Chapter 3
Rounded tawny ears caught the sound of pattering rain against glass. Alfred stirred, his body stiff and heavy. Reaching for his neck he plucked out a red plumed dart that was lodged there.
'The hell,' he winced, 'where am I?' He felt something shift and found an unconscious Matthew beside him. Relieved, but still frantic Alfred sat up and started shaking the younger cougar.
"Mattie? Mattie, wake up!" The younger cougar's eyes flickered open and he turned towards his brother.
". . . .Al? What's going on? Where are we," he asked. Matthew tried to rise but his body was still heavy from the effects of the tranquilizer. Alfred hugged his brother close, relieved the poachers hadn't taken him away in his sleep. A growl rumbled in his throat because it was still a possibility.
"I don't know bud, but I'm going to figure out away to get us out of. . . .wherever the hell we are," he replied. Matthew shifted a little and a small whimper escaped his throat,
"Al, my foot hurts." Looking down at his leg Alfred pulled up his pants leg to revel the open wound sliced around Matthew's ankle, a bear trap wound. Alfred inhales sharply at the sight, "Shit," he whispers.
"Mattie we have to get this cleaned up," Alfred said seriously, "Just give me a moment to think of and escape plan buddy."
"That won't be necessary," said an accented voice. Turning towards the doorway they saw a man with silver hair and violet eyes smiling at them. "I-,"
"Who the hell are you," Alfred interrupted.
"My name is-,"
"Where the hell are we!"
"Well you're in-"
"Why the hell are you keeping us here!" A knife whirled past the cougar's ear.
"Shut the hell up! My brother is trying to speak," Natalia yelled as she appeared in the doorway soon followed by Katyusha who was holding a first aid kit. Ivan sighed at his sister's behavior.
"Thank you Natalia. Now I think we can handle this situation without weapons flying across the room." Natalia huffed at the gentle scolding. Katyusha nodged Ivan's arm with the first aid kit and nodded towards the cougar twins. The unspoken question obvious. Ivan nodded and she walked toward the injured cougars. Alfred growled as the quiet woman approached. Katyusha stopped and smiled at the injured felines. Exhaling slowly the air around her hummed lightly as a pair of tuffed silver gray ears appeared on her head. Around her neck a fluffy ruff of white fur appeared and finally her short bobbed tail wiggled into existence. Alfred and Matthew looked on in shock.
"You're an animus," Matthew asked. Katyusha nodded and walked closer.
"I am, and I'd like to treat your injuries," she replied sweetly. Alfred was still suspicious of the lynx woman, "Why? Wouldn't it be easier to sell us when we're too injured to fight," Alfred questioned. Katyusha's face fell, hadn't her brother informed them of their situation? Without an explanation she could tell these cougars wouldn't be willing to trust her or her siblings. She turned towards her brother for help.
"Vanya, haven't you told them yet," she asked. Ivan shook his head but before he could speak Natalia cut in.
"No, because this scrawny little fur ball wouldn't shut up," she snapped pointing her finger at Alfred accusingly. Alfred snarled at the wolverine, he was really starting to dislike her.
"Tell us what," Matthew asked in a scared whisper. While Natalia had Alfred distracted in a bristling match Ivan advanced closer towards the younger cougar. He reached his hand out to place it on Matthew's head in a comforting gesture but was stopped. Still engaged in the aggressive display between himself and Natalia, Alfred's hand shot out and locked the Russian man's hand in an iron grip.
"Don't. Touch. My. Brother," he snarled finally breaking his attention away from Natalia to level Ivan with a blazing blue fire glare. Ivan held his hands palm up in a defensive gesture.
"Ah I'm sorry I should have been more considerate of your personal space. Please accept my apology," he smiled awkwardly. Matthew simply nodded his head in acceptance while Alfred looked at him suspiciously before releasing the larger man. Ivan rubbed his wrist where Alfred had grabbed him, he was sure there'd be a bruise there later. Oh well he thought he'd just have to get that treated with his other wounds.
"Why are we here," Alfred demanded.
"You are here because you were being sold," Ivan began.
"And you BOUGHT us," Alfred snarled.
"No no! Please let me finish," Ivan pleaded, "You were brought here by a pack of poachers to be sold as exotic pets. But your poachers didn't know was that here it is forbidden to sell or capture animus to be sold into slavery as pets. So you were taken and they were…. Disposed of," Ivan explained. Matthew raised a hand meekly into the air as he clung to his brother.
"Umm if you don't mind my asking, where exactly is "here"?
"You are within the Braginski Manor-,"Ivan started.
"What state is that in? I didn't think there was a place in America that treated Animus with respect," Alfred interrupted. Ivan began to reply but was outspoken by Natalia.
"You're not in the United States stupid. Braginski Manor is in Russia. Stupid cat doesn't know anything," she scoffed.
"Sister there is no need to be rude," Katyusha chided gently, " I am sure this situation is difficult enough for them." The two cougars sat in a tense stunned silence absorbing this information.
"So…when can we go back home," Alfred asked quietly. He feared the answer even as he asked the question. Ivan frowned.
"We will be able to go home…right," Matthew asked as fearful as his brother. Ivan looked away from the twin cougars, unable to hold their pleading stare when he knew his answer would be an unsatisfactory one.
"No. I'm afraid not. America has been deemed an unsafe place for the Animus people. We cannot allow you to return," Ivan replied.
"No! That's bullshit America has plenty of places that are Animus friendly! Like the Native American reservations we grew up on! And the national park areas and among the inuit people of Alaska! We'll be fine! Just send us back you already got rid of the poachers," Alfred exclaimed.
"Then how do you explain your current situation," Natalia yelled back, "Even with those "safe places" you were still captured and almost sold! You can't go back there!"
"We can't…we can't go home," Matthew whispered, "we can't go home. We can't go home! Alfred, please do something! We'll never be able to Arthur or Francis again! We can't just leave them! Alfred please! You have to do something! Please, I can't lose any more parents," the young twin whimpered clutching onto his brother. Hot tears fell down his face and he began to sob. Alfred patted his little brother's back shushing him. Turning to the other animus in the room he said, "We're safe here right?" Ivan nodded, "Then leave. We need to be alone," his voice had turned to ice. Slowly breaking ice, the kind that barely held together against the churning waters underneath. The kind of ice that stung when you touched it but was as fragile as glass. Ivan looked at the two brothers and saw how distraught Matthew was and how close to breaking Alfred was getting.
"We should go," Ivan decided.
"But what about their injuries," Katyusha asked shocked.
"Just leave the stuff. I'll take care of it," Alfred replied, his voice void of any emotion. Ivan nodded to his sisters and Katyusha left the medical supplies by the bed. The Russian trio walked themselves out, leaving the two cougars to deal with the distressing news. As he left he caught a glimpse of crystal tears streaking down Alfred's face. He'd have to give them time.
