Good Neighbors
“Well...shit,” Oro hissed, glancing out the window a few days later. The yard was covered in a pristine blanket of snow, which had fallen during the night. The mountain looked beautiful, and what they could see of the valley from the dining-room window was likewise picturesque. But Oro’s focus was squarely on the front yard, and the driveway that could not be seen even as an outline in the snow.
Sarahi, guessing the source of his frustration, giggled. “Want me to help?” She wasn’t the sort to call attention to it, but the Sha'khari had become rather more physically fit since she and Oro began their training, in both the arms and legs. She wasn’t at all adverse to a little physical labor, and would just consider it another kind of exercise now.
“Thanks,” the Rabbit huffed, “But we’ve only got one shovel, and it’s not the snow kind. Not even flat-nosed. This is going to take forever.” Nayeli and Kylan had classes to go to. Sarahi also had a job to get to. They didn’t have all morning. Oro gnashed his teeth, then sighed. “Fuck it. I’ll be right back,” he promised, grabbing his coat and heading out the door. Sarahi tilted her head when she saw him trotting off toward the street and across to the neighbor’s house.
The men were in the yard, just beginning to clear their own drive with a pair of snow-shovels. They paused the moment they saw him approaching, and waited with wary expressions as he trotted up the snow-covered drive. “What do you want?” the Dalmatian asked curtly.
“One of those shovels,” Oro replied just as curtly, “Just long enough to clear the drive, so my family can go to work. Too big a favor to ask?”
The Doberman quirked a brow, and couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “You moved to the mountain and didn’t bring a shovel?”
The Rabbit rolled his eyes. “Of course I have a shovel! Just the wrong type. Never had a drive to worry about before, and I didn’t think about it before the first snow. So...favor?”
Though still looking wary, the Dalmatian flipped his shovel around and tossed it to Oro. Both Dogs were then surprised to see him station himself at the Doberman’s shoulder, and drive the blade of the shovel down to the concrete of the drive. “I thought you needed to shovel your drive,” the Dog remarked.
“I hate owing people,” the Rabbit growled, “So here’s the return. That said, I am under a crunch, so don’t slack on your side.” Heaving the shovel forward like a plow, he scooped up a large mound that tested the integrity of the handle and tossed it half a dozen feet to the side, well clear of the drive. It looked like the beginnings of someone’s snow-fort.
With a genuinely impressed whistle, the Doberman bent his back to the work as well, though he couldn’t lift a load that large. “Name’s Ares, by the way. No offense, but I wasn’t listening too closely when you—”
“Oro,” the Rabbit grunted, tossing another large shovel-full aside, “Don’t worry about it. If sides were swapped, I’d only remember you as ‘That Fucker’.”
“Dane,” the Dalmatian named himself with a brief wave, even as he winced a little at the Rabbit’s unabashed language, “Glad you understand where we’re coming from.” Oro didn’t acknowledge the remark, but threw himself into clearing their drive. He had the pavement clear all the way to the snow-plowed road before Ares got three quarters of the way down the other half, despite the muscle-bound Doberman’s best effort to make it a kind of race. Doubling back, Oro dug toward him until their shovels met. Without so much as a farewell, the Rabbit started trotting back toward his own drive.
He was surprised when Dane motioned for Ares to toss him the other shovel, then started off after the Rabbit. “I just said I don’t like owing favors, didn’t I?” the Rabbit grunted.
“Yeah, but I haven’t done you one, yet,” the Dalmatian answered, “I was just being neighborly. It’s not like we didn’t have a spare. So now I’m repaying your favor. Heh...though honestly, you’ll still be doing most of the work. I can’t even shovel as fast as Ares.”
Oro rolled his eyes, but didn’t argue. “Fine. Saves me a trip to bring it back in this cold, at least.” They started from the road instead of the house, working their way up the drive toward the attached garage. Oro’s drive was somewhat longer than his neighbor’s, but Dane worked hard in an effort to keep pace with the surprising Rabbit. It was a futile effort, but one Oro noticed and did not disapprove.
“Oh! I thought you were just going to ask for a shovel,” Sarahi noted, coming out onto the porch in her coat with Tuli on her heels, having offered to drive the license-less Sha'khari, “Um...nice to meet you?” she asked as much as stated, trying to tell if Oro’s sour face was just his typical grumpiness or if something else had happened. He had been gone for quite a while to just ask for a shovel...
“I did,” the Rabbit grunted, hefting the last shovel-full from directly behind the minivan, “They just couldn’t keep it simple.”
“Same,” the Dalmatian huffed in answer to her greeting, pausing only long enough to give a little wave instead of offering to shake hands, and resuming his work further back on the drive, “Dane ... Gritpaw ... whew!” he rubbed his forehead on his coat-sleeve, having worked up a sweat inside his protective layers with the effort of not falling too far behind Oro. The Rabbit had already turned and was working back toward him now.
