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A Tale of Jaguars	By : Aline Category: +S through Z > Thundercats Views: 13095 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I'm not making any money from this fiction.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
- 4
WARNINGS: This contains Slash, and abuse, as well as mpreg. It is dark and treats themes only for mature audience, such as rape and sex with a minor. Do not read if you don’t like it.
*Disclaimer: I don’t own Thundercats, or any character or event associated to it, and I’m not making any money from this fiction.

CHAPTER O3. PICKING UP THE PIECES.

Tygra woke to the smell of medicine and antiseptic. He blinked, trying to shake sleep off his eyes. Wherever he was, it wasn’t his room. The faint smell of sex that seemed to permeate his bedroom was noticeably absent. He savoured the different air for short moments before starting to worry about why exactly he wasn’t in his quarters. He pushed himself up to better inspect where he was, and pain in his lower regions made him gasp. He groaned as he lay down again. It seemed as if every one of his muscles was in pain. It forced him to remember what had happened.
The horror of the situation fell down on him. Tygra closed his eyes and felt tears starting to form. He turned on his side. The constant pain in his behind guaranteed that he couldn’t just close himself to the world and ignore what had happened. He vaguely realized that he must be in the healer wing, with the shamans. He had learned that the shamans were pretty much the equivalent to the clerics. Mages and healers all in one. He must have been badly injured for Jareid to not just leave him where he had been. Or maybe the jaguar had, and some other cat had found him.
Sadness was suddenly overcome by deep embarrassment, and Tygra sobbed in misery. How many people had realized? At the very least the shamans would now be aware of the dynamics between him and the jaguar prince. Tygra shuddered to think about what would be said about him. Whatever semblance of privacy that he had wanted to retain would be gone.
He heard a door opening and braced himself to face whoever was going to check on him. He hadn’t been expecting the familiar voice of Bengali, but that was exactly what he got.
“Prince Tygra? Are you awake?”
The tiger looked up in surprise at the servant. He was at a loss of words for some seconds, before relief at not been facing a complete stranger settled in. Though shame at his situation immediately followed.
“B-Ben.”
The white tiger smiled at him.
“Good to see you are responsive. How are you feeling?”
That did it. Tygra knew that Bengali was aware of his injuries, and likely of the way they were inflicted. He dropped his head and tried unsuccessfully to stop the tears that ran freely down his cheeks. Bengali’s arms were around him in an instant, and he sobbed in misery. The older tiger hugged him tightly and manoeuvred a little to get him as comfortable as possible. The movement hurt. Tygra whimpered and clenched his fists. Some part of his mind was screaming at him for showing weakness, but he shut it up. He didn’t care anymore. He wasn’t strong enough to deny himself the small comfort of kind arms. He’d feel ashamed later, but for the moment he allowed Bengali to held him as he cried his eyes out.
&&&&&&&&
Tygra looked morosely at the ample green and flowery space some meters below him. His room had a balcony, large enough for a small, square, table and two chairs, and there was still space for him to walk around. It was two stories above one of the gardens. A big one. It was the most exuberant garden Tygra had seen, not only because he didn’t know half of the plants growing in it, but also because the paths, columns, fountains, benches and everything else adorning it were made of rare and precious stones. At least that was what they looked like from the balcony. Tygra had not yet worked up the courage to ask, and seeing that for all intents and purposes he was confined to his room for the foreseeable future, he wasn’t in the position to go and investigate himself.
He sighed dejectedly. He could hear faint noises from the training courtyard. He wished he could go and join the activity. It had only been a day and a half, and he was already sick of his room. He looked at the table where he had been writing his homework. The books and notes could only distract him for some hours. He wanted to go outside. He looked forwards again and leaned on the balcony railing. Beyond the garden he could see the wall and the outline of the jungle that surrounded the city.
It had been a bit unsettling to discover that they were actually in the heart of the biggest jungle of Third Earth, quite isolated from the rest of the world. Nevertheless, the jaguars had plenty of contact with other animals and settlements, thanks to their technology. The tiger was wondering why Thundera never knew about such a thing. Why had he grown up thinking that technology was a fairy tale?
He continued looking at the green landscape. He was dying of boredom. He thought that forbidding him from doing any activity that required strength was a bit exaggerated, but the healer’s directions were clear. He had to take it easy for some days, and the peaks of pain that he still felt whenever he did certain forced movements were a constant reminder of his injury. He couldn’t sit comfortably, and he couldn’t bear the bed for so long. His diet was another thing he resented. He was limited to soft meals and absolutely no solids for at least a week.
Stitches. He had needed stitches! How such a thing had been possible? He absolutely didn’t want to know how Bengali had managed to tend his wounds. He didn’t even know if he was grateful or horrified beyond belief that it had been the white tiger the one to heal him. He wished he had discovered that Bengali was a Shaman in other circumstances. Now he could barely look at the white tiger without feeling embarrassment creeping along his entire being. And the worst part was that he had to apply medicinal ointment every night! Tygra couldn’t feel more humiliated.
He knew that Bengali understood, and didn’t blame him, and he didn’t want to push the older tiger away, but he couldn’t help it. The only consolation he had was that Lion-O hadn’t realized what had happened to him. His little brother knew he had been hurt, but not how.
He sighed, and his right hand moved unconsciously to his left arm, trying to scratch it. His claws however didn’t find fur, but the heavy bandages that Bengali had all but forced on him to prevent any more scratching. Tygra groaned in frustration. The bandages covered both arms from shoulders to wrists. Bengali would have even bandaged his hands if he had discovered any self-inflicted claw marks on them. Tygra was very tempted to bite his fingers, but he’d rather retain freedom of movement on his hands. At least the bandages had drawn Lion-O’s focus on his brother’s visible wounds, and he hadn’t asked too much questions, but they denied Tygra an outlet for the anxious feeling that was drowning him.
He settled for pinching his thigh. Hard. It was not the same, but he could just focus on that particular pain and stop thinking about everything else for some precious moments.
“You shouldn’t do that. Bengali is going to have a fit if he discovers you.”
Tygra almost jumped from the balcony. He turned around wildly and backed off until he was at the very corner of it. The balustrade pressed hard on his hips and he suppressed the need to climb it. He looked at Jareid in fear and bit his lower lip to prevent himself from screaming. He hadn’t even heard the door opening. Jareid wasn’t supposed to be there! Jareid was never in his room before late evening. Bengali had promised that Jareid had been told to leave him alone for some days, to allow him to recover.
He felt his body began to shake uncontrollably when the jaguar prince advanced two steps towards him. His eyes looked for a way to escape, and he suppressed a flinch when the jaguar scowled at him.
