Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Lords of the Jungle. Enjoy the 3300-word chapter. I do not own Kibo, Hasbro and a few others do.
Kipo was about to say something but she seemed to try and figure something out. She paused to try and deal with such an ideal, she could sense something off but she could not think of what was going on.
(With the Mute)
The boy seemed to be utterly tired, he grunted and exhausted his energy slowly starting to pull himself through the water, pushing him to the side as he cracked his fingers.
"Are you going to be, ok?" He mocked. "They hurt me, they said they'd help me and I trusted them, stupid Adem." He stated as he leaned on the wall.
He looked down and saw an arrow stuck in his arm. He tore it out, grunting as pain launched from his hand, he sighed and then slowly started to try and deal with such an ideal.
"Ow." He sighed before he cracked his fingers and leaned to the ground. "Ok, let's keep running and see where that goes." He stated before he pointed to his hand.
"Ok, let's get going." He said before he looked at his arm. "I need to keep thinking of what to try and deal with for now." He stated before leaning on the wall.
He was utterly relaxed, he was unsure, incapable to try and deal with something and he cracked his fingers, he felt pain lance up and down his hands… He felt like he had been punched with fire and he could feel something clawing at him, his animal instincts burned like fire.
He hated it, he felt like he was trying to cut through his brain… Even then? It burned to even imagine. What had been going on? He could feel something crawling within his frame and it felt painful…
He wanted to die and he felt he might just do something like that if he did not get somewhere sometime soon… He would do it, he seemed to be too thrown off as he hummed before sticking his claws on the wall before he scratched his claws on the wall.
Adem almost barfed before his eyes seemed to keep fading in and out of their new form. He felt like he was going to break in half as he paused to scratch at his skull, gladly not cutting his flesh.
"Ok, first I deal with the cut on my arm, then I go outwards." He said as he looked to the side.
He almost cut the wall, his claws crashing through the wall as he spits onto the floor, his body billowing one way and then crashing another to the floor like a giant weight, a pendulum. He had been too tired, too exhausted to move and he collapsed to his knees.
Even then? There was more to this, a lot more that he could not figure out… Didn't wish to, not when the pain itself was already too thrown for a loop, he was falling apart even as he tried and failed to climb up and to his feet.
He seemed to try and think, too tired, too interested as he cracked his fingers, slowly tired, too thrown off.
"Ok, there was a lot more on the mind… I find food, I find something to wrap up my arms, then get going." Atem stated before he sighed to keep thinking.
Atem stayed silent before he slowly marched up the slope he paused to keep thinking. The people who had taken him in before had made him different, he had been ready to keep cutting through the wilderness before he had met them and he would continue to meet them head-on.
Still? He had not been too keen on trusting them and he had taken a risk and he rubbed at his hands, brushing his hands against the roof of life.
Yet? He was terrified now, he had wanted it to have tried to have acted, and he wished to deal with it… But he had been able to try and deal with it.
He had been tiring and then again? He had not been able to try and relax as he leaned on the wall.
He had not been able to think of what to try and deal with next before now as he growled, his fangs poking from his mouth. He paused to think of his next move as he cracked a smile once again.
He rubbed at his temples before another sound made him turn, his claws jutting from his paws as he growled, scared for the moment.
"No, got to run," Atem stated before he slowly and surely ran off into the ruins, grunting and holding a hand to his stomach.
The sounds drew closer as he leaped, his feet cracking the stone under him as he leaped, spinning, and rolling through the damaged remains of a window. He wanted out and that was what he did… He hit the ground running and kept running through the house, pausing before he cracked a smile.
He had a lot more on his brain. A thousand thoughts cut up and into his brain, he sighed and felt ready to puke onto the ground, he leaped down out the window, spinning downwards onto the ground.
"Hey!" He heard, blinking as his ears perked up, blinking as he did so. "Hmm." Atem heard as he sniffed the air, too tired, too at pain to let it go.
He whimpered in pain and almost crashed to the ground, scared, and confused for now. He paused, thinking for now, knowing what would become of it at the end of the line if he did not do much of a solution.
The chaos meant something; he could act… And he wanted to but the pain hurt too much to have let him have it, he had been bored, he had been hurt, he had been worn down to the bone… If nothing else? He wanted to puke all over the ground.
He wanted nothing more than peace, the silence of nothingness at this moment and he brought a clawed hand which had been transformed to his chest.
"Ow," Atem stated as he slowly started to climb to his feet, ready for something else… He had not been able to deal with it.
He had been too interested in it, too much had been done as the voice drew closer. Atem forced himself to his feet, knowing if he was going to die. He wanted to do so on his feet at least.
He did so in time to be tackled to the ground once more, knowing that he could relax. He blinked, his orange eyes blazing with energy as he looked over at her, blinking.
