Chapter IV: Getting to know the Pack
Kai opened his eyes. He felt groggy, something he wasn't used to. He looked down and was surprised to find he was lying in a bed. 'What the...' He thought to himself, and then he looked around, and got another surprise.
He was in the room he and the others share with Louise, but more importantly, he was in her bed wrapped up with bandages. That's when he noticed her. She was asleep at her desk; her face was towards the window, and despite himself, Kai smiled. 'She really is cute when she's asleep like that'
The door opened and then a certain maid Kai recognized walked in, carrying washed clothes.
"Siesta?" He asked, surprised.
"O-Oh Kai, good to see your awake" Siesta said, smiling.
"Yeah about that, what happened?" He asked, getting up slightly
"After you and Krow won the fight with Guiche, you passed out. It's been about 2 days, and Miss Louise here was keeping an close eye on you the whole time, she even skipped lessons and changed your bandages" The American black fox looked at the sleeping girl and smiled again. 'Maybe she isn't so bad after all' Siesta put the Clothes down and looked at Kai. "You're the talk of the school you know; even the servants are talking about the 'Brave Beast who defeated a Noble'"
Kai rubbed the top of his head, "Well that's good, I guess" He smiled
Siesta smiled back and walked to the door. "I have to go, I'll chat later" She smiled as she closed the door. 'Nice girl, still odd that she didn't ask how I can talk' He thought to himself, and then he heard a moan and turned his head. Louise was starting to wake up, and when she looked at Kai, she blinked twice before her eyes went wide.
"Kai!" She yelled, and jumped up, ran to him and gave him a hug. "I was so worried, I was about to order a elixir to try to help revive you, but it looks like I don't need to after all for my ultimate familiar" Kai wasn't sure how to react; he just sat with his front legs on her shoulders. "T-thanks." Was all he could manage to say 'why am I getting a hug?' He looked at his master/owner, and began to wonder if someone had hit her on the head with something large and heavy. Suddenly she realized what she was doing, and let go and stood up very quickly.
"Where is the rest of the pack?" Kai asks
Louis seemed to understand the question and answered, "Their over there on the pile of hay" The pinkette pointed off to the side where the six members of the pack sleeping on top of Krow in his Harpy form. Kai smiles at Image since it reminded him of all the times they used him as a bed, "I can tell that they are worried about you Kai, we all are" Louise said softly
"*Sigh* I suppose you have questions right?"
Louise crossed her arms, "Yes I do, like how are you talking?" It was an honest question, knowing now Kai and the other could talk was would save her some trouble of translating everything.
"I learned how to talk in my base form about a year ago one night, but if you want me to explain the pack and how we are you are going to need all of us awake, and your going to need Kirche, Siesta, Tabitha, Montmorency and Katie"
Louise rises an eyebrow, "Why them?"
"Just do it, it saves the trouble of explaining more then once, and possibly have to do this in a more open environment" The lazy fox said, "No doubt that Kirche will want to know about us"
The Next Day
After getting everyone, the six humans and seven animals all sat across each other at a round table just for them. While the other students, are either chatting to each other or playing with their Familiar, the group of thirteen were seated far away from everyone to have a more private conversation about Louise's familiars.
"So vee doing zis now Kai?" Krow asked his brother, Krow was still in his Harpy form with bandages covering his torso.
"Might as well get it over" Kai said, the American black fox transformed into a different bipedal form, this one was more bulky and much taller since he was now standing near nine feet tall, even his tail seemed to double in length. Kai looks at his snow white paws and clenched them. The now bulky Anthro fox turns to Silver, who was currently laying on a pillow that was brought out.
"Alright Silver it's your turn"
Silver gave the faintest of a nod before transforming into his Anthro form, when Silver body grew the Mages noticed that he grew near Louise's size with silver and black fur covering his body now (black being the primary color) with a seven foot long fox tail, unlike Krow's wings, which replaces his arms, Silvers wings starts at the hand and ends near the waist with a massive wings span, the fur bush surrounding his neck, shoulders, and upper chest region. Silver was currently sitting on his canine like legs.
