"Wrong again, Tenderfoot."

Mooch rubbed his neck with his paw, a grimace on his face. That pup could fight hard. That was a good sign. He'd win over Angel for sure with those slick moves. Mooch hadn't even seen him coming! Of course he was distracted by the lioness cub but whatever. He turned his yellow eyes on 'Tani and grinned sheepishly.

"Gee thanks cutie," he said with a scoff, "What on earth am I up to? Just tryin' to help our little buddy over here win his chick back is all." He pushed the pup slightly with his large paw. "Good job, Scamp, but next time try to pull me down and pin me when you've got my neck. 'Course Patch is smaller than me so I guess your move will work even better!"

Scamp nodded, climbing back to his feet as 'Tani stepped back. "Go for the throat, pull down and pin. Got it." he sat and scratched his neck, causing his collar to jingle, before standing again. "So... now what?" he asked, looking to 'Tani, wondering what she thought about this.

It took Vitani a few seconds to process exactly what she had heard. Mooch was training Scamp to kill Patch. This was not good! She had to do something! Her favour for Angel just got even harder than she she originally thought it would be.

"No!" Vitani said glaring at Mooch "What do you think you're doing! Scamp doesn't have to fight anyone! Angel doesn't deserve to see Scamp or Patch get hurt!"

"He took my girl." Scamp shot back - although Vitani's words made more sense than he cared to admit, and his doubt resurfaced.
"You're better than that, Tenderfoot... and that's what I like about you..."
If he did seriously hurt Patch... how could he expect Angel to even consider loving him again? "What do you suggest I do, then?" he asked irritably. "Just LET him take Angel? I can't do that."

"No Scamp! If you really loved Angel like you say you do then you'd let her go." Vitani replied.

Vitani padded to Scamp's side and rubbed her cheek against his. She knew that her words were easier said than done but Scamp needed to let go. He needed to face the fact that Angel was his half-sister. It didn't mean Angel didn't love him anymore, it just meant that she couldn't love him like a mate could.

"Love her and let her go." Vitani repeated softly.

Mooch saw the exchange and his cheeks grew hot with jealousy. He knew what that exchange meant, it meant love and caring, something females and for that matter males as well had never shown him.

"Aw hush up 'Tani," he said barreling his way through the lion cub and Scamp to stand perfectly between them, "You don't know what you're talking about. You're all soft." He tried to hide the little twinge of pain he had in his heart. Scamp had a woman he loved to fight for. Mooch had nothing. Mooch was going to make sure Scamp got what he wanted.

Deliberately ignoring the lion cub, he turned to Scamp.

"You gotta show this spotty dog who's boss," he said with a snap, "Nobody messes with you! You got that! Don't listen to her, she doesn't know what she's talkin' about."

"No." Vitani sneered "Maybe I don't or maybe your trying to act like your some kind of macho dog when really your just as 'soft' as any of us."

Vitani didn't know why Mooch was so insistant that Scamp fight Patch. As far as she knew, Mooch had no quarrels with Patch or Angel for that matter. What was up with him? He was her friend, one of her best friends, but sometimes he was so thick that it irritated her.

"You don't need to fight Scamp. Let go." Vitani pleaded.

Scamp barely heard the rest of the exchange between 'Tani and Mooch. Her words stuck in his head. "If you really loved Angel like you say you do then you'd let her go."
That didn't make sense, did it? He loved her so much - how could he ever willingly let her go?
As if on cue, his mother's words from an earlier conversation rose to mind. He hadn't paid them much attention at the time, but now he could hear the truth in them: "Angel is not some prized bone that you can just steal back. She is a dog with feelings, and hopes, and dreams, just like you... If you love her as much as we all know you do...you will let her speak."
that was what it all came down to in the end, didn't it? Angel's choice. And...
And she hadn't chosen him.
Ignoring Mooch for the moment, he looked straight at 'Tani, his eyes betraying the incredible pain that had come to rest on his shoulders the instant he realised that Angel would never - could never - be his again.
"H... how can I live without her?" he whispered hoarsely.

