Battle of the Heart

*peeks in from the abyss* Um, hi. Okay so I know I haven’t written anything for this story in way, way, way, way, way to long. I am so sorry, I have no excuse. I can only offer a yummy chapter in recommence. I promise the next chapter will be out _a lot_ quicker. Thank you to all my readers.
Anyhow after a long, long wait here’s the next part. Enjoy!

Rias had long ago abandoned his half form for the speed and advanced senses that his full fox form offered. He was now running at full speed with Lamar clenching to his back and Gabe and Aryan struggling the keep pace. Gabe was doing well for his age, and though Aryan was quite young himself he was putting up a valiant effort to keep up. Still, Rias felt like they were holding him back and with death itself on their heels it took everything he had not to run blindly away, leaving both of them behind. They had been running for about three hours, and the sun was finally coming up and soon it would chase the chill of night away. Still it could do nothing for the chill that ran through Rias’ heart. He had finally found someone he loved more than anything, and he had put both of their lives in danger. He should have known better. It wasn’t like he didn’t know the laws; it was just that in that moment everything had disappeared except for Lamar and the overwhelming urge to be close to him.
“Rias we need to stop for a while. Gabe and Aryan can’t go on like this. They’re both totally exhausted.” Lamar himself sounded ready to give out. He had been riding on Rias’ back for some time, and though Rias had been doing most the work the human was still having a hard time holding on at the pace the fox had set. The human was just to prideful to admit that he was the one who really needed to stop.
Rias spotted a small clearing and headed in that direction. It would be okay to stop for a little while. They had been going for some time, and Aani and the others would be a ways behind by now. Rias wasn’t even certain they were following. Aani had acted so strangely, he could have easily killed them both on the spot. Why he hadn’t was beyond Rias.
Lamar slipped off Rias’ back and sank to the ground as soon as they stopped. “Human’s are not meant to ride on the backs of foxes, I don’t know how the fighters do it.”
Rias snorted after he had turned back to his half form, “Funny you call yourselves fighters when it’s your foxes that do all the fighting.”
Lamar frowned, his tired expression falling even more. “I’m sorry Rias, it’s because of my people that we’re in this mess.”
Rias raised an eyebrow, “Really? Last time I checked the ones trying to take our lives were foxes not humans.” He dropped his head, unable to look at the human, “I’m sorry, Lamar, I knew this could happen, I knew our laws. I should never have pushed you.”
Lamar looked up at the fox from his spot on the ground a small smile on his face. “I don’t recall objecting to your advances you silly fox. It’s not like I didn’t know there would be danger Rias. Everything we stand for is dangerous, but that doesn’t mean we should abandon it. I don’t regret loving you, in fact I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. We’ll face what comes together, and I will treasure every moment of it. I believe in us Rias, and I hope you can do the same.
Rias grinned wildly before he pulled Lamar to his feet and subjected him to a deep heated kiss. Lamar melted into Rias as he sparred with the fox’s tongue. Rias pulled Lamar tight against him, his nerves calmed for the moment by the human’s close presence.
“Umm, guys?” Rias looked up when he heard Gabe’s tentative voice. For a moment he had forgotten about the two foxes.
Lamar turned to Gabe, a blush spreading across his face, “Ah sorry guys. I guess we got a little carried away. Let’s set up camp shall we?”
Gabe slowly nodded, stuttering in his response, “Ah, okay I’ll go get some wood.”
“Wait up Gabe, I think we can leave the wood gathering to Lamar today. It’s time you learned how to hunt.” Rias gave Lamar a quick peek on the cheek before following Gabe into the woods. Lamar blinked, caught off guard by how open Rais was about their relationship. Then again, the fox had always been rather upfront, and they were endangering their lives for this relationship, they might as well enjoy it.
“Um, Lamar?” Lamar smiled as he turned to Ayran. He was thankful that the timid fox was finally calling him by name. “Yeah?”
“I don’t understand, why do you let Rias treat you like a slave.” Ayran asked in a curious if not slightly timid voice.
Lamar blinked, caught off guard by the foxes words.” What do you mean? He doesn’t treat me like a slave.”
“But,” Ayran turned away and his voice quivered, “he forced himself on you.”
Lamar stood dumbfounded for a moment as his mind tried to wrap itself around what the fox meant. When he finally grasped the other’s meaning his heart sank and he felt a huge plague of remorse build within him. “Ayran, why would you think that he was forcing himself on me. Did it look like I was being forced?”
Ayran sucked in a breath of air, his discomfort obvious. “Well, no but I’ve seen lots of foxes that were forced not fight back. They say there’s no good in fighting a master, that it gets you nowhere.”
“And this kind of thing is common practice with humans?” Lamar asked fearing the answer. He had a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he couldn’t help but think back to the way Rias’ old master had looked at him. Rias would have told him if he had been abused like that, wouldn’t he have?
“Well, with some masters yes, my master was one of them, but he said that I was to scrawny to be any good.” To Lamar’s horror, Ayran sounded almost regretful. “I know it’s not my place, but you’ve been so kind, and you said I could ask questions, and well I just don’t understand.”
Lamar smiled sadly, trying to comfort the fox. “Aryan how long have you been a slave?”
“Seventy-three years, my whole life.”
Lamar blinked, “Then you’re around Gabe’s age aren’t you? You don’t act it, but considering the life you’ve led I’m not surprised. Don’t worry Ayran, what Rias did was fine with me. He wasn’t forcing himself on me at all. We love each other, which is kind of like a really strong friendship. You’ll understand one day.”
Aryan sighed seeming to except this to some degree. “I think I understand, as long as you’re both happy.”
Lamar smiled, “we are, now if you could go get some wood I’ll make a fire pit and get camp set up. Those two shouldn’t take too long.”

