Series of Death Draft 01 CH 53 (Patreon)

Marlot Winced as the sound of the door slamming shut, still trying to find words to get Trembor to come back. Trembor had just walked out on him again. The difference was that his time he understood why. He’d ordered him about, and then his lion got angry, Marlot got defense and angry too. He sighed. He needed to talk with someone about that after the hare was dealt with.

He looked at the door, wishing the lion would come back. He should go after him, apologize, explain that he hadn’t meant it. He was just stressed. But Trembor wasn’t in a state to listen.

Marlot looked around the call center. He suspected the traps were there in case one of them entered by the main entrance. Maybe Nikal had counted on that. The door was probably unlocked, to make it easier.

He headed back the way they came. Did the hare think maiming Trembor would send Marlot in a blind rage?

It had gotten him to order the lion around; he reminded himself, so maybe the hare knew him well enough to know his triggers. He’d just been scared of losing Trembor, he told himself; he hadn’t meant to come across as some domineering asshole who only wanted things done his way.

But Trembor’s reaction had been way out of proportion. He should have understood how Marlot felt. If he loved him, he would have and he’d cut him some slack.

“And now I’m justifying,” He grumbled, entering the dark hall, “The first thing after this is making an appointment with a counselor.” He shone a light around, wishing the hare would appear so he could pound his head in before turning him over to the enforcers.

“Not that accommodating, are your Nikal?”

The warehouse on the other side of the other door was just as desolate. He looked through the floor to ceiling shelving and made out the elevated section where the office Nikal was holed up in, but couldn’t see the window from this angle.

So, a direct approach to the stairs, or the sneakier way? Trembor was right in that the office was kind of an obvious place, with the light and the hare pacing in front of it. Now that he had no choice but to slow down and think it through, his desire to storm it was stupid, Trembor was right about it, but Marlot thought the lion had gone the very long way around just to frustrate him.

He followed the right wall, He’d approach from the back, see if there were any traps on the stairs and go from there.

He made it halfway to the back wall when he heard something break ahead and then clatter to the floor. The angry snarling made him run. He knew that voice. Trembor was in trouble. If the hare had hurt him, he was going to—

Marlot was crashing to the floor, where had that leg come from? He rolled. From the hare stepping out from between the shelving, you idiot, he berated himself.

“You just can’t take what I arrange and make it work, can you?” the hare growled. He wore pants and a shirt in gray patches, to make him blend with all the grays in the warehouse, Marlot decided. “You just had to go and start arguing with the lion. Why couldn’t you two just kiss and make up?”

“And you hurt him.” Marlot ran at the hare, aimed a punch that was blocked and then he was stepping back, the elbow in his stomach almost doubling him over.

“I was hoping to give you the motivation you needed to do what you need to do.”

With a growl, Marlot threw himself at the hare, only to be caught and sent against the shelving, which resonated loudly. Or that could simply be the ringing in his head.

“And you’re still attacking me with closed fists.” Nikal stepped away as Marlot turned, needing the shelves to remain standing. “Open them, bare your claws. You know I will continue to endanger your lion if you don’t kill me.” He stood, relaxed; infuriatingly so.

Prey had no business being this calm when facing a predator like him. Marlot bared his teeth, opened his hands. He was going to show that overgrown farmer what happened to prey that annoyed him.

“Yes.” Nikal hiss and smiled. Dropping in a fighting crouch.

Marlot closed his eyes and let out a breath. “No.” He made fists. “I’m taking you in. I will not be how you kill yourself.” He stepped away from the shelves, his balance under a semblance of control.

The hare sighed. “I thought this was it.” He nodded to the back. “For all you know I have some deadly trap up there that’s going to blow your lion to small pieces.”

Marlot kept his anger under control. “Then I’ll make sure you suffer before I hand you over. I already will, for involving him in this.”

“I didn’t involve him in this, you went and broke up with him. I just tried to help you two get back together.”

“You set up traps to cut his legs out from under him! How’s that helping us? And why do you even care?”

The hare’s eyes turned cold. “I care because you two are the one good thing I’ve seen out there. Now come kill me so you can go rescue your lion.”

“No, but if it makes you happy, I’ll be sure to send updates on how we’re patching things up to whatever work detail you’re assigned to.” Marlot stepped forward for his attack.

“That doesn’t make me happy.” The hare blocked, and the punched felt like it should have disconnected Marlot’s head from his shoulder. He had to fight to keep his legs from folding. “Maybe I can incentivize the lion to do a better job.” The punch sent Marlot off his feet. He saw the floor coming at him but didn’t feel that impact.

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