I'm back with another chapter! Enjoy!
Chapter 3: "Live Together"
Part I
I
The silence overtook the cave, enveloping the group in it's deafening quietness as the herd attempted to gain their thoughts. It was a humbling silence, allowing Desmond to breath in a deep, relaxing breath after finishing the tale. Beside him, Daxter was already asleep, dreaming away in whatever lands lay in store for him. Desmond placed a paw on him, gently patting his back as he released the breath, lost in his thoughts.
Ellie immediately took notice. "You care for him." Her eyes gleamed with familiarity.
"Very much so." Desmond responded, his voice echoing throughout their shelter. It resonated to the she-moth a sensible attachment of sorrow, or was it perhaps the echo of melancholy, shadowing itself as a respondent entity within his hidden trepidation?
"You know," she started, "I remember being raised by possums. It was weird at first, but I was too young to know what was going on."
Desmond turned his attention to her. "I take it you lost your family?"
"I don't know what happened to them. One moment I was traveling through ice and snow and the next I was lost in a blizzard."
The weasel stared into the flames. "They loved you as one of their own?"
"The possums? Absolutely." Ellie replied with a gentle smile. Hey time suggested fondness of her memory.
"So you two are on a wild goose chase to find his sister?" Diego inquired with an almost accusatory tone. It rubbed Desmond the wrong way, but he brushed it off.
"Yes." He spoke calmly, undertones of confidence and dedication weaved through his words.
"How do you know she's alive?" Ellie asked.
"I don't." The she-moths expression turned slightly sullen. Desmond sighed, "His determination is… Unwavering. He believes a lot more than me."
Ellie remained silent, and he continued. "Daxter changed after our encounter with the elder scimitar. Now, instead of finding a new home we're searching for a female scimitar rumored to be alive. Not exactly optimal.." his paws brushed the fur on his head. He felt as though none believed him, but a gentle smile from Ellie pushed those thoughts away.
"So… Where are you heading now?"
Desmond considered the question, thinking about his answer carefully. He shot a gaze over to the tiger resting beside the bull mammoth.
"North." His eyes met Diego's, a flash of Hazel came to view as the flames began to die out. The weasel glimpsed outside, averting the sabers piercing gaze. He could almost feel the animal read his thoughts. He didn't like it.
The sun glazed over distant mountains, providing light for life to wake. Outside birds began to sing, a soft ambience echoing throughout the treetops.
"And what if you do end up finding her?" Ellie asked. "What will you do?"
Desmond shook his head slightly, "We'll deal with that then."
The mammoth left it at that. An awkward silence took over. A sudden stir alarmed Desmond, and he turned to find the sleeping form behind him stretching, releasing several groans accompanied by pops escaping his body. The boy yawned, revealing sharp, white teeth protruding from his mouth. He glanced around the cave, quickly locking onto the dying embers that glinted in the cave.
"Uh.." he spoke softly, "Didn't mean to fall asleep on you."
Ellie chuckled, "It was cute."
Dax turned his gaze towards the entrance, "It's daylight..we should get moving." He stood up, leaving Desmond to wonder just what it was that made him seem so… ambitious. He would ask about it later.
"Do you know where you're going?" Sid asked.
"Not really, but I have a hunch."
A lie. Sort of.. the weasel decided to stay silent. His companion appeared to know what he was doing, for reasons he wouldn't interfere with.
Daxter padded silently to the cave entrance, allowing the warm air to beat on his face. It was muggy and hot out. Perfect day to go for a nice swim… he smiled with a sadness in his face that Desmond had known.
Desmond took his place on the scimitars back. "Good luck on your endeavors."
Ellie waved, but the rest of the herd remained silent. As they left, Diego eyed the path they took, pondering to himself the validity of the story he just heard. The mammoth beside him laid still, eyes locked on the entrance, watching as well. Diego knew he was allowing the two to get their distance before they head out. Safety at this point was his only concern, something Diego respected.
