Toofy Ch. 18

Stepping outside the circle was surrendering.

That the one now facing the heroic warlock who had fought against human armies, whose name was known throughout every stronghold, was themselves only a halfbreed... She could already hear the muttering of complaints.

The insult taken by those watching.

To them, she was never supposed to be anything more than a slave. She was born to be mistreated. Yet, she had given herself to Sai because he rejected that idea.

So when the skybeast had stolen him, she knew that she would risk everything, give everything, for a chance to save him.

To do that, she needed her people. She needed to control the army. She had hoped that Hammerhand might see a danger in the return of a dragon of influence.

The man was cocky in his confidence that nought could kill him.

The red-skinned warlock spread his hands, "A challenge has been issued!"

"It must be answered." The crowd growled back, and began to stomp their feet in time.

Khild's hackles stood up, and she spread her hands, glaring at the warlock and growling. She had no need to explain herself. Nobody cared why anyone issued a challenge.

It was only the outcome that mattered.

One that everyone in this room thought was already a given. There was no possible way that this halfbreed could stand up against the blood red hand that broke waves of attacks on the human empire.

Khild felt the surge as Hammerhand didn't even both to try and do things honourably. He reached into the magic, and he reached for her soul. Aiming to strip her from her body.

She touched the field, feeling it wrapping around her, remembering the movements of her master.

The air collapsed and then expanded behind her with an deafening boom, as Khild was flung across the space between them, delivering her elbow into Hammerhand's jaw with enough force to dislocate it.

The man hit the ground in a daze, but managed to catch her stomping foot towards his head. He twisted, shattering her ankle and tossing her face-first into the ground.

Her tusks dug into the dirt as he turned her fall into a toss, flinging her across the arena with a bellow.

As she coasted in the air she saw the victory on his proud face. Even with his jaw askew, the ork was confident he was about to end her. Lifting a hand towards her, with small and violent sparks.

Khild screamed out her defiance, and the thunderstep turned her graceful flight into an explosion that sent her slamming right back into him.

As the ork hit the ground with her knees on his shoulders, she unleashed a roar into his face, spit flying. Then she grabbed him by the tusks and wrenched.

The warlock went still.

Khild broke off one tusk, staggering upright and held it into the air. She glared around at the crowd with her green eyes, daring anyone to speak up.

Her top lip lifted and she snarled, "The challenge has been answered."

She was exhausted. She didn't know how her master managed to use that particular spell more than once or twice. It was hell on her body, and left her feeling broken.

She probably couldn't survive if someone else called her bluff, and tried to take the role from her.

The chieftain lumbered over, looking down at the fallen warlock, and then back up at her. "All property of the dead belongs to the living. What now, warlock of the tribe?"

"Prepare to march." Khild snarled, "We have a dragon to hunt. Make sure to consecrate the skull, before you bury this shit. He knew of Menes' magic."

---

Toofy slapped him hard enough that it didn't just hurt her hand, but jarred her shoulder. She let out a whine of pain as her master hit the ground. "A. Kitsune! You cheated on me!"

Sai shook his head, looking up at her with those sweet green eyes, and she pounced on him. She let out another whine as she rubbed her face into the side of his neck, her voice barely above a whisper, "Cheated."

He put his arms around her back, holding her limply, "I missed you, too, Toofy."

"My Sai!" She wailed, tears instantly streaming down her face, "Why did he fuck a fox? Why wasn't Toofy good enough for him? He hates her... He hates her..."

He took a deep breath, "Is that an honest question, from my favourite mistress whom I love deeply? Or has she yet to move beyond the pain?"

Toofy snarled and scraped her teeth against the side of his neck, "Sai hurt her. Sai deserves to hurt. He's a bastard!"

Whilst the two of them were speaking, the dragonkind crowd was gathering around them. Some watching the two of them with a kind of mirth, others looking at Mia who had calmly sat down beside to wait.

Toofy glared at the salamander, "Doesn't she have somewhere to be? Mia is dragonking. Needs to make them know it."

"They know who I am." The salamander replied confidently, "None would attack me. None. None. Mmm... Want egg?"

Toofy stuck out her tongue at her, and snuggled tighter into Sai. "Go away. Leave her with her master. Toofy has lots to say."

"We could... Go inside." Sai offered.

She sniffled, "Don't wanna move. Has her Sai back. Her bastard, cheating, master. She loves him. She hates him."

Sai squeezed his arms around her waist. "Can I ask what happened to your arm?"

