Zion: Light of the New Moon Part 2, Ch 4.3 Doen
Zion - Light of the New Moon, Part 2 Chapter 4.3
Doen The Path Diverges
We take a break from Zachary's religious downward spiral to shift the focus of the story over to Zeke and Jasper, who have been very light on involvement in this chapter. Zeke watches over Jasper, who had come very near death after the fight with the Blood Beasts.
It was obvious to Zeke when Jasper awoke; the groan from the rat was plenty loud. The fox went over immediately to the cot where Jasper lay and put a paw on his forehead, "Rust said you might come around today." he offered with a hesitant smile.
"This isn't the Eternal Flame..." the rat joked, "...not hot enough..."
"You survived." Zeke explained, "Barely."
Jasper grunted, shifting position, "I can't believe that huge Blood Beast--" and he winced as he tried to move his shoulder.
"Relax... just... lay still." the fox suggested, easing him back down, "It'll hurt less if you don't move."
The rat grinned in response, "I think that's supposed to be my line." he jested, his tail encircling the fox's thigh before suddenly letting go with a start, "Damn! Even my TAIL hurts." he hissed.
Zeke, smiling just a little at Jasper's humor nodded, and knelt down to stuff the rat's tail back beneath the blankets, "You're not really in any condition to deliver any lines right now." he explained, "I told Lord Rust I'd keep an eye on you and let everyone know when you woke up."
"They're hurting that much for scouts, are they?" Jasper inquired.
"We're close to Zion." the fox responded, "Just a few days out."
"Well..." Jasper took a shaky breath, wincing at the strain it put on his injured ribs, "...at least that means I can get a healer to look at it if I'm not feeling better."
"Almost makes you wish you'd signed on with a Banniharian caravan?" the fox flicked an ear, smirking.
"The Full Moon City? No amount of divine healing would be worth putting up with their sanctimonius bullshit." he laughed, then grunted at the increased pain in his side, "...well... maybe a little worth it."
"I'm glad you survived." Zeke announced.
"That makes two of us." the rat winked, "Assuming someone can do something about this rib..." he gingerly slid his paw across his torso, wincing more than once.
"Lord Rust knows some Full Moon Prayers..." the fox explained, "That's what kept you alive... but he's not a Banniharian priest."
"Well, when we stop for the night go get him..." Jasper directed, "Ribs should NOT be grinding together."
The comment put Zeke's teeth on edge and made his fur puff out, "Goddess... they really hurt you, Jasper..."
The rat nodded faintly, "Yea... but not enough if I'm still alive." he exhaled slowly, letting his paw slide off his body and lay beside him on the cot, "Since I AM still alive I assume we managed to get away?"
"They're all dead." the fox explained quietly.
"They...?" Jasper asked, grunting as he tried to turn toward Zeke, "Who'd we lose?"
"Not us..." Zeke offered, "All of the Blood Beasts."
"By all, you mean.....?"
"All of them." the fox reiterated, "Brother Zachary killed them."
"Are you sure?" Jasper raised an eyebrow, "He's a good kid and all, but when it comes to mass slaughter I don't really think he's the kind of priest that--"
"He used some kind of Shradian ritual." Zeke noted, shivering slightly, "the sky turned black and the stars disappeared... and..." he quivered in place, drawing back from the cot, "it was... like some wave of death just killed everything... except us."
"Damn..." Jasper breathed.
"He said that it wouldn't work on worshipers of Tah'aveen..." the fox continued, "we're alright but all the Blood Beasts were... really REALLY dead."
"More than a little dead, huh?" Jasper joked, but Zeke didn't smile. "Come here." the rat ordered, holding an arm up and out to the fox. Zeke replied obediently and took hold of the offered paw. "If we're really that close to Zion then this is almost over."
"Thank the goddess..." Zeke murmured.
"And, when they get to Zion then your job is done." the rat continued.
Zeke paused at that, "You mean... OUR job is done, right?"
Jasper shook his head, "No... I need to make the return trip with everyone since--"
"Weren't you hired just to get everyone to Zion?" the fox interrupted him, "That's why I was hired! They didn't say anything about returning to--"
"Right." the rat interrupted the interruption, "But what I was hired for and what needs to be done don't have to be the same thing."
"You don't owe them anything more than what you agreed on!" Zeke announced, "We should--"
"We're a group." Jasper announced, "I've helped save their lives and they've saved mine."
"Right! You already repaid them by helping them survive." the fox objected.
"I was paid to help them survive." Jasper explained, "We're so close to our goal... they had no obligation to rescue me. By this point I've become disposable..." the rat reached up to clamp Zeke's mouth shut before he could interrupt, "but they didn't throw me away when they had the chance." he let go of the fox's muzzle, "I'm going to stay and help."
"But we could just leave..." Zeke whimpered softly.
"We COULD... YOU still can..." the rat laid back down, "But I won't."
"Then..." the fox flicked an ear, "what about... us?"
"What about us?" Jasper glanced at Zeke.
The fox fidgeted, "You won't come with me?"
The rat's tail snaked out from beneath the blankets again and wrapped around Zeke's bicep, "I could ask the same thing." Jasper watched him appraisingly, "I thought you were done running away." he leveled his gaze, "Stay. Help us finish this safely."
Zeke slowly unwound the rat's tail from his arm, "I... don't think I--"
"You know you can." Jasper announced, letting the fox unwrap his tail, only to slide it further up to encircle Zeke's throat, a playful grin on his muzzle, "There are things worth fighting for, you know..."
Zeke's paws went to his neck, failing to break the tight hold of the rat's tail, "I--"
"Just give in." Jasper's grin widened, and he pulled the blanket off of his naked form, "like you said... it'll hurt less if you don't struggle."
Despite his apparent wishes, the fox couldn't fight back a smile and he licked his muzzle as the rat's strong tail pulled him down to his knees, "You..." he rasped, "...really shouldn't... exert yourself..."
Jasper smiled, "I won't..." and he gave a light yank, pulling the fox's muzzle the rest of the way down. He let out out an appreciative breath as he flesh was surrounded with warmth, "You get to do all the work." He kept his tail around Zeke's throat, but the eager fox certainly didn't need the encouragement. The rat reveled in the knowledge that Zeke would be staying with the party; Jasper seemed to have a way about him when it came to controlling the fox. He closed his eyes and reveled in more than just that.