Naughty Bat chapter 9:
Under the circumstances, Rose would normally get right between the two bats.
Then again...
Goth snarled at Goliath angrily, nursing the small nick that had been made in his wing. The black bat just curled back his lip in a clear sign of aggression. Goliath glanced about the cavern discreetly, looking for his ward. The sight of numerous bones and skeletons did not ease his worry. His eyes settled on the little ginger bat staring at the stand-off dubiously. As long as she was safe... Goliath's eyes locked back onto the crimson-mained cannibal and he circled slowly to get in front of the female.
Goth intercepted with a roar, slashing at the Northern male as he himself maneuvered to put himself between the female and the enemy. Goliath launched himself at the Southerner with claws out stretched, thinking the worst.
"Stop!" Goliath paused mid-leap and Goth swiveled his head to look at the female. Both males gave off an utterly confused air.
"This needs to stop. Both of you calm down a moment," Rose got up from where she was sitting on the shore and pushed her way between the two warriors. "I think we should roost and talk about this. If you still want to kill each other after, then be my guest." The ginger bat made a move to take off, only to be grabbed by the scruff and put back in front of Goliath. The Northern male was not happy, but he wasn't going to let the female hurt herself anymore. Not when she was close to being able to fly on her own again.
Goth was livid. Who was this male, to try and take what was his?" And why was the female allowing herself to be manipulated in such a way? It was infuriating! Snatching the little bat by her scruff, Goth hauled her back to him, baring his teeth in a territorial fashion. Goliath stepped forward quickly in an attempt to grab her back, when Rose blew her top.
"Enough of this!" she roared. Both males took a hasty step back from the enraged female. "If you two are done acting like children then I suggest we get on with business." Rose was seething, letting her words slip through gritted teeth. Stepping away from the males, she scaled the wall to an appropriate sized roost and hung there, glaring at the two murderously. She was not a possession, and they would learn that now.
Goth winged his way up to the roost, followed closely by Goliath. Introductions were made with stiff motions and soft snarls.
"The reason why I haven't said anything about Goth's presence is because I made a deal with him. I'll bring him food and take him back South once spring starts and he won't touch the Colony," Rose summarized, Goliath looking shocked.
Goth sneered at the Northern male condescendingly. "That is correct. Now mi amore, I think it's time to say adiós to this...bat." The cannibal moved to help the female down, when a razor-like claw snaked it's way under his jugular.
"Goliath stop," Rose sighed exasperatedly. Why one earth were males so...difficult? "If he was going to eat me he would have done it already. He's had enough chances."
The black bat glanced out the side of his eye at the female, then dropped his claw slowly. He wanted to rip apart this monster. Shred him for all the lives he had destroyed...but maybe it was worth it to just get the cannibal out of the North.
"Two more weeks, that's all I'm asking," Rose looked at Goliath pleadingly. "I promised."
Goliath caved and nodded his head. Giving a little squeak of excitement, the female launched herself into the male's arms, earning an annoyed glare from Goth.
...
A week later and Goliath was itching to cross off the southern bat. Since the black bat had found out where Rose had been going every time she was in the cave, he had insisted on following her. Which meant watching Goth's subtle (but not subtle enough) attempts at wooing the female. The soft caresses, giving her bits of his meals (which made the northerner blanch) and the southerner's attempts at sweet talking in his native tongue. Goliath was not deaf or blind, he was mute! He could understand what the cannibal was doing!
Rose, on the other hand, was completely oblivious.
"Manténgase, bella dama. Te garantizo que no va a dormir." The crimson cannibal crooned into her ear, making the female shiver as the warm air caressed her ear.
"Eh?" Rose cocked her head in confusion, earning a slight frown from Goth. The southerner gave her a searching look for a moment before waved his wing at her dismissively.
Goliath inwardly sighed a combination of relief and exasperation. Grabbing the young female, the black giant gently tugged her away from the cannibal and out the cave opening, desperately hoping he wouldn't have to witness...whatever that was, again.
...
So Goliath was in on the secret now, but it sure didn't make life any easier. Every waking moment was filled with the Northern male hovering over her so that she wouldn't be able to leave without him noticing. After one particular evening in late winter Rose finally told Goth that she couldn't see him every day anymore. It was too much pressure! The tension in the air between the two males was palpable and did nothing to quell her growing anxiety about the trip South. Goliath had made it very clear that she wasn't going to be left alone with the cannibal. If the two males couldn't even deal with each other for an hour, how were they going to go on a hundred plus miles long journey without killing each other?!
Rose sighed on her roost as she massaged her temples, doing run throughs of half-baked plans.
Put sedatives in their drinking water?
Stay (physically) in between them the whole trip?
Knock Goliath out and make a break for it?
Each plan, once thought through, met a disastrous end. Rose was working through an idea that involved putting Goliath and Goth on what basically was a leash when she was tapped on the shoulder.
Looking down confused the large female broke into a grin.
"Rose! Rose! You wanna go bud counting?!" A particularly excited little bat, barely old enough to fly, questioned loudly; her two friends looking just as excited.
"Hello to you too, Sundew." Looking past the little female, Rose addressed the young males behind her, "I don't suppose I could talk you and Arum out of this, can I, Heath? " she stated more than questioned.
The rust colored pup shook his head and giggled, "Nope! Wanna go count buds!"
Arum smiled up at the large female, "You're gonna count too right? It's no fun if you don't play too."
Sighing dramatically, Rose grabbed Heath by the scruff and placed him on her chest in a motherly gesture before racing out of Hibernaculum at top speed.
"Bet I can beat you to the tree line!"