"Mia tried to eat it. So Toofy had to use the rite." She whispered to him, and smiled weakly, "Mia friend, now. Sai not hate her for it. She ate someone who tried to hurt Toofy."

He stiffened, "Hurt you?"

"Neko boy. All hormones." She said quietly, "He hurt Toofy. So Mia ate him. Sai is not to hurt Mia for hurting Toofy. She saved her... Even if Mia really friggin' wants to have an egg with Toofy. Which she doesn't."

He chuckled, "You don't even want kittens. I think inspiring a salamander to drop an egg is a bit much."

"Needs to talk..." She whispered even quieter.

Sai lifted up her chin, looking into her eyes, "Toofy? Are you... Pregnant?"

She cringed.

He sat up, with her still leaning into him, and stared at her. "Twenty Four. Answer me."

"Y-yes."

"Holy shit. I'm going to be a father." He breathed out slowly, and then kissed her cheek. "We're going to be parents. I... I have no idea how to raise a bunch of kittens. What are neko children like? Do you have any idea?"

"Toofy was a little shit." She giggled, and then winced, "Toofy... Has three kittens inside her. One is -"

"Sick." Sai said, and she noticed his eyes glowing. He was seeing through her, and into her womb. "My son is ill, because of me... I don't... I don't think he'll survive. Shit."

She sniffed weakly, "Two daughters. Must protect. The Sai has to help Toofy protect them!"

"I will move the heavens, and kill the fucking gods, to protect my children, Toofy." Sai said earnestly, "I will do everything I can for you, and our children. I love you."

She bit her lip, "One not... Yours."

"She will still be my daughter." He said, making it clear that he had noticed her elven heritage. His tone showing that he knew that it would hurt her forever, that Elatham had a legacy.

Also showing that he had no intention of treating one of their children differently to the others.

"Save son?" Mia asked cautiously from beside them.

Sai gave a heavy sigh, "He inherited a part of Menes' soul. A brutal fucking warlock, and an ork. I don't know... I just don't know."

Toofy glared at him, "Sai also fucked an ork."

"Eh... I have no clue how you know that." He said hesitantly, "But I took another mistress. It was the war effort. You are still the one I love. And I do let you have Arina and Elia..."

"Not forgiving for fox." She said, her jaw cracking tightly.

Sai smiled, "But the ork, you forgive?"

"Mmm... Not yet. But soon." Toofy shook her head, "She needed Sai to bed the ork. They will come for him, and he will use the army they will bring. Toofy... Toofy will be empress."

"Oh, shit."

She shrugged sheepishly and waved, "Toofy has two armies. Sai's new bitch will bring another. We will meet, when Toofy takes her palace."

"By the gods, Toofy!" Sai exclaimed, "We're pregnant. Isn't enough for us just to survive, rather than launching down the path to civil war?"

"Too late." She muttered. "She didn't mean to have kittens."

He cupped a hand to her cheek, "If the game is already afoot, my sweet, then I suppose we no longer need to stand on ceremony. Become my wife, Empress Toofy."

She launched to her feet, dragging him upwards by his wrist and headed towards the tavern.

"Toofy?"

She smiled nervously back at him, "Toofy is taking him to bed."

"So... I'm forgiven?"

She shook her head, "No. But master has made her realise just how much she has missed him, and how much she loves him. Toofy can get angry about the kitsune later. For now, she wants to show him that she appreciates him."

There was a thud as Meerakeilian launched to her feet, the salamander racing over excitedly. Black eyes peering at Toofy, as she came way too close.

The dragon whispered into Toofy's ear, "Have after? Egg?"

"Toofy has already told you to stop that." She said as firmly as she dared, still utterly terrified of the lizard and their overwhelming strength.

Sai frowned for a moment, "My dear neko, have you ended up with a salamander who is completely besotted with you?"

"Mmm." Meerakeilian answered for her.

Toofy's tail drooped, "No. No, Mia! You may not follow Toofy! She is going to play with her master, and no one is interrupting. Not Mia, not Saia, nobody! Is she clear enough?"

The dragon cocked their head, made a somewhat sad face, and then nodded. "Much to do. Much to do. I will fight the others. Find ones that are strong enough. Much to do."

"One without an ear is an arrogant bitch." Toofy said then turned around and kept going, "Mmm... Master, don't get surprised when we go inside. Or distracted. You will know some of the people that are helping Toofy."

"I can already sense Tyre." He replied stiffly, "Who else have you dragged into your little coup, my little neko?"

