Cadaver stood at the edge of the natural asphalt, the thick black substance bubbling and oozing before him. His eyes scanned the treacherous landscape, searching for any signs of life amidst the seemingly endless pools of abyss. The main pool was surrounded by smaller pits, each one a potential death trap for unsuspecting animals. Yet, despite the risks, Cadaver found himself drawn to this place. He couldn't resist the pull of the unknown, the thrill of danger and discovery. And so, he stood there, his heart beating faster with each step he took towards the edge.

He could feel the heat radiating from the ground, a reminder of the constant activity happening just below the surface. It was both terrifying and exhilarating. An experience that wouldn’t leave him easily deterred. With a determined glint in his eye, he took a deep breath and stepped forward, seeing just how far he could push his limits.

"Cadaver Nightwing"

Illusion watched as her brother, Cadaver, inched closer to the edge of the treacherous asphalt, anger bubbled within her chest like the bubbling pools before them. She had been following him, without the need to hide her true emotions – or lack thereof. But there was no need to falsify the fury she felt now. He had pushed her too far.

Her fur bristled with frustration as she called out to him, voice injected with a mixture of concern and reproach. “Brother dearest. How rare! How fortunate am I to meet you!” Her words echoed in the desolate landscape, a desperate attempt to reach him with the sound of bubbling tar popping with every other word. The girl, a picture of beauty and innocence normally; had morphed into a venomous snake, ready to strike him now.

With a snarl of frustration, Illusion bounded forward, her steps quick and purposeful as she closed the distance between them. She wanted to hurt him, but she also wanted his mere attention. She deserved it! She was the only one worthy of it! And he was never around anymore!
illu

Cadaver could hear Illusion's voice ringing out behind him, a string of sugar-coated venom that cut through the sweltering heat. The sneering tone caught his attention – she was upset. But he was not phased; in fact, he welcomed the confrontation. Twisting around to face her, his monumental frame blotched by the fierce sun casting long shadows behind him, he sneered back at her. "Not now Illusion," he growled, his piercing eyes narrowed with irritation. Her complaints fell on deaf ears; he had no patience for her antics today. Stepping away from the edge of the scorching asphalt lake, he positioned himself between her and any potential danger, presenting an intimidating figure. His fur, a stark contrast against the darkened landscape, seemed to shimmer under the unforgiving rays of sunlight, adding to his imposing presence. “Be a good girl, and go home.” His voice low as he offered her a first and only warning.

"Cadaver Nightwing"

Illusion's movements paused as Cadaver turned to face her, his larger figure casting a shadow over the rowdy boy she remembered. She felt the weight of his dismissive gaze, a rejection that cut deeper than any blade. He was changing. Too fast. Too much. She hated that she seemingly hadn’t been there for any part of it. What was she? What did she mean to him? A burden? A shackle that prevented him from going off into the unknown like he so badly seemed to want?

‘Not now, Illusion,’ Her brother growled, his voice dripping with contempt. Contempt. His words stung like salt in an open wound, cruel — telling of her insignificance in his eyes. But she refused to back down, she wouldn’t have been his sister if she did. The girl who always showed her soft, sweet face was melting away under his scathing dismissal.

Her fur bristled with defiance as she met his glare head-on, refusing to cower at his towering presence. “I won't go home.” The girl of slate gray-blue fur declared, her voice trembling with suppressed anger. She wanted to scream. She wanted to make him stay. “Not until you listen to me, Cadaver.” She hissed, silver eyes so hollow and cold they could have been blind — and perhaps she was; with madness.

She took a step forward, closing the distance between them despite the warning in his voice. The heat of the asphalt beneath her paws made her temper simmer below the surface of her skin. The mask could not handle the pressure it was under, and began to crack and splinter before him. For all her unfeeling nature, when it came to him — all she felt was intense horrible things. Attachment. Jealously. Insecurity. It was too much to process, especially when he was pulling away from her. “I’m sick and tired of being ignored, of being a good girl, I’VE BEEN A GOOD GIRL! ALWAYS! EVERYDAY!” She screeched, her tone laced with frustration as her tail lashed behind her. Her skull dropped low, eyes trying to focus on anything in front of her. Dirt. Rocks. Her toes. Maybe if she could remind him of what they’d promised…  “Admit it. You want to leave me behind, just like mother did… you were supposed to be my favorite. I was supposed to be yours.” Her voice would be heard. She was not a decoration to be placed somewhere and forgotten. She was worth more than that. She was worth everything.


illu

A low growl echoed in Cadaver's chest as he watched Illusion approaching with righteous fury painted across her face. Her words, sharp and venomous, seared through his indifference much like the sweltering heat of their surroundings. A bitter smile twisted his lips. “Stop playing the victim, Illusion.” His gaze pinned her down, a predator sizing up its prey. He was not untouched by her frustrations, her fear. But sympathy was not in his nature. He was a creature built for survival and dominance; emotions were just distractions. But the more hate she spewed at him- the more blatant disrespect- the more furious he became.