He was met with a girl barely younger than him with such purple and pink skin he was reminded that his own was as orange as sand. Her arm was clawed which reminded him of himself as well, he blinked as the two stared at each other.
"Hi," Atem said, not knowing how to respond to such a thing.
"Hi." The girl said, a giant smile on his face.
"I'm Atem," Atem said, wondering how long this would go on.
"Kipo," Kipo said, perching atop him like a cat that had found a new spot to sunbathe upon.
"Are you… Part mute?" Atem asked, gesturing to her enlarged arm.
"Yeah…. Wait, are you!?" Kipo asked, pointing to his which he tried to turn human.
"Uh…." Atem started to say, knowing that he was part mute and he had no idea how to answer considering he did not want to flat-out scream it at the top of his lungs.
Perhaps it was just because he was thrown off, he had been hunted, too interested in what would come next. He was hungry, and he was not really in a spot to fight.
He had been too interested in what she was… But he could smell it easily, she was like him, she was a Mute, and she was human as well. Whatever had she been before now? He was surprised for now.
"So, are you like me or not?" Kipo asked to which Atem hummed.
"You mean half mute?" Atem asked as she nodded. "Yeah… I think. I do-… HEY!" Atem said as she pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.
Atem blushed, not used to this type of affection, not from someone he did not know at least either. He would have said something but it was surprising all the same, he wanted to have said something but could not, he wanted to push her away but her grip was as ironclad as the animal she was probably part of.
Still? Surprised him, surprised him a lot more than it was to be done, something that could be done within the moment… It was still not how he expected to be welcomed to… Wherever this place had spat him out upon or such.
He still blinked and slowly looked at her, she looked like a humanoid giant cat who was almost squishing his ribs.
"Kipo, you are squishing him." He heard.
"Not really, my ribs are tougher than that." He stated as he looked at her, knowing what was interested in happening.
"Uh… Hi." Atem heard as he looked to see a girl with a spear.
"Hello," Atem stated before he paused. "Does she… Normally hug most people like this?" Atem asked.
"Yep," Atem said before Kipo was finally letting him go to the ground.
If anything? He was thrown off, he was too interested in what comes down to it, he had not been around someone as weird as her, that much he was certain of. He found her to be more amusing for now, something that he could be dealt with for now.
It was not like she was any different from what he had noticed for now. Kipo was not too interested in things like this, just in new friends.
"Kipo," Wolf said as Atem scratched at his arms.
"The last time someone tried to hug me? They also tried to eat my face." Atem said shyly as Wolf blinked.
"See, this is why we don't hug everything!" Wolf stated as Kipo shrugged.
"Hey, I always hug new friends!" Kipo said.
"I… Barely know you." Atem said as he scratched at his arm. "These claws are sharp, why am I scratching my arm with them?" Atem asked.
"Wait, he's part mute?" Wolf asked.
"Part… Cat animal thing." Atem stated. "But yes, part mute, why? Are you guys going to fight me?" Atem asked.
"First of all? He is part tiger; the stripes give it away… And his eyes also look circular." Kipo said as the others looked at her. "What? I have been reading books for years… So, he's part tiger and I'm part jaguar… We are cat pack." Kipo said.
"Don't you mean pride?" Atem asked. "Wait, that's lions," Atem stated.
"Well, pack means… Wait, you read books?" Kipo asked.
"Yeah? I got bored." Atem stated.
"Oh, no…" Wolf stated, knowing she would never hear the end of this now.
Kipo lit up like a Christmas tree despite herself… She had been willing to back down for fear of pushing him too much for now, knowing what she could have dealt with for now as she paused to think now, unwilling to try and deal with it for now.
It was chaotic enough to throw it off for now… They would not be able to deal with something like this, it was just too much fun to have someone else deal with it.
"Weird enough?" Atem stated before he sighed to himself, unsure of what to say or even do.
She was a lot more to try and deal with it for now, chaos which he could deal with personally enough, even if he wanted to try and deal with it for now… All he could do was relax and relent, too much had been lost upon it… Even then? She could not have allowed it to have dealt with at the end of this day and all such days.
He seemed to be ready for now, too interested for now upon what he could have dealt with for now, he had been too interested, something fascinating for now.
He had a LOT more on his mind, he had a LOT of things like this, a chaotic little measure of peace, something he could not have allowed for now.
She paused to look over at him and she looked to the side, she paused to think of it as she looked to the side… There was a lot of chaos on her mind as she looked over to look at Atem. He paused, tired for the moment, too thrown off and too unwilling to have done so.
Yet? The chaos said something about it would change, she was amused for now, it would be best served for now… Something which would be too much.
"Hmm," Atem stated before he sighed. "So, are you guys normally this weird, or am I just special?" Atem joked as he tapped his hands on his side.
Kipo watched as his hands which transformed back to normal sported claws, he turned and slashed a tree next to him, dicing the bark into pieces with the same ease one would reduce paper to shreds.