Jareid stopped his advance and growled under his breath. He was not sure what he had been expecting, but the abject terror on the young tiger’s face was definitely not it. He clenched his fists, angry at himself for not knowing what to do. Bengali had told him to give Tygra some time, but it was ridiculous. He knew he had hurt the boy, but he wasn’t going to fix the situation by disappearing! They were going to spend a lifetime together. The sooner they solved the issue, the better.
He crossed his arms and tried to modulate his voice, not actually realizing how intimidating he looked. He stood a few steps from the teen, blocking the way to the room, but not within grabbing distance. He expected Tygra to realize that he wasn’t in danger. He wasn’t counting on the boy not thinking rationally in his presence.
“Tygra, I only want to make sure that you are healing.”
‘Yes, so you can hurt me again!’ Tygra closed his eyes and bit his lips harder. He was trying to be quiet, to not do anything that could anger the jaguar. Jareid wasn’t aware of the teen’s struggle, and he didn’t like Tygra’s apparent denial to answer him. He couldn’t suppress the menacing growl this time.
“Answer me, Tygra.”
Tygra whimpered in fear. He couldn’t talk. If he opened his mouth he was going to either cry or scream. Neither was going to be an acceptable answer, and Jareid was only going to get angrier. He dropped his head and exposed his neck a bit, so Jareid’s mark was clearly visible. Short of falling to his knees, he didn’t know what else to do to show submission to Jareid.
The jaguar finally realized that Tygra was not being stubborn. The teen was just scared shitless of him.
Normally that was a welcome reaction from others. Jareid had always delighted in the feeling of power that came with the knowledge that his mere presence could provoke such fear. But not this time, and certainly not from someone who was supposed to become his mate. It didn’t feel right.
He let his arms fall to his sides and relaxed his posture. His voice had always been too rough, but he tried to soften his tone. He wanted the tiger to relax, not jump over the railing.
“Tygra, I’m not here to hurt you. Look at me.”
The tiger opened his eyes and lifted his head cautiously. He was still trembling, and wanted nothing more than to run away. Jareid couldn’t erase the scowl from his face.
“Tygra…”
“What are you doing here?”
Tygra’s eyes widened in renewed anxiousness. Lion-O was at the door of the balcony, just behind Jareid. The jaguar turned his head towards the intruder, but he didn’t miss the tiger’s reaction. Lion-O was puffing indignantly.
“You have no right to be here!”
“Really?”
“Lion-O!”
Tygra’s anxious shout made Jareid turn to him again. The young lion thought that the jaguar was too close to Tygra, and quickly put himself between Jareid and his brother, glaring at the older cat. Jareid lifted an eyebrow at the little lion’s defiant stance. Tygra was doing a visible effort to collect himself. He didn’t want his little brother to get hurt on his behalf. Lion-O growled at Jareid and resisted Tygra’s pull, when the tiger tried to get him out of the jaguar’s way. He was determined to have his say.
“You have no business here! You leave my brother alone!”
“Lion-O, please stop!”
Tygra pulled on his brother’s shoulder, and the lion turned to look at him.
“He can’t be here! Bengali said you have to rest!”
Tygra swallowed the sob that was forming in his throat. He needed to get his brother under control.
“He can do whatever he pleases Lion-O. It’s his home.”
“But he hurt you! He can’t do that! He has no right to hurt you!”
Tygra pressed his lips together. He had thought that Lion-O didn’t know about the nature of his wounds, but maybe he had been mistaken.
“Who told you that? I could have had an accident.”
Lion-O looked at him with a face that clearly said. ‘Please, do I look stupid?’
“You? Yeah, maybe when lizards grow feathers. I know it was him, Tygra. It shows in your eyes every time you see him!”
Tygra paled. Damn, but Lion-O had to be observant now? The lion continued his tirade.
“And he can’t be here if you don’t want him to. You’re going to be his mate. He has to respect you!”
The tiger was gaping at his brother. All of a sudden he had the very unwelcome feeling that the lion was the big brother there. He tried to think of something to say, but he noticed Jareid getting closer to them, and he straightened in panic. He pulled Lion-O against himself and hugged him tightly, trying to shield him from the jaguar.
Jareid looked at the lion with some amusement, and then fixed Tygra with serious eyes. The tiger gulped and opened his mouth, ready to plead on his brother’s behalf. Jareid took his chin and put a finger on his lips. Tygra automatically froze and tightened his hold on his brother, who was fighting to free himself.
“He’d have made a good king. Pity.”
Tygra held his breath. He had no idea what to do. He prayed that Jareid wouldn’t decide to have his way with him in front of Lion-O. He whimpered when the jaguar leaned on him, and unconsciously pressed Lion-O’s head against his chest. A lone tear fell from his terrified eyes. Jareid sighed. They were practically face-to-face.
“And he’s right. You’re going to be my mate.”
He kissed Tygra’s lips softly and then backed off. He couldn’t help a smirk at the tiger’s baffled face.
“I’d see you later little tiger.”
He left the two brothers alone. He needed to think. He had just realized that he didn’t want Tygra scared of him. In fact, for the first time ever he was actually interested in whether or not his partner enjoyed being with him. He found that he very much wanted Tygra to feel pleasure with him. Now he just had to think what to do about it.
Tygra looked at the retreating form of Jareid and held his breath for a few moments. He strained his ears to catch the faint noise of the room’s door. He continued holding his brother like he was a lifeline until the young lion squirmed.
“Tygra! I have to breath!”
The tiger jumped and released his brother immediately. He looked sheepishly at the scowling lion, and tried to apologize.
“Sorry. I-I… ‘m not feeling very well.”
His hands were still shaking. He clenched them into fists in an effort to make them stop. Lion-O’s scowl changed to a look of worry.
“I know you’re not ok. You haven’t been yourself since we arrived here.”
He took one of his brother’s wrists and frowned at the bandages. Then he looked into Tygra’s eyes.
“What is he doing to you Tygra?”
Tygra took a deep breath. His heart was about to jump out of his chest. He couldn’t answer. There was no way in hell that he’d tell Lion-O the things Jareid was doing to him. He covered his mouth with his right hand, afraid that he’d explode in hysterical laughter. It was that, or cry just as hysterically. He shook his head and did a great effort to collect himself enough to talk.
“L-Look Lion-O, it’s ok. There’s no need for you to worry…”
“Don’t give me that shit Tygra! You’re ready to fall apart and it’s obvious that you need help! Whatever he’s doing to you, it’s destroying you! Please, just talk to me Tygra. Let me help you.”
