Lonesome Dove Fan Fiction ❯ The Lion King: The Freak ❯ Chapter 2: Reflections ( Chapter 2 )

The Lion King: The Freak
Chapter 2: Reflections

The cub continued to suckle at his dead mother's breast. Somehow, he knew that he'd not easily find nourishment. Things were complicated by the fact that he was incapable of eating meat, he could only consume milk.

Eventually, the teat ran dry and the cub got up from it. He was still tired from being born, so he lied down next to his mother, curled up against her still-warm side for heat, and fell asleep.

The cub slept for as long as he could, about ten hours or so. He felt reasonably safe with his mother in her den: and not without good reason, most creatures that smell death and a grown lion with cubs in a corner will take several hasty steps in the opposite direction.

Unfortunately, however, a great mass of flies had congregated upon Chukizo's dead body. The cub stepped back, instinctively knowing that flies carried disease and filth, but only watched as they feasted upon the flesh of his mother.

“I eat her milk. They eat her flesh. Little difference. No reason for retaliatory action. No possible gain through combat. Environmental hazard present: I must leave to survive.”

The cub stayed for another moment, however. Unfortunately, his mother had never imprinted on him enough to make him care about her. He was interested in what the flies were doing, and watched as they exposed blood and meat, quickly drinking away the former. Quickly, however, he lost interest in the scene and left his 'family' home forever. He never even looked back.

The cub trotted out of the cave, and halted slowly several meters away. There was a small clearing in front of the cove, and he looked over the outside world for the first time. But the li-tigon felt neither wonder nor humility. He only saw a landscape that would try to kill him at any given opportunity, and that he needed to be smart, strong, and merciless to survive.

“She was strong. But she could not survive. I must be more strong: and more smart. She tried to kill me, but failed. She tried to cut me quickly out of mercy, but due to that she failed. Mistakes don't forgive. I can never make any mistakes.”

Suddenly, the cub was struck by another wave of thoughts.

“Why did she try to kill me? I am of her. No reason: flesh was already present, and I gave her no reason to want to kill me.”

He looked at the ground briefly, but quickly returned to scanning the treeline, knowing that anything could happen at any time.

“Not important. Everyone is a threat. Everything is against me. I will find a reason. But I must survive. I must live on. I will not allow myself to be killed.”

The cub shuddered. His head hurt from so much thinking... and though he was only several hours old, in his first minutes of conscious thought he'd evaluated more cold, hard facts than most other big cats do in their entire, sorry lives.

He folded up his paws, and laid his darkish head to rest on them, noticing that his eye was nearly healed.

“Everyone is a threat.”

It was night by now, and miraculously, the cub had lived the day unmolested. Somehow, his luck had held out and no predator hads dared to explore the tigon's cave, even though the scent of meat wafting from it was practically overpowering.

He woke up, his black eyes quickly adjusting to the lack of light. The cub looked to the sky.

“Large source of heat and light is gone.... can't be relied upon. Self-reliance is key to staying alive. Must move on to find nourishment and more permanent shelter. Predatory motions against her are imminent.”

He cautiously stood up, stretched, and extended his claws. As he felt the long, sharp implements extend from his paws, he looked down at them, and allowed them to tap the ground quietly.

“Cutting tool... used for killing. She used it successfully on the other one. These are neither as long or sharp as hers. Unacceptable weapons.”

The cub used his paws to feel his face... but shortly realized that the thought processes and senses of touch of a big cat were not well-adapted to allowing one to truly understand an object by touch alone.

He saw a puddle in the ground, not ten feet from him. Warily, he inched forward. His soft, padded appendages plodded across the wet soil of the Jungle's floor without making much noise at all. Plush, green leaves still lush from the recent rainfall seemed to beckon him into the deep forest with their wind-induced movements... but the cub ignored it all. He was curious about the puddle, and what it could be used for.

The cub was only a foot or so from the puddle, when suddenly, the leaves nearest to him moved.

And not just a little, like the swaying that they'd been doing for hours. No, this time, they quite significantly shook. As the plant rustled about, the cub prepared to fight.

