where you been, cain?

There had been the scents of packs, and Bugsy held no interest in them. While he knew in his heart that he had escaped the clutches of his father and family, there was that worry in the back of his mind that these packs knew his father and would take him back. For all he cared, his brother or even little sister could take over the business - they had all seemed more eager than he had.

Griselda, on the other hand, didn’t fear these packs, but merely found them lacking. She would not give over her own power so easily. She had become a boss of her own business and was not willing to give up that taste of power and wealth yet. But after chasing the traitor, she had found herself lost in this new place. She was a boss without her peons, alone with no one to command.

Both could survive on their own. They had been taught to fight and hunt from a young age. Bugsy then had been shown the horrors of business, of working with others. The bloody side with murder and torture. Griselda had wanted those lessons, but instead, she had been given lessons on things deemed for women. Her hatred for her father and mother forcing her into such a position had spread to her hatred for her brothers.

So when Griselda and Bugsy saw each other in this strange land, brother and sister separated and somehow found each other again. There was a long silence between the two, eyes connected and movement stilled. The memories ran between them, and the emotions were being mixed and swished around. Neither knew what they truly thought of one another.

Griselda made the first move. With a snarl, she leaped at her brother without a target. Bugsy reared up as if hugging his little sister softly. But her fangs sank into his shoulder, and he grabbed at her throat. The two wrestled and fought closely, limbs mingling and teeth clacking. It wasn’t a fight to the death, and each wound wasn’t even meant to scar. It was as if they were taking their frustrations out.

Bugsy was the first to submit, his emotions let out and his mind cleared enough to know he didn’t truly want to fight his sister. Griselda nipped at his hips, his shoulders, trying to get him back in the fighting spirit, but he just backed up instead. With no willing fighting opponent, Griselda instead stood there, teeth bared and panting. More silence between the two, as their eyes connected once again.

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“I thought you ran away.” Griselda was the first to speak, spitting out blood. “Lil’ daddy’s boy, too afraid to get dirty.” It was supposed to have some bite behind it, but at the end of speaking, it was almost a joke.

“You didn’t see the fucked up things that old man did, sis.” Even with their moral code, torture and death were still a lot. Keeping the victim alive, for days if possible, just for payback.

“I knew everything, Bugsy. Daddy tried to hide it but he didn’t do it well enough.” She gave a shrug of her shoulders as if to say it wasn’t that bad. When she had seen the torture play out as a pup, she had managed to manipulate her own feels. If she had told herself that all that blood and guts was good, exciting, then eventually she would accept it as so. And now she still felt excited when working.

“Well then you can go to dad and take the job - I ain’t gonna do it.” Bugsy had been pretty oblivious to how his sister had been treated. He knew of it all, but it never truly crossed his mind what was going on. To him she had just been a child that wanted to play with the adults, he hadn’t even realized the sexism that was pushed on her.

“You’re so fuckin’ dumb, Bugsy.” Part of her was calming though. Bugsy wasn’t an enemy, competition - nothing. He probably wouldn't stand in her way. It made her voice soften as if scolding a child.

“How...how is everyone?” Bugsy asked after a few heartbeats. Even if he hated the business, he still loved his family. Family was the first thing in their life, anyways. He was raised to love his mama, and stand by his brothers and protect his sister.

“Fuck if I know.” She admitted, at first with a snarl but it lightened into a slight pity sound when she saw the look in her brother’s eyes. “I left daddy ‘n’ them a bit ago.” There was an obvious love in her for her family, despite it all. “I haven’t seen daddy or ma since. I assume that Tony is training under daddy.”

They were silent, and then both snorted at the same time, giving true chuckles of laughter. “Tony? Fuckin’ Tony?” Their brother hadn’t exactly been the best for the business. He had been dedicated, but he always seemed to fall short. He didn’t do well with guts.

“You know how traditional dad is - he’ll jus’ go down the line.” Except he would never choose Griselda, they both knew but neither voiced it. Their father would rather choose some outsider than let a woman take over.

“How did you get here, sis?” Bugsy asked. As much as he was happy to see her, and now she was away from the family, he also worried that if she found him, then they could all find him.

“I dunno, Bugs. I just....ran and then I was here. Made no sense.” She had known the land she was on, and midway through it was all different. It made no sense whatsoever. “Daddy won’t find us. I don’t think anybody will find us.” It was a reassurance to both of them.

“Well, rest with me sis. We can at least be a family again for one night, yeah?” Bugsy offered, motioning towards the forest. Griselda nodded and walked with her brother to a good resting place. In the morning they would go separate ways, both hoping to rarely come across the other. But for this night, they could be happy together.

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