Howling Thunder 2 Chapter 1: Just Gross

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Mora is giving me the deepest of glares right now, the torchlight in the darkness just before dawn going the extra mile to highlight her frustration.

With forced politeness, “My Lord,”

“Rawr,” I interrupt with a jokingly sad, half moan, half growl.

A slight hint of desperation, “Lord Nox,”

“Raaawr!” I cut her off again.

The severed forearm in my hand still claws in the air while I hold it just partly away from my ever stoic companion. Yes, I’m teasing the poor bookwyrm again.

We’re currently clearing out the undead which have risen in the graveyard of a farming community not far East of Yoden. Mother asked us to handle it during dinner last night. Walt is just up ahead swinging his sword away, limbs sailing through the air in his wake.

Mora’s eyes flare with ferocity as her temper slips slightly. Her bone spear strikes out for the arm only to miss as I pull it away in time.

I chuckle, “Down Girl!”

Her expression falters as she regains control of her emotions.

“My Lord I must say that I find this behavior seriously at odds with the demeanor I was taught to be appropriate for one of royal blood.”

Cracking an odd grin, “Why so serious?”

The phrase itself feels right somehow.

She points towards Walt, “Such tasks are meant to be taken serious, although I feel our aid is unneeded and I’m doubting our purpose here.”

My grin persists, “Walt is getting in some stress relief, I’m watching his back, as always you watch mine.”

As if knowing my response beforehand she dryly asks, “And as for my back?”

With a serious tone, “Don’t worry I always give your rear plenty of attention. Now I’ll take your comment concerning my behavior to heart and attempt to meet you halfway towards behaving in a manner befitting someone of my nobility.”

Mora gets in half a sigh of relief before I continue.

“As an Alpha of the Winter Pack and Champion of Freki, I order you to kneel and let me run a few fingers through your lovely hair.”

Shock, shock and disgust, both clear and present in her eyes. Of course I’m not serious and she knows it all too well...But it's the thought that counts.

As I once more brandish the severed and clawing limb towards her, “What, most nobles are disgusting fiends right?”

This time she swings her spear from the side to knock the limb away. I allow it to connect however I make sure the gory remains go flying towards Walt.

After slicing a shambling corpse in two, Walt spins around just in time to strike down the arm and raise an eyebrow back at us.

I point to Mora, “She thought you could use a hand.”

He rolls his eyes and decapitates the falling ghoul in such a way that sends the severed and half rotten cranium towards us.

Laughing I step aside and call to the speechless Mora, “Heads Up!”

She strikes it down with her spear and once more pleads, “Enough, this is all too disgusting! Can we please finish, you said this would take an hour at most.”

Sighing I snap my fingers, the now rolling on the ground head bursts into a white flame. Blinking would cause you to miss the instant it becomes no more than dark ashes.

All around us the wriggling limbs and crawling cadavers begin to flare with the white fire one by one.

Once only ashes remain the fire fades into embers and the dark of early dawn returns. The effect seems to ripple out as all the surrounding undead become purified.

This cleansing magic was the only means which Mother would train me to use my ghost fire. Any other use she declared was actually dark magic and a path I should abstain from without fail. According to her, plenty of her Kitsune ancestors had fallen to the seduction of the darker sides to magic and become beings referred to as yokai, demons in the orient, traitors towards their own families and life itself.

Ulfa later told me to take the Inari’s lesson with a neutral mind set. The warg pair themselves are classified as evil undead by the masses and yet they are clearly capable of rational thought and good deeds...should the mood strike them.

The last few undead rush towards Walther with a fresh viciousness, if not for their vacant eyes and rotting skin I might suspect they were aware of their fallen comrades or fearing for their long gone lives.

Immediately after his large sabre strikes them down my flames ignite the maggot ridden flesh. The source of this event remains a mystery however there are no more bodies in this graveyard to break through the earth.

As the light begins to creep over the distant hills, a passerby to the scene might be confused as to why it snowed over this singular patch of land in the night.

