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“I’m telling you Flame, Zam is going mad” Mane hissed, fully fed up with his brother’s bullshit.
Flame dragged his hand over his face “I know, I know, but we need powerful allies. With powerful backing, people won’t mess with us and we won’t have to worry about bandits or other factions.”
“With Zam as Queen we’re almost guaranteed to end up on the losing side of history” Mane countered. “She is crazy, actually crazy, I usually wouldn’t care about how crazy a person is but she is losing her mind. If we stay with her for any longer she is going to drag us down with her.”
Flame eyed the floor, his baby brother looked defiant but knew Mane’s words were true. Flame looked up to Zam since the woman offered the brothers a place in her kingdom, but even he had to admit that she had gone off the deep end. Her plans were crazy, she was obsessed with power and fame to the point where it blinded her. The holder was persuasion was lost in her kingdom that she cut off the possibility of fault.
“Then what should we do” Flame asked suddenly “where else would take us in afte we leave Zam?”
“Nowhere” Mane confirmed “but thats ok, we don’t have to join a civilization, we could just- be. Like it used to be, just you and me against the world.”
Purple eyes met glassy red and amber ones as Flame looked up at his brother with an unreadable gaze “I- I thought you wanted to join a civilization, I thought you wanted to stop running away. You dragged us away from our home and now you want to go right back to where we started!?”
Mane sighed “I didn’t know how bad the server was when I wanted to leave, now? I can see that this server is a lost cause, there is nothing for you or me here only bloodshed and loss.” He paused, looking at his dejected younger brother and felt a sting of guilt rush up his spine. Mane carefully placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder and waited for the demon hybrid to look up at him. “But that doesn't mean we can’t find a place for us somewhere, even if its just you and me just like old times.”
It truly was just them wasn’t it, Mane thought distantly. Flame was the only person in his pride, the baby he taken from his aunt and raised was his no matter what blood or norms said.
This was his cub, screw what other people thought!
Mane dragged his hand to Flame’s horn, scratching much like how one would do to a cat. And Flame did purr like a cat as well, though he wasn’t a feline like Mane he had gained some cat like traits while growing up. It was adorable. Mane purred in response, placing a soft kiss to his cub’s forehead and laughing as his ears went red. The lion hybrid opened his mouth to tease his brother when-.
*CRASH*
Guards unexpectedly charged the room, people they fought beside of for the last year surrounded them and backed them against the far wall. Behind them and stepping with grace was none other than Zam, stone faced and clearly pissed Flame raised his hands by instinct, whispering out a soft plea of “what” before his arms were grabbed. Mane moved faster, the holder of speed dashed forward and elbowed the guard away from Flame.
But Flame was sluggish, Mane recognized the potion effect of weakness anywhere, that guard had splashed it right at their feet. Mane wasn’t affected by them, having both a fast metabolism, being the holder of speed, and being exposed to them due to years of pvp. But Flame wasn't, and from the looks of it the weakness potion wasn't a normal one.
“FLAME!” Mane barely managed to catch his brother as his eyes fluttered back and he hit the floor. He wasn't fully passed out but a cold sweat appeared on his body as he curled into the lion hybrid’s arms. He looked so small, was Mane’s first thought but his next was a wave of anger as he shielded Flame with his own body.
Zam, being the sick bitch she was, laughed at the display “how cute, did you really think you could betray me and get away from it?”
Mane snarled “we weren't plan to betray you we were just thinking logically!”
Her smile dropped as she straightened herself out “believe what you want but I will not have traitors in my rank.”
Mane’s attention was drawn down as a whimper was drawn out of Flame, he looked feverish and almost half dead. Mane couldn't- wouldn't let his brother die, not here, not now, not ever.
But they were trapped, sure Mane could escape with his speed, he always could, but he'd have to leave Flame behind to ensure his escape. And running with Flame was just to risky, to many options, to many things that could go wrong. He also didn't have any weapons because they were supposed to be relaxing in Flame’s room, how great.
He just wanted to protect his cub, was that so wrong of a want?
He nuzzled his nose into Flame's head as the guards started to walk forward at Zam’s bullshit command. One thought spiraled through his mind, that he was going to fail his one job he swore above all. Why must this server take away the one thing that brought him joy, why must this server take away any bit of brightness?
