NOVEL NEXT Chapter 122: Rust's Rebellion
Stahl's voice was breaking as she finished her statement, finding that speaking her self perceived duty at last made her feel weaker than ever. Finding that it made her feel shameful to admit such resentment for what she must do. Rust was taken aback by the confession, finally replying in a more sympathetic tone.
"I know... I know that, Auntie Stahl... We all know that already, at least, dad, pops, and I do... You carry on our family's legacy, and you do it without complaint because it fulfills the expectations placed upon our house... Because it keeps us safe... I just don't want you to have to do it all alone anymore. I could watch your back out there, Aster's too. I could be there if you get hurt, so we don't HAVE to lose anymore of our family. We could fight together, I trust you to keep me safe... I just wish you would trust me to keep you safe also."
Stahl spoke in a near whisper, finding her fight wavering. She didn't have the energy to hold anything back from the cub anymore, so she confessed the truth.
"I do trust you, Rust... I don't trust myself."
The fox sighed in his disappointment before he responded.
"I'm sure you understand why I don't believe you... I don't think I've ever met anyone more sure of themselves in my li-"
The wolf cut him off before he ever finished the sentence.
"It's all an act... It's my way of reassuring myself, Rust... I'm scared all the time that I won't be strong enough. Every single battle, I find myself praying I don't fall, so you never have to take up arms in my stead. So none of my family does..."
The fox found himself a bit relieved he was finally getting a breakthrough. His auntie was being truthful with him. He answered in a calmer voice, returning reason and compassion to the conversation.
"I trust you, Auntie Stahl."
The wolf almost laughed at the statement.
"I don't... I don't know that I could ever let you fight beside me... If... If I failed to protect you, I couldn't live with it... I couldn't live the way my father had to live after letting Sil die beside him in battle. He has nightmares about it all the time, you know? Me and Amboss wake up all the time to the most unimaginable sorrow pouring through our bloodskill as our father writhes in the pain of watching his son die all over again. As he was forced to accept that he wasn't strong enough to keep him alive!"
Rust went completely silent. Stahl kept going anyway.
"My father, the great General Aschefell, wasn't even strong enough to protect his family, and he and Sil are twice the warriors I ever will be... How am I supposed to promise to keep you safe if even he failed on the battlefield? I almost died three times the last battle, you know? Were it not for the orc chief, I wouldn't even be here... Were it not for someone protecting me, I wouldn't still be here. I am not fit to promise any such protection for anyone else if I can not even watch my own back... Please, don't make me promise this, Rust... Don't set me up to fail in a way I can not bear to!" Stahl jumped down from her seat on the boulder, turned back towards the camp, and spoke in a low tone.
"Come on... We need to get some rest."
The wolf made it about four paces before she heard the fox utter out a single word into the darkness.
"Mark."
In a flash, Rust was in front of the wolf, drawing his dagger from the sheath as he slashed forward into the air. Stahl barely managed to leap back as the frustrated fox made his assault. If his auntie wouldn't listen, the cub would just have to make her listen. Before Stahl had even completely secured her footing once more, the fox shouted again.
"Mark!"
Rust was behind the wolf this time, stepping into another slash with his blade, which the experienced wolf turned and caught with her smaller, left-handed sword in a quick parry. Rust wasted not a second.
"Mark!"
The cub emerged on the opposite side once more diving in this time. Stahl was prepared for the maneuver, already turning to intercept the fox with a weak and reserved right hook to the snout. Rust fell on his rear, clutching at his injured muzzle with a cry of surprise. The wolf shouted down at the cub in her agitation.
"KNOCK IT OFF!"
Rust moved his hand from his snout, clenched his dagger tightly, and shouted his own response.
"MARK!"
The fox appeared behind the wolf again, just in time to feel Stahl make a swipe at his footing, knocking him off his feet once again. Stahl reached a hand out and closed a fist around the cub's shirt before he ever hit the ground, preventing the fox from continuing this tiresome game. The wolf spoke slowly as she scowled down into her nephew's eyes, her irritation evident.
"Are you finished yet?"
Rust screamed up at the wolf in desperation.
"NOT EVEN CLOSE!" Rust vainly clutched at his auntie's hand in a useless attempt to free himself from the grip. Stahl only tightened her hold, snatching the cub up a bit more as she brought her gaze closer to the end of the fox's snout, glaring into those blue eyes with her silvery ones as she forcefully, but quietly barked her reply.
"You're acting like a child!"
Rust belted his reply, not finding it in himself to back down.
"And you're acting like a coward! Uncle Sil would have taught me! Uncle Sil would be ashamed to see what a coward his sister has become!" Rust realized he crossed a line just a little too late, but the growl that escaped from his auntie's maw when her ears flared to a point above her head was more than proof enough to that statement.
Rust dropped his own ears flat against his head as he averted his eyes, feeling a twist of guilt in the pit of his stomach for even saying such a thing in his rage. Stahl released her shaky fist without a word, letting the cub fall to the ground as she turned to make her leave back to the camp.
The wolf left the cub behind without another word, knowing her temper had almost gotten the better of her. Rust simply watched the beast walk away with a sharp sense of immediate remorse before he finally found it in himself to call out to Stahl.
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have gone that far... I'm sorry, Stahl..."
The wolf paused in her exit for just a moment. Stahl didn't turn around, and Rust certainly didn't hear the tired sigh of hurt the beast let out before she spoke, but the fox did receive an answer all the same.
"Always jumping behind your opponent is sloppy, predictable, repetitive, and easy to recognize to any soldier with any real experience... You need to learn to change it up..."
The wolf finally turned to look at the cub again before she added the final part at the end, feeling defeated all the while.
"You get an hour... Each night, you'll get one hour to train with me... But I swear, and I do mean by the gods Rust... You'd better listen to every damned word I say from now on... No more back talk. No more fighting me on what I tell you to do. No more questions. I can not answer until we reach your father... Do you understand me? Do we have an agreement?"
Rust was speechless while those words processed in his mind, but the fox donned a look of pure hopefulness as he scrambled to call out his reply.
"Yes, Ma'am! I swear it!"
Stahl was walking away once more, already second guessing if she had made the right decision after all... Already finding herself afraid of what fate may have in store for her nephew. Already finding herself terrified that her instruction could end up getting Rust killed.
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