A/N: Here's the next Chappy. I own all things not in the book, though, technically Jael, or who/where he's from, is owned by JKR…
Still…
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Chapter Two
I woke to itching fur, an ominous sign of trouble. Growling, I dug my claws through my pelt and itched, irritated, then shook myself and pulled on my cloak, breathing in the smell of dirt, moistening. A rolling pulse through my magic and the Hallows made itself known, and I scowled as the Great Fury Garados, the nearby mountain, made his presence known along with his Storm-Fury-wife, Lilvia, who cooed and dragged her talon-like fingers along my magic like she was petting me. Creepy Furies… Their ancient and powerful minds sent me images and impressions, and I scowled slightly.
"A bad Furystorm," I muttered, shaking furiously, trying to rid myself of the strange, alien feel of the Furies consciousnesses. They liked to poke and prod at me, and I could use their powers if I wished, but I preferred my Canim strength and speed, my mind, and what I could do with my magic. I didn't trust using wild Furies. And now I knew if I was going to go out at all, I'd have to return before the storm. I loathe Windmanes.
You saw how Lilvia liked to drag her talons through my magic, yes? Windmanes, vicious, nasty wind-Furies known to rend and tear their prey to shreds and eat them, like me for some bizarre reason. The first time I was caught in a Furystorm, they spent the entire time petting me.
Like I said before: Creepy Furies.
Huffing, I loped up the stairs, bow and arrows on my back, walking stick in hand, and was just in time to watch Bernard lead Tavi off to collect the rest of the sheep. Cautiously, I shook my head, then padded to the kitchen area, where old Bitte was shuffling her crooked old body around, preparing for breakfast. I made sure my entire body was covered; paws included, and pushed the door open.
"I am going hunting," I whispered hoarsely; the old woman nodded, recognizing my growling baritone. "Anything in particular I should hunt for?"
"A nice girl to settle down with," the old woman replied blithely. I grimaced, wrinkling my nose. Girls… Aleran girls. We weren't even the same species, literally.
"I'm twelve, Bitte," I drawled, leaning against the doorframe, knowing it made me look even older. She chuckled and shook one gnarled hand at me.
"And Tavi was out getting hollybells for Beritte just last night, and he's not three years your elder." I blinked. So that was her name… And hollybells. The flowers. Not the berries. A sign of fertility and that she was ready for more… adult, attentions…
That girl was too young for that!
…
Skank.
…
"I'm going hunting now," I told the old woman abruptly, turned, and nearly ran into Isana. I bit back a yelp and fought not to straighten to my full height of six-foot-two. I bowed my head to her, and she nodded, before slipping past me to help Bitte. I hurried out and into the predawn, becoming invisible as soon as I touched the air outside of the building.
Immediately, I crouched low and began to lope, powerful muscles taking me to speeds that could outrun most horses, tongue lolling out as I grinned. Sometimes, if I tapped into the ambient energies and wild Wind Furies, I could fly, literally, but otherwise this was as close as I got. Biting back a howl of delight, I threw myself into this morning's hunting's.
It would be a good day, Crows take it, before the bad came to ruin anything!
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I returned at noon with a dozen plump rabbits and three pheasants over one shoulder, and a new deer pelt to add to my nest. Eying the three new males in my territory, I bit back a snarl. Kord and his two boys, Aric and Bittan. The youngest, Bittan, was the one accused of rape, and his father was the kind of man who'd pat him on the back and say "Don't get caught, do what ye will". Aric was a better sort, but he still obeyed his father's word like law. That, at least, my instincts approved of.
Alpha's word was law.
But none of that stopped me from wanting to stalk forward, grab the lot of them up, and toss them in the river to let the Great River-Fury Nereus eat them. Grinning viciously at the thought, I made a show at shuffling past them all, nodding at the large, animal-friendly boy, known as Fred (though he's really, technically Fredrick Junior or the Younger Fredrick.) and edged around the lazing Bittan and Kord.
At least Aric was being useful and working off what nervous energy he had by chopping wood!
