Miyoko drifted in an endless sea, curling up in the soft warmth that promised protection from the world. A relaxed sigh escaped as her eyes fluttered open, only to find the wolf in her bed - not Fleur. Startled, Miyoko jerked up, pushing her blanket away and scrambling off the edge of the bed.
The familiar wooden floor of Ashling’s cabin hurried to greet her from below, while Khukri’s smiling face did the same from above. “You know, I never realized how long that lasted,” Khukri mused.
The world spun, and Miyoko flopped about on the ground, struggling to steady herself. “How… how did I get here?”
“I carried you,” Khukri replied, as if the answer were obvious. “I also cleaned you up a bit, but there’s a water basin over there if you want to be more thorough.”
As feeling returned to Miyoko’s fingers and toes, memories came flooding back. That’s right, I fell asleep after Ashling finished with me, didn’t I? Apparently, he’d worked her over so hard she’d been too exhausted to clean herself up. Knowing she was asleep while the wolf freely played with her body would’ve been more distressing had Khukri not already obliterated the line of common decency while she was awake. For now, there was a more pressing issue. “What did he put in my broth?”
“Yours specifically?” Khukri asked with a raised eyebrow. “Salt and pepper with a caiman base. Why?”
A spike of irritation tightened Miyoko’s jaw, but losing her patience wouldn’t help. “No. What drug? What did he use to make me enjoy… that?”
“Drug?” Khukri smirked. “You’re a slave. If Master wanted to drug you, he wouldn’t have to hide it. Is enjoying sex really a problem?”
As little as Miyoko trusted Ashling’s slave, the girl seemed genuine. It was always possible that the man kept her in the dark. Hell, maybe keeping the wolf addicted was how Ashling maintained control. “I’ve had sex before,” Miyoko said bitterly. “I know the difference between an orgasm and a fucking heroin overdose.”
Khukri cocked her head. “Your food wasn’t drugged. Master wouldn’t…” A mischievous smile graced her lips. “Okay, there was that one time he secretly drugged me and all my friends, but that was a special case. I promise, Master wouldn’t give you anything that might hurt you.”
Miyoko leaned forward, pulling her legs to her chest and wrapping her arms around the cold steel of her braces. “Certain drugs that won’t hurt either of you could kill a rabbit-girl. We can’t pant fast enough to cool down, so if a drug raises our body temperature, we could overheat.”
Upon hearing this, Khukri’s ears shot up and her face became serious. “I’m sure he didn’t… but to be safe, I’ll ask. Master stayed behind to clean up. Wait here; I’ll be back.” With that, the wolf rose, not bothering to dress herself as she hurried out the door.
What Miyoko said was true, and she had real concerns, but the opportunity to leave had presented itself and she might not get a better chance. As soon as the door closed, Miyoko retrieved her ether and hastily threw on a set of his clothes. Finally, she regurgitated the keys and slid them into her braces, freeing her legs from their irritating prison.
Unfortunately, when the front door opened, Khukri was waiting, suspicious eyes sweeping over the scene. A dark chill rolled over Miyoko as a clawed hand fell on her shoulder. Even if Khukri had sprinted to the petals and got a one-word response, there was no way she could have returned so quickly. “Going somewhere?”
“I-I was coming to get you,” Miyoko mumbled, her mind racing. “I found a scrap of clothing caught beneath the bedpost, but it smells like perfume… I thought maybe someone might have stolen Master’s things while we were gone, and I didn’t want to get blamed.”
Khukri’s glare was doubtful, but she held out a hand. “Give.”
Miyoko fumbled with Ashling’s baggy pants, pretending to get stuck while she crushed the vial inside the cloth used to protect it. The moment Khukri took it, she brought it to her face and inhaled deeply. The results were immediate. Khukri retched, tossing the cloth away as she stumbled on unsteady feet before collapsing to her hands and knees.
