Howling Thunder 12: Pure Evil

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A flick between the legs wakes me up with a start, I fell asleep on the couch in the study last night.

Patra leaning over the couch, looking at my waist with a grin, “We’ve yet to leave and you’re pitching a tent already?”

I sigh at the ceiling, “Well practice makes perfect...here, give me a hand!”

With a quick movement I pull her over the back of the couch on top of me.

She laughs but pulls a hammer from a satchel behind her back, “I don’t mind pounding a stake down.”

If not for the hardly subtle threat I might get lost in her green eyes and that mischievous grin. Raising my hands up in surrender, she giggles and rolls off me with a cheerful hop.

As I further lift my arms to stretch she puts the hammer away and walks towards the door, “Madam Inari chased me away from your sister and told me to fetch you, it’s time to leave.”

I toss a couch pillow at her which she dodges away into the hallway.

“Finally I can see the world beyond this den and those damn pine trees… after a little more sleep.”

The moment I close my eyes a pillow is returned to my face followed by a certain girl’s giggle.

“Don’t be dramatic, and hurry up... or your mother will punish me again.”

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Walking out the front door of the den I see that the sun has yet to rise, or at least enough for any of it’s light to break through the damn trees. Ulfa said Yoden is on open plains, I can hardly wait.

Mother is having her farewell with the twin’s mother, Rota. She signals me over with a finger.

I’m pulled by the shoulders and presented in front of Rota.

Rota folders her arms and narrows her eyes at me, ha, we’re the same height. Mother flicks my ear.

Right, serious face time...this is difficult, “Good luck with den Madam, pft sorry, er, no...can I start over?”

She sighs, but smiles all the same, “By the gods pup, I fear the day you gain leadership of anything… don’t change, take care of my wild little girl when you get to Yoden.”

Ah I’ll soon have my Asta.

Rota continues after biting her lip in hesitation, “About my mother, your grandmother Hyndla, just take her personality with some salt. She truly cares about our tribe and family from the bottom of her heart...even if she’s a total bitch about it.”

I can hear Sassa gasping all the way from Yoden.

With a laugh, “Yes Madam Aunty, ah, damn er,”

“Mother-in-law works as well.” Mother chimes in.

Rota grins, “Live well rascal,” she ruffles my hair, “and avoid the nasty nobles like the plague. They suck the fun out of life like a leech between the legs.”

Well, Asta’s apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

I’m shoo’d away and find Ptah finished with hitching the oxen. The guard women are wearing common clothing over leather armor. We are moving disguised as a trading caravan.

I climb into the back of a covered wagon at the front, Maug hops in behind me. This one will be driven by Ptah, a few barrels of cheap weapons hide me from view. My own stuff, as well as Walt’s only takes up a pair of large chests in one of the carts driven by a guard.

Mother’s personal collection takes up three of the large wagons, she herself is riding with Aka in a wagon driven by Patra. Walt is in the wagon behind mine with the other half of the smithy items.

As we pull out the front gates I elbow Maug, “Hey.”

Nothing.

“Hey flee nuts.”

“Grrr, what Fuzzy Toy?”

“How many days does it take to get to Yoden?”

He looks up and scratches his ears with his hind leg, “A few... shut up!”

“Hey, Maug,” I elbow the black wolf again, “Wanna play a game?”

“...No.”

“Awe, don’t be so gloomy, it’s fun I promise.”

The grumpy dog looks at me with unhappy stare, “Fine, what?”

I can only smile as I show him some dice, this is gonna be a good trip!

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………..Well this trip sucks, it’s the second day, still nothing but pine trees.

I’ve switched to a cart driven by Patra, Akane is sitting with me. Maug is with mother, Ptah got fed up with us wrestling in the wagon yesterday.

As I'm noticing an odd smell, Akane asks, “Why do you hate the trees so much brother?”

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“I don’t know, they make me angry and I get an uncomfortable feeling in my right side.”

A small red arc flits through my tail on her lap. She reaches over and scratches my neck a little.

She asks, “My patron goddess Hoji warned Mother of a war, do you think you’ll have to go?”

“Honestly I hope not, I have a lot I’d like to learn once we reach the capitol.”

Akane stops scratching and just leans on my shoulder.

“What do you want to learn, I doubt Mother will let me out of site within the capitol.”

“Well you are her only daughter…Really the perverted men of Yoden should thank Mother for saving their lives from  your charming temper.”

That earned a punch in the shoulder.

Honestly this time, “I want to learn about the black tails no one will speak about, and I want to meet the other races.”

Patra calls back, “You sure you’re not just after cute girls?.”

“I already had one of those, and not you.”

She laughs, “Such a charming mate I’ve been assigned,” she grins back, “It’s fine, in fact I’ve met lil’ Miss Asta. Fufu~ I do hope when the evening comes you’ll share her with me.”

Patra licks her lips before turning back to the road.

How exactly should I take that? Why is my sister turning red in the face?

Aka nervously changes the subject, “but what if you do get sent to the war, do you think you’ll go alone, with an army, with Walty?”

“I have no idea dear sister. I doubt father would have me stand, alone, against a horde.”

Or at least I hope not.

Akane lays her head back on my lap, “No matter how many times they ask you to leave, come back in one piece to me.”

“Really if I’m to be the royal errand boy I’ll just start my own kingdom somewhere.”

Her eyes narrow, “Not allowed.”

“I’ll make sure you learn to fall asleep without my tail before I go in that case.”

If any of the poor pups she bullied could see her pouting now they’d cry to the gods at the biased treatment.

The sun sets as we make our way down a narrow valley. Finally I can see the end of this damn pines….or at least that’s what I assumed, I can now see smaller green pine trees, dammit.

Ptah calls out, “make camp, we'll move on before sun rise.”

Mother walks over to me as I hop down from my wagon to stretch, “tomorrow we’ll be passing near a human village, I want you to sit with Ptah up front, there has been trouble in this area lately. Should something happen, just deal with it, don’t ask me or Ptah, no one can know our route from the den.”

Well I don’t even know the damn route, whatever, some human bandits should be no issue.

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Tonight my frustration is reaching a new high.

It’s supposed to be my grand exodus from the den, leaving behind my childhood and making my introduction as a man in the capitol. Yet my dear, not-so-little sister is still invading my tent to cuddle with my tail. She’s too strong for me to escape her grasp.

The flap of my tent opens and Patra quietly slips in. She’s only wearing her green silks.

Please no, “I’m really not in the mood for your teasing.”

“But I came for the stake pounding,” She gives a quiet giggle and a sly grin, “I’m not here to tease if you feel like being a real alpha.”

What does that even mean, and why does she smell strange?

Patra crouches down to all fours and crawls up to Akane.

She pulls Akane’s face to her own and wakes her with a kiss.

“What on earth are you doing with my sister right in front of me?”

Aka panics and dashes out to return to her own tent…or mother’s.

Adding to my confusion Patra ignores the fleeing fox girl and positions herself with her slim hips facing me. Really, what is this smell?

She looks back at me and giggles, “You know fuzzy, I’ve been cooped up by my mother my whole life just for you, but you see, I was promised an alpha.” she gives her butt a little shake, her tail arced off to the side.

Reason be damned, “You’ll get more than promised.”

I pounce towards her.

She dodges me as she spins around, grabs me by the neck and forces me into a kiss.

I pick her up and toss her onto my bedding. She grins and slowly lifts the bottom of her sarong, beckoning me forward.

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