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Ivy's vision finally cleared, the wailing stopping as if it never happened. She was just standing there head throbbing, surrounded by earth fox corpses and the corpses of Vlad and Delmira. She stared at the glassy eyes of the elf and the singular tear sitting alone on her cheek like an island in a vast sea. The other earth foxes cautiously crept out of their dens before making their way over to Ivy who was still staring blankly at Delmira's corpse. One of the older looking foxes neared even more his brown pelt blending in with the dirt, "Thank you for saving us." Ivy looked behind her, to meet the old wise eyes of the fox. "I can't return like this. The guild would be suspicious and that could easily lead to my disguise being uncovered. I must take one or two of the dead earth foxes with me." The old fox nodded before looking over at two corpses of older foxes, "You can take them, they were about to die of old age anyway." "What? Those two were some of our family you can't give them to the Flesh bags!" one screamed in outrage. "Silence! They might kill her if we let her go with nothing but two of her 'companions' corpses." The other outraged cries quickly vanished into the breeze silenced by the elder's words. Ivy bowed in thanks before grabbing the two fox corpses and her companion's before hauling them to the city.
Niyam stared at Ivy in surprise as she dragged the corpses into the guild building, "What happened?" she probed in disbelief. Ivy glanced back up at her, "There were too many. I managed to kill two of the older ones." it wasn't exactly a lie except that she killed two, but there were a lot of earth foxes when they all left the burrow to thank her. Enough to at least kill one of them. Niyam nodded before grabbing a piece of paper and scribbling something down, when she finished she grabbed the two foxes and gave Ivy a small pouch of money.
Kids ran past Ivy as she wandered near the noble section of the city, her eyes scanned the signs of the shops that lined the street eventually falling on 'Long masks'. A little bell rung as Ivy opened the door, shelves filled with masks most collecting dust lined the wall, some made of metal other's of wood a few even contained spells. Ivy let her finger glide across the masks as she browsed the vast selection before stopping on one that piqued her interest. It was a white mask with teal teardrops under the eyes it easily covered her face, the eyeholes were fitted with black lenses. Flipping the mask around magical runes greeted her glowing softly. "It's engraved with voice altering magic" Ivy whipped her head around. An old frail woman was walking over to her cane in hand back arched a bit, "I have no use for that old carcass, you may have it." Ivy looked at her. "I can pay for it." She winced as the old woman's cane came crashing down on her head. "You will do something I wanted to happen, that's enough payment." Ivy stared at her dumbfounded. "What do you mean?" The old woman just smiled at her mysteriously. "Now please leave. My old bones need resting."
Ivy stood outside questioning what just happened. The mask was firmly resting on her face. It truly was a shame that she wasn't able to find out what the store owner meant, but it didn't really matter anymore. She glanced to the wall another note from the guards.
A few days ago two bodies were found, probably victims of the same killer as the 'red house' incident. We decided to name the killer 'praying smile'. Please be careful out there.
Ivy stared at the piece of paper. She hated that they were scared already because of a few bodies she placed around, unlike her who watched everyone she cared about die. She quickly stormed off into an alley to cool her nerves.
"Please stop!" Ivy turned the corner, two muscular men were towering over a little girl, all humans. One of the brutes grabbed the kid by the chin, "This one would sell well." Ivy's heart started churning with anger, these stupid creatures sold their kin and for what? She walked up behind them leaking pure predatory intent. One of the pigs turned around, "Well, what do we have here? A random woman offering herself up." He sneered pulling out a dagger. Ivy rolled her eyes annoyed, before dodging to the side as the man flew past her. The other swine also turned around pulling out his dagger too, "Don't make this harder than it has to be." Ivy sighed dodging as the previous swine tried to lunge again but now from behind. The moment he passed her his death was fully sealed. Ivy grabbed the back of his head and slammed it onto the ground. Freezing his lungs to make them fixed in place and making him unable to breathe. He started gasping trying to breathe but unable to, Ivy became annoyed at his wheezing so she simply stomped his skull in, ending him on the spot bones cracking. The other swine seeing her distracted took the opportunity and lunged striking Ivy in the shoulder. Now she was really annoyed, kicking him right on his knees she felt a bit of triumph as something broke. Screaming he let go only to be floored with a punch to the face. Ivy laughed before looking at the kid, "better look away." The kid nodded before closing her eyes. Ivy place her foot on the man's neck before grabbing his leg and folding it to his belly. He started screaming in agony as his leg went the wrong way his knee breaking. The tip of his shoe eventually reaching his belly. Ivy grinned before doing the same with the other leg, which was responded to with more pained and pleading cries. All she wanted to do now was end him. So she froze over his jaw and kicked it of leaving him there to bleed out.
Ivy walked over to the kid expecting her to plead, cry or run away. "Thank you miss." Ivy stared at her in surprise not expecting a thanks. She nodded before turning around. "Wait, please take me home." Ivy whipped around to see the girl rushing at her with crying eyes. She wanted to kill this kid so bad, but something in her told her not to, that she would help somehow. Sighing she agreed, taking the girl to somewhere she recognized. "Thank you again, I got lost while exploring the city." Ivy nodded still following her as she led the way. She finally stopped at a massive gate two guards hurried towards them. Before Ivy could say a thing two spears were pointed at her neck, tips gleaming dangerously. "Stop, She saved me." The two canned flesh bags looked at each other skeptically. Now she was becoming annoyed, she wasn't strong enough to kill them, but she wanted too. Ivy scoffed as they finally rose their spears before opening the gate. The kid grabbed her before pulling her inside.
