《Child of Wolves》 Chapter 1: Stalking Sentry Avira Footprints. Out here, well into the border? These definitely weren¡¯t any hybrid¡¯s, nor any animals. Heavy boots made these tracks, and there was clearly a small group. It was Avira''s duty to check this out. Hopefully it was just a misunderstanding, but if it wasn¡¯t then there would be trouble. She stood up and sniffed the air, catching the group¡¯s scent immediately. Her grey canine ears twitched, listening into the forest around her for any sign of activity. Nothing but the normal sounds of the woods. She stayed hunched over, keeping an eye on the tracks and following. They made a very sloppy job of hacking their way through the brush. One had fallen into a mud puddle. They walked into a few traps set for the local game. Not very observant, that¡¯s for sure. Probably too busy watching for hybrids to pay attention to the ground. They appeared to be heading back to the border. She cursed herself for not noticing until now. The forest was, for the most part, a quiet place. Trails were rare. What little existed was overgrown. The wildlife this close to the border was normal. Deer, rabbits, the occasional bear. Only a small wolf pack, no chirons, no maned trunk-hogs, nothing really exciting. Still, living off the land was its own fun. Her main complaint about this place was how weak the Spirits were this close to civilization. The sun was vanishing by the time she heard them and saw the smoke from their campfire rising in the air. They''d set up next to a riverbank, roasting fish and talking. Avira counted three. Sneaking up carefully, she crouched in the bushes to look at who the trespassers were. They had light armor on, free from any colors but clearly military grade. Two had swords at their sides, one had¡­ something else. Long, cylindrical, and hollow on one side. A firearm? ¡°I don¡¯t know why we don¡¯t just take over. Does the empire really fear a bunch of tribal beasts?¡± the scruffy man currently roasting fish asked his comrades, pulling the stick in and sniffing the food. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate them,¡± spoke another, a woman. ¡°These beasts can be ferocious.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see it. I had a rabbit hybrid as a kid, meekest thing I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°Yeah, a domesticated one. Ever fought a bear hybrid?¡± He was quiet. The one with the firearm spoke up, grinning as he lifted his weapon. ¡±With one of these? One shot, that¡¯s all you need. Bear, wolf, fucking mouse, doesn¡¯t matter, they¡¯ll either die or surrender.¡± ¡°Not everyone¡¯s as cowardly as a mage, y''know,¡± the woman said. ¡°Ha! I guess you have a point.¡± The rifleman slung the gun over his shoulder. ¡°What I want to know is, why not just take over Axiam? That¡¯s much easier than sneaking around to the border,¡± the scruffy man asked while staring into the stream of water flowing next to them. ¡°Better to go after the tribes before they know we¡¯re here. Besides, most of the troops won¡¯t be coming this way, provided the emperor can negotiate with those drainers so they let us through their waters.¡± The woman shrugged. Avira wasn¡¯t sure what to make of this. Were they talking about a full scale invasion? She spoke about drainers. That was slang for the water elementals of the eastern desert nation. Was Drima getting involved? This was not good, not at all. The weight of the situation laid heavy on her, but she had a job to do. Avira slipped her clawed gloves on, checked to make sure her knife was in its place, and waited. The opportunity came to her an hour later. The one with the firearm stood and went downstream to take a leak while the others were facing towards the river, away from her. Perfect. Avira weighed her options between going after the one that had left or the other two, but seeing the bare necks of two people who had no idea she was there was too tempting. She exited the bushes and held her knife in an ice pick grip. It was usually just for skinning animals, but it could be just as effective for this. A few careful steps forward and she was right there, blade raised to strike. # Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Valisa After their campfire chat and a nice fish dinner, Moreno took his rifle and stepped away to take a leak. Valisa watched him go as she stood up to stretch. She grabbed her water skin and walked to the riverbank; Uto, being reminded of his own thirst, decided to join her. ¡°Moreno sure has grown cocky ever since they gave him a gun.¡± Uto cupped some water in his hand and had a drink. Thankfully Moreno went downstream. ¡°You''re telling me. He''s been lording over us this whole trip. Acts like he''s a higher rank than us.¡± ¡°Well us common soldiers don''t have much to brag about. And they are treating him special lately. He might be due for a promotion.¡± ¡°Nonsense. I pull more weight than him every day,¡± Valisa scoffed ¡°Yeah, but we don''t exactly have many female captains, if you get me.¡± ¡°Hmph. They''d better start recognizing the accomplishments of women soon, in any case. It''s a new era, we''re not powerless fools being lorded over by mages and elementals anymore.¡± ¡°Good luck with that, then. Me, I''ve got nothing to prove. As long as I have enough to live and get to fight some hybrids, I''m all set.¡± ¡°Nothing wrong with wanting a simple life, I gue¡ª ¡± She turned her head to him, and the words died in her throat as she saw her. A woman; dark skin, blonde hair, wolf ears and tail. A hybrid with a knife raised to strike at Uto¡¯s unsuspecting back. ¡°Behind¡ª ¡± Those words died, interrupted by the blade of the beast girl striking down with lightning speed and embedding itself in his neck. His eyes opened wide. A bubbling sound escaped him as he weakly reached up for the blade, feeling it before collapsing. Crimson blood leaked from the hole now open in his neck. ¡°Fuck!¡± Valisa yelled, having drawn her blade in the time it took for the life to leave Uto¡¯s body. A swipe of Valisa''s sword made her attacker step back without pulling the knife out, though she looked just as threatening without it. The hybrid raised two gloved hands, fingers tipped with sharp metal claws. Not enough to threaten an armor-clad knight, but she had left her helmet at the fireside like a fool. The hybrid charged at her, giving feral snarls with a wild look on her face that sent chills through Valisa and almost made her freeze up. Valisa gave a horizontal swing of her blade, the tribal diving under it with skill. She turned her blade and swung downward, not seeing how the beast could hope to dodge or block. Instead of doing either, the hybrid parried the blade with her gloved hand, blunting the momentum and grabbing the steel itself. ¡°What!?¡± Valisa yelled out, almost swearing she could see a grin on her opponent''s face before an impact on her side sent pain rocking through her body. Valisa''s eyes opened wide, her entire body feeling like it had been struck by lighting after that punch square in the liver. It felt like she had been struck with a hammer, shock so great her sword was falling before she realized. Releasing the blade, the beast slashed her claws down the scout¡¯s face. Valisa screamed as four cuts tore her flesh open, a steady flow of blood streaming down as one eye went dark. Valisa grit her teeth, realizing how much danger she was in. This beast was about to kill her. She couldn¡¯t let this be her end! She surged forward with renewed energy, surprising the hybrid who fell backward. Valisa blindly struck her, the only good eye she had covered in blood. The hybrid struggled hard, surprising strength combined with flexibility that let her get out from under Valisa, a solid kick knocking the soldier away. She landed on the still warm corpse of her former comrade. The beast grabbed her neck, metal claws on her gloves digging in. In a panic, Valisa reached back and gripped the handle of the knife buried in Uto''s neck, driving the blade between her attackers rib cage with all the strength she could muster. The tribal released her and stumbled back. Valisa grinned, managing to open one eye to see a fist flying at her face. Her vision went black. # Avira Avira grunted in pain, holding her side. This was a bad wound, and the fact that the blade was still in her was the only thing keeping her from bleeding out. She would have finished the woman off, but a rustle in the forest stopped her. The last scout had come back. A loud crack rang through the forest, the tribal tossing herself back but not quick enough to avoid the bullet. It grazed her shoulder and gouged through her flesh. Bullets hurt way too fucking much. It burnt intensely, almost blindingly so. Reminded her of the time she fought that fire elemental. She didn¡¯t stay down for long. Those guns took a few seconds to reload. Not enough to reach him in time, but enough to get away. She stole one glance at her shooter, a bald man with a mustache and a prominent scar on his forehead. Avira made a note to herself to remember him. Before the man could reload she jumped into the river, the cold a shock to her system. Avira let the current take her downriver, noticing the red cloud forming. Now that her adrenaline was gone, her wounds hurt like hell. Her vision began to get hazy as she felt her side where she''d been stabbed, only to be met with the lack of a knife. That explained all the blood as well as her sudden loss of strength. This injury was in a very bad place. ¡°Oh, shit,¡± was all she could mutter before blacking out. Chapter 2: Windswept Wilds Avira lay coarse finished usually keep money A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. patted any more Well into a Chapter 3: Souls and Spirits Avira number latter Mareth a grin its darkness joked focused, the Avira its Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. plates patted moment''suseful for of the knife''s Valisa Avira at thereins reins reins Chapter 4: Drained Desert Mareth reinschase the a large reins If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Avira Mareth trance-like reins bipedal said Chapter 5: Flux Mareth Valisa said at the but to exit Avira anyway at Hawke This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Well , Hawke ¡¯didn''twas quickly Valisa She Avira Hybrid alright Chapter 6: Humid Harbor Avira inquired The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. them a part ¡ª Mareth at them pointed out what Chapter 7: Bare-knuckle Breakout Avira She stuck by The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. be the clunk Chapter 8: Sightseeing Chapter 8: Sightseeing Valisa Hawke ¡°Mm,¡± Ruin muttered in response, exhaling smoke. ¡°Well, just don''t get arrested as well. Smuggling one wanted convict is fine, two is trickier. Especially a mage.¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Mareth amalgamation at a in it , another Chapter 9: Lost in the Labyrinth Avira r Mareth soaked in scarlet at Grace Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Hawke held a Avira any more ¡°Not important. You''ve got tonight with him. Here.¡± He handed Avira a key. Hawke Mareth too, I Chapter 10: Departing Drima Avira The cramped barrel didn''t leave much for Avira to do. A small hole on the top let in air, but it didn''t help the stuffiness. She reeked like sewer grime though it was dulled by the lingering bloody smell. She sure spent a lot of time with Benton last night, at the cost of not getting much sleep. Avira shut her eyes to attempt to forget how closed in she was. At least in the cell she had her anger for a distraction from the anxiety. She was still peeved at Ruin, but she''d have to work with him. At least she could keep Benton''s screams in her mind. She felt the barrel shifting, being lifted up into the ship''s cargo hold. She started breathing harder, hands gripping her knees. Her forehead was damp with sweat, ears flat on her head. Her heart raced, body straining with the urge to be free of this damned container. The barrel was placed down on the ship with a thud. Shouts and chatter from the crew were enough to drown out whatever noise she was making while they laid her barrel on its side and rolled it while Avira held on. ¡°I think this is the last one,¡± a gruff voice spoke, grunting as he propped the barrel back up, putting Avira upside-down. ¡°Yep. We''ll be off any moment. Can''t wait to get back home.¡± Another voice responded from father away. The owner of the gruff voice sat on her barrel. ¡°I''ll second that. Those bathhouses sure are nice though, I''ll miss em.¡± ¡°The one I went to let hybrids in. Different areas, of course, but it reeked like wet animal no matter how much incense they were burning.¡± ¡°Gross. Don''t they all bathe each other?¡± ¡°Yeah. And they''re loud. They think rubbing each other will keep them close. Probably an excuse for the males.¡± ¡°Savages.¡± Avira held her temper as best as she could. Ignorant morons didn''t know what they were talking about. The communal baths not only kept the tribe clean and free of disease and infection, it was also an instrumental bonding moment and kept them all close. There was nothing sexual about it at all. They continued their inane chatter. The ship swayed as they left the calm harbor and entered the sea. It would be a while still until it was safe to go wild. Avira''s head was already going light, a strange feeling in her gut growing. It would be too dangerous to fix herself right now, she''d have to abide with being upside-down. Avira recalled her first journey across the sea. She was a young woman at the time, sixteen years of age. Slightly shorter than she was now, but just barely. She was on a ship with a small crew of fishermen her dad had roped into transporting them. The entire ride consisted of her barfing over the side of the ship and laying on the top deck staring at the sky. Her dad told her many stories of hybrids long past, tragedies of legend, of the Immortals living on the multicolored moon: all of which were extremely exaggerated. Her dad made her wear so many layers when they got far enough north for ice to be a common sight that she couldn''t put her arms down right. They landed at a small fishing village nestled between two glaciers. It was populated mostly by unshackled golems, tired humans, and the odd daemon, so they didn''t pay her giant wolf of a dad much attention as he walked through the town. Avira rode on his back while he ran through the snow, even the intended trails feet high with the tightly packed powder. She remembered clinging to him as hard as she could, trying not to barf on his back from all the motion. She managed to hold it in, thankfully. He''d never have let her live that down. She remembered the customary celebration when they arrived at the tribe. They were abnormal hybrid types; instead of the typical ears and tails, their animal parts took over much more of their body. She remembered one in particular, a young man her age with a full fox head and one arm that ended in a paw. He liked to joke that he was blessed by Karund, the Immortal of Fortune, and he had the luck to match considering how many dangerous situations he''d get through without a scrape. Avira and Griff got... very close in her month there. She wondered how he was doing now. Avira started to cramp, shoulders and neck aching from the awkward position. Not only that, the confined space and motion was getting to her something fierce. Her stomach turned. She found it harder to breathe. Was the air in here running out? She felt like she was suffocating. No matter how hard she breathed in it was like nothing was helping. The panic just made her stomach feel worse. She had to get out of this barrel. The conversing had stopped already. They were murmuring to each other, probably staring at the barrel with panicked sounds coming out of it. Avira grunted, pressing at the walls of the container. She strained, and with a creak and a snap the barrel fell apart, landing her flat on her back in the cargo hold. She gasped for air, even the musty oxygen welcome after that experience. ¡°What the¡ª who?¡± exclaimed one of the voices. Avira saw a wiry deckhand in casual attire. Next to him was a burly bearded man, who spoke next. ¡°A stowaway! And a hybrid no less.¡± He was the owner of the rough voice. ¡°A girl, too. Shame we''re gonna have to kill her.¡± Avira glared at the wiry one pulling out a dagger, probably to slit her throat. ¡°Piss off.¡± ¡°A mouth, too. Can''t we keep¡ª ¡± Another barrel toppled over and out tumbled Ruin. He stood up, visibly swaying. ¡°Hey there,¡± he slurred out. The two took a step back. ¡°Whoa!¡± the thinner one spoke, ¡°how''d so many stowaways get on?¡± ¡°We''re gonna have to tell the captain about this.¡± The large one turned his body slightly, making to leave. ¡°Now, now.¡± Ruin raised his arms to calm the two down. ¡°I can pay you an exorbitant amount to let us hitch a ride to Argokath.¡± He pulled out a bag and shook it, the telltale jingling of coins ringing out. They glanced at each other, before a smile spread on their faces. ¡°Well, I guess we can let you and your slave hide out here,¡± the small one spoke quietly, glancing back to the curtain that closed this small section off from the rest of the ship. ¡°I''m glad. There should be plenty for both of you.¡± Ruin smiled and stepped forward to hand over the money. Avira watched as he dropped the bag into the large bruiser''s hand, and in the blink of an eye there was a knife in the sailor''s throat. The poor guy next to him didn''t even realize what had happened before he met the same fate, the two giving a gurgle and toppling over, landing flat on the ground with a thud. ¡°You''re lucky we''re far enough out. Let''s get started.¡± Ruin pried his daggers from the necks of the corpses, cleaning them and putting them back in their sheaths. He had two, and many throwing knives. ¡°You gotta teach me how to do that.¡± Avira got up with a grunt, brushing herself off. The other barrel''s lids slid off. ¡°Let me just say, hiding in a barrel with a sword is not fun.¡± Hawke readied his rapier. ¡°Try being upside-down for hours.¡± Avira rubbed her throbbing head. ¡°Let''s get this over with before I puke.¡± ¡°Uh, good luck,¡± Mareth spoke up, then crouched back into his barrel. ¡°Start!¡± Ruin yelled. The curtails fluttered as Ruin and Hawke darted out. Avira took in a breath and drew her dagger. The hallway she stepped into was cluttered with crates and sacks of food. Blood was splattered on the walls, three soldiers limp on the ground along the paths Ruin and Hawke took to the other decks. There were curtains along the walls leading to small rooms similar to the one she had just left, doubtless storing more barrels and hammocks. At a glance, she saw eight people on the deck with her; three with swords, two with spears, a mage, and two with firearms. She wasn''t sure if there were any targets behind the curtains. The mages and the men with firearms were thankfully turned around. There was a pistoleer and a rifleman, both running towards different stairways. She had to take one out before they saw her. She decided on the pistoleer, the one going to the bottom deck. He was the farthest one, and she doubted anyone was coming up from the stairs with Ruin on the job. ¡°Another one!