Blood & Carrots - Silverpaw Ep. 13

Welcome back, my lovely reader~

If this is your first visit to Silverpaw, I strongly recommend starting from

episode one

to get the best experience.

If you are new to Blood & Carrots as a series, you need to start with

the first serial

if you want to fully enjoy it, no 'silverpaw' in the title.

Take your time, I'll wait for you to catch up. :3

♥

And with that out of the way...

Sarnai's gotten herself a new girlfriend and things seem to be going pretty well for our lovely vixen these days. Alas, all things must face their tribulations and the winds of change are inevitable. Yes, scary things are on the horizon, but let us revel in the peace just a little longer.

We're oh so close to being caught up with the original story, then it will be all uncharted territory very soon. Let's do some more catching up on this episode, shall we? Why, we've got a few members we've not seen in some time now, don't we? However, why don't we open with a little foreshadowing, eh?

—♥—

Episode 13:

Knowing is enough, okay?

"You seem to be happier my pup." Rachel gave me a relaxed smile, hands resting on her lap.

"My life has been pretty good lately, I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop." I sipped on a mug of hot blood while sitting across from her. She had come to call and since we were in a time of peace, Alice was happy to have her visit.

"I'm thrilled we can meet as friends like this, Lady Rachel," The rabbit cooed the words out, sipping on her own chilled blood in a martini glass.

My mother gave her a courteous nod. "Please... let us relax and do away with titles. Just Rachel will do."

I saw my girlfriend's ears lift slightly and could see her eyes shine as she spoke out, "As you wish Rachel, I'm happy to get more comfortable with you."

The platinum-haired fox gave her a bright smile before putting a hand to her own chest. "My... Alice, you look upon me with such hunger..." Her eyes shifted to gold and she cocked a brow curiously. "Yes... you're not trying to hide anything it seems."

"Should I? You're a lovely fox, I've thought so from the first time I-"

"Alice... my love... do you enjoy having me as your lover and partner?" I called out casually over the two of them, cutting my eyes to the rabbit next to me.

"Of course I do, honey," She cooed the words out and gave me a childish grin.

"Then stop hitting on my mom!" I barked out sharply, glaring at her, teeth showing as I growled.

The rabbit giggled and gave me a coy smile. "It's in my nature, honey. I apologize..."

"Mmph..." I growled and stuck my nose into the air.

Rachel giggled and gave me a gentle smile. "Relax my pup, my station requires me to remain celibate, I could not pursue such advances if I wanted to." She then shifted her gaze to Alice and gave her a playful grin. "Mind you, you're a lovely rabbit, Alice. However, knowing you lay with my daughter regularly, I would sooner leap into a firepit than lay with you."

Alice giggled at the words and leaned back, sipping her blood. "Oomph... such a vicious rejection. I understand though, I was merely being playful."

"I appreciate your understanding. Perhaps if my daughter and position were not a factor it could be otherwise, but do take care of my pup." The angel nodded and brought her cup of tea to her lips.

"Well now that we have that awkward shit out of the way. What's going on Mom?" I growled the words, still a bit of edge in my voice. My ears lifted as I felt Alice slip her hand over mine and grip it gently. Her will pushed forth before I felt myself filling with a sense of comfort and adoration.

Rachel showed her teeth in a grin, watching our exchange. "You're cute together, maybe even rivaling Elias." The fox hummed the words and then reached to her side, bringing forth a sheathed saber that she laid right down in the middle of the table between us.

"What's this?" I tilted my head curiously, feeling an overwhelming energy emanating from the blade.

Alice grinned and released my hand while Rachel spoke once more. "You've no doubt noticed the effect that being with her has imparted to you, yes? When we embrace now, you feel no pain."

"Yes, even blessed silver has ceased to burn my flesh." I tilt my head and cock an eyebrow. "What of it?"

Rachel nodded to the saber. "Take it and unsheath it."

I grasped the scabbard and gripped the hilt of the blade before slowly drawing it forth. Even with my tolerance built up, I felt slightly queasy as the deep maroon blade came into view. I grunted and shook off the sensation before fully withdrawing the saber. "What on earth..."

"A collaborative effort," My mother hummed the words playfully.

"What sort of material is-" My ears lifted as it dawned on me. I had seen the roses in their room and the small necklace Elias wore. I shifted my gaze to Alice and widened my eyes. "This is your doing?"

