Taking place three weeks after the previous chapter, Oscar is gaining more and more courage as time passes!
This OC isn't very important, but Santiago is a scarlet macaw.
Also, this is the LONGEST chapter in the story, with the two parts of it merged into one, checking out at 5,500+ words!
Oscar: I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath, scared to rock the boat and make a mess
So I sat quietly, agreed politely
I guess that I forgot I had a choice, I let them push me past the breaking point
I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything
Tawney: They held you down, but you got up (hey)
Already brushing off the dust
You hear you voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder, gonna shake the ground
They held you down, but you got up (hey)
Oscar: Get ready 'cause I've had enough
I see it all, I see it now
Tawney: You got the eye of the tiger, a fighter
Dancing through the fire
'Cause you are a champion, and they're gonna hear you roar
Louder, louder than a lion
'Cause you are a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
They're gonna hear you roar
Now you're floatin' like a butterfly
Stinging like a bee, you earned your stripes
You went from zero, to your own hero
Oscar: They held me down, but I got up (hey)
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder, gonna shake the ground
They held me down, but I got up (hey)
Get ready 'cause I've had enough
I see it all, I see it now
I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter
Dancing through the fire
'Cause I am a champion, and they're gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
'Cause I are a champion, and they're gonna hear me roar
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
The'y're gonna hear me roar
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
They're gonna hear me roar!
Tawney was in a defensive position, with a scared-spitless Oscar crouched behind him. What was a peaceful stroll in the forest turned into a battle for their lives.
The attacking animal was, without a doubt, a snake. One of the biggest snakes either cats have ever seen. It had olive green with black blotches along its body. It has a narrow head compared to the rest of their body with a distinct orange-yellow striping on either side. Its undersides are a paler green. Tawney grabbed Oscar by his neck and ran away, with the snake not far behind. Luckily for them, a cougar was much faster than a green anaconda, and they were able to temporarily take refuge behind a giant tree stump.
"WHERE ARE YOU?" The snake roared in his deep, snarling voice. "OSCAR AND TAWNEY MUST PAY." The nightmarish beast slithered along the damp forest floor. Thankfully, it stayed far away from the feline's hiding spot, eventually sliding away from them into the forest again. Oscar heard a sudden screech, and the voice of a scarlet macaw emerged from it. "Santiago to Oscar," he said. "Do you read me?"
"Santiago, we're right next to each other." Oscar replied in a deadpan tone. The bird in primary colors turned to his right to see the Bengal/Serval mix and the puma next to him. "Oh." He muttered. Tawney merely rolled his eyes. "He's still close, what do we do?" Santiago looked over his shoulder to see the sizable snake flicker his tongue, presumably catching the smell of mountain lion and domestic cat. "Listen, both of you," Santiago said, "I have a plan, but… It pains me to ask this of you but… I need the two of you to lure him." Tawney sputtered in surprise. "Are you crazy? No way are we letting that reptile see us.'
"I'm sorry Tawney." Santiago said, "but if we don't stop him now, he might end up reaching the town and tearing the whole place apart searching for us." Oscar and Tawney glanced at one another, and at long last, they both nodded. "We'll do it." Oscar said.
"Alright, now tell me, what's your position?" Santiago asked. Not in the mood to outburst over this featherhead's stupidity, Oscar answered, "We're still behind that fallen tree. Do you remember, the one we spotted earlier?"
"Yes, and that's ideal." Santiago said. "I need you to head directly south of your hiding spot. You'll see a clearing if you keep heading that way. I need you to bring him out in the open so I can directly attack him."
"Okay, on it." Oscar said. "Stay safe, both of you." Santiago replied, before finally flying away.
"Tawn, do you really think we can outrun that thing?" Oscar asked. Tawney could see the worry etched on his friend's face, and he had to admit, he felt the exact same way. He struggled to answer. "I don't think we have any other choice." He said at last. The two of them grabbed one another's paws and squeezed comfortingly. "Alright, on the count of three." Oscar said. "One, two, three."
