Blood & Carrots - Silverpaw Ep. 15

Gloria screamed out against the foxes grasp, desperately struggling to break free, a look of fury and hatred in her eyes. My own eyes widened as the massive wolf dropped to his knees, his form reverting as the ninetails grabbed him by the throat, his stomach and chest tore open, blood pouring forth heavily, his eyes already looking empty.

"Stupid dog... you threw your life away and for what?" She growled the words, shifting her gaze to the angel, Gloria writhing and snarling furiously. "Not to worry little one... I can sense your bond, you'll be right behind h-"

She didn't finish the statement as I had blurred behind her and brought my saber down atop the arm holding Alex. The ninetails gave a surprised and painful yowl as her new arm severed and the wolf toppled lifelessly to the pavement below. Gloria fell from her grasp as she retreated back from me, grasping against what was left of her shoulder.

"Y-you! You actually caused me pain?!" She screamed the words, her eyes wild looking as she summoned her fires, the very sound of her enraged voice seeming to make the air quiver. Green fire poured over her shoulder and then she gapped her maw as the fires came away with nothing to show for it.

"Gloria! Get Alex to somewhere safe and h-" The fox was atop me and slammed her fist into my jaw. There seemed to be a split second of impact, then I was sprawling through the air at blinding speeds, my vision blurring as I slammed through a few power poles and crashed into a parked car.

My mind couldn't even process it all as she was already there and had a paw wrapped around my throat. "I do not know what that blade is made of, but rest assured you will pay for this!" She spat the words into my face with a growl in her voice before throwing me to the ground. The impact made my arm break again along with my left hip and several of my ribs.

I barked out weakly as she kicked me over to my back, then I felt her foot-paw slam into my chest, more ribs crunching under her force as she glared down at me while digging her heel in. "I was being kind before, but now... I won't kill you fox... I'll keep you alive and torture you every day for a thousand cycles over this... I'll bring you to the brink of death again, and again, and again!" Each 'again' ended with another stomp as more of my bones shattered from the impacts.

"Say something, where's that pride now?!" She hissed the words showing me a wild grin as she peered down over me.

I weakly raised my right hand to give her a finger gun. "Something..." I snarled the word and sent a lance of hellfire straight into her face. She howled out from the flames, stepping back and rubbing her eyes before summoning her own green flames in her left handpaw.

"I'll burn that smirk off your face!" She snarled the words as she brought the flaming paw towards my eyes. "You don't need your vision to enjoy the torture I have in store for you, burn my image into your mind, it's the last thing you'll ever-"

A flash of silver filled my vision as the ninetails bounded off me. I blinked up to see a large set of wings spread out before me, an angel standing over me, longsword at the ready. Of course, I knew who it was by her scent and energy.

"Get away from my child!" Rachel screamed the words, her own sharp teeth showing as she stood before the green fox.

"Ah... another comes, you save me the trouble of hunting you down high bishop." The ninetails spread her paw open, more green flames rolling forth as she gave my mother a wicked-looking grin.

"Enough! Why have you come to this realm Triallia!" Another voice called out, one I recognized, it was Toroah. He stood next to my mother, a regal-looking rapier drawn forth.

"I need not keep you celestials abreast of my intentions! Know that your presence here does not shift the odds in your favor!" Triallia hissed the words as she thrust a flaming padded-finger towards the archangel.

"How about now?" Another voice called and I saw another set of wings before me, the massive warhammer that was shouldered near them, easily telling me who it was.

Rachel slipped down and thrust her wrist into my face, "Drink my daughter, quickly!"

I blinked up at my mother but nodded as I shoved my teeth into her wrist, feeling her divine blood fill me as I drank deeply from her while the archangels stood down the ninetails. I could feel the divine blood fill me and begin healing my body, my mother's other hand resting on my shoulder, healing energies filling me.

"Triallia, will you truly strike out against all of us at once? You are already injured after all." The third archangel called out, this one I had never met personally, but I knew of him. A massive saint bernard clasping a large silver staff in his hands.

"Ichiro! So you're still alive? Tsk..." Triallia took a step back and sneered, "The season is still young and my power has not fully bloomed. Know that I'll return at its height and I'll purge this world of the lot of you. Celestials, vampires, demons, and even the mundane. You're all on borrowed time!"

