Flo's Challenge to me

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"I'M BATMAN" "No... no you are not."
538
A large metal bowl scraped across the servant's courtyard, a tiny black nose poking out from beneath it.
Jade flicked an ear upwards as she watched bowl creeping around in aimless circles before ambling over and flipping the bowl onto its side.
"Noooooo!"
Lyra squealed and began bouncing in and out around Jade's paws.
"He-ey," Jade took a step back and swept up the tiny fox in her arms "What's wrong?"

Lyra stuck her trembling lower lip out as she stared at Jade, the very beginnings of angry tears welling up in her eyes.

"You killed the turtle!"

Jade looked down quickly at her feet, expecting to see a crushed reptile flailing on its back. But there was only the bowl.
"Wait," Jade set her down, then crouched to come to her eye level "Are you the turtle?"
Sniffling slightly, Lyra nodded.
"Ohh," Jade grinned, while silently breathing out a sigh of relief "Okay. I'm sorry."
"Can I be the turtle again now?"
"Of course."

Lyra crouched into a fluffy ball and Jade flipped the bowl back over her.
"Is that better, turtle?"

Lyra made an odd squeaking noise that she probably imagined sounded exactly like whatever a turtle sounded like.

"Okay," Jade watched her scuttle off towards the stairs "Have fun."


A metallic scraping caught Freeta's ears while she was working in the infirmary, it rasped down the hall closer to her, then into the room with her.
Freeta turned and stared down at the metal bowl, with just a nose stuck out in front of it.
"Lyra, what are you doing?"
There was a giggle.
"Turtle."
"What?" Freeta walked over to the bowl and tried to tip it over, but tiny fingers grasped the edges and prevented her from overturning it.
"Lyra, let go. What are you doing?"
"Tuuuurtle!"
Freeta managed to get a grip on the rim of the bowl and it rocked over onto it's back, leaving Lyra flailing around like an animated dust bunny.
"Lyra!" Freeta scooped her granddaughter out of the bowl "What on earth are you doing?"
"I'm turtle," Lyra wriggled out of Freeta's grip "Let turtle go."
"No, we're not going to play turtle."
"Why?"
Freeta picked her back up and sat her on the counter "Because the scraping the bowl on the floor drives me crazy."
"Play outside!"
Freeta glanced over at the bowl "Alright. For a little while. But play outside!"

Dinner had passed and Lionel was walking through the open air halls when a scratching around the corner caught his ears.
Coming around he found a large bowl repeatedly bonking gently into the wall.
"My salad bowl?"
He knelt down and lifted the bowl over, revealing Lyra, who stared up at him.
"What are you doing, Lyra?"
"Turtle!"
She snatched the edge of the bowl and tried to pull it back over on herself, but Lionel gripped it.
"What turtle?"
"Me!"
"Ooohh," He chuckled "I see."
"Can I be the turtle now?"

"No," Freeta trotted around the corner "It's time for bed, Lyra."
"NNNOOOO!!!!"

Lyra jumped away from her grandmother, but Lionel caught her mid leap.
"I'm a tuuuuuurrtle."
"No. No, Lyra, no you are not," Freeta scowled "You are a fox with a bedtime, come on."

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"Could you... stay with me tonight?"
998 words

Viper shivered convulsively beneath the sky shattering thunder as it woke her from her sleep. Dazedly she struggled to comprehend why she was staring at the dark ceiling.
As the roars of the storm continued, the panic came slamming back into her chest and as she struggled franticly to free herself from the blankets she slipped down from the bed and landed on the floor with a jarring thump.

She continued fighting the blankets, sobbing, the impulse to escape the noise overwhelming her. Her mind paralized and her body fighting, she was completely unable to release herself from the sufficating folds of the blankets.

Suddenly, in time to another thunderbolt the blankets were ripped away and a pair of arms encircled her chest, trapping her thrashing arms against her body and lifting her up.

For a second the wind died away and through her blind panic she caught a few mumbled words brushing against her ear, the voice familliar but despite that the tone soothing.

The wind began to howl again but the sound was further away and she began to be able to breath again.