He extended his claws, and imitated the aggressive sounds that he'd heard his mother make only moments before. But being a newborn... his 'roar' sounded like little more than the friendly 'mew' of a housecat.

The plant continued to shake about, and suddenly, two small lizards emerged from it. Paying no heed to the baby li-tigon, they went to the puddle and started to sip water from it using their tongues. The cub maintained his combat stance for another minute, then allowed it to fall.

“Not presently imminent threats. No need for retaliatory action. No possible gain from combat... what are they doing?”

The cub stepped closer, and looked as the two lizards dipped their tongues again and again into the puddle, carrying water to their thirsty mouths.

He was curious, so he tried to do the same.

It took him about ten minutes to get it perfect, but he was quickly drinking water naturally, manipulating the complex muscles of his tongue to draw the biggest amount of water from the puddle into his mouth as possible.

The lizards were long gone by then, but the cub didn't care. The water felt helpful, and did him wonders after a very tough day. After all, it's not every newborn that can survive the determined assault of his mother and make the situation work for him.

He yawned. The cub wanted to plop down and sleep then and there, but knew that was unacceptable.

“Smell of flesh will attract predators. Must leave, and find acceptable shelter.”

He was about to walk into the Jungle, when a step into the puddle made him look down, towards his reflection.

The li-tigon jumped, and splash back into the water. He growled at the other cub in the water, but after a tense minute, understood that his movements were imitated too perfectly. He lowered his guard, and the other cub did the same. He raised it again, and the other cub did the same.

“.... not a threat.... unknown entity.”

He whacked the puddle with his paw, watching the water splatter around.

“Not capable of being harmed....”

Suddenly, the cub was light up as the moon came out from a cover of clouds. The blast of white light surprised the li-tigon, and he looked to the sky. It was a full-moon that day, so the entire pale face of the satellite was looking down back at him.

“Different source of light from earlier... not source of heat. Finding shelter is still necessary.”

He was about to move on, but looked at the puddle again. There he was, with his distinctive stripes and everything. The triangular scar over his eye was clearly visible; one might even argue that it was illuminated by the moon.

“....unknown entity is a.... representation... of me. Incapable of becoming a threat or food. Useful for weapons assessment.”

The cub flexed his claws, muscles, and his jaws. He was disappointed. In comparison to his mother, he had almost nothing. Weak jaws; fragile, bendy claws; and no muscle adorned his rugged frame. Yet.

“After shelter is secured and rest taken.... must find out how to get food and information. I know little of this.... place.”

Finally, the cub strode of into the Jungle, with a laudable air of bravado.

Moments later, he was hopelessly lost.

“Must not enter large, complicated areas without good landmarks or some frame of reference. Leads to confusion and loss of direction, which leads to loss of original goal and forces the seeking of intermediate goals. Inefficient.”

He paused, catching his breath, and looked around. Each tall, forbidding tree looked just as gloomy as the next, and there really was nothing that the cub could use to get his bearings. Worst of all, the moon had gone back in, giving him no light to work with. Now the sounds of the night were coming out.

Strange croaks of treefrogs, ominous cries from monkeys, and too-loud clattering from the ubiquitous feet of freakishly large centipedes. The li-tigon watched as a centipede crossed his path. It was at least four or five inches long, brightly colored and with horrible, twitchy feelers. The cub felt a sense of disgust, and for no apparent reason at all, severed the gross critter's head.

As the decapitated being flopped around on the unforgiving floor of the Jungle, the cub's eyes and nostrils burned from the acrid scent of venom released by the centipede's natural defense mechanism.

He ran for a good twenty yards, before hopping behind a log and rubbing his eyes and snout.

“Do not attack entities unless they are threatening. Unintended consequence may result. Avoid combat when possible. It's better to live in the shadows, watching as things go along around me. At least, until I'm strong enough.”

He finished smearing the disgusting substance away from where it hurt him the most, and stood up to see where his feet had taken him.

