Sage:
"What was the deal with those damn herbs anyway?" I questioned irritably, a snarl curling on my lips. "Why are you trying to rush our heat? That can't be safe. Don't get me started on Steph! I only agreed to it to please Arty. She did so many horrible things to us, and you know it!" Watching her sleep, her attention turned back to mine. Raising her brows in response, my fists clenched to the point of blood dripping onto the floor. Wolfston leaned on her toes, the tension brewing between us. I agreed that we needed a doctor, but another person to defy me only ticked me off. Arty was mine to protect, and my basic instincts wouldn't allow me to trust Steph.
"I see where you are coming from, but you have see it from my point of view!" She retorted in an agitated tone, Arty stirring awake. "She is my friend, and she will die if she goes to prison." Ignoring Arty, my words needed to be heard. Taking a deep breath, the image of her with a sword sticking out of her back haunted me. Watching her throat get slit was enough for anyone to hate the attacker for the rest of their life, my patience wearing thin.
"It isn't just me. She stabbed her through the stomach and slit her throat." I pointed out aggressively, Arty sitting up as Wolfston got inches into my face. Jumping off of the bed, her arms separated us. Her tail twitched with annoyance, her eyes narrowing at us. Wolfston snarled in her direction, both of her eyes darkening an inky black. Slamming the heel of her foot into her chest, her body smashed into the nearby wall. Flicking a needle filled with a milky liquid into the neck. Tossing a pebble into the release button, the liquid pumped into her veins. Brushing past me, a growl rumbled in her throat. Great, her freaking mood swing created the unwanted appearance of her general tenseness and immense anxiety.
"I don't know what it is about you guys, but you all need to stop fighting." She complained impatiently, Wolfston passing out. "You weren't much better, you fucking hothead. Whether you like it or not, we will be rescuing her in three weeks. If she doesn't comply with my rules, then she will be kicked to the curb without a second thought. I can promise you that. It will take a bit to reprogram her. I invented her after all, well at least the blueprints. It is kind of my fault she exists. Sorry." Rubbing the back of her neck, she brushed past me. Chasing after her, a sharp whistle escaped her lips. Everyone stepped up to me at the attention in front of her, including Wolfston. Stepping into line, they all saluted her. Folding her arms across her chest, all but Wolfston all wore black tank tops and black shorts. Wolfston adjusted her white coat, her powder blue sweater dress hugging her figure. Gazing groggily ahead, the drug was still affecting her quite a bit.
"We will be hiding Steph in three weeks." She announced sternly, scanning the lot of them. "I will have to undo all of the brainwashing programs installed in her system. Then I can alter her to her original program where emotion is learned. I don't care what you think about her but our motto is to take care of the little guys. I am your captain. Stop fighting and get along. I am going to bed." Wolfston raised her hand, a vial hiding behind her back.
"Captain Artica, I have you medicine for you." She chirped cheerfully, Artica hiding behind me. Her ears peaked over the shoulders, her tail tucking in between her legs. Sprinting down the hall, Wolfston kicked off her heels. Crashing after her, Arty bounced off the walls. White mixed with black, the two of them playing a game of tag. The mood eased, our heads tilting to the right.
"I don't need your potion." Arty protested desperately, everyone's laughter twinkled in the air. "I am good, I promise." Reaching for the next wall, panic gripped her face. A triumphant grin brightened up Wolfston's face, her arm wrapping around her waist. Forcing her mouth open, she poured the vial down her throat. Landing gracefully, the good doctor tossed a kicking Arty over her shoulders. Carrying her away to her quarters, her head cocked back the moment she paused. Dread mixed with excitement, the day now coming so much sooner.
"I watch her until she is ready. Prepare for loads of screaming and curse words." She warned sweetly, her sing-song tone scaring everyone. "Don't come running until I bring her to you, my dear." Maniacal laughter erupted from her lips, chills running up my spine. Pressing her palms together, her tired eyes pleaded for me to rescue her. Her eyes fluttered, slumber stealing her away. My lips parted in protest, her fingers snapping. Only a couple pieces of white fur remained where she once stood, a curious expression dawning on my face. Mouse bounced up to me, her hood covering her eyes.
"We need to go pick up our food supplies, and I can't go by myself. I kind of lack fighting skills." She mumbled under her breath, a needle with black liquid shimmered in her hand. Jamming it into my neck, the black liquid poured into my veins. A sigh of relief escaped my lips, the fever and muscle ache fading away. Several gadgets rested on her belt, all of them designs of Arty's. Flashing her bright smile, it was hard to refuse my little sister. Tossing me my rabbit mask, she pulled a simple silver mouse mask over her face. Throwing mine on, she hopped onto my back. Smiling warmly at her, this reminded me of the old days. Opening the door, my hand raised my gun.
