``Hey Fenris?'' The young white furred bunny in simple traveler's leathers asked the large feral black wolf beside her, about five times her size. The dust of the dirt and stone path catching the evening light of sunset as they walked their way to the nearest town.
``Yes Kani?'' The gruff primal voice of the large Jet-black wolf responded. He wasn't sure what his rabbit companion was going to ask. She was still young, about 6, and always asked Fenris many silly questions on how the world worked. Fenris tried to answer these questions, but he always thought he answered them poorly. He didn't think of himself as a very smart wolf.
``Ummm...'' Kani the young white rabbit gave an awkward pause, looking up to the hunched wolf by her side. It was slowly becoming evident to Fenris this might not be the child's usual question as to why the sky is blue or why is water wet.
Fenris stopped in the middle of the path and looked down to see the nervous bunny. ``You can ask me anything Kani. I promise I won't dismiss you.'' Fenris encouraging the bunny with a healthy smile. Sometimes she had a hard time finding the confidence in herself to ask silly questions. He found it was always best to encourage her curious mind.
Kani looked up to Fenris to meet the large black wolf's gaze, seemingly undeterred by their different stature.
``Ummm... Um... Why haven't you eaten me?''
The young rabbit's question sounding innocent, as if the alternative was obvious. She simply didn't have a clue as to why her wolf companion hadn't eaten her up. She had known him her whole life, she could never imagine him actually doing such a thing to her. But still the thought lingered in her brain as they walked quietly on this dusty path. Surely he would eat her if he was really really hungry.
Fenris' expression went wide. He was expecting a silly question that would carry a million more silly questions as follow up. He would rather answer them all than this one. Fenris sighed and kept walking, leaving Kani a few paces behind. ``I'm not going to eat you Kani.'' The wolf's words sounding reassuring but dismissive. It was hard for Fenris to admit, but he didn't want Kani to worry about things like this, he felt like a monster just for her thinking about those things.
``Yeah, but why?'' The tone of the young rabbit drawing out the last word as she scurried up to her wolf friend. ``You eat other folk when you are really really hungry...'' She seemed to be much more cheerful about the question, not noticing how uncomfortable it made Fenris. In the way a child doesn't realise the question they asked was rather taboo.
``Because I don't want to Kani.'' The large black wolf barely looking back to the young rabbit struggling to keep pace with him. It seemed this question really got under his fur. ``And I don't want to hear any more questions on the matter.'' The wolf holding his head up high until the pitter patter of little bunny paws stopped in front of him.
``Ugh. You said you weren't going to dismiss me!'' Kani now standing in front of Fenris' path, blocking him. The large wolf towering over her, his face pointed to meet hers. Despite all the questions on the topic, if he wanted to eat her right now, he very well could, then he wouldn't have to answer the question. The spectacle of a defiant white rabbit standing up to a large feral black wolf against a setting sun was witnessed by nobody.
``I said drop it!'' Fenris growled, rearing his sharp white teeth to the little defiant bunny. Her eyes went wide, reflecting his own face in her large, black saucer eyes. Kani's expression immediately faltered, it was hard to stay defiant to a growling beast a number of times bigger than you. Kani immediately tensed up and jolted in response to Fenris's demeanour. Fenris started to see tears in her eyes form in the pause right before the little rabbit darted away off the path and into the nearby woods that skirted the road. Flush with shrubbery.
Fenris stood there shocked for a moment, realising what he had just done. He took a moment to recover as he turned his head to witness Kani dart right under the forest brush before disappearing out of sight. ``Kani, No! I'm Sorry. Wait!'' The wolf pleaded to the scared bunny running for her life, but it fell on deaf ears. Kani's instincts were to run, but luckily Fenris was made to chase.
Kani didn't fully understand why she was running, it simply felt like the best thing to do. She was suddenly so scared of her friend Fenris that she wasn't sure what to do. She never once thought she was in any real danger, she just knew Fenris was really mean for scaring her. All she wanted to do was ask a simple question, but Fenris' response left her scared and confused. That combination made her run, jump, duck and hide deep into the forest as fast as her little bunny legs could take her. Once she found what she felt was a safe space, that was when she could no longer hold back tears as she began silently crying in a ditch beside an especially soft patch of moss.
It didn't take long for Fenris to decide to chase the little rabbit, it was instinct. He saw Kani dash into the shrubs on all fours and attempted to follow, but that girl was very quick and sneaky, if she didn't want to be seen she wasn't going to. But Fenris didn't need to see her. Fenris brought his nose close to the ground right where he last saw Kani. He could smell the faint breeze of animals, the subtle smell of broken plants, and the strong smell of recent bunny. Of Kani. The smell was unmistakeable. He had put her scent into a high priority in his mind's scent bank, and it was always refreshed since he spent so much time with her. She was the easiest prey animal for him to track.
