Spring 1534

Rue

An angry bark and snarl sent the Royal Messenger running, his tail flagging as he darted away. He couldn’t have gone any faster less I’d lit his tunic on fire. I picked back up the parchment scroll, re-reading the short yet distinct message. I was to report to the High Castle with all due haste and report to the newly ascended King and Queen without delay, for a matter of the utmost urgency and secrecy.

I already knew what Princess… no Queen Mirabelle wanted, I’ve lived among and served the Royal Family of the Great High Plains Cervidae people for what seems like several lifetimes. My old life seems to be more of a half forgotten dream or nightmare I suppose. A coyote bitch not just passing through, nor trading, yet actually living among the deer people, after what must be 16-17-18 winters. Many of the locals are now accustomed to my presence and after many moons and seasons of service to the crown I’ve even been granted my own land, a keep and even a number of servants. A far cry from my first accommodations, to be specific the dungeon. As I was still nursing the wound of being shot through by no less than the current King, I suppose some might see that as a high honor.

My servants that help keep things tidy and well tended, both while I’m here and in my or my mates absence, do a fine job. I’ve had a sneaking suspicion they were sent here to either be eaten or as punishment. My mate Marguerite, gone many moons now, was accompanying Queen Mirabelle’s sister on a far journey on one of the crown's tallest ships. Marguerite made me promise many seasons ago to never bare my teeth at or bite those beneath me, despite me insisting that I had been bitten many times myself in my younger days. It is simply not their way and in these many moons I have learned to live by their rules… most of the time.

My lovely Marguerite, how I miss her beauty, grace, her soft gentle aroma so delicate on the nose. Her hard yet somehow soft touch of her hooves on my fur. Marguerite, my only true mate. I still laugh at the looks we receive, a coyote servant of the Crown and a Royal doe living as one. Marguerite, who was originally sent to me as a minder, the crown still fearing I might just go feral and start eating small fawns in the street, one of the bakers or one of the ewes fetching water from the well.

In those early days I was seen as nothing more than, at best, a novelty, at worst a dangerous liability. Only kept out of the dungeon or the executioner's block by Mirabelle's wishes. Always only one word away from having my head forcibly separated from the rest of myself, my fat rendered for use for gods only knows what. I had considered asking many times, I've just always feared they might be all too happy to show me.

By the good graces of the Princess, and her somehow convincing the Prince to go along, I avoided such a unsavory fate. My love Marguerite, while technically of Royal blood, was born barren as the summer days are long. Just by some miracle of the gods, we both found each other and our purposes. And how I dearly miss her. I fortify myself knowing I will smell and touch her again very soon. The deer people are known for having the tallest, fastest and strongest ships on all the high seas with many cannons. Only fools would attack one of those ships, especially flying the Royal colors.

Even after so many seasons of service and having a title, I knew it was best to not let the crown wait. I took one last bite of the chicken I was eating, out near the fence. Spitting out a few feathers and tossing the rest of the carcass into the pasture for the buzzards to finish.

I started off towards my keep by coyote standards huge and extravagant, it would have been home to no less than two dozen canines. It doesn’t seem that big to me anymore. I suppose I have gotten spoiled. Being summoned just a few short days after the coronation, something I had decided to stay well away from for a multitude of reasons… At this point, I knew without a doubt why I’d been called. Of course it couldn’t be something so simple as a rebuke for not attending one of the endless ceremonies.

I may very well have a very special relationship with the Royal family. Officially a Royal Courier and or Ambassador to the Packs of the Western Hills. And not to say I haven’t done all those things and may again in the future. Yet within the court it seems to be a bit of an open secret that when I am called in, spilled blood is soon to follow. At times certain individuals just need to disappear, others need to be found out along the road not far from their homes, their throats ripped to bloody ribbons and entrails never to be found.

As I near the back door to my keep, I already know it's nothing so simple as someone who didn’t bow correctly at the coronation or some rival within the family. No, this had to be about my brother, more correctly my half brother Charlie.