"Why do this?" Toroah called out, his ears lifting as he looked past the ninetails to see Gloria on her knees with Alex.

"Because the mundane's insistence in destroying this realm is starting to influence ours." Triallia snarled the words as she pointed at me as I found my feet. "And you... inheritor of your elder's powers, do not think I'll forget this. I'll slay everyone you love before your eyes, then you and I will have a nice long time to get to know one another."

I felt a chill run down my spine at her words, watching the ninetails disappear in a spout of green flames. She wasn't even at full strength and she handily tossed me around like a pup, even with only one arm.

"Ichiro! Toroah! I can't heal his wounds!" Gloria cried out to the two archangels as all of us moved to her.

Alex's head was in her lap as she sobbed, his chest and belly were still torn open from the strike he took. He looked pale and lifeless in her arms. I hesitated before I knelt and pushed my fingers to his throat. His heart struggled to beat, the lycanthropy desperately trying to heal him, but the wounds were too severe.

"He's still in there, but he's struggling. You angels better do something quick... he's not got much left in him," I snarled the words as I looked back at the trio of archangels before us.

Toroah took a knee next to me and pushed a palm to Alex's chest, his blue eyes widening as he gasped. "By the gods... these wounds..."

"What?!" Gloria practically sobbed the words, reaching out and grabbing Toraha's arm. "Be impressed later, heal my wolf!"

The rabbit shook his head and looked back to Ichiro, "Can you look at him?"

With a huff of effort, the large dog took a knee and moved his fingertips over the bloody wounds. "Gods... poor thing... so it's true. Wounds inflicted by greater spirits cannot be mended with our powers, not even mine."

Gloria blinked her tear-filled eyes and shook her head. "No... No! I refuse to lose him, do something! I've given and sacrificed dutifully, gods let me be selfish and keep him!"

Toroah gritted his teeth and looked away, "Gloria... he's a noble wolf. All I can do is ensure he is welcomed into our ranks after he passes."

My mother frowned and gave the retriever a frown. "Gloria, please. Let us pray now for-"

"No! I won't! I can't... I-" She pushed her fingers to his throat, shaking her head. "Please love... stay with me... I don't want to lose you..."

"You won't lose him, you'd see him again within a few years if he accepts the call," Ichiro spoke out gently.

"And to what end?! He'll not remember me, Alice, Sarnai, or any of us!" Gloria lifted her ears and gave a sharp panicked bark. "O-Oh gods... his heart stopped... Do something, gods!" She cried out, then shifted her panicked gaze to me, tears flowing as she grabbed my shoulders. "Sarnai! For the love of the gods! Please... do something!"

I winced from the grip and shook my head as I thought furiously, what could I do? I was no angel, I had no healing powers. He was a lycanthrope, they couldn't even be turned, their cursed blood would-

I squeezed her hands and frowned, "Gloria... I can try to... well-" I set my jaw and looked down at the wolf, my brother in the family, the one I spared all those years ago. A snarl filled my throat as I met the angel's eyes, knowing time was running out. "Normally a lycanthrope's curse will not allow them to turn, but with Alice's influence... I can try, but I can't be sure it-"

"Gloria! He will ascend as a hero and mighty warrior, do not condemn him upon ascension. You will meet again!" Ichiro spoke the words sternly to the retriever as she shuddered at the position she was in.

I frowned and shook my head, "I can't make this decision for him, it has to be you, you're the closest one to him, only you and Alice have the right to choose."

"Gloria, this... this is not your decision to make." Toroah frowned as he pushed a hand to his own chest. "Let nature run it's-"

"To hell with nature!" Gloria screamed the words at the group of angels, then shot her eyes back to mine, a hard glare in them. "Do it!"

I quickly moved over the wolf and gnashed my wrist open on my tooth, all of the celestials but Gloria turning their heads away, even my mother. I thought it was to avert their eyes to the act I was about to commit, but it had nothing to do with me.

Pulling a mouthful of my own cursed blood from my wrist, I moved over the wolf and shoved my lips to his own, forcing the blood down his throat. I parted and pulled another mouthful from my wrist, then a third. It usually only took a few sips to turn a creature, but I wanted to hedge my bets.

"Come on you stupid dog! I didn't save you back then to see you die now!" I hissed the words and shoved my fingers to his throat. The seconds passed like hours, then my ears sprang up as I felt a heavy violent thrum of his heart give a few beats, then shudder as It halted again. I snapped my teeth together, ready for what would happen next.