“I-I…”
A sob escaped his chest, and Tygra broke. The tears started running down his face, and he couldn’t stop them. He sobbed again and sat on the floor, covering his face and trying to curl into himself. Lion-O was at his side in an instant. He felt the small arms of his brother hugging his shoulders and he cried harder. He ignored the pain on his behind as much as he could. It was not important at the moment. He only wanted to die. It wasn’t fair. Why it had to be him?
He would have continued crying for hours if not for Lion-O. His brother’s presence forced Tygra to try to regain control of himself. He couldn’t let Lion-O think he was weak. He had to protect his little brother. He had to be strong. He couldn’t be crying like a cub. That was not going to solve anything.
After some moments, he was able to calm down a bit and he straightened his back. Lion-O changed position, so instead of hug his shoulders awkwardly the lion hugged his torso and put the head over his chest. Tygra leaned on a banister and returned the hug. He continued sobbing for a while until he was capable to talk again.
“S-sorry… It was… too much all of a sudden…”
“It’s ok Tygra. I’m here with you brother. I’m not going to leave you alone.”
A self-deprecating smile ghosted over Tygra’s lips. He played with his brother’s mane, waiting for the last of his sobs to recede.
“I… I’m supposed to be the oldest… I’m supposed to protect you…”
“I need you Tygra, but that doesn’t mean that you always have to be strong. I’m here for you too, you know? We can protect each other, no one expects you to do everything alone, or to suffer in silence. I don’t want you to be miserable.”
Tygra chuckled and tightened his hug just for a moment. He wanted to stay like that forever, but his ass was killing him. He needed to get up.
With a heavy sigh he messed his brother’s mane and released him.
“Thanks Lion-O. I’m sorry I’m a mess right now.”
“No problem. As long as you let me help.”
The tiger smiled and stood up with some difficulty. He grimaced and couldn’t help but groan in pain. He was not supposed to feel his insides. Lion-O’s worried scowl reappeared.
“Tygra, are you hurt? What is it?”
The tiger bit his lip for a moment. Then he breathed deeply and straightened.
“It’s ok. I think my muscles are cramped.”
His lower back was screaming at him. He massaged it and managed to walk normally towards the table. Lion-O still looked suspiciously at him while he collected his work, but after some moments the young lion just offered to help him with his books. Both of them got inside the room, ready to have lunch, Lion-O more at ease about his brother, and Tygra feeling like a small weight had lifted from his heart.
&&&&&&&&
Tygra looked anxiously as Bengali prepared the tub for a lavish bath. It was late evening, and it had been suggested that Tygra needed something to soothe his pained muscles. He wanted to tell the other tiger to stop, that he didn’t want anything. He was even scratching his bandages in the hopes that Bengali realized what a bad idea it was.
Granted, it wasn’t the bath what he was protesting against. The idea of a long, relaxing time, was wonderful, and the water was hot and smelt delicious. Tygra was all for the bath, but he wanted to enjoy it alone. As it was, the idea had actually been Jareid’s, and the jaguar expected Tygra to share the bath with him!
Tygra didn’t want Jareid close to him, much less to be in a tub with a naked jaguar prince! It was not going to be relaxing at all. It was going to be hell!
Bengali finished adding mineral salts into the water and turned on the tub mechanism that’d keep it at a proper temperature. Then he turned to look at the tiger, and scowled in worry. Tygra was terrified, that much was evident. Bengali would have liked to convince Jareid to take a different approach, but alas, his prince just couldn’t do subtle, and he had very little patience as it was. The fact that Jareid was actually trying to do something nice for Tygra was remarkable. Bengali would have approved wholeheartedly if not for the timing. Jareid surely chose the worst possible moment to be romantic. Why couldn’t he do something like this from the beginning instead of acting like his usual self-righteous asshole? Things would have been much easier if Jareid had just the slightest amount of sensibility in him. He wouldn’t have needed to injure Tygra to get into his thick skull that he was doing things the wrong way!
Even at the moment, Bengali still had his doubts about the sincerity of Jareid’s suggestion. He rather thought that the Queen had forced her son’s hand. He knew that Xilara had talked to Jareid and had been sure to instill in the prince’s mind how disappointed she had been at his behaviour. Jareid held his mother’s opinion in high respect, so his sudden try at show caring for his intended could be only to placate the Queen.
Nevertheless, Bengali was willing to take Jareid’s new attitude at face value for Tygra’s sake. The young tiger had no choice in the mater. He was going to spend his entire life mated to Jareid, whether he liked it or not. If Jareid was willing to try and make things easier for Tygra, then Bengali was not going to discourage him.
It was going to be harder to gain Tygra’s thrust now, but Bengali hoped that his prince’s change of heart was genuine. Jareid was going to need every bit of charisma and whatever patience he could manage to get Tygra at least comfortable in his presence.
Bengali approached the orange tiger, who was tearing his arm’s bandages to shreds, and held him by his forearms to make him stop.
“Tygra, try to calm down. You’re going to be fine.”
The teen looked at him with eyes bright from unshed tears. He was trembling. His voice sounded afraid and subjugated.
“Ben, please I don’t want to do this.”
Bengali groaned to himself and closed his eyes. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t do anything to help his young charge. He had sworn loyalty to Baal and his kingdom when he had begun his apprenticeship. He couldn’t disobey a direct order, and Baal had ordered him to follow Jareid’s directions in everything regarding the Thunderian princes. He could only refuse Jareid if Tygra’s or Lion-O’s lives were compromised.
Now, while he could clearly see that the young tiger was just a step from being suicidal, Jareid was not directly threatening his life. The jaguar just lacked empathy and common sense. What he had done to Tygra had not been intended to kill the boy, but he had severely hurt him. Since the greater damage had been emotional, Baal didn’t consider it worthy of notice. Baal could be very cold himself, and he’d said that Jareid could do whatever he wanted as far as it didn’t infringe the terms of the treaty. Tygra was trapped into an agreement that didn’t take his emotional needs into account, and he had no way out. The only thing Bengali could do for him was offer support.
He took the young hands in his, and squeezed comfortingly. He couldn’t suppress a sigh.
“I’m sorry Tygra. I know it’s hard and unfair to you. Any other would have been able to walk away and be done with the prince. But you don’t have that option. You have to stay.”
Tygra sobbed and his body shook. He knew it was true. His freedom had been the price to pay for the lives of hundreds of people. Bengali swallowed the bile in his throat. It was not fair for him to remind Tygra of his position, but he didn’t know what else he could do to give the young tiger the will to be strong.
“You can try and see it as your duty to your people. To your father, and brother.”
The teen sniffed and a lone tear escaped his eye. He nodded resentfully.