There was the scratch of a striking match, followed by a tiny flicker of light that cast an illumination over his face, highlighting the scars.

Her stomach turned over at the red lines running through the ashy fur, bu she forgot his nightmare look as thunder rolled through the house, shaking the windows and sending shivers through the floor.

"Hey, easy now," he murmured, lighting the small lamp and setting it away from her "It's alright."
She pressed her palms against her eyes, gasping as she tried shake away the blank terror.
"Here," Townly tugged down a heavy shawl from the racks and wrapped it around her shoulders "Is that better?"
"N-no," she whimpered, pulling the corners tigher around her.
"Just a second," he stood up and left the closet, returning a second later with the disheveled blankets.
"What are you doing with those?" She asked weakly.

"Same idea as with the pillows,"he began tucking them around her "Blocks out the noise."

Finally she took in a full breath and shame crept in with the air.
"That's enough thanks," she said sharply, brushing away some of the blankets.
"No," he tucked the blankets back up "Put this around your head."
"No, I'm fine!" She threw the blankets down.
Then thunder roared, rattling the windows and doors and shaking the floor.
She shrieked and dove into the blankets, shaking.

Townly tucked the blankets around her and pulled her up.
"Hey, hey, deep breaths okay? Deep breaths Teresa."

She closed her eyes and focused on the sound of her proper name. Somehow it soothed her, when he used it, softly, the same way he spoke to his brother when he panicked, it was calming.

Several minutes later she opened her eyes and realized that he was staring down at her, dark eyes filled with concern.

"How'd you figure this out?" She croaked.
"I didn't," he shifted, loosening his grip "My mother used it to calm down Wes when he had a panic attack."
She sniffled and locked her gaze on the tiny lamp flame "He had attacks when he was a kid?"
Townly sighed heavily, his own eyes drifting to the flame and when he spoke his voice had changed from soothing and calm to distantly emotional and softly broken
"Not always...It ah...It's not the best thing to talk about right now."
She didn't press, but she knew when the attacks had started and she closed her eyes, a sick feeling in her stomach.
"Sorry."
His hand trailed down her elbow, then he squeezed gently
"It's fine Viper."

She started as the rain started, a battering assult on the roof and her ears.
"Easy."
"I'm alright," she sighed heavily "I'm alright now."
"Okay, you want me to leave now?" He began to stand
"N-no," she caught his paw "Please don't."
"Okay," he settled back down "That's fine just... the other times you've wanted me to leave."
"I know," she gasped softly as the storm reached its peak and screamed at her "But please...not yet."
"Of course," he leaned his head back against the wall "You comfortable? Last time you said-"
"I know what I said and... well..." she trailed into a shudder as it thundered again
"Just forget it," she said after regaining herself, then laughed weakly "We are married after all."
"I haven't thanked you for that," he replied with dead seriousness "After we got back and found that thingsbhad changed, you could've divorced and just served a few years in the mines or on the farms and been free."
"I could have, but then you..." she trailed off loosing track of her thoughts for a minute "You would have hanged."
"And what was that to you?"
She shrugged "Guess I'm just not the sort of creature who goes back on her word."
He laughed with a bitter sarcastic bite to his tone "You're exactly the sort of creature who goes back on their word. We both are. So why haven't you done it?"

She paused, the sounds of the storm dimming as she thought
"I guess it's because...I'm afraid...I don't want to face another storm alone... and I don't think I could bear thinking about Wesley watching you die."

The quiet between them stretched out as she waited for his reply and she began to wonder if he had fallen asleep when he finally spoke, his voice choked.

"Thank you."

She nodded, then on the last nod let her head fall against his shoulder.

The image of the little lamp flame steadily glowing was the last thing she saw before she drifted to sleep.

Townly blew out the flame and settled back in the darkness with a sigh, soon following Viper into sleep.

The storm blew itself out and the clouds rolled away on the early morning breeze to reveal a rosy dawn that reflected on the dewdrops in the grass.