“Sarahi,” the Sha'khari smiled as she made her way down the steps, “Sarahi...Ironheart,” she said after a second of hesitation. Using the new name still felt surreal, and just a little exciting, and she had to make an effort not to blush.
“Tuli Hope,” the Lioness beamed, giving a friendly wave as she descended the steps behind Sarahi, “Thank you for the help, and the hard work!”
Dane chuckled at the praise, eying the completed lane and the Rabbit now more than halfway back to him. “I dunno ... how he ... does it,” the Dog admitted through panted breath, inviting a sympathetic giggle from Sarahi.
“Neither do we,” she admitted as the garage opened, “Sorry to greet and run, but I’m already kind of late!” Dane nodded his understanding, just as his and Oro’s shovel touched under the snow, and the pair hefted the last of it out of the drive. They stepped off to the side as the pair backed the van down to the road, and the door on the porch opened again, this time for Nayeli and Kylan.
The Lioness trotted quickly out into the yard to give Oro an appreciative hug and kiss on the cheek, offering a hand to Dane as she did so. “Hello, thanks, and sorry, gotta go!” she said quickly even as she shook it, flashing their neighbor a bright but apologetic smile before turning her trot toward the other bay of the garage. The smaller Feline didn’t even bother with greetings, just a big wave before he hopped into the car. Both of them had already effectively missed their first class of the day, and didn’t want to get further behind.
“Wow,” Dane chuckled as the car backed past them, “Big family.”
“Yeah,” Oro grunted simply, ears twitching. He handed the shovel back to the Dog. “Thanks for this. We’ll have one of our own by tonight, so don’t worry about me bothering you again.”
With a slight frown, Dane accepted the handle, leaning on it like a staff. “Look, buddy, little stuff like this doesn’t even count as a bother. We’re not that petty. Now, we had a reason not to like you the first time we met, but since then...” He rocked his head side to side thoughtfully. “Well, my sister thinks you’re okay, and I trust her judgment. I understand if you’re still annoyed with us for what we tried to do, but I get the impression you understood why we did it, so...” He blew a short sigh. “What do you say we bury that hatchet, and at least try to act friendly toward each other? I’m not blaming you. I get defensive the minute I see you, too. First impressions linger. But I’m going to stop frowning every time I see you in the yard, starting today. Sound good?” Resting the shovels against his shoulder, Dane extended his hand to Oro.
The Rabbit looked at it with a dubious brow. “Fine. But you gotta understand: this is about as friendly as I get even with people I like. If you can’t handle that, you’re fucked. No helping it. Good luck,” he grunted even as he accepted the shake, leaving a dubious looking Dog in the yard as he turned to head for the front door. It was cold outside, and he was about at the end of his tolerance for it.
Weeks passed. The weather warmed a bit, but not much, as the schools broke for winter and decorations were lit up all over town in anticipation of Deep White. Nayeli was enjoying getting to stay home all day again, curling up with Oro any time she wasn’t curled up with a textbook, trying to get ahead for the coming semester. Her Rabbit was enjoying the extra time and affection, despite appearances. She and Sarahi were probably the only two who could tell.
The family had just sat down to dinner. It was Kylan’s turn to cook, and Sarahi had helped. The little Feline was surprisingly adept in the kitchen, and the smell drifting into the dining room ahead of the pot had everyone’s mouth watering. But as they were passing around the ladel, Nayeli had to nudge Oro’s shoulder to pull his attention back into the room. “Is something wrong?” she asked, “You keep looking over at the window.” Glancing through the clear glass into the yard, she couldn’t make out anything concerning in the fading evening light.
“...I hope not,” the Rabbit grunted, accepting the ladle from her at last. He’d barely put the first serving in his bowl, though, when his ears started twitching and he pushed back from the table. “No...Sarahi, get your spear,” he growled, causing everyone at the table to stop and do a double-take. Oro looked like he was about to explain himself when they all heard a scream from outside. It was faint...distant...but the single word managed to reach every ear at the table: “Help!”
“Get over there!” Oro barked as he shot for the door, bouncing into the yard without even touching the porch steps. Sarahi had to pause long enough to pull her weapon out from behind the door, cursing (not for the first time) that she couldn’t just call it to her hand like Oro could call Gorgorond.
He could hear the ruckus coming from the neighbor’s house. More specifically, he heard it quiet down, and his gut told him that wasn’t a good thing. He didn’t bother following the road, but hopped the fence to shoot across the yard. Even from this side of the house, he could see the front door was a wreck, and hear more wood being splintered inside. Something big was going on...