Fenris followed his nose, as the scent drew him closer and closer to a small shrub by a ditch. He paused for a moment, hearing the soft sobs of Kani nearby. He felt immensely guilty as he brought his sniffing nose right to the young rabbit's body. He looked down to see a grumpy, tearful, and guilty looking rabbit. A young girl with a large mix of emotions, all overwhelming. Without a word, Fenris simply flopped down beside her, his large imposing wolf form, while still large, much less threatening. A moment passed as the two sat next to each other at odds. Until Fenris apologised once more.
``I'm sorry Kani... I'm not a very good wolf.'' Fenris looked as defeated as Kani, he looked as close to crying as Kani had ever seen. This didn't help in making her feel better.
Through sniffles Kani spoke. ``You didn't... Have to be... So, scary...'' the young bunny wept. ``I was just... asking a question...'' the small white rabbit instinctively face planting into Fenris' fluffy black furred side and took comfort in crying into his fur.
``I know Kani, I know... I'm very sorry I scared you. I shouldn't have dismissed you.'' Fenris' voice holding strong. He felt his voice waver as he tried to speak. He didn't want to show Kani how weak he was by crying. He needed to protect her; he couldn't do that if he was weak. He couldn't do that if he scared her.
Sniffling in some wolf fur tickled Kani's nose, reminding her how close she was to this very protective wolf. She was young but understood emotions well beyond her years. She knew Fenris was hurting, she felt bad for that. ``No, it's ok Fenris...'' the words Kani spoke were not convincing. Fenris felt she was just saying it to make him feel better.
``No, it Isn't Kani'' The wolf spoke more forcefully, making sure not to teach Kani that his behaviour was ok. Nobody should treat her like he just did. Fenris sighed. ``I am just not a good wolf.'' Fenris muttered to himself, not wanting to be heard by Kani and more wanting to comfort himself. Although nothing got past those sensitive rabbit ears.
``But you are a good wolf!'' Kani wouldn't let her friend be sad. ``You said you're sorry. It's just that you can be a bit scary sometimes. Plus, I shouldn't have run away. You are a good wolf.'' Her voice picked up. It was one thing to be sad and scared, but seeing Fenris completely flopped down, doing everything he could to try and make her feel better, certainly reminded her that Fenris could never hurt her. Now all she needed to do was cheer him up. She could already see his tail slightly wag as she told him he was a good wolf. His body was still very motionless and depressed, however.
``No, I'm not a good wolf. I wasn't ever supposed to be a good wolf.'' Fenris tried to clarify. Kani just tilted her head quizzically.
``What do you mean supposed to? Are you supposed to be a bad wolf?'' Kani was very confused at how her guardian she had known all her life was supposed to be bad. In fact, she had only ever known him as a wolf that catches bad guys for money, that's how they lived. how could he be bad?
Fenris thought over his last sentence very carefully. He did just dismiss her last big question, and he wasn't going to do that anytime soon. Perhaps it was time to tell her, maybe she was old enough to know.
``Kani?'' Fenris asked the recently crying bunny.
``Yes Fenris?'' the bunny's response equally questioned.
``I think you are old enough to know...'' The wolf curled in around Kani as he began to tell a story, right here in the mossy ditch as the sun set. His heart felt heavy. He wasn't sure how Kani was going to react, but he was going to make the most of it by cuddling up to this bunny to which he had become very attached. He could only hope that this story didn't hurt her.
My first clear memory in this world isn't a good one, but it's one of my strongest. It was dark. I was one wolf pup in a box of wolf puppies, all different shades. All looked like me. Suddenly there was light as I was tossed into a large dirt pit. I remember seeing all these different creatures around me, mostly my fellow wolf pups, but there were larger beasts. Tigers, bears, foxes, lions, and even other wolves, all tied to the wall with metal chains, lazing about with uninterested gazes. I was barely old enough to think, but all I remember was fear.
I was right to feel that. It wasn't soon before the wandering legs of what I assume was my litter mates began to approach the large unknown beasts. We didn't know any better, we were just pups. A particularly adventurous grey pup approached the lion ahead, he had no concept of danger. As soon as he was within the limit of the lion's chain. The lion simply pounced forward and swallowed the pup whole, without even a second thought. It was then that my fellow litter understood danger.
