{"sf1_id":2000652,"sf2_id":"r17G0kj1","title":"Chapter 22: Competition","author":"HeatherOBunn","words":30427,"posted_at":"2023-06-11T16:29:00.000Z","tags":["Captivity","Cat","Chapter","Doe","Ferret","Fox","Mercy","Murder","Novel","Pet","Predator/Prey","Rabbit","Romance","Threat","Thriller","Vixen","knife","resistance","serial killer","tom","torment"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2000652-chapter-22-competition","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/r17G0kj1","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/14/03/1403055f-47e5-44dc-a6e8-cec14bd375cb","description":"#22 of The Murderess of Maplesburg: Disappearing like Rabbits\n\nThe duchess continues to torment Ellie and Jason in new ways.","content":"Chapter 22: Competition  \nRita donned a white apron and a pair of light blue nitrile gloves and bounded down the  \nstairs to the dungeon. Wolfgang and Johann had returned with a new guest, fresh prey for her  \npet kitty, and she was excited to get to work. Rita swung open the heavy metal door to the  \nbasement and skipped across the room to the bound rabbit. Rita traced her right index finger  \nfrom the Dutch rabbit's black belly to her white chest, stopping at the black velvet bag over her  \nhead. The rabbit tensed at her touch, and Rita smirked as she toyed with the opening of the  \nbag. Whether the bag was really necessary was a moot point; Rita enjoyed pulling it off to  \nreveal her guest. It was like opening a present, and it had the added benefit of letting her tease  \nher guest before they found out where they were and who was holding them. Rita lay her head  \nagainst the rabbit's chest, listening to her heart pound frantically against her ribs. Finally, Rita  \npulled away the bag.  \nShe gazed down at the rabbit with her best gentle smile, \"Hello there, Dear. Are you  \nfeeling well this evening?\"  \nThe rabbit stared at her in utter confusion, \"Huh?\"  \n\"I asked how you're doing. Well, I hope.\"  \n\"Er, well, I-\"  \n\"That's good. What's your name, Dear?\"  \n\"Er, it's Margret, but-\"  \n\"Thank you, Margret. Do you have any questions before we get started?\"  \n\"Yes! Who are you?! What am I doing here?! What do you want with me?!\" the rabbit  \nyelled.  \n\"I'm your host, and you're my guest,\" Rita replied calmly. \"But as for what I want with  \nyou, I have a question of my own. How do you feel about cats, Margret?\"  \nThe rabbit blinked, looking puzzled, \"I, uh, don't have anything against them.\"  \n\"Have you ever considered becoming part of one?\"  \nThe rabbit's eyes widened fearfully, \"Bec-coming p-part of one? What, what do you  \nmean?\"  \n\"I have a kitty who's going to be getting awfully anxious about his breakfast in a few  \nhours. I wanted to know whether you had any suggestions.\"  \n\"What?!\" she yelped.  \n\"Suggestions, for example, do you think he'd enjoy a leg and an arm? Or maybe,\" Rita  \ntraced her right index finger around the rabbit's belly. \"He'd enjoy some organ meat.\"  \n\"N-no!\" the rabbit wailed. \"Tell me this isn't real! You're joking! This is all some kind of  \nprank! We're being filmed for some show!\"  \n\"No suggestions? Oh well, I suppose you wouldn't have much insight as a herbivore;  \nthough, come to think of it, I've never had organ meat myself. I'm not sure you can buy it.\" Rita  \ntapped her chin with her finger, trying to think if she'd ever seen lab-grown organ meat. She  \ncouldn't recall having seen any and shrugged. \"It'll be something new for him then.\"  \n\"You-you're serious?\" the rabbit whimpered. \"You're really going to, to feed me to a cat?\"  \nRita nodded.  \n\"Why?!\"  \n\"I told you: he's hungry. He's been on a terrible fast this past week, and he needs your  \nhelp to recover.\"  \n\"B-but people don't eat people anymore! Can't he just eat meat from the store like  \nanyone else?!\" Tears were running down the frantic rabbit's cheeks.  \nRita wiped away the tears under the rabbit's right cheek with her left thumb. \"Of course  \nhe could, Dear,\" she soothed. \"He'd love to, but I get to decide what he eats. And I've decided  \nit's going to be your liver and kidneys.\"  \n\"No!\" the rabbit wailed. \"No, no, no! Please don't! I'll do anything!\"  \n\"You're already doing exactly what I want you to. Unless you can provide me with a  \ndozen rabbits to feed him, there's nothing more I want from you.\"  \n\"Alright, I can do that!\"  \nRita looked at her dubiously, \"You can?\"  \n\"Mhmm, I'll bring you a dozen rabbits, no problem.\"  \n\"Well, go on then.\"  \nThe rabbit stared at her desperately, \"You have to let me go get them.\"  \n\"I'm afraid I can't do that. So you can't magically summon a dozen rabbits then?\"  \n\"N-no,\" she whined.  \n\"Pity. I really would have kept you around then. It would have been an amazing time  \nsaver.\" Rita trotted back to the counter on the back wall and retrieved a scalpel. She wouldn't be  \nneeding the full cart; the duplicate surgical implements on the counter would be enough. She  \ntrotted back over to the rabbit and lightly pressed the scalpel blade against the rabbit's belly.  \n\"Alright, let's get started.\"  \n\\* \\* \\*  \nJason and Ellie were awakened by shouting from out in the rest of the dungeon. Jason  \nassumed it was the vixen's doomed victim, and he tried not to listen to what they were saying.  \nThere was nothing he could do to stop it, and he didn't want to know about the person he would  \nbe forced to eat later. However, the shouting was nothing compared to the screams that  \nfollowed. Jason squashed his hands over his ears, trying to block out the horrific shrieks of  \nagony. Ellie sat rigidly, her expression grim as she listened to the vixen torturing her latest  \nvictim.  \nFinally, the screams faded, and a short time later, the vixen entered with her wolverine  \nguards; she was carrying the silver platter with slimy lumps of flesh. Jason grimaced at the  \ngruesome display. He wasn't sure what the dark lumps were, but he assumed they were  \norgans.  \n\"Breakfast time, kitty!\" the vixen chirped. \"I thought you might like to try something  \ndifferent, so I extracted these for you.\" She poked one of the lumps. \"So fresh they're still warm!  \nCome and try them!\"  \nJason remained seated on the bed next to Ellie. He didn't feel like eating anything after  \nlistening to the horrific screams, especially when he knew where his \"food\" had come from.  \nResisting his hunger was made even easier by the unappetizing appearance of the dark lumps.  \n\"It's either this or nothing,\" the vixen stated. \"If you're anxious to go back to starving, I  \ncan oblige you.\"  \nJason glanced at Ellie. \"I'm sorry, Ellie,\" he murmured. \"There's nothing I can do.\"  \n\"I know, Jason. You have to get well again. You can't control what she feeds you.\"  \nJason slid off of the slab onto his feet and trudged over to the vixen.  \nShe held the platter away from him, \"I'm not holding this for you. That's your friend's job.\"  \nJason glanced apologetically at Ellie, and she hopped off the bed and across the cell,  \ngrimly accepting the platter from the vixen. The vixen trotted around behind Jason and, grabbing  \nthe leash, pulled him down into a crouch. She caressed his right ear.  \n\"Alright, dig in,\" she commanded.  \nEllie held out the tray, and Jason reached his mouth forward to bite into the larger lump.  \nThe flesh was softer than what he'd eaten last night, and he was able to bite off a chunk without  \nEllie holding it for him. A strange but deliciously savory flavor filled Jason's mouth, and he  \ngulped down the bite. Tears welled in his eyes as he continued to eat. Why did it have to taste  \ngood? It should taste as horrible as what he was doing! He'd listened to the poor soul being  \nmurdered! How could he enjoy any part of consuming their flesh?! He enjoyed the other pieces  \nless and was glad for their mere palatability. At least he wasn't experiencing any palate pleasure  \nfrom eating this part of them. He finished and sat back, belly full but also filled with guilt and  \ndespair. The monstrous vixen stroking him didn't help. He kept his eyes downcast, unwilling to  \nlook at Ellie's face, afraid he'd see disgust, disappointment, fear, or horror there.  \n\"Good kitty,\" the vixen crooned. \"Did you enjoy your breakfast?\"  \n\"It was horrible,\" Jason growled.  \n\"You ate it well for it being 'horrible',\" the vixen remarked.  \n\"It was part of someone you murdered,\" Jason growled. \"It was horrible.\"  \n\"Not quite past tense yet. I think she has a few hours left in her. I only took her liver and  \nkidneys and patched her back up.\"  \nJason reeled with horror. \"Sh-she's still alive!?\" he choked. \"Zeus! I've helped you  \nmurder her!\"  \n\"Jason, you didn't know!\" Ellie protested. \"It wouldn't have saved her if you hadn't!\"  \nThe vixen yanked him to his feet by the leash. \"Why don't you come meet her? I'm sure  \nshe'd be enthralled by the sight of the cat she'll be resting inside.\"  \n\"No! You've tormented him enough, you witch!\" Ellie rebuked.  \nThe vixen aimed a kick at Ellie, but she dodged out of the way and threw the platter at  \nher. The vixen ducked the platter, which crashed to the floor.  \n\"That's one of my nicer pieces!\" the vixen snarled.  \n\"Fuck you!\" Ellie shot back.  \nThe wolverines tromped across the room, cornering Ellie between them, and caught her  \nby the arms. The vixen sniffed contemptuously then yanked Jason towards the door. He was  \nforced to follow, still weak from his week of starvation and only about two-thirds the fox's weight  \neven at normal weight. She dragged him out to the stainless-steel table where a black Dutch  \nrabbit was tied down by her arms and legs. Another rabbit. Any species would have been  \nhorrible, but knowing he was eating the same species as Ellie made it all the more terrible. He  \ngrimaced at the raggedly stitched cut extending up her belly. Her eyes were squeezed shut as if  \ntrying to shut out the horror of her situation.  \nThe vixen ran the rabbit's right ear through her free hand. \"Margret? I have someone to  \nmeet you, Dear.\"  \nThe rabbit opened her eyes and turned to look at Jason and the vixen fearfully. She  \nmade eye contact with him. \"A-are you the cat who's, who's,\" she wasn't able to finish the  \nquestion, staring at Jason fearfully.  \nHe nodded miserably, \"I'm so sorry,\" he whispered.  \n\"Did you already?\" She swallowed nervously.  \n\"I'm so sorry,\" he repeated.  \nShe sobbed.  \nThe vixen stroked her head. \"Come now. You ought to get to know the cat you're going  \nto feed. Don't you have any questions for him?\"  \nThe rabbit stared pleadingly at Jason, \"Please kill me,\" she begged.  \nHis chest tightened. Please don't ask me to do that.  \n\"Please kill me,\" she repeated. \"Don't let her hurt me anymore.\"  \n\"It's hardly up to him,\" the vixen declared. \"But I'll let him finish you off if he wants to.\"  \nThe rabbit's blue eyes gazed desperately into Jason's, \"Please!\"  \nHe couldn't leave her to be tortured. There was nothing he could do to save her, but he  \ncould make her death easier. He nodded once.  \n\"You'll have to use your mouth,\" the vixen told him.  \nJason nodded once again. The vixen stood aside, and Jason stepped up to the table. He  \nforced himself to lean down and reach his jaws around the rabbit's throat.  \n\"Th-thank you!\" the rabbit sobbed. \"Please make it quick.\"  \nJason squeezed his jaws shut, cutting off the pulsing blood vessels feeding the rabbit's  \nbrain. The rabbit let out a fearful squeak but then held still. After a few moments, she fell limp.  \nJason kept his jaws pressed down until her heart stopped beating and then held on a couple  \nminutes longer to make sure. Finally, he let go of the body and stood back up. Tears welled in  \nhis eyes as he looked at her still form. I couldn't save her. This was all I could do.  \nThe vixen scoffed, \"That's it!? What a waste of prey! I'm not letting you at one again!\"  \nShe yanked the leash. \"Back to the cell! Maybe it's a good thing you didn't eat your friend if  \nthat's how you were going to kill her!\"  \nJason growled as he followed her. He'd like to get his jaws around her throat. He could  \nlunge for her, but she had the leash and could yank him aside. And if he failed, what would  \nhappen to him? What would happen to Ellie? He couldn't take the risk.  \nThe wolverines were already waiting outside of the cell, and they slammed the door after  \nthe vixen shoved Jason through. He slumped on the slab miserably. Ellie climbed up beside him  \nand leaned against his shoulder.  \n\"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Jason,\" she murmured.  \nHe sighed despondently, \"I had to kill her, Ellie.\"  \nEllie tensed beside him, \"You what?!\" she gasped.  \n\"She begged me to. It was the only way to save her from further torture.\"  \n\"Oh Zeus! I'm sorry, Jason! You shouldn't have had to do that!\"  \n\"No, it was better than leaving her to suffer.\"  \n\"Still, what about you?!\"  \n\"I'll be okay. It wasn't easy, but it's better than knowing I left her at the mercy of that  \nmonster.\"  \nEllie wrapped her arms around his middle. \"We'll get through this, Jason. You'll get  \nbetter, and somehow, we'll get away.\"  \nJason wished he could hug her back, but his hands were still locked behind his back. He  \ncontented himself with nuzzling her head.  \n\\* \\* \\*  \nRita let Boots finish cutting the rabbit into chunks for the cat's meals. There was no fun  \nin it when she was already dead. She headed up to the living room and slouched boredly on the  \npink and gold couch. While both of them were clearly upset at the cat eating other rabbits, the  \nrabbit was less upset than Rita had hoped. She'd hoped the rabbit would be too horrified to  \neven approach the cat, but their affection had proven more resilient than she'd expected. Maybe  \nshe should cut them both up and be done with it, but cutting up the cat still seemed distasteful to  \nher. She could only cut up the rabbit, but then what would she do with the cat? If she killed her  \nwhile they were still in \"love\", then that's how he would always remember her, and he'd never  \nforgive Rita. At which point, there would be nothing to do with him except keep him locked up or  \nkill him too. Either kill them both or what? She needed to come up with another plan.  \n\\* \\* \\*  \nThat evening, the vixen dropped off an arm and a leg and Ellie's bowl of grass but didn't  \nstay to taunt them. Ellie had to help Jason eat the tougher flesh by holding the limbs, and Jason  \nwas distressed by her involvement in the beastly affair. However, she only expressed anger at  \nthe vixen for forcing him to eat someone while expressing concern for him. After a little while,  \nthe vixen returned to collect her platter and the bones.  \n\"You did a good job finishing your dinner,\" she remarked casually. \"Is there anything else  \nyou need?\"  \nApparently, she was playing the attentive host again. Jason found it disturbing how  \neasily she transitioned between diametrically opposed roles. \"Could you bring me a new book  \nand a towel for Ellie and, uh, a deck of cards?\" Jason requested cautiously.  \n\"I could give you all those things, but I want you to give me something in return,\" she  \ncountered.  \nJason frowned. He doubted those unnecessary items would be worth anything she might  \nrequest. \"Like what?\"  \n\"Do you play piano?\"  \nJason shook his head.  \n\"No matter, I'd like you to come upstairs so that I can play for you.\"  \nJason blinked. \"You want to perform for us?\"  \n\"Only you. Your friend stays down here.\"  \nJason glanced at Ellie.  \nShe shrugged, \"I would like that towel. If that's really all it is, then-\"  \n\"I promise. You only have to sit and listen while I play piano.\"  \nJason shrugged, \"Okay then.\"  \nThe vixen smiled, \"Come on then. Let's go.\"  \nHe shuffled over to the door, and she took the leash to lead him upstairs. She led him  \nthrough the room they had visited when they arrived and then through a second ornate room  \nwith cream colored carpet and crimson and gold walls.  \nThey stopped in a large room, apparently forming the back of the house. Jason could  \nsee the sun setting over the forest surrounding the manor, and its orange light filled the room,  \nshining through the glass back wall and ceiling. The grand pianoforte was situated on the left  \nside of the room, and Jason noted the several full bookshelves as well as a brass telescope.  \nThe vixen left him at a wooden card table and trotted over to one of the bookshelves. She  \nselected a book and carried it over to the piano, flipping through the pages before setting the  \nbook on the sheet music stand on top of the piano. She sat down on the black bench and, after  \nbriefly studying the sheet music, began to play.  \nJason recognized the music as J. S. Bach's. The vixen played tolerably well, and after a  \nwhile, Jason found himself relaxing while listening to the pleasant music. She's a murderer, he  \nreminded himself. A viciously cruel murderer. So what was the point of this? Did she think he'd  \nforget what she'd done if she played the piano well?  \nWhen she had finished, she turned to him with an expectant smile. She wants me to  \npraise her playing? Jason blinked at her.  \nThe vixen frowned, \"Don't you enjoy piano?\"  \n\"No, I do. Bach, wasn't it?\"  \n\"That's right. I hope I didn't butcher it too badly.\"  \nLike you butcher your victims? Jason shrugged.  \nThe vixen frowned again, \"Right, well, let me get the things you wanted.\" She stood and  \ntrotted across to the bookshelf on the right side of the room and began digging around. \"Did you  \nplay Hunt as a child?\" she asked conversationally.  \n\"Yes.\"  \n\"If you like, I'll collect a few of the staff, and we could have a game of that.\"  \n\"A game about a fox who eats rabbits?\" Jason asked pointedly. \"I think I'll pass.\" Maybe  \nshe really was insane.  \nShe frowned, \"Maybe some other time.\"  \nOr not.  \nShe dug around some more before pulling out a box of playing cards. \"Alright, let's get  \nthe towel and book.\"  \nShe trotted back over to take hold of the leash then led Jason back out to the entryway  \nand farther up the stairs to a very red hallway. She led him down the hall into the third room on  \nthe left, which turned out to be the bathroom. She collected a pale rose towel from the cabinet  \nbetween the tub and shower. Then she led him back one room to a green carpeted room filled  \nwith dark bookshelves.  \n\"Go ahead and pick something that interests you,\" she instructed.  \nJason began searching through the plethora of books: in addition to literature, there  \nseemed to be books on every conceivable natural science from astronomy to botany to  \nmedicine to geology. He wondered how many of them she'd actually read.  \nShe seemed to read his mind, \"I've read most of these,\" she stated. \"My parents thought  \nit was important to have a broad education though sometimes I slipped my horror novels into  \nthe dust covers of my textbooks when a lesson was too boring. I never had much of an interest  \nin botany for instance.\"  \nJason kept searching without response. Again, he was hardly going to fawn over how  \nwell read she was or commiserate over the dullness of botany. Ultimately, he selected King  \nLear, nudging it with his nose to indicate that was the one he wanted.  \nThe vixen withdrew it from the shelf for him. \"More Shakespeare, eh?\"  \nHe nodded perfunctorily.  \n\"It seems like you'll have trouble turning the pages with your hands like that.\"  \nHe frowned, \"Are you going to take the cuffs off then?\"  \n\"No, but if you like, we can sit in here, and I'll read it to you.\"  \n\"I'd rather Ellie read it to me.\"  \nThe vixen narrowed her eyes, \"I could gag her,\" she growled softly.  \n\"You think that will make me want you to read to me?!\" he asked incredulously. \"What's  \nwrong with you?! You starved me for a week trying to get me to murder my friend, and now  \nyou're tormenting me by making me eat other rabbits! I only agreed to listen to you play piano to  \nget these things to make the nightmare you're putting us through a little more tolerable!\"  \nThe vixen yanked the leash, forcing him into a crouch, and then kicked out, connecting  \nwith his chest and knocking him onto his back. She stomped one foot down on his chest and  \nstood glaring down at him. \"If you want a nightmare, I can give you one,\" she snarled. \"I can  \nmake you watch while I dissect your friend and then give you your turn. How would you like  \nthat?\"  \n\"N-no!\" Jason choked. \"I'm sorry!\"  \nShe pressed down with more of her weight. \"Then I want you to show me some respect,\"  \nshe growled softly. \"I want to hear you say 'Your Grace' when you address me, and when I  \ndeign to speak to you, I expect you to respond politely.\"  \n\"O-okay!\"  \n\"What was that?\" she asked dangerously.  \n\"I will, Your Grace!\"  \nShe crouched down, one foot still on his chest. Her narrow amber eyes glared  \nmenacingly into his. \"Let's try this again then, shall we? How would you like to stay up here  \nwhile I read your book to you?\"  \n\"I-I would prefer for Ellie to read to me, Your Grace. She does amusing voices, a-and I  \ndon't want to worry her by staying away too long.\"  \n\"That's acceptable,\" the vixen growled. \"Perhaps you'll join me some other time when  \nyour friend knows where you're going.\"  \n\"I-if that's what you want, Your Grace.\"  \nShe reached down and ran a finger between the collar and his neck. \"That's better. You  \nknow, I really was impressed with your dedication to your friend, Jason.\"  \n\"You were?\"  \n\"Yes, loyalty is very important, and I have to admit she's not wholly without loyalty to you  \neither. I thought she'd abandon you when she saw that you'd eat other rabbits, but she hasn't.