Ellasandra:
A cry for help had me in the forest outside of a village with Phoenix and Tiger hiding behind me, Midnight's ears grazing my hand. Dark angels walked around a group of townsfolk, the town having seen some hell. Inky blood dripped off of the ruby armor, ashy gray wings fluttered in the breeze. How many people had they killed? An icy breeze lashed at my cheeks, Ivan showing up with his blades ready for the fight. I will give it to him for trying to make it up to his son, his aura healing by the day.
"Did you really think that you were going to leave me?" He whispered harshly, all of us wincing at his stern father's look. "I vowed to protect you and I will." Allowing him to stay, a third person would prove to be handy. Charging in would be stupid, the townsfolk noticing us. Armor clanked as they turned towards us, a steady stream of curse words flooding from my lips. Leaping out from my hiding spot, I rested my scythe on my shoulders. Leaning forward, my tongue sticking out pissed them off.
"Come and get me, you winged rats." I taunted cruelly, the townsfolk running back into their homes. Sprinting deeper into the forest, my boys weren't far behind with Midnight running next to us. Skidding into an empty circle, one wave of my hand had a black iron cage trapped with our enemies. Brandishing swords with the different elements, the three of us let out a frustrated groan. Charging at us at once, his father created a wall of ice. Climbing up the wall, Tiger and I hit their wings with a flurry of wind blades. Phoenix placed his palms on the floor, flames devouring the area. Landing gracefully on the opposite sides of the angels, the wall melted down to reveal Fireboy standing back to back with Ivan. Ice mixed with flames, half of them going after them. Jumping into the air, rocks and shards of metal shot at us. Shielding me from the sudden barrage, Tiger's armor caused each rock and shard to come right back at them. The ground shook as an orange dragon danced into the sky with an ice dragon, Tiger taking me behind a tree. Covering with his body, ice and flames destroyed the angels in seconds. Shaking in his arms, their raw power surpassed mine. Shards of ice pierced every tree, flames torching the forest around us. That was suspiciously easy, my eyes falling a black ball of energy zooming towards us. Shoving my way out of Tiger's arms, the handle of my scythe held the ball back. My hair blew back, the hot energy ball blinding me. Tiger's mouth moved a mile a minute, some sort of protection building around his foot. Kicking it once, it flew back into the sky. A violent explosion rattled the forest, trees crashing down. The dark cloud headed for the town, purifying energy building around the tip of my scythe. Swinging my scythe up towards the sky, a white cat curled its body around the cloud. An exhausted Fireboy leaned on my shoulder as the cat swallowed the energy whole. Its body swelled out, a loud boom repaired the forest. Fireboy kissed the nape of my neck, white lilies drifted aimlessly from the sky. Catching one in my palm, the spell didn't take too much out of me. Ivan came in with blood pouring from his nose, my heart breaking for him. Dusting off his snow white blouse and black wool pants, he blew a bit of ice off of his shoulders.
"You did a nice job, Phoenix. I can't believe how strong you have become." He complimented jovially, his chest puffing out with pride. Two crooked grins met each other, all of us heading back to town. Entering the village, one palm on the ground had it protected from the dark angels. Buildings repaired themselves, the people coming out. Pulling out a cookie, I began to nibble on it. Hungry eyes watched me finish my cookies, my eyes falling on the destroyed crops. Saying nothing, they watched me heal their crops. Joining my party, I cleared my throat.
"What does everyone have for me to work with?" I asked with my genuine smile while rolling up my sleeves, confusion dawning on everyone. "I need only a little from each house to make a soup that can feed us all. You do want dinner, right?" Coming out with a giant cauldron, the men stoked a fire while the women in the village began to peel vegetables. Phoenix and his father helped the men drag out a couple of long tables with all the chairs in town. Tiger went off to hunt for the protein, the woman presenting me with the perfect ingredients. Kids bounced up to my side, watching me do everything. Asking me a million questions, I answered them with the same happy energy. Remembering to shrink down my scythe back down to my ax, childlike wonder brightened their eyes. The mothers hung back in a quiet silence, everyone but me gasping at Tiger coming in with a helk on his shoulder. That was fast, his big hands breaking down the large black furred mammal with ease. No words could describe how happy I was to have Tiger back in my life, his hunting skills having improved as well. Setting the antlers into the mayor's hand, he mentioned something about the price they could fetch. The mousy man thanked him profusely, Tiger returning to cutting up the meat. Tossing him the proper seasonings, he knew how much to add. His gentle smile reminded me of the old days, our hunting trips proving to be my favorites. He taught me everything I knew, my big brother always being one of my biggest heroes. Did not think that I couldn't see that he tried to make my life easier all the time? I picked up on it and I was thankful for every small favor he did.
