Lapsih

Son of Vasserot

ME: Vasserot groaned and twitched the tip of his black nose. His fur was matted and covered with dirt--he had no idea how long he'd been on the ground. MONSTERS! He tried to jerk his head upright, but only succeeded in painfully wrenching the muscles in his neck. An ear lifted and fell spastically and he realised how thirsty he was. In fact, he was parched. He was by the waterfall, but moving was more of an effort than he seemed to have the will for.
He'd crawled off after they'd left--those xweetoks. How could they not know what they were doing? But of course they didn't, they wouldn't have behaved the way they had if they truly understood the way things worked. Oh, but what a farce it had been. They'd left without him, left him in the dirt and he'd woken there. How much his head had hurt then. Now he was better, but so thirsty...he wished he'd managed to hide himself nearer the water.

HIKARU: Vaetur ran through the underbrush giggling strongly. She had slipped away from Azrai and had run away, looking to be alone if at least for a while. He was such a bother, and always kept near her! Xarnya had said it was for her safety, but really, what could be so dangerous in the forest in broad daylight?

ME: Vasserot gritted his fine sharp teeth as he tried to lift himself on his paws. He'd been beneath this rock for days now, it seemed, licking his wounds and recovering from the shock the white Xweetok's door had given him. He reached out with his claws and hooked them on a largish rock. One inch at a time. He was in no hurry. None at all.

HIKARU: As Vae ran through the forest, she saw ahead a paw sticking out from under a bush. Stopping short, and walking up to the paw, she examined it. It seemed to be attached to a leg... Crouching, she looked up the leg, at Vasserot's face. "EEP!" she exclaimed as she saw him, retreating a few steps as she stared at his tattered appearance.

ME: Vasserot jerked backward under the rock like a turtle into its shell. He'd never seen Vaetur before, and her purple and cream features had given him a shock. He crawled forward again. She looked more scared than anything, and he seriously doubted someone would send a kit after him for any reason at all. He pulled his upper body out from the crevasse and blinked dumbly in the sunlight. He'd been shadowed by the stone for so long that normal daylight was blinding for him.

HIKARU: Vaetur sat looking at him inquisitively; she had decided he didn't bite, so she was no longer afraid. She had just been startled.... "What happened to you?" she asked with big eyes.

ME: Vasserot eyed the kit warily; he had no idea how to explain "utter hell" to such a small child. Instead he simply said, "There was a fight." He was a bit surprised at how much of his own bitterness crept into his voice—his comment was more of an ironic statement than anything particularly devastating. He didn't bother to tell her how badly he had lost, or why. "Do you have a name, little one?"

HIKARU: Vaetur nodded, "Vaetur... looks like you lost though..." she said conversationally, in that innocent way kids point out facts.

ME: Vasserot sighed. From the mouths of babes, as it went. "Yes, I did." He was too tired to be upset. "It was a very big fight, and there were too many monsters." He knew a child as young as this Vaetur wouldn't laugh. He pulled himself the rest of the way out from beneath the rock, it was such a strenuous exercise that he felt he'd die simply from the effort. He got out, though, and hauled himself upright. Mostly. "I'm…Vasserot," he added, remembering his manners at an odd time.

HIKARU: Vaetur nodded solemnly, "Yes, my brother's always talking about monsters and bad xweetoks in the forest... I suppose if you were outnumbered it's good that you survived!" She smiled as Vasserot introduced himself, "Nice to meet you Vasserot!"

ME: The black and white xweetok smiled indulgently as he stumbled across the rocky waterside. Stretching by the edge of the waterfall, Vasserot chose to plunge his entire head into the water and take a massive gulp of the cool liquid rather than sip like the normally collected xweetok he was. He repeated this process several times before he felt sufficiently replenished to roll into the water itself, where his body's weight wasn't so overwhelming. "Ugh…a brother, hm?" He'd been an only kit, plural families interested him. "How many of you are there?"
Lapsih awoke from a restless sleep to find himself hopelessly entangled in the holly bush he'd collapsed beneath. He whimpered as the branches spiky pulled his fur. He thrashed, trying to break free, then began to sniffle as he found he was only capable of further ensnaring his limbs and tail. He wanted out. He wanted his mother.