No.
He wouldn't let them take Flame, not his little brother, not his cub, not the only thing in this server he would fight for. He swore to protect him, he swore to put the blood on his hands to keep his clean, he swore to never let another person take advantage of him. Yet here he was ready to give in and Zam do god knows what with them. He couldn't let that happen.
A bright light of red and orange shinned though the brothers as guards stumbled back. Zam looked on in confusion but also in interest as the light grew and grew. It was almost as bright as the sun but eventually, the light dulled down and revealed a single person.
The man was crouched down in a position ready to leap, he looked like a cross between a demon and lion hybrid with horns and ears. He had long dreads that were in a half up half down style, with his upper dreads being golden brown and the front ones being blonde. Covering his eyes was a sort of mask that looked like an X, one stripe being orange and the other being black. He was dressed in a loose orange tank top with black baggy shorts to go along with it, an attire fit for running. The man was definitely strong but what stood out was the markings on each of his arms. On his right were orange markings with hints of purple, consisting of mostly swirls and long lines. While his left arm was fit with more red with hints of orange, these markings were more rigid and seem to represent the Earth in some way.
And that's when realization hit her straight in the face.
“You fused” she laughed “fusion is possible in you think you can save you from me? Pathetic really that you both are so willing to run away, I bet this fusion isn't much stronger than you both.”
Though Zam couldn't see the fusion's eyes she could definitely tell he rolled them. “I have a name lady, I'm The Hare and I'll show you pathetic!”
In the blink of an eye, The Hare sprinted backwards and launched himself out of a nearby window. Laughing as guards scramble to follow, his speed was inhuman as he scaled the castle walls with ease, making it look like child's play.
Guards were obviously waiting outside the window, Zam was paranoid like that. But The Hare didn't break a sweat, stomping his foot like a rabbit the fusion called upon the holder of Earth’s powers, sending cracks into the Earth and clearing a path for him. Finally calling onto the holder of speed’s power to earn him the boost to launch himself forward and into the nearby woods. Effectively letting both the brothers escape.
Zam eyed down the window with almost amazement in her eyes, that Fusion had taken out some of her best men in mere seconds. And that Fusion was made on a whim, what could it do with more practice, what could it do with more training.
Zam smiled to herself as she turned away from the window, already with a new plan in mind.
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As The Hare finally made it to one of his safe houses he stretched his arms behind his head and entered like he had done it a hundred times before. Immediately making his way to his den, he allowed himself to sprawl out in the den room, enjoying the feeling of warmth and comfort.
Letting go of himself, The Hare allowed himself to be split into two parts once again, the holder of speed and the holder of Earth. Mane was sprawled out on his back, dazed and confused while Flame was on his side looking much better than when he had first gotten in drugged by that guard.
It took a minute or two for consciousness to enter both of their minds after so long of being together but once they did Mane immediately turned over to check on his brother. He looked relatively fine, exhausted and tired yes but there seem to be no signs of the weakness potion from earlier. Mane wanted to speak, he wanted to check and ask if his brother was fine but no words would come from his lips. He genuinely thought Flame was still in his mind, to the point of him forgetting to say words out loud.
“How-” words belt foreign on his tongue, they were The Hare, why would they need words between them when they were one? But that wasn't right, they weren't The Hare or whatever they had become to get out of Zam's hand. Mane swallowed the lump in his throat as he eventually managed “are you alright, how do you feel?”
Flame blinked a few times, seemingly still a little bit out of it from the whole deal that has just gone on. Instead of responding with words Flame curled himself closer to Mane as if trying to make them one again. As soon as Mane pulled Flame into his chest his cub was fast asleep, tail curing around Mane’s and purring like a cat.
Mane couldn't find it and himself to be mad, whatever had just happened was a lot to take him. He had felt complete as The Hare, like he was always supposed to be him. But just as soon as that completeness was given to him it was just as quickly stripped away. It felt foreign but yet so right at the same time.
Whatever, Mane decided as he wrapped Flame into his arms, Flame was safe and Mane would keep it that way.
No one would touch his cub ever again.