{"We'll go next"} The twins said.
Jonathan and Joseph both climb off of Krow and stood in front of Kai and started to transform, the twins where slightly smaller then Silver in size, but considering that their the youngest of the pack it seemed alright, the mages noted that the twins only had white fur covering everything except the arms up to the shoulders and entire torso. Both Jonathan and Joseph's crystal blue eyes seemed different now that they were bigger, Jonathan eyes were narrow and sharp, where Joseph's were rounder and soft.
{"Seems I'm next"} Vicky said as she removes herself from Siesta's grasp and transformed, Vicky grew about a head taller then Kirche and was bigger in more then one places with her tail growing almost as long as Kai's (twelve feet), almost instantly all the girls grew green with envy when they saw Vicky's high E-Cup breast hanging out in the open and defying gravity. Kirche noted how womanly Vicky was and felt insecure about herself now that a cat has out woman her despite being a little chubby.
'This must how Zero must feels' Kirche though glumly
{"I guess I'm last then"} Chara said from her perch on top of Kai and climbs down the bulky foxes body and transforms, Chara grew to be near Vicky's high, possibly a head of two taller, though she wasn't as thick as Vicky was, instead she was slightly thinner with D-Cup breast and held a more womanly figure then Vicky did.
"Were going to need some clothing" Kai said after a awkward silence, the jet black American fox noticed the girls gazes on Vicky and Chara's breast. Siesta and Kirche even grabbed their breasts and looked disappointed.
"Have you all… been like this?" Louise asks
"As long as we can remember" Chara said, the lizard woman sat down at one of the many seats for them, Kirche Familiar, Flame, suddenly appears besides Chara' seat and rubs against the Anthro lizard woman's leg.
"Well all fell into the same group some how" Vicky said, "An nice woman picked us up and took us in"
"To bad she died a few years later and we where left out in the streets" Kai said sorrowfully, "After that we been staying close to each other ever since, in till Louise summoned us that is" The Anthro American black fox turns to the pinkette.
"We like Nee-Chan!" The twins shouted, the twin mouses both hugged Louise, the pinkette was surprised at the kids affection, "We don't want to leave her side!"
"I-I don't want to r-run anymore!" Silver shuttered softly as he clung to the closes thing to him, which just so happens to be Siesta, the maid looked at the others for a moment before returning to hug the batboy.
"It's been quite hard for the past year or two for us, so ven Louise summoned us vee zought vee vinally had a break vrom all ze running" Krow said, "Guess I vas vrong"
"Trust me when I say it wasn't easy dealing with all the problems from both humans and others like us" Kai said tiredly, for some odd reason Louise was sitting in his lap, he was too tired to move her as she sank into his smooth and fluffy fur.
"You mean there's others like you?" Montmorency asks as she rubs the heads of the mouse twins, both mewed at the physical contact.
"Yeah, they where an annoyance most of the time when they attacked use and our lady" Vicky said, the catwoman had pulled Katie into her lap, "This one fox had the gal to order us around!"
The black American Fox chuckles to himself, "Hehe I remember him" Kai stated, "Didn't he lose an eye to that Doberman?"
"Yeah" Vicky answered, "Heard he got hitched to some lady that found him knocked out on her lawn"
"Getting back on track" Chara cuts in, "There were more like us, but each had their own different lives"
"But that's a story for another day" Kai cuts in before looking back at the girls, "Like I said before, we where going to surprise Louise about us in till that blond idiot —Kai promptly looked at Katie and Montmorency— came and ruined everything"
The two Mages avoided Kai's gaze.
Kai sighs, "No doubt there will be a problem after that whole ordeal" The massive fox stands up with Louise being held to his by one of his arms. "And possibly breaking the kids back was a bad thing"
"To be fair, he did stab you and slashed your bother" Kirche said as she deals with Chara's tail that was currently wrapped around her waist. "And he challenged Louise to a dual anyway"
"Zat vay be truth, but he is the son of a General if I am not mistaken" Krow added as he unwraps Chara' tail from Kirche' waist. "So zat vay cause some problems vor us"
"You both bring up valid points" Vicky cuts in, "But there going to take the boys side in this problem" The Anthro Cat said with a hiss.
