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 Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:29 am
Cam crept into the den where Tain was being held, his breathing quick. He knew that his siblings were all out, doing... well, whatever it was they did (he wasn't particularly close to any of them except for Kaihdin), but he was still nervous. It was so forbidden, so dangerous, and yet he had promised his sister that he'd talk to Tain.
So, the black youth padded forward, circling around the stones that blocked Tain off. There was a small hole beneath them that allowed food to be passed back and forth, but small enough to keep him from escaping. Cam cleared his throat and poked his nose into the hole.
"Hello?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:38 pm
Tain's fur was dirty and matted. In the past few days, he hadn't felt like doing much of anything, much less groom himself. With a resigned sigh, he flopped over onto his side, closing his eyes.
It wasn't fair. Why did he have to be the one, lying here in this cold cave, instead of one of his siblings? They got to be with their family, having fun. Kaikura should've been the one to be cubnapped, not him! He didn't even like his family, so why did he deserve to be with them?
When he heard someone approaching, he bristled. It hadn't taken long for him to learn that no one could be trusted here. All of the horrid lioness's cubs had been having a grand old time tormenting him, and their mother was no better. He hadn't seen that big brute since he arrived, nor had he seen the daughter that helped trick him.
"Who's there?" he growled warily, narrowing his eyes.
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Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:41 pm
"My name is Cam," he said cautiously. "I'm... um..."
How was he supposed to introduce himself? 'I'm the son of the lioness that wants to kill you'? 'I'm the brother of the cubs that have been mean to you'? He sighed, deciding to be as blunt as possible. "I'm Roho's son. But wait! Don't worry. I'm not like them. I... I don't like my mother." He spoke quickly, feeling horrible for saying something like that. "I don't like my brothers and sisters, either. I want to get out of here, just like you do."
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:14 pm
Groaning, Tain rolled over onto his side. "Whatever. Why should I listen to you? You're free to go any time you want... you aren't trapped in a prison." He spat the last word, disgust clear in his voice. "You're all nasty brutes. If you want to help, then get me out of here! Otherwise, you're just as bad as them. Like that nasty girl."
He grunted, a soft 'hmph'. "Stupid girl, tricking me and leading me into this trap. She's your sister, huh? Some family you have." Even Kaikura wasn't that bad!
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:36 pm
Cam frowned slightly. "It's not that easy. I can't just leave! I mean, gosh, you've seen how bad my mother is. I might not make it if I tried to go alone."
When he slandered Kaihdin, a hurt look crossed the black cub's face. "You don't know her," he whimpered. "She didn't want to do that to you. Kaihdin is good, she's nice... she's one of the good ones. Like me. I know you don't trust me..." he sighed. "And I don't blame you, really. But if you ever want to get out of here, you're going to have to trust us.
Mama isn't gonna let you go unless your dad comes and fights her. That's why you're here! And..." Cam hesitated. "I've seen him before. I know that he likes peace and doesn't like fighting. Kaihdin and I, we want to leave this place. We don't like how Mama acts. Once we get a little bigger, we're gonna run away, and we want to take you with us. We want to take you home."
He sighed, sliding to his belly. "It's not fair that you have to be stuck in here. Kai and I feel like we should be the ones to get you out of here."
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 11:00 pm
Tain rolled his eyes. What did he care if Cam didn't make it? That wasn't his problem - his problem was that he was stuck here, unable to go home. This other cub really expected him to sympathize?
He almost laughed when Cam defended his sister. One of the good ones? If she was really so good, then she would've stood up to her mother!
Tain's eyes narrowed when Cam spoke of his father. Had he been spying on them?! "You had no right," he mumbled, looking away. The black male was poking his nose in the food slot and the Pridelander didn't want to have to look at him. Did he think Kiwi wouldn't go looking for him, wouldn't try to take him back?
"You think my father won't fight for me!" he snapped, a sudden rage burning within him. "Sure, he doesn't like fighting, but he'll do whatever it takes for me!" Or for Mama, or my siblings, he added silently. "Dad isn't a wimp. I don't care what your mother has told you."
He fell silent when Cam talked about leaving and taking him with them. Why would he and that girl - Kaihdin - do that? Didn't they think he was more trouble than he was worth? Still, the other juvenile had caught his attention, especially with he agreed that Tain's situation wasn't fair.
"So, what? You're gonna wait until we all get bigger and then you're gonna sneak me out of here? Then what? If I go home, your mother would know exactly where to look! I'd be leading her straight back to my family!"
Then realization hit. "But... I'd be big enough to fight her... and so would my siblings..." After all, even Kaikura would fight for his family, right? You didn't have to respect your sibling to be able to love them... "And you would be, too. That is, if you're not just taunting me, like the rest of them!"
He let out a soft growl, suddenly doubtful.
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Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 11:07 pm
Cam stuck his nose into the crack in the stone, trying to see Tain's expression as he spoke. He blinked, taken aback, when the other juvenile implied that he spoke badly about his father.
"That's not what I mean!" Cam said quickly, his eyes wide and sincere. "I'm sure he'd fight for you, but if there's an easier way, why not take it? If you can prevent him from having to do something he hates... isn't it worth it?"
He was beginning to feel doubtful as well. Tain seemed so defiant, so unwilling to trust him, and frankly Cam couldn't blame him. But, when he made the connection between being able to fight back and leaving, the black youth offered a small smile. "Exactly," he said. "Kai and I would stick around and help if that happened. But like I said, that's only if you can trust us."
Letting out a soft breath, he pulled back and pushed his offering in towards Tain - a chunk of gazelle meat. "I'll sneak you food every day," he promised. "I know Mama is only feeding you enough to keep you alive. I don't want you to be hungry all the time."
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Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 12:09 am
Tain grudgingly took the meat, and within seconds it was gone. His belly bulged and for the first time in days he felt full. "Thanks," he said, still a bit hesitant. "I need more food than I'm getting, or else I won't grow up to be strong. I'll be puny, and Kaikura says that's a bad thing."
He poked his nose into the crack, gazing at Cam. He seemed trustworthy enough, genuine. "Please come back tomorrow," he murmured.
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:45 pm
Cam nodded, his scarlet eyes warm and genuine. He wasn't entirely sure who Kaikura was, but he assumed it was someone back in the Pridelands. Because of this, he didn't want to ask Tain about it, because he didn't want to make him upset.
"I promise I will," he said, swishing his tail a little bit. "I know that we can't play or anything, but I hope we can be friends." In a smaller voice, he added, "I don't really have any friends around here."
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:48 pm
While he was licking his lips, retrieving any tiny morsel of meat that was left, he thought about this. It seemed weird, but if this kid really wanted to be friends, maybe they would be. He certainly could stand to have a friend here.
"Yeah, sure," he said, hoping that his voice sounded less desperate for companionship than he felt. "Maybe. I'll see you tomorrow, Cam."
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:49 pm
"See you tomorrow," Cam said, his voice still quiet. His heart ached for the other cub, but what could he do to help? Without another word, he turned and left, feeling a mixture of hope and sadness.
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