Blood & Carrots Ep. 17

Swords and daggers of every shape and size. Nets, spears, hooks, and even blades you placed upon your boots. Harold looked over the collection proudly. "What do you think?"

"This is amazing... there are hundreds of them... I don't even know what some of these things are." I walked along the wall admiring them, my tail flicking about excitedly.

"Hundreds? There are eleven hundred and twenty-nine different weapons upon this wall." He spoke the words proudly.

"Wouldn't that still count as 'hundreds' sir Harold? You would need at least two thousand for me to say 'thousands'." I stuck my tongue out at him playfully.

"You are a smart ass, Alice." He spoke the words with an amused tone in his voice.

"I've been told that a few times..." I scanned the wall and smiled. "So what's the story behind this wall?"

Harold showed his teeth with pride. "I have trained under a master for every one of these weapons."

"A-all of them? How is that possible?" I stammered words, shock filling my voice.

The lion gave a shrug. "I love combat and I've been alive over a millennium. I have to find something to do to fill the void of time."

I pursed my lips and nodded. I was quickly realizing my master was not the ancient thing I first imagined him as. I raised a finger. "Sir Harold, May I ask a question not related of this?"

"I do not see why not, go ahead." He gave me a wave of his hand.

I frowned and put my hands on my stomach. "My master... Elias. He is nearly six centuries old. I thought he must have been some amazing and powerful being at that age. Yet you probably double that, and who knows with Lorelai..."

"If you're asking is he young compared to the council at large, the answer is yes. He and Sarnai are the youngest members of the entire council. They were an exception because of their unique powers and Lorelai's influence. Normally one cannot even be considered for a position until they have a millennium under their belt." Harold folded his arms behind his back and gave me a direct look. "Why do you ask?"

I showed my teeth and looked away. "Because the time will come that I may have to face Sarnai in true combat to protect him. I know I stand no chance..."

"Age breeds power, Alice. However, you know what breeds more power? Training and dedication." Harold put his hands on his hips and showed me a wide grin. "You stand no chance now, but in time that will change. I have seen how you move and learn, how you adapt. That time will be sooner than you think, so worry not. I believe in you." He roared the words loudly at me and I felt his will and energy ride up my spine.

I shivered and raised my ears. "Yes, sir!" I spoke the words excitedly and clenched my fists. "Now what?"

Harold thrust his hand outward. "Now you choose a weapon, you choose something and I begin training you to be a master of it."

"O-of all of these? But... there's so many!" I looked around the wall, feeling lost.

"Choose what calls out to you Alice. Do not pick something for utility or ease of use. Deep down you will know what is for you. We have nothing but time, think about it." Harold folded his arms and stood there, like a statue.

I strode the wall back and forth, looking over the myriad of things. The swords and spears I kept coming back to, but I didn't feel they were for me. I saw the large hooked scythe on the wall and imagined how cool I would look, bathed in flames, swinging the scythe around like the grim reaper. My tail flicked and I grinned like a little kid, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought perhaps not.

Over an hour passed while I poured over the items, yet one thing kept coming back to my eye again and again. I made up my mind and grinned as I collected the weapon and moved back over to Harold. "I want to learn how to use this!" I presented the lion with the rolled-up whip.

His amber eyes looked to the whip and he gave a nod and collected it from me. "The whip is an interesting weapon. It will offer you reach and versatility in your fighting." The lion quickly coiled back the whip and cracked it faster than a bird would flap a wing. I saw a nearby training dummy's chest split open, the padding pouring forth from it. "A well-placed strike can sever limbs you know."

My eyes widened at the display and then he reared the whip back and struck it along the weapon wall. The tip wrapped around the stock of a mace and he pulled it off its display, pulling it towards him through the air. Harold caught the mace in his off-hand. "You can use it to disarm as well, or even trip your foe."

"That's so cool!" I huffed the words out and grinned.

"They come in various materials too. You can even make them out of chain or barb them with blades." The lion cracked the whip again and pulled it back. The length of material wrapped around his arm before he let it slack and fall into his palm, the whip rolled up once more. "It is a challenging weapon and offers no defensive benefits if an opponent gets too close. A sword would offer more practicality and be easier to learn."