¡± yelled a swordsman, turning attention to her. Avira ducked a swinging blade, charging towards the pistoleer with her knife in hand. He was just turning around when she got to him, burying her blade in his throat. She pulled it out with ease and let him fall. One down. A swordsman and spearman were closing in on her from where she just came from. The others faced towards her, but couldn''t do much with the narrow hall. She just had to keep herself obscured from the rifleman and get to the mage before he cast anything. The spearman came at her from across the aisle, crates between them. The swordsman was coming straight at her. She deflected a slash of the sword with her iron gauntlets, then dodged backward to avoid the spearman''s attack. She firmly grasped the shaft and held it in place, catching the wielder struggling to pull it back out of the corner of her eye. Another sword slice came at her. Avira tried to step back, but felt it slash her midsection. The adrenaline turned it into a dull pain, and she was immediately focused on hitting back. Still straining her right arm holding the spear, she lunged forward with her knife and stabbed the swordsman straight through the eye with enough force to reach the brain and drop him. In his death throes he limply slashed at her leg, blade slicing her pant leg before falling. Another one down. Six left. Another swordsman surged forward, ready to replace the last. She was missing her dagger now and was eager to deal with the spearman, who was occupying her right arm. She let him go, forcing him to stumble back and hit the wall behind him. Avira grinned and lept the crates, driving her knee into the stunned soldier''s face. She could feel the bridge of his nose shatter and drive into his skull. Three down. A shot rang out and she could feel a burning sensation in her shoulder. She was still alive, but in this enclosed space her ears were shot. She couldn''t rely on her ears anymore, she had another spearman charging her, and could see the other swordsman trying to hop the crates after her. Avira couldn''t help but grin again, the look on her face giving the charging spearman pause. Just enough time to dart in, grab him, and bite deeply into his soft neck. The taste of blood flooded her mouth as she tore his throat out. Four. The reloading musketman cursed something Avira couldn''t make out, stepping back and dropping the ammo he was trying to shove into the barrel of the gun. She could feel the numbness in her soul from the mage''s incantation, the telltale sign of a spell soon to come. It was strange how even when she couldn''t hear right the words still struck her so. She had to stop that soon. The swordsman hopped the aisle and immediately swung his sword through the air. Avira ducked, sword hitting the wall and cutting a small sack. She reared up and struck him in the chin with a strong uppercut. His jaw vaporized from the force of her gauntlet driving into him. He stumbled back but wasn''t out. She would have let it up with another bite, but a blade sliced downwards across her back. Her hide top blocked some of it, but she could feel the steel dig deep into her lower midsection. She spun back and clawed the attacker across the face, steel tips of her gauntlet raking it and digging deep. The pain made him stumble into her, and she was perfectly happy to tear out his throat. She gasped out as a sharp pain pierced her midsection. The clawed man fell, leaving a knife buried in her. The pain was starting to set in now, and she was having a hard time breathing. Five. The last swordsman was still dazed. The musketman wasn''t done reloading. She had to stop the mage. His incantation had to be near. He was holding a staff out, glowing arcane symbol on top. She had to be quick or whatever he was doing would hurt. It was too far to dash in. But a smell got her attention. The bag that had been sliced open earlier made her nose tickle. A sack of spice! That gave her a devilish idea. She ripped the sack from the wall and lobbed it at the mage. A cloud of dust exploded on him, and as he spoke his incantation he couldn''t help but breathe some in. His speech stopped, a sneezing fit racking his body. His staff began to glow with the gathered energy of the spell, but with no place to put it, it exploded in a magical burst. The mage screamed, his arm taken off with the staff. He collapsed, fainting from the pain. Six down, technically. She spun around in time to see the swordsman charging her. Her grin didn''t stop this one, the soldier swinging at her angrily. She stopped it with her gauntlet, grabbing the blade and yanking him in. She grabbed his head, claws digging into him, and delivered a brutal headbutt. He survived this, even giving her a nice punch in the gut, but Avira wrapped her arm around his neck and slammed him into the ground hard enough to crack the wooden planks underfoot. Seven. She stood with a grunt, enjoying herself thoroughly. ¡°One left,¡± she laughed, walking towards the musketman. ¡°Let''s do this right and I won''t use my teeth.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. He gulped, being too nervous to reload anyways. He took a breath and dropped the useless weapon, raising his fists nervously. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°That''s more like it.¡± She was happy, though the many wounds were starting to burn. She raised her arms in a prizefighting stance. He led with a right straight, easy enough to counter with a punch to the face. Her enemy was hurt, but he had the willpower to return with a punch to the side. Avira grit her teeth, his fist sending a bolt of pain through her as it nearly hit the knife still buried in her midsection. Avira was too injured to do this much longer. She was already feeling light headed from the blood loss. Time to finish this. She threw a feint then gave him a flash of her bloodlust, smiling with the eyes of a predator. He paused like the others, this time in the middle of a half baked swing. It gave her the perfect chance to drive a haymaker right under his arm, hitting him square in the liver and stunning him further. She grabbed his head and smashed it onto the ground, falling with him. The impact knocked him out. Eight. She rolled onto her back, listening to the sounds of conflict above deck and catching her breath. Her guts weren''t out from that slice to the midsection, thankfully. The worst injury was the gash in her back that was currently gushing blood. She gripped it as best she could from that position, but didn''t have the strength to do much else. Bad news for her, as she heard movement from one of the corpses. The swordsman with a shattered jaw she''d headbutted stood up shakily, gripping his blade as he stumbled towards Avira. He stood over her, nose gushing blood. He mumbled out something incoherent, raising his sword to stab her in the chest. Avira didn''t pay him much mind, looking behind him at another figure sneaking up. Before he could plunge his blade down, Mareth swung a wooden plank and cracked it over his head, hard. He dropped like a rock, crumpling easily. ¡°I guess... that''s eight...¡± Avira chuckled to herself, ¡°Thanks.¡± Mareth nodded. ¡°Let''s fix you up. I have another potion¡ª ¡± ¡°NO.¡± She didn''t need another potion after last time. ¡°Just stitch me up. Or get some fire.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Mareth looked nervous. ¡°I''ll, uh... see what I can do.¡± The mage ran back to the barrels and came back with some medical supplies from his possessions. He pulled out some alcohol as well. ¡°Gonna get me drunk? I''m kinda a lightweight.¡± It would help with the pain that was slowly building up, though. The adrenaline was receding, and she was starting to feel mortal again. ¡°No, unless you want some. My colleague says this works for wounds.¡± He popped off the cap and poured it straight onto her cuts. She grunted; that definitely stung. ¡°We just... use herb mixtures,¡± Avira forced out, keeping her mind off the pain. ¡°Yeah?¡± he asked, ¡°Tell me about it while I do this.¡± The mage opened his book, flipping to the right page and starting a spell. ¡°Right. There''s a few local¡ª Ahh!¡± She screamed out as Mareth grabbed the blade that was buried in her and pulled it out, then shoved her hand onto the now bleeding wound. She pressed down on it, trying to remember where she was. ¡°There''s... a few types around the various tribe territories we cultivate.¡± He listened, his incantation finishing and a small ball of light appearing at the tip of his finger. It was like his orb from before, but felt much more hot. ¡°This is gonna hurt. Move your hand.¡± She pulled her hand away and held her breath. He pressed the ball to the stab wound, and she couldn''t help but scream once again as a searing heat burned the wound shut. Mareth pulled his hand away and the heat vanished. ¡°That''s one down. We''ve got a lot more left.¡± # Hawke Keeping the mental map of everyone on the top deck took a lot of effort, even more so when Hawke needed to manage his emotions to continue using his wind abilities. His fighting style was simple, use wind to deflect projectiles and propel himself to land well aimed thrusts into his armored foes. The top deck was probably the worst option he could have taken. More people were up here, and many more of them armored than below deck. Hawke was thoroughly burned out by the time the last soldier fell. All that effort redirecting arrows and bullets took a lot out of him. He was glad Kalani had his back. When it came down to the last few enemies Kalani swooped down like a bird of prey, grasping them with her talons and flinging them into the sea. Hawke almost felt bad for them as he watched the last one vanish under the waves, armor dooming him to drown. Hawke took out a kerchief and wiped his rapier down. It needed a sharpening after this, but the high quality weapon had proven trustworthy once again. He sheathed the blade and glanced up to where Kalani was. He couldn''t see her that high in the sky, but he gave a gesture of thanks. Bodies lay sprawled all over the deck. He wasn''t unfamiliar with killing; he grew up in war, after all. He was young and a prince, but he served just as his father had before him, and his father''s father before that. Still, the thought that such violence seemed to be necessary weighed on him. He had to know what was on this boat. Hawke stepped over the corpses and made his way back to the second deck. He saw Mareth kneeling over Avira next to the stairs. Avira was listing off what sounded like plants. ¡°She alright?