\"  \n\"She doesn't blame me. She knows I hate it as much as she does and that you're forcing  \nme.\" He quickly tacked on, \"Your Grace!\"  \n\"I see that. This might surprise you, but I know what it's like to care for prey.\"  \nJason gawked at her.  \n\"Just because I kill some doesn't mean there aren't others I care for!\" she replied  \ndefensively. \"In fact, you could say that's how this all started. Someone who was very dear to  \nme, a hare, tried to abandon me. It was then that I realized most prey are only good for killing,  \nbut there are exceptions.\"  \n\"Wha-at do you want with us, then, Your Grace?\"  \n\"First of all, I want you to accept your life as my permanent guest. I don't want to kill you,  \nbut I can't let you get away. You only have yourself to blame for that; you forced yourself into my  \nlife, not the other way around.\"  \nJason didn't try to argue. He didn't want to make her angry again. \"What about Ellie?\"  \n\"I wouldn't mind killing her,\" she answered bluntly. \"But if you can show me that she's  \nworth keeping alive, I'll let her stay as my permanent guest too.\" She narrowed her eyes  \nwarningly, \"But she'll need to show me respect too. Don't think I'm going to tolerate her  \nimpudence.\"  \n\"I-I'll convince her it's for the best, Your Grace!\"  \nShe smiled slightly, \"Good. Please me and you'll find I'm not without mercy. Your life  \nhere can be as pleasant as you'll allow it to be.\"  \nShe removed her foot from his chest and helped lift him to his feet as she stood. She  \nbent back down to pick up the towel, cards, and book and then led him back down to the cell.  \nShe led him inside and set the items on the bed. She turned and ran a finger down Jason's  \nchest.  \n\"Have a good night, kitty,\" she trilled.  \n\"Goodnight, Your Grace.\"  \nShe smiled and booped his nose before dropping the leash and skipping out of the cell,  \nclosing the door behind her.  \n\"What was that all about,\" Ellie inquired.  \nJason turned to her and took a deep breath. He didn't think she'd like what he was about  \nto say, but he hoped she'd see it was the best they could hope for. \"The Duchess and I had a  \ndiscussion, and she's willing to let us live as her guests as long as we show her the respect she  \nthinks she deserves.\"  \n\"What? So we just have to grovel sufficiently, and she'll let us live?\" Ellie asked  \nsarcastically.  \n\"It's minimal. She only wants us to call her 'Your Grace' and be polite.\"  \n\"And then we get to live with a psychotic murderer? How lovely,\" Ellie sniped back.  \n\"I know it's unpleasant, Ellie, but i-it's better than the alternative.\"  \n\"Which is?\"  \n\"She'll kill both of us. She threatened to make me watch while she kills you.\"  \n\"That sounds about right,\" Ellie replied grimly.  \n\"We only have to humor her, Ellie. That doesn't mean we'll forget what she is.\"  \nEllie nodded slowly, \"It won't be easy, but it will buy us time. I don't want to live the rest  \nof my life with this monster, but I can placate her until we can get away.\"  \n\"Thank you, Ellie. I know it will be hard, but as long as we're together, we'll make it  \nthrough.\"  \nEllie hopped off of the bed and wrapped him in a hug. \"Of course we will, Jason.\"  \nHe nuzzled her head.  \nEllie looked up at him worriedly, \"You didn't have to do anything to get her to agree to  \nthis, did you?\"  \nJason gave her a puzzled look, \"Like what?\"  \n\"You know,\" Ellie muttered. \"She seems more than a little physically attracted to you.\"  \n\"Puhwha?! No! There was nothing like that! She really wanted to play piano for me!\"  \nEllie hugged him tighter and pressed her nose into his chest fur, \"That's good.\"  \n\"She did keep trying to get me to stay with her longer though,\" Jason admitted  \ndisconcertedly. Was Ellie right about the vixen's attraction for him? Was that why she was  \nletting them live?  \n\"What did she want you to do?\"  \n\"First, she wanted me to play Hunt with her.\"  \nEllie snorted in amusement.  \n\"I know. Then she, uh, she wanted to read to me in her library.\"  \n\"Cozy,\" Ellie jested. \"How did you turn that down?\"  \n\"I told her I'd rather you read to me.\"  \nEllie looked up at him with a smirk, \"You liked that, did you?\" she teased. \"I suppose I  \ncan oblige.\"  \n\"It was one of the only things that kept me going, Ellie,\" he replied sincerely.  \nHer smile softened, and Jason noticed tears welling in her brown eyes. She pressed her  \nface back into his chest and sniffed, \"I'm so glad I didn't lose you, Jason. When I thought you  \nwere going to die, that was worse than knowing what she'd do to me afterward.\"  \nJason nuzzled her head again. Ellie held him a few minutes before looking up again with  \na mischievous grin.  \n\"I noticed you also requested a deck of cards. Are you anxious to lose at Gin again?\"  \nshe teased.  \nJason rolled his eyes, \"I thought we could have a friendly game. It's not like there's  \nanything for us to wager anyway.\"  \n\"I don't know about that. How about if the winner gets to hold down and tickle the loser?\"  \n\"It might be hard for me to do considering my hands are behind my back,\" Jason replied  \ndryly.  \n\"That's okay. You're not going to win,\" Ellie dismissed.  \nJason narrowed his eyes, \"We'll see about that. I know your underhanded tactics now.\"  \nEllie grinned, \"Is that a wager then?\"  \nJason nodded. He'd tickle her until she begged him to stop even if he had to use his  \nnose. Ellie let him go and picked up the box of cards off of the bed.  \n\"How are you going to hold your cards, Jason?\"  \nHe frowned. \"Maybe you can hold them for me. You have to agree not to look though.\"  \n\"That wouldn't be fair at all,\" Ellie stated. \"I don't need to cheat to win.\"  \nHe nodded. They sat on the bed. Ellie shuffled and dealt the cards, arranging his behind  \nhers, facing out. Throughout the game, Jason directed Ellie which cards to discard and pick up  \nfor him. He tried to pay close attention to the cards she picked up and discarded as well, his tail  \nflipping as he concentrated on figuring out what cards she needed. However, it turned out luck  \nwas against him: he didn't win a single hand.  \nEllie smirked as she laid her final card of the last hand face down, \"Gin! Looks like it's  \ntime for a certain kitty to get tickled. Lie down.\"  \n\"You looked, didn't you?\" Jason grumbled.  \n\"Did you see me look?\"  \n\"No.\"  \n\"I told you I didn't need to cheat to win.\"  \nHe lay down, resigned to his fate. Ellie climbed on top of him and sat on his chest facing  \nhis belly. She peered back at him with an eager grin. She raised her hands and wiggled her  \nfingers.  \n\"Ready?\"  \nHe nodded.  \nShe turned back toward his belly. \"I may have peaked once or twice,\" she stated lightly.  \n\"What?! But you said-\"  \n\"That I didn't need to, and I didn't. I merely decided to expedite the process.\"  \nJason didn't get a chance to protest before she dove in with her wriggling fingers,  \nattacking his sensitive belly. \"Eek! Eeheeheehee! Y-you, eeheeheehee, you cheeheeheeter!\"  \n\"Now, now, don't be a sore loser,\" Ellie teased. \"I'll have to tickle you longer!\"  \nJason squirmed and kicked, gasping between peels of uncontrollable giggling. Ellie  \ndidn't show any sign of stopping, and his abdominal muscles began to cramp from being tensed  \nagainst the unbearably elating stimulation. The door to the cell flew open.  \n\"What in the name of Zeus is going on in here?!\" the vixen shouted. \"Is she torturing  \nyou?!\"  \nEllie paused, and Jason gasped for breath.  \n\"Eeheehee, hrm, n-no, Your Grace,\" Jason answered. \"I'm okay.\"  \n\"Haven't you ever heard of tickling before, Your Grace?\" Ellie queried mockingly.  \n\"Ellie!\" Jason hissed under his breath.  \n\"No, no, don't worry, Dear,\" the vixen reassured. \"It was silly of me rushing in here like  \nthat. Of course I know what tickling is. Shall I undo your handcuffs so that you can have your  \nturn as tickler?\"  \n\"He doesn't get a turn!\" Ellie declared. \"You can give me the key though. I'll let him loose  \nwhen we're done.\"  \n\"You can give her the key if that's okay, Your Grace,\" Jason confirmed.  \n\"If that's what you want, I was going to remove them before long anyway,\" the vixen said  \nlightly.  \nShe tossed the key, and Ellie caught it. She dangled it in front of Jason's face.  \n\"Look who gets to decide when you get let loose now,\" Ellie teased.  \nThe vixen giggled, \"Heeheehee, oh dear, it seems I've turned you over to the mercy of a  \nrabbit. I hope you'll survive the night.\"  \nEllie looked like she wanted to make a cutting remark, but instead she put on a forced  \nsmile. \"I'll take good care of him, Your Grace. You can give me the key for the collar as well.\"  \n\"Hmm, no, I don't think so. I'll leave that on a while longer.\" She turned for the door.  \n\"Have fun!\" she called as she trotted out of the room.  \nThe door slammed shut, and Ellie growled.  \n\"'Survive the night.' You mean like your victims only do if you succeed in keeping them  \nalive so that you can torture them longer?\"  \n\"Shh, I know, Ellie, but she seemed amused. That's probably a good thing, and you got  \nthe key for the handcuffs. It'll be nice to be able to hold you again.\"  \nEllie sniffed contemptuously, \"Amusing a monster. Wonderful.\"  \n\"Are you done tickling then?\"  \n\"No! I'm going to tickle you twice as long to make up for the interruption!\"  \nJason smiled nervously, \"Eheh, you're joking, right?\"  \nEllie turned to grin at him wickedly, \"Yes, I'm going to tickle you three times as long.\"  \nJason squirmed, and she grinned wider before turning back and plunging her fingers into  \nhis belly fur.  \nJason lost track of how long Ellie had been tickling him. It could have been half an hour;  \nit could have been longer. The lights went out, but she didn't stop. He'd given up begging. His  \nabdominal muscles burned from straining against the finger assault. His diaphragm ached from  \nspasming with laughter. His eyes were crusted with dried tears. Finally, Ellie slowed her  \nwriggling fingers. She gave his belly a few more pokes then smoothed his fur. She murmured  \nsomething barely audible, but between his gasps, Jason thought he made out, \"That'll...who's  \non top.\"  \n\"Eeheeha, hum, uh, what was that, Ellie?\"  \nShe turned her head, looking embarrassed, \"I was talking to myself,\" she muttered.  \n\"'Who's on top?'\" he quoted. \"You, obviously, at the moment.\"  \nShe flicked an ear, \"You heard that? Okay, I, um, I know it's dumb, but I was talking to  \nyour belly,\" she admitted.  \nJason blinked, \"Huh?\"  \nShe scrunched up her face in an embarrassed frown and averted her eyes, \"It's just that,  \nyou know, it was what tried to make you eat me.\"  \n\"The vix-\"  \n\"I know she was responsible, but still, that was the part that wanted to. And, and now, it  \ngot to have poor Mr. Potter and the other rabbit. I wanted it to know it hasn't won.\" She looked  \nback at him, \"I may have gone a bit overboard. I'm sorry if that was too much.\"  \n\"Did it make you feel better?\"  \nShe sighed wistfully, \"Maybe a little.\"  \n\"Then it wasn't too much. I'm sorry that you were ever afraid I might hurt you, Ellie. I tried  \nto control it, but I know I lost it near the end.\"  \n\"It's not your fault, Jason, but thanks for understanding.\" She got up and turned around  \nto lay on top of him, wrapping her arms around his head. She stretched forward to nuzzle him  \nbetween the ears. \"I'm glad I have my sweet kitty back.\" She scooched down and laid her head  \non his chest.  \n\"Uh, Ellie?\"  \n\"Mmm?\"  \n\"Before you go to sleep, can you undo the handcuffs?\"  \nShe pushed herself back up. \"Alright, kitty, I guess I can let you loose now.\"  \nShe felt around on the bed several seconds before she found the key. Jason sat up, and  \nshe crawled around behind him to unlock the cuffs, dropping them over the edge of the slab to  \nland on the cement with a clatter. Jason stretched his arms, which were cramped from being  \nstuck behind his back for so long.  \n\"Better?\"  \n\"I will be. Come here.\"  \nEllie crawled back around in front of him, and Jason pulled her in, hugging her tight  \nagainst his chest. He lay down with her on top of him and stroked her back with one hand while  \nthe other arm still held her close. Ellie sighed contentedly and snuggled her head against his  \nchest. Soon, she was breathing the gentle rhythm of sleep. Jason listened to the calming sound  \nas he held her. What they had gone through had been horrific, and they were still in danger. But  \nat least Ellie was in his arms again. He gazed at his beloved partner in the semi-darkness. He  \nwouldn't let anything happen to her. The vixen had tried to make him hurt her, and she had  \nfailed. His body had tried to make him hurt her, and he had resisted. Whatever happened,  \nwhatever tricks the vixen had planned, he would keep her safe. Secure in his convictions, Jason  \nallowed Ellie's gentle breathing to soothe him to sleep.  \n\\* \\* \\*  \nRita hopped out of bed and accepted her morning coffee from Boots. At her request, he  \nhad already sweetened it how she liked it, and she had informed Gustav that she would have a  \nguest for breakfast in the dining room. She took a sip of the heavily sweetened drink and started  \non her way down to her dungeon. Both of her guests were still asleep when she pushed her way  \ninto the cell. The cat was no longer wearing the handcuffs and had his arms wrapped over the  \nrabbit, who was lying on top of him. Rita left her mug on the corner of the bed and sauntered  \nover to the cozy pair. She ran her index finger down the rabbit's spine, tweaking her scut at the  \nend.  \nThe rabbit started awake, \"Jason?\"  \n\"Good morning, Dear,\" Rita greeted sweetly. \"I hope you slept well.\"  \nThe rabbit looked back at her with a rigidly emotionless expression. \"I did, Your Grace,\"  \nshe murmured, her voice strained.  \nRita kept what she hoped was a pleasant smile though inside she was smirking at the  \nrabbit's obvious difficulty hiding her dislike for her. She reached out and tickled the rabbit's  \nnearer foot, causing her to flinch away.  \n\"Now, now, Dear, didn't your friend tell you about our new arrangement? You don't need  \nto be afraid of me.\"  \n\"I'm not, and it's Ellie,\" the rabbit grumbled.  \nRita beamed back at the grumpy rabbit, \"I'm glad to hear that, Ellie.\" She lifted the cat's  \narms off of the rabbit.  \nThe rabbit quickly sat up and pulled away, looking at her suspiciously through narrowed  \nbrown eyes. The cat stirred and opened his eyes, blinking sleepily.  \n\"Ellie?\" he murmured.  \n\"Shh, I won't hurt you, I promise.\" Rita reached out for the rabbit, who made as if to dart  \naway, but Rita lunged forward and grabbed her under the arms. She lifted the rabbit, who was  \nmaybe one-fifth her own weight, over the cat and cradled her across her arms.  \n\"What are you doing?!\" the cat yelped.  \n\"Calm yourself, Dear,\" Rita scolded. \"I'm not going to hurt your friend.\" Rita looked down  \nat the rabbit, who was scowling back at her. \"Is something the matter, Ellie?\"  \n\"I didn't say you could hold me, Your Grace,\" she grumbled.  \n\"Didn't you? Well, if I ask, I hope you give me permission. I'd hate to have to go to the  \ntrouble of tying you down,\" she responded lightly. She sniffed the rabbit's head. \"You rabbits do  \nsmell nice. It's no wonder we used to eat you. Although, I can't imagine eating all that fur is  \nreally pleasant.\" She looked up at the cat, \"How did you find it, Dear?\"  \n\"Horrible,\" he muttered tersely.  \n\"You seemed to enjoy it.\"  \n\"I was starving, literally.\"  \n\"I suppose hunger will make anything taste good.\" She turned back to the rabbit,  \n\"However, I'm sure we could find some tasty bits if we gave it a try.\"  \nThe rabbit continued to scowl at her.  \n\"I'm joking, of course,\" Rita explained. \"You appreciate a bit of humor, don't you, Ellie?\"  \n\"When I hear it.\"  \n\"Hmm, I'll try to be wittier in the future. How about we go see whether Boots is available?  \nI'm sure he'd like a turn holding you.\"  \nThe rabbit's eyes went wide with fear, and she tensed in Rita's arms.  \n\"Heeheehee, oh dear, now that got a reaction! You don't like Boots much, it seems.\"  \nThe rabbit only looked at her nervously.  \n\"He likes you though,\" Rita went on. \"He even said you were almost as cute as me.  \nQuite a compliment indeed! I'm sure he would hold you for hours if I let him. Wouldn't you like  \nthat?\"  \nThe rabbit shook her head.  \n\"No? Well, you'll have to get used to me holding you then. You'll find I'm very  \naffectionate with my long-term guests.\" She set the rabbit back on the bed and retrieved her  \nmug. \"I'll have Gustav bring down your grass in a little bit.\" She turned to the cat, \"Gustav is  \nserving our breakfast in the dining room. It should be ready by now. Shall we ascend?\"  \n\"Can't Ellie come with us?\" the cat asked.  \nRita frowned and glanced at the rabbit before looking back to the cat, \"Maybe after  \nyou've settled in more. I can't watch both of you very well myself.\"  \n\"Couldn't one of your staff help?\"  \n\"Do you really want her to join us?\"  \nThe cat nodded.  \n\"Alright, we'll snag Edgar on the way,\" Rita decided.  \nThe cat sat up and both of them hopped off of the bed.  \nRita held her mug out to him, \"Can you hold this, Jason? I'll need one hand each for the  \ntwo of you until we fetch Edgar.\"  \nThe cat accepted the mug. Rita took his leash in her right hand and the rabbit's right  \nhand in her left. She led them to the surveillance room where the pine marten was watching the  \nscreen.  \n\"As you'll have noticed, Edgar, neither of them are in there at the moment,\" Rita stated.  \nEdgar jumped in his seat and turned around nervously, \"G-good morning, Your Grace.\"  \n\"Edgar, these are Jason and Ellie. Jason and Ellie, Edgar.\"  \nThe pine marten smiled nervously, \"Er, pleased to meet you.\"  \nThe cat was staring at the screen and ignored him. \"Is that a live feed of our cell?\"  \n\"It is,\" Rita confirmed. \"Why? Didn't you think you were being recorded?\"  \nThe cat glanced embarrassedly at the rabbit, \"I, uh, guess it wasn't a smoke detector.\"  \nThe rabbit rolled her eyes and then glared at Edgar, \"Have you been having fun  \nwatching us?\"  \nEdgar swallowed nervously, \"I, uh, I-\"  \n\"Now, now, Edgar's only doing what I asked him to,\" Rita interjected calmly. \"Anyway,  \nEdgar, I have a new task for you. Both of our guests are joining me for breakfast, and I need  \nyou to watch one of them.\" She gently pushed the rabbit toward him. \"She'll be your  \nresponsibility. Take good care of her, but don't let her get away.\"  \nEdgar stood and straightened his light gray jacket. The rabbit, who was a head shorter  \nthan him, glared up at him; he looked back nervously.  \nEdgar extended his hand, \"It's, uh, nice to make your acquaintance.\"  \nThe rabbit grabbed his hand and yanked him down to her level where she whispered  \nsomething in his ear that Rita couldn't hear. Edgar's dark eyes bulged, and his brown and black  \ntail bushed out like a bottle brush. He stood back up and looked at the rabbit fearfully; she  \nlooked back with fierce narrowed eyes and a satisfied smirk. Rita frowned but otherwise avoided  \ndisplaying her exasperation. Maybe she should have gotten Howard: he was about the same  \nsize as the rabbit, but at least the ferret had some confidence.  \n\"Alright, let's go see about breakfast then!\" Rita piped. She began to lead the cat back  \nout of the servants' quarters and paused to make sure Edgar and the rabbit were coming.  \n\"May I take your hand, Miss?\" Edgar whined.  \n\"No, you don't need to, and it's Ellie.\"  \n\"As you wish, E-Ellie.\"  \nThe rabbit followed Rita and the cat, and Edgar brought up the rear. Rita sighed and  \ncontinued out to the stairs, leading them through the kitchen and into the dining room. Rita sat  \nat the near end of the long oak table, guiding the cat to the seat on her right and gesturing for  \nthe rabbit to sit at her left. Edgar sat on the rabbit's left. Shortly, Gustav waddled in with Rita's  \nand the cat's plates, each with three pork link sausages, scrambled eggs, and a half of a  \nbuttered English muffin.  \n\"Thank you, Gustav. Could you bring something for Edgar too? And Ellie will be needing  \nher breakfast as well.\"  \n\"Of course, Your Grace.\" The fat stoat waddled around the table, wiped his hand on his  \nwhite apron, and extended it to the rabbit. \"Ellie, was it? A pleasure to meet such a charming  \nlady.\"  \nThe rabbit frowned but extended her hand, and Gustav clasped it in both of his hands  \nand shook it warmly.  \n\"If there's anything you need, you know where to find me!\" he said cheerfully. \"I'll be right  \nback with your food.\" He released the rabbit's hand and hurried back to the kitchen.  \nThe rabbit stared at him as he went like he had a second head. \"Doesn't he know you  \nspent the last week trying to get us to kill each other?!\" she exclaimed. She turned to glare at  \nEdgar, \"And you! You're no better! She was trying to get him to eat me, and you were watching!  \n'Nice to make your acquaintance!'\"  \nEdgar averted his gaze, looking as if he'd like to sink into the floor.  \n\"Don't be too hard on Edgar,\" Rita defended. \"He's been having some trouble this past  \nweek.\"  \n\"What? You didn't know 'Her Grace' was a vicious murderer before last week?\" the  \nrabbit asked him scathingly.  \n\"B-before they were only, um,\" Edgar began but stopped, eyeing the rabbit nervously.  \n\"Only what? Go on!\"  \n\"O-only prey,\" he murmured miserably.  \n\"'Only prey,'\" the rabbit growled. \"That's what I thought! And yet you dare to pretend to  \nbe pleased to meet me, not at all convincingly, but you still wasted your breath with the lie! You  \ncouldn't care less if I were dead! Maybe you'd prefer it!