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After their first mating, Barkclaw became more and more sociable just as Oddclaw had intended him to. Slowly but surely, he began to coax him into opening up, allowing others to touch him and soothe his troubled mind with their intimate sessions. They kept it a secret for the sake of his brother's trust and their mating sessions continued over the course of two weeks until much to the family's surprise, Barkclaw came wandering back to the nest to greet his mother as well as join them when eating. He would not stay for long, but at the very least he was slowly coming out of his shell for which she was overjoyed almost to tears and, despite his occasional need to keep track of the insects that hovered through his favourite place, he became more relaxed in his schedule so long as he was noted in advance of any future plans to prepare himself mentally. Barren was grateful nonetheless, nuzzling Oddclaw with joyous licks whilst watching her other youngest son eat.

"I cannot thank you enough for this."

"It is fine mother, you have already thanked me."

"Hmhmhm, sorry but I am just so happy, finally our family feels more at peace!"

"I agree. Barkclaw even seems happy somehow, he is not as stressed as usual."

"You are a good brother. And a wonderful son. AH, yes, Sunscreech and Fishclaw will be hunting with you today."

"Oh? Why both?"

"They want to teach you how to fight stonetails, you never learned how to correct?"

"No, actually I did not."

"Well, Fishclaw is waiting for you at his nest, I will see you at night."[/i]

She licked him once more before he headed out, meeting Fishclaw at his own family's nest as they went towards their meeting place. Sunscreech always enjoyed the deepest darkest parts of the forest where sunlight never came as both brothers approached.

"So, are you here to finally become as strong as me?"

"Is that not why you want me here brother?"

"Hm...a family must be strong together, we cannot have the weak amongst us and since mother INSISTS on keeping you alive, I suppose we must teach you."

"Shade," warned Fishclaw, "remember mother's warning."

"All I am saying is that a family is only as strong as the weakest of us. And that is why we must make YOU strong."

"I understand," replied Oddclaw humbly, "I respect you as a hunter, and I am honoured you want to teach me."

"I do not WANT to, but that is duty after all. Now, you see that long bark over there? Pick it up."

He did as instructed and picked up a large branch to wield it like a longsword. It was something all his tribe accepted, his moniker that gave him a greater dexterity as Sunscreech nodded.

"Now I will admit, you have an odd skill in being able to carry things in your claws, so we are going to use that to make YOU the stonetail for this training. Now, swing that towards me. Try to hit me like it was a tail."

"What?"

"Try and hit me. Are you deaf as well as slow?"

"No but I could blind you with this if you want!"

"I would like to see you try. Now swing it strong, hit me strong as you can, try to hit me like a falling stone!"

Sunscreech waited for his younger brother to swing the branch at his face, the raptor dodging underneath and waiting for his chance. Oddclaw swung again harder than before as the red-skinned raptor evaded expertly, jumping over the strike that came towards his legs until Oddclaw made his most powerful attack yet. He overbalanced slightly, and the struggle to keep his feet on the ground was all Sunscreech needed to strike at his face, grappling his claws onto his neck and wrestling him down hard into a cloud of leaves.

"HRRAAAH! Hah...there...you see brother? Tire out the beast...then when it struggles to stand, come to its side and strike for the neck."

"I-i-is that...hhhhnnghk...all that you need?"

"A stonetail is great and clumsy, but if it hits you then your head will shatter like rotten bark. It has no defence apart from its back full of fangs and the tail, so if you can strike for the head then you can kill it."

"Why not...attack it before?"

"Because when it is tired, it is slow. Simple."

He stepped off of Oddclaw as they smiled panting slightly, whilst Fishclaw chuckled at their developing friendship.

"Looks like you finally found a mate."

"Wh-what?!"

"I can already hear the hatchlings crying for their two fathers."

"SH-SHUT UP FISHBREATH! I have standards!"

"So do I!" cried Oddclaw. "I do not let the first male I fight be the one to breed me!"

"HAH, says the one who mated his brother!"

"Wh-what?! How...how did you know?!"

"Eggfang told us," said Fishclaw, "she was on guard and heard you two mating each other before."

"Wha-I-"

"Did you really think we would not find out? You were clever to hide your musk with all those smelly plants and deathcrawlers to fool mother but you cannot fool Eggfang."

The smallest raptor looked upset, gently whimpering as he rubbed his hands nervously with a subdued scent.

"I-i-i...well...he is my brother, who better to-"

"I thought you said you had standards?" said Sunscreech sneering. "You would not mate with me but you will mate with a winglicker like him?"

"...are you jealous, brother?"

Realising that the older raptor was trying to get a rise from him as was his way, Oddclaw decided to hit back with a smile as Sunscreech sneered.

"What NO! I am just disappointed."

"Oh no, my brother is disappointed in me. The only thing that disappoints you more than me is a living skyflesh!"

"Haha, you are not THAT terrible, you smell better than a filthy winged wretch like them."

"Maybe I should just kill one and wear its wings for you to hate me more."

"PAH, if you kill one of them I will be proud of you! Now if you killed ALL of them then I would gratefully accept you as my brother and equal...even with your poor taste."

