Light and Dark

Chapter 13: Together Again

5 days later.....

She should be independent, Vine thought. He was 2 and a half years old and independent.

Once Thorn had kicked them both out of the den, Vine had bolted. He wanted to be with Leru, and finally he could. Snake had bolted after him, and soon it had become a race. Until each of them realized that they had no recollection of where Leru's den was. And the fact that she was independent now meant that she could've gone anywhere.

"What.... What are you doing, Snake?" Vine had asked, gasping for breath. He was looking at his younger brother with burning suspicion.

"What does..... It look like?" Snake replied, equally tired. "I'm going to find Leru. She's 2, so she'd be in heat now." Snake closed his eyes and imagined Leru and him, together, alone.....

Vine burst. He pounced on Snake and pinned him down. "Get that lust out of your eyes!" He growled.

Snake smirked. "Vine, you'll have to get used to it. And so will I," he said with a frown. "Once every male smells that she's in heat, and sees that she's an albino, they'll be all over her."

Vine growled out of frustration, got off, and sat a few centimeters away. Snake got up and looked at his older brother with a look Vine wasn't used to: pity.

Vine looked away and sighed. "Snake?" He asked without looking at his younger brother.

"Yeah Vine?" Snake replied.

Vine was going to regret this. "What is it about her that you..." He had to swallow hard before he could say the last word. ".....love?"

Snake scoffed softly and looked at the ground. "Leru is an albino. She's honorary and legendary in jaguar culture. But it also makes her vulnerable. I want to protect her. And the magnificent way that she walks. Great Jaguar Gods, I could watch her walking away from me all day," he said with a dreamy look in his eyes.

"Is that it?" Vine asked, half chuckling.

"Well, what do you...." Snake shivered. ".....love about her?"

"I love the adorable way her smile just clicks into place on her face. Her eyes, too. They-"

"Sparkle, I know," Snake cut him off and came to sit next to Vine.

"Her voice, too. It's so calm and smooth. I could listen to her talk all day. And her character," Vine concluded.

"What about her character?" Snake asked, curiosity lighting his gaze.

"Remember the first day we ever met her?" He asked, looking at his brother. "How she caught us that toucan when she could've eaten it herself? That's what I love about her. Leru is selfless, and that in itself makes her legendary among our kind," Vine stated.

Snake suddenly grew cold. He gave Vine an accusing look. "Yeah, well do you also remember how you treated her? You didn't trust her so-called selflessness," Snake said.

Vine shot up. How many times am I going to have to apologize for this? He thought. "I've already been forgiven for that!" He yelled.

Snake laughed. "Oh yeah? Who forgave you? Leru?" He asked with a sneer.

"Yes! And she's the only jaguar I want to be forgiven by!" Vine was burning with hate. How dare his brother hold that over his head?

"Well guess what, big brother?" Snake asked in a playful yet malicious tone. "I haven't forgiven you! You will not steal her from me! I was the one who thanked her and complimented her on how great she was! You wanted to leave as soon as possible, meanwhile I wanted to stay with her! YOU HATED HER!!!" Snake yelled.

Vine just stood there. He was frozen. He had been horrible. He had been distrustful. He had been stupid. Stupid to throw away Leru's friendship back then. But I'll make it up to her, he thought. I'll do anything to earn her love.

Sighing, Snake broke his gaze and looked at his paws. "What if she chose me?"

What? "What?" Vine asked, stunned.

"What if she chose me over you?" Snake asked again, louder.

"She won't," Vine snorted.

"But what if she did?!" Snake asked, irritated.

Vine sighed, shaking his head. "I....I don't know," he said honestly.

"Would....Would you kill me...?" Snake asked, uncertainty clouding his gaze.

"No." As much as he would probably want to, Vine said the opposite. "I wouldn't want to put her through that. If she loved you, and chose you over me, then I'd leave you and her be. I'd probably leave, though. I couldn't watch you and Leru together. But I wouldn't kill you. You can't help who you fall in love with," Vine said the last part softly.

Snake considered Vine's words carefully. His brother really did feel remorse. He wouldn't kill Snake, no matter how he felt. He cares about Leru that much, Snake thought. I only hope that I can be like that to her.

"Alright well, I'm gonna go to the Deep Forest. Start looking there," Snake said, turning away from Vine. "Snake, wait!" Vine called. Snake turned back slightly. "Be careful," Vine told him. "No matter the boundaries between us, you're still my brother." He flashed Snake a smile.

Snake returned it. I haven't smiled at my brother in so long, Snake realized with longing. He turned back around and ran off in the direction of the interior forest, or the Deep Forest.

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Vine had walked off, as well. Those last few minutes had been hectic, he recalled. He scented the air. He tried to recall Leru's scent as much as he could, trying to remember her smell from the Moonlight Meeting. But that was a year and a half ago. Would he still be able to remember it?

Suddenly something caught his attention. He sniffed harder and harder until his nose hurt. Finally, he caught a faint breeze carrying Leru's scent. He dashed in that direction, following it. Please, don't let me lose it! He prayed.

He ran and ran for what seemed like a while. Vine ran through streams, over roots and fallen logs, and through grasses. He was so driven, he didn't realize where he was going. He was coming up to a ditch. A really big ditch. Blinded by his urge to find Leru, he jumped it, misjudging the distance. He didn't make it.

Vine crashed into the other side of the ditch, but slid down. His claws scrabbled for a hold on the muddy ground. But he was sliding ever down. Vine looked below him, and saw jagged rocks at the bottom of the ditch. He instantly yowled, hoping someone would hear and come. The yowl rang through the air, sending birds flying.

Leru's head shot up. She knew that yowl, but from where? Finally it struck her. That's Vine's yowl! He's in danger! She instantly bolted in the direction of the yowling. She came to the ditch and looked over the edge. Pleading green eyes burned through her soul. Vine, she thought. But her thoughts were interrupted as Vine slid further down. She grabbed onto his fore legs and hooked her claws into them. Leru heaved Vine up as much as she could. Finally Vine got a hold on the mud and launched himself up with his back lags. He jumped high over the ditch's edge and sent him and Leru flying backwards.

They both laid there, gasping for breath and trying to calm the fear resonating in their hearts. Vine looked at Leru. Oh Great Jaguar Gods, she looks so magnificent! He though with wonder. Leru looked at him. Oh Great Jaguar Gods, help me now, she prayed.

"Thanks, Leru," Vine gasped.

"No problem," Leru answered.

"Hey, you wanna join up?" Vine asked suddenly, standing up.

"What?" Leru asked, stunned by the sudden bluntness of the question.

Yeah. What? Vine scolded himself. He was so stupid to be so blunt and ask her out of the blue. He braced himself for the disappointment that awaited him.

"I would love to," Leru said, standing up.

Again, what? Vine couldn't believe it. His heart fluttered with joy. Together finally...!