My litter panicked. The whole group of pups scattered about the pit barking, but I stood still. Frozen. As I watched each and every one of those pups get swallowed by every one of those beasts. I know they weren't malicious, something in the way they looked at me, it was nothing but hunger. Finally, a bear approached me, the last of the litter left. The rest of the animals had their fill. As the bear approached, I did the only think I could, I tried my very hardest barking to scare off the large brown mass. But it was no use. Despite the fight I gave he cared not for this small defenceless creature's wishes. It was only once the bear loomed over me that I heard a loud intricate whistle ring across the pit. The bear stopped.
In fact, all the beasts did. I looked around, confirming that I was the only wolf pup alive. As I saw a bunny enter the pit, clad in plate armour. Every single one of the beasts averted their gaze from his presence as they slinked back into their own cages in the pit. The bear salivating above me turning away begrudgingly as the rabbit approached. That was the moment I met your father Kani.
*
``Woah! What? You knew my dad?'' Kani had never heard such a thing before. She just knew that she was an orphan and never really thought that she had parents before. It made sense though when she really thought about how she must have had a mum and dad at some point though.
``Yes, I did.'' Fenris' simple yet pained response came through.
``Well, what was he like? Did you know my mum too? Where was all of this?'' Kani continued to ask a million questions at once. She was back to her usual curious self it seemed during Fenris' story time.
``I'll get to it in a bit Kani, you will have to be patient. No more interrupting, ok?'' Fenris was glad Kani wasn't frightened by the story so far. Hopefully the rest of the story didn't either.
``Ok, I'll be quiet'' Kani leaned back into Fenris like a pillow.
``Alright where was I...''
*
This armour-clad white rabbit approached me, walking on two feet unlike the rest of these animals. I can't describe to you just how relieved I was. He picked me up and took me out of the pit, I was so thankful in that moment. But that was short lived. The next thing I can remember was being placed inside a solid metal cage or box. There was no light, barely any room for me to move. I was very quickly frightened about what might happen to me next. It felt like days that I was in that box, but I couldn't tell you if that was the truth. All I knew was that I was alone and that I was getting hungrier.
The sound of a metal panel sliding awoke me. A different rabbit's paw reached down into the box. I could smell something. The paw held onto a small brown mouse that was placed gently inside the box, then closed the sliding panel on the way out. I looked down to the mouse before me.
I recognised something.
I recognised myself.
I saw this small brown mouse in the middle of a beast's cage wondering what to do, what was going to happen. I already knew. I was too hungry to fight the urge. I looked up to see if the paw was still there. It wasn't. Then without any more hesitation I lunged forward. Grabbed the mouse between my teeth and before they could react, I swallowed. I still remember that mouse's taste. So sweet, so filling. It was from that moment I knew that I could survive. That feeling was everything.
I spent a lot of time in that box. I was occasionally let out by some strange rabbit here or there, but for the most part I stayed there. Almost forgotten. They fed me small animals, squirrel, mice, hamsters. Anything I could swallow. It became a force of habit to swallow the prey as quickly as possible, I was so hungry. Eventually they gave up on placing the small prey into the cage and simply placed them inside my awaiting maw each time. They fed me each day, nightly, on the hour. I became accustomed to the schedule and would be ready for each meal. I would have swallowed probably hundreds of small rodents in that metal box. Eventually they weren't enough, each little squirrel or mouse wouldn't satiate my hunger, I was becoming too big for my cage.
*
Fenris looked over to Kani, listening in intently as he described the story. He wanted to make sure he wasn't scaring her, far from it. She was listening with as much wonder as a child could possibly give to a bedtime story as he described how he swallowed his prey. It was also quickly becoming night, she cuddled up further into his fur as she stayed wide awake listening to this tale.
*
Eventually, they moved me from my cage into another pit. Not the one I was already familiar with, but a smaller, more tidy, stone floor pit. I looked around the pit, I was surprised to see other wolves, foxes, feline, bears, even some other predator animals. All were around my size; most were even smaller than me, younger than me. This time I knew I wasn't the food.
The animals that were moving us about, telling us what to do, commanding us how to act were all mostly rabbits, some sheep, some deer, all walking on two feet. I remember the rabbit looking after me was a young woman with patchy white and brown fur. Your father, however, was the one telling them what to do. He would walk around and tell us what to do, tell our handlers what to do. No animal would ask questions, it seemed they all feared him. Respected him.
I remember feeling strong in this newfound group. Seeing all the other predators were barely even my size. I remember thinking that I was not in any danger in this new environment. It wasn't long before it was feeding time. With a whistle from your father, all the handlers left the pit. As a single cage full of mice was dropped into the ring. It was also clear that this wasn't every animal's first time in the pit. Most of the predators stayed seated as the cage was lowered, not moving a muscle. I followed their lead. Eventually another whistle range out and the cage was opened, and mice flooded out, scattering across the floor.