\"  \nEdgar whimpered, \"N-no, I, I don't prefer it. I just-\"  \n\"You just don't care enough to do anything about it! You'll keep working for someone  \nwho's killed who knows how many prey like me!\"  \n\"You don't understand; Her Grace gave me a job when no one would, a-and she's  \nalways treated me kindly. I couldn't betray that.\"  \n\"She tortures and murders people! You think anything she does for you is out of  \nkindness?\"  \n\"I'm capable of both,\" Rita interjected. \"Anyway, let's put this discussion on hold and  \nenjoy our breakfast. You can take the topic back up with Edgar later if you so desire.\"  \nThe rabbit snorted contemptuously. \"Probably a waste of time anyway,\" she muttered.  \nEdgar looked relieved.  \nRita nudged the cat, \"Go on, Jason. Your food will get cold.\" She took a bite of one of  \nher own sausages followed by a forkful of egg.  \nThe cat poked at the sausage, \"Who did this used to be?\"  \n\"No one! I don't eat people! Go on. It's lab-grown pork, and the hens were well paid.\"  \nWearing a relieved expression, the cat took a bite of sausage. Gustav returned with a  \nplate for Edgar, minus the muffin, and the rabbit's bowl of grass.  \nWhen he'd left the rabbit poked at the bowl, \"You'd think he could have done something  \nwith it,\" she muttered.  \n\"Is there something wrong with grass?\" Rita inquired.  \n\"Only that it's boring. I've been eating the same thing for a week.\" She glanced guiltily at  \nthe cat. \"I'm sorry, Jason. I guess I shouldn't complain about being fed.\"  \n\"No, I agree,\" he replied. \"If we're guests now, you should have something more.\"  \n\"I-if you like, we can go to the kitchen and see what we can dig up,\" Edgar suggested  \nnervously. \"I'm sure we have some other vegetables or-\"  \n\"Oatmeal?\"  \n\"I think so.\"  \nThe rabbit stood and tromped off toward the kitchen. Edgar jumped up and hurried after  \nher.  \n\"I think they'll learn to get along,\" Rita commented. She went back to eating her  \nbreakfast.  \nSometime later, the rabbit and Edgar returned with the rabbit carrying a bowl of oatmeal.  \nWhen they had all finished eating, Rita surveyed her guests thoughtfully.  \n\"I'd like to show you around the estate, but I don't think I can trust both of you outside  \ntogether yet,\" she remarked. \"How about I show you around your new home? When you've  \nsettled in, you'll have free reign of the house.\"  \nNeither of them protested. Rita led them back through the conservatory, living room, and  \nsitting room and then upstairs to the bathroom and finally to Rita's study.  \n\"If you'd like to pick out something to read, you can, Ellie,\" Rita offered.  \n\"I'm still working on Dracula,\" she answered tersely.  \n\"Alright, I'm going to pick something.\" Rita selected The Picture of Dorian Gray. \"I think  \nthis might suit both of your tastes,\" she noted. \"Let's head back downstairs and relax together.  \nYou'll soon see that living with me won't be altogether unpleasant.\"  \nShe led them back to the living room and sat on the pale pink and gold embroidered  \nsofa, propping her feet up on the cushion. She gently tugged the cat's leash.  \n\"Lie your head in my lap, and I'll read to you, Jason. You don't have to worry about your  \nfriend wondering where you are now.\"  \nThe cat hesitated, glancing at the rabbit, but then obeyed, lying tensely as looked up at  \nRita.  \nShe stroked his head, \"That's a good kitty.\" She looked up at the rabbit and patted the  \nempty space on her right. \"You can join us as well, Ellie.\"  \n\"I think I'll pass,\" she replied dryly. She plopped down on a matching loveseat, and  \nEdgar squeezed next to her. She glared at him, \"Did I say you could sit next to me?\"  \nHe jumped up and darted over to one of the matching chairs. She snorted  \ncontemptuously.  \n\"If you don't want to listen to me read, why don't you go fetch your own book?\" Rita  \nsuggested. \"Edgar, take her downstairs to get it.\"  \nEdgar jumped back up, and the rabbit got up more slowly. He let her go first and  \nfollowed her out of the room.  \nRita looked back down at the cat and stroked him again, \"Alright, let's hear all about  \nDorian Gray and his portrait.\"  \nShe had been reading for a few minutes, and the cat had already begun to relax in her  \nlap when they were both startled by sudden shouting from out in the direction of the entryway.  \nThe cat shot up, and Rita quickly set the book down and hopped to the floor. However, before  \nshe could rush out to see what was happening, Wolfgang shoved the rabbit into the room,  \ngripping her tightly by one arm.  \n\"This one almost made it out the front door,\" he growled. He held up a scalpel in his  \nother hand, \"I had to take this off of her.\"  \n\"What happened to Edgar?\" Rita asked, concerned.  \n\"He's fine,\" the rabbit grumbled. \"I locked him in the cell.\"  \nRita sighed in exasperation. How had the pine marten let a rabbit get the better of him?!  \n\"Take her back to the cell, and let Edgar out,\" Rita instructed.  \nWolfgang turned, pushing the rabbit in front of him.  \n\"Hold it! I have a better idea,\" Rita decided. \"Leave Edgar in there a while to learn his  \nlesson.\" She raised her hands and clapped them sharply twice, \"Boots!\"  \nBoots' clomping began to echo through the house, and the rabbit's eyes widened in  \nhorror. Rita regarded her calmly. After a few seconds of stomping, Boots tromped into the room.  \n\"Yes, Mistress?\"  \n\"I want you to look after the bunny for a few hours, Boots. Make sure she's well taken  \ncare of.\"  \n\"Yes, Mistress.\"  \nBoots crouched down and lifted the rabbit away from Wolfgang, tucking her in the crook  \nof one arm before sandwiching her under the other. The rabbit trembled in his arms, and Rita  \ncouldn't resist a smirk.  \n\"That's all, Boots. You can take the rest of the day off to play with your new bunny.\"  \n\"Thank you, Mistress.\"  \nHe petted a massive hand over the rabbit's ears and smiled slightly before turning and  \ntromping back out of the room.  \n\"Y-your Grace!\" the cat cried. \"You can't leave Ellie with him! Didn't you see how terrified  \nshe was?!\"  \n\"She'll be fine,\" Rita dismissed. \"Boots can be very gentle.\" She turned to contemplate  \nhim. \"How about we take that walk outside now? I don't think I have to worry about you running  \naway while I have your friend. You know what will happen to her if you do.\"  \nHe nodded nervously.  \n\"Let's go then. It looked like a lovely day when we passed through the conservatory.\"  \nShe led him out to the front by his leash. Pulling open the heavy oak door, she breathed  \nin the sweet warm air that gently washed over her.  \n\"A lovely day indeed. It must seem particularly nice to you after being locked in the  \nbasement so long.\"  \nShe led him through the yard, treading over the soft grass and into the woods that  \nsurrounded the house. Silently, they strolled between the green canopied trees. After several  \nminutes, Rita sat on the trunk of a fallen tree and patted the space to her right. The cat sat next  \nto her, and she reached her arm around his back, scooching close. Turning her head , she  \nnosed his ear.  \n\"Lovely, isn't it, Jason?\" she murmured.  \n\"I suppose so,\" he muttered.  \n\"You could get used to living here, don't you think?\"  \nHe grunted noncommittally.  \n\"Is there something wrong with it?\"  \n\"You mean besides the obvious?\"  \n\"What's that, Jason? Tell me it all, and I'll see what I can do.\"  \n\"For one, you kill people.\"  \n\"True enough,\" she replied lightly. \"Is that all?\"  \n\"'Is that all?!'\"  \n\"You'll get used to it. Is there anything else?\"  \n\"Even if you didn't kill people, Ellie and I had a life together. We had our job, our friends-\"  \n\"Some of them didn't turn out to be so reliable,\" Rita noted.  \nHe looked down at the leaf-carpeted ground, \"I know,\" he muttered sadly.  \n\"But I understand that it's hard to leave your old life behind. It'll get easier as you grow  \naccustomed to your life here.\"  \n\"But what about our other friends? What about our families? What will they think when  \nwe just disappear?!\"  \n\"I guess you don't have access to the news. You've already been declared dead, Jason,  \nboth of you. The chief of police didn't waste any time. As far as anyone knows, you disappeared  \ninvestigating an as of yet unidentified serial killer, and the assumption is that you met a sticky  \nend. I suppose she decided the story would be more believable if she didn't stray far from the  \ntruth.\"  \n\"But that means they'll never really know for sure. They'll always be wondering if I might  \nstill be alive somewhere.\"  \n\"If you want, you can send your family a letter letting them know you're okay. I'll have to  \nread it of course, but if you want to reassure them that you're safe, I can have Wolfgang or  \nJohann post it in Maplesburg.\"  \nHe turned to look at her, blinking back tears, \"I can?\" he murmured.  \nRita pressed her muzzle to his forehead, \"Yes, I don't see any reason your family should  \nhave to worry.\"  \nHe sniffed. Rita reached her arm up from around his back to stroke his head.  \n\"There, there, kitty. I'm not the heartless monster you think I am. I want you to be  \ncomfortable here, your friend too if she can learn to behave. Trying to escape is one thing, but I  \ndon't know what she was planning with that scalpel.\"  \n\"I'm sure she wouldn't hurt anyone,\" Jason murmured.  \n\"You see how it makes it difficult to trust her though, yes? If she can't be trusted, I'll have  \nto do something else with her.\"  \nThe cat tensed, \"I-I'll make her understand, Your Grace.\"  \nShe stroked him again, \"Thank you, Jason.\"  \nRita wrapped her other arm around his front and stroked his head and neck while she  \nheld him. A gentle breeze carrying the sweet and musty scents of the woods stirred the leaves,  \ncausing flecks of sunlight to dance across the forest floor while Rita comforted the cat.  \nGradually, she felt his muscles relax in her arms, and she pulled him in closer against her chest,  \ntucking his head under her jaw. She breathed his slightly tangy feline scent that mixed with the  \nsmells of sun-warmed foliage, decaying leaves, and a hint of sweet flowers.  \nIf only the rabbit were as amenable to a few kind words and gestures, then Rita's job  \nwould be easy, and she'd have a new pair of obedient pets in no time. She needed to find a way  \nto make the rabbit behave or to get her out of the picture without upsetting the cat or both. She  \ncontemplated the cat tucked in her arms: he'd said he would try to make the rabbit understand.  \nMaybe that would be the most effective way to reach either goal; either he'd succeed or his  \ninsistence on cooperating with Rita would drive a wedge between the rabbit and him. However,  \nshe'd already found with these two that it wasn't wise to rely on one course of action. She  \nneeded to pursue multiple avenues to get what she wanted. Rita grinned in anticipation as she  \ncontinued to stroke her new kitty. Soon, he'd be another of her faithful supplicants, and the  \nrabbit, well, she could cooperate or not.  \nRita and Jason spent another hour strolling around the estate before returning to the  \nmanor. Wolfgang met them in the entryway.  \n\"No more trouble while we were out, I hope,\" Rita remarked.  \n\"No, Your Grace.\"  \nRita handed the cat's leash to the wolverine. \"Watch him for a minute, Wolfie, I'm going  \nto go check on how Boots and our rabbit guest are faring.\"  \nWolfgang accepted the leash, and Rita trotted off to the staircase, bounding down to  \nBoot's room in the servants' quarters. She knocked on the pine door.  \n\"Boots? May I come in?\"  \nHis deep voice rumbled through the door, \"Yes, Mistress.\"  \nShe pushed her way inside; Boots was sitting on his bed, his signature steel-toe boots  \nremoved but otherwise still fully dressed in his well pressed tuxedo. The rabbit was still tucked  \ninto the crook of his left arm while he gently stroked her head, ears, and back with his other  \nhand. She wore a wide-eyed expression of catatonic horror. Rita grinned. With a leap and a  \nscramble, she made her way onto the high bed.  \n\"She seems to be doing well,\" Rita jested.  \n\"Still scared, Mistress, but I'm doing my best to comfort her.\"  \n\"I'm sure you are, Boots.\" Rita climbed up onto Boot's stomach to prod the rabbit. \"How  \nwould you like to be Boots' little pet? I wouldn't have to worry about what you might be getting  \nup to then.\"  \nThe rabbit looked back at her fearfully. \"Please, no,\" she whispered.  \n\"No?\" She leaned in close to the rabbit's face. \"Try something like you did this morning  \nagain, and that's exactly what's going to happen,\" she whispered menacingly. \"You think the  \npast hour has been bad? Consider the rest of your life.\"  \n\"Only one more time?\" Boots asked cheerfully. Clearly, he thought it was a foregone  \nconclusion. \"Don't worry, Cutie. I'll take good care of you. I'll give you lots of treats and pets, and  \nyou won't have to worry about upsetting Mistress anymore.\"  \n\"Sounds tempting,\" Rita taunted. \"You don't have to misbehave to become Boot's pet. I'll  \nlet you make that occupational transition anytime you want.\"  \n\"Are you going to take her back now, Mistress?\" Boots asked plaintively.  \nRita considered the rabbit briefly, \"No, I'll let you keep her a few more hours to make  \nsure she's learned her lesson. I'll send Gustav down with some 'treats' you can feed her for  \nlunch.\"  \nBoots beamed down at the rabbit, who Rita thought might faint at the idea of being fed  \nby the human.  \n\"One more time,\" Rita warned softly. She hopped down off of Boots' belly and then to the  \nfloor. \"See you this afternoon,\" she called before trotting back out of the room and back upstairs.  \nRita retrieved the cat from Wolfgang, snagged The Picture of Dorian Gray from the living  \nroom, and led him upstairs. He stopped when she turned into her bedroom, looking at her  \nnervously.  \n\"Why are you taking me in here?\"  \nRita turned and blinked at him puzzledly, \"I was going to get the key for the collar. Why  \ndo you ask?\"  \n\"Er, no reason,\" he answered quickly.  \nRita studied the increasingly embarrassed looking cat, and her mouth spread in a wide  \ngrin as she realized what he'd been thinking. \"And here I thought you were only interested in  \nrabbits,\" she teased. She waved her bushy tail enticingly. \"Does the kitty want to find out what  \nit's like with a fox?\"  \n\"N-no! Er, I-I mean, uh-\"  \n\"What's wrong, Jason? Don't you find me attractive?\"  \n\"No, I mean, I do! B-but, Ellie and I, uh.\"  \nRita drew him in by the leash and gently took him under the chin, \"You have to earn a  \nprivilege like that, Jason.\"  \n\"Y-yes, Your Grace.\"  \nShe patted his cheek. \"Right, let's get the key for your collar. I assume I can trust you to  \nbehave without it.\"  \n\"You can, Your Grace!\"  \nSetting aside the book, Rita retrieved the key from her dresser and unlocked the collar,  \nplacing both back in the dresser drawer before turning back to the cat. She reached her hands  \naround his neck and massaged it. \"Feels nice having that off, doesn't it?\" she crooned.  \n\"Yes, Your Grace.\"  \nShe let him go and picked up the book before taking him by the hand. \"Let's do some  \nmore reading. We'll be cozier in my study.\"  \n\"How was Ellie doing, Your Grace?\"  \n\"She's fine. Boots is taking good care of her. You'll see her in a few hours.\"  \nHe nodded, still seeming worried.  \nRita ignored his concern and led him to her study, guiding him to her reading chair by  \nthe room's one window. She motioned for him to hop up and then squeezed in next to him on  \nthe comfy green cushion. Scooching back, she pulled him over against her chest and tucked his  \nhead under her jaw. Wrapping her left arm around him, she opened the book and lifted it up in  \nfront of them.  \n\"Comfy?\" she queried.  \n\"Yes, Your Grace.\"  \nRita found the paragraph they were on and continued the story.  \nRita had been reading for at least an hour when she decided it was time for lunch. She  \nclosed the book and set it on her lap.  \nThe cat lifted his head from where it had gradually become leaned against her right arm.  \n\"Are you done?\"  \n\"We'll pick it back up later. Are you hungry?\"  \n\"A little.\"  \n\"Let's see what Gustav has for our lunch then.\"  \nThe cat sat up and slid off onto the floor, and Rita hopped down after him. He held out  \nhis hand for her to take.  \n\"You know the way. Let's go,\" Rita instructed.  \nShe let the cat take the lead, watching his stripy tail bob behind him as he trotted down  \nto the dining room. He sat in the seat to the right of the end of the table, and Rita sat at the end.  \nMoments later, Gustav waddled in and set two bowls of thick creamy soup on the table.  \n\"Clam chowder, Your Grace,\" he declared.  \n\"Thank you, Gustav. It smells delicious as always.\"  \n\"Thank you, Your Grace.\" He glanced at the empty seats to the left. \"Is our rabbit guest  \nnot joining you for lunch?\"  \n\"She's spending some time with Boots,\" Rita explained. \"Take her lunch down to Boots'  \nroom, will you?\"  \nHe bowed slightly, \"Of course, Your Grace.\" He waddled back toward the kitchen.  \nRita ate a spoonful of the rich chowder and glanced at the cat, who also seemed to be  \nenjoying his, apparently unconcerned about whether his friend was really faring as well as she'd  \nsaid. She smiled to herself and returned to eating her lunch.  \n\\* \\* \\*  \nThe last thing Ellie wanted to do was nibble slices of carrot while the enormous creature  \nheld her, but it turned out she didn't have much of a choice. She didn't necessarily think the  \nbeast would force her to eat, but she was afraid not to comply with the desires of someone who  \ncould crush the life out of her as easily as she might have a grasshopper, if she'd been inclined  \nto do such a vile thing. As it was though, she didn't have much of an appetite and had to force  \nherself to eat the sweet vegetables. The beast watched her fondly as she sat on his arm with  \nher back against his chest, taking slices of carrot and stalks of celery from the white porcelain  \nplate painted with a ring of pink flowers that he held in front of her.  \nEllie tried not to shudder at the feeling of the monster watching over her. She tried not to  \nimagine being forced to spend the rest of her days as the creature's \"little pet,\" but who knew  \nwhat excuse the evil vixen would find to turn her over to this beast? Yes, this time she'd tried to  \nescape, but she couldn't trust the capricious fox not to use some minor infraction to justify  \ncarrying out her threat. The prospect of being handed over to this beast only made the need to  \nescape more urgent. She'd have to be more careful next time. She only hoped there would be a  \nnext time before she was permanently in this creature's clutches because then she'd be little  \nbetter than a toy with no hope of fighting back or escaping. If she kicked him as hard as she  \ncould, it would only amuse him, give him another reason to squash and engulf her with his giant  \nhands. She could bite him, but then what would happen to her? Would her bones be shattered  \nas he slammed her against the wall? At least that might be quick. She shoved aside the  \ngruesome thought. She would get away before then. She hoped she and Jason could escape  \ntogether, but even if she had to go on her own, she would get away. She'd come back with as  \nmany people as she could, armed to the teeth, to rescue Jason and bring the vixen to justice.  \nWhen Ellie had finished eating, the beast set the plate aside and lifted her up in front of  \nhis huge, grotesquely hairless face. She turned her head to the side as he tried to press her  \nnose against his, but instead he just nosed her cheek. She shuddered.  \n\"Mistress didn't give me your name. What is it, Cutie?\" he rumbled.  \n\"Ellie.\" she murmured.  \n\"What was that?\"  \n\"Ellie,\" she repeated more loudly. Not only was he ugly, but he also had terrible hearing.  \n\"Ellie,\" he repeated. \"Cute name. You don't know this, but I'm the reason you're still  \nhere, Ellie.\"  \nShe glared at him, \"You're the one who spotted me escaping?\"  \nHe shook his head slowly, \"No, I meant alive. Mistress wanted the cat to eat you. She  \nwasn't ready to give up. I persuaded her to try something different.\"  \nEllie scowled, \"By something different, you mean making him eat other rabbits.\"  \n\"Yes, but it was the only way. Mistress wouldn't have agreed otherwise.\"  \n\"Why me?\"  \n\"Hmm?\"  \n\"She's killed so many other prey, other rabbits. Why save me?\"  \n\"I don't usually get to see them before they're cut up.\"  \n\"You could stop her! Easily!\"  \nHe frowned, \"Mistress is Mistress. I'd never go against her, but I didn't want you to die. I  \nfound another way to please her. As long as Mistress is happy, that's all that matters.\"  \n\"What if she still decides to kill me?\"  \n\"She won't. Mistress doesn't go back on her word.\"  \nEllie found that hard to believe, but she didn't think it wise to attack the vixen's character.  \n\"So you thought I looked cute, and you came up with this plan to save me.\"  \nHe nodded.  \nMaybe Ellie had been too hard on the creature, too prejudiced. He was gigantic and  \ngrotesquely ugly, but that didn't mean he was completely evil. On the other hand, his blind  \ndevotion to the murderous vixen didn't speak well to his moral character. \"What's going to  \nhappen to me then?\"  \n\"I'll take care of you, just like I said. You won't have to worry about upsetting Mistress  \nanymore. I'll keep you safe.\"  \n\"I'd rather be free.\"  \nHe screwed up his face in a conflicted frown, \"Mistress wouldn't like that. You have to  \nstay here. You'll be safe with me.