Star Fox: The Next Generation Chapter 1

[Geo Stelar]

Steve stared at Tiberius after that. Now he remembers. Now he knew why his captain wanted him to go to Fox. Special training, why haven't I thought of that?, Steve thought, and right away he put a piece of info in his mobile terminal: Purpose: Special training with Fox. He thought for a while, then added: and Tiberius

Steve stood up for a while, thinking. It would be an honor to train with Fox or his son. His rough journey and crash landing were a bad experience, but at least he gets a special training with Fox and his son. "Man, just this training makes up more than enough for the unlucky things that happened to me.", Steve muttered to himself. He was happy enough to do this training...

[Showtime 1-1]

Freya stared at Silver like he was nuts.

"Should we, not, like, you know, STOP HER!?" Freya snapped, aghast by conduct of her team. She realized that some of her teammates had history with Krystal, but they were part of Star Wolf now, and they needed to know where their loyalties lay. She tried to get up and reach for her pistol, but the wound on her leg put her down again

god dammit!

"You can go 'stop her' all you like, if you can even stand up." Silver muttered from under his ship. "I'll bet Attila and Cliff are off picking their noses, so don't count on them either. And by the time I get the StarCat running, they'll probably be long gone."

"Well why don't YOU go after them?" Freya half-yelled, half-barked.

Silver rolled back out and gave her a blank look.

"Have you ever seen my aim with a blaster? I couldn't stop her without the StarCat if I tried."

He returned to his work.

(Fira, are you okay with me putting words in Freya's mouth?)

[Guest Julius Quasar]

Cliff and Attila had stopped fighting, and ran after Panther and Krystal.  "I'll take Aunt Krystal, you save Panther, butthead!" said Cliff.  Attila nodded, as they pursued Krystal and Panther.

They had Krystal cornered, in a corner of the hangar.  Panther was still "held hostage".  "Let the butthead go, Aunt Krystal, you got nowhere to go!" said Cliff.

"I'll bet you're loving this, huh Panther?  Typical YOU would get captured, probably trying to 'tickle her belly button from the inside'....I warned you in the past, that your d*ck would get you in trouble one day..." Attila said to Panther.

Krystal shoved Panther into the boys, and he fell forward, knocking the other 2 males down to the deck.  She ran past the three of them.

Attila and Cliff got up, and pursued Krystal....as they zeroed in on her, Cliff one one side, Attila on the other side, they charged at Krystal like bulls, and Krystal, at the last possible second, did a gymnastic cartwheel sideways, out of Cliff's and Attila's paths, causing them to smash into each other, falling to the deck unconscious.

Krystal ran...

[Fira-Astrali]

"You can go 'stop her' all you like, if you can even stand up." Silver muttered from under his ship. "I'll bet Attila and Cliff are off picking their noses, so don't count on them either. And by the time I get the StarCat running, they'll probably be long gone."

"Well why don't YOU go after them?" Freya half-yelled, half-barked.

Silver rolled back out and gave her a blank look.

"Have you ever seen my aim with a blaster? I couldn't stop her without the StarCat if I tried."

He returned to his work.

(Fira, are you okay with me putting words in Freya's mouth?)

(Sure thing! I've seen you do it before, and always with good results. And besides, that's what she would have said )

She stared at him blankly, both not comprehending how little he cared, and realizing that what he said about Cliff and Atilla was completely true. She watched for a couple seconds as he worked, feeling completely helpless. So much for returning Star Wolf of the greatness of old. As soon as any sort of crisis arised, they fell to pieces. This would be her fault, she knew. Her father would want to know why she didn't step up, be a leader. She looked at the gun she had dropped in her pain.

Oh I'll show you a leader. Get ready, because this is gunna' hurt like a b*tch. She grabbed up the pistol. Good old fashioned projectile, too fast for anyone to dodge. She stood again, and this time, she ignored the scream of protest from her wounds. She heard Silver stop working, watch her walk to the door. Her leg didn't hurt anymore. There was no time for pain, she would hurt later, after she fixed this mess.

And remember, don't think, just shoot her.

[Kursed]

"give freya my reguards panther."Krystal smirked she pushed panther into Freya jumped into the craft panther had left for her and took off before Freya could even let off one shot the many  Ruffians and even Freya fired at the craft as it took off but their efforts were in vain as the space  craft flew through the air shield  flying out into space.

[Geo Stelar]

(Not spamming, or anything. = @ Kursed, Shinigami just mentioned you in my RP)

[Showtime 1-1]

Silver groaned as he heard Freya get up after Krystal. damn it, she's being the hero again...

