Animalia: The Green Forest, Book 2

Chapter 17

Samson reached the front door. He was about to knock when it suddenly swung open.
Luca stood there. His eyes widened; surprise shone in his uninjured one. Then hostility flashed. "Well well well, if it isn't the human fucker." He greeted scornfully and crossed his arms.
"'Human fucker'. Funny you should say that considering your recent affair." Samson retorted. He narrowed his eyes. "Have you been losing weight? You looked bigger the last time I saw you-three months ago- I think."
Luca still looked hostile. "Yeah, we last saw each other three months ago, when you were protecting poor little Tsuki as if she were your mate." He laughed. "Oh Samson, you're so sad! You've always had this mindset that females will fall for you if you act nice to them!"
Samson's ears flattened. "Believe me, I don't want Tsuki," he hissed. "But I'm glad you brought her up. She sent me here to talk to you."
Luca's good eye sparked with interest now. "You've been very associated with Tsuki lately, haven't you?" He asked with a smirk. "She's something, isn't she? She's so submissive and will let anyone do anything to her. Come on Samson, tell me you've at least got something good from her."
"No. And I don't plan on getting anything from her," Samson would rather jump into the lake and drown than associate himself with Tsuki the way Luca did. "In fact Luca, you are the one who got something from Tsuki. You're a father now. She had your son yesterday. Congratulations."
Luca was silent. Then he snorted. "So? What do you expect me to do about it?" He turned and headed deeper into the house.
Samson followed his cousin inside. "I expect you to step up and be a good father," he replied coolly. "You had a daughter too." He sighed.
"I had a daughter?" Luca turned back to Samson with a gleam in his good eye. "Why did you say it like that?"
Samson looked down. The memory of burying the young kit twisted his heart. "She didn't make it," he replied sadly.
"She died." Luca murmured. His gaze suddenly became distant. "My kit is dead."
Samson shifted uneasily. Is he grieving? He wondered as he stared at his cousin. Luca was unusually quiet, his uninjured eye unfocused. Should I say something?
Then Luca shook his head after a while. "It's okay," he grunted. "Tsuki and I can always make a new one. That'll be fun."
Samson snapped his head up to gape at Luca. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He snapped. "These are children we're talking about! They aren't just your fun little creations! Your kits deserve better than you!"
Luca's gaze was infuriatingly calm. He even looked a little amused now. "Easy now, Sammy!" He chuckled and patted Samson's shoulder. "Kits are just kits. You worry about them too much."
Samson felt anger churning in him. "At least someone in here does," he growled softly. "You only like to hurt them. You're sick."
Luca still looked amused. "If you only came in here to complain, then you can leave," he pointed with his tail to the front door.
Samson stubbornly shook his head. "You need to come back to my place to pick up your son and mate." He glared at Luca. "They're your responsibility, not mine."
Luca rolled his good eye. "Yeah yeah, I'll come get them. Tomorrow."
Samson relaxed. "You should pay some respects to your daughter too," he pointed out.
"Mhm." Luca nodded.
Samson was surprised to see Luca complying so easily. "I'm glad you understand," He suddenly felt himself warming up to his cousin. "Hey, before I leave, why don't you show me around your home? I've never been here before. . ."
Luca hesitated. "Yeah, sure." He mumbled. He headed to the right.
Samson followed. He looked around once they entered a new room. "This is your kitchen?" He asked, even though he knew it was a kitchen.
"Yup. It was pretty run down after being abandoned for so long." Luca's good eye darkened. "But after having a little bit of work done on it, it's become pretty good again."
Luca left the kitchen before Samson could comment on it. "Okay, that was it." Luca said with a smile. "What did you think of my house?"
Samson narrowed his eyes. "Hang on, you only showed me the kitchen," he looked behind Luca and into the hallway. "I'm curious. What are the other two rooms like?"
Luca instantly looked down at the floor. "I can show you one room," he said quietly. "But that's it. The other one is a. . . A work in progress."
"That's fine," Samson thought that his cousin was acting strange, but he didn't dare question him. "Lead the way."