It was at this moment that we all showed off just how wild and hungry we all were. We were very clearly wild animals. We all rushed towards the cage at the whistle and tried to eat our fill. There looked like there was nowhere near enough mice to feed us all. I can't remember how many mice I ate, but I do remember the last one I chased. I no longer thought about how I began just like this mouse, instead I just chased. Not wanting to go hungry, and this mouse would help me. That was until I saw the grey mouse run right into the path of a young feral fox. All that hard work, all for nothing as the fox took him down and gulped him without so much as an offer. Simply stealing my prey that I had worked for. I became truly primal. I didn't faulter from my path. I was chasing the mouse but now I had a new prey. The young feral fox before me.
They didn't even notice me; they were busy with their snout up swallowing down my mouse. I jumped up and pounced down right on top of them. Engulfing their snout into mine. They couldn't move as I pinned their sitting form firmly into the ground, helping me swallow them. I could feel them filling my throat, it was the most satisfying meal I had eaten in a while. Another intricate whistle rang out in the pit. All the other predators stopped their chasing and eating and sat at attention. All but me. I couldn't let this fox go, I wanted to swallow them. I looked over to see your father walking over to me, his expression hard to read.
I sat down and lifted the fox up, their splayed legs on display to the whole pit. I swallowed again, and again, with the aid of gravity feeling them struggle until they were finally in my stomach. Their high-pitched foxy whines audible through my belly was the only thing that matched the rabbits clanking armour as he approached. I immediately looked down at the ground and averted my gaze from the approaching rabbit. I was unsure what he was going to do with me.
He stood next to me, above me. ``What did you call him?'' The rabbit seemed to ask my brown and white furred rabbit keeper.
``Fenris...'' she seemed to speak with some sort of fear and apprehension.
``Good boy Fenris.'' Were your fathers first words to me Kani. I couldn't help it, but my tail began to wag. These were the first words of praise anybody had ever said to me, and it was for devouring a fox. I was so pleased with myself, feeling that fox struggle in my gut. I wanted to make your father proud again.
It was from this moment that it seemed the folk that ran this pit took a liking to me. They began to take me out of my cage more and more and began to feed me by hand. They would teach me what not to do by not feeding me, and what to do by throwing me a feral squirrel as a treat. Looking back, it was demeaning. But at the time, following their commands, getting fed as a reward. It gave me purpose.
Eventually they started feeding me more and more interesting meals. I had become used to the small prey, but they upgraded me to young feral sheep, lamb, and deer. Those were the big rewards at the end of a long day of learning tasks, training to jump when told, to bite when told, to swallow when told, obeying my masters. This continued, I enjoyed my tasks, my purpose, my treats. But one night something interesting changed. They didn't feed another lamb or fawn. They fed me a tied up, bound and gagged, civilised dear. One that would walk on two legs if they could. My whole upbringing, I had been trained and taught that any civilised folk was off limits. I think that was their first mistake. They showed me that they were just as much food as any other animal. Of course, I wasn't going to bite the hand that feeds me. But more often than not they began to feed me more and more civilised folk. Rabbits, sheep, foxes, deer, squirrels, all civilised.
With these bigger meals it wasn't long before I was towering over my handlers, they didn't need to worry though. They knew they had me wrapped around their fingers. I was gladly doing their shady deeds and simple commands. One day your father returned to me. Looking over all the beasts that belonged to these rabbits he chose me. He picked me over every other beast here to be his mount. It felt as though my purpose was finally being fulfilled. He put a saddle on me, wreathed me in armour, and rode me around like a simple steed. All of this training, all of this work had paid off, I was his chosen mount. I felt purpose again.
I learnt a lot of things while under your father's command. I learnt he was the mastermind of this of this operation. He was the commander general of the entire kingdom of Lapikon. He was not the king, but certainly a very important man. He was tasked with protecting and expanding the kingdom and did so with his army of beast knights. Of which it seemed I was going to be the lead example.
There was down time of course, but often I was kept in the pits. A different pit once I was selected. A pit I knew, the pit I first remember. I didn't feel particular distain for this environment, my fellow predators were all about as big as me, all were certainly older. They fed us how I remembered, a box of animals into the centre of the pit. Usually, a feral group of sheep or cattle. It was a few years like this. Helping the general with his missions, mostly just as a show force to the nearby settlements to keep them paying their tax, but sometimes I was able to wet my teeth with more dangerous missions. At the end of each I was always returned to my pit, with plenty of food to satiate me.
