21 Red Twilight Demon of the Flowers chapter 21

Chapter 21 Parlay

A few weeks pass on this dreamlike world. Tatsu needs to sleep, needs to rest, worldwalking is hard. In that time Niya is kind, she is accommodating. Quickly the cheetah starts showing signs of carrying kittens. Tatsu hunts for her. Yet the Steel Rose hovers overhead. The sickness he had seen before continues to sweep the land. More metallic spiders show up day after day.

Tatsu starts to understand. Seeker is still looking for him. How is this? How did she follow him between two worlds? Did she steal some technology that allows her to trace him? No world will ever be safe. There is no place anywhere where Tatsu could live without to threat of Seeker chasing him. This world has its advantage, here, life is simple and mobile. But nevertheless, Tatsu must find a way to disable Seeker.

Tatsu hunts spider after spider. He studies them; he needs to understand how Seeker thinks. After a few dozen kills his Arcana grows. So, does his understanding of his enemy. Seeker has branded her workers with a gyromantic brand.

"this symbol," he growls as he looks at the magic charm on the dead monster's body. "this is some primitive variation Aura Script, she tried to hide it by overlaying secondary calligraphies. I can read this…" Tatsu draws out the emblem on the ground, then draws and redraws it time and time again slowly removing the characters that don't make sense looking for the original image, the once she started from.

"this is such an old and outdated magi chant. Why use such an old…" Tatsu freezes as he can finale see past the fluff to the real spell hidden underneath. Tatsu throws his head up laughing "Spirit Craft! She is reading from my old spell books!" the wolf can hardly contain his laughter.

Hetatsubachi runs back to the den, he waits until nightfall when Niya and Cordell return home from their hunt. He explains to them that he has found. Of course, they don't understand. He doesn't expect them to. But the thing they do understand is the most important, he can chase away the Steel Rose. Hetatsubachi tells Niya that he has to go, he can protect them from the monster hovering over their world, but he may or may not be able to return afterwards.

***

Realm: Gia

Place: The Steel Rose

Chrono Sphere: 20-04

Hetatsubachi opens a portal going to the Steel Rose, this time he understands what Seeker has been doing, he can sneak around her magic. Tatsu lands in the garden outside the courthouse. The flowers are all dead; the ground has been lined with mirror-like metal. The fountain runs dry, the hundreds of armors Cilverant inhabits stand lifeless in the yard. A swarm of clockwork bugs run around skitter around performing who only knows what task.

Hetatsubachi digs a claw into the metal drawing markings into the glass. "Seeker!" he shouts. "show yourself!"

The dead armors rumble and groan, ghastly lights shine within the armors one by one the flock stand up. All of them turn at once to face the white wolf. This is Cilverant's body there is no question there, but it is not his mind in side of it. When they speak, it is Seeker's voice that leaves his chest. "you have come to give yourself to me?" They all say at once.

Tatsu growls and punches the ground "Don't you dare take a step closer to me." He points at the drawing on the ground. The magic markings shimmer as they take effect. "I want to talk. But not to some shadow, I want to talk to the Seeker of Eternity in the flesh."

The Armors slowly creep closer "you have come to give yourself to me. I will take away that which makes you beautiful and add it onto myself."

Tatsu's eyes turn to flashlights as the burn yellow and green "By the Nine I swear if you touch me you will never be seen again." Starlight sprays from the ground "I have locked the door to this place on you Seeker and if a drop of my blood leaves my body that door will never open again."

All movement freezes. Seeker believes Hetatsubachi is telling the truth. Lights on the ground light up drawing a line leading down the street and across the road to a lighthouse. A powerful glow calls to the wolf "I am the Seeker of Eternity. If you wish to speak to me 'in the flesh' we will speak there."

Tatsu smiles "why thank you." The wolf follows the light heading into the tower. The ground is cold; his claws click loudly on the steel floor as he walks up the steps to the parapet. As he pushes open the door to the last room of the tower there she is. Seeker sits before a window looking down at the courthouse. Her skin is blue, her face is pink, her eyes green, she heart visible spinning in her chest a fiery flickering illuminating her from the inside out.

Seeker need not look at Hetatsubachi, she is plugged into the Steel Rose, she can see everything on the space station all at once. "you will not understand, but I am happy to see you."