Aryan nodded and darted off into the woods. Lamar sighed sitting down and thinking about what the young fox had said. Rias had shared the same master as Aryan in the past. Could he have suffered from such horrible treatment? Could he have been…raped?
Would Rias have hid that from him? Somehow it wasn’t hard to imagine. The fox didn’t like showing Lamar pain, and he never talked about his past with the human. “I’ve got to try and talk to him. He can’t keep this inside, he needs help. I have to know if that monster did anything to him. If he did I swear I will hunt him down, and kill him.”
“Hunt whom down?” Lamar shot up surprised to hear the all too familiar voice right behind him. He turned and came face to face with Anai, the last creature he ever wanted to face alone.
Lamar took a step back, considering his options. He could run but the fox would overtake him before he made it to the edge of the clearing. He could cry out, but that would bring Rias and the others right to him. Not only would he be dead, but he would lessen the others chance for survival as well. His best chance, if it could be called that, was to talk to the fox, and hope he would listen. He had convinced the fox to spare his life once; maybe he could do it again. At the very least he could hope to convince him to let Gabe and Ayran go. They had no part in this, after all.
“Running will do you no good human.” Anai said confirming Lamar’s thoughts.
Lamar nodded, trying to keep he calm. He had to be strong, for the others. “I know. I wouldn’t try to run, but answer me this. Why are you doing this? Rias and I mean no harm, we’re trying to help your people! Why must you kill us?”

“The law is the law.” The lack of emotion in the gold fox’s voice chilled Lamar to the bone. “Even if I did not act now others would eventually learn of this. You can not hide it forever, and I will not risk Rias’ safety by allowing you to live.”
Lamar felt his heart quicken even more. “Rias’ safety? You mean you’ll spare Rias?”