After some time, that changed. After a particularly long bout of time sitting in this pit, not taken out for jobs with the general. Simply lazing about like all the other predators, a new tiger was added to the pit. By your fathers hands. I can't begin to describe the betrayal I felt, seeing him walk in with another armour-clad mount while I sat in the pit lethargic. I could barely contain my anger. Of course, every beast within the pit was still a mount for someone within the army. But my master had replaced me it seemed. I felt like I lost my purpose. He still kept riding me sometimes after that point, but I could feel that these were simply from pity. My new tasks were mostly just parading around the grounds of the kingdom as some sort of living parade float.
I eventually grew to resent my fellow beast within the pit, always fighting with them over food. I became a simple beast as I had been designed to be. It wasn't until one day at feeding time that I broke. It was a simple box like always, by some unnamed handler. Your father wasn't even there. But as the box was placed and removed. What remained was a small pile of wolf puppies. I couldn't believe it; this was the 2nd time I saw my reflection in my food. This time not a scared mouse. This time a scared puppy. I stood shocked for a moment. I couldn't believe what my owners were putting me through. But my fellow beast did not care, they simply saw food and meandered to the pile. I watched as the tiger next to me simply picked up a puppy and swallowed. I snapped. I broke. So did my chain. I lunged forward to the tiger, but it was ultimately for nothing. They had already swallowed the puppy, and so had the others. Still, I attacked them, biting down onto the tiger as hard as I could, but I was quickly outnumbered by the other beasts. Its was much of a blur at this point, the sound of metal clanging, the roars and whimpers of beasts. The next thing I can remember clearly once the adrenaline died down was running through a forest, chain dangling behind me with many cuts and bruises along my body. I must have fled.
I wasn't sure if anyone was chasing me, but I felt I needed to leave. Get as far away from that place as I possibly could. I roamed the wilds for as long as I could, never stopping once, walking as far as my body would take me. I eventually found a clearing in the forest, finding a vast and open plains. With a single house on the top of a hill. I don't know why, but I felt drawn to that place. Perhaps there was a faint smell of food, I was so tired and delirious I didn't even question my motivation. But that final trudge up that hill finally broke my sleepless daze with some much-needed rest. I collapsed right outside that cottage door.
I wasn't sure how long I was out, but when I awoke, I was in an unfamiliar bed, in the living room of this small home, a blanket on me. I heard shuffling in the kitchen first, the sounds of pots and pans and a steady fire. Until I heard the voice of an older lady speak.
``Ah, you woke up!'' she sounded surprised.
I couldn't help but growl in response. I knew what words were, but I wasn't sure how to speak them.
``Oh, hush you! You're alright. It's not like I'm the one who's going to eat you. Haha.'' She revealed herself as she rounded a corner. A hunched old mole lady with a rather kind smiling face. She had a damp towel in her hand. ``Now you sit still, this might sting a little.'' Was her only warning as she patted down my wounds. It stung, but immediately felt better.
I was unsure how to react in this situation. I wasn't in any real state to object. So, I just laid there as she attended to me. I was the largest thing in her living room. I barely fit on the large mat she had placed down in her living room, I barely fit in the living room even. After a moment of silence, I was able to muster up my first attempt at speech. ``Frrgrrr-ank yewww.'' It was rather embarrassing, but it seemed that she didn't mind.
``hahaha, well I can tell you are not much of a talker, huh? It's quite alright dear, no need to thank me.'' Her words were wise and soft, there was no hint of fear in her voice. I hadn't been spoken to in a comforting manner my entire life. My tail began to wag. It was a comfort I was greatly missing.
Granny Luomi, as I knew to call her from that moment onwards looked after me. Much in the same way I look after you Kani. She taught me to speak. Taught me to read. I never really could manage to write. She put me on errands, made me earn my keep. She always seemed to need help doing something. Mostly she sent me to nearby towns to grab her things. I learnt that most folk weren't happy with seeing a feral wolf waltz into their town or general store. But granny Luomi taught me how to be graceful, most altercations were quickly resolved with the gold that Luomi gave me. Eventually all the nearby towns knew me as the friendly wolf I tried to be. Of course, I still needed to eat, but being in the middle of the forest granny Luomi had plenty of feral deer and rabbit in the nearby woods.
*
Fenris tried to keep the descriptions of eating rabbit to a minimum while explaining the story to the curious Kani. He didn't want to mention how often he had eaten them while being the general's mount. Feral or civilised. But he felt the topic was nearly unavoidable. Kani didn't seem to mind as he mentioned it, it was a fact she already knew, hence her initial question. She still listened on intently. By now the two had even setup a small fire and some bedding while they discussed Fenris' past.
