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They might have missed the look which passed between the Keeper and Bain, but I didn't.
They clearly expected trouble.
I barely finished that thought when Gordon shifted with a tearing of fabric and blur of fur, and lunged at Urla.
The shoemaker let out a squeak and rolled to the side.
The guard brought up a large, pure white paw, claws extended and aimed for her throat.
Bain shifted into a snarling wolf, shook off a boot that stayed on his paw for too long, and threw himself at Gordon. He hit the white fox with a thud and they both flew into the wall.
Gordon let out a grunt and slashed at Bain's face.
Urla dropped herself off the narrow bed and rolled underneath, just as Lewis shifted into the same kind of white fox.
"Choose your side carefully," Dex warned. He stood between me and Lewis, knife in hand.
I heard booted feet running, but I acted before I stopped to think. I drew power from Dex and reached around him. With a shove, I knocked Lewis off his feet and pressed him hard against the wall.
Bain, muzzle flicking back and forth, was barely managing to fend off Gordon. Apparently the man decided he had nothing to lose. His teeth bared, he nipped at Bain like a rabid beast.
With more space, Bain could tear him to bits, but in close quarters, and with Gordon so frantic, he was forced to duck and weave until his tail was to the wall.
Bain growled and looked in my direction.
"Shit, sorry." I drew from Gordon, although his foxy scent wasn't appealing. I slammed power into him and pushed him aside before his teeth connected with Bain's cheek.
Gordon's jaw went slack with surprise, but it was enough to give Bain time to clamp his teeth on the fox's throat. The fox whined, eyes wide. His legs kicked frantically, but he couldn't break free of Bain's powerful jaws. After a minute, maybe two, he slumped. Bain dropped him, lifeless, to the floor.
I grimaced at the puddle of blood which stained the white fur red.
A contingent of guards trotted toward the cell.
I whirled to face them.
"Keeper!" The guard in front didn't even seem to notice me, her eyes were on Dex.
"I'm fine, thank you, Kerina." Dex raised a hand. He slid his knife back into the sheath at his hip and grimaced at the dead fox at Bain's feet. "It appears we had some dissenters here. Where did they come from?"
Bain shifted back into human form, knelt and pressed his finger to Lewis' neck.
"Both have been here for at least a year. They came together, if I recall." Bain looked toward Kerina, who responded with a curt nod.
"Arctic fox shifters from the northern part of the Vault," she said, as though the two men's presence was an old argument. She lifted her chin so her long red braid nearly touched her behind.
"Ah yes." Bain nodded and rose. "Well they're not a problem now." He looked toward me.
"He's dead too?" I swallowed. "Fuck. I didn't mean to…"
"Of course you didn't." Dex put a hand on my trembling arm. "He would have killed an…unarmed woman."
I was sure he had been about to say 'innocent' but thought better of it.
Urla looked the part, lying under the bed, eyes wide, but she was anything but innocent.
"But I could have—" I caught a look from Bain and closed my mouth.
"Do you want to sit out this interview?" Dex asked. "I'm sure Kerina could escort you back to the sanctuary."