HIKARU: Vaetur followed the grown xweetok and watched in amusement as he dunked first his head, then his body in the river. "Four... I never met our parents, but Xarnya's like my mother... and Tatsu's kinda like a dad... specially lately... he's so bossy!"

ME: The pain in his muscles lessened as they relaxed. He barely noticed, though. It was nice just to be clean. Vasserot rolled in the water again, amused by his diminutive companion. "I know Xarnya," he commented, only half-attending. "She was there, I think."
Lapsih cried in frustration. He was hopelessly caught. He was hungry and scared and panicking. His eyes burned as he thought of his mother and the sand pits, where there were no sharp plants to snare him. "Huh-help!"

HIKARU: Vaetur grinned, "Tatsu's always with her nowadays, he's like her guardian." she giggled, then heard a cry for help from some bushes downstream. "Did you hear that?" she asked Vasserot.

ME: Vasserot lifted his head somewhat listlessly, a headache forming like a tumour in the back of his skull. He had indeed heard the tinny wail, and he perked his ears. Just in time to hear Lapsih's frantic plea, in fact. It was a kit. In trouble, doubtless. "Yes," he told Vaetur, "I hear it." He wasn't really interested. Its mother would come and save it. That's what they did. Mothers saved their kits. Unless they weren't there...but he didn't know of many motherless kits. He sighed, his mouth blowing bubbles beneath the surface.
Tears began to well up in the kit's eyes as he thrashed in the branches of the spiny bush. "Huh-help! Muh-muh-mom!?" He knew she wasn't around--he was supposed to be brave and find her. But he didn't care, he was hungry and lost and trapped. He wailed again, desperate.

HIKARU: Vaetur scrunched her nose at Vasserot's lack of care, and she padded down the river to the shaking, wailing bush. Walking up to it, she peered inside, "Hello?" she asked the bush.

ME: Vasserot circled idly in his little bath. Ah, the kindness of strangers. Always a fortunate circumstance in the absence of 'mom.' He stuck his head under the water again and regarded the water weeds. They were paler than he'd expected.
Lapsih sniffled in surprise. The person outside the bush sounded small, and younger. "Huh-hello? Cuh-can you-ou huh-huh-help muh-me?"

HIKARU: Vaetur regarded the bush critically, "I suppose that depends on what kind of help you need." she answered. She peered closer, and saw what seemed like a tuft of black fur streaked with dark gold inside. "How did you get in there?" She asked quite amazed at the feat.

ME: Lapsih squirmed, then yelped as one leafy twig tugged his fur too hard. "I-I-I…I cruh-crawled un-un-under." He twitched his tail-tip helplessly. "I was sluh-heepy."

HIKARU: Vaetur sighed, shaking her head, "You must have been VERY sleepy to crawl under such a spiky bush to sleep..." she said matter-of-factly. "But I'm not sure how I can get you *out* of there..." she continued, walking around the bush. On the far side, she caught sight of two teary eyes peeking out. "Oh, hi." she said regarding Lapsih's face.

ME: Vasserot swirled his tail in the water, waterlogged fur dragging heavily in the water. He wondered if the little xweetok was all right, she was taking a while. Groaning, he pulled himself from his cool haven and dragged himself back onto the bank.
Lapsih smiled despite himself. "Huh-hi," he said, glad to have a face to put with the voice. "I…uh, I thuh-hink you nuh-need suh-suh-something shu-sharp."

HIKARU: Vaetur looked around, "I don't have permission to carry anything sharp, and I doubt my claws are sharp enough... and what would I do with the sharp thing?" She looked back at the eyes, "I could burn down the bush, but I'd prolly burn you too." she commented offhandedly.

