Ebonys

I have become a very different type of adult than most would have planned, I think. I'm a W8 native, my parents having moved here shortly before I was born. We lived together in a large estate, one-because they were both quite large and two-because they were very concerned with appearances and if we lived in a small home, then they thought others would look down on them. This couldn't have been farther from the truth, no one cared about material things during these days, but they couldn't be swayed. My family was the Valdez family and my parents believed themselves to be well liked, but I don't believe they were. Life was very different back then with great times of peace, but there was an ever-impending sense of worry and doom that seemed to cling to all the adults' voices and actions. I stayed to myself mostly, not wanting to be in the way, knowing the consequences of my actions if I got underfoot. Neither of my parents had much in the way of patience, especially when it came down to me. So, I was content on staying in my room or exploring this new place I was supposed to call home. It wasn't long until I finally caught a glimpse of another feline, but he was different than any other I had ever seen, he wasn't as long as I was and his features all quite petite, I was drawn to him instantly. At first I didn't want to approach him, afraid that my impression of him was wrong, afraid that he was cold and mean and would be mean to me and I had plenty of that at home, so if this stranger wanted to be callous towards me, then I didn't need to try and associate with him. But as I stood there looking at him, he looked up and his green eyes sparkled as he gave me the warmest smile I had ever seen in my eight years of life. His pale cheeks reddened slightly as my gaze did not falter from him and collecting myself, realizing I had been staring my black cheeked reddened and I dropped my gaze and slinked away, too shy and embarrassed to go and talk to him. I sulked back to my house and quietly snuck up the stairs, not wanting to disturb my parents who had laid down for their afternoon nap. I crawled into my bed and sighed, thinking about this new feline I had seen today.
What's his name? I wonder what he's like; I bet he's really kind. I wonder where he lives, I wonder who his parents are"¦and I wonder if he's as lonely as I am"¦I frowned and turned over burying my head into the pillow and falling into an uneasy nap.
I lay there longer than I had planned, not meaning to have fallen asleep. I heard noises of my parents stirring down the stairs and knew instantly my mistake. There's many rules in my house and in the evening when they wake up I should have a light meal prepared for them when they awake, if I want to sleep, then I need to be sure to leave enough time to get my chores done first. I crept down the stairs as silently as I could, hoping to catch my mother in a good mood. I walked slowly into the kitchen with my head down and my tail swinging nervously behind me, afraid she'd be upset and release that anger upon me. As I approached the doorway, I looked up to meet her big blue eyes and she smiled down at me, humming quietly to herself as she bustled her large form around the kitchen with ease.
"Good evening Ebony, did you sleep well? You must have been tired." I blinked at her smooth tone, having prepared to meet hostility.
I nodded, "I suppose Mother, I didn't mean to sleep so long, I'm sorry."
She chuckled and continued to cook some meat over the stove, "It's alright, you just won't have any dinner tonight, then perhaps your belly will teach you how to get up in time."
I stammered, "But Mother, I didn't get to eat any breakfast this morning and I'm really hungry, I'll even finish making dinner if you want me too. I'm really sorry."
She turned around quickly and only took the needed step to reach me and her large hand struck my cheek with a loud pop! "Don't talk back Ebony, you respect your elders and don't fight with them, I've taught you better than that. Now finish making our dinner and perhaps I'll consider letting you have something later."
I winced and squeezed my eyes tight, trying not to let tears run down my cheeks, but unfortunately a few escaped anyway. I heard her snicker and grab one of my large ears and drag me over to the stove, "Stop your crying and do something useful, you better hope I don't tell you father about this."
I bit down on my lip harshly to keep from yelling out. She shook my aching ear once and then let it go, "Do you want me to tell your father?"
She was hoping I would challenge her, so she could have a reason to bring him into our confrontation.
I shook my head emphatically and pleaded, "I'm sorry Mother, please don't, I'll finish, please go sit and I will bring it to the both of you."
