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 Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 11:24 am
He called it ‘the gauntlet’. Everyone else called it a fallen log.
It was the perfect training course! The perfect play place that had ever been created. A log had cracked and fallen right into the base of another tree- split at the trunk and forked upwards and outwards. A ramp to run up and a fork to jump through. Just beyond that he had a puddle to clear, a boulder to jump onto, and a series of leaves to avoid. They could be dangerous after all!
It was amazing. It was like it was built just for him to play on!
Pit drew in a deep breath, swelling his chest and filling his lungs. Springing out on over-sized paws carried by stubby cub legs, the youngster tore up the base of the log, his claws weakly gripping to the mossy surface. Huh. It was a lot more slippery than he thought it would be.
“Here I go!!!!” He announced, to no one in particular.
Up and out, his legs coiled and he sprang out, paws outstretched and legs sprawled awkwardly. He was a cub. Jumping was something he only just learned. And unfortunately he wasn’t the fastest of learners. His head cleared the fork- the boulder was within sight! He might get a little wet but-
And he stopped. There was a tightness above his hips just below his ribs. “Huh?” He squirmed, wiggled, flailed, and finally looked back to see what the hold up was. And… he was stuck. Neatly wedged in the fork of a tree with one end dangling helplessly over a puddle of water and his bum hanging down from the other side.
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 11:41 am
Not far off was a lurking Pitoo. He felt drawn to his brother more so then any of the other cub mates. They were twins after all. From Pitoos safe hidden spot he watched his idiot of a twin brother get stuck in some disgraceful way. Pitoo just stared from his hiding place. There was always the option to turn his back and leave him be, stuck up there. Watch him squirm and maybe fall, but no, something drew the darker twin from the shadows.
Very calmly and cat like the dark twin approached the puddle his light twin hung over and stared a hole through him. Only disappointment rested in Pitoos eyes. How in the world were these two related?
"..Idiot," He grunted under his breath and turned his back to his twin to head back towards the den. But he stopped before even taking a step to really gaze up at Pit. Something just felt wrong about leaving him there. Pitoo felt like he was still needed. But that didn't mean he was about to help the light twin out of his own stupidity.
"How'd you manage getting stuck like that any way? I mean look at you Pit-stain," He lowered a paw in the water and splashed some toward his brothers face, "You've got your rump stuck."
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 11:52 am
This wasn't good. It wasn't comfortable either.
He clawed, grunted, and squirmed about a little more, likely just lodging himself more into the mess he'd landed himself in more than anything. Still he couldn't just hang there! He had things to do! And what if his mother called for lunch? He was hungry! ...actually he was always hungry. That was beside the point.
He froze as a muttered word broke the silence. Sure enough, there was his shadow. Dark eyes narrowed in disapproval...more than was normal for him, and his jaw clamped tightly. "Pitoo!"
The question was bad enough, the nickname was hardly fair, and the splash just added insult to injury. "Hey, stop that!" He flailed his paws about. "Don't just stand there, help me out! I just... mis-judged the distance a little."
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 12:01 pm
Pitoo watched his brother wordlessly for a moment. He even yawned a bit listening to his brother explain his own stupidity. Well okay, it wasn't completely stupid and even if Pitoo wasn't going to admit it, he did think a training course was a good idea. The dark twin did not for see this as an out come.
"Why should I help you out?" There was a serious and judgmental look from the dark cub. He stopped and thought about it. Pit was right over a puddle, just dangling. If he 'helped' that would mean that Pit would more then likely end up soaking wet and look even more stupid. This logic appealed to Pitoo.
"On second thought hold still. I'll get you out," Pitoo started up, awkwardly, to where his brothers rump was. Once there he gave the stuck rump a nice big rabbit/mule kick.
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 12:48 pm
"Why!? Because I'm your brother, that's why." He threw a pleading look at the younger cub and made a small show out of trying to wiggle free himself. Again it really did little more than get him further down in-between the forked trunks. "And... I need help. If someone needs help you should help them! That's just common sense."
That, it seemed, worked. He smiled and hunched up, preparing himself for the backwards tug that would both free him and save him from a mud bath! Oh Pitoo, he knew he was a good gu...wait. What was he doing back there? He didn't like that tone.
"...Pitoo? You are going to pull me ou-"
And nope. It was a shove forward. Pit came loose, his bum kicked right up over his head. The cub went flipping and with a loud splash and a 'thunk' landed on the ground upside-down. His now sore rump facing skywards while his back, shoulders, and head splashed into the puddle. Sputtering and snorting, he rolled himself over onto his belly.
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 6:35 pm
"See I helped." He scoffed a bit. But oh no. Oh no no no no no. Pitoo was slipping from where he had kicked his brother free. Claws tried to fight it. Pitoo tried his best to climb up but the dampness of the wood would not have it and before all was said and done, Pitoo was stuck the opposite way Pit had been stuck. His rump faced the puddle and his upper half was wedged neatly where Pit had been.
