Blood & Carrots - Silverpaw Ep. 06

"Sister! I missed you so much." Val wrapped his arms around me in a tight embrace upon seeing me. I barked out and felt my body warm, my cheeks growing darker as he channeled his energies without thinking about it.

I clenched my teeth and growled, pushing my forehead to his own, panting softly as we hugged. After a few moments, I shook my head and glared upon him. "Huff! Yes... I missed you as well, now unhand me before my husband grows jealous."

The two of us parted and I showed the goat a fussed look, sticking my nose into the air with a huff. "Really brother, reign that in..." I grumbled and moved over to Elias's side, the incubus offering us both an apologetic smile.

"I meant nothing by it, I apologize to you both." Val gave Elias a respectful bow of his head.

The white fox folded his arms while I clung to one of them. "I know you didn't mean it." His eyes shifted to me and he gave me a look of pride. "I know my wife is loyal, she would not seek the arms of another."

My head nodded and I looked away, thinking of the feelings I had shared a year past with Lorelai. I noted I should speak to him about it in the future. Val tilted his head, picking up on my body language right away. Of course he would, he dealt with these sorts of emotions on a daily basis.

"Well! I've prepared lodging for all of you, so come in, with my hospitium, Lakestone has plenty of room!" The incubus called out the words proudly as we followed him into the entryway of the large mansion.

We settled and spent a week with Val so that everyone could relax after the trip. The incubus found me a few days into the visit, I had wandered from the house and overlooked the massive lake in the distance on a grassy hill.

"Sister." He spoke to me gently as he approached.

"This could not be a coincidence, you sought me out, Val." I looked over my shoulder at him, my hands clasped behind my back while I stood there.

"The look I saw upon your face when you arrived. Have you been unfaithful to my brother?" He asked the words point-blank, his teeth showing.

"Do not be stupid, I've been with none but him, as it has been for centuries." I spat the words out and shoved my nose into the air. "You came here to accuse me of such a thing?"

"Then why the look of guilt and anxiety?" He folded his arms, staring at me hard as if he were judging if I were being truthful with him or not.

"You are too perceptive for your own good, goat. You dare come to judge me in matters of my heart?" I spat the words and turned to face him fully, my sharp teeth showing and my black flames coming to life over my ears and tail.

"You can cease the display of anger, you know it will not sway me. I simply show concern... for both of you. What is going on in that head of yours? Talk to me, sister." He opened his palm and reached it out towards me.

"Stupid..." I snarled the word but reached and laid my palm into his, the black flames rolling over his skin but leaving no burns. "I am simply torn by odd feelings, nothing so grand."

"Odd feelings?" He tilted his head curiously as his fingertips curled around mine and he moved to hold my hand more naturally, moving to my side.

"It is difficult to explain..." I sighed and looked back over the lake in thought.

"Then we will cut to the quick of it." The goat spoke the words and drew me forcefully into his arms. I barked out sharply as he pulled me to his chest, my free hand gripping his shoulder. My brown eyes turned red and widened when his will flooded into me before my vision went black.

"Hgn..." I groaned and rubbed my forehead, shaking the haze off before blinking my eyes open and finding my head in his lap. I barked in protest and moved to sit up but his hand gripped my shoulder before he coaxed me back down. With a glare and a huff, I spat out at him. "What is the meaning of this!"

He sat there looking me over and shaking his head, as if he were reading a book. My eyes widened as I saw what he was doing and glared. "Brother! You have no right to-"

His fingertips pushed to my mouth to silence me. I felt his will crush me and my voice simply halted because he willed it. I whimpered furiously at the situation but sat there for several minutes while he held me in his lap.

"Lorelai... you have some unresolved feelings with her eh? Seems you both do..." He spoke the words gently, a hand on my head now.

"C-can I..." I tested my voice, seeing I could speak again. My ears folded and my eyes narrowed. "Val! You have some nerve ripping into my feelings like this!" I spat the words furiously at him.

"I am a terrible brother, yes. However, I do it out of concern..." He shook his head and shrugged. "Have you spoken to Elias about your feelings?"

I pushed to sit up and climbed from his bed, moving to my feet, my tail lashing about furiously. "I have not, and I won't. She and I agreed it was best to leave it buried. I am a married woman and I will not hurt him for such folly."