*
One day in a far town Granny Luomi sent me to, I was approached by a sheriff. A civilised racoon. I guess he could relate to the stigma of a predator in a civilised world. He asked me how I made a living and if I wanted to make some more gold. I initially rejected the offer, but when I told granny Luomi she talked me into taking it. Supposedly she knew and trusted that sheriff. Plus, in her words she wanted me to ``Spread my wings. Get my feet wet.'' She said that I wasn't the little broken bird I once was. I agreed.
The sheriff gave me simple tasks at first, telling me to wrangle some critters that had skipped town while under investigation for a robbery. Petty theft of some kind. Deciding they would rather break the law then pay a few gold for a pack of rations. Turns out most jobs I was given were very similar in nature. You would be surprised at how often groups of critters throw their life away just to skimp out a poor working man. Eventually he started giving me more dangerous tasks. He knew I was overqualified for even these. It turns out the skills I had been trained in swallowing animals made me perfect at the task of brining back folk, dead or alive. Whatever the sheriff decided. I was paid pretty well. Most folk in the nearby towns knew me as the friendly bounty hunter wolf I was becoming.
Eventually my hunts took me further and further away from Luomi. I would still find the time to send her messages. Someone was always willing to write for me. She would always write back. She was the reason I wasn't dead in a ditch somewhere. She was the reason I was able to live my life. It was her kindness that directed me. And I could use my skills for good. I would always write to her. she would always write me back...
*
Kani could tell Fenris was trying to keep his composure as he spoke. The awkward silence as he spoke about the letters, they shared held strong. She knew he was a strong and stoic wolf. But she also knew just how much he could care.
*
But eventually, while I was far away from her home. The letters stopped returning. A terrible feeling washed over me. I dropped my current bounty. I dropped the friends I had made. I left to return home. I feared the worst. My fears were not unfounded.
I still remember the sight of her home, blood spilled along the stone floors of her cottage. The sickly scent of iron throughout. I could smell rabbit blood, familiar blood. I could smell mole blood. Her blood. My fears were correct, the only thing that could possibly be taken away from me was. She must have put up one hell of a fight for an old lady, but she was gone. Taken by the very rabbits I was running away from. I could smell him.
Fury didn't even begin to describe it. I was hellbent. I needed to find her, I had to believe I could help her. It was the only thing that stopped me from breaking. I left as soon as I could, following the trail of rabbit and mole scent towards my birthplace. The Lapikon kingdom.
I followed without rest, running that terrifying journey in reverse. Eventually the scent trail grew cold, but I knew the way. I followed that path until I was greeted with a familiar sight. The old stables I grew up in. It was dark by the time I arrived, but rabbits were still walking around doing their jobs lit by torchlight. I couldn't smell that your father. However, a familiar scent did catch my nose. The scent of my old trainer.
She was standing alone by a solid metal cage. A box. The same one I grew up it. She was simply standing beside it; I can't remember what task she was doing. All I remember was her shocked expression as she turned around to see me right before I pinned her to the ground. The adrenaline was still coursing through my blood. I placed my paw over her mouth swiftly as I asked her where Luomi was, and warned her if she screamed, she knew what would happen.
``I swear I don't know what you are talking about, please I don't know...'' the brown and white rabbit pleaded in a quiet whimper.
``The mole.'' I spoke calmly through my sharp teeth. She claimed she still didn't know. I began to place her hind legs into my maw as my front paw placed itself on her back. ``Well, where is the general then?''
``Kormak?'' She seemed a little confused. Likely she didn't play a large role in the general's plans.
``Keep talking.'' I helped her remember by placing her legs back into my mouth. Talk she did.
``I don't know, I don't know. Um, um. Please, um. I think he has land north of the city. Outside the city walls. A large estate'' She sunk deeper into my throat with each passing word, feeling her struggling feet down in my chest. ``Please that's all I know. It's the largest estate, it has a vineyard. If you follow the outer walls, you will find it. Please let me go. Please.'' I could begin to feel her breath from inside my own maw, her rapid breathing brush against my teeth. If I was in any better mood, I would likely have let her go. But I was furious. Besides, I thought back to when she had been the very hand that fed me all my meals. Countless squirrels, countless mice, even some civilised rabbits, deer, and sheep. She was there for them all. But now she got to be the last morsel that she would ever feed me. She kept pleading from inside my throat as I finally swallowed her. I had gotten the information I needed. My vision still glassy from rage, I wandered north to find this general's estate.