"Parlay." Tatsu states loudly.

Seeker does the honor of turning to face the wolf "what do you wish to gamble?"

The wolf stalks over to the Seeker standing nose to nose with her "Souls, lots of them."

Seeker rest one of her three fingered hands on the side of her face leaning off to the side. "I have little interest in such trivial things."

"I want you to never return to Phawks, I want you to leave Gia, and I want to know why you betrayed our brothers." Tatsu orders.

"And what do I get in return?"

"you get to continue to chase me across time and space." Tatsu smiles taking few steps back relaxing.

"then I assume you will also need safe haven and food to eat in order to worldwalk again."

Tatsu growls "I think that part is a given."

"and then you unlock the door to this realm so we can continue our game?" Seeker asks

"yes." Tatus explains.

"then the bet is made. I will honor our bargain. You will have 36 hours in your planets time to eat sleep and ready yourself for your next jump." Seeker rubs one hand under her chin "Of course that does mean implicitly that Gia and Phawks will be out of your rich also."

Tatsu finds a place to sit down himself "Seeker, now, why did you turn your back on our brothers?"

Seeker looks down at the wolf "you have made a miscalculation. You believe I was once your sister. In that, you are in error. I have never tasted the blood of the Eldermother Chaos, and such I was never a Worldwalker."

Hetatsubachi rolls his eyes thinking "But how…"

Seeker finishes his thought "was I mistaken for one of you?" Seeker is happy to continue the conversation "look there" she points out the window to the planet that they are orbiting "that world looks just like every other world that Chaos has blessed. The world is covered in water, the rules of the realm allow simple proteins to fuse and become complex life. Plants and Animals have found there way to every point of the world."

"and still you were able to confuse Cilverant." Hetatsubachi questions

"A am not an animal; I am a disease. I eat, and I divide, I impregnate everyone I touch I have no choice in this. It seems that somehow, I attracted Mammon in this propagation. That being what it is I seem to be becoming Mammon."

Tatsu growls "you are becoming the enemy of life."

Seeker at this show passion, anger, longing, she slaps the chair she is sitting in and leans forward shouting "I have no choice, I was never alive! I kill, I consume. It is inevitable!"

Tatsu barks "Why? What does that mean? What do you want?"

Quickly Seeker returns to her soulless calm "I want to live intel I die." She looks at Tatsu, ponderance in her eyes "you?"

Tatsu lowers his eyes and ears relaxing on the floor. "I want to be free; I want to do whatever it is I want to do. I want to eat too much, make bad decisions, sleep in late, chase girls, I want to be chased, I want to hunt I want to kill. I want freedom, I want peace, I want whatever I happen to want..."

The two have a day and a half of uneasy peace. Seeker honors her deal. Tatsu is fed, he allows himself to be pet. The two act like friends for a day. Seeker laments that she and Tatsu can never meet eye to eye. Then the two of them part way. Tatsu trying one last time to convince Seeker to follow him, the two of them as friends, maybe the two can even rebuild the Steel Rose. "you could come with me, put all this madness in the past."

Seeker explains sorrowfully "I must be what I am. I have no choice."

Never again will Tatsu and Seeker share a moment of peace with each other.

***

Realm: Nimh

Place: Silk Valley

Chrono sphere:20-05

It is dark times, deep in the mires, the overbrush grows thick, the brush darkens the sky. Gina, the youngest daughter of Skoll of Lupu Pin. A princess amongst wolves runs through the swamp; she has been running for a day and a half. She has seen red flags grace the borders of her land, the flag flown by Kuro, King of Rabbit. A decade ago these barbarians came across the south sea and clashed with the Gaiadren, that battle saw the burning of many of villages under Gina's mother's protection. Skoll had managed to push Kuro back into the sea then. But it was at a high price. A price Gina cannot afford to pay.

The princess of wolves has ordered her min to watch the water tirelessly; they must stop Kuro form coming ashore at all cost. The wolves are not likely to beat the rabbits in a land battle a second time. Still, Gina understands that she needs more the vigilant men, stone walls, and quivers of arrows. She needs the favors of heaven. She needs Jessica the Weaver.

