Cold air washed through the white haired boy's exposed face, causing him to flinch and snug deeper into the animal hide blanket and the source of warmth behind him. He shivered, despite the soft, warm thing behind him, it's still not enough. He reached out his hand, grabbing blindly for the blanket to cover his face, but instead, his fingers landed on something…fleshy. The boy's violet eyes shot open, despite the cold, pea-sized rolled down his forehead as he looks down, a pale arm was wrapping around his body, a pale, tattoo-covered arm attached to a hand with long fingers tipped with sharp claws. A small gasp escaped his mouth, his eyes glued to the long tail covered in silvery white fur that just casually rested on his legs.
- YAH! - The terrified boy cried out in horror, swinging his elbow backward, trying to get away from the monster that's resting behind him.
- ACK!
A loud gag, then the arm lifted, giving Haru just enough time to roll away to the opposite side of the cave as whatever it was that was lying behind him. Panting heavily with his eyes wide opened, the boy watched in horrors as the owner of the arm and tail, a man with long, silvery white hair and amber eyes hugged his neck where the boy's just elbowed, coughing and gagging in pain as his raptorial legs scrape the moss-covered floor of the cave they're in. Then something snapped inside Haru's mind, another horrifying realizations of what he's done, of all the things that have transpired the last several days.
- Keto-san! - He yelped, clumsily tripping on his own hands and feet as he scurries toward the now calmed yet still panting man. - I-I'm sorry! I p-panicked! - He stuttered, feeling his face warmed from embarrassment in a vain effort to explain himself.
- How can…someone so small…elbow so hard...? - Panting, Quetz asked jokingly, still rubbing at the spot where Haru's hit him.
- Haru! Keto-san! - Another person rushed into the cave, a girl, older than Haru with black hair and brown eyes. - Is everything alright?! I heard screaming!
- I got…bwagh! …Elbowed… - Quetz smirked, coughing and gagging as he does.
- I'm sorry! - Haru yelped guiltily, shivering in fear as the white haired man slowly sits up in front of him.
- That's quite a blow. - Quetz chuckled, leaning forward so close to Haru that their forehead touched in a gentle collision.
- I didn't mean to… - The white haired boy whimpered, shakily tried to explain his action, an instinctive response to cope with the countless punishments inflicted on him at the village.
Quetz's amber eyes dimmed, as did his smile which has faded as he looks at the boy. The older male looked up at the girl, Mitsuki, wordlessly asking her what it was that has made the boy so scared, only to receive a sad glance before she too turned her gaze from him. A soft, quiet sniffing sound made the white haired man's long, pointed ear twitch and caused him to look down. Haru wasn't crying as he's originally thought. The boy gave a single sniffle, and that���s it, no retaliation, no emotion showing. He just…sat there, patiently waiting for the punishment that he's grown accustomed to.
- Haru. - Quetz called out, gently, quietly but firmly, his index finger brushed against the boy's jawline, then lifting his chin slowly so that their eyes could meet. The man took a good, deep look into those eyes, violet gems shone with fear and anxiety. He inhaled deeply, it pained and angered him so much, seeing the boy like this, so much so that he thought he couldn't say anything without yelling. But, he must do it. - Don't be like that. It's not your fault.
Something changed in those large, amethyst-colored eyes, gone were the fear, anxieties and guilt, replaced by surprise, confusion…relief. For a brief moment, Quetz and Haru just sat there, eyes locking into each others as both minds try to process the situation. The white haired boy looked down, then quietly nodded, still confused by the turn of events, he's never been talked to like that before, being told it's not his fault by someone who's not from his family. He scooted himself forward, then resting his forehead onto Quetz's chest, much to the white haired man's and Mitsuki's amusement.
- I'm sorry… - The boy whimpered, yet now his voice was made vacant of the guilt and fear that has always plagues his mind and voice.
- Nothing to sorry about. - Quetz smiled and pulled him into a hug, then he turned to Mitsuki still standing there. - Is…uh…breakfast ready?
