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Ivy rose to her paws exhausted, but happy. Ullr shivered at the loss of contact and after a grumble he opened his eyes. After staring for a moment at each other Ullr yawned causing Ivy's heart to meld into a puddle. So adorable. "Ullr sweetheart." The kitten turned around. Did he grow? "My goddess proposed that you would be sent to her for a time to play with some fox cubs, and when you finish you would be sent back." The kitten's eyes shine as he ponders. Yep, he definitely did grow. Ullr mouth moves, but Ivy doesn't understand as she's staring with pride at the kitten. My son is growing bigger. "Mommy?" Ivy's mind snaps back to the present. "I'm sorry my dear, I was thinking about how much you've grown. Could you repeat yourself?" The little kitten nods with vigor. "Does it help mommy?" Ivy's mind goes blank at the question. "Yes it does help mommy Ullr, it should give me more time." Ullr's tail twitches. "I will do it if it helps mommy." Tsalice appears the moment Ullr finishes speaking.
Ivy blinks trying to hold in her laughter, Tsalice is absolutely tiny. Why does she need to appear so tiny before us? Ivy almost chokes on her breath as she looks at Ullr his eyes are fully dilated and it's obvious he's about to pounce. He pounces just as she about to stop him. Too late. Ivy groans inwardly. Tsalice yelps as the little cat lands on top of her. Don't laugh, don't laugh. Still Ivy breaks, and she collapses dieing off laughter. "Alright that's enough." Tsalice snaps appearing a bit further as Ivy's laughter turns into wheezing. Ivy gently stops Ullr as he goes back for a pounce. "That's enough my dear." Ullr looks up with glee. "I heard you wanted to accept the cub's request Ullr?" His small head bobs up and down in acknowledgement. "Good, come here and grab hold of my tail then we'll go to meet your new friends." Ullr bounces up to the tiny goddess and gently takes one of her tails between his teeth, and a second later they're gone.
When Ivy goes out to hunt some monsters she stumbles into Luna and Angela. She quickly greets them and explains that they shouldn't panic when they return as Ullr has gone with Tsalice for a bit, causing Angela to be obviously annoyed. Ivy tries to calm the cat, but fails for the most part causing Luna to urge Ivy to move on and that she would do what she can to calm her.
The forest floor feels comforting under Ivy's paws as she marches onwards. The wind flows coolly under her fur and between the tree tops. Slowly a warm feeling starts creeping up from her tail and quickly engulfs her entire body. Ivy shudders as the warmth vanishes and makes room for the cold. Her body hums with rejuvenation. That felt so relaxing. Her ears rotate at the various sounds echoing through the forest. Her peace grinds to a halt as a roar shudders the trees followed by a deafening silence. The trees rumble forebodingly. Slowly a massive head spreads the foliage, saliva drips onto the ground while also covering a row of sharp crooked yellow teeth. Three sets of misplaced eyes stare at her, the heads rises a low growl escaping its thick lips. I'm in danger.
It opens its maw and roars once again it feels like Ivy's eardrums are about to burst. Shifting into her other form Ivy summons ice claws around her hands and feet. Four low-level spells down. The beast lunges forward, snapping it jaws shut a few inches from Ivy's feet as she dodges. God that's gross. I can feel its breath warming my flesh. She flips around ass she lands on a tree and jumps onto the beast's head. Gripping herself onto its head she raises her hand the frozen claws melting and refreezing. Ivy plunges her hand deep into one of the misplaced eyes, blood surges outwards, red dripping onto the ground and staining the ground in a vibrant blue. Blue? Is it blood turning blue, and god what's that awful smell? Looking down she sees the ground bubbling and hissing. Acid blood! Quickly Ivy rips her hand out of the eye and flicks of the blood.
The creature rumbles with anger and swings his head. Ivy tries holding on but she still dislodges and falls to the dirt. Rain starts falling creating the mud that starts covering Ivy's bare skin. Coughing she rises only to get returned to the ground by a heavy tail strike. Her bones scream as she crashes into mud. Rising with quick precision she spots the next tail strike and jumps aside barely dodging it. The wind picks up and tugs at her skin screaming through the air. The leafs in the trees tremble in anticipation, the beast roars again. It opens its jaw and a blue fluid fills a sack in the back of its neck. It bursts and the fluid shoots forward, Ivy dives to the right barely dodging the liquid. Looking back Ivy's windpipe nods itself. Holy hell that's all acid. Ivy's stomach content lurches threatening to spill over. That's disgusting. The creature surges forward one striking down with one of its clawed paws. With as much force as possible Ivy jumps forwards dodging the attack in one fluent motion. "Here is a new wound specially delivered today!" She screams quickly after plunging her clawed hand into the attacker's underside. Continuing her attack Ivy rips out her hand and jabs it into another spot also removing it with haste. A low growl rumbles through the monster. I need to get away as soon as possible. With a bit of difficulty she escapes from the monster's underside.