The two of them leapt up from their hiding place and began to make a racket. "HEY HEY HEY, OVER HERE." Tawney yelled. "TWO KITTIES, RIGHT HERE." Oscar shouted.
The two continued to make as much noise as humanly possible, and before long, the anaconda did indeed reappear, slithering out of the distant trees and coming to a halt a short distance away. Its jaws spread into a sickening smile. "Well now, if it isn't the little morsels." He growled mellifluously. The two of them didn't hesitate for a second longer and instantly bolted in the opposite direction.
"Run... RUN." Tawney urged. "What does it look like I'm doing?" Oscar panted. The snake laughed sadistically before slithering after them. "Yes, yes, flee." it hissed, "Your fear only makes it all the more enjoyable." The cats ran like they never had before, weaving between trees and leaping over loose branches and roots. Slowly, the ball of hate that was rolling after them grew steadily closer, knocking over yet more trees as it went.
"Come on, come on." Oscar wheezed, "where the heck is that clearing?" Mercifully, the clearing appeared ahead of them almost immediately after he had mentioned it. Oscar and Tawney cleared the last stretch despite the burning of their heavily protesting muscles. The green anaconda started to laugh maniacally as it closed in on the two of them, barely a few meters away by now.
Using his brain, Tawney used his strength to back kick the anaconda in the mouth. The reptile hissed in pain as he dropped to the ground. The two cats turned to see it in pain. Of course, the need to survive told them to escape while they still could. And escape they did.
Meanwhile, Ignacio and Gamberro appeared on the scene, watching as the Bengal and the mountain lion made their escape. "Sssorry, boss. Looks like they got away again." The anaconda said, looking up at Ignacio with puppy eyes. The feline paid no mind to him, instead staring intently at the forest in front of him. "No matter, my friend." His lips formed into a sinister grin as he sniffed the air to catch the distinctive scent of cougar. "Something's telling me that I know exactly where they're going."
Gamberro and the anaconda exchanged confused looks. "Boss, I'm afraid I'm not understanding what you're saying." The peccary said. Ignacio snorted. "Where they're going, is where I'm gonna put an end to my son's ongoing insubordination. And you two are gonna help me."
"Of course, boss. That's why we're here." The peccary said with a nod. "Good. Now, here's what we're gonna do..."
The next morning, up in a tree...
Would it make this jungle excursion any more thrilling than an obsessive father tracking his son down without stopping for food, rest, or a drink? Because that's exactly what Ignacio had done. The second Tawney and Oscar woke up, they heard that same gravelly voice from before. "Oscar, my boy.." Ignacio said eerily. "I can hear you up there. Are you awake now?"
Oscar froze in shock. Tawney grabbed his shoulder and tried to tug his friend away, but Oscar just stood there, fear completely controlling his every move.
"Is this the thanks I get for trying to make amends with you?"
They could hear the noise as Ignacio started to climb the tree very slowly and methodically. The atmosphere was uneasy, with every step getting seemingly louder and louder than the next.
Ignacio took more steps up the tree, and it felt like he was going to reach them sooner or later. Oscar finally realized this, hopping on Tawney's back with a tight grip. They were racing against the clock, with barely anytime left to do something.
"Oscar..." Tawney said, uneasy. Oscar looked Tawney dead in the eyes. "On 3. We jump..."
"But..."
"Trust me," Oscar said. "I won't let him hurt us any longer." Tawney nodded uneasily.
"1..."
"2..."
"Oscar!" Ignacio shouted. "I know you're up there, stop being difficult!"
Immediately after Bruno said that, Tawney walked closer to the edge of the tree branch, his feet barely hanging on.
"3!"