He scooped up his blaster and headed out the door after her, only to see her fall after a collision with some black cat in fancy dress. He re-holstered his weapon with a sigh and pushed the purring, grinning Panther off of Freya.

"Good effort, pup, but it looks like this one just wasn't in the cards." he said, helping her up. "Fortunately for you, I have a plan to keep your father from blaming you for this. You're not gonna like it, though."

Before she could reply, he delivered a swift right hook to her face, knocking her out cold. Before she hit the ground, he had scooped her up and was carrying her towards Wolf's quarters.

it's not your fault if you weren't conscious... he said silently to her.

[Asper Sarnoff]

(Hehe, Panther got pushed at both Cliff and Attila, and now Freya.)

Panther got up on his feet, brushing the dust of his expensive suit. "Well, that could have gone better." He mumbled, hiding his joy over Krystals escape behind an expressionless face.

"I've got to say I'm gravely dissapointed with the way you handled the situation, gentlemen." He said to Cliff and Attila, as well as to the back of Silver who was carrying the unconcious Freya away. "Your unprofessional and clumsy approach to the situation could have cost Panther, that is me, his life!"

It was at that moment Wolf and his men entered the scene, running over the hangar to catch the vixen who was allready gone. Wolf looked allmighty pissed, and was seemingly ready to scorn both Panther and the new Starwolf like only he could. Then he caught eye of Freya being carried away in Silvers arms, and all the blood dissapeared from his face. "Bring her to the medical bay. NOW!" He barked to Silver before he turned to the rest of the men standing in front of him.

"You three." He said directed to Cliff, Attila and Panther. "Will as soon as Freyas condition is better, come along with her and Silver to my office. For a serious pep talk." He turned on his heel and marched out of the hangar again, after Silver and Freya.

Odin walked up alongside Steve, placing a large hand on his shoulder so that the smaller Wolf leaned slightly sideways under the load. "Should have told us from the start you weren't part of the rebellion buddy. What's really the reason you came here." He said jovialy.

[Geo Stelar]

"My captain died of a heart attack and before he died, he told me too seek out Fox and continue my training. He says he is an old friend of General Peppy, then he died. I traveled 3 planets without luck until I crash landed here.", Steve replied. His mobile terminal beeped. he looked at it, then it read: Odin Douglas. He closed it then said, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Odin."

[Guest Julius Quasar]

(Hehe, Panther got pushed at both Cliff and Attila, and now Freya.)

Panther got up on his feet, brushing the dust of his expensive suit. "Well, that could have gone better." He mumbled, hiding his joy over Krystals escape behind an expressionless face.

"I've got to say I'm gravely dissapointed with the way you handled the situation, gentlemen." He said to Cliff and Attila, as well as to the back of Silver who was carrying the unconcious Freya away. "Your unprofessional and clumsy approach to the situation could have cost Panther, that is me, his life!"

It was at that moment Wolf and his men entered the scene, running over the hangar to catch the vixen who was allready gone. Wolf looked allmighty pissed, and was seemingly ready to scorn both Panther and the new Starwolf like only he could. Then he caught eye of Freya being carried away in Silvers arms, and all the blood dissapeared from his face. "Bring her to the medical bay. NOW!" He barked to Silver before he turned to the rest of the men standing in front of him.

"You three." He said directed to Cliff, Attila and Panther. "Will as soon as Freyas condition is better, come along with her and Silver to my office. For a serious pep talk." He turned on his heel and marched out of the hangar again, after Silver and Freya.

Attila smacked Panther in the back of the head.  "Shut the hell up!  You're the one who let her get the drop on you in the first place, you stupid, arrogant, simpering fop!"

"Yeah, butthead!" Cliff said.

"You're not entirely innocent here....where do you get off messing up my shot like that!?" Attila said, taking a swing at Cliff, but Cliff caught Attila's fist, and twisted Attila's arm behind his own back.

Cliff then got Attila into a half nelson..."If that had been your mommy, Akasha, you woulda done the same to me!" he shouted.

"Yeah...you're right...lemme go now!" said Attila.  "Shut up!" Cliff said.

Cliff farted into Attila's face before releasing him completely.  Attila hissed at Cliff, but simply picked up his shotgun, and followed Cliff and Panther to Wolf's office.  Cliff grabbed Panther, on the way to the office, and farted into Panther's face as well, prior to fully releasing him.