Dirt flies up as the creature slams its body on the ground. It quickly turns and swings its tail towards Ivy who tries to dodge but doesn't succeed in time causing her to be sent flying. Her momentum stops abruptly as she collides with a stone followed the sound of her snapping bones fills the air which in turn is quickly replaced by Ivy's screech of pure pain. Ivy slides to the ground in a painful whimper. Thunderous footsteps near in her direction. She tries to pull herself up resulting in white-hot agony shooting through her right leg. She collapses and another streak of agony flies through her as she collapses and falls onto her ribs. Great probably two broken bones. Glancing down Ivy wretches at the unnatural angel of her leg. The creature breaks through the foliage and in a matter of seconds its gaping maw is before Ivy. Weakly she uses a spell, her body shivering at the mana used. A giant jaw of ice clamps onto the head forcing its jaw shut and piercing two eyes. Ivy smiles with glee as the monster struggles to open its maw. With the last of her mana she makes the teeth that entered its body explode. The remaining three eyes glaze over in pain for a fraction of a second before turning glassy.
With a sigh Ivy crawls forward biting in her lip to fight the pain coursing through her body while ignoring the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth. Heaving for breath she crawls onto the beast and goes for the core. Once removed she bites down on it, and feels the mana seeping into her being, her body still feels a bit drained. Going back down she grabs a stick and puts it into her mouth. She sucks in a large amount of air bracing herself for the large amount of pain that will flow freely through her. Ivy's bloodcurdling screams echoes through the forest silencing every bird as she pushes her broken bone back in the correct spot. She pauses for a second gathering her thoughts before casting a cast of ice around her leg with the little mana she gained from the core.
Arriving at the den Ivy is greeted by worried questions from Luna and Angela which she quickly answers. Ivy gently lays down in her nest to not strain her body any further. Slowly darkness starts pulling Ivy into its gentle embrace and she complies with content.
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Ivy runs through the snow-covered clearing her mother and father silently watching her in pride. The other foxes are busy with their cubs. Ivy turns around to look at her parents, her father flicks his tail enticing her to come over, she does so happily. The moment she's close enough she jumps but hits the ground, confused she twists around briefly spotting her mother crying out. There in the distance in a cage her father trapped taken away from her. Straining her muscles she runs and runs to catch up, but the carriage only gets further and further away.
After what feels like forever Ivy runs back into the forest back to the clearing. The clearing that is eerily empty apart from a ball of fur in the center. The air around her plummets into cold she never felt before breaching into her bones. She makes her way over but she doesn't seem to move she starts running but it doesn't help. What's happening? Slowly She turns around only to find out that's she standing before the ball of… in front of Ullr. Gently she pushes him with her nose. No reaction. Please, no.
Snow cracks behind Ivy, causing her to spin around. Ullr is standing there looking at her with hollow eyes. Confused she looks behind her only to find that Ullr isn't laying on the ground anymore. Looking back Ullr stands even closer his mouth moves but nothing leaves. The forest warps the trees become twisted the air darkens the wind becomes an eerie melody. Ullr smiles his mouth moves again, but sounds doesn't come, but strangely Ivy understands what he's saying. "The dead don't talk." Confused Ivy inquires what he means, but he smiles in return too wide to be normal.
Horrified Ivy staggers backwards, as the grin on Ullr face turns to a frown, blood starts bubbling from his mouth, ears, and nose. He steps closer his mouth moves again. "The dead don't talk." Blood starts streaming freely staining everything red. Fear grips Ivy in a vice hold and a new type of cold settles over her. Scrambling with her paws Ivy finds grip on the slick ground. She spins around only to find the forest back to normal. The foxes stare at her in bewilderment.
"What's the MATTER, sweetheart?" My mother's voice calls from behind me. I turn my feet trembling, my mind wishing for it to be normal. There is my mother looking concerned at me her eyes are wide. Thank Tsalice I'm back, but where is father? Shrugging I walk to my mother and snuggle up to her letting her warm… cold? Why is my mother so cold? I step away to look at my mother. My heart lurches and fear once again slams me to the ground. My mother's dull eyes stare back her jaw barely hangs on, her neck is ripped open, and her beautiful pelt is covered in that familiar red. Once again I turn to flee just to stop the trees are on fire and flesh bags swarm everywhere killing and mutilating my kin. I feel a strong hand grab me and pulling me from the ground. I squirm hiss and claw at the one holding me but to no avail. A bit later I'm dropped into a wooden box, I spin around in time to see it get closed.
Darkness envelops me, the stone is rough and wet against my pads. My mind is hazy with the drugs they pumped me full of. Everywhere I hear the wails of terrified creatures or the sounds of multiplication though it sounds forced and artificial. The other foxes around me also stare around in a daze. We can all probably tell that we're the same species one male is collapsed in the corner but he feels weirdly familiar but I can tell he's near death. The iron door swings open and I stare at the hand reaching out for me, my body screams for me to move but I'm frozen in place.
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Ivy jumps up her heart racing, her lungs burn as she wheezes. I'm in my den, calm down. Moonlight illuminates the entrance. She takes a moment to stabilize her breath. Calmed, she looks next to her and sighs in relief as she spots Ullr. He's safe no need to worry.
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Character info:
Ivy: mana capacity increased by two low-level spells so that's to two medium and two low-level spells now.
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Note: tomorrow the chapter of last week will be posted at the same time as today, and yes the narritive perspective switch is on purpose.