Toofy pulled him into the main area of the tavern. It was being repaired slowly by some clumsy draug, as Astadia supervised. The undead elf was seething, as usual.

She felt Sai's hand nearly break her hand as he saw Astadia, and tried not to react.

The neko smiled weakly, "Trician is here, as well. She mostly hates Toofy, so is in her room. Also very angry at her sister."

"So, Sai's back." Astadia spat, without turning to face them, "Get whatever loving you have left out of your systems. We have a war to fight."

"Toofy intends to just that." She grinned proudly, and pulled him down the hallway, "Saia... Um... Used to be Elia. She had Toofy name her, when Toofy freed her... And maybe um... Got a tail... Where only master belongs."

Sai chuckled softly, "That sounds intimate. I allowed you the succubus... Eventually. It wasn't my preference, but I know that you care for her."

"Toofy was planning to let her die." She whispered with even more guilt, "Means to an end. To get rid of the Yu and the Efina. But... Things happen. Saia has gone to put down Yu, for good. The Westcolm saved him, framed Efina. Bastard."

Sai took a deep sigh, "Yes. Lord Westcolm has a habit of... Getting in the way."

"Mia melted him."

Her master coughed nervously, "Your dragon did what?"

"When she embraced her role as Irrlichdan's heir. She turned the Westcolm into gooey pile for helping to kill her parent... And then she grew a dick." Toofy giggled at the end, "Not sure she is a she, anymore. Mia is Mia, though. And she has bad habit of cornering Toofy."

He shook his head, "You have accomplished far more than I did. More than I could imagine you could. Unifying the princesses of the elven realm, under your control. Finding the dragonking. Destabilising the temple. And here I was, afraid that you might not even survive."

"Toofy... Was scared." She admitted as she pulled him into her room, pouncing onto her bed and curling into a little ball. She looked up at him, her golden eyes dull. "Alone. Might have friends, lovers, but not her master. Toofy only wanted you. Only her Sai."

She burst into tears as he sat down beside her, and ran a hand through her long and flowing hair. Not touching her head, just running it down her back.

Sai leaned down and kissed her forehead, "Every moment that we were apart, my thoughts were on you. On what Lord Castelle might do. On what the emperor might. I... I have been so scared that I would lose you... Arina was your salve. Is she here, as well?"

"Uh uh." She shook her head, "A... Arina... She was sick. Saved Toofy. She was... She couldn't wake up. So Toofy had to leave her with Lady Liz. Toofy's fault she got sick. She... She used death magic to save the Lord Castelle. Lost herself in it."

He hugged her tightly, lying down behind her, and curling around her. "Then our first priority, will be rescuing your dear little handmaiden. I can't have you worrying about her, when we burn the city."

"Don't you burn my city." She snapped at him, and then giggled, "Toofy has a secret way into the city. Sai will teach it to his ork mistress. Astadia will bring the undead to distract the emperor. And Mia will take the palace."

He held her tightly, "I don't wish to speak of war. Nor of the throne. We... We really have children? I... I am ecstatic. And terrified."

"That's also why Toofy wanted this." She said quietly, rolling over and unravelling herself. She winced as she leaned onto her weak arm, and kissed his nose quickly. "Kittens will kick the Sai, soon. Won't be able to have him where he belongs. Toofy will have to be sad, as the Sai has his other mistresses."

"You're my bride. The one I want to be my wife." He whispered to her.

She smiled and kissed him briefly, "She loves him, so much. Toofy... Toofy wants her Sai, inside her. Her master, her husband, her love."

He kissed her back, "I know I betrayed your trust. I knew it at the time. I am... Sorry."

"She loves him too much." Toofy shook her head, and pulled herself in closer. She hooked a leg up and around his waist, kissing each of his cheeks, "Just... Please say kitsune was not last thing on Sai's... Manhood. Or Toofy is going to insist on washing him."

He chuckled, "Actually... The ork was in the process of... Cleaning me. When your dragon arrived."

"Cleaning?" She narrowed her eyes.

"With her mouth."

Toofy shook her head, struggling not to look completely pissed off. Her ears betrayed her, flattening out. Her tail curled in tightly against her leg.

Sai winced, "Better than Tammy?"

"Tam... Mmy." Toofy said slowly, and then hissed, "Tamamo de Mae! The fucking bitch who tried to kill the emperor? By... She better not be hiding her soul inside my Sai!"