¡± Hawke asked. ¡°Yes, just injured.¡± Mareth was stitching her wounds together. ¡°Lucky her intestines aren''t out... you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He tested himself. He had cuts along his arm, and a particularly nasty gash in his side. ¡°I''ll probably just get a potion.¡± ¡°What a bitch...¡± Avira muttered. The prince ignored her, walking back to their original room. They hid their stuff in one of the barrels, potions included. He seated himself on the ground and downed it, then braced himself. It was a throbbing pain that slowly set in, and he silently withstood it as it grew more and more intense, then faded away along with his injuries. Not nearly as bad as what Avira went through, but he knew that was going to be the case. Ruin sat on the crates in the hall when Hawke came out, watching Mareth at work. ¡°She certainly did make a mess of the place. Though our decks are no different.¡± ¡°Mm. I''m burnt out right now, so let''s just conclude our business.¡± Hawke was blunt, not able to work up much emotion at the moment. ¡°Right, right. Post fight burnout. Elemental problems.¡± He had the usual smirk plastered on his face. ¡°While we''re waiting on those two, I''ve got something to show you on the bottom.¡± Hawke took Ruin in. ¡°Not gonna kill me, are you?¡± ¡°Nah. If I was gonna, I would have hid someone on the boat to kill you in the fighting. Or just tossed your barrel into the bay. I''ll even leave these here.¡± Ruin set his daggers on the crate next to him. ¡°Yeah, fair enough.¡± Hawke shrugged. ¡°You first, though.¡± The bottom deck was cluttered, more-so than the middle. It was hard to walk through the narrow, winding paths between crates and chests. There were a handful of bodies, but not nearly the amount required for Ruin to be down here so long with how fast he was earlier. If Ruin wanted the prince dead, there wasn''t much anyone could do about it. They stopped at a cube covered by a white sheet. He could hear talking and movement behind it. Ruin grabbed the sheet and pulled it away all at once, showing a cage. Inside the cage were a group of lamia. Around six, all wearing ragged clothes. He could see tattoos on their bodies similar to Sherani, but upon closer inspection they had lines burned or cut through them. Every symbol on their body was broken. ¡°Ah, Prince Hawke. About time. Ruin had to waste time covering the cage for a fancy entrance...¡± One of the lamias shot Ruin a side-eyed glance. ¡°It was a good reveal.¡± Ruin shrugged. ¡°Be off.¡± The lamia waved him away. Hawke noticed that her wrist had marks on it. There were chains on top of the cage connected to cuffs. When Ruin was gone, the group slithered out, finding seats on the crates. The one that had done all the speaking so far settled in front of the prince, looking at him with bright green eyes. ¡°I wasn''t aware that lamia slaves were allowed. Especially not.. soul-speakers, right?¡± Hawke asked, a little nervous considering the sheer size of them. The memory of the first lamia they met was coming back to him as well. What was it with him and snake women? Or intimidating women in general? ¡°Soul-speakers, yes. Not right now, but...¡± She looked at her comrades'' burned bodies. ¡°But yes, that''s what we are. Mages, to you. The simple answer is that we aren''t meant as slaves. Which is why you''re here.¡± ¡°Right.¡± So that explains who the employers were. ¡°So you needed specifically me for this mission, why?¡± ¡°Our leader probably requested you so that I could give you a message.¡± The woman was clearly tired from all the stress. ¡°I was supposed to do this secretly even before you were detoured and I was captured, so this place works,¡± She cleared her throat and spoke up in an authoritative tone, ¡°Prince Hawke of the Vakia Kingdom. You are hereby warned by the Snake Tribe of the Drima desert. We are aware of the talks to invade Drima. Long story short; don''t. Any attempt to invade the land will be met with certain death. Furthermore, you are to make sure that any marked slaves are removed from your land and your allies land, lest any who keep them meet a terrible fate.¡± His eyes narrowed at that. ¡°I thought we didn''t have any marked slaves? Aren''t those exclusive to Drima?¡± ¡°They''re meant to be, yes. But there remain instances of them that we know of. And don''t worry. This isn''t a threat. It''s a warning that ownership of the marked has consequences.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Hawke didn''t know what to make of this. ¡°I''ll pass it on to my father then. Though I don''t know why you couldn''t visit the castle.¡± ¡°Blockade or no, the Cobra tribe won''t allow us that far east.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I apologize for the bother.¡± ¡°Ah, it''s no worry,¡± Hawke said, ¡°it''s been a pleasure.¡± She smiled, fangs glinting in the dim light. ¡°I''m just happy being out of that cage. Thank you.¡± He did a small bow. ¡°If you''ll pardon me, I must be off.¡± ¡°Right. Good luck on your journey, prince. You''ve got many obstacles left in front of you.¡± Hawke didn''t respond. He already knew that, after all. Weaving back out to the deck above, he was surprised to see many harpies about. They had lightly feathered heads, dark-brown coloration, and their claws were soaked in blood. They also had beaks, unlike his friend Kalani. They didn''t so much as look at him, and he wasn''t interested in eye contact with vultures anyways. He peeked into the room they came from, checking to make sure that Ruin had hauled the barrel with their possessions in it to the top deck. Satisfied, he made his way there, stepping over the viscera and a puddle of puke on the ground. Vulture hybrids were on the top deck as well, mostly around the captain''s quarters. Avira was leaning over the railing puking off the side of the ship, wounds bandaged. Mareth held her hair back, and Ruin was seated on a barrel speaking to Penn. Another ship moored nearby. It was much larger, and by the looks of it, a merchant ship. Crew-members peeked over the ship railing at them. A diverse crew from first glance. ¡°Good work, prince.¡± Penn stepped forward. ¡°I hope this was worthwhile.¡± ¡°Well, I got a piece of information in return for my companion being... locked up, and having to kill a dozen trained soldiers at risk of starting an international incident.¡± Hawke shrugged. ¡°So I''d say the jury''s out on that one. Hey, you''re a water elemental, right? Or you can be one?¡± He gestured to Avira, who was still sick. Penn looked to Avira as well. ¡°Ah. Well, yes, that''s in my wheelhouse. I haven''t done this before, but it''s apparently simple.¡± Penn walked up to Avira. ¡°Brace yourself a moment.¡± He said and placed his hand on the back of her head. Avira nearly fell, clutching the railing tightly before giving a jolt and jumping up. She looked around, then tested her legs with a few jumps. ¡°Huh. My seasickness is gone. How''d you do that?¡± ¡°Water elementals can fix these kinds of problems,¡± Penn replied. ¡°Wait, didn''t you use fire earlier? You can do water too?¡± ¡°I''m a special case.¡± He rolled up his sleeves to show that there were a number of runes burned into his skin. ¡°They call us runics. Grace is one too. It depends on your parentage, but we get unique abilities at the cost of being test subjects for grisly mage experiments.¡± He rolled his sleeves back down. ¡°Hence why I keep the hood up. It''s not pretty.¡± ¡°Mages, huh... bunch of assholes,¡± Avira muttered. ¡°Agreed.¡± Penn nodded. Mareth cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°Well, their practices certainly aren''t humane...¡± Avira rolled her eyes. ¡°Relax, Mareth. Not talking about you. Well, not in this instance.¡± ¡°Ah. Good.¡± He smiled. ¡°Anyways.¡± Avira turned her attention to Penn. ¡°No Grace to see us off?¡± Penn shook his head. ¡°She wasn''t needed for transportation this time thanks to the good captain being generous enough to meet us. I''ll let her know you said goodbye though.¡± ¡°Do that.¡± Avira crossed her arms. ¡°And you be nice to her. She''s a nice lady.¡± Penn laughed, ¡°Don''t I know it.¡± Ruin spoke up. ¡°Alright, are all four of you ready?¡± ¡°Four?¡± Mareth asked. ¡°Oh, the barrel.¡± ¡°I''m ready.¡± Avira said. Hawke glared at Ruin, who flashed him a smirk and glanced to the sky. ¡°We''re ready!¡± Ruin called to the ship next to them. Some shouts rang out and the onlookers vanished, receding back to the ship. They reappeared by taking a leaping jump off the ship, splashing into the water below. The group watched as they rose back up, water raising with them. It flowed upwards and upwards until it froze over into the shape of a staircase. Once it was fully formed, a cheer rose from the ship. The elementals who had made the stairs patted each other''s backs while laughing. ¡°Come aboard!¡± they yelled, walking back to the ship. Avira grunted and hoisted the barrel over her shoulder, carefully walking up the icy steps. ¡°Doesn''t seem the best material for stairs...