Conley Brothers

Camilla rubbed the tears away that were just forming in her eyes. She just wanted a hug...someone to hold on to since she felt like her brothers couldn't be that anymore. "Isn't it though?"
 
"No," Claudius said. "That does not mean they are not terrible people, but family is the people..." He hesitated. "The people who try to take care of you even when you are terrible to them, or if they are terrible. It is... it is what makes a family." He fell silent, whispers echoing in the back of his mind.
 
"It seems...wrong though...for that to be true...I believe in being honest and true..and in trust...but..now I can't trust them..I just...I don't..." she sighed. She really was having a hard time with this "I don't know what to do"
 
Claudius said nothing for a long while as he watched her. "Do you still love them?" he asked quietly. "Despite trust, despite pain, despite anything and everything else, do you love them?"
 
She didn't hesitate to nod in response to that one. Yes. She still loved them. They were still her brothers and always would be

Outside things were picking up as more people were being admitted. She had tried to pick a spot far away from the noise but that was difficult in a city.

Camilla slipped her glamor ring off, letting him see her as she was again. Not hiding. She was doing it more and more but only with him.
 
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Claudius did not flinch when Camilla revealed herself. He saw no difference, not like that. She was the same o him, horns and hooves or not. "Love should never change," he said softly. "Trust does. But love tempers reactions to broken trust. Trust is... trust is a paper. When trust is broken, the paper is crumpled up. They may try to fix what is broken and smooth the paper, but the wrinkles remain. It is okay to have... fences... things you will not do when you do not fully trust someone even when you love them. It is natural and healthy."
 
Camilla watched him as he spoke, surprised again at hoe much he did and even more by his wise words.

"You're right" she took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment "it hurts..but you're right"
 
Claudius reached out and nearly patted her shoulder. Then he pulled back at the last second. "The city is loud," he mumbled, turning away. "Will I be... preforming?"
 
"A test run that's all" she said, not wanting to do even that yet but Felix insisted "just with some of the other workers and performers...I wouldn't put you in front of humans yet" she rubbed the tears from her eyes again. That was about when the tent flap opened again and light spilled in "whoa!" A small group of kids had snuck past the ropes to check out "behind the scenes" of the circus.

The sound of their gasps made Camilla's heart skip and she jumped, dropping her glamor ring

"Don't go in there! Those freaks aren't in their cage!" A second kid was pulling the first back.

"Shut up!" The the first smacked the hand away.
 
Camilla looked flustered and afraid. Claudius acted without thinking, treating her as he might have treated little Star. He moved around her, shuffling on hands and feet in his awkward way, pushing her back and out of the children's direct line of sight. Then he stood, raising his scared, malformed body to his full height. Well, as full as he could make it. His spine still had difficulty straightening all the way, but that made the spikes along his back stand out all the more drastically.

"Who you call freaks?" he snarled, baring his teeth. "You look like the freaks to me. Where are your tails and horns? Such pitiful little creatures. Not even fur!"
 
The kids stared, a couple of them ran off but the first two lingered the second tugging on the first "come on!" She seemed scared but the first kid looked more amazed than anything. "Whoa! It can talk!"

"Robby come on!" The girl tugged harder on his arm "we aren't supposed to be here!"

Camilla quickly fumbled to find her ring to get it on so she could hide once more
 
Claudius slowly - and a touch theatrically - extended his arm, uncoiling his long, clawed finger to point at the boy. "You should not talk if you cannot say kind things. Saying unkind things turns you into a monster to be trapped in a cage."
 
"Oh is that what happened to you ugly monsters?" The kid countered. The girl now hugging his arm and hiding behind him. Probably his sister. Kids could be idiots and jerks.
 
Claudius tipped his head, narrowing his eyes. "I think I see horns growing. Should I check for you?" He stepped slowly, making his way to the cage door then stepping down, his eyes fixed on the boy. There was a hint of red like the gleam of a fire coming back to life in his eyes. His hand raised, his claws splayed.
 
This time the kid stepped back, eyes widened just a little "stay back freak!"

Camilla got ahold of her ring and slipped it on finally but stayed put, heart still racing, panicking.

The little girl pulled on robby again and this time he moved "come on Sarah. This freak show is lame. No wonder they hid it" he said to sound brave
 
Claudius moved faster than he had in a long time, certainly since before he'd arrived at the circus. He caught the boy by the front of his shirt and lifted him up to eye-level, his orange eyes blazing. "Be careful who you speak poorly to, boy," he murmured, his tongue caressing each word, his gaze almost hungry. "Not everyone you insult will look the other way."

He slowly set the boy down. "I will let you go because your sister is kind. If I hear you speaking insults again..." He smiled thinly and drew a claw lightly down the boy's cheek without damaging skin.
 
Sarah squeaked in alarm. Too scared to actually scream or anything but she looked terrified and so did Robby at that point, made all the more evident by his now wet pants. His eyes wide with fear. The second Claud let go he grabbed his sisters hand and ran, scared shitles
 
The monster snorted derisively and tossed his head proudly. Silly little prey animals! How dare they presume to encroach upon his territory! He should have torn them apart where they stood! Then let them act as a warning to all these other pathetic little creatures. He would rule with a-

Claudius blinked and shook his head. Visions of fire and blood danced before his eyes. Rule? With claw and fire? Where had that come from?

Suddenly exhausted, Claudius limped to the cage and crawled up to sit in the doorway. He leaned on the cold iron bar, resting his throbbing head.
 
Camilla hadn't moved from where he had pushed her. Instead curled up hugging herself. She had never had a panic attack before and didn't know how to handle it. Maybe they weren't ready for a show just yet.
 
After a moment of gathering his own thoughts, Claudius moved into the cage then frowned when he saw Camilla. "Are you hurt?"
 
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