It hadn't been too hard to convince the old man to let him stay outside. Hell, with how quickly he agreed, Ferox reckoned that the guy didn't want him coming inside. Feh, see if he cared. He'd scrounged up a tent from the vast jungle that was their unorganized, careless garage, and had gathered his food for the night and other necessities. Like a blanket, a pillow, a lighter for the fire, and a set of tongs. The pride spawn stood back, looking at his perfect campsite. Tent? Check. Fire pit? Check. Stuff to set on fire? The spawn's eyes fell to the pile of books he'd' borrowed” from his father and the public library, a smirk tugging at his lips. Double check.
Well, he'd done one hell of a job, if he did say so himself. And boy, did he say so. Glancing up, the teen noticed how low the sun had sunk, watching as it threatened to dive behind the horizon, the orange sun-kissed sky almost overtaken by the violet of dusk. The books were suddenly flying towards the pit, their pages fluttering and flapping in protest before crumpling against the ground, soon joined by their equally unfortunate comrades as the boy continued to toss them in. The last one came with an unexpected companion; an orange flame dancing along the pages. The pile ignited; the fire had been started.
The boy settled on a pile of cinder blocks he'd arranged near the pit, closing his eyes and relaxing as he took a moment to enjoy the warmth that traveled with the expanding glow. True, he could have roasted the marshmallows he'd swiped from the pantry, or the hot dogs he'd pocketed earlier, but why ruin this peaceful calm? He could just sit here, relax, and just be. With a set up as perfect as this, who needed all the extra food frills? As the stars slowly began to work their way into sight, Ferox moved from the cinder blocks to the the grass, laying by the fire as he looked up at the sky. Normally, this is where a person would look up at the cosmos and contemplate how insignificant they are in the scheme of things compared to the vastness of space. But, in Ferox's case, he was comparing himself to that all-encompassing expanse; both were equally perfect in their own aspects. And, like the night sky, he was something that, due to it's unfathomable grace and beauty, demanded to be admired and adored. After all, he deserved that at the very least for gracing this world with his presence. Sometime, during this self-reflection and self-adoration, the pride spawn drifted off, slipping away into the realm of sleep.
The boy jolted awake to the sound of a loud, banshee-like screech, a yell of alarm issuing from his lips as he tried to stumble to his feet, only succeeding to slip on the dew-covered grass he'd fallen asleep in. Ferox looked around, his eyes adjusting to what little light graced the nightscape of the yard. The yard was illuminated by moonlight, the fire's embers half-dead and the flames deceased. The screech trailed off into a fit of giggles, and red eyes narrowed as they fell on the source of the sound.
“You should have seen your face!” The girl was still giggling at her fellow pride spawn, amused. “Admit it. Lileram scared you!” A smug smile spread across her face, her paws resting on her hips. She paused, waiting for his humbling admission of fear. Instead, she heard a low growl. Uh-oh. Change in plans. The girl squeaked as the older boy lunged for her, running back towards the house as fast as her hooves could carry her.
Akheper had been dreaming, blissfully unaware of the waking world. But, he was summoned back to reality as he heard his daughter screaming for him, and his new son screaming at her. The orc rolled over, glancing at the clock. With a groan, he rolled out of bed, grudgingly heading off to break up the fight before it started. Again. Kids...