"What taste?" added Fishclaw to Sunscreech. "You smell like a rotten stonefish in the desert."

"I smell like a dead stonefish?! You smell like an entire SEA of dead rotting stonefish!"

"At least I have a reason, until you learn to hunt fish you have no reason!"

"Why did you even bother to hunt for fish, we have plenty of meat that walks and flies!"

"Well you kept pushing me into the lake, I had to catch SOMETHING! Did I ever tell you Oddclaw how I slapped his face with a fish?"

"HAHAHA WHAT?!" shrieked Oddclaw amazed.

"We were just two cycles old, he pushed me into the lake because he is my brother, and I grabbed this fish in my teeth, pulled myself out of the lake and swung it at his face."

"Khhhhhhahahahahaha, ohhh that is what you get for pushing your brother!"

"I made you what you are today," said Sunscreech standoffish, "you should be thankful."

"...you know he is right."

"I will admit that," said the fish hunter smirking, "now come on, let us practice some more stonetail training before it is night."

The three nodded as they got back to strategies against the armoured beasts, Fishclaw now taking the branch up with his teeth and swinging it heavily towards their smallest brother. Sunscreech would lecture him on his posture, his stride and his speed until he managed to get past the ruthless bludgeoning force of the thick weighted bark. He was not as swift as Sunscreech had been, and more often than not Fishclaw managed to deflect his attack with the "stone tail" promptly enough to deter Oddclaw from approaching. But after a solid nine minutes of struggling effort, he managed to wear his target down and lunge upon his neck, biting straight for the jugular with practiced restraint much to the crowing of his siblings.

"FINALLY, HE HAS LEARNED!"

"Hmhmhm, not bad brother! Do you understand now how to dodge the stone?"

"Y-yes...yes I...understand, thank you...both of you."

"Do you believe this family is weak now, brother?"

"Not as much as before," said Sunscreech, "you accept your place in this family well so you have already learned the first step."

"As to what number of steps there are, that will depend on how swift you learn."

"But...you have managed to survive for twenty-four cycles so there is hope for you yet."

"Hmhm thank you," said Oddclaw humbly, "I am glad I have such wise brothers to teach me."

"Wise BROTHER. We do not include Fishclaw in that."

"Of course not," replied said brother, "having my own family was certainly not wise was it?"

"Having more to feed and more work for yourself? No, not at all."

"Then we are a tribe of fools, but are we not happy as fools?"

"I am happy and I am not a fool."

"If this is what you call happy, then I would hate to see you upset."

Over the next few days, Oddclaw trained with his older brothers in fighting various other creatures of the land, practicing new techniques and more ruthless skills that they could develop, until one evening when Eggfang approached him.

"Oddclaw."

"Yes?"

"Eyeclaw wants to speak with you."

"Oh...but, I am doing night hunts with our brothers-"

"I will tell them, do not worry."

"Oh...I wanted to ask, did you tell our brothers about me and Barkclaw?"

"Yes."

"...why? Eggfang that was private."

"What, I thought it was wonderful that you two were bonding in your own way. Did they tease you?"

"Yes...but I can handle that, that is not what I am worried about, I just do not want others to know, have you told mother yet?"

"No, I have not," she replied honestly. "I thought you would like to tell her yourself and they will not tell her either, I have forced them to keep quiet. They will listen or so help me..."

A trembling murmur bled through her teeth as she showed a deep row of fangs lined underneath her most prominent curved tooth. Her scent flared with such dominance almost as strong as that of Barren's as Oddclaw said gratefully:

"Thank you, I know she worries, it may not be wrong to mate with my brother but I fear what she might think."

"If that is the cause for Barkclaw being able to come and feast with us, then I am sure she will be happy. I must admit, it seems only those descended from your father have the desire for one's sibling."

"What do you mean?"

"I have never seen Sunscreech and Fishclaw mate each other, but your sisters cannot stop eating each other out half the day...which makes me wonder why you would even hide your mating with Barkclaw from mother."

"Because it is our secret. My brother trusted me not to tell anyone and I beg you not to tell mother, not for her sake, but for his."

"Alright. I understand, and I am sorry for telling our brothers, though I did wonder why you had to hide your musk with deadwings. Which I can tell you worked, not even your sisters could tell, and they are surprisingly sharp despite being, well...your sisters."

"They are your sisters too!" defended Oddclaw.

"Not if anyone asks," said Eggfang half-seriously. "It is those two along with Sunscreech that makes it why this family has two mothers."

"You seem to enjoy the role, I do not see you leaving the nest anytime swift."

"This is simply practice before the hunt. Were I the male I would not have to worry as much about hatchlings but I am the one with a womb so..."

She made a sort of motion reminiscent of a shrug, her muscles slightly lifting before they sank as Oddclaw went to meet his elder once more. Night time had come once again as he approached the ancient raptor who smiled on his rock.

"Ahhhh...my most wonderful saviour."

"H-...hello Eyeclaw. How are you?"

"Would you be so kind as to accompany me down to the lake? I need to make my mark and I am so very thirsty too."

"A-alright...come then."

