Run.

It was the only thing he'd been able to focus on since he spewed those words, turned and fled.

The anger was still powerful, ruling his mind, but so was guilt and shame and all those other terribly familiar feelings. He was just a child. It was cruel that he was subject to this pain, yet he found himself unable to overcome it. It only grew inside of him, slowly consuming him from the inside out, rotting him away. He was helpless.

For the first little while, he was numb to anything else, fearful of what they would all think of him. Fearful that somebody would try and chase him. Fearful that he would have to see their faces again. All he cared about was getting away. Eventually, he did; he had ran into the nearest tunnel and come out into another room. It was shrouded in mist, and the heat nervously emanating from his body only made the atmosphere more humid around him. He had only stopped running once he made his way into the thick of the tall trees, and then he finally stopped. His head hung and he panted. The lump in his throat made it difficult to breathe. The bear blinked tears out of his eyes and looked around, realizing that now, finally, he felt truly alone.

Truly alone.

Leon's shoulders fell and he sunk down on to the ground. He'd really messed it up this time. He overreacted. His thoughts drifted back to Bevy and the night she woke him up to talk to him about Makyna. She was so afraid that she would say something wrong and everyone would hate her, but how could that be? Bevy had never done anything wrong, and everyone loved her, even Makyna. All Bevy wanted was for everyone in Maji Walezi to be a big happy family. How could anybody possibly be mad at her for being jealous, for a perfectly valid reason?

But Leon. Leon had done wrong. He hurt Makyna, searing her chest with magic too wild for him to control. He had disrespected Cancer by shooting down his idea, angry that his plan (granted, it was a stupidly dangerous one) would separate him from Makyna, who he'd been trying to protect this whole time. He had snapped at Cancer, swore at him and stormed off. Hell, Leon had done wrong just by showing up in Pisces the very first time with Makyna. It was wrong of him to claim that Makyna had been his from the start; it was wrong because she really wasn't. That much had been very painstakingly rubbed in his face.

It wasn't fair. She was all he had! Even Rohan, his brother, was fleeting. He adored the white wolf, he always would, but where was he now? Where was he when Leon was in pain? Bevy wasn't his. Amaria wasn't his. He'd only ever had Makyna, and she'd been absorbed into Maji Walezi, taken by Cancer, leaving Leon with no one.

And now he'd fucked it all up. He had wanted so bad to tell her, when they were in Cetus just a couple days ago. He was so sure of it that what he'd felt was felt by both of them, but that chance had come and gone, leaving the bear clamoring. He'd been fooling himself if he thought anything could ever come of it, Cancer made that obvious. She wasn't his. She wasn't his. She wasn't his.

Long minutes had passed. Leon was staring blankly at his paws, covered now in filth from the moist substrate he'd collapsed in. Muddy leaf litter covered the ground. He said nothing, fighting back those choking sobs. He shook when he pulled himself up again and numbly walked to the nearest tree, dragging his paws. He had barely the energy to even move. The tree's gnarled roots were upturned, twisting through the mud and curling outward. The bear stumbled into their breast, collapsing again in the cold embrace of the solemn tree. Its thick roots cradled him, allowed him respite from the world. He turned his back to the air, hiding his face in the nook of his arm. Shaky breaths foretold the long, quiet cries that would come from him, an artifact of his realized isolation.

He lay there alone, knowing that he could never fulfill the destiny he'd forged.

"Speech"

The fact had come plain and simple to him. No matter how many times he tried to rehash it in his head, it didn't change. He couldn't find a way to explain it or excuse it this time. It was obvious: he was unwelcome. Cancer didn't want him around, he made sure to remind him every time they saw each other. Makyna probably didn't even know she was doing anything wrong, encouraging the black leopard merely by her presence, but there was nothing Leon could do about it. Especially if they enjoyed being around each other. Who was he to interfere, then? They didn't need him. Beat something into somebody's thick skull enough times and they'll start to believe it.

The boy had taken comfort in his solitude, but he could feel somebody else. He could always feel her, even when he didn't want to. No, it was less that he didn't want to - and more that he was afraid to. He'd have to confront her after what happened, and then what happens after that? They go back home to Maji Walezi, and Leon endures the sight of them together even longer? She was coming to take him back to their home, and as much as he wanted to cave in to the comfort of her presence and her warm fur and her gentle voice, he couldn't. Not this time.