While I was still languishing in the dungeon, eating rats to survive, saving the Crown and guards a huge amount of grain that now wouldn’t be eaten by the vermin. Princess Mirabelle had her own problems she was dealing with, returning home from her ill-advised adventure, tailless yet with her Prince and an injured fierce Coyote Amazon in tow. Little did she know that a once in 100 ages miracle had happened, only told in ancient stories and legends.

By the Prince’s testimony and honor, less his head end up on the block, he had not matted with the Princess. Never even close, according to the happy couple, and thankfully for both there was one living witness. Being questioned in front of court with no less than a dozen Royal guards around me. I testified that my Sire, my father, had bred the Princess against her will and did indeed complete the knot in our terms. This in itself took some explaining, it spared the Princess and Prince shame and great embarrassment.

Unfortunately, in lieu of my sire being there, I was beaten nearly to death. Sharp hard hooves broke my tail, my ribs  kicked until I felt my chest would cave in. I was no Amazon as had been claimed. Thankfully I knew enough to cover my face and muzzle, if they had broken my jaw with one of those kicks I would have most certainly died.

After that, I lost track of time, it didn’t seem important. All I could think about was the cold stone floor with nothing to lay on, only a bucket to piss and shit in. Only moldy bread, rotten fruits and vegetables and the occasional sickly rat to eat. I think I found out later it was about four moons before they pulled me out of that cell again. I promised myself, as soon as they opened that door, I would rip out one of their throats and at least die with blood on my tongue and muzzle, regretting that I didn’t die out in the woods, but that’s a story you already know. But when the day came, instead, I could barely stand. Having spent those several moons wondering whether, if Princess Mirabelle died, would they cut my head off? Hang me? A combination of both, or just leave me in that cell until I turned into a skeleton that couldn’t be told apart from that of a feral’s dried husk?

Best I can remember I was half dragged half carried, thinking maybe they would just throw me off one of the tall walls. The fresh air would have been nice. In the state I was in, I felt a fall from that height, I would just shatter like pottery when I hit the dirt. We went up and up, down long hallways, then up and up more stairs. I was really convinced they were going to throw me off one of the towers, but instead we were going past a number of other guards, all of them crinkling their noses or gagging at my aroma. Admittedly I had smelled better.

They showed me into a room where, surprisingly, my nose actually still worked. I smelled Mirabelle, three other does who were nursemaids, and a pup. I was still being half held up by a guard, Mirabelle looked at me and blanched. I must’ve been quite the site to see. My fur matted in some places, falling out in others, skin and bone otherwise.

Then I saw him, my brother Charlie, for the first time. He was unlike anyone in many generations had seen and apparently in all regards healthy. Half deer, with a long skinny muzzle, long legs, tiny little hooves, yet with claws on his little paws, a long tail, and the coat of a coyote just starting to come in. And, the detail that got me back out of that cell, sharp sharp white little canines starting to grow in.

Mirabelle had gotten over her shock of my condition relatively fast, only missing a few beats, holding her first born, if bastard, son close. “ Rue, you must help, no one here has dealt with… with, well, teething or not, like this?!”

I knew I wasn’t a brood bitch anymore than I was a warrior. It’s just, I knew the alternative, aka being thrown back in that cell or looking out the window, a long fall indeed. I nodded and tried to straighten myself up on my paws. Reaching out for my half brother, with the guards standing to either side ready to pull their swords or kick me into a bloody smear mark on the floor.

Mirabelle hesitated… hesitated but then gently handed Charlie to my outstretched arms. I cuddled him best I could, rocking him slowly side to side. Then the little sucker bit me, Mirabelle and the guards alike just about panicked but well, puppies will be puppies or so I thought at the time.

I wasn’t exactly put up in the guest housing, but at least I was allowed to clean up, and was given some clothing other than rags. Later that night, still laying on the cold floor, but at least I now had a blanket, Felipe, one of the guards I would get to know very well, pounded on the door before slowly opening it. With an expression of pure disgust, he dropped a wooden bucket inside the door, quickly slamming it closed behind him.

