Until We Meet Again

Ch. 10 - A Father's Love

Tears ran down his face as he exited the maze of tunnels. Ingressus ran to the dock, not knowing where else to go.

Smokey mrowed from the back of the pier, clearly not pleased with being left behind. He seemed to soften when he saw the tears on his Ardoni's face, and followed him as he sat in the end of the dock, staring at the water. The cat rubbed against Ingressus's side. Propping his front paws on the Voltaris's upper legs, Smokey gently licked the tears from his face.

Ingressus gently brushed his cat away, the rough tongue starting to sting. "Smokey..." his voice was filled with tears. Regardless, he picked up the cat and softly cried into his fur.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~

"Look what you did!" Dominus shouted at Aegus, his efforts to call Ingressus back having failed. He rounded on the Nestoris Master, "Why?!"

Aegus took a deep breath, "I was only trying to help him-" The Voltaris cut him off, "Do you really expect me to believe that?" The Nestoris Master sighed, "I understand why you would think I was trying to hurt him, yet I can assure you-" Dominus cut him off again, "Stop! Just stop! You have done enough damage already!"

A tense silence held in the air, everyone trying to figure out what to do. "I- I can try talking to him..." Achillean's timid voice broke the quiet.

Dominus glared at him, causing the young Nestoris to flinch in fear. Aegus sighed and gently squeezed his shoulder, "Go on." he whispered. Achillean nodded and ran off, clearly wanting to leave as soon as he could.

An exasperated look formed on Dominus's face as he stared after Achillean, "Wha- you just- he- why do you keep trying to hurt Ingressus?!" Aegus took a deep breath, "I am just trying to help him."

"Then why do you keep letting that child try to 'help' him?!"

"They are friends, Achillean knows how to help."

"I should be the one helping him! Not any of you!"

Aegus grabbed Dominus's arm as he tried to run out of the mine shaft, "You cannot go out there!" The Voltaris rounded on him, "Why?! Why can I not go out there and help my son?!" The Nestoris Master sighed, "You will be spotted by someone. It will only end. For you and Ingressus."

The vermilion glow from Dominus's markings pulsed along brightly with his anger and worry. He pulled his arm from Aegus's grip, staring down the long tunnel the two young Ardoni had disappeared down. The Nestoris Master sighed, "Achillean will convince him to return. It will be alright."

~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Achillean hesitantly walked up behind Ingressus, trying to think of what to say. The young Voltaris's shoulders were shaking as he sobbed, and Smokey seemed to be curled up in his arms.

"Ingressus?" His head snapped up, and Smokey poked his head out from in front of him. He hissed at Achillean when he sat next to Ingressus. The Voltaris sighed and turned the cat's head away, wiping the tears from his face.

"I- I- I didn't m- mean t- t- to m- make th- the- things h- harder..." Achillean gently placed a hand on his shoulder, "You didn't. It's not your fault. Ingressus shook his head, staring at the water, "I- if I- I- I had j- just t- told h- him to l- l- leave, n- none of this w- would h- h- have happened." Achillean sighed, "No. If I hadn't run off to Aegus and caused you to panic..."

The sound of the ocean took over as he trailed off. The two Ardoni stared at the water in silence, both blaming themselves for the situation. "We should probably head back..." Ingressus sighed, clutching Smokey tighter. The Nestoris gazed out over the ocean, the setting sun reflecting overtop. "Probably..." The two Ardoni stood, neither really wanting to return.