The bear sniffled and fell silent, listening, waiting. He could feel her getting ever closer. The wild beating of his heart nearly drowned out every noise, pumping in his ears, deafening him. Then, with the sound of pawsteps in the mud, the deafening noise suddenly vanished and he was met with the slow approaching of reality. Makyna emerged from the bushes behind him, out of sight, but he could feel everything else about her. Her warmth and her mind and her heart. She reached out to him, and Leon squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block her out. But her voice made it through anyways, and she apologized, and she was right, maybe she should have tried to go after him, but what would it do? Just bring him back so they could do this all over again. Tears collected in the corners of his eyes, afraid to turn around and even look at her.

But when she reached forward and touched him, his mind and body entered full instinct mode. Mounting fear sparked a defensive flare of heat from his skin, an attempt to ward her off.

Post Roll Edit:
The small area of skin she had touched suddenly lit up in a tongue of flame, a plume of smoke spewing out. At the same time, Leon jumped, flinching away from her. "Go away!" He yelped, voice muffled from underneath his arm. The boy was paralyzed there, afraid of what she would do, afraid of even looking at her.

Leon was met with a rushing of guilt, hearing her startled gasp as she immediately withdrew from him. He hadn't meant to burn her... of course, he never meant to hurt her. But he was afraid, and he didn't want her to see him like this; he didn't want to be around anybody at all. It wasn't her fault. It was just his body's way of relaying that feeling where his words failed.

Her sadness came at him like a barrage of arrows, all suddenly soaring over his walls to pierce him through his armor. He felt it chipping away at it, growing inside as if it was his own. Wasn't it? The bear squeezed his eyes shut. He knew it hurt her, he knew it did. He wanted so badly to turn and forgive her for everything, even if it wasn't her fault, he wanted to hug her and apologize for what he did and tell her that it would be okay. He wanted so badly... Desire and pain dominated his heart, seeping from him even despite his desperate struggle to keep it hidden from her. Her words cooled the marshy air, bleeding into his ears like every emotion he felt inside. Makyna's desperation to help him only made him feel more guilty. How could this be the right decision, if it wasn't what she wanted?

The right way wasn't always the easy way.

Her voice penetrated his mental barrier again, and the bear shrugged deeper into himself as if trying to block her out. After a moment, there was silence. She was still there, but no longer hovering over him. Leon blinked. The wetness in his eyes stung, and he hesitated, afraid to turn and look at her. Afraid to turn and see what he'd done. He had to stop this. The bear sucked in a long, quiet breath. He withdrew himself from his arms, slowly and carefully. Leon looked over his shoulder, and there he saw her laying in the mud, unable to leave him behind. The sight made a lump swell in his throat and his lips tremble, but he tore his gaze from her again. The bear huffed again and twisted around so that he still sat in the cradle of the trees roots, but pressed himself against its bark, ensuring a safe distance between himself and his best friend.

For a moment, Leon's words were caught in his throat. It hurt him to do this. It hurt him so much. "Makyna, I-" I love you. "I-I don't belong! I can't pretend like I do. You don't need me anymore, okay? You're with somebody who's like you, who likes you, really really likes you, who can take care of you and make you laugh, and I'm just in the way." He admitted. The bear's words crackled; pained and defeated, but he wasn't seeking sympathy. He wanted her to give up on him. It would just... be so much easier. "Just let me go." Leon's boyish voice broke, wide orange eyes brimming with tears. He didn't want to go. Of all the things in this world, he didn't want to leave her. Everything inside of him screamed for some way to stay, some excuse; reaching out to her, desperately grabbing for her so that he wouldn't have to leave. But he had to.

The bear rose, clutching the trunk of the tree. His gaze lingered on her for a moment more, then his eyes squeezed tight again and he turned away from her. Leon didn't spare a second glance. What he'd done was damaging, for both of them, but maybe it was for the better. Maybe she would understand. And maybe he would see her again, when he was stronger. But not now.

Leon clambered over the tree, disappearing back into the foliage. While tears and quiet sobs fought through his gritted teeth, he walked away, knowing that he had left some part of him behind with her. This was the only way. It would be better, for both of them.