Flo's Challenge to me

[TheSongOfTheStars]

I've realized that it's very dangerous to love a timeless character, therefore I simply enjoy their pain.

[Ranger of the North]

Man. That's so true, though XD
Poor, poor Darkmoon.... :c

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"I would kill for you."

392

Before Tigretta woke, or Kif was disturbed, or the attendants charged with the care of the twins, Orchid jewel's sensitive ears caught the complaing cries coming from the nursery.
And before anyone was awake to see her, she'd slipped out of her room and like a pale shadow slunk into the nursery.
"Hi baby," she whispered, reaching for the crying cub's paw "What's wrong Dawn feather?"
The baby tiger quieted as her sister rubbed her fingers soothingly.
"Were you scared Dawn? Scared of the dark?" Orchid jewel smiled "That's okay, the dark won't hurt you. "
Dawn feather blinked, her jade green flashing and she yawned.
"And I won't let the monsters scare you either," Orchid jewel smiled as her tiny sibling began to drift back to sleep "I'll fight them all off like Father, because I'm big and brave and you're little."
Dawn feather sniffled, then tucked her paws up to her chest and fell back asleep.

Orchid beamed and turned slowly, careful not to make any sound, but as she reached for the door the hinges squeaked, softer than a mouse, but Orchid winced as suddenly another cry broke out from the other side of the room, opposite Dawn feather's cradle.
"Oh....no, don't cry, don't cry, please don't," Orchid whispered as she rushed to the cradle "Crystal rose. Rose. Rosie come on," she reached down for Crystal's paw but the cub refused to be comforted.
"Oh...please don't make me do this."
But Crystal rose began to cry louder.
Orchid groaned and clambered into the crib "Hey, look, it's me! Not a mean old monster. Will you be quiet now?"
Orchid pulled her sister into her arms and hushed her.
"You know, if we become princesses you can cry like that, it's not proper."
Orchid sighed as Crystal stared curiously up at her with watery yellow eyes "If Father becomes the emperor then we'll be princesses, then one day I'll be the empress. Princesses and empressess don't cry. But I'll let you cry, when I'm in charge if it makes you feel better. And I'll make all the monsters go away."
Crystal rose let out a tiny sigh and settled down in her sister's arms.
"That's better...isn't it?" Orchid's eyes slowly began to close and her head leaned back against the rim of the crib "Yeah...I won't let the monsters hurt you."

[Ranger of the North]

'She's gone' left me... torn.
I don't — yeah.

[TheSongOfTheStars]

well, in all fairness, she's a selkie, or part selkie, and selkies always return to the sea and they always have a sad ending to their stories. I'm just doing the fairytales' their justice.
(Maybe I'll try to post something happier soon)

[Ranger of the North]

well, in all fairness, she's a selkie, or part selkie, and selkies always return to the sea and they always have a sad ending to their stories. I'm just doing the fairytales' their justice.
(Maybe I'll try to post something happier soon)

Happy would be nice :c:

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"You love me?"
1,871
"You lied to me!"

Jade's scream was broken with the agony of his betrayal.
"You lied about everything."

Vrell stared at her from across the wooded copse, his paws stained with the fight with the Sykans.
No.
No.
She couldn't know that.

"Jade. No. What are you talking about, I'd never-"

She struggled to sit up, a scrap of paper dangling from her claws.
"This. This. You..."
Shuddering she fell back against the tree, her wounds beginning to overcome her.
A thin whisper leaked past her mouth before her eyes fells shut.
"You... monster."

"No. No. Jade," Vrell raced to her side, cradling her lolling head "I'm... I'm sorry! Please, I'm sorry! I won't do this! Just stay awake!"
He stared around, helplessness enveloped him, then taking a huge breath slipped his arms around her and lifted her up. He had to bring her to help.


Jen-suk stared down at Vrell.
The young tiger's handsome face was streaked with tears and blood, his well groomed fur was torn and ripped out in patches, and emotional agony distorted it all into a desperate plea.
"You have to save her, Jen-suk. Please. You have to. She's... she's going to die."
He sank to his knees, gray eyes burning with anguish.
The panther turned his gaze to the inert form, that lay in the tatters of its own clothing, stained thickly with red streaks.

He'd sent Vrell for her, to lure her in like a fish on a line. But the hook had gone too deep, the fight had been too much.
It wasn't anything more than he had expected.
But what he had not counted on was Vrell, sobbing, terrified, begging for her life. Vrell, who had burned with hatred for Kif and his family. Who wanted nothing more than to see their downfall.

