After sitting in the sun for a while, then pacing and finally, reluctantly searching out a little bit from where he was left, Xiang decided that he'd been really left, Hiam must have went home without him because he was angry still.
Well Xiang wasn't going to take that, he was angry too, he hadn't meant for Hiam to be hurt, of course he hadn't known what he was doing, he'd never even dreamed of hunting down an antelope before, let alone tackling one with his brother.
It took him the rest of the day before he managed to finally stumbled back into the prides lands and then another hour or so to find the Seer's caves, he knew it would only give Hiam and Haezini more fodder for picking on him, that he'd want to see their mother after such a day, but he figured he could get away with it. He knew she was busy, but he also knew that his mother would have time for him, and he could make sure that Hiam got someone to look after his wounds this way without him knowing, or so he hoped. Even if Xiang was angry, he still worried for his sibling, though it might not have been very demon like of him and Hiam might not want the care. So far as he'd seen the damage had been very bad, and all that blood, his strength dripping away into the ground. "Mother?" His voice shook a little as it echoed in the cave, he was tired and very dusty, with the dried blood from the scratch to his cheek dotting his pale fur.
Hiam was not here. There was no blood, nothing that would give any hint of where his brother might be.
Abeni was inside the seer's dens, burried deep into the steamy tunnels like she usually was. She was currently lounging beside a pool, whispering to... something. No one was there, but it seemed as if she was talking to someone, someone she knew well and loved. Who knew, she was always whispering to herself now a days.
Xiang's voice echoed through the dens, snapping her out of whatever trance she was in. She smiled softly and stood, walking over to meet him. "Evening, dear..." The dirt and blood made her pause, then look worried. "What happened?" She instantly moved closer to snatch him up and start grooming him.
Xiang took comfort in the seers cave, it was warm and close but more than that, what was the most comforting to him was his mother, in his mind they were one and the same, his mother and the caves. She had told them a little of her life before she had come to be Ele'aine for the demon pride, but he couldn't picture it, the power of his mother and the presence of the caves felt the same to him. In truth there was a time that Xiang had wanted to claim that he was indeed also a seer so that he would not have to leave her, but in the end he didn't truly understand the power she held and he was forced to leave her to her duties, but at times, he would come and visit.
This time was different, though he was comforted by her, the caves loomed around Xiang, and try as he might to hide it, his fear ate at him this time.
"Mother. Ah," He was silent and quivered for a moment, how to explain it... "Hiam and I went hunting." he explained the details to her as best he could without making it sound as if he were tattling, or trying to get Hiam in trouble, which was not his intention. Then he told his mother that Hiam had been hurt, that he didn't know the extent of what had happened, and that Hiam had left him so he had returned alone, this part was the hardest, because by now the quaver of crying had entered his voice and he felt shamed for leaving, his anger he had clung to vanishing in the wake of his mothers comfort.
Abeni listened, growing more concerned by the minute. She wasn't angry, that was obvious. She licked at him a little to try to reassure him, then quickly stood and started towards the exit, expecting him to follow. "Xiang.." She glanced back at him with a deep frown, in a hurry. "Do you think you can find your way back? To where it happened?"
Standing to follow, Xiang nodded but wasn't entirely sure, "You don't think he stayed out there, I mean, I though he'd of come back home without me, but..." realization hit him like a ton of bricks, he had not followed their old trail back, instead using the direction of the sun back to find the way back home, there had not been any sign or new scent of Hiam the whole time and he was hurt. "Yes mother, " he started to run out of the cave now, adrenaline kicking in. "I do know where, I hope." He bolted down the rocks as if he could fly and headed towards the trees.
She followed as fast as she could, easily keeping up with him and pushing her young son to go faster. The life of her oldest son depended on it.
They ran for a while, until finally the smell of dried blood caught Abeni's senses and she ran up ahead a little, lounging into the clearing the antelope had rested in. She looked around frantically, sniffing here and there. She frowned at the large spot of black blood on the ground... but she couldn't think about that, not now. She turned and started to follow the trail of blood, ears twitching around for any sign of Hiam.