There was something else though.. Something that picked at his mind about the queer encounter. Normally he would have engaged another predator that dared get close, but when it came to Dax..
Diego couldn't place it. What was it he felt..
"What's the matter, Diego?"
The saber turned to find his mammoth friends eyes locked upon him. It wasn't difficult to realize that he'd been staring for a while, and so to avoid any more unwanted questions he shook his head.
"It's nothing, Manny."
II
It was hot. Very hot. The air beat down on Daxter's face like a mammoth's trunk. He felt a bit lightheaded from it. He was dehydrated, and yet pressed on.
"You told them everything?" He asked Desmond, who was taking in the sun as he spread himself out on the scimitars back.
"You passed out, leaving me to do the telling. Had you been the one to talk, perhaps some things could've been left out." Desmond spoke with an undertone of annoyance.
"I was tired." Dax sighed.
"I could tell."
"Well, did the saber say anything to you?"
Desmond considered the question, noting Daxter's sudden interest in the saber. "He told me you looked familiar. He didn't seem to take that much interest in you though."
"I look familiar?"
"Don't ask me, kiddo. I'm not sure who he was referring to. This seems to be the pattern as of late." Desmond said, absentmindedly tracking the cloud formations above him.
"You don't find it weird that he's traveling with a herd?" The scimitar inquired.
Desmond shook his head. "No more than I would find it odd that I basically fathered a scimitar cat."
"Good point. Still, what do you think caused it?"
"You dwell on this stuff too much."
Daxter held upon his face a small smirk, "One of my faults, I guess."
"And you don't think it's a bit much?" Desmond asked.
"It helps me, thinking. Sometimes I would rather be lost in my own thoughts." He replied, frowning. "Sometimes its the silence that allows us to heal."
"It also harms you, my boy. Isolation is a dangerous ally. You've been pretty distant with me at times, it makes me worry."
"I just want to find Una." Was all the tiger replied with. His head hung low, and Desmond figured it was time to give him a taste of reality.
The weasel sighed deeply. "Dax.. If we don't find her.. if she isn't-"
"Don't you dare say it. Not until we know for sure." Daxter interrupted him. Hidden from view, tears welled up for but a moment, only to be lost. The silence was deafening, as Desmond surmised that either outcome would come with consequences. Should Una be dead, it's incontrovertible that Daxter will be thrown into a bout of depression. Should the contrary occur, and Una be found alive and his pack still intact then it begs the question..
What will happen to me?
The weasel sat up. What a selfish thought..
Such questions can be found in the purest of hearts. It occurred to him that one of the most heart breaking things about life is that no matter how you meet, or what you do with your life, the people you travel with always end up leaving. Loneliness.. death, hatred, even love. All are factors in the equation. This was something Desmond saw from the beginning.
The roar of a distant waterfall broke Desmond from his thoughts. Water... Not just one, but three, all connecting to propel the water to a single point downstream. The waters battered the rocks endlessly, and they remained. Desmond felt a coolness come over him. It was then, at the edge that Daxter brought them to a halt.
"I guess we just… Use the rocks?"
Desmond hopped off of the scimitars back. He landed with a dull, quiet thud. The weasel glanced around at his surroundings. A downed tree lay uprooted to the right of the duo, the result of a bad storm no doubt. It crossed to higher ground, suspended precariously above the water. Although it appeared to be the best choice, the mist above the water had dowsed it..
Desmond grinded his teeth, "Alright. We're gonna use your claws for this, Dax." He pointed to the tree above them. "Think you can handle it?"
Dax lowered his ears, "Uhh..I think the rocks would be better.."
"They're too slippery. If you fall there's nothing to stop you from going over."
"Well.." Dax bit his lip, anxious about the thought.
"You're telling me you can cliff dive, but you can't cross this log. It's not even that high up. Let's go."
"This is different." Dax scrunched his face, glowering at Desmond. He knew what was coming.
"Fine."
III
The climb was a bit treacherous, but Daxter made sure to take in the sights before continuing his mission. Beyond the waterfall lay an endless view of greenery. The trees extended for miles, illuminating a vibrant green by the near blinding light cast from the Sun.