The mice have come to the aid of the wolves in the past. In battle, mice are of limited value, but it is well known that they have talented hands big imaginations. The mice train all the most gifted foragemasters across the land be it gears of war or opulent churches there will be a mouse builder watching over the construction. Jessica the Weaver is the most famous of mice. Some call her a witch, some a seer; others use more flattering names, the Eldermother, or the Weaver.

Gina stops to sniff the air, the scent of ginger looms nearby, this spice does not grow wild on this island. That can only mean Jessica is just around the next bend. Gina falls onto all fours making haste; her dress is crumbling from the clay dangling from it cat weeds bite at her exposed fur, the road has been hard. But at the price of Jessica's wisdom cuts, bruises and naked skin mean nothing.

A light, a tall mound of clay, a window sticking out of the mud, a door forged from a rock. Gina has managed to sniff out the Eldermother. Gina has arrived. Gina need not knock on the door, as she walks up to it a mouse with long tan hair, a ribbon around his neck and a fencer's coat pulls the door open for her "Gina of Lupu, please come inside, my mother awaits." The boy sidesteps the threshold and waves the wolf inside with a bow.

Gina steps into the main room of the Weaver's lair. One side of the room is stacked high with flowers of all shapes and sizes, across therefrom there is a pile of scrolls. There is a fireplace and a wooden door. A table with an assortment of nuts and fruits site near the center of the main room. Flickering orange light illuminates the chamber. Two dozen urns wrap around the edges of the room, and four mice are walking around.

Jessica sits on the floor inking a scroll as Gina walks in, Jessica names each of the mice for Gina as she looks around "The boy that opened the door is Lucius Dane LaMarcus, he likes to be called Luke. The girl sorting the herbs is Sarra Bell LaMarcus, she is Luke's twin, the two of them share a single soul, and so can never be more than 100' apart with both falling ill. The girl kneeling in the corner with the needle and thread is Mia LaMarcus, she is wearing a scarf around her eyes to conceal that she was born without eyes, she is blessed with 'touch of sight' her hands and feet can feel things that you and I will never see. The girl cutting vegetables is May. She is the daughter of Pepper Odidimus the second, she like you is a princess searching for peace." Jessica waits for Gina to nod in understanding then finishes her speech "And I am Jessica the Weaver, it is me that you are here to see."

Luke steps up alongside the wolf "If you would like to give me your gown I will have Sarra wash and mend it for you."

Gina seems confused by the statement, she looks to Jessica waiting for advice, 'is this some sort of a joke? Did he ask me to strip?' Gina thinks. But then Jessica waves her hand inviting Gina to do as Luke asks. Gina complies, this must be some sort of a custom of the mice. Gina removes her outfit and folds one arm over her breast the other she tucks between her thighs to hide herself.

Jessica has not yet looked up from her work as she speaks "you need have no fear of your body, there is nothing about you that is alien to us."

"I am not confident it is proper for someone of my upbringing to roll in the mud nude with mice." Gina tries to tell a lighthearted joke, the racy nature of the statement not dawning on the wolf princess.

Jessica dryly suggests "I am sorry you feel that way." Jessica places her pin behind one ear then looks across the room "Sarra, please leave the gown with Mia. I should like you to light the furnace and ready the bathing oil. Fetch the filing stone from your room also on your way downstairs." Sarra does not speak, she just nods and walks off to carry out the request.

Luke tries to be gentlemanly but cannot stop his eyes from drifting over looking down Gina's back and admiring her fluffy tail. He is a lone boy at this point living in a house with four girls. It isn't that he has never seen a nude girl, in fact, he and his siblings alike enjoy walking around naked most of the time, but a nude wolf princess, that he hasn't seen.

Gina tries to redirect the conversation "Am I to understand that you also know already why I am here?"

Jessica rolls up her scroll and hides in it a casing "you want me to fight Kuro."

Gina nods "Yes!" she jumps up and down acting like a little girl for a moment.

"No,' Jessica explains "I will not fight Kuro. I will not tell you why that information would not benefit you, I will only say that I cannot do so."

Gina pleads with the mouse "Teach me a spell, Give me a weapon. Kuro is coming , and he is going to kill us."

Jessica nods "That is unavoidable."

Gina drops her mouth open taken aback by Jessica's directness "Thin there is nothing you can do?"