"I will do what I can for her. You should go rest."

Gulping out his thanks, Vrell staggered away, disappearing down the stairs.

Jen-suk watched him for a second, before hurrying to his vials and medicines.
He remember well the day the Xheng Firen had died. He hadn't seen it happen, but it was still a great relief when he came on his master, laying in the snow.
Xheng had been crazed with his own ideas, drunk on his own power, but his death shaped Vrell more than his life ever had and the young boy fastened onto the ideas that his father indoctrinated him with.
Those radical ideas where what caused him to be dissatisfied with the life at the Mont and the nonviolent ways of the snow leopards.

Jen-suk had known that an outright opposition of Xheng's ideas would drive Vrell away from him, but he had hoped that slowly re-shaping Vrell's mind would bring healing from the poisons of his father.
But over the years the hatred for Kif and his family burned continuously...until now.

Jen-suk paused in stitching close one of Jade's wounds.
Could she be his salvation?
Despite the things their father's had done to each other, could they overcome their families colored past?

But Jen-suk himself had committed his own crimes against Jade, and despite all her wounds, he knew the ferocity of a warrior who faces what they believe to be their greatest enemy.
So after the exhaustive chore of cleaning every cut and binding every wound, Jen-suk lifted the inert tiger and drug her over to the bed on the next wall, where he strapped her arms and legs to the side using the large metal cuffs.

Then he turned and followed Vrell down the stairs.
He found the young tiger huddled next to a new fire, his shoulders slumped and his head sunk down on his chest.

"Is she going to be alright?"

"I do believe that she will survive."
Jen-suk sat across from Vrell, watching the tiger's face as the gray eyes glanced between Jen-suk and the fire.
"What happened, Vrell?"

Vrell's mouth opened and closed several times before he found his words.
"I don't know."

Jen-suk didn't reply, but locked Vrell in a long searching gaze, waiting for him to admit.
"I didn't realize..." Vrell started in a broken voice "That I would understand her. That I would begin to-to care. She... got me to let my guard down and then-"
he broke himself off with a weak sniffle.
"Then you realized that she was not her father."

Vrell shook his head and brushed away at a small tear that had begun to trickle down his face.
"Is she... awake?"

"No, she is resting, as you should be as well."

Vrell nodded and leaned back into the chair, his eyes falling shut.

Jen-suk waited until he could hear Vrell's breathing even out, then he rose silently and climbed the stairs again to his room at the top of the tower.

Even before approaching her he could see that Jade was awake.

She was straining at her bonds, growling with effort and pain.
"Those bonds where strong enough to hold you last time, I do not see how anything has changed."

She froze, every muscle standing out in taught distress, as she locked onto his voice.
"It was you," Her voice croaked out from her throat, ragged with rage and betrayal "All this time, it wasn't even him. It was you."

"It's been me for a very long time, Jade, you've known that."
"You kidnapped me and my sister when we where eighteen, murdered my parents, and we never saw you again."

Jen-suk sighed heavily "The death of your adoptive parents and the death of the MacThatches was one of my greatest mistakes. I've never forgiven myself for it, though I know it is little consolation for your loss."
"Their deaths where your fault."

"There is no doubt of that, the only ease to my conscience is that had I been there, I would have placed myself between the Sykans and them, even if it was to stand for my own death."

"Liar," Jade snapped, her eyes focused on his every movement "You'd never do such a thing. Coward."

"Oh, Jade, have you never made such a decision? One that haunted you forever afterwards? I know in war that many such decisions are made. Ones that cannot be undone that lead to lives that can never be reclaimed."

She growled, but didn't reply.

Jen-suk sighed and came to stand directly over her "I must tell you that this second attempt at capture was not my idea. Directly attacking your father through you is wrong, I understand that all too well now. When Vrell found your sister he was set on attempting my original idea of bargaining your lives for Kif's power."
"And you let him, such a hero."
"Vrell has a strong will, one that I cannot contest for fear of driving him away. Then he would truly be lost."

"You've locked me to a table."

He seemed to find her flat anger humorous, in fact his face almost turned to something that reminded her of Lionel's patient amusement when Achran and Adrian had been fighting.
"A simple precaution, I know you a creature of your word. Promise not to attack and I will free you."