Me: Vasserot limped down to where he heard two childish voices talking. One of them was Vaetur, the other one was small and sort of nasal—he suspected the stranger was a male kit. It kept interrupting itself in an odd way, like it had the hiccups. His head felt so heavy—he'd need to lie down again soon. He addressed Vaetur, mostly because speaking to the foliage would make him feel particularly foolish. "What's going on now?"
Lapsih struggled to try and see the source of the new voice, but all he could make out was a pair of black paws.

HIKARU: Vaetur looked up at Vasserot, "There seems to be a kit entangled inside this bush... but I can't help him get out" she replied. "Do you have a way?"

ME: Vasserot got down on his stomach to see the kit. "Oh," he said. Holes weren't the answer; he'd end up putting a hole right through the little kit. He studied the kit and the situation. The little male reminded him of something. Or someone. Either way, he couldn't place it. He sighed. "I can do it the hard way," he replied. Better get started. He leaned it and began chewing at some of the twigs by the kit's head, snapping them off so that it could help him. Normally he would've grabbed the kit and yanked him out, regardless of how much fur it lost, but he knew it would scare Vaetur away, and she was good company.
Lapsih flinched when Vasserot's sharp teeth opened near his eye, but was relieved to find that instead of attacking him the adult had decided to try and break him free. "Thuh-thanks," he offered ahead of time.

HIKARU: Vaetur watched with interest. "If Tatsu were around he could have asked the bush to let him go... or used his vines to get him out." she commented chattily.

ME: Vasserot lifted his head so quickly he got a brief sense of vertigo. "Come again?" he asked, his voice strained and head pounding. He felt his heartbeat speed up. Lapsih was wriggling around now, nipping at small branches on his own. He didn't catch the tension in Vasserot's voice, nor did he see the grown-up's stripy markings.

HIKARU: Vaetur blinked, eyes slightly wide, "Er... I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to say you were doing a bad job! It's very nice of you to help him out!" she said quickly, thinking she had offended him.

ME: Vasserot lowered his head so he was on eye-level with her. "I'm not upset," he said, his voice catching slightly in his throat, "just curious." The terseness in his tone gave away the lie slightly, but he did his best to look calm. "Did you say Tatsu can move vines?" As Vasserot spoke, Lapsih freed his right foreleg and used it to push some of the spiny leaves out of his face. He caught sight of Vasserot's striped leg when the adult knelt down. His eyes widened.

HIKARU: Vaetur studied Vasserot's face as he came level to her own. "Tatsu?" she suddenly felt suspiscious, and didn't like the way he had reacted. "Well..." she looked past Vasserot's face, to see Lapsih's own poking out of the bush slightly, eyes wide staring at Vasserot. She shifted her feet. "...yeah, he does..." she said finally.

ME: "Well," Vasserot said, pulling upright, eyes steely and cold, "well—"
DAD?!" Lapsih interrupted him, so startled he didn't even stutter.
Pardon?" Vasserot said, bewildered.
Yuh-yuh-yuh-yuh-yuh," Lapsih was obliged to restart—his excitement had made him incoherent. "Yuh-yuh-yeah!" He exclaimed. He looked just like his mom had described him—black and white with a big stripe down his back, three 'ribs,' and a speckled mane. "Yuh-you're Vass-Vasserrot!" Lapsih was so excited he didn't realise he'd actually torn free his other foreleg.

HIKARU: Vaetur didn't like the look Vasserot gave her as he stood, and backed up a bit, as he turned to look at Lapsih. Was he bad? Why did he react that way to knowing about Tatsu? She knew Tatsu was good, he wouldn't hurt anyone or make enemies, would he?

ME: Vasserot was torn between two impossibly confusing subjects. One was this Tatsu, who allegedly was the same fool who'd defended the monster-xweetok. The other was this stuttering child, who seemed to have some sort of delusions of relation. He addressed the latter first. "I don't know what you're talking about. Vasserot is indeed my name, but I've never seen you before in my life." Lapsih had wriggled his left hind leg out.
Yuh-yuh-you left!" Lapsih was hurt and scared and relieved all at once. "Yuh-you wuh-went away and luh-left us!"
Who is this us?!" Vasserot cried in frustration. And why was everything happening at once?!