"I did not say that." Jessica corrects her "I said I could not fight Kuro, and that Kuro would kill many of us. Fate has already cast that dice."

Gina unfolds her hands from around her body and briskly approaches the Weaver "what do you Dice and Fate? I don't understand."

The glasses hanging from Jessica's nose glow as she calls on her ancient power to show her what is to be "I will tell you the history of what is yet to come. The events are already written, the only thing that can be changed is the order in which they transpire."

A light wind blows as the Weaver stretches her mind out across time living the future as she whispers it with Gina, Gina's fur fluffs out and she folds her arms under her breast to keep out the cold. "at the foot of mt. Ceto 100,000 men will stand, Kuro will raise his arms overhead, I will plead forgiveness, my plead will not be heard, the sky will darken, and 100,000,000 arrows will fall from the heavens, 10,000 wolves will fall having never pulled their swords from their hips. Lupu will raise the rabbit flag, a child warrior named Aki will be bathed in holy oil and will be crowned Battle Queen of Kuro. Two children will be born to a child mother, they will be called Sun and Moon. Skoll will come down from the mountains. She will command a sacrifice be made in her name. Moon will be burnt atop an altar. A mouse will kneel at the feet of the Rabbit Queen; her name will also be Moon. The queen of rabbits will turn her back on her lover and rabbit will kill rabbit. Here and here alone is where the wheels of time can be pivoted. If Aki lives and Kuro dies Lupu will fly the flag of the hammer once more, if Kuro lives and Aki dies, your children will be the last of the free wolves born in this land."

Gina can't seem to comprehend the numbers in whole "10,000 wolves die not even fighting back. Why must so many die?"

"Fate has claimed their souls as a tax to pay for the birth of the next generation. If it was not the hands of Kuro that slays them, then it would be another hand." Jessica explains

"Can you not call downwind and rain to stop this tragedy?" Gina pleads

Jessica pushes her glasses up to rest on her nose centered "If I do nothing and 12 men are harmed, is that less of a tragedy then if I stand and one dies? Is it moral to order a man to slay himself? Is an edict to sacrifice truly distinguishable from an order to murder? I do not know these things. Do you?"

Luke slaps the table in the room becoming flustered as he has been thinking "Events Can't change, the order can. Then that means If Gina and I go to the rabbit and find Aki now we can arrange for them to fight and stop the war here and now."

Gina looks at the mouse boy "Is that right?" she looks at Jessica "Is he right?"

Jessica becomes visibly angry with her child "it is not that simple, you cannot force Fate's hand."

Luke steps in-between Gina and his mother "And why not? What makes the whim of Fate grater than the will of mice and dogs?"

"Will you lower your voice please," Jessica whispers a shout, one hand balling into a claw, Jessica digs her fingertips into her palm to deaden her anger.

Sarra can see that Luke and Jessica are getting ready to fight. Luke has made up his mind. Luke will end the war; he doesn't need Jessica and her holy magic. Sarra places a hand on her twin and pushes him slightly away as she addresses Gina and Jessica "the oil has been warmed and the bath is drawn."

Jessica's eyes start to fade into violet, she turns her back for a moment and shuts her eyes tight as the demons in her soul start shouting in her ears. "Luke please lead Gina downstairs. I will fetch the fish fats and follow in a moment."

Luke folds one hand behind his back the other he holds out to Gina as he lowers his nose to her in a chivalrous display. Gina takes the mouse boy by the hand. The two walk into the depths of the Weaver's home. Strange steam machines grow from the clay walls of the dwelling. The two step past many doors that if are not lit by lamps would be invisible in the dark. Then they come across

Then they come to a single door clearly meant to be seen; it is a twin-panel door, the frame is bronze polished to a mirror shine, the door is decorated with rudimentary art deco, there is a knit carpet half circle cut thrown on the ground in front of the door as well. The door canvas to any that would see it, there is something important here.

Wealthy and proper wolves have always surrounded gina, something about Luke reminds her of just the types of people she likes to interact with. Well-greased hair, a practiced smile and slightly uneven eyebrows that betray the animal instinct masked by a veil of sophistication. Luke was not presented as a prince, but Gina can taste in the air around the boy that he has walked with the high class, even if only pretending to be one of them.