"Code name, Hunter's Paradise." I commanded boldly, the gears shifting into a triple barrel rifle. "This thing is cool, isn't it." Rolling her sage eyes, it had been a long time since we had hung out with just us. Closing the door behind us, the emergency lights flickered on. Something felt off, my ears popping up. Another person splashed towards us, a golden eyed man a couple years younger than Tatiana with silver hair ran up to us. Horror haunted his eyes, two alligators nipping at his heels. Our food supply swung in his hands, raising my gun. Clicking the safety, my finger pulled the trigger. Three blue bullets smashed into the first one's skulls, the other alligator shifting his attention towards me. Aiming once more, my finger pulled back on the trigger. A loud pop shattered the air, three bullets smashing into his head. Pulling the guy behind me, a flood of rats dragged the corpses off. Shaking behind me, my attention turned back to this strange guy. His whole vibe seemed so calm, much like a sea of golden wheat.
"Do you have any extra seeds?" I inquired seriously, many emotions flashing on his face. "I think we should grow as much as we should so we don't have to take so much from you. I feel so bad every single time." The fear melted from his face, the fear fading to a pleasant goofiness. Shaking his head, he bowed in my direction.
"I am Fathsome Declarios, the local farmer." He introduced himself jovially, two silver round ears popping up. "I am a descendant of the groundhog demon. Your offer is kind, but you really aren't taking too much food from us. We have ten larger bunkers growing crops. Also we have a two year supply of emergency food for ten thousand people. Besides, we are working on crops that grow ten times a year. Her natural accelerator potion keeps the food supply up well in the red. Our farm animals just gave birth to a new generation, so there is a treat in there for you. We were able to give you a pork loin. Count it as gratitude for everything she does for us." The sense of community felt like the warmest embrace, his smile never leaving his face.
"I understand, but I still feel guilty." I protested honestly, a gentle chuckle escaping his lips. "Are you sure?" Cocking his head to the right, he waved his hands around in a dismissive manner. A nervous grin twitched on his face, his serenity seemed a welcome change from the chaos back home.
"I am positive. You sound just like Artica." He joked blithely, pressing the basket into my palms. "Thanks to her clearing out those tunnels we could feed a whole society. Please enjoy the food. I have to head back now." Paralyzed in his spot, his hands crossed. Fright haunted his features, an idea of payment flashing in my mind. Clearly, he didn't want to go back by himself.
"Would you like me to walk you back, Fathsome. We can protect you the entire way." I offered sincerely, hoping he would accept my offer. "I have time to kill." Nodding silently, he led the way as we followed him through the twisted halls. Stopping at his door, he bowed his head in appreciation. The sweet smile on his face made it all worth it, part of me missing my detective days.
"Thank you very much. Hold on." Shifting around his white robes, a white root rested in his palm. "This does the same thing as ginger without the taste of ginger. I know how much she hates ginger. It took a while to figure out which plant to mutate it with. Bonus, it will help her sleep. Thankfully it was successful. Did you know she has had stomach problems her whole life? That root will help ease the pain." Mouse knocked on my head, guilt dimming her eyes. Why didn't we see that before?
"I didn't know." I admitted shamefully, looking back on all of the times she didn't eat with us. "I guess that makes sense why she wouldn't eat with us every now and then. Thank you. I will be sure to have her try it." Entering his door, a gust of fragrant air blasted us in the face. Stale water splashed up as Mouse landed clumsily next to me, her tiny fingers taking the basket of food. We really must have looked like a pair, my super tall height compared to her shortness. In truth I was happy that she was that short because it banned her from any combat training.
"Did she like her fox?" She questioned shyly, refusing to look at me. "I sewed that damn thing for a week." Chuckling warmly to myself, her insecurity made her look more human. Ruffling the top of her head, my gun rested on my shoulders. Leaning forward, a realization dawned on me. We didn't know where to go, Mouse's anxious look matching mine. That was until an earth shattering scream pointed out the way to go, our boots splashing through the water. Skidding to a stop, ten alligators blocked the way. Hissing noises echoed in the tunnels, cold sweat beading on my face. Stepping back, another ten nipped at our heels.
"Do you trust me?" I asked impatiently, her head nodding. "Code name, Grappling Miss." Gears whirred to a shorter gun with a blue hook, my eyes scanning for a large enough pipe to hold me. Aiming twenty yards ahead of us, my finger yanked the trigger. The hook flew from the muzzle wrapping around the thickest pipe, tossing Mouse over my shoulder.
"Carry me, Grappling Miss." I commanded urgently, her tiny arms holding our food supplies with all of her strength. Stale air nipped my cheeks, the thick black wire whipping us over the hungry creatures. Splashing towards the screams, a steady stream of curse words escaped my lips at the stuck door. Mouse and I banged aggressively on the door, the twenty alligators swimming towards us. Blizzard opened the door, ripping us both in. Laying on the floor, our eyes watched the ceiling. Snarls mixed with tortured wails, a wave of relief washing over us the moment the door was shut and locked. Clutching the root to my chest, Blizzard took the food from Mouse. My poor sister seemed to be in the middle of a panic attack, her knees clutched to her chest. Sunny slipped into the room, fresh scratches covering her face. Wrapping her body around Mouse, tears flooded from my sister's eyes. Attempting to crawl over to her, her hand slapped me away. Blonde mixed with dark brown, their love true to each other. Poor Mouse hadn't been in the tunnels before, my first time just as frightening to me.
