Young Writers Society

Chapter Thirteen

991

Lewis gaped; Dominic froze; Mason also gaped; and Abel stood there, smirking dryly.

“What do you mean by that?” Lewis was the first to speak up warily. He grasped his dagger more tighter, as if afraid that it would jump out of his hand.

Abel shrugged. “I mean it. Can’t you kill me and get it over with? Oh, turn Mason over to Dominic first. But yes, I do mean what I just said.”

Mason didn’t dare to struggle against the sharp edge of the dagger held at his throat, but his eyes could still move freely and they did, wildly, shaking. This can’t be happening, no, no, no. I didn’t even get a chance to apologize, I didn’t even talk to him after we fought. Mason could feel Lewis tensing, and he could bet on the fact that his brother had decided that the situation was a trap.

Just as Mason predicted, Lewis said, “No.”

Abel scratched his head, while Dominic glared at him, still shocked, and pushed him back. “Why do you care?” Abel muttered at Dominic sullenly.

Dominic only scowled and bared his fangs. “I can still hear myself saying, do not act rash.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” Abel replied, and for a moment, Mason was worried that the two foxes would start fighting again amongst themselves.

To his eternal relief, they didn’t.

Mason could feel the cool steel at his neck, ready to cut, but he still couldn’t believe that his brother had turned against him. Betrayed him. “Scandal.” He could still hear Abel saying. Then, against him, Lewis; “Murderer.” Mason gritted his teeth in anger discreetly. So I was right. They are hiding something from me. The matter still made his stomach sick and heart clench, so Mason left it at that for now.

It was true that he and Lewis did have an argument some hours before, but that didn’t provide any reason for Lewis acting this way. Maybe, Mason thought, I made a mistake, I should never have asked. But… what half?

On a brighter side, Lewis could have killed him with a single stab, yet he hadn’t. Mason took that as a hopeful signal, something that would have to be considered to convince Lewis to stop the madness. Scandal.

So many foxes Mason knew were falling around him. He also knew that Abel and Dominic had to be fighting, for they were powerful, valuable, and they alone could make a considerable difference. That couldn’t be done, not while they were standing still, doing nothing, glaring and yelling.

The stump, the place where Mason had tore off his own hand, throbbed painfully. Pain clouded his mind. But he knew that Lewis had only one tail now; he felt like a plain fox. As it was the way it always had been from the beginning of the lineage of the many-tailed foxes, Lewis should have turned into his original form as a single-tailed fox. It didn’t make sense.

Get out of there. Dominic told him, and Mason flinched harshly. Lewis flinched with him.

So it is true, then, Mason thought after getting ahold of his surprise. He found that he couldn’t directly send messages by his will, but deduced that Dominic should be able to hear the words that he ‘sent back’. Nine-tailed foxes really can communicate with their minds? I thought it was just a story. Dominic, not shifting from his position, might have rolled his eyes, but Mason knew him better than that.

Yes. Came a tense reply, this time from Abel. Do what he told you.

It both surprised and sickened Mason. The first emotion was because he had thought that if anybody put Dominic and Abel together, a ultimate fight to the death would occur in a heartbeat. They were actually getting along, or so it seemed. The latter reaction was from the recognition of two other minds in his own head. It felt like his right to keep privacy was being crushed like an ant.

“I’ll tell you one last time.” Abel rumbled, and Dominic nodded, adding his voice to his. It was a warning; a threatening; a promise for blood. “Leave. Then perhaps we shall not kill you.” Both of them finished at the same time, and the fact made Mason shiver, the reason unknown even to himself. Suddenly, he could imagine how the two would have acted in the past, if they were not at each other’s throats at the time. Just like how they were doing it at the moment.

It was as if they had been some sort of friends, which was absurd.

Lewis shook his head again grimly and raised his dagger to strike. Mason held his breath, frozen. No, he wouldn’t kill me… right? Would he? He decided to speak up before Abel and Dominic could kill his brother. “Lewis.” He tried. “Stop right now. I don’t want to harm you. I really don’t.” Not like I will, but it’s worth trying. As he twisted around to look at Lewis, their two identical eyes met. Mason held the gaze. “Don’t.” He repeated, trying to put as much authority he had into his voice. “I warn you. Don’t.”

Lewis’s hand shook lightly, the one holding the dagger. For a moment, his eyes flashed with strange emotions, such as hesitation, guilt, and tension. Mason let out a breath. Okay, right now. Rearing, Mason shifted into a great silver fox, which would give him either advantage or disadvantage, for he was missing a leg. He slammed into Lewis, knocking the breath out of him, and rolled once from the impact, rolled again as Lewis tried to grapple, then came to a stop, his hind paws firmly resting on the weaker opponent, the remaining front paw on the hand holding the dagger to immobilize it.

For Mason didn’t want to harm Lewis seriously, he took one paw off, but the rest remained. He kept his teeth close to the throat. Just in case, Mason told himself.

“Great.” Abel said, walking over. He sounded disappointed, queerly. “What now?”

Dominic walked in front of him, his face an angry and stoic mask of a leader. “Kill him.”

Mason whined softly under his breath, lowering his ears. He gave a shake of his head. No, he was trying to convey. He’s still my brother, something must have gotten into him.

“Mason, no.” Dominic told him. “He’s a traitor. He tried to kill you.”