She grunted and screwed her eyes shut "I promise nothing."
"Your sister did. You can see her if you like, just promise."

Immediately her eyes flew open again "She's here? Is she alright?"
Again there was that amused crinkle to his face "Yes, she's here. Quite frustrated with her confinement and she won't speak much with me, but I do believe she misses you. I don't suppose you'd like to speak with Vrell?"

"I never want to see him again," the anger returned and she began straining again, in unconscious response to her rage.
"Alright, you needn't do so. But I do believe that he would like to speak with you."
She snorted derisively "So he can gloat about his master trickery? I don't think so. I'd rather eat mud and pus before I-"
"Promise?"

She hissed out a sigh "Promise."
He unlocked the cuffs, allowing her to sit up and slide off the bed.
She nearly collapsed from her stiff muscles and the loss of blood, but as Jen-suk reached to steady her she straightened up and brushed him away.
"Alright, if you've got your paws under you, then this way."

Jasmine was standing by the window, staring out onto the ocean of snow that trapped the tower.
She didn't move when she heard the lock click, or when she heard him enter.
"Miss Jas-"

"I'd rather not," She replied sharply, still not moving "My conversation is still rather dry."
"Pity, though I suppose your sister has enough to speak off to carry the conversation herself."

Jasmine turned just in time to see the panther disappear, leaving her sister leaning heavily against the door frame. She crossed the round room in a single bound, before slamming into Jade and locking her in a rib-crushing embrace.
Jade responded by dragging Jasmine to floor, leaning her head against Jasmine's shoulders and sobbing.
And they stayed clinging to each other, afraid that the other would be snatched away if they dared to loosen their grip even slightly.

"She's awake?"

Vrell met Jen-suk on the winding stairs, the blanket still clinging to his shoulders.
"Yes. She's with her sister. Apparently she does not wish to speak with you."

Vrell turned without answering, reaching out to steady himself against the wall.
"Are you well?"

"No, I did this. This is my fault."
"What did you do?" Jen-suk prompted.
"I betrayed her."
"That was indeed the plan all along."
"But then... I didn't want to, I wasn't going to. I changed my mind, but my plans... where still in effect... What do I do?"

Jen-suk smiled softly, it always took the young tiger so long to actually ask for his help.
"Well, perhaps offering them their freedom would be the first course to take, since I'm assuming you've abandoned all aspirations of ruling Shi-Ree?"
"I was an idiot," He turned and shot a hurt glance up at Jen-suk "Why didn't you stop me?"
"If I had, you would've left to go off on your own. Then, quite possibly, you would have found a way to kill yourself."
Vrell swallowed the soft words with a hard gulp "You're right. You've always been right. What do I do? How do I fix this?"

"I hardly know everything, dear boy and in this certain situation, I think anything I had a hand in would only worsen your chances of reconciliation."
Vrell groaned, leaning harder against the wall.
Jen-suk shook his head sadly "I'm sorry Vrell. But you must take this upon your shoulders. Ask her forgiveness, but do not expect it. Give her freedom and do not expect her to stay. You cannot prove yourself, but if it is meant to be, then perhaps she will forgive you."
"What if she doesn't? I can't stand it, it was just a few days, but... I want what was beginning to start again."
Jen-suk paused, his deep golden eyes glimmering in surprise as he finally connected the last pieces.
"You love her?"

Vrell stared at him, his ears pulling down.
"I love her."

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"You can't leave! You'll die..."

782

Jade had barely finished sobbing out her story to Jasmine when the door creaked open behind them.

Vrell stood framed in the thin light, his shoulders hunched close to his face.
Silently he stepped aside, leaving the door open wide.
The sisters glanced at each other, then rose, Jade leaning heavily on Jasmine, and they exited the room.

On the stairwell where their swords leaning against two heavy packs.

"An hour east will bring you to a road, you can follow it to a small cairn. There you can get directions to the nearest Rican outpost."
Vrell explained in a hoarse voice from above them on the stairs, his gaze searching for Jade's, but she kept her eyes fixed on her swords.
"You're letting us go?" Jasmine asked, her eyes trying to search out whatever lies he was telling.
"Yes."
"After all this," Jasmine swept her arms out as if to indicate the whole situation "You're letting us just go?"

"I made a mistake," He croaked "A massive one, I'm trying to repair it, though... I don't know that I'll ever be able to heal it fully..."
His voice trailed away as he stared down at Jade.
"I'm sorry."

