Animalia: The Green Forest, Book 2

Chapter 10

"Wake up, you two." A deep voice purred. "You both have spent a lot of time in this room."
Jaxon opened his eyes. This isn't my room. And that wasn't my dad talking either. He turned his head to see Ferris staring down at him. "Gah!" Jaxon scrambled up on the bed. Alex rolled away from him. "Sir! I-I mean, Ferris!"
Ferris looked amused. "Good morning, Jaxon." He stared at his daughter Alex. "Did you two sleep well?"
"We slept fine. . ." Jaxon shifted. How weird. He suddenly thought. If Alex and her family were humans, her dad would have surely thrown hands with me for sleeping with his daughter. "I think Alex is still asleep."
"Well, wake her up then!" Ferris chuckled. "I came in here to tell one of you that breakfast is ready. Don't miss it!" He turned away.
Jaxon remembered the crow that Alex had fed her adopted little brother. "Er, I'm not that hungry." He mumbled sheepishly. "But I'll still wake Alex up for breakfast."
Ferris waved his tail in acknowledgement as he exited Alex's room.
Jaxon turned to Alex. His girlfriend was curled up in a sleeping ball. She looks so peaceful. Jaxon felt bad that he had to wake her up.
Jaxon lightly tapped Alex's shoulder. "Hey," he murmured. He tapped it again. "Alex. Time to wake up. Breakfast is ready."
Alex's eyes slowly opened. She blinked a few times before lazily stretching her limbs. "Mh, breakfast." She mumbled and licked her lips.
"Uh, yeah. Breakfast." Jaxon couldn't understand what was so appetizing about the food that they ate. The dead crow from yesterday had left him feeling sick. How in the world does Alex even find that remotely delicious? It's weird!
Alex was already hopping off the bed. "Let's eat!" She chirped.
Jaxon wasn't as enthusiastic as she was. "Er, I'm not that hungry right now." He said dumbly. "I'll just wait for you to finish."
"Oh, okay." Alex pawed at her messy hair to fix it. She turned and headed out of her room when she had finished. "See you!"
Jaxon lay down on the bed again when she had left. He pulled out his phone. 7:03. Seven o'clock? Wow, that's early! He played a few apps on his phone while he waited.
It took a while until Alex returned. "Hi!" She chirped.
"Hi Alex," Jaxon sat up and leaned against the frame of her bed. He noticed something white on Alex's face. "Um, you got something. . . right here." He pointed at his own face.
Alex's tongue flicked out. She licked up the white stuff and blinked. "Oh, that was toothpaste!" She giggled.
Toothpaste? They have toothpaste too? Jaxon was amazed. "You felines have toothpaste here? Where do you guys even get it from?"
Alex was putting on her iconic green and white sweater. "My dad brings it for us," she explained. "He knows some humans. They're kind enough to give us some of these things. And the stuff they give us is all natural! My dad sometimes takes me and my brothers with him too."
They get these things for free? Jaxon couldn't help feeling a little jealous. Is it because they're animals? "That's cool."
"Yes, it's very cool." Ferris suddenly spoke. Alex's father was leaning against the frames of the doorway.
"Hi Dad!" Alex waved at her father.
"Hello Child." Ferris nodded at Alex. He turned to Jaxon. "Samson's here to take you home."
Samson? Jaxon wondered. Why Samson? "Okay." He tried not to feel disappointed. "Bye Alex." He gave his girlfriend a quick hug. I wish I could stay longer.
"Don't keep him waiting!" Ferris called as he left the room.
"Bye Jaxon," Alex nuzzled his cheek affectionately. "I wish I could go with you. But I need to spend some time with Bryson." She pulled away and stared at the doorway.
Jaxon turned. Bryson was standing at the doorway now. The little boy was staring at him intensely again.
"Okay then," Jaxon tried not to feel weird. "What are you two going to do?"
"I'm going to help him with his reading skills." Alex walked over to Bryson.
"Reading?" Jaxon was surprised. "I didn't know you could read."
"I can't." Alex's ears twitched self-consciously as she spoke. "I just sit with him while he reads his books out loud."
I guess that sort of helps? Jaxon frowned. Alex, an illiterate sixteen year old, just listening to her eleven year old brother read to her? Jaxon shifted uncomfortably. I hope what I'm about to say doesn't sound rude.