"That also true— some is coming" Kai said quickly
The pack, sans Krow and Kai, transforms back into their animal forms and got around Louise as the Headmaster assistant, Miss Longueville, came up to the group.
"Miss Vallière, the headmaster wishes to speak with you"
Everyone looked at Louise, the pinkette looked to be sweating profusely in Kai's arms as the two locked eyes with one another before turning to Longueville.
"I'll be right there"
Sometime Later
Louise was more nervous when she reached the top of the tower. There was a feeling of a monstrous butterfly loose in her stomach that she could not control. What if she was expelled? Would they send her home? What would she do?
"Calm down" Kai soothed, he had transformed into mount form and carried Louise and the pack up stairs.
Louise's worry was soon subsumed from all sides by the love and support that flowed from her pack. With them bolstering her Louise knocked on the door to the Office of the Headmaster.
"Come in" she heard from the other side of the door. Turning the latch she entered the room.
"Ah, Ms. Vallière, you are alive and well I see" The Headmaster said from across the room. As he put down the pipe and book he had been using Louise and Kai looked to the left and saw that the secretary for the Headmaster was not present.
"Please leave your familiars outside and have a seat." Osmond says and indicates the chair in front of his desk. Without a gesture Louise walked into the room while Krow reached in and closed the door behind her. Sitting at the chair indicated Louise looked on the Headmaster with a stead gaze with Kai laying on the floor next to Louise.
"You wouldn't mid Kai would you headmaster?" Louise asks, "He's very protective of me when around strangers"
The jet black American fox growls softly from the floor.
"It's quite alright Ms. Vallière, but there is something more important we must address first. I trust you are aware of the rules here at the academy involving dueling and fighting on school grounds?" Osmond asked with a raised eyebrow. At a nod from Louise he continued, "These rules exist not only to protect our students from being bullied but also to protect their families from the repercussions of their actions."
Headmaster Osmond places his hands on his desk and rises to his feet, which prompted Kai to raise up a bit.
"This Academy was originally founded by all of the heads of the noble families centuries ago to act as neutral ground for their heirs to learn magic and how to become future rulers. As such, it had to be a place where both family and circumstance would not hold sway. Here nobles from outcast families and those from the royal inner circle can learn and interact together without family history or class status getting in the way. Or so in theory." He said looking down on Louise.
"I understand that Guiche is abrasive and hard to be around at times but I will not allow my students to maim one another while on school grounds!" Headmaster Osmond said, raising his voice for the first time Louise could remember.
Kai is fully off the ground now and besides Louise, the pinkette places a hand on his head to stop him.
"Is he..." Louise begin to ask.
"Well?" Headmaster Osmond let out a sigh and ran his hands over his eyes. Louise and Kai was struck by how old he suddenly looked. "Guiche will live however he may not want to. Our staff includes some very powerful water mages and they were able to get to him rather quickly. But…" he said making eye contact with Louise again, "There was something caustic about the attack he received, or so I've been told. The wound would not heal properly no matter the ministrations of our staff. Guiche will forever carry the scars given by your familiar."
"That little shit" Kai growls, promptly gaining the Headmasters attention, "Stab me with a sword and three spears! And slashed my brother across his chest! That hole ordeal was caused because he could take responsibility for his own stupidity" Kai snarled
The Headmaster looked at Kai, he should be surprised at how the fox was talking to him somehow, but after witnessing what happened during the door he wasn't that much surprised at all.
"That maybe, but Guiche's family, the De Grammont family, has petitioned to have you removed from the Academy and your family to pay restitution to them for the injury to their heir"
"That is ridiculous!" Louise said loudly, Kai slowly started to transform into his bulky form, "You said yourself that Guiche started it!"
