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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 2058093" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 159: Ultimatum“By the Force, kill it!!” Shadow screamed as the Alraxian child pounced her, attaching to her face with his claws and raking them across any part of her that happened to be there. The force of his pounce sent her to the ground, landing on her tail with a loud yelp. At the same time, Tobias clawed his way to her neck, diving in and sinking his small, but still very sharp, teeth in.    Akan was there in a second, trying to do his best to ignore the extreme pain he could feel through the link. Quickly, he reached down and grabbed Tobias around the waist, getting a claw scraping across his hand in the process. Ignoring it, though, Akan yanked the child off of Shadow and pulled his away. For a long moment, Tobias continued to flail and growl and attempt to go back to pouncing Shadow, but then something changed again.    Slowly, he calmed down and then turned to look straight into Akan’s eyes. The child looked just like he had before Shadow had walked in. Curious. Tobias even smiled slightly, but when he turned to look back to Shadow, growled. She was getting to her feet again, rubbing her tail and trying not to think about all of the other pains. Tobias went back to struggling to get out of Akan’s grip and pounce her, hissing and spitting in the process.    “Fine!” Shadow yelled, throwing her hands in the air, “I know when I’m not wanted!”    She then turned and stormed out of the small room, forgetting the fact that she was still hungry. Once she had left, Tobias went silent for a moment. Akan stepped back over to the table with the food and dropped the young Alraxian down onto it. Tobias made an ‘oof’ noise when he landed, but idly padded over to the plate again and found another piece of food to eat, completely ignoring what had just happened.    After a moment, he seemed to notice Akan was still there, and swallowed a piece of meat before looking up to him, “Akan play?”    “No,” he said, glancing back to the exit of the room, “Akan had things to do.”    Tobias sniffled and gave him a big eyed look, “Please Akan play?”    But Akan resisted the attempt at persuasion and shook his head, “Not right now, little guy. You just stay here and eat, I’ll be back.”    Akan then turned and left, heading towards Shadow’s quarters.    Inside, Shadow sat glaring at the wall. She was hungry. But that...that thing was vicious. Outside the door, she heard a sudden thud and a loud, “Sithspit!”. Her forehead ached distantly, and Shadow couldn’t help a slight grin. Akan had gotten too used to Loki, who’s doors would just iris open when one got close to them.    Still grinning slightly, she said, “Its not locked.”    But the door only opened slightly, and Shadow quickly asked, “Is that fur ball with you?”    “No, he’s back eating,” Akan said, and then was suddenly grabbed by the collar and yanked into the room. Shadow peaked her head out, looked both ways to make sure, then hid back in and made sure the door had closed. When she looked back to him, Shadow noticed he was holding something. She sniffed the air. Her eyes widened and she nearly pounced his hands, getting the food and eating it happily.    Akan rolled his eyes, “Just like him.”    Sitting down on the bed, she said between bites, “What’s its...um...his name?”    “He says its Tobias.”    Shadow froze. Shaking slightly, she nodded and mumbled, “Of course...makes sense.”    “What do you mean?” Akan asked, looking a bit worried and having a seat on the bed next to her.    She sighed and looked down at the floor, remembering all those years ago, “Tobias was the name of my brother. He was...eaten by a Dragon when we were young.”    Silent again, the old images ran through her mind. Two large Dragons had somehow found their small camp. Only seven of the twelve children had survived, and it had been Shadow’s blade that had killed the largest of the two predators. Her older brother, Tobias, had been killed right in front of her eyes. His own twin, Asya, died at birth, and he had been the only one of her siblings, beyond her own twin, to actually like Shadow...Marix. Trying to forget that again, Shadow looked up and said quietly, “He’s the perfect weapon. They know I won’t kill the future.”    “Why is he so...” Akan trailed off, waving his hand vaguely.    Shadow understood, through the help of the link, and thought about it a moment, “I don’t know, but I’ve got a few guesses.”    Before she could say anything else, they both heard a scratching and sniffling noise at the door. Shadow’s eyes locked on the noise, near the bottom of the door, then moved to Akan. [I’m not going anywhere near him.]    Akan rolled his eyes and got up, stepping over to the door and ignoring Shadow’s sudden outburst, “Are you insane!! At least let me hide!!”    