"Love is hardly a folly, Sarnai..." He leaned back on his palm, giving me a gentle smile. I felt my cheeks darken as I stared upon him, looking upon him as a man, not a brother. He wore an open white shirt that showed every crease of his muscled chest, leading to the ridges of his abs that disappeared into his silk pants.

"Release me from this dream... now!" I spat the words, clenching my teeth and jerking my gaze away from his form.

"The dreams... how long have you had them?" He spoke the question, ignoring my demands.

I shuddered at the thought of him finding that secret, the thing only Lorelai knew. Not even Elias had been made aware of them in full. My teeth clenched and I glared hard upon the incubus, my vision blurring with tears of anger. "T-that... was not yours to see!"

"Yet I did and it cannot be undone. Answer me or I shall make you do so." He spoke the words with authority and I felt his will bare down upon me, not unlike how Lorelai did in reality.

"S-since I changed... Lorelai says it was a curse that came with me when I turned. Said some of our clan can have it as a side effect." I hissed the words, wrapping my arms around myself and shaking my head.

"Centuries of that... my gods, sister..." He frowned and stood before me.

I shook my head and sighed. "You have your answer, end this."

He nodded and I felt reality flood back into being. I was standing in the grass again, embraced by him. My eyes narrowed and I slapped him across the face sharply before stepping from his arms.

The goat didn't seem surprised or phased by the strike and simply turned his head to look upon me once more. I showed my teeth in a snarl and shook my head, having a plethora of venomous words for him, but unable to find them. My vision grew hazy with tears and I cursed myself for my weakness in this moment.

His arms were around me once again, his hand on the back of my head, guiding my face to his chest. I shuddered and hugged him tightly as he embraced me, I couldn't control myself and the tears came forth uncontrollably. I yowled and sobbed, feeling him hold me while he stroked the back of my head.

I told him everything that night, the dreams, the fury in me, and the feelings of losing myself to them. He had delved into my mind for answers about my feelings but ended up unearthing something much more severe and he knew it. He just held me and listened to me, comforting me where he could.

"Please... do not speak of this to Elias. If he knew the extent it wore upon me, he would torment himself nightly to find a solution that doesn't exist." I spoke the words weakly, my arms crossed as I looked away from the incubus.

"I feel he should know... especially if it is weighing upon your mind," Val told me gently.

"It is not your right to decide that. They are my dreams and you forced yourself upon me to see them! Your word is the least you can offer me for this!" I snapped my teeth as I barked out at him sharply.

"You have it, sister, I will not disrespect your marriage. Know that you may call upon me anytime to speak of these dreams though. Perhaps council will ease the-"

"I would sooner we pretend this never happened. Speaking of them does nothing but open the wound deeper." I spat the words and turned from him, stomping away from him back towards the mansion.

"Know it is an open offer. I am here for you always, my sister." He called out to me and I felt my feet halt.

I looked over my shoulder with a glare. "You forced the knowledge from my mind, then you offer to counsel me as if a doting sibling who is concerned? You crossed a line, brother."

"A line I would cross again if I felt it would help you. I could see the pain upon you and still do. Let me be there for you, Sarnai. You don't have to bear this burden alone." He spoke the words confidently and reached his hand towards me.

My teeth clenched as I looked away, but my hand gripped his. "Fine... I do love you brother. I thank you for your concern, even if you were heavy-handed in the method."

He laughed and squeezed my hand. "I've known you for centuries, fox. There is no getting through in your thick skull otherwise."

I scoffed and stuck my nose up. "The nerve... do you say I am pig-headed?"

"No need for racial stereotypes, my sister. I know plenty of open-minded swine." He showed me a grin.

Barking out a laugh I stepped to him, pushing my forehead to his own. "You're a fool... if it had been anyone but you..."

"Yes yes... you're a tough dog, we know." He spoke the words gently and moved to stroke the back of my head while we held one another.

#

I left the rest of the family with house Lakestone, me and Elias continuing on to the west coast of the land by train. After nearly a month of time, we found a homestead to set up in, a lovely plot of land that overlooked one of the few large towns in the region. After finalizing things with the bank, construction was underway of our new home and would be ready within a few seasons.

