I Didn't Know That I Could Feel This Way...

...About Anyone Other Than Angel

(This thread is mainly to focus on Scamp, Vitani and her rescuers on their return to camp. It is set on the 30th
If anyone else wants to show up, then please ask me about it in the OOC thread first. Exception is the Great Prince, who I'd quite like to show up to say something about them going off on a potentially dangerous rescue mission without telling anyone.)

Darkness was falling as Scamp finally exited the MASH tent. His face still smarted from the stitches he'd had to have, but he was relieved to be out. He'd spent the entire day in there, unable to keep still due to his worry about Angel, Tani, Mooch and mom, until finally Tiana had got so fed up with him getting under her feet that she'd shoed him out, never mind that his face still needed to heal. While he had been in the MASH, however, Scamp had done some serious thinking.
He glanced around. Evening, and there was still no sign of 'Tani or her rescue party returning, and Scamp was more worried than he cared to admit. He quickly made his way to the camp's entrance, scaling a small rock formation and, from the top of it, staring off into the distance, imagining he could see four familiar figures making their way back here.
...
Wait... he WASN'T imagining it! Scamp's eyes lit up as his gaze fell on angel's group - and 'Tani with them. Without even pausing to think, Scamp leapt down from rocks and charged towards them, grinning wildly.

Angel, leading the group back towards Pride Rock, braced herself as Scamp came running towards them - and was surprised when he charged straight past her and practically tackled Vitani, a huge grin plastered across his scarred muzzle.
"Tani! You're alright!" he barked out, barely even noticing her own scars.
Noticing his sister's amused stare, he took a step back from 'Tani and cleared his throat. "Uh, hi, Angel."

Vitani half smiled at Scamp's enthusiasic greeting, she had been scared she'd never see him again, and by now she was almost completely sure that she...loved him. Not like a brother, like the way she saw Mooch, she genuinely loved him.

However her smile faltered when she saw the stitches in his muzzle. It was her fault that he had gotten them, Shere Khan had been there for her, he didn't deserve that.

Mooch padded up behind Tani and Scamp. His ears drooped as a scowl appeared on his face. Tail dropping, he scowled stopping and tilting his head to the side. He panted, tongue lolling out of his mouth, watching the scene unfold.

"Uh Hi Mooch," he said mockingly, "Thanks for acknowledging my presence after I ran off to the outlands to rescue OUR friend-AH whatever..." Mooch lowered his head, scowl still on his face and held up his paw to Lady. "M'am, I stepped on something in the outlands and my paw hurts...should I go to the nurse?" His back was on Tani and Scamp. He felt hurt, betrayed....why didn't Scamp acknowledge HIS presence?

"Oh, sorry, Mooch." Scamp replied sheepishly. He'd been so focused on 'Tani... "Uh, how's it going?"
"Hi, mom," he added, just in case she was feeling ignored as well, before returning his attention to Mooch.

Mooch snorted. But one glance at Scamp's muzzle made Mooch swallow his feelings of neglect and push down his annoyance. Still lifting the paw he offered a smile to Scamp.

"Hey buddy," he said wagging his tail slowly, "We got Tani back, just like we said we would buddy...see?" Mooch looked at Tani. A little feeling in his heart and then it went away. Huh. Weird. He shook his head and smirked. "See? We got her back! All in one piece! Didja really doubt me, Scamp?"

"You're the best, Mooch." Scamp grinned, his own tail wagging as well - although at less of a frantic speed than it had been a few moment earlier. "How'd you manage that?" he asked. "'Tani said her mom would kill her on..." as he gestured at 'Tani, he trailed of, noticing for the first time the wounds that marred her body. He glanced at her sympathetically, unsure what to say. It wasn't that they affected how he felt towards her - for they didn't - but the thought of anyone inflicting such wounds on her... made him feel rather protective of her.
"Should we get her to the MASH tent?" he asked worriedly, not directing the question to anyone in particular, his eyes never leaving the gashes over 'Tani's eye.

Vitani felt another wave of self-conciousness sweep over her as Scamp's chocolate eyes focused on her marred eye. She'd never been overly concerned with her looks before, but as soon as she realized that the slash over her eye would scar, she suddey became very aware of herself.

"Yeah," she said "I wanna see Tiana about my...eye."

She moved past Scamp, head down, to follow Mooch. She didn't want anyone else to see her face...she didn't want anyone to make the connection to Scar which was now more apparent.

With a worried frown on his maw, Scamp slipped to 'Tani's side and, wondering if he'd regret this later, nuzzled her cheek gently. "Hey, it doesn't look so bad." he lied, trying to make her feel better. "I mean, look on the bright side - you thought they'd kill you."

Vitani's cheeks burned when Scamp brushed his cheek against her uninjured one. She hadn't expected him to do that and stopped walking with a look somewhere between dazed and shocked...yet she felt oddly safe...like when Scamp and Mooch were around, her family couldn't get her.

Without really thinking, she cclosed her eyes and buried her head in Scamp's fur.

Scamp looked embarassed for a moment, before a tender smile spread across his wounded face, and for a long moment, he just supported her silently.
"Sorry I couldn't protect you." he said as he finally pulled away, looking down at the ground. "I sorta... lost conciousness.
"I'm so glad you're safe." he added, his voice a whisper.

"It's not your fault." Vitani replied softly after a few minutes "You were so...brave but it was my fault...they were after me...I deserved it...I deserve to get this scar."

Vitani pulled away from Scamp. Her words to Kovu echoed in her mind I deserved it...I deserved it...I deserved it. Kovu hadn't understood, she deserved the beating she had gotten by Zira because she had put Scamp in danger. She was the reason Shere Khan was there. She deserved the beating she got.

Scamp's jaw dropped as it it had come detatched. "You did not deserve it, 'Tani!" he exclaimed defensively. He couldn't believe she'd actually think that. "'Tani, you..." a nervous pause. "...you're the best girl I know." He shot an apologetic glance over his shoulder to Angel, just in case she was listening in.
"How could you deserve that?" the last was added in a barely audible whisper.

"I let you get hurt." Vitani replied "I shouldn't have let Shere Khan get you...I-I deserved it! I deserved it! Mother was right to do it! If I hadn't left the Outlands I wouldn't have gotten you hurt!"

Hot tears burned Vitani's eyes but she refused to cry. She wouldn't cry. Yet the tears came anyway as she continued to whisper under her breath that she deserved it.

Mooch lowered his head and gave the pair a look. He looked at Angel and then back at Scamp and Tani. His best friends. In love...ish...His ears dropped slightly as he realized Scamp was in the same boat as before, a species problem instead of a sibling problem. His yellow eyes blinked as he watched feeling no love, feeling left out. He was a third wheel and he just realized it now.

"Hey if you two want me to..." His friends may not have known it but it was a gesture of pure and loyal friendship. Mooch wouldn't move for anyone normally but these were his best friends. Better friends than Wizzer and Two-Tone had been. Dipstick was slowly becoming a good friend as well but Scamp and Tani....He sighed. "Seriously, I'll just limp off if you want me to. And I'll bring the puffball with me." He gestured to Angel.

"'Tani, you DIDN'T deserve it!" Scamp argued, although he felt like he was talking at a brick wall for all the effect his words were having. Was this how 'Tani had felt when he'd been obsessing over Angel?
...
Probably.
...
It was an uncomfortable thought.
...
He rubbed a paw over his face. "'Tani, please stop saying that." he pleaded. Even if he wasn't yet sure enough to say it out loud, he'd reached the conclusion earlier that day that he did, indeed, love Vitani, and nothing she could say would convince him that she'd deserved what had happened to her.