There was a burning sensation in his chest, a fire that seemed to spread with every word she uttered. Cadaver's lips pulled back into a snarl, showcasing his sharp, gleaming fangs. With each accusation, he fought the urge to snap at his sister, to silence her foolishness. You were supposed to be my favorite. I was supposed to be yours. And with that, he could no longer hold himself back. Using the bulk of his much larger form to his advantage, Cadaver lunged at his beloved sister without warning. The air rippled with tension as he bore down on her, his shifting momentum scattering pebbles around them. With his right shoulder he aimed to hit her square in the chest, hoping to knock her off balance. At the same time- with splayed jaws, he aimed to strike the side of her neck- to try and leverage a hold to force her to the ground.

Nobody would talk to him like that. Especially not Illusion.

"Cadaver Nightwing"

Illusion's heart pounded in her chest as she stood her ground, facing her brother's ferocity head-on. She had expected his anger, his dismissal of his sweet and naive sister, but nothing could have prepared her for the sheer brutality of his attack. For just a moment, her silver orbs rounded in wonderment, taking in the picturesque sight of his incoming attack. She would commit it to memory.

The impact of his shoulder against her chest sent shockwaves of pain radiating through her body, stealing the breath from her lungs. She stumbled backward, her vision swimming as she fought to regain her footing. He was so much larger than her, he all but sent her flying back. Yet, before she could even recover, Cadaver was upon her again, his jaws snapping dangerously close to her neck. The slate blue girl’s heart still thrummed, but fear was nonexistent within her ethereal form. Instinct kicked in then, driving Illusion to fight back with all the ferocity she could muster. With a hiss of defiance, she tried to twist her body, to narrowly avoid his bite; to deny him the ease of a clean takedown. In that same motion, she lashed out with her claws, aiming to rake them across his chest in a bid to fend him off.

“You think you can silence me with violence?” She spat, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and amusement. Disbelief in her gaze, coupled with the twisted sense of delight she felt settling upon her features. Her mask was shattered, crumbled away – she felt hollow save for the giddiness that was filling her to the brim. “You're wrong, Cadaver. I won't be silenced. Not by you, not by anyone.” Confidence oozed from the delicate chime of her voice, reckless in the face of her enraged brother. Despite the searing pain coursing through her body, Illusion refused to back down. She would not allow her brother to trample over her, to diminish her worth with his cruelty. And she discovered something else at that moment. She finally had it. She had his full, undivided attention.

illu

Cadaver's rage boiled over, his monochromatic coat bristling in fury as he lunged at Illusion once again. He would make her pay for her insolence, for daring to challenge him. He aimed a shot at her should- hoping for his to teeth graze against her shoulder. An effort at drawing blood as she twisted out of his grasp and slashed at him with her claws. But Cadaver was not deterred, he pressed on, driven by a blind fury that clouded his judgement.

His shoulder smarted where Illusion’s claws had raked across his skin, a crimson reminder of her audacity. “Silence you?” He growled low, the corner of his lip twitching into a sardonic smirk. “No, Illusion, I don’t plan to silence you. I want to break you.” With that chilling declaration, Cadaver lunged forward, his muscular body a flash of black and white. This time, he aimed to tackle her to the ground, his powerful form a terrifying sight to behold in the dwindling light. His muscular shoulders rolled with pure power, his gait steady and sure. He was a wolf on a mission, his eyes laser-focused on one thing only – his snarling sister.

"Cadaver Nightwing"

Illusion's breath came in ragged gasps, her body aching, her muscles burning. But the fire within her burned brighter than ever, fueled by Cadaver's words and his blind fury. The pain in her shoulder where his teeth had grazed was a sharp reminder of how much she had angered her brother, but she found humor in the situation. If this is what it took to have his gaze set on her, it was a fine deal.

She saw his smirk, heard his chilling declaration, and felt a surge of defiance at it. Her silver eyes narrowed, locking onto his as he lunged at her again. He was a force of nature, a storm of monochromatic rage, but she was not about to be swept away. He would know her wrath. The ire of a loved one taken for granted.

"Break me?" The girl spat back, a laugh in her voice, tone laced with both rage and twisted determination. "I’ve never been whole, brother. I’ve been broken from the moment I was born. Just. Like. You.” The sickness of her mind, the missing pieces that would never fall into place. Her imperfection. His, too.  Teeth split the delicate flesh of her lips as she bit down on them, her indignation at being anything less than perfect… a horrible curse. Would her insulting words pierce him the same way?

