Finally finished another chapter!
Where is he? I don't understand why he would choose now of all times to be late. I think he likes to annoy me. Like how he never says anything. Sometimes I wonder just how intelligent he really is. I know he can speak. I've never heard him mutter so much as sound but carrots said he spoke to her. 300 years without a peep and here I am dying in my living room floor and he has the nerve to…
Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, Nick's ear twitches in their direction, interrupting the conversation with himself, his sane self anyway. As the figure walks past him Nick opens his eyes and observes the figure pass him and then sit on the ground in front of him. Eyeing him up and down for a moment he decides to cut to the chase.
"You're late." He spoke in an irritated tone. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to slow down my heart rate to the point where I'm barely alive? I doubt even carrots would be able to tell if I'm alive or dead." The figure narrows his eyes at that last remark.
"Fine I doubt she could tell if we were alive or not." The multi-eye colored fox, sitting directly in front of Nick nodded its head and relaxed its gaze. It's eyes rotating between different colors to denote it's many abilities. What sat in front of Nick was a mirror image of himself. The only difference being the eyes. While Nick's were green the savage in front of him changed eye color constantly. Rotating between red, white, blue and black.
Over the past 300 years Nick had learned what the different colors came to mean. White was the ability see beyond the horizon or events that were beyond the line of sight. Blue was the ability to heal any wound or restore certain objects to their original state. Red was the truly savage color of the three. When the savage fox displayed this color in its eyes, it's abilities were far greater than Nick's without the aid of his savage self. Black is the color that showed for the shortest amount of time. Barely a flicker between the three. Nick still wasn't sure what this color was meant for. He had never seen his savage self-use it before.
Letting out an agitated huff, Nick finally broke the silence. "So why her?" he asked. "I know there's more to her than just her good looks. I saw the aura she has when I first laid eyes on her." Silence. "And why the silent treatment? Three hundred years I've been slowly losing my mind sitting here trying to have a conversation with you and not once have you spoken a word to me." He shouted. Anger started to well up. "Yet she walks in and not only do you speak in front of her but you speak directly to her?!" The savage vulpine produces a toothy smile.
"Alright, you know what, screw it." Nick stood and pointed a finger angrily at the other fox. "Screw you, screw that bunny and screw this hell I've been living with." Yelling the last part to the blackness around him before doubling over coughing up blood. The savage fox doing the same. Once both had recomposed themselves the savage let out a low growl towards Nick.
"Oh, shut up!" he spat back. "You can't do anything to me any more than I can to you." They had tried once. Tried to kill each other to get dominance over the shared body. Turning away he spoke in a normal tone. "The only difference is I can let go." The floor he stood on shook as he released control of his body. Allowing his blood to flow faster and spread the black magic further into his body.
When he spoke again his voice was low and tired. The tension leaving his body as his shoulders slumped. "I'm tired of suffering, of hiding the emotions. Tired of this secret and it's burdens." Taking in a heavy breath. "Three hundred years and all that's changed," breathing in a shuddering breath, "are the faces that spit on me for what I am." Erupting into another coughing fit, causing him to fall to his knees, Nick spat the blood from his mouth and onto the floor. There was more this time.
"No matter what I do, no matter what I sacrifice," He paused catching his breath, "no matter who I've lost or what they meant to me," tears now flowing freely, "it's never enough."
A gentle paw grabbed his shoulder. Nick looked up to the savage looking down at him through shining blue eyes. Blood staining the fur around it's muzzle. It spoke in the same deep echoing version of Nick's voice as it had to Judy. "She will be the one to end our burden." Nick turned his head away and closed his eyes, feeling them burn with unshed tears. His torment would finally end. The rabbit that had barged into his life, literally, would be the one that stopped all the pain. He took a shuddering breath and allowed the tension to leave his body. He stood and looked at the savage fox.
"I'm going to excuse your tardiness this time because of all the black magic around us." Nick rose an arm gesturing to their surroundings. Nick's mind was usually an image of his self-conscious self's observations of the surroundings. The only explanation for the darkness they were now surrounded by had to be the black magic from the arrow he was struck by.
"Shall we begin?" he asked, holding out his paw with the palm facing the savage fox in front of him. It raised its own and closed its eyes. Nick closed his own and relaxed, allowing his mind to reach out and find the strands of blackness around him. Seeing them as strings hanging in the wind. He reached out and grabbed one pulled it down in front of him. The more he pulled the more of the outside world he could see.