“I… know I have to… I know that there’s no choice for me, it’s just… I-I… I’m just scared… The way he is, the way he… uses me… I-I don’t know how to cope with it! He makes me feel like a cheap whore! I just wanted to make him stop, to show him that I’m not a toy! I just wanted to not feel so useless… so helpless…”
A few more tears leaked from the youth’s eyes. Bengali dried them and hugged Tygra tightly. He knew it was too much for the young cat. Having to deal with Jareid was no easy feat. The jaguar prince was known for abusing his bed partners. He never showed consideration for the other’s feelings.
That was the main reason why, despite being the heir, Jareid had never maintained a serious relationship before. Even the most ambitious cats, both males and females alike, didn’t last more than a few nights with him. There were a few exceptions, one or two of the nobles that believed to be Jareid’s favourites because they were willing to share his bed whenever he called on them. Bengali pitied them. They weren’t capable to realize that the prince only used them to satisfy his urges when he couldn’t find anyone else. There simply was no one willing to put up with him on a regular basis. Tygra would have no choice. He’d have to take Jareid’s abuse and somehow learn to live with it.
“I know you’re afraid, and I don’t blame you. I know that Jareid is hardly mate-material, but unfortunately he’s all you got. You’re going to share your life with him. It’s not going to be easy, but it doesn’t have to be painful either. I know it’s unfair to ask this of you, you’re still too young and shouldn’t be saddled with this responsibility, but real life is hardly fair and we must make the best of it.”
He held Tygra’s face in a way that the younger tiger was looking directly at him. He looked calmer, but still anguished.
“Right now you only have two options Tygra. To live in misery for the rest of your life, or adapt and try to find some happiness despite what life has thrown at you. Jareid is very much an insensible asshole, but from time to time he has moments when he could be an admirable cat. He’s not really good with emotions and feelings; he’s more the instinctual type. He can be violent, but he can also learn different ways to deal with his frustrations.”
Tygra bit his lower lip and looked resigned. Bengali didn’t want the teen to be distraught, and he certainly didn’t want him to be miserable. Jareid had done a lot of damage, and they had to repair it somehow or they’d lose the young tiger.
“Look, I know that Jareid hasn’t given you any reason to have faith in him, or to even want him around you, but I think he’s beginning to understand. This…” He pointed to the bath, that was still hot and smelling of lavender and tea leaves. “He’s actually trying to make things better.”
Tygra sighed, and Bengali hugged him again.
“I know it’s too little, too late. But, just try to give it a chance. Jareid’s patience is short, and he’d never have attempted to really court someone. He doesn’t know how to be friendly, or mindful of other’s feelings. The fact that he’s doing something like this, that he’s willing to take the time to think of something that would be nice for you, believe me, it shows that he’s trying to make it up to you.”
Tygra looked at the carefully prepared bath and suppressed a last sob. He’d have to live with Jareid anyway, and Bengali was right. He’d better try to get used to his mate’s ways, or his life was going to be an endless nightmare.
He pressed his lips nervously and nodded. He was going to try. It was that or kill himself, and he still wasn’t that far gone into desperation.
Bengali gave him a last hug, and told him to get ready. The white tiger handed him a green fluffy bathrobe and put towels and other necessities at hand.
Tygra was just taking off his shirt when the door opened and Jareid made his entrance.
“Well, are you ready yet my little tiger?”
Just hearing his voice made Tygra’s fur stand on end. He put his shirt on again, trying to cover himself as much as possible, and automatically looked for a place to hide. Bengali sighed and one of his arms went around the teen’s shoulders.
“Breath. Try to be calm, ok? He’s not going to hurt you.”
Tygra nodded, but he was still trembling. Bengali messed his short mane and then turned to confront Jareid. The jaguar prince was already dressed in his deep blue bathrobe. He gave the white tiger an amused look, and Bengali wanted to punch him.
“My prince, may I have a word with you. We can give Tygra time to compose himself.”
Jareid looked at the orange tiger with just the slightest hint of worry. Bengali found that rather encouraging and ushered the prince into the walk-in closet that connected the bathroom with Tygra’s bedroom. Once there, it was surprisingly Jareid the one to talk.
“Is he all right? He’s not in pain, is he?”
Bengali looked suspiciously at his prince. It wasn’t like Jareid to show concern for anyone. He answered cautiously.
“He’s as fine as he could be, given the circumstances.”
Jareid noticed the tone in the tiger’s voice, and turned to him with a raised eyebrow.
“What?”
“I just want to make sure that you’re yourself highness.”
The jaguar scowled and put his clenched hands on his hips. He showed his teeth at Bengali when he talked.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Ah, that’s you right on. For a moment there I was concerned.”
Jareid looked at the tiger as if he was seriously considering having the shaman’s head checked up. Which was funny, since it was not Bengali the one acting out of character. The white tiger shook his head and got into business.
“Nevermind. Look, Tygra’s wound is healing, but he can’t do anything strenuous, and I mean anything Jareid! You promised you wouldn’t do anything other than to bath. That means you can’t have any kind of sexual activity with him.”
“Come on Bengali, nothing? Are you sure you are not exaggerating?”
“No, I’m not! It’s not only physical health Jareid, he is hovering between depression and hysteria, and his mind is not going to take any more abuse. Unless you want a detached, empty shell for a mate, I suggest you find another way to satisfy your urges for now and don’t touch Tygra! Give him some time to recover, he needs to feel that he’s not in imminent danger when you’re around.”
“Imminent danger? I’m not going to kill him for the spirits’ sake!”
“Yeah, well your actions weren’t at all suggesting safety for him! He had never before had a male sexual partner, he had barely any sexual experience at all! He was terrified because he didn’t really know what to expect, and then you came and…!”
“Fine, fine, I get it. I didn’t exactly facilitate things. I’m trying to make it better, ok? I swear I’m not going to jump him. He’s not going to get anything hurt.”
“You better. He’s scared enough as it is. He doesn’t need another injury, or any more stress.”
“I’m going to be careful, I swear. No playing rough tonight. Stop worrying so much. You’re not his mother.”
“He needs someone to worry. He’s not an adult yet.”
Jareid chuckled and shook his head. Bengali was like a mother hen, and he had taken a liking to the brothers. In some level, it was logical that he was worrying about Tygra; after all they both were tigers, as far as Jareid knew the only survivors of a lost clan. They’d be considered kin by all instances.
“Fine, you want to worry yourself sick, it’s ok with me. As long as you don’t interfere.”
“I’d like to. Specially after what you did.”
Jareid growled in warning. He didn’t like to be reminded of his mistakes, and Bengali was very close to overstepping his limits.