HIKARU: Vaetur looked at the exchange with curiosity. The kit seemed quite sure Vasserot was his dad. She had never seen her own father, so this reunion looked very interesting. But she wasn't too sure Vasserot was as safe as she had thought at first.

ME: "Muh-my mo-mo-mom and muh-me!" Lapsih exclaimed, freeing his fourth and final leg. "Yuh-you wuh-wuh-went away before I cuh-cuh-came!
And you expect me to believe this how!?" Vasserot whirled around to address Vaetur, flustered and agitated. "Where do you live?" He asked, and how do I get there?" His eyes looked slightly mad.

HIKARU: Vaetur looked at him suspisciously. "I don't think I should give you that info... I-I don't really know you that well and..." She seemed about to break into a run.

ME: Vasserot backed down, realising he'd spooked her. "Sorry, sorry," he said, genuinely so. "I'd like to meet Tatsu again, I think I've—"He was cut off then. Lapsih had tugged his gold-striped tail free, shedding copious amounts of fur in the process.
Muh-my mom's nuh-nuh-nuh is Ro-Ro-Ro-Rotao!" Vasserot froze as the cold realisation dripped down the back of his psyche. ((That made no sense, sorry.))

HIKARU: Vaetur stayed, Meet Tatsu /again?/ well it was obvious he had met him, but why had he acted so... stiff? She watched Vasserot grow pale as the kit spoke the name of his mother, this was getting interesting. "I could show you the way... I guess." she said.

ME: Vasserot didn't even hear her. He turned. "You're mother…is Rotao?" His black eyes were wide and he was on the verge of hyperventilation. Too much was happening at once and he wasn't in the best of health to begin with. "I…I think…where is she?" The question was half a moan.

HIKARU: Vaetur noticed he was now ignoring her, but his reactions were quite funny, and she stood there watching him.

ME: "I duh-duh-don't knuh-ow." Lapsih's tail, which had been raised in excitement, now drooped. "Thuh-that's why I wuh-wuh-wanted to fuh-fuh-fuh-find you." Vasserot sighed at this—he looked like he's been dragged around the forest twice by his tail. "I see," he said, tiredly. "Well, I suppose you might as well come." He still wasn't sure this was all real—he'd been hurt pretty badly, surely he was imagining this? "How old are you?" He was hoping to find a consistency error.
Tuh-tuh-ten," Lapsih wagged at him. 'Damn,' Vasserot swore mentally. He could see some of his—no…his…father's…markings on the kit. His father. Damn. Damn, damn, damn. He swung his head to look at Vaetur. "You were saying? he asked, hoping it would all go away.

HIKARU: Vaetur cleared her throat, "I could show you our house, it's downriver, close to the lake." she said.

ME: Vasserot nodded. "I'd like that," he said, with a strange sort of smile. He regarded Lapsih tentatively, "You come, too….what was your name?" Lapsih inwardly cringed. Part of the reason was the idea that his father didn't know his name. He knew Vasserot had never heard of him before, but it still hurt to hear it being asked out loud. The other reason was less complex—the hardest thing for a stutterer to say is his own first name. "Luh-luh-luh-luh-luh-" Choke, start over. "Luh-luh-luh-luh-Lapsi-ih." He managed it at last, much of the difficulty coming from his own emotional hurt at needing to tell it at all. Vasserot stared at him blankly. "Lap…si-ih?"

HIKARU: Vaetur rolled her eyes, "LAPSIH!" She corrected, rather more loudly than she had intended. She stood, "Well, let's go, Azrai's prolly worried about me by now, I'm not supposed to be out alone."

ME: Vasserot and Lapsih both jumped, then eyed her carefully. Lapsih's look was more thankful than reproachful, though. Vasserot nodded. "It's probably best that you get home, if you really aren't supposed to be at home." He was eager to see if this 'Tatsu' really was the defender of the white xweetok. Lapsih nodded as well, agreeing for a very different reason. He knew his mother got angry and scared when he disappeared, even if it was only because he'd found an unguberry bush and was picking them for her.