"Focus."
"It's beautiful." Dax replied.
"You'll be laying in it if you don't pay attention. Just use your claws to balance yourself. You'll be fine."
Dax smirked. "Such confidence in me." He said with an exaggerated accent. Desmond groaned and muttered some incomprehensible words that Daxter determined to be an insult. It only encouraged him.
"So.."
Desmond cut him off before he could say more. "Just go."
Daxter placed his right paw on the wood. It was wet. Very wet. He applied pressure, feeling the wood start to push in on itself. In his chest grew a welling fear of what will happen next, but a small pat on his back drew him out of it.
"It's alright. Claws, Dax."
He contracted his claws on his right paw, gripping the wood with all of his strength. His movement was stiff at first, cautious of the raging water below him. The left paw came out. Then the rear legs.
Dax breathed deeply inward. He felt like he was dying. Well…
His gaze shifted once again. His eyes locked on to a very strange formation laid upon the water. The rocks, a very dark grey from the pounding waters formed a general sharp point that faced the waterfall.
"Oh, I don't like this…"
"Come on, big guy. Halfway there. Just keep pushing."
He did. Dax found his balance amongst his uncertainty. He took a step forward, then another, slowly making progress to the other side, where an opening to more forestry lies in wait for exploration.
Alright, just keep going..
SNAP!
Daxter heart sank. "Of course it's rotten… Why wouldn't it be?"
"This is the part where we move faster, Dax." Desmond exclaimed, keeping an eye on the split in the log behind the duo.
Daxter was frozen. Beneath him lay nothing but sharp, jagged rocks that could skewer a wild boar, let alone an adolescent scimitar. He swallowed hard.
"Dax, move!" Another snap echoed through his ears before he felt the log depress. The middle had collapsed beneath his weight, and would break at any moment. His breathing became ragged as adrenaline rushed through his body. He counted in his mind.
One…Two...Three...four…
Crack!
He sprang into action, leaping over the broken log with his powerful hind legs. Desmond hung on for dear life as the scimitar was now airborne. The half in front of them had started it's fall, caught only by a couple branches. Daxter dug into it and remained still, watching the other half fall into the water, carried off the other side until it disappeared.
"Uh.." he glanced down to see a weasel grasping his tail, swaying lightly against the wind. "This sucks."
"Can you climb up? Use my fur." He felt a tug, and then several more as Desmond cautiously climbed onto Daxter's back, gripping to his short mane fur. There they dangled, perched above razor sharp rocks ready to kill them both.
Daxter began to make his way up, digging his claws as deep as they would go into the rotten wood. The water weight was making it difficult to maneuver, but he managed. As he reached the top, he gripped the Earth and attempted to pull himself up. As he did so, his rear legs kicked outward, propelling himself forward onto the ground.
"That was a dumb idea." He said, panting. He rolled onto his back, swaying back and forth to scratch his back. Desmond came up beside him and patted his chest, gazing into the forest ahead of them.
"It could've gone better, but we're here. And alive."
"Whatever you say." Dax responded as he sat down on his haunches. The woodline, lined with oaks, presented the only path to take. Daxter felt a weariness come upon him. He wasn't sure why, or how for that matter, but he knew that something lied within the unexplored territory.
"I think- OOF!" Daxter didn't have time to think. Before he could react he felt a claw around his throat, and a body pinning him down. His head collided with a rock embedded in the ground, causing his head to bleed.
"Oh, that's three concussions."
"Dax!"
It was another scimitar, a bit larger than Dax. A male, much older, sporting three scars along his right eye, which appeared to be of no use. His fur was the same color as Daxter's, with his underbelly colored a slightly greyish color.
"Who are you!?" He bellowed. Daxter growled, unwilling to give an answer. The scimitar above him pushed down, applying pressure to his head. He groaned, a pained expression told Desmond all he needed to know.