"Thank you for all the small care packages growing up." I spoke with my exhausted smile, surprise rounding his eyes. "What are you surprised about? I wanted to be your personal servant and we could have nipped everything in the bud before it became this whole crap show we are living in. I waited for you to save me but then I realized that you were acting the part to keep me safe. Thank you for that. You will always be one of my heroes, big brother. That felt nice to say. Welcome back to the family." Tears slid down the meat, his trembling hands dropping his hunting knife. Emotion? When did he start showing that? Smashing into me, his awkward embrace was filled with every pent up emotion he had held for years.
"You made me cry, damn it!" He sniffled with a joking tone, his arms falling to his side. "I am so sorry for any hu-" Covering his mouth, the apology wasn't necessary. People had to do shitty stuff all the time in order to survive, the aftermath of it all shredding away most people's mental stability. None of that was really necessary in the end, the outcome only proving harmful to most people.
"I had to do some crappy things too. Don't worry, big brother." I comforted him sincerely, spinning him on his heels, a long sigh pouring from his lips. "Let's finish up with dinner so we can eat." Getting back to work, some of the women filled the cauldron up with water. Dumping the cut up vegetables into the water, I dumped a bunch of herbs and seasonings into the water. Stirring the broth, the meat would season it to perfection. Fireboy embraced me from behind, his chin resting on my head. Sliding his hands down to my bump, his heart seeming to beat out of his chest. A deep meow made me jump high into the sky, Fireboy catching me in his arms as Tiger dumped the meat. A nervous grin twitched on my lips at a giant lilac cat holding a slender elf with hair that reminded me of purple clouds, lilac eyes giving me an odd look. Her ivory silk dress floated to her ankles, a single bronze chain held charms and a unique compass. Leaping onto the ground, she took a deep whiff of the soup. Turning towards me, she offered me her slender hand. The cat's green eyes watched me intently, sniffing the soup. An awkward silence hung between us, my husband setting me down. A crippling depression threatened to bring me to my knees at the sight of her cat, my bright smile doing little to hide it.
"I am Ellasandra, the person who saved your village." I introduced myself as warmly as I could, my fingernails digging into my palm. "The soup isn't poisoned. Who would go through the trouble of saving a village and then poison the village they saved!" Fireboy nudged my shoulder, shooting me a stern gaze. Taking a couple of deep breaths, it took everything for me not to chastise her cat into submission. Letting her hand go, I went back to stirring.
"I am Livi and this is Otto. I am not sure how you realized that I run this town but I am in charge." Her soft voice returned sweetly, her cat's tail twitching irritably. "This smells marvelous. You will have to forgive me. Otto has a bit of a temper." My eyebrow began to twitch with frustration, Tiger joining in on the conversation to give me some space between us. Why was I so cankerous out of the blue? This wasn't like me at all. Well, maybe it was a bit like me. Focusing on the stew, tears shattered the surface. I wasn't okay and everyone was expecting me to perform my job like it was nothing. Spiraling deeper into a numb state, the cooked meat floated to the surface. Wiping away my tears, the voices of the children snapped me back to reality. Bowls rested in their palms, a line had formed behind me. Filling bowl after bowl, the pot was empty without my husband and I getting anything. Rolling my eyes, my day couldn't get any worse. Ignoring my hunger, the spoon snapped in my grasp. Everyone's eyes met my wet gaze, a bright smile did little to hide it. Panicking visibly, my vision blurred as I attempted to fix it with my powers. With that not working, I excused myself. Walking deeper into the woods, I paused at the open circle. Plopping onto a rock, my slender fingers couldn't leave the hem of my skirt. Flames devoured my body, the trauma mixing with the grief was manifesting itself into uncontrollable flames. Silent tears stained my cheeks, the urge to destroy something burning inside of me. A knock on a tree captured my attention, Fireboy coming in with a couple pieces of fruit. Offering them to me, his real smile made my flames die down. How did he always manage that?
"I have a snack for you." He stammered nervously, scared of the mental state I was in. "Can I sit next to you? Would you like me to conjure up something to destroy? Tell me what I need to do to make you feel better." Averting my gaze to the ground, I began to swing my feet back and forth. Why did he have to care so much?
"You can't bring my father back, can you?" I grumbled under my breath, wiping away my tears. Sitting down next to me, he pulled me onto his lap. Spinning me around, his loving gaze met my broken smile. Tracing my cheeks, he made it clear that he wouldn't let me go until talked about my issues. Most people would have thrown me away by now, a fresh wave of tears flowing from my eyes.
"I can't understand what you are going through but I can hold you until you don't want to burn everything down." He comforted me gently, kissing my forehead. "I know you are overwhelmed so give me some of the extra weight weighing you down." Shaking my head, none of it was his responsibility.