My nose immediately started to twitch, drool forming in my mouth, my stomach rumbling. I smelled blood! A lot of blood, with its unmistakable sweet iron taste. I tossed the blanket off and crawled towards the overflowing bucket. It was better than I could have hoped for. From the smell and looks, a sheep had been eviscerated, all the best bits were there. Everything, heart, lungs, liver, stomach, poop ropes, even the nuts, one of my all time favorites. I knew I should eat slowly, but I just couldn’t resist taking paws full of the poop ropes and barely chewing, letting them slide down my throat. They were still warm and tasted better than anything I'd eaten in months, he'd been healthy and well feed before his death.

I found out sometime later it had been some duke from up north that had been planning to raise his own private army to steal lands away from the crown. Little did I know, that late night, I started on the path of a new career.

Being eaten, whether it be alive or not, is one of the biggest fears of any herbivore and not to mention a huge disgrace. Your body, your insides being eaten disgraces not only you by your house and clan.

Bringing myself to focus on the present, I stormed into the back of the keep and right into the kitchen startling two of my servants. With no time to spare, yet trying not to sound too harsh and scare them, I barked for them to follow. Pretty sure I’ll need my armor for this task and even if I don’t, it won’t hurt to keep appearances. My armor mostly being doubled up thickly tanned leather with brass plating only in key areas. And trust me, getting leather in this kingdom is not an easy task, yet for the jobs I do, I can’t be clanking around like I have pots and pans tied around my waist.

I had to lay flat on my stomach as my most trusted servant, an ewe named Lilou, put her hoof on my back and tied the straps. Not too tight, where I can’t breathe, but tight enough where nothing moves around. Letting out a little wheeze as Lilou tightens the straps, she already knew by long habit, how tight they needed to be. Everything in place, I stood and moved around, trying to stretch everything out. The armor always feels too tight for the first few hours. Lilou always able  read my mood well  quickly bowed out of the room while I strapped my set of throwing daggers to the small of my back, just above my tail.

My short sword and scabbard got strapped to my left hip. They were custom made by the Royal Blacksmith himself, fit for my stature, reach, grip, preferred style and perfectly balanced. While operating outside of the capital or in secrecy, I wear a black cloak. But since I will have to appear in front of the court, I chose my official cloak that designates me a Royal Knight. It has the Royal colors and the seal on the back, hardly inconspicuous. Thankfully, in these particular circumstances, most citizens will jump out of my way.

While performing personal business in the capital without my love Marguerite, I've learned over the many seasons that my paws do not make the traditional clicking of hooves on cobblestones most here are accustomed to. This has served me very well in my other career, unfortunately when I'm just trying to perform business, having civilians, vendors and travelers jump and or bleat in surprise and fear as I come around corners can be troublesome.

Thus my one true mate, bless her sprite, came up with a simple solution, however embarrassing and distasteful I may find it. A simple jester’s bell that I wear on one hock. No more bleats of surprise and to be fair I don’t jingle jangle too terribly.

It’s just that was not the day, I left my jester's bell on its hook and begin my half-day’s journey to the capital. If my assumptions are correct the newly inaugurated King and Queen may very well ask me to kill the Queen’s own firstborn son. My only known living relative, my own blood, the buck that shares my same sire, here's hoping his carcass has been picked clean by buzzards his bones broken and scattered.

I left my keep to the servants. I truly hope that I will see it again. I set a fast pace. I may not be as young as I used to be, but I keep myself fit. If Charlie had just eaten yet another maid, servant or unfortunate citizen. I probably wouldn’t have even been sent for at this point.

Then again, with a major event such as a Coronation going and the Royal family having a tendency to overreact at times, who could guess? Maybe t'was just a bunch of well feed rich deer being overly neurotic. Perhaps if this issue could be settled quickly, I might even have a chance to see my honorary niece Lyra. Her father, Queen Mirabelles uncle, hates my guts and if it was left to him would see them spilled on the grand halls stone floor.

