Beauty
The Beast
Tamer
An IvyWood Light Story
By Francheska Fifield
Copyright © 2020 Francheska Fifield
Cover design by M.B. Martin
Editor Corey Brooks
Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Prologue
I sit by the campfire carving up today's catch to distribute amongst the animals and myself. A tiger, lion, and a wolf with her pup. I have strange companions true, but it is all by chance. I myself find animals more interesting conversationalists than people. I’ve never fit in anywhere so I am always on the move.
"Turok if you do not stop pulling that deer leg I will eat your share."
The pup looks at me mischievously.
'I'm bored Belle!'
I sigh. I can't blame him. His mom is currently running the perimeter. It is her turn. The animals are so worried about my and Turok's ability to survive. He is too intimidated to play with the Leon and Tora. Tora is the sweetest tiger in the world and as a female that wants, but is unable to have a litter, she would have happily played with Turok. She is just so large and a cat, he doesn’t trust her, even if his mom does.
"Leon, can you call Fina back? It is almost time to eat. She shouldn’t miss food."
I know I won’t be able to call loud enough and my range does not reach as far away as Fina is. Leon nods and opens his mouth to summon her back, but before he can we hear a howl. Turok does just as his mother has told him and jumps in my lap. I raise my knife as the cats instantly stand, now wide-awake and in fighting stances.
Fina comes running back past Leon and Tora and wraps around her son and me. The cats have their hair up… so to speak.
"What is out there?"
'Wrong smell. Not from here.'
Just because I can communicate doesn’t mean I understand what they are talking about.
"You guys are not one to talk. I mean tigers and lions are not usually found in the woods of Oregon…"
"I mean you no harm."
A girl steps out of the woods. She wears a cloak so thick I can’t see much. The air around her seems to almost… blur.
"Hold on you two. We cannot attack a defenseless girl in the woods. Listen, I can explain this…"
She pulls her hood back and the blur disappears. Now I know what the cats have been trying to say. She is not human. Her beauty is so sharp, so intense, I want to cry.
"I am not defenseless, but I appreciate the sentiment."
Her ears are slightly tipped, her features angled and sharp. She looks so noble and so…haunted.
"Who are you?"
She tilts her head to the side.
"I am known by many names. In your world, I am called Alice. You can speak with them. Do you hear them as well, or is it just commanding?"
I put Turok next to his mother and stand. "I do NOT command them ever. We communicate and if they choose to listen to me than they do. Most animals I free return to where they came from. These have chosen to follow me on my journey."
"You are the one freeing the animals and sending them home then. I do believe zoos and carnivals consider you a fugitive."
I lift my knife. I am not a fighter by nature, but I will protect the animals. I cannot get caught. More need my help… I can feel it.
She holds up a hand and the air thins. The cats and Fina growl, their hackles raising. I stand my ground. She lowers her hand, smiling.
"You love them enough to fight me for them? Knowing what I am?"
I don’t know for sure, but when you travel the shadier parts of the world like I do, you hear things. Things that don’t seem possible. I am one of those things. She is another… Fae, other, not of this world. What is she doing here?
"I love them enough to die for them, Alice."
"And they you, it seems."
Neither of us moves for a minute. Until from a tree drops, no, not drops, but flies a rabbit that lands between the cats and Alice. That rabbit flew….it has wings. Okay, that is pushing the bounds of my reality.
"Alice do not tease them! Do they match your requirements?"
It talks… the winged, flying rabbit talks. Not just in the way that I hear animals, mind to mind, but aloud like a human. It has a hat… a shimmering hat that almost blurs, just as Alice had when she first arrived.
"She does. Her pets will, of course, be welcome as well. All who want to live in peace and harmony are welcome."
The rabbit nods and gives me what seems like a smile. The cats sit confused and Fina and Turok lay down.
"Where are we welcome?"
Alice giggles and a doorway appears out of nowhere. Shining and beckoning. Is she taking us home to eat?
"To IvyWood. A place of peace and understanding. You and your babies need a home and I need friends. I think we will work very well together."
That was the beginning of a life I didn’t imagine possible for my babies and myself.
Chapter One
'Belle come on! I want to play!'
I sigh wishing Fina and Tora were not out patrolling. Nothing big or eventful ever happens in IvyWood and we are happy about that. Still, so many different animals and people and crossbreeds between the two does lead to disputes. Fina and Tora help patrol the streets to bring disputes to Alice if need be. She had "hired" them to be police of sorts.
The two were the perfect choices. They both were kind, patient, and gave off that motherly feeling that made you want to behave but also feel comforted. But that meant Leon and I had to take turns taking care of Turok…it is not always ideal but we do what we can. Turok doesn’t play with Leon as much because he gives him an odd feeling. Giant cat meet baby wolf…I get Turok's point of view.
I walk outside stopping to bask in the morning sun. A soft growl brings me back to myself and I sigh and grab Turok before he can make a run for it. He knows what this morning is and he is being stubborn.
