A New Home

[wynnyelle]

Luzia began to lose the already fragile grip she had on her emotional state. Tears flowed down. "How can you say that! It's not true! It's not true that your sister and brother are better off dead! That's just so horrible! I can't believe it's coming from the mouth of my own son!"

[Omega]

"I hope they got eaten!" yelled Volt.

"SHUT UP!" replied Aqua, "Don't say stuff like that!"

[wynnyelle]

"Stop, please stop," sobbed Luzia as she lost control even more. She felt like she were having her heart torn into pieces. "Just please stop."

[Omega]

Flare was sound asleep.

"Daddy! Rappella! Aeroth!" cried Aqua as she saw her father, sister, and brother return home, unscathed.

Volt appeared unhappy at the fact that Rappella and Aeroth had survived.

[Aeroth]

Aeroth trotted along, finally glad he could see the safety of his home. He looked over the Rapella to see if this was really what she wanted. Either way, they were home. The young Eevee runt ran in front of his father and stopped dead at the entrance to the cave. There was Volt. Aeroth squinted his eyes and glared at his older brother, older by a matter of a minute, but still bigger. He didn't want to fight, but the way Volt had acted before, he truly expected his brother to attack him.

"We're home" He said, but it wasn't directed towards anyone in particular, but it wasn't as jovial as he thought it would be. The way he saw it, it was truly Volt's fault Rapella ran away, for starting the fight in the first place. He didn't regret leaving the den to protect his sister, who knew what might have happened if he hadn't been there. He delayed Rapella from following Trompa, what if Trompa had been evil? What if that black beast had found her earlier? No, Aeroth had no regrets, except that he made his mother sad, but there was no way around that.

[Omega]

Volt glared at Aeroth. Volt truly thought Aeroth to deserve death. In Volt's underdeveloped, yet twisted mind, he thought death is only appropriate for what Aeroth had caused to Aqua and ultimately, Flare. "I hate you," he quietly muttered.

Aqua ran to Aeroth. She cared more about him than Sombra or Rappella. Aeroth had saved her life, no one else went to such boundaries for her. She licked Aeroth on the cheek, "I'm happy you're OK."

[Aeroth]

Aeroth was glad he recieved at least one warm welcome, especially from Aqua. He thought Aqua would blame him too for what happened with the Pigeot, but apparently not. He rubbed up against her happily and felt confidence from her warmth. He walked forward, coming dangerously close to Volt on purpose, giving him a dark stare as he passed. He almost wanted a confrontation, so he could finally find out what crawled up his butt and died...probably a Sandslash.

He may be small, but he had been watching the others fight and playfight earlier, and he seemed to understand how to do it. Also, he had seen something none of the others had seen: He had seen his father fight.

[Omega]

"Oh, Aeroth, you're so cold," said Aqua as she lay next to the sleeping Flare, "Come and rest with us, you'll warm up."

[Aeroth]

"I couldn't" Aeroth mumbled, so only Aqua could hear. He turned away from his sister and the unconscious form of Flare, his brother. He still felt guilty about what happened, and although Aeroth couldn't possibly have controlled how Aqua fell, it was his fault they were snatched by the Pigeot in the first place. He couldn't bear to be by his mangled and broken brother.

Instead he moved towards his mother's large body and rubbed himself against her, "Sorwy Mama" He said. At this he turned again to supervise the scene of the den and to let his eyes fall upon Volt once more, just in case his brother tried anything sneaky while his back was turned.

[Omega]

Volt decided to use the opportunity of Aeroth turning down Aqua's offer by laying in his place.

Aqua and Volt fell asleep. It was now early morning hours. The eevee kits were all unconscious in a pile of brown fur.

[wynnyelle]

"You had me worried sick," said Luzia, whose face was streaked with tears. She had gotten no sleep at all on this night. She licked and nuzzled her two errant kits, "Don't EVER run away again. You have to promise us."

"I promise, Mama," said Rappella, nuzzling her mother back. "I'm sorry."

Luzia looked into her mate's eyes. "Thank you so much. You saved them."

[Omega]

"I did what I had to do," replied Sombra.

[wynnyelle]

Luzia just let go and all the torrent of emotion just flowed. "Thank you...thank you so much for bringing our family back together again." She looked him up and down. "What happened to you?"

"A big bad pokeemon hurt him," said Rappella. "He got hurted when he saved me from the big pokeemon."

[Omega]

"When I found Aeroth and Rappella, I also found a mightyena," replied Sombra.

[wynnyelle]

"Oh, no," cried Luzia. "You were so lucky to get there when you did. Oh, pokegods, I can't imagine what would've happened." She looked at Aeroth and Rappella. "You could've been killed. If your father hadn't gotten there when he did you probably would've been."