He gently guided him towards the shimmering pool beyond the throng of trees, a quiet still place where the water gently lapped at the sands across their feet. Most of the tribe were now asleep as Eyeclaw hobbled his way around the nesting grounds to not disturb them. It was an arduous walk, his speed deteriorated as his brittle claws scraped along the grass and out to the firm scrubland where the moon shined upon the lake. The stars were out in full form resonating across the infinite black sky, as Eyeclaw relieved himself next to the trees.

"Hhhhhnnnnnnnnhhh...you would think it gets easy with age."

"What?"

"Letting your body mark...feeling it fall out of you. I tell you now it is just as hard as when I was your age."

"The lake is beautiful tonight. The moon and stars now swim in it."

"If only that were true, would make my task much more simple, hah!"

The old raptor knelt down by the waterfront and drank deeply, thick heavy gulps as Oddclaw decided to drink some himself whilst he was here before bed. Once he had fully slaked his thirst, after a long period of silence together he rose his head up towards the sky and stared at the moon fully. Radiant orb of purest white.

"Do you think the stars thirst, or hunger?"

"I...I do not think so, no."

"Why not?"

"Because...once you are gone, and your body has been left behind you no longer starve, is that right?"

"Good," said Eyeclaw smiling. You are learning well, that is why we cannot fear death. It is not where we go, but what we leave behind that matters, as well your father knew."[/i]

"Oh."

"He left you with us Oddclaw. He left with you a brother and sisters, a family who could be content. A family he ensured would survive, and now that falls to you. Let me ask you something."

"Alright."

"Why does the moon exist? Why the sun? What do you think these two things are Oddclaw?"

"I...I do not know. The same as what the stars are made of?"

"Perhaps. But if every star was a creature whose hopes and dreams are preserved, what is the sun and moon? Whose hopes embody that great orb in the sky do you think?"

"I do not know," replied Oddclaw gently. "I have...never thought about it."

"We do not know what the sun and moon are, but we know what the stars represent. Is that not odd, that the greatest lights of our world are the two most mysterious? Why does one disappear when the other comes awake, why not both appear at the same time?"

"And they are not the same because we have seen the sun sink and the moon rise."

"Do you know what I think?"

Oddclaw turned towards the elder who still stared upon the night sky.

"I believe they are not real, not something you can grasp in your claws like."

"What do you mean?"

"I believe the sun represents Life ITSELF...and the moon is but Death, think about it. Why do stars only come out at night and not the day?"

"Because it is light. We cannot see the stars unless it is dark, that is what I have always thought."

"But that moon IS light! The sun protects the world from being frozen, it brings us life for each new day is a new hunt and a new birth but I believe!"

He ranted almost incensed with a wild gleam as his claws raised upwards.

"I believe that the moon is watching over the hopes and dreams of every star that has come to rest. It is but a guardian, one who gathers and hunts across the land with its light and plucks every creature that has died on that day to carry one's hopes up to the stars upon their final night. The moon is a scavenger, but one who does not feast for itself rather it feasts to remember. Remember those who are lost."

The younger raptor stared upon the moon with a whole new sense of spiritual understanding, taking Eyeclaw's words with consideration and having no logical evidence to refute him. His eyes almost twinkled as he saw a shooting star, gasping as he pointed at it.

"LOOK! Look a-a-a-a star is moving!"

"AH! Ahahahahaaaaaaaa yes! YES I knew he would agree!"

"Who?!"

"Your father! Who else but him could travel amongst the stars the way he did in the Star Wake?!"

"I...I do not know, c-could that truly be him?! Right now?!"

"Yes I believe so! It is a sign showing me the truth, that perhaps the moon is what I think it is. No hunter has ever joined the stars both in body and mind but your father, and now he hunts across the great deep night sky."

"Hhhhhhhhh...oh......I-i-i wish he could hear me."

"He knows Oddclaw. He knows you are good, and kind, and a worthy hunter. You are the greatest of this tribe, that I truly believe and I know that you shall be a worthy hero far great than any of us."

"I-i-i do not believe-"

"Your father, your mother...they shall see you become a hero beyond our kind."

"I just do not want to disappear like mother's mate before."

"Bloodleaf was a fool, a moron who could not HOPE to compare to the greatness of your father Oddscar!"

"I-i-i am certain he had-"

"NO NO! Do not settle with scavengers for you shall never become a hunter if you do, your father is watching! Do you wish to insult him!?"

"NO! NO I would never-"

"Then promise me and your father that you shall be the hero of this tribe, that you will fulfil your duty, and you shall succeed where Bloodleaf has failed!"

"I-i-i promise. I just...I...I promise."

"Good...oh, L-L-LOOK!"

The stars twinkled indiscriminately through a pattern that Oddclaw could not see, but the old raptor watched almost frenzied by something new. Something strange, something wondrous as he felt that old familiar feeling rattle through his brain, sending spasms of violent light piercing inside his eyes as his limbs suddenly collapsed on him. He fell into the sand with eyes flickering rapidly every which way, seeing Oddclaw hunch over him with a look of panic trying to calm him down as well as something rustling in the bushes faintly behind him.

"E-eyeclaw! EYECLAW PLEASE, c-c-calm yourself, your body cannot take this!"