"Turok you know you are going to spend time with Skylar."
'He is always busy.'
Skylar is the judge and jury for most disputes. As much as Alice loves having everyone and everything here, she is not used to the company of many and prefers to spend her time basking in the peace her home brings others. She gets involved when needed, but she lets Skylar handle most things.
"Well maybe he can take a day off and you can play with him."
"He won't!"
I climb aboard Leon's back and he takes off toward Alice's cottage. Skylar lives with her and so that is where we will drop Turok off before heading back into the human world. Plus, Alice has to give Leon the pendant that allows us to go back and forth freely with animals in tow.
"Dillan! It's nice to see you!"
I jump off Leon's back rushing forward to hug Dillan. Leon follows growling under his breath. I pay him no mind and neither did Alice or Dillan, trusting me when I say he is harmless. Skylar has the look of someone trying not to laugh while Turok jumps and paws at Dillan's pant leg to get affection.
"Going out on a mission again?"
I pull back smiling and back up to stroke Leon's mane. It always soothes me. He stays with me even when the others want some time with their own kind. He is even jealous of my male friends preferring to keep me to himself.
"Skylar offered to watch Turok until his mom was no longer busy. He is pouting because Skylar works so he will not get to play."
"He can come with us if he doesn't mind that we won't understand his yapping. We were going to walk around and check things out in the outlands. See if repair or expansion is needed."
I look to Turok and he stops jumping to listen. He is learning some manners at least.
"Turok do you want to go with Alice and Dillan to check the outlands? They will not understand you, but you can run around and sniff everything. I bet they would even play fetch if you bring them the stick you want them to throw."
"We would be happy to."
I smile and look back to Turok. I can hear his response without looking, but we are working on puppy manners. Puppies are like children; they learn by example. You can scold until you are blue in the face, but the second you do something you don’t want them to see it is permanently ingrained in their brains.
'I want to go! I can run and play! Yay!'
He jumps around responding. To the others it is excited barking as he dances around the couple looking much more receptive to not hanging with me for the day.
Skylar comes over putting the pendant around Leon's neck letting his mane hide it. Leon coming is a risk, lions are not exactly native everywhere, but he is the best fighter and has saved me more times than I can count. Though he says the same about me. We are an efficient team.
Alice comes forward hugging me and petting Leon a worried look on her face.
"Be careful. Remember no matter how many you save you are the ones I invited; you truly belong here. Do not take chance with your lives."
We get the same speech every time so I do what I always do; I smile, rolled my eyes, and climb aboard Leon's back. Good thing I am small and he…well, he is not.
Alice squats down and grabs Leon's mane looking deep into his eyes. This part always makes me think she is lying and really can understand him. They seem to communicate from their very souls.
"Bring her back alive and whole please."
To anyone not used to the world we live in that might seem repetitive, but Alice knows better than any of us that just because you are alive does not mean you are whole. She doesn’t mean our bodies, she can mend that, the soul is so much harder to fix. There is no guarantee; even as powerful as she is.
"We will be careful Alice."
She smiles and picks up Turok so he can give me a goodbye puppy kiss. Then they walk off into the morning mist leaving Leon and I alone.
"Ready?"
His only response is to summon a portal and jump through. Once in the human world he will follow my directions until we come upon the animal tugging at me so hard I can’t sleep. We will rescue it and bring it home.
It is another circus. Leon growls low in his throat. He hates the circus jobs because there is a greater risk of getting caught. I have to break open many cages and Leon has to stay hidden until I do so he won't be shot when I am found. And I will be found. I pull out my knife and leave Leon in the bushes. He will hear me if I yell in my mind.
My knife shines with Alice's magic. She has enchanted it to break the locks on any cage. It makes the work quicker and safer. I am grateful, though not as grateful as Alice that Skylar no longer looks for animals, that is my calling. He can now keep the world we live in running smoothly. You would think many would be against taking orders from a rabbit, but once you see the wings and bird talon feet you back the hell off. He is more dangerous than he looks. I was never fooled by his calm demeanor. Even a cornered mouse is dangerous.
"Kormyat zhivotnykh?"
I stop and send the words to Leon, for some reason he has many human languages in his brain. He is as odd as I am.
'They asked if the animals are fed.'
"Da!"
'That means...'
'Yes. Yeah I got that.' Everyone knows what ‘Da’ is…seriously how dumb does he think I am?
'I wasn't aware you knew Russian.'
I flinch wishing he hadn't said it out loud. Russians caught me once; I have the scar to prove it. Only Leon's quick thinking saved me. I had been there to save him, but once I freed him, I’d been caught, and he had come back for me and carried me off.
I had lived, but it’d been a close call and had cost me a few jewels I’d stolen from a rich woman buying up rare species.
Since that time, we have been inseparable and though I know he won't let it happen again my side aches from the memory. I rub it quickly silently begging it to stop hurting and ignore it when the throbbing continues. The best thing to do is get the job over with.
