Ch 38 The Mother Kitsune

I found myself with Sophie, in front of a large mud-based castle.

"Where are we going?"

I asked. The lizard that was leading Sophie's stretcher, answered.

"This is the King's castle. The only mammalian doctor is here. The King keeps this doctor in servitude to himself in order to take care of his slaves."

That made me feel better. A doctor with more than just a reptilian specialty. We went inside the castle and took many turns. The final turn was into a stairwell that went down to a basement. As we reached the bottom of the stairs, I turned my attention to Sophie.

"Are you doing okay?"

She gave my hand a light squeeze.

"It still hurts a little."

Her consciousness seemed unaffected. I felt even more hopeful for her.

We passed by many cages embedded in the walls. A few were filled with exotic animals. Many had slaves of varying races. None of them had any kind of clothing. Humans, setangyan, mermaids, elves, lizard-women and a single wolven.

A few new races that I had not seen before. Based on mythical races that I have read about in fantasy novels and played in video games, my best guesses were, dwarves, moth-people, pixies, sphinx, centaurs, dryads, orcs, kitsune, cat-girls, harpies, two giants and a lone cyclops. A veritable treasure trove of fantasy races.

From what I could see, they were all female. They all had a pitiful look on them. Similar to Sophie, before I got her away from Mik. No, these girls were much worse off than Sophie was. They saw us walk by, but none of them were clutching the bars or asking for help. They just watched us. Like they knew there was no hope in this world that could make things better for them. Any of them.

I felt bad for them. There was nothing that a single individual like myself could do. If I was to try to use my powers, I feel like I would fuck up and get them killed. If I don't accidentally kill them myself.

We reached our destination at the end of the long dismal hall. There were no rooms. There was a vast assortment of tables with glassware and experiments all over them. I could see a row of beds, ranging from small to massive. Sophie was placed on a bed that fit her size quite nicely.

A lamia creature was at one of many tables with beakers, vials and other potion makings. Her back was turned to me. I could see long bright orange, slightly curly hair. She was wearing a lab coat and skirt. Her long, snake-like tale was just that. LONG. It weaved in and out and around multiple tables before the tail end could be found. The scale coloring matched the hair perfectly.

She barely turned her head in this direction, like she had just noticed that someone was here. She poured one more vial of her work and placed it in a safe location.

She turned to us. The coat was wide open. No undershirt to cover up her... chiseled male chest.

She was actually a he.

"What are you here for?"

He let out a long sigh. He was not happy with the extra work.

"Why are thessse ssslavesss here? I have important work to do. I don't even recognize them. Are they the King'sss new petsss?"

He talked in a slow casual manner, elongating his 'S's among his speech. His voice was neither rough nor menacing. He sounded like an average tired guy with an extreme example of a lisp.

"While Sophie 'is' a slave, she is 'my' slave. Not the King's. She is hurt and I need your help. Please."

"Pleassse? You think that isss enough to gain my favor. Asss I sssaid, I have more important Bussssinesss to do."

I saw his thin, forked tongue flicker a few times.

"I am the new user of the potion of Rage. I think, not pissssing me off would be in your best interests."

He was more interested when I mentioned the potion. He was also annoyed when I imitated his extended s's. He stared at me for a bit.

"Isss what he sssaid, true?"

He directed his question to one of the lizards that brought us here.

"Yesss."

My first thought was that this 'scientist' was just some geeky nerd. This changed when the lizard-man stretched out the s.

As soon as the lizard finished his single word with an extended 's,' the lamia let loose a face of pure fury. His long body hit the lizard hard and wrapped around the helpless reptilian in less than two seconds. The lizard was gasping for air. I simply stood by and watched as the lizard was devoured. Not from the mouth on the head of the snake, but from a hidden and toothless mouth along the stomach line. The other lizard-man that had led me here was long gone and up the stairs already.

I only stood ready to fight if he turned his angry gluttonous attitude toward Sophie or myself. After he had his meal, he dabbed his stomach with a cloth and recomposed himself.

"If you had not led with the potion, that likely would have been you."

This individual is vicious. I should be careful around him.

"Ssso, you want me to mend thisss, elf? Isss that all you asssk of me?"

"Yes."

He let out another sigh.

"Very well. Asss a being that could metaphorically devour me, I have little choissse. I am called, Llamar."

His humanoid upper body approached Sophie. His tail grabbed a small case out of a desk on the far side of the room. It loomed overhead and brought the small case to his main body from above. He moved a larger section of his body next to the bed and began using it as a portable table for the case that was just brought over. He opened the case and pulled out a few tools. He began by cutting off the cloth near Sophie's wound. He used some kind of fluid on a clean cloth and began to wipe down the area. I'm assuming a disinfectant from the way that Sophie winced. He began stitching up the wound.

"Nothing exssstreme. The ssspecimen will live."

I pulled her right hand to my lips and kissed the back of it.

"Hear that? You will be fine."

"I'm glad."

He used his tail to prop up Sophie.