"Take it easy!" He exclaimed, paws out. He took a step forward, prompting the beast to press down further. Des stopped, contemplating his next move carefully.
"Tell me who you are!" Dax saw his chance, and took it. He twirled his body so his rear legs were beneath his assailants belly, and kicked outward. As soon as he was cleared, Dax sprang to his feet and backed up to Desmond.
The older male struggled to get back up, and Daxter quickly found out why. Along his rear right leg, a deep gash wound was pouring blood. As he regained his footing, the struggle to raise himself up seemed profound.
Desmond patted his rear leg, "Dax..pin him. He's too weak." The younger male obeyed, pouncing on the wounded animal and pinning him to the ground rather quickly.
He didn't struggle. His breathing was heavy, but it soon became no more than a raspy wheezing that Daxter found to be pitiful.
"Give me your name…" he looked up at Desmond, who gave him a nod.
"Or I'll cut your throat."
He growled, but quickly abstained, defeated as he was.
"Sam." He said hoarsely.
For a moment Daxter's heart felt like it skipped a beat. That name.. It was.. Familiar.
"Who is your pack leader?" He asked. His voice softened, but was no less threatening.
Sam winced, curling his lips back he snarled at the smaller male.
"Well? Who is it?" Desmond crossed his arms, silent as he watched.
"Who's asking?" He snarled back.
The young male debated whether to give him an alias or his actual name. In his head, he knew just who this scimitar was, but he had to be sure. He took the risk. "Daxter. My name is Daxter."
Sam stared at the younger male, a look of disbelief crawled across his face. "A-Art." He said with a hushed tone.
Dax felt his hackles raise. He released the male, who lay unmoving on the ground. After a few moments, Sam raised himself back up with shaky legs. Time it seems, has not been good to him.
"You're bleeding heavily."
"I'll take a look at your leg. I'm sure I can help." Sam however, didn't seem very interested. His eyes- eye, remained fixed upon the boy.
Daxter took a step forward, "Who did this to you-"
"If you really are who you say you are.. who was your father?" Sam interjected.
Dax bit his lip, "Jack."
Sam's expression turned dark. He avoided any further contact as the information hit him. He sat down on his haunches and stared at the ground, mouth agape. Then, with sudden interest he raised his head, his dead eye gleaned from the sunlight, "Why have you come?"
Dax felt his heart race, "To find my sister, I heard she-"
Sam shook his head, "The girl you once knew as your sister is dead." Disheartenment seeped from his throaty voice. His ears folded back, avoiding eye contact with the younger male.
Daxter was taken aback by the comment, "What?"
Dax fell back, defeat washing over him. Was all of this for nothing? Had he spent all of these moons wandering aimlessly to find nothing? Dax could feel tears well up in his eyes, he felt like he had failed. It was a familiar feeling, one he hadn't experienced since he was a small cub.
A paw on his shoulder, and Daxter locked eyes with the only companion he's had. "I'm sorry, kiddo."
He sniffled, "She can't be dead.." He looked back at the older male, who himself seemed to be beating himself up about telling Dax the news. "Where is the rest of the pack?"
"Listen.. I'm not gonna last much longer like this, son. I'll allow the weasel there to look at my injury, and I'll take ya there." He shook his head, "Art is gonna kill you." His sentence was interrupted by a coughing fit. Several wheezy breaths came out of the older male in an attempt to catch his breath.
"Why?" Dax inquired. Desmond knew what he was thinking. He didn't like it. Then again, it wasn't his choice. It was that thought that made him ask whether Daxter himself had a choice in the matter. Could the boy really just up and leave?
Daxter felt a raindrop fall upon the crest of his head. He gazed up at he sky, dark clouds overhead would mean some heavy rainfall. Typical, he thought to himself.
"I'll tell ya everything...let's just get to some shelter first. There's a hole behind the waterfall furthest to the left." Sam pointed to a smaller formation of rocks that cornered the water, "It's just up there, not hard to get too, but difficult to spot."
"Let me assess your wound first-"
"We can do it once we're safe from the rain. Come on."
