10-31-2019, 09:38 PM
Despite what Roy might have thought, Worm did not care how much his son lashed out, accidentally hurt him, or made mistakes. No matter what Roy did, he would always be Worm's son, and as such, the tiger would always be forgiven by the guardsman, simply by virtue of being his beloved family. Even Roy lashing out at him back in the Pitt hadn't been enough to stop Worm from his mission to bring the buy home. Sure, it had hurt like hell and he had been fearful and upset afterwards, but he had eventually calmed down, his passion for breaking the control over the tiger reinvigorated. Now, his thoughts were focused solely upon the tiger in front of him, knowing that the male needed his help. He didn't care if Roy didn't think he deserved his father's help – Wormwood was in control of his own actions, and he didn't care how hurt he ended up in the end... all that mattered now was Roy. All that mattered was his son. Worm couldn't bear the thought of losing another person that he cared so much for, and he felt his hold tighten around the tiger as he began to sputter out weak fragments of words, the starts of sentences with no endings. The flames in between the two of them grew larger and more powerful, and Worm could feel more blood rushing forth from his nose, forming a small pool on the ground beneath them. His powers screeching and waned, with the flames licking through and scorching his fur. He gritted his teeth, the burning pain nearly unbearable, but he steadfastly ignored it. He began to open his muzzle, desperate to get out some sort of reassurances before he was forced to collapse from the explosion of pain spreading throughout his chest and his head. However, the words were bluntly cut off when the earth rose up around them, plants wrenching from the ground and slamming down upon both him and Roy.
Wormwood had closed his eyes when the plants came down upon them, assuming he was about to be inflicted with some swift and awful death. However, the death never came, with the flames being snuffed out before the plants collapsed in on themselves, falling and curling around and on top of them. With the flames finally gone, Worm let his head fall upon the earth beneath him, desperate gasps for air leaving him as the overwhelming scent of blood and smoke lingered before him. He closed his eyes for a moment, just taking in the pain that had been inflicted upon him. Truly, if there was one thing that had thoroughly injured him the most thus far, it had been being Roy's father – yet still, Worm fought against all odds to help the boy. His eyes finally reopened again.when Roy spoke, his voice trembling and his entire body shaking so violently it made Worm's shake as well. Worm blinked slowly at the tiger, trying to wrap his mind around what his son had said before attempting to respond. It took a long moment for the words to finally spike through the fuzziness in his mind, making him jolt. He swallowed thickly, wincing as he felt blood running down the back of his throat from his power exertion. He wheezed for a moment before he spoke, his voice rough and gripped with exhaustion despite the relieved smile that graced his face, "You... you died? Th-That doesn't mean you're not supposed to be here. In fact, that means that you've been given another chance. It means that you definitely belong here. In Tanglewood. That's why you aren't dead anymore." He tried to get up again, to try and embrace his son, but his legs trembled violently beneath him for a moment before he collapsed again, letting out a pained grunt. He then said, sighing heavily before looking back towards Roy, a soft cough leaving him, "I'm so glad you're back, Roy... you're here because you belong here. No past life is going to change that. Every part of his body was screaming in pain, begging him to just close his eyes and drift off to sate his exhaustion, but he ignored it, stubbornly keeping himself awake.
Wormwood had closed his eyes when the plants came down upon them, assuming he was about to be inflicted with some swift and awful death. However, the death never came, with the flames being snuffed out before the plants collapsed in on themselves, falling and curling around and on top of them. With the flames finally gone, Worm let his head fall upon the earth beneath him, desperate gasps for air leaving him as the overwhelming scent of blood and smoke lingered before him. He closed his eyes for a moment, just taking in the pain that had been inflicted upon him. Truly, if there was one thing that had thoroughly injured him the most thus far, it had been being Roy's father – yet still, Worm fought against all odds to help the boy. His eyes finally reopened again.when Roy spoke, his voice trembling and his entire body shaking so violently it made Worm's shake as well. Worm blinked slowly at the tiger, trying to wrap his mind around what his son had said before attempting to respond. It took a long moment for the words to finally spike through the fuzziness in his mind, making him jolt. He swallowed thickly, wincing as he felt blood running down the back of his throat from his power exertion. He wheezed for a moment before he spoke, his voice rough and gripped with exhaustion despite the relieved smile that graced his face, "You... you died? Th-That doesn't mean you're not supposed to be here. In fact, that means that you've been given another chance. It means that you definitely belong here. In Tanglewood. That's why you aren't dead anymore." He tried to get up again, to try and embrace his son, but his legs trembled violently beneath him for a moment before he collapsed again, letting out a pained grunt. He then said, sighing heavily before looking back towards Roy, a soft cough leaving him, "I'm so glad you're back, Roy... you're here because you belong here. No past life is going to change that. Every part of his body was screaming in pain, begging him to just close his eyes and drift off to sate his exhaustion, but he ignored it, stubbornly keeping himself awake.
[glow=black,2,300]THE FREEDOM OF FALLING[/glow]
— Reggan