"Can we speak Tom; Nyra?" the lemur asked; narrowing his golden eyes.
"Of course Deadshot" Tom said carefully; he stepped outside with Slade, Nyra followed after but stopped at the entrance and called to him.
"Skipper stay here and watch over your siblings" she said; her voice strained with worry; she left. Skipper for once didn't complain; normally when his parents both went to talk to the lemur he would complain about not going; but His mother's voice had told him something was wrong; really wrong. No one ever used his full name; they always called him by his nickname Skip. He waited a few moments before stepping towards the entrance. A flipper on his shoulder stopped him.
"Skip; mom told us to stay here" Princess whispered; her eyes showed that she also felt that something was wrong.
"I'll be right back Princess I promise; make sure they don't leave the cave" Skipper tilted his head in the direction of their siblings. "Maybe you can find a name for our baby sister" he added as he belly slid out of the cave. His father had only taught him a month ago how to do so; it made over land transportation fats and even better it was silent. Skipper quickly saw his parents and the lemur; outside of the make shift habitat talking. Skipper slipped unnoticed behind several rocks close to the glass and settled down; from his hiding spot he could hear and see what was happening.
"We have a new-born Deadshot; you could have it" Tom's voice was desperate.
"I'm not here to collect a hatchling; I want what I was promised; and if you don't give it to me; well you know the price" Deadshot snarled.
"You can't take him; you can have the hatchling!" Nyra spat; her feathers ruffled.
"Wrong answer" Deadshot snarled; he leapt onto Skipper's mother and slit her throat with a knife. Skipper's eyes widened in shock and horror; he hadn't even seen the knife before then; obviously neither had Tom. His father made the lethal mistake of leaping onto Deadshot; the lemur simply spun around and slashed open Tom's throat. Deadshot pushed Tom's body of him and headed back into the air-vent and soon he stepped back into the penguin habitat. Skipper pressed up against the rocks; his body trembling. Deadshot stepped up to the mouth of the cave and called in a sickeningly sweet and cheerful voice;
"Come here missy; you're going to come with me".
"Leave her alone" sudden fury shot through Skipper and he flung himself from his hiding place.
He landed awkwardly near the lemur who gave a small gasp of surprise. Now; Skipper could see the lemur clearly. He was taller than Skipper, and was dark grey with a fluffy silver tail; a scar lined his shoulder.
"You must be the oldest of Nyra and Tom's children; is this correct?" Deadshot asked; his golden eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"What do you think!" Skipper flung himself at him without thinking. Suddenly he remembered the knife but it was too late. He closed his eyes preparing for the worst; but it never came instead he landed hard on the ground with a loud thump.
"Now, now my dear boy; try not to get yourself killed; I still have use of you" Deadshot said; he clapped slowly. "But very brave move dear boy".
"Y-You killed my parents; I'll never help you!" Skipper gasped; Deadshot's foot slammed into Skipper's back; knocking the breath out of him. Skipper managed to wriggle free and stumbled; falling onto his back. Deadshot was on him in an instant pressing the knife to Skipper's throat.
"Skipper!" Princess called out in alarm.
"Shut up you worthless piece of dung" Deadshot flung the knife at Princess and it went deep into her throat.
"No!" Skipper screamed. Deadshot hearing Skipper's distress; leapt off him ripped the knife out of his sister's throat and began slaughtering Skipper's family in front of him. Tears wet his cheeks; as his sibling's blood stained the ground. Choking down a sob he stumbled forward to grab Deadshot's wrist stopping him from murdering Rye.
"Please don't" Skipper begged.
"You love your dear brother don't you?" Deadshot asked; his grip on the knife loosened.
"Yes" Skipper nodded his head numbly.
"Good" Deadshot's grip on the knife tightened and he slit Rye's throat.
"No!" Skipper screeched. "No! No! No!" Blinded by fury; he punched and kicked at Deadshot; the lemur however easily avoided his blows.
"I'll see you when you're ready Skipper" he hissed; Deadshot fled from the cave and leapt through the glass wall; shattering it. Skipper barely noticed; his sobs grew loud; all of his family was dead.
"No! No!" Skipper sobbed; the whole habitat blurred because of his tears. A sudden pain in his chest made everything worse; his throat became tight so tight he could barely breathe. He didn't know how long he was slumped over Rye's body sobbing; but eventually he felt someone touch his shoulder.
"What here to murder me too?" Skipepr snarled.
"Sh-sh it's ok little one" a soft female voice told him. It wasn't deadshot; it was a tabby she-cat with lime green eyes.
"Go away" normally Skipper would have snapped at her for calling him "little" but there was nothing normal about this. She wrapped him in her arms.
"L-Leave m-me a-a-alone" Skipper's voice shook as another sob escaped him.
"It's ok; you're going to be ok" her voice did soothe him though; he sobbed for a few more hours before actually looking at her. He scooted away from her and she let her arms fall to her sides.
"What happened sweetie?" she asked gently.
"A-A lemur; he murdered them" Skipper whimpered. "Why are you here?"
"I heard the glass shatter; I leave just outside the zoo" she explained. "I'm so sorry about you're family."
"Wh-what am I going to do; what if he comes back?" Skipper whimpered; finally some of the other zoo animals crept over to the penguin habitat.
"What was the name of the killer; do you know boy" a lion asked.
"Y-yes; His name's D-Deadshot" Skipper whimpered; the lion and the other zoo animals shrunk back as if he had struck them.
"You poor boy" the she cat however didn't move away; there was pure sympathy in her eyes.
"Do you know him?" Skipper asked as the cat wiped away his tears. The crowd didn't answer.
"Can one of you take him under your wing?" the she cat asked.
"I'm not getting involved with one of Deadshot's targets" the lion snarled; he and the others quickly left.
"Why won't they help me?" Skipper asked in a small voice.
"Because they're scared of Deadshot sweetie; come on; I know someone who can help you" she gently put her paw on his shoulder and led him away from his home; but it wasn't home to him anymore; just a scary place; home was where he belonged and now that his family was dead; he didn't belong there anymore.