Daxter turned to find Desmond walking up to him. He seemed cautious of the new findings, a notion that Daxter couldn't figure out, though he made sure to give the weasel a lick along his back to show his appreciation. Desmond smiled, "Come on you big lug."
IV
Diego was very aware of the mammoths presence, especially now. As they traveled, Manny kept a close eye on Ellie and the possum twins, but Diego caught him glancing at the tiger every now and then. It was a look of concern, masked by the attention he gave Ellie, who was currently talking to him about what it was like to be a possum. He wrapped his trunk around hers, a gesture she reciprocated. It was a push, Manny was still new to showing his emotions around her. Love, romance. He was getting used to it. Diego was happy for him
Smooth move.. Diego thought. The tiger himself didn't fancy the company of females; never having felt the need to acquire a significant other. Soto would always have the pick of the litter, choosing the best looking female for him to mate with. And when in their company, He would question just what it was that a female could give him that he doesn't already have… Cubs? Sure, but he didn't feel it was time yet. He had food, shelter, water, and the company of friends.
And now he has a family.
But this kid.. it was strange. He felt… normal. Just seeing another tiger caused a flood of memories to surge through his head. Soto.. his dad.. Some memories were good, others not so much. It had been so long that he paid no mind to the differences he had with the herd, they blended into one unit.
"Hey Diego?" Sid's voice broke the silence, much to the tigers dismay. Whatever Sid had to say, it probably wasn't important. But he indulged the sloth.
"Yes, Sid?" This oughta be good.
"Back at the cave, when we met that saber, you got pretty quiet."
Diego didn't feel like answering. He flicked an ear, silently shaking off the question, but the sloth proved to be persistent on more than one occasion.
"Why?" He asked with an innocent tone. It was unlike him. Normally Sid would just blabber on about his feet hurting or how hot it is. But now, in this particular moment, Diego actually felt like he could speak.
"He reminds me of my old pack." Diego spoke almost begrudgingly. Sid gave the tiger a goofy smile, happy that he could get the moody animal to open up. Although it wasn't rare for the two to speak, most of their conversations end up being about menial things. They were like younger brothers, with Manny being their eldest. They would argue as such, and live just the same.
"I could tell…" Sid fell silent for a moment. "Diego?"
"Hm?"
"Have you thought about leaving? About going back to pack life?"
Diego perked his ears, "What made you bring that up?"
Sid gripped the back of his neck awkwardly, "Well.. Now that we know there are other tigers in the area-"
"You think I'm just gonna up and leave?" The tiger asked weather harshly. He debated whether to feel offended or angered by the comment.
"Well.. they are your own species, and I know it must be hard to hunt on your own-"
"Sid." Diego interrupted him, a dull tone emanated from his throat.
"Yeah?"
"I'm not going anywhere. He just brought back some memories. That's all." Diego offered the sloth a small smirk, one which Sid greatly appreciated, and showed his gratitude by offering his own.
"You know, when you tried to kill us, we thought you were a jerk." Eddie spoke, hopping onto Diego's back. Crash followed closely behind.
"Yeah, total butthead." Eddie giggled, high fiving his brother.
"You two attacked us!"
"You started it!" Eddie pointed a finger at Sid, "Your smell made me gag!"
"You had no reason to attack us, my smell is not a problem!" Sid exclaimed, pointing a dull claw back at the possum.
"Who told you that, the hog we passed?"
Sid stopped, a look of shock on his face, "How did you know that?"
Eddie jumped on his shoulder, "We know everything.."
Diego rolled his eyes, even more annoyed. The two possums began engaging in a slap fight on his back, rolling around until Eddie fell off.
"Victory!" He shouted as Eddie wrapped his tail around his brothers neck, pulling him off of Diego. He padded along the trail, ignoring the two. He was still aware of the fact that did was traveling beside him which, aside from the smell wasn't troubling to him.
Quiet. That's what he wanted.
It didn't last long. Diego's ear twitched at the sound of a branch bending to his right. He helped abruptly, turning to scan the area. A familiar scent invaded his nose..