Her eyes softened at that and she smiled, her mood changing immediately, it frightened me that she could do that"¦ And she just hummed her way right out of the kitchen leaving me in front of a hot stove, a burning cheek, and an aching ear. I pulled my stool over and hopped up, needing to flip or stir whatever was in the pan, knowing how much worse things would be if I burned it. The night went on without any more conflicts, but I did lay down that night without any supper, even though their dinner didn't burn. My reward for a good dinner was not to receive a beating from my father or to see his temper this night.
The next day I was woken up early by my mother's shrill voice yelling that she better not have to come upstairs and drag me out of bed. I slowly pulled myself up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, wondering what she wanted, a waft of meat caught my sensitive nose and I dashed down the stairs. She nodded as she saw me and told me to take a seat next to my father around our table. Soon she brought out a two plates full of steaming, spicy meat and two large eggs cooked and smelling delicious, she set one down in front of my father and one in front of herself and I looked up confused, wondering where my breakfast was, trying desperately to figure out what I had done to go without two breakfasts and a dinner.
So, how to do this tactfully and not cause a scene, fortune was looking down on me this morning, however, my father looked over and slightly down at his wife, "What did the boy do now? Is he not eating?"
She looked up at him, flashing him one of her most innocent expressions, not wanting to upset him either. To tell you the truth I think we both feared him, but for different reasons. I suppose that was a shared bond between my mother and myself, however pathetic that was.
She shook her head and set down the fork, "Nothing, but I only have two hands, if he wants something then he can go get it from the kitchen."
I looked over to my father for approval and he gave me a curt nod and turned back to his plate. With that I leapt from my chair and dashed into the kitchen, grabbing myself a plate and scrapping whatever remains of the food I could; which surprisingly was a decent portion this morning. I carefully poured myself a glass of guava juice and carried my plate back to where my parents sat. They ignored my presence and I started on my breakfast in silence.
"They are coming by this evening," my father grumbled through a mouthful of egg.
"All right, Ebony and I will have the house cleaned before then, will they be staying for dinner? Just let me know so I'll make enough." She tried to smile sweetly, but I knew better.
Today would be a day full of cleaning again for me, I swallowed a lump of food and I think my heart at the same time, realizing what company meant. I hated when we had company; that meant she'd be harder on me than usual and he'd be in a perpetually bad mood. Note to self: avoid father all day and at all cost. I smiled a little to myself as they argued about the details and once those were settled, both got up carrying their individual dishes into the kitchen where they would be left for me to clean. I remained sitting there, chewing quietly, and trying to listen to the muffled voices of my parents. But realizing that I wasn't going to hear anything important, I went back to concentrating on my now cold breakfast.
Soon their conversation was over and not a minute after, "Ebony! Come on, stop lagging. We have so much to do."
I nodded heavily and shoved the rest of my tasteless breakfast into my mouth, swallowing it all with a hard thud. "You mean I have a lot to do"¦ lazy bitch."
Suddenly I realized the mistake of my speech, hearing the distinct clearing of my father's throat. I thought my breakfast was going to all come up at once, I knew he had heard what I said and it was just too early to start the beatings this morning, especially with a full day of housework in front of me. I turned and blinked up at him, my face blank and as white as my black cheeks could be. Actually I resembled him in many ways, having gotten my coloring and my height from him. For my age I was already quite tall, but both of them were above average, my bone structure was slighter than his though. He was in better shape than my mother, she having grown quite a distinctive pouch in her lower stomach and I being naïve and just plain stupid made the mistake one day to ask her if she was having another child. I had asked, not realizing that it would bother her so much to think she was getting fat, but just for my own curiosity, especially since I longed for a sibling. I went to bed that night almost to painful to lie down.
"What was that you said about your mother?" My father smirked down at me and I just stared dumbly up at him, there was no safe way out of this situation, so I gulped and tried to ready myself for his blow, knowing full and well that he had heard me clearly. I was almost knocked off my feet, but not for the reason I was prepared for, he slipped his well muscled arm over my increasingly broadening shoulders, as I looked down at his enormous paws I blinked cautiously and looked up at him with hesitant look.
