Winds of Freedom

Chapter 32: Prison Blabbers

{A/N}

Yes, these bozos are back.

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Chapter 32: Prison Blabbers

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Royale Palace - Dungeons, Night Hours

In the underbelly of the majestic Royale Palace, the dungeons were a stark contrast to the elegance above. The air was thick with humidity, tinged with the pungent scent of sewage from nearby pipes. Cold stone walls lined the passageways, slick with moisture that made the floors treacherously slippery. Dim, flickering lights cast long shadows across the rough walls, making the place feel even more foreboding. The constant drip of water echoed throughout, a reminder of the dungeon's proximity to the palace's sewer system.

In the far reaches of the dungeons, faint voices could be heard. Conversations and bickering bounced off the stone walls as figures stood around, talking, the atmosphere almost casual despite the grim setting.

Inside one of the cells, a boar with aquamarine eyes, wearing a torn uniform of a Shang Mu soldier, boasted loudly. He flexed his nonexistent muscles and puffed out his chest, his voice brimming with exaggerated confidence. "I keep telling you, Florence? Totally has the hots for me!" Lavernious grinned smugly at his cellmate, thoroughly convinced of his claim.

Leonard, a lion with sharp cobalt eyes, groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Vern, the way she looks at you is the same way everyone looks at you-with disgust! She literally hates your guts."

Vern waved him off, undeterred by the reality check. "Nah, she's just playing hard to get. It's a red panda thing, right? I think you're just jealous that she doesn't show you the same level of affection."

Leonard rolled his eyes so dramatically that his head followed. "Right... affection. Because kicking you in the balls at every chance she gets is definitely a sign of love."

Undeterred, Lavernious puffed out his chest again. "No, seriously! It's like when she spit in my face or that time she almost ran me over with her police car. Classic red panda affection, man!"

Leonard shook his head in disbelief. "God, you're so stupid," he muttered, facepalming as if trying to physically push away Verns delusions.

From outside the cell, a red panda guard with maroon eyes, Richard, chimed in. "Uhhh, as a red panda myself, I think she just wants to kill you... like, really kill you." He stood next to Dexter, a hulking grizzly bear guard with droopy orange eyes, who looked half-asleep and generally disinterested.

Vern turned toward Richard, sneering. "Man, what do you know, blue guy? You look like someone who hasn't had a chick kiss you outside of your mom."

Richard's face flushed bright red. "H-hey! I've had plenty of action in my life!" he stammered, his confidence faltering under the boar's teasing.

Dexter let out a lazy chuckle, a grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, sure, keep telling yourself that. You can't even get within two meters of a woman without breaking into a sweat."

Vern burst into laughter, pointing at Richard. "Ho ho! Yeah, I knew it! You can smell the desperation!"

Richard's embarrassment deepened as he glared at Dexter. "Don't get too cozy with the prisoners, Dexter!" Richard snapped, attempting to regain some authority. "And that incident with the crane woman and your sister wasn't my fault!"