“Go! Now!” the female Dalmatian shouted from the attic. Oro didn’t so much think of what he did next as instinctively do it, and would have surprised even himself with the height of his jump if he had a second to spare on being impressed. The poor Doberman trying to climb out the attic window barely had time to get out of his way and shout a warning to her house-mate before Oro hit the wall with Gorgorond leading the way, tearing through it like so much paper.
The girls were huddled on the bed protectively over the baby. He’d nearly brought the wall down right on top of them. A bear frighteningly similar to the trio they had encountered in The Gauntlet seemed to be eating right through the floor, trying to reach them. Oro felt oddly offended, like it had personally insulted him by invading his world. “Stay down!!” he barked at the girls as he landed, leveling Gorgorond square at the beast’s nose, “And you are in the wrong house, Papa Bear.”
It roared, and sank all its teeth hard into the bat extended to it. Oro smirked, grabbing the handle with both hands. “Fucking idiot,” he grunted, hauling with all his might, and even the monster seemed shocked to find itself pulled up into the room and flung over the Rabbit’s head, to go sailing out through the hole he’d made on the way in...even if it did have to widen the gap a bit. It hit the slope of the roof hard, tearing shingles free and cracking the supports before it tumbled off the edge and landed flat on its side in the dirt below.
In the street, not far from the house, Sarahi held her spear lightly in upturned palms, aimed like a rifle. “Fist of Heaven..,” she intoned as the monster shook the stars from its eyes. It might have turned on her if Oro hadn’t drawn its attention back upward with a sharp whistle.
Crouched at the edge of the roof, the Rabbit smiled down smugly and gave the beast a little wave. “Bye-bye,” he chuckled as Sarahi finished her incantation.
“...Punish the sinful earth!” The spear shot out like a beam of light, punching into the beast on one side and ripping out the other, leaving a considerable hole in its chest and an even larger one in the slope of the mountain behind the house. The monster looked confused for a second, its eyes never turning from Oro’s, before the edges of that hole in its chest began to peel away like burnt paper. Within seconds, the whole of the creature had collapsed into something like ashes, and been swept away by the cold winter breeze.
“Damn,” Oro arched a brow at the new crater in the mountainside, “That thing means fucking business.” Turning his attention back to the hole behind and a little above him, Oro called up, “You guys okay?” He was not immediately answered. And when he was, it came from further inside the house, down on the main floor. It came in the form of a heart-broken wail, followed by a baby’s cry. Gnashing his teeth, Oro hopped down from the roof and met Sarahi as she trotted up to (what had been) the front door.
The scene inside was something from a natural disaster documentary. Oro couldn’t say if it was more like a tornado or an earthquake, but that hardly mattered. Everything was smashed. The men had apparently tried to use the chairs and even the coffee table as weapons. The sofa was shredded. The counter dividing the kitchen from the breakfast nook was torn off its base. They’d fought like devils, for what it was worth. But now Gemini was huddled over Dane’s body, openly crying with her forehead pressed to his while their son cried between them, ignorant of all except his mother’s sorrow. The Dalmatian had three long slashes running down his face and chest, and even onto his thighs. He was missing his left arm entirely. Johanna was kneeling not far from them, resting Ares’ head in her lap. He still possessed all his limbs, but one arm was clearly broken and his shoulder was pitted with the marks of a vicious bite. Her sorrow was quieter, and not yet accompanied by tears, but it reached far enough to be felt by the Rabbit and Sha'khari before they got fully through the door. G.D. whimpered from the closet to their right as they stepped in, trying to pull himself out from between the broken halves of the door with just his front paws, as his back two seemed crippled.
“...Fuck,” Oro grunted quietly, sparing just a second to pull the poor dog out by its collar.
Johanna shook her head. “Thank you,” she answered softly, “For answering. That was—”
“—safe?” Dane asked something in an uneven, gurgley voice, making Oro’s ear twitch in surprise.
Gemini nodded against his forehead, where he could feel her answer even if he couldn’t open his eyes. “Yes,” she answered, picking up his hand to lay on their boy’s head, “He’s fine. Johanna and I are fine. You...you...,” she couldn’t decide what else to say, and the lump in her throat wouldn’t let any more out anyway.
“You’re still breathing?” Oro asked, as if to himself, surprise and something like growing horror spreading across his face. He glanced over at Ares, noting the shallow rise and fall of his chest as well. “They’re still breathing,” the Rabbit whispered, taking a step back through the door as if suddenly afraid of something in the room. Sarahi, standing beside him, blinked in surprise as he turned and shot off for their house in an all-out sprint without a word of explanation.
Hesitantly, the Sha'khari padded on into the house, seating herself close-by but at a respectful distance. She wasn’t sure what she should say just now, much less do...but she felt guilty at the thought of leaving these two alone right now. Nayeli had barely begun her training as a nurse, and these two were clearly beyond any help that could be reached before they bled out, so she wasn’t sure what Oro—!
