Chapter Text
Melon was born to a leopard mother and a gazelle father. Because of his fangs and claws the doctors determined that it would make most sense for him to be legally registered as a carnivore, and so despite his close resemblance to his father legally he is a leopard.
Melons father was afraid of Melons mother, she was so clingy and he was sure she would devour him. Soon after Melons birth his father left his mother, he was convinced that she would devour their son as well, so he took him with him in his escape. But Melons father found he could not handle carrying for his mixed species child and left him at orphanage where a certain Komodo dragon worked.
Melon spent his first years in the orphanage, no one would adopt him. Because of the laws restricting interspecies families he could only be adopted by a cat family, but of course no cat family would be willing or able to care for a gazelle. Every adult would look at Melon the same, as something to fear and pity. Every adult but one, Gosha the Komodo dragon, he treated him the same as any other child, as if he hadn't even noticed what a freak he was. And yet he had noticed, Gosha told Melon about his daughter who was half wolf, and wished that he could take him in, he understood the struggles of a mixed beast. And soon Goshas wish would be answered, a month before Melon turned five a reform was passed on the adoption laws, now a carnivore child could be adopted by any carnivore and a herbivore child could be adopted by any herbivore.
And so it came to be that, legally, Gosha the Komodo dragon was not related to his biological daughter Leaon the gray wolf but he was the father of Melon the leopard.
Goshas daughter, Leano, was not all too thrilled about Melon moving in with them. She did like Melon, yes, he was a very polite boy. But sometimes she could not stand to look at him, he reminded her of how ashamed she was of her mixed blood. And he made her feel so guilty for her shame, he was so obviously mixed species, and yet he could smile so brightly. While she was already contemplating taking her life over a few scales.
Leaon was already pregnant when Melon moved in. She gave birth to gray wolf, Legoshi. Legoshis only Komodo dragon traits were his eyes and immunity to Komodo dragon poison. Legoshi was very shy and reserved but he did not seem to have any problem making friends.
Soon Melon learned to cook for himself to lessen Goshas stress about accidentaly poisoning him. Melon also started taking after Legoshi in calling Gosha grandpa.
The years after Legoshis birth Leano became more and more reserved, at first not wanting to go outside and then hiding herself away even from her own family. She would pet and talk to legoshi through a hole in her door. Melon and Gosha both missed Leaon.
As Melon grew he became more disturbed by the ways he was treated. His pears were taking after the adults around him as well. And the fact that if he hid his mouth and squinted his eyes he could be seen as any other gazelle. Gosha wanted to send Melon to a prestigious high school like Cherryton academy but Melon refused to live in a dorm, so he went to the school closest by.
One night Leano snuck into Legoshis room when she thought he was asleep. She laid down in his bed and curled up around him, holding her son properly for the first time in years. But Legoshi was not asleep, he was only pretending. For his mother had told him to wait, and like any other canine he obeyed. As Leaon left his room she was seen. Melon who had simply gone to the bathroom started at her. He had not seen her face in so many years, he had missed her. But he could hardly recognize her now. the scales that covered more than half of her body glittered in the dim light from the kitchen window. And even in the dark he could see that there was this pain is her eyes, a pain he recognized very well herself. They stood frozen, just staring. The only words Melon managed to utter were "...Miss Leano?" That seemed to break the spell, tears streamed down her face and she ran back into her room. And Melon went back to bed as well. That night Leaon took her own life.
Both Melon and Legoshi would blame themselves for not stopping her. But above that Legoshi would blame his grandpa for placing the curse of a mixed beast on her. Legoshi went off to high school and did not speak to his grandpa again. Melon called him maybe once a year, to make sure he was doing okay. Melon moved out, to be closer to his collage and job.
And so Gosha was all alone in his home for the first time since Leano birth.