But Akan had hit the switch to open the door already. In a blur, he was pounced. Well, his leg was pounced. In a painful few seconds, Tobias clawed his way up Akan until he perched on his shoulder. Tobias purred into Akan’s ear then said happily, “No hungry anymore! Akan play now!”    So far, Tobias hadn’t looked behind him to see Shadow clinging to the bed and realizing she couldn’t escape or even hide anywhere. Akan turned his head as best he could to look into the two big, emerald eyes that were now at eye level with him and said, “Akan play under one condition.”    “Condit...condition?” Tobias played with the word a moment before figuring it out and waiting.    “You will tell me why you keep trying to attack Shadow, and you have to promise not to attack her anymore,” Akan said calmly, but in a very stern voice.    After a short silence, Tobias whispered, “That’s two conditions.”    “I guess it is,” Akan said, grinning just slightly as the small Alraxian clung to his shoulder, “But you still have to meet them before Akan will play.”    There was another silence, and Akan could feel and see the little Alraxian thinking about it all. It didn’t take long before a curious look appeared on his face, “Who?”    “The other Alraxian,” Akan said slowly, doing his best not to indicate that Shadow was right behind them. It probably wasn’t best to show him that just yet.    “Evil One,” Tobias hissed slightly, claws digging into his shoulder a little more. It also confirmed that it wasn’t the best idea to show Shadow was behind them.    Akan raised an eyebrow, “Evil...?”    Tobias nodded furiously, grabbing Akan’s head and turning to look straight in his eyes with an almost panicked expression. Surprised at this, and trying to ignore the pain in his neck for having to look at the Alraxian who was so close to him. Quietly, and very carefully, Akan asked a simple question, “Why?”    Tobias froze up, not able to come up with an answer to that and simply staring blankly now. Slowly, Akan lifted Tobias up off of his shoulder, holding the small child by the scruff of his neck. He then turned around so that they both faced Shadow. Her eyes went wide, not having expected him to be so..so.. “Are you mad?!”    “Quiet,” Akan snapped as Tobias started to move again, hissing and spitting and attempting to get free to maul Shadow. She struggled back a bit onto the bed, eyeing the child. His fur was now standing on end now. Akan lifted Tobias up a little more and shook his gently, “You be quiet, too.”    The tone of Akan’s voice got Tobias to shut up...except for a low snarling. Akan then indicated towards the panicked looking Shadow with his free hand, “See? She’s not evil.”    Tobias only growled. Rolling his eyes, Akan turned the small Alraxian to look him in the eyes and said sternly, “I’m going to put you down on the floor. If you attack her, Akan’s not going to play and you’re going to be in trouble.”    “You are mad!!” Shadow yelped, not moving but still eyeing the jai, “You can’t let go! I’ll be in pain!!”    Quickly, she started to cover any and all bare skin. Yes, Shadow knew what Akan was trying to do...but still, she would be in pain! Akan ignored her, kneeling down on the floor and setting Tobias down. Slowly, he let go of the jai, saying quietly, “Remember. Hurt her, and no play.”    Tobias went back to hissing and snarling, reared back to pounce, then froze again. His black fur was standing on end to the point where Shadow could see his skin beneath. There were a few short heartbeats where nothing happened. Then, suddenly, he wailed and pounced up at her. Quickly, and having been ready for it, Akan reached down and scooped the jai up. As he spun around and walked out of the room, Shadow let out a long sigh of relief, collapsing back on the bed and clinging to the food she still held.    Walking to a nearby room, Akan carried the now calm Tobias in and dropped him on a small bed. The little Alraxian purred and pounced at Akan’s hand as he withdrew it. Akan, however, batted Tobias back roughly and said angrily, “Alright, little guy, here’s the deal. Akan will not play until you leave Shadow alone. Once you stop trying to attack her, Akan will play. Until then, you’re staying in here so you can’t hurt anyone.”    He dug through his pocket a moment and pulled out a small comlink, placing it on the bed in front of the confused looking Alraxian, “See this? When you’re ready to be good, you press this little button and I’ll come back. If you cry or yell into it, I’m going to just ignore you. Understand?”    Tobias sniffled and picked up the small, egg-shaped comlink, sniffing it and inspecting it in about every way possible. Eventually he nodded slowly. Akan managed a half smile, “Good.”    He then turned and left the room, making sure to seal it as he did. This was why he had never liked children.((Oddly timed update because of the upgrade last night. Still the usual one coming later tonight/tommorrow.))</blockquote>

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