AN: Story's Shadow and I have returned for another chapter of Foxes Of War. Please let us know what you all think. I'd also love to give a shout-out to Story's Shadow for his latest review on his YouTube cannel 'Lost in the Story with Jeremy Mize' where I was invited on as a guest critic for his latest review on the 2011 film "Moneyball" I'd recommend our readers please check it out and support my good friends channel.
-Secret Warriors' base-
Daisy and Gwen had made their way to more remote part of the base, far from the ears of their Fox friends. The former sighed as she leaned against a wall while Gwen was halfway up the wall across from her friend while sitting. The arachnid heroine tapped her fingers.
"I don't like going behind Vixen's back like this."
"I don't either. But we both know something's up with Vulpine."
Gwen shook her head and groaned.
"If we're right about him, Vixen's gonna be devastated."
Daisy nodded and shook her head.
"I know...but it'll be worse if we don't do anything to possibly prevent what who knows what will happen."
Gwen rubbed her arms.
"What do we do?"
"It's gonna be hard to sneak around him...even with our training."
Gwen scoffed.
"Yeah, Fox ears and all."
The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent paced back and forth.
"We might have to ask one of the magic users S.H.I.E.L.D. is in contact with to study the magic going on and if there are any links to Vulpine. While we move carefully to try to study him...these other survivors will be a problem. When we capture them, we can interrogate them about Vulpine. If we can capture anyone that may have more knowledge on Vulpine, it's them."
"Yeah, and boy do they hate him. Did you see what that wolf guy did to him?"
"We'll just need to train harder. We can't let them slow us down."
"Still...don't you think we should bring some of the others in on this?"
Daisy rubbed the back of her neck.
"I'm not exactly sure we're not the only ones who don't trust him. We have to keep this between the two of us."
"What about three?"
Daisy and Gwen almost flinched as they turned in the direction of the voice. Rayshaun held his hands up.
"Sorry...didn't mean to sneak up on you like this."
Daisy smirked.
"It seems Cap's training has really helped."
Rayshaun chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I'm no ninja, but his guidance has been a blessing."
Gwen crossed her arms.
"So, what do you think?"
The young man sighed.
"When I'm training with Cap, he's always telling me to trust my instincts...and be true to what I feel is right...and Vulpine?"
He turned back in the direction they'd all came from before he turned back to his friends.
"That dude's been giving me bad vibes. Been showing warning signs since day one."
The two young women nodded.
-Vixen's Quarters-
Vixen and Vulpine sat on the former's bed. Vixen ran one hand down one of Vulpine's arms, the bandages were still bloodied and the Fox grunted and winced at her touch.
"Sorry!"
"It's ok...just still hurts. Metatron didn't really hold back."
"I still can't believe it...one of our people willing to hurt their own...this war...it has to stop."
Vulpine chuckled lightly.
"If only."
Vixen hugged him, gently. Vulpine sighed as the pain subsided quickly and wrapped his arms around her. Vixen looked at him.
"So much has happened...in this world...with my friends...with us."
Vulpine smiled, moving a red hair away from her face.
"Not all bad, I hope?"
Vixen chuckled.
"I would hope Onaju would be pleased with what we're trying to work towards. And...I know Sensija would be pleased with what's happened between us these nights."
Her grin was met with a kiss from Vulpine. They both sighed as they part. Despite Vixen's desire to continue, she stood up from the bed and paced around for a bit and stopped.
"Is there anything else about Metatron, Cassandra, and Jacob that you may have forgotten to have told the others?"
Vulpine sighed.
"I don't believe so...you've heard what I've said. They wanted to destroy the invaders some much that they didn't care how they went about it. As long as the enemy was defeated, they used any means necessary to do so."
Vixen shook her head.
"That may be...but...but I don't want to fight our own people! Maybe we can convince them that there's another way! Give them a chance to atone for their mistakes!"
Vulpine sighed.
"Your hope is touching...but misplaced."
"Huh?"
"Even though I was tasked with stopping them...I tried several times to reason with them. That their methods were wrong...what they were capable of doing when directed in the right way would've helped our people more than what they were doing so. But they cast off my attempts for reform and redemption. Every time I tried, it backfired...every...time. So now, we have to stop them...even if it comes to what I was ultimately tasked with."
"...Wha...What do you mean?"
Vulpine sighed and stood up. He walked over to her.
"Are you willing to do anything it takes to stop them?"
"Yes."
"Even if it means killing them?"
Vixen's eyes widened.
"What?"
Vulpine sighed.
"When their methods became too destructive and reason clearly didn't work, my commanding officers gave me the hard task of ending them."
"...I might despise them from all you've told me...but they deserve judgment. Justice, not vengeance must be served. If we execute them without giving them a chance, we're no better than you say they are."
Vulpine shook his head.
"If that your thoughts?...Or your...your 'father's'? And his race's thoughts?"
Vixen's ears lowered and she sighed, pulling away from him.
"Have I told you the story of the civil war that occurred in their realm?"
Vulpine shook his head.
"A faction of his race attempted a coup, having a warped view of their duty and trying to enact a new regime to realize that goal...many were lost in that conflict. Eventually they were defeated and imprisoned, those that were left. Even after all the the traitor and his followers had done, he...they were still granted a fair trial. They were those who though an eternity incarcerated wasn't justice for all the suffering they brought, but they wanted to show mercy and justice...something the traitor didn't full understand anymore."
Vulpine sighed.
"We'll see if Metatron will take you up on that."
He exited her room, as Vixen watched him leave and sat on her bed.
"...God...help me...please."
-Private Part Of The Base, Several Minutes Later-
Vulpine sat down in the corner of a room, eyes on the wall across from him. Though his vision was upon what was in front of him...his mind was elsewhere.
'I served Imperious for so long...through so much...and I still do...soon he will be in command of this world and all those he seeks...but what then?'
One hand ran through his hair as he looked at the ceiling.
'He continues to send his armies to fight and conquer...I still believe in his vision...for what he believes the cosmos should be...and yet...'
His mind went back to the memories of what he saw the soldiers of his masters enacted on his people. Seeing the bodies of both soldiers that died bravely for their world and people...and bodies of civilians dead in that tried to escape or hide from the fighting. He shook his head, his memory going to what Metatron had said to him.
'Maybe, the old Wolf was right...about the killing...maybe I should've convinced my master to take command of my home in a different way...maybe through words...not swords...'
Vulpine lowered his head.
'...Maybe I did fail...I should've done more to help my world and his majesty...but it's too late now...'
He looked at his hands, they shook. His hands hadn't shaken when he took part in aiding Wraith in the conquest of his world, they didn't shake when Metatron confronted him on this new world. But now they did?
'...Maybe...Maybe I should ask Imperious to relieve me of my duty to him. I helped him take control of my world...surely that is payment enough? To start a new life."
His thoughts then went to Vixen and a small smile shaped onto his face.
'So vibrant, so passionate...full of life...perhaps with her...maybe I can find happiness...to live peacefully at last...maybe even now...maybe the Gods would bless a union between us?"
Vulpine's heart beat faster at this thought as he pondered all this in silence and solitude.
To Be Continued...
AN: Please tell us what you all think: Can Vulpine truly leave the iron grip of the Dragon Emperor, or will there be one final price to pay for such a blessing from Imperious?