Abel nodded absently, his eyes already flickering over to the battle around him. It was slowly ending, for good or bad, no one could deduce. “During World War II, German traitors were decapitated.” He added. Helpful, Mason thought with a quick glare.

“Up to you.” One less halfbreed. Abel told Dominic so that Mason would not hear.

And good riddance, that would be. Dominic replied. I would tear him apart and throw him to the crows, but Mason would not like it. The last part he said with temporary distaste.

I don’t care. If I survive this and he’s still here, I’ll do exactly what you just said. Abel grumbled.

Dominic shrugged. I don’t care, either. Might as well as help you with it if I have leisure time left.

Abel whipped around to jump on a Hunter, and in a split second, tore his head off with a hand. Blood splattered everywhere. Dominic remained where he stood, as did Mason, and Lewis. Lewis’s eyes were filled with nervousness, but as Mason examined them, there was no fear. Only disgust, hatred, perhaps regret, and perhaps sadness.

Lewis tightened his grip on the dagger he never had gotten to use.

“After this,” Dominic told Mason. “I’ll tell you everything. You wanted it.” Mason looked at him and nodded, ears pricking up again in glee. “I’ll deal with your… brother. You should be needed elsewhere.” As on cue, a fox’s grotesque yowl pierced the air. Casting a one, last look, Mason bounded off doubtfully.

Immediately Lewis raised his dagger, standing up, but Dominic tore it away and knocked him back down onto the ground. “Did you take Mason’s hand?” He asked, in a chilling voice.

Lewis glared at him. “What would you do if I did?” In reply, Dominic took hold of the halfbreed’s right hand and gave it an experimental scratch with a claw. His sharp claw sliced through flesh like water. He looked into Lewis’s eyes.

“Then I hope that you’re left-handed. And if you are, I will cut that off too.”

Quick fear went through Lewis’s eyes like lightning but it soon disappeared. “I disown Mason.” He abruptly declared, lifting his chin in a challenge. “So he should stop treating me like I am his family member. I don’t want mercy.”

Dominic cocked his head. “You really think so? Let me tell you what - Mason didn’t disown you yet. Until he does, you’re under his mercy.” He threw Lewis a mocking smile.

The target fumed, yet didn’t dare to move and attack. He knew fully well that he was going to die if he did.

Somewhere beside them, an enormous crack sounded and trees collapsed, again. A thick plume of gray smoke went up.

“I have plans for you.” Dominic told him. “I have never liked traitors.” Lewis struggled to keep his composure.

“And you’ll keep me here - how?” With a cold smile, Dominic stood up. Lewis remained on the ground, studying the fox warily.

“You might now the way a fox hunts - the way that we play around with our preys, the way that we let them go and then catch them over and over again until we tire. I shall like to try it. It’s been a long time, anyway.”

For a second, confusion was on Lewis’s face, then comprehension, then horror.

“I won’t keep you here, halfbreed.” Dominic whispered cruelly, as he flexed his claws and bared his fangs in a terrible smile. “You’re free to leave. I wonder how a Hunter will be hunted down, hmm? And you don’t have to worry about Mason. I will never let him find out.”

As Lewis stared at him, petrified, Dominic turned around to rejoin the battle, unable to keep the grin off of his face. To his left, Abel snickered lowly, accompanied with the sound of ripping flesh and a bloodcurdling scream.

☪

Abel said, “This Hunter was young, and a girl.” and kicked the body over to give Dominic a better look at the corpse’s face.

Dominic leant down and brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. Black, dead eyes stared up into the sky, unfocused. “Young, but a Hunter. I would have killed her.”

Abel shrugged. “It was I who killed her, I remember. She had this dagger that she wielded like a stick.” Dominic gave him a flat look and rolled the body face-down again.

“Maybe you have a different idea about it, but I don’t do well with the dead.”

The area around the forest was strewn with bodies. Thick smell of blood lay like a tangible fog in the air, from both foxes and humans. At the end of the barbaric battle, the Hunters had retreated victorious, with many losses on their side but with more losses on the foxes’ side. As Abel predicted, they had fought with mainly number and some skill. So easy to kill, but once down, five more took their comrade’s place. The foxes, on the other hand, were hard to kill, but once down, none took its place. A few foxes were left standing at the end. Dominic, Jia, Abel and a several eight and seven-tailed foxes had driven off the Hunters with a huge burst of desperate energy.

After, with no time to tend to the wounded and the dead, the foxes had left, abandoning the forest. Mason had protested. He shook his head, told everyone to leave him behind, and Abel had secretly traced Mason’s steps into the black burnt trees, dead grass, hardened soil, smoke and flickering flames. He found Mason picking up pieces of charred wood with his remaining hand clumsily and shaking, desperately trying to wipe the tears away. For a long while, Mason had walked around, muttering things under his breath, sobbing; then for another long while, rummaged through a pile of branches until he picked out a piece of blue cloth that turned to ashes in his hand. He brought the former fabric to his face and wept until dry, hiccuping sounds came out of his throat. His home was gone.

Mason left with the others when they were a couple miles away, not looking at Dominic or Abel, not even searching for his brother. His face was stony and cold, no smile was on his lips, and he looked back at least a dozen times at the ruins of the forest.

