[Jaykobell]

Orreck gritted his teeth upon hearing Ansgar's response, and then to have the kid turn his back to the one who'd raised him ever since he was a pup. The Magma Creeper sunk his claws into the ground and narrowed his eyes. The kid had learned the truth; he wouldn't listen to Orreck anymore. The Magma Creeper would have to find a way to make this kid suffer for his ingratitude...

The Creeper let his anger cool down, and then he smirked. "Kids... so foolish and ignorant..." he chuckled under his breath, his claws so deep into the dirt that Orreck thought even his paws would get swallowed up. "I'll show you what happens when you defy the one that gave you everything you needed and everything you have." He looked over his shoulder at the injured and battered Lucain that was behind him.

Giving Orreck a sharp glare was the only thing Sen could do in his position. The paw Ansgar had bitten earlier had been taken advantage of; it was now bloody and twisted awkwardly, leaving the Lucain in pain. Whatever happened while Ansgar and Anthanaric were talking wasn't all that beautiful to look like. While it was hard to see because of Sen's natural dark pelt, the Lucain was splotched with his own blood.

In an effort to intervene, Sen clumsily got up, although it was obvious he didn't much energy left in him. He kept one of his eyes closed, a thick trickle of blood slicking down over the eye. Oh, he wasn't getting up to defend the kids, no... He was getting up because he knew the kids weren't going to be the victims.

The Magma Creeper chuckled and watched, amused, as Sen tried to stand up for himself. "You would have been such a great help," he admitted as he got onto his paws, "had you followed my footsteps. Acting on your own, keeping to your own affairs... Shunning both me and your family." He approached the killer Lucain slowly. "While I agree of what you do... I don't agree with your motive." He sank his claws into the ground again. "I can't let you succeed... Let alone live. Not if you won't ally yourself with me."

Without any warning, the Creeper launched himself at the Lucain, gripping him by the scruff of his neck. Sen yowled but didn't struggle.

"Pa!" Ric screeched helplessly as he watched Orreck grab his father's neck. While he wanted to tackle the Creeper away to try and save his father, his instincts were disagreeing with him. He could feel his muscles turning into stone, keeping Ric from moving. And what about Ansgar? Would he try to side with Orreck just to get rid of Senervel? If Ansgar was Ric's brother, then Senervel was also Ansgar's father... The one Ansgar wanted to kill. Would his brother side with his family or with Orreck?

What now? What now?

[Kodai]

And now Orreck was attacking Senervel. Ans turned and watched, thoughts running through his mind. This was what Senervel deserved, right? After killing so many people? But what was it he had said? He was cleansing the population, or something to that affect. And... he was his father. No son would just stand idly by while his father was being attacked, right? As a Lucain of the law, it was his duty to protect the innocent. But was Senervel really innocent? That was questionable... Urg, his brain hurt. Such a difficult decision to make. Slowly, he took a step forward. Then another, and another... until he had launched himself at Orreck, trying to get a grip on the Magma Creeper's scaly hide.

"Get off my father!"

[Jaykobell]

[[ AWWH! Ans! D8 -gives some Advil pills for headaches- oPo ]]

The Creeper sank his tiny razor-sharp teeth into Sen's neck as much as he could, feeling the Lucain's blood dripping on Sen's pelt, the ground, and slipping into Orreck's mouth as he tried to bite deeper and deeper, so deep his teeth would get stuck in the flesh. He then stabbed Sen's throat with his claws, making the Lucain gag and cough a mouthful of blood. If he didn't get out of this, and fast, he would...

But then Orreck felt a strong grip pulling him away from his prey. The Magma Creeper screeched furiously as he was lifted from the ground (while he was as big as a Creeper could get, he was still fairly smaller than a grown Lucain), batting at nothing with his paws and legs. The kid! The kid had turned his back to him, and now he was trying to save that killer. "What are you going to do, kid? Kill me? Kill me to save this Lucain, whom will most likely kill even more innocents?" He stopped struggling against Ansgar's grip and twisted his body slightly to try and get ahold of the Lucain's gaze. "All right, so we have a few issues with each other... but I can kill this Lucain, right here, right now, and let countless innocents live. Would you rather kill one Lucain or countless innocents? It's up to you." This was most likely his last chance to try and manipulate the kid again. If the child slipped out of his grasp this time, Orreck wouldn't have another opportunity.