Atem hummed and simply sheathed his claws, he grunted as he clenched his fist, his machinations beyond something amusing…. It would end for it always had; it was too interesting as he realized his hands hurt from the claws.
Atem turned to try and leave, but Kipo watched as the half-tiger human went to leave, she paused for but a moment.
"Hey, wait!" Kipo yelled to which Atem hummed. "We can help you?" Kipo asked.
"How?" Atem asked, raising an eyebrow as he did so. "Because if I am not wrong? You do not need me slowing you guys down…" Atem said.
His tone sounded more fearful for now as she looked to the side. It was fearful had it been something else… He had been too disturbed for now, too much pain was seen in his orange orbs which looked at Kipo with derision, with the idea of something she had not yet understood.
It was too much…. At least to him? At least when it came down to him… At the end of the day? There was something else writhing in the darkness… And she did not wish to do something, not when he could deal with it in stride.
Even as it came to an end? She was too focused on trying to help, it was all she could do to try and deal with it for now.
She looked over at him, too fascinated for now with what was to come. The madness would not relent, not at all, not when it could be best done now.
She would not relent, not just because it was her nature but because she saw too much to try and deal with for now and would remain such a fixture.
"Well, isn't it better to have friends?" Kipo asked as Atem rubbed at his arms.
"I don't have those so I don't know," Atem said as he shrugged and went to walk away.
"Well, we can help with that!" Kipo yelled as she lunged forwards.
Atem went to speak before he was wrenched off the ground again in a hug which made him wonder how this girl did not snap his ribcage like it was made of wood. He grunted in surprise, not pain.
"HEY!" Atem said before sighing. "Ugh, fine… Maybe I can help you guys… For now, until I find somewhere to go." Atem said as Kipo beamed which only made him blush.
"You can stop hugging me," Atem said as the girl shook her head. "This is going to be a long day," Atem said, pondering what he would do when the people who were looking for him came.
(5 minutes later)
Wolf noticed Atem popping his claws and looked over at him.
"Both of you have claws and you do not want to use them? Really?" Wolf asked.
"I'm fine using them, I just don't need to right now," Atem stated as Kipo frowned. "What? Their claws, they are meant for cutting things." Atem stated.
"You don't have to use them on bad guys," Kipo said.
"If I do not… They hurt me?" Atem asked awkwardly. "Most mutes I meet want to eat my face… Like giant spiders, I do not like giant spiders at all." Atem stated.
Wolf looked at Kipo who shrugged, she knew what was being referred to… Which Atem was not present for.
"Doesn't mean you have to hurt them," Kipo said.
"How many giant animals have almost eaten your face?" Atem asked to which Kipo frowned. "Just asking, I've lost count at 50," Atem said.
"This is what I keep telling her at times, you can't solve everything with hugs," Wolf stated.
She felt like she had been too interested for now, she had been too thrown off for now. She wanted something to believe in and she could not handle it being thrown to the side. She knew more and more with each little step she took.
Atem sighed and scratched at the nape of his neck. He knew that he might have scratched a nerve and so he said nothing, too interested in what was going on at this moment. He had a lot more on his brain than being nice and he had known what the mutes could be like, he was more scared of them than mad.
Still? He decided to be quiet like he usually tried to be. If he spoke? He would be more likely for now, it could be able to try and deal with it for now, too interested when it came down to it.
He paused, tired, unable to try and deal with it for now… The chaos which he survived was nothing like this and it would not manage to try and deal with for now, the chaos which he could have dealt with for now and it was odd to him period.
He rubbed at his temples, too thrown off for now, too interested in what came next… For him? For the end of the day, it wouldn't matter for now, and then looked to the ground.
Kipo was too interested now as he cracked his fingers and then watched as he seemed to cut her claws.
He was too interested, too thrown off for now as she paused to try and confuse himself for now… He had a lot more to try and deal with besides cutting his claws down to size, he could not at all contain himself for now… But he was willing to do something about it sooner or later.
Perhaps it was chaotic enough for him.
"So… Did you choose to be part tiger or was it chosen for you? Can I turn into a mute?" Wolf asked to which Atem shrugged.
"Don't know, never did so… Story I don't want to tell, and I have so many problems with being like this you have no idea," Atem stated.
It wasn't supposed to be a lie as he had no real idea of what was going on. None at all, he hadn't the faintest clue of what was going on, the faintest idea of what the next move would have been.
He looked at Kipo who looked over at her, she seemed to be too interested, too consumed by it in ways not even he could have done so for now.
She had been willing to act on something he could not understand. She was herself interested in the execution of it now and for good reason.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be delayed. The next chapter will be 900-6500 words and will show more of both Kipo and Atem traveling and setting up the plot. Until the 2-10 month wait, Lighting Wolf out!