"Hold the shirt up ssso that I may bandage it."

Sophie tried but her left arm was weak.

"Let me."

I lifted her shirt up as far as the underside of her breasts. Llamar began wrapping the bandage around her torso. The process was completed in little time. I lowered her shirt and he lowered her back down to the bed.

"Let it ressst for the night. I will change it'sss bandagesss again in the morning and assssessss it'sss condition."

"Thank you."

He looked surprised.

"Thatsss the firssst time I have heard thossse wordsss in many a year. I almossst forgot what they sssounded like. I will be here for a while longer. You are welcome to ssstay. Jussst don't touch thingsss that aren't yoursss."

"Understood."

Llamar's tail brought over a chair for me to sit in. I guess if you show him some respect, he is not as interested in eating you?

"Try to sleep, Sophie. I'll stay with you all night. Okay?"

She nodded. I rested my head on the side of the bed.

I did not let go of her hand until Llamar was gone and she was in a deep sleep.

I felt restless. I was not tired. I think the adrenalin from my fight earlier is still pumping through me. I walked down the hall to see the other species. It was like a zoo. Was this the King's slave harem? I would never want a slave to be as lifeless and lost as these poor souls. I dislike the fact that I can't free Sophie. She is going to be a slave until she dies? Some of the rules in this world are fucking stupid.

I heard something. Light shuffling. It was coming from the direction of Sophie. I got worried for a second. That is until I saw the cute little guy walking toward me.

"Hey, Goby? How are you?"

In one swift leap, he landed on my shoulders. I scratched his head.

"Were you scared of the fight, earlier? It's probably a good thing that you didn't come out. There was a scary snake man, too."

I heard a gasp behind me.

"Ah..."

The voice I heard was weak. I faced the sound. It was one of the kitsune. A beautiful, though emaciated, woman with red fox-like features and multiple tails. Her hair was matted and shoulder length. In the right light, her eyes were just as creepy as Atouk's, when he was in that long dark hall in Bastion. These slaves were not taken care of, at all. She was reaching out to me through the bars of her prison. Or maybe, she was reaching out to Goby?

I got closer to her. I kept attention on Goby to watch for reactions in him. I got about a foot's distance away from her outstretched arm. She continued to reach, though I was too far for her.

"Ah!... Ah!"

She began to cough. She pulled her arm in to cover her mouth. She looked like she was in pain from her coughing fit.

I left. I did not want to see this anymore. I found Sophie and the bag that Goby was hiding in. I rummaged through the bag until I found a water canteen and a snack. I returned to the sickly Kitsune. She was still coughing a little.

"Come here."

I whispered. She came close. Her hands held onto the bars. I picked up Goby and placed him on the ground behind me. I told him to stay. I got closer. I began to reach out with the water canteen. The lid was already open. I brought it about a foot away from her mouth when she struck.

Her left hand grabbed my right outstretched forearm. Her claws were digging into my skin.

I showed her no change in my face. She was pulling at my arm. I think her intent was to bite my hand. Maybe for nourishment. I didn't give her an inch. Her weakened body was not strong enough to overpower me. That didn't stop her from using the last of her strength to try. I slowly moved the canteen closer, until it was nearly at her lips. I began to gently pour a few drops on her lips. She calmed down immediately.

Her hand never let go of my arm. Her grip was loose now, though. I raised the canteen more, so that she could drink from it. She gladly accepted. I did not want to overwhelm a body that may be unfamiliar with this much water. I lowered it and allowed her to catch her breath. She tugged on my arm a little. I poured some more into her mouth. When she had her fill, she let go of my arm. She fell to her knees. She looked up at me pleadingly.

I placed the half-empty canteen near Goby.

I pulled out some dried meat from my pocket. The kitsune before me withheld herself this time. She saw what I had. I reached into the cage until the meat was before her. Tears began to stream down her face. I had food in front of her and she refused to take it. I motioned for her to take it. She looked as though she was afraid of the consequences of taking the offering. I reached in further. I placed the meat into her hand.

"Go ahead. It's for you alone."

I whispered to her. She brought it up to her nose. She smelled it. She was savoring it. Her body leaned against the sidewall of the cage. She was still silently crying. She took an, ever so tiny bite of the meat. She covered her mouth with her free hand to hold in a sob. She took a larger bite. Then a larger bite. The next bite was the last of it.

She was crying full streams of tears now. She was as silent as a mouse. She grabbed my hand that was still in the cage. She began to lick the palm of my hand. Trying to savor the last of the flavor that she may never experience again.

Was what I just did, a mercy, or a cruelty?

She suddenly reached out and pulled on my shirt. My balance was off in my current position. I fell forward until my face was between the bars before her. She quickly reached in with her own face and kissed me. She must have been so grateful for such a tiny nicety.

'AWAY!'

I heard a loud booming voice. The kitsune was frightened to death and ran back into the darkest corner of the cell.

I looked around. The voice was deep, older yet motherly. No other slaves seemed to be rousing from the booming voice. I saw no one that the voice could have come from.

