Sword and Claw

Book Two: Chapter 14

Later, Sora, Maxor, and Garan sat inside a small house, built from sticks. It has three sleeping bags and a carpet. Not too comfortable, but it beat the heat from the outside.

After she removed her shoes to let her bare black feet breathe, Sora sat cross-legged and faced Maxor. "So, why did you betrayed your guild?"

Maxor sipped a green bottle of ale. "You want the full truth or the half-truth?"

"I think we still have enough time to listen."

"Let it all out," said Garan, lying down on his sleeping bag. "As a team, we should leave none of us in the dark."

Maxor sighed. "Nancy and I robbed a treasury in a small town. We didn't know who the loot belonged to until I got capture by a group of thugs. They brought me to their lord, Everest."

"Lord Everest?" Sora asked.

"A bloodthirsty vampire bat, and one of the strongest gangster lords in the countryside." Maxor gulped. "He wanted his treasury back, or else he will torch my guild. I knew we wouldn't stand a chance against him. I tried to reason Barrisk to pay the maniac back, but the damn old badger wouldn't listen. He said, 'No Maxor! It's our code not to return anything! Shut up and drink your beer!'"

Maxor sipped and released his breath of sorrow. "I loved my guild as a family. When I was a pup, Barrisk found me on the streets and raised me. I always respected my fellow thieves and never backstabbed them."

"But you did," Sora added.

Maxor gritted. Tears formed in his eyes. "I did what I had to do! If I didn't return the loot, Lord Everest would have killed us all! So I took the loot and returned to him. I knew my guild would find out and execute me. And explaining to them wouldn't matter." He sipped again. "I whether let them think of me as a traitor than watch Everest burn them alive. But the guilt of betrayal felt worse than death."

Sora narrowed her eyes. "You know what I think is worse than death? Leaving your friends to believe you betrayed them."

Maxor glared back. "You think I had no other choice?"

"You should have been honest with them when you came back. Instead, you were afraid to show up."

Maxor finished his bottle. "Perhaps you're right. I was being a coward, returning here. I thought they will kill me for what I did. Because Barrisk wouldn't listen, I feared he would never give me a chance to explain myself. Perhaps I should thank you for dragging my ass back here."

Sora smiled, kind of pleased she was being a loyal fox girl. Better than being a white wolf who a playboy like an attitude.

Through the door, Nancy stepped in. "Barrisk wants to see you now."