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  A Father's Protection

  Tales of Ferrês, Volume 1

  K.M. Jenkins

  Published by K.M. Jenkins, 2018.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  A FATHER'S PROTECTION

  First edition. August 5, 2018.

  Copyright © 2018 K.M. Jenkins.

  ISBN: 978-1386632450

  Written by K.M. Jenkins.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  A Father’s Protection

  Acknowledgements

  Afterword

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  Further Reading: An Elf, a Dragon, and a God's Intervention

  Also By K.M. Jenkins

  About the Author

  I am dedicating this short story to my three nieces Hailey, Hannah and Hope. I would like to give a shout out to Matt (their father) for helping me experience how protective a father can really be. Love you guys.

  The sound of the waterfall soothed DarkDeath, relaxing him till he found himself dozing on his rock in the sunlight. He stretched his massive body across the rock letting the sun warm his joints. The warmth seeped into him, he started to feel alive as his pain and suffering of old age melted away.

  A Father’s Protection

  The sound of the waterfall soothed DarkDeath, relaxing him till he found himself dozing on his rock in the sunlight. He stretched his massive body across the rock letting the sun warm his joints. The warmth seeped into him, he started to feel alive as his pain and suffering of old age melted away.

  DarkDeath, breathed the watery air relishing its scent. It wasn’t everyday he was able to escape the stress of his leadership. On these days he cherished every moment dreading the second he would be called back to his duties.

  His black fur soaked in the heat making his old joints come alive after the long winter months. This winter seemed to last longer than usual. But, SnowFire told him the lengthening of winter was to do with change on the horizon. Only she would know with her power centered around the cold chilly weather.

  He on the other hand despise winter. The snow was to cold and he was getting to old for running around hunting, protecting his kin in ten feet deep snow. That’s why he was so relaxed, the first rays of sunlight marking summer’s birth excited him.

  DarkDeath, knew that his enjoyment wouldn’t last forever. SnowFire, would call for him shortly with the pups just starting to adventure out of the cave and the yearlings running around causing problems. Things were going to be stressful these next few months. As he suspected the wind blew against his nose, as he took in the scent of his favorite pup. Her mother must have sent her.

  A few moments passed in silence as he waited smelling her coming closer with every gust of wind that blew his way. The underbrush across the lake shook and his yearling BlackMoon crashed into the clearing. She was panting hard as if she ran several miles trying to find him. When she caught her breath she yelped out, “Father, I lost Digger!”

  He closed his eyes for a second letting the last moments of enjoyment seep away. DarkDeath opened his eyes and looked at his hyper pup, “what do you mean you lost Digger?” She whined pressed herself onto her belly as her tail tucked between her legs. Her black fur was similar to his own as he watched her go from pleading for help to begging for forgiveness. The only difference was the moon crest that was white on her chest. This mark was what led her to the name she was given.

  His eyes danced with irritation as he slowly stretched his legs, arching his back. DarkDeath, jumped from the rock to the opposite side of the lake placing his giant form in front of his small pup. She was still young only a quarter of his size, with her head barely reaching his chest. He looked down at her showing his discontent, “does SnowFire know he is missing?”

  BlackMoon shook her head keeping herself low doing her best not to anger him. The pups learned at a young age not to challenge their father, knowing he would as easily kill them if they gave him reason too. They just didn’t know how much he valued them, DarkDeath made sure they understood their place. He made sure they didn’t see his love for them so weakness wasn’t portrayed to his enemies.

  The idea of the forest seeing the King of the Kyres showing weakness would be disastrous. He had to protect his family and his kin, that was his purpose. That was why he was chosen to rule, because he could do what the others couldn’t, and that was defend against all odds.

  He shook his massive wolf body letting his nails dig into the dirt while he woke his aching body up. “What way did he go?” BlackMoon sat up with a jolt, “Your going to help?” her tail started wagging a mile a minute. He could have smiled at her with her innocence, “of course little one. You don’t think I would leave my son out there all alone, do you?”

  Her ear tilted as she thought about what he said. He smiled to himself looking down at her making sure not to show his feeling across his face or eyes. BlackMoon’s tail stopped wagging as she thought about the simple question, “I think he went north towards the Torigan Falls.”

  “What!” His anger took over as his animal instincts took control. “Why the hell didn’t you say that to begin with!” She whimpered under his rage. He didn’t have time for her apology his pup was in danger.

  He jumped to action dashing through the brush BlackMoon crashed through moments before. His view blurred as the browns of the trees meshed together as he ran hoping to find him in time. He jumped from trees and rocks that came into his path bounding up a cliff sitting ten feet tall above him in three giant leaps. He stood atop the cliff staring out across the Torigan Falls, the home of his kin’s most hated enemies, the twin-tailed foxes.

