I Can't See Me Lovin' Nobody But You

[Aveilthé]

OOC: Private between Fely and I!

"What a loser."

Those words stung Kusu like a million bees into his eyes, threatening to release gobs of tears. But he won't do it. No, he won't listen, for that matter. Shishu was an asshole, everyone knew that. But so was Kusu... Shishu was just the bigger asshole.

"Of all my brothers and sisters, I'm like... the first to get a nice girl. Me. A big, savage hairball. Nobody expected that."

Kusu turned from his dark brother and walked away, triangular ears pinned to his fluffy skull. Wings were rigid on his shoulder, to the point they ached. It was like standing, locking your knees. He tried to relax them.

"There's nothing wrong with being alone. I kind of like it. Freedom, you know? Do whatever I want. I can flirt with all the pretty wolves..." He murmured this to himself, because surely Shishu was long out of earshot now, despite how well his brother could hear.

"I'm nine years old. I'm still young, damnit." Oh, but who was he fooling? Nobody but himself. It was no secret that Kusu desired to settle down for the longest time now, but had no luck with any she-wolf. They were all too... uppity. Thought very highly of themselves... just because they dated an Alpha's son. Oh, drama. It made the world go round.

The sun rose highest into the sky. There were a few clouds scattered hither and thither, casting great shadows on the earth every time they skirted under the sun. Kusu drew in a deep breath as he cantered into Doresu Fields. Walking exhausted him, making his drippy tongue loll lazily at the side of his mouth. Before he could rest on a nice patch of yellowing Autumn grass, he heard a crunch of leaves and dirt behind him. Taking a whiff of the air, he realized Shishu had followed him.

"Damnit, Shishu, leave me the hell alone," he growled.

Shishu flattened his ears as he stepped into the light next to Kusu, hackles raised. "No need for that kind of attitude, good gods. I'm just telling you like it is. And you can't run away from it forever. You're a useless piece of garbage in our pack. You're supposed to be the alpha's son. What the hell are you going to do with your life?"

Kusu rose up to the very tip of his toes, his growling growing louder with his voice. His eyes pierced into his brother's red ones. "Don't you dare talk to me about being a useless piece of garbage. You're the biggest hypocrite if I ever saw one. You're not contributing to the population, you're just farting around being emotional and piling all your crap on your mate, Galaxia."

That seemed to hit a huge nerve, as Shishu started to snarl and claw the earth angrily. "You leave Galaxia out of this."

Kusu's livid teal eyes flashed. "No, I'm not going to! I feel very sorry for her. As a matter of fact, I don't even know what she saw in you. The biggest mystery here."

That just about broke the straw on the camel's back. Shishu parted his fangs and lunged at Kusu. Both of the brothers tumbled around in the grass, fangs biting and fur flying.

[Felypsa]

Shinkou had changed a great deal since she had last been here, but it was also very much the same. Starmyst was still getting used to it again. She had met with Raven and Goth, the two betas who were the most likely to recall her. It was astounding to see how much they had grown. Their children had grown up too, and Starmyst even met the blind and mute sons for the first time. It was amazing to see how much she had missed.

But overall, she was just glad to be here, at her home. She had traveled throughout the world in her various forms, and even though now she was a birdlike demon wolf, Shinkou resonated feelings of comfort and solace that she had not had since she was a Youroi wolf.

Despite the throes of recent war, there was peacefulness here…

…or so she had thought.

The sounds of twin brothers fighting, sending birds cawing into the air in fear, caused Starmyst to turn her head toward the sound. Natural curiosity propelled her to learn what the commotion was all about. She pushed off the ground, opening her winged front legs, and gliding through the air swiftly.

The sun shone into her eyes for a brief moment, but then she looked down and beheld the sight. She knew those two forms—sons of the alphas, Kusu and Shishu. Only this was no gentle brotherly squabble. No, their claws and teeth were flashing, and Starmyst would not have been surprised if blood was drawn.

She spilled the air from her wings and quickly landed on the ground near to them. “Kusu,” she said sharply, “Shishu, cease this at once. You are brothers.” They had had their differences in the past before, she knew, but that was no excuse. “Stop this before others see you and think that you haven’t grown up at all.”

Her friendship with the betas and the alphas in the pack did not give her higher rank over them, Starmyst knew. She had not even technically rejoined Shinkou yet. She was lower than an omega at this point. But that had never stopped her from speaking her mind. And besides—she had met Kusu when she first arrived here and had a lovely, charming conversation with him. Surely he would calm down.

If not, she was seriously debating shooting an arrow of light into their eyes. Blinding them temporarily would force them to stop fighting. But that was a last resort; Starmyst was risking enough by rebuking them. Attacking them would take that disrespect to a whole new level.

[Aveilthé]

If there was blood, there was very little of it. It seemed like Starmyst did well to calm them. Kusu emerged from the dusty fray, seemingly unscathed, but as Shishu backed up with his tail and neck fur standing straight up, it was clear that they both received a fair share of cuts. Shishu in particular suffered more; his chin dripped with just a little bit of blood. In realizing what he had done, Kusu lowered his head, his pride and ego receiving bigger wounds.

Shishu wagged his tail in a threatening manner. First he glanced toward the demon, then back at Kusu. "Whatever. I'm out." He dropped his tail and trotted off.

Kusu averted his eyes from Starmyst, embarrassed and ashamed. He wanted to say something, but didn't know what to tell her. 'Oh, I'm sorry you had to see that. He's just a jerk that needed to be taught a lesson.' Yeah, like Kusu wasn't a jerk about it either.

[Felypsa]

To Starmyst’s relief, the two brothers separated, but there were still harsh glares between the two of them. Shishu bowed out, and Starmyst watched him go before bowing her head. She had never liked him very much. That particular son of Yueh had been a bit too rebellious for her liking. And rebellious just for the sake of being rebellious. His behavior smacked of ingratitude to her.

She turned back to Kusu, looking at him past her beak, her multicolored eyes swaying with compassion despite her stern tone of voice earlier. The kinder son of Yueh said nothing to her, and it was clear from the way that he was avoiding her gaze that he was embarrassed. He had suffered a few bruises to his dignity.

“I apologize for interfering,” she said, deciding to be the one to break the silence. “I just think there has been so much fighting lately. I would just like to see a little peace.” She arranged her winged forelegs back, getting settled and comfortable while she glanced at him. “I suppose that is a lot to ask between brothers as different as you are.” Her voice was tinged with amusement.

“I had children once,” she said softly, wistfully. “A very long time ago. They used to fight all the time too.” She had not thought of them in so long. Those poor darlings, their young lives cut so short in that forest fire. Starmyst had not had another child of her own flesh since then, though she had adopted one named Sunset after that. She wondered what had become of him…fully grown, out there in the world somewhere.

It would be nice to have pups again, she thought. She looked over at Kusu and smiled, catching his eye. “You don’t have to look so humbled. I never should have spoken to you like that. I like to pretend that I know better, sometimes, even when I don’t.”