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"Please tell me that is not what I think it is."
Art Piece
1, 779
"I want a tree."
Kenan stared around their yard, at the thick bushes lining the path, the flowers in profusion, and the trailing vines that had taken over the left side of the house.
"Why?"

Aurora gestured to the yard as if it was a bare wasteland "We haven't got a tree."
"We don't need a tree."
"Aw, but we don't have any shade out in the yard. For picnics."
"We have the bushes."
She turned and faced him "Do you want to crawl beneath the bushes for a picnic?"
"We eat indoors Aurora, on the table."
She sighed and sat down on the step "Oh, it's just for fun Kenan. I think a tree would look nice."
"Well, it's your garden."
"Yes, it is."

For a while the conversation petered out. Kenan studied the yard and for a moment tried to ignore the thoughts of a tree crashing through the roof in the middle of the night and instead imagined picnics beneath a green canopy. It was a pleasant image.
"If we did get a tree, what type would you want?"
Aurora looked around as if envisioning the tree in the yard "I suppose oak would be nice. It would take a long time to grow but we could climb in it when it was big enough."
"Why do you want to climb in it? I though you wanted to picnic."
"Well, I could do both."


Kenan stored the conversation in the back of his mind and let it rest, finding no relevance in it until nearly a month afterwards, when he was walking home and realized that in Aurora's birthday was in three days and he had no present for her.
He paused in the middle of the street, suddenly locked in the self-deprecating frustration and the panic as he tried to imagine an appropriate gift.
Aurora's flippant wish echoed in his mind and without further consideration he turned tail and marched back down the way he came.
Though he'd never been in the garden shop, he'd spent hours outside the front waiting for Aurora and with no hesitation he entered.
"I'm closing," a creaky irate voice snapped at him from the corner of the shop.
"I need a tree," Kenan replied, stepping forwards and tucking his paws behind his back "Would you happen to have any?"
A dusty feathered burrowing owl shuffled out from the shadowy corner and waved her shawl draped wing to a tucked away bit of the shop.
"I got one left, a scrawny stick of oak."

Kenan winced at the painfully accurate description. The sapling's trunk was thin and bent resembling a pitiful piece of kindling more than a plant. It could barely stand beneath the weight of the three measly twigs that sprouted from its top. A single leaf had grown from the highest branch and it had turned pallid with thin yellow veins stretching over the withering surface.
"Is this... is this all?"
"I said that's all I have, didn't I? So do you want it or not?"
Kenan took a step back and closed his eyes, breathing out a prayer that Aurora would be able to see the stick of firewood with better eyes than he could.
"I will buy it, but could I possibly leave it here for three days? It's intended as a gift."
"You leave it, I sell it to someone else."
Kenan gritted his teeth as he dug into his pocket, spilling the required amount onto the counter "I'll find somewhere else to keep it."

He sorted through a list as he walked out clutching the pot in his arms. He could ask Mei-li, doubtless she'd agree to watch her daughter's present and perhaps she'd be able to nurse a bit of life back into it. But he abandoned the idea as he measured the angle of the setting sun. If he was gone much longer Aurora would suspect.
Rowan would also most likely accept the responsibility of hiding the plant. Kenan mentally measured out the size of the little room his brother-in-law habituated behind the kiln he was apprenticed to and realized that the tree would probably sustain damage if the it was placed in the same room with Rowan trying to live in.
That left one name on his mental list.
Jon-tai.
Logically his second brother-in-law was the best choice, there was most certainly enough room and he wouldn't mind looking after the tree, especially for his little sister. But Kenan couldn't keep himself from cringing at asking his employer for anything personal. It simply seemed inappropriate for him to take advantage of his personal standing with Jon-tai to ask favors.
But he reasoned, this wasn't anything to do with their work, he wouldn't as an employee to employer. It was for Aurora, not himself.

