I awoke slowly. My mouth tasted sour and bitter, meaning my venom leaked. I opened my eyes, and saw I was relatively alone, so I swallowed, and opened my mouth wide. I twitched my facial muscles, and my jaws contorted.

  I lost myself in the movement, and after a while, I fully flared my rather large fangs, then retracted them. First yesterday, now this? How embarrassing. At least no one was-

  Clap clap, clap, clap

  "Grand show Bites! Truly wonderful stuff! Can you do it again?" A youthful voice called out.

  I whipped around so fast I saw everyone flinch. Everyone exept-

  "Tomasss!" I yelled. I lunged at him, and I saw his face turn to dread. "By Ssecpseset, your ok! Come here!" I grab the much smaller man and lift him, turning him this way and that, checking him for wounds. I found none, thankfully.

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  "I had heard you lived but I wasssss ssssso worried but I wassss injured andi heard about your father and I wassssn't there to sssssave you and-" I babbled, squeezing him to my chest. I was so glad he was ok!

  "cough- gasp- crushing-" He managed.

  I gasped a hissing breath, and put him down fast. He almost collapsed, leaning on my still armored body. My tail was twitching in embarrassment, and I asked.

  "Are you ok?"

  "gasp J-just fine. Just... catching my breath... Hoh. Well, at least this went well... Bites, I am so glad your ok. I... I watched- gods above, I watched you crumple and get trampled! Are you ok?" He asked, finally standing.

  "I am fine, Tomasss. By the godsss... I-I'm jussst... So happy you made it... But- Tomassssss... your father..." I hesitated.

  He sighs then, and then does collapse on me. I let him. While heavy, it wasn't too uncomfortable for him to sit on me like he used to. "I know, Bites... I know..." He said. I saw him begin to tear up, and I looked around, at the watching people, the curious faces...

  I hissed, low and drawn out. I bared my multitudes of sharp teeth, and they got the message. They scurried out like rats, and I turned to, what was essentially, my brother.

  Small, vulnerable, as he had always been to me. We had been raised together from almost brothers. His father was my godfather. Our family's were tied together, our siblings united. It was such a rare, precious thing... and yet, we lost one of our fathers... and it hurt.

  He didn't cry. He just sat there, and I wrapped myself around him, and we mourned. We mourned the father that once was, and never would be again. In this small moment, he didn't feel so small, so in need in of protection. But, I would do it anyways, because what else were big sisters for?