…Though, why he would be nervous when his younger brother was the one accused of rape and his father was the one who'd get in trouble, I have no idea. Maybe he just didn't like being away from Kordholt? Oh well. Humming, I padded into the kitchen and inclined my head deeply to Isana where she sat, tending to the oven, next to the skank-I, I mean, next to Beritte, who was dressed to draw the man's eye to her growing breasts and round hips…
Creepy Aleran girls with their creepy flowers…
"There's talk of a Furystorm tonight, Jael," Isana told me, occasionally glancing into her scrying bowl, where her Water-Fury, Rill, sat patiently waiting to be called. I nodded and set about smoothly plucking the pheasants.
"Aye, Ms. Isana," I replied hoarsely. "Lord Garados and Lady Lilvia woke me this morn to tell me of it." Beritte look at me, eyes huge.
"What are you talking about, grandfather?" She demanded; I gave her a darkly amused look.
"Children should be seen, not heard," I said with dry irony, sharing my amusement with Isana. It would help soothe the rising tension I felt in the powerful Watercrafter. I pitied them, sometimes, for their intense empathy… Beritte flushed and I chuckled and took pity on her. "The Great Furies take a liking to me; they like to show off and try to tell me things that will make me like them better than the others." She stared at me, huge-eyed and gape-mouthed. I finished plucking the pheasants and set them into a nearby pot of water, which Isana had me immediately set on the stove.
It would take a while to cook, but that was the point, as the feast was tonight. I listened as she spoke with Beritte, and asked where she'd gotten the hollybells, though I knew my Alpha Female already knew. Beritte and Isana got snappish, and I winced and boiling steam roared through the room as Beritte pushed too far and her emotions mixed with Isana's own. My skin burning where the hot steam touched, I carefully turned and lowered my hood, watching my Alpha as she calmed herself and closed her eyes once Beritte ran from the room sobbing in terror. Moving cautiously, crouched low, I crawled forward and hesitantly set my head against her hip.
Startled, she looked down at me, then sighed and set her hands on my head, fingers digging in lightly behind my still slightly-too-big ears. I murmured in pleasure, sagging to my knees in the water that she was now making clean the floor, and curled against her as she calmed. I loved getting my ears scratched, and it was a weakness I was rarely given a chance to give into. Only Isana used it, or Tavi when we both needed comfort. After a few minutes, she stopped, and I shuffled backwards on my knees and waited until she nodded and turned away, before I stood and returned to my rabbits, smoothly skinning four of them and shoving them, two each, on a spit.
Isana refilled the water in all the pots that she had boiled over. She took the bread from the oven as I spitted all but three of the rabbits, which I skinned and calmly set about eating, though merely three hours before I'd finished off the last of the deer I'd caught. I was always hungry, always burning energy, and always glad that I could make do with small meals spread out throughout the day. I watched, a faint tingle of itchiness rolling through my fur, as Isana checked on Bernard and Tavi using her Water Fury.
Something bad was going to happen…
Suddenly, the smell of anger and violence rose from outside, and a surge of bloodlust had me fighting down a snarl. Isana flinched and I winced, murmuring an apology as Isana braced herself against the onslaught of negative emotions and I fought the bloodlust down firmly by hurriedly tearing into the last of my three rabbits with unnecessary force. It helped, and some of the tension left her as we stood to go outside. The holdfolk were pressed shoulder-to-shoulder, facing the center of the courtyard, and I fought down another surge of bloodlust at the scent of rage and tension in the air.
There was a battle brewing…
"Kord," Isana murmured, and I sniffed, unsurprised as we moved forward. I walked behind her so that the onlookers, who made a small path, wouldn't have to move even wider, in case one of the combatants decided to try and make a break for it… If they made it more than ten feet, I'd be on them, and I wouldn't have to worry about my next meal, because Bernard would kill me for eating someone on his land.
Two men stood facing each other. Kord stood with his arms folded over his chest, the ground at his feet shifting and trembling. His greasy beard framed his smile sharply, and his eyes were bright and eager beneath his heavy brows. He wasn't an extremely tall man, but his shoulders looked too big for him, his brawny arms too long, and everything about him was unkept and reminded me of someone who'd spent a few months in a cell in Azkaban…
The man across from his was Steadholder Warner, a tall, slender man, with gangly limbs and a shiny, bald head that boasted a fringe of wispy gray hair. His narrow, chiseled face was flushed bright red in rage, and the air around him quivered and danced like heat rising off an oven…
That being said, I don't think his paternal rage could stand up to Kord's cruel violence in a true battle. If this battle of wills became a battle of Furies, my money went on Kord the Earthcrafter… Not that I would allow it to get that far, because Isana would not want it, and what the Alpha Female wants when she's stressed like she is, she gets.