My rabbit gave me a cocky grin. "Not just mine. Oh no my fox..."

Rachel nodded. "Toroah and I both worked in tandem to bless the blood steel."

"And it has a mixture of mine and Elias's blood in it. I've even had Kazemde of the circle temper the enchantments upon them." Alice gave me a haughty look and nodded her head. "Step from the table with it, summon your fire, and will it into the blade."

"You're all mad..." I growled the words but quickly stood, feeling giddy to try the blade out. I brandished it and focused my will. Red and black flames erupted from my hands but I barked out sharply when the blade took on the familiar bluish-white radiance of my husband. "W-What?!"

"Heh... It's been infused with mine and Elias's power. It will focus radiance when you will it to, not hellfire. Though with the right training, you can blend them together as I do." Alice showed me a cocky grin, lifting her hand that was caked in white flames then I watched the hellfire in her come forth and blend with them, giving her an unearthly grey color of flames.

"Oh... you mean this?" I barked out and focused my will, drawing forth the faint spark of radiance I had gained from laying with the two of them. The sword fire flared brightly to black, then slowly took on the same charcoal looking flames the rabbit had.

Alice pursed her lips and I could see the shock in her eyes. I gave her a confident smirk and casually sheathed the saber, snuffing the fires out. "Do not underestimate me, love. I surmised how you did that and began focusing upon drawing it forth to use within a week of being here."

"You sneaky bitch," Alice laughed the words and grinned as she took my hand once I sat back down. "Damn you're sexy when you're so full of yourself..."

I blushed at her words and showed her my own grin. "Why such a thing though?"

Rachel cleared her throat, bringing us back from our little moment. "I'm sure you've felt the tension in the air. The mundane are anxious and even they can feel that something is on the horizon."

I pursed my lips and gave my mother a nod. "Yes... even with all the good that's happened in my life, I've felt uneasy, like back with Charlotte."

"Something is coming, my fox." Alice tilted her head and frowned. "I can feel coming to grips with your madness enhanced your power, but I want to hedge my bets. I want my fox to be able to protect herself."

"And I want my daughter to be able to stand strong as a mighty warrior, as should be of the females of our line." Rachel gave me a look full of pride. "You now wield an artifact befitting of the last living member of our tribe."

"I'm not really living anymore, but I get what you mean, mom." I barked the words and looked over the sheathed sword, still feeling my hands tingle from holding such a powerful enchanted weapon. "Why did Toroah get on board with this?"

"Because he and Elias formed a bond after you parted. If not for him, your husband most likely would have succumbed to his own guilt of hurting you." Rachel folded her hands on the table. "Also, Alice and Lorelai do share some sway in things I would imagine."

Alice gave me a coy grin and shrugged her shoulders. "I insisted he only participate if he felt it right to do so, not because of me and Lorelai."

"And the mage?" I cocked my brow.

"He and I are good friends," Alice hummed cheerfully.

"Bullshit... friendship and favors are separate for their kind," I growled the words and fixed my rabbit with a calculating glare.

"Fine... he agrees it's a necessary measure, he also did owe house Blackpaw a favor. Granted it wasn't enough of a favor for such a boon, but that was a perk of our friendship." Alice folded her arms, pouting that I had seen through her.

"Even the magi circle are worried eh?" I sighed and strapped the sword to my hip. "I was hoping I was just imagining things."

Rachel peaked her fingertips and frowned. "Whatever is going on, it's nothing we can control for now. We should be vigilant but not let it consume our lives."

I gave my mother a nod and rested a hand on the grip of the saber. "Thanks mom, send my gratitude to Toroah as well." I huffed and cut my eyes to Alice. "I will thank you and Elias both more properly later."

She gave me a hungry grin and lifted her ears. "Katrina added some blood too, should I make it a group event?"

"Can you wait until I have left for such talk?" Rachel barked out sharply at us, her cheeks dark and tail thrashing.

I and Alice both gave her an apologetic look before I held a hand up. "Sorry mom."

—♥—

A sharp clash of steel rang out, sparks flying as I used the saber to twist the large blade of the halberd and deflect the incoming slash. Alice yelped out as the blade dipped towards the floor and I lunged forward, headbutting her right in the forehead, careful to avoid breaking her nose.