¡± Hawke and Mareth followed, the ice rough enough to prevent slipping. The crewmen took the barrel and helped them over the railing, staircase melting behind them after a touch from the ice elemental. Avira immediately looked anxious at the sheer amount of people milling about. On first glance Hawke caught sight of hybrids, humans, chirons, a golem, a daemon, even a dryid. There were drimans, kathans, l''riens, bethens, islanders, vakians, it looked like groups from every nation in the world. A large man with a cane made his way towards them, flamboyant pink garb and large hat. His graying beard was also noticeable. He was smiling and looked like an islander. He stopped in front of them and spoke, an incredibly loud and booming voice. ¡°AHOY!¡± His yellow teeth showed with his wide and jolly grin. ¡°I''m Captain Reeves, and it''s my pleasure to welcome you to the Lorelai!¡± A loud cheer rose up from the crew, just as jovial as the captain. Greetings rang out from the crew, and someone started a song. Mareth immediately pulled out a notebook, probably to write down the lyrics, while Hawke moved to greet the captain. Avira, however, was not enjoying all the stimulation. This was gonna be a long voyage. Chapter 11: Loitering on the Lorelai Hawke capital more so explained makes at the patted at the he''s seasickness dad''s This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. at the Well Avira , at Avira tested along on her treat Mareth joined in on at the with renewed Chapter 11: Nethan Ocean Hawke patted Avira Mareth patted You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. at the Reeves reachedaddressed Avira Godart was recalled in over this Chapter 13: Storms Whisper Avira said known in my Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. it''spatted it''sit''s it''s sky for aHe scanned it''s Godart comes on, you pattedaddressed it''s quarters said her Chapter 14: Fight or Flight Avira Its leapt Hawke came chaoticIf you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. crew members Kalani others # Hawke its Chapter 15: Shipwreck Shore Avira canvas to this Hawke crashed Mareth Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. of the missing on the Avira patted , world is Chapter 16: Arrival to Argokath Hawke Now at her at Hawke at Avira at where at Hawke Godart put a heavy hand on Godart¡¯s shoulder at the spoke with If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Eudemon at her crops temperaturescrops The at the to Mareth at Mareth about it Avira a fair Chapter 17: Traveling on the Tundra Trail Avira on my patted Hawke Well, is there oppressive. The at Kalani Mareth at Valisa Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Godart scholar''s smile Avira Chapter 18: Hornwood Harvest awke Hawke sighed at the sight in front of him. A few hundred feet up the trail stood a herd of mammoths. They were lazing around and looking at the halted wagon a lot, their little ones nearby. He didn''t want to risk them charging, but they weren''t going anywhere. It didn''t help things that his nose was both clogged and running at the same time. ¡°Road''s blocked?¡± Mareth peered from the wagon, ¡°shame, but there''s a village nearby we can stop at.¡± ¡°Yeah? It''s a bit early, but I suppose staying in a building instead of in the cold would be nice,¡± Hawke told the necromancer, sniffing from his clogged sinuses. ¡°Take the path right here.¡± Mareth pointed to a worn brick road that diverged from their own. ¡°It''s a bit of a detour, but woolly mammoths are known to take their time.¡± ¡°My dad told me they hang out on roads on purpose.¡± Avira stood next to the wagon, arms crossed. She''d occasionally been keeping pace with it on foot to get a workout. ¡°Why would they do that?¡± Hawke asked. She shrugged. ¡°Maybe they don''t like the government. Maybe the road''s more comfortable on their feet.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Hawke contemplated as he turned down the road, ¡°what''s the village name?¡± ¡°Hornwood, it says.¡± Mareth shook the scrolled-up map. He hadn''t opened it in a while, yet he had still been navigating confidently the whole trip. ¡°Hornwood? That''s a little phallic, isn''t it?¡± Avira asked. ¡°Only if you''re already thinking about that beforehand,¡± Kalani spoke from her perch on top of the wagon, ¡°been on the road too long?¡± ¡°Yeah yeah, piss off.¡± Avira rolled her eyes. Hawke was about to mention how he was thinking the same thing, but a sneezing fit took him. He jolted forward, holding a hand over his face and sneezing hard. ¡°You alright?¡± Kalani asked, concerned. ¡°It''s a cold... throat''s scratchy, too,¡± Hawke took out a kerchief, wiping the snot from his nose. Noise came from inside the carriage, Godart appearing next to Mareth. Without saying a word she took off a glove and pressed the backside of her hand to Hawke''s forehead. Deciding something, she retreated into the wagon. ¡°You should get off the reins for a bit,¡° Kalani hopped down and sat next to him. ¡°I''ll steer.¡± ¡°How''s your wing?¡± ¡°Godart''s been tending to it, she says it should be fine to use by now. I''m going to have to work back up to flight, though.¡± She extended her once broken wing out to show that it had mended. ¡°Alright then, just be careful.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I''m supposed to be your bodyguard, you don''t need to worry about me.¡± ¡°Right.¡± He coughed into his hand and walked into the carriage. Godart gestured to a bedroll she''d unfurled. He sat down while watching her over a small portable stove, heating water. Godart was very focused on her task, preparing several herbs Hawke couldn''t identify. She looked back as Hawke sneezed into his hand again and gave an exasperated sigh. ¡°You shouldn''t sneeze into your hand like that, it''ll spread germs.¡± That was one of the first times she spoke to him since he told her his identity. ¡°Uh, okay.¡± ¡°Honestly, you royals have the immune system of a newborn. You get a cold and take a potion, then your body never gets stronger because it forgets fighting the illness. It''s a miracle you haven''t keeled over.¡± ¡°I guess my adventuring helps?¡± Hawke asked. ¡°Could be. Here.¡± She handed him a cup filled with hot liquid. The smell alone was enough to clear his nose, but drinking it was something else. Zesty, biting, sweet and spicy at the same time. It was like a shock to his system that instantly started to improve his cold. ¡°It''s ginger and some other stuff. You should lay down,¡± Godart told him. He obeyed, the thin cotton not doing much to cushion the hardwood floor, but it beat sitting up front. ¡°Thanks. I know you don''t like me for being a royal, but I appreciate the care.¡± ¡°Do you appreciate it enough to bring back the Plague Doctors?¡± she asked, setting a damp cloth on his forehead. ¡°Um, well it''s a bit more complicated than that. How much did you know about what they did?¡± ¡°They were scholars who researched disease and figured out how to cure and treat them. My dad told me everything.¡± ¡°Your father, Magnus Kelly right?¡± Godart paused for a moment, ¡°Kalani tell you?¡± ¡°A bit, though I''ve heard his name before. I''m afraid I can''t tell you much, I don''t know much more than you. I do know, however, that there''s much more to the Doctors than you think. If you really want to know, you''d have to ask my father directly.¡± ¡°And what''s to say he''ll answer if it''s some big secret?¡± ¡°I''ll say the crown owes you a favor. Father thinks of favors as important things, so he should answer. Will that help ease the tension between us?¡± She gave a huff. ¡°Alright. Thanks. Sorry for how I''ve been acting towards you.¡± ¡°Oh, don''t be. It''s refreshing to have someone treat me as normal. That''s why I like this group.¡± ¡°Yeah, the little adventurer''s party we''ve gathered is nice. I just wonder how much longer we''ll have together.¡± # Mareth Valisa floated at the top of the wagon, looking ahead to the village as they pulled towards it. It was hard to say what the expression on her face was. The bittersweet feeling of seeing your family for one last time, yet being unable to talk to them while they were unable to see you was hard to imagine. Mareth focused ahead to the settlement, taking it in. The forest around the place was thicker than the sparse gatherings of trees they''d passed on the way. Some of it was cleared away for crops and fallow. The structure of the village was simple, three roads with a central paved area. The houses were well-kept, white paint on the walls and some were shingled. Mareth could see a large manor he assumed to be the lord or mayor''s, a church, a tavern, a blacksmith, and a mill set up next to a creek. Everyone in town seemed to be busy on the street hanging banners and setting out crates and hay bales. In the very middle of the intersection where all three roads met was a large common area where people gathered. The smell of booze and sound of revelry drifted on the wind towards them. As the residents saw the wagon rolling down the road a small group made their way down to greet them. They wore bright colors and warm linen clothes, cheerful looks on their faces. Kalani had the horses stop as they got close, one of the villagers raising a hand, ¡°hail, my good man!¡± he spoke to Mareth, despite Kalani having the reins. The one speaking was a tall, dark-haired young man with brown eyes. He looked well off compared to the ones around him, so it was safe to say he was in a position of authority. Valisa floated next to Mareth. ¡°Hunter. My brother. Kind of a prick.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Mareth greeted Hunter, the other peasants circling to check out their horses and wagon. ¡°My name''s Mareth, this is Kalani. We''re a group of five, hoping to stay the night. There''s a mammoth herd on the road, and one of our group has a cold so we thought sleeping in a building would be best.