In unison, Tawney jumped off the tree, aiming for the ground below them. Unfortunately, there was absolutely no way they could've made the sound any less loud; Ignacio would have easily heard the thud, alerting him of their location. "Okay, we don't have much time. I know a place where we can lose him." Tawney told the smaller cat. Oscar nodded in approval, and the two were about to run away until they heard the scraggy voice of Oscar's father close behind them.
"You wanted to run away?!" Ignacio yelled as he turned around the corner quickly.
Both Tawney and Oscar screamed as they saw Ignacio in front of them. Up on the tree, they didn't get to see him up close, but now they could, and he looked absolutely horrible. Ignacio was covered in scratches and scars, a dark black bruise forming on his eye. His eyes were bloodshot. He had grown a short and stubby beard that was unshaven and unclean. He even had blood dripping from his nose a bit. In all honesty, it looked like he had just murdered a grown man scot-free before deciding to hunt his son down.
"You wanted to run away... with him?!" Ignacio repeated himself. Oscar took a deep breath. "Yes! Okay? Yes! When are you going to get it through your thick skull that I DON'T WANT TO BE WITH YOU ANYMORE!" The volume of Oscar's voice even seemed to scare his father a bit. He was taken back himself, too. "Why can't you understand that?" Oscar's voice cracked as he felt tears form in his eyes. "I just.. can't do this anymore.. just leave us alone.."
Ignacio coughed, "My boy..."
"I'm not your boy anymore! Stop calling me that!" Oscar hissed. "You're finally going to get what you deserve... after everything you've done..." Oscar muttered. He turned around and motioned with his tail. "Come on, Tawney, let's go..." Tawney nervously glanced over at Ignacio, who was giving them a death glare. He shuddered and started to run away with Oscar.
Ignacio contemplated what to do for a bit, before he made up his mind. He was too far down the rabbit hole to stop himself now. His jealousy and anger had driven him mad, and he was no longer able to make the right or rational decision.
"You're not going anywhere..." Ignacio muttered under his breath. He sprinted after the two boys, his pace speeding up gradually. Oscar glanced over his shoulder and realized that Ignacio was chasing them. He panicked, and jumped on Tawney's back. "Come on! We need to hurry!"
"¿Qué? But—" Tawney looked back too, and saw Ignacio with a crazed look on his face running right behind them. The mountain lion stopped talking and instantly started running. It didn't feel real; this was actually happening. Ignacio was chasing them, and the plans he had were not good. Not good at all.
The two cats maneuvered their way through dense forest, ridden with vines and fallen logs. But Ignacio had some insane agility. "Oscar! Stop it this instant!" Ignacio yelled out from behind them, panting and breathing heavily. Tawney and Oscar tried to slow Ignacio down, who was now furious, but none of it was successful. Bruno was right on their tail, somehow managing to speed up.
"Please! Just leave us alone!" Oscar yelled as Tawney jumped over a log on the ground. He was staring to feel dizzy after riding his friend's back for so long, and now they were running through the wilderness of Colombia in hopes that they would somehow lose the angry cat.
"Then stop RUNNING AWAY from me! You're my son, now COME HERE!"
Miraculously, just when Tawney was getting too tired to continue, Santiago flew in and nearly scratched fur off of Ignacio's back. As the skilled hunter of a cat and the bird fought, Tawney skidded to a halt to dropped down and rest. "I can't... Go... Any further." He panted. Oscar turned and saw that Santiago was miserably losing to Ignacio. "Don't worry, it's me he wants. You rest here, and I'll handle him."
"What?!" Tawney shouted. "That's a suicide mission!"
"Tawney, listen, I know I can do this. You taught me that. I'm not gonna stand here and let him hurt you. It's time I end this once and for all."
The cougar laid there, panting for breath as he took in what he said. He was right. Ignacio's act of child endangerment will never be forgiven, and it must be stopped before someone gets badly injured or killed. "You're right." Tawney finally said. "I know you can." Grinning, Oscar gave the puma a lick on the face. "If you keep going that way, there's a river that'll lead to a waterfall. I'll meet you there."
