FINTAIL

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

I'm fine... Speck wanted to growl, suddenly fighting his brother's grip to escape. Riptide sensed this and tightened his jaws, a vicious snarl rippling into his younger brother's body in warning. The pressure and the pain — it all worked in unison in forcing Speck to stiffen up with fear. "Lay down, Speck." ordered Riptide.

There was no debating against that.

Speck obliged wordlessly, hissing as he succumbed to his brother's demands, and surrendered to the ground. Try as he might, there was a small part of him that was glad Riptide was helping, although there was little chance he'd admit it in his presence. Through a small slit of his eye did Speck watch him treat him, first by licking the wounds to ease the leaking blood—

"Hold on."

—Then applying a mysterious plant that smelled like honey. Speck felt his brother's footsteps trail toward his tail end, then toward the right before returning to his side with the scented plant. His nostrils twitched once the familiar scent reached him, and he licked his lips in anticipation. Their mother used this plant often when they were younger, and it always worked wonders. Sick, hurt, scratched, bitten — it didn't matter. Aye, there was no exact name to it, much to their disappointment, but they always knew it by smell, and that's all they needed to know they'd be okay.

A sticky substance suddenly pressed into Speck's side, forcing a sharp growl from his muzzle, then a sigh.

Mrrr... That's a little better. He thought briefly, renewing his focus to watch Riptide. Though the blood continued to ooze from his cuts, the pain had numbed away. They just need time, Speck assumed, watching Riptide apply another strong lick to the space before standing back up. The youngster rumbled his thanks, hoping that was all.

But that wasn't Riptide's only concern.

"Why are you acting like this?"

The longsnout's purrs stopped. Of course, he'd strike up a conversation with the fresh-kill of the family. He really won't leave me alone, will he?

"Speck..." Riptide stepped toward the front of his body, only to watch his brother wheel his head away and snarl. "Talk to me."

Speck scowled again. What would it matter if he spoke his mind to a longsnout who didn't care for his opinion? Let alone a longsnout that could very much hurt him by testing it? It's not like he would listen anyway, He thought, staring off into the distance. He'll dip his tail in a leech-infested lake and call it a sheer inconvenience rather than using his brain. Or blame the innocent little hatchling who warned him over and over again-

No, that's Jagger. Riptide would just find something ancient to say to rouse my spirits. But they have long gone-

"You need to say something," Riptide spoke through his thoughts, pausing briefly to turn to him. "You've shut us out for months. Going to that river and such. Nobody knows what's wrong, not even me. If I'm the problem, then tell me, Speck. Roar at me if you must!"

The poor dinosaur tightened his claws into the earth and bucked his head downward before his heart could give. He won't understand. He forced himself to think. Nobody will. He doesn't deserve your tears; he won't care for them. Just toughen up, or you will become exactly like Fossil sees you to be. He'll leave you alone soon.

But that terrible sensation was returning. Even in his strongest suit, nothing could hold back the flood of emotions rampaging within his saurian heart. Speck tried blinking fast and breathing soft enough for his brother not to notice. He even tried directing his eyes in a different direction. But the longer he listened to him, the deeper his heart went. And the stronger those guilty waves became.