“Is that a challenge Ben?”
“No such thing. I’m only making sure you don’t forget.”
“He’s mine! What I do or stop doing only concerns me and my mate!”
“He’s not your mate yet. And you’d do well to not take him for granted. He’s not a thing you can break and mend whenever you want Jareid, and he feels like that is how you see him.”
The jaguar scowled at that. It was true that he usually treated people like things. He didn’t see much use in establish any kind of relation with anyone. For every single cat in the city he was the heir, and consequently they treated him like someone beyond their standing. He had been basically taught that everyone not of the royal family was there to serve him. They were inferior so he didn’t see why he should care about them. No one deserved his affection, and certainly no one but his family deserved his respect. Bengali had always been the sole exception. The white tiger was a very special case, and the only one that Jareid considered a friend.
He looked at the bathroom door with a pensive expression. Tygra wasn’t like the other cats. He was Jareid’s mate. The jaguar wanted him with a passion bordering on obsession. He wanted the fire and energy that he had seen the day of their fight. That vibrant fire that had pushed him over the edge and forced him to claim the young tiger. He agreed with Bengali, Tygra was not a thing, but nevertheless he was still Jareid’s.
The jaguar nodded to himself, and started towards the bathroom.
“I’d keep that in mind. You can go now Ben.”
A hand stopped him. He turned to see Bengali. Blue wide eyes, still full of worry looked back at him.
“Jareid…”
“He’s safe with me, I promise. I do learn from my mistakes, you know?”
He smirked, and Bengali rolled his eyes. The shaman let go of his prince’s arm and looked as the jaguar crossed the bathroom door, praying that he’d stick to his word and wouldn’t hurt the young tiger anymore.
&&&&&&&&
Tygra was sitting on the toilet seat, looking at the floor. He had taken off his clothes and put on the bathrobe. His hands clenched and unclenched nervously around the fabric, and from time to time pulled the bathrobe more tightly around himself.
He could listen the other cats’ voices from beyond the door, but he wasn’t really paying attention to what they were saying. He was trying to focus on his breathing and calm himself. It was hard, seeing as everything he could think about was how much he didn’t want to get into the bathtub with Jareid. The thing was dug into the floor, with deep blue tiles adorning the perimeter. It was big enough for two people, but they’d have to be in very close proximity. It was going to be impossible to entirely avoid contact. Tygra was praying that the jaguar would change his mind and leave.
After long minutes of waiting, the door finally opened, and Jareid came in. Tygra gulped and forced himself to stand up. He felt his entire body trembling, and did a last effort to collect himself. He was doing this for his city. For his brother. It was his duty, and he was going to honour his father’s agreement.
He didn’t look up. He was afraid that he’d lose the little resolve he’d managed the moment he’d see Jareid. He felt the jaguar approaching him, and crossed his arms over his chest, trying to make the bathrobe cover him entirely. He was too scared. He was not going to be able to do this.
Jareid grabbed his chin gently, and forced him to look up. Tygra mewled when he saw the frown on the jaguar’s face.
“You don’t need to be afraid. I promise I’m not going to hurt you, ok?”
The tiger nodded, but didn’t relax. Jareid let go of him, and started to disrobe. He wanted the teen in the tub, so the water and the smell of herbs could start to calm him a bit. Tygra looked as Jareid put the bathrobe aside and stepped into the tub. He sat at one side and turned towards the tiger, lifting a hand, quietly commanding Tygra to join him.
The teen pressed his lips together, and tried to force himself to let go of the bathrobe, but his body didn’t obey him. He whimpered quietly. He had to do as Jareid said. He couldn’t make the jaguar angry. But the idea of being naked in front of the other prince was freezing him. He didn’t want to. He felt too vulnerable, far too exposed, he couldn’t do it.
Tygra sobbed in desperation. He looked at Jareid and dared to hope that the older cat wouldn’t simply force him to disrobe.
“Please…”
He wasn’t sure what he was begging for. He felt very much like a little cub at the moment, and only wanted to curl up and cry. Jareid’s frown deepened and Tygra couldn’t suppress a flinch.
The jaguar looked at the teen and almost growled. He could smell the young cat’s fear despite the steam of the bath. He didn’t like it, not in that situation. Tygra had to relax, or both Bengali and his mother would have his head.
He was unsure about how to manage the situation. At the moment, Tygra looked so young. Jareid felt like he was talking to the lion cub rather than the tiger. He couldn’t just order Tygra to get into the bath already, though he very much wanted to, that would surely make things worse.
His eyes wandered around the bath, looking for inspiration, and he spotted the rack of towels that Bengali had left for them. There was a pair of swimming shorts that Tygra surely hadn’t even noticed. Jareid smirked, thinking of the young tiger naked under the bathrobe. It’d be delicious to have him in the bathtub without any clothes. He certainly wanted to enjoy the young, stripped body entirely, but he’d promised to behave. Besides, he now had an inkling of how he could make Tygra more at ease.
Still sitting at the side of the tube, with his legs deep in hot water, Jareid smiled at the teen.
“Look, it’s ok, I promised Bengali that we were just going to have a nice bath. But just to be sure, why don’t you put on the swimming shorts? You’d still enjoy the hot water.”
Tygra was momentarily taken aback by the offer, and it took some seconds for him to process what Jareid had told him. He looked towards the rack that the jaguar was pointing at, and felt like a fool for an instant before going to retrieve the swimming shorts. They were black, and the fabric was soft. He looked at the older prince again to be sure that he was allowed to wear them.
Jareid’s smirk made him feel like he was being laughed at. A spark of anger surged in him, and he pressed his lips together. He turned around and put the shorts on, careful to remain hidden by the bathrobe. The shorts were large, up to his knees, and the fabric was loose enough that he didn’t feel constricted. They didn’t guarantee that Jareid was going to respect him, the jaguar could get rid of any piece of cloth easily, but he felt a little bit safer.
He breathed deeply and turned again towards the tub. It was easier to get off the bathrobe now that he knew he wasn’t completely naked. If he just focused on the water, he might manage to get through the bath without embarrassing himself further than he already had.
Tygra entered the tub gingerly, trying to ignore how hot the water was and sitting quickly, so he would be hidden by the water and the bubbles. He pressed his butt firmly against the bottom of the bathtub, despite the spike of pain the action elicited, and folded his legs in front of him. The water covered him up to his neck, and he was grateful for that.
Once seated, Tygra sneaked a peek towards Jareid. The jaguar was getting himself comfortable at the other side of the tub. Until then, the teen had been pointedly avoiding looking at anything that was below the jaguar’s shoulders. The tiger noticed now that the older prince was also wearing a pair of swim shorts, more adjusted than his but they were there. Jareid also took care of not touching the teen’s legs with his. Soon he was settled, the water covered him up to his chest, and the tiger could pretend that he had never thought about the jaguar been naked.