Oscar nodded, then took off into some not-so-thick forest. Ignacio, having beaten the daylights out of Santiago and hearing every word Tawney said, his lips morphed into a wicked smile. "You will meet him there." He growled. "Because my friends will escort you while I follow him there. And for betraying me, what better punishment than to see your best friend die right in front of you?"
Tawney's heart skipped a beat. "But that's your son you're plotting to murder?! Have you any mercy at all, let alone morals of any kind?!" He asked, genuinely surprised at what Oscar's own biological father was planning on doing with him Ignacio sprinted off, while Gamberro shoved Tawney forward. "You try anything funny, I'll squeeze you until you die. As it is the traditional method of hunting for anacondas." The snake said.
"Just shut up and let's get this cat to the falls." The peccary grumbled. Tawney stood up, not in the mood to fight. The anaconda was on his right, and Gamberro was on his left... who bit his leg as hard as possible. Tawney roared out in agony. "Just to make sure you don't escape. Now get a move on!" He pushed the mountain lion roughly, surging him forward.
Oh, Oscar, please be okay...
Part 2: Contains some bloody imagery, but nothing terribly graphic.
His mission was complete; lure Ignacio to the waterfall. Unfortunately, right when the waterfall was in Oscar's line of sight, his limbs gave out. He already felt nauseous after a long cougar-back ride, which didn't help matters, either. Speaking of matters not helping, Ignacio had caught up to him, with Tawney, Gamberro, and the green anaconda in tow. The wild cat chuckled evilly. "I see you've come to your senses..." he said quietly. Oscar wanted to run forward and punch him straight in the face, but only clenched his paws in anger. "I haven't come to any senses."
"Well, then you wouldn't be lying here then, would you?" Ignacio said, giving a non-genuine smile. There was another long period of silence, where the two only looked at each other. The increasingly strong gusts of winds was the only thing making noise at that moment. "Oscar..." The Bengal in question yelled out, finally breaking the silence. "Why—why are you doing this? Hm? Can't you just leave us alone?!" Ignacio responded quickly. "You can ask that question for a lot of things. Why do all of this? Why run away when you could've ended this a long time ago if you had just—Oh, I don't know—stopped and listened to me?"
Oscar grew angrier, "We both know that you didn't just want to sit down and have a nice talk. That's not like you!" He hissed, fur erect. "And how do you know that!?" Ignacio shot back. "I could've been a changed man, you know!"
"Ch-changed man?! CHANGED MAN?! You stalked me and Tawney and terrorized me when I was in a vulnerable state! You call that a changed man?" Ignacio frowned, but nodded his head slowly. "I see... maybe we've both changed. My boy, you're standing up for yourself..."
"I'm not your boy," Oscar said bluntly. "Not anymore."
"Well, you are, technically—"
"I. Am. Not."
Ignacio sighed and paused again. "You need to come back home with me, like old times. Eh? Stop living with those—Madrigals—and come back with me again."
"I already told you last time, NO!" Oscar yelled. "You should reconsider, then! I mean... do you really think Tawney's gonna make it out there? Living the domestic life of the Madrigal family like you were?"
Oscar gasped, "How did you...?"
"I know everything, Oscar," Ignacio interrupted. "And I know that a Bengal isn't fit to make it out there with humans. We're fit for the wild. Haven't I told you what our history is like? The odds aren't in our favor, Oscar."
Oscar ignored his father, only staring at him angrily. "Leave here with me, where it's safer. Leave this stupid town behind, that stupid old family of yours. And your stupid friend too— what was his name again?" Tawney rolled his eyes, which were close to brimming with tears. Gamberro and the anaconda, however, were watching with malice, waiting for the command to attack.