It didn't take me long to find Kormak's opulent estate. Large grape vine rows visible as I quietly approached. The night covering me in a blanket I had become accustomed to. Four guards were posted outside. These guards were not ready for a wolf more then three times their size to strike them. I made quick work of them, their field plate barely protecting them from my bites. I didn't even consider eating them, I felt I didn't have time. They didn't even have time to call for reinforcements, the only hint that something was awry was the snuffing of their torchlight. If Luomi was alive I had to be quick.
I barged my way in through the manor's wooden doors. The screams of rabbits from within rang loud. It was clear that there were many animals in this home, all unprepared for a wolf to enter. They all scrambled. The first eyes I met were a young grey bunny's, dressed in a squaller brown dress, standing at the base of a grand stairway. She stared at me, frozen still. I am regretful to say, but in that moment of rage I merely pounced forward and devoured the young girl whole. Without a second of reflection. It was clear she was a maid, but I barely thought in this moment. Sniffing the air, I sensed the general's presence upstairs and continued my rampage.
I was next met with another bunny. This time a pure white boy in fine clothes with his back turned from me, running down a rugged wooden hallway towards a large, closed door. He smelled like the general. It didn't take me long to catch up with him. Eating him while he tried to run, seemingly to his father's quarters. His struggles were barely noticeable as he entered my stomach. The large, dark wood, ornate wooden door with gold handles and the smell of Kormak is still burnt into my mind. I rather calmy placed a paw on the handle, opening the door I stepped through.
There I finally saw him, for the first time without his armour on. A much more defenceless general Kormak. He was in the back of the room, next to his bed. A cot by his side. He looked at me with surprise, but seemingly with little fear.
``Oh, so you are actually alive Fenris.'' He spoke so calmly with astonishment. It was concerning. I already had many rabbits in my stomach. It wasn't going to be an issue to add another.
``Where is Luomi?'' I asked with the strongest growl I could muster. He remained unwavering. I approached him slowly, trying to anticipate what his next move was.
``Oh, wow and she taught you how to talk? How interesting... I suppose you are here for that old mole lady?'' His cockish confidence while staring down a wolf much greater than him slightly unnerved me. But I was blind to anything he could pull. My vision was only full of his figure. The rest of the room dark to my senses. ``Well, I guess by now she would be tiger food. I ordered my men to dispose of that old hag. She had professed that you were dead, even while under torture. I guess that hag is a better liar then I had thought.''
His words burnt my ears. My face hot with rage. I was within striking range of this gloating rabbit and still he held his head high. Confessing to murdering the only animal that ever showed me love and respect. Sullying her name. My entire being told me to devour him. I had spent enough time talking.
I tried to lunge at him, but before I could I heard that intricate whistle once again. A flush of fog ran over my brain, my vision strained. I had felt the same feeling every time he whistled out to that pit, a feeling of subservience, a feeling of obedience. I could see a small green glow emanate from a ring on his finger. This whole time I had thought my feelings of subservience to this rabbit was my own, but in this moment, I knew it wasn't. This was being put upon me. He smiled at me as I began to sit down, inches before him.
``Good boy.'' He spoke with strong condescension. ``You belong to me. You're my asset. I put too much work into you, for you to become some mangey bounty hunter. Your kind belongs to the kingdom. You belong to me... Not some crazy old, deranged, hag.''
It was with that I felt my fury flow back into me. A reminder of my purpose, a reminder of my friend Luomi. A reminder of Kormak's brainwashing. I suddenly felt my ability to growl once again, as I looked down to Kormak. I could see his smugness fade. I felt the fog try to cloud my rage once again, but this time I could see the ring on his finger begin to crack, then shatter completely. The fog was now lifted. His face began to turn to fear. He began to plead and beg. I was going to savour this.
Before he could do anything, I pinned him to the ground by placing my throat over his head. He didn't have time to yell. I swung him up, letting gravity pull him down, I didn't swallow. I wanted him to experience it all, slowly, letting only gravity pull him In. I placed two paws onto the back wall to increase how quickly he sank. It was satisfying feeling him sink deeper and deeper into my throat. The manipulation he had put me through my whole life present in my mind. His murder of Luomi. My mouth watered as finally I had to swallow, bringing his control over me to an end. For a moment I felt satisfied, accomplishing my revenge. But for the next I didn't. A wave of emptiness washed over me as my triumphant rage quickly faded. I could feel my gut swell and move with all the mostly innocent prey within. I had become what he had wanted me to be. A monster.
My mind was clear of control, clear from rage. The loss of Luomi in my mind. It was then I heard you Kani. I noticed the cot next to me where I heard you cry. You had been silent before. Perhaps you were asleep. Instinctively I turned to you, ready to devour you like I had the others. But when I turned and saw your face, you went quiet again. Eyes wide open. That was the third time I saw my reflection in my prey. A reminder of how I felt that very day I met your father. Scared and alone in that pit. Seeing that mouse in my cage. Then I saw you, scared and alone facing me. A monster. I couldn't bare it.