It was a quieter part of the jungle, and one could tell that fewer animals lived there. No hoots of monkeys were heard, and even the occasional scream of a successful hunt was inaudible to the cub. There were also fewer insects, and the cub could smell nothing that he had not yet encountered.

Out of curiosity, the li-tigon hopped onto the log. He flexed his weight for a second, but suddenly, the thing caved in. He jumped to his feet inside the hollow structure, but soon calmed down. It was silent in the log, and warm. The bark and moss on the wood insulated it from the elements, and there were no unwanted pests present.

“Acceptable shelter. I cannot live in it forever. But until I grow... it will be good.”

The cub settled down into a particularly mossy spot, and heard as well as felt his stomach growl.

“Still must acquire food.”

His stomach growled again.

“High priority.”

Then, all was silent again, as the only li-tigon in the world started to go to sleep. He dreamed neither of his dead mother and sister, nor of the repulsive act that he'd done in order to live. Instead, the cub dreamed of reflections.

INTERMISSION: FLASBACK TO CHUKIZO AND TAKA'S FIRST DAY TOGETHER

The tigon and her new mate, the dark lion of the Pride Lands, Scar, or Taka, as friends called him, were relaxing in the cove. They were resting next to each other, each content to think and revel in the other heart beating along with theirs.

“He really is a great lion... why does his brother not see this? Is he not worthy of kingship?”

“No... he's totally capable of being a great king. But as with me.... others have conspired against him to make his time on this Earth a living Hell. It is not of his making that he will never be king. It is the fault of every being that denies him the chance to shine.”

“Such beings neither deserve the chance to prove themselves or the right to live.”

“It is cruel. But life is cruel. And till now, I've gotten nowhere by trying to evade that cold fact. But things are going to change now. In a cruel world, sometimes one has to be cruel to do the right thing.”

“It is morally sound, and it is for the good of all that deserve kindness. And that's few beings enough. The only being that I know of that deserves kindness is this lion at my side: the only being that matters in this world.”

“Taka... are you awake?” she tentatively asked, nudging him with her paw.

The dark lion yawned, stretched, then turned around to look at Chukizo with his unique yellow and green eyes, that seemed to see through everything.

“Always for you, my little abomination.”

The tigon blushed. He'd taken to calling her that... during the mating session really, and it stuck. After all, the most effective way of removing the sting of an insult is to turn it into something positive. And from the way that the lion was looking at her, the way that his eyes shone when they met hers, Chukizo knew that he was only positive.

“Taka... why will your brother not allow you to be the king, at least for some time? Can't he see that you are the greatest lion that I've ever—ever?”

The dark brother of Mufasa's expression darkened from content idleness to accepting sorrow. He looked away, as the tigon allowed a genuine tear to fall to the floor of the cove.

“I... he sees at as his birthright to be King, you know. And I will never deny that he is a good lion, a very good King, though his role as a brother leaves something to be desired...”

“I have no answers for you, my love. All I can ask... is that we run far from the Pride Lands—far from the name-calling and the judgments, the hate and the prejudice.”

Taka's eyes took on an ethereal-like shine, as he recounted a brief, romantic, and probably smart plan to get away from any other pride of lions, and start anew in a land untainted by sins of other beings.

But he abruptly stopped as he saw Chukizo was crying softly.

“Taka... you know that we can't run forever. The past always catches up with you, and there is no place on this Earth that others will not judge and hate you from the minute that they see you. All that can be hoped for is a position in which the desire in others to despise and detest you is outweighed by their fear of what might happen to anyone who molests the family of Taka: the greatest Lion King ever.”

The dark lion was shaken by the tigon's revolutionary words. A little scarred, a lot interested, and a little doubtful.

“But... Chukizo... Mufasa will never allow me to be King. How can I put us into a place where we will not be hated for who we are?

The tigon closed her eyes. She had been fluent in the language of combat since practically her first steps, and was not a stranger to doing things that were regrettable: necessary, but regrettable.

“There is only one way. We must kill Mufasa. And Simba, since he has been selected as the future King.”

