Chapter 33 #2
“About eight months ago, we were overrun by rabbit demons. There weren’t many at first, but once the first few settled in, the rest of the herd showed up,” Angela started, pulling the kid into her lap.
“We had several discussions on what to do about them, but I was the only one among us coming up with non-lethal methods.”
“There’s not one single instance in recorded history of a rabbit demon killing a human, and in the handful of cases where injuries were sustained, the rabbit was defending itself. Aside from the destructive chewing behavior to wear down their teeth, they’re harmless.”
She held Elsie’s gaze, trying to convey the truth of it right into her soul. She needn’t have worried, though. Elsie knew the truth behind her words. Morgan did too, though he hid it behind a scowl.
“I suggested we use waste products to lure them elsewhere. We have several tons of fruit that can’t be used every month during the harvest, but our captain wouldn’t tolerate the idea.” Frustration carried in her voice.
“I didn’t give up. Instead, I suggested that since they’re sensitive to loud sounds, strong scents, and are easily frightened by aggressive dogs, we could run them off.
We had all of those options at our disposal to keep the deer out of the orchards.
All we’d have to do is move them outside the barrier and harass the rabbits until they moved on,” Angela continued.
“They didn’t like that idea either.” Elsie already knew where this was going. The notes in her file called Angela difficult and disobedient, but she saw the truth. Angela and her determination made her superiors uncomfortable, and they’d retaliated.
“Our squad captain and nest leadership said it would be more efficient to cull the entire herd to remove any chance that they might come back. He called it a team-bonding exercise, claiming it would be fun to hunt a few demons.” She spat the last sentence out like the words tasted rotten on her tongue.
“They claimed wholesale slaughter was supposed to be more efficient, but it took months. The rabbits were faster than they anticipated, and they’re good at hiding.
Rabbit demons are prey to stronger species, so they have to be accomplished escape artists.
They used illusions to hide, but in spite of being picked off one at a time, they didn’t run. ”
“Why?” Elsie asked, looking to Saint for the answer, but her wolfhound mate was shut down. He stared at the ground, carefully containing his anger so he wouldn't scare the kid.
“They captured Tommy.” Angela petted the boy’s hair. “He’s the last of a long line of bucks, their oldest bloodline. They needed him to maintain the herd’s succession and attract mates from outside their herd. They had no choice but to stay.
I refused to kill them, and my squad accused me of insubordination.
The punishments were getting harsher, but I couldn’t go against my morals.
By the time dozens of rabbit demons were dead, there wasn’t a scratch on any of their killers.
I was on patrol when I came across one of the females caught in one of the captain’s traps.
Our orders were absolute. Any rabbit caught was to be put down immediately, through any means deemed necessary. ” Angela hugged Tommy close.
“What did you do?” Riven asked. She was the only person in Elsie’s group who hadn’t read Angela’s file.
“I let her go. I didn’t get caught the first time, or the second, but my captain caught me the third time.
While he was berating me, we heard a scream in the woods, feet from our location.
He pulled me through the barrier as the rabbit I’d saved threw herself into my arms. I accidentally pulled her, and the hawk demon that tried to rip her away from me through the barrier. ”
“Shit,” Elsie said softly.
“It wasn’t intentional, but the hawk decided humans were easier prey than a rabbit demon.
Two humans died because of my mistake.” Angela’s eyes widened.
“I had to release those demons. As wrong as it’s made out to be, I couldn’t kill those creatures just because they chose the wrong place to stay.
It wasn’t their fault my squad refused any other method. ”
Elsie nodded slowly, but Morgan’s eyes were narrowed, his mouth tight.
“They locked me up, waiting for my court-martial while my squad went on a killing spree. I knew they would destroy every last one of those rabbits, and there would be nothing left. But I also knew where they were holding Tommy. I grabbed a few necessities and took him. We’ve been running for our lives since.
I’ve lost all track of time, and I have no idea where we are.
We could walk right up to a nest without knowing it’s there, and I’d have no idea which one it is. ”
“We should be writing this confession down,” Morgan said harshly, and Elsie glared at him.
“Thank you for sharing your side of the story. I’m going to need a few things from you.
