She hushed her Pounce and said, "It's okay, it's gonna be okay." She glanced at the cat-like creature who was starting to sit up, frowning and pitying it at the same time. It looked like it was in pain, but...to call her Pounce a monster killed the sympathy in her. Such a feeling was surprising, that she would simply not care for another creature in pain, but in this case, she felt like it was well deserved. Pounce was suffering a different kind of pain. "You're not a monster, my love. Remember when I said that some gems eat different things, like I eat plants and you do not? Some gembounds are..." Her eye shifted between the two, watching the cat-thing cough and grimace. "Some gems are scared of others that eat meat. They lash out any way they can because of this fear." She put her forehead on Pounce's, and closed her eye. "We both know you would never want to hurt another thinking gem. But ones who have never met you don't know that. It's very easy to strike out in fear, but very very difficult to forgive such an action. You understand, don't you? Rather than to continue the circle of hurting another, it is better to forgive, no matter how much you don't want to." "Such warm words from such a lovely, lustrous lady," said the cat-thing, its voice hoarse, its eyes gleaming. She raised her head and frowned at it. It seemed to get over its hurt easily enough."You are wise as you are enlightened," Here the cat-thing said this as a compliment mingled with a joke, "Your words as incandescent as your resplendent visage. I should wonder what a name such a stunning creature as you should have, what name would earn the right to gather itself at your feet. Only the most worthy of names could ever hope to be yours." The cat-thing murmured, a double-meaning hidden in its colorful words. She scowled. She instantly didn't like this cat-thing. "I don't have a name, my good fellow," She said bluntly. "And even I did, I would not give it to you unless you offer an equally long-winded apology to my Pounce here. Calling a child monster speaks volumes that hours of pretty words cannot." "Oh! you wound me, my fair lady," The cat-thing cried out, not even sparing a glance for Pounce. It dramatically clutched at its chest as if physically hurt once more. "Surely if I could fix whatever upsets you so, I would gather all of my will to do so, but I cannot remember a single thing before you walked up to us both. Your charm and delicacy erases everything else from the mind, I fear." "This is how I speak."

She comforted him, explained why other gems would treat him so negatively. They lash out, because they are afraid? This puzzled him, why would they be afraid of him!? He was so kind! He was but a child! Unless that fear was so strong they just, couldn't understand? That they themselves were confused?

She continued to speak and he was focused entirely on her. Listening to her explanation. He understood now why, and that it was better to forgive. Even if he didn't want to, and a part of him defiantly did not want to. The aardwolf started it, he said the mean things. And Pounce had already apologized. So it was now HIS turn. Wet eyes began to dry and he nuzzled into her. He would forgive this stranger, but only because she said it was the right thing to do.

Though any ounce of forgiveness miraculously left his being as soon as the aardwolf spoke. It's voice hoarse, eyes gleaming. He did NOT like the way it spoke to his tall ethereal friend. It felt fake, and he was more than happy to see that she too saw through this disguise. She was blunt and spoke without waver. The young cub sat beside her, eyeing the aardwolf. Expecting an apology that she too brought up. Only for it to claim that she had erased everything from his mind.

That aardwolf did not even spare him a glance! Focused entirely on his tall ethereal friend, with an attitude most unbecoming. At least in his own white eyes. Waiting just a few moments for the aardwolf to come up with a reason why. Until he spoke up "You were mean to me! You called me a monster! "


"Speech"

"Thought"

Basil's eyes turned slowly from the beautiful angel to the horrible demonic cub who mewled and cried and whined. Couldn't it see how annoying it was being?

"That's quite hilarious, coming from you," Basil said in the same sweet dramatic voice. "Covered in blood and chunks of flesh after massacring that rabbit I see there. Or, rather, what's left of it. You protest being called, what, a monster? Really?"

He turned his love-sick eyes to the angel again, smiling for all the world that everything wonderful stood right before him. "Do come away from this sickening creature, my dear, for he would surely upset your delicate sensibilities. There is better company to be had, I guarantee." He stood and walked straight up to the deer, giving what he thought was an entirely interested look, and said in a low voice, "Much better company."

That was the last straw. Her complexion grew frightening and furious, and she said, "Leave," The cat thing looked at her with a slight, confused frown, as if it didn't contemplate such a response. She hated this cat-thing, hated it, hated it, how dare it, how dare it treat them both this way. "Leave, Go away, Leave, Get out of here, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! LEAVE!" She leaned back, her front hooves raised in the air, towering over the wretched creature with her incredible height. She aimed to stamp at it to make them leave, she couldn't bear looking at it any longer than she had to. She didn't know what exactly she was aiming for in her righteous rage, but she missed the startled cat-thing by inches, coming down with less force than she had wanted. She stamped again and again, shouting and crying till the thing ran off into the mist. She panted as she watched it go, her fur all along her back and neck bristled, lips pulled back, tears streaming on one side of her face. She coughed and sobbed, her eye clenched closed, hating the cat-thing and hating herself for almost hurting someone else in her anger. With shuddering legs, she moved to Pounce and hugged them as tightly as she possibly could, crying and apologizing to her poor cub in broken sentences and hiccups. She preached forgiveness and turned around and ripped the notion to shreds, and she hated herself for sinking so low. "This is how I speak."