"Have you felt the tension from the mundane as of late?" Elias spoke to me conversationally as we strode along through the large town a few hours from our soon to be home.

"Yes... they are a curious bunch. They can pick up on the flow of things fairly easily, especially en masse." I gave him a nod while we held hands and walked in the late afternoon, having just risen as the sun dipped.

"Something is on the horizon, I can feel it." He gritted his teeth and I felt him clench my hand a bit harder.

"Your perception of the supernatural is a credit to your abilities." The words called out behind us. Me and Elias both parted our hands from one another, I drew my revolver in my left hand, my right reaching for the grip of my saber.

We both turned with guns drawn, Elias sporting one in each hand. Three barrels were all pointed at the platinum-haired fox. She wore a red and white tunic, the divines' holy symbol clearly displayed upon it. She was armed with her longsword at her side and a large lever-action rifle across her back.

"Rachel!" I snarled her name and lowered my gun. "I trust this is a visit and not a confrontation?" I hissed the words cautiously, my hand still resting on the hilt of my saber.

"You would be correct." The angel gave a nod, her hands clasped together before her, showing she held no weapon.

Elias hesitated before lowering his revolvers and sliding them into their holsters at his hips. "Why are you here? Do you finally have news for my wife?"

She bowed her head before shaking it. "Alas, I do not. However-"

"However, my tail! How many centuries do you mean for me to wait?" I showed my teeth in a growl, my black tail whipping about in anger.

"I warned you at the time it would be difficult but I would do it." She folded her arms and glared upon me. "You asked a mighty thing of me that the divines are hesitant to bequeath to me lightly. I am doing what I can to honor my word."

My eyes rolled and I put my hands to my hips. "Fine... why are you here then?"

"I seek your aid." She spoke the words pointedly and bowed her head.

I and Elias shared a look and we both barked out in laughter. The white fox shook his head with a grin. "Seriously, Rachel. Why have you come?"

"I am serious..." The brown eared fox growled the words as her ears folded, her cheeks growing dark in humility.

"Damn... she's serious... a high and mighty celestial, here to ask for help from the deplorable abominations they constantly hunt." I showed my teeth in a cocky grin. "You've not even made good on your previous promise yet, why should we give you the time of night?"

Rachel furrowed her brow and bowed deeply. "Y-you don't understand... this isn't just a celestial concern. The whole region is in danger right now."

Elias and I shared a look before the white fox cleared his throat. "Fine, we will hear you out."

We sat in the corner of one of the saloons, all of us with a beer before us that hadn't been touched. I peaked my fingertips together and frowned. "So let me get this straight... one of your ranks 'fell' and is now wanting revenge for their disgrace."

The platinum-haired fox nodded with a frown. "Charlotte, a powerful elite angel of greater rank than I. Her corruption was laid bare at a tribunal and she somehow escaped the other high bishops."

Elias drummed his fingertips upon the table. "And now she seeks to use a band of demons to create a catastrophe here in the new world, something capable of potentially wiping out most of the life here?"

"Yes..." The angel frowned and looked down at her tankard of beer.

I clicked my tongue. "This sounds like some serious world-ending stuff. Isn't this a job for Toroah and company, not a knight and a few vampires?"

"You are both considered elder-vampires by our records, you are not merely riff-raff," Rachel spoke the words pointedly as she looked between the two of us.

"Well dang, honey. Y'all hear that? We're coming on up in the world!" Elias barked the words in a mock southern drawl.

"I will divorce you if you ever do that again." I showed him my teeth in a playful glare, then cut my eyes back to Rachel and cocked my brow. "The question still stands, let your precious archangels deal with this."

She grunted and looked away. "They can't. This has been planned for some time apparently. The demons she enlisted seemed to have some sway in the netherworlds. Several very powerful pit lords and other demonic entities have gathered en masse in the northeastern portion of the country, intent to raze a major city there with fire."

I growled and folded my arms. "One city vs an entire region. Still seems a no brainer to me."

"Yes, but we didn't realize what was happening until they had already left. We can fly, that doesn't mean we can instantly appear at will. We have key gateways we can reach and there are none in the vicinity. It would take the archangels a minimum of three days to arrive, which would be a day too late since the plan will be enacted tomorrow night." Rachel barked the words sharply and pushed her hands to the table, with a pleading look on her face.