To be fair to the old ugly one antlered buck, I may have killed his best friend, who can keep up on such things? Shouldn’t have gotten involved in that assassination plot I had uncovered. Not just Charlie, the bastards would have killed Mirabelle too, to cut her husband out of the succession line. Having saved Mirabelles hide yet again finally earned me the trust of the King, and my title and keep as well.

As for what could be the problem Charlie had a very bad habit of sneaking out and dragging back unfortunate souls. Fawns, bucks and does alike that he would brutally bite, claw and rape for hours or days. At times, eating them after they started to bloat and smell, other times tiring of the carcass and letting guards remove their remains.

While he was just a young fawn, along with many others I tried to teach him to control his predatory side of his nature. It’s just every time we thought we were making progress and would introduce him to others his own age. He would attack them or bite, at the age 6 ripping off a doe's his own age right ear and eating it.

With time, the crown started sending me away more and more. I’m not sure if at first they were disappointed that I kept returning alive or were pleased with my success. Either way they started giving me more and more freedom, trusting me more with every passing season.

Continuing down the road I quicken my pace to almost a slow run, whatever had happened must’ve been serious. Felipe the head guard over Charlie was supposed to be watching him. If I had been called so urgently Felipe must already be in the dungeon. Over the many seasons I had gone to bed with many of the royal guards. I may generally prefer the company of my love Marguerite, but, this being the case, I still enjoy sharing a bed with a buck from time to time.

The young bucks are often fascinated by my slim physique, long well cared for fur, my many nipples, at least by deer standards, my sharp teeth, claws and of course my canine feminine parts. For even before my reputation started to grow, I was considered dangerous and novel. Unlike any ewes, cows or does they had ever seen or been with. Not to say it was a one sided affair, I often learned secrets about the other guards, the going ons of the court, the secret entrances in and out of the city.

And while I’ve never particularly cared to be with often smelly, brutal males of my own species. The bucks and even a ram or two, smelled so much more pleasant, being kinder and gentler. Running their hooves through my fur, their gentle tongues on my nipples. Often anxious to sniff under my tail, to taste a real canine bitch after growing up hearing stories of vicious predators. For my part, I was happy to let them enter me with their long thin cocks without a knot to tie me to them.

With their nuts, many many times larger than any canine could even dream of, when they finish inside me there’s no risk of pups. The warm flood leaving me pleasantly feeling overfilled, their seed running down the inside of my legs into the next day. Their soft clean scent stays with me, even after I lick myself clean.

As I move closer to the city I hope that, if Felipe is in the dungeon and if he is going to need to be lashed, hopefully they will at least let me do it. At least with me, I know how to count and will do it cleanly.

With only a few short breaks to piss and drink from the creeks, I approach the outskirts of the capital city with its tall stone walls and many towers. I decided to take one of the secret entrances that I had learned, after spending a number of evenings with a group of the city guards. That was in the early days before I had learned how to handle horny bucks. They had taken turns and bruised my insides with their exuberance. It was a valuable lesson about letting multiple bucks breed me in each others company, each wanting to show off for the others.

Entering one of the small creek beds and following it into a small cave, I followed it through its twists and turns. Before long I was within the city. Now in the early evening, vendors and shops were all starting to close. I knew the city like my own home and it didn’t take long before I was using another little known entrance to enter the Grand Castle at the center of the city. Not seen or heard without wearing that damned pesky bell.

Avoiding the Castle Guards more to stay in practice, than any real practical reason. I entered the Dungeon. I’d be lying if I said the feel and smell didn’t give me a little shutter deep in my bones. Still I wanted information from Felipe and possibly to gloat at his misfortune. Just very strange, no Felipe. The only ones in the dungeon, which also acts as the capital jail, was a number of foul smelling individuals looking like pirates with a shaggy feral dog, the key ring in his mouth and a well dressed tall very fine smelling gazelle girl. She looked more irritated and inconvenienced than worried and I paid none of them any mind.