"He's not stupid..." Oscar grunted menacingly. His blood was boiling. "Ha," Ignacio snorted. "If anything, you're both stupid. I mean, if he's not stupid, then why is he hiding behind you like a wimp? Seems pretty stupid to me, eh? Yeah, he is—"
Oscar roared out in agony and ran towards his father in a fit of rage, teeth bared. He aimed it at the cat's scruff of the neck, and managed to land it successfully. Ignacio stumbled back slightly in surprise, but quickly composed himself. Huh... Thicker fur than he last remembered...
"You idiot!"
Oscar ignored his father's comment and ran towards his father again, swiping his paws from left to right, directly aimed at his father's cheek. Ignacio grabbed Oscar's paw in response, and with much force shoved the boy to the ground. Oscar hit the ground with a loud thud, and yelled out in pain.
"I tried to be polite, and this is how you act. You never, ever disrespect me like that, ever!"
Oscar frantically rolled over on his side, just barely missing a forceful back kick from Ignacio. He got up once more and backed away, giving himself some distance.
"What are you even doing? Are you crazy?!"
"¡Callate!" Oscar yelled. He ran forward once more, but instead moved slightly to the left at the last second, causing Ignacio to miss his strike. Disoriented, Oscar was able to step forward and send a strong back kick right into Ignacio's chest. The cat yelped in pain and staggered backwards, trying to contain the blood that was dripping down his neck.
"You little—"
Oscar took another broad step forward and headbutted Ignacio in the stomach, causing his father to stumble down to the ground. He frantically used his hands to support himself, stopping him from falling into the rushing river. Oscar crouched down lower, looking his father dead in the eye. "Leave. Now!"
Ignacio only gave Oscar a toothy grin, his carnivorous teeth caked in blood. Oscar was too angry to realize that Ignacio had him right where he wanted him. Without any hesitation, Ignacio lunged forward, pinned his son down on his back, and grabbed Oscar by the neck. Oscar reacted quickly and tried to pry his father's grip off, but it was no use. Ignacio clenched his grip down harder on Oscar's neck, causing the the kit to be unable to breathe.
Ignacio stared menacingly into his son's eyes, once again establishing the extreme fear and panic that he could put in someone's eyes. "Not so strong now, are ya big guy?" Oscar kicked his feet and wailed his paws around in the air, but it was pointless. The boy was losing oxygen by the second, and shortly he could even faint from the lack of it. "I could put you out of your misery... or not. It's up to me!" Ignacio exclaimed. "You see what happens when you try to do the things you want to do? It ends in disaster! Don't you see... you need me, Oscar."
Oscar couldn't say anything, but his eyes said it all: He couldn't possibly disagree more. Tawney had gained back his balance, his legs feeling slightly stronger than before, despite the fierce bite given by the hostile pig-like animal several minutes ago. Ignacio noticed this and instantly gave him his signature death glare. It was like he was staring into Tawney's soul.
"Let go of him!" Tawney shouted, his voice slightly shaking at the end. Gamberro took a step forward also, ready to attack him. Ignacio instantly let go of Oscar's neck, dropping the boy to the ground. Oscar fell down and instantly took in a large breath. Ignacio scoffed, "So you're the guy, eh?" Tawney didn't respond, and only repeated his previous words, only this time more confidently. "Let. Him. Go!" Ignacio looked at the boy in disbelief. "I-I just did. Are you blind?"
Tawney felt his stomach turn upside down, but he didn't want to hide in fear like a wimp. He wanted to stand up for himself. "What's your problem, anyway?" Tawney asked angrily. A large gust of wind blew through the area, making Ignacio stumble slightly. He didn't say anything, and only looked ominously at Tawney. "Huh? What's your problem?!" Tawney asked once more. Another gust of wind, stronger than before, blew through them again, causing Ignacio's wavy hair to blow back in the wind.
Ignacio didn't bother to answer the question. "Give me Oscar back." Tawney demanded. Ignacio shook his head. "How about... no...? Tawney's voice increased in volume, "Give him back!"