"Indeed I did." The Headmaster said with a raised eyebrow at Louise's sudden outburst. "That is precisely the reason I gave them for not removing you from the Academy. The maiming of their heir was unfortunate, however, if he had kept his hands to himself like a gentleman then it would not have happened. You will be punished though"
Headmaster Osmond sat back down in his chair and picked up his pipe again. "Tomorrow, during the lunch gathering, you will give a public apology to Guiche" He said as he tapped out the dottle from the pipe stem.
"WHAT!?" Louise shrieked standing up with a snarling Kai. It was one thing to be chastised because stupid Guiche had attacked two of her Familiars, it was quite another to have to apologize in front of the entire student body. A public apology is only one step down from having to pay reparations. It would be forever remembered that she had to abase herself for Guiche in front of all her peers!
"I am afraid this is not negotiable. Both the de Grammont and the la Vallière have agreed upon this to avoid future repercussions. You will apologize to Guiche to keep a blood feud from starting." Osmond said as he lit his pipe.
SMASH!
The Headmasters desk was flung across the roommate smashed against the thanks to the now transformed Kai snarling right at the Headmaster with a hateful glare.
Louise seethed inside. Out in the hall she could feel the Krow and the others becoming agitated by her anger though their bond. With effort Louise schooled her emotions to calmness and soothed the six of them though their bond before she caused another incident. But Kai was about a moment from exploding at the old man.
"If you think that I will allow such a thing you have another thing coming" Kai snarled as he held the Headmasters staff and promptly threw it out the window before picking up Louise, "Blood Feud be damned, I will tear the flesh from their bones if must"
The large bipedal fox stomped out of the room and slams the door behind him.
Scene Break
Osmond watched Louise and Kai stormed out of his office. Releasing his breath that he had been holding he took his hand off his wand. Louise not Kai had not noticed him reach for the wand quickly when she and her familiar had started acting strange. 'She probably didn't notice either' He thought as he remembered their reactions. After he told Louise she would have to make a public apology to Gouache he had seen her fists ball up and her cheeks get more and more flushed. Natural reactions of a young noble who is being delivered to such a punishment. But Kai had intervened and put his paw down in the conversation and left.
Then there was the clicking noise out in the hall that began, like a sharpened claw tapping against the tile floor. 'This was her familiars feeling her emotions and beginning to react. Probably much like happened with Guiche' Osmond speculated. Shortly after the familiars started to get agitated Louise's expression changed to a mask of forced calmness and the familiars quieted down. 'So she too has noticed that the familiars react to her so closely. Maybe she can prevent another incident from happening' But that thought was extinguished as Kai was still angered by his words and reminded angered even after Louise calmed down.
"It was at this moment Osmond know" Xeno said from behind the Headmaster, "He fucked up"
Osmond sighed as he knew Xeno was right.
Scene Change
"How did the meeting go Louise?" Kirche ask
A noise somewhere between a groan and a growl came from under Kai's fur. Sitting up, Louise let her hair block her eyes.
"I have to make a public apology tomorrow" She said with a sour face, "To Guiche in order to prevent blood feud between our families."
"That is absurd!" Kirche yelled walking forward and sitting next to Louise. "He started it!"
"Kai finished it" Tabitha said quietly as she sat on the other side of Louise.
"Zat Dummkopf nearly killed zee two of us and wants an apology!" Krow squawked angrily from his perch on the windowsill.
Kirche scoffed at that thought, "Their heir was plenty damaged before you got a hold on him Louise" She said with a soft smile. Tabitha nodded and wrapped Louise in a comforting hug.
"So what do we do?" Vicky asks
Kai huffed "I will think of something, but right now we need to get to a market of some sorts. I rather have a weapon on hand just incase if a fight is to ensue"
"Kai is right about that" Chara chimed in, "Against magic users where at a disadvantage if a fight were to break out"
"We can head there now since it early afternoon, but I suggest we leave immediately" Louise said as she grabs a pouch of money.
"Might I suggest we use Kai and Tabitha's Dragon" Kirche suggested, "Their both quite fast in their own right"
"Right! So me, Louise, Kirche, Tabitha and her dragon will head to the market for things while the rest of you stay here" Kai said to the group.
The others nod and the leaving group heads off to the market