Rift glared at Sebastian, as if he was going to retort something back. But...it made sense and it somehow got its way through the anger and the doubt. He turned away without a word, unable to get out a single sound and flopped onto the ground, laying his head on his paws. He lay there, quietly, trying to think, trying to form some sort of cohesive response. He didn't want to get angry, but there was rage, bottled rage, that wanted to latch onto anything, everything, and use it to justify himself.

But he had no reason to be angry, which was the softer side trying to push it down. Sebastian was just here to help. He loved him and he loved the forest, right?

And then the anger found something to catch itself on. He raised his head as he realized that it was right and he noticed something that he had not noticed before. There were times when he was watering his garden or walking through the forest...and Sebastian was not there. He disappeared for days and then would suddenly appear back as if nothing had happened.

He slowly turned his head so that he was looking at his brother. "Sebastian....have you left Eridanus without me?"


___________________________________________________________

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Sebastian
notes:

Sebastian frowned, seeing the glare on his brother's face. It felt very, very wrong, seeing that expression aimed his way. As a matter of fact, he didn't think he'd ever seen anything like it on his brother's face. The other Puma turned away, flopping down, and Sebastian whined softly, stepping forward. "Rift?" he asked.

And then, suddenly, Rift was beginning to look his way. Ice cold dread settled in his stomach, and he tilted his head. His brother's question confused him, and he said, "I have. I didn't realize I was to be confined to Eridanus."


___________________________________________________________

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Rift
notes:

Rift turned away as unneeded anger completely ravaged his system. His claws sunk into the earth and he unknowingly sent magic into the ground out of sheer rage. Slowly, fallen branches and thick thorns began to crawl their way up his legs, weaving their way into his skin, sending drops of blood rolling down his fur, but he didn't notice. There were too many thoughts rolling through his mind right now, too many things that he shouldn't be thinking. There was too much anger that he had shoved away, too much rage that he had denied. He was peaceful, he was only for the plants. But now, he was Rift, the very pissed off cougar that honestly had no right to be.

He slowly stood as the plants finished their weaving and turned towards Sebastian, his legs now enveloped in branches and thorns, with streaks of blood on the exposed fur. His ear was pulled back and he was snarling. "I thought you cared," he growled, "I thought the forest meant more to you! This is your home, Sebastian, not out there! They don't need us out there! They don't need the forest out there! Be content and stay where you are."



___________________________________________________________

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Sebastian
notes:

Sebastian was beginning to grow angry.

He had done nothing to draw his Brother's ire. He had done nothing wrong, and yet the tawny cat was taking out his anger on him. Cycles of living with Rift had granted him the ability to read his Brother's body language, but he had never seen him this angry.

To his shock, Rift began to use his magick. Plants began to wend their way around his legs, and he was horrified to see, and smell, blood staining his Brother's skin. "Rift, this is enough! You're hurting yourself!" he snarled, finding himself frightened by Rift's transformation.

To his shock, Rift turned to him, a snarl on his face and one good ear flattened back. He backed away but, at Rift's words, anger began to boil in his stomach. His ears flattened back, and his lips peeled, revealing his needle-like fangs. The flesh on his muzzle wrinkled, giving him a dark appearance. "Rift, there is no reason to stay locked up in here! I DO care! I CARE MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE!" he roared, "But that doesn't mean I have to stay here all the time! There are things to be done, things to be learned outside of Eridanus, things that can HELP our forest!"

Without thinking, his Magick began to boil up. The fur on his ears, paws, and tail began to burn, then to smoke, surrounding him with foul smelling smoke. His red eyes gleamed through the smoke, giving him a rather Demonic appearance.


___________________________________________________________

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Rift
notes:

Rift took a step back when the smoke began to roll off of Sebastian and growled louder. How dare his brother threaten him with his fire! How dare he bring his destruction here, into his beloved forest!

But...no, it wasn't his forest. It was a forest that he lived in, with Sebastian. And cared for, with Sebastian. All of a sudden, as he stared into the furious eyes of his brother, half obscured by smoke, fear lit up in his stomach and flipped it over. He froze, the snarling cutting off as he came to his senses.

What was he doing?! Yelling at Sebastian for no reason? No, he had a reason. He was leaving Eridanus! Wasn't this place enough for him? Didn't the forest mean everything to him? But now that he thought about it, he was the one that had brought Sebastian here. He hadn't found it and saw all the wonders, as he had when he first set in. He wasn't connected to the plants the way that Rift was connected. He was yelling at the dark cougar for no reason other then his own fear.

After a moment, he finally spoke. "Sebastian...I-I'm sorry, I don't know what got into me. I'm just...I'm worried is all. I'm always worried. You don't deserve this. I know you care about the forest, I guess I just don't like it when you leave." He shifted uncomfortably and looked away, unable to look at Sebastian anymore, covered in smoke, his eyes gleaming through the darkness.