Giving up on trying to find out what I’m walking into, I bounded up the stairs to the main level. I opened the door to the hallway that would lead to the Grand Hall. The guard standing at the door glanced over, catching my scent. He jumped with a bleat, fumbling and dropping his Pike before gathering himself. I thought I might have smelled him popping out a few pallets in his trousers. The guards are certainly on edge, I thought to myself that this might be more serious.

“At ease you fool, where is Felipe? And pick up your weapon!”

The guard scrambled to pick up his Pike and come back to attention. “Umm umm yes ma’am, sir, ma’am… I don’t know… umm with the King I think?”

I growled at him and turned my tail. Fools, nothing but fools! I stormed down the long passage. At times like that, I truly wish I could make the angry stomping sound herbivores seem to be able to make. Arriving at the large iron banded wooden doors that lead to the Great Hall, I saw four guards standing in front of the door their pikes crossed.

I did my best to stand to my full height of a full 5 foot 2 inches and barked with my most menacing voice. “ STAND ASIDE! I AM HERE WITH ORDERS FROM THE KING, I AM TO SEE HIM AT ONCE!”

The most senior ranking guard of the four looked down at me. He must have stood over 7 feet tall, damned lanky breed that they are. “The King is not ready for you, Royal dog or not, you will wait!” I bared my teeth and growled, rules of polite society be damned! This was getting little to no response from the four. If I had known how upside down my world was about to become I would have waited patiently, rather dying of old age while waiting for that door to open.

Unfortunately for me, a few short minutes later a bang from the inside of the door was heard. The four guards pulled open one of the huge door wings. Inside were two elite Royal guards, specifically tasked with protecting the king and queen. Usually they were picked for distinguished real battle experience, either from the navy or army. They dragged Felipe’s limp body out by his handsome straight antlers, a trail of dark blood behind them. My stomach sank like a stone dropped into a deep well.

I shook off my shock and ordered them to drop Felipe at once. I had no such authority here, but still, whether it was my commanding bark or if they simply didn’t care, they let Felipe go, his head and antlers crashing to the stone floor with a thud. I rushed over, struggling to turn him on his back. The front of his Royal Guard tunic was soaked with his blood, his eyes were open, unblinking, no breath came from his mouth or nose.

I put my ear to Felipe‘s chest, listening… nothing! I tore open his tunic, a single wound just below his navel. I could smell open intestines, smell his stomach, rich blood from his liver. His heat and lunges no doubt punctured. My Felipe, poor poor Felipe, my buck inside the court, my confidant, my trainer in swordsmanship and knife throwing my sometimes lover. The many long nights we had spent together, in the castle, in the woods, in the fields. He had shown me a great many things, made me laugh, brought me great pleasure filling up my canine bitch parts with his strong yet gentle cervidae length... Now he lay dead on the cold stone floor.

I had a little time to grieve, I heard over my shoulder the official Court Crier calling out my entrance. I would grieve for my friend, lover and mentor later. I picked myself up off the floor, straightened my armor, belt, scabbard and entered the Great Hall. As I entered I stopped just inside the huge door, I bowed at the waist. I looked at the King and Queen on the far side of the long open room, sitting on their opulent thrones, the hall with its rafters seemingly miles above my ears.

I moved forward being careful to not step in the trail of Felipe’s blood and gore. I stopped 10 paces in front of the King and Queen where the blood trail started, where Felipe most likely perished just a short time ago, his own sword broken and covered in blood on the floor. The rest of it must still have been inside his chest.

I pulled my sword, the dozen Elite Royal Guards standing to either side of the King and Queen tensed. I bring my sword up in a salute and hold it there. “LADY RUE, OF WOLFSTONE, KNIGHT OF THE PEOPLE OF THE GREAT HIGH PLAINS, MESSENGER OF THE CROWN, AMBASSADOR TO THE GRAND WESTERN PACKS OF THE EASTERN HILLS, REPORTING AS ORDERED!”

