CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE:

A Feral Education

Once Logan had managed to herd all of them down the hall and into Marie/Rogues room, he then turned to see Cassie screaming into a pillow as she kicked her legs like a toddler with a tantrum.

The Wolverine rolled his eyes. How on EARTH did he manage to get himself into these kind of predicaments!?

Rogue sat down on the bed, safely away from Cassie's kicking feet, looking sympathetic. Jubilee popped her gum, leaning up against the wall, looking both amused and apprehensive; Clarisse had decided to ignore the whole ordeal and was pulling her homework out of her desk to begin a paper the Professor had assigned them, Jonsey was still in Logans arms, now looking at the scene with a mixture of curiosity and no-more fear (after all, he was away from the crowds like he had wanted and Logan was holding him) and Roddy was looking like he didn't know WHAT do to.

"It's not all that bad, sugah." Rogue tried to sooth, her southern voice all honey and blossoms. "It looks like Sabretooth isn't quite the monster we all thought him tah be."

Cassie stopped screaming into her pillow and looked up at the southern-belle. "Well, unless you're going to tell me that he HASN'T killed anyone, then I can't see how this can be any better!?"

Rogue was quiet for a minute; the only sounds were of breathing and Clarisses pen scratching out her report. "Ah've killed too, sugah."

Cassie froze, looking at the brunette with the white stripe. "In self-defense or on purpose?" she asked bluntly.

Rogue chewed her lower lip. "Accident, actually; when ah first got mah powers. Then on purpose…..self defense."

"That's different than killing for fun." Cassie stated stoutly.

Logan gave a low, commanding growl. It was no-where near Victors caliber, but it shut everyone up all the same and made them give him their full attention. "Looks like you need a crash course on ferals, darlin, and the difference between a mercenary and a serial killer."

"You're the one who said he was a serial killer." Cassie pointed out.

"And Sabretooth also told you he wasn't one." Logan countered. "But, like I said, first you need a crash-course on ferals."

The Canadian settled himself on the floor infront of the door Indian-style, Jonesy still in his arms. "Do you remember what the Professor told you in the car when you were first brought here?"

Cassie gritted her teeth together. "I'm too upset to remember much right now, to be honest."

Logan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, TRY to remember what I'm about ta tell ya. All feral mutants have animal like traits but Vic and I, well, from how I understand it, we're class five, as close to complete animal instincts you can get while still being human."

Despite her frustration, Cassie's well-seated curiosity was aroused. "Class five (5)? You mean there's a one, two, three and four?"

"Yeah, darlin. And class fives are the strongest. We've got the fastest healing abilities, the most enhanced senses, and the instincts to boot."

Cassie hugged the pillow she had been scream in close to her chest. "What kind of instincts?"

"The instincts to hunt and kill as well as the instincts to provide and protect. Remember how freaked out Vic was when ya cut your leg shaving?"

Cassie nodded.

"Vic, I mean Sabretooth, could smell your blood from clear across the campus, and he was DETERMINED to protect you," here Logans lips quirked. "even if it was just from a shaving razor."

Jubilees eyebrow quirked as she popped her gum. "What? 'Tooth went nuts when she cut herself shaving?"

Logan nodded sagely, eyes closed. "Yep. Came runn'n like the hounds of hades were after'em and slammed me right into a wall to get to her."

Rogue smiled at the mental image then looked to Cassie who also looked torn between her former frustration and amusement.

"The same thing's happened to me before, sugah." The southern belle informed her. "One time ah got a nose-blood in gym class. Ah know Logan was teach'n shop class at the time, and that's a ways away from the gym. Imagine mah surprise when he came barrel'n in, claws popped out, ready ta gut someone." She rose gracefully and went to sit beside Logan who was looking—was it even possible!?—slightly bashful. "Once he saw it was just a nose-bleed, he calmed down quite a bit, but he still made me leave gym class, give'n me his shirt ta hold up to mah nose and carried me ta the nurses office."

Logan cleared his throat gruffly. "The point is that Vic-Sabretooth would never hurt you, darlin."

"But he'll kill others….." Cassie said dryly.

"That's another thing about ferals you have ta understand." Logan said seriously. "The blood-lust. It's part of a ferals nature. We NEED the thrill of the chase, the hunt, it's as necessary as steam getting out of a boiling tea-kettle."

Cassie scowled, showing her own teeth (a feral move in itself.) "Believe it or not, I actually get a bit of that, really, I do, but why not just go HUNTING!? You don't have to kill a human being!"

Logan winced. He hadn't quite figured out that part himself, so he decided to skip over it for the time being. "Another thing is the difference between a mercenary and a serial-killer. A serial killer kills because he has a sick mind. He uses his own list of reasons, none of which are in the realm of reality, to kill people a certain way in a certain period of time. A mercenary is different. He's hired to take out those people who are a danger to society that no-one else can take out.

Now, I'm not trying to convince you that Vic-I mean Sabretooth's a snow white lamb." Logan shifted Jonesy gently on his lap so that Rogue could lean against his shoulder. "I'm just telling ya to give him a chance. According to him, he's never hut a woman or a child and I…..I'm starting to believe him."

Cassie narrowed her eyes. "He said he's never hurt a woman who didn't DESERVE it. Who is he to decide who does or doesn't deserve it!?"

"That's something ya need to ask him about." Logan advised. "But I don't think he just goes off half-cocked and kills people…..at least, I don't think that anymore. The people who hire mercenaries have REASONS for hire'n them and that's all I'm gonna say on that subject for the moment.

To sum everything up, I think ya need to give Vic a chance. Every instinct in him, and I believe his are WAY stronger than mine, is screaming at him ta keep you warm, dry, fed, safe, and comfortable." Logan glanced sideways at Rogue quickly, not mentioning that he knew this because this was exactly how he wanted to keep his southern belle, he was just better at hiding his animal. Victor practically WAS his animal, or at least his was almost always front and center. "You could also think of it, I guess, kind of like a multiple personality disorder."

Everyones eyes (minus Jonsesys and Roddys) went huge.

Cassie gaped at him and so did Rogue.

"Okay, Wolvie, are you trying to get her to GIVE him a chance or get her to commit him, because 'serial-killer-with-multiple-personality-disorder' isn't exactly date-night material." Jubilee commented, eyes wide and mirth bubbling.

Logan growled at her. "As I was saying, myself and my animal, the Wolverine, we're actually kinda like separate personalities. Sometimes my animal comes out but, generally I can keep ahold on'em. USE him. Kind of like a alter-ego. Victor is so much his Sabretooth that it isn't really his alter-ego, and you need to learn to figure that out, how to live with him."

Cassie looked scared. "You make it sound like this is permanent!?"

"If it was, would it be such a bad thing?" Logan asked. "You couldn't be safer. Sure, he's a little rough around the edges, but, give him a chance. Do you think you could do that?"

Cassie chewed her lower lip. "I need to think…..I, I need to absorb all this."

Logan nodded. "Yah have time, darlin. And Vic, as you're mate, should be able to give ya time. If he doesn't, you tell me. But you have to at least TRY. We'll be behind you all the way."

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THANK YOU LORD FOR HELPING ME WITH THIS CHAPTER!