lady would?

The dapper hound standing guard over by the stairs nodded as she approached, stepping aside to let her pass and flashing his golden fangs in a smile. Before anyone had the chance to question the Queen she was already making her way up to the second floor balconies. A low growl from the doberman in the pinstripe suit whenever anyone approached deterring anyone else from trying to follow. Furtive glances could only try to follow the movement of her golden hooves from balcony to balcony, until at last they came to a stop above the art gallery... and another set of hooves joined them- undoubtedly the playwright, himself a goat gilded with a natural golden mein. Standing above the party, obscured from sight, the last anyone saw of them was his silhouette extending a hand to hers, as if asking her to join him in a dance.

 sapho_berga is an incredible artist, and her character Leda is every bit as unforgettable- even taking into account The Play's impact on the memories of everyone present to witness Act 2! She is also a friend I have had a lovely time talking with in the past. So this month, it was my pleasure to do my own little tribute to her. ^^

Meanwhile  SalKitten continues to do a marvellous job helping me progress my EVIL AND WICKED PLANS to give people who have interacted with Canthus birthday gifts to celebrate how much their friendship has meant to me. MWAHAHAHAHA! And thank you very much Sal! :D