Foxes and Wolves
Nobody had spoken to Silas since Palace Macarath, when Sophie had fallen. Meanwhile, Kaden and Dwyer had taken turns tending to Avel within that time, after fond recollection that every horse deserves a rider. What Kaden hadn't expected was Silas' wife, the country villager named Mozu, coming over to ask about him.
"That's my Sophie's horse, right?" she asked the ginger-blonde kitsune.
"Yeah," Kaden said, somewhat down from the mood. "Or, at least, it was..."
Mozu thought hard to herself. "Listen... I've been thinking, if my little girl isn't riding Avel anymore, someone has to."
"To every horse," Kaden said, reminding himself, "a rider, and to every rider, a horse. And Dwyer is kind of borrowing him until he gets a new rider..."
"So I was going to teach myself a bit of horseback."
"What?" Kaden asked. "I'm sorry, I just didn't realize..."
"Don't fret, Kaden," Mozu told him. "I've been watching Silas for a while now, and I'd say it really helps." She began to walk away. "So, whaddya say? Should I break out a partner seal?"
Kaden smiled. "Uh, rod shop's that way, Mozu."
Mozu stopped short. "Oh, yeah, right. I knew that."
Kaden chuckled as the country girl ran off. She was almost as cute as Corrin sometimes. Perhaps he should invite Mozu over once the problems with her husband blew off...
Later, Kaden decided to climb Mount Garou himself to give a formal apology to the wolfskins, based on what had happened last week. He had heard that some Nohrian mages had tricked them into thinking that the Hoshido army was the bad guys, and he figured he'd best see the new pack leader, since the last one was killed in self-defense.
What the fox hadn't expected was to see a feminine figure, with sharp canine ears, cradling a child.
"Who's that?" Kaden asked carefully, trying hard not to startle the woman.
She still fell back, clutching a beaststone worn around her neck. "Wh... Who sent you?" she asked. "I'll... I'll kill you in cold blood if I'm able! Don't touch my daughter, Hoshidan!"
"Whoa, whoa, calm down," Kaden began. "I'm not here to hurt you or your kid, I just wanted to say... I'm sorry." He sighed. "For killing most of your pack."
"That doesn't sound like something you can just apologize for," the wolfskin said uneasily. "Our alpha and my mate, Keaton, was killed in that battle... I'm just trying to find a place for our daughter..." She stood up, only to stumble. Kaden realized that she had bandages coating her waist. "Besides," she said, "you're the one who did this to me. Cut me, killed my Keaton..."
"I said I was sorry," Kaden apologized again. "I... We didn't set that mine. We originally wanted to pass through peacefully, and then those darn Nohrians planted that mine..."
"Nohrians?" asked the woman. "Why, I should have known! Their king is becoming more and more dominant since years past; mind you, I don't get out much, but every time I leave the village, Garon is a worse man..."
"Then we may need you and your daughter's help."
"What?" asked the elder female. "I can't fight anymore with a wound like this, and my darling Velouria is just a child..."
"There's always the Deeprealms," Kaden told her. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of her. She'll be kinda like a third kid for me..." As he said those words, he realized that it was already a handful to keep just Kana and Selkie out of trouble. Imagine being a kitsune raising a wolfskin as a daughter...
The wolfskin finally nodded in agreement. "Alright, you have my word," she said. "Just make sure my dear makes it home in one piece..."
"I will, ma'am," Kaden promised.
And when Kaden made a promise, he never, EVER, broke it.
"What?"
Corrin had just heard the news. "I can't believe this... we're adopting a wolfskin?"
"I apologized to the alpha's girl," Kaden explained, "and this is what happened! She knows the wolfskin camp is dangerous now, and that her daughter wouldn't be safe. The Nohrians are probably going to slaughter the rest of the pack, so saving one is a really good thing, right?"
"But still... I can't believe it..." The dragon-blooded princess walked over to the window. "I'm already a mom to an energetic boy who always turns into a dragon and a playful daughter who thinks war is a game. What am I going to do with a wolfskin?"
"You could always teach her to be calm."
"That's rich coming from you."
Kaden decided to drop the argument. His wife was, after all, the middle child of the Hoshido royal family. Any further problems would just cause more trouble for the kitsune along the road. However, there was still Velouria to handle, and Kaden felt like it was his responsibility to raise her- Keaton's blood HAD been on his paws, after all.
"I'll raise her myself," Kaden said, trying to compromise, "if you take care of the other two."
"Where's this coming from?" asked Corrin, confused. "I'm not 100% on board with raising her, but that doesn't mean we should divide up our kids over it! Maybe we should put her up for adoption..."
"I made a promise to Velouria's mother," Kaden said, firmly. "I told her that I would raise her child. And you know my policy when it comes to making a promise..."
Corrin smiled. "Oh, alright," she said. "We can keep her. Seriously, once you put your mind to something..."
Kaden smiled, and got up. All that was left to do was leave the child in the Deeprealms and visit her every so often to make sure she didn't get herself killed.
"You're a kind woman," he told his wife.
"I get that a lot."
Fifteen (Deeprealm) years later, the wolfskin had developed into a respectable young lass. She happened to decide to pick acorns to find the shiniest one for her father. He always had liked shiny things- including himself- and when he visited, he always made sure Velouria had been extra good. However, her habit of collecting had seemed to deter him quite a bit- her playspace was always a mess, which he never seemed to approve of. Sometimes she wished she had a father who was more like herself.
On this fine day, she happened to pick up her father's scent. Along with those of eleven other people. She saw a small... line... in the middle of the open field? It almost seemed to open up. Maybe her daddy was on the other side! Perhaps she wouldn't have to wait much longer to see him, after all!
Unfortunately for Kaden, his group had been ambushed on the way. The invaders swung at the group, inflicting damage that seemed to be quite heavy, even for a war.
One of the raiders rose his bow to shoot the ginger kitsune, but at the last second, felt something scratching at his chest. He looked down to see another, smaller kitsune... who promptly leapt on him, crushing his neck.
"Daddy," Selkie said energetically, "this is probably one of our better days!"
"Yeah, yeah," Kaden said, beginning to exhaust from blood loss. He fell to his knees, almost ready to give in.
Luckily for him, the sound of Avel's hooves wasn't far off. The butler-in-training stopped by Kaden, and rose his staff. Within seconds, Kaden's wounds had sealed.
"Thanks a lot, Dwyer," Kaden said. "I see Avel's listening to you pretty well."
"It feels a little wrong," Dwyer said. "I'm used to Sophie riding ahead, not me rushing around on her horse..."
"We all miss Sophie," Selkie said, still on top of the cliff from which the archer had once stood. "She was like the driving muscle of our army..."
"Then what does that make me?" asked Takumi, who was sniping enemies from Scarlet and Ryoma's sides.
"You're still strong," Kana said sadly, "but Sophie was one of the best, Uncle Takumi. I don't know if we can ever replace her..."
An arrow whizzed past Saizo's face. "We're all going to need replaced if we don't fight back," he called. "Lord Ryoma, your orders?"
Ryoma slashed at another invader. "Just hold out as long as you can," he yelled.
Kaden sighed, but then, he smelled something that made his tail stand up straight...
...muddy wolf fur.
Also known as Velouria's fur.
He sighed. If I die here, he said, I'm going to give Keaton a formal apology.