"Ignoramus! That's what you are! I have all the power to throw him into this river to his death right this instant! Don't test me!"
Tawney stopped responding back, terrified of the thought. There's no way he would do that. Oscar is what he wants, after all.
"Now... are you going to stop being an ass and give me your name, or should I be worried about that?" Ignacio asked in a calmer tone.
Tawney hesitantly answered, "Tawney. We used to be friends before you abandoned me. Ringin' a bell?"
Ignacio contemplated for a moment. "Tawney... yes. Tawney. I recall now..." Tawney was very confused on the sudden change of tone. Seconds ago, Ignacio was screaming at the top of his lungs, and now he was much quieter and calmer. It only made those sudden outburst scarier. "Do you know my son?" Ignacio asked accusingly. Tawney was confused by the question. "Of course I—"
"No no..." Ignacio interrupted, "I mean—do you really know him?" The long pauses between each question added a sense of unnerving tension in the air. "I—I mean... yes. I do."
"Then you'd clearly know that he hasn't had the easiest life."
Tawney could see Oscar's head raise slightly behind Ignacio. He moved forward slightly, but remembered what Ignacio had said earlier. "He's out of it. Don't worry, not dead. I could just escape and take him with me right now if I wanted to, but I chose not to. I hope that shows you that I'm more reasonable than you may think.."
"You're not reasonable at all!" Tawney said frustrated.
"SILENCE!" Ignacio roared, causing Gamberro and the anaconda to flinch. There was a long, uncomfortable silence after that. "I felt genuinely guilty for leaving you there to die. I've considered doing the unspeakable for quite some time." Tawney didn't want to hear ANY OF IT. He scoffed, "If you think I'm gonna feel bad for you, it's not gonna happen."
Ignacio scoffed, "You think that's what I want? I don't need your sympathy. This isn't a pity party. What I want is you to reason with me." Tawney looked at Ignacio and slowly nodded his head. He was afraid the cat would pounce any second, so he kept his distance. Ignacio still looked terrible and fatigued, blood and sweat still soaking his dirty fur coat.
"You're lucky you've got the Encanto nearby. I wouldn't call it my home, but at least you can live here without someone wanting to kill you every two minutes," Ignacio exclaimed. "Other places, though, maybe not so much. How are you even sure that where you and Oscar are going is a safe place? How do you know that you're not going to get killed?"
"That... isn't gonna happen," Tawney said.
"And how do you know? Have you been there before?"
"Well—no..." Tawney admitted. "But..."
"Listen, Tawney, as much as you may want it to be true, we aren't cut out for this. Us cats aren't meant to live on land, hence why— y'know— we're called wild animals!" Ignacio stopped to breathe. "I'm looking out for Oscar, my son. I tried to redeem myself, and you damn cats are screwing it up!"
The once calmer interaction was now turning into a heated debate, filled with arguing going back and forth between Tawney and Ignacio. "Looking out?" Tawney asked confused. "You aren't... looking out for anyone! You chased us throughout the Colombian wilds, almost killed an innocent life, and—"
"I know what I did. How else would I get you to even consider listening to me? Making a few sacrifices is worth it if I get Oscar back. Besides, it's payback for everything that happened!"
"And what about payback for what you did?" Tawney asked, growing increasingly more confident as the time went on. His voice softened a bit as he started to talk again. "When you left Oscar all alone in the wild, was that you looking out for him?"
Ignacio spoke out, "Absolutely. How do you think the people were going to react when they realize that a wild animal like me, who once tried to live among them, was right under their noses?"
"So you just left him?"
"I did what I had to do..." Ignacio said toughly. "Like I said, the world wasn't always sunshine and rainbows, Tawney. They hunted us down, and you should know that, too."
