What The Fox? (Completely Free!)

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The bonfire's flames seemed to stretch for miles into the night sky. There was a saying that the blood of the Lycan burns hotter than the bluest flame. I believed it. The men of the pack wrestled each other for sport. This was no tumble in the mud among squirmy naked men.

The light from the fire reflected off of their claws as men met each other in battle across blood-stained arenas. There was much cheering and drinking of rice wine for every ear that was snipped off, and every eyeball gorged out of its socket. Zurui kept a necklace of the noses that he tore off his foes. A werewolf's nose was his greatest weapon, and to collect it off one's defeated foes, was a mighty prize indeed.

There was a wolf-man whose name I had quickly come to know. He was Zurui's favorite champion, his beta, as some would say. He was known as Dead Fox for the pelt he wore around his neck. He stood almost seven feet tall and had shoulders like a water buffalo. These men were Lycan, and they could transform into their beastly counterparts at will.

I watched as Dead Fox's claws ripped through the bellies of three men. These men were human, war prisoners. I assumed they had no idea what they were going up against. As I watched the crowd laugh with glee as Dead Fox cracked open one of the last remaining human man's skull with the bottom of his foot, I started to understand why Julong and the Imperial City wanted to kill every last one of these wolfish monsters.

"It is an honor to die in battle," Alix told me as he nursed a bag of wine inside a hefty waterskin. He offered me a sip, but I declined. "It's not poisoned," Alix joked.

"Why don't they fight someone with their own abilities?" I asked, staring into the bloody scene before the bonfire. I could feel the heat from the fire, even from where we stood in the darkness. The wolf-men crowded around it without flinching. They could tolerate temperatures more extreme than any mortal could.

"You mean someone like you?" Alix asked with a bitter laugh. "No, my little fox, you would have them all trampled under your feet back when you were at your prime."

I uttered a small "humph," under my breath, but Alix ignored it. He took another swing of his waterskin and then threw the remainder of the contents into my arms. I was about to open my mouth to scold him. I might be his prisoner, but I wasn't his mule to bear his drinking bag around all night.

"You dislike that large guy, don't you? The one that they call Dead Fox? It annoys you to see your brethren so maligned."

"I-it doesn't bother me. I was only thinking of the stupid, helpless humans," I complained because I disliked that smirk on Alix's disgustingly handsome face. He felt like I was hurt that someone had the audacity to name themselves Dead Fox. Perhaps he even fancied that the silver fox that that boar was wearing around his neck might have been a distant relation of mine. Silly boy, I had no such weakness. I was not so easily flustered and angered. All the same, Alix chuckled at me and motioned for me to step aside.

I watched in horror as Alix swaggered his way into the arena. The ring of spectators cleared the way for him. Perhaps he still commanded some semblance of respect for being the heir of the late Alpha.

Zurui suddenly stopped his drinking and merrymaking. He had two half-naked she-wolves on his lap until now, and upon sight of Alix approaching the ring, Zurui shoved both of them off the platform where he was sitting. Both girls fell in a drunken mess of tangled limbs. They moaned the way one would expect two young, lithe, drunk girls trying to seduce a much older man to moan.

"Brother, what is the meaning of this?"

"I'm here to challenge your champion," Alix retorted as he flashed his clawed hand. I noticed that Alix's claws were proportional to his body and, therefore, shorter than Dead Fox's. If Alix meant to challenge Dead Fox to a fight for the position of Alpha of this pack, he was at a distinct disadvantage. Dead Fox had nearly half a foot of reach over him.

"Are you speaking in jest?" Zurui asked. "You have no chance, brother."

"I'm serious," Alix replied and pointed his clawed hand in Zurui's direction. "Either your champion fights me, or you do. What's the matter, little brother? Afraid of a little blood sport?"

"W-what?" Zurui sputtered. "V-v-very well. I only fear for your life, dear brother."