"A-AAAAH! HHHAAAA! Hhhaaaaaannnnnaaaaathe s-s-stars they are s-so...so happy f-for you."

"S-stop it! Please, I-i am sorry I did not mean-"

"AGHK, enough! Enough already!"

The old raptor shoved him off with a burst of strength almost knocking the young raptor down as he staggered onto his feet.

"We are done here...hhhhoooo...so...v-very tired now, please, take me home Oddclaw."

"Yes...I am sorry Eyeclaw."

"Sorry, for what?"

"I did not mean to...insult you or father."

"That is alright. You are young still, this world is great and you have so many cycles to learn new things that one day you shall be as wise as me, but remember even your father did not know all the answers. Now let us go to sleep...the moon has drank its fill and so it must return to hunt."

"Y-yes...I suppose."

Despite his confusion over this "prophecy" that Eyeclaw insisted on him having, Oddclaw forever felt he was but pretending for his sake. He felt no destiny, no great hopes, and he half-suspected that most of his ramblings were simply nothing but, and yet he wanted to believe. To believe in something beyond this world, to believe in himself and his own existence. His tribe could not explain what happened to his father and he felt as if they were trying to wrap everything in metaphors when he simply either died or disappeared.

But that was not going to disturb him, for he had a special day planned for his brother when, on a rare occasion that he had nothing to do he approached Barkclaw.

"I must show you something."

"What?"

"Come with me to the hunter's mountain, remember, where we waited with mother before?"

"Yes. What is it?"

"It is something wonderful, something I know you will love."

"I do not like surprises."

"It is not a surprise, I just cannot explain it. Come."

Taking his brother through the forest, it was not long before they reached the Dry Mountain sometime around early evening, the sky just touching onto a rosy shade of pinkish-amber as they scaled the rocky outcroppings up towards the cave entrance. It was a beautiful view, one that Oddclaw felt privileged to be alive to experience as he lead his brother inside. The cave was not especially deep, the sunlight creeping in enough to give light to most of the interior that dipped into the earth by a good 20 feet. At best it was a hiding place.

"What is inside?"

"Something I want to share with you. Here, see this stone?"

"Yes."

"Here is a secret that only we shall know of. Do you promise not to tell anyone?"

"I promise."

Oddclaw gripped his hands upon a random flat stone half the size of him and forcefully shoved it out of the way to reveal a hole. The anthro went first with the feral following after as they found themselves on a sloped downwards passage full of ivy and creeping green plants like a carpet spread before them. Oddclaw beckoned him to follow, a light shining at the end of the path from the sun glinting through seemingly invisible cracks from the walled-in ceiling above them. At the end of the passage was a large room covered in roots, thick and gnarled from old trees as Barkclaw realised they were now under the forest itself. But even more surprising was the field of grass that spread itself out before them with gentle dots that flickered between the soft blades. Slowly Oddclaw walked into the grass asking:

"Are you watching?"

"Watch...what?"

"Just watch me. Watch what happens."

Every step he took, something glinted past his knees as he put his hands down to sweep across the trembling green stems. Little blue lights started to creep out of their homes disturbed, first one then two but then came more. And more. With each new step Oddclaw began to spin himself round, tracing his claws across the grass to rouse more of the creatures from below him, shimmering with more than a dozen lights that danced alongside him. Curious lights, strange tiny winged beasts that glowed so strong they could cast his shadow upon the wall as Barkclaw stared with a gasp of awe and wonder. He watched his brother twirl within the grass, gently caressed by the pale blue gleam across his scales as he turned and spread his hand out towards him inviting to join in. Barkclaw cautiously stepped forwards, and soon the lights began to follow him in turn, briefly floating past his eyes like will-o-wisps of a gentle old world. In the light of the soft winged ones, Oddclaw could see something rare and beautiful. His brother smiling, almost crying with joy that now filled his heart as he started to shake with quivering lip. He brought his claws up to gently touch upon one of them, but the creature flitted away at the sight of his timid claw before slowly circling back to touch his snout, almost kissing him. He watched the strange light settle briefly on his face, staring upon it with a piercing look as he sat down into the grass. A strange whimpering came that Oddclaw had never heard before from him as he walked over.

"Are you alright?"

"......they...there are so many."

"I found this place, whilst I was hunting with Eggfang and Sunscreech before. I saw a light coming out from underneath that stone and I went to look and so I found this place. I thought of you when I saw these lights and I wanted to show you."

"This...th-th-this you found for me?"

"Yes. How do you feel?"

"I feel.........I feel warm. Peaceful. Brother. B-brother I cannot think."

"What?"

"I cannot think...hah...hhhahaha...I cannot think of anything. I can stop thinking."

"Really?"

"My...my mind feels...hhhhhmmmmmhhhh..."

Something changed within Barkclaw as he fell into the grass lying on his side with a bizarre feeling of complete contentment. A gentle peace had overwashed him, the lights stimulating him so sweetly that he felt the storm within his mind turn quiet and for the first time in many years, Oddclaw could no longer smell the scent of stress upon him. He was happy. Simply, completely happy as his brother laid down beside him watching the fading lights that softly unlocked pieces of him he could never see before.