The most likely answer occurred to her just about the same time he returned clutching three bright-red bottles in his fists. “Make him drink this,” the Rabbit insisted, shoving one of the bottles into Johanna’s hand as she blinked at him through the tears that had finally formed in her eyes, “Any way you can! Spit it in him, if you have to!” Not even waiting to see if she understood, he passed a second to Sarahi, then crouched down next to Gemini and Dane, who looked to be rather the worst of the three. Holding the bottle in his teeth, Oro turned the Dalmatian’s head and pulled his mouth open before popping the cork out and pouring the contents directly into Dane’s throat. “Swallow,” he snarled as the last drop fell into the pool forming in the back of Dane’s open mouth, “Fucking swallow!”
He couldn’t. He was on his last breath, and the potion got slurped into his lungs rather than his stomach as he drew it, setting off a fit of coughing that racked his tortured body. Gemini hid her baby’s face against her shoulder, squeezing her own eyes shut...until she realized that the coughing was growing stronger rather than weaker, and something about that didn’t seem right. Once he got his throat relatively clear, Dane took one more deep breath and coughed out the rest of the irritant in his lungs, then blinked his eyes open. “What...the...wuff?” he asked hoarsely, but strongly. Gemini’s eyes widened, and Johanna nearly dropped the potion in her hand.
Sarahi helped her get Ares’ head up and mouth open, then went to treat the dog (quietly hoping he wouldn’t be skittish of a stranger, especially one trying to pour something into his mouth). Johanna whispered encouragement into Ares’ ear while she let the potion run in droplets along the inside of his cheek, rather gentler than Oro’s method had been. Within seconds the Doberman had also regained consciousness, and was more than willing to down the last half of the potion under his own power. “Wuff, what is this stuff?” he asked once it was all down, and his breathing was coming easily again.
“Healing potions,” Sarahi answered with a smile, scratching G.D.’s chin gratefully as the large dog proved very agreeable to taking his medicine, “Where they came from is a long story...but they’re legit healing potions.”
“Obviously!” Ares breathed, turning his head toward Dane and watching wide-eyed as the Dalmatian’s missing arm started to regrow in front of them. It occurred to Sarahi that this might qualify as more than “healing” at this point, but she wasn’t making any complaints.
Dane slowly sat up, looking around in well-justified bewilderment. “That thing...you fought it off?” he asked Oro.
The Rabbit shook his head, looking annoyed about something, and jerked his thumb at Sarahi. “Sarahi fucking destroyed it. That fucker won’t be bothering you again.”
Dane’s eyes widened again, and his shoulders slumped a little. Gemini nearly choked him with a hug, though, perking up his spirits again, before setting their son in his lap and launching forward to give Oro a similar hug. Oro nearly fell over backward, completely unprepared for that reaction. “Thank you!” the Doberman practically screamed in his sensitive ear.
His response surprised her every bit as much as she’d surprised him: he shoved her back with a reflexive, “Fuck off,” as he got to his feet. Gemini looked confused, but was far too grateful to have her husband and brother alive and well to care if one of their saviors was grumpy. “Glad you’re all safe,” he grunted, sounding more irritated than relieved, and turned toward the porch with his bat across his shoulder again, “Now, I’m done here. Later.”
The turn-around in his attitude was dizzying, even to Sarahi, who was used to his weird twists on moral and ethical concepts. She watched him go with every bit as much confusion as the four Dogs. “Um...no, seriously, we’re glad we could help, and that no one is hurt...now,” she assured them, patting G.D. on the head as the animal shook itself in relief and got to all four paws again, “I honestly don’t know what that was about.” She looked around the wrecked house, wincing a little at what they hadn’t been able to help with. “Feels like we were a bit late, though. Sorry for that.”
“No,” Johanna answered with surprising finality, “You answered. If you hadn’t, you still wouldn’t owe us any apologies. Anyone in their right mind would have run away from a scream like that.”
Sarahi chuckled, reaching out to rest a hand on her shoulder. “Well, we’re all just a little crazy in that house, so call us any time. Even him. I promise he’s not as bad as he pretends to be.”
“Same here,” Ares grunted, rubbing his previously broken arm as if still not quite believing how pain-free it was, “We owe you guys one. If you ever need anything—”
“Good neighbors,” Sarahi assured him, patting his shoulder in similar fashion, “We need good neighbors. Just stay that, and we’ll be good,” she promised. Then the Sha'khari also stood up, and took one more long look around, noting the sizable hole in the wall, the wrecked furniture and stairs, and remembering the hole in the attic wall. The official start of winter was just days away, and while the temperature was tolerable at the moment it would be cold after sunset. “I’m going to go find out what got into him. Regardless of that, though...come over as soon as you’ve collected yourselves. We’ll make room for you until you can get this patched up. Even Oro will be nice, I promise.”