"Diego, what do you smell?" Manny whispered, creeping up behind the tiger. A roar and a flash of orange was all he saw coming towards him. Four forms running full speed.
"Tigers!" Diego backed towards Sid, who attempted to flee. Diego knew the tactic. It was an ambush.
"Run that way! They'll corner us!" He directed everyone to flee left. They obeyed, and a few seconds later four more came out of the bushes. They weren't giving chase, knowing that they've been duped.
The remaining four was led by a female. Slim build, grey pelt, and silver eyes. She gave a command to the rear man, and he moved to the right. An obvious attempt to cut them off. Another command to the left man told Diego that she was attempting to create a death funnel. They would try to barrel them in so no one can move.
It won't work. With a rugged swiftness Diego used his bodyweight to knock the male to his right off of his feet. He turned left, and zoomed in on the other tiger attempting to jump Manny.
"Manny!" He bellowed. The mammoth quickly turned, spotting his assailant. He swung his massive tusks at the tiger, who dodged and attempted to jump him. Manny slowed himself down considerably, forcing the tiger to fall into the group.
It stumbled, and Diego sprung the trap. He jumped the scimitar and using his own body pinned it to the ground.
"Jax! Get him off you!" the female growled.
"Rei, Run! You can't take these mammoths, we miscalculated their numbers." Jax replied.
"Not so fast!" Diego struggled to keep his weight on top of the male, "Back off of this herd, and I'll release him." He studied the female, hoping she would submit. In reality none of them were up for a fight, especially not since they've been traveling for hours now. He lowered his paw down to the pinned tigers throat, unsheathing a claw.
"I have no problem with-"
"Stop! Let him go." Diego let a small smile escape, happy that they've been able to avoid conflict… For the moment. He did so, and Jax ran back to Rei's side. For a moment there was silence, both parties eyeing each other.. Watching their movements. Tensions were high at the moment.
"You wandered into our territory." Rei said.
"No one's claimed these parts. I picked up no scent."
"That's the point, tiger. Tactics, but you already know that."
Mud..of course. Smart, and pretty. The male smirked again, "Pretty smart for a northern runt."
Her face stayed, stoicism etched across it. "That's very funny."
Nice one, Diego..
She turned her attention to the mammoth. "Traveling with a predator? Unusual." Manny was weary of the way she looked at him; almost like she was taking in every detail.
"He's our friend."
She eyed Diego once again. "I see. Couldn't fend for yourself, so you acquired a posse."
Diego growled, She's good. "More like I didn't care for my attachments." He said.
"You betrayed them?" She asked, raising her eyebrow in interest.
"It's complicated."
"Mhm." Rei responded. She turned to her compatriots who finally caught up with her. "You're in our territory. Leave. I won't ask again."
"We're heading west. Don't worry, you won't see us again." Manny responded. He turned to Diego, who gave him a nod.
"West?" Rei's voice responded with a sparked interest in the matter, making Diego suspicious. Ellie wrapped her trunk around Manny's, unsure.
"Yeah, why? What's out west?" Diego inquired. He took a step in front of Manny, still weary of the situation. He wasn't taking any chances.
"You guys are really lost, aren't you.. there's another pack to the West. They rival our own. There's been a lot of blood shed in this forest…" Rei trailed off, glancing at the sky. Her pack mates kept their eyes on the group, and Manny noted a peculiar detail; that not once have they looked away.
"You'll be heading straight for them."
"So we'll head south." The mammoth suggested.
"You could. But there resides a wolf pack led by Boone and his goonies. Imbeciles.. they've been stealing kills from our territory. Ever since the flood most of the big game have migrated. I guess Boone thought a formal invitation was out of play at that point. Stupid dogs."
"We know. We came from there." Ellie replied.
"You survived? Interesting.. So that boat was real?" Rei shifted, breathing deeply as if to relax herself. Perhaps she was more comfortable with the group. Perhaps not.