Ashlin opened the door to find Kenan standing next to a scraggly tree that looked like it had died the week before.
"Hello, Kenan," she greeted him slowly, her eyes on the pitiful plant "What're you doing here?"
"Hello Ashlin," He straightened his back and rigidly refused to look at the tree "Is Jon-tai here? I would like to speak to him."
"Hey," Jon-tai appeared next to his wife "What's up Kenan?" He paused and blanched slightly as he saw the tree, guessing it's purpose before Kenan spoke.
"I need a favor. The shopkeeper would not allow me to keep the tree at the shop, so I need somewhere to hide Aurora's birthday present."
"Birthday present?!" Ashlin burst out with a snicker "I never imagined you to be a last minute shopper Kenan."
Kenan flinched slightly "My delay in purchasing a gift was unintentional."
"Of course it was. We can keep it in the back if you like, that way you can swing by whenever you need pick it up, even if we're out."
"Thank you, Jon-tai."


"Ke? I'm going out now, alright? Is there anything you want me to pick up? Remember we're eating dinner at the Daja tonight."
Kenan stepped into the front hall to find Aurora hanging half-way out the door waiting for his response "I do not require anything, thank you, Rory."
"Course," she stepped back in and rose on tip-toe to peck his cheek "I shouldn't be gone for more than an hour or two."
"I will be prepared to leave for dinner when you return."
"Okey-doke, you don't have to rush, I'll probably need a bit of time to get myself ready."
He watched her leave through the gate festooned with vines and walk down the road, and he smiled.
He'd never understand how she'd come to love him.
He waited until she disappeared around the corner, then quickly closed the door and hurried down the opposite way.
There was no answer to his knocks at Jon-tai's door, so he slipped through the back into the garden.
In the corner the little tree leaned against the wall, not any better than when he had left it three days before. At least it had not gotten any worse.
"Hey Uncle Ke."

Kenan turned, startled by a young voice at his elbow.
Shifter stood behind him his head tipped to the side.
"Is that firewood yours?"
"No, it is not mine, it is Aurora's."
"You got Aunt Aurora a piece of firewood? For her birthday?"
Kenan shook his head and picked up the pot "It is a tree."
"It's a dead tree. I don't think she'll like it."
"It is not dead." Kenan turned and excited the garden, Shifter still tagging behind him.
"Looks dead to me."
Kenan paused, breathing in a long breath "Well, it's not dead. Is there something you require from this conversation Shifter?"
"Umm... What?"
"Do you need something? Otherwise I need to return to my home."
Shifter shrugged "'Kay, bye."
"Goodbye Shifter."

Kenan's step was even and steady, intentionally slow as he cautiously walked down the street. But even his gentles step was tensed and nerves gathered despite his best effort. He stopped several times to force the knots in his muscles to undo, but his sweaty palms betrayed him. Just the edge of the pot slipped from his grasp and he overreacted trying to compensate. The pot loosed itself entirely from his grasp and he fell to his knees trying to catch it.
Dirt spilled across the street and the sapling's straggled dry roots where bared to the open world.
Moaning at the mess, Kenan tried to stuff the tree back in, the root system intact, but the bits on the ends snapped off between his trembling fingers. After breaking off larger and larger pieces he managed to right it in the pot, holding it upright while he stuff the dirt back in, coating his pants in the process.
"Oh... thank you," he sighed as he saw the tiny leaf still clung to its twig. Somehow if it had fallen off, he was certain he would've flung the entire thing away.

His paws now thick with dirt, he managed to hold the pot much easier as he completed the walk home. He sat it next to the door and stared at it for a moment.
It drooped worse than before, some of the fibers in its trunk had been bruised, one of the twigs had been snapped in half...
He shut his eyes, prayed again that Aurora could work her magic on it, and hurried inside to wash the dirt away.

He had just finished scrubbing out the dirt from his pants when he heard an exclamation from outside and his name called.
With an odd sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach he hurried out and found Aurora standing in front of the droopy sapling, grinning as if it was a straight trunked, heavily foliaged, full grown tree.