"Gloria I think-" I looked up, my eyes widening as she sat there on her knees looking over the wolf, her wings now the color of my hair, solid black like Charlotte's had been all those years ago. I realized in that moment why the other celestials had averted their gaze. It wasn't watching me turn Alex, it was watching their sister fully fall in the eyes of the gods.

I had planned to knock Alex out as soon as he came to, but the distraction of Gloria's wings left me open. The wolf snapped his eyes open with a snarl, his pupils now blood red. I gave a bark as he grabbed my throat and threw me off him. I hadn't even righted myself and gotten to my feet before he had climbed and shifted right before my eyes, his wounds healing within moments.

His form had changed, it was no longer the brown coat it had before, the fur was solid black like my own, but had eerie wisps of black and red flames rolling off it. Gloria called out to him and the other angels prepared themselves before I thrust a hand out. "Stay away from him. This is something that needs to happen between us!"

The massive werewolf howled in challenge and dove upon me. His speed was already faster and I could feel his overwhelming strength had magnified. For better or worse, he was a hell of a lot more formidable now.

Maybe it was the fact I had been nearly beaten to death or the fact I had given up a lot of my blood to save the wolf, but I was having a lot of trouble keeping up with him. He blurred and slashed his claws at speeds I didn't think were possible for one of his kind, all the while his red eyes burned with fury. I can't say I blamed him, I'm sure his primal form knew deep down what I had truly done to him.

We did our little martial dance, me dodging, him striking for several moments until I found an opening and took it. I leaped up as he lunged forward, then swung my heel in a heavy downward drop, slamming into his head as I dropped him to the ground. Unlike the last time, he hit with a massive amount of force but started to pick himself up. I growled and kicked the side of his head again as the wolf barked out and collapsed fully on the ground.

I panted heavily even though I didn't need to draw the breath. I was winded, aching, and even my very soul was shaken over the revelations of today. I may as well have been a puppy before her and apparently, she wasn't even at her full strength. I collapsed on my backside, frowning as I watched the wolf revert back to his normal state, Gloria rushing to him.

With a frown, I looked over my shoulders at the group of angels. "If you're planning to hunt me and her down over this, now's your chance. I don't think I could put up much of a fight." I clenched my jaw and hissed through my teeth, "And if what Triallia said would be true, it sounds like killing me would be doing me a kindness at this point."

"My pup... I know you did what you thought was right in the moment." Rachel called out to me gently as she knelt beside me.

"She made a good dog into an abomination," Samantha sneered the words in response.

"You know... I think I've still got enough in the tank to kick your ass, cow. Lets' go." I growled the words as I shot the bovine a glare.

"Ladies, please..." Toroah spoke out gently as I and Samanth glared at one another. "We have bigger concerns than squabbling amongst ourselves, a truly fearsome power will be descending upon us in the months to come."

I grunted and nodded at Gloria, she had Alex's head in her lap, stroking his head while she held him. "What's up with her wings? I'm the one that turned him, not her."

Ichiro spoke out pointedly, "She was the beacon of light that guided his fate. She chose to drag him down rather than let him rise up to divinity, all for her own selfish-"

"Hey Ichiro, have you ever loved someone enough to give up everything for them?" I cut him off with a growl as I spoke.

The saint bernard gave me a slow calculated look before he spoke out, "Centuries ago perhaps."

"A mile in their shoes then. You celestials would do well to be less judgemental. Had he not shown up, me and Gloria would be dead, though... by the look all of you had, it seems she might as well be in your eyes." I snarled the words as I slowly found my feet again, my knees shaking as I moved over towards Gloria. "Come on... Let's get home before the sun rises and I burst into flames."

The fallen angel gave me a sad nod before looking back over the other four celestials. All of them, even my mother gave her a sad frown but said nothing. Gloria tilted her head as she spoke out gently, "I do not regret my decision. I would do it again for him, or any of my family."

Toroah reached a hand out as he spoke to her, "Gloria... fallen or not, I know you're a good-"

"You're wrong, Toroah." She cut him off and looked down upon Alex as she stroked the wolf's brown hair. "I am selfish and frightened of losing that which is mine... These wings show that not even the gods will forgive me now. I care not though, I'd let my wings and heart turn as black as the coldest darkest night before I'd see harm to my family."

