Chapter 14

Bane felt a sense of warmth as he woke up, as if a warm blanket had been spread upon him, the fox forgetting where he was, if only for a moment.

As his eyes finally opened, even with his blurry vision he could see that he was not in his rickety old home, the furniture here all new and the floorboards in perfect condition.

As he finally became fully awake, his eyes snapped completely open as he could now feel the muscular arms wrapped around his small body, Aspen holding him close, very close. The wolf didn't even seem to notice that his strong arms were wrapped so tightly around Bane, his paws resting on Banes torso, the wolf's snout so close to Banes face that he could feel the Aspens hot breath at the base of his neck, the wolf smelling like pine as he was pressed so close to Banes, his entire toned torso against the foxes back.

But what made Bane feel the most uncomfortable, and perhaps a bit shocked as well, is how he felt something, something large prodding against his back.

Bane for a moment wondered in the wolf was awake, and getting... aroused just by this awkward situation. But Bane knew from his training as a healer that Aspens breath were too even, to steady for him to be awake, just a normal reaction that had just coincidentally happened... now. Though a blush did begin to creepy up into the foxes cheeks.

He didn't know whether it would be a better idea for him to simply stay put, the thought of Aspen awaking to this... situation making him feel awkward as hell.

But he thought for a moment, whether he could just somehow make just enough room for himself to leave without the Arctic wolf noticing.

He began to ever slowly, pry Aspens paw off of his chest, slowly but surely able to move it over himself, the foxes heart pounding as his eyes bore into Aspens, trying to make sure best he could that the Arctic wolf had not woken up, eyes glued to the wolf's resting face.

Alright, only one left, Bane thought hopefully.

He began to pull Aspens other paw away from his abdominal area, though found it tricky with how it was positioned, wrapped around most of his small waist, Aspens paw seeming to be clenching a tuft of Banes own fur. He began tugging Aspens arm, but found it practically stuck in that position in sleep, the foxes brows knitting as he pulled a bit harder, becoming flustered with how it was as if Aspens muscles had stiffened when he'd gone to sleep.

He supposed he was becoming a bit too careless, as he heard a sharp intake of breath from Aspen, then a low purring sort of sound, Banes body locked in horror as Aspens eyes began to groggily open, Bane able to see the icy blue of the wolf's iris.

Aspen seemed confused as he woke up, the wolf taking a moment to finally realize that he was holding the now awake fox practically in his arms, paw clenched on the fur on Banes torso.

As his eyes fully opened, the wolf seemed to jolt back, eyes widening as he fully pulled away from the fox, his cheeks burning red.

"B-Bane." He stuttered, "I'm sorry, I... I suppose I didn't realize that I was doing this to you." The wolf said quickly, avoiding eye contact with the fox, deciding to simply look the opposite direction.

"It's... it's alright Aspen. It was probably my fault anyway, I shouldn't have even stayed here after I had woken up yesterday." Bane said softly, slowly moving to the edge of the mattress, eyes darting away to avoid looking at Aspens heavily muscled body, almost seeming to the wolf as if he were ashamed.

"It's not your fault, you were hurt." Aspen reassured him, placing a hand on Banes shoulder.

The fox froze for a moment, Aspen finding Banes muscles tense as he placed his paw on his shoulder, though he quickly seemed to relaxed, though still seemed painfully embarrassed.

"W-well, I suppose I should leave now, I don't want to be much of a problem for you much longer." Bane quickly said, hopping off the bed with his long orange tail swishing behind him.

Aspen too pushed himself off of the mattress, standing up.

"Alright, and don't worry too much about it." Aspen told the fox. "I know how hard it must be for you to be a healer." He said, Bane finding it strange how kind Aspen had decided to speak like, knowing how the wolf would have likely snapped a response with annoyance at any other time.

But Bane found he could barely force himself to focus on the wolf's words, struggling to keep his eyes off Aspens morning erection that he still didn't seem to notice, his dick prominent enough that it didn't leave so much to Banes imagination.

"Thank you so much though." He blurted out, finding that he had to say something to distract himself, had to look away so he didn't seem so damn obvious. "No one had really done something this kind for me, it's always just been me and my sister fending for ourselves."

The wolf found sympathy, a strange feeling that he hadn't previously felt very often.

The fox turned around, giving a small wave before leaving Aspens room, Banes ears pressed to his head as he left.