The dark lion leaped from his position, a fire in his eyes. He might have smacked the tigon for merely suggesting that, but was held back by the fact that he really did love her.

“No, I won't do it! Whatever else he may be, he's my brother! And the child! He, at least, is innocent. How could one so young be blamed for the misdeeds of his father?”

Chukizo didn't open her eyes, and allowed another tear, this one not quite as genuine as her previous ones to fall. Taka was touched: whatever else he was, he hated to see another creature suffer. Especially one he cared about so much.

“My love... I cannot bear the sight of your tears. But what you say is impossible. I'm no murderer, and I do not desire the throne so much that I would end the life of my own brother.”

The tigon opened her eyes up, and this time, they were the firey ones.

“And, Scar, do brothers hurt each other for sharing an interest in a female? Do brothers ignore the love given to them unconditionally by siblings? Do brothers never care to allow the people that have been by their sides the longest their time in the sun? Do brothers—“

“Chukizo... please,” Taka begged, “don't say these things. I know that they're not the best beings alive... but they're still my family. You can't expect me to hurt them.”

Chukizo calmed down, but lost none of her resolve. Couldn't Taka see that what she was saying was the only way?

“Taka, you know that your so-called family is worse than that. Your nephew... he'll grow up to hate and despise you. And your brother, even on his deathbed, will never do a thing to bring you happiness. You know what I'm saying is true.”

“Y... yes, but—”

“No, Taka. There can be no reluctance. You have to do what's necessary to bring the Circle of Life back into order. Mufasa, he may be a good King. And Simba might become a good one as well. But only a being that's gone through true pain can understand the value of peace, safety, and life. You are that being, my mate.”

Taka couldn't say anything else. What Chukizo had said was true, every word of it. True; so cold, ruthless, but true. Nothing could justify in one's soul the horrible crime of killing one's own flesh and blood for power, even with the best of intentions.

“No,” thought Scar, ”they are not my flesh and blood. They're not my family. Family doesn't hurt and scar you, destroy your every hope and aspiration without caring. Family doesn't actively try to make you unhappy, family cares if you run off, promising to never return...”

The tigon looked at her mate, as he seemed to start to understand her words. It was hard, of course, to force someone to see the Hellish situation that they're in; and worse to watch their soul twist and spiral down a path of righteous darkness.

“Chukizo... you are... right. We have to do what's necessary. You will never be accepted by the rest of the pride, not until they're nearly dead; this much we both know.”

The tigon grimly nodded, as Taka continued.

“I know that we will do what is best for all... but I can never feel that what I have to do is moral. Hence, from now and ever on, I will be Scar.”

The dark lion's posture and composure broke, and he started to cry. Chukizo went to try to comfort him, not even comforted herself that such catharsis was necessary. In that rocky cove, under the cover of stars in the Jungle, Scar's heart forever and irreparably broke.

The cub woke up in the morning, to ravenous hunger. Though he'd drank as much of his mother's milk that he could, he still needed plenty of nourishment. But being such a young cub, he had a rather poor memory. He could only remember bits and pieces of his life the previous day, little of his mother and sister. But he did manage to remember that females gave milk: milk that he desperately needed.

He stood up, and yawned. Sunlight leaked into his log, lighting up his path to the outside. As he approached the caved-in portion of the log, however, he heard two voices.

“Hey... at least that cursed abomination's gone. They say that she died in childbirth, and that she killed her own daughter.”

“Even so... no punishment that this world can produce could possibly be enough to equal the crime that she did when she killed our son,” rasped a higher-pitched voice.

The cub could not understand them much, but he still listened. He knew that it was vital to know as much as he could about the world he was about to step into.

“Abomination.... unknown term. No imminent necessity to understand. Must continue to listen; information about female with milk may appear.”

Of course, he did not think in such complex terms, per se, but what his little mind was pondering can only be translated to such a sentence. The speaking continued.

“I know, dear wife. But at least we know that next time, our young ones will live in a world with less danger.”

“Next time... NEXT TIME?!”