HIKARU: Vaetur stalked off, walking parallel to the river, short red-streaked creamy tail held high in the air. "Come along then." she said.

ME: Vasserot fell into line behind her, head spinning and throbbing simultaneously. He felt like he was going to pitch over into a bush. Rotao…Rotao had a kit…and with him? it bothered him more than a little that the kit had the stripes of his father, rather than Vasserot's own natural spotting. The implications were troublesome. He did see some of Rota's striping on the child as well, though, which reassured him slightly. Maybe the striping just paired up somehow.

HIKARU: A rather long silent walk later, the treehouse that served as Vaetur's house came into view. Outside the door sat a slightly cross and worried looking Tatsu, who jumped up when he saw Vaetur, walking forward, looking angry. Vaetur shrank back, colliding with Vasserot. Tatsu looked up at Vasserot, and his brows furrowed deeper. "What are you doing with Vaetur?" he snarled, as he grabbed Vae by the scruff and pushed her behind him. She whimpered slightly, not understanding why he was *this* angry.

ME: Vasserot smiled slightly. "So it was you. " He knew he probably looked horrendous, but he was too smug to care. "I met her at the waterfall," he informed Tatsu, broadening grin revealing his characteristically small white teeth. "She was wandering and I was…well…crawling around." He knew Tatsu wouldn't understand how literally he meant that. Let him think he'd done this on purpose. Lapsih peered out from behind Vasserot, suddenly aware that something very wrong was happening. "I suppose you could thank, me, though—she isn't hurt, after all."

HIKARU: Tatsu narrowed his eyes at the taunting look of Vasserot. He hadn't noticed Lapsih, as he growled back, "If you had I would have made sure you payed triple."
Vaetur looked back and forth in confusion. What were they talking about? Vasserot hadn't done anything wrong, why was Tatsu so angry at him??
Tatsu..." she began.
Vae, go in the house... NOW!" he shouted at her, turning to look at her.

ME: Vasserot sneered. "You made a mistake back there," he said coolly. "I thought you should know." He took a step forward. "It's a cute kit you have, I'd hate to have her find your body." Lapsih sidled out from behind him and approached Vaetur, thinking maybe he should go with her. "Stay here, please, Lapsih," Vasserot told him, not unkindly….but not kindly either. "If you go in I may not see you again." Lapsih shivered. His father's voice was bit high and it scared him. "You know, you could simply apologise and I'd walk away." This was to Tatsu again.

HIKARU: Tatsu growled lowly. Vaetur looked back and forth, but then walked towards the house, breaking out into a run as she got nearer, disappearing inside. "Why should I apologize? You attacked Xarnya when she tried to help you, and Venoru is a respectable xweetok. You've killed once, and I wouldn't let you kill again." he spat.

ME: "Venoru is a monster." The statement was delivered in a flat voice, devoid of irony or true hostility. "I will apologise for attacking…Xarnya…" he hestitated on the name, which he was unfamiliar with. He could guess who it was, though, based on context. "It was uncalled for." He took a breath. "Fluffy's death, as I have tried to explain repeatedly, was accidental." He was actually somewhat frustrated by the constant accusations associated with her death. He held his tail high now, though, indicating his seriousness. "Venoru, however, I will not apologise to. Nor will I apologise for my attempt on his life." He regarded Tatsu grimly and with great intent. "I'm giving you this chance now to get out of this—I feel there is no need for you to suffer for what you do not understand." Throughout this speech he kept his eyes level and his voice even. He wanted to maintain this as a rational conversation for now. Lapsih watched him wide-eyed, unable to follow the train of thought behind his father's words. He glanced after Vaetur.

HIKARU: Tatsu considered this, looking at Vasserot carefully. Behind him, Xarnya looked through the door, walking out with a concerned look on her face as she saw Vasserot and Lapsih. She stopped halfway between Tatsu and the house.
Why are you trying to kill Venoru?" Said Tatsu, lowly, but not snarling anymore.