As he lunged, aiming to tackle her to the ground, Illusion braced herself. She did not twist her body away, she didn’t use his momentum against him. She did not even try to sidestep his charge. Instead she let him come, let her body take the brunt of his attack. She welcomed it.


illu

A guttural growl caught in Cadaver's throat as Illusion responded, her words striking him like the physical blows she'd already landed. For a moment, his intentions were stilled by her brazen admission of their shared brokenness. A cold shiver ran down his spine, chilling him to the bone despite the rage that still coursed through his veins. His sister was not backing down, choosing instead to meet his charge head on. As their bodies collided with a bone-jarring thud, Cadaver's teeth snapped shut just inches from Illusion's neck.

Her lack of resistance took him by surprise; it was not an act of surrender but a bold defiance, a refusal to be overpowered. Her words echoed in his ears, a fierce reminder of their shared imperfections. Cadaver's grip on Illusion tightened, a silent demand for her to yield.

But she didn't.

Cadaver's mind raced trying to figure out how break her resilience, but he was stopped short by the unwavering defiance in her eyes. They were a mirror of his own, burning with an equal amount of determination, betrayal and hatred. With a low, grumbling growl, Cadaver tightened his grip on Illusion’s scruff, his claws pricking through her delicate fur and into the skin beneath as he flexed them against her shoulder- holding her against the hot earth. His expression twisting into a feral snarl as he maintained his position over the top of her.

“Think you’re so brave?” He hissed through her blood as it pooled on his tongue, his dual toned eye gleaming with wild rage. The smirk that previously danced on his lips had now contorted into an ugly scowl. “I’ll show you bravery, sister. I’ll show you what it means to be broken." The word came out as a low growl, Cadaver's voice a threatening rumble in the still night air. His breath hitched as he bore down on her, his jaw clenching with the effort to maintain control. There was a tightness in his chest that had nothing to do with physical exertion, an indescribable feeling that twisted his insides like a coiled snake ready to strike.

He shook his head, hooking his canines into the side of her scruff with as much ferocity as he could manage. The metallic tang of her blood filled his mouth, and the smell, strong and coppery, permeated his nose. Cadaver relished in it. He was the hunter, she was his prey — wounded but not defeated.

But then she wasn’t. She was Illusion.

It was minuscule at first, but the foggy haze began to life. The recognition began to dawn on him. A whisper of a doubt, a momentary lapse in his furious assault. He was fighting Illusion. His sister. Why was he fighting Illusion? The rage did not fade, only merely redirected. Cadaver suddenly released his hold, pulling back away from the bloody mess he had made of her neck. Her golden embellishments now stained scarlet with the open wound. What had he done? No. Why had she done this to him? “WHY DID YOU MAKE ME HATE YOU!?” He roared at her, only a few inches between them where he loomed over the top of her- his resolve quickly beginning to crumble.

"Cadaver Nightwing"

The impact was harsh, and powerful. Her skull smacking against the ground, her vision swimming. She felt his weight, his warmth, his teeth all at once. Gods that be, what was this sensation?

Illusion's laughter rang out uncontrollably, sharp and mocking, as she lay beneath Cadaver, her body pinned but her spirit unbroken and twisted as it had always been. Her breaths were coming in short, gasping pants, eyes half lidded with the pain of her fleshy bodice. But within her mind? The pain was exquisite, each prick of his claws, each bite of his teeth a small taste of agony that she savored. She relished in it, in the raw, horrible emotion it drew from him. His rage was a storm, and she was the eye, calm and calculating within the chaos. Was this not the picture of perfection? She certainly thought so.

“Do you really hate me, brother?” She echoed his question, her voice a soft, clinical tone that cut through the air between them. The girl tilted her head slightly to peer up at him, silver eyes meeting his familiar dual-toned gaze with a mixture of amusement and adoration. “Oh, but Cadaver, I love you.” Her breath still came in short, painful bursts as this was her first real injury in her life, but she ignored it, focusing instead on the delicious sight of her brother's crumbling resolve. She raised a paw, tracing it over the lacerated flesh of her scruff with a chiming whine, then raised her bloodied fingers up against his cheek in a mockery of tenderness. See what you’ve done?