"That's not what I think it is, is it?" She squealed "Is it... mine?"
He kicked at the ground and tucked his paws behind his back "It is your birthday present... I'm sorry it's so small, it's the only one they had."
"Oh no, it's wonderful! I'd forgotten about the tree entirely! Thank you so much!"
He managed a faint smile "You're are welcome."
"I'll water it right away and we can plant it first thing tomorrow. Will you help me?"
"Of course."
She flung her arms around him in a tight hug and he slipped his hands around her shoulders while looking down into her radiant smile.
He couldn't help but wonder if her enthusiasm was perfectly genuine as he looked again at the sad tree.
But even if it was exaggerated.... he appreciated it.

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"I believe in you"
742
"Dad?"

It had been years since any of Martin's children had woken him up in the middle of the night. But as he rolled over and opened his eyes, there Skipper was, his eyes bloodshot and his nightclothes bedraggled.

"What's it, Skip?" He asked, while feeling for Lily. He found her side cold and wondered why she had never come to bed.
"I..."
Skipper's voice trailed off into a shamed dip of his chin.

Martin narrowed his sleep heavy eyes and rolled out of bed, snatching his hat off the nightstand as he went
"Let's go down to the kitchen, hmm?"
Skipper nodded and trailed after his father.

After tip-toeing down past the guest filled rooms, they found that the kitchen had been used and a kettle-full of water was still hot.
"Want tea?" Martin asked pulling a pair of mugs from the shelf.
Skipper nodded, then sat at the table and began tracing the pattern of the wood grain.

"Alright, what is it?" Martin asked, setting the tea in front of his son "You nervous? Scared? Having last minute doubts?"
"That's the worst of it," Skipper sighed, mixing in a generous amount of honey into his tea "I'm not sure."
"Oh, that's hardly the worst," Martin rifled through the pans that had been left out after the washing up "The worst would be you deciding to call the whole thing off." He found the tray of cookies and scooped up several, plopping a couple in front of Skipper, who frowned.
"Those are for tomorrow, aren't they?"
Martin paused,the remains of the first one adorning his whiskers "Ehh... They're extras."
"Oh wood chips..."
"Hey, I don't think your wedding is going to crash and burns because we're a few cookies short. But it might not go so well if you fall asleep while the bride comes up the aisle."

Skipper shook his head, running a paw over his eyes "It won't matter much if I can't even get up there."
"But you will go up there," Martin assured him quickly, wiping away the crumbs "I know you will. And you will go down a married otter."
"But what if I can't? What if I just can't?"

Martin reached across and rubbed Skipper's arm "You can. I know you can. You love her don't you?"
"Of course!" Skipper burst out brokenly "But, just.... what if?"
"It's always 'what if'. 'What if' your making the wrong decision. 'What if' she's not the right one. 'What if your fur turns blue and you sprout broccoli for ears?"
"Dad!" Skipper's tone was offended, but he grinned half against his will "Really?"
"If you dwell on it, it will become absolutely ridiculous."
Still smirking, Skipper took a long sip of his tea, his face gradually turning serious again.
"What was it like, for you?"
Martin tilted his head as he though back over years and years.
"I couldn't sleep either. Actually I could barely sit still. Yvette stayed up with me for a while trying to calm me down. But I remember sitting in the library, watching the sun come up while she was snoring on the sofa across from me."
"And... there where other problems going too, weren't there."
Martin nodded "Yeah. There where. That's not to say this affair hasn't been free of it's own... complications."
"No, it hasn't been easy," Skipper winced as he thought of the issues between Fern Rose's parents.
"But you've stuck it out. Through everything you've had to go through. Getting shipwrecked and all that."
"The shipwreck was the least of it I think. It was more the disapproval from her parents about marrying a foreigner."
"Well I don't think they where going to find someone who was also half Tworan half Sunstream. I think they're quite lucky to have found a 'foreigner' who was both willing to marry their daughter and so handsome."
Again Skipper's face lit up with involuntary amusement, but again it faded.
"But what if they're right?"
Martin smiled and the upturn of his lips lingered longer than his son's "What if they're wrong? What if the boy who loved their daughter even after he found out about her mixed and embarrassing heritage actually is the one? I've seen you with Fern Rose. You're totally committed to her. And totally in love, I do think."
This time the smile didn't fade.
"I am."
"Then you can do it. I know you can."