“Yeah, I’m gonna go…” Miyoko said, backing past the writhing wolf with a smug grin. “You let Ashling know I appreciate the offer to spend the rest of my life fucking him for soup, but I’m a tad overqualified for the position… Good luck with your freaky sex cult, though!” With that, she chuckled and bolted out of the cabin.
* * *
Tess stared out the carriage window, dumbstruck by the palace’s opulence. The grounds were larger than the entire town she’d grown up in, with open fields and artificial lakes stretching so far it was hard to fathom the maintenance required. The palace itself was a massive mound of elegant white pillars and statues rising between two rivers, surrounded by marble retaining walls and thousands of pink and white flowers.
“Tess? Are you even listening?” Elizabeth snapped.
Tess was used to getting scolded. Apparently, it was too hard for cats to remember she could see them just fine, even if they were behind her. “Yeah. Get the girl to sign the paper and show me where she’s keeping your book. I got it.”
“This is important,” Elizabeth snapped, papers rustling loudly from a sharp gesture. “The girl is young, but she’s still a lynx, and we only got this meeting because she was curious about rabbits. The book is the most important piece, but it’s vital you also gain her trust and keep her entertained, otherwise she might not invite us back.”
“I get it!” Tess bristled, snatching the document. In the Tsu Empire, a coin’s value depended on who spent it. So, if a male cat had enough to buy a fish, a female lynx might have enough to buy two, and a lion might have enough to buy four. In that way, they could encourage deals exactly like the one Tess was sent to make.
Essentially, the orphanage would list supplies they needed and pay a lynx to buy them at a discount. It was bullshit, obviously, but a lynx’s favor was too valuable to reject out of pride.
Elizabeth glared. Somehow, she’d gotten the impression that Tess couldn’t control her temper. That was wildly unfair. Tess just didn’t want to; there was a difference.
As soon as the carriage stopped, Tess popped open the door and hopped out. Despite her protests, she’d been fitted in a light blue dress with far more fabric than any outfit she actually owned. It didn’t matter if she liked the clothing, the building, or the people, it was better than the fights and beatings she used to get. Tess grit her teeth and stood quietly at Elizabeth’s side, keeping her head low as palace staff welcomed her.
A younger voice cut through the noise, commanding enough authority to silence everyone with three words. “Is this Tess?”
Tess glanced up. The girl across from her wore a sleeveless green dress with yellow accents that suited her perfectly. Golden fur flowed elegantly down her arms and face, turning to a pristine white below her whiskers, all accented with adorable black tufts crowning the tips of her ears.They were cruel little ornaments from Deinira to accent the girl’s natural beauty and let the inferior races know she indeed played favourites.
“I am,” Tess replied, masking her nerves.
“I’m Fleur,” the girl said, grabbing Tess’s wrist. “Come on, let them handle the boring stuff. Let’s go.”
Tess glanced Elizabeth’s way, but even at half their age no one dared oppose the lynx. Fleur led Tess around the building and over a bridge before stopping in a large, sectioned-off field.
Finally, Fleur turned, flashing Tess a smile. “That’s better. It’s really nice to meet you.”
Tess gave a small bow. “And you as well, my lady.”
Fleur laughed, making Tess flush. “No need for that. Oh, are these the negotiation papers?” The lynx snatched them from Tess’s hands and glanced them over before pulling a yellow pen from her dress and signing. “There! All done! Now we can have fun for the rest of the weekend.”
Unbelievable. Five minutes in, and Tess had already completed her main goal. “Err… thank you.”
Fleur shrugged, clicking the pen back into place as if it were just another accessory. “No problem. I know a lot of people don’t like your orphanage because it’s blasphemous, but let’s talk about anything else, okay?” Her eyes widened. “Oh, wait! Did you want to check on your holy book first? I oversaw the transportation and made sure everything was handled with care.”