I took a breath, the ceremonial entrances being absolutely mandatory for some reason. I took a closer look at the King, blood had splashed across his ceremonial armor, his golden crown slightly eschewed, looking like he was either grinding his back teeth or chewing his cud. Queen Mirebelle was dressed in a beautiful silk flowing gown, her crown smaller than the Kings, making her look like she had small antlers of her own.

For several long moments I started to worry that I had just walked into my own execution, for what Sirius only knew. The King waved off my salute, for which I was grateful as my arm was starting to hurt. I swiftly re-scabbard’ it and took a knee.

King Felix stood, and what would normally be a sign of great disrespect, turned away from myself and his Queen, walking to one side of the Great Hall where he started to clean the blood off his hands and armor at a basin of water. I decided, since he had just broken a sword off in his third cousin’s chest, it would be best not to mention this break of decorum. I looked to Queen Mirebelle. She was rubbing her two thumbs on her left hand together - Never a good sign, whenever she did that she was thinking deeply or troubled.

Still being cautious of the blood trail across the room I remained silent. The Queen finally met my gaze. “Rue my trusted Knight, my savior, I wish I had called upon you in better circumstances.”

I nodded my head, keeping my gaze low in respect. In private we may have acted less formal, but in court appearances must be upheld. “Long Live the Queen… I am at your service, your majesty. I hope you have received my gift in celebration of your coronation?”

Queen Mirebelle subconsciously touched a solid gold bracelet encrusted with diamonds on her right wrist. Worth more than I could have ever imagined growing up in my pack. “Yes Lady Rue, it is beautiful. I wear it with pride. I bring you some good news… the Dauphin Royal has arrived at her destination, your Margarite is safe and doing well.”

I closed my eyes. The first good news I had received. Just before I could thank the Queen for this great kindness, she continued.

“Lady Rue, as you have no doubt realized, we have a horrible horrible situation on our hands. Lyra poor Lyra…” My heart sank to a new low. No, please, not Lyra…

The Queen put a hoofed hand on the side of her elegant muzzle. “Charlie has taken Lyra… we fear the worst…”

This hit me like an arrow to the chest. Lyra, such a young, pretty, playful fawn, gentle as a flower and many times as sweet. At a very young age she had become obsessed with the one canine in the court. Always curious about my long crooked tail, wanting to know how it got that way. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that one of her many brothers stomped on it repeatedly. Instead I made up some silly story about canines mostly living outside and that I had an accident with a door.

From than on, whenever she was around she would call to me “Be careful, watch your tail in the door” or hold it open for me. Always curious about my travels to distant lands, sometimes I was able to tell her, other times I had to make up stories of fairy tales and grand adventures. Hoping she wouldn’t notice or smell the blood under my claws. Just last winter I was able to bring her back a special perfume from Persia. It cost way way too much, but her fangless grin and thankful hug was more than enough.

Snapping back to the present I stood, the Queen held up a hand. “The guards tried, but Charlie won’t relinquish her”

Risking execution myself I interrupted the Queen. “COWARDS!!” ALL OF THEM COWARDS I WILL GET HER!”

Queen Mirebelle didn’t seem to take offense or object, the King simply shaking his head. Queen Mirebelle nodded “Go! Go now to the North wing, save Lyra if you can. Just please Rue, Charlie is still your brother, do NOT harm him.”

I nodded, somehow remembering a quick bow before turning and running, running as fast as my paws could carry me. The guards at the door saw me coming and quickly tried to get it open. I squeezed through. Running and sliding next to Felipe I took his head in my paws, my muzzle to his, I licked his face, kissed his lips, smelling and tasting him one final time. I was apologizing in advance. “My dearest Felipe, forgive me. Forgive me for what I must do, I would never disrespect you in your time of need, please forgive me, please I am so sorry!”

