Chapter 5
A few hours later, Jak finally was able to move a bit more, but he still had a major head-ache. It beat like a drum, never ending. He rested a gold, furry paw against his fuzzy forehead, and let it slide down, slowly.
He felt like he was sent through a meat grinder.
A huge, monsterous meat grinder with the sharpest blades known to man.
Sapphire eyes broke the darkness of the desolate room, and the lion slowly got up. He couldn't even begin to comprehend what was going on, or anything else for that matter.
I must warn you, do not trust a soul, even your daughter could one day turn against you, time can change all
Why did his other halves always have to speak in riddles?
He knew that one day, one day, he would finally understand. Jak's blue eyes widened in shock as another memory flashed before his very eyes.
"You always think you can save the world, when you cannot even remain on your own feet."
Jak's growl quickly turned into a full-out snarl.
"It was a trick." Jak whispered.
The spirit only laughed vilely. "I had to get you out of my way, somehow."
The lion's strength gradually grew, along with its anger. He got up, his fur stood on end, his pearly white teeth were bared, and his claws were extended.
"Why! What are you planning!" Jak roared (literally)
"You will see...in due time."
And that was the last he ever heard of him. Jak shook his large head furiously, trying to dissipate the memory that played over and over in his tortured mind.
He was alone.
No-one could help him.
He felt so dizzy, and helpless. His strength had not yet returned, and he felt like crap. He could barely move; he just wanted to scream to all away.
But, he couldn't.
The lion looked back to his two sleeping children; he didn't want them to suffer the same fate as him. He never wanted anyone to suffer, not even the Baron.
Saving the world was always a heavy burden for Jak. Any time someone would send him on a mission, his heart raced.
He wasn't afraid to die; but afraid for his friends. Afraid they would die a slow, and painful death; just as he has before.
Laying down, Jak held out a paw, and stroked the newborn cub, softly, taking a little of its beautiful, gold fur with it. The cub shuffled a bit, but moved no more than that. The lion shut his eyes, and whispered something in an ancient Precursor language to the kitten.
Epo'u gfbs nz mjuumf ebsmjoh
The large lion wrapped a thick arm around the cub, and held him close. The kitten's tiny chest raised up and down in soft, even breaths. Jakob shuffled a bit more, and started to cry, softly. Jak shook his arm gently to calm the child down.
"Shhh...shh.." Jak shushed. "It's ok."
After a while, the cub calmed down, and fell back asleep. The lion rested its large head against the cub's tiny head, and sighed.
"I'll protect you...no matter what."
Behind those deep blue eyes, for the first time in his complicated and twisted life, a tear formed, and landed on the baby. Jak got up once again, and trotted over to his first-born, Faith.
"Sorry, Faith."
The lion slid a clawed paw under the pendant his daughter always wore, and broke it in two. He slid the other half, gently, off the lioness' tiny neck, and went back over to his son. He placed the shiny, red pendant around the cub's neck, and stroked his head, softly.
"There ya go, buddy." Jak whispered to the kitten. "Nice and safe."
The lion pulled off his red, wooly scarf, and covered the innocent cub with it to keep it warm. Jak knew he had to keep a close eye on this one; it couldn't even open its eyes yet, let alone control its dark and light powers. He didn't want his son to hurt anyone.
Or himself.
"I saw that." A female voice sounded from the other side of the dark room.
Jak turned and saw his wife, Keira, in the bright light of the doorway. She smiled.
"You ok?" She asked.
The lion didn't answer; he was too busy trying to get settled in again by his children in his doggy basket. Keira wasn't going to give up, however. She made her way towards her husband, and nussled him under the chin like an actual lioness.
The corner of Jak's mouth formed into a small smirk. "You know that's not gonna work."
Keira giggled. "That's what you always say."
Jak leaned his head against hers, still smiling. "No, I don't."
"Ya, you do."
Jak knew damn well that he wasn't going to win this argument. "Ok then Ms. Smarty Cat, how many times have I said that?"
"Counting just now, 26."
"Damn."
Just then, Jak grabbed Keira by the neck, and gave her the biggest noogie ever! The lioness just laughed, and tackled her husband down to the hard, wooden floor.
Daxter came running in looking like he was run over by a truck...again, and again. He glared at the two lions, who were fast asleep in their bed.
"Keep it that way!" Daxter shouted, then walked out once again.
"Sucker!" Jak whispered, quietly, to Keira.
Days passed slowly and Jakob had started to open his eyes, they were a lovely turquoise colour and he got more attention than Daxter and Faith put together! Jak was always picking him up and playing with him, Keira was always grooming him and Faith did all she could to get him to stand up.
Meanwhile poor Daxter was getting left out, he often grumbled and asked how a newborn kitten could POSSIBLY be cuter than himself. He was soon to find out.
It was a Saturday afternoon; Jak was playing with Faith whilst Keira laid in her basket watching the two cats play, little Jakob was curled up next to her stomach purring softly.
Daxter was grumbling to himself on a bar stool as he death glared Jakob sleeping peacefully in his basket, the ottsel growled and sipped a glass of beer next to him, which had been there all morning and he had only just drank a quarter of it.
Jak noticed his little fuzzy pal moping around on the chair and trotted over to him with a big smile on his face.
"Cheer up Dax, just because you could never get those good looks when you were younger doesn't mean you have to hold a grudge against the little guy," Jak knew Daxter wasn't too pleased about his son, but the lion tried his hardest to cheer Daxter up. "They're so sweet when they're young."
"Yeah, and then they grow up," Daxter mumbled. Jak chuckled and gave his friend a noogie. "Quit it!" Jak stopped and ran off to Keira. "What the hell are you up to?" Daxter saw Jak pick up Jakob and bring him over. "No! Please Jak no!"
But Jak didn't listen, Jakob wasn't too happy either, he was just getting comfy next to his mother, until he was picked up in his Dad's mouth and the older lion's teeth dug into his fragile body.
Jak dropped Jakob in front of Daxter and nudged his son to stand up. The Lion cub struggled to his feet and then jumped onto the bar stool next to Daxter. Jak – being the large lion that he was – was now eye level with his son, Jakob looked at his Father and when Jak nodded Jakob pounced onto Daxter knocking him off the barstool.
"That's my boy!" Jak laughed, Faith ran up to her Father and then pounced on Daxter, with
Jakob. "There you go Dax, all the attention you could ever want!"
"Get offa me!" Daxter pushed himself up and Faith ran over to her Mother getting as far away from the soon to be rampaging ottsel as possible! Jakob however sat down on top of Daxter's stomach and wagged his tail happily. "Oh, go and be a good little furball and go play with dodgy T.V. cables!
Jakob looked at Daxter tilted his head to one side and then for the first time in his little life, he spoke! "Daxter," The ottsel looked at Jakob then at Jak who was just as shocked as himself.
"He said his first word!" Jak jumped up and down in excitement. Jakob jumped down off Daxter and wagged his tail some more. Daxter then found why everyone thought the world of the young cub, he was adorable!
Daxter was now friends with Jakob, Jakob had said his first word, and Faith got to pounce on Daxter again, things could only really get better, or so everyone thought…
EcoJak: Please review?