\"  \nApparently, he wasn't interested in further discussion because he tucked Ellie back in his  \narm against his chest and engulfed her head with his other hand, stroking her. Ellie tried to steel  \nherself against the terrible feeling of being utterly helpless to resist his rough and unwelcome  \ncaresses, but she wasn't very successful. I have to get away!  \nAfter what Ellie was sure was hours, the vixen finally called at the door again.  \n\"May I come in, Boots?\"  \nThe creature gave her a squeeze that he may have meant to be gentle but that crushed  \nher painfully between his arms.  \n\"Yes, Mistress,\" he bellowed.  \nEllie winced at the noise.  \nThe vixen pushed into the room and grinned up at her. \"I'll take her off of your hands  \nnow, Bootsy. Did you have a good time together?\"  \n\"I think so, Mistress.\"  \nThe vixen smirked, \"How nice.\"  \nThe vixen held out her arms, and the beast slowly lowered Ellie into them. The vixen  \ncradled her across her arms and smirked down at her. \"I'm glad you had a pleasant day with  \nBoots, Ellie. Maybe the two of you can spend more time together soon.\"  \nEllie scowled at the fox.  \n\"Let's take you back to your room now,\" the vixen piped cheerfully. \"Poor Edgar will be  \ngetting lonely all by himself.\"  \nShe carried Ellie back to the cell, supporting her against her chest while she opened the  \ndoor, and then set her down inside.  \n\"You two get along,\" she instructed before slamming the door in Ellie's face.  \nEllie heard the lock slide into place. She turned around to see the pine marten flopped  \nmiserably on the slab, wrapped tight in the blanket, which was pulled over his head. Ellie  \nhopped up beside the bed and jabbed him. He flinched but didn't emerge.  \n\"Go ahead and eat me,\" he whimpered. \"I don't want to starve first if that's how it's going  \nto end anyway.\"  \nEllie punched him.  \n\"Ow!\"  \n\"Eat you, you dolt?! Rabbits don't eat people.\"  \nHe pushed his head out of the blanket and stared at her in surprise, \"You-you didn't get  \naway!?\"  \nEllie grimaced, \"No,\" she grumbled.  \nThe pine marten smiled, \"Oh thank Zeus! I-\"  \nEllie glared menacingly at him, and his exclamation of relief was choked off as his  \ncountenance transitioned to fear.  \n\"P-please don't hurt me,\" he whined.  \n\"We're all alone. I ought to beat the snot out of you,\" Ellie growled.  \nHe whimpered.  \n\"Get off of our bed!\"  \nThe pine marten scrambled only to tumble to the floor, landing on his front with a thud.  \nEllie yanked the blanket off of him and gave it a shake to remove the dirt from the floor and the  \npine marten's fur.  \n\"Jason and I have to sleep with that, you know!\" she growled.  \n\"I-I'm sorry! I thought you got away! I thought she was going to, to.\" He curled into a ball  \non the floor. \"She still might punish me,\" he whimpered.  \nEllie pulled back her leg to kick the vixen's pathetic stooge, but then she stopped. If this  \nwas meant to be his punishment, then Ellie would be doing exactly what the vixen wanted. She  \ncrouched down next to him and gave him a prod.  \n\"I'm not going to hurt you. Get up.\"  \nHe looked at her warily, \"You're not?\"  \n\"No.\"  \n\"What about what you said this morning?! About how you'd.\" He wrapped his arms over  \nhis bottom, tucking his tail.  \n\"I lost the scalpel I grabbed earlier. Besides, were you going to lie there while I cut them  \nout? Unless you're planning to cooperate or let me tie you up with our nonexistent rope, I don't  \nsee how I'm going to make you eat your balls.\"  \nHe regarded her nervously a few more seconds then pushed himself up into a sitting  \nposition.  \nEllie narrowed her eyes. \"Don't think I won't make you in the future though!\" she  \nthreatened. \"You watched Jason starving for a week while that witch was trying to make him eat  \nme!\"  \nHe tucked his legs in with a whimper, watching her fearfully.  \n\"But like I said, I'm not going to hurt you right now.\"  \n\"Why not?\"  \n\"Because that's what that witch wants.\"  \nShe stood up and offered him a hand. He didn't take it but scrambled to his feet by  \nhimself.  \n\"So now what?\" he asked nervously.  \n\"Leave me alone, and hopefully, she'll get bored and let you out before long.\"  \nEllie climbed up on the slab and grabbed her book. Edgar slunk across to the far corner  \nand slumped down. Ellie glanced at him, snorted contemptuously, and then opened her book to  \nstart reading.  \nMaybe an hour and a half later, Ellie heard the slot by the door opening on the other  \nside. She hopped off of the slab and over to the slot. It opened to reveal a light blue plastic bowl  \nof grass.  \n\"Wonderful, more grass,\" Ellie remarked sarcastically. She set the bowl on the slab and  \nwaited to see what they would send through for the pine marten. She glanced at him warningly,  \n\"If a knife comes through, you're not getting your hands on it.\"  \nHe whimpered. However, the slot opened again to reveal a plate with a piece of grilled  \nmeat, a few green beans, and a fork and serrated knife. Ellie took the knife, scraped the green  \nbeans into her bowl, and set the rest on the slab for the pine marten.  \n\"Seems she's going to feed you after all,\" she stated.  \nThe pine marten got up and slunk over to collect his plate. He eyed the knife in Ellie's  \nhand. \"I need that to cut my food,\" he whined.  \n\"You have fangs. Use them,\" Ellie replied perfunctorily.  \n\"What are you going to do with it?\"  \nEllie narrowed her eyes menacingly, \"Nothing I don't have to.\"  \nHe hurried back over to the corner with his food. Ellie ate the green beans and then the  \ngrass. She looked up part way through the bowl of fibrous strands to see how the pine marten  \nwas faring: he was holding the meat in both hands while he yanked at it with his teeth. He  \nmanaged to rip off a smaller chunk, and Ellie shrugged and went back to eating. He could hardly  \ncomplain when he had food. It wasn't her problem if the meat was tough. When she was done,  \nshe went back to reading. She hoped the vixen would bring Jason down soon; she was getting  \nworried about him. However, the lights shut off without the vixen returning to deliver Jason or  \ncollect the pine marten.  \n\"Looks like we're going to be spending the night together,\" Ellie grumbled. \"Don't try  \nanything. Remember I have this.\" She tapped the knife against the side of the slab.  \nThe pine marten whimpered from the corner. Ellie was getting tired of his whinging and  \nwhining. She lay on the slab and tucked the blanket around her, trying not to worry about where  \nJason was. She likes him. But what if she liked him so much that she was doing something else  \nwith him? Jason wouldn't want to have sex with that murderer, but Ellie could hardly put rape  \npast a monster who liked to torture her victims to death. Ellie tried to push aside the terrible  \nthought. Please be safe, Jason. Ellie shut her eyes tight and willed sleep to come.  \nSometime later, still awake, she was disturbed by a whimper from across the room.  \n\"E-Ellie?\"  \nShe ignored the annoying pine marten.  \n\"Ellie?\" he cried louder.  \nShe turned over to look at his dimly lit form, \"What?!\" she growled.  \n\"Th-the floor is hard and cold. I can't sleep here.\"  \n\"Jason managed it,\" Ellie shot back.  \n\"Can I, can I please sleep up there?\"  \n\"What makes you think I want you next to me?!\"  \n\"Please! I promise not to try anything!\"  \n\"You were willing to watch me be ripped apart. Why should I show you the smallest bit of  \nkindness?\"  \n\"Be-because I can repay you!\"  \n\"Can you help me escape?\" Ellie asked skeptically.  \n\"N-no-\"  \n\"Then you can lie on the floor.\"  \n\"But I can help make sure you have everything you want here! I, I know Her Grace  \ndoesn't like you. It may be difficult for you if you have to rely on her for everything. If we're  \nfriends-\"  \n\"We aren't.\"  \n\"If we have an understanding, then I'll bring you everything you need.\"  \n\"And all I have to do is let you sleep up here?\"  \n\"I-I was hoping you might also agree not to, you know.\"  \n\"Fine. If you'll bring me everything I need, then I won't cut your nuts out.\"  \n\"Th-thank-\"  \n\"But! The instant you go back on our agreement, that part of the deal's done too.\"  \n\"O-okay.\"  \nEllie turned back over and scooted toward the wall. \"Lie with your back facing mine.\"  \nShe heard his claws scraping over the cement floor as he approached the slab, and then  \nhe squeezed up next to her. She glanced around to confirm he was facing the other way then  \nshut her eyes. At least he would help keep her warm. Ellie was still having trouble sleeping for  \nworrying about Jason, and after a while she could hear the pine marten breathing gently. At  \nleast he's asleep. She continued to fret about Jason, but eventually, the pine marten's gentle  \nbreathing helped lull Ellie to sleep as well.  \n\\* \\* \\*  \nRita stretched and opened her eyes. The morning sunlight was creeping across the pale  \npink blanket. Boots hadn't arrived with her coffee yet, meaning that it must still be early.  \nHowever, Rita had turned in early and slept well, pleased with how quickly she was progressing  \nwith the cat. After lunch, they had returned to the study to read more, and he had fallen asleep  \nin her arms. She'd let him nap, holding him gently until he'd awoken more than a little  \nembarrassed, but she'd comforted him with a few minutes of stroking. She'd left him with  \nWolfgang again while she put the rabbit back in the cell. Then he had agreed to listen to her  \nplay piano again, and this time he'd seemed to have enjoyed it. He'd asked about the rabbit  \nagain at dinner but seemed satisfied when she had sent Gustav down with her meal. Then they  \nhad played cards, read some more, and finally Rita had decided it was time for bed. She had  \nput the collar back on him and used a padlock to attach him to the bed in the guest room before  \ntaking a shower and turning in herself.  \nRita slid out of bed and crept across the hall to peek in the guest room: Jason was still  \nasleep. She decided not to wake him and instead to check on Edgar. Hopefully, he was still  \nalive, but on the other hand, if he couldn't defend himself from a rabbit, then perhaps he was  \nbetter off dead. Either way, she assumed he'd have learned his lesson by now. She trotted  \ndown the curving staircase all the way to the basement and to the room with the closed-circuit  \ntv. She examined the black and white infrared video of the cell: one of them was on the bed, but  \nwhere was the other? She peered more closely at the picture. Which of them was that on the  \nbed? Her eyes shot wide as she recognized the rabbit's form pressed close against Edgar's, her  \nhead tucked under his chin. She hit the switch for the cell's lights and goggled at the screen.  \nWas this rabbit some kind of seductress?! First the cat and now Edgar?! They hadn't even  \nseemed to be getting along during the few minutes she'd watched after putting her away!  \nRita dashed out of the room and to the cell, yanking the heavy door open to stare at the  \nstill sleeping pair. \"What is going on in here?!\" she shouted.  \nBoth of them shot up. The rabbit narrowed her eyes at Edgar who looked back at her  \ndisconcertedly.  \n\"Well?!\"  \n\"We were o-only sleeping, Your Grace!\" Edgar yelped.  \nThe rabbit glared at him, \"Right, so what were your arms doing around me?\"  \n\"I-it must have happened while I was asleep!\" he whined.  \nRita sighed with relief. At least they hadn't had sex. She still wasn't sure how they had  \ngotten to the point of sleeping next to each other. \"Were you cold, Edgar?\"  \n\"The floor was hard and cold, Your Grace.\"  \n\"So you showed mercy and let her join you?\"  \n\"Er, uh, it might have, um-\"  \n\"I was the one who let him up here,\" the rabbit corrected testily.  \nRita groaned in exasperation, \"Edgar! You let a rabbit make you sleep on the floor?!\"  \n\"She had a knife!\" he whined.  \nRita narrowed her eyes and growled, \"What knife?\"  \nThe rabbit held up the steak knife with a smirk, \"Not that I needed it to put this one in his  \nplace.\"  \nRita sighed and shook her head. She'd have to have a word with Gustav about being  \nmore careful about what he sent in with the prisoners. Poor Edgar might actually have ended up  \ndead. \"Toss it here,\" she commanded.  \nThe rabbit lobbed it to her, and she let it clatter to the floor.  \n\"Dull piece of shit anyway,\" the rabbit commented. \"Next time you lock us up together,  \nsend me a scalpel and some rope.\"  \nEdgar went rigid.  \nThe rabbit smirked and prodded him, \"I'm joking, you dolt.\"  \nHe glanced at the rabbit nervously, and she grinned.  \nThe rabbit turned to Rita, \"Is it time for breakfast? I hope your chef is going to be a bit  \nmore creative today.\"  \n\"It's a bit early. Why don't we head upstairs so that you can tell him what you like?\"  \nThe rabbit hopped out of bed and Edgar slid down after her.  \n\"You can do something else today, Edgar,\" Rita decided. \"I can get Howard to help  \nwatch our guests.\"  \nThe rabbit put on a tone of mock complaint, \"Aww, but I was starting to like this one.\"  \n\"I-I'd prefer to keep looking after Ellie, Your Grace,\" Edgar murmured.  \nRita blinked in surprise, \"You would?\"  \nHe nodded.  \nRita shrugged, \"If that's what you want.\"  \nThe rabbit grinned roguishly, \"Carnivores, you just have to have a firm hand with them,  \nlet them know who's boss, and then they hang on you like a baby opossum on its mother.\"  \nRita narrowed her eyes. Prey shouldn't be this arrogant. She'd have to have a serious  \nword with Edgar about his attitude. \"Your time with Boots seems to have done wonders for you,  \nDear. Perhaps you'd like to spend today with him as well.\"  \nThe rabbit gave her a defiant stare, \"And abandon poor Edgar? I couldn't do that, Your  \nGrace.\"  \nEdgar glanced between them nervously, \"I, um, I-\"  \n\"Quiet, Edgar!\" Rita commanded.  \nHe flinched and looked at the floor sulkily. Rita tromped over to the pair and seized the  \nrabbit by the arms, glaring down at her. The rabbit smiled back mildly.  \n\"What did you do to him?\" Rita snarled.  \n\"Showed him what mercy looks like,\" she replied flippantly. \"If you want, I'll show you  \ntoo, Your Grace. Put yourself in handcuffs and a muzzle, and we'll spend a day or two together.  \nBy the end, you might be as grateful as Edgar here.\"  \nRita withdrew her right hand from the rabbit, pulling back to slap her, but then dropped it.  \n\"You'll find your friend is even more grateful with how I've been treating him,\" she growled softly.  \nThe rabbit frowned worriedly, \"Where is Jason?\"  \nRita smiled and brought her hand back up to stroke the rabbit's cheek, \"He's sleeping.  \nWe had a busy day yesterday. You'll find he's grown to enjoy my company quite a bit.\"  \nThe rabbit seemed disturbed by her assertion. Rita drew her in close and pressed the  \nrabbit's head to her chest.  \n\"You'll share his sentiment soon, Dear,\" she whispered.  \nShe glanced up at Edgar, who was watching them disconcertedly. She raised her right  \nhand and gestured him over with her index finger. He stepped closer, and she grabbed him to  \npull him in. Wrapping her arms around him, she squeezed tightly, squashing the rabbit between  \nthe two of them. The rabbit didn't make a sound, but Rita suspected she wasn't at all  \ncomfortable being crushed between their bodies. She squeezed as tightly as she could,  \nrelishing the feeling of the rabbit's body being compressed by hers.  \n\"Y-Your Grace?\" Edgar stuttered worriedly.  \n\"Shh,\" she hushed him. \"Aren't you a lucky little prey, Ellie?\" she taunted. \"So many  \npredators to play with. It must be flattering to get so much attention from so many majestic  \ncarnivores. You'll have to be careful not to let it go to your head.\"  \nShe let Edgar go, and he quickly stepped away. The rabbit gasped. Rita grinned at her  \nmaliciously.  \n\"A-are you okay, Ellie?\" Edgar fretted.  \nThe rabbit nodded, but Rita could tell being crushed had hurt her. Maybe she'd think  \ntwice before talking back again.  \nHowever, the rabbit merely stretched herself before responding with another sarcastic  \nremark, \"Thanks for the hug, but one of you smells like you need to take a bath.\"  \nEdgar shifted embarrassedly, \"S-sorry.\"  \nRita rolled her eyes; he was hopeless.  \nThe rabbit turned to him, \"Well, I guess I can't blame you when you were locked in here  \nall evening. How about you bring Jason and I a set of clean sheets, and we'll call it even?\"  \nEdgar nodded, a bit too slavishly for Rita's liking, \"No problem, Ellie.\"  \nShe turned to Rita, \"So how about breakfast then?\"  \n\"You know the way, don't you?\"  \nThe rabbit loped out of the cell, and Edgar hurried close behind. Rita picked up the knife  \nand followed further back, silently brooding. Subduing prey shouldn't be this difficult. Surely, the  \nrabbit knew what Rita could do to her, even with teeth and claws alone, but she acted like she  \ndidn't care. Moreover, she'd already proven how completely her status put her above the rabbit  \nand even the laws she'd believed protected her. She could do anything she wanted with the  \nrabbit, and the worst repercussion would be having to off her new kitty as well. So why wasn't  \nthe rabbit afraid?  \nRita gave the knife to Edgar and let him take the rabbit to talk to Gustav and headed  \nupstairs to fetch Jason. He was awake and looked relieved when she entered.  \n\"Good morning, Dear. Did you sleep well?\"  \n\"Yes, Your Grace.\"  \n\"Your friend is already down talking to Gustav about breakfast.\" She trotted up to the  \nhead of the bed and undid the combination lock. \"Let's get the collar off you too.\" She took the  \nleash and led him toward her bedroom.  \n\"Er, can I use the bathroom quick first?\"  \nRita dropped the leash. \"Go ahead.\"  \nHe hurried to the bathroom, and Rita waited in the hall until he came back out. After she  \nremoved the collar, they headed downstairs to the kitchen. The rabbit was engaged with  \nGustav, but she turned when Jason called her name and dashed across the room, throwing  \nherself at the cat. He caught her, and they embraced, closing their eyes as they held each other  \nclose. The cat purred and nuzzled her head. Rita frowned at the excessive display; they'd hadn't  \nbeen apart twenty-four hours.  \n\"I was worried, Jason,\" the rabbit murmured. \"She didn't do anything to you, did she?\"  \n\"No, I was fine. How were you?\"  \nThe rabbit opened an eye to regard Rita warily, \"I'll tell you about it later.\"  \nThey broke apart, and the rabbit bounded back over to finish talking to Gustav. They  \nproceeded to the dining room and began with a pot of hot coffee, which was the only thing  \nready. Rita added three lumps of sugar and cream to her coffee and passed the bowl and  \npitcher to Jason who passed them directly to the rabbit. Rita stirred her drink and took a sip.  \n\"She adds as many lumps as you, Your Grace,\" Edgar remarked amusedly.  \nRita looked up from her mug, \"What is that, Edgar?\"  \n\"Er, I only noticed that you both added three lumps of sugar, Your Grace,\" Edgar  \nrepeated. \"I thought it was amusing because of how similar the two of you are.\"  \nRita gawked at the pine marten. What on Earth was he talking about?! Similar to a  \nrabbit!  \n\"Similar to her!?\" the rabbit yelped. She glared at Edgar, \"I don't recall cutting you into  \nlittle pieces last night!\"  \n\"Er, I-I only meant, uh, you have, um, similar, similar personalities.\"  \n\"In what way?\" Rita demanded.  \nEdgar sunk in his seat, \"I mean, you're, uh, very forceful in, in getting what you want but  \nalso kind in your own way.\" His voice trailed off at the end.  \n\"Kind! I'm sure that's how all of her victims described her while she was torturing them!\"  \nthe rabbit shot back scathingly.  \nEdgar sunk deeper into his seat.  \n\"She's nothing like me,\" Rita declared. \"There's confidence and then there's arrogance  \nand impudence.\"  \nThe rabbit snorted contemptuously, \"Then there's entitlement and sociopathy.\"  \nRita glared at the rabbit, \"I'm far from a sociopath, as your friend can tell you. If you  \nknew your place, I'd show you kindness too.\"  \n\"Save it! I don't want kindness from a murderer!\"  \nRita turned to the cat; he'd been awfully quiet throughout. \"What do you think, Jason?\"  \nThe cat started, \"I-I don't know!\"  \n\"You don't know whether I'm different from a murderer?!\" the rabbit gasped.  \n\"Obviously, you're different in that way! A-and many other ways. I, I guess I agree you  \nare both assertive though.\"  \n\"You're just a pushover, Jason,\" the rabbit rebuked. \"I worry about how you're going to  \nhandle being around this monster when you fold so easily.\"  \nHe winced, \"You think I'm a pushover?\"  \nThe rabbit rubbed her nose, \"Alright, that was the wrong word; I'm sorry. It's more that  \nyou're kind, and you want to see kindness in others. But you have to remember what she is,  \nJason.\"  \n\"What you think I am, you mean,\" Rita rebutted. She shook her head, \"Did I seem like a  \nmonster to you when we were reading together yesterday, Jason? How about when we went for  \nour stroll through the woods or at dinner? She doesn't know what she's talking about; she sees  \neverything in black and white.\"  \n\"I don't want to live in a world that's so murky gray that even murder is up for debate!\"  \nthe rabbit shot back. \"And of course, that's not even what you think! You think it's okay when  \nyou do it because you're above the law!\"  \n\"I am. I proved that to you. If I weren't, I'd be in jail now.\"  \n\"So anything you can get away with is fine?!\"  \n\"Of course not. But as for killing prey.\" She shrugged. \"We killed you for forever. Then a  \nfew centuries ago, someone invented lab-grown meat, and that turned out to be much more  \nconvenient. But doing what we'd always done didn't become wrong overnight.