The Captain Britain
Pinta watched her mother pace back and forth. Lume still had not come home after the last round of arguments and fights. Rio was wanting to move on soon, and was extremely anxious regarding the whereabouts of her son. Pinta didn’t know what to tell her. Lume always came back. They were a family. Families didn’t just abandon each other.
“He knows we are leaving.” Rio commented, still marching back and forth and wearing a short pathway into the grass. She wouldn’t go without him, of course, but she’d threatened it. The dancer was getting tired of her son’s attitude.
Kaliforneum
Lume stood just beyond the edge of sight, his scent drifting away in the breeze. Part of him had hoped his mother and sister would have been gone by now. Another part of him was glad they weren’t.
Blood dripped down his fur, sticky and matting the hairs. He’d meant to clean up, but everything hurt, and he wanted nothing more than to lie down somewhere safe and rest. That wild dog had done quite a number on him. And he knew how pissed Rio would be. He didn’t want to have this conversation again, but Lume always kept coming back to hear it.
With a sigh, the leotah limped into the family’s campsite area.
The Captain Britain
Pinta gasped at the sorry site her brother was in. He had a habit of coming back all scraped up, but Lume always made sure to clean most of the blood away. But this time…this was the worst he had ever looked. Pinta stood and ran over to her brother, checking him over anxiously. There didn’t seem to be any life-threatening injuries, but he was definitely in terrible shape.
Rio sucked in a breath, caught between the relief that her son was back, the worry surrounding his newest batch of wounds, the anger she felt for him receiving them. “What did you do this time, hm? Jump around on crocodiles? Scare the elephants?” Her voice was cold, unlike her normal hot-blooded self.
Kaliforneum
Lume gently pushed his sister away. “I’m fine.” He murmured, eyes turning to narrow at his mother. She had never accepted his desire to fight, or acknowledge how good he was at it. All Rio ever cared about was dancing. She didn’t even care about Pinta’s singing voice. If it wasn’t dancing, it didn’t matter to his mother.
“If you must know, I got into a bit of a scuffle over a bit of food. I defended myself.” Well, Lume had actually been the one to start it, and he had done so intentionally, but how else was he supposed to let off steam? “Or would you have rather I just danced myself away?”
The Captain Britain
Rio growled softly. “You will not take that tone with me, mijo.” The dancer’s eyes were hard and flashing with fury. Her temper was beginning to rear its head. It seemed that, nowadays, her son provoked nothing in her besides anger. “I have told you to stop fighting, and yet you never listen to me. What happens when you don’t come back? When we find nothing but your corpse lying out in the sun?”
“Mother!” Pinta was shocked. “Can’t we just be grateful that Lume is back?” When had it gotten so bad? Lume and Rio were staring at each other with nothing but anger and hatred. How had Pinta not seen how bad things had gotten?
Kaliforneum
The leotah smiled ruefully, climbing back up to his feet. “Well, I guess on that day you’ll finally by rid of me, huh? Rid of your troublesome son.” Lume spat. “If you weren’t so obsessed with making everyone dance all the time, maybe I wouldn’t have to run off and pick fights” He growled back, his temper just as hot as his mother’s. “Not that you care about anything besides dancing.”
The Captain Britain
“Do not think I do not care about you, Lume! I am angry because I care!” Rio snarled, resisting the urge to swat the male upside the head as she had done when he was a cub. Sometimes it was hard to think of him as anything besides a cub. “But perhaps I should be more supportive of your fighting, because you use everything I have taught you in order to cause violence, instead of bringing joy! And I wait here, fretting and worrying about what you are doing all of the time!”
Pinta jumped between her mother and brother, not liking where their squabble was heading. “Please, everyone, can’t we just calm down?” The female pleaded. She hated it when they fought. “We’ll work things out like we always do.”
Kaliforneum
Lume took a step back from his sister’s intrusion, eyes locked with his mother’s, eyes filled with just as much fury. “Well then, maybe I should just leave, hm? Then you wouldn’t have to worry about me anymore.” The leotah said coldly. “After all, this is a family of dancers and entertainers. No room for warriors, hm? Wouldn’t want me tarnishing the family legacy.” He took another few steps back, his mind halfway made-up.
The Captain Britain
Pinta stared in shock. No, Lume wouldn’t leave. Rio wouldn’t let him. They were a family. “Stop this! Stop this right now! Aren’t we supposed to stick together?” She cried, glancing back and forth between her kin. But Rio wouldn’t look at her, and Lume’s gaze was locked with their mother’s.
Rio looked away. She couldn’t handle it anymore. She was done letting Lume use her fear and worry as a mother against her. If he thought he could win this argument with an ultimatum, then Rio would call his bluff. “You are your own person, mijo.” Was all she replied, ignoring the noise of protest from Pinta.
Kaliforneum
Lume’s ears perked up. Normally Rio would give in at this point. But now…Rio was practically telling him to go. Fine then. Lume would leave. He would finally be free from all the stupid dance lessons, from all the scolding and the disapproval. Lume could find some place where his talents were actually appreciated for what they were.
The male turned, sparing one last, quick glance at his sister. He wanted Pinta to come with him. But he knew she would never leave Rio behind. Pinta thought even more highly of family than Rio did. Lume would miss her.
“Have a nice life.” Lume took off as fast as he could, injuries screaming at him to stop and slow down. But the male couldn’t. Because if he did, then he might change his mind.
The Captain Britain
Pinta’s mouth fell open as her brother sped away. She couldn’t believe it. He was gone. He had just left. “Mother, we’re going after him, aren’t we?” She asked as much as pleaded.
Rio sat down, slightly shocked herself that Lume had taken off. She hadn’t expected him to actually do what he had said. Ironic that he was finally learning to be true to his word. But he would be back. This was just like any other fight, wasn’t it? In a few days, he would be back. “He’ll come back.” The dancer said quietly, staring into the darkness where her son had fled.
Pinta stamped her paw, a rare explosion of anger coming out. “And what if he doesn’t? We just let him go off, injured, and not care about what happens to him?” But her mother wouldn’t answer. The young female snorted, shaking her head. Her mother could have it her way. But in a few days, if Lume wasn’t back after all, then Pinta was going after him. And she wouldn’t stop until she found him.