Dominic and Abel had left themselves behind. Nobody asked, nobody objected -except for Jia, who put up a weak protest but left with Mason nonetheless, nursing a gash across her abdomen and an arrow in her forearm.

Now, the two foxes walked aimlessly among the dead, Abel glancing at the crows that came for the feast. He was injured with the wounds that had been given to him before the new bloodshed, when he fought with Dominic to near death, and during the new bloodshed.

The cow blood was being fought in Abel’s body. It, to his queer disappointment, was diminishing. It was such a small amount that was left, a drop or two, that his blood found enough power to strike against it. Abel was conflicted on the matter; a part of him wanted the poison to kill him, but another part of him didn’t want to be in such pain; told him that he still had so many things to do… Mistakes and actions to explain, a few places he wished to visit for the last time, and a goal that he had to reach. A god…

“Hey.” Dominic called, and Abel blinked at him. “You are stepping on a fox.” Abel shook his head lightly and looked down. A fox with five tails lay on the ground as a cold carcass, one tail cut off. One of Abel’s foot was halfway on a tail. A swarm of flies were buzzing around the eyes, touching down and then taking off into the air again. Buzzzzzzzz.

“I knew her.” Abel murmured under his breath, catching Dominic’s attention. “She asked me if I killed this…Annabelle.” Dominic shouldered Abel aside to take a closer look.

“Beverly.” He told Abel. “She and Annabelle were probably the only foxes who managed a sisterly relationship with each other. Also… you do know that this is your third one?” Abel looked at him, a small, somewhat-bitter smile tugging at his lips.

“I didn’t kill Annabelle.”

Dominic stared at him back. “I don’t trust you with that. But I also don’t care about Annabelle or Beverly or you killing one of them, nor do I care about you getting killed by your father or whoever else. Damn the Law for now. I care about this; whether or not the killer was a fox or a Hunter.”

Abel gave him a lighthearted frown. “If it was a fox, what are you going to do?”

“Kill him.” Dominic replied immediately.

Abel’s frown deepened. “That is a trainload of cow shit. What if that fox has only killed one fox? You have no right to carry out the execution. Then you’ll be responsible for the death of a fox, also.”

Dominic took his time to shoo away a crow from Beverly and pulled out one of the numerous arrows that were embedded in her body.

“I don’t care. Maybe you’ll take care of him for me. You still have some debts you need to repay, don’t you?” He replied as he examined the weapon, twirling it in his fingers.

“You promised Mason that you’d tell him after this.” Abel reminded him coldly.

“I did.” Dominic retorted. “But was I the one who slaughtered a mother and a father, both foxes, and attempted to murder a halfbreed, no matter how lowly he is?”

“He was a halfbreed, just like you said, and the mother was an accident.” Abel protested. The two exchanged icy glares but looked away just as quickly.

“The father was not,” Dominic snapped, narrowing his eyes, “and he was my friend.”

“Another blood traitor who took in a halfbreed. Just like the mother.” Abel snarled. “That was no mistake.” Dominic opened his mouth, starting to growl back, but paused and closed it.

“I would rather not fight here, more less with a traitor of the Law.”

“Oh, yes,” Abel mocked. “Because you ‘don’t do well with the dead’?” He made sure that the mockery in his voice would be felt, and grinned at Dominic.

“Those who are dead should be in hell, not walking the earth. If you think of yourself so high and mighty that you can order death around, you deserve to be crammed in somewhere a thousand miles deeper than hell itself.” Dominic told him emotionlessly, his hands flinching into a stop before they could come up and land a blow.

Abel grinned wider and cocked his head to the side. “Or in the sky with the gods. Now, before we start to fight here, like what you don’t want, tell me the real purpose of this. I don’t think that a fox who doesn’t do well with the dead would fancy walking among it.”

Dominic said, curt and tense, “We’re going hunting,” and waited for Abel to speak against it. The said fox smiled slyly.

“Wouldn’t Mason be unhappy?”

“If we don’t tell him, no.”

Humming a nameless tune under his breath, Abel considered it. “He would be with the Hunters right now.”

“I am well aware.” Dominic replied.

Abel raised a curious eyebrow at him. “Why don’t you go by yourself?”

A long silence followed, which Abel broke again. “Wait, don’t tell me. It’s because you want someone else to give to Mason when he is searching for the one who killed his brother, isn’t it?” Dominic smirked at him dryly, crossing his arms.

“You’ve gotten smarter.”

Abel’s lips twitched and became a thin line. He turned from Dominic, and waited for his body to metamorphose fully into a gold fox as he willed. When it was complete, he silently looked up into the sky, unmoving, until Dominic came to his side. I will lead, Abel told him and broke into a swift sprint.

The wind was warm under the sun, tickling the two foxes’ nostrils. Clouds thickly blanketed the sky, hints of blue showing in some places, the rest white. As they left the burnt remains of the forest and the dead behind, the air became lighter. The wide, grassy field closed off with small hills and streams, then a wide river, then another forest that Abel and Dominic didn’t bother to go into. Abel followed the scent of the Hunters; the trail that the humans had moved along; the trampled grass that the mortal vehicles left behind. They had planned it all along, the Hunters; they had prepared a number of gigantic cars to carry off what would remain of the group, and apparently, the mortals had been quick about it.

Cowards and idiots.