Xiang had to stop and catch his breath after they'd reached the last sign of Hiam's whereabouts, he lay panting on the ground and staring at the spot where his brother had bled and began to curse himself for his actions, after he could speak again, he stood and followed in the same direction that Abeni had gone, but off to one side of her, he didn't call out this time, instead searching in the manner that their mother did, with his eyes and ears, he nosed in the grasses for his scent.
They walked for a while. Every so often Abeni would loose the scent, only to dart off in a different direction, or bend down when there was a drop of blood or bit of fur. It was well into the night now, and Abeni was slowly becoming more solemn, and worried.
Finally she stopped, eyes widening a tad. She lounged forward and through a few trees. They were into the parts of their territory that had more trees now, close to the jungle. A small stream flowed through it to connect to the river, and there beside it was a dark furry lump. "Hiam!" She called out, jumping over and crouching down beside him. She frowned and nudged at him, licking tenderly, letting out soft mournful whimpers. "Wake up dear... Please wake up."
Xiang followed after Abeni, he hadn't said anything for a while because after all he didn't know what to say, then when she has finally found Hiams form, Xiang stood back, waiting and watching, silently. He had had hard times with his brother, he had on occasion wanted to be the only son of hers, but he'd never wished for something like this to happen, he felt numb, staring across the stream at he dark forms of his mother and older brother.
When Hiam did not stir he stepped over to them, walking through the water, then when he was at his brothers side Xi looked only once at the swollen face before he also began to nudge at him, prodding him roughly, as if he was only waking him from any other nights sleep.
At first Hiam did not stir. His body was limp and reactionless. Their mother frowned down at him, ears tilted back. She didn't want to think about what might have happened... But after a few more prods the cub let out a slight grumble, and her eyes widened a little. "Hiam..." She leaned down and started to lick at the blood clotted fur around the wound, which was no longer bleeding. She cleaned his wounds as he remained still, only letting out weak whimpers and groans.
"I... I think he'll be alright." She whispered to Xiang, now standing. "Come, let's go home." She bent down and took up Hiam into her mouth, then turned to make their way back to the dens.
"He better be, hmph." Xiang grumbled, not looking at either of them, he kept his head down as he followed behind and said nothing else, he was thinking hard and very sullen as they went, and though he was tried from the long day, he would sleep little tonight.
Abeni was silent, considering she had Hiam hanging limp from her mouth. She was content enough with the silence, leading her children back towards the priest's dens.
She stopped outside of them and glanced back to Xiang, then flicked her head in the direction of them. They'd sleep with her tonight. In she went, heading to where she usually slept on a bed of piled grass and leaves. She gently put Hiam down and laid down beside him, pulling him close. She started to inspect his wounds while cleaning them. They weren't fatal, but would be swollen for a while. The cut would leave a nasty scar though. She looked over to Xiang then, when she was reassured that Hiam was ok.
"Do not be sad, darling... He will be alright."
Xiang curled himself on the opposite side from where Abeni was tending to Hiam, "I'm not sad," he murmured, "but I'm not happy either, so don't think that." He was staring off into the depths of the cave, watching the glow on the far walls and ceiling, his gold colored eyes unfocused.
She watched him for a few moments, then dipped her head down to nudge him, then lick at his cheek. "Then what, dear fire?" Her voice was soft and weary, also starting to feel tired. The worry and stress had taken a toll on her.
She focused back on Hiam though, nestled between her sons. Hiam remained still, sleeping soundly. "Speak your mind."
Automatically when she nudged him, he leaned into her, but then he curled himself again, he knew he should let her tend to Hiam and then sleep and so he shook his head, he was still trying to puzzle out his thoughts, and the only clear thing so far that he knew he felt was his anger, but he didn't want to speak that to Abeni, even if Hiam was asleep. "I don't know mother."
She stared at him for a bit quietly, obviously not believing him. She sighed and shook her head, then pulled him closer, so she could curl around both of her sons. "If you say so... But Xiang, you know you can always speak to me." She purred and licked at him tenderly, then rested her chin on her paw, eyes growing heavier.
"But for now sleep is for the best. It has been a long day for all of us.... Goodnight, my love."
Xiang let himself be moved, he put his head down on his own paws and shut his eyes. "Yes mother, I do. Goodnight." He answered softly, but that was it, he lay there feeling the warmth of his mother, and the cave and even with the comforting purr, he still lay awake for a while before drifting off to an unsteady sleep.
