Stone's Throw

[NPCs]

"Adonis, I-- it was his first heat and he-- he was so confused and scared. I could see it, under the lust and--" She shuddered, one hand spasming at her side. "He didn't mean it," she said desperately, the words sounding more like a warding prayer than forgiveness, as if his 'innocence' would make it be less than rape. 

[Adonis Naodi]

I would have raised him better than this. They must have told him nothing, not prepared him... why did I agree to let Beth take the kit? Anger blooms in him, mostly self-directed. "He must be punished."

[NPCs]

"No, we can't--" Nyessia protested. "He's just a boy, he-- I don't want to ruin his life, Don. He's your son, even if you didn't get to raise him," mid-sentence, she noticed his expression and swiftly added, "properly."

[Adonis Naodi]

"He's almost of age. He needs to learn better. The Keeper will know what to do with him, to teach him our ways and the error of his own." At least, I hope Miki's up to the challenge. But Father taught him well, he's really grown since we were kids. Weird to think we were Andreas' age once...

[NPCs]

He's taking all this onto himself, Nyessia observed with a shiver. "Learning would be good, yes," she replied with a slight hitch. She bit her lip, then whispered, "I couldn't hurt him. Not him, not your..." She swallowed harshly. "I'm sorry."

[Adonis Naodi]

"He's not my son," he replies sharply -- too sharply. "Sorry," he apologizes, his tone one of relenting. "I'll speak with him. How about for now we go make some tea and read a book together?"

[NPCs]

"I did tell him 'no,'" she added quickly, as if she needed to be sure he knew she had tried to stop things. "And pull away, but--" She laughed darkly. "He's stronger than he looks. And... She bit her lip, then sighed. "I'm not sure. But. He might have been... on something."

[Adonis Naodi]

"On something. You mean... like nip."

[NPCs]

"I don't know," she confessed. "He just... he seemed..." She frowned, looking deep in thought for a moment. "Have you ever faced a berserker? A barbarian who harnesses their rage? It was almost like that but more mild. I know some react to their heat by getting aggressive, even a little violent, but this seemed... more? Less controlled."

[Adonis Naodi]

"I'll have to get the truth out of him. If there's nip going around in the community, we'll need to put a stop to it immediately before things get out of hand."

[NPCs]

Nyessia nodded once, the movement lacking her normal fluidity. "Of course. You're a good man, Don."

[Adonis Naodi]

"No, I'm not," he says bitterly, turning away. 

[NPCs]

"Don...  you are," Nyessia insisted earnestly. You're simply not that good at being a good man is all. Too... weak. Inflexible.  

[Adonis Naodi]

He waves a paw. "Agree to disagree, then." As he does often when he's stressed, he flexes his paws just slightly, letting the claws slide out a touch and then retracting them over and over. 

[NPCs]

"Fine," Nyessia sighed, giving him a fond look. "You can be wrong, it's okay." Her expression dimmed after her addition and she rubbed her thighs with a wince. "I-- I'm going to take another bath. Unless you... had more questions or..?"