ORIGIN

Coldness. It surrounded his suppressed little body. It oddly grew more uncomfortable with each passing dusk. The area was bleak; colorless of life and hue. Tucked within the zig-zags of grey walls, sat a motionless red stone. A large one at that. Watermelon sized. Red flares bolted and shined from the mirroring ceiling above; distorting the rather simple chrysalis.

Zetos was unknown to the world that laid outside the hardened walls of red he'd known for so long. His tiny body would turn and twist, hoping to feel less repressed. And failing, he'd inhale once to exhale a push of annoyance with thin hind limbs. Nothing happened. Again, he sighed a forceful push against the stoned wall. This time, he'd sway and rock to his left, rolling a few inches. Nothing of satisfaction filled him.

Altered conscience had been born with the live creature inside this red rock. A poisoned one. Words of inaudibility aloud spoke in his lonesome head. " Push harder. "
Taunting the boy, he pushed deliberately. This time with will. With seconds of pure effort, legs were soon free. His upper body continuously laided suppressed.

For the first time, cold air pressed against his blackened hind paws. He panicked, rocking his chrysalis right. He flinched, breathing heavily with distress. What was happening? What was this? " Ending of sleep.. "
In response, eyes shot open, red burning through his half broken chrysalis. Vision was a new ability so his vision was weary of concentration. He'd squint, forcing through the other half of his womb.

Joining the other pieces of stone and crystal, his chrysalis snapped within scattered pieces that no longer took its rounded shape. And here, a young toddler sat, confused. Guided no more by his altered conscience, Zetos remained. Eyes quickly scanned the dark tunnel, frantic with life. The cub moved not, timid to use the limbs that suddenly iched to carry his body. Burnt onyx, he blended well. A virgin to the lands of Origin, the kid breathed silently, frightened soon after perceiving the present of his life.

---

" Talking looks like this."
" Thinking looks like this. "

He was numb. Since leaving Eridanus, Leon had tried not to feel anything at all. He was afraid, because he knew she had access to what churned deep in that furious little heart of his. And he knew that she would uncover his secrets, she would flay the mask from his face, and she would know the pain that he had done unto himself in warding her away. But he had done it all for her. That was possibly the worst part of all.

In the waking hours since his departure, it had been difficult to contain what he felt. Sadness and anger would well up in him again, and he would have to stop, smother it. Eventually, it got easier. After he had convinced himself that it was all behind him, he could dissociate from it. It didn't make it any less painful, only easier to ignore. Now it was only a matter of time before he truly moved on from it. So much had happened since he emerged from his obsidian chrysalis on that day with Rohan, but he knew that so much more could happen. He just had to move on.

Deep down, he knew he never would. It would linger with him forever, a constant thorn between his toes he just couldn't pluck. He knew that he would eventually see them again, his friends (a term used loosely) in Maji Walezi. And he knew that it would give him sadness and anger and all the other feelings he had struggled against. This cave was only so big; there were only so many places for him to hide before they would find him. Until then, he would stave those feelings away, and maybe when he saw them again, he would be stronger. Strong enough to have put it behind him and not let it rot him away from the inside.

Leon's paws had taken him to a room he'd never really visited before. Once. He'd burned his paws when he found a freshly emerged Gembound. He quelled the thought. The bear's heavy head tilted back, seeking the glittering ceiling. Seeking something beyond. Was there anything beyond? He squinted, trying to find something among the distant reflections, in the stars that mapped some invisible celestial just out of sight. There was nothing. Nothing but a faint red. The bear blinked and immediately dropped his gaze, seeking out the source of the reflection. There it was - nearby, but it was shattered. He nearly missed the tiny feline sitting in the wreckage. Leon had half a mind to abandon the scene. But that... that wasn't right. He couldn't bring himself to abandon a newborn Gembound. The need to help, to slake his loneliness, tugged at his heart. He wondered if she could feel it.

The bear approached slowly, tilting his head. It was a black leopard - a pang of hurt and guilt. He swallowed it. It wasn't this poor creature's fault. It was fate. Cruel, cruel fate. Somewhere, someone was laughing at him. Leon's steps were tentative, his head lowered slightly as he stuck his nose out towards the feline. The boy said nothing, and eventually stopped. He wondered if the babe was cold, and he'd almost made the move to warm his paws, but he refrained. No magic flowed from him. Leon cast his gaze aside, tormented; but then he looked back at the child and stepped closer. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly.

His mind was in turmoil, as much as he tried to hide it, Leon feared that the worry and disdain and guilt would all seep out and she would sense it somehow and she would know what he was seeing, thinking, feeling. He looked down at the youth, looking at the black of his pelt, the faint rosettes on his sleek fur, his feline shape and eyes. This must have been some kind of cruel joke. But Leon was loathe to leave a small, helpless Gembound to fend for themselves in such a vast room as this. Who knew what kind of beasts were crawling in Orion, if it was the same as Polaris with all its lurching golems? No enemy? Leon furrowed his brow slightly. "No. I'm a friend." He answered gently. His expression eased slightly and he produced a small smile, a meager attempt to convince the leopard cub that he wasn't going to harm him.

The bear shifted slightly. He raised his head and looked around, scanning the vast room. Crumbling buildings stretched the length of the room, reflected by the glittering crystals embedded in the ceiling above. Why had he not ever explored this room before? It was vast, limitless it seemed. Within the confines of this room he imagined he could find endless bounty. A place to hide away from the world, and treasures to cherish, treasures that didn't choose someone else over you. Maybe they could explore this place together. A new home to hide in, for now. They wouldn't find him here. The bear looked back at the babe and slowly slid onto his rump, gesturing to himself with his long claws. "My name is Leon. Do you have a name?" Scattered around the creature were shards of the gleaming red chrysalis, a stark difference from the inky black of the child's fur. It was embedded in his forehead. At least that was different.

