He rested on the ground, all tuckered out, glancing from Rhinestonestar to his paws. Making eye contact hurt. Like, if he refused to look at the felines’ faces, then they never saw him. They weren’t here. And he could pretend Rhinestonestar’s voice was some distorted version of his father—no, his father never talked so softly like this, more like his mother.
He inhaled, his entire body puffing up, and exhaled it all out in a fwoosh. A sand cloud puffed up, and his eyes watered at the irritants. Whoever this was—not Toad, obviously, the one with the soothing voice—Quasar almost trusted the offered kindness.
Looking up from his paws, he squinted at the offered paw. What…? He crunched on what this meant for a few seconds, until the lightbulb lit over his head. Right. Offered kindness. He stared numbly at the paw for a second longer before he finally met Rhinestonestar’s eyes.
“I ‘ave my brother,” he said, softly. “But if I can’t protect my parents—” He winced at the present verb tense. “—then I can’t protect Tree.”
Quasar stared at the offered paw again. “That’s what hurts. I couldn’t do anything.” He sniffled. “I didn’t do anything… I should’ve… I….” A sniffle cut him off.
Static crackled in his head, but the pup was too tired to lash out. He didn’t even feel angry anymore. Only cold, with the sea breeze ruffling his fur. His forepaws curled into his chest, but he kicked his rear legs. Again. And again.
He headbutted the cat’s front leg, one of his antler nubs striking a bone. “When I grow up… nobody will ever hurt someone I care about.”
He inhaled, his entire body puffing up, and exhaled it all out in a fwoosh. A sand cloud puffed up, and his eyes watered at the irritants. Whoever this was—not Toad, obviously, the one with the soothing voice—Quasar almost trusted the offered kindness.
Looking up from his paws, he squinted at the offered paw. What…? He crunched on what this meant for a few seconds, until the lightbulb lit over his head. Right. Offered kindness. He stared numbly at the paw for a second longer before he finally met Rhinestonestar’s eyes.
“I ‘ave my brother,” he said, softly. “But if I can’t protect my parents—” He winced at the present verb tense. “—then I can’t protect Tree.”
Quasar stared at the offered paw again. “That’s what hurts. I couldn’t do anything.” He sniffled. “I didn’t do anything… I should’ve… I….” A sniffle cut him off.
Static crackled in his head, but the pup was too tired to lash out. He didn’t even feel angry anymore. Only cold, with the sea breeze ruffling his fur. His forepaws curled into his chest, but he kicked his rear legs. Again. And again.
He headbutted the cat’s front leg, one of his antler nubs striking a bone. “When I grow up… nobody will ever hurt someone I care about.”
can't let the hands of time enslave us.
that's not how i'll go!
like the men we are
![[Image: 61105178_XgbiM0ZhRjllu9G.png]](https://f2.toyhou.se/file/f2-toyhou-se/images/61105178_XgbiM0ZhRjllu9G.png)
that's not how i'll go!
————— ⬆ ————— pharaoh — dating kole — descendants of the departed ————— ⬇ —————
these memories fade to stardust, let's brave the world like the men we are