The high-pitched voice suddenly shouted, sending birds to the sky for at least a hundred yards. Even protected inside the log, the li-tigon felt threatened, and extended his claws.

“Husband, do you know—can you even imagine the pain that I've had to go through twice now? And each time, to watch as my hard work is annulled? I know that you have to bury our son, just last night... but what you went through cannot compare to what I had to. Look: my breasts are still full of milk, but who will drink it now?”

The cub's eyes opened wide at that comment, and he jumped out of his log. The two monkeys in the tree looked in horror as he made a cub-roar and scampered up to them, far too fast to be dodged or avoided.

“Milk is necessary for survival. Must have it.”

Unfortunately for the female monkey, the li-tigon thought that milk was only attainable from a dead mother. So, as the two monkeys tried to run, he pounced about the female, and, using the terrible life-ending move that his mother had attempted on him, cut her across the neck.

Blood flowed freely from her wound, and she hardly had time to whimper. Little, red droplets spilled from the tree, staining the jungle floor below. But the male was already way gone. He had see the cub kill his wife, and knew that there was nothing to be gained from fighting. Even killing the cub in vengeance was impossible for him, especially in his emotionally-distraught state.

He swung through the trees, fighting back tears. The middle-aged monkey stopped on one vine, and turned. He vomited at the sight of the cub feeding on the milk of his dead wife. But then, as quickly as he could, he collected himself and continued to flee.

“One day,” he shouted “I will have revenge! You and your mother killed my wife, and one of my children. I swear it, I shall have revenge. One day. Curse you, Chukizo, abomination! And curse you, son of Chukizo, second-generation freak! I will never forget you, and one day... I will have my revenge.”

The cub could hear the shouts of the monkey, but ignored them. He was too far away to pursue, and the cub didn't want to get lost again. He just continued to feed on the monkey's milk. It didn't taste nearly as good as his mother's... but it would keep him alive. Barely.

“Male monkey is another threat. A more determined one. Must eliminate if given the chance. Must live... day by day. Can never allow an opportunity for another to kill me. Must live.”

The cub continued to feed, as blood from the monkey continued to spill to the ground. He cared not about the spilling of blood. It was what he was born to, and that's all he knew how to do.

“Must live.”

The cub got up from the monkey. He'd exhausted her reserves of milk, and being that she was far healthier than his mother had been, there was more to be had. He would be able to stave off starvation for over a day, at least. So now, with his stomach full and no threats present, he had time to think. The newborn nimbly hopped down from the tree, and went back into his log. Home, for now at least.

He thought about both monkeys's words, at first, turning them over again and again in his head.

“Pain... means hurt. Leads to death. Pain must be avoided. No need to cause other creatures pain without reason. Takes energy to cause pain. Wasteful.”

“Abomination. I am son of abomination. What is son? What is abomination?”

The cub thought as hard as he could, knowing that his first day alive had something to do with both. But try as he might, he could only capture glimpses of a female tigon from his memory. And... the cove of his birth.

“Abomination... was monkey referring to her? ...Unknown. Must investigate, when given opportunity. I am not strong enough to survive wandering in jungle. Dangerous: causes pain, leads to death.”

“What is freak?”

“...Monkey was referring to me. I killed other monkey. He did not like it. Reason... unknown. Death is necessary. I did not try to kill him. He has no reason to want to kill me.”

“But everyone is a threat. Like everyone,he will try to kill me. But he will try more. Reason still unknown. Must avoid monkeys till I can easily kill them. Fighting with two monkeys is dangerous.”

“What is freak? Why am I called freak? Is it related to abomination?”

“...I am freak.. Reason unknown. Good means of identification. But no one may know of my existence right now: I am still not strong enough. Must become strong. Then others can know who I am. I am freak.”

The cub paused. Thinking so much had made his head, and he was still a baby. He needed his rest, but he wanted to try something first. He'd seen, from his mount in the tree, the monkey speaking. Now, he was curious, and wanted to imitate it.

