(Archived) Poth Short Stories and One-Shots

My Fine Furred Friend - Chapter 7 (End)

Happy Halloween everyone! Hopefully you all have a good time doing whatever you plan to do~

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"Father...," Goth murmured, trying to subtly hide his bloody cloak behind himself as he sat up on the bed. The newcomer's red pinpricks slid between the young vampire and the young monster, narrowing on the latter. Palette could swear the temperature in the room dropped purely from their gaze.

This is Lord Death?

As they made their way into the room toward Palette, Goth scrambled off the bed and placed himself in their pathway. Raising his hands in a placating gesture, the small vampire shouted, "Father, wait! Let me explain!"

They towered over him, staring silently as he cleared his throat, "This is my friend, Palette. He helped me when a group of game hunters attacked me, but they ended up burning his home down in retaliation and now he has nowhere else to go. So... I offered to let him live with us."

The smaller shuffled nervously when silence met the end of his explanation. Goth's gaze fell to the floor as he muttered, "I'm sorry, Father. I couldn't just abandon him after he helped me and-"

In a flash, Death had wrapped his arms around the younger, pulling them up to his chest and earning a startled squeak. The elder laid his skull upon theirs, breathing out, "Thank the stars that brought you back to me."

"You're... not mad?" Goth inquired cautiously.

The small vampire was swiftly raised up and held aloft as Death yelled, "Of course I'm mad, I'm absolutely furious! Hearing that my son went off on his own again, only to come back covered in his own blood with a tagalong mortal! It has me tempted to raze the village that would commit such atrocities toward my own kin once more!"

The parent glanced toward Palette, sighing as his anger petered out. He brought Goth back down to socket level, "But I know from past experience that violence only begets more violence. Lashing out would make us no better than the ignorant mortals that attack us.

"Just as I have seen proof of great malevolence from mortals, I have also seen proof of great benevolence as well. One small group should not speak for an entire race, and another rampage would only serve to destroy our coven's safety. I would rather we not be forced to relocate again."

The elder pulled his son in for another embrace, his voice taking on a hushed tone as if warding off a curse, "You came back alive and able, that is the most important thing to me... but promise me you will never go off on your own like that ever again. You're all I have left in this world... I don't know what I'd do if I lost you too."

Goth returned the hug, burying his face into his dad's cloak, "I'm sorry, Father, I didn't mean to make you worry. I promise I'll always have someone with me whenever I leave the village in the future."

"That's all I could possibly ask for," The older vampire smiled gratefully. Adjusting Goth in his grip, he approached Palette and asked, "As for you... you are the mortal that helped my son?"

Palette jumped slightly, not expecting to become the center of attention so soon, "Y... yes! My name is Palette Roller, Lord Death sir. Everything Goth said was true... I hope my being here won't cause any problems."

Death crouched down, placing his son next to him and reaching for Palette's tensed shoulder.

Both relaxed when the elder smiled, "Then you have my eternal gratitude for aiding my son and, as long as you don't stir up trouble, my blessing to stay here for as long as you see fit.

"Also, call me Reaper, or Lord Reaper if you must. I prefer the name my late husband coined for me over my given name. It sounds much less morbid."