I shake my head and give a stubborn glance to the lion. "I want to learn that."

Harold showed his teeth, the look in his eyes saying he approved of my determination. "Then we start right away!"

#

I was to only be at Sandshore for two days, but Harold and I trained as if we were possessed. Hours bled away and the days began to roll by. Some days I didn't even bother to sleep and just trained through them. I wasn't stopping at the whip though. I was also training my control over the fire, blending the two together to make them my own.

Over two weeks passed while I trained. Of course, I kept text messages up with everyone and even had Lorelai message me a few times. My main focus was on the training though, my family and loved one's defense a constant in my mind.

My final night at Sandshore came and I found myself in the armory with Harold. The lion stood across from me, arms folded over his large chest, his eyes looking down to meet my own. I stood across from him with my own arms folded, staring back into his red eyes with my equally red ones.

"Alice, you have shown amazing progress. I dare say you may be one of the most dedicated and astute pupils I have had the pleasure of working with" Harold spoke the words of praise and my heart filled with pride.

"Thank you, teacher. I do not deserve your kind words, but it means a lot to me." I spoke with pride and respect, I had learned a lot these last few weeks, both about the whip and myself. I had also learned more about Harold and I now had a deeper respect for him.

"You will continue your training with both the whip and gun when you leave here, I assume?" He asked me curiously.

"I will. My weapons, my fire, and my thaumaturgy. I shall weave them all into a cohesive combat style that is mine and mine alone. Then I will bring that power to bear against any and all that would do harm to my family or loved ones." I spoke the words without a shred of doubt in my soul.

"You spoke like a child with talent when you first arrived. Now you speak like a warrior with purpose. I... am proud of you." He spoke the words sharply and I felt my eyes grow wet.

"I... T-thank you..." I blinked at him and offered a smile.

"Save the tears for judgment day, Alice! To me!" The lion drew forth the large halberd that had been resting upon the ground next to him. He lowered the blade of the polearm and set himself into a stance with his knees bent.

I spread my feet and bent at the knees. I gripped my whip, giving the air a few loud cracks. My left hand quickly darted to my tooth and I cut my thumb to allow blood to flow from the wound. "Here I come!" I shouted the words, my eyes shifting to white with black energy crackling through them.

Springing off my toes I launched myself forward red flames erupting from my hands and ears. Harold braced and I stopped short and brought my whip forward in a violent lash. The lion's halbert blurred as he parried it, the sound making a sharp metallic clang upon the steel of the blade.

"Is that all?" He roared out and took a mighty lunge forward, swinging the blade up in an arch towards my chest. I crystalized the blood on my palm and simply shoved my hand against the blow of the blade, holding the strike, my arm shaking as he pushed against my force.

Harold showed his teeth and magnified his strength, I felt the blade overpowering me. I simply let him make the swing while holding the blade. He flung me aloft into the air and I lashed the whip out as I sailed over his head. The lion roared out in pain as I tore the leather into his back, easily tearing through the combat jacket he wore.

"Very good!" He snarled the words as he quickly jumped several feet out of my range before turning to face me. "Never forget the trick of turning an opponent's force back at them."

"Are you gonna give me a lecture or fight me, kitty?" I cooed the words mockingly and flung my left wrist into the air. Several sharp blood shards formed and trained on Harold, before flying to him faster than bullets from a gun.

The lion showed his teeth and rushed through them, his halbert blurring as he deflected each one. He lunged off his feet in a leap and brought the blade down atop my head. I showed him a grin and simply moved closer, letting the blade slam to the floor. The lion blinked as I moved right up to him and slammed my forehead to his own.

Harold roared at me and reached a free hand to grab me, but I had already darted away to gain some distance. "Don't lose your head in battle, old man." I hummed the words mockingly.

"I do so love your cocky mouth!" Harold showed his teeth in a grin and reached for the halbert shaft.

I showed my own teeth and quickly flicked my whip, the material wrapping around the shaft of the polearm and jerked hard upon it. The halberd dislodged from the floor and scattered out into the room several yards away. "You would love it even more if you weren't married, Harold."