Dominic sometimes ran behind Abel, sometimes beside him, and most of the times ahead of him, as if to show; I have something to threaten you with, so this is my hunt, not yours, and you will stay below me. After miles, the tracks continued into another camp that looked recently set up, and was bursting with hasty activity. The ground was slightly raised underneath the tents, forming a small hill. What was left of the Hunters rushed around, many wounded, more tending for them, the cars parked right next to the campsite. Exhausted murmurs and occasional tired laughters came from the camp.

Abel inhaled deeply with his nose. He could smell Lewis in the mob of mortals clearly. The halfbreed was pacing nervously about the campground, glancing this way and that. Abel also smelt his fear, overwhelming fear of being a prey, the feeling of something constantly watching you - something that would never be there if you looked around.

Instinctively, Abel and Dominic both let out two short snarls, making sure that it would reach only Lewis and him only. The many-tailed foxes loved making their preys’ heart beat wild before they killed; it was just so amusing to watch the mortals run around in terror.

A flash of anger went through Abel’s mind before he made it settle down - anger of another fox being right next to him and his prey.

Dominic must have known, because he bared his teeth in a feral, knowing grin.

What now? Abel asked Dominic, his whiskers shivering in utmost concentration.

What do you mean, Abel? I remember you saying, “I will lead”. Dominic snorted back icily. Abel glowered at him, rolling up his lips to show all his sharp teeth.

You are acting like a child. A miserably wretched, pathetic, weak, spoiled, slow, and idiotic child. He ground out, feeling a spark of satisfaction in his heart.

The glare that Dominic gave him gave him a light chill, but that was all Abel could feel. You seem to have an abundant amount of hatred in store for me. Dominic said simply, turning away. Abel snorted at him, and let his mind swim in the bottomless pool of memories for a moment.

Abundant doesn’t even start to describe it.

Lewis was nearly going wild, whipping his head around in every direction, his breath coming out shorter and faster. He went as far as grabbing a Hunter nearest to him and inquiring if he had heard anything. Then he pulled at his hair, stomped once or twice, and looked around again. Abel snickered lowly, and gave Lewis another low growl of warning. Dominic waited until his hunting companion was done, then gave the prey a lower snarl of his own.

A small groan of hysteria and horror escaped Lewis, and he sank down onto the ground until Adrian Bridge himself walked over, tapped him on the shoulder and took him inside a tent, presumably to talk about the matter.

Abel looked over at Dominic with a sprinkle of amusement in his eyes. Are you sure he was the one who held a dagger to an eight-tailed fox’s throat? Dominic snorted with him, an equal, if not more, amount of laughter also getting to him.

He does smell like the traitor you are talking about, but it seems like he morphed into a koshinuke.

Shaking his head lightly, Abel turned his head forward again, smirking the way a fox would smirk.

Dominic made the first move. He had noticed that there were too many Hunters around to actually sneak up on his prey like he would have liked to, but there were many other ways to pounce, and it seemed like he would have to use just that. Without hesitation, he yowled long and loud, the call that his ancient, long lost self and even more ancient ancestors had used in the feudal wilderness. The effect was immediate. Every single Hunters jumped up, and a dozen pointed to the direction where Abel and Dominic were hiding. Dominic stepped out from behind the tall grass that he knew had concealed the two of them, and Abel followed him.

“Fox!” A Hunter screamed, alerting any other Hunters who hadn’t rushed out to meet Abel and Dominic. There was a short flurry of activities as weapons were drawn and loaded, swords and daggers held at ready.

This better be going to your will, Abel warned Dominic, or else I’m out. Dominic didn’t answer him for a long while, the time spent assessing the Hunters.

When he finally did reply, it was halfhearted and a mumble. Oh…Yes…Going to my will alright…

Unconvinced, Abel looked back toward the trail he took and at the Hunters again. Lewis was nowhere to be seen. Did he run? He thought to himself, Or is he hiding behind the big bad Lead Hunter? Coward. He and Dominic, though, didn’t move an inch. They couldn’t find the prey, and Abel was trying to sniff Lewis out.

Oh, yes. He finally exclaimed giddily to Dominic, who turned a single ear to face him, letting him know that he had heard. I just picked up his scent, Abel explained, eying the Hunters carefully, making sure that if they made any moves, he would notice immediately. He’s in the camp, and the Leader’s still with him. Dominic let out a sound that was somewhere between a cough and a snot of cruel mirth.

He said, why am I not surprised? and took a step forward.

All of a sudden, Dominic froze, sniffed the air twice, then sniffed it again. Impossible. He told Abel, as if in a trance. I smell Li. He is not supposed to be here - I never saw him for a couple centuries at least. I thought that he was dead… Abel narrowed his eyes at that and took a tentative sniff of the atmosphere. A familiar smell wafted into his nose, a smell that somehow, both he and Dominic had missed.

It’s Li. He hissed in confirmation, eyes widening.

Not a second later, the Hunters parted warily for a man. The steps the man took were slow and calm, not rehearsed but natural. His face, seeming to be around his early twenties -just like Dominic, Abel noted- was kept passive, the only thing showing his distress being the eyes.

The telltale sign of the man being Li, a nine-tailed fox who had disappeared without a trace centuries ago, was only one thing; his nine chestnut-brown tails. If a fox started to take the road of being a many-tailed fox, its fur color would soon change into another color, most of the times unnatural, such as blue, silver, or green. They were unique only to one many-tailed fox, just like the eye colors. Abel remembered the shade of Li’s fur, and immediately knew that it was him.

