Buckley's Story
The Thicket - Part One

You’re exploring the nearby forest, on the hunt for prey. Strangely, there’s a hole in the thicket you've never noticed before. Surely, there has to be food stashed away in there - someone must have moved the undergrowth to conceal this cozy nook. You slip between the branches, peeking inside.

“Hoo,” says the owl before you, ducking his head rather primly. “...Are you?”


The Thicket - Part Two

You engage in polite small talk with the owl for a while, but the persistent rumbling of your stomach soon demands attention. You’re about to ask for a snack, when there's a rustling behind you.

A young lion stumbles into the thicket, falling over the entrance brambles with a thud.
“Oh!” he exclaims, startled but grinning widely. “A visitor! Hello! My name is Buckley.”


The Thicket - Part Three


The owl ruffles his feathers at the sudden commotion, settling itself on Buckley's back as he stands up. "This thicket is growing rather popular amongst your kind, Buckley," he mutters affectionately, pecking a few stray leaves from Buckley's mane.

You stare at the odd duo, and Buckley’s grin falters as he notices your gaze. "Sorry about the entrance," he says, his voice softer than before. "I just got excited..."

The owl clicks his beak, unimpressed. Buckley's ears twitch, and a faint blush spreads under his fur. He speaks again, a little downtrodden. "I haven't seen you before...Are you from one of the prides nearby?"


The Thicket: Part Four


You hesitate, unsure if you should trust him. He seems harmless, but the way he nervously glances around suggests he’s waiting for something—or someone.

"I’m just passing through," you say carefully. "Looking for a meal, if I’m being honest."

Buckley brightens. "I know where the good spots are—no one follows me, so there’s always prey," he says, his voice trailing off as he glances down, nervously shifting his paws.

The owl hoots teasingly. "Perhaps you’d best focus on helping yourself, little one..."

Buckley flinches, his tail flicking. "I just... like helping, I guess. Makes me feel useful…"


The Thicket: Part Five


A low growl rises from the forest. Another…lion?

"They're looking for me. Please don’t tell them you saw me." Buckley pleads. He turns to find a hiding spot, but there are few in this hidden thicket. 

Branches snap, closer this time. The air is heavy with tension. Then, just beyond the thicket entrance, you lock eyes with something in the shadows.


The Thicket: Part Six

A hulking lion stalks through the brambles, his coat catching the faint light. A black panther slinks beside him, eyes sharp, silent as death. A lieutenant, staring Buckley down.

"You’ve been wandering again." The lion states, voice flat.

"I-I wasn’t - I didn’t mean to…" Buckley says, tail curling between his legs.

"Didn't mean to?" the lion growls, his gaze sharp. "Tell me, Buckley, do you think the pride has time to wait for a dreamer to find his crown?"
"N…no." Buckley’s body trembles, eyes darting to you in a silent plea. The air is suffocating.




You step between Buckley and the two predators. The lion shifts, unreadable, while the panther’s gaze sharpens, tail flicking in irritation.

“You think scaring him makes him useful?” Your voice is calm, edged with steel.

The lion’s teeth bare into a snarl, looming above you.”This is pride business. You don’t understand what’s at stake.”

“Do you think I have no knowledge of how heirs work?” You say, incredulously. “I’m my pride’s leader.”

Taken aback, the larger male is quiet for a moment. But the panther steps closer, voice quiet but sharp. “Buckley has duties. If we let his weakness fester, there’d be-”

“Could you stop talking as if I’m not here?” Buckley says, interrupting. He stomps forward, voice shaking.

The Thicket: Part Eight


“You don’t like being spoken for?” the lion muses, tilting his head. “Then act like you’re worth speaking to.”

Buckley’s claws press into the dirt. “I have tried,” he says, voice strained. “I have tried so hard to be what you wanted.”

The lion watches, unreadable. Then, with a sigh, he turns to you. “And you? You vouch for this?”

You hold his gaze, steady. “I lead my pride differently,” you say. “We don’t cast out those who don’t fit a mold.”

The panther scoffs. “That’s not leadership. That’s coddling.”

“You mistake kindness for weakness,” you counter.

A beat of silence. Then the lion exhales through his nose, a low, humorless sound. “Take him as your heir, then.” His tail flicks once as he turns away. “It won’t last.”

The Thicket: Part Nine (End)


The lion and panther disappear, disgruntled, into the trees, leaving the air thick with silence.

“I’m not enough for them, and I never will be.” Buckley says, voice shaking but resolute.

His claws dig into the earth, but his posture straightens with each word. “But maybe that’s the point. I’ll build my own pride. A pride where I can be who I truly am.”

You watch, your heart swelling with pride, as a fierce spark ignites in his eyes. He turns to you with a smile.

Then, Buckley takes the first step forward, out of the thicket.

Buckley's story has meant a lot to me, and I'm very grateful to those who have followed along during this journey and exploration of a very basic feeling - unbelonging, whether in a friendship group or within your own family. Taking the steps to protect your true self and loving that self along the way is so difficult, and Buckley has earned it just like so many others. Stay tuned for further stories!