He looked shocked at the maneuver and gave me a grin before growling. "Pride before the fall, right?" He flexed his hands and launched himself forward.

I ran the whip past my fingertips letting blood coat it, then willed my flames forward, red and shadow moving up the length of it. Harold bore down on me and I lashed the whip at him viciously.

The lion simply took the blow upon his massive hand and I felt him grab at the end of the whip. I yelped out and tried to pull it back but he simply held it, letting the flames burn into his flesh. With a show of force, he pulled hard and simply wrenched the whip from my hands.

I grit my teeth and set my stance but he was upon me in a blur. I felt his now bloody and burned hand grab my throat and he hauled me up into the air before slamming me down violently into the floor. I yelped out weakly and blinked up at him with one eye open, my tongue showing in a weak pant.

"You did very well... I feel confident sending you home with those skills..." He spoke the words and I felt his fingertips brush my throat and slide down to my collar.

I bit my lower lip and felt the familiar coursing of energy between me and another that was showing interest in me. It stood to reason, he and I had been beating one another to a bloody pulp for weeks, all while building strong bonds. "T-thank you teacher..." I panted the words and blinked into his red eyes with my own, seeing the look of hunger.

"The curve of a hip..." He growled the words and I felt him grab my hip hard. I grunted out and blushed, shaking my head at him. "The firm roundness of breasts..." He snarled and shoved his other hand over my left breast, kneading it through my top while I panted out and squirmed my hips. "These things do nothing for me... but a powerful warrior..."

I shook my head again and blinked upon him. "Harold... you are spoken for and I gave my word..." I shivered and felt him squeeze my breast hard, his other hand kneading my hip curiously. "Ha... calm yourself..."

He growled in challenge towards me. "I will not. I bested you and I have every right to you now!"

I didn't want him to stop, if he forced it forward I would happily partake of him, my oath was to not seduce him, but this was his own choice. Still, he had bragged of his wife these last several days, spoke lovingly and fond of her. The pride in his voice was insurmountable when he spoke of her victories.

His hand moved under my shirt and pushed against my stomach, sliding up towards my breasts. I snapped my teeth together and did the only thing I could think. I slapped the hell out of the moron.

Harold roared in fury at my blow and grabbed my wrist. "You think you can stop me?"

"Open your fucking eyes stupid!" I spat out at him, my irises blazing red. "You wouldn't shut up about Mino this whole time! Will you now betray her? Is that the extent of your love?"

The lion gave me a shocked look and I saw the words sink in. I showed my teeth and gave him a bitter little laugh. "You think I'm afraid of you taking it? You can't rape the willing, Harold. Bend me over, tear my clothes off and ravage me, I will be grateful for the energy. I've not fed properly in weeks!"

He gave me an ashamed look and pulled his hands from my body. I showed him a hungry grin. "You think I wouldn't lay with you in a heartbeat?" I staggered to my feet and rolled my shoulder. "However... I have not used any of my power and you are not a warrior razing a village... my word will be intact and you will have to live with the consequences, not me."

Harold shuddered and rose to his feet fully, gripping his wounded hand while looking away. "I have shown you great disrespect, forgive me lady Alice..."

I gave a laugh and bit my lower lip. "You kidding? I'm not gonna lie Harold... the idea of you 'raping me' sounds fun as hell!" I air quoted the words and gave a frown, placing my hands upon my hips. "Seriously though... You are spoken for. Do not throw that away for a romp with me. I like you but I will not stay with you, I have a master and..."I counted on my hand. "Technically I guess two boyfriends and three girlfriends."

"Ha! You get around, don't you rabbit?" He showed me his teeth in a grin and I could see his composure was back.

I offered him a smile and moved towards him, placing a hand upon his chest. "Harold... I do like you and I would lay with you eagerly. However, that is a scenario you would need to clear with your wife."

He gave me a nod and moved a hand to embrace me gently. "Thank you... I am flattered you think as much."

I smiled and pushed into his chest, enjoying the contact. "Of course..." I cleared my throat and leaned back before meeting his eyes with a serious glance, my teeth showing. "Or both of you... if she were interested..."

I saw his cheeks darken blatantly at that and I gave him a coy grin before pulling from his arms and collecting my whip. "I shall have to get me one of these when I get home."