Slowly, piece by piece, the black magic was pulled from his body and brought into a ball between himself and the savage fox. Until finally, the last of the strings had been collected and were now in a tight ball between the two foxes, glowing slightly. Nick took in a deep breath. "Your turn." He spoke with a raspy voice.
The savage opened its still blue eyes and placed a paw on the ball. Glowing around his paw, it slowly changes colors from black to purple and eventually blue. The colors swirling together inside the ball. Until the only color left was blue. After completing the task, he looked up at Nick, tilted his head to the side and raised a curious eye brow. "What?" Nick asked. He pointed at Nick's chest. Nick was raising and lowering his shirt to allow more air flow.
Shrugging his shoulders "I feel warm for some reason." He replied. His nose began to tickle, he looked around at the now clear panoramic view of his subconscious. Everything was blurred, a result of slowing his heart down so much. He heard a voice and saw the image shuffle around. The voice wasn't clear, like hearing a sound while underwater.
The voice began to sound panicked. "Oh no." Nick turned to face his savage self. "It's Judy, she found our body." The savage fox's face began to contort into a worried look. "I've got to start waking up, you use that magic and start healing us." He nodded and grabbed the ball, sprinting away out of Nick's sight. I wonder where he goes? Nick had often wondered that. He followed him a couple of times only to lose sight of him.
Focusing on the task at hand, Nick closed his eyes in concentration. It was going to take a couple of hours to get his heart rate back up and his body responsive again. He looked at the blurry image one last time and noticed something. His entire vision was a moving grey ball. I wonder if she's giving me mouth to mouth? A mischievous smile crossing his muzzle. If only I could stick my tongue out right now. He mused. He brought his fingers up to his lips. Remembering the feel of her soft fur and tender skin. Thinking of how she tasted he licked his lips.
Shaking his head, he refocused on bringing his body back to life. Breath! Wait a minute? That's it! He focused completely on taking in and releasing a single breath. She was still close to his face, hopefully she would feel his breath across her fur. That might stop her from worrying so much.
Judy held Nick's head in her lap. She wrapped her arms round his head and pulled it in closer to her. No longer able to hold back, her tears came freely, soaking her cheeks and his lifeless head. After several minutes of uncontrollably agony, Judy's ears began to slowly raise up. Was that…a breath? She suddenly felt a small breeze of warm air across her ears.
Nick watched as the grey ball that could only have been Judy moved away slightly and heard what could have only been described as the laughter of a crazy mammal. She got the message! He let out a sigh of relief and continued to wake himself up. After a moment, the laughing stopped. Opening his eyes to see if he could tell what she was doing, he got a little worried when he couldn't see her. He felt his heart break when he saw the much larger figure standing over him.
Nick felt dread wash over his body as he watched the new figure reach down and apparently shake his motionless body. Then pick up, what was hopefully just an unconscious, Judy and walk away. Feeling the fear and anger take over his emotions, he forcefully pushed his body to regain consciousness. And after nearly an hour of straining, his eyes opened.
Taking several sharp breaths before being able to move he rolled over onto his stomach and slowly lifted himself up. Arms shaking from the strain of his own body weight. Nick moved himself to collect Judy's armor and placed it in his pack. Leaning on the door frame, his legs still wobbling, Nick looked out from his home. The bodies were gone from the night before. They had taken Judy, cleaned up their mess and left him to rot.
He could no longer sense the pull he had before. He tried getting his savage self to use its ability of seeing over the horizon to find her but nothing. She was gone truly gone. Nick fell to his knees no longer able to support himself. Overcome by the feeling of loss. Why? Why her? What did she do to deserve this? Breathing deeply through his nose to calm himself down, something catches his attention. Something in the air, that's familiar. Blood, sheep, ashes, earth, lavender? "BUNNY! JUDY!"
Nick took several more sniffs to confirm what he found. He started walking towards town the scent of Judy growing stronger the closer he got. Following his nose for most of the day, he found himself on the outskirts of Savanah Central. Judy's scent ending at large building with ten guards patrolling the outside. Nick could tell at least 4 were mages. The rest appeared to just be knights. He needed to come up with a diversion.
Seeing a Rhino with a holocaust cloak and a wolf pushing a wheelbarrow he got an idea.
After a bit of persuasion, the two agreed to help Nick by creating a diversion. It was starting to get dark and once the sun was down they would wait until the group was gathered together at the front of the building to guard the only entrance. Once gathered Nick motioned for the wolf and rhino to start.
The duo moves forward with the rhino wearing the holocaust cloak and he seems to be floating because he's standing in the wheelbarrow, as the wolf, hidden behind him, busts a gut by pushing it.