'Careful Belle. If you can't save them all we can get the rest later.'
'I won't leave them.'
I feel him sigh and almost smile. Leon often has to pull me back. Ironic that of the two of us I am impetuous and he cautious. It is the exact opposite of what everyone imagines when they see us together. He even insists on a leash because despite my being small, knows it makes others feel more comfortable.
I think it’s stupid, but Leon wants to take the heat off me. As I am the one defending the Lion insisting, he is omnivorous, which he is, while they look on in fear they will be eaten. When in reality I am more likely to bite; I also scratch. Cat fight has a whole new meaning when the Lion stops the human from biting and scratching ignorant people. Alice and Dillan laughed so hard I had stopped dead in my tracks.
Her reaction garnered more acceptance of Leon than even the leash. Yet he still insists on it. It is not logical for anyone in IvyWood to think a dangerous animal would be let loose there. It is a safe haven for all, but I suppose coming from a dangerous environment, the human world, it takes time to accept the safety and peace IvyWood holds.
'Pay attention Belle!'
I snap out of memory lane and hear no more voices. They must have gone inside. That is my queue. I run forward shushing the animals and telling them where the portal to safety is. Most people think the animals won't trust me or would give me away, but a human being able to communicate with them usually causes enough shock they stop making noises and do as I say. I hope all will follow my instructions this time as well. When they don’t it becomes much more work, and seriously dangerous. Not to mention what will happen to me if I fail.
"Ostanovis' pryamo tam!"
I seriously don’t need to ask for a translation. The only thing people ever yell at me is stop or some version of it. The ringmaster comes at me and strikes my knife arm with his whip. Luckily, the knife always comes home. If I leave it behind it will appear back in my home in IvyWood. Still, I need it for the last three animals. I can’t leave them. So, I do the opposite of what Leon tells me. I fight.
I yank on the whip pulling him forward. which would’ve gone better if he weren't a tub of lard. He stumbles and loses control. He falls on me while shouting for backup…or so I assume when I hear more feet pounding towards us.
I grab the knife where I dropped it and stab the man in the side. He grunts and rolls away from me. I didn’t hit anything vital, lucky for him, and lucky for me since I can breathe again. I jump up as more come at me. I hold up my knife and dodge a strong man’s attack. Sometimes I can’t dodge, but I block and my forearms hate me for it. This one is on steroids for sure.
'Belle they are through come now!'
I ignore Leon as I kick out and land a blow on juiced up arms. It is like kicking cement. Damn him for blocking. I have a feeling I am only getting out of here if I break his nose and he is guarding his face well. I sense a presence coming up behind me and flip to the side. Fire hits the strong man and I fight the gag as the smell of burning flesh spreads.
'Belle!'
'I have three left!'
I hear him growl and I know he is running towards me. I run towards the cages that are left. The animal’s eyes look close to tears and their faces are too thin. I can feel their helplessness soaking into my very bones.
One has puss coming out of a wound. I cut the bars on that one as Leon jumps between me and the oncoming humans. A loud roar has them pausing long enough for me to cut the locks on the rest of the cages.
"Leon get them out of here now!"
I race past him initiating hand to hand combat with…well I am not sure if it is a man with breasts and a beard or a woman with far too much facial hair.
"Back off ugly."
I slice at its arms and draw blood. I give a growl, and threw the knife into the neck of someone with a gun that was pointing at Leon as he herded the animals off the field to a safe spot to transport them.
I don’t even stop to mourn the stain on my soul. If I had to choose never would I let them live over Leon. I continue combat with multiple workers. My side throbs; it still does sometimes as a result of the poison that’d been on the blade, and exertion. I am losing this battle and remembering Alice's warning I can only think I should have listened to her and created a strike team. Die and learn, I guess. In my next life I hope to come back less stubborn.
A punch clips my jaw and I go down. I vomit and see stars. My jaw is dislocated. I have been broken often enough to know. Before a finishing blow can come, I hear the full-on rage of a lion.
'Hold on Belle.'
I am not sure how long it takes him to kill everyone, but it is so quiet his voice in my mind actually startles me.
He lays down and grabs my sleeve pulling me to his mane.
'Grab on and hold tight. We are only a step away from home.'
I reach up and grab on pulling myself up. He stands and summons the portal running through. Alice and Dillan are already there. Dillan feeds the ones that are weak with hunger while Alice heals the ones worse off. She doesn’t specialize in healing, but she has skill enough for the animals we rescue…usually.
I see the monkey that’d been oozing blood and puss. It is wrapped in bandages and unconscious. Blood is seeping through the bandages. It doesn’t look good.
"Belle!"
I shake my head no and fall off Leon. He lays next to me as Alice rushes to save the animals so she can tend to me. I am unconscious before that happens.
Chapter Two
Beauty the Beast Tamer- Light Page 1