Tygra nibbled his lower lip nervously. He had to make an effort. He didn’t want to live in pain and fear for the rest of his life. He had to get used to Jareid one way or the other. He looked as the jaguar opened his arms and leaned on the side of the tub, closed his eyes and breathed deeply, visibly relaxing himself. Tygra tried to do the same. He leaned his head backwards and forced himself to forget about Jareid’s imposing presence. His muscles started to relax and he groaned in contentment. The water was so good. He started to massage his legs and after some minutes he stretched them. His foot touched one of Jareid’s legs and the contact made him jump and came back to reality, folding his legs again out of reach.
Jareid suppressed the urge to chuckle at Tygra’s reaction. It was evident that the tiger was making a considerable effort to forget that he wasn’t alone. However, Jareid wasn’t one to tolerate being ignored in any way. Tygra was already sharing the bath, now he should be able to enjoy Jareid’s attentions too. He had promised Bengali that no sexual activity would take place, but that didn’t meant he couldn’t touch. He took the soap and a wash-cloth and motioned to Tygra.
“Do you want me to scrub your back?”
The tiger looked at him doubtfully. Jareid raised an eyebrow, trying to keep his always bubbling anger in control.
“Come on. I swear you’re going to like it.”
Tygra pressed his lips and gulped. He really shouldn’t press his luck with Jareid. Bengali had told him repeatedly how short of patience the jaguar was. Tygra didn’t want to anger the other cat, especially in a tub full of water, and with his wounds still so fresh. It was safer to do what Jareid said, at least he hoped so. He nodded, and forced himself to move closer to the jaguar.
Jareid smiled and guided the tiger to turn around and sit in front of him, between his open legs. Tygra’s entire body was practically under the water, and only his thin shoulders could be seen. That wasn’t a problem for Jareid. He enjoyed the feeling of the young body so close to his. He soaped the cloth and started to gently scrub the teen’s back. Tygra slowly relaxed and bent his legs, so he could lean his head on his knees. It felt wonderful. Tygra didn’t want to let down his guard, but the scrubbing motions, the hot water, and the relaxing steam slowly lulled him into calmness. He didn’t protest when Jareid pulled him upright to scrub his chest. He only noticed the other cat’s face too close to him when Jareid licked his ear. That pulled him out of his stupor rather rudely, but Jareid didn’t seem to notice him tense again.
“Do you want to scrub your legs and arms yourself?”
Tygra nodded without actually registering Jareid’s words. Only when the scrubbing cloth was pressed into his hand did he understood. He worked half-heartily on his legs, but when he moved to his arms he lost himself on the sensation. He was starting to scrub furiously at his left arm when Jareid noticed and stopped him, grabbing his wrists.
“Hey! Calm down. I’m glad that you’re out of the bandages, but I’d rather not have Bengali murdering me because I let you hurt yourself.”
Tygra blinked and looked at Jareid’s hands resentfully. He felt incredibly weak all of a sudden. Jareid ran his hands along the teen’s forearms, up to his shoulders and down his arms again.
“Besides, you have so beautiful fur. You wouldn’t want to ruin it like that.”
A tiny sob escaped Tygra and he closed his eyes in mortification. He wanted to feel his own claws embedded in his arms. It was something to focus on. The only way he could cope with the emotional pain he had been feeling since he had been taken from Thundera. Jareid took his chin with one hand and forced his head backwards until he could plant a kiss on the youth’s cheek.
“No reason to cry gorgeous. Let me do your mane, you’d feel much better.”
Tygra breathed deeply while Jareid’s hands applied shampoo to his head. He started to relax again and a spark of pleasure originated when the jaguar worked a sore point behind his ears. It was nice. The feeling of Jareid’s fingers massaging his scalp was incredibly soothing. In short moments he began to purr, and Jareid was very pleased at the sound. He rinsed away the shampoo and let Tygra enjoy the hot water a bit more before they had to leave the tub.
&&&&&&&&&
Tygra glared at the healing implements on his bedside. He hated the bandages, but he absolutely loathed the ointment. The fact that the wound that needed the most care was in a very intimate, inner part of his anatomy, didn’t help at all. The young cat was debating if he should try to apply it himself before Bengali arrived, and whether or not that would make any difference. Probably not. The shaman would surely want to make sure that he had done the job correctly, and the purpose would be nullified.
The tiger sighed. He knew that Bengali meant well and was just taking care of him, but he really didn’t want anyone touching him there. It was so degrading!
He sat gingerly on the bedside, resigning himself to wait for the white tiger, and praying that Jareid would be gone by then.
The thought of the jaguar prince made him turn his head towards the door to the closet and the bathroom. Jareid was still drying himself. He had allowed Tygra to get out of the bath first, so he could get rid of the swimming shorts and put on his bedclothes in privacy. The tiger was thankful for the little device in the closet-room that expelled hot air for drying his fur, because without it he’d be absolutely uncomfortable with damp fur covered by pyjamas. He had dried and clothed himself in record time, and had left the changing-room before Jareid was out of the bathroom.
Tygra was hoping that the jaguar would be true to his word and left without forcing him into sex-play again. So far, Jareid had honoured his own promise, and Tygra was trying to feel encouraged by that, but it was difficult to put his mind at ease after what had happened. Tygra felt nervousness creeping on him, and clenched his fists to prevent himself from start scratching again.
He needed to come to terms with Jareid. The bath had not been the horrible nightmare he had been expecting. It had actually been quite pleasant. But Tygra’s mind was down the paranoid path and he feared that it was all some kind of cruel game, just to humiliate him the most. He couldn’t help his sombre thoughts, the feeling of being taken violently over a stone bench was still firmly imbedded in his mind. To think that he would have to tolerate such treatment for the rest of his life was making him going insane. He wanted to believe that something had changed with Jareid, but at the same time he refused to let his hopes up. It had only been a bath, and Jareid could be just playing with him.
The door to his walk-in closet slid open and Jareid came out. He was wearing his deep blue bathrobe, and black pyjama bottoms under it. Tygra automatically stood up and crossed his arms. Jareid approached him with the intention to give him a kiss and say goodnight, maybe even fondle him a bit. Tygra tensed and backtracked a step. He hit the bedside table and turned instinctually to prevent any of the items on it from falling. That drew Jareid’s attention to the bandages, and the jar of ointment.