- W-what? - The girl blinked out of her haziness, then scratching her head Oh. Uh…about that…
***
Loi crouched behind the large boulder, eyes glued onto a small deer just a few meters away, grazing nonchalantly amongst the tall grass with only its back visible. He slowly moved closer, making sure that he's always downwind from his prey while carefully survey the ground in front of him before taking a step. An hour have passed since the tanned boy first set out to hunt for breakfast, yet even in the cold, foggy atmosphere of the early morning, the animals here were still in high alert, making hunting difficult, especially for him. He's failed for several times, this would be his last chance before daylights become too bright for him to hide in this opened grassland. Quietly, the tanned boy crept toward the deer, occasionally stopping when his quarry looked up, ears twitching anxiously. Something spooked it, Loi thought, clutching the spear in his hand tightly, it's now or never.
Loi leapt toward the deer, spear raised high, readied to plunge into the flesh of the prey. But the deer was fast with its reflexes, a quick glance and its legs were already in position to run away, if only it had the chance to do so. Before Loi's eyes, a black tipped arrow screeched as it tears through the air, burying itself into the deer's flank. The animal let out an anguish yelp and fell to the ground, yet it still live, like the doe in the Forbidden Woods, it was so shock that it didn't feel the arrow at first. Yet the black arrow has hit home, as the deer was only able to limp for a few steps before collapsing, succumbing to its wound.
Loi landed onto the spot where the deer has stood grazing, eyes watching as a tall and dark figure rushes pass him on raptorial legs. The figure stomped down onto the deer's neck, ending its misery and removed his hood, revealing the white haired man with his long hair now tied into a ponytail. He lifted his foot from the deer's neck and made his way to the boy, extending his clawed hand to help him up, the other hand holding a bow carved from a weird material the color of ivory with small blue gemstones encrusted into it.
- I had it. - Loi mumbled, standing up by himself.
- Sure you did. - Quetz said teasingly. - That's why we had to wait until I wake up to have breakfast.
- Could you just…stop? - Loi closed his eyes shut, trying to calm the boiling anger inside him. - Isn't taking Haru away from me enough for you?
He quickly covered his mouth, sweats rolling down his forehead as he realized what he's just said. Loi looked at Quetz, who didn't show any emotion, those gleaming amber eyes only watched him with…curiosity. The older male reached down, grabbing the deer by its broken neck and threw its body over his shoulder then walked back to the direction of their campsite, not uttering a single word, much to the tanned boy's annoyance. He hates when Quetz just went silent like that, as if Loi's not worth his time, he turned toward the leaving older male, opening his mouth to protest.
- It's best that you don't say anything. - Quetz was quick and his voice was cold, commanding, so much so that Loi's mouth snapped shut almost immediately. - I don't want to upset Haru even more.
- What do you mean? - Loi's frowned. - What did you do? What happened?
- He elbowed me. - The older male replied. - It didn't hurt much, but he was scared that I'd punish him. - He stopped for a moment, taking in a deep breath to fill his lungs with the cool air then turned to the tanned boy, his eyes heavy with concern for the white haired boy. - …What exactly…did they do to him?
- I…they…
What escaped Loi's mouth was an indecisive stuttering, as he did not expect Quetz to ask such a question. It was too sudden, the tanned boy knew that the older male would ask about it or Haru would act out sooner or later, but it was too soon, he hasn't prepared himself to answer that question yet. He wasn't readied to betray Haru's trust yet.
- Did…did he…ask you…not to ask me? - The tanned boy started with a question.
- Yes. - Quetz nodded. - Just before I leave, he…made me promise not to talk about it.
- Then…you shouldn't. - Loi said, keeping his head low to hide the anger building up in his eyes, remembering what those older kids did to his beloved brother.
The white haired man narrowed his amber eyes, yet didn't protest. Quietly, he walked toward their camp, followed by Loi skulking behind him with his head still kept low. They first followed the trail of familiar landmarks that they've passed, then the column of smoke slowly raising higher and higher, signaling that Mitsuki and Haru were preparing whatever left of the food they've taken with them before leaving their home. As Quetz and Loi walked pass the tree lines, Mitsuki was busied with the soup made from the remaining rice and beans, along with whatever edible plants that she could find near around the camp. Behind his sister, Haru sat silently, back facing at them, his head was lowered, as if staring at something at his feet.
- Haru? What did you got there? - Loi asked, walking toward his brother.
- O-oh, you're back. - The white haired boy turned around, startled by his brother's call.
- OH FUCK! - The profanity escaped Quetz's mouth as he saw Haru's hands and lower arms were covered in blood, one hand holding a small knife, the other holding what was once a small animal.