"I don't want to be a bu-" I protested weakly, his hand covering my mouth. Lowering his hand, lust burned in his eyes. Flashing me his million dollar smile, his lips pressed against mine passionately. Arching my body towards him, his hands slid down to the small of my back. Pinning him to the rock, his breath hitched at me unbuttoning his jacket slowly. Moving onto his shirt, his cock stiffened. I needed to forget my grief for a moment, my palms rubbing his chest. When did he build up more muscle? Sliding his shirt and jacket off of him, they landed on the ground with a soft thud. Peeling off my dress, his quaking hands rubbed my bump. Walking my hand down his pants, one tug on the string had them on the ground. Taking his thick cock in, my sweet lips had him groaning gruffly. Soft jingles rang in the still air with every suck of his swelling girth, his hand holding the top of my head the moment I focused on the tip.
"Ellie, you need to slow down." He moaned huskily, his hot seed sliding down my throat. Embarrassment colored his cheeks as I swallowed it, my hand rubbing his cock to get it hard again. Climbing over his face, the anxiety of the next question made me chew on my nails. Instead of me asking, his strong hands held my hips down. A wave of euphoria crashed over me the moment he began to suck on my swollen clit. Short gasps poured from my lips, purrs soon rumbled in my throat. Embarrassment colored my cheeks the moment my hips began to dance on their own. Pausing for a moment, he tossed me over his shoulder as he carried me behind a large tree with our clothes in our hands. Leaving me in a dazed state, we came upon a more secluded spot. Picking me up, my legs wrapped around his waist. Sliding himself in, his hand pinned me to a tree. Brushing his lips against the nape of my neck, his other hand squeezed my breasts roughly. Our hips danced to the same rhythm, our speed picking up. Claws grew extended from my fingernails, the wood groaning underneath my strengthening grip. Pure lust glistened in our eyes, another rock conveniently appeared for us. Laying me down, he pressed his glistening chest against mine.
"I am going to make you scream." He promised seductively, playing with my ears. "Looks like someone is sensitive." He wasn't wrong, my body writhed underneath his touch. Curling my tail around his waist, tender moans poured from my lips every time his head rubbed against my lips. Unable to take it anymore, my trembling hand shoved him in. Bucking his hips deliberately, the rock crumbled underneath my strengthening grip. Glancing up at him, his hair framed his handsome features. A look of pure bliss illuminated his features, all of his stress melting away. Rolling him underneath me, my hips spun to the song in my head. Crying out my name, his hands couldn't leave my bump. Picking up speed, his hands held me down. Filling me up with his hot seed once more, pride beamed in my eyes. Clutching me close to his chest, it felt amazing to have my walls hug his thick girth. Tears welled up in my eyes, the depression returning. My attempt to fuck it all away failed, my emotions sliding onto the rock underneath him.
"As fun as that was, you can't fuck the pain away." He sighed tiredly, playing with my hair. "You can tell me anything and I mean it. If you don't want to talk to me I am pretty sure that Tiger will lend an eager ear. Hell, maybe my mother would listen to you. You aren't alone anymore. You don't have to always smile when you are sad. You can show that you are sad." Hearing those words did little to ease my nerves, my heart skipping a beat at how much he cared about me. Surely it was because I was carrying his child and nothing else.
"Before you say that I love you because of our child, you are sorely mistaken." He gushed lovingly, lifting up my chin with his finger. "I love you because you are the light I needed in my life. You keep my flames burning every morning I get to wake up next to you. I am the luckiest dragon lord in the kingdom." Chuckling softly to myself, he was one of maybe five. The bar wasn't so high if we were technically speaking.
"There aren't loads of you." I joked tenderly, my laughter twinkling with my bells. "I am more than happy to be your little kitten." Rolling his eyes, he pulled me closer to him. Kissing the top of my head, his arms were home. Branches crunched around us, the two of us getting dressed at the speed of light. Otto stepped out of the bushes, the thought of him watching made me shutter. The embarrassment turned to a dull aching for my father, my eyes falling on the large kitten with fur colored like flames hanging onto his paw. Scarlet cat eyes fell on me, his throat clearing. Hating wouldn't be useful, the urge to tell him to go away fighting with the correct logic in my brain.
"I called in a favor to the giant cat guardians and this little lady was orphaned a couple of days ago. We usually work with elves but the Goddess of Death is close enough. Livi told me to apologize to you. I am sorry for my behavior but the bad guys came with the same type of energy." He apologized sincerely, the moonlight bathing his slightly lighter head. "Her name is Flickers and she requested that she be placed with fire users. Besides I can't leave a fellow cat behind, am I right?" Smiling kindly in my direction, he set the kitten down. Bowing at my feet, Flickers already stood at my hips. Could I handle this without crying everyday? Yes, I would since this cat needed me.