\"  \n\"It became wrong as soon as you didn't need to!\"  \n\"So you wouldn't object if someone tried to kill you as long as they 'needed to'?\"  \n\"Of course I'd object! And I'd defend myself! But I'd understand it was either me or  \nthem.\"  \n\"You or them.\" She turned to the cat, \"Kind of like when you were starving, eh, Jason?  \nShe was happy for you to die because it was either you or her. See how she wants to have it  \nboth ways? 'Don't kill me because you don't have to, and by the way, don't kill me if you have to  \nbecause I'd rather you die.'\"  \n\"Ellie didn't want me to die!\" Jason protested.  \n\"Maybe not want, but she was willing to let you die,\" Rita corrected. \"If one of us had to  \ndie, I'd at least have the decency to put you out of your misery.\"  \n\"You were the cause of his misery!\" the rabbit shouted. \"You don't care if people suffer  \nso long as you get your sick thrills!\"  \n\"Hush, inside voices,\" Rita scolded. \"I don't expect you to appreciate my reasons for  \nkilling prey. I don't care if you do. But I only wanted to show him how he overvalued prey. I didn't  \nthink it would go as long as it did, and.\" She took a deep breath. \"And I'm sorry.\"  \n\"Puhwha?!\" the rabbit squawked. \"You're sorry!?\"  \nRita nodded solemnly, \"I am. I understand that he cares for you, deeply. I shouldn't have  \ntried to take that away from him. That's why I hope you'll adapt to living here. We needn't have  \nunpleasant arguments like this, and, and I apologize for my part in it. I shouldn't have suggested  \nyou wouldn't have cared if he died. I know you care for him too.\" She finished with a smile,  \npleased by her own graciousness.  \nThe rabbit scoffed, \"I don't apologize, and I don't accept yours either. Try apologizing to  \nthe families of all the people you've killed.\"  \nRita sniffed haughtily, \"I'm not going to continue to argue with you. I've apologized, and I  \nwon't be dragged back in.\"  \n\"As if saying mean things is even close to being on par with murdering people!\"  \n\"Ellie, you're not going to change her mind,\" Jason murmured.  \n\"So? It makes me feel better!\"  \n\"I think she might be right that it will be better if we adapt to living here. I know what she  \ndoes to prey is horrible, but she can be alright if you let her.\"  \nThe rabbit gawked at him, \"Did you just defend her?!\"  \n\"N-no, but I don't think it helps to be miserable when there's nothing we can do. She'll  \ntreat us well if we don't fight with her.\"  \n\"I don't want to cozy up with a murderer, Jason! Do you?!\"  \n\"It wasn't so bad yesterday,\" he murmured embarrassedly.  \nThe rabbit stared at him in disgust, \"I can't believe what I'm hearing! You want to be nice  \nto a vicious murderer, for what? For tasty food? For pets and snuggles!?\"  \n\"For you, Ellie! If we don't cooperate, I don't know what she might do to you!\"  \n\"The plan is to make me live with that thing she has for a manservant,\" she grumbled.  \n\"Boots is a human,\" Rita informed her.  \n\"Whatever. That's where I was most of the day yesterday, getting molested by that  \ncreep.\"  \n\"Molested?!\" Jason yowled in horror.  \n\"Not sexually,\" she amended quickly. \"But still, squashed, manhandled. It wasn't  \npleasant.\"  \n\"I-I'm sorry, Ellie,\" he murmured. \"I didn't know you were in trouble, or I would have tried  \nto help.\"  \n\"She was fine,\" Rita dismissed. \"Boots was being gentle. Anyway, like I told her, that's  \nfor if she tries something like she did yesterday again. If she prefers to live in the cell so that she  \ndoesn't have to interact with me, that's up to her, but I think it would be more pleasant if she'd  \njoin us up here. Don't you, Jason?\"  \n\"I would prefer that, Ellie,\" he murmured.  \nThe rabbit sighed resignedly, \"What do I have to do to stay up here?\"  \nRita grinned, \"You have to do what I say, plain and simple. I'll keep it easy for you,  \nnothing too humiliating, and if you're very good, I might even start to like you.\"  \n\"Only that?\" she asked sarcastically.  \n\"And of course, you can't do anything to make me not trust you, or you go live with  \nBoots.\"  \n\"That doesn't seem fair. You only said I had to treat you with respect and be polite. Your  \nGrace,\" Jason responded.  \n\"I can see that's going to be impossible for your friend. I'll take obedience without  \npoliteness if that's all she can give.\"  \n\"I'll try for you, Jason,\" the rabbit grumbled.  \nRita beamed, \"Excellent! Why don't you and Edgar go see if Gustav needs help?  \nThough, perhaps he's hiding until the arguing blows over. You can tell him we're finished.\"  \nThe rabbit got up and tromped toward the kitchen. Edgar followed her. Rita took a gulp  \nof her sweet coffee. It seemed like her multiple avenues were meshing together well. The rabbit  \nwanted to be with the cat, and she didn't want to be with Boots, the carrot and the stick.  \nHopefully, together, they would keep her in line.  \nAfter breakfast, Rita took them to the conservatory to play piano again. She played  \nMozart's Piano Sonata Number Sixteen, which she'd been practicing since Howard played it so  \nbeautifully a few weeks ago. When she was finished, she turned to her guests and Edgar. Had  \nthey noticed the work she'd put into learning the piece?  \nEdgar clapped dutifully, \"Well done, Your Grace.\"  \nJason nodded in agreement, \"That was lovely.\"  \nThe rabbit scowled at him.  \n\"Didn't you enjoy it, Ellie?\" Rita inquired.  \n\"I prefer jazz,\" she answered perfunctorily.  \nRita shrugged, \"There's no accounting for tastes, I suppose. Edgar, why don't you go  \nfetch Howard so that he can play something for us?\"  \nThe pine marten leapt up from the card table, \"Yes, Your Grace.\" He scurried out of the  \nroom.  \nRita sauntered over to the card table to sit with her guests. \"Howard is a much better  \nplayer than me. I think even you'll enjoy his playing, Ellie.\"  \n\"How many people has he killed?\" she grumbled.  \n\"None that I'm aware of.\"  \n\"That's a start. Not much of one though since he still works for you.\"  \nRita shrugged; if the rabbit was determined to be miserable, that was her own problem  \nso long as she did what Rita said. After a few minutes, Edgar returned with Howard. The white  \nferret tromped bad temperedly over to the piano.  \n\"I was still sleeping,\" he grumbled.  \nRita had thought his fur still looked a bit ruffled where it showed around his black jacket.  \nHe studied the book of sheet music on top of the piano, \"You want me to play this one?\"  \n\"I just played that one,\" Rita informed him. \"Why don't you pick another?\"  \nHe flipped carelessly to another of Mozart's sonatas, plopped down on the bench, and  \nbegan playing. Rita thought she recognized the fourteenth sonata, but she wasn't sure.  \nShe turned to Jason, \"Would you like to dance?\"  \nHe blinked, \"It's, uh, not really dancing music.\"  \nShe waved her hand dismissively, \"You can dance to anything if you want to.\"  \nAcross the room, Howard snorted. Clearly, he didn't agree. Rita stood and offered her  \nhand to the cat. He glanced embarrassedly at the rabbit, before taking it.  \n\"I-if you want to, Your Grace.\"  \nThe rabbit rolled her eyes.  \n\"Why don't you dance with Edgar, Ellie?\" Rita suggested.  \n\"Is that an order?\"  \n\"Mmm, no, just a suggestion.\" Rita led the tabby out into the room. \"I'll lead,\" she stated.  \nThey took hold of each other, and Rita began to lead him in a meandering, twirling circuit  \nacross the varnished pine floor. However, Rita could still clearly hear the voices of the two  \nsitting at the card table.  \n\"I-I wouldn't mind if you wanted to,\" Edgar murmured embarrassedly.  \n\"Does that mean you want to?\"  \n\"Uh, I, um, if you don't mind.\"  \nThe rabbit sighed and stood up, sliding her chair back, \"I guess you haven't murdered  \nanyone.\"  \nAfter a few seconds, Rita glanced away from her partner to see how they were faring:  \nthe rabbit appeared to be leading. Rita wasn't surprised.  \n\"I said those two would learn to get along,\" she murmured amusedly to Jason.  \nAfter several minutes, Rita led Jason over next to the other pair. The rabbit was  \nwatching Edgar dangerously while he nervously watched his feet; Rita wondered how many  \ntimes he'd stepped on the rabbit's long feet.  \n\"Why don't you switch with me, Edgar?\"  \nEdgar let go of the rabbit and turned toward Rita, looking relieved. Rita pushed the cat  \ntoward him, and took hold of the rabbit, placing her left hand on her shoulder. The rabbit looked  \nat her balefully.  \n\"Because of your stature, it will be less awkward if you put your hand on my waist,\" Rita  \ninstructed.  \nThe rabbit scowled but put her right hand on Rita's waist. Rita took her other hand,  \nwhich was engulfed in her own, and began to lead her across the floor. Whether the rabbit  \nwould have liked to lead was immaterial since Rita's much larger size meant that she could  \nmake her go wherever she wanted. Rita glanced over at the cat and pine marten who were  \nconfusedly trying to figure out where to put their hands.  \n\"Put your hand on the pretty kitty's waist, and go, Edgar,\" Rita called jovially.  \nEdgar quickly complied, and Jason put his hand on the pine marten's shoulder. Then  \nthey almost tripped over one another both trying to lead at the same time. Rita smirked and  \nturned back to the rabbit, who was scowling at Rita's mid-torso.  \n\"Cheer up, Dear,\" Rita piped. \"Think about how lucky you are. Prey usually only get to  \nspend a few hours with me. You have as long as you want.\"  \n\"That's one way of putting it. Sentenced to life is more accurate.\"  \n\"A life that can be as pleasant as you'll let it be. I can't help you if you're determined to  \nbe miserable.\"  \nThe rabbit scoffed, \"Right.\"  \nAfter several more minutes, Howard finished the piece. He got up and unceremoniously  \nstomped out of the conservatory and into the dining room.  \n\"Seems we won't be getting another performance until he's had his breakfast,\" Rita  \nstated lightly. \"Why don't we head to the living room?\"  \nThe rabbit pulled away, but Rita kept a firm hold on her hand.  \n\"Come on, Dear. I want you to sit with me today.\"  \nShe led the rabbit into the living room, and Jason and Edgar followed. Rita let go of the  \nrabbit's hand to hop up on the pink and gold couch. She smiled at the rabbit and patted the  \ncushion next to her. The rabbit grumpily climbed up beside her. Rita pulled her down across her  \nlap and smiled down at her toy bunny.  \n\"I'm pleased you've decided to be an obedient bunny from now on, Ellie,\" she teased.  \n\"It's going to be fun having a bunny to play with.\" She grinned wider, \"Well, play with in a  \ndifferent way. Although.\" She ran one of the rabbit's ears through her right hand. \"I'm sure we  \ncould have quite an exciting evening downstairs together if you wanted to.\"  \nThe rabbit continued to scowl at her.  \nRita took the rabbit's right hand in hers and uncurled her fist to examine her fingers.  \n\"Imagine the thrill of the lopper blades pressed around your fingers just before I snip them off.\"  \nShe pinched the rabbit's middle finger with the word snip. She moved her hand to the rabbit's  \nbelly and extended the claw on her index finger to lightly scrape against the rabbit's skin through  \nher thick, soft fur. \"Imagine the tickle of the scalpel blade right before I slice you open.\" She ran  \nher claw down the rabbit's belly.  \nThe rabbit stretched her legs.  \nRita smirked at her discomfort. \"Imagine the ecstasy of feeling me poke and prod around  \ninside looking for interesting bits to cut out.\" She mixed her fingers over the rabbit's belly.  \nThe rabbit snorted and stretched her legs again.  \nRita studied her curiously. Was that fear in her eyes or. Oh! Rita wriggled her fingers  \nagain, and the rabbit squirmed. Rita's lips spread wide in a toothy grin.  \n\"Well, if I can't tickle you with my scalpel then.\" She put her right hand on the rabbit's  \nchest to hold her down and brought her left hand to the rabbit's belly to tickle her. She wriggled  \nher fingers, watching the rabbit's face expectantly as she struggled against the urge to laugh.  \n\"Akk, ahahaha! No! Ahahahahaha!\"  \nRita grinned wickedly as she tickled the helpless rabbit. \"Dear me, you certainly are  \nticklish for someone who likes to torment others this way! What if your friend decided to take  \nrevenge?\"  \nThe rabbit tried to grab Rita's hand to pull it away, but Rita simply pushed the rabbit's  \narms back and moved her right arm to hold them down, placing it over the rabbit's arms and  \nneck. She was easy to subdue physically, almost unsportingly easy. Why couldn't she be this  \neasy to control in general? Rita kept tickling her. If she couldn't make her behave the way she  \nwanted and she couldn't kill her without upsetting the cat, she could still have some fun with this  \nharmless torment.  \n\"I, I, ahahahaha, I have to pee! Ahahaha!\" the rabbit squealed.  \nRita stopped; she didn't want pee on her couch. The rabbit calmed down, taking a deep  \nbreath.  \nShe looked up at Rita a bit embarrassedly, \"I really do.\"  \nRita let her up and slid to the floor after the rabbit. \"I'll escort you.\"  \nShe followed the rabbit up the stairs. There was a bathroom on the ground level, but it  \nwas an offshoot of the kitchen and was used by the servants. The rabbit turned to look at Rita  \ndisturbedly when she pushed into the bathroom behind her.  \n\"I can go by myself,\" she muttered.  \n\"I wouldn't want you trying to climb out the window. It's a long way down.\"  \n\"I'm not likely to try it then,\" the rabbit said dryly.  \n\"You never know. Don't worry; I won't watch you.\"  \nThe rabbit grumbled under her breath but proceeded toward the toilet anyway. Rita  \npretended to examine the tub while her pee tinkled into the toilet. After the toilet flushed, Rita  \nturned around. The rabbit washed her hands and started for the door.  \n\"One minute. I need to go too.\"  \n\"I can go back downstairs by myself.\"  \n\"Oh no, you don't. Wait in here.\"  \nThe rabbit crossed to the far end of the room and awkwardly peered into the shower  \nwhilst Rita relieved her bladder. She flushed and turned to the sink to wash her own hands.  \n\"I imagine you'd like to take a shower, Ellie,\" she spoke conversationally. \"I'll have to  \nwatch to make sure you don't leap out the window, but I'll let you take one this evening.\"  \n\"Thanks,\" the rabbit mumbled reluctantly.  \n\"No problem. You know, while we're here, we ought to have a private conversation, just  \nus girls.\"  \nThe rabbit gave her an incredulous look, \"You really think I'm going to bond with you  \nover our shared gender?\"  \n\"Not necessarily, but aside from an otter who works in the kitchen--Josie is her name,  \nsweet girl but not very interesting to talk to--you are the only other female at the manor.\"  \n\"That sounds like an issue with your hiring decisions. I-\"  \n\"That's how I like it. I'm sure you can appreciate this, Ellie. I've seen you with your friend  \nas well as with Edgar. Males are easier to control.\"  \nThe rabbit frowned, \"Why are you telling me this? Are you trying to warn me not to upset  \nyour harem?\"  \nRita smirked at the idea. \"No, what I wanted to say is that, regardless of what I think  \nabout your attitude as prey, I do respect your confidence as a woman.\"  \n\"You mean my arrogance and impudence?\" she asked dryly.  \n\"As I said, your attitude may be unbecoming of prey, but species aside, I have a small  \namount of respect for you. Men like to think they can bully you into whatever they want you to  \ndo, but we know how to turn the tables on them. A little charm, confidence, some forcefulness if  \nneeded, and they're putty in our paws.\"  \nThe rabbit scowled, \"Even if I agreed with everything you said, I wouldn't be interested in  \nyour 'respect,' but whatever you think, I don't set out to manipulate people. My relationship with  \nJason is none of your business, and as for Edgar,\" she shrugged. \"Maybe he likes me, but it's  \nnot for my trying to get him to.\"  \n\"I'm sure,\" Rita replied with patronizing sarcasm. \"But you should be interested in my  \nrespect because that small amount of respect is the only reason I'm going to give you this  \nwarning. You've already sunk your claws into Edgar, and that's fine. He could use a 'firm hand'  \nas you put it; he's much too gloomy and wishy-washy, but I don't have the inclination to spend  \nmy time correcting him. Maybe you'll do him some good. However,\" she grinned dangerously.  \n\"Your friend is going to be my faithful pet. I'll have him eating out of my hand in no time, and  \nthere's nothing you can do about it. In fact, if you so much as try to counteract my progress, I'll  \nfind a reason for you to live with Boots.\"  \nThe rabbit looked nauseous. Rita crossed the room and pulled the rabbit in against her  \nchest.  \n\"There, there,\" she crooned. \"I'll let you keep your relationship with my pet so long as  \nyou obey me. Even if you won't be my pet in spirit, you'll still be my little toy, so you'll get to  \nshare in my tender care.\"  \n\"Fuck you,\" the rabbit muttered under her breath.  \n\"What was that, Dear? You're upset that I haven't been giving you as much attention  \nuntil now? Let me rectify that.\"  \nShe wrapped her right arm tightly around the rabbit's shoulders to hold her arms and  \nused her left hand to firmly grasp the rabbit's ears, pulling her head back. Rita leaned down and  \nclamped her jaws around the rabbit's neck, squeezing just hard enough to press her fangs  \nuncomfortably against the rabbit's skin. Rita could feel the rabbit's blood pumping fast through  \nthe veins under her tongue though she didn't make a sound. After a minute, she let go and  \nstood straight, smiling down at her prey.  \n\"Some things feel so right, don't they, Ellie?\" she teased softly. \"Like a fox's jaws around  \nyour throat, that contentment of finally finding what you were born for.\" She stroked the rabbit's  \nhead. \"What do you say we snag our book and head back downstairs to do some reading?  \nJason is enjoying the story. I know you've missed a bit, but I can catch you up.\"  \n\"I've read it before,\" Ellie grumbled.  \n\"Well, then you can listen from where we are. I'm looking forward to a cozy afternoon  \nwith my new pet and toy.\"  \nThe rabbit didn't respond. Rita ushered her to the study to grab the novel and then back  \ndownstairs where Jason and Edgar were waiting. Jason looked relieved when they walked into  \nthe room. Rita climbed up on the couch, placing the book in her lap, and patted the cushions  \nnext to her.  \n\"One on each side,\" she instructed.  \nJason jumped up next to her, and the rabbit reluctantly scrambled up on the other side.  \n\"Alright, now, lean in,\" Rita reached around them to tuck them against her sides before  \npicking up the book. She glanced at Edgar. \"You can join us too if you want, Edgar.\"  \nEdgar scurried over and squeezed close to Ellie, who grumbled under her breath.  \n\"Nice and cozy,\" Rita stated. She opened the book and began to read.  \n\\* \\* \\*  \nThe rest of the morning, Ellie observed Jason closely. Was there any truth in the vixen's  \nclaim? Jason wouldn't fall for the charms of a vicious murderer surely! However, the longer Ellie  \nwatched, the more uneasy she became: Jason certainly didn't seem as disturbed by being  \nforced to cozy up with the psychotic fox as Ellie felt. He looked almost comfortable snuggled  \nagainst her chest, and Ellie had even thought she'd seen him nuzzle the vixen. Although when  \nshe had craned her head around the fox to see, he no longer was. Maybe he's very good at  \npretending. That had to be the case, right? He was putting on a show to convince the cruel fox  \nto give him more freedom, ultimately allowing them to escape. Ellie did her best to convince  \nherself that was the case, but she knew the cat, and nothing about his behavior seemed other  \nthan genuine.  \nFinally, the vixen decided it was time for lunch and let them up. The fat stoat served Ellie  \na salad with dandelions, spinach, grass, carrots, and bell pepper with a sweet vinaigrette, so at  \nleast her food was improving after talking with him.  \nEdgar, who was again sitting next to her, peered into the bowl, \"What's it like eating all of  \nthat stuff?\"  \n\"It's what I eat,\" Ellie answered perfunctorily. She wasn't sure if the pine marten was  \nattracted to her, but she didn't want to encourage it if he was. Ending up with his arms wrapped  \naround her last night might not have been the mistake he had claimed it was.  \n\"It's all leaves and stems and stuff. What does it taste like?\"  \n\"I'm sure the chef will make you some to sample if you're really curious.\"  \n\"Uh, maybe some other time.\"  \nHe contemplated her thoughtfully. Ellie wished he would eat his lunch and let her eat  \nhers uninterrupted.  \n\"Have you ever tried meat?\" he asked.  \nEllie turned to glare at him, \"No! Rabbits are herbivores!\"  \n\"S-sorry.\" He continued after a pause, \"That, um, doesn't mean you couldn't taste it  \nthough.\"  \n\"I don't want to!\"  \nHe looked at the table, \"Yeah, uh, I guess it might be kind of weird with you being prey  \nto, er, to know what prey tastes like.\"  \nZeus, blast me, or him, but end this conversation.  \n\"Especially if it were rabbit. Though I've heard it doesn't taste anything like the real thing,  \ner.\" His dark eyes went wide at Ellie's scowl. \"S-sorry!\"  \n\"Maybe you can give us some insight on that, Jason,\" the vixen chirped. \"How does lab-  \ngrown rabbit meat compare with the genuine article?\"  \n\"I've never had it,\" he grumbled.  \n\"Tsk, tsk, we know that's not true, Jason. What were Bart and Margaret if not the  \ngenuine article?