Normally, Panther would've decked someone for doing that to him, but seeing Cliff's hulking size, and experiencing his brute strength, he decided he had no choice but to suck it up and let this one go.

[Fira-Astrali]

(Hehe, Panther got pushed at both Cliff and Attila, and now Freya.)

Panther got up on his feet, brushing the dust of his expensive suit. "Well, that could have gone better." He mumbled, hiding his joy over Krystals escape behind an expressionless face.

"I've got to say I'm gravely dissapointed with the way you handled the situation, gentlemen." He said to Cliff and Attila, as well as to the back of Silver who was carrying the unconcious Freya away. "Your unprofessional and clumsy approach to the situation could have cost Panther, that is me, his life!"

It was at that moment Wolf and his men entered the scene, running over the hangar to catch the vixen who was allready gone. Wolf looked allmighty pissed, and was seemingly ready to scorn both Panther and the new Starwolf like only he could. Then he caught eye of Freya being carried away in Silvers arms, and all the blood dissapeared from his face. "Bring her to the medical bay. NOW!" He barked to Silver before he turned to the rest of the men standing in front of him.

"You three." He said directed to Cliff, Attila and Panther. "Will as soon as Freyas condition is better, come along with her and Silver to my office. For a serious pep talk." He turned on his heel and marched out of the hangar again, after Silver and Freya.

("...Could have cost Panther, that is me, his life!" Haha, nice one XD)

Freya felt before she could see. Pain, radiating from first her leg, now her face was the first thing that came back to her. She opened her eyes and found herself, once again, in the medical bay.

We need to stop meeting like this she thought to her self. She tried to sit up, but her body was now ignoring her, and all she managed was a little shift.

Krystal, if you're listening, I'm going to get you for this, I don't care WHAT Atilla says

The shift was enough to draw the attention of the attendant on duty as such a late hour. It was a ruffian, but not ape. More like some kind of canine speicies, but he was so mixedbreed Freya couldn't even what he could be.

"You okay? Uh, ma'am, miss... m'lady?"

She stared at him for a few seconds, wishing she had the energy to think up something biting and sarcastic to say. At that point, all she could manage was; "What do you think?"

"Uh right, right, well, you ah, you... stay here for a bit, and then...yeah." And he dissapeared back to his work.

"Great," she muttered, "wasn't that enlightening."

She finally coerced her hand into working, and brought it up to feel the damage to her face. Nothing really, but she felt a tiny groove where a gash had been healed. That would go away. Her leg was something a little different. Whatever had been done to close the wounds on her leg had been reopened from her excertion, quite possibly made worse. She would see permanent damage cooming from that, if it wasn't delt with properly. She didn't mind scars, but any kind of limp would put her at a sevre disadvantage. She sighed, flopping back onto the bed, she'd have to be careful with it for now on.

She tried to remember what had happened in the cargo bay. She remembered Silver's disinerest, and Cliff and Atilla had been there. Panther had been used as a diversion, and Krystal had moved incredibly fast to get started and away before she could have got Panther off her. Silver had been there, but things had gotten foggy right then, and she was sure that was close to point of impact.

so it was you. Pr*ck. She understood why he had done it, he had tried to keep her out of the way of the firing-squad that would be her dad's temper. She could only hope that it would work.

[Kursed]

(poor panther being use as a battering ram lol.)

While Krystal's ship  floated away from sargasso and Towards Kantina she reached out to Freya. I'm sorry things had to turn out this way Freya, It seems I am still the master and you are the student....Get well soon we'll meet again. she thought already been in contact with fox she had told him about what had happened,but she still hid something from him something she had sworn not to reveal to anyone even Freya.

[Asper Sarnoff]

"My captain died of a heart attack and before he died, he told me too seek out Fox and continue my training. He says he is an old friend of General Peppy, then he died. I traveled 3 planets without luck until I crash landed here.", Steve replied. His mobile terminal beeped. he looked at it, then it read: Odin Douglas. He closed it then said, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Odin."

"Nice to meet you to Steve." Odin replied, throwing caution and formal titles to the wind, as usual.

"Well, see you around." He said before he left the other wolf and walked over to his teammates.

("...Could have cost Panther, that is me, his life!" Haha, nice one XD)

(Thanks!  Panther's a really enjoyable character to play as.)

[Showtime 1-1]

Silver was standing in Wolf's dark office. Wolf was not visibly shaken, but his anger was obvious. Beside Silver was Panther, who, unlike the other cat, had been offered a seat. Wolf had yet to say anything.

