A/N: FYI, this isn't a sequel. Nor is it a continuation. It's a one shot of a promise finally kept between two dark souls. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Akabane-sama is not mine, much to my deep regret. Felis, however, is. That is all.
I do so love the night. I love how the darkness holds me, how the moon and stars conspire to keep me away from my intended targets, only to gleam in cold disillusionment as my enemies fall before me. Tonight had been no different, until the betrayal. I resist the urge to curse as I make my way along the wall. It's been ten years since I've been to this particular section, the border keeping the Beastmaster and his mate safe from the outside world. Beyond this wall is the only one who can help me. If she remembers.
I stop and lean against the wall, struggling to breathe. My leg is bleeding again. The bandage is soaked through. I've left a trail, how long? How long do I have before those rats, those scavengers, pick it up? Minutes? Hours? I can't tell. My body has betrayed me yet again. I reach into my pocket and toss the token high into the air. A bird swoops from a nearby tree and snatches it, winging away over the wall. I let my traitorous body slide to a sitting position, summoning a scalpel to cut my coat and make another bandage. I tie it tightly, hissing at the exquisite pain. Gunshots do hurt differently. Fascinating. Applying pressure with my hand, I tip my head back to study those cold, pitiless stars. Only a few are strong enough to pierce the chemical radiance produced by man-made lights. Madoka's house is on the outskirts of the city, but not far enough into the country to reveal the true tapestry of a nighttime sky. My, I'm waxing poetic. Is this what dying feels like?
I hear a faint thump above, the gentle click of claws on stone, then a large weight drops nearby. I roll my head, trying not to cough, and summon my trademark smirk.
"Good evening, Lady Neko."
-----
Good evening, Dr. Jackal I replied, moving closer. His smile slips and he looks me over. I can read his thoughts. Why isn't she changing? I sit and lower my head, remembering my birth form, the one I used to have. I feel my body shiver, trying to reclaim the slender body and dexterous hands. It starts, then abruptly stops. I flick my tail and look up. His smile returns.
"So, you have lost the ability to change. A pity. I did not want this to be a one-sided conversation, but I am not in a position to be choosy. I need you, for two reasons."
Two reasons? Fascinating. He may not be able to understand me, but I'll keep this a two way conversation. I pad around him and lay down next to his wounded leg. His breathing is shallow, almost rattling in his throat. He's not hurt anywhere else. Is this the second reason? Dr. Jackal unties the bandages and I see the injury. It's a long gash through the meat of his thigh, just above the knee. Bullet wound. Who on Earth managed this? I place a heavy paw on his knee and lower my head, gently licking the blood away. My shapeshifting ability may be severely limited now, but my healing, my core mutation, is forever at my disposal. I take my time, savoring the taste, even as I close the gash and remove the irritation caused by my sandpaper tongue. He hisses a few times. The pain? The congestion in his lungs? I can taste how ill he is. A final swipe and I lift my head, smirking as only a lioness can. He examines his leg, finding it whole and unmarked. I move my paw so he can retie the bloody bandages.
"My thanks, Lady Neko," He starts to rise. I plant my head in his chest and he drops back against the wall.
-----
Well! When a 200 pound lioness doesn't want you to move, she makes it very clear! I grin, reaching up to gently tweak one round ear. She pulls back a little, staring up at me with big gold eyes, still swirled with hints of purple. Her expression is clear. I'm not finished with you.
"I did say two reasons, didn't I? You see, Lady Neko, I have been betrayed." Her muzzle wrinkles a bit. Get to the point.
"Very well. Tuberculosis. I'm dying, Lady Neko, and I do not wish to," Felis bumps my chest again, triggering a coughing fit. I double over as she jerks back, coughing harshly, letting the blood drip into my gloved palm. I wheeze several times as the fit ends. She gently noses me up against the wall. I let my head fall back, crushing my hat. The glove is now spotted bright red. I gasp, trying to regulate my breathing back to normal. A heavy weight covers my legs. She's draped her front legs across my lap, her head resting against my chest. A low sound rumbles through her and into me, bringing with it warmth I have never felt before. My breathing eases.
"I do not know when I contracted this disease, although the where and how are fairly certain. I used to be a medical doctor, you see, trained to heal. I was overseas, in an impoverished country, trying to save lives. In the end, I was unsuccessful. My failure brought out my darkness." She wuffs, a feline laugh. I chuckle. "Yes, you were right. I enjoy what I am now, very much so. It can be quite exciting. This disease came on so slowly, I didn't notice until my symptoms became acute. Then, it became a challenge. I thrilled to pushing myself beyond my new limits."
Felis thumps me gently with her large head. I smirk and tweak her ear again, wondering briefly why I'm telling her all this. Her healing gift fills my chest, clearing my lungs, repairing the damaged tissues. I think back to when I first met her, a potential client looking for Raitei. She paid me well to transport her to the Limitless Fortress and later, to the Beastmaster's house. But in truth, it wasn't the money or even the friendly killing competition that brought me back to her tonight. It was a simple fact. Felis understands me. I sigh and my eyes widen. Taking a deep breath and another, I thrill to my lungs working properly again. I start to laugh.
-----
I sit up, gently moving my legs off of Akabane-sama's, and smirk as he laughs delightedly. My mutation has served me well yet again. He isn't the first of that motley crew Shido hangs out with I've patched up, but he was the most difficult to date. Tuberculosis is a nasty disease, one I don't want to see again. I'm tired.
My nose picks up the scent of unknown humans. I growl softly and stand. Akabane-sama's laughter shuts off like a switch and he also stands up.
"Looks like my pursuers have finally found the trail I left," He says softly, rubbing my head. I look up, he looks down, and we smile. "Why don't you enjoy the show, hmm? You look tired." I nod and jump back up onto the wall, walking to my favorite lounging area, where some overhanging branches provide cover. I plop down, about fifteen feet away from the Jackal and rest my chin on my leg. He moves to stand just under me, favoring his left leg slightly. Crispin, the token-bearer, perches above my head.
Someone's coming! We must sound the alarm!
Leave it be, featherbrain. The humans who are coming are about to become Jackal food. Watch.
We watch as six humans appear from the shadows, snickering and making rude comments about cornered dogs. Akabane-sama smiles and shows his scalpels. As they bring their guns to bear, he blurs, moving too fast to see, and cuts them all down. The men sway and crumple like broken dolls, blood pooling under the bodies. Akabane-sama steps up to the wall, looks up and tips his hat. I incline my head.
"Arigato, Felis-san,"
Matane, Akabane-sama