"What do we call them?" he asked Barkclaw.

"What do we call them?" he repeated back.

"I am asking YOU. I do not think we have ever seen these before."

"They look like...stars with wings. Can...can I call them starwings?"

"Yes. That is the perfect name for them Barkclaw. We shall call this Starwing's Field, so if we ever have to find each other when we are apart, we will know where to be...and no one else shall know of this place."

"Is it our secret? Like you being my mate?"

"Hmhmhaha, you mean practice mate."

"Still a mate."

"Hah...you are right. It is our secret then. No one will ever find this place, I will make sure of that so only you and me can watch the starwings whenever you need it."

"I......alright. ...thank you."

They turned towards each other with gentle smiles as they licked across each other's face, the soft glint of saliva shimmering from the starwings above as they tried to settle back into their field and home once again. Oddclaw let his brother stay as long as he felt comfortable to, but eventually his mind started to rouse itself as questions came churning through his mind.

"Eyeclaw...speaks to you about father, does he not?"

"Yes. Always."

"Why?"

"Because I have his body. He and I were different."

"I am different."

"You are different in your own way, a way that I love you for."

"You are different in...your own way then?"

"Yes. I am not strong like the others, but Eyeclaw keeps trying to make me think that I am bound for some great destiny."

"What destiny?" asked Barkclaw softly.

"I...I do not know," mumbled Oddclaw. "I just agree with half the things he says because he is old and dying and I do not want him to be upset."

"If you...and father are different...does that mean you will leave in the Star Wake too?"

"What?"

"Like father did. He was different, so he left."

"N-no! No that is not why he left, father left for his own reasons not because he was different."

"Oh. Oddclaw?"

"Yes?"

"......promise you will not leave."

"What?"

A timid whimper came from the larger feral beast as his claws raked along the grass with uncertainty.

"You never break your promise. You promised me...if you ever hurt me you would leave."

"And I would never hurt you. Ever."

"I know. But...promise me if...you will not leave me. Even if you-"

"Barkclaw. I would NEVER hurt you, I will never hurt anyone in this family and I will NOT leave you. I love you. You are......I know we must care for all of our family but you...I could not live without you. I could not be apart from you."

"I...I want you to stay, f-forever."

"And I will. I promise."

Carefully he pulled Barkclaw's head towards his chest, feeling his warm breathing against his beating heart.

"No matter what happens to us, I promise, I will always be your brother, Barkclaw."

"Tha-...th-th-thank you."

The two rested for what seemed like an eternity, lost amongst the starwings until the sun had gone down and it was time for them to sleep. They walked back to the nest, with Oddclaw covering up their sacred trove as it became another ritual for them to do together, whenever Barkclaw needed it. A few days after this, Oddclaw was approached by Sunscreech.

"I have a task that you will surely enjoy."

"Really?"

"Yes. A stonetail has been caught inside the Roaring Caves, me and Fishclaw found it and chased it down to make perfect practice for you."

"Oh how wonderful! Shall we go now?"

"Yes, he is there already and I have told mother so come on."

The hour-long walk to reach the caves was unexpected but Oddclaw was extremely excited to have his chance against a real stonetailed beast to prove his worth. They walked along the edge of the forest alongside the lake, back along past the estuary and heading further east towards the sea. There the land would rise upwards to form a set of cliffs just beyond the end of their forest territory. Oddclaw could see the Dry Mountain distant from behind him as they reached the cave entrance. The sound of the ocean churned deep within the bowels of the earth as Sunscreech called for his brother.

"FISHCLAW?! FIIIISHCLAW! Hmph, he must be further in keeping guard, follow me."

The younger brother did as he was asked, heading downwards into the trembling cliffs that howled around his ears with the monstrous fury of nature's roar. His heart trembled with a palpitating worry despite the fact it was not very dark inside, due to the centuries of erosion that had worn down parts of the ceiling and walls to pockmark them like swiss cheese. Even the ground would shake with apoplectic rage as Oddclaw asked nervously:

"How did you manage to trap this beast?"

"Fishclaw insisted that he teach me how to catch fish, and it was then we saw a stonetail by the edge of the lake and we chased after it towards the sea before it ran into this cave."

"How old is it?"

"Perhaps your age. Should make a good kill."

The cavern soon dipped at an incline that was slightly loose, causing them to skid and scuffle their feet along the silted stone before Sunscreech led his brother ever deeper into the belly of the rumbling beast. The darkness would grow upon their heads as the walls became thicker, and it was only after a long 15-minute traverse that they walked into a somewhat medium-sized part of the cave. The ocean could be seen through the large holes in the rockface, as the sound of flying beasts sent a spiteful chill through their spines at such offensive clamour and screeching.

"Ugh, filthy vermin...I pity the beast that has to listen to the-......wait."

Despite the strong smell of the salty sea, roaring constantly outside to almost drown his thoughts, he realised something strange. There was no scent of a stonetail or Fishclaw from anywhere in these caves and it was only then that he felt a sudden weight crunch his back.

"A-AAAAAGH!"

Pinned to the ground with a sudden slam to his head, he felt the claws of a familiar beast on his back as Sunscreech's voice came thickly breathing to his ear.