The retriever gave me a hard look, then looked back to the other angels, "Never again... I'll become strong enough to protect everyone, my flock, and my family, even the estranged ones. With or without the gods blessings."

"Come on big guy, up you go." I slapped the wolf on the cheek a few times, Alex groaning as he furrowed his brow and blinked up at me, his eyes going wide and darting around, no doubt confused by the changes in his perception from turning.

"Keep your eyes closed for now, just lean on me. I'll explain everything when we're home." I spoke gently to him as the wolf slowly found his feet, nodding as he shut his eyes and threw an arm over my shoulder.

Gloria tucked herself under his other arm as we helped him along to a nearby car that was still intact and about to get hotwired by me. My mother called out to me, "Take care of yourself my pup, I'll be in touch soon, in touch with you, Gloria, and Alex."

I gave my mother a nod then looked back to the rest of the angels, "Hey... for what it's worth? I appreciate the save, so uh... go with your gods in good faith and all that, okay?"

The trio of archangels and the high bishop gave me a bow as they simply faded from sight.

"I'm getting the oddest sensation of deja-vu here," Alex huffed the words while leaning against the bars of the cage he was in, looking upon Alice and Katrina before him. I and Gloria were in the room standing to the side, along with Elias.

"I should have come with Toroah..." Elias snarled the words as he shook his head.

"Darling, you couldn't do anything about where you were, and it's not like they can bring passengers on their little gate trips, you know those are single occupancy only," I spoke the words as I leaned back into his chest, his arms wrapped around me, a constant flow of his energy filling my aching form.

"Still..." Elias growled and held me closer, I could feel him shudder at the idea of having almost lost me. I couldn't blame him, I'd never been so thoroughly thrashed around and she wasn't even really trying.

Gloria stood there, staring hard upon the wolf, her blue eyes fierce-looking as she scowled. "I understand your concerns lord-brother. We must all get stronger and we've no time to do it in. I never imagined... I've cost my lover something so dear, and without his consent."

Alex lifted his ears and looked over towards Gloria, "Love, I can hear better now you know? I'm still in shock but... I'm not upset at you and besides... maybe this is a good thing?"

Katrina folded her arms and frowned, giving the wolf a nod. "I agree, I think it is a good thing."

"Why do you say that, love?" Alice tilted her head, looking at Katrina out of the corner of her eye.

"I won't... have to say goodbye now," Alex spoke the words solemnly and the room grew quiet.

Elias broke the silence after several moments of it. "He's not wrong, we all knew he didn't share the lifespans we do. Alex's lycanthropy helped conceal his age very well to our eyes, but he's over ninety years old. The reality was, he didn't have a lot left if you look at the averages of most lycanthropes."

"Oh ho... that is a fair point my husband. You might have had thirty years left at best." I barked the words, feeling a spark of hope in me to know I may have done the wolf a service in my own twisted way.

Alex gave me a sad smile as he put a hand to his chest. "Probably more like five to ten. I had felt my body starting to give out, I've put it through hell over my lifetime and I'd already had a few heart attacks over the last couple of years."

"What?!" Alice and Gloria both barked out sharply, giving the wolf furious glares.

"Alex! How dare you keep something like this from us!" Gloria stormed over to him, black wings ruffling out and flapping as she stomped.

"Seriously, you ass! Don't you think me and Gloria should have known?" Alice scowled and folded her own arms, glaring upon the wolf in the cage.

"Looks like you're in the dog house now, buddy." Katrina hummed the words but I saw the look of concern in her eyes. I knew how close her and Alex were, she was probably also coming to terms with how close they had been to losing him.

"Look... what was I going to say? It's not like there's a werewolf hospital and my lycanthropy kept my ticker running through the hiccups." He frowned and shrugged. "I was the only mortal in the club, I didn't want to bother all of you with my issues. It already broke my heart to know I would hurt everyone when I went."

"I'm glad you don't hate me for what I've done, Alex," I spoke out gently and pushed off Elias's chest.

"Again, I'm still coming to grips with things, but right now I feel great. I'm not sure how my pack will handle this, but I'll cross that bridge when it comes." He folded his ears and looked between Alice and Gloria. "And for better or worse, we'll be able to be together longer now."