Silver broke the silence.

"Listen, Wolf. Attila and Cliff tried their best, but they couldn't risk the life of either Krystal or Panther because of your orders. Freya was already injured, then she got knocked out while she was helping me fix the StarCat. There's nothing we could have done about that."

He paused, expecting a reply from Wolf that didn't come. It was replaced by a glance from the canine.

"Oh, come on." he said back to Wolf. "If you did any research on me, you'd know that I'm useless with a blaster. Anyways, maybe if you hadn't treated Krystal like a POW, she wouldn't have been so eager to escape."

[Guest Julius Quasar]

(Sorry guys, lemme get caught up, my stupid parents forced me to work like a slave all day!)

*EDITED*

Cliff and Attila visited Freya in the medical bay.  "You okay, Freya?" asked Attila.

"Yeah, I hope you ain't too badly hurt..." said Cliff.

[Geo Stelar]

"Nice to meet you to Steve." Odin replied, throwing caution and formal titles to the wind, as usual.

"Well, see you around." He said before he left the other wolf and walked over to his teammates.

Steve followed Odin, but walked slowly. He saw that Tiberius was talking with someone, so he moved on, still slow. He was itching to be trained. He stopped about 4 meters from Odin, afraid that Odin might think Steve was spying him.

[Asper Sarnoff]

 

The veins in Wolfs neck started to pulsate as Silver was talking to his and his teammates defence, a sign that he was angry beyond compare, but keept it back for now.

He waited til Silver had finished giving his opinion on how Wolf was wrong to threat Krystal like he had done, before he showed his chair backwards and stood up, leaning heavily onto his desk.

"Silver..." He started calmly, before he exploded like an erupting volcano. "You are in no position to question my decisions! You got the vixen handed to you on a silver plate on board that cruiser. The perfect hostage and bait, the weakness of my archenemy... Of YOUR archenemy!" He added. His large ears were now lying back flat along his head. It looked like he was about to pounce on the two other men and rip them to shreds.

"She was the best chance we ever had to lure Fox out of his hole, and you blew it! She was in my claws, and you let her escape?" He seemed to have let out enough steam now, and were speaking a little more calmly.

"I tought you might want to know one thing Silver, before you start doubting your place again." Wolf picked up an attache from his desk, throwing it to Silver, which picked it straight out of the air with his fast reflexes.

The cats eyebrows furrowed as he looked trough the papers. Wolf sent him a satisfied grin.

"Yes Silver. These are wanted posters. For you, dead or alive. A price of ten milllion Lylatian credits are on your head." Wolf told him, as the cats eyes grew bigger and bigger for each paper he skimmed trough.

"These were issued by president Malon of Corneria. Before you took out one of his cruisers. He's out after all freelance pilots which may cause a threat to him, you should feel flattered.

Remember one thing tough, if you hadn't been under my wings, you would have been dragged back to Corneria in chains by now, or be dead." Wolf said as Silver finished looking trough the attache.

"Watch your step Silver. One word from me, and you will be thrown out of Starwolf, and into the jaws of Malon and his bloodhounds."

Satisfied with the effect this had on the cat, Wolf continued.

"Silver, you can leave. Go to the medical bay and meet up with your teammates. I'll talk with you all later on. In the meantime, I and Mr. Caruso will talk... business. Keep those posters as... souvenirs." Once again that shark-like grin filled Wolfs face.

As Silver left the room, seemingly glad to have survived, for now, Wolf walked away from the desk and over to the panoramic window, gesturing for Panther to follow him.

"You've become careless on your old days Panther. Freeing Krystal... inadvertantly, like this." Wolf said as Panther walked up alongside him, looking over the interior of the space station. The two men were of similar height, but Panther had put on quite a few pounds since he quit his mercenary career. Wolf hadn't.

Panther feelt his veins freeze to ice. Had Wolf looked trough him? Did he know he had helped Krystal escape?

"It happened to fast." Panther lied. "She somehow managed to open up the cuffs and took me by surprise. She's perhaps become enough of a telekinetic to manipulate small objects, such as the spring locks?"

Wolf nodded slowly. "Possibly." He said simply, to which Panther feelt a sting of hope, which was crushed again seconds after.

"Or, someone helped her escape." He added, before he struck. Fast as a striking snake, he swirled around and grabbed Panther by the troath with his right arm. Panther gasped in shock as he gripped Wolfs arm and tried to force his grip open. But Wolfs fingers were like steel, and didn't budge.