He lifted an eyebrow in curiosity. He knew that the bandages were for Tygra’s arms, and Bengali would likely arrive soon to put them on. But they were just preventive, for Tygra wouldn’t hurt himself further. He had no open wounds on his arms, so the ointment was not necessary. Then, the medicine should be for his other injury. Jareid extended an arm past Tygra’s unmoving form and took the jar to analyze its contents.
“Do you need to apply this every night?”
Tygra looked embarrassed and crossed his arms again.
“I can’t do it properly. Bengali does it for me.”
Jareid growled before he could stop himself, and Tygra’s eyes widened in fear. It was irrational. The jaguar knew that Bengali was a shaman, and that he was only treating Tygra’s wounds like any healer would. There was no hidden intention in Bengali’s touch, the wound was only in an unfortunate place. But still, it was so intimate. He should be the only one who could touch Tygra in such an intimate way!
“Lie down. I’ll apply it.”
“W-what?”
A look of pure panic crossed Tygra’s face and he shook his head vehemently.
“N-No… You can’t! You promised!”
Jareid quickly took Tygra by the nape of the neck and pulled the young tiger against his body. Tygra yelped and put his hands on the jaguar’s arms, trying vainly to free himself. Jareid pressed a certain point on the youth’s neck and Tygra sucked in a mouthful of air. He stopped his wriggling, but still tried to beg.
“P-Please… I-I can’t…”
Jareid relaxed his hold, and put the jar of ointment on the bedside table again. This was so frustrating. He couldn’t be fighting Tygra every single time he touched him! He massaged the teen’s neck and with his other hand took the tiger’s left wrist.
“Listen Tygra. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m trying to take care of you here!”
Tygra stared at him. The tiger’s mouth formed a thin line for a moment, and then a sceptical look appeared in his eyes.
“Why? You don’t really care about me. I’ll heal anyway and then you can… have me again, whenever you want.”
He turned away his face while he said the last words. Jareid did a great effort to control his temper. He wanted to bite the teen’s neck and force him into compliance. Instead, he whispered into Tygra’s ear.
“You are the most infuriating little cat I have ever met. I do want to do many things to your body, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care to know you on any other level.”
He grabbed both of Tygra’s arms and looked directly into the young stunned eyes.
“I am a rather sexually aggressive cat. At least that’s what Bengali calls me. And I loose control quite easily. But I’m willing to make an effort to go slower, for your sake, to leave you time to adjust. I’m curious about you, and I’m sure that we’d get to know each other, if you’re willing.”
Tygra was speechless for several seconds. He realized that Jareid was expecting an answer and he nodded cautiously. There was not much else he could do; he needed more time to think about the jaguar’s words. It was enough for Jareid, who smirked and turned towards the bed. He put away the covers and repeated his earlier command for Tygra to lie down. This time, the tiger obeyed with only a slight reluctance.
Tygra lay on his stomach, and tried to suppress the shivers that ran down his body. He didn’t like to be in such a vulnerable position with Jareid looming over him. He listened to the cat taking the ointment again and felt the bed sunk as Jareid sat beside him. He clenched his hands into fists around the sheets and breathed deeply. He did his best to not react when Jareid pulled his bottoms and underwear down. It was hard, and it was worse when he felt the jaguar’s fingers separating his buttocks and exposing his entrance. He bit the pillow with force and tensed when one slick finger started to massage the ring of muscle. Mentally, he clung to the jaguar’s promise that he wasn’t going to be hurt, repeating to himself time and again that he had to do what the older cat instructed. So far Jareid had respected his promise, Tygra just prayed that he’d continue to do so.
Jareid’s finger entered him, and Tygra gasped at the discomfort. It was not exactly painful, as the ointment was acting as lubricant, but his tight muscles were not making the penetration easy. The jaguar’s other hand started to massage his lower back, trying to get him to relax.
“You’re doing this harder for yourself Tygra. Let go.”
Tygra tried to do it. He breathed deeply once more and focused in Jareid’s hand on his back rather than the finger inside him. Jareid sighed and moved his hand up. He started to rub Tygra’s neck and the base of his head, moving his fingers expertly. The attention sent shivers down Tygra’s spine, but it was pleasant. The tiger finally started to relax and Jareid moved his finger at the same rhythm that the hand on Tygra’s head. He inserted a second finger and Tygra whimpered. The youth tensed again for a moment, but it was short-lived as Jareid’s massage continued working on his head.
After a few seconds, Jareid’s thumb pressed a point behind Tygra’s ear and the teen started to purr in pleasure. The jaguar smiled and continued rubbing that precise point.
“Looks like I found your weakness my tiger.”
Tygra continued purring, now completely relaxed. Jareid took out his fingers from Tygra’s behind for a moment to coat them in more ointment before shoving them inside again. Tygra groaned, and then jumped in surprise when Jareid brushed over his prostate. The jaguar smirked and started moving his fingers inside Tygra with a renewed purpose. Tygra’s breath-rate increased and he whimpered and gasped between purrs. He wanted to move, but Jareid’s hand on the base of his head held him firm. His legs were kicking out and his fists were about to rip the bedcovers. A wrenched sob finally escaped him and he managed to talk.
“P-please… Please stop… please…”
Jareid groaned. He had to stop before he broke his promise entirely. His fingers went out of the teen’s anus, but instead of releasing the youth, he positioned himself over the smaller body, barely lying on it. Tygra gave a sharp intake of air and froze, not daring to move a muscle. Jareid’s bulk over him felt constricting, but he knew that the jaguar was not letting his entire weight fall on him. The spotted cat’s hands started to rub Tygra’s flanks and shoulders.
The tiger didn’t know what to do. He nearly panicked again when he felt the very obvious erection of Jareid press on his still naked bottom. Fortunately, Jareid had not taken off his own pants or Tygra would have screamed. Jareid bit his neck rather gently and sucked on it. Then his laboured breath was at Tygra’s right ear.
“Damn it Tygra! I want you so much. You’re driving me crazy, you know?”
Tygra whimpered. If Jareid took him right then he was not going to resist it. He was going to break, he just knew it. He tried to plead again, but his mouth felt dry. He couldn’t do anything to stop Jareid from taking what he wanted, that fact had already been shown clearly enough.
The teen gave a resigned sniff, and bit the pillow harder when he felt the prince’s hands going to his thighs. He was trying to mentally prepare himself for the pain and forcibly relax at the same time. Therefore, he was surprised when Jareid pulled up his pyjama pants and arranged his clothes so he wasn’t uncomfortable. The jaguar’s right hand returned to rub his head soothingly and Jareid nuzzled his neck in a comforting gesture. The relief Tygra felt was almost enough to knock him down. The only thing grounding him was that Jareid’s other hand was still grabbing his hip possessively.