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"Word gets around." Rei replied dryly, scratching her forearm.
"So we can't go west, and we can't go south. Where then do we go?"
"Back the way you came. You'll be passing through the Milestone Ridge it you keep your Western bearing. Right now you're on the cusp of Locke's territory. He is the leader of our rival pack. He won't hesitate to kill you."
"Why are you telling us this?" Manny asked.
Rei ignored the question. "If you value your lives, then you'll leave. Heed my warning."
They did. The herd backed away from the scimitars, wanting no more involvement. Diego stayed behind to ensure their safety, pulling security from the rear. His eyes stayed glued to Rei's.
"What?" She asked.
"You look just like her, the scimitar that kid was talking about." Diego responded.
"What kid?" She raised an eyebrow, confused.
Diego opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, he stood up, glanced at the female and then turned to catch up to the herd.
Rei stood still. A ghostly gaze held on to the retreating tiger. You look just like her…
"Rei?" The scimitar to her left flank advanced, noticing his leaders still form. "We should go back."
Rei didn't move. The scimitar knew she was contemplating something.
"You think he's still alive."
"After all this time. That saber told me I fit the description that this boy told him about, Cortez." Rei felt a pressure rise in her chest. She couldn't place it, but something told her that she was right.
"Could be a coincidence." Cortez looked to the scimitar to her right. "This could be the turn of the tide, Jax."
"Now?" Jax shook his head, "It seems like a stretch… but one can hope."
Rei gazed at the ground, "Do you think he's still alive, Cortez?"
Cortez sighed, facing forward to avert the grey feline. A small breeze brushed his coat, and a glance upward revealed dark clouds that blanketed the sun.
"One can only hope."
"We have to find him. It's not even midday, which means, unless they were traveling throughout the night, this herd saw him not too far from here." Rei surmised. She stood up, "We'll keep guard, search the perimeter. He's got to be around here.."
"And what about Art? He'll kill the kid right on the spot!" Jax retorted.
"You've known Daxter just as long as anyone else in the pack. Their allegiance lies with him." Rei continued to stare at the herd as they retreated. These thoughts were troubling, and brought back feelings she hasn't felt since.. Well she failed to remember at all.
"It's treasonous."
"Don't tell me you haven't carried private, traitorous thoughts of your own. I know you, Jax. I'm not dumb. You want to just as much."
"And what of Locke's pack? They still follow Jack's ways." Jax shook his head, hard pressed to believe how deep this situation has gotten.
"All the more reason to find him." Rei said quietly. Jax figured she was talking to herself.
"If Art finds founds out about this-"
"We keep it silent," Rei interrupted Cortez, knowing of the consequences. "It's imperative."
Jax and Cortez both fell silent, agreement sown from the quietude of the trio.
V
Sam held within himself a masked gratitude that only Daxter could see. Through the elders eyes the younger male saw many things. Most would see nothing at all. As Desmond finished applying a paste he had made from several herbs he acquired, Daxter didn't water a second when it came to gathering information.
Desmond placed his paw on the wound, now covered with the paste. Sam winced at his touch, but was thankful that the bleeding had stopped. His eyes glanced back at Dax, who was sitting towards the entrance. The cave wasn't as big as he thought, with the very back being only a few feet away.
"I suppose a cordial "Hello" is in order?" Sam jested, fucking a half smile at the young male.
"I'll take it." Daxter got up and walked to sit beside his old pack mate. Sam was his uncle, one of many, though he wasn't so sure how many were left.
"What happened.." he asked.
"Straight to the point, eh?" Sam coughed, "You have changed, son."
He gazed towards the waterfall that roared ahead of them. "He planned it all. I had my suspicions but I never acted on them. I was too cowardly." He began, "Locke, your father's second hand knew what was going to happen, but your father wasn't one to listen. That was his mistake."
"And who helped him?"
"Hmm.." Sam growled lowly, agitation still vibrant from the memory.
"The pack was divided. Art's hunting group were with him all the way, so that made six right there. Your uncle's Neo and Crash were his leads. They spied on your father, waiting until the moment was right.."