"I know," said Rappella. "I was there. I saw it."

[Omega]

"Luzia, let's not frighten the children further. Besides. It's the middle of the night. We should all get some sleep," replied Sombra.

[wynnyelle]

Luzia sniffled and tried to pull herself together. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm so sorry."

Rappella swallowed. She could still taste the aftertaste of the gungo berries she had filled up on earlier in the night.

[Omega]

"Rappella, Aeroth, I think it's time you went to sleep," replied Sombra.

[wynnyelle]

"Okay." Rappella did feel tired. She lay down on the warm denfloor to sleep.

[Omega]

"Aeroth?" said Sombra.

[wynnyelle]

Rappella woke up next day feeling a little better about things. Everyone was home safely, and nobody had died. Still, she wondered about Tromba. She had to find her friend...figuure out just what had happened and why everyone around her thought she was bad.

[Omega]

Volt awoke and walked over to Rappella. But instead of an angry expression, his face boasted a guilty one. "Listen, Rappella," he said, "I'm sorry about fighting with you. Friends?"

[Aeroth]

Aeroth scoffed at his mothers words, he knew, he didn't need anyone else to tell him what he saw with his own eyes. If worst had come to worst, he would've done all he could to protect his sister. He lay down curled up with his tail over his nose and promptly fell asleep.

A stray beam of sunlight woke him the next day. He blinked one eye open before attempting to go back to sleep. Apparently, that was not to be: no matter what happened, he could not go back to his dreamland. It was so peaceful, too...He finally stood and stretched, shaking the weariness off as if it clung to his fur. He searched for Rapella, to ask if she was alright, and found Volt standing over her. He was instantly on alert, unaware of his intentions. he was too far away to know that he just wanted to make peace. Aeroth didn't move, but prepared himself to go to his sister's side.

[Omega]

"Hi, Aeroth," said Volt, "Look, I'm sorry for being so mean to you, too. We're brothers. Brothers shouldn't fight. Brothers should be friends."

[Aeroth]

Aeroth let out a massive sigh of relief, glad that his brother had forgiven him. It was too bad he couldn't forgive himself. Of course, what if Volt was trying to deceive him, pretending to be nice so he could stab Aeroth in the back? No, he wouldn't think about that."We didn't fight, you were right in what you said, it was my fault. I'm glad we're all alive" The young Eevee said, looking over the rest of the forms in the den, especially Flare.

[Omega]

Aqua was staring at Flare's broken limb with utmost sympathy. It was beginning to heal, but it was crooked and contorted. Aqua was mortified that she had caused her brother so much pain and suffering. But what worried her the most was the possibility that Flare had been crippled by the force of Aqua's weight, which was less than an ounce in difference to his, crashing on his back.

Flare was still sound asleep.

Volt nuzzled Aeroth, "True, but I shouldn't have been so mean about it. Friends?"

[Aeroth]

Aeroth was still slightly on end, he never expected Volt to actually be nice...it was a good change. Aeroth, however, shook his head. "No. Not friends." He said stubbornly before nuzzling Volt back. "You and I...we're brothers, closer than any friend." With that he padded off with a single look back, and a smile, before approaching his mother and suckling for her milk.

[Omega]

Volt grinned. Something about him was different. He had a change of heart overnight, quite literally. He loved Flare with every fiber in his being and felt horrible that he was injured, however, Aeroth was also his brother and should be loved equally. He watched Aeroth suckle at Luzia. Aeroth was much smaller than Volt and thusly, weaker. Volt realized he should stand by his brother. He had witnessed many dangers in Hallowmoor. It wouldn't be long before Aeroth would be in trouble again. In that event, Volt would be ready to help.

[Aeroth]

Aeroth had no idea about Volt's protective feelings towards him, but if he did, he was not sure he would be able to truly appreciate them. True, he was small, but size wasn't everything. Once he had suckled his fill Aeroth detached himself from his mother and licked the milk from his maw before looking out at the mouth of the den again, that wishful desire for something more, excitement, adventure, something! But he knew full well what happened last time, and was not foolish enough to attempt something like that again, even for a glimpse of the outside world. Still...Aeroth was getting restless. He wanted to be strong, like his father so he could protect everyone without hesitation, so no one would ever worry again. That was what he wanted most.

[Omega]

Flare's eyes opened. He was waking up. He licked Aqua, "Good morning, widdle thithter."

Aqua licked him back, "Good morning, Flare."

Volt looked out the den. Something was rustling the treetops. Something was here again.

OOC: I have planned what it is.