End of story.
"All I'm saying," Kord drawled, "is that if that little slut of yours can't keep her legs together and men out from between them, it's your problem, friend. Not mine."
"Why you…" Warner spat; he took a step forward, and the air around the courtyard grew detectably warmer. I blinked. Like I said; Kord had Warner beat in cruelty, and now he had him beat in comebacks. Kord was a Slytherin with Gryffindor stubbornness. It would have been inspiring if I didn't want to drown the bastard in gargant feces every time I saw his putrid face. Kord smiled then, a flash of teeth.
"Go ahead, Warner," he said. "Call it to juris macto. Let's settle this like men. Unless you'd rather humiliate your little whore by having her testify how she seduced my boy in front of every Steadholder in the Calderon Valley." See what I mean? Damn ruthless, that Kord, but clever, very clever. One of Warner's sons, tall and lean with hair shorn in a Legion-fashion, stepped up to his father and took his arm.
"Pa, don't," He said. "You can't take him on in a fair fight." I agreed silently as the other two took up a spot behind Warner, while Kord's sons mirrored them behind their own father. Warner's daughter rushed to his side. Her name, if I remembered correctly, was Heddy. Her hair was cobweb-fine, a gorgeous yellow wave that rose and rippled in the heated air around her father. She threw a conscious look around her, her face flaming scarlet with embarrassment.
"Papa," she urged. "No, not like this. This isn't our way." I frowned, sniffing the air, and eyed her in confusion. She didn't smell like Bittan at all, not like she would have if he really had raped her. Confused, I watched as her eyes darted to Kord and his sons… most importantly, the older one… and suddenly, it all came together. Aric's nervous energy, why Bittan's scent wasn't on her, why Aric's scent was, and why there was definitely no smell of pain.
Bloody Crows, they'd had sex out of wedlock, Warner knew that but not who, and only way to keep her safe from public scorning or whatever these idiot Aleran's did about women who Met-the-Bed-Before-the-Band, was to claim rape… Not that I had any doubt Bittan hadn't raped anyone… Kord snorted at the girl.
"Bittan," h asked, glancing back at the irritating whelp. "You stuck your wick in that skinny tramp? Might as well have gone after one of Warner's sheep." I watched with a flash of bemused amusement as Aric's fists clenched tightly at his sides. I tensed along with Isana, for different reasons. She was being overwhelmed by the emotions; I was being overwhelmed by my instincts. The anger, rage, fury, of Warner mixed with his daughter's panic and humiliation, and saliva pooled in my mouth. Bittan especially wasn't helping, the irritating whelp's lust for violence fueling my own. I concentrated on Garados, and the Great Fury smugly obliged me, taking my emotions and grounding them, steadying me, while send a harsh, firm rumbled through the ground, out from my feet, and sending Kord and Warner to the ground on their arses, emotions immediately changing to shock as they turned to stare at me.
Isana took a careful breath and placed a hand on my shoulder, and I nodded at her and walked forward with her, putting a deliberate, old-man shuffle to my steps. Only Bernardholt knew of my true age and appearance, though they tended to ignore that and pretend I was the old man I acted like, so this would work in my favor…
"Gentlemen," Isana said, voice ringing out as the two proud men scrambled to their feet, Warner once more glaring daggers; Kord once more daring he start a duel. "You are interrupting lunch." Garados rumbled in my head, and I struggled to not let him open a hole to swallow Kord and his sons up and crush them, against my better judgment. Isana would not want that, I informed him, and left it at that. He seemed to sulk, but allowed it, making the ground roll and curl around my feet instead. Warner had taken a step towards Kord, eyes now locked and never wavering from the other Steadholder.
"You can't expect me to stand here and take this," he said; I felt a flash of rage on Isana's behalf.