"Maybe I could help some time." Jaxon offered. He tried to sound as polite as he possibly could. "I know how to read. Maybe I could bring him some books and spend some time helping him sharpen up his reading skills."
Luckily Alex didn't seem offended. "That would be great!" Her ears perked up. "He learned how to read from our other brother, Alex V.. Maybe having you around to help out would make him an even better reader!"
"Great!" Jaxon smiled at the pair of siblings. He glanced at Bryson. "Hear that, little guy? I'll bring you some brand new books!"
Bryson just stared at him with wide eyes. He did look excited though. "Okay." He mumbled.
Alex was staring at him with affection in her eyes. "Thanks for offering to help."
"Ah, no problem." Jaxon ran a hand through his hair as he replied bashfully. Then he moved his hand away and made his way out of her room. "I have to go now. I'll see you later Alex."
"See you, Jaxon!" Alex called out behind him. Jaxon could hear Alex and her brother leaving the room too.
Jaxon walked through the hallways of the house. This place is so nice. He thought. It feels like a house for rich people. I wonder who made this house? What would it be like to live here, permanently? He blushed a bit. Maybe I could move in and live here with Alex in the future.
Jaxon stopped and stood by the front doors. I hope I didn't take too long! He opened them and stepped outside.
Samson was sitting on the steps of the entrance. He stood up and turned when Jaxon exited the house. "There you are."
Jaxon rushed over to him. "Sorry if I took too long." He apologized quickly. He stopped and stared at Samson. "Um, not to be rude or anything, but why are you taking me home? I can always just walk by myself."
Samson was already striding away. "Your sister was worried about you being out in the forest alone. She wanted you back as early as possible." He turned to face Jaxon with piercing red eyes. "And no. You can't walk by yourself. Remember what happened last time you did?"
Jaxon shivered at the memory of Luca firmly holding him down on the floor. The dangerous gleam in Luca's good eye as he had immobilized Jaxon still haunted him. That was scary. I thought I was gonna die.
Samson continued walking. "Exactly." He muttered. "Now come on."
Jaxon followed close behind. "Thanks for walking with me." He started. "I think that's cool. You're like a bodyguard."
"I'm just doing what your sister asked me to do." Samson didn't meet his gaze.
Of course you are. Jaxon couldn't help but smile. You would do anything Rose asked you to do. I wonder why. He couldn't help but chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Samson narrowed his eyes at Jaxon.
Jaxon stared at Samson with a large smile. "I just think it's funny," he started with another laugh. "You always act all tough and stuff, but I see the way you are with my sister. You're not as sharp with her as you are with me. "
"Tch!" Samson made a clicking noise and looked away. His face was slightly red. "I have a lot of respect for your sister. She's a great person. Easy to tolerate."
"'Easy to tolerate'?" Jaxon's eyes widened. "Are you calling the rest of us annoying?"
"I think you're annoying." Samson let out a tiny smirk. "Everyone else is fine."
"That's not very nice!" Jaxon gave Samson a friendly nudge.
Samson shrugged in response. "Hey, I'm just being honest."
The two continued to walk on in peace. Jaxon's mind started to wander off. Samson's such a chill person. And there's his cousin Luca. How the heck did he end up being so. . . crazy?
There was a rustling sound. Jaxon tensed. I hope it's not Luca! He thought exasperatedly. I've seen too much of him lately!
Samson's ears perked up. He had clearly heard it too. His tail bristled as he stopped and lifted his head.
"What is it, Samson?" Jaxon whispered. Then he cringed at his tone. I sound like a person asking their pet what they found!
Samson's tail smoothed out. "Nothing for us to worry about." He reported calmly.
Really? Jaxon's heart lifted. Maybe it's Alex! Or it could be one of her family members. That would be cool too, I guess.
But someone else emerged from the trees. Someone who Jaxon had never seen before. She looks awfully familiar though. . .
"Hello, Mother." Samson waved his tail at the newcomer.
"Hi Sammy." She spoke with a warm enthusiastic voice.
Jaxon gaped at Samson. "That's your mom? I thought she was your sister!"
The fennec vixen fox looked almost identical to Samson. Her pale brown hair looked similar to his, except she had less curls. Her fox ears were large like her son's too. She had such a youthful appearance; she looked like she could be Samson's twin sister instead of his mother.