You can never disguise your color as a fox, Abel recited silently, then thought a question to himself; Li, what the hell are you doing there? Dominic must have been wondering the same thing, even cocking his head a little to the right in wonder. Li looked at the two of them and sighed.

“Dominic,” Li greeted, a small smile gracing his lips, “and Abel. I am sorry to have to cut off your hunt.”

Abel didn’t care about that at the moment. He only stared at Li, first in shock, then anger, then light betrayal, then nearly uncontainable rage. Without thinking, Abel walked forward briskly, his paws making no sound, then right in the middle of a couple steps, transformed into a man who would look around Li and Dominic’s age. He didn’t want to be intimidated or harbor any disadvantage if he had to fight.

Looking down to make sure that he had succeeded in dressing himself, Abel let his own tails unfurl. Dominic didn’t move behind him, breathing quickly with surprise. “A halfbreed might join the Hunters, for it is born between a human and a fox,” Abel began angrily, stopping a dozen meters away from the Hunters and Li. “But I never expected to see a nine-tailed fox join the Hunters, not until the earth and hell merge together. Do you care to explain, traitor?” He spat out the last bit as if it was cow blood that somehow found its way into his mouth.

Li glared at him swiftly. “I don’t think that I should be having a lecture from you, Abel. You shocked me enough by being with Dominic, who is very different from you, mind that; say, how many foxes have you murdered in those past years?”

Abel snarled. Dominic, sensing what was about to happen, intervened. Li, he spoke carefully into only Abel and Li’s minds, I would like to request a very thorough explanation from you also.

Li looked somewhat pained. “I can’t.” Abel, who had been studying Li, spoke up.

“You killed Annabelle.” He accused, out of the blue.

“I don’t remember names. Do you?” Li shot back, raising an eyebrow.

Ignoring him, Abel continued. “For some goddamn reason, you joined the Hunters and you took out a fox. What were you saying about me killing foxes? What about you, Li?”

Dominic supplied both Li and Abel quickly. A six-tailed fox, black fur, pale blue eyes mixed with a little bit of orange.

For a long while, Li stood thinking, while both Hunters and the two foxes shifted nervously. How did you get to that random conclusion? Dominic asked Abel while he was waiting for Li.

Abel snorted back at him mentally. I’m not an idiot, he told Dominic wryly, then hesitated for a second. Well, actually, I might have guessed.

Li cleared his throat, making Abel’s head snap up. “I have no responsibility to tell you who I killed.” He told the Hunters, Dominic and Abel with a composed and strict voice. Dominic bristled, but didn’t say anything. He knew that he had to put the matter aside for the more important ones.

“Give up the halfbreed.” Abel growled, glowering fiercely. Li shook his head.

“That’s also a no, I’m afraid.”

Dominic snarled softly, for he wasn’t going to let anyone, anything, take away a prey that he was set on hunting down.

Abel had the same idea. “Damn you.” He told Li. “Step aside. You don’t stand a chance against me and him.”

Dominic growled in grudging agreement.

A flicker of doubt went through Li’s eyes, but it soon disappeared. “Add the Hunters into your equation, and then let’s take a look at the sum.” He replied lazily.

“Are you sure?” Abel spoke back, flexing his knuckles discreetly. Dominic tensed his muscles, sensing what the other was about to do.

“Yes, I am su-“ Li began, but was cut off when Abel rammed into him with his full body weight backing him up. Abel’s fist smashed into his face, and Li snarled, showing his teeth, and brought his hands up, locking Abel in a shaky chokehold.

They both went down, all the while struggling to get the upper hand.

Dominic didn’t separate them but didn’t try to help Abel, either. He instead rushed forward and made the advancing Hunters back off for a split second. The second was all he needed to jump into his human form and immediately start to fight. His hands and feet landed on his opponents -the Hunters- and broke bones and skins with every contact, fully intending to kill.

Beside Dominic, on the ground, Abel punched Li again, this time on the cheek, but the assault was not a steady one. Unfazed, Li landed his own punch, and missed as Abel dodged. They rolled once, and Abel ended up on top, who didn’t miss the chance and started to pummel Li with fast punches. Sound of flesh tearing accompanied his action. Snarling in anger, Li kicked him off before he could cause any more damages.

Abel flew forward and drew back his fist, but the other tackled him onto the ground and bared a mouthful of fangs threateningly. With a grimace, Abel slashed him from shoulder to hip with his claws, leaving his right side temporarily open. Li dug his own claws into Abel and jumped away just as fast with a chunk of skin and muscle in his hand.

The Hunters were falling, but more were arriving. Dominic had to say, he was grateful that the number had decreased significantly from the fight between the foxes and the Hunters, which had occurred only hours ago. He stole a glance at Abel, decided that he was doing pretty well, and warded off another blow from a dagger, letting it glance off of his claws.

