Akari followed the cat in the courtyard, Gabriel close behind. The shadow cat walked into a entrance with no door. Akari and Gabriel followed him. "I'll take you to the king. He'll know what to do with you too." 

They walked down a hallway. Gabriel looked down at the ground the whole time. Akari scoffed. Pathetic. 

Screech stayed close to Akari's side.

The shadow cat stopped at a huge door with two guards standing besides it. "Lord Sammy," A female guard dipped her head. "Who are these two?" The male guard asked.

"I found them on the outskirts of our territory. I wish to speak to the king about them." Sammy said.

The two guards nodded and stepped aside. Sammy opened the doors and walked in, Akari and Gabriel following.

"My king." Sammy closed the doors behind him.

"Who are you?" The king asked them, his crimson red eyes were pricing. Akari felt a chill run down his back. This is the king? "They..want to live here, King Void."

King Void's eyebrows furrowed a bit. "Where have you found them?"

"On the outskirts of our border, sir."

"We can't trust them." Void hissed. "They're just a couple of rouges."

Gabriel rose his head. "Please, sir! Our mother died..We need a place to stay.."

"Then you can rest outside." King Void huffed out of his nose.

He's so stubborn! Maybe more than Gabriel. Akari thought as he narrowed his eyes at him.

"Wait," A soft-furred dark gray shadow cat with pink markings, her eyes were the primal colors and green, falling like a waterfall in her eyes. "Did you say your mother died?" Her brows furrowed anxiously.

"Pandora, stay out of this." The king turned his head to face her.

"Don't listen to my husband. I am the queen, and I say you too are able to live here. Sammy, show them their rooms."

"Right away, your majesty."

Sammy led Akari and his brother out of the throne room. As he walked down the hallway, he started to start a chat with them.

"Where did you get those birds?" Sammy asked. "They're quite exotic."

"Why does it matter to you?" Akari retorted. Akari didn't fully trust Sammy yet.

"It doesn't hurt to tell someone." Sammy retorted back.

"If you really wanna know, we got them from a shadow cat named Cylix. He's a trained bird expert and a trained weapon expert." Akari twirled his axe around, he caught it swiftly with a talon.

"What are their names?" Sammy wondered.

"Screech and River." Akari said. 

"Nice names." Sammy stopped a halt in front of a door. He opened it and walked inside. Akari walked inside, followed with Gabriel. "It's quite small." Sammy admitted. "Hopefully you will call it home."

Akari placed his axe on one of the beds. He was tired of holding that huge thing around like a toy. Gabriel placed his crossbow on his bed, he turned to Sammy. "Thank you." Sammy dipped his head and he walked out, closing the door in the process.

Screech perched himself on the window stall, River doing the same. 

"Akari..Why don't you care?"  Gabriel said suddenly. "When Yuki died. You seemed so..emotionless. Like you don't care that our own mother died."

"She didn't care for me," Akari grabbed his axe swiftly. "I'm just repaying the favor."

"What are you talking about? Yuki wanted us to be both safe." Gabriel replied.

Akari glared at his brother. "Yuki only cares for you. She doesn't give a single shit about me!"

Gabriel's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Akari.."

"I wish you were never born." Akari walked out of his room, Screech flew after him.

Gabriel watched silently, his ears drawn back worriedly.