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 Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 12:15 am
Tain rolled over, excruciatingly bored. Ever since Cam had begun visiting him and bringing him food, he had felt much better. It was nice having company, but he still couldn't get out and stretch his legs. He wanted so badly to see sunlight, and feel the wind in his fur, but he knew there was no way to escape. Not yet, anyway.
Cam visited every day, but the crack in the den wall told him that it was getting dark. Where was he? He wasn't losing interest in helping Tain, was he? The adolescent began to worry.
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 12:18 am
Cam was panting by the time he entered the den Tain was being held in. He had run as fast as he could to get back home to give Tain the news.
"Tain," he called, his voice still muffled by the rock in his mouth. "Tain, I have news." He padded up to the stone wall and dropped the crescent moon shaped stone. "I met Umilele."
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:40 pm
At last! Tain brightened, pulling himself to his paws so that he could pad over to the small whole. "It's about time you got here, Cam," he said, chuckling. "I've been waiting all d..."
...what?
He stopped abruptly, falling into silence. Lele? Cam had met Lele? He hadn't forgotten her, of course, but having spent so much time in this dingy little cell, his old friends and family seemed so far away, as if in another world. Tain didn't know how to react, overcome by emotions.
"Lele," he finally choked out, his raw angst bubbling over. "Oh gods, Cam, I miss her so much, and my family, too..."
He fell to his belly, body shaking with sobs. Would he ever see them again? For the briefest moment he felt an overwhelming hatred towards Cam, free to come and go as he pleases, seeing Lele and maybe even his other family members...
But the anger disappeared as quickly as it came. He couldn't be angry at Cam, he had done too much for him. Tain knew that without the black-furred juvenile, he might not be alive.
"What did she say?" he asked weakly. "How is she? Did you tell her anything?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:42 pm
Cam's paws began to shake as Tain mourned over his loss of freedom. He had come to respect the adolescent so much in the past months, and at that moment he would've given anything to trade places with him, send Tain back to his family and become his own mother's prisoner.
"I'm sorry, Tain," he whimpered softly. "She's fine, everyone is. She told me. I told her about you and that you're alive and okay, but I made her promise not to tell your dad anything cuz he might do something crazy and ruin our chances of getting away..."
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:46 pm
Suddenly the strength went back into his limbs and Tain leapt forward, roaring angrily. "You did what?! Cam, you idiot! She could've told him, and he could've come and rescued me! For all he knows, I'm DEAD! Damn it, Cam!" His claws unsheathed instinctively and he scraped them over the stone wall with frustration. "I'm going to be stuck here forever, damn it! This might've been my only chance, and you blew it..."
A growl rumbled from his throat and he continued sharpening his long-dull claws on the rough rock.
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:54 pm
Cam flinched, withdrawing. In a tiny voice, he said, "Tain, you don't understand... you don't know my mother..."
Mama. The cause of all his problems, all of Tain's problems, all of Kai's problems. She was evil, horrid, cruel, ruthless... anger welled in his chest. What had they ever done to deserve this? It was so unfair, so uncalled for. And because he couldn't release his anger on the lioness who so deserved it, it was directed at Tain.
"Stop blaming me! Everyone always blames me, and I don't need you to start, too! After all this time, do you not trust me? Do you not trust Kai? Do you somehow think that we're lying to you, leading you on, messing with you? I want to help you, Tain!" He growled. "Get over yourself and understand that this is going to take time! If I let her tell your dad about this, what do you think will happen? I know what will happen. He'll come here to try and save you, because he's this big great guy you're always telling me about that loves you and would give his life to protect you. And you know what? My good for nothing mother will kill him, and probably kill us, too. Is that what you want, Tain? You'd rather be dead than actually take a chance and trust me?"
He took in a deep breath, and still fuming, continued yelling. "At least you have a family that loves you and wants you back. What do I have? A deadbeat father and a mother who thinks I'm about as worthless and stupid as a rock. All I have in this world is you, Kai and Ishida. You have your brothers and sister, a mother and a father, an aunt and friends. And you know what, Tain? You're going to see them again. I'm gonna damn well make sure of it. So stop being such a jerk to one of the only lions in this camp that gives a damn about you!"
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:59 pm
When Cam started shouting at him, Tain looked away in disgust. What did he know? He had never been in Tain's position, never had his freedom taken away from him. But the more Cam spoke, the worse Tain began to feel, and he tentatively walked over to the wall between him and his friend.
"I'm sorry, Cam," he said softly, poking his nose through the hole. "You're right. I should trust you, and I do. I'm just so frustrated in here... I've spent more of my life in a tiny den than I have out on the open plains. But I owe every good thing I have right now to you. And I shouldn't blame you for anything. You're only trying to help." He sighed. "I guess that, y'know, you seeing Lele... gods, I'd give anything to see her right now. Or her pups, or my family." Pausing, he added, "Or even spend time with you and Kai. Y'know, be able to play and run, not just talk through a makeshift wall."
"I would've given up a long time ago if it weren't for you," he said softly. "You're risking a lot to try and help me get free, and I really appreciate it."
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:03 am
Though his body was trembling, startled by his own temper, Cam briefly touched his nose to Tain's. "S'okay, Tain," he mumbled. "We're both really stressed out. We just gotta try to not hurt each other."
Cam remembered the stone Lele had given him. "She gave me a present to give to you," he said suddenly. "Here." He pushed it through the crack with his nose. "She said you'd know what it was. It looks like a moon to me. Is that what it's supposed to be?"
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Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:44 am
Tain sighed when Cam spoke. The last thing he needed was to ruin his friendship with one of the few lions that didn't want him dead. "Yeah," he agreed. "From now on, I don't think we should talk if we get mad at each other. We should take some time to cool off."
A present? From Lele? A lump formed in his throat and grew larger when he saw the small stone. "It's..."
He couldn't finish. Tain held back tears as he reached out with his forepaw and brought it closer to him. It looked just like the one he had been given as a cub, that he had lost when he was brought here. Now a little piece of home sat in front of him.
"It is a moon," he said, his voice weak. "Lele, she's a stargazer, she taught me about the constellations and stuff... we all had one of these when we were little." He sighed, turning his muzzle upwards to look out the hole in the ceiling. It was large, big enough to fit through, but it was too far up to try to get out of. Tain had spent many nights staring at the stars, trying desperately to find a sign that he'd be okay, but there had been nothing. He had always hoped that it was just because he wasn't very good at making out the meanings... not something much darker.
"Tell her thanks, Cam. This... means a lot to me."
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Posted: Tue Sep 04, 2007 12:47 am
Cam smiled softly at Tain. "She told me about it," he said. "That you and your brothers and sister all had one. She wanted you to have it again, so that maybe it'd give you some hope."
Something stirred outside of the den and Cam flinched. "I'd better go," he said apologetically. "I was gone all day and I don't want anyone to catch me visiting you. It's probably just Kai but I don't want to take the chance. I'm going to see Lele again tomorrow. I'll tell her what you said, and I'll tell her that you miss her, too. I'll even ask her to tell me about how everyone is. That way I can bring you some news about your family."
Uovu's scent became apparent and Cam just about panicked. "I'll see you tomorrow night. Bye Tain!"
With that, he turned and rushed away.
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