Thoughts of forbidden romance invade Gina's conscious mind, her tail , and one ear wiggles. Gina's eyes drift down the body of Luke, she entertains the daydream for only a second before forcing her eyes to face front. No small part of Gina wants Luke to grab at her farcically and educate her in the one thing she has not practiced that every lady knows, physical pleasure. Now maybe the could push the point herself, do something to let Luke know that she is a sexual animal also in need of love. But a lady of Gina's age never takes the lead in hasty affairs. The two may have five minutes of quiet in the hallway, that is more than enough time to enjoy ones' self is it not? Gina smiles.

Luke opens the door to show a large room; a copper bathing vessel sits in the center of the room. Near the back of the room stands a device that seems to boil liquid and drip it into a chain of buckets that are piled there around, flames softly wisp from under the machine. Six braziers hang around the room. Two of the pots of glowing ember hang over the door, one at each side of the bath, two sit in front of the boiler.

Gina steps up to the tube, which is already part way filled with water, she leans slightly forward, her tail wagging, as she reaches down to feel the water. "It is warm, much warmer than most baths."

Luke points at the ground. "there are flame vents on the ground. When Sarra came down her,, she opened the vents to heat the bath. Spraying burning steam at a brass tube seems to be a good way to heat water without boiling it."

Gina tries to act seductive without acting aggressive, she picks up one knee and places It on the rim of the bath, one hand balancing her at the same time, she lowers her breast enough so that she can feel her womanhood exposed to the cold air of the room. She looks over her shoulder at Luke. "Should I get in?"

Luke takes a slow breath as he notices the action, he walks up to Gina "let me help you." He grips one of her hand, the other he places on her rump to guide her into the water. Luke tries to feel up her lady bits without looking like that is just what he is doing. The both Gina's feet in the water Luke grips Gina by the shoulder and the tail and slowly lowers himself into a kneeling stance and leads Gina to sit in the water.

Luke looks over the Princes of wolves. They are both children, there is no doubt about that, and leaving the two of them alone like this as without fault lead both to have romantic thought. Luke touches his nose to Gina's, Gina as a quick gasp as the kiss plus the hot water brings her an unexpected level of excitement.

Jessica is right on cue. She pushes the door shut to signal her arrival. Luke jumps back as if he thinks that would make it, so his mother had not seen is not quit gentlemanly behavior. Jessica places a bowl of what can only be whale fat on the ground next to the bath.

Luke picks up a cup and drags in urn out of one corner over to the bath. Luke reaches around Gina's neck and rubs her chin to get her to look up "shut your eyes." Luke asks. Gina does, Luke pours down the wolfs face a warm, sweet smelling oil.

Jessica stands nearby, her arms tucked into the sleeves of her robe "I wanted to let you know, Luke is right. If you were to find your way to Kuro castle you would get the opportunity to meet Aki Battle Queen of the Rabbits." Jessica ends her statement there.

Gina smiles as the oil runs down her fur a look of satisfaction glides across her muzzle as she pulls her feet tight into her body and hugs her knees "then Lupu gets to wave the flag of the hammer once more."

"I have instructed Mia and Sarra to take May to Natsu village. They are leaving with all haste." Jessica explains. Luke turns to face his mother a look of shock on his face. Jessica goes on "Gina, Luke will stay by your side from now until you reach the capital city."

Luke tends to his labor, he hides his unease, it has been such a long time since he has been apart from the other half of his soul, he can't seem to remember what it feels like to be apart from his twin. As much as he can recall is that it did not end well for him last time. "Gina, please lean forward and stretch your tail out behind you."

Gina failed to notice the change in Luke's voice; she is distracted by a feeling of satisfaction. Coming to find Jessica was just what she needed to do, Gina can now change the world. Luke scoops the whale fat between both hands then rubs his hands up Gina's back rubbing the fat into her fur. The cold jelly gets her whimpering gently. The mice do no how to care for their guest.

"Luke, once you have finished oiling Gina's fur take her back to your room to rest. Be sure you file her nails for her, use the limestone to grade the dead skin from her paws also before you fall asleep. When you file a wolf's paws, you start from the heel and pull forward." Jessica looks to the door. "and if it isn't too much trouble place the oil urn in the dugout behind the furnace after rinsing the fat from Gina's fur."

