Part Seven
Lotor bit down on the neck of a mouse before seizing onto the others he had trapped and killed them too. They weren't the mic that lived in the castle, these were wild mice who had been caught in a trap Lotor had managed to construct with his paws, claws, and teeth as well as materials from nature. He felt pleased with himself in catching prey without having to race after them though he was more than capable of running prey down and catching them.
He was taking a different tactic of living in the new territory. He refrained from marking it, he didn't howl after a successful catch, and he had dug a small underground den so as to avoid people interaction, especially Allura. The princess had taken to seeking him out, feeling he had claimed the woods close to the castle as his new home. In point of fact, he had. He could only chalk it up to his love for Allura. He wanted to watch over her while living his lone wolf life which had been going on for a week now. He couldn't help feeling that something bad was coming for her and he wanted to be there to stop it. He would kill whoever would dare harm her. He knew he could do it without hesitation as he killed for food without a second thought.
He gnawed on the mice, licking the bones clean and chewing on the bones. Food was still plentiful but he felt that eventually his prey would move on and he would have to follow them. He refused to stalk livestock like before and he chalked it up to his time at the castle. He had been treated well and felt the people deserved to live as well as he had.
He padded to the forest's edge and looked around before running for the castle lake once the coast was clear. It was a beautiful night and the sky was strewn with stars. He approached the water and lapped some up. He looked up at the darkened castle as he licked his chops of any water on his muzzle. He had felt on and off all week a desire to return to the castle. Any time he felt like returning, he reminded himself that only Allura would welcome him back while the others would be cold to him. Such an atmosphere wouldn't sit well with him. I can't live with you, princess, but I will watch over you and protect you. He turned and headed back into the woods to set some traps before getting some sleep.
Unknown to him, Allura had been in the Control Room, looking at the cameras aimed at the lake. She had been watching the cameras, hoping Lotor would come back but so far, he would only come out to drink when no one was around and only at night. It saddened her that he had left of his own accord and had not bothered to explain why he was changed. She still wanted to know and insist he come back to the castle. I'll go into the forest tomorrow with the pendent and look for him. I'll tell him I want to know how his change happened and that I want him to come back with me. Surely, once I know the how and why, he will come with me as I will vouch for him. Nodding, she shut the screens off and went to bed.
Lotor's ears pricked up at hearing the sounds of distressed prey. He opened his eyes, yawned, and stretched before climbing out of his den and heading toward the sounds. It turned out it was a rabbit and he wasted no time in killing it. He squinted up at the trees' canopy and deduced that it was mid or late afternoon. He removed the trap from the rabbit, settled down, and began to eat. When he was full, he loped off to check his other traps. None had been sprung and were still sturdy. Perfect.
He heard rustling and flared his nose to smell the scent. He froze upon recognizing it: Allura! His ears picked up her voice calling him. That sent him into motion and he slipped into the shadows before slinking toward her position. It wasn't hard to find her as she kept calling and he was locked in on her scent. He crouched in the tall grass as she walked by in her jumpsuit. He gazed at her; she was so lovely and though he would love to live at the castle, he knew he was better off here. I'm a wolf and wolves live in the wild. He kept watching Allura look for him and then his nose flared and his head snapped around at the smell of cat. He slinked toward it, curious about it and aware that he was heading after Allura as well.
The scent grew stronger and so did another smell he didn't know so he pushed that aside and focused on the cat. The tall grass ended up ringing a clearing and Allura stood there, looking around as if to decide which way to go. She turned in his direction but didn't him as he was crouched, but he saw the source of the cat smell: Hagger's cat!
So that other smell has to be the witch, he thought. He focused on the cat and saw a small dagger in his mouth and his gaze locked on the princess. It's like the dagger that put Allura in that death-like sleep, but I doubt that what this blade does. I won't let him harm her!
The cat crept closer, the grass moving and catching Allura's attention. She turned to it just as the cat leaped toward her. Lotor, on Allura's left side, also leaped forward and his longer legs carried him into the path of dagger which left a deep cut in his side while his mouth latched onto the cat's neck and bit down hard, killing him. He landed in front of Allura before he crumpled to the ground. He released the cat and whined in pain. He panted hard and his head swam. The dagger! The blade must have been coated with poison! I'm dying! Well, better me than Allura.
"Lotor!" Allura cried as she kneeled beside him. Her cry was spoken at the same time that a scream of fury sounded as Hagger appeared and saw the dead cat. "My precious pet!" she screamed. She glared at Lotor. "You dumb beast! You killed my cat and took the one-time poison meant for the princess." Lotor growled at the insult before whining. Hagger gathered the dead animal and vanished.
Allura cradled Lotor's body in her lap, tears welling up in her eyes. "You saved my life. Oh Lotor, please don't die." She pulled out the pendent and slipped it on him.
Lotor gasped at the brief warmth before saying, "I wouldn't let you get hurt. I would do it again. I don't mind dying to save you."
Allura's tears fell and landed on Lotor's wound. Lotor winced and said, "Please take the pendent, princess, and leave me."
She took it off but stayed. "I'm not leaving you. I've got to get you to the castle infirmary." More tears fell on the wound.
Lotor's vision blurred and he knew the poison was now shutting his systems down. Blackness crept in around the edges of his vision and then faded and his vision came back into focus. He saw tears flowing down Allura's cheeks and falling onto his wound…which was closing up! He woofed softly in confusion and Allura looked where he was looking and gasped at what she saw. "Your wound's healed! That's great! It's a miracle!" She kissed his nose.
His throat felt warm but the pendent wasn't on. My voice has been restored! Allura's friendship toward me and her kiss has cured me of the poison and loss of my voice. "Princess," he said, making her gasp again.
"You're talking!"
"Your kiss brought my voice back and I think your tears destroyed the poison. Because of you, I will live. Thank you." He got to his paws and started to leave.
"Lotor, please don't go. You saving me will prove that you've changed."
Lotor paused. "I have changed, outside and inside. There is no ulterior motive for my presence here. I would like to return to the castle."
"Then come back. I will vouch for you."
Lotor turned to see sincerity in her eyes as well as a friendly smile. His tail wagged as he walked over to her. "All right. I'll come back and then I'll explain everything." Allura stroked his head and he panted at her touch as the pair headed through the forest and toward the castle.