“Thanks,” Johanna answered absently with a shake of her head, “But no. We can handle this. I just need to find my phone, and we’ll be okay. We will come see you later, though. Thank you,” she promised, and began glancing around for her missing electronic. Gemini and the guys gave her curious looks, but not doubtful ones, surprising Sarahi a bit. Both of their families apparently had surprisingly competent members, just in different fields.
“Okay. Just remember the offer stands if you need it, okay?” Sarahi bowed politely, then trotted off toward their house.
Across the street, Nayeli was waiting on the porch when Oro came marching up the drive, and came down to meet him. “Is everything alright?”
“Sure,” he huffed with an exaggerated shrug, never breaking stride, “Some weird monster attacked the neighbors. We killed it. The guys needed the healing potions. They’re fine now.”
She stopped in front of him, and halted him in his tracks with a hug. He didn’t return it. Every muscle in his body felt tense to her touch. She kissed his cheek reassuringly. “Then what’s bothering you? You did good today, but you seem angry.”
Nayeli could hear his teeth grinding before he answered, softly, “They’re good people. They deserve a better end than that. But there’s a part of me,” he confessed, “...That wanted them to die. I wanted...to eat them.” He gave a meaningful, sideways glare at the bat in his hands. “I’ve become a monster, Nayeli. And I don’t even know how much of that I can blame on Gorgorond.”
“But you saved them anyway,” she pointed out, though her face clearly said she was concerned about this line of thought in him.
“I saved them,” Oro growled, “To spite that side of me. I’m a fucked up fucker, but at least I know it. Fuck this guy,” he spat, tossing his bat aside contemptuously.
Nayeli nodded, taking his arm in hers and urging him toward the house, “Oh, I intend to,” she winked, trying to break his dark mood, “Right after he’s had dinner and a shower. I’d say he deserves that much, at least.”
Oro rolled his eyes, but let her pull him into the house and back to the table where the others were waiting for them. Having got him seated, she returned to the porch in time to welcome Sarahi back with a similar hug. The Sha'khari also laid claim to a kiss, which Nayeli was happy to surrender. “Well, you seem in better spirits than he was, at least. Are you okay?”
Sarahi nodded, leaning her spear against the rail to commit both arms to the Lioness. “Yeah. I mean, it worries me that something seems to have gotten out of The Gauntlet, but things turned out way better than...last time,” she exhaled slowly.
“Got out?!” Nayeli blinked, and the Sha'khari nodded.
“It looked exactly like the bears we encountered on the last run. At least this one was alone, and no one was...permanently hurt.” She gave Nayeli a tight hug, then. “We’re all out of healing potions now...but you know, I’m so proud of him! I thought something had freaked him out when he ran away, but I guess he just realized every second mattered.”
“...Actually, we should talk about that,” Nayeli warned her, “After dinner. Come on, it’s getting cold and you’re probably extra hungry now.” Sarahi nodded, reluctantly letting her go and following her back into the house.
It was a couple of days before they saw any of the neighbors again. The doorbell rang, and Sarahi answered it, and was surprised to find Johanna and Dane standing on the other side. The female Dalmatian was scrolling through something on her phone while they waited. “Hi,” she nodded when the door opened, taking an extra couple of seconds to pull her eyes away from the little screen.
“Hello!” the Sha'khari greeted them, backing up from the door to make room for them, “Come in! How are you guys doing?”
But Dane shook his head, and neither of them stepped through the door. He was smiling reassuringly, at least. “Thanks, but we don’t intend to say. Everyone’s doing well, though. Thank you for asking.”
Johanna pulled a little square envelope from her pocket and offered it to Sarahi. “We just wanted to give you this,” she explained as Sarahi took the envelope curiously, “I’m sure you guys have your own plans for Deep White, but we hope you’ll come to dinner at our place the day after. That’s the least of what we owe you, and I’d like our families to actually know each other, finally. No gifts, no formal dress.”
The Sha'khari blinked, looking across the road to the large, blue tarp that could just barely be seen covering the house from this position. “Uh...sure, thanks...but are you really going to be ready for guests by then? That’s only about two weeks from now.”
But the Dalmatians nodded. “We have pretty good insurance,” Johanna assured her, “And a very reliable company working on the rebuild. They’re all set up to work in any weather less severe than a hurricane, so it’ll go quickly.”
“Wow! That sounds expensive, but I’m glad to hear it. Not to pry, but where are you staying in the meantime?” Sarahi asked.
“The Masked Fox Lodge,” Dane answered before Johanna could stop him, causing Sarahi to blink in surprise.