Jessica withdraws her flute from her pocket. "I will need to finish mending Gina's traveling clothes. I will hang them from the red tree in the front yard once I am done." Jessica looks to Gina "If you are uncomfortable sleeping in the nude I have a housecoat I can give. It will be short for you, but it will offer a small amount of protection."

Luke looks to his mother "Do you mean Corn's cape?"

Jessica nods "it was my cape, I loaned it to her. She brought it back." Jessica walks out the door leaving Luke and Gina to their own.

Luke takes a deep breath to calm himself, something is amiss, Jessica saw something about the future but refused to say it. Something terrible is going to happen in the mire tomorrow, Jessica sent Mia and May away to protect them from it, whatever it is, and her he and Gina are being left to face it… unless Jessica is going off ahead of them to try to head it off. And that is the problem with having a visionary for a mother; you never know what they are thinking.

Luke get another handful of oil "stomach or tail first?"

"Tail." Gina rest her tail across her back to bring it into easy reach of Luke. "who is Corn?"

Luke explains "My mother had wanted to give up the life of a seer. Corn was going to replace my mother as the Weaver of Graywall Keep. But then she didn't" Luke stops the story there. Luke runs his hands up Gina's tail greasing up her backside at the same time. Luke doesn't know anymore if this is intentional or unintentional, but Gina has left herself exposed to Luke. Luke doesn't dare touch the princess without explicit consent.

"so, what happened? Why wouldn't Corn have finished her training or whatever it is?"

"I was never given the full story, but I do know that I should have two older brothers and two older sisters that I don't" Luke moves his hands onto Gina's underbelly and rubs up her breast covering her in a thick layer of slime, Gina's fur clumping and vacuum sealing to her body seemingly.

"War? Famine?" Gina asks

"the church got involved in some way." Luke get another cup full of oil, as he pours it down Gina's back the oil eats the fat and Gina's fur fluffs outwards, smooth soft and glowing from the soap and oil. Gina's coat hasn't looked so full and fluffy since she was a puppy. Luke doesn't stray from the path set before him. Luke sees to it the Gina is made to look as beautiful and desirable as she can be.

***

Jessica does not sleep; she sows up a new robe for Gina to were and adds it to the traveling gear that Gina had brought with her. Jessica hangs a drying wire between two branches of the old red tree then pins the outfit to the tree knowing it will never be worn. Still Fate dictates that the work must be done.

After hanging up the clothing, Jessica drops the lock on the front door, meaninglessly, then climbs out the window of her house and sits with her back pressed against the door. She brings her flute up to her lips and plays only a few notes to catch the key she is in.

Jessica softly sings a song to herself as she is waiting for the touches and drums that are in her destiny.

"Love is so Red,

Red- er than any flower,

O-love how I miss you, my cruel mistress.

For you, I was born,

and now for you, I must die,

Love, love, so red.

O- you are my beginning, and you are my End,

O-love,

My love, why do I need you so?"

Jessica is not kept waiting. Drums crack the sky like thunder, slow meaningful drums, drums that are a heartbeat. Ta, da dum, ta, da dum, ta, da dum. The pattern is unmovable, unchangeable. It is the sound of Kuro's O'bons. A team of men that follow him and keep the king of rabbit's rhythm. Kuro has told his men many times in the past. "The drums never stop playing."

The King of Rabbits emerges from the darkness of the swamp, his two most trusted friends by his side, and twelve strong arms at his back. Rabbits in this land are often described as tail, lath and beautiful. Not one of these worlds entirely canvas what Kuro is. Kuro is not tall, he is a giant, nor is he lath, he is in fact highly mescaline, muscular in such a way that combined with his size, his balk would allow his to stand nose to nose with even the fittest of wolves. As for beautiful, maybe once upon a time, back when he could grow a uniform coat of fur, the rabbit king is no unattractive, but he is not beautiful, thousands of cut marks on his chest and face have seen to that.

Jessica places her flute back on her belt. She pushes herself up to standing and using one foot picks up her bird headed staff and moves it onto her hand. Jessica looks at Kuro, she stares down her staff and talks in a threatening tone "Son of Ceto, Father of Rabbits, this is holy ground, and you are uninvited."