Tess couldn’t believe it. Either she was the world’s best spy, or Elizabeth was way off about their persecution. “We can save that for later,” Tess said, trying to gauge Fleur’s interests. “Why don’t you tell me what you do here for fun?”
“I don’t have fun here,” Fleur admitted, face souring. “There’s a lot my family expects of me. So I learn and train… but if we finish the negotiations early, we can spend the weekend doing whatever we want!” She brightened up, grabbing Tess again and dragging her toward a table with a crossbow. “Oh! Would you like to see the lynx pride’s martial art?”
Each pride had its own martial art, used to compete with other prides. Compared to Tess, Fleur was practically divine, but in the hierarchy of superior cats, lynxes were close to the bottom. “Sure… I’ve never seen a pride’s art before.”
With a wide, proud smile, Fleur turned to the table. “I assume you know what this is?”
Tess stepped up to the weapon, cocking her head slightly as she looked it over. “That’s a TG-6 palace defender crossbow. The side lever gives it a faster reload speed than the TG-5, but at the expense of power. The State scaled it back so women could use it without needing a man’s upper body strength. They’re mostly issued to interior palace guards, where quick reloading is more important than armor penetration.” Tess hesitated, then sighed in annoyance. “Fitted with a modular scope rail… and no scope.”
For a moment, Fleur looked from Tess to the crossbow in silence. “Um… Yeah, actually,” she finally said, offering Tess the weapon. “That’s… Here, hold it.”
Tess barely moved, eyes flicking around nervously as she searched for guards. “I don’t want anyone to think I’m going to shoot you.”
A smirk crossed the pretty lynx’s face as she held the weapon out insistently. “That’s exactly what you’re going to do.” She let the tension hang for a moment, then giggled. “Relax, the bolts are blunted for practice. This is what they’re for. Please, take it.”
Hesitantly, Tess selected a bolt from the table. As Fleur said, the tip was padded and wrapped in leather to reduce the damage, though it could still leave a bruise. She gingerly accepted the crossbow, realizing she had no choice. If she messed this up on the first day, Elizabeth would skin her alive, and she was only allowed to be here at Fleur’s discretion. “You want me to shoot you?”
“You’ll see,” Fleur said, walking away as she slipped on a pair of brass repercussion officer gloves. After putting some distance between them, she turned and held up one hand. “Okay, pull the lever on the side and load the bolt. See if you can hit me.”
The TG-6 wasn’t ideal. It was a compromise weapon, designed by bureaucrats in East Origin to be cost-effective, but it paled in comparison to the industrial standard of the Othelan Republic. For Tess, it was vastly inferior to the Autoyumi S14 designed specifically for rabbits. Still, at a hundred feet, she could make the shot. Tess set the stock against her shoulder, pulled the slide back to lock the string in place, and fitted the bolt. Of course, she wasn’t stupid enough to actually hurt a lynx, especially on palace grounds.
“Go on,” Fleur urged.
Setting the stock against her shoulder, Tess aimed and released the bolt.
Fleur didn’t even flinch as the shot fell short, kicking up dust a few feet ahead. With an encouraging smile and a headshake, the lynx gestured for her to try again.
Drawing the string back, Tess loaded another bolt. It was clear she wouldn’t get away with simply missing, and with the orphanage’s future on the line, she needed to put on a better show. Taking a steady stance, she did her best to aim despite the annoying scope rail blocking her view, and fired once more.
Again, Fleur didn’t move, but this time the bolt passed within an inch of her face. Narrowing her eyes, the lynx’s expression turned more curious, almost predatory, as the wind ruffled the fur on her cheek. “That was... very close. You were only a hair off... try again.”
Swallowing hard, Tess loaded another bolt and raised the weapon.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“Do it properly,” Fleur commanded.
The crossbow wavered in her hands, but after a nervous gulp, Tess adjusted her aim and fired.