“For two whole weeks? And some change? Well now I’m jealous,” she laughed, “But that’s awesome. I didn’t know you guys could afford that kind of thing, so I’ve been a little worried about you.”
The male Dalmatian grinned sheepishly and shrugged. “Well, being a friend of a good friend of the owner helps make it more affordable.”
His sister nudged his ribs with an elbow, trying to warn him that he’d said too much. Sarahi did a double-take. “Whoa! You know...well, no, you said it’s a friend of hers that you know,” the Sha'khari smiled apologetically, trying not to overreact.
An unfamiliar car came up the road, and interrupted their conversation by pulling into the drive. Johanna rolled her eyes and sighed at her brother, like he’d blown some sort of surprise. “No, we actually know her personally. And you can probably say the same starting today. Come on, Dane, time for us to go,” the female Dalmatian insisted, tugging his sleeve as she started back down the steps. They gave a wave to the cinnamon-brown Jackrabbit that climbed out of the driver’s seat...and the Caped-Fox that carefully stood up from the passenger’s side, sweeping a thin cane around herself to get a feel for the land before she began circling the car.
Sarahi’s jaw fell open in disbelief as the pair approached the porch. “No way,” she breathed. The Rabbit she recognized as the same man who’d helped them off the trail a little less than a year ago, though she couldn’t quite recall his name. She suffered no such amnesia with the Fox...
“Oh! Good afternoon,” Kita smiled, not having realized their arrival was already noticed. She paused at the base of the steps, folding her hands neatly over the top of her cane and flashing a bright, warm smile at the girl standing above her. “You might already know this,” she said gently, “But I am Kita Peakwood. This is my adopted brother, Rikko,” she gestured to the Rabbit at her elbow, who inclined his head politely, “Is Oro Ironheart at home?”
“Do you seriously meet people in this town that don’t recognize you?” the Sha'khari answered thoughtlessly, a little star-struck and dumbfounded at the same time, before realizing she might be being rude.
But the Fox just giggled. “There are all kinds of people in the world, and our town is no exception,” she nodded.
“I’m sorry,” Sarahi said, quickly recomposing herself and stepping back from the steps, “I’m Sarahi. Do you want to come inside? Oro’s putting in laundry, but he’ll be right in.”
“That would be delightful,” Kita nodded, surprising Sarahi by adding, “I actually wanted to meet you, as well. We won’t keep you long,” she promised as Rikko took her arm to guide her up the steps, “Thank you very kindly.”
“The fuck are you doing here?” Oro asked from the livingroom as the other Rabbit and Fox got through the door.
Nayeli, sitting beside him on the couch, put a hand over her face. “Oro! You know who this is,” she insisted, “Show a little respect. Oh, please sit here,” she quickly added, getting up and directing Rikko to lead Kita over to their most comfortable recliner, “I’m Nayeli, by the way. Please make yourself at home.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Oro rolled his eyes, watching Rikko more than Kita, “That’s why it’s weird for them to be here, of all places.”
Kita smiled as she settled into the seat, thanking Nayeli and Rikko for their help and seeming not at all bothered by Oro’s suspicions. “Oh, not as strange as you might think,” the Fox smiled, “Your neighbors across the road are friends of mine, actually. That’s why I’m here: to say ‘thank you’ for what you did a few days ago.”
Sarahi’s mouth fell open. “Well...I guess that explains why they weren’t worried about having a place to stay,” she admitted, “But really, we just did what any neighbor would. You didn’t need to come all the way out here to thank us.”
“That’s very humble of you,” Kita nodded, “And I don’t doubt you ran to help because you are naturally kind. But I do doubt most neighbors could have done anything about that creature besides add to the body-count, much less would.”
Oro quirked a brow. “So they gave you the full story, huh? And you believe them?”
“Always,” Kita quickly assured him, “I don’t know how well you know them, but Johanna is not very prone to hyperbole. So when she tells me her family was attacked by a giant bear made of ash and shadows, I take those details seriously. But we’re getting side-tracked,” she chuckled, waving off any more talk about the monster, “I didn’t just come to thank you with words. I understand you’re still looking for work, Oro. Is that correct?”
“So she called in a favor to repay a favor, huh?” the Rabbit snorted, “Forget it. I can barely do a job I came by honestly. No way in Hell I can get into doing one that was just handed to me as a gift.”
The Fox’s ears twitched, and she chuckled. “I see you’re a lot like her,” she remarked quietly, then went on, “Hear me out, at least. She didn’t ask me for a favor so much as make me aware she’d met some people who might be able to solve a problem I’m dealing with.”
That got his attention. Oro settled back into his seat on the couch as Sarahi and Nayeli perked up curious ears. “Go on,” the Rabbit grunted.