"How...does it feel?"

"H-h-huh?!"

"After all that has been said about you...the great son of a hero, to be so STUPID like the hatchling you are."

"Wh-wh-wha-...what...S-s-sun-...Sh-shaderunner what are you-"

"BE, QUIET! You have spoken too much, and I shall plan to silence your incessant WHINGING!"

"Wha-what have I-wha-what is this?! You led me here to fight me?!"

"YOU were the one to start this. Did you enjoy talking with that old blind fool about my father, insulting him when you never even KNEW HIM?!"

"I-i-i...I-i...you...heard us?!"

"Every single word I needed to."

Sunscreech leaned down his head fully to stare at his brother straight into his left amber-marked eye.

"I thought, for a moment, that you would be clever enough to know your place as the weak one of this family. But all I hear from you is claiming that you shall succeed where my father has FAILED!"

"N-N-NO, NO THAT, THAT WAS EYECLAW, TH-THAT WAS NOT ME!"

"YOU DID NOT DENY IT DID YOU?! You have not changed at all since you cried for the first ten cycles of your life like the worthless degenerate that you are, AND I WILL NOT STAND FOR IT!"

His claws sunk fiercely into Oddclaw's back to rake across the flesh, causing him to scream as blood trickled down either side of his waist.

"A-A-AAAAAAGH!"

"My father, who BRAVELY fought against the greatbeast and DIED just so YOUR father could defile my mother's womb! You SICKEN ME!"

"A-A-A-AAAAAGH, S-SUNSCREEEECH, PLEASE S-STOP IT!"

"SHUT UP, FILTH!"

He latched his jaws hard upon Oddclaw's neck, sinking his teeth deep but not enough to kill as he growled openly amidst his brother's sharp gasping whimpers, his hands grasping frantically at stones and dirt.

"I will NOT...have my father insulted by some THING that smeared itself across my mother's womb. I do not need a shadow as weak as you, in fact to call you my shadow is but an insult! The only thing you are good for is to feed the skyflesh, for I would not even EAT you you disgusting-R-RHGHHK, GRRHHHKH!"

Swiping a cloud of rocky dust towards himself, he managed to toss a few brittle shards into Sunscreech's eye forcing him to release his grip and claw at his face in irritation. Oddclaw rolled frantically out of the way, kicking double-barrel straight into his larger brother's gut to push him off fully before scrabbling onto his feet to run. But the feral raptor was much swifter than him, rushing past to block the exit with a shriek of rage.

" NOOOOO! DO NOT! THINK that you are leaving this cave alive."

"I-i-i do not want to fight you! Please, I am sorry for what I said, I was just-E-eyeclaw is an old fool, I have to play along with his madness!"

"You are not the mad one, YOU have no excuse for what you agreed with AND I AM SICK OF YOU BEING CONSTANTLY PRAISED BY HIM!"

"WHY!?"

"I WAS BORN BEFORE YOU! I HUNT AND KILL MORE THAN YOU EVER COULD! When I made my first kill, you could not even walk! When I was old enough to breed, YOU were crying day and night for mother and now she cannot stand being without you!"

"I-i know I am weak, I know I took so long to learn, I am sorry that I am different!"

"IT WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU TO HAVE MOTHER ALL TO YOURSELF ODDCLAW, YOU HAVE TO BE WORSHIPPED! FOR DOING NOTHING! ...well, then I will make sure that you will be remembered the same way as your father was."

"Wh-wh-what?"

"I will make you disappear JUST AS HE DID!"

Sunscreech struck forth with a vicious lunging bite, aiming for Oddclaw's throat as he dodged frantically before being smacked by his brother's tail with a stinging whip across his cheek. The feral turned and leaped towards his brother with flying claws as Oddclaw dodged again, but Sunscreech anticipated it and landed fast with a sudden rush towards him, knocking him down to stomp his clawed feet upon his brother's face. Raking across the cheeks, he pushed one of his feet onto Oddclaw's neck to choke him before bringing his head down to crunch his snout within his rancorous jaws. Piercing pinpricks of a dozen teeth sunk into his face as he screamed, picking up a few stones in his scrabbling panic to swing frantically at his attacker. Sunscreech did not let go this time, bearing the sting to his eye with rapid blinking until Oddclaw desperately tried to shove his thumb into the flecked hazel pupil.

"AAAAARGH!"

The shocking sting of pain forced him to release as he reeled back from being briefly blinded, the smaller raptor running as fast as he could to the exit until something snapped hard on his tail.

"H-HAA-AAAAAAGH!"

Sunscreech had heard him run, and was well experienced enough to bite at his prey even without his eyesight for an instant to latch onto his brother's tail and pull him back, dragging violently enough to send a shooting anguish up along his spine before releasing him. Oddclaw turned fully to face him once more to evade his wicked bite, the large beastly sibling with glistening fangs of white as the roar of the ocean burned deep into their senses like the fires of hell. One crunch of his teeth reaching at thin air before the second, third and fourth that tried to snatch at the fearful brother's skull, Sunscreech swung his tail once he saw Oddclaw move too far towards his left. But he had learned his lesson, ducking underneath and circling around the feral who turned and lunged once again with his teeth almost in one movement, surprising Oddclaw enough that he almost lost his balance before he jumped, pushing his feet hard off the ground to backflip and plant his hands into the stony soil. Another push of his hands forcing his entire body almost instantly set him back onto his feet with a good measure of distance between him and his brother.