"Then by all means, sit," I snapped; The ground surged under him and Kord both, and they fell once more onto their butts, only this time I allowed the dirt to swallow their arms and legs, from hand to elbow and foot to knee, and a thick band of granite wrapped around their sternums, pinning their middles to the ground. There was a stunned silence, then Isana sighed.
"Jael," She scolded; my ears pinned back but I refused to apologize. "Release them," she ordered; I hesitated, and she turned frosty, warning eyes on me. I reluctantly obeyed, Garados and me both grumbling this time, the Mountain-Fury making the ground rumble in his displeasure.
"As you wish, ma'am," I muttered. Kord sent a vicious glare my way, then sauntered a little toward Warner when they both stood, unharmed but for a bruised pride.
"Juris macto," he said, "Just declare it, Warner, and we can settle this." Isana whirled; meeting his eyes squarely, a clear challenge to his Alpha-status according to my instincts.
"Not in my courtyard you won't." Bittan let out a rough laugh and stepped forward, towards my Alpha Female. For that alone, I would have killed him, gladly.
"What we got here? Another little hold whore standing up for whore Heddy?" Rage, all-consuming, slammed through me, and those of Bernardholt who knew of my temper when it came to my Alpha's and Tavi literally threw themselves from my path. Before Kord could say "Bittan" and Isana could shout "Jael" I had the insubordinate pup held up off the ground, standing at my full-height, body still covered from head-to-toe. To anyone who didn't know of my Cane status, it would have appeared as if I had suddenly shot up and grown two feet in two seconds. I didn't care.
Bittan was choking as I held his throat, beating ineffectually at my arm and scrabbling at my claws. I watched emotionlessly, suddenly feeling blank and cold, as his face started to turn red, then steadily darker. Isana appeared at my side, watching as well, then turned her attention to Kord and Warner.
"Bitch," Kord growled, stepping forward; the ground before him rolled in a weak imitation of what I had done earlier and, with a negligent twitch of my hand, I used Garados's strength and had the man's Fury swiftly beaten into submission and left him powerless on that front. He went pale, and I nodded to Isana.
"He's all yours, ma'am," I said calmly; she nodded.
"Bitch," Kord snarled again; she gave him a frosty, patient look. I felt a surge of smug pride; this was my Alpha Female.
"Go ahead Kord," she said, voice icy. "But before you do, I should remind you that you are on Bernardholt, now. And you may not challenge me to the juris macto." Her smile bared teeth, and if she'd been a Cane, her fangs would have flashed, pretty, dainty, and dangerous as the rest of her. "I'm not a Steadholder."
"I can still kill you, Isana," Kord said; I snorted softly, and she cocked her head slightly in my direction.
"You could," she agreed idly. "But then, there'd be no-one to call of Jael here, as he only listens to Bernard and me."
"And what if I could use one less mouth to feed?" Kord asked, baring his teeth in a very canine-way; I nearly dropped the whelp in order to go and rip the idiots head off, but my Alpha Female was working and besides, the whelp couldn't say stupid things when he was turning blue…
"In that case," Isana continued, "I hope you're prepared to die. I'd have said be prepared to kill everyone here, as they wouldn't let you get away with a cold murder, but," she gestured at me and I slowly, deliberately, turned my head and let the green of my eyes glow eerily out of my hood at him. "Well, Jael is a very protective, possessive person. He'd torture you to death if you killed me, then he'd probably go to your 'Holt and massacre everyone there. Bernard and I have kept him on a tight leash, you could say, since we've practically raised him ourselves…" I let the ground rumble to cover up my throaty, bloodthirsty growl, and Kord still shuddered minutely.
"Kill Isana," I said, baritone throaty and harsh with eager hunger, "and there won't be anywhere in the Realm that you could hide…" Isana nodded, then whirled on Warner and snapped, eyes snapping with her,
"Wipe that smile off your face, Steadholder. What kind of behavior is this to show my holders, and their children?" She stalked towards Warner with a scowl twisting her features, I relaxed my hold enough that the now unconscious whelp didn't die, and shifted my grip to a simple hold, like I would any naughty pup, and watched my Alpha Female with frank admiration.
"I'll have your word that you won't engage in this idiocy again while you're a guest in my home." She ordered sternly.