"You move on." Vitani said "You pick yourself up, dust yourself off and try again with someone new. Angel did it. You can too."

Vitani moved around Mooch, back to Scamp's side. She could easily see the hurt in his chocolate eyes. If he was going to move on it wouldn't be an easy thing. But he had herself, Mooch, Lady, Tramp, Annette and everyone else behind him. She gave him a small smile.

"Your going to be fine Scamp. Your stronger than you think."

Move on. Start again with someone else. Easy for her to say, but no other girl could compare to Angel, he was certain of it.
"You don't know what it's like." he snarled in her face. "To find the right girl, the perfect girl, the... the ONLY girl, and then have her ripped away from you with no say in the matter at all."
His whole body sagged again, as the anger drained away, leaving simply the raw pain.
"You could never know." he whispered brokenly. "But it hurts worse than anything you could ever imagine."

Vitani let Scamp take his anger out on her, he needed it. When he had finished she placed a paw on his shoulder.

"No one said this was going to be easy. It'll hurt but in the end it might be one of the best decisions you'll make. Scamp, your wasting away. I'm your friend Scamp and if I can help you, then I'd do it. You aren't alone in all of this. You have people who care about you. I don't think it's fair that you just give up."

Vitani hoped that her words would make Scamp see sense. She really hoped that she could do as Angel asked even if it meant that she got hurt in the process.

"How?" his voice was barely a whisper. "No-one could compare to Angel, ever."
Vitani was right about one thing, though - he couldn't force Angel to love him. She deserved to be happy - even if it broke him that he wasn't the one she was finding that happiness with. He couldn't just beat up her new boyfriend - oh, it hurt to use that term - and think she'd like him again. He couldn't even figure out that logic in the first place, he'd just been so desperate...

Angel was lost to him forever. He had to accept that. As much as he hated it, it was the truth. Finally, all the half-constructed reasons he'd come up with why they could still be together collapsed, and he could see the terrible truth.
They were brother and sister. And as much as he'd spent the last two weeks denying it, deep down, he knew - had always known - what that meant. He just hadn't wanted to see it.
Whimpering, his tail between his legs, he turned away from Vitani, away from Mooch, and fled the training area. There was one more person he had to talk to - although he was probably the last person she'd want to see. When he was far enough away from his friends, he sat down, threw his head back, and howled her name to the sky in a long, mournful wail.

Vitani shut her eyes as Scamp's mournful howl reached her ears. She'd just broken him again. She reasoned that she had done it in his best interest but it still hurt to hear his howl. It made her want to roar her own sorrows to the heavens too but she restrained herself. Scamp needed closure...he needed to let go.

"I'm a horrible lioness aren't I?" Vitani asked Mooch after a few minutes.

"AAAANGEELLLLLLL...."
Angel froze, hearing Scamp's howl. She'd just been responsible for shattering him again, she was sure. Facing him again now wouldn't be a good idea, she was sure - but his cry had sounded so desperate, she couldn't just leave him. Deep down, she knew she'd always love the pup who'd helped her to find a true family - and if he ever needed her, it sounded like now. Excusing herself from Patch, she raced towards the source of the sound. Skidding to a stop just before she reached him, she saw him sitting alone, silently now, his head hanging as low as was physically possible. Oh, Tenderfoot... she whispered silently, what have I done?

Sensing a familiar precense, Scamp looked up. "Angel." he whispered. He rose to his feet and came alongside her. They locked eyes, and Angel winced at the pain evident in his, although she held his gaze.
"You were right." he replied brokenly, his tone making it obvious how painful it was for him to say this. "W..." he swallowed hard. "We can't be together." He gritted his teeth. Here came the most painful part of all. "Good luck with Patch."
He broke eye contact, staring down at the dust. He hated saying that, he truly did - but deep down, he knew it was the right thing. Even now she was no longer his, Angel's happiness was his first priority.