Samson's mother suddenly stalked over to Jaxon. Oh my. She's so tall. Jaxon backed away from her when she bent over and stared into his eyes. I can see some differences now. He thought shyly. Her eyes were a bright pink and they shone with a boldness that Samson's red eyes never did.
"Who is this?" Samson's mother inquired without breaking eye contact. "Never seen him before. He looks so much like that Rose girl you sometimes talk about!"
"Stop that, you're scaring him." Samson used his tail to shoo his mother away. His voice was sharp, and there was a slight red tint to his face. "His name is Jaxon. He's Rose's brother."
Samson's mother straightened herself. "Don't shoo me off like I'm some kind of animal." She glared at Samson. "I just wanted to get a closer look at this nervy specimen."
"You are an animal." Samson didn't seem bothered by his mother's sharp tone. "And besides, you were scaring Jaxon. I had to shoo you away."
Gee, Samson's mom sure is aggressive. Jaxon thought as he watched the vixen chew her son out. Samson just listened with a blank face. It's weird how Samson didn't end up being like that. Jaxon froze when he suddenly realized something. But Luca did. He's so brash all the time. I wonder if this is where he got it from?
"Anyway," Samson's voice broke into Jaxon's thoughts. He had a hand up to signal his mother to stop talking. "I'm walking Jaxon through the forest. Rose asked me to."
"Really now?" Samson's mother crossed her arms. "And why is that?"
Samson started to walk off. "Because Luca's already tried to murder Jaxon before." He sighed. "Rose wants me to make sure her brother makes it back home safe and sound."
"Luca." Samson's mother's voice was full of disgust. "That piece of shit. I thought he disappeared forever. Since when did he return to the forest?"
Samson looked uncomfortable. "Well," he started uneasily. "A while ago. . ."
"And you never told me? Or your father?" Samson's mother hissed furiously. "Were you trying to protect him?"
Samson winced. "Of course not," he started quietly, clearly unnerved. "I just. . . sort of forgot to mention it."
"How do you forget something like that?" Samson's mother's tail lashed angrily as she spoke. "I know I've raised one idiot, but I didn't think I'd raised two idiots!"
Samson opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out.
Jaxon felt surprised as he watched the pair. He'd never seen Samson look so taken aback before. Samson's always so cool and level-headed! I've never seen him look like this! He then glanced at Samson's mother. I wonder if she had this much power over Luca. That's kind of scary to think about.
"Um, I need to go home now," Jaxon spoke up, hoping to stop the fight between Samson and his mother.
"Right," Samson mumbled, moving closer to Jaxon. He looked slightly ruffled. "I should get back to walking you. Come on." He moved past Jaxon without waiting for an answer.
Jaxon glanced back at Samson's mother. "Um, bye," he called awkwardly.
The vixen only waved her tail in reply. She still looked furious.
Jaxon caught up to Samson. His mind was whirling from what had just happened. "Er, what was your mom's name? I don't think I heard it."
"Iris," Samson's voice was quiet.
Iris. Like the flower? The name sounded nice to Jaxon. One more question still buzzed in his mind; "Samson?"
Samson's only response was a grunt.
Please don't get mad at my next question. Jaxon knew Samson wasn't as short-tempered as his mother, but he was still cautious as he asked, "Do you plan on telling your mom about. . . The Tsuki situation?"
"Do you really think I'd want to tell her that after the way she practically clawed my ears off?" Samson growled, his red eyes blazing with fury. Then he visibly relaxed and let out a sigh. "No, I don't think I will. I don't see a reason why I should. Tsuki and her kit aren't my problem, and they shouldn't be a problem for my mother either."
"I guess that makes sense?" Jaxon murmured. "But your mom seemed pretty upset today. Maybe you should tell her about this."
Samson's tail spiked up. "I'm not going to do it." He insisted. He turned away and continued to walk on without waiting for Jaxon.
Maybe he did pick up some personality from his mom. Jaxon thought as he stared at his friend. Samson was storming through the forest with an angry look on his face. They both have low patience. But Samson doesn't start screaming when his patience runs out. He just runs away from his problems. Jaxon shook his head. I hope they can both sort things out.
Jaxon followed behind Samson. 'Tsuki and her kit aren't my problem.' Samson's words came back to him. Why do I feel like he's wrong about that? Jaxon thought, but he didn't dare try to challenge Samson. I feel like everyone's going to have problems once Tsuki's kid is born.