The four guards still standing outside were not sure what to make of any of this, truly believing the Queen’s prairie poodle had lost her mind. Before I could lose my nerve, I lifted up Felipe’s tunic, exposing his upper thighs and genitals. Taking his nut sack in my left paw and pulling it up and away from the rest of his body. I took one of my daggers from the small of my back and cut his skin, just above his asshole forward along his body - all the way forward to his sheath. I made sure to cut his cock where it exited the rest of his body, the cock that used to feel so good  pulsing deep inside my own body.

The Guards started to object. One of them paled, losing his lunch, puking up the grains, bread and greens he’d eaten earlier in the day onto the castle floor. One of the others, eyes rolling back in his head, passed out where he stood. Luckily, one of his fellow guards caught him before his head bounced off a wall or the floor.

I turned to the last guard standing, holding Felipe’s severed genitals down by my side in my left paw and barked at him. “You four saw nothing… NOTHING YOU HEAR ME? NOTHING! You... YOU see that Felipe is cremated, his honor intact, full last rights!” I took out a paw full of gold coins, worth several months wages and tossed them at the Guard. “YOU SEE THAT DONE, OR I WILL DO THAT TO YOU WHILE YOU SCREAM!” The scared Guard nodded his head up-and-down so vigorously I feared he was going to break his own neck. I gave him one more flash of fangs and a low growl and ran for the North wing.

I ran, until my heart felt like it was going to explode in my chest. The stairs and long corridor‘s seemed to be endless. Holding my mentors my lovers severed testicles in my left paw, knowing if I had any chance of getting Charlie to give up one of his new toys I would have to give him one of his favorite treats. I just hoped Lyra was still alive. Please, let her be alive!

Finally, with one last flight of stairs, I was nearing Charlie’s room. Three guards were nervously looking around outside the door. I barked at them, as soon as I got close. “MOVE ASIDE YOU WORTHLESS COWARDS, MOVE!!” They saw the look in my eyes or perhaps drool around my lips and had the good sense to move out-of-the-way. I stopped outside the door for just a moment or two, to catch my breath and let my vision clear.

I opened the door and stepped inside. Charlie was on his bed, on top of Lyra. He looked over and saw me. He rolled off Lyra, his long thick, pink knotted cock, still leaking cum, pulled out of Lyra’s ruined body. Lyra didn’t move or seem to react. She had been clawed, bitten, her neck a bloody ruin. Charlie sensed that something was wrong and quickly started to lick Lyra’s face and started to cry. “We just playin’, we just play, she not want to go. No, she stayn’ she nice to Charlie she stay! You make those guards go away, they stop bothering Charlie, Charlie no stop playing, Lyra Charlie’s now”

I took several deep breaths. If Lyra was alive she was hurt and hurt badly. I’d kill those Guards. But, I had to remain calm. Charlie had the mind of a young puppy but the size and strength of a full sized buck and the bite of a wolf. “Charlie I’ll make the guards go. Yes, look, I even brought you a treat” I said, holding up Felipe‘s buckhood by his cock, still slightly warm in my paw. This had the desired result, all of Charlie’s attention was on one of his favorite snacks, his tail wagging.

With one last apology to Felipe I tossed his nut sack and cock across the room. Charlie pounced for it, furniture crashing, priceless antiques breaking. I ran for Lyra. There was no time to check her condition, I just scooped her up. Even at her relatively young age she was almost as large as me. I didn’t care, I picked her up and ran for the door, which the guards had opened to see what was happening, and darted through. The guards, still having some sense, slammed it shut behind me.

I laid Lyra down as softly as I could in the corridor, my heart broken, my legs shaking. After just a few moments of catching my breath I kneeled next to my sweet honorary niece. Once blood stopped thundering through my ears, I heard it. A shallow rasp of breath, a slow wheeze coming from Lyra. I looked closely and saw she was still blinking, if slowly.