“Thank you,” Kita nodded, “I don’t know how closely you watch the news, but it’s only a matter of time before people begin to realize this mountain has become dangerous. People have been going missing in record numbers recently. Not many are found. It’s not good for tourism, which is the lifeblood of this town. And I have reason to believe both that the monster you killed is part of the problem and that there are more than one of them still roaming around the mountain.” She let that sink in for a moment before going on. “As I’m sure you can imagine, it’s hard to find people both willing and able to contend with a creature like that. Guns and nets just seem to annoy them, and Johanna tells me there is next to no information available on the internet, at least that she can find. And if she can’t find it, I am dubious anyone can, even if it does exist.”
“So you want us to find and kill the remaining monsters,” Oro summed up where he thought this was going, “And you’re willing to pay us for the job?”
“That’s part of it,” Kita nodded, surprising them a little, “I am loathe to ask anyone to take on dangerous work, especially if they didn’t already want to go into that kind of work. But you have a connection to the witch, and Johanna tells me she seems to know a thing or two about these monsters. So I would also be happy to pay you for consultation, if you would be willing to find information that would enable a team of every-day rangers to confront this problem. Johanna, understandably, refused to even attempt consulting the witch.”
“I can say from experience she was fucking right not to,” Oro growled, turning suspicious eyes on the Jackrabbit standing quietly behind her chair, “So why don’t you have your little pet there take care of things?”
Kita tilted her head, and Nayeli and Sarahi gave him equally confused looks. “I’m sorry...I don’t understand,” the Fox admitted sincerely.
In answer to that, Oro got up from his seat and stalked slowly closer to her. Rikko, giving him a wary look, stepped between them as Oro got just outside of physical reach...making the slightly smaller Rabbit smirk. “You’re comfortable coming here without any kind of body-guard because this guy comes with you. And I don’t know you from the queen of ancient Amunet,” he remarked directly to Rikko, “But every hair on my body is screaming that I should be careful getting this close to you. I get the sense you could give me a run for my money in a fight. So something as weak as that monster should be a cake-walk for you. Why can’t you handle it?” Rikko tilted his head, staring at Oro’s lips like he was trying to read the words coming out of the smaller Rabbit’s mouth as they were spoken. Oro poked a finger against Rikko’s chest. “Drop the act. You’re about as deaf as I am, I’m willing to bet. You know exactly what I’m saying.”
“Oro, stop,” Nayeli insisted, catching the back of his shirt and pulling him back to a more respectful distance.
Kita likewise reached out slowly and found Rikko’s hand, pulling him back beside the chair she was sitting in. “...You’re right,” she admitted quietly, “He’s not deaf. He’s mute. He can’t answer you.” The Fox tilted her head from one side to the other briefly, thoughtfully, “You’re sharp, I have to say. Rikko is very strong, and he actually did rescue the Gritpaws the first time they met that monster. But he’s only one man. He can’t guard an entire mountain by himself, and I already put a lot of work on him in various ways. We need help to keep our mountain safe,” she insisted, sitting back in the recliner and forcing herself to relax. “I can’t justify a salary when you will only be working on-demand, so to speak...but I can afford to pay you very well whenever you kill one of these creatures. Think of it as a bounty. And now that I’ve met you, I think I was right to trust Johanna when she told me you could do the job. I am making the same offer to Sarahi, based on what Johanna tells me, though I have no idea what sort of work you typically do or if you need money at all. I will make a more suitable offer if you tell me what you would want instead.”
“Do you ever pay people in autographs?” the Sha'khari chuckled, and Kita giggled.
“Never,” she answered firmly, “I make gifts of those, and you may have several if you want. But I will never try to compensate you with mere vanity.”
Sarahi smiled. “Well you can count me in. My day job has brought in nothing so far, and probably won’t start making money for a while still. Even if that weren’t true, I want our mountain to be safe, too. This is effectively my neighborhood, after all.”
Kita nodded happily...and waited patiently for Oro’s answer. The Rabbit remained quiet, giving hard looks at the Fox and Rabbit across from him. Nayeli leaned forward, where he could see her face clearly. “Oro, dear...this sounds like exactly what you’ve been looking for. It plays to your strengths, makes your weaknesses irrelevant, and pays decently...”
The Rabbit cut her off with a snort. “She says without hearing how much we’ll get paid per head,” he grunted, but continued before Kita could make any attempt to provide that number, “Of course I’m going to accept. Like Hell I’d let Sarahi go out there alone, and it is the perfect job for me. I’d be suspicious as fuck about the pay, except that this woman has a flawlessly sparkling reputation for generosity...and ought to know that I will absolutely wreck it from nation to tarnished nation if she screws me over.”
