Denial Pt 1

by =BunniAngel

Ambrose stepped out of his cave early the next morning, with a look of pure confidence in his eyes. Dymona was on her way to see Zephrus but stopped dead in her tracks a few feet away from him. Her voice was caught in her throat and her jaw on the ground, eyes slowing taking in every inch of his form. His normally ragged hair was pulled back into a thick ponytail of black tipped green strands, and his horns were uncoiled and hung down behind his shoulders. He wore a dark blue, long sleeved suit with two tails hanging from the back of the jacket and intricate green designs on the outside of the sleeves and pant legs. The blue dazzled in the dim light and the green sparkled from between the wisps of smoke that moved along the floor. A single gold earring shined from the tip of his right horn and even his tail had been groomed to perfection. Noting his admirer, he turned his head towards her, winked and gave her a grin. His normally yellow-white fangs were now bright white and glistening.

Dymona could have died right then, but forced herself to stay upright and swallowed her voice back where it was supposed to be. “Ambrose? W-what’s going on?”

“What do you think?” he answered, “I'm going to meet the Serenda.”

“Looking like that?!” she shrieked, pointing at him.

“Oh come now little lady you are the one who suggested I use my persuasion…”
Dymona lowered her eyes and mumbled, “Didn’t mean that type of persuasion.”

“But m’dear that is my best form of persuasion.” He gave her a sly wink, “wouldn’t you agree?” her eyes narrowed sharply and she hissed loudly at him,

“Don’t make such stupid assumptions T’Nagare.” he merely rolled his eyes.

“You are so predictable. It’s a nice change to have you on the edge.” He continued to grin. Dymona’s blood was boiling, and unable to control her rage she reached out and clawed a long mark across the front of his suit jacket. “Why you - ”
She pressed a claw to his jacket button, flinging the small button clean across the room, “Don’t tempt meeAAHGG!” she sputtered as Ambrose violently grabbed her tight around her neck and tore her from the ground, high above the air, pressing her against the entrance to his cave and holding her there.

“What do you think you are doing, LeGless?” he sneered, “I know you are not trying to prove anything.” He added, staring deeply into her eyes, watching her face turn blue.

“She can prove whatever she likes.” Zephrus yelled, rounding the corner with a such force, all the smoke around the floor cleared his path completely.

“I didn’t ask for your help Noktuyn.” Ambrose stated calmly, still watching Dymona struggle against his grip, clawing madly at his fist. Zephrus dashed towards him,

“Let her go before I-”

“I don’t have to do anything!” he interrupted, beginning to sear in waves of electricity. Zephrus crackled in lightning and showed his fangs as he reached his claws back ready to strike,

“It is about time you were brought off your high hor-”

“SHUT UP!” Ambrose raged, dropping Dymona to the ground as he swung his free arm around precisely locking it with Zephrus’ neck and slinging him like a rag doll into the cave wall. The collision was so intense that it knocked loose chunks of the rock which tumbled atop him, and he fell unconscious below the debris.

“Zephrus!” Dymona croaked struggling to get off the floor, and ran towards him, still coughing and rubbing her neck. “You brute! You didn’t have to hurt him!” she sputtered, frantically moving the chunks of rock, a tear falling from her eye, “He was only trying to protect me…” Ambrose turned to face her and softly hissed,

“I’d never hurt you…but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t hurt him.” He studied her a moment, silently, before hissing at the pile of rocks. “Move.” The boulders fell from around Zephrus’ body. Still she didn’t look back at Ambrose, but watched longingly for the fallen zavi’s eyes to open, quietly sniffing. He waited a moment, then his eyes drifted downwards and he groaned, gritting his teeth as if seething his own feelings. “And don’t blame all this on me, things wouldn’t be so tough if you weren’t in so much denial.” He waited for some type of response but she didn’t give one, so with a deep quiet sigh he grabbed a handful of the smoke and walked out.

Zephrus stirred, having just managed to force his eyes open, slowly he whispered to her “One of these days, I’m going to give Ambrose exactly what he deserves.” Dymona looked back sadly at the space Ambrose occupied just a few seconds ago,

“Don’t say that…” Zephrus clambered to his feet, using one hand to brace himself on the wall and the other holding his chest. He gave her a look of disdain,

“You can’t tell me after all of that you are st- “ he narrowed his eyes, “But he could have killed you!”

“But he didn’t,” she answered quickly, looking back at him,

“And I could have died under that pile of rock and you probably would have still been standing there with that stupid look on your face like he did nothing wrong…wouldn’t you?”

“I didn’t say that…”

“Yeah but you are showing it.” He jerked his body away from the wall and attempted to stand upright, “and  here I thought that you were my friend. I thought you honestly cared what happened to me.”

“I do care!” she said turning back to him quickly, “and you are my friend!” He looked dead into her eyes,

“You sure could have fooled me.” Zephrus paused a moment, then spoke softly, “I was one of the only zavi that didn’t gain the habit of calling you ‘traitor’. Now I’m wondering if I should change my mind.” He pushed her aside and began to limp towards his cave. When she moved to help him, he called back, “I don’t need your help, LeGless, you’ve done enough to last a lifetime.”