CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR:

Cannibal Butterflies

IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE: MUST READ

Hey guys. Listen, I'm probably (though I'm not sure yet) going to take down this fic, look over all the mistakes and then repost it, so don't freak out if you suddenly find that my story only has one chapter. RELAX. I'm just going to be tweaking then reposting to get rid of the mistakes. (I'm not sure WHEN I'm going to do this, but I know I am)

By the way, I tried that editing then reposting the chapter thing and, for some reason, it didn't work for me. (pouts) Go figure.

And FINALLY: I NEED A NUMBER FOR THE AMOUNT OF KIDS IN XAVIERS SCHOOL; Wikipedia said OSU has 56,876 students, and that's not including staff.

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Once the breakfast period was over, Logan hustled the members of his specific pack off to their classes, getting a kiss from Rogue and reminding Clarisse to refill her water-bottle before she went to her first class (World History). Jubilee stumbled off for Math class, a cup of coffee still in her hand.

Victor frowned and nodded his head towards the exiting firecracker. "You should follow her, Jimmy. She doesn't seem awake yet."

Logan chuckled and rose, taking Jonesys hand. "Jubilee will be fine once her caffeine kicks in." he looked at the young reptilian mutant in Cassies lap. "Come on, Roddy, I'll drop you and Jonesy in your class. I think yer working on spelling today."

Victor arched a curious and suspicious eyebrow at his younger brother then grunted. "I'm come'n with ya, Jimmy." He wanted to see the room where the younger cubs were taught, make sure it was safe. He wanted to scent and observe and possibly interrogate the teacher of the younger cubs, do a background check. He wanted to see how many of the cubs there were in this particular age group and get a feel of their overall health. Damn, his 'to do' list was just getting longer by the second.

"I guess that means I'm coming too." Cassie said, rising.

"You know you don't have to follow him everywhere, Cat." Bunny mentioned, finishing off a chocolate pudding.

Immediately, Victors warning growl rose in his throat, but Cassie cut in before the feral could bite (maybe literally) at her onee-san. "Well, I want to see the kids classroom too, and I'd probably get lost if I tried to go on my own." She said reasonably.

Bunny shrugged. "Can't argue with that." She rose. "I still wanna see this Danger Room."

Cassie couldn't hide her smile. "I knew you would, Bun."

But when Victor rose, Logan frowned at him. "But, uh, maybe you should get a shower first, Vic." The Wolverine stated. "And, uh, get some…..normal clothes."

Victor arched an eyebrow at his brother and gave an annoyed growl. "What the hell for!?"

"Do you WANT to give the kids a heart-attack?" Logan asked bluntly.

Victor gave him a warning growl, an alpha putting his beta in place. Why the &^%$ should he change how he looked!? His hunting furs were warm, easy to move in, and made from his kills, a statement to all who saw him on his skill as a hunter.

"You ARE dressed like a troglodyte." Steve put in calmly, though everyone—even Roddy—could tell he was enjoying putting the great Sabretooth down.

Victor turned his growl on Steve. "There's NOTHING wrong with my clothes, Frenchie, and I suggest you keep yer mouth shut before it gets you into trouble!"

Steve just gave him a lazy smile, unperturbed.

Cassie gently laid a hand on Victors arm, surprising herself with her own daring, trying to calm him. "It's okay, Victor, let's just get going."

The scent of his mates rattled nerves only raised Victors ire. He thought they had gotten over this, he was her MATE, she should NOT be frightened of HIM!

Did it bother her, his hunting furs? It shouldn't, it was just another proof he could provide for her; the moccasins and pants made from deer-skin, his furs and tunic made from Mountain Lions he had killed.

He shook the silly thoughts from his head and wrapped a firm arm securely around his mates waist, then glared at his younger brother. "Lets get moving, runt." Now he wanted to get this over with and get his little brother into the danger-room. Nothing relieved stress like a bloody knock-out, drag-down fight with his little brother who could heal from practically anything thrown at him.

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CASSIE

'Male pride.' Cassie thought quietly to herself, inwardly shaking her head at the stubbornness of men. It shocked her a little, though, when she realized how accustomed she was to his wild—okay, caveman—clothing already. And as for it scaring the kids…..well, she HAD noticed a few flinches, but mostly she had been too caught up in her own curiosity and situation to pay too much attention.

Roddy, at least, seemed to have no problem with him but then again Victor—she cast a shy glance at him from under her lashes—Victor seemed to have taken Roddy under his wing, so to speak. At least that was ONE good thing about him. And his arms…..his arms made her feel…..safe; whether he had both wrapped around her at night in a cocoon of warmth, or one arm around her waist, guiding her, like now. She managed to somehow catch her foot on the carpet and began to trip. The very INSTANT her balance went off, Victor steadied her; his one arm tightening around her waist, his other hand coming to her shoulder.

He growled at her in annoyance. "If ya stopped space'n out so much I bet you wouldn't always trip as often. PAY ATTENTION, frail! I can't ALWAYS be walk'n right next to ya."

She rolled her eyes. "It's okay, Vic. I never really hurt myself."

Behind her she heard Bunny snort and her Uncle Steve cough.

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VICTOR

Victor growled softly to himself.

Where at first his mates clumsiness had been amusing to him, now, with the thought of having to leave her alone while he went and worked for Fury bothered him even more.

Part of his mind pushed this worry around in his head while another part began to compile his ever-growing 'to-do' list.

`Bullet proof glass for the windows and glass doors, security cameras, list of all students and teachers plus mutations, get a better hunting method for Roddy, cubs need check-ups, gotta meet with this doctor of theirs, have ta stock up on meat, check the gardens, search lights for the grounds…..`

…..and while he made this list he guided his mate and cub after Jimmy, eyes and ears open for an attack (both of the enemy kind and the clumsy kind.) He had a lot to do.

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It wasn't long till they reached Roddy and Jonesys classroom since it was on the first floor. The scent of young cubs and peanut butter came to him first, giving him an unexpected warm and—dare he say it—fuzzy feeling along with the familiar protective urges. Then the sounds of cubs playing loudly (there were even some screams, which put him on full alert for a split second till he realized they were playful screams of joy.)

Jonesy flinched in Logans arms and the Wolverine automatically began "The Purr."

"Hey, it's okay, kiddo." Victors little brother said gruffly.

Victor, at least, could see why the cub was apprehensive. Some of those screams hurt. When his own mate flinched into his side at a particularly loud bellow, he started to purr himself, rubbing her back and looking at her speculatively. He knew why the cubs playful noise hurt his and Jimmys ears; they were ferals and extreme senses came along with the package, but why were his mates ears so sensitive?

Well, that was a mystery for another time. Perhaps tonight.

Then they entered the little ones classroom and Victor actually jolted a little, wishing for a pair of sunglasses. Beside him, Jimmy chuckled.

"Yeah, kinda overkill." The Wolverine commented.

Victor could only grunt and try to focus.

His eyes swam with a chaotic mess of bright, primary colors; one wall was painted an orange that couldn't possibly exist naturally in the world while the other was an impossible acid green, the third neon yellow, and the fourth electric blue. To add to those color nightmares were bright yellow smiley-face suns and cartoon butterflies with crazy smiling faces.

"*&^% , it's like a psych ward, Jimmy." Victor mumbled out of the corner of his mouth. "Those butterflies are cannibals, I just know it."

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VOCABULARY:

IRE: anger, wrath