Briefly her eyes shot up and met his for a heartbeat.
He opened his mouth again and stepped forwards, she turned away and reached for her swords to swing them over her shoulders.
"Jade-"
"Leave her alone," Jasmine growled "You've said quite enough."

"It's a trap," Jade breathed "Whatever he says, it's a lie."
Jasmine rumbled her agreement, then reached for her sword, leaving the pack behind.
"We will take our weapons and be rid of you," Jasmine said in a voice that belied the tremble in her arms as she strapped her sword belt over her back "We do not require your poisons or your directions."
"But Jade needs that medicine!" Vrell stepped closer, ignoring Jasmin's tight grip on her swords "She's hurt."
"And who do I have to thank for that?"
Vrell flinched as her blazing eyes finally looked up and burned into his gaze, his voice dying in his throat.
"We know Jen-suk, we know his tricks and his poision," Jasmine backed down the stairs, her eyes fixed on Vrell.
"He also knows the limits of his enemies and he knows to look outside his window."
The sisters startled and turned as one to see the sable panther staring dolefuly up at them.
"And the view is not a promising one." He strod closer to Jade who reacted as if he was a snake readying to strike.
He ignored her tensed posture and pulled open the wooden shutters to reveal a blank white wall of blasting snow.
"It's a blizzard. I highly doubt even you will be able to track through that. Especially considering your sister's condition," his saturated yellow eyes met Jasmine's pale ones and she shivered and glanced at Jade.
"We're leaving. Now." Jade snarled as she yanked her swords out.
"No. Jade , if you leave...you'll die!" Vrell seemed to choke on his own voice as he tried to push past Jasmine "Please!"
"Don't touch her!" Jasmine pinned him against the wall "Or I will rip your-"
"He's not worth it Jas," Jade tugged on her sister's shoulder "Let's go."
"Jade...please..." Vrell's voice trailed away as she and Jasmine stormed down the stairs, swords drawn.
"Jen-suk we have to stop them," Vrell stared at the twin's retreating backs, then started after them.
"No," Jen-suk caught the young tiger by the arm "We don't. "
"They're going to get themselves killed!" Vrell tried to pull out of Jen-suk's grip, but the panther refused to let go.
"Jade is not going to even make it to the bottom of the stairs. I highly doubt Jasmine will abandon her sister."
Suddenly Jen-suk found himself slammed against the wall, Vrell's piercing eyes glaring with rage.
"What did you do to her?! What did you-!"
"Nothing. Well, nothing much," Jen-suk tried brush away Vrell's paws, but Vrell tightened his grip and began to dig his claws into Vrell's shoulders.
"What. Did. You. Do!?"
Jen-suk's eyes narrowed "Remove your hands from me."
Vrell didn't budge and his heavy breath blew out into Jen-suk's face.
"It was just a touch and it would've worn off with no effects if she'd stayed calm-"
Before Vrell had time to react there was a yelp from down the stairs then the dull sound of a body falling.
"You ought to go see to her," Jen-suk said with an thin oily smile "A fall could reopen some of those wounds."
With a snarl Vrell shoved Jen-suk aside and stormed down the stairs, his heart beating.

[Ranger of the North]

Oh, poor girls....

[TheSongOfTheStars]

"Dude, chocolates are bomb."
1,045
Jessica had her feet up on the desk, next to the computer. She tapped idly on the keys, watching the code on the screen scroll by at her command.
Next to her on the floor Walter was snacking on a package of peanuts and trying to revive the old phone.

She sighed and powered down the computer, then turned in her chair to look down at the orange cat.
"Hey, Walt?"
"Yeah?"
"Got it to work yet?"
"Nah."
"Oh," She clicked her tongue "Bummer."
"Yeah, it's not great," He set it down and rubbed his eyes "What're you doing?"
"Ah, I'm taking a break from trying to recover the emails."
"Are you getting anywhere?"
"Slowly," She slipped off the chair to sit next to him.
He nodded, and poked at his tool kit. They where quiet for a while, then Walter spoke up again.
"Hey Jess, besides your family, what do you miss the most?"

