Snippet #2559919

John hesitated a moment then nodded. "Yeah...I need some time to rest.... Just don't hurt her."
He pulled over to the next rest stop and took the time to fill her up with gas and toss Riley the keys. The pair took a few minutes to stretch their legs and John went into the shop to buy some jerky snacks. He'd grown to really like them despite the fact that they only vaguely tasted like proper meat. Something about the smoky, salty flavor and the tough chewy nature of it that he liked. He bought a fist full of them and a few water bottles for the ride and then took a piss in the woods at the edge of the property. It was better than stepping foot into the human sewage they called a rest room. He could smell it with his keen nose all the way by the door.

He walked back to the car, munching on piece of beef jerky. He climbed into the car on the passenger's seat, feeling very out of place on that side of the car. He looked over at Riley who looked back at him. John kissed him then offered a piece of jerky before making himself comfortable. He leaned his head on the window as Riley pulled out and started them back on the road. Astonishingly John fell asleep within minutes, his mouth agape slightly, a lion's canines slightly in view. John had been traveling seemingly nonstop for over a week. Going down to the city to find Riley, driving him back up only to be forced to run again. Not only that his father had popped up which added to his emotional exhaustion.

He didn't sleep for long, about an hour before he started awake to another nightmare about the slaughter of the lions. This time the faceless hunter wielding the shotgun had Lapin's weathered face, his bespectacled eyes shielded by a glare. He startled Riley with his reawakening, crying out for his father in his sleep before gazing darkly out the window. Riley attempted to initiate conversation to cheer him up and failed. “Let’s sleep out in the woods tonight." John finally said after he'd given up. "I'm sick of gross motel beds that smell of other people's sex and piss. I want to sleep under the stars."

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The following is a collab between me and Jack :D

Meanwhile Ko-jin and Lapin trucked along, not far behind Ko-jin was incredibly quiet for most the ride, not having much desire to speak to the hunter. It was about three hours in before he finally said something to him. "So.... why my wives, hunter?" He asked in a gruff voice, looking over to Lapin. "Surely you must have heard of the deal I had made with the other hunters. Every pride was theirs but mine and I would end the human slaughter."

Lapin sighed a bit before he answered, " Does it really matter my reasons why, not that they were 'my' reasons..."
He watched the road pass by. His mind crept back to that night when the hunters raided the old lions pride.
" I could use the old Nazi excuse ‘I was just following orders’ but you wouldn't buy it." He added as an after thought.

Ko-jin's expression became stony but he said nothing more. There where no answers to be pulled from this man he could tell that. Not ones he would deem acceptable anyways. He wondered for a moment why he didn't just kick the man out of the moving truck as it where let him become a feast for the coyotes. The man would probably figure a way to shoot him anyways or thrust a knife up through his throat.

" I was told there were not going to be women and children there... I was over watch for the initial attack... We had some fresh blood among us and they attacked with out being ordered to... By the time the older order figured out what was going on they had swept through most of the pride... " He said reliving having to watch children being drug out of their homes and executed. " Our higher ups had been told that your group had been warned.... like we warned the other clans." He went on. " The old order has rules about killing kids... It might not be much but those that killed your wives are still alive...against their own will mind you, but still alive. I've got ties to the old order still if you wish to pay them a visit, none would stop you." He offered passively.

Anger still lit the old lion's yellow eyes but he let out a slow sigh. "No. If my son is ever going to return to me it will be with that slaughter at our backs. I don't trust your order for anything...except punishment." He glanced over at the old man. "Those men will suffer more at their hands than mine. A lion kills his enemies or devours his prey. We don’t relish in prolonged torture."

Ko-jin squinted down the road as he noted his son's camaro pulling off into a rest stop. He pulled off as well parking a good ways away on the other side of a parked trailer to stretch his legs and wait for the pair to set off again.

Lapin huffed a bit and pulled a pair of binos from a cargo pocket and watched the boys.
" Why are you so harsh on the boy?" Lapin asked watching John stretch.

"He has a duty to serve as part of a lion's pride. We come from a long line of good lions, least he could do is contribute." Ko-jin grumbled. "I refuse to allow so many generations of good hard work to go to waste due to this...unnaturalness."

"He can do his part to keep his line going, doesn't mean you have to push him like that. The heart wants what the heart wants after all. What's the real reason you're harsh on him?" He said parrying the old lion’s response.

"tch...." Ko-jin looked over at Lapin. "Because he's all I got left. He's all I got left and I haven't even gotten a chance to show him how to be a proper lion. Bleeding tigers raised him. That's no way for a lion boy. He has fire in his blood and he knows it."

"You're a stranger, you might as well have been me when you spoke to him." He gave the lion a look, "you know I’m right. I could have let the hunters raise the boy..." he added as he watched some other passers by with the binos.

Ko-jin glared daggers at the hunter, but of course he was preoccupied with his binoculars so Ko-jin merely sat back in his seat and crossed his arms. "He is my son." He said stoutly having no better argument than that. "What would you have me do, let him run off with some tiger boy and pretend I don't exist?"

" No, I would suggest learning about your pre---- I mean son before you engage him. You've not the first clue of who your son is, watch the boy, you can learn much from afar." Lapin answered turning his silvery eyes to the lion.

"So far all I've learned from this is he favors boys and fake meat strips." Ko-jin grumbled grumpily, but inwardly he agreed. He would watch for now and bide his time to better win his son over the proper way. He had to admit to one thing his son's taste in clothing and cars was impressive. Ko-jin approved. He straightened his own leather jacket. The thing was weathered and worn compared to Johns and the shade of dark chocolate.

" You didn't learn anything about how the lad thinks? How rash the boy is? About his loyalty and how far he's willing to go to protect the other kid?" Lapin looked at Ko-jin wondering what was going on in the man’s head. " How did you track me down again?" He smirked

Ko-jin shifted in his seat and huffed, "I admit it took me this long! What did you think I was doing these past 22 years, sipping martinis in the Bahamas?" Granted, he'd been nearly mortally wounded at the start and by the time he'd recovered the man had been long gone. He was right of course. John was absolutely infatuated with this boy willing to discard his own father to keep him. Ko-jin's bushy gray eyebrows furrowed.

" We can use this to our advantage." He said not taking his eyes off the lad.

"I guess you're right" Ko-jin grumbled. He straightened up as John got back into the camaro and they pulled off. Ko-jin slipped back into the drivers seat and waited until Lapin was set before they pulled off as well.