¡± ¡°Well, the name''s Hunter Hornwood. The lord''s son, if you couldn''t guess from the name of the Village. I''m sure I could help you out with storing your wagon and finding a place to stay. It''ll take some money though... especially if you want the mutts housed with you.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± Avira''s voice came from inside the wagon, and she quickly appeared next to Mareth and Kalani. ¡°You wanna repeat what you just said?¡± A few of the people he was with chuckled to themselves, but Hunter didn''t react. He simply acted as if she wasn''t there and continued to focus on Mareth, ¡°I''d say ten gold will cover it.¡± ¡°Don''t you ignore me, asshole!¡± Avira yelled. That was exorbitant to say the least. So much so that Valisa rolled her eyes. ¡°As if. He pulls this shit all the time.¡± Mareth glanced at Avira, who was fuming, before continuing, ¡°that''s enough to buy another horse entirely,¡± Mareth spoke. He was going to continue, but he noticed an elderly man shakily making his way over. He approached Hunter from behind and whacked his head with a cane, hard enough to make Hunter stumble. With a rough voice the old man spoke, ¡°you damn brat, trying to rip guests off today of all days.¡± Valisa was notably happy to see him. ¡°Grandpa Hornwood! He''s great. Those burns on his back are new,¡± she tilted her head, hovering around him. He was bald with a large white beard. He had a thick, muscular build, even in his old age. Standing with a noticeable hunch, his entire body trembling slightly. His eyes were sharp despite his age, and a large burn mark covered the back of his head and traveled down his back. ¡°Ow!¡± Hunter exclaimed, cradling the back of his head and looking back at the old man. ¡°Grandpa, you don''t have to hit so hard!¡± the laughs of the peasants around them ringing out. The old man responded by whacking him again, then turned to Mareth. ¡°Archibald Hornwood. I''m the Lord''s father.¡± ¡°Ah, Mareth Morsum. Sorry, we didn''t mean to make a scene,¡± he chuckled, trying to disarm the situation. ¡°I did. Damn kid should put his fists where his mouth is.¡± Avira crossed her arms. ¡°You''d be right, there. Hunter, apologize to the lady.¡± ¡°Why should I apologize to a drainer mu¡ª OW!¡± Another hard whack in the head. ¡°Okay, okay, I''m sorry!¡± Avira couldn''t help but laugh. ¡°I suppose the lumps on your head will be enough punishment.¡± ¡°Go along now, boy. The grown-ups are about to talk,¡± Archibald told Hunter, who complied, rubbing his head and trodding off while grumbling to himself. ¡°Uh, thanks for that. You don''t seem to find many people in the Kathan lands who are kind to my folk,¡± Avira told Archibald, hopping off the wagon and offering a hand. They were a similar height, though he''d likely shrunk with age. Archibald clasped his hand over hers and gave a firm shake, ¡°it''s no bother. The younger generations need these lessons hammered into them.¡± He took a moment to look at Avira''s calloused and scarred hand. ¡°You seem like you''re a hard worker though, eh?¡± Avira grinned. She liked this old man. ¡°Yeah, I''m from the tribes to the west. Everyone works hard for the tribe.¡± The old man smiled back. ¡°I used to have a hybrid friend from there,'''' she said as much. We could learn a lot of lessons from them, least of all respecting their elders.¡± ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but we do need lodgings,¡± Mareth spoke up. ¡°Ah, right, my apologies. I''m curious, how much did Hunter try to scam from you?¡± ¡°Ten gold. That''s for five people.¡± ¡°Shameless.¡± Archibald shook his head. ¡°Well, if you didn''t know, it''s the harvest festival today. If you lot stick around, take part in the festivities, and do some work around town with us I''ll host you at the manor for free.¡± He pointed his thumb back to the large house at the edge of town. ¡°Really?¡± Mareth asked, surprised, ¡°we don''t want to be in the way.¡± ¡°For one day, on the day of the harvest festival, it''ll be fine,¡± he waved his concerns off, ¡°if you''ll allow me onboard I can direct you to the stables next to the manor.¡± ¡°Need a boost?¡± Avira asked as Mareth made space for him. ¡°I''m not¡ª hng!¡ª that old,¡± he grunted from the effort of pulling himself up, exhaling as he sat next to Mareth and started to direct Kalani, yelling occasionally to clear the road of drunkards. Valisa was floating around in as wide a radius as she could, taking in the sights. She seemed to be having fun. Mareth noticed that a lot of the younger women were pregnant and the men were either young or had old wounds. Most were just scarred and missing a finger or two, the unlucky few had missing limbs or eyes. Serving in the military was probably the cause, though he still wasn''t sure how Archibald got his burns. He was about to bring it up, but Godart cut him off as she peeked her head out of the back. ¡°third-degree burns, do those hurt?¡± she asked Archibald jumped when he saw the beaked mask that appeared next to him. ¡°Careful girl, you''ll give me a heart attack!¡± He held his chest. ¡°It hurts a bit, aye. I didn''t use to shake.¡± He held his trembling hand up to show her. ¡°Uh, when we get to the manor I should be able to help. I have some ointment I use for my burns, and I''m something of a doctor,¡± Godart told him. ¡°Well, if you''re something of a doctor you should help out some of the other townsfolk first. A lot of them still struggle with their war injuries.¡± ¡°I can treat them, but third-degree burns are no joke. How''d you get it?¡± ¡°Ah, that...¡± Archibald scratched his chin, ¡°they found me in a deep slumber one day just a few months ago. Thought I was dead, made to cremate me. The heat woke me up after my whole back was on fire.¡± ¡°Damn, grandpa...¡± Valisa spoke, listening, ¡°if I were here that wouldn''t have happened.¡± Mareth raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°What? Just slap him a bit and he''d have woken up. The rest of my family were too stupid to try, I bet.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Avira spoke up, still walking next to the wagon, ¡°you must have quite the strong will to survive the shock.¡± ¡°Strong will, indeed! I gave them all a good tongue lashing before I jumped into the creek!¡± Archibald boasted. Avira laughed imagining that. As they approached the manor and the private stables near it, she went quiet as she noticed some hybrids working. Narrowing her eyes, she looked to Archibald. ¡°Slaves?¡± ¡°My son would like that, but no. I make him pay them. It''s not too much but it''s better than working them for free, and we house and feed them too,¡± the old man spoke, waving to one of the workers. Mareth let them talk about the merits of slaves versus servants while he climbed off the wagon. After that long riding around he had to stretch his legs. Valisa hovered next to him, slightly more opaque and pink instead of red. Clearly the emotions flowing in the town were affecting her. Red typically meant rage, while pink was more indicative of passion or happiness. ¡°You feel different at all?¡± Mareth asked her. ¡°It feels good to see the town again.¡± Valisa had a smile on her face. ¡°I grew up here, know a lot of the people.¡± ¡°Knew, you mean.¡± ¡°Right, being dead does put a hamper on the reunion.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Speaking of, you didn''t tell me you were the lord''s daughter.¡± ¡°You never asked. And I wouldn''t have said anything because people tend to make fun of my last name.¡± ¡°I''m sure all the male soldiers around you were very affixed to it.¡± ¡°Ain''t that right.¡± Valisa smirked. ¡°I had this one dude, Moren, wanted in my pants so hard. I never got the chance to accept.¡± ¡°Hm. So, did you want me to let your family know about you?¡± Valisa thought about that. Gazing to her grandfather behind her and towards the town, she shook her head, ¡°it''s probably better they hear from a military official if they haven''t heard already. More likely to accept and less likely to get hostile.¡± ¡°Good point.¡± ¡°You talking to yourself over there?¡± Archibald and the group were walking over, the carriage taken care of. ¡°He''s always doing that, don''t mind him,¡± Hawke spoke, walking with Kalani. He still looked sick, his nose red and eyes puffy. ¡°Yes, yes, just a crazy mage here.¡± Mareth waved. Archibald paused and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I''d keep the fact that you''re a mage to yourself. The townsfolk hate your kind more than hybrids. Can''t say I''m too fond either.¡± ¡°I''ll keep it in mind then.¡± Mareth eyed Valisa, who shrugged. ¡°You lot did basically destroy the world by breaking death,¡± Valisa told him, ¡°I always hated you damn soul suckers too.¡± Mareth understood why, though he personally had nothing to do with that. He was doing his best to fix the wrongs of his fellow mages. Not that he could say that to Valisa right now. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. The old man ushered them all into the manor, where a hybrid servant was. It was a middle-aged rabbit woman dressed in a maid outfit, a bonnet and long dress. She was tanned, had brown eyes, and a lopped ear. Archibald smiled at her. ¡°Hello Suzie, be a dear and fetch Terry, would you?¡± ¡°Yes sir, Mr. Hornwood,¡± the rabbit girl smiled back and hurried off. She was a bit too cheerful for a servant. ¡°Suzie''s been around forever, since I was a kid. Grandpa always treated her well.¡± Valisa explained to Mareth. She shrugged. ¡°Never knew why he was so fond.¡± Waiting in the lobby, they looked around at all the art that dotted the walls. A lot of portrayals of fair maidens, wildlife, and a few paintings of heroes fighting mythical beasts. Avira approached a painting of a knight facing a colossal black wolf. She seemed taken with it. Mareth joined her in appreciating it. ¡°Is this the titan wolf of Rannok?