Glancing around I give a satisfied nod and call to Walt, “Let's go brother, it is breakfast time and I’m sure we’ve all worked up an appetite.”

Mora slightly shakes her head in objection while I collect Iris’ staff which I left leaning on an old willow tree.

The white stone from which the feather on the staff head was carved has yet been impossible for me to completely absorb into my tail fog. While the silver haft presents no issue, it’s very ...stupid to walk around having my tail dragging with the weight of an arm length section of rock.

Mora and Walt place a hand on my shoulder as my black fog engulfs us. Borrowing the magic of the staff as I did to arrive here earlier, my fog forms into a large raven. With a single beat of the wings we take off into the sky towards the white city which is already visible in the distance.

Wind from the east brings with it the morning chill as we gently soar over the rolling hills and farmlands. Small lamp lights can be seen in the windows of the farm houses below. After only a few minutes the hundreds of towers within Yoden become distinct as the light from the rising sun reflects off their rooftops.

There is no doubt that the keen eyed avian clansmen in the city watch have spotted my approach. None will bother to stop us, it only took a month of me flying about the city in this way for them to grow accustomed to my antics.

Grandmother threw a fit when she heard of this and insisted I use only the raven form, that way the guard could properly stop any other… clouds. Of course Lupa’s father, General Ivan, was all too eager kiss grandma’s ass and order the guard to arrest even me if I disregard the new rule.

This ridiculous hierarchy in Yoden goes in circles enough, I can only imagine how it will be once the army returns from the south coast. Which reminds me of this afternoon’s meeting, Walt and I are to be sent down the river. He is going to the war front while I’m accompanying him part way, they didn’t give any details yet.

Passing over the walls I decide to have one more laugh before the ever depressing breakfast in the castle.

Chancing a glance with my bird head back at Walt I suddenly put more force in my flapping wings.

Dear older brother only manages to shout, “Nox No!”

Mora grabs his shoulder and they both press into my barely tangible back as I shoot like an arrow fired straight up.

A few powerful flaps and I’m already breaking through the light cloud cover ascending ever higher. The distant sun highlights the curvature of the horizon. A sea of white clouds blankets the ground below, only the tallest tower of the castle peeking out. The glitter of gold reflects off the statue in the throne room containing the Yoden Grail.

As the air becomes noticeably harder to breath I bellow out a laugh which could shake towers and withdraw my black fog. The three of us continue upward for a short moment before stalling out.

I glance over to Walt whose eyes are wide and looking at the ground below, “Look up brother!”

He does, a vast ocean of stars flicker in protest to the rising sun. The first time I came up this high it took my breath away, while Asta laughed… Lupa just screamed.

The pull of Terra takes hold as we begin to drop. At this height, even Mora is unable to do more besides plummet.

I roll through the air to Walt's side, “How do you like the view?”

Gone is the silent act, “Go screw yourself! How is this remotely fun?!”

He unsheathes his blade and takes a good swing at me which of course passes harmlessly through me. To further his plight the strike has sent him into a spiral which is makinging even me sick.

Glancing back up, “Steady him out Mora.”

The Valkyrie has gained some measure of control and glides into Walt, straightening him out.

A moment later we burst down from the blanket of clouds over the castle, black fog bursts out from my tail.

I chuckle, “Alright, I’ll take him from here.”

Once more a grand sized raven swoops with incredible speed around the castle, my passenger mercilessly brought along for the ride.

Taking aim I explode threw an open window and into the dining hall. The nobles who usually arrive early jumping from their seats in fright.

A quick backflip of the shrinking bird form deposits an unconscious Walther in his seat before I land beside my own. I lean the feather staff on the armrest and take a seat.

Mother passes over my giggling, blue furred daughter with a slight sigh.

She points over to Walther, “I assume you are responsible for this?”

The poor guy is still passed out, face down in his morning eggs.

I shrug, “That's normal, he should wake up soon...ish.”

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