I carefully took in her injuries, many of the bites going all the way to the bone, flaps of skin lose, probably already hopelessly infected. Her neck was a horrible mess, that of an inexperienced hunter. Her windpipe was torn open, but with her jugulars intact, ensuring a slow, horrible death. Listening to her labored breathing, I could tell her lungs were partially filled, clogged with blood. I put my paw over the wound and felt the hot wet, breath, knowing Lyra was doomed. No healer could fix this, no medicine existed to treat such injuries. With my paw closing the gap at least partially, Lyra started breathing through her mouth instead of her wound. She seemed to come back to her senses, seeing me for the first time that day.

Tears welled up, ran down my cheeks. Lyra was weakly gesturing for me to bend closer. Still holding the gap in her neck closed, blood oozed between my black rough paw pads, mixing under my stained claws with Felipe’s blood. I put my left ear next to Lyra’s mouth. The words, she weakly whispered, almost killed me… “ Mmmm mm magic…. mmm make …. hhhh hheal ?”

I had to straighten up and bit my other hand to control an ugly sob, howl or maybe a mix of both. Lyra was remembering a story I had told her about magical fairies who could heal almost any injury. Complete bullshit of course, I had been away threatening some merchants that were trying to extort money from local vendors and had gotten shitfaced drunk at the local harbor before sailing home.

I licked Lyra face and shook my head in sorrow, “I… I don’t hav… have any fairys my beautiful fawn, I’m I’m so... so sorry” my apologies today seeming beyond worthless, not worth the breath. Lyra, bless her gentle soul, seemed to nod, even smile a little, I could smell the perfume I got for her the previous winter. She tried to speak again. I used all my willpower to control myself and put my ear close again. “ nana nnnn no more pain ple... pl... pleas”

“No … no” I shook my head, my heart breaking in my chest. “ No” I can’t “ no”. Lyra just looked at me. More of her blood leaked through my paw pads. The three guards looked at anything but us two on the floor. Lyra coughed weakly, spitting droplets of blood which hit my face, getting in my eyes. I wiped them clear, my tears mixing with her blood. I could hear Charlie’s wailing for the other side of the door, him begging for forgiveness and scratching the door.

Lyra trembled, mouthing silently. “please… please … please no more pain...”. I knew... I knew many ways to kill, some painful, some very quick and supposedly painless, who could say for sure? But I couldn’t, not my Lyra, the young fawn with her spots and knobby knees wanting to pet the Court coyote.

Then … then my own words came back to stab me in the heart, rip my own heart right out of my chest. Coward… I had called all these Guards cowards, knowing that Charlie could rip their limbs clean off and if they so much as harmed him they would be executed by morning. Now I sat with my niece begging for help and I did nothing. Probably the only one in the whole capital that could help her.

Now I was the coward, letting Lyra slowly choke on a ruined neck that no one in existence could fix. I leaned in licking Lyra tears, speaking into her right ear. “I’m sorry … I’ll make the hurt stop, I’ll make it stop.” Lyra looked me in the eyes and smiled. The little strength she had left, reaching up and petting my cheek fur. I wanted to run, throw myself off one of these tall towers, but I might have been many things, a coward is not one.

I sat down, my crooked tail between my legs and pulled Lyra with her ravaged young body onto my lap, her blood from her many wounds smearing across my armor. Charlie's cum mixed with Lyra's blood from her torn womb leaking onto my tail. I licked the side of her face whispering sweet nothings into her left ear. She must have known what I was going to do, she closed her eyes as if to ready herself for what was… what I would do to her... I had to force my fingers to obey me, but I could not wait longer. With sharp quick movement fast as a thunder clap I broke her neck, using all my force.

A jolt went through her, and her eyes flew open wide. Her mouth agape, staring at me, while tremors and spasms rocked her body, then quickly dyed down. But just before her gaze lost focus, before her eyes started seeing right through me into gods know what world awaited her, she smiled. I had killed her, and she still gave me that silly, cute smile, that she always had had for the odd coyote bitch.

I just howled. I raised my head to the ceiling that obstructed the night sky and cried out with the soul rending cry of my ancestors. Howled, for Lyra gone too soon, howled that she would never warn me to be careful of doors. Howled for Felipe his dumb jokes gone forever. I howled for just being alone…