___________________________________________________________

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Sebastian
notes:

For a moment, Sebastian felt guilt, seeing Rift back away from him. He never wanted to harm, or scare, his brother, only to startle him into his senses. He had long learned his brother had a fear, an aversian to fire, and to his shame he found himself using his Element to scare him. But the guilt was quickly snuffed out, his keen ears picking up the sound of Rift's growl growing louder.

And then, as if a switch had been flipped, Rift stopped gorwling. Their gazes met, Sebastian's red meeting Rift's green. Rift looked... frightened, and Sebastian didn't like it. But he needed to get through to his Brother, and this was the only way he could think of to do it.

However, slowly, the fight seemed to leave Rift, and Sebastian felt hope. Had he gotten through to him? Had he made his Brother understand? Sometimes, he feared, Rift focused too much on his Forest. The Forest was grand, and needed protecting, but it wasn't healthy to focus only on that.

His ears twitched as Rift spoke, feeling relief spread in his chest. So he had managed to make Rift see what he saw? Slowly, he straightened up, relaxing the tensed muscles, retracting his claws. He began to approach Rift, shaking himself to try and disapate the smoke that clung to him. "Rift, I forgive you. But you have to remember, there is an entire Cave System outside of the Forest. There are plants to be discovered, to be protected, not just our forest. There are Gembounds who might want to help us, and it's not healthy to stay in one area forever. And..." he butted his head gently against Rift's shoulder, "No matter how far I may wander, the Forest will always be my home."

@Rift
"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

Rift didn't look at Sebastian as he spoke. How could he? What had he done and why was he doing it? But he listened. His ear was still pulled back with shame and there was something still in him that was unfuriated by Sebastian's words, screaming how dare he suggest that he shouldn't stay here! This was his home! But then, old promises he had made to himself surfaced again. To bring life to the caves and to protect the places where life thrived. Yes, he had taken shelter here, in the place where life thrived the greatest, but he had ignored everywhere else. Sebastian...he hadn't, had he?

Rift sighed and turned when Sebastian butted his head against his shoulder. He gave his ear a lick, just as he always did. "I know. You're right. There's more then the forest and it needs the same protection that this one does. But...Eridanus is my one and only home. You may stray because your heart leads you elsewhere, to the forests beyond this cave and to the others that dwell, but my place is here. I'm sorry...I just sometimes have trouble understanding. And the loneliness sometimes..." he trailed off, realizing that he might be hurting the feelings of his brother. But it was true. He was lonely when Sebastian went away. Perhaps that was the cause of his sudden, violent anger.

@Sebastian

When a response wasn't quickly forthcoming, Sebastian began to purr, a low, rumbling sound in the back of his throat. It was an attempt at soothing, at putting an end to their quarrel. He never wanted to fight with Rift, never had and never would. Rift was his brother, his family. He would never let harm come to his brother, especially from himself.

Relief soared in his chest when Rift turned back to him, returning his affectionate gesture. And he knew all was well when Rift gave his ear a lick, as he'd done since he was a mewling cub. He listened, taking his words to heart.

He allowed himself to lean on Rift, rumbling purrs rolling in his throat. "I know, Eridanus is your home, as it is mine. And I will always return to it, no matter what happens. If you ever need me, I will be here."

Sadness quieted his purrs, feeling bad for Rift. The loneliness... the black puma was rather a loner, only able to tolerate Rift (as poor Splotch had quickly learned), and so he couldn't quite understand what Rift felt. But, he sighed, If you ever get lonely, just look for me, I won't be far. And there are sure to be other Gembounds who share your ideology, who would be willing to be your friend. I can't keep you to myself forever, can I?" he chuckled.
"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

Rift's tail gently thumped against the ground as he thought about all of this. What was happening to him? He could think back and remember a time when there was nothing but wonder and excitement in his eyes. When each new plant grown was a new adventure, a new thing to see. When each cave was more wonderful then the last, each new sight a new place to begin growth again. He was going to bring life to the caves...but now here he was, an eternal guardian of Eridanus, his very skin turned green to match the plants he so loved.

He looked on into the forest. Could he ever leave here, even for a little while? He had for the Olympics and it had been like his heart had been cut out of his chest. No, he belonged here and only here. But when Sebastian mentioned leaving again, panic flared. Plants kept him company, but they were not his brother, nor did they help to stave off the quiet loneliness. He turned his head back quickly, his eyes wide. "Y-your not leaving, are you? I mean, you just leave on short trips, right? You'll always come home?" To think that Sebastian would never come home, that his dark-furred friend would never return to the tree-cave was something that could have made his heart stop. No, he couldn't leave forever. Rift would never allow that.

@Sebastian

It seemed, unfortunately, that Sebastian had not chosen the best wording. The look on Rift's face was sheer panic, and guilt roiled in his chest.

"No, Rift, of course not." what had brought this on? He felt worry for his brother, had something happened? "I'll always come home. And I'll never be away for long. But if anything ever happens while I'm gone, I'll know, and I'll be here. I promise."

In hopes of cheering Rift up, he began to groom his brother, rough tongue flattening the other's tawny pelt. "Who knows? Maybe I'll even find like-minded others, who would like to help you protect the forest?"

@Rift

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.