"...." He was speechless now and completely unsure how this had happened. He'd met the same fate his brother had. Asking for help seemed to much of an ego blow to the young dark twin. Instead Pitoo desperately tried his best to claw his way upward to freedom. But again, the wedged cub found that the wetness of the wood was not so kind. He wasn't about to ask Pit to help though. He'd rather it be anyone but Pit that helped him out. Well, maybe not Pandora. She'd never let the young cub live this moment down.
After much flailing and much clawing, the little cub went still. He'd given up but did not admit this to Pit. The victory of seeing his twin splashed and shamed in the puddle was now completely wasted. He'd more then likely meet the same fate soon.
".........."
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 6:43 pm
Pit wiped his face clean on the back of his forearm, stood up, and sloshed out of the mud. A telltale scraping of claws, a clambering of paws, and then the 'oof' he'd echoed just minutes before and Pitoo was mirroring his prior predicament...backwards. He smirked, smiled, grinned, and laughed. It was mean, true, but it was perfect! Just perfect and ironic.
"Well well." He wiped at his face again and started up the log, careful to anchor himself with his claws and balance himself out a little better than he had last time. Plopping to his belly he rested his chin on the back of his paws.
"Pitoo. Are you stuck?"
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 6:48 pm
And now Pit had noticed. All the cards which were once in his paw had shifted to his twins. And now Pit, looking smug, knew this too. Pitoo groaned a long and annoyed groaned.
"Yes. Yes I'm stuck. What gave you THAT clue?" The dark twin snarked a bit at his now very satisfied looking brother. Pitoo's tail lashed a bit in annoyance but there was nothing he could do. Pitoo tried once more to claw him self out but the wet wood would not have it. He tried and tried and tried but it was truly hopeless and a bit pitiful to watch Pitoo try to escape his fate.
"You just gonna stare?" The dark twin asked flatly and directly.
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 6:55 pm
"Nope. But I think we could do with an attitude adjustment. How about a 'please' first?" He wiggled a little closer, bringing his nose almost right up against Pitoo's. "A very sincere, very polite 'please' will do you a world of good to learn. Why do you think mother's so hard on you? Oh-"
He dragged a his paw down across his presently muddy face and reached out to draw two lines, each at the corner of Pitoo's lips, upwards. A muddy, very fake smile. But a smile regardless. "There we go!"
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 6:58 pm
And here they went with the positive attitude talk. It really hurt, no burned, Pitoo a bit to listen to such babble about his attitude. And then as if Pit was sprinkling salt to an open wound, he drew a smile on his face. Pitoo's face darkened even more at that.
"PLEASE will you shut up," Well he'd half done what was asked of him at the very least. A start maybe? Probably not. The dark cub carried a very dark expression of seething on his face. But it was like watching a caged lion. At the moment, Pitoo was completely harmless.
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 7:23 pm
Pit smirked. That was close enough. He supposed. "Fine. But when you're out, I want a 'thank you, Pit!' and a big, pearly smile." He stretched out and put his paws up on the trunk. This would be tricky... he could shove him backwards... into the mud, but that would be downright mean. He'd be a good example.
"Okay. I'm gonna pull you forward. You grab the log and help me pull okay? Use your claws, dig in, and pull."
He lowered his head and took a mouthful of scruff from Pitoo's neck and began pulling forward.
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 9:32 pm
Pit was his happy useful ready to help self as usual and Pitoo couldn't help but feel a little like he wanted to puke. Still, the lion cub wanted out of this situation a little more then he wanted to be stuck there. He wanted free. The lions tail twitched from side to side as he mulled over the choice and then actually swallowed his pride and gave Pit a nod. The plan sounded like something that would actually work , much to the cubs surprise.
"Alright," He said blankly. Pitoo did as was told and attempted to help him self up and out of his fateful trap.
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 10:15 pm
Pit propped himself up against the tree, clamped his teeth down, and gave a full-bodied tug backwards. His claws scrambled against the trunk of the tree, trying to find purchase against the dampened bark. It took some work but in time Pitoo was dislodged and pulled to the damp but somewhat clean surface of the log.
Pit, now fairly exhausted, flopped down against Pitoo's back, his tiny ribs heaving as he fought to catch his breath. "...he....heh... I did it. High five!"
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Posted: Fri May 04, 2012 10:35 pm
The lighter twin was doing it. He was pulling Pitoo up and Pitoo was helping the best he could. Eventually the two were triumphant in their efforts and Pitoo was laying beside his twin trying to gain his breath. Pit had done it and Pitoo was now free. The simple request of a high five was returned with a frown despite all that. Pitoo sighed, got up, and turned his back to his twin.
"Try not to get stuck again," Were the only words he muttered before disappearing in the brush of the swamp. It was hard. Very hard for him to like that ball of sunshine and happiness. It was easier to walk away and just pretend the two weren't exact copies of each other. Pitoo still shivered at the fact that they were related in some form or faction.
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