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"Was that a kiss?"
157
"Mo-om?"

Mei-li recognized the sweet soft voice Rowan was using. It was the same tone Jon-tai and Aurora had used when they wanted something from her, but thought she might deny them if they used their regular voices.

"What do you need, Rowan?" She replied, setting down her small spade and turning around.

He beamed shyly up at her and motioned for her to lean to his level.
She smiled as she knelt, but it was more of a knowing twist of her lip than pure amusement.

He scrambled up onto her lap and leaned towards her ear.
Flinging his arms around her neck in a tight hug, he whispered
"I... I love you Mom."
and pecked her ear.

Before she could react, he slipped off her lap and dashed away towards his toys by the wall.

Mei-li stared after him, her fingers brushing against her ear, a soft glow spread at the edges of her face.

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"I HAVE TB!" "No you have a cold!"
534 words
"Skipper? Tiger Lily? Have you seen your sister?"
They paused in pulling out their school books from the shelf and looked at each other.
Then in unison they turned towards their mother and shrugged.
"I thought she was with you."
"Yeah, she was up and out of bed before we where even awake."
Lily grit her teeth quietly "Well, I haven't seen her all day. Are you sure she's not in the bedroom."
"Maybe she went to play with Markus?" Tiger asked, pulling her school books all the way out and holding them against her chest.
"She'd better not have. She'll be in a lot of trouble if she did."
"I'll go look for her," Skipper shoved his books back up "She's probably in the courtyard."
"Thank you Skip."


"Elvie? Elllllvie? Come out, come out wherever you are," Skipper wandered around the courtyard, peering into the corners "Come on Elf, you're going to get in trouble if you don't come in and do school."
He paused to listen before calling out again "I bet Mum won't let you play with Mark and Rowan for a week if you don't come in RIGHT NOW."
But even that dire warning failed to elicit a reaction.
"Oh come on Elf, you don't even have hard school to do."
He squinted as a bit of movement next to the only bush Lily hadn't managed to kill caught his eye.
Pursing his lips up into what he imagined was an intimidating frown he stalked over in front of his sister, who was ducked beside the roots in her night clothes.

"I see you."

Sniffling loudly she looked up at him, eyes red and swollen from crying.
Immediately his pretended sternness melted and he crouched quickly.
"Elf? What's wrong? Are you hurt? Do you want me to get Mum?"

Elvie shook her head and looked away.
Skipper realized she was shaking almost uncontrollably.
"Elf, seriously, what's wrong."
She sniffled again and let out a soft, but hoarse cough.
"I-I'm sick."

Skipper reached out and pressed his palm against her forehead.
"Wow, you're really warm Elf, you need to come inside."
"No."
"No?" he realized that by the tight tuck of her lips that she wasn't going to move "Fine I'm going to get Mum."
"No!" She hauled back on his arm, preventing him from standing "Don't tell Mum! She'll get mad!"
"Mad?" Skipper stared at her, confused "She's not going to be mad."
"At you. Again."

With a jolt Skipper realized that she was referring to when she had been dangerously ill. Lily had endless patience for her sick daughter but an explosive temper towards anyone else who crossed her.

"Elvie, that was when you where really sick. You've only got a cold now."
She blinked at him, confused "A-a cold? You mean...I'm not...." her voice dropped to a raspy whisper "Dying?"

"Oh Elf! No, no, no, you're going to be fine," Skipper pulled her into a hug "It's just a little cold. It'll be over in a week."
"Promise?" She asked, her eyes pleading for him to affirm his word.
"I promise. C'mon, you need to go lie down."

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"ALL HAIL ...!"
1659
The lone figure bent against the snowy specters that beckoned him backwards, down towards the warm lands, where summer was strong. But as he glanced over his shoulder, hoping for an encouraging glimpse he found that the green edge of Shi-Ree had disappeared and only the white rise of the lower slopes were the only sights.
With a heavy sigh that sent steam curling past his whiskers Xheng Firen returned his gaze back up to the unbroken sheet of snow he had to struggle through, rising up to gnaw at the sky.