'No. I'm a friend.' Words come from the brown thing and expression was highly read as Zetos had been receptive. Pinched brows sent the cub rocking back in fear. The man was big. He had a good reason to be timid. Long claws were perceived and Zetos stared, observing as the bear sat.

The cub had stayed four feet from him after adding one. His melanin coat blended well near the towers of stone. Red optics continuously wondered at the brown face. Questions. So many questions. Curiosity was worn even at this age. What did this bear want anyway? Oblivious to the actual situation, Zetos pondered to make his own hypothesis. A grumble from his belly sent the cub into a rigid flinch. He meowed, obviously easily frightened. But as a baby gembound, everything was new and.. frankly just too big!

Zetos would quickly alert ears, making them erect as the bear spoke once more. Tilting his small skull, Zetos chirped in response. A tiny squeal of greet for this 'Leon'. Zetos would begin to purr now, content with his new friend. Choosing to stand, he'd crawl clumsily to the bear's body to get close enough to rub on the bear's right knee. Pushing his crown and crystal upon the bear's furry body, he flattened his ears, gently nudging as to show affection and claim. While doing so, he'd mumble aloud in response,
" Zetos. "

---

" Talking looks like this."
" Thinking looks like this. "

The bear found himself wholly enthralled with the small child. Leon had been trying hard to block in his thoughts, to keep them from revealing themselves to curious, prying eyes. It wasn't that he thought Makyna was a snoop... he'd rather her be able to read his thoughts, to feel his feelings, because he could convey things to her where words would otherwise fail. But that was exactly the problem - now, at least. Now, he didn't want her to know all the millions of things that were happening inside of him, all the pain and anger and sadness, because she was their cause, and he didn't want her to know that. What kind of a friend was he? He was already ashamed that he had lashed out at Cancer, ashamed that he had dismissed Makyna and told her to leave him alone. Then to let that shame constantly remind her of what had happened? He couldn't.

So, instead of dwelling on it, he had focused on the cub. He watched him, admiring the faint rosettes in his fur and the bright crimson eyes that stood out against black hair. The babe seemed scared, but Leon felt he knew why. He was so small and naive, innocent to the world that could so easily hurt him. And it did - this world, he'd learned, was ruthless. The bear felt a swell of sympathy for him. The child mewled, and then started to crawl forward. Leon blinked and watched until he had made his way to the bear's leg, bumping against it. He couldn't help the small smile that spread on his lips. This was just an innocent child... Leon had been a fool to paint him with the fear and hatred he felt for Cancer.

Leon offered a low rumbling in response to the cub as he purred and nudged through his fur. "Zetos... Don't worry, Zetos." He said gently, lowering one of his paws to cover the cub's back. "You'll be alright. This place is... big... and cruel... and not everybody wants to see you smile." The bear's shoulders dropped slightly. "But I do, and I'll protect you from those people, I promise." His words left as a small sigh; they hung in him like a cloud, residing behind a small smile.

Rather gentle this giant actually was. Perceiving this, Zetos shut his eyes to give an enthusiastic grin of delight. His purrs were delivered back by the rumbles of the bear. This Leon was now imprinted in. Right then and there, Leon was 'Pa'.

The bear moved his large arm to cup the back of the onyx kitten. Zetos flinched not. Not having a reason to. Openly trustful of the bear, Zetos pushed more eagerly, humming with his throat. His tail would coil around his arm as the cat expressed. Obviously appreciative of the new body guard.

Seating himself now, Zetos peered up, ears flattened to present a submissive exterior to the bear. Formal for his age, he felt rank was important to assure. Leon spoke words of comfort and security. This stranger had shifted from a man to father. Had Leon known of this? Zetos did not care. For whatever the bear thought he was, he was still and currently was Pa. Clinging willfully to the bear's extended heart, Zetos replied softly, " Zetos protect you too. "

---

" Talking looks like this."
" Thinking looks like this. "

Hierarchy was a strange concept to Leon. He understood the idea of a group, and somebody being the leader of that group, but that was about it. He knew that Cancer was in charge of Maji Walezi and that he answered to Cancer, but outside of Maji Walezi, everything was fair game, wasn't it? He was oblivious to the submissiveness with which the child regarded him. He knew nothing of what passed through the cub's mind - and suddenly, he was met with that dissociative sensation. The feeling of being locked out of somebody's mind. It had been so easy for him to feel what Makyna felt, to intrinsically know her thoughts and opinions, but with this creature he felt nothing. There was no bond forged - not yet, at least. He was locked out. Was this what it felt like for Makyna?

But the cub spoke words that had spawned a warmth inside of him, stirring his heart and causing his lips to twinge into a small smile. He couldn't even formulate a coherent thought - just a feeling alone, and it was... relief. Maybe being away from Maji Walezi wouldn't be so bad after all.

Leon's smile persisted as he leaned forward, bumping his forehead against the child's. He then leaned back and took a quick look around the room. First things first... they needed to find something to eat. And then maybe somewhere to set up camp. He would have to teach the leopard cub how to fish, since that was mostly what they ate back in Pisces, and he couldn't imagine anything else being a substantial enough meal for a feline or a big bear. There wasn't a lot of water here, but maybe they could venture out to a tunnel nearby, or find some... maybe for now they'd have to deal without fish. Well, who cared. They'd make it work. "Come on, I bet you're really hungry, hey?" The bear chimed up and clambered to his paws.

Standing over Zetos, he was gargantuan, but the bear only looked down at the babe with a cheerful smile. "Let's find you something to eat." He added and looked back out over Orion. If only there was some water in this room, then perhaps this task wouldn't be so daunting...