Spite

Chapter 9

Helga glared at each of us as I struggled to come up with some excuse, but he spoke first."Mistress, it's my fault, I'm sorry. I unlocked the cage and made her take a shower." He looked at me and gave a slight shake of his head. She turned towards me. "Is this true?" I took a deep breath. "Yeah, it's true. I'm sorry." "Well, you know what happens now. Come with me, Bat. Girl, go to your cage if you know what's good for you." I walked past Mitch and shot him a concerned look. I wasn't sure what was happening. "See ya later, girly," he said without his usual spunk. I retreated to the cage and crawled inside. I layed on my stomach and pressed my head in my pillow. I strained to listen to what was happening in the other room. "Really, Mistress, I'm sorry. She was getting rather smelly, and I stood guard the whole time. I promise. She could never have escaped." Helga grunted. "Well, she's a smart little booger. She could've knocked you out or something, and you would have been powerless to stop her from getting away. I say you get 9 lashes, and then I'm going back to bed. Watch her in her cage, and do not let her out. That's and order, Bat." "Yes, Mistress."
I heard them rustle around a bit. "Are you ready?" "Yes." I heard slap of a belt or something against skin. Mitch groaned and I could tell he was in pain. Before I could fully register what I was doing, I was yelling. "Please stop! Don't hurt him!" There was silence. Then shuffled footsteps. "Do you want to join him, girl?" She shrieked. I kept quiet as tears ran down my cheeks. "That's what I thought. Now no more speaking!"
The slaps continued until I had counted 9 total. "Done. Now go watch her, I'm going to bed." She walked into her room and Mitch came and sat by my cage.
He saw my face and wiped my tears. "Don't cry Lux, it wasn't so bad. At least she didn't take away my sharp wit and rugged good looks." I snickered. "That's because you didn't have them in the first place." He laughed. "What did she do to you?" I whispered, fearing his answer. He sighed and turned around. I traced the raised outline of ripped up skin. His fur was gone in places and his back was a bloody mess. "Oh Mitch," I said, feeling my eyes well up again. "I'm so sorry," I said and hugged him best I could through the bars. "It's fine, really. It'll heal and I'll be good as new, promise. Now let's talk about something else, shall we?" "Of course." He laid down on his stomach and looked up at me. "So how old are you, Luxy?" "I'm 13, at least I think so. My birthday is May 16." "Yeah that's a few months from now." "How old are you?" He smirks, "Well, Bats can get really old without appearing to have age so I'm..." He looked down. "C'mon tell me!" "87." I gasp, "So I'm talking to an old man? Gross!" "Well in Bat years I'm only 23, so there you go." I laid down on my stomach and raised my head on my hands. "That's really gross, Mitch. Do you need like a cane or something? Will I get a special badge or something if I assist you across the street?" He burst out laughing. "Not a chance. But I have lost my dentures, so if you happen to find them, you'll have to yell my name really loudly, my hearings not like it was." We laughed and then got quiet. I remembered the tally marks in the cage and I decided to ask about them. "Who was here before me?" He instantly froze up. "Umm what do you mean?" I got up and pulled back the blanket and rug and showed him the tally marks. "Someone was here before me." He rolled his eyes. "It's probably just the rug digging into the floor and making those lines. No one was here." I stared at him and he started biting his lip nervously. "Mitch?" "There was no one! No one Lux! Just give it up!" He growled and backed away from the cage. "Geez Louise don't pee yourself!" I yelled and threw the rug back down. He glared at me from the other side of the bars. I turned around, hurt and confused, and stared angrily at the wall. I heard him sigh behind me. "Look, Lux, I'm sorry. I was rude and I shouldn't have been. It's just... not a good topic. Please forgive me?" I turned around to see him doing a pouty face. I grunted and faced the wall. "Fine, but you have to repeat after me. I." "I." "Am." "Am." "A." "A." "Poopy head that's dumb and Lux is the best." He glared. "There's no way I'm saying that." Now it was my turn to pout. "Well, guess I can't forgive you. Nice knowing you." I'm​ about to turn and face the wall again when he interrupted me. "Fine fine FINE. I am a poopy head that's dumb and Lux is the best. There ya happy?" I smiled smugly. "The happiest." He got up and cracked his back. "I'm gonna go and try to piece together what shreds of dignity I have left. Unless you have anything else insulting to add, I'll be on my way." "Wait." I grabbed his furry hand through the bars. "Thanks for taking the lashings for me. And thanks for being my friend, I guess." He squeezed my hand and let go. "No problem brat. See ya later!" He stuck his bat tongue at me and walked away.
I sighed happily and tried to get to sleep, desperately trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach.

~Author's Note~
Hi! So, Mitch and Lux, huh? Do you think they're just friends? Or do you think they're something... else?
As usual, please comment and vote! Thanks for reading homies!
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