"I'll tell you something if you promise not to tell her." He chuckled, which surprised me so much I thought I was going to pass out, but somehow I managed a nod.
He bent down, bringing his nose level with mine and I stared into his dark sapphire eyes, which glimmered with amusement, not a look that usually adorned his face, "She is a lazy and bossy bitch, isn't she?"
I cracked a smile finally and he straightened himself back out and ruffled my braided hair. "Go on, before she howls anymore at you."
I nodded and replaced the few braids that had gotten disheveled, grabbing my dishes and carried them into the kitchen were my mother wore a panicked expression, "We have so much to do, this house is such a mess, and you are going to become just like him, lazy and refuse to do anything. Well, don't you worry I'll make sure your presentable and will make a fine husband one of these days."
I sighed quietly and walked over to the sink to begin the dishes while she stood there acting like she was actually going to do something. She continued to ramble on about the things that needed to get done before the guests came over tonight. Apparently she had asked me a question and when I didn't respond I got a hard tug on my long feline tail, I turned quickly on reflex, with claws barred but realizing my mistake, I stood in horror as the plate I was washing fell to the floor with a loud crash! Both of us watched helplessly as it burst into a dozen broken pieces. "What was that?" My father's booming voice came from the lounging room.
"Nothing honey, these silly dishes can get so slippery." She answered quickly not wanting him to come into the kitchen knowing that it would become a bigger ordeal than it needed to be. I hopped off my stool and knelt down on the floor trying to pick up the shattered plate as quickly and painlessly as possible.
After it was quiet for a moment her hand reached out grabbing one of my poor ears again, pulling me to my feet painfully, "Don't be so clumsy." I squirmed slightly hoping to get her to let my ear go, but instead she just grabbed my hair roughly.
"Tonight, you better behave yourself, don't speak out of turn, actually don't say anything unless personally addressed, if it was up to me I would have you locked in you room all night, but your father thinks we need to impress these people and resemble a family. This is a very influential family and they have much standing with the community. And I don't think I have to tell you what will happen if something goes wrong, do I?"
She glared down at me and then to the swinging door of the kitchen, I knew clearly what she was alluding to, so I just nodded and she released my hair. I crouched down to finish picking up the broken plate and turned back to the dishes. She left the kitchen to go do whatever she did all day, having left me a list of chores that needed to get done in the next five hours. I sighed heavily as I looked over the list and got to the sweeping and dusting. The rest of the afternoon went off without any other problems, my father having gone out to catch dinner and my mother staying as far away from me as she could, lest she have to do some of the work.
Shortly after I had gotten things as clean as they were going to be, my father returned with some items from the market, which I love going to and seeing all the fruits and vegetables and the little trinkets people of the village sell.
"Clara, I'm back, are you almost ready?" I poked my head around the dining room wall and saw my father standing in the doorway looking splendid having just taken down, no doubt, a very large animal. The beads of sweat dripping down his sleek jet-black body, making his fur seem to glitter. He shook his head, shaking some black snow from his body and stepped the rest of the way into the house proper.
He looked over at me and winked, "Go get cleaned up." That's the second time today he gave me a kind expression; I was astounded. So I smiled and ran up the stairs to take a quick shower and change into some nice clothes.
I went through my small closet, pushing aside all my usual clothes, all the clothes that I like, and rummaged among my finer outfits, all of them hand-picked by my mother for occasions that we needed to look like a family of esteem and class. Personally, I don't think there' s a family on this planet that cares about appearances, but don't try and tell her that, anyway that's not important. I found a dark green vest made of a smooth fabric, that clung to my slowly developing body in all the right places and showed off my slightly muscled arms. I pulled on a pair of tight black pants and laughed when I looked in the mirror. First off, since the pants were the same color as my fur, it was a bit difficult to see them, but I didn't have a better color. And second, since it was one of the tighter fitting outfits, I thought it looked slightly tasteless, because I was showing so much skin and well, honestly the pants also clung to all the right places. I laughed again at myself and shrugged, leaving my reflection in my floor length mirror to run downstairs and help with whatever was left, hopefully my father was still in the same good mood that he was in before. It would make this night so much easier to bear.