"What do I miss the most?"
"Yeah, you know, the little things that aren't that important, you just miss them?"
"I know," She pursed her lips thoughtfully "Y'know, I haven't thought about those things. I really just focused on how much I missed my family."
"I used it as a distraction. Thinking about the dumb stuff took my mind off it."
"So, what do you miss?"
He sighed and stretched out on the floor, twiddling a screwdriver between his palms.
"It sounds weird, but I miss new stuff happening. Like the new hottest toy, or the advertisements for summer ice cream. Nothing big or exciting, even some of the routine stuff though I miss, like the commercials for the next new car or even the stupid discount commercials that the stores put on. You get it?"
"Yeah, I get it, I think."

"What do you get?" asked a voice from behind the desk.
"Oh, hey guys," Jessica craned her neck up as Tallulah, Marvin, and the twins filed into the room "Walter and I where just talking about what we missed. Like the little things."

"Ohhhh, you mean like the dumb stuff?" Marvin fluttered down next to Walter "I know what'cha mean. I miss, I mean really miss, going to the movies. Being in the giant dark theater with the blasting speaks and the huge screen. It was like being inside the movie."
"Wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait," Ava waved her hands around "There were places that you went to actually watch a movie? Like, why? Did you have to pay?"

Dumb glances where exchanged between Jessica, Walter, Marvin, and Tallulah as they realized that the younger rabbits had no idea about cinemas.

"Ohhhh maaaannnn if things ever get back to normal we so have got to take you to the movies," Marvin hopped up and down, his beak bobbing excitedly.
"Yeah, but what is it?" Logan persisted.
"It's a giant room, with a huge screen, and there are rows of seats that people sit in and watch a move," Tallulah explained "You can buy popcorn and soda and other snacks to eat while you watch."
"Why would you do that? Like, why don't you just watch it in your own home?"
"Well, usually you go to see a movie that hasn't been released for public consumption yet," Jess replied "Basically it's a cool way to see a brand new movie."

Suddenly Marvin moaned, drawing all eyes to him.
"What's wrong, Marv?" Walter asked, sitting up.
"Do you know what I just realized???"
"What? What is it?" Logan perked his ears up.
"I'm never gonna get to see Scales in the Sky!"
"What?"

"Oh, you mean those dinosaur movies? Your parents let you watch them?"
Marvin turned to Jessica, eyes wide "You mean you've never seen them? Any of them?"
Jessica shook her head "I saw a preview for one of them, the ocean one I think."
"You mean Teeth of Deep waters? That was the best one, but really you're going to watch both if I can help it."
"What's the first one called? Aren't they really violent?"
"Violent? Nah! They're awesome! The first one, Claws from Below is about-"

"I've watched them," Tallulah interrupted "And they are rather gory. Anyway, Jess, you never mentioned what you missed the most?"
Jessica fidgeted as every eye went from Marvin to her "Well, it feels silly, since everyone's gone, but I miss hanging out on social medias, sharing pictures with my friends and being able to talk to anyone anywhere in the world without worrying about being tracked down like a criminal. What about you, Lu?"

There wasn't even a heartbeat of hesitation.
"Chocolate."

"Oh, oh! I had some of that once! It was like a stick with peanut butter in it! We found it in a gas station" Ava grinned at her knowledge of the candy "It was amazing."

Tallulah gave her a look of amusement mixed with horror "You had a chocolate bar? That's it??"
"What's your favorite kind, Lu?" Jess asked, laughing at her friend's reaction.
"Truffles," Tallulah half closed her eyes in rapturous remembrance of her favorite treat.
"Oh, you like the fancy stuff," Walter grinned "Honestly? I really liked this one type of bar that was like a mix of cookie and caramel and chocolate. Marv?"
"Fudge. I like fudge. I really, really like fudge."
There where confused giggles from the twins.
"So, how many different types of chocolates are there?" Logan asked.
"Oh, there's lots," Jess explained "My favorite is the plain chocolate."
"Hey, Hiram! What's your favorite chocolate?" Ava asked and everyone turned to see that the otter had come in without their knowing and was leaning against the desk.
His face went blank for a second, then he smiled, coming around the desk to stand closer to them "Well, I like chocolate with peppermint."
"Hey, my mom loved that kind. She always hid some on top of the fridge," Jessica smiled at the memory.

"I don't know what chocolate even tastes like," Logan's ears drooped down and Hiram crouched next to him, slipping his arm over the slim shoulders
"Hey, if we ever get all these problems worked out, I promise you I will find somewhere that has chocolate and you can try whatever kind you want."
Logan perked up immediately "Promise?"
"Promise."