"I vow to serve the Goddess of Death, Ellasandra. That is if you will have me." Her youthful tone vowed with pride, my shaking hand resting on her head. "Is that a yes?" Violent sobs wracked my body, my head nodding. Biting my lips, there was now way this could be real. Blood poured over my lips, my forehead pressing against hers. Her fur was softer than my father's, my trembling hands playing with her fur.
"I accept your vow to serve me." I wept with a tainted joy, an orange cat forming on my breasts. "I promise to give you a purrfect life." Rubbing her head against my face, her head sized paw patting the top of my head. Kissing my cheek, it all became too much, fresh sobs wracking my body. Like it or not, I had enjoyed my father's company. The guilt from fighting with him as our last conversation ate me alive, the dirt crunching as I fell to my knees.
"I didn't say I love you to him when he died. Our last conversation was a big fight." I ranted with intense frustration, my flames enveloping me once more. "I had to choose that time to speak my mind. He could have told me that he was dying but no. Secrets are so fucking stupid! Over and over again they hurt everyone around them. I try to keep myself together but the world keeps slapping me in the face over and over again. I go one step forward and ten steps back. Can't it all just leave me alone!" Burying my face into my palms, my migraine throbbed to life. Curse these goddamn migraines, I had been struggling with them on the daily. The medicine they provided me at the castle and everywhere else kept them at bay, the fever beginning to set in. A paralyzing effect settled over my muscles, a cloud of dirt obscuring my fall onto Flickers. Clammy sweat drenched my skin, everyone's voices fading in and out. A rough darkness came over me.
Standing in the foggy waters of the reaper's realm, the boats floated by me. Every wooden boat groaned away, silent tears shattering the surface of the water. Water splashing echoed in the cavern walls, the scent of Bloodvanya filled my nose. Her hot breath bathed my neck, goosebumps dotted my skin. Lightning crackling around her body, inky ribbons of blood crept up my legs. Ripping my head back, her Cheshire Cat grin sending chills up my spine.
"How is that curse I placed on you as a baby?" She gloated gleefully, high pitched noises sent the throbbing into a searing pain. "The only way to stop it is to kill me, my little kitty cat. The more upset you get the worse your head feels. One more thing, my pet. I destroyed all that aids in your curse. Good luck getting better from that. Now let me kick your ass." Trembling in my spot, my muscles refused to move in my mind space. Kicking me from behind, Flickers caught me with Tatty hovering in front of me.
"You can't hurt our master." Flickers hissed venomously, black smoke curling out of her mouth. "We can find another cure for my master's curse. Screw off, you old hag." Bloodvanya charged at me, a wall of flames blocking her. Flickers finished blowing out rich orange flames, her tail flicking with determination. Tatty mouthed a silent spell, a shadowy wall reinforcing the flames.
"Clearly your guardians are irritating annoyances." She growled through teeth, banging on the wall. "I will have to get you another time." Disappearing in a puff of black smoke, they lowered their defenses. Burying my face into Flicker's fur, my fingers dug deeper into it with the steadily increasing pain. Fat tears soaked her fur, Tatty began to rub my back. The migraines had never gotten this bad, Flickers licking my cheek in an attempt to make me feel better. There wasn't a cure anymore besides killing her, my heart knowing that the next few months were going to be rough. Struggling to my feet, this curse wasn't going to get the best of me. My legs gave out, Flickers catching me.
"You need to relax, mistress." She purred happily, her paw patting the top of my head. Wasn't that supposed to be my job? Flattening my ears, scarlet mixed with the feverish burn painting my cheeks. Why did they all have to care so much? Did I really want to go back? A clap snapped me back to reality.
Livi towered over me, dripping a cloth into a bucket of cold water. Glancing at my feet, Flickers' snores sounded like adorable whistles. Black smoke curled from her lips, a sad smile dawning on my face. Laying the cloth on my head, the migraine pain began to subside as Livi laid the cloth on my sweaty forehead. How pathetic was I?
"I can't cure that curse you have but I can provide you with some tea to help with the symptoms." Livi chirped cheerfully, helping me sit up. "Now drink up if you can." Unable to move my arms, my muscles throbbed violently. Fireboy took the cup from her, his trembling hands holding it up to my lips. Oh no, he was going to yell at me. Wincing in preparation, his tone took me by surprise.
"We are husband and wife. One would think to talk about such symptoms." He sighed with a mixture of exhaustion and concern. "If I had known then I would have kept a closer eye on you. You worry me too much, Ellie. If Flickers and Tatty didn't do their job then you would be dead. Regardless, we need to find a medicine that works for you. Now drink the tea, damn it!" Gulping it down for him, a drowsiness came over me. Exhaustion weighed on my eyelids, sweet slumber stealing me away.