Luca stepped into the hallway. He deliberately kept his head turned away from the left door and opened the right door.
Samson curiously looked around the room. The bed in the center was big and messy. Spiderwebs hung all over the place. Samson blinked as a spider hung in front of him, attached to a string. He smacked it away. "You need to work on this room." He commented. "It's practically empty, the bed isn't made, spiders live all over the place. You've been living here for a while, haven't you? This room shouldn't be like this."
Luca caught the spider and flicked it to the ground. "Pfft, you sound like your mom." There was pain in his voice, but his face remained stoic. "Always nagging. I wonder how you live with her."
You used to live with her too until she kicked you out. Samson recalled to himself. He didn't want to say it out loud and remind Luca of that day. He shrugged instead. "I'm only being honest."
Luca led him out of the room. "Well, now that you saw my house, I think it's time that you started to go back to yours." He smiled.
"Alright, I'll leave now." Samson could sense an odd urgency in his cousin. He doesn't want me in here. He realized as he was leaving the house. He's obviously hiding something. Perhaps the room he murdered his mother in?
Samson shook these thoughts away and started to feel a little optimistic as he walked back to his home. Luca's going to pick his family up tomorrow. He thought happily. Now I don't have to deal with Tsuki anymore. The idea brought a smile to his face.
Then Samson frowned. Luca has such a long history of violence. He remembered uneasily. He's tried to kill me and Jaxon before. And he horribly mistreated Alex when they were together. What if he ends up abusing his son too? Samson felt a sudden urge to protect the small kit. If he ends up hurting that kid, I'm going to take him back. I'll raise him as if he were my own kit.
Samson felt conflicted inside. Am I even doing the right thing, handing over Luca's son? Luca's never been a stable person. His son might end up being the same way if I let him go. His heart sank as he came to a conclusion. That kit isn't even mine. I can't decide what happens to him. Only his parents can. If Luca wants his kit back, then I don't have a choice but to comply with his wishes.
Samson quickened his pace when he saw his house. He opened the front doors, walked inside, and headed straight for the guest room as quickly as he could.
Tsuki was on her phone. She was typing away while her kit napped beside her.
Samson stood close by the bed and stared down at Tsuki until she looked up.
"Oh, Sammy!" Tsuki's green eyes lit up when she saw him. "Did you talk to Luca?"
"Don't call me that." Samson replied briskly. "And yes, I did."
"What did he say?" Tsuki looked hopeful.
Samson glanced at the sleeping kit beside her. "He said he was going to come by tomorrow to get you and your kit." I'm surprised he even agreed to it. Something about it felt off. This isn't right. There has to be some kind of catch to this.
"Oh my gosh, really?" Tsuki gasped. Her face was full of happiness. "Thank you so so so much for doing this for me, Sammy!" She scooted closer to him on the bed to give him a hug. "You're such a great guy. I think you deserve a reward. . ."
Samson's tail bushed out at their contact. "Get the hell away from me," he hissed and wriggled out of her grip. "And stop calling me that."
Tsuki let out a pout. "But Sammy!" She cooed innocently. "You deserve something nice for the good deed you just did."
"I said no." Samson growled.
A mischievous look appeared on Tsuki's face. "Who's a good boy?" She asked slyly.
Me! I'm a good boy! Samson's instincts almost made him cry out. He felt his tail start to wag. He backed away from the bed when he suddenly started to feel excited. "I'm leaving now." He choked out before darting out of the room.
Samson leaned against a wall once he had entered the hallway. His tail was still wagging. Stop! He harshly grabbed it. Why do I always feel this way when I'm referred to as a good boy? He remembered the same excitement he had felt when Rose had called him that too.
Samson released his tail when it started to calm down. Every time I get excited or happy, this stupid thing starts to go all crazy. He stalked back into his room. I wonder if Alex has this problem too. But Alex was energetic all the time, and her tail was always moving about. She also rarely tried to conceal her emotions like Samson did, and almost never had any shame showing her true feelings.
Samson pushed these thoughts away and plopped himself down on his bed. He closed his eyes and felt himself slowly start to drift off to sleep. It's still early, but a little nap wouldn't hurt.