Comet trudged through the undergrowth. Ever since James had told her the truth about Aristotle, she had been determined to see it for herself. It was still hard to believe that the lion would ever do anything so bad, and her mind was still not fully able to grasp the situation.

Would Sun be there? Did Sun know? As she pushed aside the last branch of leaves, the tree house towered into view. But it was awfully quiet. "Sun? Daddy? Are you here?" No! Not daddy, Aristotle! But that word didn't feel right. There was something ominous about the place, something had happened.

@Sun-wukong

The gibbon sat inside the treehouse his back pressed into Aristotle’s belly. He had been sitting in the main room arranging furs and little bobbles here and there. When he had been interrupted by the sound of Aristotle bouncing down the ramps leading up into the house had startled him. He had moved just in time for Aristotle’s near lifeless body to come tumbling down and land right in front of him, his face pouring blood. It had been a complete shock. Now it had settled and he had accepted that Aristotle had left him alone with four new chrysalis’ up on the top platform.

Suddenly Sun was pulled from his thoughts by a very familiar voice. He heard COmet calling out to him. Slowly the little gibbon stood and monkeyed his way slowly to the door. ”Over here Comet.” Sun Called his voice cracking as his softly furred face was stained and wet with tears. Blood caked on his hands from trying to get Aristotle to wake up by shaking his head. The scent of blood would be heavy in the air around the treehouse.

@Comet

Her ear caught the sound of Sun's voice, but it was not the cheerful sound that it used to be. Was that... sadness? As she walked closer, the strong scent of blood hit her nose. Comet gagged, and the thoughts rushed through her mind. Something had happened here. Why was the smell of blood so strong? The seeds of doubt and hate in her mind were washed away, replaced by worry. Sure he had made some mistakes, but he was her dad!

Comet ran into the treehouse, and into the main room. Her mouth opened wide in shock. Blood. Everywhere. What had happened? What was happening? Sun's hands were stained with blood, but was it his? She tip toed over to Aristotle. "Da-- daddy?" She placed her paw next to his nose to feel for a breath. Nothing. This could not be true, could not be possible.

He was alive, she knew it. Any second now he would wake up from his nap and, and, and... But his blood soaked face declared the truth. He was dead. The lion's body was still warm, telling her that this had happened not long ago. Comet curled around Aristotle's head like she had some time before. The memories came flooding back, and her tears dripped into his mane.

"What-- what happened?"

@Sun-wukong

Emerald colored eyes looked at his sister as she approached. He didn’t know what to say. For once the boy was at a complete loss for words. He just looked over his shoulder into the main room and back to Comet. He let out soft little coos and hoots as he watched Comet bound up to him. This was his fault after all. Daddy had done this to give him a family again. He hadn’t known the repercussions of what he had asked. He didn’t know that it would end up like this. Emerald eyes blinked away tears as Sun turned and slowly moved his way back into the room.

Sun lifted his head as he felt Comet rush past him and into the room. She stopped dead in her tracks the instant she came upon daddy’s body laying on the ground, his face bloody and his gem gone from its place in the base of Aristotle’s left ear. He heard her voice break as she spoke her name for him. ”I’m sorry.” Sun offered his apology. He had caused this, she was mad at him but she had come to see him, and she had come at the worst time.

He watched as Comet cuddled around Aristotle’s head, his blood still wet enough that rubbed off onto her pristine white fur. Slowly Sun waddled over to Comet sniffling as he wiped a bloody hand across his cheek and nose, gently he lay his other hand on Comet’s shoulder. ”He gave his life to give me a family again.” Sun spoke, his voice breaking as answered her.


@Comet

Comet felt the blood soak into her fur, staining the snowy white a dark red. She didn't care. It could stay like that forever if only Aristotle would just wake up. Sun's comforting arm rested on her shoulder, and she was brought back to the time when she had been fighting with a snake. Aristotle had been able to clean the blood out of her fur then, and help her recover. But the one time that he needed her, she wasn't there. She had not been able to help him when he had helped her before.

