[b]Boom de yada!! 30 chapters?!?! Woot woot!![/b] [b]TheLordOfWar832's character is in this chapter[/b] [b]Chapter 31: Confrontation[/b] Bolt realized that the stranger was not going anywhere anytime soon so he had mixed feelings and questions he wanted to ask. But he held them back when he saw his mother laugh and smile at things the other Hunter had said. This puzzled him to no extent and he reluctantly let go of her hand, the other hardly noticing the loss of contact. [i]You don't even look my way.[/i] His mother's lack of response stung him a little but he refused to leave her. [i]Even if you don't notice me I'll always be here.[/i] Bolt immediately hated his mother's company. He was taking away her attention from him and the new feeling felt awful to him. Glaring daggers at the male Hunter, Bolt wished he could just make him disappear. But then all his anger vanished when he saw the happiest smile he had seen on his mother's face. He then scolded himself for thinking selfishly. He couldn't monopolize the mother that raised him. She had a life before he was born and had a little piece of it come to her. Of course she would be happy. And with that, Bolt kept his mouth shut and trailed behind the two Guardians. "And I found more Glimmer. It was a great day." The Hunter, Mirak, exclaimed and once more his mother's happy laughter rang out. Mirak then draped an arm around her shoulders, Bolt's fingers itching to stab it and make it move away. Staring at the two Guardians in front of him, he let his mind wander and try to piece together things. He looked to the male Hunter's soft smile and happy expression. He then looked to his arm which was [i]still[/i] around his mother's shoulders. It then clicked to the Fallen like a slap to the face. All the pieces falling into place made a surge of anger he did not know he was capable of bubble out of him. [i]You love her.[/i] As he thought this, Mirak's eyes met his for a brief second. Bolt snarled and the Hunter grimaced at him like he was not supposed to be there before looking away. Pulling on her hand slightly, he cheered silently when her attention was to him now. "Mom, can I have a piggy back ride? My feet really hurt. Please?" Using the most tired voice he could muster, he rubbed at his four eyes as if he was really sleepy. "Oh Bolt baby of course. Come here." She immediately left Mirak's side, his large arm back to his side once more. She crooned as she turned to him, Bolt letting her do that. He sent a satisfied look to Mirak who looked like he was going to punch him. [i]Ha. You can't. Not with Mom present.[/i] Climbing onto her back, Bolt let his head rest on her shoulder as she walked on. She showed no signs of him being heavy so he closed his eyes and let his mind slip away. "Bolt how is your Ether? Do you need another seed?" Bolt's eyes snapped open and he shook his head. "Just making sure." "You baby him too much, Vala." Bolt glared at Mirak as he said this and tightened his hold on his mother. He felt like grinning in triumph when he heard her laughter, the sound relieving to him. "Oh he's fine, Mirak. He's my little boy and I'd gladly carry him." Oh how he loved his mother to death right now. Mirak nodded to her but sent a glare towards him. "Are we going home, Mom?" He sincerely hoped that if they were it would leave out Mirak. He didn't want another stranger around their home. Ghost was a friend now, someone who helped him. He would allow that Hunter to exist on the premises of their cave grounds. Mirak on the other hand was a complete stranger to him. "Yes we are. And I'd like to invite Mirak with us." [i]Well that small hope of mine was shot down.[/i] Mirak was the one who gave that satisfied look now, Bolt wanting to shoot him in the foot. He didn't know where these bitter emotions were coming from, didn't like the thinly veiled anger under his skin towards Mirak. Confusion welled up within him as well. What were these feelings? What could you call this bitter taste in the mouth towards a person? [i]Jealousy[/i] The thought popped up and Bolt felt that it was the right thing to think. Yes, he was jealous of Mirak and his mother's past together before him. He was jealous that he could make her laugh so easily like he could do. And most of all, he was jealous of her attention towards Mirak. Bolt was so used to her attention on [i]him.