Aspen sighed, stretching his limbs while mentally preparing himself for the day. He hadn't done much other than training every day, grueling yet necessary work, all designed to better prepared him from the role he had to fulfill, the role that had once been his fathers that he would be expected to fill very soon.

It was something that required maturity both in the physical and mental sense, both of which the Arctic wolf unsure he was capable of, constantly fearing of what may become of him when it would be time, the fear of becoming a failure something that constantly gnawed at him.

He quickly changed into a black tunic, grabbing the training sword before stepping out of the door for training that he had resumed with Sabrina, despite how embarrassed he had felt after the last time that had happened, though he didn't enjoy to think about that so much.

As he stepped into the hall, it wasn't even a few minutes before he was stopped by one of the castle guards, a tall Fennec Fox with a sandy coat of fur, Aspen ready to snap something at the anthro in annoyance.

"Sorry to interrupt you sir but..."

"What the hell do you want?!" Aspen snapped. He didn't feel like having his time wasted any longer than what was absolutely necessary.

"O-oh. Well the King had sent me, he had informed me he would like to see you shortly, in his office."

The king? Now why would that man want to see him. Aspen didn't think he had done anything, other than last night having to deal with that scrawny Alligator Anthro, but he was sure no one was there to see him, there to witness him fail to stop that little runt.

Aspen didn't say anything to the fennec fox, his nerves already escalating as he walked to the Kings office, knowing from his life spent in this very castle that when one was sent there, it was never positive.

Over the years he had been called a variety of times, mostly when he was a young child and the King would rant on about how he wouldn't behave himself, being one of the only children who lived in the castle those years ago. But now? He couldn't see why the king would even want to talk to him.

He knocked lightly on the door, the king almost immediately opening the door, Aspens heart sinking as he saw the disapproving look on his rulers face.

"Aspen, please have a seat." The king said in a monotonic tone.

Aspen reluctantly sat down, having an already uneasy feeling in his gut.

"So Aspen, did anything happen last night that you would like to tell me about?"

Aspen froze, muscles clenching as the king said the words. But no one had seen him chasing that damn Alligator, had someone?!

"N-no sir." Aspen said, hating the way he stumbled over his words as if he were fourteen again, trying to force his words to sound smooth, unnerved.

"Don't you lie to me Aspen! You know just as well as I do how much I don't tolerate that shit!"

Aspen almost flinched, the way the king screamed at him so different from how calm and welcoming he almost always behaved, at least to most people.

"I know about your little run-in with that filthy reptile, one of the night guards witnessed you, that you failed to catch him despite all that your father has taught you. He would be ashamed if he could see you now." The king growled, clearly knowing how much that would hurt the wolf who always tried to seem like he felt no emotions, though the king knew him better than that. After all, he had known Aspen for practically his entire life.

Aspen forced back a response, knowing that yelling at the king would surely bring him great consequences.

"Well then. For being so foolish as to fail, and on top of all of this not tell me about this and deciding to be a petty liar, I suppose I have to give you some sort of punishment." The King mused, a cruel sort of enjoyment shown through that smile of his.

Aspens paws clenched into fists, the Arctic wolf repressing his growl.

"I want you to find that damn Reptilian, Aspen. I don't care how fucking long it takes you. But if he could get past the guards, get into the very heart of my kingdom... I can't have someone like that allowed to roam free." The king shook his head, despite the pleasure he likely felt sentencing Aspen to do this, clearly still feeling a great deal of concern for the castles security. "Tomorrow, I want you to go find that damn lizard, I'll appoint a healer to help you just in case things go south, but I expect you to find who's responsible, understand?"

"Yes." Aspen said in a low and husky voice, struggling to keep the frustration from his tone.

~

After Aspen was allowed to leave, he felt the fury begin to arise within himself, slowly but definitively, the wolf furious that his ruler had given him this task, this chore to do as punishment as if he were a child.

And to find that damn Reptilian himself other than whichever healer was unfortunate to be stuck with him.

Tracking down someone had never been a part of his training, his training almost made up entirely of swordplay and fighting techniques.

But this would be something he was now forced to do. And with how much the wolf hated that damn King in that moment, proving to the man that he would able to do this, now that was what he hoped to accomplish out of this whole mess, because proving the man of his capability would surely be a more pleasurable thing than any damn intruder.