"Keep it." Harold spoke out, pride in his voice.

"I cannot. I know this was your whip you trained with. The one your master gave to you." I looked upon him and frowned as I rolled it up slowly.

"A weapon is only as good as it's master. It deserves to be with the one that will take care of it. I spread my disciplines out, you will focus upon it. You will become a much greater whip master than I ever will. Please take it, if nothing else as a memento of our time together." He gave a polite bow after speaking the words.

"Well, I can't say no after all that... Thank you... Teacher..."

#

I was a little sad to leave Sandshore, but I told Harold I would come to call at least once a season so we could spar. I also encouraged him to speak to his wife about me if he thought it was something she would be interested in.

It was tough on the flight home, I half wanted to slip into my dozing seatmates dreams and ravage them. I hadn't properly fed in weeks and was going crazy.

Upon exiting the airport my eyes were greeted by the one thing I had truly missed the most this whole time. My curvy little black cat in one of her snug tops, her heavy breasts hugged tight in the material. My eyes flushed red while I walked over to her.

"Alice, I've longed fo-" She huffed out as I silenced her with my mouth. I pushed her up against the small limo she had been waiting at and shoved my tongue into her mouth.

Katrina shuddered and gave in right away, her tongue rolling against my own eagerly. I broke from her mouth after several moments and reached for the door of the car, opening it and pulling myself in, dragging her in with me. The driver had barely pulled from the curve and I had my hands on her pants, jerking the zipper down and peeling them off her curvy hips.

"Ha... Alice... my love..." Katrina moaned the words, offering me no resistance. Her hips lifted to help and I stripped the tight black pants and her red panties off in one tug. There was no hesitation, I moved my head right between her legs.

"You missed me as much as I missed you I see..." The black cat moaned the words and ran her fingertips through my hair and rubbed at my ears. I nodded my head eagerly while I lapped at her folds, feeling her energy pour into me as I drew forth a release from her.

"Ha... drink deeply of me my love, I had plenty of blood before I came to fetch you. I knew you would be ravenous..." She moaned the words again then gave a soft gasp, as I suckled messily against her sensitive little spot. My cat cried out and I felt her love for me flow through my hungry soul.

Things shifted from there and I found myself laid across the seat with my own pants and panties gone. My lovely cat had a moment of inspiration and decided to take charge of things. I was thrilled to have it. After what almost happened with sir Harold, I was more than happy to be held down and taken.

I clenched my teeth and folded my ears when I felt her dripping folds push against my own, her curvy hips grinding and moving impatiently in jerky motions. "Ha... ha... my rabbit... don't make me wait this long for you ever again..." She moaned the words while gripping my leg, holding me possessively while taking me on the limo seat.

"Yes, my cat... ha... anything you want..." I moaned the words, my ears drooped while I looked up at her, happy to have her taking me and overbearing my will. I clenched my teeth hard, feeling her coax another from me, our energy mingling but my body taking the majority of it. I hadn't fed this deeply from a partner since the first of our days together.

Katrina let out a fatigued pant but continued to work her hips. "Ha... you were famished... my poor little bunny... Your cats gonna make it all better, I promise..." She cooed the words and jerked her hips hard against me. I gasped out and folded my ears, feeling her force another from me while I shivered.

"Ha... Kat... my love... d-don't push too much..." I panted the words and looked upon her with concern.

The cat gave a pant and reached to the cup holder and found a sports bottle. She took a long pull from it and I felt her energy coming back. She closed the nozzle of the bottle with her bloody tongue and cut her red eyes to me. "Shut up and get off more, rabbit!" She spoke the words in commandment and resumed her eager movements.

My heart leaped at her dominant display and I nodded my head rapidly, feeling her drenched folds and sensitive spot rubbing against my own. "Yes, my love... ha... right away..." My ears folded and my tongue lolled as she took another from me.

She tended to me the whole car ride home, almost an hour of uninterrupted time with my cat. By the time we arrived, she was a worn-out mess and I was ready to go run a marathon. I just stayed in the car with her for a while, holding her against my chest. We both kissed and held one another, enjoying the afterglow.