Welcome back, my lovely reader!
You know, author bias is real, and I won't deny I have a major thing for foxes. Male or female, I love a good fox character, but you know what else I love? Wolves, again a good wolf is wonderful regardless of their gender. Though I'm knot, going to deny the fun of a good male canine, ah fu fu... too much?
A-Anyway... Hey, speaking of wolves!
Let's jump right in!
—♥—
Episode 10:
And I shall call you my wolf
The rain poured down atop the gazebo we were seated in as I gave you a playful grin, my ears flicking about lazily. "Has the chill left your bones yet, my sweet?"
Your nod makes me smile as I looked out upon the garden. "Much as I'm sure you would enjoy seeing my silk dress plastered to my wet body..." I gave you a knowing look. "I do not wish you to catch a cold, so here we shall remain until the rain calms."
My teasing words struke home and I showed my sharp teeth. "You poor thing, I suppose I should tell you something saucier, to make up for the imagery in your mind," I huffed playfully and pushed my chest out, letting my breasts press against the silk folds of my evening gown.
I gave a knowing smile as your eyes wander over me before I looked upon the fire and clicked my tongue. "Well then... I think this is something you've been wanting to hear about for a while..."
—♥—
A few days passed since that event in the training center. Elias informed me that Val could not come to call any sooner than a week from now. I was told to use caution while training, but to continue my efforts.
I had been making it a point to try to get in some time on my own, both at the range and the sparring area. I did so for a plethora of reasons, but mostly because I wanted Katrina to be proud of me. My senses were sharpening more and more by the day. I found myself quickly becoming adept at using the guns, in both my off-hand and primary one.
On this particular day, I had lined the lanes with four targets and put the guns in the back waistline of my blue jeans I had worn. I found I enjoyed wearing pants during my days at the range, the extra pockets coming in handy for clips.
I stood back away from all four lanes and put my hands on my hips. A deep breath of focus came, then I snapped my eyes open, the irises crimson like blood. Everything seemed to be in slow motion like this, my hands grabbing the guns, leveling them towards the targets, and firing. I emptied six rounds into each of the first two targets, all the bullets finding their mark in the center chest area of the first, and the head area of the second.
I ejected the clips and they seemed to fall as if they were suspended in molasses. With a flick of my wrists, I tossed the guns into the air, their forms slowly spinning end over end, not unlike the blades of a lazy windmill on an old farm. My hands were then in my pockets producing two more clips. Once the base of the guns were in line I jammed the clips in, hearing the click.
I tried to make a fancy pose like I would see from a video game or action movie hero, bending at one knee in a kneel, before firing on the third and fourth targets. The third target had bullets in each joint, all non-lethal. The fourth had a small collection of six shots in the groin area. I gave a cocky huff and flipped the guns into the air with the intent to catch them dramatically and holster them in the waist of my jeans.
I decided to be fancy and catch them behind my back for the added pizazz of it. I turned around, to see the large wolf standing there, his arms crossed over his chest with an amused grin on his face. I gasped in shock, my ears lifting, the guns falling to the floor behind me, scattering in different directions.
"F-fuck! How long have you been there, asshole!" I snapped the words out, my fists clenched as I glared at Alex, my cheeks deep red.
"Since about... here!" He took a knee and pointed his hands at me in little finger guns. I pushed my hands to my face in embarrassment and whimpered loudly.
The wolf stood and put his hands on his hips. "Don't be so hard on yourself, I thought you were pretty cool just now!" He barked out with a playful laugh.
I cracked my fingers open on my hand to look out at him through them. "Y-you really think so?"
He gave me a wide toothy grin and held his hand up, his fingertips just barely apart. "Just a little bit, I can't let it go to your head."
I took a composing breath and smiled at him, then turned to pick up the guns. I could feel his eyes on my backside as I bent to pick them up, my cheeks darkening slightly. I grinned at him and moved to put the guns back on the weapon rack. "Why are you here, Alex? Did Master send you to fetch me?"
"Fetch? Do I look like a dog to you?" He barked the words with a grin.
"Yes." I spoke with a matter-of-fact tone, poking my nose up into the air playfully.
He gave me a gentle smile, then nodded to the corner area where the mats and training dummies were. "I try to come down here at least once a week to practice my form."
I put my finger to my chin curiously. "A question for you. If you can turn into a big hulking beast, why worry about martial arts?"
He lifted his ears and shrugged. "Some of it I can still use in that form, not to mention I might not always be able to take the form, to begin with."
"Really?" I asked curiously, lifting my ears.
"You've got your restrictions, I've got mine. Everything from the phase of the moon, to certain elements or metals can affect it." He shrugged his shoulder, the bag he had brought slung over it.
"Like silver?" I asked.
"Yup. Some of the superstitions hold true, others do not. If we have silver strike us, we can't change forms. If it strikes us while we're in it, it can easily pull us out of it." Alex frowned and shook his head. "We are a little more hearty than mundanes and can heal pretty quickly, but we can easily be brought down if we're not in our full form."
I nodded and look him over. He was wearing a white tank top that showed off the definition in his arms and large chest. He wore workout pants and simple cross trainers on his feet. He looked very much like a bodybuilder you would see at a gym.
The wolf gave me a grin, seeing me look him over. "Kat's teaching you some tricks too, yeah?"
I nodded excitedly and flicked my tail. "Yeah!"
"You wanna spar?" He spoke the words in playful jest.
My eyes flashed a deep red and I huffed out pointedly. "Yes."
Alex frowned and blinked at me. "Ah... I- I was kidding, Alice. You've only been at it a few days now."
I grinned and squatted a few times, checking the give and stretch of my jeans. "Hmm... a little tight, but I think I can make do."
The wolf shook his head and lifted his brown ears. "N-no... I was kidding, Alice. If I accidentally hurt you, Kat would murder me, resurrect me, then kill me again!"
"Can she even do that, Alex?" I asked, folding my arms over my chest, my eyes never dulling.
"If I hurt you? She might find a way too!" He laughed and then retreated back a step before turning and walking away from me. "Seriously though. Let's wait until you've had a little more training."
I growled at the words and stomped after him. "Fine, at least show me a few basics."
He frowned, lifting his ears and tail. "Me? But isn't Kat supposed to show you?"
"Why not? Different outlooks, different perspectives. The more teachers I have, the faster I learn." I spoke pointedly and shrugged off the sleeveless vest I was wearing, the material hitting the ground with a loud thump from all the ammo within it.
I kicked my shoes off and peeled my socks away, leaving me barefoot in just my jeans and the blue tank top I had on. You could just make out the black of my sports bra where the material gave way under my arms.
"Alice... I don't think this is a good idea..." He spoke the words awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head.
I showed my teeth and made a few quick hops on my toes. My breasts probably would have bounced about, had I not had the tight sports bra on. "Come off it, you're not going to hurt me Alex. Katrina has kicked my ass plenty this week down here."
"I'm out of my mind..." The dog growled as he shrugged his bag down off his shoulder and slid out of his cross-trainers, pulling his own socks off as well. I gave a playful grin, my eyes sparkling with crimson.
The wolf gave a focused huff and set himself into some sort of stance. "Okay... what do you want to do?"
"Well... Kat just basically tells me to parry, dodge, and counter a lot. Should I parry and dodge? I-I don't want to hurt you Alex..." I frowned as I spoke, hopping from one foot to the other.
The dog barked out a laugh and shook his head. "You're not going to hurt me little rabbit, counter as you please."