A Dissenter's Promise COTL x Reader)

Chapter 4

A/N: Wanted to change the book's name. "Dissenter's Vows" didn't fit right with me.

"So tell me why you have this look as if you want to wring the neck of our leader whenever they come around? Let alone whenever they try to talk to you?" Xaru leaned against his shovel that was sticking out from the earth while you stabbed yours into it. The two of you along with Levaire were sent to build more farm plots in hopes of growing more food to have enough for future followers. "I mean come on there has to be a reason why you're acting like this." You toss the dirt that was dug up to the side with your shovel.

You look at Xaru, lips pressed into a straight line before letting out a small, yet audible, sigh before sticking your shovel into the ground. "I'd rather not tell you right now. At least the whole thing. The memory is too fresh for me to relive it again." Your ear twitches after hearing the annoying buzzing sound from a fly, you hand immediately swatting it away. "For now just know that I'm not going to any Sermon or Ritual. Nor am I going to even be near them." It was Levaire's ears turn to twitch in your direction before he shot a look at you.

"Whoa hey— I think that may be a little too much. I mean the other members will notice and will probably demand that you be imprisoned." You could see the middle of his eyebrows crease. It was obvious that he didn't want you to do something as drastic like that. Especially considering that if done so, you'd be punished severely. "Not only that, you'd be re-educated the entire time." That caught your attention.

"Re-Educated?" You've heard about followers going through something like that back in Leshy's cult. It wasn't a pleasant process from what you had seen back there. The follower had questioned and accused one of the prophets of your village about Leshy being a false god, only for them to be beaten and humiliated in front of the entire village. Both broken and bloodied as they pleaded for mercy while admitting their wrong doing in doubting both the prophet and god. They were imprisoned from what you could remember while all of that had happened. You can only imagine what this place does.

"It's nothing like the other cults if that's what you're worried about." Xaru chimes in and gives you a reassuring smile. Well as one could when talking about forcefully correcting someone's wrong doings and faith. "It's... not a painful process from what we've seen so far. From what we've seen" Xaru looks at Levaire as Levaire looks back at him "It's more of warping your mind? From what it looks like at least. We've never had that happen to us."

"Yeah cause we're not idiots to be doing stuff to put us in that situation." The red panda huffed before finishing his plot, throwing the shovel to the side while twisting his back earning him a couple audible pops and a relieved sigh from him. His gaze is back onto you "And we don't want that happening to you either, y'know."

You raise an eyebrow "Why? You guys barely know me and I'm showing signs of a dissenter. So even care?" You go to kneel down, both of your knees pressing against the soft earth before poking a finger into the dirt creating a small hole. Your eyes move to the bin where all the seeds were stored. You can tell which were which. So far there were only two types, that being both Camellia and berry seeds.

"Because you're still part of the family now. At least that's how we see you. You may be a new recruit to The Lamb's—" Xaru clears his throat as he shoots a look at Levaire. "'Our Leader', Levaire..."

Levaire clicks his tongue as he shoots a glare in Xaru's direction. "Fuck off. Anyways—" Levaire's voice faded out after that sentence. Your mind went back to earlier.

You remembered when you knelt down on the cold pavement that was in the middle of the village. It made you feel like everyone was watching you while everything happened. Their eyes glued onto your shaking form, filthy (f/c) fur puffing up as sweat rolled down your face and onto the cobblestone below you. It felt like everyone was judging you, whispering about you and it made the world around you spin.

The lamb had asked you if there was anything about yourself that you wanted to change. Your head shakes no, eyes still not meeting their's.You were comfortable the way you were. But the grime and filth on you made you feel gross and the small cuts and scrapes all over you stung like hell. The lamb said nothing else.

You could tell Agatha was pulling her lip into a thin line while she watched you. Her eyebrows knitting together. You didn't know whether she looked at you with disappointment or concern. Either way, it made you even more uncomfortable. The only reason why you were here was because you had nowhere else to go. Let alone no one else to go to. You didn't want to starve and die out there. It was hard enough finding food that could barely get you through the day.

You glanced back up at the Lamb again and noticed that they had started chanting a hymn. You felt your body lift, panic filling taking your nerves once more as you saw the ground under you grow farther and farther. Your eyes shoot back at Agatha, her smile telling you everything will be alright before snapping your stare back at the Lamb. But then you felt warmth.

As if the sun rays were gently caressing your body, relaxing your muscles. Your cuts and scrapes weren't stinging anymore as you felt the wounds close and heal over. Grime and dirt being removed from your fur. You honestly were grateful that you didn't have to clean yourself. A couple hairballs were not fun, especially having to cough it up in front of nowhere randomly.

When your feet touch the ground, your eyes look straight at your paws. Blood, dirt and grime now gone from your soft pads. Hell your fur was no longer matted. Your eyes look back up to meet The Lamb's back ones. A proud smile graced onto their lips as they welcomed you into their family. You did not reciprocate it back. And because so, the ones who watched gave you a scorned look at your arrogance.

"(Y/n)... (Y/n)...! (Y/n)!"

"Huh?!" You jumped from your spot as you looked over to Levaire. His eyebrows furrowed and his lips pulled into a thin tight line. "Sorry, was uh... kinda thinking about something..."

"I can see that." Levaire lets out a small chuckle before dusting the dirt from his hands and tunic off. "But as I said before you weren't listening, you need to be careful. You're going to bite off more than you can chew and you're going to regret it." Xaru can only nod in agreement as they watch you walk over to the seed bin.

"Hah, I already regret coming here to begin with. The only reason why I'm here is because I have nowhere else to go and that I didn't want to die in those god forsaken woods."

You grab a handful of seeds from the pile, eyeing which ones where which. The red camellia flowers and seeds were the ones you loved the most. The way the flower was able to mimic looking like other flowers such as roses, peonies, and anemones. The beautiful assortment of colors were always also a nice touch to the flower itself as well. But around here, there were only red ones. Especially in the Darkwood forest.

You let out a chuckle as you remembered the meaning of the flower as well while you walked to the tilled soil that was on the farmland. 'Innocence and Purity'. How ironic for such flowers to be part of these lands where there was nothing but death. False gods who demand a sacrifice in return for something they do for the people they rule over. Though you couldn't help, find some sort of resemblance. You did grow the flowers after all. Nurturing and making sure they were well taken care of only to cut them down and use them. For medicine that is.

"But I already made a promise to myself." You drop the little seed into the hole you had made earlier before covering it up, knowing that it too will be cut down and used. Just like the ones in Leshy's cult.

"I'm not just going to give up and die. Someone has to remember the ones who died."