He mounted onto a bare windswept plateau, where a low square building gathered snow against its wall.
Mont Estrie
It was a relief to his sore body as he passed through the gates and the pressure of the wind was lessened.
In the courtyard a trio of snow leopards, wearing only light, loose long sleeved shirts and pants where practicing their open paw combat.
They stopped as the frostbitten tiger passed them and stared.
Xheng ignored their whispers and their gestures, intent on entering the Mont.
It was little warmer within the bare stone building, where there where no rugs, no fires, no blankets, to stave off the chill of the eternal winter.
The leopards never needed them. They never knew anything but the ice and the snow and the chill that froze other creatures' bones.

"Master Xheng."
The lower growlish voice of the head teacher rumbled from just behind Xheng.
The tiger turned, shaking snow from his clothes.
"It is good to see you again."
Xheng shrugged in acknowledgement of Mear Quis's greeting, more pressing matters on his mind.
"Where is he?"

Quis extended a paw, gesturing for Xheng to follow.
"This way."

Xheng was led through long empty halls, past rooms full of breathless warriors practicing the art of weaponless war.
Finally Master Quis paused outside one of these rooms, where young children where mimicking the gestures of their teacher, each one standing with legs apart on a woven mat.
The child Xheng was searching for was easy to pick out. His stripes and orange fur where blaringly visible amongst the pearled white pelts of the young leopards.
But the focus, the determination, the ease with which he blended his movements with the other students, made him seem a flawless part of the room.
Quis signaled for the teacher to pause and they did so with a deep bow.
All the young students turned to see the interruption, but only one of them shouted and abandoned their place amongst the mats.

Xheng laughed as the young boy raced to his feet and swung his son up into his arms.
Quis gestured subtly for Xheng to step away from the classroom before beginning to catch up with his son.
Xheng took the hint and carried the young tiger away from the distracted students to a small bench.
He let go of the boy when he sat down, but the boy's arms stayed locked around his neck.
He reached up and unknotted the little fingers from his fur, but wrapped the small soft paws in his own rough ones.
"How's it been Vrell?"
The gray eyes smiled up at him "I've missed you Father."
Xheng smiled, but felt his throat tighten.

"I've missed you too, my Vrell."
"But you're going to take me home now, right? We're gonna go back to Shi-Ree?"
Xheng bowed his head, feeling a sting in his eyes.
"No, I'm not here to take you home Vrell. The Mont is your home now."

"But..." The joy in the bright eyes drained away "You're not here."
"No. No, I'm not," Xheng's shoulders sagged "But I must be in Shi-Ree. I have a duty to my country, you understand."
Vrell didn't answer.
Instead he wound his arms around Xheng's stomach and refused to let go.
"Oh, Vee," Xheng wrapped his arms around his son.
"Let's take a walk and talk about it."

It was the default. The fallback. When someone had something to say and needed to say it without interruption.
"I'll get my coat," Vrell said, pawing at his eyes.

A few minutes later Xheng ventured back out into the snow, this time his son at his side.
The wind had died and Xheng decided that he'd rather not stay in the courtyard, with the other students practicing.

So they walked out onto the plateau, both of them silent as the snow crunched softly beneath their paws.
Finally, at the edge of the flat looking down the sharp incline that only a little while ago he had struggled up, Xheng stopped.
Vrell huddled next to him, his short hot breath steaming up in small clouds.

Xheng stared down at him for a long time, feeling equal parts of regret and pride.

"You don't understand really, do you son? About my leaving and your staying."
Ashamedly Vrell shook his head.
"It's alright. You will eventually."
"But... I want to know why now. Why can't I go or you stay?"
Xheng knelt in the snow, gripping Vrell's shoulders.
"You're safe here, Vrell, away from... all the bad people in Shi-Ree," Xheng paused considering how and how much to explain to the young child.
"You know that an Emperor rules Shi-Ree, right?"
Vrell nodded.
"Well, sometimes the Emperor dies and there's no one to replace him. So, there's a council and a new ruling family is... picked out. That's what's happening right now and I'm one of the creatures who is being considered to be Emperor. But, there are some bad creatures who also want to be Emperor."
"But the council won't let them?"
"No, no, Vrell. That council might let them. Because they are very, very smart bad creatures they got the council to trust them, but I know the truth. They are evil and not worthy."
Xheng wiped away several flakes of snow from his son's face "That's why I must go, to keep our country safe."
"But why can't I come with you?"