  DarkDeath, breathed in deep looking for the scent of his pup. He got nothing, but the knowledge of a nearby fox. His eyes looked across the forest taking in the scenery watching every movement. He was going to have to find Digger fast before the twin-tailed fox does. DarkDeath flexed his muscles and jumped wading deep into enemy territory to find his mischievous son.

  The leap from the cliff was nothing for him. His body made a loud thud as his paws dug into the earth. He put his nose to the ground and began searching for Digger’s scent. Damn, I can’t find his scent where the hell is the boy. His tail twitched in irritation, why of all time does the boy have to pull his disappearing act now.

  DarkDeath, took a deep breath trying his hardest to calm himself. Think...think...where could he have gone? What does the boy usually do that throws his sent off preventing anyone from being able to track him? That’s when it hit him...Digger is under ground. He gulped hoping that in the long run he knew his son as good as he thought he did.

  DarkDeath, flexed his shoulders shaking his head to clear his mind. He delved into the earth letting his mind drift away from his body. DarkDeath, left little mental bread crumbs to mark his journey as he touched minds with small animals. He by-passed a small rabbit as he found his entry point.

  The crack in the earth was easy for him to penetrate delving deep into its being. He sensed the trails of creatures from all periods of life as the soil told him the story of creation. DarkDeath, had to fight to keep control over his thoughts having worms, moles, and little critters fighting for attention was becoming a strong distraction.

  After, his fifth worm encounter DarkDeath felt a pull from the soil. There was a strong disturbance that was unusual for this area. DarkDeath, felt a pull at his stomach. This has to be Digger, he threw himself full force towards the disturbance. He held
his breath as a small freshly made tunnel came into few, thank god finally.

  He stretched his mind to it limits letting his inner eye take in the sight of the pup. He breathed a sigh of relief, he was okay. The little brown ball of fur was digging his way to the surface as DarkDeath connected minds with him. “You journeyed a bit off course son.”

  Digger stopped his digging sniffed the air for his father’s sent, “Where are you pa?”

  “I’m somewhere near, I want you to wait for me when you reach the surface do you understand?”

  Digger sniffed the dirt, “Pa, the dirt smells different here?”

  DarkDeath, twitched his tail, “I’m afraid you went beyond our territory son.”

  Digger’s tail slowly crept up between his legs sensing his father’s irritation with him. “You are in the Torigan Falls, and I need you to do as I say so we both get out of here alive, do you understand?”

  “Yes, Pa, I understand” Digger made a little whimper. “Pa?”

  “Yes, son”

  “Is Mama going to skin me alive when we get home?” Digger whined. DarkDeath chuckled. The lad is in a near death experience and all he worries about is his mother’s wrath. “Snow will have to go through me first son, now get to the surface I’ll be there shortly.”

  He waited a few moments holding onto his son’s mind. The idea of his pup only a year and a half years old being put in this situation worried him. But, he wasn’t going to let anything happen to him. Digger’s paws started digging a mile a minute bringing him closer to the surface. I suppose it is time to go, he broke the connection throwing himself back into his conscious body.

  His animal instincts took control of him instantly. He jumped to his feet flexing his muscles as he crouched. DarkDeath smiled letting his power seep into his legs. It has been far to long since I got to have this much fun. A smile crept into his eyes as everything blurred as he burst out of the trees in a full on charge.

  Ha...this is more like it! The trees blurred past him as mere moments took him miles in distance. The speed was so extreme it would destroy any weaker being. Flowers were obliterated at his passing, animals screamed in fear running from his power. The sense of battle was filling him full of glee...I feel like a pup again. Perhaps, I’ll let the pups stray more often.

  He sprinted to the clearing as the wind blew against his nose, giving him updates on his enemy. The distance was nothing for him he managed to cover ten miles under a few seconds. The clearing came into few as the trees separated opening up into grassland that was circled by a small cliff and trees.

  DarkDeath, looked around from the shadow of the trees watching. He wasn’t alone without realizing it a twin-tailed fox snuck up on him. His eyes watched the silvery colored fox walk into the clearing circling its prey.

  “I know your there, Kyre King,” the she fox teased.

  He rolled his eyes, of all the foxes he had to deal with, it had to be this one. Females were ten times more irritating and all he needed was to get carried away. “I would step out from behind your tree, Dark One.”

  “The name is DarkDeath, Silver-Hide!” He growled.

  “Hmmm...call me what you will kyre,” she said entwining her tail playfully. “But, last I checked I wasn’t the one with a pup in someone else’s territory.” Her delicate paws jumped from the ground onto a boulder. She twisted, sitting herself high above, giving herself the advantage over him.