The bolt streaked toward Fleur’s chest, but the lynx twitched sideways, narrowly dodging the shot just before impact. Without hesitation, Fleur began closing the distance. Ninety feet, eighty feet, seventy… “Again!” she demanded.
With a quick reload, Tess fired another bolt. This time, Fleur slapped it out of the air, redirecting it so it sailed over her shoulder. Sixty feet. Fifty feet. At half the original range, the lynx barely flinched as she sidestepped and backhanded another bolt, sending it wildly off target. At twenty feet, Tess released another shot. The bolt struck Fleur’s palm with a loud thunk against her glove before falling harmlessly to the ground.
A spike of fear raced through Tess as Fleur surged forward. Ten feet. Five... Grabbing a bolt from the table, Tess coiled her legs and launched herself twenty feet into the air, reloading and lining up a shot as Fleur broke into a sprint. The bowstring snapped forward, barely missing the lynx’s head as she dove into a roll at five feet, then rose into a tackle.
Fleur’s muscled shoulder caught Tess in the stomach, though the impact was softened as the lynx’s arms wrapped around her, guiding her gently to the dirt. A moment later, Tess found herself pinned, heart thumping wildly as Fleur’s powerful body leaned over her, their faces only a foot apart. “Tess! Tess, it’s okay, it’s okay... relax... relax...” Fleur’s voice was soothing, carrying the calm authority of a royal addressing an assembly.
As Tess began to settle, she became acutely aware of Fleur’s chest pressing against her, the lynx’s soft breath barely stirring the fur along her neck. A creeping warmth spread across Tess’s face, making her swallow hard and shake with embarrassment. “I’m fine, I’m not scared.”
“Liar... you’re freaking out. I can even feel your heart.” Fleur’s brass-gloved hand settled between Tess’s breasts, doing nothing to calm the rabbit’s racing pulse. “I’m sorry… You’re safe, Tess. Just put the weapon down. Please.”
Forcing her numb fingers to unclench, Tess tossed the crossbow aside and raised her hands in surrender.
“There you go,” Fleur murmured, her voice almost hypnotic. “See? I’m right here. I’m not hurting you... do you want me to take the gloves off?"
Before Fleur could act, Tess grabbed her wrist, her eyes wide.
“Right...” Fleur let out a wry, almost musical chuckle. “The claws…”
“Why...” Tess struggled to keep her voice steady, swallowing hard. “If you’re not going to hurt me, why did you grab me?”
“I don’t want you to do something you’ll regret,” Fleur explained. “Shooting at me in the practice field is one thing, but if the palace guards see a rabbit running away with a crossbow...”
The words were soothing, and Tess had no reason to doubt her sincerity, but something about the possessive tone made her tense. “I promise not to run… Just let me go, please?”
Hesitantly, Fleur withdrew, offering a hand to help Tess up. “You’re a very good shot.”
Tess closed her eyes, breathing a sigh of relief as she accepted the help. “Thanks…”
“Your legs are incredible, too. I’d love to examine them,” Fleur said.
The rabbit’s eyes snapped open, her mouth going dry. “What?”
“That jump you made was impressive. Your legs must be...” Fleur’s smile faded as she stepped back. “Oh, Tsu guide me, I’m sorry. It’s difficult for me to communicate with outsiders sometimes. Every member of the pride is expected to hone their body, and inspections are quite common... You don’t have to if it makes you uncomfortable. Or, if you prefer, you could examine mine first. I wouldn’t ask you to do something I wouldn’t.”
Tess was taken aback. Fleur spoke with none of the menace or superiority she’d expected; if it weren’t for the regal demeanor, Tess might have thought her just a normal cat. “Heh, it’s okay. I’m just used to being offered dinner before being asked to spread my legs.”
Fleur’s face lit up with a bright smile. “Oh, fantastic! After dinner then! I’ve brought in a chef who’s an expert in Azure cooking. He spent four years studying in the Azure Syndicate.”