Dax inquired further, "And what of my mother?"
"That's something you'll have to take up with Locke himself. I have no knowledge on that topic. The last time I saw your mother was the day before it happened."
A tear trailed down his scarred face. "I thought you were dead, boy. We all thought you had fallen victim to the atrocities that Art had committed."
Daxter shook his head, "I'm a ghost, remember?"
Sam let out a soft chuckle, "Aye, that you are my boy. Your mother- as far as I can remember at least... she used to ramble on about it. The pack was always jumpy about the idea."
"Superstition does that." Desmond interjected.
"I don't think you realize just how coincidental this superstition was.." Sam responded, shifting his position.
Desmond crossed his arms, pondering in his mind the peculiarity of the felines obsession with the supernatural. It was far fetched, and with little evidence to back up such claims he couldn't help but wonder... how is it that such creatures can follow their credence so blindly?
The more he thought about it, however..
It wasn't all that implausible. considering his own circumstances, Desmond wondered just how it was that they even made it this far. Daxter was now almost fully grown, and raised by a rodent? And the flood... could it have been mere chance that this boat had been placed so perfectly at the end of the road, with no knowledge of its creation by the other animals in the valley?
"Desmond-" Sam called out. The weasel broke out of his musings, focusing now on the lounging scimitar, who was attempting to keep pressure off of his wounded leg.
"He is the only one who can reclaim the pack. It's his rightful place, should he so choose." His gaze met Daxters, "You can choose to walk away, and never return, my boy. we will live on exactly as we are-"
"Which doesn't seem to be much. You don't seem very happy about the way things are being run."
Sam sighed, "My brother leads the other half of the pack. After the attack, Art killed off all who wouldn't follow his rule. He gathered every member of the pack and made it clear he wasn't playing. Most of Jack's followers are gone. After the massacre, Locke took the remaining survivors and left in the night. He was lucky.."
"Where are they?" Daxter inquired.
"It isn't just a stroll through the woods. They'll kill you on the spot if they don't recognize you. Shouldn't be a problem though, what with those eyes."
Dax looked away from the elder, "You never did like them. You know... the stillborn had green eyes. Yours were originally blue when you were a small cub. Then your mother took you to see that Realm Speaker. A crazy old coot she was.. but in the end she was right."
"Realm Speaker?" Desmond questioned. This was getting too weird.
"She could see things..and hear things others couldn't. Some believed she saw nothing at all." Sam replied.
"Like... dead people?"
"Yes. And more."
"What about me? What did she tell my mother?" Daxter queried.
"Nadia wasn't holding back. You're aunt was the Realm Speaker. She told your mother about your birth, and about the attack days before it happened. She was right about everything...including her own death."
"Wait.. my aunt was the Realm Speaker? We found her back in the valley, while we were attempting to escape." Dax's ears perked, "It would explain how she found us."
"Yes, she was kicked out after the attack. She claimed it was old age, but I knew the real reason." Sam winced slightly as he shifted his position again.
"What was it?"
Sam narrowed his eyes, looking at the younger tiger with vehement eyes. "She saw Art's death by your paw."
"This is a bit much..." Desmond retorted.
"You mean.."
"Yes. whether you like it or not, you are destined to kill that man. The boy is gone, Daxter. He's dead. It's time for you to show your teeth, and remind yourself of who you are."
Desmond stood by his companion, worry welling up in his chest. "I have a very bad feeling about this.. Dax, are you sure this is what you want?"
The scimitar glanced downward at his friend and ally, a soft smile escaping his lips. It was reassurance, but of what remained unclear. He said nothing, but brought his head down and nuzzled the weasel, who patted the top of his head. A small purr emanated from Daxters chest, "I'm glad you're here with me."
Boom! Hello! Finally got to upload a chapter, after several months of doing nothing but training for deployment. Things are gonna start to heat up here.. what will happen to the herd? And who is Rei? Work on the next chapter begins immediately!