With hands now shaking from the fear as his musk changed to that of frightful submissiveness, Oddclaw became nothing more than the prey to his brother and he knew fully well of Sunscreech's intentions regardless of his pleas. The feral charged with a shrieking hate, snapping his jaws hard towards Oddclaw's leg as he leapt straight above him, planting his feet upon his brother's back and jumping off to behind him. The cavern had no safety, a place without any uneven stone platforms to create an almost perfectly flat arena to fight in. He tried to escape, but the larger brother was almost right behind him with a vicious snap of his jaws wrapped round his shoulder, crunching hard enough to pierce the flesh as he shook Oddclaw fast like a ragged doll. The pain was horrifying, almost as if he was trying to rip his straight out of its joint before he threw his brother straight across the room.

He fell into a stumbling roll, trying to clutch at his arm now wounded and weak with blood trickling down in hot thin rivulets along his rippling brown muscles. Sweat came flickering off his scales in bright glistening dew as Sunscreech charged him in mid-stagger, slamming his head straight into Oddclaw's stomach to knock him down fully but the raptor rolled to his side swiftly to prevent being torn up again. He stumbled back onto his feet and skirted round the 8-foot velociraptor, ducking underneath his tail along with his vicious teeth when Sunscreech spun with furious rage in a turning bite that almost ripped the flesh from his shoulder in passing. The maroon-tinted hunter suddenly leapt upon his brother, trying to kick forwards with his gouging sickle-shaped claws that sliced across his chest, pushing him hard enough to send him back down to the floor. Sunscreech followed after with stomping feet but the younger raptor rolled desperately, trying to make another run for it as he bled from his pectorals whimpering. He heard the rushing feet, the clacking claws upon the stone as he evaded just before they stopped, his brother snapping his jaws at empty space before Oddclaw suddenly barged into him from the side in a shouldercharge attack. The surprising thud to his side sent the larger raptor down crumpling, barely harmed as his sibling tried to reach the exit shrieking in distress.

"H-H-HEEEELP, HELP SOMEONE HELP MEEEEE!"

But his brother managed to fly towards him from his crouched position, crushing his jaws around his leg like a bear trap to send him down hard with his head knocking against the floor. Whimpering slightly dazed from the stunning ache inside his skull, he was brought back to his senses by the monstrous tearing of his brother's jaws around his foot as he screeched and kicked at him frantically. He pulled his younger sibling back towards him, dragging a fresh small trickle of blood back towards the cavernous room that smeared underneath Oddclaw's body. No matter how hard he kicked his other foot at him, Sunscreech simply bit down harder with a grin of relish without seeing the large rock in Oddclaw's grip. He stood up once he had dragged him far enough, pushing his foot upon the fresh wound in his brother's foot that made him scream with frantic sobs, claws twisting into the gleaming muscle of crimson flesh as his other foot stepped straight onto his flaccid cock. He bent his weight upon it firmly, crushing the scrotum beneath into a flattened line against the underside of his brother's tail right between his legs.

"A-AAAAAAAAARRGH! AAAAAAGH!"

"Pathetic. Still you cry like the hatchling you always will be."

His claws bent forwards pressing harder still against the scrotum as he raked through the penile flesh. Hot spasms of intimate pain rattled through his loins as he bit his lip quivering in rising agony.

"A disgusting creature where every part of him is that of a mockery to our kind."

"S-s-sun...Sh-shaderunner please...d-d-do not...please, do not kill me, I...I am sorry, I was w-wrong to say things about your father."

"In this world, it is kill or be killed! THAT is the first lesson we hunters learn Oddclaw!"

"I DO NOT WANT TO FIGHT YOU, PLEASE SH-SHADERUNNER STOP THIS!"

"A hunter who does not fight does not deserve to LIVE!"

The moment Sunscreech brought his head down towards the raptor's neck, Oddclaw swung violently sharp with the thick jagged stone in his hand, raking hard across the feral's face and almost blinding him in his right eye. He staggered with his foot lifted off of Oddclaw's penis, giving him the chance to push his assailant off and stand braced for battle, the bloodied rock in his hand as Sunscreech looked at him with incredulous shock, the anthro now dripping from his malehood with thin red drops.

"NNNNGH! ...finally. The whining hatchling fights back."

"I warned you, I do not want to fight but if...i-i-if you really must then I will not lay down and die."

"Hm...hhhhmhmhmhmhm, you cannot win against me Oddclaw, you cannot even scratch me with your claws so you must rely on stones instead. You have no place in my family."

"They are OUR FAMILY!"

"You have had my family for far too long and it ENDS, NOW!"

