(log with moose and I)

In a clan as tightly knitted as the family was, it wasn't hard to find out when something was wrong. For Abrafo to be without he slender Shadow for a whole day..something was defiantly wrong. Wherever he went, it was almost of unheard of him to not have his pink eyed, right hand at his hip, guarding his back or the back of her twin.

Abrafo wasn't used to being on his own. He always either had his mate breathing down his neck, one of his offspring annoying the hell out of him, or his daughter by his side. Safi couldn't be counted on to be there, but Isithunzi...she was always there, even when he wasn't aware of it. So, instead of waiting for her to appear, he went out in search of her. His massive paws beat out a rhythm on the ground, sending shivers up his bad leg. As he aged, it began to ache worse, but true to form, he never allowed it to tear him down. With it, he found her. "Isith. Are you alright?"

She looked up at the sound of her Papa's voice, her violet eyes dark with pain and tears. She opened her mouth as if to speak but it had been so long since she said words that she didn't remember them, instead all that emerged was a strangled croak sound. A look of pain and heartbreak crossed her face as she buried her face back in her legs with a hoarse moan of pain.

His heart instantly went out to his Shadow. Abrafo didn't say a word; just came to sit by her, bringing her closer with his paw. What could have upset her this badly? Normally, Isith was the last to show that much emotion. "It's okay, whatever it is. It'll be okay."

She huddled to him, hiding her face in his mane while she cried. It wasn't long, cause well...after all it -was- Isith, but they seemed to forget sometimes how young she really was, despite her size and demeanor. Sniffling she gave a ragged purr up at her father bumping her head against his jaw in thanks. Her daddy always knew how to comfort her, despite his gruffness.

It bothered him to see his cubs upset, no matter how big they became. Even as he felt his mane grow damp with her tears, Abrafo held strong, and when she pulled away, he gave her a gruff smile. "Feel better?"

She nodded a little ashamed she had broken down like a cub on him but secretly pleased that he still would unbend enough to cuddle her like the little cub that so worshiped the ground he walked on. He and Safi were her reasons to be better, to do what she had to do to keep the family safe. They meant everything to her.

Abrafo squirmed into a better position, and when his limbs were in working order, he turned back to her. "What was it?" Unlike others, he was determined to expose the problem and be done with it. If left untreated, it would only ruin his daughter, and he wouldn't have that.

She grunted annoyed waving her paw towards where her siblings normal slept, then made a lovesick/mooning face at him before snorting in disgust. Seems like the lovebug just had yet to find the slender female. Sometimes she knew her twin wondered if it ever would. He had hinted at helping her find a male for her own before only to get a snarl in return.

Ah. So...that was it. Abrafo's face mirrored his reluctance to talk about it. If he had known that this was the issue he would have made Nia comfort the girl. "Well...it happens to the best of us. It's horrific and will tear your life apart, but love is what it is. Someday, it'll even happen to you."

Itish of the past would have given him a wide eyed look and bolted, but this one..she gave him a look of loathing and disgust gesturing to her scarred up body. Oh she saw the looks of pity and fear in the eyes of her siblings, the horror in strangers faces...

She snorted again at the idea of anyone seeing through the scars or even wanting to.

Abrafo gave her a leveled stare. "Do you think that's all anyone is going to look at? Look at me, I'm no better off than you are." Though his weren't as visible as hers, Abrafo's dark pelt hid a lifetime of scars, ranging from the minor to the extreme. "If you hide behind your scars and the trauma that caused them then you're as much of a coward as your brother, Izin. What happened...shouldn't have, but it did. In order to defeat the b*****d that did it to you you have to live. Live by owning up to it, and being stronger than you were then." When he mentioned stronger, he tapped his head.

She stuck her tongue out at him mouthing mockingly, but her eyes were bright again and loving as she gazed at him. Hesitating a moment she looked back at her brother then her father, did she dare tell him that it wasn't the muscular males they had seen in the distance that made her heart race? It was all so confusing! Maybe something really was wrong with her..

Abrafo playfully snapped at her tongue, than gave a knowing look coupled with a grin. "A good place to start would be finding something you're attracted to. And don't bother with that popular vote s**t. Go with what you want, and I'll support it." Lions with lions just because they had to be. Bah! He was happy just where he was, surrounded by weird kids and even weirder mate.

Isith swatted at him with mock irritation before listening to his words, ducking her head with a shy, sweet smile. No better to stay quiet, if he didn't know he couldn't object, should be ashamed of his shadow.