It was sad but true. When they were in Brazil, humans chased them down until they were nearly defenseless. Tawney was struck by a spear. Right at the riverbank of the Amazon river, where Tawney was bleeding out, Ignacio swam to the other side effortlessly, not once turning back to his injured colleague. If it wasn't for one human protecting him, he'd be dead as of today.
"We are wasting time just standing here, Tawney.." Ignacio said quietly. "Stop... Just... stop trying to sound nice. You aren't that at all!" Tawney shouted. Ignacio stepped forward, "It's not worth it. The world is too dangerous for you and my son to be going off to new places like that. Stop being ridiculous; stop living out a fantasy that will never happen!"
"It's not a fantasy!"
"Yes it is!" Ignacio yelled. "I've been reasonable, now you're going to be reasonable to me. Stop trying to be the hero that you aren't. I'm taking my son back! And I don't want you standing in the way!"
The cat took Oscar in his mouth and ran away. "No you don't!" Tawney shouted, going after him. The anaconda lunged forward also. Unfortunately, the impulsive leap it took caused the snake to miss his target and bite his boss instead. Ignacio could only keep running for bit longer before the mouth latched onto his shin. Ignacio yelled out as he tripped and fell to the ground, letting go of Oscar entirely.
"Oscar!" Tawney yelled.
He watched as Oscar tumbled to the floor, and rolled over many of the bumps in the ground, heading straight towards the edge of the cliff. Oscar tried to grip anything, but the ground was so smooth and solid, making it impossible.
"NO!"
Suddenly, Tawney dived forward towards Oscar, and quickly grabbed onto his paw, just barely stopping the boy. Oscar was still trying to catch his breath, while Tawney pulled him to safety. Oscar breathed out a sigh of relief, and fell to the ground in exhaustion. "Muchacho, I don't know how you did that, but you did it..." the anaconda said, sounding very stressed. "That was a close call."
Oscar reached up a hand, and Tawney quickly grabbed a hold of it.
"Tawney... I did—I mean... you..." The mountain lion nodded, confirming Oscar's thoughts. The Bengal immediately leaned forward to embrace Tawney in a tight hug. He was startled at first, before he quickly hugged Oscar back. He could hear Oscar quietly crying as the kit rested his head on the bigger feline's shoulder. "Please... never do that to me ever again..."
Oscar laughed nervously, "I promise."
Tawney didn't let go off Oscar, he wanted to hang on forever. He wanted to tell Oscar how much he adored him, how he wanted to spend the remaining time they had left together in the Colombian wild. However, they were so tired and still slightly traumatized that all they wanted to do was remain in each other's arms.
That would've been the case if Ignacio hadn't jumped in.
Ignacio's screams of pain soon turned into screams of vengeance. As the anaconda, who had miserably screwed everything up, approached him, he suddenly made the worst choice he ever made in his life. Furious at the fact that he had lost Oscar again, and the fact that he would lose him shortly too, he lunged himself at the duo. His aching legs made his lunge clumsy and disoriented.
Tawney reacted quickly, and pulled out of the way as soon as he could. The two rolled to their side and dodged the oncoming attack, which meant that Ignacio did not have anything to land on. Instantly realizing his mistake, Ignacio's dropped his smug smile into a terrified look of horror. Screaming out in pain, the momentum of the forceful lunge sent him flying over the edge of the cliff in one swift motion. Gamberro and the anaconda ran forward in an attempt to save the cat, but it had all happened so quickly, making it impossible to react to in time.
Oscar stood up and yelled out his father's name, as he watched the man plummet to the cold, hard ground at the bottom of the waterfall. All he could hear was the most bloodcurdling scream he had ever heard in his entire life. Tawney's mouth went agape, and his eyes widened as he watched in horror. Oscar forced himself to look away, covering his eyes with his hand.
He continued to hear screaming... until all the noise came to an instantaneous stop. Oscar knew exactly what horrible thing had just happened. He had finally gotten rid of his obsessive father, but never in the way he wanted it.
Ignacio... was dead.
