Reflection

Right, so he was in Shupavu. These were lands he hadn't stepped foot in since he had become a young adult, and now he was nearing middle aged. Or nearing his prime, who knew. Old was old.

Anyway, Shupavu was like a ghost town of his memories. Lands of ice, right next to a deadly ocean. Within it used to reside Nasuba, the former queen who took with a strong hatred to him. His whole reason for fleeing had been word of her intended punishment to him. Coming back had only been possible because the once great pride was instead suspended in lawlessness.

And though he was here at the request of his adopted sister, Felicity, he did not spend much time near her. She was integrating to the pride once more and he... well, he was thinking of leaving yet again. He'd done his part, he'd shown his support.

And there was one other reason. This reason seemed to be prancing closer.

He had returned. Why? Because the runt was here and taking over the pride.

Kimi huffed from her place on the rock. Mother's golden child was back in her life, prancing around in the snow. He wasn't adored anymore, due to the whole murder trial thing that went down years ago.

Not like it even changed much.

Kimi was the black sheep in her family. The one who wasn't connected to anyone. Meltelm had her family, Viza had his murderous girlfriend. Even her mother was content with her life. Kimi? Well, No one gave her a second glance.

A forgotten child. Not important to anyone.

She supposed that's how she had always lived her life. So it never felt any different. And now that the pride was changing tactics? Well. . . perhaps she would dissapear altogether.

But that was far from the front of her mind right now. What was on it was the slowly growing frame of her golden half brother, Who had been dancing around her for most of her visit.

"Paint me on a rock, It'll last longer" Kimi snarled at him, Turning around on the rock and looking the other way. What was his deal, anyway?

"Who would want to spend their time painting you?" Viza scowled back, clicking his claws against said rock. He'd be raking them, if he didn't think they'd break. He had a hang nail and he was not keen on pulling it yet.

What was her deal anyway? Was she coming just to taunt him? It wasn't his fault that their mother ignored her existense, the male didn't know the story but he hadn't done anything wrong.

"What are you still doing here? I thought you had bigger and better plans than cold hell, or did they fall through?" Just because he hadn't done anything wrong doesn't mean he wasn't above being an asshole to her.

"It's been a while. Haven't seen you at family dinners."

"It was just an expression, genius" She snarled. "Seriously, How where you highly praised about? You're an idiot at best"

Kimi rolled her eyes. "I don't know if you'd noticed, But I'm not exactly wanted by the family" She grumbled, clicking her claws against the rock. "I didn't even know you teamed up for dinners. But I suppose, Mother's golden brat, along with the strong death deifying daughter could sway her to do anything" The lioness growled out, still making sure she was looking away from Viza.

Why did he have to come bother her? Why did he even care?

"Why would you care? The last you saw me was when I was dating the murderer that you helped. . . . . . And like that would last . . . ." Another growl.

All she did was draw her in close. She didn't actually care. No one did.

"I actually have importance in this pride, loser. I build the boats. No one else here can do that"

Still, she answered him, hoping it would get him off her back.

He really didn't have much to argue about on the whole idiot thing- yes, he was an idiot and yes, he knew it was all he was ever going to be. And he was cool with that. The fact that it pissed her and so many others could only be taken as a plus at this point. What else did he have going for him if not his strong, sour personality?

"You aren't missing much. The favorite child is a grandmother herself now, and the dinners are spent doting on that family. I'm sure it would humor you to know that she sweeps me to the side for them." He had a bitter look to him, and the mention of that murderer only soured him.

"She threw me under the bus to save herself. Then she ran off with the Jioni prince, now leading that Cliff's Edge. Looks like we both got played."

He waved his paw about dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. Building the fucking boats. Whatever, I'll be out of your fur soon anyway. Boat building isn't my thing and neither is the whole 'friendship and healing'." He grew increasingly agitated... but at something else. And it seemed like he was trying to suppress it.

"Good to know" Kimi's voice dripped with venom. Great. Just great. Her whole cub hood, all she heard was how great Viza was. How perfect he was. How her mother would feed her to the vulture's if it meant not a single shred of his fur wouldn't be chopped off. And now here he was telling her that she barely looked at him anymore. That she doted on a child's family who she tried to drown. A family she didn't have any intention of having, now her favourite?

What was the point?

"Sounds like her" Kimi snarled, actually swiveling her head to look at Viza. Her eyes where sharp, a wild fire burning behind them. She continued to lightly scratch the rock she was on. Kivuli was. . . . certainly something. Kimi didn't think she'd fall for the murderer. Heck, all she wanted to do was tease the lioness to rile her up. But she ended up falling for her. and where did that leave her?

Left alone, ditched.

Just like before.

She knew it was a relationship that wouldn't last from the start, but the way she was left.

Was she really not lovable at all?

Why couldn't anyone love her?

she flicked her tail in agitation, looking away from the golden male. "Then why are you still here? If you want to leave, just do it already"

Here, Viza took longer to respond. He didn't quite want to just up and leave at the first prompting, he was still trying to be supportive to Felicity, but there was little reason for him to stay. He didn't fit. He didn't belong anywhere. Such a struggle was apparent on his face, only emphasized with an annoyed huff.

"I will, I will. Don't get your tail all tied up in a knot, I'm just making sure she has it all under control," he said, though the truth was that he was scared to leave. He had no where to go. Sure he could return to Avizora, but how long would he be there? And there was just something, mentally, that was keeping him from thriving in Shupavu.

Here in the conversation Viza stood up. He hadn't much else to say without outing himself as lonely and pathetic. "See? Going."

Silence washed over them. Kimi kept her eyes on the horizon.

She was doing her best to keep down a storm of raging emotions. Anger, Sadness, Fear. They were all there, and all mixing together to form one, big algamation.

Kimi fought back the tears.

"She's doing FINE." her voice snapped quickly. "She's taken the royals off the throne. She's changed the rules. She's obviously got it under control"

She wish she could say the same for herself.

"go on, then" Kimi grumbled, resting her head on her paws. "Leave"

Everyone else does, anyway.

The sheer aggression in that snap caused Viza to turn around, both startled and agitated, "Didn't realize you cared that much."

"Yeah yeah, fine. Gone." He wasn't... the comforting type. And honestly, he didn't realize she wasn't doing alright. He just thought she, as usual, wanted him gone. So gone he went, mumbling to himself and grimacing the whole way.

"I don't" She mumbled, clearly more to herself than to him.

She kept her eyes on the horizon, until she was certain he was gone. only then, did she stand up and turn around on her rock to face the direction he had left in.

"What a stupid family" Kimi growled, hopping off of the rock, and walking back into Shupavu camp. She hoped that everyone wouldn't be annoying today, because she really couldn't handle another time out given to her by the 'not queen' of shupavu.