Night Terrors and the Past

[Ash]

Rook's arm became a small bit heavier on the Kushiban's back. Kusuyk didn't even notice as the terror in her dreams were keeping her well occupied.

Leto Ruu was running with Kusuyk clutched against her chest. Kusuyk's foot hurt like nothing else, fur dark as night.

The village was barely in sight as Leto muttered sweet words of comfort to Kusuyk who felt more or less, very sleepy. Her mind was in a fog, what all had happened couldn't have happened.

"Mom!" Leto screamed in desperation, hoping that even though they were not in hearing distance, their mother would have mystical mom powers that made her know Leto and Kusuyk needed her.

Kusuyk reeling from the fact she'd just killed a man and her dad was gone.

Leto fixed the Kushiban in her arms and cradled her like a newborn, not stopping for a moment. Kusuyk whining like a small child in Leto's slim arms even as they entered their village and were inside their home.

"Mom!" Leto cried the moment she spotted the gorgeous Togorian.
She was a youthful woman with light sandy brown fur that was spotted with white. She stood from her drink mixture she'd been sipping, the long olive green dress following her and clutching to her every curve. She took Kusuyk into her own arms and looked over her baby in horror. Yes, her 'baby' was 23, but that was still relatively young for Kushiban, she was still her child.

"Oh, Kusu. Leto. Girls, what happened?" Leto didn't know how to tell mother what happened and she knew Kusuyk wasn't about to.

"Mom, Thoran is. . ." Leto had stuttered more than she hoped, Kusuyk screaming in pain as mom had put Kusuyk's foot back into place and was tending to it.

"Pa is dead!" the small creature cried in her pain, mom started walking backwards a bit, taking two small steps as she clutched her chest right over her heart.

"How?" she cried, falling to the floor in tears, Leto had been torn between who to aid, their crying mother or the broken Kushiban. Both.

Kusuyk's sister picked up the Kushiban carefully and went to mother, holding them all in her arms. Kusuyk admired Leto, she'd never admit it. But she did admire Leto's strength.

The Kushiban's eyes flicked open, she scanned the area and only saw Rook. Kusuyk didn't say anything as she wiggled from Rook's calming and friendly grasp. She hoped down from the bed and thought over everything that had happened the day Thoran died. She really didn't know what she could have done different. But for a moment, as she crawled out of Rook's room with her fur and mind in a heated debate as her fur was spotted black on it's normal white fur, she regretted leaving home.

Kusuyk walked through the large halls, feeling like a criminal since she wasn't sure if she was allowed out of Rook's room.

She slowly passed by Jun, admiring him and all his glory. She would have squealed and went after him and jumped on him, thanking him for letting her stay. But she didn't.
Kusuyk walked toward a viewing area and gazed at the oh-so close stars in space. She pouted, tears running along her fur as they fell from her watery eyes. "Ohhh." she moaned quietly and sniffled. Plopping herself onto the floor and watched the stars twinkle.

 

[Jiang Winters]

"Incredible view, huh? Reminds me a lot of nightfall out in the Deep Desert, back on Kushaa'vo."

Kamua smiled thinly as he flopped onto one of the leather couches in the observation room, the Kushari's Flexweave armored vest half-open, revealing a fair bit of his herculean build, and lounge pants standing in for his usual pants. His shoes were nowhere to be found, and his dog tags were hanging off to one side of his chest. He looked tired - the Ranger had probably just woken up, or, alternatively, couldn't bring himself to go to sleep.

The feline curled up and gazed out at the stars for a moment more, before looking back to Kusuyk. "Say, I thought you were bunked with Rook. Why're you out and about here? Insomniac, are ya?" he asked, a playful edge to his voice. He'd failed to spot her tears - the feline was too sleepy to look closely at her, and so hadn't noticed anything but the fact that a sentient bunny was sitting in observation with him.

 

[Ash]

"No." Kusuyk sniffled and wiped her tear-filled fur with her paw. She crawled toward the couch, she had to kick a little and with help from Kam, got up.
The depressed Kushiban curled her fluffy body against Kamua and sobbed, using her tail as a tissue.
"I'm a bad person, Kamua! A wretched, mean, horrid person!" she sobbed a bit louder, "A disgrace to Kushiban's and Togorian!" she really wasn't a big fan of crying all over people, her fur changed a shade darker now. The White fur non-existent as she thought over just all she'd completely messed up.

 

[Jiang Winters]

Kamua sighed quietly and gently hauled Kusuyk up onto the couch alongside him. "And here I'd already forgotten what it was like to have sisters around," he thought, chuckling silently. He wrapped an arm around the Kushiban and hugged the little thing close as she cried, one ear half-perked towards her.

"I doubt that very much," he replied softly, as she declared herself to be a terrible person. "We've all done wrong at some point or another. It's just a matter of accepting guilt and responsibility and moving on in our lives." He looked down at the Kushiban, both ears now perked attentively. "But do tell - why d'you think you're a horrible person?"

 

[Ash]

Kusuyk sniffled loudly and she curled closer to Kamua, "I. . . I left them. Alone. I miss them so much. I shouldn't have left after daddy died." Kusuyk muttered and nudged her nose into Kam's chest. Her depression hitting hard.

