Break Free

The pups are easily the same height and, while the element of surprise had been on Cadaver’s side, once Gruesome is back on his paws and facing his brother, they seem be at a standstill. They posture at each other, spitting taunts back and forth as the world glows with an ethereal quality around them. Eyes glimmer with mirth and excitement as Gru’s lips curl up over his teeth and he suddenly notices something dark lingering underneath the surface of Cad’s gaze.

Writing it off as a trick of the dancing lights overhead, he growls playfully at his brother, tail lashing viciously in a happy wag behind him. Shadows lengthen and dance, elongating the dark areas underneath Cadaver’s eyes and stretching his grin into something far more wicked. Pale eyes widen for a moment as he imagines a monster swimming toward him through a black, glittering abyss, its jaws slowly parting as if to swallow him up.

Pain in his ears pulls him from the strange daydream and he growls while also giving a high-pitched puppy laugh as he turns. Cadaver’s words are heavy with some underlaying meaning that Gru cannot quite grasp and the play suddenly turns into something much fiercer. Playfulness, gives way to competition as Gruesome snarls, lunging forward to try and tangle his body around his brother’s. They wrestle and struggle, their young voices raising to the lights that continue to dance above them.

Paws slap out at his sibling as he tries to gain the upper paw, striving to push away his attacking brother and make a little space between them. The world around them morphs into an ocean of lights and, for one long, disorienting moment, Gruesome thinks he is up there, fighting up in the stars. Backing slightly away, panting heavily, he looks at Cad and sees the unrelenting need to dominate in him and the pup feels rattled. Cadaver presses the advantage with a flurry of bites and snarls and he is forced into the defensive and to fall back.

Hues of vibrant blue set his attacking coat aflame, cloaking him in an eerie glow as he continues to press forward. Fear worms its way into his mind, taunting and belittling his performance against such a vicious opponent. Yet, at the time, his mind screams that it is his brother and he should not cause him harm even though his brother clearly does not have the same consideration for him. A painful bite to the side of his neck has Gru grunting in pain and a switch flips inside of his brain, causing him to go into survival mode.

With a ferocity born of desperation, Gruesome redoubles his efforts and begins to land hits against Cad. Eyes become steel as he pushes back, exhaustion tugging at him as he spies weakness in his brother’s form and exploits it. The heavenly lights continue to watch over them as the fight drags on and they fight to a stalemate, neither one claiming the victory but both too exhausted to go on. Legs quiver as Gruesome looks to his brother, dipping his head in acknowledgement and waiting for him to walk away. Once he is gone, Gru collapses on the grass with a whoosh of air from his lungs.

Panting heavily, he peers up at the celestial lights and offers them a wobbly grin, proud that they got to witness his best.




WC: 567
Total WC: 1618 / 1500



"Gruesome Nightwing"