I've Found What I'm Looking For

Chapter 1

Your music will carry you.

Clay Calloway was his name. Calloway the amazing musician that could break hearts with his songs. Calloway, the cool rock star that everyone loved.

Calloway... the feast lion, but inside, a scared kitten.

It had been so long since he let someone into his life. Because up to that point he hadn't got one.

At least... not with her.

His wife, his precious Ruby.

He hadn't felt anything but pain the moment she had left his life, left everyones. She had died.

Clay Calloway... the recluse. Clay Calloway... the tragic figure of a lion.

But things had changed slightly in the last few months.

He had stepped back outside into the light of day. Back onto the stage. Because of her.

Not Ruby... Ruby was gone.

But because of Ash.

A young female Porcupine... she was only just now eighteen.

And she... she was wonderful.

And that, it really hurt inside. Because she reminded him so much of Ruby, and what he felt for his deceased wife... he was beginning to feel now for this new girl.

It scared him to bits inside. But he didn't want to disappear and become nothing again.

Dammit, he wanted to live.

And he wanted her.

But knew... it was never going to happen.

Could something like this ever be real?

~x~

The live stage show was finally coming to a close. The audience erupted into applause and cheers, the stage swirled in hundreds of swerving lights of colours.

He had just finished singing the last line of the song with Ash. She stared into his eyes and he stared into hers.

The words, they felt so true in the instance.

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for.

But he had found what he was looking for... he was staring at her and his old heavy heart felt like it was fluttering.

Ash's blue eyes sparkled on that stage, as the crowd went wild in clapping and praise. This is what she wanted. To be always singing these words with her idol in front of thousands of animals.

His words were like gospel to her, and she would even sing them in her sleep.

The four of them. Ash, Calloway, Rosita, and Gunter all ascended into the dark of the stage as Rosita said the final line of the play.

"Mission accomplished, we're going home."

And it was all over. Seven weeks they had been performing this show. Seven weeks he had been around her, sang with her... looked into her eyes.

Calloway... he thought he was going crazy.

As the audience began to disperse with giddy smiles on their mouths, the cast and crew all met up backstage in the spare room used for preparation and breaks.

"You were incredible tonight, Ash."

Calloway watched as he stood near the girl porcupine, watching Johnny say these encouraging words.

"Well it wasn't really me they were cheering for," Ash remarked with a giddy grin on her lips and she nudged the old Calloway playfully.

"Yeah, yeah, duh," Johnny quickly interjected and gave Calloway a light friendly punch on the arm, including the old lion in the conversation, "But you Ash, remember you are the star-"