The Bounty of Love

Chapter 10

They went their separate ways as they shopped. Fox headed for mounts as Love went to find any extra information he could. Fox had no problems finding a couple of mounts. She knew that a horse wouldn’t do the best in a forest if they had to move quickly for any reason, luckily they had a couple of large grey Dire wolfs available. Love and herself not being human made the mounts easier to handle as well. She held her hands out for both to sniff before petting them both.

“Are you good boys fighters too?” she asked, and received happy tail wags in response. Perfect, she thought. She made her way to the stable master to purchase and make arrangements.

Love was walking around the less agreeable part of town listening for information. As he walked down an alley he heard someone mention Mace's name. He slowly walked by stopping at the edge of ear shot to seem like he was tying his boot.

“He knows Pain and Thorn got picked up and turned in. He also knows the lady who did it,” one said.

“Is that why he’s offering a reward for this ‘Sacara Fox’ persons head?” the other responded as the first nodded.

“Said he would pay more for more brutality.”

Love’s eyes went wide as he listened on. Mace knew Fox was involved but it sounds like he thinks she’s the only one involved. That just means he knows at least she is coming for him, that he is pissed. Paying for brutality and just her head means trouble. As he heard the price for her was more then the bounty on himself he knew this was serious. He had to get to her and let her know. As he started to leave the alley he head something that made his blood run like ice.

“She’s at Moonscale now. Wouldn’t be to hard to take her, the two of us. A few others I’ve heard are going to try tonight as well. May as well jump in on that.”

They laughed. They never even had the chance to yell as Love took a throat in each hand and squeezed till he felt the bones snap. He let the bodies fall as he ran for the tavern.

The barkeep was the first one to greet him as he burst through the door.

“Is she here,” he asked urgently.

“No, but the mounts have arrived,” he replied confused.

“Ready them quickly I have to find her and we need to leave as soon as possible. The bastard put a price on her head.”

The barkeep nodded quickly and went to work as Love ran back out the door. She had to be somewhere. He leapt to the roof to get a better view of a wider area. His ears twitched at the sound of steel meeting steel. He turned that direction to see her surrounded . He gritted his teeth as he jumped roof to roof to her. He smelled her blood on the breeze and moved faster. He landed behind her his back up against hers.

“Here to join the fun Love?” she laughed. Her fanged smile wide her eyes wild.

“The bastard put a price on your head. We got to go.” He growled as he quickly dispatched two that rushed him.

“Then I’ll show these fools why the price is so high!” she cackled as she started wreaking havoc.

She leapt from person to person, ripped out throats and shredded flesh with claws and teeth. Love growled, knowing when she’s like this it’s hard to stop her. As a Kitsune she gets wild when she tastes blood. He quickly took out whomever she hadn’t. Flung the blood off his sword as he sheathed it, he ran to her. She was covered in blood. Most of it not hers.

He grabbed her face in both hands. “We have to go my little Fox.” He watched her eyes register him and she nodded.

They ran to the tavern, their mounts ready to go. She stepped to the well that flowed into the stables, took a bucket and drenched herself to get most of the blood off, best she could. With a nod to the barkeep they mounted up and rode off as fast as they could. The paws of the Dire wolves were silent as they ran. She followed Love closely, knew he would find hidden cover. They had cleared the crowd that had found her so there shouldn’t be anyone following them, but it didn’t stop her from looking over her shoulder occasionally. They had ran for what seemed like forever before Love slowed them down to a walking pace.
“Why are we walking now,” she asked strangely breathless.

He pointed towards the tree line ahead, “There’s a pond in there where we can rest. Its too dark to ride in the open safely.”
She nodded in agreement and followed. They made it to the pond. It was quiet and clear. They dismounted, let the dire wolfs drink and hunt if they so chose. Fox immediately started setting out their bed rolls and canopy as Love double checked the area. They weren’t followed and that was a huge plus. He looked at her closely as she finished setting up. She had cuts and scrapes all over her, some of which where still bleeding but barely. He rifled through her pack and found the little silver tin he was looking for. He knew she always kept an herbal salve handy. He walked over to her and started to gently put it on her wounds.

“Its nothing Love just scrapes.” She turned to look at him.

“Its still unnecessary damage.” He frowned.
 She knew he wasn’t mad at her. He was mad at the situation they where now in. “At least I didn’t get stabbed this time,” she said with a chuckle, a bad attempt at humor.
He raised an eyebrow at her and shook his head. He just didn’t like seeing her get hurt in general.