Tess responded almost reflexively. “I’m not from the Azure Syndicate.” It wasn’t until after the words left her mouth that she realized Fleur had taken her joke as an invitation.
Before Tess could clarify, Fleur continued, “Neither am I! I’ll be expected to start making business trips there by the end of the year, and I was hoping to experience it for the first time with a friend.”
A flush of embarrassment spread across Tess’s face. This noble had asked to examine her out of the blue... and somehow, she felt like the one imposing. “Um... A friend? Me?”
“I suppose that’s for you to decide, isn’t it?” Fleur replied with a slight smirk, then quickly picked up the crossbow and returned it to the table.
“Sorry,” Tess mumbled, looking around for something to distract the lynx and spying twenty pumpkins on pedestals that became increasingly more distant.
“What’s with the pumpkins?”
“This is an archery range,” Fleur said. “It’s simple. You shoot a pumpkin, you win.” She pulled the lever back and fit a bolt before handing it off. “I can’t help but feel you’ll do better than me.”
Tess did her best to make it look effortless as she grabbed the handle, raised the weapon, and fired one-handed at the nearest pumpkin a dozen feet away. It landed with a solid thunk and knocked the fruit to the ground.
“You didn’t even look!” Fleur said indignantly.
Of course Tess had looked; she just didn’t need to turn her head, but the noble’s pouting brought a smile to her lips. “You didn’t say looking was part of it! You said ‘shoot a pumpkin!’”
Fleur handed Tess another bolt. “Well, that was the easiest one. Even I could hit that.”
Tess loaded the crossbow, dropped into a firing stance, and thunked the pumpkin thirty feet out. After receiving another bolt, she proceeded to hit the target at sixty feet, then a hundred and fifty.
This time Fleur had no response. Finally, she shook off her stunned silence and pointed to the furthest pumpkin at about six hundred feet. “Do you think you can hit that one? I’ve taken thousands of shots and I’ve never come close.”
“It’s not your fault,” Tess consoled, looking the weapon over. “The TG-6 isn’t built to take shots at that kind of distance.”
“So, even you couldn’t hit it?”
“With a single shot? Impossible.” Tess smiled as she handed the weapon back.
Fleur bit her lip and raised her eyebrow, looking down at the offered weapon. “How many would it take?”
Tess hesitated before finally mumbling, "I dunno... Three, maybe? If I’m lucky.”
“I’ll make you a deal,” Fleur said, eyes once again glittering with predatory curiosity. “My mother brought me back a crossbow bolt made from a spikeback spine from up in The Direwood. They’re strange things. If the spike impacts anything hard enough, it fragments and explodes. Hit that target in three shots... And it’s yours.”
Tess grit her teeth, looking at the three bolts in Fleur’s extended hand. “And what do I lose if I miss?”
Another musical giggle fell from Fleur’s lips. “Oh honestly, what do you take me for? Nothing! We’re just having a bit of fun.” With a comforting smile she knelt and retrieved the missing scope from below the table. “Come on, give it a go.”
With a long sigh, Tess took the scope and set it on the table, then struggled to dislodge the scope rail. With a stronger crossbow, she’d have used it, but the weak stopping power of the TG-6 meant she’d need to fire at an arc just to get the range.
Tess loaded the weapon, waited carefully, then fired wildly into the air, missing the target by more than thirty feet.
“You’re not even trying!” Fleur protested, but Tess only loaded her next shot, then held up a finger to silence her.
After another long stretch, Tess fired again, missing wildly.
“If you’re not going to take this seriously—”
Tess grabbed Fleur by the wrist before she could leave. “Shush. I have one more shot.” When the girl quieted, Tess loaded the bolt and brought up the weapon. Based on the first shot, she estimated the drop speed of the bolt, leaving her aiming up at an angle. Based on the second shot she guessed the effect wind had at this distance. She stilled, watching the trees intently until the leaves fell still. Finally, the bolt flew. It arced wildly right of the target, then caught a breeze in flight, redirecting it to clip the side of the pumpkin with a glancing blow. “Fuck!” she yelled. “I really thought I had that.”