[/i] Now it was somewhere else and it made the Fallen jealous to no limit. "We're almost there, Mirak." His mother said as he slightly bounced up and down with each of her steps. He didn't realize that they had traveled that far until he looked behind him to see the endless Venus plains stretched far beyond. He turned back around to see that they had entered the jungle trail to their home. A nervous twinge took hold in his chest as they trekked closer and closer to their home grounds. But he forced himself not to breathe quickly in panic lest he deplete his Ether supply faster. The second they cleared the underbrush to their home's small field, Bolt's eyes went to the third Hunter to ever see his and his mother's home. Mirak took off his helmet and Bolt could see that his brown eyes were wide, as if he wasn't believing what he was seeing. And with that look, all his nervousness faded away and was replaced with a sense of pride. [i]Thats right. You better be amazed by my home.[/i] Looking to his tree for training, Bolt didn't realize he wriggled to be put down until he felt the cool grass beneath his feet. He hugged his mother and gave a glare to Mirak before walking back to his tree. Pulling out his Hunter knives he began practicing his swings once more. "He's a very hard worker." Bolt heard his mother say to Mirak. He purred in pride before continuing his practice with more vigor. He felt their eyes on him but he paid it no mind. He was used to it. Throughout his whole life, he could always feel the stare of someone on him and it was usually his mother. But he ignored Mirak altogether, not wanting to acknowledge the Hunter in the least. "You two stay here for a bit. I'm going to check on something." Bolt's eyes widened and he turned around to face his mother and beg her to stay. But as he did so he only saw the flap her cloak as she went through the jungle plants. Fear took hold in his stomach as he faced Mirak. The Hunter had a dangerous look in his eyes, a sure sign that Bolt should go chasing after his mother. But he gulped down that fear, pushing it away as he turned back to his tree to continue his knife fighting skills on the cut up bark. There was a few minutes of tense silence and Bolt felt his growing ease break away when Mirak sighed. "Vala will forget you once you die." Four blue eyes looked to Mirak in disbelief and surprise. The Hunter smiled gently, as if Bolt was not capable of understanding what he said. "You may seemed loved but Vala only sees you as a [i]pet.[/i] Once you're gone she'll move on and she'll be back to normal." "No she won't." Bolt felt angry and hurt by his words but he let the anger cover up his mind. "She wouldn't just [i]forget[/i] me." He knew his mother cared for him as he did the same. They were always together. Through thick and thin. Mirak was an outsider to their two person family. Maybe Ghost could be in it but Mirak wasn't. "And how would you know that? I've known he longer than you." Mirak's smile was gone, replaced by a frown. The sight made Bolt want to cower but he steeled his nerves and glared right back. "Because she's my mother. And where were you? You claim to have known her longer but where were you when she first found me?" His mind was cloudy with rage but his mouth refused to stop. "You should have been there to help her. But you weren't. You don't know her. And you'll never know the side she's capable of. She's only shown me that side. [i]Not you.[/i]" Mirak laughed but it was cruel, cold and unfeeling. Then his brown eyes stared at Bolt with deadly focus as if studying the Fallen for any weakness. Bolt snarled, showing his sharp teeth and mandibles in retaliation. "Of course you would think that. But have you ever wondered if it's just out of pity?" Mirak grinned when Bolt flinched but he refused to let up. "You're a bug. You're an insect to our galaxy. [i]It would be better if you never existed."[/i] Something snapped in Bolt and he flung a knife at Mirak. The experience Hunter easily dodged it and sneered back at him. Bolt then pulled out another knife and threw it again. And again Mirak dodged. "Shut up! You don't know anything!!" Bolt trembled, his emotions all over the place and refusing to collect themselves together in his mind. [i]Mom would never think that. Mom loves me. Mom would never leave me. He's lying.[/i] "You're better off dead." [i]"I SAID SHUT UP!!"[/i] Bolt screamed, the sound echoing around him. Breathing hard, Bolt finally fell to his knees and felt those unfamiliar tears fall from his eyes. He wiped at his face in an attempt to stop them but it was in vain. Mirak stepped forward but Bolt jumped up and began hissing and clicking at him. Bolt then abruptly turned around to try and collect himself but failing. He then ran, not looking where he was going. He ran towards the jungle brush, his mind telling him to hide. [i]"Bolt?"[/i] He looked back to see his mother standing there and then turned around to keep running. "Bolt?!"