Anai nodded, his expression solemn. “Yes, in fact that is the motivation behind my actions. As long as you continue to draw breath his life is in danger, if I eliminate you then no one will ever know about his crimes.”
Lamar blinked feeling a weight fall off his shoulders. He did not want to die, and he didn’t think Rias would agree with Anai’s knowledge. Still, it was a relief to know that he was the only one who had to die. “You seem to care a great deal about Rias. I’m thankful that you want to protect him, even if I don’t agree with your methods. I still don’t see why though, why go through all this to keep him safe?”
Anai looked down at his hands hiding his eyes from sight. Lamar did not miss the immense sorrow that he saw within the gold fox, and it shook him to the core. “I have to. Rias is of my blood; he is all I have left. He is my son, born of my condemned mate. I denounced him once and it cost me everything. I will not abandon him again, even if I must make him hate me even more to defend him.
Lumar stared at the fox in disbelief. Was he mad? What did he mean Rias was his son? Rias couldn’t be his son! Still, if the fox believed that than it would keep Rias safe. “Okay,” Lamar said squaring his shoulders.
Anai raised an eyebrow, frowning. “You accept my word so easily?”

Lamar shrugged, “well you don’t have any reason to lie. Besides you said you’d protect Rias right? That’s all that matters to me. If you’ll keep him safe and help him reach his goals then I can accept your terms. I’m not happy about it, but I don’t really have a choice now do I?”
Anai advanced on him then, slowly closing the gap between them. “No you don’t, but your care for Rias seems genuine, so I shall try to make your death painless.”

Lamar nodded and turned his head up to face Anai, wanting to look death in the eyes until the last. He was instead met with the emerald green eyes of a beautiful young woman. Well, perhaps woman was to simple a term. More like an ethereal being, an angelic creature. The woman before him stood a half-foot taller than him and had long flowing hair that was as black as obsidian. She wore a simple light blue silk gown that hugged her slim lengthy figure. She was barefoot, which was odd enough in and of itself, but she seemed completely at ease in her less than protective attire. She smiled reassuringly at him before turning to face Anai.
To say that Anai seemed greatly troubled by her presence would be a gross understatement. He was staring at her with irritation etched into his features. His nose was wrinkled up as if he smelled something foul and his eyes were narrowed to horizontal slits.
“Move aside, my lady. I have no strife with you, but I will not allow you to stand in my way.” Anai said in a voice that held a slight quiver.
The woman shook her head, her voice both sweet and condescending when she spoke. “You can certainly try to stop me if you must, but I can not allow you to harm this human. As insignificant as his life may seem he will play an important role in the future. He must live until he can fulfill that role.”
Anai blinked, taken aback by the woman’s proclamation. “How would you know what is in this human’s future?”
The woman rolled her eyes, looking at Anai as if he were a child that had just asked a ridiculous question. “I am cursed with the ability to glimpse into the future. I don’t know exactly what is in his future, but I know his life must be protected.”
Anai sucked in a breath, gathering himself before speaking. “He stands in the way of my son’s life, my lady, his death is already guaranteed. It’s just a matter of whose hand he dies by. If not mine then it will be other foxes. You may be able to stop me, but you will not be able to stop all of them. They will kill him for the relationship he has formed with my son, and they will kill my son as well. Let me save one of them at least. If the human is dead than the others will never find out about them to begin with.”
Lamar could not be more confused. Why was Anai pleading with her? Why not just attack. Who was this woman that she could cause Anai to pause? More than that, Anai was pleading with her. What the hell was she that she could make a gold fox plead?
“Neither of them may die yet. It is not their time. I will take them with me. That is what I must do to protect them. You may come along with me if you must.” She spoke in a dismissive tone that left both of them speechless. Take them with her? Take them where, and what made her think they would go? Still, what choice did they have? He would be dead if it wasn’t for her. The woman had turned back to Lamar, “your party is on their way back. I would suggest that you begin packing up, we will be leaving soon.”


Rias was grinning like a mad man as he came striding into camp with a giant boar slung over one shoulder. Beside him Gabe had a matching grin, and looked quite pleased with himself. Both of them stopped dead in their tacks when they entered their camp and came upon none other than Anai, standing in the middle of a disassembled mess and looking quite annoyed. “Ah fuck!” Rais said as he dropped the boar and advanced on the other creature, his rage painted across his face. “What the fuck did you do to Lamar you fucking bastard!”