Implants! Wolf was using muscle stimulating implants now!

Panthers claws shot out and he let them sink into Wolfs arm, clawing and scratching as his brain started to slow down due to lack of oxygen. His movements became slower and slower, the room started to fade into darkness, and the only thing he could hear was his own heart racing. Then, Wolf opened his grip and let Panther fell down onto the floor, gasping for breath.

"Panther, Panther, Panther." Wolf said monotonly. "If I can't even trust your loyality, which ones can I?"

Panther was still gasping for air, unable to summon an answer.

"Luckily for you, I know a way to ensure your loyality in the future." Wolf said, before he suddenly changed subject. "How's your wife doing by the way?"

Panthers blood froze to ice. His wife, now pregnant in her second month, was safe in their flat on Zoness.

"Oh, you really tought I wouldn't find her on Zoness?" Wolf said, as if he had almost read Panthers mind.

"Sorry to break it to you old friend, but I did. Before Krystal was captured in fact."

Wolf pressed a button hidden somewhere on his belt, and a large panel in the oak wall moved aside, revealing a large screen, which then hummed into life and showed live footage of a unfamilair concrete room, and in the middle of it, a black, female cat was sitting on a chair.

She was all to familiar to Panther. The silky smooth fur, her emerald eyes, the beautiful figure which lines he had caressed so many times. While instantly recogniseable, he could see how her fur was stuck together in lumps by her own blood, how she was hanging lifelessly in the ropes holding her to the chair, how she looked like she had lost all hope.

It was obvious there was a webcamera in the office, and a live-feed from that was directed to her side as well. For she lifted her head and looked straight at a point above the screen, recognising her husband lying before Wolf feet.

"Panther." She stuttered in the soft, exotic voice of hers. "Help me..."

And with that, Wolf turned off the screen again. "She's in a secret location." He said, completely emotionless.

"As long as you do what I say, she won't be hurt anymore, and you will see her again when it's all over. But if you fail me again..." Wolf let the unspoken treath echo trough the room.

Panther finally regained enough breath to speak. "You monster!" He wheezed, to which Wolf only coocked an eyebrow. "It's a cold galaxy old friend. Despite what scientist might claim, we haven't really evolved that far from the primeeval ooze which we originally came from. One still have to eat, or be eaten." Wolf grabbed hold of Panthers jacket and lifted him effortlessly onto his feet.

"You will go back to your home on Zoness, where you will await my instructions." Wolf said as the doors out of the office opened. Panther sent Wolf one last hatefull gaze before he hasted out of the office.

(That became quite long, but I really liked the way it came out.)

[Showtime 1-1]

Damn. damn! damn, damn! DAMN!

Silver frowned as he stalked through the halls of Sargasso, still carrying the case which held his death certificate.

I should have known this would happen... I should have stuck to the outer rim... Now my hide belongs to Starwolf, at least until this Malon guy gets knocked off...

He shrugged off greetings and comments from people in the hallways as he headed for the medical bay.

...but what would happen if I weren't with Starwolf... I'd have nowhere to go, especially with ten million credits just for my life...

He paused outside the medical bay. Before, he had been easy-going about his involvement with Starwolf, feeling that he could leave on his own accord if things got too heavy. But now, the attache case in his right hand was holding him to his new team with his very own life.

He smiled, and walked in to the medical bay.

"Feeling better yet, Freya?"

[Guest Julius Quasar]

Cliff and Attila were there, watching over Freya, and they saw Silver.  "What's up, butthead?" Cliff asked, seeing Silver's distraught expression.

"You okay?" asked Attila, also noticing.

[Geo Stelar]

Steve stood there for a while, his mind racing. He wants to meet the rest of the Star Fox team, but his other thought said that Tiberius JUST met him, and Steve didn't think Odin and Tiberius would just let him in the base just because he was sent there to do special training.

Instead, Steve just decided that he'd ask if they have a repair section where he can fix his crashed ship. He walked over to Odin, then asked, "Uh, mr. Odin, do you have a room or place here where i can repair my broken ship silently?"

[Fira-Astrali]

(Good job Asper! 0.0 Wolf`s a real pr*ck!)

Freya didn't say anything for a few moments, trying to keep her anger at a minimum, but she couldn't quite manage it

"Well, My leg is shredded, my head feels like I`ve just been hit by a tank, and you three idiots have completely humiliated me, but other than that, I'm just duckie," she growled. "I just got done with a quickie surgery to fix the muscle damage to my leg, and there are nanites working to set it now. It'll take another hour or so, and then I'll go up and see my father. Hopefully I'm not about to get crucifed..." her voice trailed off, her brow furrowing as she contemplated the exchange. How quickly the golden light of victory had faded away. Now she was back to fearing every little misstep.