“That was amazing!” Fleur gushed.
“I didn’t knock the pumpkin down…” Tess murmured, face flushing.
“Yeah, but you hit it! I never even came close!” Fleur took the crossbow, returned it to the table, then started toward the palace. “Come on, the bolt’s in my room. There’s no door, since they don’t want any boys catching feelings for me and sneaking in, but it’ll be fine since you’re a girl.”
“Oh yeah?” Tess raised her head hopefully. “And… What if a girl catches feelings?”
Another innocent, musical laugh left Fleur. “What? Oh! Don’t worry. My mother has all the demonically corrupted girls on a list. They’re not getting within a kilometre of the palace grounds.”
Tess’s jaw tightened, and her heart sank. “Who’s your mother?”
“Your matron didn’t tell you?” Fleur scoffed, grabbing Tess by the wrist and pulling her toward the palace. “She’s Han’s Secretary of Intelligence.”
* * *
Miyoko’s eyes snapped open in the dark. “Fleur!” she gasped, bashing her head against the semisoft earth above and falling back to her bedroll with an irritated groan. Despite her resolution to leave the past in the past, her dreams had yet to get the message. As ethereal memories slipped into oblivion, she sighed. One day they’d stop… Hopefully that dream was one of the pleasant ones. Tess was just a child. She, at least, deserved to be happy. After probing the cool, damp earth with her fingers, she found the gas lamp and switched it on, narrowing her eyes in protest as her burrow lit up.
After all her time as a ghost, Miyoko learned that step one of any operation was having a reliable spot to rest and recover. In this vein, she owned about a dozen burrows, each stocked with cheap supplies and rudimentary equipment. Unfortunately, most burrows were in the Azure Syndicate, something that hadn’t been a problem before she had an ASN.
With a grumble and a stretch, Miyoko crawled through the dirt to the chests along the wall. After a moment of digging, she withdrew a small jar of honeyed peach slices. As she slipped on a leather cuirass and black cloak, she savoured each morsel, licking her fingers clean after every bite. There was more food, but after Ashling reported her escape, the metsuke would scour all surrounding towns for her, so the meagre supplies would need to last until she reached Inisheer.
When it was finally time to leave, Miyoko put on her pack, slipped her tanto into a sheath on her hip, and grabbed the small crossbow. By the time she crawled out, she’d stripped nearly everything of value from the place. After all, whether or not Miyoko succeeded in this final journey, she’d never be coming back.
The fresh morning air and twitter of birds greeted Miyoko as she moved the makeshift gate aside and crawled into the open. She stretched, eyes sweeping over the untamed wilderness around the unremarkable hole between two roots of a thick tree. Ahead of her, a wide river wound lazily from the Azure Syndicate’s mountains toward the ocean, banks flooding with winter’s melting snow. Despite the indirect path, this waterway would serve as her guide to the coast. Since rabbit-girls had enhanced speed on even ground, those searching would assume she’d move fast. Taking her time and staying near a body of water that could throw off foxhunters was the smarter play.
Miyoko sighed as she knelt by the edge of the river and splashed water onto her face. The brisk morning air washed over her, sinking into the wet fur and jolting her awake. As she stretched and turned downriver, a stick snapped in the woods. Her vision swiveled, locating a blur of fangs and claws as Khukri burst from a bush.
A panicked half-step later, and the wolf smashed into her, yanking her from her feet and sending both into a frigid morning bath. Miyoko thrashed as she spun in the water, powerful legs desperately kicking in a blind bid to hit the wolf… Or at least tell her which direction was up.
She gasped as she broke the surface, eyes swinging wildly to find the wolf breaching behind her. The cold water clung to her cloak and cuirass, coming as high as her chest and preventing her from jumping to safety or picking up speed. Without a chance to run, Miyoko switched tactics in desperation, drawing her knife and swinging for the unarmored face of the hooded monster.