Kuro calls back, he keeps his distance for a short time, amused by Jessica "Daughter of Ceto, Mother of Mice, Surly you saw me coming, And still you sit and wait? With your clothes out to dry, a flute in your hand. Have you no fear? No respect?" Kuro need not reach for his sword, he walks standing tall.

"I indeed saw you were coming, and I chose to wait." Jessica slide steps backward, she knows what is coming, but that doesn't mean she is happy about it.

"Holy ground?" Kuro barks. "you pray at the altar of birds. There is no bird church on this side of the bay. Your holy men have no teeth, your carrion goddess power here, and your blessing holds no weight. That staff in your hand is the last relic of a dying age." Kuro points at the staff. "why stand your ground? Why not run and hide in your hole?"

Jessica grips her staff in both hands; she digs her claws into the ground, she readies herself to haphazardly charge the rabbit king "I have made up my mind, I will stand, I will protect who and what I can. I will pay the price in blood. But I will set in motion events that will see the red flag of the rabbit emperor fall."

Jessica bends her knees and almost manages to jump as Kuro throws his arm across his body and in one swing of his fist slaps Jessica face down in the mud. "I have made up my mind also. I will take what I want. I will bring you with me to Mt. Ceto; you will watch as I slay the last allegiance of Dogs and Rats. Then you will help me kill the foxes, the monkeys, the snakes, and pigs. This land will then be made of only me. I will see to it that your children find homes in Dagger Pass, and your treasures will fill my coffers."

Kuro looks back to his men "Henson, Setkura, smash the windows and brake down the doors, bring any jewels or arcana you find to me, keep the rest for yourselves."

***

Luke fell asleep on the bed alongside Gina, his arms wrapped around the wolf hugging her. Luke's ears wiggle as he can faintly hear voices outside. But then the sound of breaking glass snaps him awake. Gina jumps up to her feet. Also, she looks around trying to assess what is going on. Luke picks up his short sword from alongside the door to his room; he peeks out into the hallway.

"Gina, I want you to go to the bathing room, hide in the crawlspace behind the furnace. I will come and get you once I know what is going on." Luke sneaks out into the hall ready to protect his home.

Gina shouts softly at the mouse as he is vanishing into the hallway "do you see how ridicules this sound?" Gina never the less does as she is told.

Luke walks up the steps to get back into the main room. He peeks through the crack in the door. He can see six rabbits ripping apart the front room. One strange looking rabbit with snakes tattooed on his arms and legs and thick, ragged looking fur is sniffing around, the strange rabbit has fangs that peek over his lower lip. This rabbit is half wolf.

Henson the wolf rabbit points at the door going downstairs, he waves at someone that is hidden from Luke's view. Henson stands in front of the door and calls in "Hey kid. If you want to save yourself some skin, I would say you should drop the knife and come out here."

Luke flips his blade around gripping it against the back of his arm. Luke kicks the door outwards and charges at Henson howling like a wild animal. From alongside the door, Luke is struck across the knees by a staff; then he is hit on the back forcing him to crouch. A feminine rabbit man called Setkura stands over Luke. Henson offers a punch to the side of Luke's head before he carries on to search the lower levels.

Setkura picks up Luke "you will be coming with us I think."

Gina hides inside the walls of the Bath chamber. She can hear the rabbit wolf Henson outside. She folds her hands around her muzzle to keep from crying. She can feel that the rabbits wish her ill will.

Henson walks around in the bathroom "you know, people like to joke about people like me. Half-bloods, I have met more than a hand full of people that thought I was some mythological monster, something like me can't be real they tell me. After all, how can a wolf and a rabbit ever love each other." Henson saunters to the back of the room, his nose twitching as he can taste Gina's blood in the air

Gina quivers, she is terrified by this tattooed rabbit. Her fear scares the fluid from her bladder. Gina can see through an eye sockets cut into the dugout. Henson's nose crinkles, he can taste Gina's urine hot in the air.

Henson gets down on all fours; he starts to crawl into the dugout. Gina pulls her legs into her chest. She has never had to fight before; she doesn't know what to do. Henson grabs Gina by one leg and tugs on her, Gina falls onto her back and is pulled under Henson. Gina screams "I am Gina of Lupu, daughter of Skoll, the Wolf Queen!"

Henson kneels over Gina like a predator "is that a fact?" the wolf rabbit growls.