Her fist clenched involuntarily. She didn't know how much longer she could live like this. She'd given him 19 years, and it felt as if she'd been given nothing in return. Her head fell heavily back to the pillow, exhausted physically and emotionally.

"So, did you go see dad? What did he say?"

[Showtime 1-1]

"Eh, not much." Silver replied. He involuntarily held the attache case behind his back.

"Somehow, I don't think you'll have to worry about taking the heat for this caper. Your father seems to be on good terms with the cat who was taken hostage, maybe that guy will talk some sense into him. After all, we did our job and then some; he can't blame us for his lack of security in this dump."

Silver saw how tired Freya looked, and added:

"heh, sorry about the hit. It was the only thing I could think of that would keep your father from killing you right then and there. You have to admit it worked..."

Freya mustered enough energy to give Silver a cold glance.

"Hey, consider it payback for that time after the mission to Fichina." he teased. (see pg. 33 of this RP)

[Asper Sarnoff]

(Thanks Fira. Yes, Wolf is indeed a proper ass. And will be for some time to come still.)

Panther leaned onto the wall outside the mediacal bay, letting his head lean against the cold bulkhead. He feeled dizzy, sick. And that was probably not only repercussions after he had nearly been choked to death. The two people he cared the most for in the whole galaxy, his wife and their unborn daughter, was in the claws of that... monster!

He should have been prepared something like this would happen. He knew how Wolf had become, after he started to believe Fox was the one to blame for his wifes death. Wether it was true or not, Panther didn't know. But Wolf seemingly tought so, and would stop for nothing to extract his revenge upon the fox, and all his family.

He weren't sure what to do. He needed to follow Wolf orders for now. But what guarantee did he have that Wold wouldn't hurt his family? He needed to find them, help them escape him. But he couldn't do that on his own. He had been out of the mercenary business for so long, gotten soft in a career as a financier. He needed help, but from who?

Leon was on Macbeth. Last Panther knew he had become a pro gambler, and lived a life in utter luxury. He would probably not turn on his blood brother either, they had known each other since they were kids.

Who else did he have? Starfox? Maybe...

He would have to think this trough. For now, he had to check by on how Freya was doing. He owed her that much.

He opened the door and walked into the medical bay, heading for the group of people who had flocked around the shewolfs sickbed.

[Guest Julius Quasar]

(Good job Asper! 0.0 Wolf`s a real pr*ck!)

Freya didn't say anything for a few moments, trying to keep her anger at a minimum, but she couldn't quite manage it

"Well, My leg is shredded, my head feels like I`ve just been hit by a tank, and you three idiots have completely humiliated me, but other than that, I'm just duckie," she growled. "I just got done with a quickie surgery to fix the muscle damage to my leg, and there are nanites working to set it now. It'll take another hour or so, and then I'll go up and see my father. Hopefully I'm not about to get crucifed..." her voice trailed off, her brow furrowing as she contemplated the exchange. How quickly the golden light of victory had faded away. Now she was back to fearing every little misstep.

Her fist clenched involuntarily. She didn't know how much longer she could live like this. She'd given him 19 years, and it felt as if she'd been given nothing in return. Her head fell heavily back to the pillow, exhausted physically and emotionally.

"So, did you go see dad? What did he say?"

(I agree!  Good job, Asper, Wolf is a real s***bag)

"Who you callin' idiots, feeb'?" sneered Attila.

"Yeah, butthead!?  You didn't exactly do a stellar job!" added Cliff.

Attila and Cliff turned to see Panther.  "What're you lookin' at, butthead!?" Cliff asked Panther.

[Asper Sarnoff]

(Thanks Julius. I'll hopefully make him seem a little more multi-dimensional as time pass.)

"Keep such language to yourself while we have a lady in the room, my good man." Panther growled threatingly at the fox. He didn't care longer if he would be hopelessly outmatched by this brute should it ever come to a fight. His entire life had been ripped to shreds, everything he cared for had been taken from him. Except maybe the young lady in the sickbed. He remembered how she had been when she was younger, how he had comforted her when she needed it, Wolf had left all his empathy behind that day he discovered what role the McClouds had in his wifes death.

"I'll be going back home soon, but I needed to check by. How are you doing Freya?" Panther asked worringly.