"I am never going back into those damn tunnels!" She shouted brokenly into Sunny's shoulder, her fingers grabbing her tank top. "So many alligators." Shooting daggers in my direction, the iciness of her gaze scaring the shit out of me. Struggling to my feet, the information was enough to send me away. Wandering to the kitchen, a horrid sight greeted me. A sweat soaked Artica clawed at the steel door of the library, inky black eyes staring hungrily at me. Tears mixed with blood, a touch on my shoulder causing me to jump. Wolfston stepped up next to me, fresh scratches covering her arms and face. Blood pooled at her feet, a stitching needle gliding through each flap of skin. Taking a deep breath, something went down while I was gone.
"Before you ask, that is the final stage before the heat. I didn't want you to see that." She sighed exhaustively, shuddering with fear. "No one deserves to see that. I can't get through to her. Please don't be mad at me. This would have happened." Cold sweat drenched my skin, the door rattling violently. Pressing my palms to the door, her hand matched mine. A steel bar blocked anyone from entering, the lock clanging against the door. Resting on my haunches, my mind flipped through the many good memories we had.
"Do you remember when we were both sixteen and we ran off during the officer's ball?" I shouted over the chaos, the rattling slowing down slightly. "We stole a bottle of red wine and drank it all. I still remember the dress you wore, the black leather corset top hugged your body. The leather skirt dusted the floor, my hands held yours. The stars twinkled above us, the blue moonlight bathing us." The scratching stopped, a broken looking Arty peaked out the window. Her eyes returned to normal, Wolfston nodding for me to continue.
"What I didn't tell you that you passed out is that I held you in my arms." I admitted sheepishly, her body shivering with an intense fever. "I kissed you again. I know that you were sleeping but I couldn't help it. Your lips looked so kissable. I am sor-" A weak smile brightened her ghostly pale face, her palm pressing against the glass.
"I remember the kiss, you dummy." She joked tenderly, coughing up an unnatural amount of blood. "I pretended to be drunk to have you hold me. I didn't drink any wine at all. I kept tossing it aside. The same couldn't be said for you. If I am being honest, you were an adorable drunk. I remember the black silk tuxedo you wore, and how your sage colored dress shirt matched your handsome eyes. You had such a twinkle in your eye as we danced across the dance floor, the feeling of your hand on my waist sending shivers up my spine. The point is that your very presence intoxicated me. Sorry for pretending." Matching my palm to hers, a tender blush burned brighter than her fever.
"You mean you tricked me, Miss Arty." I teased playfully, her laughter twinkling in the air. "Touche, and here I thought that I tricked you." Guilt dimmed her eyes at the sight of Wolfston finishing up her stitches, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. Sinking to her knees, the bracelet dropped off of my wrist. Wolfston unlocked the lock, the bar falling into her hands. The door swung open, Arty falling onto my lap, a wicked grin on her lips. Leaping to her feet, she sprinted down the hall.
"I am going to get cleaned up, and I will be right back." She shouted with each step, Wolfston and I left to stew in our curiosity. Rising to my feet, the smell coming off of me really wasn't pleasant. Rushing into the bathroom, her clothes lay on the floor. Yet she was nowhere to be found, my fingers wrapping around a wet towel. Sniffing it, her scent sent my nerves into a frenzy. The crisp smell of lemon wafted up my nose, my shaking fingers peeling off my clothes. Stepping into the shower, the warm water cascaded over my body. Imagining her naked body underneath me caused a small gasp to escape my lips, my fantasy finally coming true. Washing up real quick, a slender hand turned the water off. An excited Arty stood in front of me, a black silk robe hiding a surprise.
"Are you coming or what!" She begged adorably, pressing her palms together. "I want to have the fun I have been suffering for." Her ears flattened, her tail wagging with anticipation. Drying myself off, she fluffed my hair. Leaning towards her, her finger lifted up my chin. Pressing her lips against mine sensually, a towel only covered my stiff cock. Refusing to release me from my spell, our tongues danced together. My breath hitched the moment she released me. Dragging me to our bedroom, the lock clicked behind her. Putting her finger up, she told me to stay. Resting on her haunches, the robe dropped to the bed. My jaw dropped to the floor, a black leather corset emphasized her ample breasts, black leather garters holding up fishnet stockings. A black chain dripped in between her fingers, her fangs hanging her lips adorably. Unable to move, her tail wagged faster.
"Can you play with me?" She moaned lustfully, offering me the chain. "You said you wanted to make my choker a collar. What do you think, Master?" What did I think! She looked gorgeous, her pale skin so enticing. Hearing her say master in that tone sent shivers up my spine, her chest rising with bated breath.
"Yes, Arty!" I cried out happily, leaping onto the bed. Cupping her face, her eager eyes meeting my loving gaze. Tracing her cheek, all of our lives had built to this moment. Tears of joy flooded from her eyes, her head snuggling into my palm. Wiping away her tears, a gentle purr escaped her lips. Tonight was going to be amazing.