Her knife could’ve been a feather for all the good it did. Khukri roughly grabbed Miyoko’s wrist, sending pain up her arm as two claws mercilessly pierced her skin. Gone was the forceful, soft woman who brushed her, and in her place, the monster Tsu had declared a threat to all life. The wolf’s teeth clamped down on Miyoko’s arm just above the elbow, forcing a scream of terror and pain from her lungs before she found herself beneath the water once more. Miyoko struggled through the pain, thrashing and kicking as she tried to regain some control, but every time she touched the ground, the wolf simply yanked her off balance and dragged her beneath the surface.
Fire radiated through Miyoko’s chest, limbs growing weak as the world grew hollow. The cold, dark water embraced her, numbing the pain and promising relief. With a last thought, Miyoko opened her mouth, letting water slip past her lips and fill her lungs as the blade vanished from her limp fingers.
Light and pain came racing back as her head peeked above the water. A mixture of air and liquid swirled about her lungs, drawing forth pain anew as she violently coughed up fluid.
Khukri held the wrist firm, but her teeth withdrew, allowing blood seeping from the wounds to mix with water already murky with dislodged mud. The wolf’s other hand grabbed the base of Miyoko’s ears, then the woman’s weight bore down, forcing Miyoko back into the depths.
Miyoko panicked as she realized she was about to go under once more, but the resistance was barely symbolic. It felt like her first interaction with a repercussion officer, only now the state wasn’t around to stop it from going too far. Her futile thrashing slowed as death approached once more, only for her to break the surface with deep hacking coughs. This time, there couldn’t be any doubt. She hadn’t escaped. Khukri was prolonging her life on a whim.
When the water came again, Miyoko breathed in as best she could, then went limp in the dark and cold. Just when her burning lungs felt like they’d burst, Khukri pulled the rabbit free, letting her gasp and wheeze in an attempt to expel more water. With another deep breath, Miyoko moved to the surface, but this time, instead of being pushed under she was held in place. The water covered her mouth, but stopped short of her nose, letting her watch helplessly as the blood-tainted water swept downriver.
A loud snarl an inch from her ear made Miyoko whimper uncontrollably and warmed the water by a few degrees. “I am Master’s will,” Khukri said, her voice hard and reverent. “If you want to live: I speak, you listen. Do you want to live, little bunny?”
Miyoko nodded and closed her eyes, shaking uncontrollably.
“You don’t think I can make you live to please Master, but there’s a lot of things people think they’d never do. Every time someone crosses that line, it gets easier to do it again.” The wolf released Miyoko’s wrist and pressed into her back, leaving her muzzle so close Miyoko could feel warm breath cut through the soaked fur. It was just enough freedom to resist, as though daring the bunny to try. “Master is a predator, but he doesn’t know he’d hurt us to get what he wants. As soon as he learns to use pain to control us, crossing that line gets easier - and we live in fear, forever. Not just you, not just me, but every girl I bring into my pack. You threaten my haven, little one…” Sharp teeth danced along Miyoko’s ears, making her shudder in terror for a bite that never came. “Do you want to be a threat to me? Or do you want to be friends?”
Another twinge of pain added to the myriad of wounds as Khukri yanked Miyoko’s mouth above the water by her ears while maintaining a low, threatening growl. “Friends!” Miyoko begged, desperate heart pounding as she dared to hope. “Please… Friends…”
“Good,” Khukri whispered, harshness subsiding. “Now… It’s my duty to make sure you behave. When you disobey, it doesn’t just make you look bad, it makes me look bad. So as a friend… don’t make me have this conversation again.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Miyoko whimpered, words coming almost by instinct.
“Good girl.” Khukri’s fingers uncurled, allowing Miyoko to slip limply back into the chilling dark.