"He gave his life to give me a family again." Oh, so that had been the reason behind it. 'A family again'. Comet had been Sun's family, but she had left. She had not only failed Sun, she had failed Aristotle too. If only she hadn't left with James, then he wouldn't be dead. This was all her fault.

"I'm so sorry Sun. I should never have left. This all my-- my fault." There, she had said it. Would Sun not like her anymore after this? She had been the one that had caused it.

@Sun-wukong

Sun watched as the blood soaked into Comets fur. He would have to help her get to the creek nearby to get clean later. He didn’t know what he was going to do with his father’s body. After all it seemed like it had been forever, but in reality it had only been about ten minutes from the time it had happened. Sun hooted softly as he leaned down with a soft whine like coo, he rested his cheek on the top of her head. How had everything come to this? He had been here and yet, he had been able to do nothing to save the lion he called father.

Slowly Sun sat down beside Comet, his side resting against her as he lay an arm over her. He had begged for a family. Then Daddy had explained to him about the gems with magic in them and how you could bring them back to life. When he explained, all of his questions about daddy’s attachment to Abraxas had been so strong. Daddy explained how he could feel the magic in the gems and that was how he knew they could live. He had explained that James had told him about it. Sun froze his breath catching in his throat as he shot up from his place beside Comet. This was James’ fault! He had told daddy about it, but he hadn’t told him it would kill him! He hadn’t told him that using his magic to bring gems to life could kill them. ”It’s his fault…” Sun mumbled to himself his nose wrinkling. ”I’ll never forgive him.” Sun hadn’t said who he was referring to and didn’t intend to fill Comet in on who he was talking about. This would be his problem not hers.

Sun looked at Comet as she began to speak. She was apologizing. Why was she apologizing? She hadn’t done anything. Then she said it was her fault. No! He swung around to sit in front of her. He grabbed her face in his hands forcing her to look him in the eyes. ”No!” He said firmly. ”This is not your fault! I know who did it and I’ll never forgive them. Sun spoke in a low even tone his eyes searching hers as he spoke. He would change the subject as he gently ran his hand over her muzzle and up over between her ears gently. Help me. Daddy deserves to be respected the way he respected his prey.” Sun sniffled tears forming in his eyes again as he stood up and ran a hand over Aristotle’s face again once more coating it in blood. ”We need to bury him.” Sun explained simply if she hadn’t caught onto what he had meant. He would understand if she hadn’t this was a very hard time.


@Comet

Comet felt Sun leap up beside her. What was it? A small spark of hope arose, maybe he had figured out a way to revive Aristotle! But it was dissolved when he muttered out something else. But who exactly was 'him'? Did she want to know? But when he mumbled it to himself, so she didn't push further. She had a feeling that she wasn't supposed to have heard that either, so she pretended that she hadn't.

Once Comet muttered out her apologies, she felt Sun force her to look at his eyes. "No! This is not your fault! I know who did it and I'll never forgive them." But since once again the gibbon did not specify who exactly they were talking about, she ignored that part. "I guess you're right." But that didn't completely get rid of the small seed of doubt that she had planted in her heart.

Sun's hand felt good running through her fur, and she folded back her ears to show it. "Bury him?" Like how she buried her prey after they had died so they could be retrieved later. But Aristotle's grave was one that would not be dug up again. A heavy weight settled over her chest. He was really dead. "O-- okay." The lion's body would not last very long, she had to preserve it a bit longer.

Comet pressed her magic into his body, only faltering for a moment. The body turned colder, preserved for just a few more minutes. "Where should we bury him?"

@Sun-wukong

Sun just sat for a moment holding Comet. He wasn’t sure how long she would be around or when she would leave this time. But he was extremely glad she had showed up when she did. Not just because of the comfort she brought him by being here, but because it meant that he wouldn’t have to go through this alone. It was sad to be thinking that way, but he was glad he wasn’t alone. When he jumped up with his thoughts, he knew that Comet would be confused by his angry mutterings. However he didn’t want to explain because he didn’t want to involve her.