Leave? He frowned, his mouth a little open as if to speak and ask why. Did he do something wrong? Why-

His complexion turned pale and withdrawn, his ears pulled back against his head and her radiant expression turned sour and full of hatred, and she moved with a threat towards him, yelling at him to leave till she was practically screaming it, and he backed away in fright and stumbled in the muddy water - she lifted her powerful legs and almost came straight down on him, just narrowly missing him as he skittered away. He hesitated, but his self-preservation from deep within him edged him onwards, slowly, with a backwards glance, then to a full run. Her expression seethed with hatred and tears, and she would do more than barely miss him if he tried to stay.

Why? What did he do? Did she actually prefer that monstrosity to him? Why?!

As he got farther and farther away, running out of breath, his sanity returned, and he stopped, horror pinning his paws to the treacherous ground.

He tilted his head back and howled, screaming at this insane curse that ruined everything for him. He couldn't control anything in his life, dogged with fear every waking moment for moments like this. What the fuck did he think would happen when he insulted her cub and flirted with her in one breath?!

He uprooted grass and mud with his claws and his teeth, attacking any nearby trees, anything to let out this rage against the pure, pure pure stupidity of the familiar curse. He attacked anything until he was completely spent, collapsing inside a clawed up, hollow tree that had fallen to the earth, and falling into a dreamless, exhausted sleep.

[Exit Basil]

Once the aardwolf had shifted focus, he knew this wasn't going to be good. He could feel it in his bones. Much to his disdain, the young cub was right. The aardwolf spat out insults in the same mockingly sweet and dramatic voice. Exactly how it had done before!

Having turned, facing the tall ethereal being with eyes that the young cub could only describe as ill. The words that left it's mouth, caused him to recoil behind her. Tail curled around his back leg as small ears flattened. To speak with such certainty of something so heinous. That this child was a monster! And to ignore the obvious attachment and love these two shared. Did this aardwolf have an ill wish upon itself!?

While still a young one he didn't fully understand what the aardwolf was getting at in some parts. Much better company? Was that because he ate meat in comparison? Those thoughts didn't matter for long. As he looked up to his glowing idol, he could feel anger bubbling within.

Her complexion growing in both fear and anger she spoke. Confusing the aardwolf, as if he didn't know what he had done wrong! But her reactions that followed were fueled with frustration. She radiated it now, as was her light.

She had reared back and began to frantically smack the ground and attempted to hit the aardwolf. All the young cub could do was recoil once more at these events. To see her joyful demeanor broken, to see her cry and drove to a response such as this. He grew a hatred for this aardwolf. Look what it had done! This anger was totally justified! He couldn't forgive it, the young cub had doubts if he could even start! If he could ever forgive such a creature!

It all ended much to his joy, faster than it had started. He was thankful for that, but wished it hadn't started in the first place. The aardwolf had finally fled, its howls rivaling the sound of the crying doe that now hugged him desperately. Her speech erratic with emotions that coursed through her veins like fire. All this cub could do was cry along, he didn't like seeing her as such. He was happy it was over, but to have her go through that! To drive her to aggression and fear! It upset him much more that she had to deal with it, over what the aardwolf had said to and about him.

He wrapped his small arms around her neck as she continued. He would be sure to groom off any crimson stains that rubbed into her white fur from this. A grooming session would be needed after this regardless. To relax and allow their bond to grow stronger through such an event.

But for now they both spoke in what was a blubbering mess of 'im sorry' and a few other words for one watching could scarcely make out. He hated that aardwolf, he would pray never to meet it again. For in the future, either party may not be so nice.

[exit]
"Speech"

"Thought"

Hours passed by, with Clover doing her best to comfort Pounce and herself, and so did a fitful, uneasy sleep shared with the two of them. She held the cub as close to her as she possibly could, even in her dreamless sleep, tears and blood and mud staining her fur. Its paws around her neck soothed her tumultuous heart, as love often did, as only love could. She didn't need anyone else than Pounce in her life. Pounce was hers. Nothing could be more important that this little ball of pure innocence, this love, that she always wanted to protect. Nothing this cub did could ever change her mind, not the way they ate, not the painful magic they held within them, not the powerful promise of adulthood she could see in them, in the rapid growth she had already seen in the short amount of time they shared. Pounce would grow up to be beautiful, powerful, something to respect, who would protect others. She could see this, she felt it. She wanted to see them grow into a wonderful adult, to have a better childhood than she did. If she could chase away the monsters that tried to hurt her cub, she would. In some part of her, her heart hardened somewhat. If this sort of situation happened again, with a creature making Pounce afraid and crying, she would follow the same actions, only make them faster. She should've chased off that cat monster sooner, before it could open its poisonous mouth again. She felt Pounce stir against her, most likely in response to her stiffening muscles. Just the thought of the cat monster made her tense up. "My love..." She said, her voice hoarse and quiet. "I'm so sorry you had to experience that. I thought that all could be forgiven, but...I was wrong. Some will hurt you and hurt you over and over again, even if you give them allowances, because you allow them. I've...never met someone like that before, and I'm sorry you had to." Her eye dulled, her anger rising to the surface. "There is...something I must do. I won't be gone for very long, I promise. I'll come back to you as soon as I can." After many kisses and nuzzlings and sweet whispered goodbyes, she rose and left, in pursuit of the cat monster. She would make them apologize if she had to shake it out them, if she had to knock them out and carry them back. [End Thread] "This is how I speak."