"True, true..." Léan was glancing around, somewhat warily. "I feel like we are being watched." He had a semi-grave tone to his voice.

"Watched?" Glory repeated. Great, just when they finally had time to themselves... She glanced around too, but didn't see anything.

Léan glanced around a bit more. He wasn't getting any scents. Then, he caught one, and gently tugged on her arm. "I think we should move ashore."

Glory wasn't sure what had prompted the decision, since she wasn't sure what scents were around, let alone how to sort them out, but she nodded.

"Alright," she said, going with him.

Léan helped her ashore first. It would sting a little to change back to a human the first time, but it wouldn't hurt. He had just barely pulled himself ashore when he spun around, a low, territorial hiss erupting from his throat.

Just barely missing them, a few feet away, was a familiar face and a familiar dark green tail. Léan's father had returned. He hadn't planned on returning in the beginning--he'd simply wanted to see if his sons had had children, yet. He planned to take them from them. He didn't have a strong sense of smell--Léan had inherited that quality from his mother. So, he didn't know about Eden.

But, as soon as he'd seen Léan hanging around with a human, he'd decided to interfere.

He had a distinctly territorial and violent look about him, as well.

Glory pulled herself up onto the sand quickly, watching what was going on with a tinge of fear. It was obvious things were about to get more than just tense, and she didn't want Léan to get hurt. She was so distracted that she didn't even notice when her tail had changed back into her legs.

Léan had been hurt and bullied by his father for nearly half of his life. He wouldn't let himself be hurt any longer.

Betelgeuse popped his head up out of the water, and began to argue with Léan in their native language. It was obviously something the man didn't want Glory to hear.

After a moment of arguing, Léan leaned forward, like he was going to lunge in and attack his father.

Glory had no idea what was being said, but things had obviously taken a turn for the worse. She knew she was nowhere near skilled enough to help Léan if he needed it, since the only thing she really had going for her now was that she wasn't drownable anymore. In addition to her apprehension, though, there was a definite anger forming.

"Why can't you just stay the hell away from my beach?" she finally snapped at Betelgeuse.

Léan was bristling with anger. He couldn't stand the sight of his father. He despised the man, for everything he'd done to hurt both him, and Archie.

Betelgeuse turned his attention to her, and his eyes narrowed. "Abomination!" he hissed. "Humans are not meant for our world. I intended to kill you. No son of mine will court with a human, as long as I am alive." He returned his attention to Léan. "I cannot believe you show sympathy for this human. This creature, whose kin took your mother's life!"

It seemed he was utterly disgusted by the relationship Léan and Glory shared, and disgusted by the fact that he had changed her. Léan's roots for hating humans were shining through.

"There really is something wrong with you," Glory pretended to marvel. If there was one thing she was good at, it was distracting someone by getting them angry. Probably not the best idea, but she was also the one on solid ground at the moment. "Do you really think she would want to see you like this? Good god, I know I wouldn't."

Léan had fallen silent when his mother was brought up. He hated talking about his mother, and the mention of her death always reopened old wounds.

"She was murdered by humans. Brought up in one of their nets!" Betelgeuse snapped, tail straight up in the air. It was a sign of dominance. "Humans are filthy, worthless creatures who do nothing but destroy the very world they live in."

"What, so you take it out on him?" Glory asked. "That makes no sense, at all. Granted, people in sufficient numbers are stupid, but I try to think that individuals can be smart. Thanks for disproving my theory." She was trying to keep his attention on her. If nothing else, she could hold her own on the beach. In the water was another story.

"He is a useless excuse for a son who sympathizes with humans and has for a very long time. He deserves no less than my pure dislike," Betelgeuse retorted, defensively.

Léan continued to say nothing. His hands were balled into fists. If he wasn't kept from attacking, either he or his father would die today.

"You speak as if it's a bad thing he's actually got an open mind," Glory remarked. "Thanks, by the way, for trying to drown me in Hawaii. Worked great." That was an intentional jab, and it felt good to let out that particular sarcastic barb. She'd been a bit miffed about it for a while.

"Open mind? No. Maybe 'open' in the sense that he is opening a gate behind which lie billions of hostile creatures, waiting to strike," Betelgeuse replied, bitterly. "I will not fail if I get the chance again," he added, as a clear and direct warning and threat.

A low growl began to work itself up in Léan's chest.

"Oh really?" Glory said. "Last I checked, I'm up here. And you're not." She wasn't dumb enough to outright challenge him, though. Not by a long shot.

Betelgeuse sneered at her. "Just you wait until I swim to the nearest settlement, and tell them that an abomination has been created at this beach," he warned, flatly. "It is against the law. Abominations are chased down and killed."

Léan seemed like he was very close to lunging out and attacking his father. He wanted to. If they fought, one of them wasn't going to make it. Léan did not have the advantage. He was younger and less experienced than his father, and certainly not as strong.

Glory just raised an eyebrow. There was no way she was going to say anything that would even hint at the fact that her mother had been changed, as well.

Hearing no retort, Betelgeuse turned his stare back on Léan. His expression was clearly challenging him to a fight, probably to the death or near-death. He had the advantage. And he knew that he had the advantage.

Léan wasn't thinking strategically. He just wanted his father away, far away. Dead, if possible. His growling grew a tad louder. He was close to attacking.

Once Glory realized she'd lost his attention again, she felt a bit helpless. She had no idea what else she could do, and she had the distinct feeling that things were about to get really bad.

Léan forced himself to look away from Betelgeuse. "Let's go inside. Where he has no dominion," he managed, finally. His tone was dead and cold. If he didn't get away soon...he would kill, or be killed...

"A coward. Just as you've always been!" Betelgeuse snarled, rearing up to strike.

"Just because you're an asshole doesn't make him a coward," Glory snapped. She turned to Léan and nodded. "Inside sounds good."

Léan shifted farther away from the water and into a better position, so it would be easier for him to scoop her up. He kept his eyes fixed on her, so he wouldn't have to look at his father.

The man sneered at her, but didn't retort.

Moving over to Léan, she gave him a quick kiss before picking him up.

"Come on," she said softly, "we can go in and watch Food Network or something for a while."

Léan buried his face in her neck. He was shivering...shaking with anger. He clung to her, tightly, and nodded, slowly. Anything. Anything to get away from the water, and his father.