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Archibald joined both of them, stroking his beard, ¡°the Bulwark Knight with his godborne mace, He dueled the wolf for a fortnight before slaying the creature and throwing him into the ocean.¡± ¡°Huh. I heard the story a little differently,¡± Avira muttered. ¡°It''s probably exaggerated. These legends always are.¡± Archibald shrugged. The sound of a door opening preceded a large, rotund man walking into the room. He had a large mustache, monocle, and curled hair. He scanned the group, skimming over Avira and Kalani like they weren''t even there. Then he spoke, a haughty and uptight tone to his voice, ¡°I do wish you wouldn''t summon me like a common servant, father. Why do you need my presence?¡± ¡°I''m extending my hospitality for this group. I''d like to get them a warm bed to sleep in for the night. On the house considering the season.¡± He looked offended at the suggestion. ¡°I can''t afford to put up a bunch of ragamuffins off the street! It''s bad enough I have to pay the servants.¡± ¡°Oh, shush. Your ''fortune'' is my hard-earned money anyways, so it''s my decision. I''m just informing you.¡± The lord''s face went red a moment, but he calmed down and turned away. ¡°Fine. I''ll generously host these travelers in the spirit of the harvest,¡± he grumbled before storming out. Archibald sighed, shaking his head. He gave the rabbit servant from earlier a nod. ¡°Well Suzie, could you lead these travelers to the guest rooms?¡± ¡°If you have guest rooms, why was he so mad?¡± Kalani asked. ¡°He likes to pretend he has more power than he does. He''s technically the lord, but this settlement doesn''t really need much management,¡± Archibald spoke, ¡°I tried to raise him to be kind, but after he came back from his mandatory military service, he changed.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Hawke said, ¡°I suppose war can change you.¡± The old man shook his head, ¡°I never changed, even though acclimating back was hard. Something must have changed since Argos took over. I just hope my granddaughter comes back fine. She''s a little brat, but she''s nice where it counts.¡± He gestured to a portrait above the main door they hadn''t noticed before. The immediate Hornwood family were painted together: Archibald, a slimmer version of the lord they''d just dealt with, a young Hunter, and Valisa. Mareth saw Avira turn cold as her eyes went wide. She pursed her lips and looked away. Only her and Mareth seemed to recognize the girl in the painting. Valisa''s spirit was staring at the picture, ¡°I remember posing for this... stood there for hours in this room. I kept poking Hunter in the back and getting yelled at for it.¡± ¡°Well, hopefully your daughter''s doing fine wherever she is,¡± Hawke said, ¡°military service is hard. Moreso if you''re a woman.¡± ¡°Aye. I didn''t want her to go, but since we found out she was incapable of conceiving a child, she had to go. Her husband was deployed before that, too.¡± Mareth didn''t know she''d been married. From the look on Valisa''s face it wasn''t a very happy one. ¡°Anyways, follow Suzie to your rooms. She''ll set you up,¡± Archibald told them. They all filed behind the rabbit girl and let her lead them away. # Godart ¡°I think I''m fine, really,¡± Hawke spoke, laying in bed. Kalani stood next to it, looking at Godart as she felt Hawke''s forehead. He had on a cloth mask now. ¡°You''ve still got a fever. It''s better, but you should rest. Colds can be deadly if you don''t let your body recover, especially on the road,¡± Godart told him, ¡°Kalani, you''ll keep him company, right?¡± ¡°I kind of have to. I''d better not get sick from you though.¡± Kalani glanced at Hawke, then looked to Godart. ¡°You have more of those masks?¡± She nodded, digging through her supplies and handing Kalani one. ¡°Uh, so as long as you don''t share drinks, don''t let him sneeze on you, and don''t kiss or anything, you''re fine.¡± They both seemed embarrassed by her last suggestion, looking away from each other quickly. ¡°Won''t be a problem,¡± Hawke muttered Kalani looked a little offended by that. Godart saw that she''d accidentally started something, so she quickly packed her supplies and left the room. Honestly, she thought they were already dating. Avira was chatting with Suzie, the maid, when Godart entered the hall. ¡°Yeah, they treat me well. Well, Archibald treats me well. The rest of the family just ignore me until I''m needed or do something wrong, like the other servants,¡± Suzie said, ¡°when the little ones were young they used to tug on my ears, though.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, kids will do that.¡± Avira smirked. ¡°Even in the tribe''s ear and tail yanking is common. Saw a kid get chased off once cuz he yanked on a bear hybrid''s tail.¡± ¡°Doesn''t seem like a smart move to anger one of those...¡± Godart approached. Avira gave a smile to Godart. ¡°Damn right. Tried to fight a few, they''re strong as the real thing. Shame they don''t have a tribe though. Too solitary.¡± ¡°I wouldn''t know. I was born in Hornwood,¡± Suzie spoke, ¡°apparently my mother was from the wilds, but I never met the woman. The maternal curse got her.¡± ¡°Oh. My mom died from the curse too,¡± Godart said. ¡°Mm. I never met my mother personally. Dad told me she''s alive though,¡± Avira said, ¡°I was always a daddy''s girl anyways.¡± ¡°I guess I was too,¡± Godart said. ¡°At least we all had good fathers, then,¡± Suzie smiled. ¡°Who''s your father?¡± Avira asked, ¡°he in town?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the rabbit woman got a serious expression on her face as if she''d revealed something she shouldn''t have. She considered it for a moment, looking around to make sure nobody was around the overhear, then leaned in to whisper to the other two, ¡°Archibald is my father. I''m not supposed to tell anyone that though.¡± ¡°Wow. I guess that friend he mentioned earlier would have been your mom then...¡± Avira muttered, ¡°that horny devil.¡± Godart didn''t fully realize the implications of that for a moment. ¡°Uh... so are the rest of the Hornwoods hybrids?¡± ¡°No,¡± Avira was quick to say, ¡°well, maybe in the distant past there was a little in there, but I think the Hornwood family is the so-called ''legitimate'' one.¡± ¡°Yeah. The rest of the family don''t know about it. So, uh, don''t tell them,¡± Suzie fidgeted with her ear nervously. ¡°We wouldn''t rat on you.¡± Avira grinned, then elbowed Godart lightly. ¡°right?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± Godart stuttered out, ¡°the rest of the family didn''t exactly make the best impression anyways.¡± ¡°They usually don''t,¡± Suzie did her best to hold in a chuckle, ¡°unless you''re a Kathan noble. Now, I''d love to chat more, but I have to go tend to Archibald''s burns. He needs it treated daily.¡± Godart dug into her large rucksack and pulled out a small jar, ¡°this might help. Ointment for burns. Made it myself.¡± ¡°That''s very kind, thank you,¡± Suzie did a little bow and took it, then left Avira and Godart in the hall. Avira turned to Godart with a smile. ¡°Wanna hit the town?¡± She really didn''t have anything better to do, and a walk with Avira sounded nice. She gave an affirmative nod, but when Avira suddenly took her by the arm and looked at Godart expectantly Godart couldn''t help but freeze up. ¡°You alright?¡± Avira raised an eyebrow. ¡°Uh... yeah. Let''s go.¡± Godart smiled under her mask, leading Avira away. ¡°So the old man told me that the whole village gets together in this season and does a competition to hunt moose. Whoever gets the biggest one wins,¡± Avira told Godart as they left the estate and began down the road to the town. ¡°Not mammoths? Seems like you''d get more meat,¡± Godart asked. Despite a few weird looks at Avira and Godart''s mask, the people seemed friendly enough. The bonfire that was roaring in the town square looked very inviting the closer they got. ¡°Moose are apparently a bigger problem this time of year. Not enough wolves around to cull them. That, and mammoths are way too big for a village alone. Smarter to have huntsmen go after them for larger cities.¡± ¡°The elder Hornwood tell you all that?¡± Godart asked. ¡°The first part. My dad taught me a lot about hunting styles of various people. Told me I should adopt what I felt most effective from each culture,¡± Avira said. She always had a glint in her eye whenever she talked about her father. It almost made Godart jealous. ¡°That''s good advice,¡± Godart said, ¡°what''d you decide on in the end?¡± ¡°A little bit like a hybrid hunt, though they use bows and spears and such. I go with the mindset of a wolf, try to sneak up on my prey and bleed them out. I use traps sometimes, which I took inspiration for from all over. My actual fighting style is similar to Kathan fistfighting with some Bethel wrestling thrown in. Some techniques I learned in the northern tribes too.¡± Bethel, the western continent. Avira was way more well-traveled than Godart thought. ¡°You''ve been to all these places, or...¡± ¡°I''ve been up north and as far east as the Deadlands and a little of Vakia. Never been in the Kathan lands, but I learned from the tribe in the Deadlands. Bethel wrestling was mainly me reading about it and trying it with, uh, ''volunteers'',¡± Avira said. They stopped when they were finally feeling the heat from the bonfire, the sound of music barely rising above the roaring flame. There were three people playing music near the fire; a drummer, a lutist, and a violinist. They looked to be having a good time. ¡°Music is a welcome change... if I hear another sea shanty I think I''m going to lose it,¡± Avira said. ¡°The shanties weren''t that bad,¡± Godart chuckled. ¡°That''s cuz you were there longer. Heard it so much your brain made you like it.