- WHAT DID YOU DO?! - Loi immediately dropped his spear, both hand reaching up to grip at his hair in sheer terror.
Haru froze in place, petrified by his brother and Quetz's reaction, his violet eyes were all but bulging outward while his mouth was moments from falling off his face. Memories of the bullies flashed in the boy's mind, memories of how they screamed and cursed at him. Suddenly Loi's face became so…unfamiliar to him and Quetz was ten times more terrifying than the first time they met. Suddenly, the world around him didn't make sense anymore, the terrified people in front of Haru were just that, people, their faces became blank, emptied of all features, their bodies a blur of movements and colors, the sounds they made became distant and distorted beyond his under standing. The only things that were clear to Haru were the sensation of something soft, wet and warm in one of his hand and something hard in the other. Shakily, he looked down at his wet arms to see them covered in blood, with one hand holding what he thought was a rabbit, half skinned and mutilated beyond recognizing.
- D-did I…did I…d…di…do…tha… - He stuttered, shakily holding both the knife and the rabbit in his hands.
Oh gods, what have he done? The boy asked himself, violet eyes glued to the abomination of his own making. He panicked, the distorted sounds the others were making were now even more difficult for him to hear now that his ears boiled with blood. Hot, shaky short breaths escaped his mouth, he wanted to scream, but all that came out from his wide opened, gagging mouth were wheezes and inaudible grunting. No. It can't be. He can't be the one who did it! It's not his fault! It's not blood on his hands! He didn't do anything wrong! He didn't do it! There must be something he can do to get rid of it. Maybe if he could just cut it off. Maybe if he could just…
- Haru! Haru! Snap out of it dammit!
The voice echoed in Haru's mind, becoming clearer and clearer amidst the buzzing and distorted voices. It sounds familiar. The man calling for him was familiar. It was Quetz.
As abruptly as it has began, the haze that overwhelmed Haru's mind disappeared, causing everything to rush his senses as one. The first thing the white haired boy felt was the warmth and wetness of his tears on his face, the he bent over, coughing and gagging into Quetz's chest as his lungs expand and collapse rapidly and uncontrollably. Tears now poured out from his shut eyes, but he could still the older male's hands around his wrists, keeping him from accidentally hurting himself with the knife. He tried to open his eyes, to open his mouth and say something but couldn't get any word out between the coughing and gagging, what audible sound he did make were crying and yelping from the pain his body was going through. His trembling hands let go of the knife and the small carcass, fingers extending and curling, desperately finding something to hold as Haru tries to call Quetz's name.
- Ke…! K…! Ka…!
Immediately, Quetz's hands relinquished their holds, in their places, his arms wrapped around Haru's back, pulling him into his chest, allowing the boy to grip at his back and cry into his shoulder. It felt horrible, even when Quetz's holding him, it's still hurt so much, it felt like Haru's inside was being churned around, until last night's dinner came out onto Quetz's back. Yet the older male didn't let go, he simply held Haru in his arms, soothingly caressing his back while barking out inaudible orders to Mitsuki and Loi.
It took another five minutes or so until Haru's convulsing finally stopped, having depleted the entirety of his energy, leaving him to shiver in the white haired man's arms, vomiting out a final load before his breathing finally returned to normal. His mind was a haze, all he could perceive was the warmth of Quetz's body and his movements as he shifts themselves to the boulder and sat him onto his laps.
- W-will he be fine? - Mitsuki asked, kneeling next to the pair with a flask of water in her hands.
- He's weak. - Quetz said quietly, caressing Haru's hair. - But he'll be fine, he just need to rest.
- Wh-what just happened? - Loi stood near them, looking at his brother with a dumbfounded mixed with horrified expression on his face, he's seen Haru broke into tears before, but this…
- He had a panic attack. - Quetz explained, not lifting his gaze from the shivering boy in his laps. - His body went into overdrive because of stress without him realizing, and when he did, he wasn't prepared for it.
- So… - Loi frowned, not understanding what the older male was saying in the slightest. - you're saying…
- What exactly happened to him? - Quetz snapped his gaze upward to Loi, amber eyes pierced into his mind and soul with searing questions. One way or another, he will have the answer, and the tanned boy knew he wouldn't be able to hide it from him.