"I AM THE DREAD…" the rhino starts. Nick looks around to observe the sheep guarding the door. They appear to be a little startled. "…NO SURVIVORS. MY MEN ARE HERE, AND I…" the sheep start to look around trying to see who else might be with this ghostly apparition. "BUT SOON YOU WILL NOT BE HERE" Wow this guy's really laying it down Nick thought. Nick looked again and the sheep were starting to back away from the approaching ghoul. Nick reaches forward with a candle and lights the cloak on fire. "…TAKES NO SURVIVORS. ALL YOUR WORST NIGHTMARES…" Nick could see panic starting to set in on the group. "…IS HERE FOR YOUR SOULS!"
That did it. All the sheep fled before the fiery apparition that would surely haunt their dreams for some time. Nick thanked them both and ran for the entrance.
Stopping at the entrance, Nick read the sign on the door. PREY ONLY. Nick huffed in disgust and pushed the door open walking into the lobby. Having not seen the display outside, the guest were unimpressed by the fox that had just strolled into their private club. Nick's only reaction was not to react. His face only showed that of someone who was disinterested. Placing his hands behind his back, he slowly paced towards the main entrance of the club.
Nearly half way there a zebra stepped in front of him and blocked his path. "Where do you think you're going fox?" Nick looked up at the zebra and casually replied. "I'm simply looking for a friend."
"You don't have any friends here pred." The zebra countered.
"Sir, please I'm not AH!" Nick yelped as someone behind him stomped on his tail. Pulling the wounded appendage to his chest and cradling it in his arms. "Fine you want to…" CRACK! Someone broke a stick along the back side of his head sending him to the floor. Getting up on all fours, "Please…" he begged holding the back of his now bleeding skull. "You don't want to UMPH!" A kick to his torso sent him flying across the room and into the door. "Oh, I'm sure I do!" stated the zebra as he reached for the door handle.
About to open the door and literally kick the fox out of the club, he stopped when he heard a loud growl. Looking down the zebra was stupefied to see the fox standing staring up at him. Eyes as black and devoid of emotion as a moonless night. The zebra staggered backwards, startled by this change. The fox huffed as smoke began to roll out of his nostrils. He opened his mouth and licked his lips, causing saliva, that looked more like magma, to drip to the floor.
The fox's tail began to spark and crackle as it lit on fire. Every torch and candle in the room began to dim down to nearly be snuffed out. The black-eyed fox drew its dagger and the blade and handle extended to a fox length sword. Catching ablaze as he brandished it. Everyone in the room was too frightened to speak. The fox eyed the zebra that had been his abuser. Leaping forward the fox plunged the blade into the larger mammal's stomach. Twisting the blade and slicing to the side opening him up.
Leaving the dying creature behind and a room full of shocked speciest. He kicked up open the door to the main hall and strolled a few steps forward. The room grew silent as everyone took in the site of a fox standing in the middle of an inferno. He glanced around the room, not seeing what he was looking for, he spoke. His voice far deeper and darker than anything anyone had ever heard before, coming in heaved words almost as if it were difficult for him to speak.
"Where…is…JUDY!"
THE NEXT MORNING
The sun shining through the window like the room into a warm brightening light. Nick rolled onto his side to try and escape its torturous assault on his vision. Eye's still closed he started to yawn. Only to find he couldn't open his muzzle. Something was wrapped around it. He opened his eyes and horror filled his every fiber. Someone had muzzled him. Panic set in as he desperately clawed at the device the get it off. Kicked as he struggled he pushed himself off the bed and against one of the walls.
"NICK!" a voice called as he felt a small paw grab his shoulder. He turned around to see Judy standing behind some bars. "Judy" he said with a muffled voice as he reached forward through the bars and wrapped her in a hug.
"Ow! Easy slick." She gently pulled away and shifted to one side. Nick immediately released her and looked down, worried he had hurt her. Upon examining her he noticed her arm was wrapped in a sling.
"What happened?" he muffled.
"Here, let me get that." She spoke softly and reached behind his head releasing the muzzle so it would fall off him.
"Thanks." He said before stretching his jaw.
"You're welcome." Nick looked around the room to see where he was. He was in a cell and Judy was standing on the outside of it. Looking back at Judy he noticed her ears sagging behind her back and eyes were down cast.
"Carrots?" he spoke with concern in his voice. She looked up at him, sadness in her eyes. He leaned forward grabbing the bars and leaned his head as far through them as he could. "What did I do?"
NOTES!
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I did. My favorite part was writing Nick's dialogue with himself. I really hope I was able to convey the emotions he was feeling.