He pulled his lips apart, and opened his muzzle a little. Speaking was like roaring, an action that was already natural to him. At first, he could only mewl. He hated that sound. It was pathetic, and weak. But after a few more tries, he managed to imitate speech.

“F...f...fr... fre.... fre.... fre... freak. Freak. Freak. I... I am... I am Freak. I am Freak.”

The cub promptly stopped, knowing that making noise was a good way to attract others. And others were threats, all of them, some greater than others.

“I am not strong. Still baby. But not forever. Will become strong. Will not be killed. Will live.”

The cub finally settled down into his moss bed.

“I will live.”

Months passed.

Each day, the cub had grown bigger and bigger. Each day, he'd had to find and kill another female for her milk. By staying in his section of the Jungle, he'd managed to avoid most animals capable of harming him. More than once, he'd fought with big lizards and birds, and had been injured a fair few times. But he'd always won. He'd always killed his opponent using the minimum force necessary, taking neither pleasure nor distaste in their death's. Sometimes, he'd watched their harts beat their last, and their blood paint the Jungle a shade of gruesome red. He was a feline after all, and a curious feline to boot.

But all f his physical achievements did not compare to his mental ones. He was smart. And not just for a cub: he'd watched other animals for hours each day, every minute picking up some tidbit of information or the ability to imitate some skill. He knew how to cut open plants and get fresh water from them. He knew that some insects caused pain, and some were harmless. He knew that not all animals acted the same way. He finally found out, by watching a mother lemur feed her baby, that milk needed not be taken from a dead female... except for in his case.

It was several weeks ago. Freak had seen the lemur baby feed from his mother, as she still lived. Watching the action confused him greatly, as did the mother's soft cooing and tender motions.

“Does she like it? Doesn't it cause pain? Why does he not kill her? What is she doing with her fingers?”

“Do I have to kill to get milk? Can I... ask? Even though she's with her child... maybe she will let me.”

It went against every fiber of his being, and especially his adopted motto: Everyone is a threat. But he did not like to 'cause pain' as he put it, so the cub gathered himself and slowly walked towards the lemur. He'd learned to speak fairly well by now, and though his voice was still raspy from a lack of use, he could be understood.

When the mother saw him, she predictably held her baby away, and looked for an escape. But the cub had planned well: there was none. So, as he inexorably got closer, the lemur stood as tall as she could and shouted, trying to be as threatening as possible.

“Get out of here, you freak! Go away!”

The cub still approached, knowing that she couldn't easily kill him. He stopped several feet from her, and looked at her. She flinched from his emotionless stare, and backed away in fear.

“What do you want, son of Chukizo, the abomination?”

The li-tigon blinked in confusion. He didn't know a thing about his mother, the few glimpses that he still had of her were well away from the surface of his mind.

“How do you know my name? And who is Chukizo?”

Now it was the lemur's turn to be confused.

“Your name... is Freak?”

The cub nodded. The lemur's son, coincidentally, just about the same age as him, peeked out from behind his mother. He looked at the other young being, with curiosity in his eyes.

“Chukizo... she's your mother. Nobody knows who your father is.”

There was a pause, as Freak struggled to understand the lemur.

“I don't understand... what is a mother and father?”

The lemur looked shocked. She'd heard whispers, of course, that Chukizo had killed her daughter before dying as a result of childbirth... but never had she imagined that her rumored son wouldn't even know what parents were. Like the rest of the denizens of the Jungle, she assumed that his father had taken custody of him, or his mother had allowed him to live.

“A mother... is what I am, to this little one here.”

Ignoring her prey instincts, the lemur held out her child. The male lemur giggled at the sight of the li-tigon, and Freak just stared back, confused.

“A father,” the mother lemur continued, as she held her baby more stably, “is like a mother... but a male. Who is your father?” she questioned, curious.

“I... don't know. I didn't know that Chukizo was my mother. Where is she? Can I meet her?”

He wanted to see someone like him, but not for a moment did he imagine that she wouldn't be a threat.

“I'm sorry, Freak. She died, a few months ago. They say that her bones are still in the cave north of here, but it's a long trip.... unless you want to go through the Dark Zone.”