'Do not speak aloud. I am speaking directly to your mind.'

'Who are you?'

I thought to myself. I was hoping that she could hear my voice as well as project hers.

'I am the mother of the one you were interacting with.'

I looked further into the cage. Something above caught my eye. I looked to the upper right of the cage. Two giant, purple eyes were looking dead at me. Eyes this big would have a mouth that could devour me in a single bite.

'I will not harm you. I appreciate your concern for my daughter. Though, your intentions can only harm her. By doing what you did, she may have to endure more hardships before she breaks like the rest. You extend her sentence.'

'I'm sorry. I even had that thought, myself. I don't know why I still went through with it.'

...

I heard a massive sigh before me. Warm air blew out of the cage, enough to shuffle my clothing.

'I wish you could take her with you. That would be impossible.'

'Why? I may have more sway with the King than you think. I might be able to get all of you out of here in a best-case scenario. Maybe only a couple or even just her at worst.'

'That is not why It would be impossible. You experienced firsthand how hard it would be for her to trust someone. Your heart was calm, like a lake with no ripples in the water. Without that, she would have just clawed at you until you were tired of her. It would take the same kind of calm heart to befriend her, for anyone. She may take to you, but any friends you have would be in constant danger from her. Especially if she had her strength back. Her mind is too far gone to be redeemed in any society.'

'Fuck. That's, just too sad.'

I then heard another familiar voice in my head.

'That is so... your personality, Lake. That's why I love you.'

Mery. Why was she here? I still don't feel ready to talk to the Sorrow in my head.

'I won't ever go away. I'm with you forever now. I may not actually 'be' her. I have the personality that you saw from her though. I am built on how you perceived her. Just like Fear, I only want to help. I love you.'

I began to feel a tightness in my chest. I reeled my head back and banged it against one of the bars. I saw some of the other kitsune awaken and scurry back away from the bars.

'You have others inside you?'

The mother kitsune was speaking to me again.

'How?'

'The way I understand it, they are manifestations of my emotions. They have their own personalities and represent a single emotion each. They started making themselves known after the potion of Rage was absorbed into my body.'

'You have the potion inside of you? How long?'

'I think it's been over a year now.'

'I think I understand. You are here for the Guru?'

'Yes.'

Her form slowly stepped forward from the shadows. I saw a single giant purple paw. The second paw that I saw, was half the size. The first hind paw was even smaller. Her shape was changing before me. She went from a giant beast down into a voluptuous, nude woman. Similar to the kitsune before, she had fox-like features. Her colors took on a purple coloration and her tails were more in number, as well as larger. She approached me.

I never moved from my spot, from where her daughter had kissed me.

'I will do something for you that none of my kind have done before.'

Before she could finish explaining. Goby jumped up onto my head and leaped over to her. He landed on her breasts. She reached up and began to pet him.

"Hello, little one. ... Oh, has he? ... That is good. I appreciate your input. I promise. I won't hurt him."

Her whispers were breathy and, more than attractive. Even if she was not whispering to me. I wish I was where Goby was right now.

'I can still hear your mind's voice.'

"Eh..."

I awkwardly looked away and made an 'I don't know what you are talking about,' face while scratched my head.

'Goby says that you showed him kindness when others would attempt to take his life. He loves you with all his heart. You are like a father to him. He is willing to stay by your side for as long as he is able. It is hard to earn the trust of several individuals from other races like you have. You are so unique.'

'Yeah, I'm hearing that description of me a lot, recently.'

'It is because of who you are that I will make a sacrifice for you.'

I looked at her. She still had a motherly smile on her face. So warm and welcoming. She stood only a few feet away from me. She finally began to close that gap. What is she planning?

'Stand. Embrace me.'

'Okay?'

She was now before me. She was tall. My chin was barely at the top of her breasts. She reached through the bars and pulled me in for a hug.

The bars were cold, but she gave me such a warm comforting feeling. Like a caring mother comforting her child. Aside from her height. It made me think of my own mother. I haven't seen her in a long time. I really did miss her. I think I was beginning to forget her. That would not happen now. All the memories of her came flooding back. I loved her. So much.

I felt tears form. My senses were brought back to me. I had to pull away before they fell onto the womanly kitsune before me. I let go and pulled my body back.

She was gone.

I looked around. She was not outside of the cage. I browsed the inside of the cage from the bars. I saw no signs of her coloring or large beast form. What I did see, was the entire occupancy of the cage began to charge at me.

I backed away. As I tilted my head to run from the stampede of kitsune, I felt the soft fur of Goby on my left cheek. He was safely on my shoulder. When I was at least two or three arm lengths away from the cage, I stopped my retreat. I looked at all the fox women clawing at me through the bars with one or both arms. They were all angry. They were all crying.

What did she do? Where did she go?

I saw the back of the cage. The one that kissed me was still hiding behind the crowd. She did not have a look of anger like the others. She was crying just like them, though.

The mother kitsune said she would make a sacrifice.

What did she mean?