Staring deeply into Comet’s eyes, his own holding a deep sternness to them. He would not allow Comet to blame herself for what happened. It was James’ fault for telling daddy that he could give life to gemstones. He hadn’t warned him however that it could kill him. He hadn’t said anything about that. It wasn’t her fault so he wasn’t about to let her blame any of this on herself. She did what she felt was right. He couldn’t blame her for that and neither would daddy. He would be happy to know that she was enjoying her life. Even with his assurance the look in her eyes told him she didn’t entirely believe what he said. His eyes softened as he looked into her brilliant blue eyes that almost matched daddy’s. Her eyes reminded him of those deep crystal pools of water here in Eridanus.

Gently Sun stroked Comet’s head. He knew his touch would be at least a little bit of a comfort to her. Anytime he held her or just stroked her, he knew it brought her at least a little comfort and a little happiness. Sun nodded as she questioned burying daddy. ”Yes, it’s how he respected his prey. After he finished eating them, he’d always bury them and wish them well in their next life.” Sun had seen him doing it one time in the backyard of Orion, and had asked about it. Daddy had readily explained his reasonings and it fit very well with what Sun felt was his father. Sun gently stroked her face again as he felt a cold settle over daddy’s body. ”There’s a spot just outside. I know he’d want to stay close to his family so we can bury him out back behind the house.” Sun explained gently. Sun moved over to a pile of furs pulling out one big enough to lay under daddy and pull him outside. Sun situated the piece of leather just beside Aristotle who lay on his side. Sun moved back around to Aristotle’s other side and began to push. Slowly Aristotle’s body began to roll over onto the sling. He knew he might be able to do this, but pulling him outside would require both Comet and himself pulling.


@Comet

Comet knew that tonight she would not be returning to Orion. Sun needed someone to comfort him, and she needed someone to comfort her, too. Perhaps just one night like the old days, sleeping together, warm in each other's grasp. But that just led to another thought. Who would Sun stay with? Not that she didn't believe he wasn't capable enough to survive on his own, but she knew that he loved company, living alone for him would be torture. She didn't ask though.

The pup smiled, that sounded just like the Aristotle she knew. The lion who always respected his prey, and never hunted more than was needed. "Okay." Comet choked out. As Sun rolled Aristotle onto the pelt, she went over to the pile and picked out the pelt of the very first rabbit that the lion had skinned for her during her first hunting lesson. She folded it into a square, and tucked it under his head as a pillow.

Comet picked up a corner of the pelt in her mouth and started pull, but the lion was too heavy, and she fell backwards. Not only was she not able to save him, but apparently she wasn't strong enough to help bury him either. She let out a choked sob. What a failure she was.

@Sun-wukong

Sun felt in himself that Comet wouldn’t be leaving tonight. Honestly he was glad she would be staying with him. He didn’t want to be alone. In fact he never wanted to be alone, but now he would have to learn how to be alone. He knew how to fend for himself and he had gotten good at using his stick. He’d been whacking and bashing at bushes and practiced keeping light on his feet and always moving. He knew it would be nothing like a real fight. But at least he was used to using the stick now. Emerald eyes looked at Comet for a moment. He knew she would be leaving him in the next day or two, she never stayed still for long and he was okay with that. She still came to visit so he wasn’t as lonely but, it was his loneliness that had killed daddy.

Sun smiled lightly when he saw the tiny smile on Comet’s lips. At least she could remember him fondly, even if they hadn’t spoken in quite some time. Aristotle had still loved her. After all he was the one who had brought her home. But it had been her choice to leave and no one could blame her for that. Sun gently stroked Comet’s head one more time as she choked out her reply.

Sun watched as Comet grabbed hold of the leather Aristotle lay on and tried to pull but it seemed that her own emotions were weakening her body. He wasn’t surprised pain and sadness could do things to you that were unlike anything else. Swiftly Sun moved over to Comet’s side and stroked her shoulder, then he grabbed the leather himself and began to pull. Slowly but surely the rather strong Gibbon began to move the heavy body of his father. He knew that he would need help moving it the rest of the way and looked to Comet. ”Try again I’m sure together we can do it.” Sun assured her gently, he knew that she was much stronger than he could ever be.

@Comet