He shook his head, "I doubt she even got out of bed after you took me. She wasn't interested in fighting the salamander. Might have been different if she knew you were the one to send them... Tammy... Is obsessed with trying to piss you off. I don't know why."

"She's kitsune. Toofy is neko."

Sai shrugged, "Seriously? Is that all it takes? All nekos despise all kitsune, and vice versa?"

Toofy blinked at him, "Oh. The Sai really doesn't know. Yes, that's all it takes. Toofy has never met Tammy, but she hates her. Especially as master was stupid enough to become her mate."

"Yes. It wasn't that wise." He sighed heavily, "If it helps, the experience of being inside her was thoroughly disturbing. Not unlike stepping into a bear trap."

Toofy's mouth split into a wide grin and she giggled, "Clamp down! Kitsune's little cunts are big fat traps. Did the Sai know that if he wouldn't make her spill, then Tammy's bits would have held onto him? Up to half a day."

"That is... Horrifying."

She nodded, "Mmm. So he should only sleep with his kitty."

His green eyes looked into hers, and she saw the loving mirth there. He was perfectly content to lie in her arms, without a thought to anything else.

Toofy's eyes glittered as she felt loved, and spoke quietly, "Master still hasn't learned the meaning of haste. Could be attacked by the emperor at any moment."

"You deserve more than just haste, my dear neko."

She kissed his nose, "Toofy doesn't disagree. But she's been wanting. So... Can the Sai do something for her? Have the others taught him how to... Clean a woman?"

"I... Have not done that." He said nervously.

She grinned, rolling onto her back, and kicking her legs into the air momentarily so she could throw aside her underwear. She flinched as her arm ached, but managed to also reach across and unbutton the side of her skirt, to also throw that away.

Toofy turned her head and kissed him. Snaking her rough and grippy tongue into his mouth. Telling him that in all the world, she loved him the most.

With her sore arm lying between them, she couldn't grab his hand and redirect its position. It was vaguely irritating how he was so content to just kiss her, even when she was half naked.

"Master." She begged him.

Sai smiled at her, and pulled her closer to him, "I never want to let you go, again. I hate that I had to. Hate how little time we've had together."

"Master!" Toofy snapped, "Can you stop romancing Toofy? She's already romanced. Very romanced. And now, she wants him to stop talking, but his tongue to keep moving. Please."

He ignored her, kissing her deeply. The cat found herself purring, despite herself. Giving in and kissing him back as he ignored her demands for him to move quicker.

She knew that he loved her, and she loved the way he was showing her.

She couldn't resist him at all.

For all the sexual things the temple taught, love was only ever taught as a weakness to exploit. Another knife in the kit of the companion, a vulnerability.

She didn't know how to live with it. She didn't understand it. It filled her to overflowing, and made her know that her Sai was the only thing that mattered to her.

She might also love her Arina and Saia, but it wasn't the same. The love was different with all three of them. An emotion she couldn't fight, with any of them.

With Saia, her love was aggressive, possessive. She had disliked sharing the succubus with Tyre, but she had done it because she knew the woman liked that beastly thing.

On the reverse side, everything about her and Arina was tender. It was soft and quiet. Toofy would be more than content to sleep every night in her handmaiden's arms.

Then... Then there was her love for Sai.

Anytime she even thought about her master, it felt like her heart was bursting. She knew that she was technically free. No more slave title, in the empire, or her own little colony that was springing up.

She wanted Sai to be her master.

She enjoyed the feeling of him being able to do anything with her, but refusing to. That his instinct was to protect her, and cherish her. He didn't even know that he was doing it.

She ached for him in a way that made the others pale by comparison.

The catgirl pulled back from the kiss, "Master... If you don't fuck Toofy soon, she's going to end up crying. She's missed you. Please... She wants to feel you."

"You always say exactly what you want." He grinned, "No politics. No lords and -"

"Toofy's going to dry up if master keeps going." She said flatly.

He brushed her cheek, "Did I ever tell you about my childhood?"

"Master!" She tried to insist.

He ignored her, "I was an orphan, Toofy. My parents were... Well, it was an ork raid. I was raised in the stronghold. It's why Menes chose me to become... Something worse. Because I was already familiar with ork magic."

She let out an exasperated sigh.

"Orks always speak their mind. It's one of the things I found most attractive about you, when I met you." Sai smiled proudly at her. "I had already chosen you, because you infuriated Lady Efina and broke all the rules, but... Being talked back to, upon our first meeting... I adored it."