"Fuck!" The rabbit cursed out as she hopped back, holding her forehead, a show of anger on her face.

"Had enough yet?" I gripped the shaft of the polearm that laid on the ground and tossed it back to my lover.

Alice snarled and caught the halberd in her left hand, spinning and flourishing it before setting her stance again. "Not even close!"

My sharp teeth showed in an amused grin as I rested the saber on my shoulder, it wasn't my new one but one of the regular steel sabers, as we were in the training room below the mansion. "You're already so good with a whip, why the polearm?"

"It is the favored weapon of my teacher, it seemed appropriate. I began studying it out of respect for him, honey." The rabbit relaxed her stance, resting the shaft of the weapon on her shoulder.

I grinned at her then put my free hand on my hip. "There's that pet name again... I can't believe we were so casually throwing them around while seeing my mom tonight."

"Does it bother you? Have I moved too quickly?" The rabbit tilted her head, frowning and looking concerned.

A bark of a laugh escaped my throat as I shook my head. "Of course you moved too quickly, but it is within your nature." I clicked my tongue and thought about Katrina and my pending meeting with Lorelai. "But, it seems you've instilled that trait upon me. No, it doesn't bother me... love."

The rabbit gave me a bright smile and averted her eyes. "I'm really happy you and Katrina started something..."

"Why is that?" I had a feeling I knew, but I wanted to hear her reasoning.

Alice frowned and put her free hand to her chest. "I don't mean to always pry with my lovers, sometimes the movement of our emotions and energy gets too intense, and I feel things I know I shouldn't..."

"You felt her admiration and desire for me?" I lazily swayed my heavy black tail and folded my arms, the saber hanging loosely in my grip.

"I did, but... who could blame her?" The rabbit cooed the words and I saw her giving me that hungry look.

"Yeah... psychopathic nut job... that's everyone's favorite type, right?" The words came out bitter as I thought back to the days leading up to this.

"Her admiration and Elias's unwavering love. Those filled me again and again through the years leading up to this, Sarnai. That night when I took most of my Master's power, my soul was awash with his love and regret over you."

"Is that why you didn't kill me?" I growled the words and felt myself tense, shifting out of my relaxed posture.

"Amongst other reasons. It didn't hurt that you had a fantastic rack on you." Alice hummed the words playfully, her ears flicking.

With a smirk, I rolled my eyes and put a hand on my hip. "I don't believe that for a second, not even coming from you."

The hesitation was plainly obvious on her face as she chose her words before speaking. "Would you really have killed everyone? Had Jeremy not struck you down as you asked?"

I frowned deeply and felt my stomach twist as I looked away. "In that state? I most likely would have... but I kept screaming at myself the entire time, telling the sane part of me to just run myself through before I even brought him down. I..."

"I'm sorry to bring it up, I know it wasn't you in there." She frowned and tossed the halberd to the ground.

"It was me, Alice! Another part of me, but still me..." I snarled and pushed my palm to my forehead, clenching my eyes closed, feeling them burn. "Everything he did for me and yet..."

She was on top of me right away as I felt her energy, I blinked my eyes open to see her staring up into my eyes. "You know what? So was he... that monster we saw that night together? Have you no doubt that was your husband, Sarnai?"

I snarled and shook my head. "That's diff-"

"It's not!" She snapped the words out and I saw her eyes focus into a strong defiant glare. "No! It's even worse because he has to live with the knowledge of it every day and there's nothing I can do to fix it. Think about that!"

I widened my eyes, feeling tears rolling against my cheeks, my heart starting to pace as I shook my head. "Y-you're... oh my gods you're right... I've sat here wallowing in my own self-hate, but-"

"But he has to constantly live with the knowledge he wiped his wife's family out, along with so many others. He didn't have an intervention." Alice shook her head and closed her eyes. "That's why... when it was over, I sought out how to help you... You were just as much a victim and helping you, would by proxy help him."

I gave a ragged breath and nodded my head. "I understand... I have to stop feeling sorry for myself. I need to be strong for my husband... for our fox."

The rabbit showed me a wide grin, her eyes looking a little wet as well. "Not just for him, for me. It's still new, but you mean a lot to me, I don't want to lose you and neither does anyone else."

My head shook as I moved an arm around her and just pulled her against me. Alice wrapped her arms tightly around me and I moved my hand to the back of her head, stroking her ears and moving it down her long blonde hair. "You're right... it's time to let that go and focus on the future."