As I met my mother in the kitchen, she took one quick look over me and sighed, "Ebony, why are you wearing that? Those clothes are at least three years old, they are entirely too tight, now run upstairs and go change into something that fits you and is more respectable."
I glanced down at my outfit once more and nodded sadly, "All right." I turned and left the kitchen upset at not being allowed to wear what I wanted.
"Hey, kid, where are you going? Doesn't your mother need help in the kitchen?"
I stopped and faced my father, "She doesn't like my clothes and wanted me to change."
He strolled up closer and took a sweeping look over my form and chuckled, "I don't see anything wrong with it, my son is growing up and finally getting definition, I don't understand why we should try and cover that up. Do you?"
I looked up into his deep blue eyes and shook my head, "No Sir." He nodded and winked heading into our study and I couldn't help but notice the tight fitting leather pants he had adorned himself for the evening. I smiled to myself and headed back into the kitchen knowing my mother wouldn't fuss anymore.
As I finished setting the long table I realize she had really outdone herself, the food smelling delicious and being in such magnitude I kept thinking there was no way we'd ever finish all of it.
They were entertaining a couple and their four children tonight, "with seven people all this food might be eaten up," I said quietly to myself.
"I certainly hope so, most of this won't hold any longer than a day." I spun around quickly, facing my mother who had come up behind me, startling me slightly.
"I want you to be good and try and get along with the other children and I don't want a replay of what happened with the"¦"
She was cut off by a knock on the door, "They're here!" I blinked as she squealed and I quickly put the rest of the dishes down on our elaborately decorated table. I heard my father open the door and our guests bustle in loudly, I didn't know what to do, should I stay and wait, no, then I would look stupid, should I go into the kitchen"¦?
Suddenly I heard my father's deep voice, "Ebony, where are you, come and meet our guests."
"Yes Sir, be right there." I straightened my vest and tried to walk as calmly and confidently as possible into the hallway.
I was shocked by the two other parents standing there, neither of them anything like my own two. Well, both of them were shorter, which wasn't surprising since we are a tall family. I was taken aback by their appearances mostly, both of them were completely adorned in leather, but not the fashionable sort, it was leather used as armor, all of it looking worn with use.
"Jenks, Krista, this is my son Ebony." I smiled and bowed politely, "It is a pleasure to meet you both."
The flying rabbit, who was introduced as Jenks, extended his hand, "Why Vincent, he's a splitting image of you." I looked up at my father expecting a look of disapproval, but instead he seemed to beam.
I figured he would probably act like this until the end of the night and then things would go back to normal, so there was no reason to keep getting excited about it. Instead I directed my attention back to the two adults standing in the doorway and as I looked over the female I realized this was where the most difference was. She was a lovely sable and truly what surprised me was the huge differences between this mother and my own. Krista was built much like Jenks, both looked lean and ready to fight, unlike my mother who has never picked up a weapon in her life and who has been growing a reasonable pudge. I was mesmerized by them both and was instantly envious of their children. By the way, where were they?
Krista leaned down slightly and smiled looking me straight in the eyes, "You are a very cute little boy." She raised her hand suddenly and out of instinct I bowed my head and squinted my eyes preparing for a blow. I stood there stunned for a moment and then opened my eyes hesitantly, looking up into her green eyes with a bewildered look on my face.
Her calm features had suddenly grown very dark, but I noticed her gaze wasn't directed towards me; instead it was towards my mother. Krista's eyes return their gaze to me again, but instead of glaring as before she smiled softly, "Ebony dear, I wasn't going to hurt you, I was just going give your cheek a slight stroke, I do it to my boys all the time. But I do apologize; I didn't mean to frighten you. But there shouldn't be any reason for that to have, right Clara?" I saw Krista's eyes jut back up to the tall figure of mother, who was looking quite sheepish.