The feral striked at him with a leaping double kick, forcing Oddclaw to dodge as he sidestepped before swinging close to crack his stone against the beastly skull of his half-brother in rage ascending in his heart. The force of the solid rock sent Sunscreech staggering slightly, which was enough for Oddclaw to pounce and knock him down hard to straddle upon his neck and start savagely beating him with prehistoric frenzy. The older raptor screeched, snarling between bludgeons and bruises amidst the frantic blows until he opened his mouth wide and chomped hard upon Oddclaw's arm. Threatening to twist his hand straight off, he was forced to release when Oddclaw jammed his thumb once again into Sunscreech's eye which now hurt even more powerfully than ever, to the point it now twitched with brazen red in his pupils as his brother stepped off from his body to get away from his ruthless jaws.

Sunscreech sprang up from his place and charged with headbutting fury as Oddclaw lurched his body out of the way, tumbling into a sideways dodgeroll straight underneath the lashing whiplike tail that swung hard at where his face would have been. The young raptor grabbed at the tail hard and punched his rock straight into his brother's cloaca, the sensitive bulging slit shuddering from the pain as Sunscreech cried with blistering anguish and turned violently hard towards him. But Oddclaw had kept a firm hold on the tail to move around behind him, scoring another two hammering slams against his rear which sent painful spasms throughout his lower body before he went to the back of the legs.

His rock pummelled hard like a blunt dagger into Sunscreech's thigh, pulsating muscle now taut with trembling agony as he fell and screeched. Oddclaw turned vicious, his eyes now slitting to a thinning black sclera amidst the green iris as he lunged down to crunch his teeth straight upon the lower body of his foe. Sunscreech cried out with kicking furious legs, claws in the air as his brother's teeth sunk hard into his crotch area with fresh blood streaming down Oddclaw's chin. It was only flesh from the skin he managed to rip, but it was close enough to the cock concealed within that the sensitivity was equal to what Sunscreech had given until the feral managed to roll him off and kick straight at his face.

The shining claw slashed at his face, scraping down across his right cheek with a reddened line that burst almost instantly, trickling hot ichor down to the line of his jaw as they stood opposite of each other. The ocean only briefly managed to dull the sound of their hearts beating with the chorus of death and war that throbbed inside them, that sweet frantic trill of adrenaline that so afflicted both creatures as their musk rose to such a sheer intensity of dominance, that all they could think of now was to taste the other's blood. Fresh, rich, warm blood as they charged straight into each other's fangs.

Sunscreech latched onto his shoulder to try and rip more of the flesh, whilst Oddclaw ferociously stabbed him with the jagged rock into his waist to try and puncture at his ribs, spurting a neat circle of blood around them as they pushed their feet against each other's bodies. The two almost began to wrestle, Sunscreech's larger body against Oddclaw's greater arm strength, their claws scraped viciously against the stone floor leaving white marks behind. As soon as Oddclaw felt his brother release his shoulder from his teeth, he grabbed at Sunscreech's neck and forcefully tried to hold him with one hand whilst beating him across the face with the other. His height gave him an advantage for once, keeping the feral raised up enough that he couldn't reach down and bite at his head before slamming a stone fist straight into Sunscreech's jugular.

He gasped with a frantic coughing noise as his larynx tightened sharply, wheezing suddenly as Oddclaw made a flying leap with rock held high and ready to come down hard to cave his skull into dust. But Sunscreech countered with his tail, smacking high and hard across Oddclaw's face and knocking him off trajectory as he fell clumsily, staggering sideways towards the great holes in the wall facing the ocean. Sunscreech saw his chance, and with a burst of frantic speed he leapt at his brother and slashed his claws down upon his back, sending him screeching forwards with a stumbling agony as he toppled and fell over the edge. His well-honed reflexes from one too many falls from the trees was the only thing that saved him, turning his body instinctively to grab at a stalagmite as he hung above the sea, white wild waves of monstrous roars threatening to devour him.

"N-NO! B-BROTHER HELP!"

Sunscreech stood above him just now regaining his breath, heaving lungfuls of air as they both stared upon each other ruthlessly bloodied beyond contempt. The feral snarled with victory over his half-brother's predicament.

"Now you see...why you are weak."

"I...I-i-i am sorry. I proved myself, I did not want to fight, but you have not killed me by your own teeth, I have proven that I am strong enough to deserve being in your family!"

"Hah...MY family?"

"Yes, yes they are your family, now please h-help me! Please...do not do this. Mother...m-mother would not want you to."

"Mother does not have to know. Just as she does not have to know about you stuffing your cock up your brother's vent."

"I...I-i am sorry. I am sorry about your father, I know that...I believe that he was a great hunter, that my father was weak just the same as me."

"You finally learn. That is good."

"P-p-please...please, brother. I will never fight you again, I will never insult your father again, I...I promise."

"You are right. I know you will not."

"What?"

"...say hello to your father for me, One With Odd Claws."

"N-N-NO, BROTHER PLEAAAASE! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

With one monstrous bite upon Oddclaw's grasping hand, he tore his grip from the rock as he fell from the cave. The youngest member of his family would vanish into the sea, crying out a scream that he heard above the waves as he plunged towards his death into the white roaring maelstrom that crushed against the sheer cliff face. He couldn't even see his body hit the water, lost to his world as he struggled to think in his last moments before he would sink into the darkness.