[Trade] Thicker Than Blood

                Pink was not entirely sure of the situation around Riptide and Waverunner’s parents. Whenever she found the pair they were always on the beach where she had originally met them as hatchlings on Isle Kela. She’d heard them talk about their father from time to time, but she’d never actually met the man. Whoever he was, he seemed like a rather hands off parent, letting the brothers go off to do whatever they wanted.

                As the three grew into juveniles, they remained close friends. She would always go and see them whenever on the isle and they were always happy to see her. Waverunner would always greet her with his silly way of speech and wore his emotions on his sleeve, unlike Riptide. The older of the two brothers tried to act unbothered by a lot, but she could tell by the small smile he had that he was just as happy to see her as his brother.

                Together, the brothers were very close. It made her wish she had siblings she was as close to as they were.

                That’s what she had come to expect whenever she saw them. And as she trotted down the beach of the isle, she couldn’t help but hum a bit as she searched for the brothers. The sun was out, the air was nice, and it was overall just a good day to spend on the beach while her father scrounged up some food for her and him.

                Her tail tip flicked as she trotted, raising her head and half closed her eyes as she enjoyed the sun. And that was when she spotted the pair down the beach a ways. But something wasn’t right. Waverunner was sitting before his brother, his head down and turned as if flinching away from Riptide. Riptide was standing in front of Waverunner, towering over him with his face a few inches from Wave’s.

                Pink frowned and quickened her pace, the pep in her step gone as it was replaced with just a concerned run.

                As she approached, Waverunner turned to look over at her carefully, keeping his head down and avoiding looking up at Riptide completely. Rip glanced over as well, watching as the maroon Cryolophosaur made her way to the pair and stopped beside him.

                “Is he okay? What happened?” She asked, frowning as she looked Waverunner over for any sign of a fight he might’ve gotten into. The younger of the two males spoke on occasion of how things would pick fights with him, causing Riptide to get involved. But she saw no wounds on him that were new.

                “He’s weak and keeps getting punked out of things. He lost our food for the day because a random Utahraptor threatened him. He just gave the stupid thing our fish and didn’t even try to fight.” Riptide said through clenched teeth. Waverunner just gave a small smile up at Pink. It was a look like he had known he’d done wrong, but hadn’t had a choice in the matter.

                It crushed her to see him with that look. Waverunner was not the type of fight anyone.

                “He was like…just skin and bones, my dude. I couldn’t hurt someone that was starving. It wouldn’t have been a fair fight, man. And we’re healthy. Like, what is not eating one time gonna do to us?” Waverunner said, looking up at Pink to try and make his case.

                Pink’s eyes went wide as Riptide lashed out, snapping his jaws together just inches from Waverunner’s face. Waverunner closed his eyes and flinched away with a snarl on his face, not of aggression but as if he was readying himself for the pain. The female frowned, her ire quickly starting to turn on Riptide. He was being far too harsh on his brother. Waverunner had a point. Both males were well fed, a single skipped meal was not going to do them any harm.

                “No one gets a free meal from you, Wave. You’re teaching people that they can just come and take your stuff. OUR stuff, Wave. You have to have a backbone. Dad is – was – right. You’re weak and you’ll never get anywhere in life.” Riptide snarled.

                How much had Pink missed for the fight to be as bad as it was? How long had they been fighting?

                Waverunner turned his head down, chin resting on the sand as he half curled up where he’d been sitting. He clenched his eyes shut and Pink wanted to cry for him. His brothers words were not something a brother should ever say. How could Riptide be okay saying something like that? Pink’s expression changed, stiffening into forced neutrality as she’d seen her father do whenever he got angry. But there was another bit of information that hit her after everything else.

                Riptide’s quick correction about their father, the past tense use of the word.

                The female Cryo knelt down beside Wave, putting her head on top of his to comfort him while she heard Riptide finally turn away. She turned her head and put her chin back on Wave’s forehead as she eyed the older brother. His near black markings making him look that much more aggressive as he looked at the ocean for a few moments and then glared back at Wave.

                That’s when Pink decided to speak up.

                “The only weak one here is you, Riptide.”

                The male’s head turned further to look down at her. The anger that had so easily been seen in his eyes quickly left, replace with a look of surprise.

                “A man who acts out of fear is prisoner to his emotions. You’re not better than the lizards we would all chase in the rocks. An animal acting out of primal need. Waverunner at least took into consideration how the raptor looked. He knew that a missed meal for you and him wouldn’t hurt, but a missed meal for that raptor could have been life or death if he was as bad as Wave thinks. Your father was the true weak one. Striking fear into his two sons and, what? Running off to let them fend for themselves?” Pink said, slamming her tail on the ground in annoyance with the oceanic colored Cryo. She didn’t know if their father had actually abandoned them, but her mind went to the worst case scenario with the bit of information that had been leaked.

                “We cannot afford to lose food, Pink. We’re well fed now, but what if we turn into some scrungly cryos? We’ll be no better than that Utahraptor.” Riptide snorted, his anger quickly deflating and looking more and more uncertain and ashamed of himself.

                “Are you starving right now? What good will food do you on a full stomach? I would argue that you are wasting food. You say that Wave is teaching others to come and fight you all for food? I think you’re wrong. That Utahraptor might remember him. Not as something he can come back and punk out of stuff, but to repay for his help when he was at his darkest hour. Kindness goes farther than aggression, Riptide. You get more flies with honey than vinegar.” Pink said and glared up at him.

                Riptide was quiet as he looked down at her, watching as she brought a hand up to carefully pet Waverunner’s face to comfort him more. After a few moments, Riptide turned and took a few steps to the two and sat down beside them. He scooted a bit closer to Wave and rested his head on his brother’s rump. For a long moment the three sat in silence.

                “I’m sorry. I’m just scared.” Rip said quietly after a moment, his gaze directed at Wave, who had kept his face buried in Pink’s arms.

                “I know, bro. But you don’t have to be, like, a dick. It hurts. But, I love you.” Wave said, his voice muffled as he spoke into Pink.

                “I love you, too. You’re the best brother I’ve had.” Riptide replied, turning his body so that he was facing Pink as well. He brought his tail around and pressed it up against Pink’s. She looked at it, then up at him and saw all the anger and hate from earlier was gone. Replaced with actual sadness that she barely ever saw on his features. Just as quickly as she could recognize those emotions on him, Rip quickly covered it up and tried to go back to his pleased-neutral face, “You’re the best friend we’ve had.” He added.

                Pink smiled a bit, moving her tail to rest on top of his. Her arms were occupied with his brother, but she wanted to make sure that Riptide knew he was just as cared for as Waverunner was.

                “And you both are my best friends as well. No more fighting, okay? You’re both better than that.” She said, knowing the rest of the day was going to be spent chilling on the beach and not doing a bunch of anything. And she would be just fine doing that.