  The fur around her body slowly disappeared as human legs took place of the paws. Her snout dissolved into her face leaving behind a small pointed human nose with her piercing blue eyes staring straight at him. The she fox’s crouching body went upward till a human body appeared out of the fur that covered her. She smiled leaned back against the boulder letting her two tails slowly wrap around her legs letting her bare skin warm in the sun. Her blonde hair fell down covering her plump breasts, letting only the small animal skin covering her torso conceal her flesh from males prying eyes.

  If she wants to play that game very well. DarkDeath rolled his shoulders letting his body slowly morph into his human form. His black tail protruded from his trousers as his black hair settled around his wolf ears. DarkDeath, felt his paws grow fingers letting his claws slowly disappear behind the human flesh that made him vulnerable to his prey. His back jerked making his muscles burn as he stood up right letting his body slowly dissolved from a furry beast to a bare skinned human male.

  His piercing brown eyes took in her features searching for her weakness. He stepped into view of the she fox with hesitation. She smiled, and he knew then that everything was going to change for the worst within seconds.

  Digger’s head popped out of the ground like a daisy. He squirmed himself out of the hole looking in the direction of his father. DarkDeath, saw the she fox lock eyes on his pup. DarkDeath mind spoke his son, “Whatever you do boy don’t move!” Digger followed his father’s dead locked stare. The whimper was loud enough to make his ears ring. The thrill of his fear made the she fox smile.

  “Well then maybe we should get the party started.” A battle cry escaped Silver-Hide’s lips as she jumped from her rock shifting back into fox form baring her fangs as she went for Digger. DarkDeath lunged, letting his claws strike spilling blood.

  He crouched below her digging his sharpened nails into her hide below the neck. Silver-Hide tried slashing at him with her back legs doing every maneuver possible to break his hold. In his human form DarkDeath knew he wouldn’t last much longer.

  Howling in frustration he grabbed the silver devil and slammed her into the boulder.. Digger stood frozen between them as DarkDeath sized the fox up. Need to finish this fast. If it goes on for to long it might draw more attention. “What’s the matter Dark One is that all you got in that scrawny human form of yours? Or do I have to rip your pup to shreds to get your true strength?”

  “You want my full strength youngling!” He growled. “I’ll give it to you!” DarkDeath charged forward leaping into the air morphing into his full wolf form. He bounded onto the boulder as Silver-Hide dodged.

  Moments passed in blurs as they leaped after each other, she was trying to avoid his bite and trying to find an advantage over him. The twin-tails were naive to think they could win against a kyre. They have stamina but not the strength to take his kind down. All he had to do is wait and watch for his opening.

  Silver-Hide leaped into the brush snagging her paw in the branches. In that moment he jumped the tree truck to her left and brought his teeth down onto her throat. Her screams of pain were like music to his ears. It was a shame though he couldn’t enjoy the kill with danger creeping closer on him and Digger.

  He flung her into the clearing. Silver-Hide laid limp on the ground with her ears back as she slowly took her human form again. “You bested me.” He didn’t respond. Digger whimpered reminding him that he was there.

  DarkDeath locked eyes with his pup. “Yes as always you lost Silver-Hide” he said. “You would think after so many fights you would know you’re know match for me.”

  She moaned in pain trying to stop the bleeding from her throat. “One day I will defeat you DarkDeath I don’t know when but I will!”

  Morphing into his human form he laughed. The hatred in her eyes made his decision easy. “You threatened my pup Silver-Hide!”

  Her eyes darted to the pup sitting by the open hole in the ground. DarkDeath extracted his claws and lunged. The blood was warm on his skin as he watched life leave her eyes. “Don’t mess with my pups!”

  DarkDeath ripped his arm out of her chest leaving her sprawled on the ground before him. “Pa?” He turned to Digger, “Yes son.”

  “Can we go home now?”

  He laughed taking his wolf form once more. DarkDeath walked over to his pup picking him up by his scruff. “Yes son we can.”

  In minutes he was standing in his territory plopping Digger down in front of the cave they called home. SnowFire ran out picked him up without question and took him inside. She shared a look with DarkDeath
sharing a mental note, “thank you for bringing him home.”

  He smiled walking into the cave plopping down as his new pups huddled around him. They don’t know what I am capable of yet but one day soon they will. Till then I guess a little love won’t kill them.

  I would like to thank Allison D. Reid for helping me with my editing for my first individual story publication. Also, would like to thank Renee Scattergood for formatting the ebook and helping me with grammar advice.

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to thank Allison D. Reid for helping me with my editing for my first individual story publication. Also, would like to thank Renee Scattergood for formatting the ebook and helping me with grammar advice.

  Thank you for reading my short story

  Afterword

  Thank you for reading my short story A Father’s Protection. To show your support, please consider leaving a review on the site you purchased from. Thank you.

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