” She stood and walked over to crouch in front of Angela and her boy.
Elsie pulled a packet from the green pouch strapped to her thigh, and the little bunny watched curiously, a finger in his mouth showing off the cutest little rabbit teeth.
She set out the ink pad and the printing cards.
“Why do you need my fingerprints?” Angela asked warily.
“It’s to make Mordane believe me when I go back and tell him you’re dead.” She gave the woman her best, most reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, okay?”
Elsie got all the required fingers, then took out her dagger and cut a lock of the woman’s hair. “Not your best look, but it’ll grow back. The last two things I’m going to need are your coin and the remains of your deer.”
“My coin?”
“What do you need the deer for? You don’t eat meat,” Morgan demanded, talking over her.
“No hunter would willingly part with their coin. It defines us, tells others who we are, and it’s one of the proofs Mordane has asked for.” She raised her eyebrows at Morgan. “The deer has its own purpose.”
“Now, I’m going to tell you the exact steps you need to take, so pay close attention.
” Elsie fished the map out of her bag. She opened it and searched until she found the location Angela needed, then marked it out.
“I’m going to make sure Mordane doesn’t send anyone else after you, but you have to get away from the colonies.
It’s not safe anywhere within a thousand miles of any nest.”
“We are right here, which is useful because you’ve been mostly traveling in the direction I’m sending you. You need to keep heading north to this point here. Frost Hollow is a tribe of humans with no affiliation to the people here. They’ll welcome you and your boy with open arms.”
“Elsie, you can’t be serious!”
“Riven? Are you able to help with her ankle?”
“Don’t involve the mage.”
Riven moved automatically as though she’d been itching for some way to help. She pulled an ointment out of her satchel and handed it to Angela, giving her instructions on how to use it.
Elsie grabbed her bag and let it drop with a thud in front of them. “There’s a tent, a sleeping bag, a few changes of clothes, and some food in there. It’s not much, and you’ll have to wash the clothes, but it’ll make things easier on you.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“She’s not. Orders are orders, Captain. These decisions are not ours to make.
If you start pulling this crap, you’re going to end up like her.
” Morgan nocked an arrow and aimed it at Angela’s throat.
Elsie lunged, tackling her sniper, forcing the arrow he loosed askew so it missed the woman by inches.
They wrestled across the camp, but she eventually got him into a chokehold. Saint took her place, shoving Morgan to the ground when he tried to get up and held him there with a single fist.
“Stay put,” she commanded. “We’ll talk when this is over.”
She straightened herself up and looked from Angela to Morgan and back.
“He’s usually a reasonable guy, and you’ll face a lot worse than him if you’re not careful.
Frost Hollow is a long way from here, but they’re good people, and they have a strong working relationship with the demons around them.
Tell Anne I sent you, and that I’ll repay any debt the village decides I owe because of it. ”
“Why are you doing this?” Angela repeated. Elsie glanced at Saint.
“I also have someone I want to protect. Tommy is a kid, and I’m not a fucking monster.” She stuffed the map back into the bag. “You need to be smart, fast, and careful. If you get caught, we’re all dead, do you understand?”
“I–I understand.”
Elsie pointed at the venison. “Pack it up, take what you can carry, then get out of here. Get as much distance as possible before the sun goes down.”
“And stop feeding the kid meat,” Saint added. “He’s an herbivore, that shit’s not good for him. If you don’t have anything else to feed him, let him sniff around a bit. He knows what he can eat, and he won’t let himself starve.”
“All the MREs in the bag are veggie,” Elsie said.
“I didn’t know. I thought all demons ate meat.”
“Well, they’re not exactly good with details in hunter training, are they?” Elsie joked.
“They’ll help you learn more once you get to the village,” Saint told her.
“You’re a demon.” She’d only realized it now. His magic was entirely hidden, and she’d been too terrified to notice. Looking at Elsie, understanding lit her eyes.
“Thank you, we owe you our lives.” She wrapped up the meat, then threw the bag over her shoulder. Taking the boy’s hand, she disappeared into the trees.
“That was really scary,” Tommy’s voice floated back to them as they walked away.
“Captain, call your fucking dog off, now!”
“Sorry, Morgan, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”