As for Ric, he was still there, by the same spot. He hadn't moved an inch, unlike Ansgar. But he was watching with his blind-like eyes, staring and watching as the scene unfolded itself. His silent gaze seemed to be repeating, "Pa" nonstop as he stared at Senervel, Ric feeling his eyes becoming wet with tears. If only, if only he could summon his courage and help his brother! But how? How? Not only was Ric starting to cry from the stress and fear of his father's possible death, he was also crying because he knew he couldn't help, and that if his father died, that it would be because of him. How would he live with that...?

[Kodai]

"No... I'm not going to kill you," Ans growled between his teeth, glaring at Orreck. "But I'm not going to let you kill Senervel, either." He turned his head so that both he and Orreck could see the grief-stricken Anthanaric. "Look. If Senervel dies, this Lucain here looses a father. We'd be killing someone's father! And that would mean someone's husband as well, most likely. Sure, he may have killed countless people, but is it our place to deal out punishment? No! It's the court that has to decide what his fate is. Not us." Ans turned back around and growled low in his throat. "Now leave us alone. We don't want you here anymore." So saying, he hurled Orreck away, out of the forest, and went to the wounded Senervel.

"Hey... are you gonna make it?"

[Jaykobell]

Despite seeing the traumatized Ric, Orreck didn't give in. "Who cares? If you don't kill him, he'll kill more people! Why leave him live?" Orreck narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth. "I'll come back for you, Ansgar. And you'll regret what you did. I promise that you will. You wiiiilllll...!" The end of the Creeper's sentence was cut abruptly as he was thrown away by Ansgar. The fight would be over for now.

Lying on his side and trying to keep his head together, Senervel looked up to see Ansgar over him, seemingly concerned. The Lucain let out a soft chuckle and licked his muzzle, slipping some blood back into his mouth. "No need to shake in your pelt," he whispered, forcing his body to get back onto its paws, save for that one twisted ankle. While weak and exhausted, it looked Sen had no injuries other than the twisted paw and the scratches from Orreck. He turned to Ansgar, one of his eyes still closed. He shook his head and grinned. "A hunting Lucain letting me go.... This is a first."

Senervel didn't have enough time to add anything else, for Ric had dashed for Ansgar, literally glomping the other Lucain with snugs. "You... you saved my Pa!" He paused and let go of Ansgar and looked up, staring at the brown-and-black-colored Lucain with his pale eyes. "Our Pa... You saved our Pa," he corrected as he stared some more, curiosity in his eyes. What would happen now? His brother had been found... What kind of things could Ansgar teach him?

[Kodai]

"Don't think that I'm giving up for good, Senervel. One day... when I'm good enough to beat you in a fight... That'll be the day that I bring you in for judgement. But until then..." Ans turned to walk away. "I'm quitting the force now. They'll never take me back since I failed to capture you. And besides, I can't go back, knowing what I know now. I... just can't. I can't forgive them yet. So... farewell for now." And without another word, he was off into the dark reaches of the forest. Where would he go? None could tell. But one thing was certain -- that was not the last they had seen of Ansgar.

[Jaykobell]

As soon as Ansgar had started to get distant from them, Anthanaric headed for Senervel, helping his father up, since Sen's injury was too severe to put pressure on it. The older Lucain was now being supported by his son, keeping his paw in the air to avoid injuring it any more. Despite the moving that was going on, Sen was listening to Ansgar carefully, fixing him with his blue eyes. At Ansgar's goal he grinned. "Try it, kid. I don't turn down any challenge..." he replied as he watched the younger Lucain disappear into the shadows, something tugging at him. He ignored the feeling and nodded to Ric, whom nodded back. The two Lucain started to walk towards the shadows as well, heading back home as well. What a long day it had been...