\"  \n\"I mean I've never had lab-grown rabbit meat.\"  \n\"Don't lie, Jason,\" the vixen scolded. \"I'm sure you've had it at least once.\"  \n\"I never ate it raw!\"  \n\"Fine, just tell us about the flavor notes then. I'm sure Ellie wouldn't mind knowing.\"  \nJason glanced at her miserably, and she nodded to affirm that he could go ahead. She  \nfound herself morbidly curious to know.  \nHe looked at the table, \"It, the, um, the real rabbit was more, uh, more herbal or gamey,  \nand it was, um, really fresh tasting.\"  \nThe vixen eyed Ellie, her amber eyes glinting dangerously. She licked her lips, \"Sounds  \ntasty,\" she taunted. \"You know, there's still part of Margaret in the freezer. Maybe I'll have  \nGustav fix her for my dinner.\"  \n\"You said you didn't eat people!\" Jason protested.  \n\"I wouldn't want to let her go to waste. You don't want her, do you?\"  \n\"No!\"  \n\"Well then, waste naught, want naught. I didn't have the chance to play with her  \nproperly, so I may as well get another experience out of her.\"  \nEllie wished she'd resisted her morbid curiosity and told Jason not to share his  \nexperience. She wasn't sure what gamey meant, but herbal? Like a nicely seasoned roasted  \ncarrot? Ellie tried not to imagine the three carnivores sinking their fangs into her soft flesh the  \nway she might sink her incisors into a soft baked carrot.  \n\"I'm sorry I brought it up,\" Edgar murmured.  \n\"It's good to be curious, Edgar,\" the vixen encouraged. \"Don't you agree, Ellie?\"  \n\"Most of the time,\" she muttered.  \n\"It only makes sense that Edgar would be curious about his new companion,\" the vixen  \nwent on. \"You are, after all, quite an odd little creature with your funny food and your enticing  \naroma. Edgar can hardly be blamed for wanting to know more. Isn't that true, Edgar?\"  \n\"I-I don't know about her aroma,\" Edgar responded nervously.  \n\"Come now, Edgar. You must have noticed. You slept together after all.\"  \n\"What?!\" Jason yelped.  \n\"Only slept, Sir!\" Edgar added hurriedly. \"Sh-she was kind enough not to make me sleep  \non the floor.\"  \nThe vixen ignored Jason's outburst, going on calmly, \"Go ahead and sniff her right now if  \nyou don't know what I'm talking about, Edgar.\"  \nEdgar looked at Ellie nervously, \"Do you, er, may I?\"  \nEllie sighed; she doubted she had much choice in the matter. \"I'd prefer not,\" she  \nmuttered.  \n\"A-alright.\"  \n\"Tosh! It won't hurt her! Sniff her, Edgar,\" the vixen decreed.  \nThe pine marten looked at the vixen nervously, \"Sorry,\" he whispered. He leaned his  \nsnout close to Ellie's head and gave a couple quick sniffs.  \n\"How does she smell?\" the vixen demanded.  \n\"Er, she, she smells nice.\"  \nHaving not bathed in over a week, Ellie could hardly imagine that was the case.  \n\"'Delicious' is how I'd put it,\" the vixen amended tauntingly.  \nEdgar shifted embarrassedly in his seat.  \n\"I'm glad you enjoy my BO, Your Grace,\" Ellie rebuked.  \nThe vixen grinned menacingly, \"You know why that is, don't you, Ellie?\"  \n\"Not a clue, but if you want, I'll sit on your pillow the rest of the day.\"  \nThe vixen gestured with one finger, \"Come here, and I'll tell you.\"  \n\"I'm eating. Besides, you're right next to me; I can hear you perfectly well.\"  \nThe vixen stood and stepped behind Ellie's chair. Leaning down she whispered  \nthreateningly in Ellie's ear, \"It's because the stronger you smell, the easier it is to sniff you out.  \nIt's like you're advertising. 'Here I am. Come have dinner.'\" She lifted Ellie out of her seat and  \nsat back in her own, holding Ellie on her lap. She sliced off a piece of whatever kind of meat filet  \nshe was eating and held it in front of Ellie's face on her fork. \"You're sure you wouldn't like to try  \nsome? Find out what you've been missing out on?\"  \nEllie turned her head away from the foul-smelling chunk.  \n\"Alright then.\" The vixen ate the piece of meat herself. Then she pulled Ellie's bowl of  \nsalad over and stuck her hand in to fish out a strand of grass, tickling Ellie's nose with it. \"Have  \nsome of your food.\"  \nEllie turned her head away again. Not only was she not willing to let the vixen feed her,  \nbut she didn't know how sanitary her hands were. At least she'd washed them after using the  \nbathroom, but that had been some time ago.  \n\"Would you rather spend a few days alone in the cell?\" the vixen warned softly.  \nWho knows how strong a hold she could have on Jason after that long?! Reluctantly,  \nEllie turned back to the strand of grass and bit it, pulling it out of the vixen's fingers as she drew  \nit into her mouth.  \nThe vixen grinned, \"Munch, munch, munch. Go on, bunny: eat up all of your tasty green  \nstuff.\"  \nEllie really didn't have much of an appetite after all of the discussion of rabbits' smell and  \nflavor, but she forced herself to keep eating to placate the capricious fox. The vixen watched her  \nas she ate, and the feeling of her leering at her did nothing to improve Ellie's appetite. When  \nshe was done, the vixen poked her stomach.  \n\"Nice and full?\" She caressed Ellie's neck. \"I'm glad you didn't eat her, Jason. I can tell  \nhaving my very own bunny is going to be quite amusing.\"  \nEllie looked up to make eye contact with the cat. He looked back at her worriedly. At  \nleast he can tell she's not \"treating me well.\" Having finished her lunch, Ellie attempted to get  \nup, but the vixen held her.  \n\"Why don't you keep me company, Ellie? Edgar's not done eating yet anyway, so there's  \nno one to watch you.\"  \nEllie didn't have much of a choice; she sat on the vixen's lap until the rest of them were  \nfinished, and then the vixen lifted her off and set her on the floor.  \n\"Let's have some recreation now,\" the vixen declared. \"Have you ever played Hunt,  \nEllie?\"  \n\"Jason and I played once.\"  \n\"How nice, then you already know the rules. It's out in the conservatory.\"  \nThe vixen ushered Ellie in front of her out to the conservatory. She gestured toward the  \ncard table, Ellie and the others went to sit down while she dug the board out of the bookshelf on  \nthe right wall. She brought the worn black box over to the table and laid out the board and  \npieces. There were four seats, but instead of sitting in the empty one, she snatched Ellie out of  \nher seat and sat down with her in her lap.  \n\"Looks like I already caught one bunny,\" she stated amusedly. \"What do you say we  \nmake this a bit interesting? I'm the fox, of course, and if I win, I get to pick one of you bunnies to  \nspend some quality time with me downstairs this evening.\"  \nJason's eyes widened in horror, \"Y-your Grace?!\"  \n\"Shh, not like that. I promise whoever it is will come back in one piece.\"  \n\"What if one of us wins?\" Ellie queried.  \n\"Hmm, I suppose you can pick something you'd like to do instead. Within reason, of  \ncourse.\"  \n\"So if I want to put you in cuffs and kick you around the cell for an hour?\"  \nThe vixen tweaked her cheek none too gently, \"Cheeky bunny! No, I don't think I'd allow  \nthat. I did promise not to hurt you; I expect the same.\" She glanced around the table. \"Does  \neveryone agree?\"  \nEdgar nodded dutifully, Jason hesitantly.  \nThe vixen glanced down at Ellie, \"Ellie?\"  \n\"Fine. Even if the best I can get is for you to leave us alone, it'll be worth it.\"  \n\"Not very sociable, but I suppose that's acceptable,\" the vixen allowed.  \nThey began the game with Ellie taking green, Jason taking blue, and Edgar taking  \nyellow. The vixen got a lucky first roll and was able to capture Jason's piece the first time. Then  \nshe captured Ellie's piece when she was about a third of the way around the board, sending her  \nhome. Ultimately, however, Edgar had excellent luck and returned home with an exact roll on  \nhis first cycle around the board.  \n\"Sometimes the rabbit gets away,\" the vixen conceded. She stroked Ellie's head, \"But  \nnot usually.\" She turned to Edgar, \"What do you want to do then, Edgar?\"  \n\"Does, um, it have to be with you, Your Grace?\"  \n\"No, would you prefer to do something with one of our guests?\"  \nHe nodded, \"Could, could we watch a movie together, Ellie?\"  \n\"That sounds nice,\" the vixen teased. \"Do you have an idea of what you want to watch?\"  \n\"I-I only want to if she agrees.\"  \n\"She already agreed when we started,\" the vixen replied dismissively.  \nEdgar looked at Ellie nervously.  \n\"That's fine, Edgar,\" Ellie muttered. She really hoped the pine marten wasn't getting the  \nwrong idea about their relationship, but his wanting to watch a movie alone with her implied  \notherwise. Obviously, he knows I'm in a relationship with Jason. She'd have to disabuse him of  \nhis infatuation.  \nThe vixen ran her claws through Ellie's cheek fur. Ellie tried to ignore what was  \nbecoming constant invasion of her personal space by the loathsome fox, but it was far from  \neasy. It was made even more difficult by the vixen's scent: the heavy aroma of lilac perfume or  \nshampoo was unable to cover her sickly sweet musk, which was reminiscent of death and  \ndecay and provided a constant reminder of the murderous vixen's favorite pastime. The vixen  \nwrapped one hand across Ellie's face, petting her nose with one finger.  \n\"There's something so satisfying about having prey in your claws,\" the vixen remarked  \ncasually. \"I assume you know what I mean, Jason.\"  \nHe shook his head.  \n\"No? Oh well, I enjoy it anyway.\" She slipped her hand down to massage Ellie's throat.  \n\"Is there something one of you would like to do?\"  \nJason glanced out the windowed wall, \"It looks nice out. Could we spend some time  \noutside?\"  \n\"I'll need to make sure this one can't make a dash for it, but otherwise, that sounds  \nlovely.\" She stuck her cold nose in Ellie's ear \"I think you'll enjoy seeing the estate. It's beautiful  \nthis time of year.\" Her breath tickled Ellie's ear, causing it to flick. She stood, scooping Ellie up  \nacross her arms. \"Let's go get the leash and collar so that you can't run off.\"  \n\"I can walk,\" Ellie pointed out tersely.  \n\"You can,\" the vixen agreed. She didn't put her down. \"You two wait here. We'll only be a  \nminute.\"  \nShe carried Ellie up to her bedroom and then, to Ellie's shock, tossed her through the  \nair.  \n\"Akk!\" Ellie twisted in the air only to land on the soft bed. However, her relief didn't last  \nlong as the vixen was immediately on top of her, pinning her with one hand against her chest  \nwhile she leaned over her to press her down with her weight.  \n\"Caught you!\" She sat back in a crouch and looked down at Ellie expectantly. \"Go on,  \nspring up and run for me so that I can catch you again.\"  \nEllie didn't move.  \n\"No? Let's put the collar on then.\"  \nShe crawled off the bed and dragged Ellie off after her, setting her on the floor. She  \nopened the middle drawer of the dresser in front of the bed and pulled out the familiar leash and  \ncollar. I guess I get to find out how Jason felt. Ellie stood stoically while the vixen locked the  \nmetal ring around her neck.  \n\"A bit loose, but it won't be coming off,\" the vixen commented. She picked up the leash  \nand tugged Ellie into her arms. \"Heeheehee, now you really can't get away from me, eh, Ellie?\"  \nShe held her and stroked her back. \"Are you enjoying being my little toy so far?\"  \nEllie didn't dignify the question with an answer.  \nThe vixen hugged her, \"There, there, you'll get used to it,\" she crooned. \"I'm enjoying it  \nthoroughly. Who knew playing with a bunny like this would be almost as fun as dissecting  \nthem?\" The vixen glanced behind her at what appeared to be a large closet. \"While I'm up here,  \nmaybe I'll put on something nice in case we see anyone. It's not likely so close to the manor, but  \nit's best to be ready to make a good impression.\"  \nEllie didn't think fancy clothes would make much of a difference when you were leading  \nsomeone around in a metal collar, but she didn't bother to tell the deranged vixen that. The  \nvixen led Ellie into the closet and began sifting through a long rack of dresses before finally  \ndeciding on a sky blue sundress and slipping it on.  \nShe turned her back to Ellie, \"Get the back, would you, Dear?\"  \nEllie zipped her up.  \n\"I'm afraid they'll all be too big for you,\" the vixen noted. She turned and contemplated  \nEllie a few seconds. \"Although, perhaps I could dig up something.\"  \n\"That's not necessary,\" Ellie muttered.  \n\"You might look cute in one of my old dresses though. Don't you want to impress your  \nkitty friend?\"  \n\"I don't think that's something he cares about.\"  \n\"Don't you? I bet we can make you quite alluring. Let's find out!\" The vixen led Ellie to  \nanother bedroom a few doors down the hall and began digging through the closet. \"So many of  \nthese clothes are still nice, but I can't wear them anymore. I suppose I could donate them to a  \ncousin, but I don't have any I like.\" She pulled out a short-sleeved multi-tiered black dress; each  \nof the lacey ends of the overlapping tiers was underlain with white, and a red sash around the  \nwaist tied in a bow at the back accentuated the piece. \"I think this will look adorable on you!\" she  \nchirped.  \nEllie thought it was a bit much for a walk around the estate. \"You really want me to wear  \nthat?\"  \n\"Don't you like it?\"  \n\"It looks more like something you'd wear to a fancy dinner than to go for a walk.\"  \nThe vixen shrugged and put it back, \"Maybe some other time.\" She dug around again  \nuntil she found a short white sundress with narrow shoulder straps. \"How do you like this?\"  \nIt was still hardly Ellie's style, but at least it looked like something she could maneuver  \nthrough the undergrowth in. She shrugged.  \n\"Let's try it and see how it fits.\"  \nShe lowered the dress, and Ellie complied by stepping into the dress. The vixen pulled it  \nup around her and zipped the back before standing back to view her. The flowing end of the  \ndress ended just above Ellie's knees.  \n\"It seems to fit well enough. Spin around for me.\"  \nEllie turned around once.  \nThe vixen nodded, satisfied, \"Very nice, let's head back downstairs.\" She picked up the  \nleash and led Ellie back to the conservatory. \"Alright, we're ready to go,\" she piped as they  \nentered the room.  \nJason and Edgar were still seated at the card table, and they stood. Jason glanced at  \nthem and blinked.  \n\"How do you like the outfit I found for your friend, Jason?\" the vixen inquired. \"I think she  \nlooks quite cute in it.\"  \n\"Er, yeah, it's nice. Where did you find something in her size?\"  \n\"It's one of my old ones. This one's from when I was barely more than a kit.\" She led  \nEllie to the glass back door. \"Let's go then!\"  \nJason caught up to Ellie, and the vixen let them walk in front, trailing a few arm lengths  \nbehind at the end of the leash. Edgar brought up the rear. Jason took her hand, and Ellie leaned  \nher head against his arm as they slowly strolled through the verdant forest. It was nice to be  \noutside at least. It would have been much nicer without the collar pulling at her neck every time  \nshe started to reach the end of the leash and without the vixen leering at them close behind.  \nEllie fought the urge to inquire about Jason's behavior with the vixen; she couldn't do so when  \nshe knew she would hear, or the vixen would make sure Ellie was out of the way until her work  \nwas complete. Instead, they walked in silence.  \nThey were still strolling like this when the leash went taut, halting Ellie. Jason paused to  \nregard her questioningly, but his expression turned to worry when he saw the vixen had also  \nstopped and was pulling the leash back tight.  \n\"It's my turn to walk with the pretty kitty,\" she declared.  \nShe drew Ellie back, and Jason was forced to let go of her hand to avoid choking her.  \nThe vixen pulled Ellie up next to her and handed the leash back to the pine marten.  \n\"You take care of her now, Edgar. Don't let her get away,\" the vixen instructed.  \nEdgar took the leash embarrassedly, glancing quickly at Ellie then away to the side. The  \nvixen trotted forward and hooked her arm through Jason's.  \nShe tugged him to the left, away from the manor, \"Let's head this way. There's a lovely  \nglade where we can rest and soak up some sun.\"  \nShe led him off, and Ellie followed. Edgar stepped up beside her and tried to take her  \nhand before realizing he was holding the leash in that hand and awkwardly switching it to his  \nleft.  \n\"Er, may I?\"  \nEllie snatched his hand and squeezed as hard as she could, causing him to wince.  \n\"How about you hand me the end of that leash? If I can't wrap it around her neck, I  \nshould at least be able to belt her with it,\" she growled softly.  \n\"I-I can't do that!\"  \nEllie sighed moodily, \"Of course not, but it would be nice.\"  \nShe relaxed her grip on his hand, and he squeezed hers gently.  \n\"I, um, like your dress by the way.\"  \n\"It isn't mine,\" she responded tersely.  \n\"It, uh, you look good in it.\"  \nEllie turned to glare at him, \"I know you know Jason and I are a couple,\" she whispered  \nso as not to involve the pair in front.  \n\"I-I do!\"  \n\"Then don't get any funny ideas. I don't know if I believe it was an accident that you  \nended up with your arms around me, and it certainly wasn't an accident that you decided we  \nshould watch a movie together. If you have a crush on me or something, that's your problem.  \nNothing is going to happen between us.\"  \nThe pine marten looked away nervously, \"It, uh, wasn't an accident.\"  \nEllie growled, \"I thought-\"  \n\"B-but I respect that you are already in a relationship! A-and, it wasn't like that, er, well.\"  \nHe looked back at her ashamedly. \"Alright, I-I did have, um, feelings for you. I-it was just that,  \nyou didn't have to be kind, and I was so grateful.\"  \n\"So you decided to invade my personal space like I expressly told you not to!?\" Ellie  \nsnapped back.  \n\"I'm sorry! I know it was wrong! It won't happen again!\"  \n\"There isn't going to be a chance for it to happen again! You're lucky I'm not rescinding  \nour deal!\"  \nHe squirmed uncomfortably, \"Th-thank you!\"  \nEllie snorted derisively.  \n\"B-but, that's not why I wanted to watch a movie with you.\"  \nShe glared at him, \"Oh? There was some other reason?\" she replied with scathing  \nsarcasm.  \n\"I-in a way,\" he whined. \"I, I realized what I did was wrong, but, but I still admire you. A-  \nand if you're staying here, I thought maybe we could still be friends.\"  \nEllie sighed exasperatedly, \"Friends?\"  \n\"Only friends! I know Her Grace has been enjoying, uh-\"  \n\"Tormenting me.\"  \n\"Ri-ight, but I don't like this.\" He held up the leash. \"I want us to be friends. I know you're  \na kind person, so if you can forgive me, I'd like to, to still spend time with you. I don't want you to  \nbe isolated here.\"  \n\"I have Jason.\"  \n\"I know, but it, it doesn't hurt to have another friend, does it?\"  \nEllie regarded him skeptically, \"You still work for her,\" she growled.  \n\"I don't have anywhere else to go,\" he murmured weakly. \"A-and it doesn't mean I like  \neverything she does. Since I met you, you've made me realize how, how I let, er, tried to  \nconvince myself that what she did was acceptable.\"  \nEllie scoffed, disgusted, \"Acceptable!\"  \n\"B-but now I realize I was wrong! It's horrible that she kills prey! Just as it would be if she  \nkilled carnivores!\"  \nEllie eyed him cautiously, \"So what are you going to do about it?\"  \nHe looked at the ground miserably, \"I don't know what I can do. I still owe her for this job.  \nI still don't have anywhere else to go.\"  \n\"So you still aren't going to do anything,\" Ellie concluded.  \n\"B-but if we're both trapped here, we could at least get along! I-I admire you, and if you  \ndon't hate me-\"  \n\"I don't hate you,\" she cut in. \"You should drive a knife through her chest while she  \nsleeps, but I understand if you can't do that. Like you said, in a way we're both trapped, and  \nmaybe both of us have our own shortcomings to blame, at least in part.\"  \n\"I-I don't think you can blame your-\"  \n\"Overconfidence? Lack of caution?\"  \n\"It, it was brave though. You were trying to do the right thing. Selflessly. My reasons are  \nall selfish.\"  \n\"It wasn't all selfless,\" Ellie admitted. \"I wanted the satisfaction of proving that arrogant  \nbobcat wrong.\"  \nEdgar squeezed her hand, \"Maybe we can help each other through this.\"  \nEllie studied his face: his dark eyes certainly seemed sincere, but could she trust him?  \nWhat did she have to lose? If all he wanted was to be friends while they were both trapped here,  \nthen wouldn't it be better to have one more friend in this terrible place than yet another enemy.  \nEllie nodded slowly, \"Alright, we can try to get along. I don't know about friends, but in  \ntime, maybe.\"  \n\"Th-thank you, Ellie!\"  \nShe nodded.  \n\"And, uh, I think you'll enjoy the movie I wanted to watch. It's really weird, in a good  \nway.\"  \nEllie smirked, \"Sounds interesting. If you have good taste in movies, I guess hanging out  \nwith you won't be all bad.\"  \nA short while later, they arrived at the glade. The vixen sat down and stretched her legs  \nout on the lush grass that carpeted the sunny gap in the trees.  \n\"Join me, Jason,\" the vixen commanded.  \nJason sat next to her, and she pulled him down across her lap before laying back to  \nbask in the sun.  \n\"We can rest here until the sun dips too far,\" the vixen stated.  \nEllie sat down as far from the vixen as she could get, and Edgar sat next to her. At least  \nthe grass was soft and warm. She ran her hand through it then tore up a clump to sniff: it  \nsmelled good too. She munched a strand and then started on another strand of the fesh sun-  \nwarmed grass.  \n\"Bleck!\"  \nEllie glanced at Edgar, who was wiping a piece of grass off of his tongue.  \nShe smirked, \"You doofus.\"  \nEdgar looked up at her then looked away embarrassedly. She shook her head in  \namusement. Maybe there were some endearing qualities to the whiny pine marten's personality.  \nThey dozed in the warm sun for a few hours until the shadows of the surrounding trees  \nbegan to creep across the glade. Ellie had her eyes closed, but she noticed the feeling of the  \nwarm sunshine leave her face and sat up. The other three were still reclined, and the vixen and  \nJason were still in a sunny part of the glade. Edgar appeared to be sleeping. This was the  \nperfect opportunity to get away. She only needed to slip the leash out of Edgar's hand and  \ncreep away. But what will happen to him if he lets me get away? Ellie found that she was  \ngenuinely concerned for the pine marten's welfare. How would the cruel vixen punish him? I'll  \ncome back as quickly as I can with help to rescue him as well as Jason. Ellie leaned over to the  \npine marten and began to ease the leash out of his hand. His eyes shot open, and Ellie froze.  \nHe looked at her questioningly, and she let go of the leash and sat back, crossing her arms over  \nher knees frustratedly.  \n\"Sorry,\" he whispered. \"Part of me wishes you did get away.\"  \n\"You could let me go,\" she murmured under her breath.  \nHe shook his head slowly. A short while later, the vixen and Jason sat up.  \n\"Let's head back,\" the vixen decided. \"Gustav will have dinner for us before too long.\"  \nThe vixen led them back to the manor, her hand clasped with Jason's. At one point, she  \nturned her head to nuzzle his ear, and he reciprocated the gesture by nuzzling her neck. Ellie  \ngrimaced at the affectionate exchange. How could Jason forget what she'd done? What she'd  \ndone to him?!  \nEventually, they returned to the manor, approaching from the East side. Ellie noticed a  \nstone staircase tucked beside the house descending down to the basement. That must be  \nwhere the other door in the basement goes. She should have used that door instead of trying to  \nleave by the front. She might have easily slipped away into the woods. Also on the East side of  \nthe manor, tucked into the woods beside it was a forest green pole barn. The gravel driveway  \nextended to its entrance, so presumably that was the garage. She wondered whether her car  \nwas inside.  \n\"What did you do with my car?\" she called up to the vixen.  \nThe vixen turned to glance back at her, \"It's in there.\" She nodded toward the barn.  \n\"Locked of course.\"  \nEllie had a spare key stuck to the frame, so if she could only get to her car-  \n\"We found your spare key too by the way,\" the vixen added casually.  \nShit.  \n\"Ellie likes to drive,\" Jason told the vixen.  \nThe vixen glanced back at her again, \"Well, perhaps when I can trust you not to ram us  \ninto a tree, I'll let you take me for a drive sometimes.\"  \nThey entered through the front door, and the vixen popped into the kitchen before  \nreturning to the entryway.  \n\"We have an hour before dinner,\" she informed them. \"Let's have some drinks and a  \nquick game of cards.\"  \nShe led them to the conservatory and dug out a pack of playing cards while they sat at  \nthe card table. She sat at the empty seat across from Ellie with Jason on her left and Edgar on  \nher right.  \n\"Do you know how to play Bridge?\" she inquired.  \nAll three of them shook their heads.  \n\"Hmm, how about Euchre?\"  \nEllie thought she had played it a couple of times, so she nodded her head. Jason and  \nEdgar nodded as well.  \n\"Excellent! We'll be partners then, Ellie.\" She started sorting out the cards. \"Does anyone  \nmind if I deal first?\"  \nNo one objected. Ellie might have except that she assumed her partner dealing was a  \ngood thing. How did I get stuck with her? She knew it was because of how they'd sat, but she  \ncould have suggested she switch places with Edgar though somehow she suspected the vixen  \nwouldn't let her. She was going to ask anyway when she was distracted by the fat stoat  \nwaddling into the room with a silver platter carrying four wine glasses and a green bottle of wine.  \nHe set the glasses in front of them and poured out white wine into each before setting the bottle  \non the table. Ellie turned the bottle to read the label. Sauvignon blanc. She waited until the vixen  \nsipped hers before sipping the dry wine herself.  \n\"Thank you, Gustav,\" the vixen chirped. \"I'll send Edgar if we need anything else.\"  \nThe stoat bowed slightly and turned to leave.  \n\"Alright, let's get started!\" the vixen declared cheerfully. \"Is everyone enjoying their  \ndrink?\"  \nJason and Edgar nodded. Ellie bobbed her head once. It was decent wine, and the vixen  \nhad done nothing but buy it. It wasn't really a compliment to her to acknowledge it tasted good.  \nThe vixen seemed pleased with their affirmation anyway, smiling cheerfully, \"Have as  \nmuch as you want. I'll have Gustav bring us another bottle if we need more.\"  \nEllie thought that would be excessive. She wasn't about to get inebriated while she was  \nat this sick fox's mercy. One glass would be more than enough. The vixen sipped her wine  \nagain then dealt the cards, flipping the king of spades in front of herself at the end.  \n\"Pass,\" Jason said.  \n\"So I can either pass or tell you to pick it up and then spades would be trump, right?\"  \nEllie clarified. It had been a while since she played.  \n\"That's correct,\" the vixen confirmed pleasantly. \"And if it gets to me and I turn it down,  \nthen we go around again, and someone can pick a trump other than spades.\"  \n\"And jacks are high, right?\"  \n\"Only in trump. The jack of the suit is highest, and the jack of the same color is second.\"  \nEllie nodded; she remembered how to play now. She glanced at her hand: jack of  \nspades, ace of spades, ten of spades, and king and queen of hearts. \"Pick it up.\"  \nThe vixen exchanged the card with one from her hand. Jason led the ace of diamonds,  \nand Ellie trumped it with the ten. He frowned, and Ellie smirked. She wondered if he was any  \nbetter at this than Gin. Ellie led and took Jason's jack of clubs with her jack and then picked up  \nthe remaining trump with her ace. She hoped no one had the ace of hearts, leading her king. It  \nmade it around, and Ellie grinned.  \n\"This one should be good too then,\" she played her queen.  \n\"I have it actually,\" the vixen stated as she played her ace of hearts. \"But well done.  \nThat's two points for us.\" She adjusted their six and four of diamonds to reflect their score.  \nJason collected the cards as it was his turn to deal. They continued to play. It was a  \nclose game with all of them showing they knew how to play competently. Even Jason seemed to  \nrecognize the importance of keeping track of cards, which was made easier by the reduced size  \nof the deck. However, Ellie and the vixen ultimately won ten to eight.  \nEllie grinned and gulped her wine, \"Ahh, another card game I can beat you at, eh,  \nJason?\" she teased.  \n\"It was close,\" he grumbled.  \n\"Perhaps you'll win if we play again sometime,\" the vixen agreed cheerfully. She smiled  \nat Ellie. \"It was nice having you as my partner. You played well. I wasn't sure you knew how.\"  \n\"I've played a couple times. I only needed a reminder.\"  \n\"Impressive. You must be quite the card shark.\"  \nEllie smirked and downed the rest of her wine, \"You could, urp, say that.\"  \nThe vixen picked up the bottle, \"Why don't you have a second glass? We still have a few  \nminutes before dinner.\"  \nEllie was about to agree, but Jason nudged her, \"I think you've had enough. That was a  \nbig glass for someone your size.\"  \nRight! I was only going to have one. \"Er, I think Jason is right,\" Ellie replied.  \nThe vixen shrugged, \"Alright.\" She topped off her own glass.  \nA few minutes later, the fat stoat popped his head in to let them know dinner was ready,  \nand they moved to the dining room. Ellie found that even the one glass had made her fairly  \ntipsy. That was a big glass, fox sized. However, she managed to make it to her seat unaided.  \nThe stoat served her a medley of roasted acorn squash, zucchini, and red bell pepper seasoned  \nwith salt and marjoram.  \n\"It smells interesting,\" Edgar commented.  \n\"There's stuff here you could try,\" Ellie noted. \"It isn't like the grass you tried this  \nafternoon.\"  \n\"Heh, right,\" Edgar murmured embarrassedly.  \nThe vixen giggled, \"Heeheeheehee, my goodness, Edgar. Do you like your new bunny  \nfriend so much that you decided you want to be one?\"  \n\"I-I just wanted to know what it tastes like, Your Grace,\" he explained nervously.  \nShe grinned slyly, \"Well, if you do decide you want to be a bunny, let me know, and I'll  \ngive you the full treatment.\"  \nEdgar trembled and looked down at his plate, \"Y-yes, Your Grace,\" he whimpered.  \nEllie glared at the vixen, \"Does everything make you think about murdering people, or is  \nit just always on your mind?\"  \n\"I was having a little joke with Edgar. There's no need to get upset about it,\" the vixen  \nresponded mildly.  \n\"Except that the punchline is that you like to kill people like me!\"  \nThe vixen shrugged, \"I do. I'd like to kill you too, but I won't. You're more entertaining to  \nme alive.\"  \n\"Exactly! That's all that matters to you! Your sick entertainment!\"  \n\"Not all. Let's not have this unpleasant argument again. I'm starting to like you. Don't  \nspoil it.\"  \n\"I don't care if you like me,\" Ellie growled.  \n\"You should,\" she stated matter-of-factly. \"You live in my house now. Don't you think  \nyour life will be better if you stay on my good side?\"  \nEllie scoffed, \"Is that the side that likes manipulating people or the side that likes cutting  \nthem up?\"  \n\"Your friend knows what I mean,\" the vixen dismissed. \"I'm not going to argue further.\"  \nEllie snorted contemptuously and glanced at Jason, who looked embarrassed. \"You  \ndon't actually think she has a good side, do you?\" Ellie demanded.  \n\"She, she can be alright, Ellie. She isn't always mean. Didn't you have fun while we were  \nplaying cards? You seemed to be.\"  \n\"So what, Jason?! Is being able to act like a normal person for an hour proof that  \nsomeone isn't all bad?\"  \nJason looked down at his food, \"Can we talk about this later? When you're sober?\"  \nEllie scoffed, \"Right, so I'm the one at fault because I drank more than I should have, not  \nthe murderer. Makes sense.\"  \nJason didn't respond and kept his eyes on his plate. The vixen reached over to squeeze  \nhis hand.  \n\"I think maybe you should wait until the alcohol wears off,\" Edgar murmured to her. \"Your  \nfriend is only trying to make the best of things.\"  \nEllie rolled her eyes but didn't continue the discussion. It was pointless if Jason wasn't  \ngoing to participate. They ate in silence a few minutes before the vixen broached conversation  \nagain.  \n\"Are you enjoying your food more after speaking with Gustav, Ellie?\"  \nEllie bobbed her head once.  \n\"That's good. How about you, Jason? Are you enjoying the mutton?\"  \nHe paused worriedly, \"It's, uh, lab grown, isn't it?\"  \n\"It is.\"  \n\"It's good. Thank you, Your Grace.\"  \n\"It's been nice getting to know the two of you the past couple days,\" the vixen went on. \"I  \nhope we'll get to know each other better still. I think the two of you will make fine additions to my  \nodd little family here.\"  \nFamily! Ellie didn't want to think of herself as any kind of relation to this monster.  \n\"Thank you, Your Grace. I'm glad you feel we'll fit in here,\" Jason replied.  \nZeus blast me! Edgar nudged her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up  \ngrumpily to see him smiling affectionately at her. Apparently, he liked the idea. Ellie sighed  \nwearily. How was it that she was the only sane person in this place? Despite her frustration, she  \ntried to give the pine marten a little smile in return. He had plenty of issues, but at least he saw  \nthat what the vixen was doing was wrong. Jason knows that too. He had to know that too, but  \nwhile Edgar seemed to have become less comfortable with it, Jason seemed to have become  \nmore comfortable. At least more comfortable with her. Ellie didn't believe that Jason would  \ncompliantly watch someone suffer the way the pine marten had, but would he get to that point of  \nacceptance? Ellie worried that he was on his way.  \nOnce they had finished eating, Ellie pushed her chair back to get up. She was ready for  \nbedtime to be here; she'd certainly had enough of the vixen for one day.  \n\"I believe Gustav has prepared us some dessert unless you're too full,\" the vixen piped.  \nEllie sighed and scooted her chair back in. A few minutes later, the fat stoat returned and  \nserved them each a piece of cherry pie.  \n\"Would anyone like vanilla ice cream with that?\" he asked jovially.  \nThe vixen raised her hand as did Edgar.  \n\"Uh, no thanks,\" Jason answered.  \n\"I don't eat dairy,\" Ellie muttered.  \n\"No problem, Dear,\" the vixen responded. \"We have almond-based as well. Johann is  \nlactose-intolerant.\"  \n\"Uh, I guess I'll have that then, thanks,\" Ellie told the stoat.  \nHe smiled warmly and waddled off back to the kitchen. Ellie inspected the pie: she  \ncouldn't deny that it smelled delicious. She cut off a piece with her fork and transferred it to her  \nmouth. The sweet and tangy flavors washed over her tongue as she chewed. She swallowed  \nand couldn't resist a smile of delight. This is amazing pie!  \n\"It's interesting,\" Jason commented. \"I'm probably not getting the full experience. Does  \nsomeone else want mine?\"  \n\"I'll take it!\" Ellie piped before anyone else could claim it.  \nJason pushed his plate across to her.  \n\"I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it, Jason,\" the vixen said.  \n\"He doesn't like any dessert!\" Ellie declared. \"Cats can't taste sweet.\"  \n\"Oh! I didn't know that!\" the vixen responded in surprise. \"I'll ask Gustav to try to think of  \ntreats you'll enjoy.\"  \n\"Or you can just give his to me,\" Ellie jested.  \nThe vixen smirked, \"I'm glad you like it, Ellie.\"  \nThe stoat returned with two cartons of ice cream, giving the vixen and Edgar each a  \nscoop from one and Ellie a scoop from the other.  \n\"Give me a scoop for my second piece too,\" Ellie requested.  \nThe stoat complied with an amused smile. Ellie dug into her dessert. At least the stoat's  \ncooking was one good thing about living with the awful vixen. He seemed friendly too. Ellie  \nwondered how these seemingly pleasant people could work for such a monster.  \nBy the time Ellie finished her dessert, she was stuffed. She sat back in her chair with a  \ncontented sigh. The stoat returned to take their plates.  \nHe eyed Ellie amusedly, \"It's always satisfying to see someone enjoy your cooking. Was  \neverything to your liking, Miss Ellie?\"  \n\"Mmhm, and that pie was incredible. How did you make it so good?\"  \nHe winked, \"That's my own little secret, but if you come help pit cherries sometime, I'll  \nshow you.\" He collected Edgar's plate, and waddled back to the kitchen.  \n\"And now, I think you may want to take that shower I promised you, Ellie,\" the vixen  \nremarked. \"Then you'll have plenty of time to watch Edgar's movie.\"  \nEllie eyed Jason lasciviously, \"I know a certain kitty who needs to take one too. What do  \nyou say we hop in together, Jason?\"  \nJason grimaced, \"Haven't I been through enough?\" he whined. \"You know I don't like to  \nget wet.\"  \n\"Phooey! You agreed to take one every week when we were living together. It's been  \nover a week for me, and that means it's been even longer for you.\"  \n\"But that was-\"  \n\"You really should if you said you would, Jason,\" the vixen put in. \"You shouldn't break  \nyour word.\"  \nEllie blinked. The vixen was taking her side? She wasn't sure she wanted her to. \"You  \ndid say you would, Jason,\" she reiterated. \"Besides, it will be fun! I can't wait to help lather you  \nup!\"  \nThe vixen grinned, \"How can you turn down an offer like that, Jason? If you don't want to  \nhelp wash Ellie's back, I'll be happy to.\"  \nEllie frowned. She definitely didn't want to take a shower with the vixen. She regarded  \nthe vixen warily but then noticed a twinkle of amusement in her amber eyes. She turned back to  \nJason and put on an expression of mock horror. \"You aren't going to leave me with her are  \nyou?!\" she gasped.  \nJason sank resignedly in his seat, \"Fine, I'll take one with you,\" he grumbled.  \nEllie hopped out of her seat, \"Right, let's go!\"  \nThe vixen stood as well and bent down to take Ellie's leash. \"Let's get this off of you first.  \nCome one, Jason.\"  \nJason stood slowly, and the vixen led them out toward the entryway, but she turned back  \nto look at Edgar, who was still seated at the table.  \n\"I'll see you in a few minutes, Edgar,\" she intoned.  \nEdgar squirmed nervously in his seat. Ellie hoped he wasn't in trouble for something.  \nThe vixen led them up to her bedroom where she unlocked and put away the collar and then  \nremoved Ellie's dress, dropping it in the clothes hamper in her closet.  \n\"I think it rather suited you, Ellie,\" she stated. \"I'd like to see you in some of my other old  \ndresses if you don't mind.\"  \nGreat, so now I'm her doll? \"If it's really up to me, then I'd prefer not.\"  \n\"That's too bad. I thought it looked cute on you, didn't you, Jason?\"  \n\"Er, it looked nice,\" Jason answered cautiously.  \n\"Of course it looked cute on me,\" Ellie declared. \"I always look cute, don't I, Jason?\"  \n\"I, uh, guess so.\"  \n\"You only guess so?!\" the vixen gasped in mock shock. She swept Ellie up across her  \narms and held her under Jason's nose. \"Look at how adorable she is! Can you honestly say you  \ndon't want to hug and snuggle her?!\"  \n\"I-I do!\"  \nThe vixen grinned, \"Well, here you go then.\" She lowered Ellie into Jason's arms. \"The  \ntwo of you have fun in the shower.\"  \nJason frowned, and Ellie smirked up at him.  \nThe vixen ushered him down the hall to the bathroom with Ellie in his arms, following  \nthem in. \"Like I told Ellie, I'll have to watch to make sure you don't jump out the window, but I  \nwon't keep too close an eye. Actually,\" she turned toward the tub. \"I could use a bath myself. Do  \nyou mind if I take a bath while you shower?\"  \n\"I guess not,\" Jason answered.  \n\"Alright, you'll want to wait until I fill the tub so that I don't steal your hot water. The tank  \nis plenty big, but you know plumbing, can't have hot water pressure there if it's already pouring  \nout here.\"  \nJason set Ellie on the floor. \"Alright, we can wait.\"  \nEllie was sure he was grateful for the reprieve regardless how short.  \n\"I think I'll have bubbles,\" the vixen remarked.  \nShe took a green bottle from a rack hooked over the back side of the tub and poured  \nsome of the pinkish liquid into the bottom of the porcelain tub. As she filled the tub with warm  \nwater, the rose scent of the bubble bath filled the room. Finally, she shut off the water, removed  \nher dress, and climbed in, facing the shower. She slipped down til only her head was showing  \nabove the bubbles and gave a contented sigh. Jason stared at the sloshing bubbles nervously.  \n\"What is it, Jason?\" the vixen inquired. \"Would you rather climb in with me instead?\"  \nJason started back in horror.  \nEllie smirked, \"He seems tempted. Luckily for me, he already decided on the shower.\"  \nThe vixen grinned, \"Go on then. We'll take a bath some other time, Jason.\"  \nEllie thought Jason looked like he'd rather try his luck jumping out the high window. She  \nsnatched his tail and tugged him toward the shower. He reluctantly allowed her to lead him to  \nthe glass-doored cell. Ellie adjusted the bronze knobs until the water was a soothing, steamy  \nspray from the wide, bronze head. She tugged Jason in and closed the transparent glass door.  \nFortunately, the condensation quickly fogged up the glass, so the vixen wouldn't be able to see  \nmore than their silhouettes. Jason huddled in the back left corner as far from the spray as he  \ncould get.  \nEllie stepped into the relaxing torrent and beckoned Jason, \"Come on, silly kitty. You  \nwon't get clean over there.\"  \nHe moaned and crept forward to the edge of the streams. Ellie grabbed his hand and  \nyanked him under, and he let out a yowl of protest before standing miserably as the water  \npoured over him. Ellie turned back to the shower, letting the water spray her face. She kept her  \neyes closed as the hot, soothing water rinsed away the week's worth of grime from her skin and  \nfur. Jason continued to groan intermittently behind her, but Ellie didn't let him spoil the  \nrejuvenating experience.  \nEllie enjoyed the hot water for several minutes, but finally, she decided it was time to  \ntake a break to lather up. She shut off the water and looked around for the shampoo. The black  \nbottle was on a bronze rack in the back right corner, too high for Ellie to reach easily.  \n\"Grab the shampoo, would you, Jason.\"  \nHe complied and handed the bottle to her. She popped open the cap and sniffed: lilac. I  \nguess it can't be helped smelling a little like her when we have to use the same toiletries. Ellie  \nsqueezed some out onto her hand and set the bottle on the white marble floor.  \n\"I'll do you first,\" she told him. \"Crouch down so I can get your head.\"  \nJason crouched down and shut his eyes tight, and Ellie smeared the slimy liquid on his  \nhead and began to work it into a lather. When she was finished with his head and neck, she  \nturned the water back on. Jason yelped in surprise as the water suddenly sprayed him, but then  \nallowed it to rinse away the shampoo. Ellie shut it back off and picked up the bottle to squeeze  \nout more of the sweet-scented liquid.  \nEllie grinned, \"Now comes the part where I get to have some fun with my handsome  \nkitty.\"  \nShe began to work the shampoo into his chest, her fingers kneading over every inch of  \nhim as she worked. She frowned as she felt his ribs protruding sharply underneath his thick fur.  \nMy poor sweet kitty. It would take time for him to recover from the horrific ordeal that monster  \nhad put him through. Ellie wrapped her arms around him and pressed her nose into his sudsy  \nchest.  \n\"I'm so sorry for what you went through, Jason,\" she murmured.  \nHe patted her back, \"It's over now, Ellie, and you're still by my side. That's what's  \nimportant.\"  \n\"Forever, Jason. Whatever happens, I won't leave you.\" After a few seconds, she pulled  \naway. \"Better finish up before we get cold.\"  \nShe went back to lathering him up, doing his arms and his back and then his legs and  \ntail. She worked her way back up toward his rear, and she felt a tingle of anticipation as she  \napproached his sensitive bits. Ellie got a final blob of shampoo and smeared it over his  \nmuscular rump. Working in the shampoo, she moved her kneading fingers down until she  \nreached her hands around his scrotum, gently kneading in the shampoo as she fondled his  \ntesticles. He shifted embarrassedly, and she grinned mischievously as she continued to gently  \nsqueeze the tender organs between her fingers. She moved up to wash around the hole for his  \npenis and gently poked a claw through to touch the sensitive member.  \nHe started, \"Ellie!\" he protested.  \n\"Maybe you ought to put it out where I can touch it easier,\" she returned.  \nFinally, she gave his anus a good scrub and turned the shower back on to rinse her  \nhands. She stood in the steamy streams, warming back up while Jason rinsed off. When he was  \ndone, she shut it back off.  \n\"Now it's my turn,\" she stated. She picked up the bottle and handed it to him.  \nHe copied her method, starting with her head and neck then rinsing before continuing  \nwith the rest of her body. Ellie felt a warm glow of contentment and affection as his fingers  \ngently caressed her body.  \nHe chuckled lightly as he ran his fingers over her still distended stomach, \"Heheh, I  \nguess you got enough to eat tonight.\"  \n\"I needed it after all that grass,\" she replied lightly.  \nHe nuzzled her ear, \"I'm glad there's at least one thing to make this a little bit easier for  \nyou.\"  \nAfter finishing the rest of her, he massaged her scut and then moved down to gently  \nknead his fingers over her vulva and finally her anus, sending tingles of stimulation up Ellie's  \nloins. However, it was over far too quickly, and he turned the water back on and stood aside  \nwhilst Ellie rinsed off. When she was rinsed, Ellie shut off the water and turned to wrap her arms  \naround her kitty.  \n\"You'll be waiting when I get in tonight, won't you, Sweetheart?\" she murmured  \nmeaningfully.  \nJason smiled lovingly and stroked her wet head, \"Always, Ellie.\"  \nThey stepped out onto the pink rug, and the vixen smiled at them. She was still reclined  \nin the tub with one foot resting on the left side edge.  \n\"I hope you enjoyed yourselves. Can you bring me the shampoo, Ellie?\"  \nEllie picked up the black bottle and carried it over to the tub. The vixen reached an arm  \nup out of the bubbles to accept it.  \n\"Thank you, Ellie. Towels and the blow dryer are in the cabinet on your left.\" The tub  \nsloshed suddenly and some of the water splashed out on the floor, causing Ellie to hop back in  \nsurprise. \"Oops, sorry, Dear.\" The vixen set aside the shampoo and lowered her arm back  \nunder the foam.  \nWas she trying to splash me? Ellie turned back toward Jason and the cabinet when a  \ngiant splash and gasp issued from the tub. Jason shot into the air, and Ellie whipped around:  \nEdgar was sitting up in the middle of the tub, facing the vixen.  \n\"You startled our guests, Edgar,\" the vixen chided amusedly.  \nEdgar looked around embarrassedly, \"Er, um, I'm sorry.\"  \nEllie gawked at the pine marten. Was he just-? Ellie could imagine what he'd been doing  \nunder the water.  \nHe smiled nervously, \"Uh, hi, Ellie. Did you have a nice shower?\"  \n\"I'm sure she did,\" the vixen answered for her. She reached her hand out of the water  \nand put it on his head. \"Ready?\"  \nEdgar turned back to the vixen and nodded, and she guided him back beneath the foam.  \n\"Mmhuh,\" she stretched her leg on the side of the tub. \"Go ahead and get dried off you  \ntwo. I'll have Edgar ready for you in a little bit, Ellie.\"  \nEllie turned back awkwardly toward Jason. She kept her eyes averted and tried to ignore  \nthe vixen as they wiped off, but it was impossible when she could hear her gasps and moans of  \npleasure interrupted intermittently by Edgar coming up for air. Thankfully, the blow dryer  \ndrowned out the vixen's sounds, but Ellie still knew what was going on just across the room. I  \nthought he was becoming less comfortable with her, but now he's pleasuring her? Whether or  \nnot the pine marten accepted that killing prey was wrong, he was all too apparently still devoted  \nto the cruel fox. And she wanted to make sure I knew that. She knew I had changed his mind  \nand wanted to demonstrate that she's still in control. When they had both blown each other dry,  \nEllie turned back awkwardly toward the vixen: she was wearing an expression of perfect bliss  \nwhile the water occasionally sloshed gently indicating the pine marten's continued activity  \nbeneath the surface.  \n\"Should, uh, we go somewhere else?\" Ellie asked.  \nThe vixen shook her head slowly, \"We're, mmm-ah, almost done.\"  \nEdgar popped up again with a splash and a gasp. The vixen lifted her arms out of the  \nwater and took his face between her hands.  \n\"Same time tomorrow, Sweetie?\" she crooned.  \nEdgar smiled embarrassedly, \"I-if that's what you want, Your Grace.\"  \nShe stroked his head, \"I'd let you keep going, but you promised Ellie a movie. Maybe  \nwe'll try it in bed tomorrow.\"  \n\"In your bed, Your Grace?!\" he asked excitedly.  \n\"Mmhm, would you like that, Edgar?\"  \n\"Yes, Your Grace! A-and afterward, can I spend the night?\"  \nThe vixen grinned wide, \"If you do as good a job as today, I'll cuddle you as long as you  \nwant.\"  \nEllie thought the pine marten looked like he might weep with joy.  \n\"Th-thank you, Your Grace!\"  \nZeus! It's only sex! She wasn't even planning to reciprocate the oral as far as Ellie could  \ntell. The pine marten was awfully excited to have the opportunity to lick fox vagina again. If Ellie  \nhad only been willing to use sex in such an underhanded way, she could have easily given him  \nsomething to be more ecstatic about and eliminated the vixen's advantage. But she wasn't, and  \neven if she had been, she would have had to jeopardize her relationship with Jason to do it.  \nHow was Ellie supposed to convince the vixen's servants with reason when her opponent had  \nno scruples whatsoever?  \n\"You'd better get dried off now so that you don't keep your little friend waiting,\" the vixen  \ninstructed.  \nEdgar climbed out of the tub and slopped over to the cabinet to get a towel. He smiled at  \nEllie embarrassedly as he passed, \"I'll only be a couple minutes.\" After he had wiped and blow-  \ndried himself, the pine marten shook out his messy fur. \"Alright, let's go, Ellie!\"  \nHe scurried toward the door, and both Jason and Ellie followed.  \n\"You can stay in here with me, Jason,\" the vixen corrected.  \nJason halted, \"See you later then, Ellie.\"  \n\"See you,\" she followed Edgar, who closed the door behind them.  \nEdgar galloped down the curving stairs all the way to the basement. I could try shoving  \nhim in the cell again and escape through the other door. However, Ellie would have had to think  \nof a pretense for them to go to the cell as Edgar led them through the door beside the one for  \nthe stairs. Moreover, she wasn't sure she wanted to betray the friendly pine marten like that  \nagain. Even if he is that monster's sycophant. She let him lead her back to one of the rooms,  \nwhich was apparently his bedroom: the small, concrete room held a twin bed, a small tv, and a  \nbookshelf with a few books and a few dozen DVDs.  \n\"You don't mind watching it in here, do you, Ellie?\"  \n\"Uh, actually, I'd prefer it if we watched it upstairs in the living room.\"  \n\"Oh, okay.\" He selected the DVD case then grabbed the player. \"We can stop by Boots'  \nroom to see if he can grab us a bigger tv.\"  \n\"On second thought, we should watch it in here. I don't want to trouble Boots,\" Ellie  \namended hastily. The last thing she wanted was more attention from the enormous creature,  \nwhatever the vixen had said he was.  \nEdgar shrugged and put the player back before inserting the disc and grabbing the  \nremote. He scurried over to the bed to quickly pull up the sheets and prop up his pillow  \nlengthwise against the white painted cinder block wall. He climbed up to sit on the edge and  \npatted the space to his left.  \nEllie sighed and climbed up, squeezing into the space between him and the side wall.  \nThe bed smelled like his sweet musk. This was an awfully intimate arrangement for--not even--  \njust friends, but as long as he didn't try anything funny, Ellie supposed she could tolerate it. I  \nshould have grabbed a scalpel from the counter in the other room, just in case. Edgar turned on  \nthe tv and started the movie. The movie turned out to be a Japanese fantasy horror movie  \ncalled House, which featured a haunted house that devoured a group of schoolgirls in absurd  \nways. What could have been a dumb movie was made highly entertaining by the surreal and  \nzaney effects. Ellie enjoyed the movie thoroughly.  \nWhen the movie ended, Edgar lifted his arm from where he'd draped it over her  \nshoulders and ran her left ear through his hand. Ellie turned to him to warn him about getting too  \nintimate but hesitated when she saw him gazing at her fondly.  \n\"I'm glad we're friends, Ellie,\" he murmured.  \nEllie wasn't sure they were friends yet, but she didn't contradict him.  \n\"And, and even though it's not your choice, I'm glad you're staying with us. You helped  \nme see I was wrong about prey.\"  \n\"I'm glad I helped change your mind, but you realize why I don't want to stay here, right?  \nYour boss is a vicious murderer. She even said she'd like to murder me, just today,\" Ellie  \nreminded.  \n\"Sh-she also said she wouldn't! And that she's starting to like you! I, I think you should  \ngive her a chance. She can be,\" He sighed, \"She can be wonderful sometimes.\"  \nEllie frowned, \"Don't you see how she was only manipulating you? She didn't do that out  \nof affection, she only wants to make sure you'll do what she says.\"  \nEdgar frowned, \"You don't know her like I do! She cares for her servants, and, um, being  \nwith her like that, getting to be intimate like that, i-it reminded me of how kind she's always  \nbeen.\"  \n\"But she murders people, Edgar,\" Ellie emphasized. He had to see the contradiction.  \n\"I know she does,\" he murmured. \"A-and I know it's wrong. You helped me see I always  \nknew that. But I don't, I couldn't hate her.\"  \n\"She's evil, Edgar! Murder is evil!\"  \n\"Then what about you, Ellie?\"  \n\"I've never murdered anyone!\"  \n\"But you'd like to murder her!\" he accused. \"You, you even said I should murder her! I  \nowe her so much! How could repaying her like that not be evil?!\"  \n\"I said I understand if you can't do it, Edgar, and that's why. I know you feel you owe her,  \nbut you don't. She's only ever manipulated you. She doesn't care. Killing her would be  \npreventing more innocent people from being murdered.\"  \n\"Y-you're wrong, Ellie! She does care! You only think she doesn't because, because you  \nassume she must be wholly evil. She was right: y-you see things in black and white. Her  \nmurders are wrong, but she, she's capable of good too.\"  \nEllie scoffed, \"Good like being civil while playing cards for an hour?\"  \n\"What about the family of mice?!\"  \n\"Oh Zeus! She killed an entire family!?\"  \n\"N-no! That's the point! We all thought she was going to kill them, but she didn't harm  \nthem! She, she treated them well and let them go. M-more than that, she kept two of the  \nsmallest mice longer, and she treated them with, with the tenderest care! I've never seen her so  \ngentle as with those two little mice!\"  \n\"So what? That doesn't make up for all of the people she did kill.\"  \n\"I-it doesn't, but don't you see how, how it shows she isn't wholly evil? She's capable of  \ngood! You want to kill her! What if we, what if you can reform her? You might be the best person  \nto do it! You're prey, and she's already starting to like you. You can remind her that prey, uh,  \nthat it's wrong to kill them! She wasn't born a murderer! You could help her be good again!\"  \nThe whole thing sounded preposterous, but Ellie didn't know how to refute it when she  \ndidn't know the full story with the mice. Had the vixen actually been kind to them? What did it  \nmean if she had? Edgar wanted to believe there was some glimmer of goodness inside her.  \nCould Ellie prove that there wasn't? Maybe she really did care for her staff in a way. Did that  \nmean she wasn't evil? No! Her actions showed her for what she was: cruel and manipulative, a  \nvicious murderer. So what if she was nice to a few people too? But what if you could reform  \nher? Ellie pushed the thought aside: it wasn't her job to pursue an almost definitely impossible  \ntask. She needed to get away, bring the vixen to justice. If she could be reformed, that was the  \njob of the justice system, but in the meantime, the public had to be protected. She shook her  \nhead slowly, \"She'll keep murdering people. You have to realize that eventually.\"  \n\"C-can't you at least try?! Try to, to get along with her! She might see you're kind, like I  \ndo!\"  \n\"Or she might take the opportunity to torment me more.\"  \n\"Please, Ellie! I-I know you can do it! You're brave! I, I'll help you anyway I can!\"  \nEllie sighed. Clearly, there was no getting through to the pine marten at this point. \"I'll try  \nnot to fight with her,\" Ellie conceded. \"At the very least, I won't start it.\"  \n\"Th-thank you, Ellie!\" Edgar pulled her up onto his lap and hugged her tight.  \n\"Hey!\"  \nHe ignored her protest and nuzzled her head, \"I know you can do it, Ellie!\" he murmured.  \n\"You, you'll help her, and, and then we'll all be happy together, a big family, like she said.\"  \nEllie grimaced at the idea. What was the vixen then? Her aunt? She struggled to get  \naway from the pine marten, but he wouldn't let go. \"Let go, Edgar!\" she growled.  \n\"We're friends now, Ellie. I-isn't it okay to hug each other?\"  \n\"I'll let you hug me as much as you want,\" Ellie growled softly, dangerously. \"But first I  \nwant you to come lie on the surgery table. There's a couple pesky bits that need removed.\"  \nEdgar quickly let go of her, \"S-sorry! I-I guess that's too much too soon!\"  \nEllie rolled off of him and onto the floor. \"Thanks for showing me the movie. I liked it. I'm  \ngoing to bed now,\" she stated matter-of-factly.  \nShe strode for the door, and Edgar jumped up to follow her. She led him back to the cell  \nand opened the door: Jason was already inside.  \n\"Goodnight, Ellie,\" he murmured. He gently pushed her through and closed the door  \nbehind her.  \nEllie sighed. Jason patted the bed next to him, and Ellie hopped up to join him. Edgar or  \nthe vixen seemed to have kept his promise as there was now a full set of fresh sheets on the  \nslab.  \nJason gave her a concerned look, \"Is everything okay, Ellie? Didn't you have a good  \ntime watching your movie?\"  \n\"I thought I was getting through to him, Jason,\" she muttered. \"He knows what she's  \ndoing is wrong, but he's still devoted to her, now maybe more than ever.\"  \nJason pulled her up onto his lap and hugged her, \"I'm sorry, Ellie. I know it's frustrating  \nfor you living with her. Maybe you should try not to think about what she does.\"  \n\"How can I not think about it, Jason?! She cracks jokes about it all the time, especially  \nabout me!\"  \n\"Well, then don't respond. Don't give her a reaction, and she may get bored. It's only  \ngoing to keep frustrating you anyway, arguing with her, arguing with them. If they weren't  \ndevoted to her, they wouldn't be here. Anyone can see that what she does is terrible.\"  \n\"I have to try, Jason! I almost got through to Edgar. I could get through to one of the  \nothers!\"  \nJason hugged her again, \"It's too dangerous, Ellie. What do you think would happen if  \nyou succeeded in flipping one of them? Only one against all the rest? Unless it was the human,  \nit wouldn't end well for them or you.\"  \n\"What do you think I should do then?!\" Ellie demanded.  \n\"Just be patient. We'll get away eventually. Try to get along until then. I know she likes to  \ntease you, but I know you can handle it. You're strong enough to take a few juvenile barbs, and  \nif you show her they don't affect you, she may stop.\"  \n\"You sound like Edgar,\" she grumbled. \"'Get along.' She's a murderer! She starved you!  \nHow can you forget that?!\"  \n\"I don't forget it, Ellie. That's why I want to get along with her. I can't go through that  \nagain.\"  \n\"I'm sorry, Jason,\" Ellie murmured. \"I know it was horrible for you. It was horrible for me  \ntoo, but do you have to, to cozy up with her? To nuzzle her?\"  \n\"Yes, that's what she wants from me.\"  \n\"You could resist a little!\"  \nHe shook his head, \"Have you ever been starving, Ellie? Felt hunger gnawing at your  \nvery being? Fought your every instinct relentlessly because, if you don't, you could kill the  \nperson who means the most to you in the entire world?\"  \nEllie could only shake her head. Of course she'd never experienced any of that.  \n\"And even when you think the nightmare is over, when you're finally being fed again,  \nyou're forced to eat people of the very same species as your friend! And you can only think that  \nthey also had people who loved them, who cared about them just as much as you care for her,  \nand it's only because you don't know them that you're complying, that you're allowing yourself to  \nhypocritically eat other rabbits to protect the one you love. Do you realize that, since I've been  \ncooperating, she hasn't made me eat anyone? I know it's bad now, but before was a nightmare I  \ncan't go back to.\"  \n\"I understand, Jason,\" Ellie murmured sympathetically. \"But I'm worried about you. You  \nmake it sound like you're only doing what you have to, but, but what I saw, it looked like you  \nwere enjoying it.\"  \n\"'Enjoying it?' What are you talking about, Ellie?\"  \n\"When she made us cuddle with her on the couch, when we were walking back from the  \nwoods, it didn't look like forced affection: it looked genuine. I'm afraid that, even though you  \nknow what she does is wrong, you're starting to like her, like Edgar.\"  \n\"'Like Edgar?' Is that what this is about, Ellie? You're jealous? I love you! I'm not going to  \nleave you for her, even if she weren't a murderer!\"  \nEllie scowled, \"I'm not jealous, Jason! Don't be an idiot. I'm worried you'll start to accept  \nwhat she does because you think she cares for you. You have to remember what she is and  \nresist her attempts to win your loyalty.\"  \nJason nuzzled her head, \"You don't have to worry, Ellie. I'm not going to forget, and I'm  \nsure if I did, I could count on you to remind me. We know what she is, and we'll get away. But in  \nthe meantime, we need to keep her happy, even if it's degrading. I couldn't lose you, Ellie, not to  \nher and not to the human. That's why I want you to promise me you'll stop arguing with her. It  \ndoesn't help. It only makes her want to hurt you, and you know she's capable of anything.\"  \n\"You want me to snuggle up to her and nuzzle her too,\" Ellie grumbled.  \n\"It wouldn't hurt, but it's not necessary. She likes to be shown affection: it flatters her. But  \nif you can stay positive, that's enough.\"  \nEllie sighed resignedly. Everyone wanted her to cozy up with this murderer. She didn't  \nwant to, but what had resisting gotten her? An infatuated pine marten who still wasn't interested  \nin trying to stop the vixen? Maybe she should try it Jason's way. \"I'll try, Jason, for you.\"  \nHe nuzzled her again, \"Thank you, Ellie.\"  \nEllie slipped out of his arms, \"I'm going to use the toilet and brush my teeth, and then I'm  \nready for bed,\" she stated.  \n\"I already brushed mine. I thought you wanted to, you know.\"  \n\"I'm too exhausted now, Jason. Maybe tomorrow.\" All of the stress of worrying and  \narguing had drained her. Maybe cooperating really would be easier.  \n\"Alright then.\" Jason pushed back the covers and lay facing out, waiting for her to join  \nhim.  \nAfter Ellie relieved herself and brushed her teeth, she climbed up next to him, and he  \npulled her close against his chest. Ellie sighed in contentment: it was good to be back with her  \nsweet kitty. She tucked her head under his chin and closed her eyes. \"Goodnight, Sweetheart.\"  \n\"Goodnight, Cutie Pie.\"  \nEllie grunted her displeasure at the pet name, but she was too tired to argue. She shut  \nher eyes tight, hoping whoever would turn out the bright lights soon. After what seemed like an  \nhour, Ellie realized they must have forgotten and pulled the blankets up over her head, soon  \ndropping into a deep sleep.  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"The Murderess of Maplesburg: Disappearing like Rabbits","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2000284-chapter-21-captivity.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2000804-chapter-23-compliance.json"}}