We stayed that way for a while, her soft will pushing through me as I tried to return the gesture. It wasn't the energy she would draw forth and cycle when we made love, it was the little trick my husband used to comfort me. He no doubt had taught it to her or she just picked it up over the years. All the same, her will mingled with mine as we enjoyed one another's arms.

"So... have you made a decision on that one mundane that took a shine to you?" I called out to her gently, trying to shift us to another topic.

Alice pulled from my arms and turned from me, flicking her small tail as she collected her halberd. "I'm still up in the air on it. They're very sweet and curious about our lives. I've kept them at a distance like most of our servants, but I'm seriously considering it."

"How would you even handle that? I know the concept of turning someone, but I've never done it myself. Can you even turn anyone, given what you are?" I lifted my ears curiously as I spoke, finding myself genuinely intrigued by the concept.

Alice frowned and averted her eyes before speaking, "I do not believe I could. Ichiro shared tomes with us on chimera's that Kazemde translated eagerly. It seems we're either a product of fate or happenstance. Granted the tomes could be wrong, still, I do not want to risk their life to find out."

"So that's that then." I shrugged and produced my saber, lowering my stance as I saw her ready herself.

"Nonsense. I would simply ask one of you to do it." Alice cooed the words and then dove at me in a blur of motion. There was a clash of steel as the rabbit swung the halberd down, this time expecting my parry as I sidestepped and we locked blade to blade.

"You would force a progeny upon one of us, Alice?" I barked the words, the steel of my saber groaning against the larger mass of the halberd as the rabbit kept the pressure up.

"Do not be absurd, I would only do so if you, Elias..." She huffed out and broke my stance, swinging the blade in a wide arc as I sidestepped and found my footing, "... or Katrina would be willing to do so!" She set her stance again as I thrashed my tail and readied my sword.

"Why me?!" I barked out as more steel clashed out, the topic having rattled my brain slightly at the concept of such a thing. I snarled and furrowed my brow before Alice reared back and pierced at me with the halberd. Barking as I lunged sideways, I used my saber to deflect the blow as I felt my ire build.

I grabbed the shaft of the polearm and Alice's eyes widened as I simply wrenched it from her hands. I spun the polearm around and shoved the tip of the blade right to her throat. The rabbit slowly rose her palms up in submission, looking shocked, and a little surprised by my anger. "Why drag me into your games, rabbit? You think I wish to pass madness on to the poor thing?" I snarled furiously, feeling my rage building at the concept of cursing another with what I suffered through for centuries.

"Honey... calm down, it was just a thought..." She called out gently to me, looking worried as I snarled, feeling my black flames rolling off me.

"You're thought, sucks!" I barked out and threw the halberd across the training room, embedding it several inches into the stone wall. I pushed a palm to my forehead and growled, trying to calm myself. "I would not... I would never wish it upon another, not even the vilest of creatures..."

"And that makes you a good dog, Sarnai. I of course wouldn't let that happen either, so do not worry over such a thing." Alice moved in and I yipped out, heat still in my voice as she pushed her small body to my own in a tight embrace of comfort.

I felt another snarl bubble up in my throat but my hand rested heavily on my lover's head, rubbing at her ears and hair. "How can you be so sure? Maybe what you did with me was a fluke."

"It was not." The rabbit cooed the words and nuzzled into my breasts, hugging me closer. I could feel her energy shifting and knew she was getting worked up.

"But how can you-" I barked out then cut my words short as the rabbit glanced up at me, her eyes red as she showed her sharp little canines to me in a grin.

"Something in me says it will be alright, just trust your girlfriend, Sarnai. The madness in you is gone and it will not blossom in another." She huffed the words while reaching to the robes I had worn for training, gripping them and pulling me down to her waiting lips.

We embraced and I snarled in anger at her nonchalant attitude about things, but her will pouring forth was quickly calming me while we kissed. I pulled from her lips and fixed her with a curious look. "Why are you so worked up?"

"I just love seeing you being so strong and feral... all that growling and snarling..." The rabbit pushed closer, tugging me back down and kissing along my throat. I couldn't help but grin and folded my ears, deciding it was best to shelf this dispute until later. In truth, I had been wanting her for most of the training session.