"But Isana," Warner protested, his sons and him never taking their eyes from Kord and Aric, and occasionally glancing at the unconscious Bittan. "That animal in your holder's grip is the one who raped my daughter."
"Papa," Heddy sobbed, tugging Warner's sleeve. "Papa, please."
"Your word, Warner," Isana snapped. "Or I'll rule against you in the truthfind here and now." I bared my teeth in a vicious smile, and shook Bittan when he made a hoarse moan, half-waking. I growled at him and he quieted, back into unconsciousness as Warner's eyes snapped to Isana, filled with shock and surprise.
"But Isana-"
"I don't care. You can't behave this way in my home, Warner, and my brother isn't here to knock some sense your fool head. Your word. No more of this duel nonsense. No more fighting in Bernardholt." I took a deep breath through my nose as Warner stared at her. He reeked of anger, dismay, and helpless frustration. I wondered, if I went back to strangling Bittan, and did it quietly, would Isana get angry with me if he died?
…Probably…
"All right," he said quietly, visibly softening after looking at his daughter. "My word. For all of us. We'll start nothing." Isana nodded, whirled, and stalked towards Kord and me, and I reluctantly began to lower the unconscious whelp, muttering as I carelessly dropped him, turning and promptly seeming to 'shrink' back into my huddled Old Man self. She sent me a stern look, but gently brushed my arm as she passed to touch the unconscious whelps forehead. I felt some of my disappointment at not killing Bittan melt away. I'd made the Alpha Female feel better.
All was mostly right in the world.
"I suppose you're going to want my word as well." Kord sneered down at my Alpha, and I was ready to send him sprawling, but held back in case he lashed out at Isana.
"What would be the point," Isana snapped, keeping her voice low. "You're scum, Kord, and we both know it." She stood and nodded at me, then the main house. I inclined my head as she turned towards the kitchen.
"This isn't over, Isana," Kord promised suddenly, his voice very quiet. "I won't stand for this." My fur itched viciously and I bit back a shudder. Isana paused, and I frowned as I felt Kord reaching towards his Earth-Fury. Garados kept the tiny thing (compared to him, that is) locked beneath his power, and I sent out a warning ripple towards the Aleran. He glared at me, eyes full of that cold, icy anger. Ooh, I'd made an enemy…
Yay me!
"You'd best hope it's over, Kord," Isana said, her voice just as cold, as calculating, as his own, and I knew she was reflecting his own anger back at him. "Or you're going to think what happened to Bittan was a kindness." She glanced at me and I cocked my head at her, curious, then she looked back at him. "There's a space for you in the barn. I'll have some food sent down for lunch. We'll call you at dinner." Kord remained still for a moment. Then, he spat on the ground, nodded to his sons, and stalked away towards the barn. Aric followed, hauling the irritating whelp Bittan to his feet and after their father. I watched them go, then moved over to Isana while she snapped at everyone to get to work.
"I think I'll go out into the woods for a while, Ms. Isana," I told her softly; she looked at me, then silently nodded.
"Careful of the Windmanes," she ordered me. "They may have liked you last time, but they may just decide to eat you tonight." I chuckled and nodded, then padded into the kitchen, where I grabbed my bow, my arrows, and my deer pelt as well as all the feathers and rabbit furs. Moving to the mane building, I padded downstairs to my nest and stuffed the feathers into the feather bag, and tossed the furs about, until I was happy with where they were set.
That done, I was up the stairs, out of the building, and
Heading towards the trees. I paused, though, and watched the slave Fade talk with Isana… Or, well, Isana talk to Fade. He was nearly as creepy as the Creepy Furies…
Shaking my head, I turned my attention to the forest, and slid into it, disappearing. I needed to work off some tension, and get rid of some bloodlust, and I highly doubted Bernard would let me eat Kord and his sons…or maybe just Bittan and Kord. Aric was okay, for an arse…
Huffing, I sank into the hunting mindset, and began to lope through the trees. Blood needed shedding, and flesh needed tearing. And then, maybe, I'd feel a little more alive…
A/N: Ta-Da, and here's an update! Isn't it a rare sight indeed?
O_O
R&R