She chuckled softly, a sound devoid of warmth but so peaceful as she kept his stare. “I will always love you — my favorite.” Illusion shifted slightly beneath him, the movement sending fresh waves of pain through her body, but she welcomed it even as it caused her to wince, embraced it as her teeth grit in pain. Ah, but what could she say? She felt no fear, she couldn’t. But maybe if she pushed him, he would return to her. “So break me. Fine. Do it. But breaking me still won't make you whole. It won't fix what's wrong inside you. What’s wrong inside me. But together? We could be  whole.” She huffed out, her eyes trained on his, so intent it was maddening. All she wanted was to not be forgotten by the only soul that mattered to her.


illu

Cadaver's breath hitched, a sudden cold chill creeping down his spine that had nothing to do with the frosty night air. His body shivered involuntarily, muscles tensing as his heart pounded against his rib cage. The truth of her words struck him like a physical blow. He was broken. They were both broken. No amount of brute strength or cunning manipulation could ever fix what was damaged inside them."Illusion…" He began, his dark voice wavering between anger and regret. He wanted to denounce her words, to refute the implications she was making, but he couldn't. Because he knew, deep down in his twisted soul , that she was absolutely right. Like a gnarled tree, strong on the surface yet rotten to the core, and she—she was a mirror reflecting his deformed self back at him.

A shudder traveled down his spine as he met her eyes again. The blood from her wounds had started to seep into the white fur of his chest, staining it a beautiful red. Beautiful like her. Cadaver looked down at the mark he had left on her, the proof of his brutality. His mind screamed at him to reject it, the sight too grotesque to bear, but he kept staring – a masochistic fascination with the spectacle of violence he had created.

She'd exposed them both for what they were—monsters, broken and twisted in their own ways, reflecting each other's darkness. Cadaver's gaze dropped back to Illusion's face, finding her eyes still locked with his. They were vibrant, even after everything he'd done to her, full of some perverse hope that made something deep in his gut churn. "Is that it then?" He growled out, the words sounding more like a desperate plea than an accusation. His breath was hot and heavy, fogging up the cold air between them. "We're both monsters, so we must belong together? Is that your logic?"

His voice held a disdainful sneer at her audacity, but within it was an undeniable tremor of vulnerability. He recoiled from the looming implications, his breath hitching. Could he truly subdue himself to the idea that he was nothing more than a beast? That his life was forever entwined with that of another monster? Illusion's devilish chuckles echoed hollowly in his ear, a spine-chilling melody that made him grind his teeth together in sheer frustration. Her broken body beneath him stirred, her feeble movements whispering pain, yet there was a defiance in her glisten eyes that could only be admired. He didn’t wait for her answer. The much larger brute, descended upon his sister once again, but this time, it was her closeness that he craved. He pressed his body against her’s, a dichotomy of warmth against it. “Is this love?” His voice, nothing but a whisper as lapped at the wound he had caused with his tongue- grooming away the blood before it had time to clot in her beautiful coat. “The wanting you so badly it gnaws at my insides, yet wanting to break you to possess you- so you’ll be entirely mine?" His breath hitched as he uttered the last words, almost choked on them, a lament coated with bitter resignation. 

"Cadaver Nightwing"

“Yes, Cadaver, that’s my logic.” She murmured, her voice soft and almost tender, edged with the sharp hiss of her breathing. Illusion's laughter bubbled up again, a chilling sound, yet oddly affectionate. She felt his weight shift, the warmth of his body pressing into hers, and she reveled in the twisted closeness of it. His breath was hot against her neck, his voice a whisper of conflicted longing that resonated with the darkest parts of her soul. Had he come to his senses now? Pity.

“This is love. The only kind we know. Unconditional. It won’t abandon us. It can’t.” Her silver eyes glimmered with a perverse delight as she looked up at him, her gaze unwavering despite the pain and the blood. She may not have felt fear, but physical pain was a different monster for her to deal with. Her young, previously unmarred body was left with its first scars; and her first taste of real pain. Though it was refreshing, in a way she couldn’t fully articulate quite yet. The price was just, the reward? She knew what true love was now.

She shifted beneath him, her body aching with every movement, but ignoring the pleas of her muscles. One paw brushing against the wound she’d left on his chest, a breathy giggle escaping her. “You crave my closeness, and I crave yours. I don’t understand it, not really. But… We are bound. Our flaws, our blood, our desires. Don’t you see?” Her bloodied fingers moved to trace his cheek again, leaving a trail of crimson on his fur. She is mesmerized by the sight, her blood sullying the albino side of his face. “I- I want that.” She paused, a wicked smile curling her lips as she searched his gaze for the answers she needed, the ones neither knew yet. She could be his. His sister. His doll, pretty and forever. Whatever he wanted, she could be it. His tongue came to clean the wound he’d inflicted, and with it came a sting and a choked gasp in her throat. It was warm, too warm. Her hind legs scrabbled against the ground, discomfort she couldn’t get rid of.

Her voice dropped to a whisper, haunting, a trembled out prayer. ”Break me if you must, Cadaver. Tear me apart. But once you have, you can’t take it back. Ever. I won’t let you.” Illusion's laughter filled the air once more, a sound that was both eerie and enchanting. She embraced the pain, the blood, the darkness; she didn’t have to pretend. She didn’t have to fake a smile, fake that she was kind or innocent. This was her reality, their reality. And she would not have it any other way.

illu