Thorn had always been there. Always. He'd been there for her since her earliest memory, and the moment he passed on, she avenged him and ran from home.
Ran from those she loved and cared for and in return loved her. Mom was a mess and Leto was no better. Was that why?
Why'd I leave?
Kusuyk kept herself close against her momentary hero. He was all she could cling to at the moment.

 

[Jiang Winters]

"Just like a little sister," Kam mused silently. He gently stroked Kusuyk's ears and continued to hug her. Her story sounded very tragic indeed; he couldn't help but wonder what it was that haunted the Kushiban, who'd seemed so happy and alive just a few short hours ago.

"What happened with your family, Kusuyk?" he queried gently. He didn't want to push the matter in case the wounds were still open, but he didn't want to ignore it and let it fester, either. He'd have to be cautious, lest he give her reason to bite him or some such.

 

[Ash]

"A man killed Thoran. Shot him dead. Took my happiness away. All away. Gone. Bye." Kusuyk noted for a short moment that she was quite comfortable with Kamua holding her, she nuzzled her small furred nose into him as the overall darkness corrupting her mind took hold. "Mother... She took it hard. Leto too. She and mother couldn't deal with it well. I dealt with it by acting foolish. Betraying my roots and manners I was raised. Partying, flirting around, kickin' around with violence that wasn't needed. Took a Deathstick." Kusuyk continued her rambling and raving about how amazing Thoran had been and how badly she'd really messed up, dramatising how horrible she was.

Though she made outlandish claims to how bad a person she was, she felt they were true. All Kusuyk really wanted was to sleep in peace, preferably under Rook's arm or in Kam's arms. Or Jun's, he had nice, soft, warm fur.

I miss you...

Not a day had gone by in the two years Kusuyk's been away from Togoria has she gone without thinking of her family and those the left behind.

 

[Jiang Winters]

"That's just how some people cope, though," Kamua said gently. "Sometimes the strain is just too much. You have to relieve it somehow or you snap. I... Look, I had a twin sister, and a little sister and brother. On Kushaa'vo, we lived in a mining town in the Deep Desert, near the Wastelands. Dad was killed serving in the military when I was 14; my sister, Sam, and I took to the mines to help pay for the family. Mom worked too, but had to spend a lot of time home tending to Namine and Wes."

The feline smiled thinly. "She did her best, but... Mom took dad's loss very, very hard. When I was seventeen, she'd finally had enough. She just... Took off. Went out into the desert and shot herself one night. Sam lost it. I tried to hold the family together, but Sam couldn't take being at home. She bugged out and joined up with the military and Kith Sjet. I ended up raising Namine and Wes myself from there. They were... 12, I think. My Uncle pitched in; he owned the mine I was working at, and made sure that the little tykes stayed healthy and well-educated. It was still rough, though. After they were of age, I made sure they got into college and then signed on with the military."

He paused, laughing and smiling more brightly now. "Years later and I'm still sending them paychecks. Namine is a medical student, and Wes is in the Navy as an Engineer."

He gently ruffled the Kushiban's headfur with his thumb and smiled down at her. "My point is, Sam snapped and ran. It was all she could do. She was... Wild. A lot of sex, a lot of drunk parties, a lot of pissed-office superior officers. I dealt differently. I knuckled down and I fought back in my own way, by protecting my family. The point I'm trying to make is you made a choice, for better or for worse. What matters now is the path you choose to take from here. Sam came back and set things right with us - what'll you do with your family, Kusuyk?"

 

[Ash]

Kusuyk had been intrigued by Kamua's tale. He was a strong and honourable man. Handsome too.

She snugged into Kam's chest further and rolled onto her back. "I know mom is fine. She posed for a pin-up recently." Kusuyk's paranoia of what might be happening suddenly taking hold. The Kushiban flipped over, her paws far apart with her butt in the air and ears perked up high.
"Kamua! What if she's now some.... Some... Some guys slave! And, Ruu too! Kamua! I must save them. I need to get to Togoria and save them!" Kusuyk started hyperventilating a small bit as it would seem to the large cat, but she was quickly feeling the effects.

She slammed her paws into his chest and half way screamed in horror with tears falling from her furry little face, "I have to contact them!" her eyes were large and filled with a mixture of fear and pain.

Mama...

 

[Jiang Winters]

"Whoa, easy there, Kusuyk. I'm sure your family is fine. Don't blow a little lack of contact into an out-of-control drama fest, otherwise you're going to give yourself a heart attack!" the Kushari warned.

He picked her up and sat upright, then plopped her down on the cushion beside himself and gently ruffled the fur between her ears. "I'll talk to Rook and see if we can get you to Togoria. Just you wait - I'd bet a month's supply of jalapeno cheese and crackers that your mom and sister are okay."

 

[Ash]

Kusuyk breathed a heavy sigh, slouching like a couch potato and trying to control her untamed breathing. "Jalapeño?" Kusuyk had never heard the word before, but she was very excited she may see her family...

Unless they've become slaves! Kusuyk's breathing went out of control again, this time she settled her little heart and breathed calmly, peacefully, and quite happily to be at such ease. The thought of what might be said to her for leaving may be hard to handle, damn did she deserve it though.

Kusuyk didn't register herself as she lost herself in thought. She jumped up into Kamua, giving him a small bunny kiss on his furred cheek and hung onto him haphazardly as she drifted in and out of her own little dream world in her head.