Chapter 12

Crows squawking was what ultimately woke Mayura from her peaceful sleep, not exactly as peaceful as it was sensuous. Cheeks afire from recalling the last time she'd seen Rajan, and what occurred between them, oh how much she yearned to be with him. It had only been a little over a week, Sly and the Gang had taken the better part of it to relax...and the rest tactfully used on hunting down The Contessa—or Ugly Witch, as Mayura had come accustomed to calling her. The bigger problem was she was in possession of the Clockwerk Eyes, which she used in her hypno therapy...not only to brain wash them into outstanding citizens but to find out where they stashed their treasure.

The more Mayura thought about the more she hated the Ugly Witch for all she was worth, nothing but a cheat and murderer! If Rajan was being put through her witchery the wolf hoped she tripped and died over an electrical cord, she'd never forgive her for torturing her lovable tiger.

Yet it wasn't Rajan that Sly was distressed over, it was Carmelita Fox apparently the Ugly Witch had been wanting a reason to put the Inspector behind bars—for, eventually, The Contessa would have been found out...revealing to Interpol that she was secret member of the Klaww Gang.

Mayura urged Bently to let her patrol the area, something in her cried for it...the wolf just wasn't sure why—but Bently reluctantly agreed, sending her on her way. While Sly finished his recon photos of The Contessa's main hideout she went on her merry way down the streets, avoiding being seen by the guards. When she did run into trouble she'd just knock them out and high tail it out of the area.

" Hullo love," came a sharp voice atop the building that Mayura had just passed. Leaping bounced against the silence but the girl saw nothing, one thing was for sure...that wasn't Rajan or anyone she knew." After twenty long years...you finally stumble into our world. Brava, mon cherri! Brava!"

" Who—"

" Ma'ma did not exaggerate when she said you were lovely.." all at once strong arms embraced the wolf, this man was draped in a dark cloak and had—he had ears of silver! He looked almost exactly like the woman that had saved her at the ruins." Sweet, attractive Mayura...born a wench like Ma'ma herself!"

Rage fueled all her common sense," Let me go you ass!" Wrenching free from her 'supposed' brother's embrace, Mayura tripped over a break in the concrete." Don't you ever—"

SMACK!

" Don't you ever...talk back to your elder brother, baby Mayura." Vehemence over took his knavish expression." If ma'ma didn't love you I'd kill you right here where you stand! You're not only an embarrassment to our side of the family but yours also! And—and a tiger? You fell head over heels over a tiger? You stupid child!"

Sitting there stunned by the sting spreading through where her brother had slammed the back of his hand into her cheek. Tears even rose in her dumbfounded eyes, an embarrassment to both her family? Yes, she thought bitterly, at least he's brutally honest about it instead of covering up the truth like everyone else.

" You're a harlot like ma'ma, she had an affair with a human, conceiving you in the process..." Her elder brother kneeled staring her straight in the eye." You just continue to bring shame to our family...like ma'ma has. Only you say it's love...no, it's not. If that tiger feels anything for you...it would be pity. Pity for a bastard child with no future!"

Grasping the rod that Sly had given her Mayura stood, enraged by his casual insulting of her newfound love." Shut up...I'm no more a bastard than you for the way you think. You're disgusting...did you ever think that our mother may not have loved your pa'pa?" This caused the man to scowl with a rage so consuming she was sure he'd lash out, but he refrained from doing so." If you hate me then why not kill me and be done with it? Or are you coward after all that hateful talk?"

" Ungrateful whelp!" Screeched her brother, grabbing her staff as she swung it at his head." I am more than match for you, so you better learn from this encounter, witch, for I won't go easy on you again!"

Before Mayura's very eyes the once human like man transformed, putting the very fear of God in her heart." Oh my, you—"

" Lucray..." He hissed, barring his fangs to his sister." My name is Lucray, if you weren't such an outcast you'd know it."

A mad leap, a scream, then a cry pierced the serenity of nightfall—Mayura looked on in horror as Lucray bit into the tender flesh of her thigh, when his true intent was her neck. Hurriedly, she scurried as far as possible, only to see the bloody fangs of her brother. Tears clouded her vision and she cried out the only name that came to mind," Rajan!" As the other wolf made another attack Mayura held out her hands, holding back his dangerous mouth, only taking the damage on her hands. The very terror of the situation were stated in her sorrow, never had she known such fear in the entirety of her life.

Whoa...getting more aggressive in my story, aren't I? sweatdrop Big Brother Lucray is a jerk isn't he? Tell me what you guys think of him and the sudden change in the story plot?

Lemme' see, out of both Contessa chapters I especially hated the second one! Getting the chance to scare Neyla was a blast and Sly gotta save Carmelita—they are quite possibly the cutest couple on the game..since..they're the only couple really. Until I came along! Kya kya! Momiji laughter, da coot wittle wabbit.

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