Abel didn’t expect the fight to end quickly, especially the one he was involved in at the moment with Li. After all, Li was also a very experienced and wise nine-tailed fox, equal, if not imperious, to Abel in power. A part of him realized that he could really die right now, in the midst of Hunters. Despite that, he could feel the adrenaline fueling his heart, his brain emptying of thoughts except for bite claw punch kill blood, and his instincts making him move. In a strange way, it was all that mattered in the heat of the moment as he rolled on the ground, dirt getting in his eyes and nostrils and mouth, blood in his nose and the spots where punches landed sore, sure to bruise after.

In a blink, Abel had the uppermost hand as he kicked Li on the ribs, cracking some, then kicked it again. Then, in another blink, Li’s hand shot out, grabbed Abel’s foot that was kicking him, and yanked him sharply down onto the ground. Breathing heavily, Li shot up and stepped on Abel’s forearm, hard, inducing a sharp crack. Abel gritted his teeth in pain, but he knew that he should be able to take it. He had gotten much worse injuries while fighting with Dominic. That was different, a tiny voice from what remained of his sanity whispered to him; You were nearly going wild, you weren’t yourself. You were nothing but a bloodthirsty beast, driven only by your instincts and bloodlust. Powerful. Now, you’re not.

He would learn how to shut himself up later.

Abel struggled to roll away with a broken limb, and when he did, regained his footings and immediately found another fist rushing at his face. A sickening crack came from his nose when it made contact and he almost fell again. Steeling himself, Abel ducked under another blow, and grinned when he succeeded on placing a set of deep gashes upon Li’s abdomen. Blood wetted his hand, and Li grunted lightly.

“What are you doing here? With the Hunters?” Abel tried while dodging a bite from Li at the same time. He could feel his broken bones mending already. It must not have been a serious break. “That’s treachery, ultimate betrayal to the foxes.” He finished, and jumped over a low placed sweeping kick. It’s surprising, that I’m the one who’s saying this right now…

“Shut up.” Li growled, and slammed a shoulder into Abel’s, sending him sprawling. Li punched him twice on his sternum and Abel coughed violently. He knelt down on the ground, still coughing from the attack, and when Li didn’t do anything else, he allowed himself to suspect that perhaps, Li had taken ahold of his senses.

Still hoping, Abel forced himself up to his feet. Li was waiting for it, and he kicked Abel down again. This time, he placed a foot on Abel’s throat, disabling any struggles. “One less maniac in the world,” Li snarled as he applied more pressure, his tails swishing around angrily.

For a moment, Abel relished in the feeling of being beaten, something that brought the strangest kind of pleasure to his mind - He had been beaten, and perhaps he would be driven to the brink of death, forced to give it all he had. Abel had always wanted to know how it would feel like, to struggle to survive.

Despite that, the moment was brief as he saw a red blur charging from the left, toward Li. Dominic released a bone-chilling snarl, gripped both of Li’s shoulders, shoved him away from Abel, and swept out his feet from under him, driving a knee into the other fox’s stomach as they both tumbled down onto the ground in a tangle of claws and fangs. Abel rubbed his throat and sat up. Well, the Hunters are my job now.

Abel would never admit it, but he was mildly impressed to see what Dominic had done while he and Li were grappling on the ground. Nearly half of the Hunters were lying around limply, dead; but Abel knew why. It had barely been three hours since the bloodshed, and the Hunters were exhausted and wounded; all the foxes the same; and the foxes who had been on the lead, the few nine-tailed and eight-tailed, were even more exhausted and wounded. Unfortunately, the last group included both Abel and Dominic. Li hadn’t been fighting in the bloodshed. He was, to say, brand-new, with no injuries or exhaustion.

Dominic and Abel were at a physical disadvantage, and Li was the only thing that had driven them to that point. Neither had expected to handle a nine-tailed fox who was not on their side.

Abel drove the Hunters back with brute strength and no strategy, glancing at Dominic in case he would have to do the same thing that the red fox had done. It was challenging; one against numerous, but the Hunters were only mortals with weapons and training, and he was a nine-tailed fox. The gap was too big for any skill to fill. Number, he thought to himself, number makes the difference.

Li was visibly pushing Dominic harshly to the brink of collapsing. Dominic was nearly staggering, but managed to retaliate to every attacks with one of his own. Yet, it was only a matter of time before he was taken down and eventually, killed. Abel looked around. There were a plenty of shadows for him to work with. Ripping out the throat of yet another Hunter, he concentrated; sent out a call from the bottom of his soul for help; let his body feel like it was floating, the way he always felt when he was calling out to his old friends.

A pair of red eyes appeared on the shadow of a nearby tree and blinked twice.

It didn’t take long for the Hunters to notice that their shadows didn’t look the way they should. Gone were the former shapes of human bodies; monsters snapped their enormous fangs, and blood-red eyes were blinking everywhere. It still wasn’t enough, and Abel called out more loudly, more desperately.

A shadow finally got what Abel was begging it to do. The owner of the shadow, a Hunter, screamed, causing heads to turn to his direction. His eyes turned completely pitch black, unnaturally dark veins bulging on his neck; only Abel saw the shadow eating away at his soul, dragging it into the endless pit of darkness. The Hunter collapsed on the ground as an empty shell, and his shadow slithered out of him and melted away into the other shadows.

All of a sudden, nobody was attacking Abel; they were only intent on stomping on their own shadows, throwing daggers, arrows and hacking away at the ground with swords. Li and Dominic weren’t affected; Abel had tried it before, in secret, of course, but the shadows always refused to attack another fox.

