Tale of Two Tails

Chapter 3

When it was time to sleep, Eren was right next to Levi. The prince wanted to complain, but he couldn't do anything. The fox was injured and if the animal stayed outside, it was possible he could get worse. But Eren wasn't just next to Levi, he was under the covers, curled up to the prince.

"Why do you need to be so damn close?" Levi asked the small fox. Eren looked up, golden eyes glistening in the moonlight. Levi knew Eren couldn't respond with words, but sometimes he wished he could. It would make things so much easier if the fox could do more that write.

Though Levi found that sleeping next to the fox wasn't all too bad. Eren was warm, very warm. And his fur was soft. Levi was unable to tell how soft before because it was dirty or wet, but now that it was dry, Eren's fur was impossibly soft. Levi felt as though his hand could go through the fox.

"Maybe this won't be too bad." Levi said out loud, sighing out. "If you get my bed dirty you'll be sleeping outside. Take that to mind Eren." And the two fell asleep.

In the morning, Levi was woken for breakfast. For a moment, Levi was worried that the servant would notice Eren, but Eren was under the covers and hidden from sight. Levi snuck Eren some of his fruit, making the fox very happy. Levi stood and got dressed, then turned to the fox.

"Listen Eren, I'm going to go train. You can NOT leave this room under any circumstances. Don't let anyone see or hear you. No one enters my quarters without permission, but that doesn't mean they won't check things out if they feel something is wrong. Do I make myself clear?" Eren nodded as he held his head high and chest puffed, as if he was standing at attention. "Shitty fox." Eren's ears flattened as he glared as Levi. The prince left and headed to train with the soldiers.

"Prince Levi!" One of the soldiers called. Levi turned to them. It was a man by the name of Mike. He was originally from the north, but came to Levi's land as a traveler and decided to settle here, getting a job as a soldier. "Commander Erwin asked me to lead you in your training since he is still off hunting the demon from two nights prior." Levi nodded as they each grabbed a bokken* and began.

After three hours of training, Levi returned to his room to eat and then bathe. Eren was more than happy to see him, which was strange considering the two barely knew each other for a day.

"What has you so damn happy for?" Eren just sat on the floor with this twinkle in his eyes. Levi thought nothing of it as he went about his usual routine of cleaning, only to find that most of the room was cleaned already, as well as a message in the dirt.

I cleaned for you! I'm assuming you don't like messes, and since you patched my wound, I thought I'd repay you!

Levi turned to the small fox. This fox was amazing. He cleaned his room. Eren could clean!

"Would you be willing to clean my room whenever I'm not in here?" Eren nodded quickly, tails moving together. Levi watched them move for a moment and noticed that when they stopped moving excitedly, they had more of an elegant flow.

"Tell me Eren, are you one of the nobles pets?" Eren's muzzle automatically crinkled into a snarl as he growled lowly, eyes setting into an angry glare as his tails stopped moving and froze into an upward position. "I'm going to take that as a no." Eren jumped down into the dirt to write a new message.

I'm not a damn pet. I'm not domesticated and refuse to be as such.

"What if I wanted you as a pet?" Eren stared at the prince for a minute before moving his tails to write again.

I'm not sure. I refuse to be a pet, but you have been very kind to me where other humans have done nothing but abuse me. I wouldn't mind staying with you, but maybe more as a guardian.

Levi snorted. What the hell was a small fox going to protect him from? He heard Eren whine. Turning to the fox, he saw him look serious. Levi sighed. If it made the fox happy, then whatever.

"If calling yourself my guardian makes you happy, sure. You can be my guardian, but as such, I expect my room to remain clean, as well as my garden. And for the love of Inari, don't invite other foxes here." Eren's ears perked at the name of the god of foxes, which was one reason Levi had used said god's name, since he was speaking to a fox. Eren didn't move, not even his tails, for three minutes before he wrote in the dirt.

Please do not speak of Inari-Kami like that. I understand your intent, however it is offensive to me and Inari-Kami. And I wouldn't invite others here. It is too dangerous for them.

Levi didn't say anything. Did he mean to offend the fox? No. Did he care that he offended a god? Briefly because Inari was a very important god to his people. Even if Levi mainly believed that since this god was the reason there was tea, and brought prosperity to his family. However, Levi also wasn't one to pray to the gods as often as he should.

But Levi was happy that he wouldn't be entering his room to see Eren mounting another fox or having his sanctuary destroyed by others.

Eren erased his messages and hid once there was a knock on the prince's door, alerting him that his lunch was being served. Once the servant was gone, Eren came out and was given some of the meat that was to be the prince's meal.

"Can't live on just fruit. And don't expect to be able to pawn food off me for dinner, fox. I usually eat it with my family." Eren nodded as a sad look met his eyes. Levi figured it must have been because Eren was thinking of his own family. "Hey, after lunch I'm rebandaging your wound and headed to a meeting with my father. Stay here." The fox nodded once more and after getting rebandaged, Levi left.

The meeting was with one of the scouts sent back from the hunt for the demon that had gotten away two nights prior.

"What have you found?" The emperor asked.

"We have found little. We have been searching the forest relentlessly trying to find the demon, or the possible type of demon we may be against." The emperor hummed as he turned to Levi.

"What do you propose we do my son?" Levi looked to the soldier.

"If this demon is as powerful as we think, capturing it instead of killing it may be in our favor. However, we should get in contact with the temples and have the monks and priests work to make a cage for such a creature. They can make sutras that can seal a demon's power correct? If we could do this, it is possible for us to make a deal with the beast. Possibly give it free range for it and it's family in our lands, a sanctuary of sorts, as long as it helps us." The soldier looked completely confused.

"N-Not to mean any disrespect to the prince, but demon are foul creatures that are untrustworthy. Killing it is in our best interest." Levi's gaze became cold.

"I do not believe that the demons are as mindless as we believe. The one we are currently hunting previously escaped capture, meaning they hold some semblance of intelligence. If that is true, then it may see benefits in helping us. If the demon is hurt as you say, it may also be more vulnerable and agree to terms of peace between our house and them." The soldier nodded swiftly, fearing the wrath of the prince.

"My son speaks with great wisdom. Inform the commander of our decision. We want to capture the beast, not kill it. However," The emperor stood slowly. "If the creature is injured beyond repair, kill it. I don't need a faulty demon to bring down my enemies." And the emperor left. Levi looked to his sister, who had been sitting on the other side of their father. She held a calm face, but he could see the pain in her eyes. These meetings bugged her. She could never tell their father she was a half demon. If their father decided to kill off demons left and right again, she would be the first to go.

"Mikasa, come. I need to speak with you in my room before dinner." Mikasa nodded and they headed to Levi's room.