"So let's humor this further... say that's the case. How will this fallen angel of yours enact such a wide-sweeping disaster?" Elias rubbed his chin as he spoke.

Rachel took a deep breath before explaining. "There is a major geyser system east of here, by a day's travel on rail. It connects to a large volcanic network deep underground. The system is stable, but Charlotte intends to enact a ritual using demonic and divine blood to destabilize the forces, essentially causing a massive volcanic eruption. The proceeding waves of force would send vicious earth tremors throughout the region, tearing apart civilization. The resulting ash and soot would then blanket most of the continent. Nearly all life in this region would be wiped out."

"Damn... Val..." I growled with folded ears.

"Not just him... Lawrence and two other lords are here now too. We can't pretend this won't affect our family, and we have no time to properly warn them either." Elias ground his teeth as he spoke.

"I will be leaving with or without your help. I am no match for Charlotte alone, she is my better. Still, I will not shirk away and leave my flock to die. I will just go a little sooner than the rest." Rachel spoke the words with resolution, clasping her rosary as she nodded.

"How dramatic..." I snarled the words and stood from my seat. "Let's go, Elias."

Rachel barked out as we both stood and our hands joined once more. We paced away a few steps before I looked over my shoulder at the winged fox. "Well, are you coming or do you expect us to do all of your work?"

#

We quickly gathered our supplies and were on a train that evening. Elias and I slept through the day in one of the passenger cars, safe from the light of the sun. Upon waking the following evening we disembarked to make our way to the location Rachel had mentioned.

"Why seek us out, Rachel?" I asked her while we rode through the wilderness in the darkness.

"Because you two were the most powerful beings in the area. Not to mention, for fair or foul, we have a history together." The angel nodded to me in response.

"This may serve our family as well but know you owe us largely for this. You tell your precious archangels we will have my wife's request when this settles." Elias showed his teeth in a snarl.

"Upon my word." The brown eared fox spoke out politely.

"For what that's been worth these last centuries..." I muttered with a growl on my breath.

"I got you your treaty, didn't I? I was demoted to a cadet for the entirety of it, do not think I did not try my best to do right by my word and still do." Rachel showed her teeth at me with a growl, her brown tail cutting through the air.

"Vixen's, please... we need to focus, not fight amongst ourselves," Elias called out to the two of us in a gentle voice.

"Yes." I sighed and stuck my nose into the air.

"You speak sense." Rachel also jerked her gaze away with a sulk.

We rode for a few hours before coming upon the small camp near the geyser. Taking up position in the hills we could clearly make out the energy of both the demons and the fallen angel.

"Gods... nearly a dozen in total..." Rachel hissed the words through clenched teeth.

"No one said it would be easy." Elias nodded as he looked over the camp. "They seem to be setting up the ritual now, I recognize the arcane patterns they've carved around the geyser."

"In truth, I'm not sure how to approach this." Rachel frowned and then lifted her ears as I rested my hand on her shoulder. She looked back to me as I winced, feeling the burn from touching her, even through her clothing and the cuirass she wore.

"Just follow my lead, I used to do this sort of thing for a living, remember?" I showed her my teeth in a cocky grin before withdrawing my hand, shaking it a little. The divine fox gave me a nod.

"So what's the plan, Captain Silverpaw?" Elias showed me his teeth in a grin.

I nodded and drew my saber before pointing towards the geyser. "You two will wait for them to begin the ritual. Once that starts they will have no choice but to endure the attacks or abandon it."

"Why the two of us?" Rachel asked me.

"Because you and Elias are bringing the divine oomph to the party. Between your blessed silver and his radiant fire, the demons there should be dispatched quickly." I gave her a coy grin and flicked my ears. "I will skulk the camp and waylay the guards quietly, to not draw attention. Once they call for help, it will not arrive."

"Sounds reasonable." Elias nodded then looked to Rachel. "Are you in agreement with this?"

"Yes, I've got your back... I'm curious to see this radiant fire of yours as well." The brown eared fox lifted her ears curiously while staring upon my husband.

I growled and tapped the flat of my sword against her tail. "You lay a paw on my husband, I will take your tail off."