Li and Dominic were now biting and clawing, having escaped from the constant pattern of punching and punching back, and they were causing more damage and spilling more blood. Dominic was visibly getting weaker with his struggles, and Li growled savagely, eyes burning with brown fire. It was a growl of victory, Abel knew; somehow, he also knew that Li was going to go for the throat next.

Abel wrenched a dagger from the nearest Hunter’s grasp in hurry, checked the blade for any cow blood on it -for he didn’t wish to kill a fox, much less a nine-tailed fox-, covered the space between him and Li with a single bound, and plunged the dagger into Li’s shoulder. The effect was immediate. Li yowled in pain, arched his back and yanked out the dagger, giving Dominic a chance to push him away. Briskly, Abel grasped Dominic’s hand and pulled him to his feet roughly, letting go of it like it was poison the moment Dominic was up.

Dominic didn’t give Abel any signs of appreciation, and Abel didn’t expect him to. The crimson fox glanced around, obviously not comforted by the sight of the Hunters being eaten away at their souls by their own shadows, and bounded after Li. My fight is not over, he told Abel with steel in his voice. Abel snorted after him.

A shadow latched onto his leg and Abel looked down, giving the formless black monster a small smile. “Hey.” He told it, and it snapped its fangs in a way of greeting before it melted off of his leg, looking for another prey.

Even though the shadows were helping Abel by their own free will, it still sapped Abel by every passing minute. Abel guessed that it was probably because he was giving away his life force to the shadows, making them more stronger, giving them more life than what they already had in storage. It makes sense that they seem to think of me as a friend, Abel told himself, because if it isn’t for me, they wouldn’t have any chance to do this.

Abel could never bring himself to care about it; what he did eating away at his very own life. The shadows always understood him, they were a part of him, and he would be doomed if they left him. They were his only friends. Abel hoped that when he died, he could become a part of the shadows himself.

While Abel always did have the thought in mind, what he couldn’t find a reason for was the fact that he was helping Dominic. Even in the bloodshed, he hadn’t called on the shadows, for he didn’t find any need to. Back then, he was going to let all the foxes die for all he cared, and in the process, the Hunters too. He hadn’t felt like wasting his life for those who despised him. You still remember, the distasteful part of himself whispered again. You still want to go back to the way you and Dominic used to be.

The said fox was head-butting Li, causing his head to snap to the side violently. Li spat out a mouthful of blood. A part of Abel was amused at how fast Dominic could turn against a centuries-long friend so quickly, and another part of him admired it. Between them, a tiny piece was bitter, for it knew that it was exactly what had happened between himself and Dominic.

Li was favoring his right shoulder, the shoulder that Abel had stabbed. The dagger was now in his hand, which he was wielding expertly against Dominic.

Even as Abel watched, Li inflicted a long, deep slash along Dominic’s face, but not deep enough to severely injure. Maybe the dagger was a bad idea. Dominic, knowing that he was at a disadvantage, was frantically attempting and failing to get the dagger out of Li’s hand. Li dodged and stabbed expertly, as if he was a Hunter himself. At the side of Abel, a Hunter was flailing in vain to fight against his shadow. Abel decided to give him mercy and forced his hand straight through the Hunter’s heart, stopping it. As he did it, weak, mortal muscles tore and he could feel veins snapping under his fingertips. The shadow that had been inside the Hunter shot Abel an angry red look as it poured out onto the floor beneath its dead owner, but soon joined another shadow.

Abel’s head spun and he staggered. He had been holding the shadows in the campsite for at least five minutes or more, and he was weaker than he would have preferred. A light shiver in his steps, he stumbled through the screaming mortals and fanged shadows to search for his original prey, Lewis; and if he was lucky, the Lead Hunter.

With nothing except for his weak self standing in his way, Abel picked up Lewis’s scent quickly. Dropping onto four paws as a fox, Abel took a deep breath, and then let another deep one out. He entered a huge dome-like tent that was erected in the middle of the campsite. The thin, plastic mortal fabric was camouflaged with green and black, open to the sky. It had only four openings, one of which Abel took.

When he padded inside, he narrowed his eyes and snarled in frustration. The tent contained nothing useful, except for a pile of clothing that sent off a strong smell of Lewis and the Leader. They had left their scents behind, then presumably put on new clothes that had other scents on them, and fled.

He was about to give the two a pursuit, when a yell of pain cut through his enraged haze. It sounded suspiciously like Dominic - buried among other screams and shouts but definitely Dominic. Abel turned and sprinted over to the sound, casting a last, mournful look at the pile of clothes which had tricked him so cleverly.

Back at the entrance to the Hunters’ camp, Li was sitting on Dominic, the full body weight of a fox nearly crushing the other. A hand from both of them were close together. At first, Abel was confused. Then he saw what had caused the sharp yell of pain: the dagger in Li’s hand was impaling Dominic’s palm, pinning it onto the ground cleanly. Clean, if not for all the blood. Dominic was clawing at the dagger to get it out, for it was so obviously causing him a great amount of pain. After a look from Li that clearly meant, Do that again and I’ll do something worse, Dominic came to a pained pause, dropped his free arm onto the ground, and went limp. If looks could kill, Li would be shredded into tiny pieces.

Abel moved forward, but Li also glanced at him in warning, gripping the dagger more tightly. Fuming silently, weak and angry, Abel stopped.