"Because, those bad creatures might hurt you so I won't be able to become Emperor. They might try and take you away and say that if I don't leave the council they'll hurt you."
Vrell's ears tucked back against his head "Why? Why do you have to be Emperor?"
Xheng took his son's paws and grasped them in his own "Because, Vrell. I am strong, I am worthy. Shi-Ree needs me to take care of her."
"B-but does that mean I'll... I'll have to be the Emperor after you?"
Xheng smiled "Yes. Yes it does and you will be a strong Emperor, because like me you are worthy, you have the blood of warriors and princes inside your veins. Only our family can restore Shi-Ree, do you hear me? Only we have the righteousness to bring her back to her deserved place-"

A bitter broke sound like a laugh that had been fractured into a thousand cutting glass shards snapped through Xheng's intense speech.
"All hail! All hail Shi-Ree's savior! All hail the murder of babes and the oppressor of mothers!"

Like a mountain of snow coming to life a huge white form rose from the ground, a wild light in it's blue eyes.
"All Hail Xheng Firen!"

Xheng shot to his feet, shoving Vrell behind him.
"Kif."

Kif held his long broadsword out in a sweeping motion.
"I've come to reckon with you Xheng."

In a smooth draw, Xheng unsheathed his own sword from the scabbared along his back.
"We have nothing to reckon with Thang."

Kif laughed again, bitter and broken.
"Then where are my daughters Xheng!? Where are the children you snatched from the cradles?"

Xheng hesitated for the breath of a second as he glanced own at his son.
"Vrell. Go back to the Mont. Run."

Vrell obeyed, his small orange body bounding through the snow and disappearing.

Kif ignored the young boy.

Half-way back to the Mont Vrell stopped and turned, his eyes fixed on his father.

"Where are they, Xheng. Where are they?"

Xheng loosened his shield and tightened his grip on his sword "I never touched your filthy offspring."

Kif brought down his own shield, but the tremors of rage that shook his sword where all too obvious.
"I know you did, you monster! You beast! You hid your own son away while you steal the children of your rivals!"
Kif hurled himself forwards, sweeping his sword in front of him.

Xheng blocked with his own sword and for a second the two tigers where within inches of each other's face.
"Where are they??" Kif hissed before stepping back.

Breathing heavily Xheng began to circle his enemy.
"You're right," He snarled "I did take your weak worthless cubs."

With a bellow Kif attacked again, throwing wild uncontrolled slices that Xheng avoided easily.

"Where are they?!? WHAT DID YOU DO!?"

A cruel curl twisted Xheng's face as he replied in a low, heartless voice.

"They're. Dead."

Kif froze, his jaw slack with shock.

Xheng laughed and lunged, his sword aimed for Kif's throat.

The white tiger regained himself a half second before the steel sliced through his skin. He brought his own sword up and thrust it upwards into Xheng.

Xheng's eyes widened slowly as he felt the steel pass through his chest and again their faces where inches from each other.
Kif's eyes had an insane burning glow that blazed into Xheng's vision as the rest of the world began to fade into a white blur.

"All hail the murderer," Kif roared "All hail the prince of bones."
He drew his sword back, leaving Xheng standing free for a moment.

The sword fell from Xheng's hand and he staggered, trying to regain his balance.
But as he began to feel a dull sensation pressing against his chest, the world faded to complete white and only one thought prevailed above all others.

"Vrell," He croaked.


Across the snowfield the young boy saw his father fall.

[Ranger of the North]

Oh wow, that was sad :c

[TheSongOfTheStars]

Semi-villain backstory.

[Ranger of the North]

Semi-villain backstory.

Aaah. Yeah, I can see why he'd turn sour, poor lil guy...