“Oro!” Sarahi hissed, though Kita didn’t seem much offended. She had spent years dealing with proud, vain, arrogant, and presumptuous celebrities, managers, and media. She’d been burnt more than once early on, and built both a thick skin and sympathy for the mistrustful.
“You really do sound like her,” the Fox chuckled, pulling a folded paper out of her jacket, “Though much more openly aggressive. Please read this. Carefully,” she encouraged, offering the paper to whoever wished to take it from her hand.
Sarahi stepped forward, unfolding the paper as she brought it back to the others...then chuckled. “You came with a contract?”
“I don’t offer autographs for compensation, and I don’t make unwritten agreements,” the Fox smiled.
Oro held the paper while Sarahi and Nayeli leaned in to read it together. The three quickly found some...oddities...to clarify: “...Granted access to all areas of the mountain, as necessary?” Nayeli asked, “I thought it was a public park in the first place. Everything north of your lodge, anyway.”
“Not in the least,” Kita answered, “I own roughly 84% of the mountain privately, including the whole of what is considered ‘the park’. The rangers and groundskeepers are all on my payroll, privately hired. Not a penny of your taxes goes to maintaining that park,” she chuckled. “I permit the public to use the paths and campsites and most of the open woods, along with the lodge. There are a few restricted areas, for the sake of the public’s safety...and so no one can say they weren’t duly warned if they go into them anyway. You will have permission to enter all of those areas, and the rangers won’t give you grief for it.”
“When you say ‘most of the woods’,” Sarahi tilted her head, “Does that have something to do with this line? ‘Any historical locations or artifacts discovered are to be left undisturbed and reported to management’?”
The Fox nodded slowly. “Exactly. This mountain is...significant. Both historically and culturally. Some parts of it are hard to reach, much less explore. And some parts...seem to hide themselves,” she remarked quietly, “Take the witch’s ring, for instance. It’s not terribly far from one of our campsites, nor very far up the mountain, and the surrounding terrain is not at all discouraging. There is no reason it should not have been discovered ages ago. There is no reason you and the Gritpaws should be the only ones to have found it to this day,” she added with emphasis, “I would, at the very least, like to put a fence around that site, with an appropriately informative plaque, to avoid any more ‘accidental trespass’. But my surveyors still cannot locate it after several attempts.” She let that sink in, as she imagined they had no idea how unique they were in being able to make casual visits to the place. Perhaps they had imagined themselves merely lucky to always find it abandoned. “Now I’m not saying all such places on the mountain are like that. But if you do find something unusual, or very old, I ask that you leave it be and let me know. That part is in every groundskeeper and ranger’s contract.”
“How many monsters do you think there are?” Oro growled, peering hard at something near the bottom of the page.
Kita shrugged. “I honestly do not know. I am confident at least two remain. Beyond that...perhaps none, perhaps a dozen. That is why I need information from the witch. I do not know where these things come from, or how they multiply.”
The Rabbit whistled. “But you estimate you could pay this...as much as a dozen times over?” he looked at her over the page, trusting she would understand what part he was looking at. Nayeli and Sarahi both did a double-take as well when they found the line detailing the reward for each monster they killed. “You’re rich, lady...but that suggests I’m underestimating just how rich.”
The Fox giggled. “Well, I don’t just sell music, you know. Suffice to say I have a lot of investments, some of which make very good returns. I try not to flaunt it...but I am asking you to risk your lives against creatures I cannot otherwise fight,” her sobriety returned, “I don’t take that lightly. If you are willing to take that risk, I want you to be rewarded for it...not just ‘compensated’.”
“...Fuck,” Oro muttered after a moment, “I don’t know whether to call it a hard bargain or an easy ride. Does anyone ever call you out for being too fucking generous?”
“Almost nightly,” Kita grinned, “Does that mean you’re going to sign?”
His ears twitched. “Do you have a pen?” She pulled a fine, red pen from her pocket and offered it to him. He signed, followed quickly by Sarahi, and Kita let Rikko guide her hand to the line where she placed her own signature. The Fox then pulled an identical copy from her jacket and applied her signature to that as well, leaving it for them to keep.
“Alright,” she smiled as she put the signed contract back into her jacket, “Then please make time on Monday to come by the lodge. Introduce yourself at the registration desk, and they’ll tell you where to go from there to get your IDs and orientation. Thank you again, profoundly and personally, for saving my friends,” she bowed her head low, “And for your time today. I look forward to your work.” Her business complete, Kita and Rikko headed for the door, and Nayeli saw them off.
“Well!” she said, coming back to the living-room, “That was a surprise...”
“Augh!” Sarahi slapped her own cheeks, “I got so caught up in the contract, I didn’t ask her to autograph anything!” Oro quirked a brow at her, and passed her their copy of the contract, with the country star’s signature in bright red ink across the bottom...
