Refresh My Memory }{ (ily, elle, aw)

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

How long had it been now? Two weeks? Three weeks? I couldn't find any peace in this place. He was always there, hovering and talking and invading my space. Zonta felt overwhelming. It had been nice here the first week, everything new and more exciting than me, so Charleston had clung to his new 'friends'. Let them suffer a bit. Now, this past week or two, he had lost interest and fallen back to old habits. Or perhaps it was I who had fallen back to old habits. Maybe having a new environment had put some ice on the burn coursing through my veins. Whatever it was, I was ready to leave. I wanted Buddy to come with me, but I knew he would not leave Charleston. Something about loyalty to mom and dad--how they loved Charleston and had told him to protect both his brothers before they died. How long before they died did they tell you that, Buddy? Before they realized it was Charleston that had brought in the disease that killed them. You don't love the one that murders you.

I was pacing now, letting the damp wheat cling to my pelt as I did so. I was covered in the seeds now. Good, let me spread their offspring. Let someone appreciate me. People said I was too harsh on Charleston--even Buddy says it. They all demonized me and said I was the bad guy. Well, let this wheat think me a god and thank me for spreading their children so they may grow. I should be appreciate by something. Tail tip flicking, I sat down and stared at the rain. Any moment now Charleston would come bounding through the field to annoy me in some manner, I could feel it in the ache of my bones. He better hope Buddy cares to follow him.

Someday I will avenge my parent's death.

[elledontyoudare]

I had him in my sights. There he was, I knew he wanted me here not. But here I sat anyways. and there I'd be soon. I lifted my hind legs up a bit, from behind my cover, my tail sticking up a bit, before I launched myself forward. There he was defenseless and careless, and here I was, the predator, I busted out laughing the instant I made contact with him, and there we tumbled a bit into the grass, rolling and having all kinds of fun.

Oh how I loved my bro Gus.

((OOC: I hope I did ok with his personality ;3; ))

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

The contact came and I can’t say I was caught one hundred percent off guard. I knew Charleston liked his grand entrances, however annoying they were. I tugged myself from his grasps once we halted, spinning on him and pressing a paw onto his back to keep him off his feet. “You little asshole.” I hissed it as a statement, matter-of-fact in my tone. How could the world be so blind to the demon in this cat’s body? I felt superior for being able to see it--but it gets lonely up here on my petistool.

I flexed my toes and cursed the Murder Apes for having stolen my claws. I would have to use my cunning to dismantle this brute, for he had his claws and I did not. What kind of monster steals the staple weapon of an animal? Murder Apes were almost as bad as Charleston. Almost. At least the Murder Apes had not murdered my parents--they had done everything they could to try and make them well. Stupid, foul, wild-borne parasite. He brought his filthy rump into my home, his fur littered with disease. Now the only ones kind enough to love him were dead. Buddy couldn’t love him. Buddy was supposed to be the smart one. Then why was he so damn foolish?

I lifted my paw off the panther and turned away, fighting the urge to repeatedly slap him across the snout. I would only make a fool of myself doing so without claws, and Charleston would merely see it as good fun. The fur on my spine was bristled, and my tail flicked in annoyance--Charleston never seemed to care. It was as if he had never learned to read body language. Or listen to tones. How could he always mistake my 'I’m pissed’ tone for a mock aggression? I couldn’t understand how someone this dumb was allowed to survive so long.

If not for my hunch that Buddy was close behind, I would kill this cat right here and now. It would be easy--Charleston never took my anger seriously. He would think we were playing--but one tooth out of place and he’d be dead, oblivious to the fact that I had spelled it out to him before-hand. This wasn’t a game, Charleston, this was the real life. In the real world, people want and get revenge when you murder someone they love. But go ahead, live in your fantasy. It makes it easier to make you pay in the end.

“Go jump in a river.” Foul as ever, I spat the words with my back turned to him. What was it the Murder Apes told annoying other Murder Apes? Go play in traffic? Ah, there was not much of such a thing around here, so a nice roaring river would suffice. I heard there was a good size one that runs through Ende. He could go drowned in that--if those cats didn’t get to him first. A smile curled deeply across my face. Ende, now there was a pride.

[elledontyoudare]

I looked up at Him. There he was, being all high and mighty again. But thats ok, because that was just him. and I liked him the way he was. I wanted to play, but I knew better. Gus never wanted to play. Especially not with me.

But here I tried. I tried so hard. I want him to accept me, love me. That's all I really wanted, what I always wanted.. Was to be loved by the family I chose. But here was Gus, Hating me the way He always did.

"But I don't like to swim. You know that, but have you forgotten?" I chirped, trying to stay in my better mood. I didn't want him to see me sad. I had to be strong. Even if he always spoke so aggressive towards me.

[I L Y I C H]

These two were going to be the death of me. Honestly. A man wasn't allowed to have a chat with his own pride mates without his idiot brother threatening to kill their younger adopted sibling? Gus needed to get over himself. Get over the petulant idea that Charleston's 'pests' had anything to do with our parents deaths. As hard a blow it was blame did not need to be passed about like a hot potato. As it were the cheetah who had been showing me the borders had followed me back out here as well. He was kind in an awkward way, not to mention the fact that the pallid man had barked out a laugh at my timid explanation and had gallivanted off somewhat ahead of me to fetch my brothers apart before Gus did something stupid.

Thus he was the first to slip out of the grasses and face the two very different creatures before her. The heavy blotches on his back ruffled slightly in response to what he saw, and I brushed out of the grass to eye Gus skeptically. 'Jump in the river' wasn't a very original idea, but I suppose such a thing wasn't meant to be clever. Ciel shifted slightly shuffling off to the side as if trying to physically make himself smaller. He'd wanted to check on Charleston, nothing more. Now the poor thing just wanted to avoid our drama, I was sure. I gave the young hunter a carefully cheerful smile before looking back to my silly brothers.

"Oh I'm sure he remembers Charleston." I purred complacently, trying to smooth over any ruffled feathers in the poor young lad's heart. Tail swishing quietly behind my body I turned my face towards Gus, smiling kindly to my blood brother. Trying as always to calm down his constant agitation. "Have you met Ciel, yet?" I nodded back towards the king cheetah who straightened and offered a low chuff of greeting in response. I made a note to apologize for dragging him into this later.

[Bhu ♥ Irwin]

And here came the knight riding in on a...cheetah. I eyed the outsider skeptically, knowing him from the pride but not caring enough to recall a name. My brother was foolish to drag someone else into our affairs--this was family therapy time, and it did not need a third party staring in the window. But, alas, the damage was done and I worked to lay my fur back down flat.

"I don't believe I have had the pleasure." This was all I offered in way of greeting the cheetah, only adding a slight dip of the head. It was nothing personal, I was simply just not one to be particularly social. Looking towards my brother and meeting his ever warm gaze, I felt the last of my anger freeze over and chip away. I dipped my head to him--it would look like a greeting, but it was my silent way of apologizing. I loved my brother, and I knew my thirst to revenge wore the old man out. He was aging faster than me, it seemed. Or maybe that was just because he was wise.

I turned towards Charleston once more, forcing forward a tight-lined smile. "With all this rain, I am shocked you haven't gotten over that discomfort of water, yet." I tried to sound joking, but there was still an outter edge of venom playing at my tone. For Buddy I would try, but that didn't mean my emotions would go down quietly into the night. I still hated Charleston, and it would take more than love for Buddy to hide that fact.

"Say, we four should try a paw at hunting. Zonta could use some big game. Alphonse hasn't organized a hunting party since we three joined, at least." Good, my tone was a little lighter now. For Buddy.