“Call the shadows off, Abel. I know it is your doing.” Li hollered. Abel slowly scanned the Hunters, or the ones who were still standing. There were only a few. Just a little more… “Call them off!” This time, Li’s voice was angrier and stronger. Li twisted the dagger a fraction of an inch, and Dominic grunted softly in pain.

Slightly shocked at seeing how weak Dominic was in the moment, even if it was strictly temporary, Abel regretfully complied, or at least tried to. The shadows were not responding; they were in a killing frenzy. Abel flattened his ears to his head and tried again. The shadows ignored him.

I’m trying, he told Dominic and Li, fuck, I’m trying.

“Doesn’t seem like it.” Li snarled at him. He picked up a fallen dagger, identical to the one he had in his other hand. Before Abel finished flinching, it ran Dominic’s other hand through, the one that was relatively uninjured. This time, Dominic’s grunt was louder.

Abel showed his teeth. He tried harder to soothe the shadows, to stop his life force from trickling right out of his soul to no avail. He swayed on his feet from effort.

Dominic’s breathing was becoming ragged, and his legs flinched sharply when Li twisted the now double daggers farther. He threw his head back, gritting his teeth, refusing to let any sound escape. Abel closed his eyes, somehow succeeded in concentrating, and paused every movement he was making, even his breathing. Only his heart was beating in a frenzy. Stop, he tried to convey; stop, stop. Then, more slowly, please, stop, your job here is done.

He could feel the shadows questioning him, slowing down to reach out to him, to feel what he was feeling. Abel took another deep breath, clenched his jaws, and let Dominic’s occasional pained sounds soothe him, force him to concentrate. I don’t want Dominic dead. If you don’t go, Li will kill Dominic. Go. Stop. Stop. The shadows drew its fingers back from Abel’s mind, and his head suddenly cleared. It felt like a thick white fog clearing away from a churning ocean.

The energy he had lost started to restore itself, slowly but surely.

Abel opened his eyes, afraid of what he would see. The shadows were now normal shadows again, the eyes and the fangs gone. The dead Hunters were left on the ground, their souls already gone, but those who were standing regained themselves. Some collapsed onto their knees, their faces turning green. They eventually vomited up a mixture of blood, a black liquid substance, bits of food and a yellow liquid. Most remained on their feet, looking shaken up and horrified of what had happened.

Li still had two daggers stabbed through Dominic’s hands. It is done. Now let him go. Abel snarled. Li’s face was unreadable as he didn’t make any movements for a moment. Hesitantly, he withdrew a dagger, then another, drawing out the action.

When his hands were free, Dominic lay there, eyes shut, recollecting himself. Dominic finally snapped open his eyes, twin irises ablaze with icy fire. A resonating snarl came from his chest. Still, he didn’t make any offensive moves.

Abel padded forward, the Hunters parting warily before him, and went to stand next to Dominic. They exchanged quick looks. Dominic knew, and Abel also knew, when they were at someone’s mercy.

This should end differently. Li told both of them, intentionally leaving the Hunters out of the conversation. Without the mortals, without the weapons. Dominic’s eyes flared white.

Without the treachery, he hissed back.

Li’s eyes hardened. You will never understand unless I explain everything, he replied.

While the two glared at each other heatedly, Abel told Dominic, I hope you have a solid plan.

Dominic didn’t break off his glare. I had one, but it didn’t have Li in it, so no.

“The Hunters want a good hostage, you know that.” Li threatened with his physical voice. Dominic curled a hand into a fist.

“Hostages don’t work on foxes, you know that.” He retorted in the same manner. The corners of Li’s lips flinched up emotionlessly.

“So I should drive this through your neck?” He asked, holding up a dagger. Abel started toward him, but Dominic sent him a sharp glare. Slowly, Dominic directed his eyes back to his former friend.

“You could try.” He said through gritted teeth.

Abel’s eyes flickered back and forth between Li, Dominic and the Hunters. He considered the options he had. Which would be faster; the dagger or himself?

Abruptly, Li drove the dagger forward. It stabbed the ground right next to Dominic’s ear, intentionally missing by a millimeter. Unconsciously, Abel flinched, his whiskers quivering. Li took the remaining dagger and did the same thing to the other ear. “Somehow,” he sighed, “I know that you two would come back for your prey.”

Not missing a beat, Dominic shot back, “That’s the way we work.”

Li gazed at him for an extended period of time, making Abel uncomfortable. Finally, Li got off of Dominic, who let out a wheezing breath as the additional weight was removed. Abel didn’t move back, even as Li turned around and headed away from them. Like a command had been spoken, the Hunters dispersed, weapons still aimed at the two foxes as they backed away warily, leaving their dead comrades behind. Soon, only Li was left, leisurely following the Hunters.

Dominic was starting to sit up when Abel found a queer curiosity within himself.

Do the shadows scare you? He whispered into Li’s mind as he stayed rooted to the spot, only his eyes following every single one of Li’s movements. Even without looking, Abel could tell that Li was smirking.

Flames make some wonderful shadows, Abel. You should take a look at it. Li replied. When what the brown fox had said sunk in, Abel bristled and growled lividly after every step Li took, eyes ablaze with fury and longing to fill his mouth and bathe his face with hot, steaming blood.