"Diego, come on, you're not even trying!" Sid's high-pitched giggle echoed through the snowy woods. The sloth's wide eyes glinted with mischief as he dodged another half-hearted swipe from the saber.
Diego huffed out a frosty sigh, his gritted in feigned annoyance. The persistent snowflakes stuck to his fur, giving him a frosty mantle. He couldn't help but feel a warmth in his chest at Sid's antics, though. It had been a long time since he had allowed anyone to get this close to him, let alone tease him.
"Well I said to stop calling me 'Kitty'," he growled, his teeth clenched as Sid continued to laugh. "Oh, but you are a kitty," Sid retorted, his grin stretching from ear to ear. He skipped away, leaving a trail of flattened snow in his wake. The sloth had always had a knack for getting under Diego's fur, and it seemed today was no different. Diego, however, took a deep breath, trying to ignore the playful jabs.
He'd come a long way from his days as the 'Fierce Sabertooth Tiger'. With Sid by his Side, he'd learned the value of companionship, but that didn't mean he had to enjoy being called a kitty. However, the sight of Sid's delighted face made it hard to stay angry.
"Alright, alright," Diego finally relented, trying to fight the smile that was tugging at the corners of his mouth. "But if I'm a kitty, then what does that make you?" He lunged playfully at Sid, his paws swiping through the air and purposefully missing the sloth by a hair. Sid squealed in mock terror, his eyes sparkling. "Me? I'm the Lord of the Flame, of course!" He stood up tall, his chest sticking out and his paws on his sides. The behavior was so ridiculous that Diego found himself chuckling, his deep voice joining Sid's giggles.
Diego stalked closer, his eyes glinting with playful menace. "Well, if I'm a kitty, I suppose that makes you my prey." He lowered his head, his whiskers brushing against Sid's furry cheek. Sid's giggles turned into full-blown laughter. "Oh no, you wouldn't!"
Diego rolled his eyes, his playful annoyance completely morphing into genuine amusement. That sloth had a way of bringing warmth into the coldest of moments. "Oh, but I absolutely would," he purred, his voice playfully gruff as he took a dramatic step forward.
"But look at you, Kitty," Sid said, holding his paws up in a pitiful attempt to ward off the 'threat'. "You're all fluffy and cuddly. How could you ever resist a creature as swift as the Lord of the Flame?" Diego's eyes narrowed in feigned anger, his teeth bared in a playful snarl. "Fluffy, am I?" He took another swipe, this one a bit more serious but still not intended to harm.
Sid yelped, dodging with surprising agility for a creature of his size. "Yes, yes you are, Kitty! Fluffy, adorable, and utterly harmless!"
"Alright, Sloth," Diego finally snarled playfully, his tail flicking in amusement despite his gruff tone. His eyes gleamed with the promise of retribution. He lunged forward, his limbs propelling him through the flurry of white, and wrapped Sid in a gentle headlock. The sloth squawked in surprise, his laughter cut short by the sudden shift in their playful banter.
Sid's cheeks flushed in a reddish hue, and he squirmed in Diego's grip. "Okay, okay!" He gasped out in between giggles, "I take it back, you're not a kitty." Diego tightened his headlock playfully. "Too late for apologies, Sloth," he murmured, his voice a low rumble. "You're mine now."
Sid's giggles turned into wheezes of laughter. "But what are you going to do with me?" he managed to ask, his eyes shining with excitement. "I'm going to show you what a real predator does with its prey," Diego replied, his eyes filled with mirth. He pretended to bite Sid's neck, his teeth gently clicking together.
After a short moment, he released the sloth who collapsed into the snow in a fit of giggles. Sid looked up at him, his expression filled with happiness. "You know, Kitty," Sid said, gasping for air, "You're not so intimidating when you're playing."
Diego sat down beside Sid, his large frame creating a small crater in the snow. "You're the one who started it," he said, though the edge was gone from his voice. Sid sat up, brushing the snow from his fur. "I know, I know," he said, his laughter subsiding. He leaned into Diego, his head resting against the tiger's broad shoulder. "But you love it really," he murmured, his voice warm and affectionate.
Diego nuzzled Sid gently, brushing his cold, damp nose against the sloth's cheek. "Maybe a little," he admitted.