[glow=#000,1,400]MY MAMA SAID THAT I'M NOT LIVING RIGHT. YOU RAISED A LION, MAMA, I AIN'T LYING, MAMA — ｡+ﾟ.[/glow]
The red and gold lion looked up when he heard footsteps approaching, feeling a warmth of embarrassment under his fur at another person being present for him falling apart. His eyes soon found Halo, and his ears pinned to his head for a moment as he opened his muzzle, before Halo already spoke up. He blinked in confusion at the first word that fell from her mouth – fate – before she continued on, and he couldn't help the small and sad smile that came to his muzzle as she spoke. The reassuring words that fell from her lips reminded him so much of what his brother had been like when they had just been young cubs. Poetking had always believed the old legends and the religion that had been taught by their pride, and they had always been taught that there was a grand plan that the universe was forced to comply to, and that's why both good and bad things happened in the world. Honestly, Worm still wasn't sure if wasn't believed those legends, or if he really believed that there was some grand plan that fate dictated, but just hearing something from Halo that sounded like his brother when bad things had happened back in the day, made him feel the slightest bit better.
Still, it did also make him remember that part of the reason that he was upset in the first place was because of the very same brother that had always told him fate always pointed them in the right direction. Taking a deep breath, the lion scrubbed at his face for another moment before turning to face Halo entirely. He then rumbled softly as he brushed away the tears, closing his eyes briefly and sighing heavily, [glow=#165042,1,400]"Fate... fate was what my brother had always told me dictates everything that happens in the world. I never really knew if he was right, since we were just little cubs, and Poet always believed whatever our parents told us, but... I'd like to believe everything that's happening is happening for a reason... but everything that has happened lately has just felt especially cruel, especially since fate apparently decided that I didn't need the brother who had taught me about it in the first place."[/glow] He looked down at the ground for a long moment, a shaking and shivering sigh leaving him that made his legs and entire body tremble slightly. He could already feel tears beginning to slip down his cheeks again, but he quickly shook his head and cursed softly, digging his claws into the ground and feeling anger rise up in roiling waves through his chest. He was so angry at Poet, and if fate really did exist, then he was also angry as fuck at fate too. The anger and sadness in the chest mixed and burned, and he wanted to yell, and scream, and tell Halo that she was wrong, but it wasn't her fault that Poet had left, and it wasn't her fault that she was reminding him so of Poet, and he was way too kind to tell at someone who didn't deserve it.
His trembling breaths were interrupted, however, when Ament screamed. The shriek that left the raptor immediately caused Worm's head to snap up, displacing the tears that had begun staining his fur once again and scattering them against the muddy ground. He stared at the utahraptor in shock for a moment, opening his muzzle to alert the other male that ir was alright, and that his Aurum was okay, but Ament was already lifting himself up to his startling full height, and suddenly there was a bundle of both scales and feathers between him and his other clanmates. He nearly fell over backing up as Ament wished. He thought that Ament was just jealous, or worried, and had wanted to put distance between Wormwood and those that were encroaching upon him, trying to help him, but suddenly Ament's teeth were bared, and his leg was in the air, and Worm let out a shout of shock and something akin to pain, not wanting Ament to act too quickly on instinct and get in trouble because him. He didn't deserve this, he didn't want this, Ament had been doing so good.
Throwing the concern for his own safety aside – because he was Ament's, he was his Aurum, surely Ament wouldn't hurt him – the lion rushed forward to Ament's side, pressing against the raptor and rasping out panic, [glow=#165042,1,400]"Ament, no! Dont hurt anyone, please. Don't hurt anyone for me."[/glow] He knows that Ament can't understand the words that slip from his muzzle, but he moved to wrap his arms around Ament's shoulders, trying to pull him back slightly and away from both Leroy and Halo. If he succeeded, he turned and gave Ament a pleading look, his wings twitching as he moved forward to press his forehead against Ament's chest, desperately trying to communicate that Ament didn't need to hurt anyone, and that hurting Leroy or Halo would not provide the relief from the pain that Worm was so desperately seeking. He rumbled as he stayed pressed into Ament's front, both fear in his form as he said in a pleading voice to the already raging utahraptor, [glow=#165042,1,400]"They're trying to help me, Ament. Please, no hurting them, my friend. Please, Ament.[/glow]
Still, it did also make him remember that part of the reason that he was upset in the first place was because of the very same brother that had always told him fate always pointed them in the right direction. Taking a deep breath, the lion scrubbed at his face for another moment before turning to face Halo entirely. He then rumbled softly as he brushed away the tears, closing his eyes briefly and sighing heavily, [glow=#165042,1,400]"Fate... fate was what my brother had always told me dictates everything that happens in the world. I never really knew if he was right, since we were just little cubs, and Poet always believed whatever our parents told us, but... I'd like to believe everything that's happening is happening for a reason... but everything that has happened lately has just felt especially cruel, especially since fate apparently decided that I didn't need the brother who had taught me about it in the first place."[/glow] He looked down at the ground for a long moment, a shaking and shivering sigh leaving him that made his legs and entire body tremble slightly. He could already feel tears beginning to slip down his cheeks again, but he quickly shook his head and cursed softly, digging his claws into the ground and feeling anger rise up in roiling waves through his chest. He was so angry at Poet, and if fate really did exist, then he was also angry as fuck at fate too. The anger and sadness in the chest mixed and burned, and he wanted to yell, and scream, and tell Halo that she was wrong, but it wasn't her fault that Poet had left, and it wasn't her fault that she was reminding him so of Poet, and he was way too kind to tell at someone who didn't deserve it.
His trembling breaths were interrupted, however, when Ament screamed. The shriek that left the raptor immediately caused Worm's head to snap up, displacing the tears that had begun staining his fur once again and scattering them against the muddy ground. He stared at the utahraptor in shock for a moment, opening his muzzle to alert the other male that ir was alright, and that his Aurum was okay, but Ament was already lifting himself up to his startling full height, and suddenly there was a bundle of both scales and feathers between him and his other clanmates. He nearly fell over backing up as Ament wished. He thought that Ament was just jealous, or worried, and had wanted to put distance between Wormwood and those that were encroaching upon him, trying to help him, but suddenly Ament's teeth were bared, and his leg was in the air, and Worm let out a shout of shock and something akin to pain, not wanting Ament to act too quickly on instinct and get in trouble because him. He didn't deserve this, he didn't want this, Ament had been doing so good.
Throwing the concern for his own safety aside – because he was Ament's, he was his Aurum, surely Ament wouldn't hurt him – the lion rushed forward to Ament's side, pressing against the raptor and rasping out panic, [glow=#165042,1,400]"Ament, no! Dont hurt anyone, please. Don't hurt anyone for me."[/glow] He knows that Ament can't understand the words that slip from his muzzle, but he moved to wrap his arms around Ament's shoulders, trying to pull him back slightly and away from both Leroy and Halo. If he succeeded, he turned and gave Ament a pleading look, his wings twitching as he moved forward to press his forehead against Ament's chest, desperately trying to communicate that Ament didn't need to hurt anyone, and that hurting Leroy or Halo would not provide the relief from the pain that Worm was so desperately seeking. He rumbled as he stayed pressed into Ament's front, both fear in his form as he said in a pleading voice to the already raging utahraptor, [glow=#165042,1,400]"They're trying to help me, Ament. Please, no hurting them, my friend. Please, Ament.[/glow]
— Reggan