Post by Tsukikage on Jul 3, 2009 3:41:24 GMT -6
Tsuki set his gaze away from the land -- away from Hitoban, and Kage, and Wahya. Away from all the trouble that plagued him since they'd all come here.
Then, quite suddenly, his gaze was thrown to the ground, as Kage's paw came swiftly down on his brother's face.
"You coward!" Kage snarled, throwing Tsuki to the ground. "You did that on purpose didn't you?!? You know our range still only holds within this land; you could've killed me -- right in front of the pups, you bastard!"
Kage leaped at Tsuki and sent him tumbling again. Tsuki did not fight back.
"Did you even bother to talk to Hitoban, or were you just gonna disappear? Don't you love her?"
"Of course I --" Tsuki whimpered.
"Then act like it!" His brother snapped. "Love isn't all flowers and sunsets -- it's hard work, too. You think it was easy for them to be without us for so long? To see us asleep, knowing we might not come back. You think it made Dawn happy, wondering if her pups would even have a father? Or then, enduring the pain she went through bringing them into this world? She and I worked damn hard for those pups, and I don't feel like I've done enough yet! I can't make up for leaving her alone like that, but there was nothing I could do, and now I'll be damned if I'm going to let you take me from her by running with your tail between your legs like a sniveling house-pet!"
Tsuki sniffled a bit, but kept his gaze downward in shame. It was true, he'd thought about leaving it all behind. Life was easier when he only had to look out for himself and Kage. Before Kage was even Kage, really. Hitoban changed the course of his whole life, and now he couldn't figure out if he loved her for it, or hated her for it.
He was never strong enough to protect anyone, really... his power was never his own. And now he had more wolves to let down. To disappoint. To completely and utterly fail.
"You fool." Mar's voice murmured, just behind him. Tsuki lifted his head, and saw his father had indeed come to the meadow. Tsuki cowered, ears flattened back. "D-dad, I... I just --"
"Enough." Mars interrupted, "You can't blame yourself for all the wrong that's happened. A lot of good has happened here, too: my pack may be gone, but I've found a new family here with all of you. I've learned what a pack should be like... and what it means to be a better father. Even Dante returned, in Neo. So, for my part, I hold no grudge against you."
"B-but Mom," Tsuki insisted, "and Uncle Oben, and Girardot, and the twins. A-and then Rin's health, and Dawn's pups, and poor Shimo, and then we left them alone, and... and... and... and now... I can't do it. Giga's back, and I... he's... he'll kill us all."
Mar grinned, "Shh. Settle down." He murmured gently, holding his son to his huge chest, letting him cry. "How many times has something or someone threatened to destroy us? And how have we survived, time and time again? I'll tell you how. We've stuck together, and used our skills as a team. We never gave up. And now is no different."
Mar glanced up at Kage, who was pacing furiously nearby. He gave this sort of 'shut up and listen' look, and the pacing stopped.
"Those pups are gonna grow up strong, with a good leader to look up to, and a great father to raise them. If all goes well, then they won't even know about Giga, or they may hear of him," Mar paused a moment and looked Kage right in the eye, "but even if we can't defeat him, he won't lay a paw on any of them, I swear it."
Kage nodded, and Mar continued, "Rin... y'know, I don't know much about Rin's condition, but she's been living with it all her life, apparently, and she's still alive. Shimo is just fine, and remember -- he chose his life to save yours, because he believes in you. And as for me, I also sacrificed for your sake, and I also believe in you. I wouldn't take that decision back for anything in the world -- your mother wouldn't want that, even if I could."
Tsuki nodded, pulling away from his father and blinking the tears away.
"Seems to me, you need to talk to Little Miss Hitoban, and make things right."
Tsuki nodded, "I thought maybe if I could take some of the responsibility off her shoulders, I could make up for leaving her alone, but when I stared it in the face, it... it frightened me, and I ran."
Kage smirked, "You weren't meant to do it alone, ya retard. Now go see your lady, before I kick you around again."
Tsuki immediately ran off toward home, Mar and Kage walking back at a decidedly more relaxed pace. The two shared a silent glance, that they understood at once.
"Thanks Dad." Kage said, at length.