“When you’re recovered, I’m going to show you how good sex can be. You’d learn to enjoy it, and to crave my touch, I assure you.”
Tygra was still shaken and he closed his eyes, breathing deeply to try to calm himself. What Jareid couldn’t see, or even imagine, was that the young tiger had been experiencing every intimate touch they had shared as rape. He didn’t want to be there. He didn’t want to be mated to a male, any male, let alone one as extremely possessive and dominant as Jareid was. But he must. He had been forced into the mating, and he had no other choice but to endure Jareid’s abuse. He briefly wondered how much he could take before he snapped. Then decided it wouldn’t matter anyway. Nothing was going to get him out of his personal hell.
He let a few rebellious tears slid from his eyes and sighed in acceptance. Jareid licked the mark on his neck and sucked gently. Tygra groaned and felt a strange mixture of pleasure and disgust at the situation in general. Still, he couldn’t help but feel thankful that he was not being fucked into the mattress. That at least was an indication that Jareid could keep his promises.
The jaguar played a little bit with Tygra’s mane, his own mind starting to relax. There was however, one point that needed to be clear.
“I’m not sharing you with anyone Tygra. I won’t tolerate anyone having intimate access to you. Not even Bengali is allowed to touch you in that way. Do you understand? He is keeping his hands to himself from now on!”
Tygra reeled with anguish again. He partially turned his head to try and look at the jaguar.
“W-what? B-but he’s taking care of me. He’s healing me! You can’t take him away! Please don’t!”
“He’s perfectly capable of monitoring your healing without having to insert his fingers in you. The first time was an emergency, but not anymore. He’s not touching you, Tygra!”
Jareid was snarling at him, but Tygra couldn’t just submit this time. Despite his fear, he had to make sure that Bengali was not going to be banned from seeing him. He needed the white tiger’s presence. That, and his brother, were the only things that were keeping him sane.
“Please… He’s my friend… A-and he’d want to make sure that I have my arms bandaged…”
Jareid had started to growl, but he stopped himself. He considered the tiger’s words and deduced that Tygra was afraid of not seeing Bengali anymore. He nipped the youth’s neck, and Tygra whimpered.
“That he can do. As long as he’s not touching your private parts, he can do anything else. He’s still in charge of your security, that’s not going to change.”
Tygra relaxed in gratefulness. He nodded his thanks and even moved his head to the side, so Jareid would have better access to his neck. The Jaguar was satisfied and continued his ministrations to his mate’s body, trying to find more relaxing points in the tiger’s head and back. Soon Tygra was purring again, and shortly after that he fell asleep.
&&&&&&&&
Jareid went out of Tygra’s room with a feeling of accomplishment thrumming in him. He had left his young mate sleeping and safely tucked in his covers to keep the cold away.
He had initially wondered about why Tygra’s room was always cold at night. Nights were often warm in the jungle, and the system that kept the palace cool was only used on really hot nights. All of the castle’s inhabitants preferred to just sleep without covers, as they were used to the heat. One of the shamans had told him that the young princes were used to Thundera’s weather, and that there the nights could be very cold, so they turned the climate system on to low down the heat. It was supposed to help the brothers to acclimate themselves with their new environment.
Jareid shook his head in amusement. When Tygra’d sleep in his bed, he wouldn’t need any covers. His gorgeous mate was going to sleep naked in his arms. Jareid found himself growing rather fond of the image.
He encountered Bengali outside the room, evidently waiting for him. He smirked at the white tiger’s protectiveness and proceeded to inform him that Tygra was sleeping and it would be best to not disturb him. Bengali raised an eyebrow, not sure if he could believe his prince’s words.
“Are you sure that he’s fine Jareid? He was terribly stressed when I left.”
“He’s fine now. I assure that you aren’t needed tonight. Oh, and another thing. You’re not applying that ointment anymore.”
Bengali bristled and got defensive in an instant.
“What? When did you become a healer Jareid? Tygra needs it!”
“Yes, but I will be the one helping him with it. It’s not great science. You can still check his progress with the scanner.”
Bengali started and blinked in astonishment.
“You… applied it? Jareid if you hurt him…!”
“I did not! He’s perfectly fine, and I’m going to be the only one taking care of that particular wound. Are we clear Bengali? I don’t want you touching him there again!”
Jareid was positively growling, and Bengali backed off, surprised by the sheer force of it. His narrowed eyes focused on the jaguar.
“What’s happening to you?” He wondered aloud. Jareid looked baffled at the question.
“What kind of question is that? What do you mean?”
“You’re acting weird. You have never been so… possessive of someone. I’m certain that you have never cared before about the healing process of any of your sex-partners, or whether or not someone else touches them. You seem to be acquiring some kind of attachment to Tygra and that is… unheard of.”
Jareid cocked his head and smirked.
“Well, that’s good, isn’t it?”
Bengali only stared at him for some seconds before answering.
“I’m not sure yet. But it’s definitely an oddity.”
Jareid rolled his eyes at his long-time friend.
“Tygra is my mate. Why shouldn’t I care for him?”
“That’s not what I said. I only pointed to the fact that you never cared before for others.”
Jareid scoffed and did a gesture of disgust.
“You mean the many cats that thought about getting a shot at power with me? Seriously? Please! They were only good for fun and stress relief. Most of them couldn’t even sustain an intelligent conversation if their lives depended on it! My tiger is different. I’m not the next step to the throne for him. He’s not looking for any favours, and he’s not leaving me. Ever. He deserves to be cared for.”
Bengali thought there was a bit of longing and desperation in Jareid’s voice, but decided not to comment on it. Whatever inner demons his prince had, it was not his place to bring them out. It did worry him that Jareid seemed to be dismissing the fact that Tygra was not there by choice. As interesting as that was, Bengali feared that his prince was acquiring an unhealthy obsession with the young tiger. Something would have to be done about it, but he was not sure about how to proceed. He could do more bad than good if he was not careful.
For the moment, he felt that it was best if Jareid cared for Tygra like he wanted. If his “caring” resulted to be too much for the young tiger, then Bengali’d intervene.
He nodded his acceptance of Jareid’s point of view, and didn’t discuss the jaguar’s right to attend Tygra. He only insisted on bandaging the tiger’s arms, because he didn’t want the youth hurting himself anymore. However, he agreed to wait ‘till the morning to check on his young charge. If Jareid had truly left Tygra sleeping it was best to not disturb him.
Jareid recovered his cocky attitude once he was sure that Bengali was not questioning his actions anymore and was going to obey him. They retired for the night with peace between them for the first time in days.
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A Tale of Jaguars