If you could capture all the energy produced by a burning star, it wouldn’t have come close to the hype that this crowd was giving off. Backstage, watching the opening band from the shadows, Typho ran a single paw up and through his hair, trailing down to where it joined his mane in a Mohawk that ran from his messy brown brow to his flicking tail. If it weren’t for the noise-dampening earphones he had in, the roar of the crowd would have been deafening.

The Striped Hyena grinned, his broad paws tapping with the rhythm of the drumming against the stage under him. Typho was damn big for his species, and the wild mane of hair cresting his back bristled as he rolled his shoulders. Behind him, his own band were doing their last checks. One of the stagehands in a neon vest came over, motioning to his watch and holding up an open paw of five fingers before the fox scuttled off to whatever task was next.

Turning away, the bulky striped hyena made his way across to their drummer, a lithe leopard with a wired-out look about him, high on adrenaline and excitement, and the two cans of empty energy drink by his feet.

“Hey!” He tapped the oblivious cat on the shoulder, making him jump for a moment until he turned and realized who it was. A grin cut his sleek, feline muzzle, taking a break from his air drumming. He ran a paw quickly across his whiskers, before his paws moved in quick sign language.

[i]Are we on yet?[/i]

Typho shook his head, signing back just as fluently and quickly. The Leopard had been born 90% deaf but had a way on the drums like nobody could stop him. Typho had beaten a bully who had been picking on him in their first year of high school. They’d been best friends since.

“Not yet. Five minutes.” He signed back as he spoke, knowing Razz was just as capable of reading his lips. Razz’s tail flicked with eager anticipation, practically vibrating with excitement in his seat. His paws signed almost faster than Typho could keep up with.

[i]Sweet. You can feel the energy! If this crowd gets any louder, they’re going to bring the roof down![/i]

“Well, we’d better give them an extra nudge then, eh?” He slapped the drummer’s shoulder, who just grinned and went back to rapping his fingers on the invisible set before him.

The seconds ticked by as the curtains closed on the opening band who hurried to move off stage as the MC wound the crowd up even more for the main performance. Roars and cheers and hollering hoots shook the indoor stage.

Typho just grinned as he and his band took their places. He looked around. Their Lemur bassist gave a thumbs up, ready on their double-necked monster. Their Fossa guitarist mimed a quick shred, reading his dragon-headed electric.

Typho gripped the microphone tightly as a countdown started on the floor screen at the front of the stage. Behind him, Razz wore a wicked smirk, already tapping on the edge of his snare drum in time with their first song.

[b]“Get ready, ladies and gentlemen, the act you’ve been waiting for! Typho and Savage Savvanh!!!”[/b]

The curtains peeled open, and Typho was almost blinded by the sudden onrush of light. He raised his fist in the air to a roar of approval from the crowd before raising his pinky and index fingers, a gesture met with further screams of approval!

Typho grinned, dipping his mouth towards the mic, and making a show of licking his chops.

“Heh… Fucking Metal.”


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This amazing piece by ZinyaWolf of Typho absolutely destroying a crowd at his show :P This was such a treat to see brought to life, and even the first sketches blew me out of the water entirely! Be sure to go give her a follow!

And yes I gave his band a deaf leopard, sue me! I didn't realize until AFTER I wrote it what I'd done! xD