One moon later, I was perched on a tree branch between Bobo and Stripey, watching Steelfang and a wild boar demon circle each other below. This boar was even more mountain-like than Lord Magnissimus, although he appeared to lack the ability to freeze things. Or maybe he possessed it, but preferred to gore his enemies into submission.
Head lowered, he charged, accelerating faster than anything that size had a right to. His clans' whoops echoed off the mountainside.
Not to be outdone, our "guests," the children of chieftains we'd defeated already, raised a howl of their own. "Steel-FANG! Steel-FANG! Steel-FANG!"
Draped across her litter, with her tails going numb under her own weight, the self-proclaimed Empress of Serica viewed the proceedings with feigned indifference.
Steelfang leaped out of the way and sprang at the boar's side. A bloody gash joined the collection already there. The boar roared and spun. One tusk scraped across Steelfang's shoulder, and the wolf yipped and skipped backwards.
Doesn't he remind you of Lord Magnissimus? I asked idly.
"Yes!" cried Bobo, at the same time that Stripey asked, Which one reminds you of him?
The oversized pig, obviously.
Nah. He's not nearly as intimidating as Lord Magnissimus.
Isn't he?
"No, because Lord Magnissimus thinks," Den called up. "That's what makes him so – "
Steelfang jumped straight up and latched onto the boar's throat. The demon bellowed and swung his head, trying to shake off the wolf, who clamped his jaws tight and hung on.
"Yield!" shouted Floridiana. "Yield, or he tears out your throat!"
"Tear it OUT! Tear it OUT!" chanted Dusty, echoed by our allies.
Forgetting her bored act, Sphaera giggled. "Defeat him, my valiant defender! Prove the righteousness of our cause!"
The watching boar demons let out a chorus of high-pitched war cries that pierced my ears. Their chieftain struck at Steelfang with his front feet, and the wolf had to drop to the ground before a hoof sliced open his belly. The demons' war cries rose in both pitch and volume until I had to clap my wings over my ears.
Do they have to be so loud?
They are demons.
"Oh no! He nearly got him!" cried Bobo. She looped her body around the branch a few times and dropped her front half. "Sssteelfang! Watch out!"
The wolf snarled and latched onto the boar's throat again. The demon lashed out with his hooves, but this time Steelfang raised his hind legs, curved his tail up to protect his belly, and hung on.
Eh, Steelfang'll be fine. He's nearly got this wrapped up, I assured Bobo. Then I asked Stripey, So who's next?
As the boar's motions began to slow, Stripey answered, The joro spider clan. They control the mountains north of here.
Spiders? They'll be nothing. We'll just let Dusty step on them.
Below, Dusty stamped and edged forward until Floridiana grabbed a fistful of his mane. "It's called single combat for a reason, you overgrown pony!"
YOU ARE READING
The True Confessions of a Nine-Tailed Fox
FantasyAfter Piri the nine-tailed fox follows an order from Heaven to destroy a dynasty, she finds herself on trial in Heaven for that very act. Executed by the gods for the "crime," she is cast into the cycle of reincarnation, starting at the very bottom...