“What is the Dark Zone?”

The lemur shuddered at the mention of that area.

“It's a terrible place.... I lost my mate there, this little one's father,” she wiped away a tear, “only a few days ago. I couldn't even see what got him. He was just there one minute, and gone the next. Many animals travel through there safely.... but every once in a while, one disappears without a trace. You can never feel safe there, not even for a second.”

“I... am not yet strong enough to go through there safely. I will travel to the cave... some day.”

The lemur nodded. Here she was, having a conversation with a predator: a predator whose mother had been personally responsible for the deaths of many lemurs. And she was actually feeling sympathetic for him. He had no family at all, and must have had to teach himself to survive in a brutal world. How terrible it must have been for him, to grow up in such a cruel position.

“You poor thing.”

The li-tigon didn't respond. He just sat there, looking at the lemurs curiously, managing to have an air of cubhood and barely concealed danger at the same time.

“Can I drink your milk? I am not strong enough to eat meat yet. I need milk. Can you help me?”

The lemur shuddered. She might talk to the cub, sure, but to have him suckle at her, at the expense of her child? No, that was going too far.

“Certainly not!” she shouted, and several birds from the tree flew skyward.

The cub took a visible step back, as his eyes widened. He'd hoped, for a minute, that another being might do something for him... but that's not what was going to happen. It just went to show, everyone was a threat. Nevertheless, he tried one more time.

“Please,” he rasped, unknowingly sounding absolutely pathetic, “I'll die if I don't have milk.”

The lemur sighed, but lost none of her resolve.

“Well, sorry, little Freak, but that's not my concern. Life is cruel.”

The li-tigon looked at the tree branch that he was standing on. How hard he'd tried to not cause pain, but how much life had shown him that causing pain was the only way to live. He stumbled around, using a monkey's technique that he'd observed to be used to confuse one's enemy. The lemur reacted perfectly, reverting to motherly concern.

“Hey, are you o--”

The cub suddenly roared, and the lemur screamed as he jumped at her. Quicker than blinking, he sliced her throat wide open. She gasped for air through her own blood, but knew that she was dead... and that her child would not live much longer either.

Her final act was to spit some of her own blood into Freak's face, before she fell, allowing the young lemur to shriek and tumble to the ground, cracking his head open on a rock.

The li-tigon merely licked the blood off of his face, noting that it was getting more and more palatable, while milk was getting more and more harder to swallow. He'd need to have meat in lieu of milk, very soon. But not today.

Freak waded right through the blood-stained tree branch, and flipped the lemur over onto her back. Then, after shutting her hateful eyes with his paw, he fed on her milk as he'd always done.

“Everyone is a threat.”

Freak was getting too big for his log. He could still enter and exit it comfortably, but knew that wouldn't last forever. Worse... he was about to lose another constant in his life: he was no longer a newborn, though still a cub by any comparison. He needed meat.

“I will try to hunt today. I have watched many animals hunt, and I feel like it's natural for me. I will be successful. It will not be hard: I have killed many animals before. But I need to be able to hunt successfully. I will hunt and eat meat. I will grow. And then... I will go through the Dark Zone of the Jungle. I will not allow myself to die. I will use the cave as shelter. And... I will see what is left of my mother.”

The cub settled in a treetop, as he slowly made his way to a lone female monkey. She was young and small, but perfectly-sized for a cub-sized meal. He traveled in a direction perpendicular to her path. The monkey was moving faster now, she seemed to be aware that the lack of a guardian was dangerous. That, or she could feel Freak's hungry eyes watching her.

She jumped out of a tree, and as she was clear of foliage, perfectly in the mid-point of her leap, the li-tigon chose then to make his move.

He roared, and moved faster than he ever had before. Time seemed to slow down as he kicked his tree and flew through the air, each millisecond getting closer and closer to the monkey. He held his paws in front of him, and extended his claws. The monkey managed to turn to face him, and shriek. He never heard what she said, as he lashed out—