"Don't mention it." Mar nodded, "have to make up for it somehow."
"I didn't mean it like that."
"I know."
Without another word, the father and son returned home.
Then, quite suddenly, his gaze was thrown to the ground, as Kage's paw came swiftly down on his brother's face.
"You coward!" Kage snarled, throwing Tsuki to the ground. "You did that on purpose didn't you?!? You know our range still only holds within this land; you could've killed me -- right in front of the pups, you bastard!"
Kage leaped at Tsuki and sent him tumbling again. Tsuki did not fight back.
"Did you even bother to talk to Hitoban, or were you just gonna disappear? Don't you love her?"
"Of course I --" Tsuki whimpered.
"Then act like it!" His brother snapped. "Love isn't all flowers and sunsets -- it's hard work, too. You think it was easy for them to be without us for so long? To see us asleep, knowing we might not come back. You think it made Dawn happy, wondering if her pups would even have a father? Or then, enduring the pain she went through bringing them into this world? She and I worked damn hard for those pups, and I don't feel like I've done enough yet! I can't make up for leaving her alone like that, but there was nothing I could do, and now I'll be damned if I'm going to let you take me from her by running with your tail between your legs like a sniveling house-pet!"
Tsuki sniffled a bit, but kept his gaze downward in shame. It was true, he'd thought about leaving it all behind. Life was easier when he only had to look out for himself and Kage. Before Kage was even Kage, really. Hitoban changed the course of his whole life, and now he couldn't figure out if he loved her for it, or hated her for it.
He was never strong enough to protect anyone, really... his power was never his own. And now he had more wolves to let down. To disappoint. To completely and utterly fail.
"You fool." Mar's voice murmured, just behind him. Tsuki lifted his head, and saw his father had indeed come to the meadow. Tsuki cowered, ears flattened back. "D-dad, I... I just --"
"Enough." Mars interrupted, "You can't blame yourself for all the wrong that's happened. A lot of good has happened here, too: my pack may be gone, but I've found a new family here with all of you. I've learned what a pack should be like... and what it means to be a better father. Even Dante returned, in Neo. So, for my part, I hold no grudge against you."
"B-but Mom," Tsuki insisted, "and Uncle Oben, and Girardot, and the twins. A-and then Rin's health, and Dawn's pups, and poor Shimo, and then we left them alone, and... and... and... and now... I can't do it. Giga's back, and I... he's... he'll kill us all."
Mar grinned, "Shh. Settle down." He murmured gently, holding his son to his huge chest, letting him cry. "How many times has something or someone threatened to destroy us? And how have we survived, time and time again? I'll tell you how. We've stuck together, and used our skills as a team. We never gave up. And now is no different."
Mar glanced up at Kage, who was pacing furiously nearby. He gave this sort of 'shut up and listen' look, and the pacing stopped.
"Those pups are gonna grow up strong, with a good leader to look up to, and a great father to raise them. If all goes well, then they won't even know about Giga, or they may hear of him," Mar paused a moment and looked Kage right in the eye, "but even if we can't defeat him, he won't lay a paw on any of them, I swear it."
Kage nodded, and Mar continued, "Rin... y'know, I don't know much about Rin's condition, but she's been living with it all her life, apparently, and she's still alive. Shimo is just fine, and remember -- he chose his life to save yours, because he believes in you. And as for me, I also sacrificed for your sake, and I also believe in you. I wouldn't take that decision back for anything in the world -- your mother wouldn't want that, even if I could."
Tsuki nodded, pulling away from his father and blinking the tears away.
"Seems to me, you need to talk to Little Miss Hitoban, and make things right."
Tsuki nodded, "I thought maybe if I could take some of the responsibility off her shoulders, I could make up for leaving her alone, but when I stared it in the face, it... it frightened me, and I ran."
Kage smirked, "You weren't meant to do it alone, ya retard. Now go see your lady, before I kick you around again."
Tsuki immediately ran off toward home, Mar and Kage walking back at a decidedly more relaxed pace. The two shared a silent glance, that they understood at once.
"Thanks Dad." Kage said, at length.
"Don't mention it." Mar nodded, "have to make up for it somehow."
"I didn't mean it like that."
"I know."
Without another word, the father and son returned home.