We stared at each other for a while, both of us not knowing what to do. I waited a moment, expecting someone to charge into the room. But nobody came. I looked back to see you, no longer in fear, but instead trying to grab my muzzle. I knew I had to leave soon, so I turned to leave. As I did you started crying again, it broke my heart. I turned back to you and your crying stopped, grabbing towards me. I placed the blanket you had upon you. I tried to convince myself that it was best to leave you, that someone was coming. But each time I tried to leave you would stop me. Eventually I heard the sound of metal clatter, more men were on there way here. In that moment I decided to take you. I can't fully explain my reasoning Kani, but I felt a connection. I felt if I left you there you were going to end up like me. Controlled by people who didn't want the best for you. I felt like I needed to save you.
Maybe it wasn't for the best. Maybe I stole your life away from you. I think about that every day I have you here with me. The life of a bounty hunter is no way to raise a child. But I need to protect you from this dangerous world. There was nobody there to protect me as I grew up. But you have me. I'm sorry for taking you, and I understand if you think that I'm a monster. If you want me to return you to that place I will. I'm sorry Kani...
The firepit was dim with embers. Kani was snuggled up into the soft black fur of Fenris, looking up to read his expressions as he finished his tragic story about her father and Granny Luomi. She had heard of Luomi before, Fenris often referred to her when he was imparting some learned lessons of wisdom. But Kani had never heard about her dad before. She had never even given her parents a thought. To her she was simply being looked after by Fenris, even if he wasn't her father. She thought of him more as just a bossy friend who was right about things most of the time. She could see Fenris' pained expression as he finished his story. Clearly, he felt guilt about taking Kani from her father.
``My dad was a dick huh?'' Kani said with a casual tone. She didn't really care about Fenris' apology considering he didn't need to apologise. She was intrigued by her father though.
``Wait. You're not angry with me?'' Fenris a little surprised by his bunny's response.
``Um, no not really.'' Kani casually explained. ``I mean, my dad seems like a bad guy who was mind controlling you and torturing people and stuff. Also, he was making you do bad things and he killed Luomi so... Yeah, its ok that you ate him I think.''
Fenris was somewhat flabbergasted by Kani's response. He had worried that if ever he told her she would disown him immediately. See him as a monster for all the prey he had eaten. She had seen him swallow many folks before, but most were often bad, and the others were often wild and feral. ``So, you don't think I am a monster for eating all those innocent animals and folk?'' Fenris more asking the question for his own benefit.
``Well, you did eat a lot of animals while you were angry. But they did kill Luomi and you were pretty angry and weren't really thinking straight. Plus, you now know its bad to eat people unless they are bad or if you are really really hungry. So, its ok...'' Kani hugged Fenris right around his fluffy neck and looked up into his eyes. ``You're not a monster.''
The words cut through the black wolf's hardened resolve as he almost began to cry. Looking down to this white fully rabbit hugging him with so much love and affection. He felt he truly didn't deserve her. He pointed his wet nose down to touch her forehead, the two sharing an intimate moment at the end of this emotionally complicated story. Fenris reliving his past was hard, and Kani could sense this. To her, she found it hard to fully relate to how Fenris saw himself as a monster, he was first and foremost a protector. She couldn't see it any other way, even if he was scary sometimes. But now she understood why he wouldn't eat her if he was really hungry, he is just her protector.
``Wait a second? Who taught you that word?'' Fenris pulling away from the hug for a moment as he realised what Kani had said earlier.
``What... dick?'' Kani spoke nonchalantly. It seemed she knew enough to know the word was naughty but didn't fully understand why.
``Yes! That word.'' Fenris tried not to say it, reinforcing the words status.
``You say it all the time about bad people being dicks.'' Kani explained her reasoning with a giggle. She thought she used it in an apt setting.
``I do?'' Fenris didn't even know this was imparting onto Kani.
``Yep... Why? What does dick mean?'' Kani said realising she didn't fully know the words context.
Fenris chuckled a little at Kani's curiosity. ``Now that is definitely a story for when you are older.'' He had just explained to her the tragedy of his upbringing and how he knew her father. There was no way he was going to be able to explain the birds and the bees to her at this point in time.
Kani just rolled her eyes as she cuddled up further into Fenris, using his fur as a makeshift bed. Fenris brought his tail up to cover her like a blanket. The two then drifted off to the smouldering fire's crackling. Resting a moment before their next adventure in the town ahead.