ME: Vasserot returned Tatsu's look in a guarded manner, then nodded in greeting to Xarnya. He felt no guilt for his previous assault, but realised he may need to set her mind at ease about the situation. "My business is my own," he informed Tatsu, "but I have…reasons…behind my actions. His monsters…are…intolerable." He found himself struggling for the words he needed. Simply thinking about the aberrations from before made him feel ill and he was pushing the limits of his stamina by being here.
Lapsih looked up at Xarnya and wagged his tail slightly, hopelessly confused. He understood that his dad and the other xweetok didn't like each other now, and he knew that was why Vaetur was in trouble. He didn't understand what they were talking about, or who Venoru was.

HIKARU: Xarnya smiled at Lapsih, recognizing him from their meeting some time ago by the lake, the day she had met Verende as well. She walked up behind Tatsu. "Tatsu, back down." she said softly to him. He looked at her angrily, but sat down, looking sideways at Lapsih.
Xarnya looked at Vasserot. "I cannot permit you to attack another xweetok, even if you think his unreality companions are monsters. I do not understand them well, but I will not permit more fights between xweetoks." she said to him.

ME: "I was afraid you would say something like that," Vasserot sighed, "And I have no desire to cause undue strife." He shook his head. "But after my past experiences… I cannot simply sit back on my paws while such creatures prance about me!" His composed façade cracked slightly, allowing the bottled anger and fear through. It made his tone more forceful than he'd intended, and he cringed inwardly. He saw Lapsih walk up to Tatsu curiously, small nose working as he sniffed the strange adult.

HIKARU: Xarnya considered, "Then I'll ask you to stay away from Venoru. He doesn't usually open unreality unless there is great need of them, so you shouldn't have to face them."
Tatsu looked down at Lapsih, raising an eyebrow.

ME: Vasserot growled softly. "I will do what I can," he replied simply. But I am not going to apologise if anything happens." He flicked a speckled ear. "There are kits here, and there are holes," he added cryptically.
Lapsih peered up at Tatsu, offering a hopeful smile. He didn't know what was going on, but the Island Xweetok did not seem particularly bad or scary.

HIKARU: Xarnya sighed, "I suppose that's enough for now..." she looked him over, "You look to be in a bad state... are you willing *now* to let me heal you?" she still remembered how he had resisted her magic before, and decided to ask this time.
Tatsu smiled slightly at Lapsih winking at him.

ME: Vasserot stepped back, black pupils dilating slightly. If the hallucinations from before were indeed real... "I don't think that's wise," he deflected her offer. "I will be fine with time." Which may not be true at all, he thought. He'd just promised a lie to this female. Two lies. And he didn't care. "But you may tell….Venoru," the word came out like a curse, "that I have neither forgiven nor forgotten him or his monsters. And I still stand by what I said." He bared his teeth menacingly, looking for all the world like a mad scarecrow. "If I see them again, I will kill them." Lapsih grinned up at Tatsu, revealing the same fine dentition that his father possessed.

HIKARU: Xarnya sighed slightly, not very convinced with his words, except the last ones. She had hoped that at least he would trust her enough to heal his wounds. She looked down at Lapsih, then back at Vasserot, blinking slightly, "Is Lapsih your son?" she asked suddenly.

ME: Vasserot jerked his head slightly, taken back by how quickly she'd nailed their relationship. Even if it wasn't true…even if it wasn't, it was easier to pretend it was. "Congratulations," he nodded. "I'd give you a prize, but I haven't any." An odd joke, as Vasserot's sense of humour was weak even at the best of times. Possibly it was the strain. "But as I said, there are kits, and there are holes." Sleep. He needed sleep. And how. He turned from her now. "Lapsih!" The kit looked up, surprised, then scrambled over rapidly, thrilled that his dad had called him by his name. "I have to go now," Vasserot said. "You may tell Venoru what you wish, but a warning would be best advised."

HIKARU: Xarnya nodded, "I'll tell him..." she said, Tatsu just glared at his retreating back.

ME: With that Vasserot was gone, his small son dodging at his heels while he plodded into the undergrowth.

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