"I...I have no idea why he would, dear, I suppose most of our other friends just aren't quite so friendly." I quickly looked up at my father, too afraid to meet my mother's gaze, especially after the falter in her voice. He didn't meet my eyes and smiled weakly at Jenks and Krista
"So, where are your four children?" My father's voice boomed as he tried to break the silence.
Jenks turned and stuck his head out the door, "Kids, come on." I was definitely taken aback about how much noise this one command caused.
The first child to appear was a very petite and short little boy with wild red locks. He was completely adorned in white and in a dress-like outfit; I suppose it resembled more of a gown, besides that he had it belted around his tiny waist.
I watched him suspiciously as he came in, rubbing his eyes, "Father, Jack's being mean to me again, he pulled my hair"¦"
He whined and I looked up at his father quickly, expecting a reaction much like the one my father would give me, and in this instance he would grumble and probably box one of my ears for whining and then that other for not standing up for myself. However, Jenks did something completely different, he leaned down and pushed his nose gently against his son's and smiled, "I thought we talked about this, you shouldn't let him pick on you, you're older than he is."
"I know, but he's"¦he's just so mean!" The little boy shrilled, I stood aghast by this display, but nothing would prepare me for what I saw next.
Another little boy, that looked just like Jenks trailed in with a deep frown on his face. He was a blonde, like his father and resembled a flying rabbit as well, he was dressed in an oversized green knit sweater and a pair of hunter green pants, I thought it looked a bit ridiculous, but cute nevertheless.
This time Krista spoke up, "Thunderbane, where's Jack and Mally?" The small rabbit seemed disturbed by this question and his eyes almost welled up, making him look like he was about to cry. But before he could answer his mother there was a loud yell coming from behind him.
"Jack, stop this. I know you know how to behave, don't make me have to drag you in like this."
"Mally, let me go, that hurts!"
"Then you need to behave!"
"All right, all right, just let go!"
I blinked and stood there quietly, but quickly looked up at my parents to try and gauge their reactions to this unseen spectacle. They like myself just seemed confused.
Soon a small, skinny child with wavy, deep, black hair walked in rubbing one of his very large rodent ears wearing a very frustrated look. Jenks gazed at his son in a very disapproving manner, much different than the reaction to the small redheaded child. It was Krista this time that bent down, leveling her gaze with her son's. "Jack, why must you always misbehave? We're going to start leaving you at home if you can't mind your manners around company."
He frowned and clasped his hands nervously behind his back, "I'm sorry Momma, he's just so annoying and I don't understand why no one ever thinks he does anything wrong."
Krista sighed and kissed his forehead; "We'll talk about this later, but for the rest of the night, try and be good. Please."
The little black haired boy nodded and slid over to stand near the little rabbit and stared at the ground after unclasping his hands and grabbing his brother's hand. I looked up at my parents who looked a little confused and perhaps a little disturbed, in all actuality I was growing quite impatient; even though this whole production was probably only taking a few minutes. Finally the last brother trailed in slowly, he looked different than all of them and I was at a complete loss, he was beautiful, with ivory skin and sparkling emeralds for eyes that simmered threw his pitch-black hair. He looked strangely familiar"¦ He was that feline in the field"¦ Oh shit"¦ I gulped heavily and tried to keep a calm composure. He stood a good head taller than his brothers and probably two over the redhead. He also seemed much more mature than the others, he walked in with his head high and an air of confidence, but not arrogance. He offered his paw to both of my parents and then to me and I gulped again, trying not to show my nervousness or interest. We shook and I want to believe he gave me a small wink, but that could very well be my imagination"¦
Jenks placed his hand gingerly on the feline's shoulder, "Vincent, this is my oldest, Mally." His face beamed with pride as he introduced his son to my father and I watched the other feline closely, taking in all of his delicate and beautiful features. Both of my parents nodded to this odd feline, giving him more attention than the other children, which was odd since they usually overlook any child in their presence.
"Well, who's hungry, dinner should be almost ready. Why don't you boys go into the lounge and Ebony why don't you and the other children go upstairs and play quietly until dinner is ready. I blinked a bit surprised that she didn't demand I follow her into the kitchen and finish making dinner.