Grand houses were scattered through the massive open area, some even wore gold details as badges to their potential costs. The kid still tugging at her clothing led them to one of the many houses or mansions would be a better term. They hadn't even fully reached the entrance before maids started streaming through the door all calling the little girl like a flock of ducklings. "Alright I'm lea-", a sudden overwhelming pressure froze Ivy in place unable to move a muscle. A man walked through the door dressed in an expensive black suit, shoulder pats attached with a chest held high, eyes locked onto her, gloved hand on a sword handle. Ivy could do nothing as the man approached her menacingly. The girl ran over and punched him square in the leg. Finally, that blood lusted demon diverted his attention elsewhere, finally allowing Ivy to breathe. "What's your problem father? She saved me!" The man looked back at Ivy, "Is that true?" He called, "Yes it is!" He smiled before nodding. "Well then. As a reward for saving my daughter I invite you to her birthday ceremony in two days, and take this." Something landed near Ivy clattering loudly, She picked it up looked at it and tucked it in her pocket. "That allows you to enter this district without issue. That should be compensation enough." "Dad you're unbelievable. First you exude your intentions to kill her then act like nothing is wrong, and the worst is you give something before she could ask for something." The man looked at her daughter smiled and picked her up before going inside.
Ivy finally arrived at her den soaked, it started raining on her way back. Ullr looked at her, before smiling. "Mom, how have you been?" Ivy shifted to her original form after she put away her clothing. "Well I almost got killed twice." Ullr looked at her before nodding. "Well you still alive, mommy will grow strong enough!" Laughing Ivy went to her nest and lay down allowing Ullr to circle up beside her belly. He quickly fell asleep using her tail as a blanket. Ivy looked down at the little kit, he had become… so precious to her, she wanted to know if she could protect him, if she wouldn't get him killed. She really wanted to know.
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Rain cascaded down soaking Ivy's pelt her paws brown as she frantically wandered through the muddy forest. Sounds came from every direction screams of flesh bags, screams of her dying brethren. All of it were drowned into her worry, she couldn't find him, he was nowhere, she needed to find him! Ivy's eyes frantically scanned the distance, trees on trees stretched for miles painting the sky green. Rounding a tree she was greeted by a battle between the earth foxes and some adventures, the foxes looked like they were winning so no need to help. She went forward looking in every direction, a scream came from behind her, she whipped around just to be greeted by nothing. Finally, she found him, Ullr all alone battling a man clad in gold armor a crown but no facial features. Ivy wanted to help but was unable to, she was tackled to the ground by knights pinning her down letting copious amounts of mud travel down her throat. She was forced to watch as the man in gold armor picked up the helpless kitten by the neck. "Noooooooo!" She was finally able to break free from the iron grip of the guards, tears started streaming down her face in desperation as she hurried to her son's side in uneven worried steps, but she was unable to reach in time as the man blade plunged trough Ullr's tiny body. He cried in raw agony before going totally limp. Ivy's heart stopped cold, but her body kept running to the body as it fell lifelessly to the ground. Ivy nudged it when she arrived desperate not to lose him too, but she was too late he was dead. Her heart tore into pieces unable to accept this outcome, her mind screaming in sorrow grief rage agony. The man bent down to grab Ivy, "I finally have you!" It growled.
Ivy couldn't believe it, she was a failure unable to protect her family then her species and now the person she started to see as her family, or what would be more accurate her son. Waves of grief hit her, she choked on her breath, body shuddering painfully with each sob. "You took EVERYTHING FROM ME!" She screamed in pure raw hatred. Her body started leaking and filling with mana. The area started freezing over, trees becoming pure ice pillars. Ivy screams filled the surrounding with pure maternal rage. She grew to twice the man's size and seventeen tails sprouted out. She looked down at the man. "Everfrost Eclipse." she muttered in barely formed words. Massive magic circles established themselves all around them and an even bigger one formed in the sky. In the blink of an eye the rain turned to hail shattering on impact with the ground, every flesh bag in the direct area becoming ice sculptures, the ground, and everything turned into ice leaving the air to turn frigid. The other magic circles pointing at the man finally activated, massive red ice crystals shot out and screwed him. Blood dripped down the pillars as Ivy returned to normal. She walked back to Ullr and took him in her arms while shifting to her demi-human form. She stroked his head his fur so soft as silk and cradled him as a newborn. She started crying her tears parting on his pelt, crying quickly turned to wailing all in pure raw grief as raw as a mother losing her child. Time seemed to fly by but Ivy never left the body, her sorrow had reached it limits and broke her leaving her there in belief that Ullr was still alive until her lifespan ended.
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Ivy snapped open her tear filled eyes, she was desperate to bring Ullr back. She sat up before she noticed the little fluff ball sleeping peacefully beside her pawing at the air. Ivy broke down as she grabbed him gently in her arms while shifting into her demi-human form. Cradling his sleeping form he felt so vulnerable so easily lost. Her sobbing turning louder until she woke Ullr. "Mom? Don't cry." He called to her, rubbing his head against hers. She didn't know what to say her voice remained stubbornly in her neck, she just cried more teardrops soaking Ullr pelt. "I thought I lost you… my… my son!"
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Characters:
Ullr: Officially adopted by Ivy now yay.
The little girl: a noble child, that was lost in the city.
The father: not much to say at the moment.
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Writer's note:
I'm trying to make chapters (the story part) at least 2000 words long.