¡± ¡°You might have a point there.¡± It was still daylight, so it was easy to look around and see everyone. Kids running around and giggling, A lot of pregnant women. She''d have to offer her services to them and the men with old injuries later. A woman approached them with a basket of bread and a smile. She had the wrinkles of a woman who''d experienced a lot and the body of a woman with a lot of children. She also had a dog following her around. It sat and wagged its tail as she spoke, ¡°you''re the folk Archibald escorted in, right? He doesn''t do that for everyone.¡± ¡°Does Hunter bother every traveler?¡± Avira asked. ¡°Only hybrids like yourself, unfortunately,¡± she said, then looked into her basket, ¡°I was gonna offer some food, but I only have bread. I hear you lot were carnivores, ate meat raw and whatnot,¡± she looked at Avira. Avira looked a little annoyed, but understood the misunderstanding, ¡°we cook our meat like anyone else. We''ll also eat bread, we just need a little more meat than most.¡± ¡°Oh, my apologies then!¡± she smiled, offering a loaf of bread, ¡°take a loaf then, it''s homemade.¡± Avira took the loaf. ¡°You can''t help what you''ve been told I guess. Thanks for the bread. This village is a lot nicer to my kind than the city, at least.¡± ¡°City folk are bred mean,¡± the woman said. Avira handed the bread to Godart and knelt to pet the dog, a grey and white dog with thick fur. Avira and the dog''s tail were both wagging hard. ¡°You''d be right there. Got a few rocks thrown at me. Cute dog, by the way.¡± ¡°That''s Scruff. My husband took him in for the meat and tallow, but liked him too much and kept him. Looks like he likes you. Maybe the wolf in him.¡± ¡°He''s got a bit of that in him, yeah.¡± Avira smiled, scratching the dog''s chin as it wagged its tail and licked her. ¡°Good boy.¡± Godart cleared her throat and spoke up while Avira was busy with the dog, ¡°um, thanks for the bread in any case. I was wondering though, I''m something of a doctor. Do you know anyone who needs any medical attention?¡± She stopped and scratched her chin. ¡°Well everyone''s got old war wounds, but I can think of a few people you might want to look at. I''d check the pregnant women, myself. Too many deaths in labor lately.¡± ¡°That''s the Maternal Curse at work for you. I suppose I can go set up shop in the church, so if you don''t mind would you spread the word about it?¡± Godart was a little nervous about asking. It felt like she was imposing on the woman, but this was the best way to see everyone. She looked very happy to hear it, however. ¡°Why of course I''d be willing to ask around! Just ask the priest for permission, of course. He''s probably passed out in one of the pews.¡± Godart wondered why that would be, but she nodded regardless. ¡°Thank you so much. I''ll head there now... Avira?¡± She looked over to the hybrid, who was now hugging the dog, tail wagging furiously. Godart cleared her throat again, which drew Avira''s attention away from it. She stood up and wiped some slobber from her face. ¡°You going to do your thing?¡± ¡°Yeah. Here,¡± Godart handed the bread back to Avira. ¡°Thanks. Good luck.¡± Avira smiled and gave Godart a hug. She was surprised by the sudden gesture, but returned it immediately. ¡°Thanks, I''ll be fine though. This is the thing I''m good at, right?¡± ¡°Heh, yeah. I''m gonna do the thing I''m good at and get ready for the hunt tomorrow.¡± Avira broke the hug, a devilish grin on her face. ¡°Haven''t been on a real one in a while.¡± ¡°You have fun,¡± Godart told her and made her way to the church, set near the central plaza. The building was old, though the bell tower erected out of it looked newer. Colorful stained glass depicted Immortals across the pantheon, Guardians in their angelic splendor, and various depictions of the Fragmented hierogram. The symbol looked like an upside-down letter Y, apparently called the Triad. Godart didn''t really know what it was supposed to mean: she''d never paid much mind to religion. Pews lined the sides of the room with an aisle clear down the middle. The altar stood empty. The red and purple Argokath banner hung on the wall behind it, an illustration of a spear piercing a crown. Godart continued down the aisle while she looked for the priest, and finally found him lying on one of the pews. He was passed out, the bottles surrounding him half full of what was obviously liquor. She wasn''t sure if they were a priest at first, but his brown cloak and the triad hanging from his neck confirmed it. That and the fact that nobody else was around. ¡°Pardon?¡± she spoke softly, trying to wake him gently. When he didn''t react she raised her voice, ¡°hello!¡± Nothing but a loud snore. Giving an annoyed sigh, she plopped her bag down and pulled out the smelling salts. A few waves in front of his nose were enough for him to bolt up. ¡°GET BACK!¡± he yelled, knocking a few empty bottles over as he darted off the pew. Godart nearly tripped over her bag while backing away from him. She almost ran, but noticed the priest relax and look around the room. From the momentary look of panic, the fact that he seemed to have slipped into a past memory, and his drinking problem, she guessed he had some lasting harrow. Most people, including other doctors, saw the symptoms and called it cowardice. He calmed down with a few breaths, holding onto the pew in front of him to steady himself. The priest looked around the room until his eyes caught Godart. A strange sight she must have been. He looked weary as he spoke up, ¡°sorry if I startled you, child.¡± ¡°It''s okay!¡± Godart was quick to respond, ¡°sorry for waking you. I''m Godart. A doctor.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± He straightened up, stepping away from the bottles. His face was red from drinking, and he had a sway to his steps. Other than that, he was holding his booze well. ¡°I''m Brutus. A priest for Argos. Well, I guess technically I''m a paladin.¡± He was friendly enough. That was reassuring. ¡°A paladin? I''ve only heard of those coming out of Nidara. You, uh, fight while channeling an Immortal''s power, right?¡± ¡°That''s right. Same one the church is for. I haven''t fought for years, but you never stop being a paladin.¡± There were very few paladins in the world. Not only because the Immortals traveled to the land of men so little that many didn''t believe in them, but also because you had to impress one personally and physically receive their blessing. And considering that Immortals were able to change their appearance, you couldn''t just find them. Godart knew that citizens of Argokath worshiped Argos and thought their leader was him, but she was skeptical. ¡°You actually met the Immortal of war?¡± ¡°Not war, conflict. And yes.¡± He pulled the collar of his robe down to show a massive scar down his chest, likely from a deep slash. ¡°He gave me this before he killed my king.¡± ¡°Your king?¡± ¡°Yes. I was standing guard when Argos came. He walked through the steel doors like they were paper, made a beeline for the throne.¡± Brutus paused for a moment, a bad memory playing back in his head. ¡°After... the King was disposed of and Argos took the throne, he waited until we stopped stabbing him before speaking.¡± Another pause. ¡°When he made me a paladin, it''s because he said my spear was the only strike that actually hurt. The spear was stuck through his chest as he told me that.¡± Godart looked again at the banner hanging on the wall. A spear through a crown. If he was telling the truth, Argos really was an Immortal. And Avira was going to oppose him? The priest continued to speak, ¡°as powerful as he is, though, he''s also a force for good. Unifying these many nations was not an easy task after Vakia receded to the north. Especially over such a short span of time.¡± ¡°Isn''t unification kind of antithetical to conflict?¡± Godart asked. ¡°Conflict isn''t limited to war among nations. Inner conflict, competition, even being a doctor and fighting disease is a form of conflict.¡± His demeanor changed now that he was actually preaching. Godart wondered how he could have so much passion for the one who killed his king. ¡°Well, if you place such a wide definition on the term, doesn''t that devalue it? Why worship the Immortal of Conflict if everything counts?¡± ¡°Ah, but the fact that it''s an ever-present facet in all manner of life is what makes it so worthy! It''s why we hold the hunting competition annually, it''s why people can improve themselves and address their flaws.¡± He gestured to her rucksack as he spoke. ¡°It''s why people like you heal the sick and wounded.¡± She didn''t exactly buy it. Avira might be interested, but Godart was skeptical. ¡°Speaking of healing, I came here because I wanted to use your facilities for medical examinations. Would that be alright?¡± The priest considered it for a moment. ¡°Well, my battlefield medicine only goes so far and not many people here know much about the mending...¡± he searched for the word, ¡°arts. So go ahead.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± She smiled under her mask. ¡°I''ll try not to bother you too much.¡± ¡°Don''t worry about it. I tend to the hearts of warriors. You''re a warrior yourself, in a way.¡± Godart simply nodded. As nice as this ideology was on its surface, something about it felt hollow. Still, it wasn''t her place to try and change it. # Avira What was she thinking, walking into the middle of town? The moment Godart left, Avira realized just how many people were around. Her heart practically sunk into her stomach as she squeezed her way out of the crowd and backed as far away from the revelry as she was comfortable with. The fact that it was similar to the celebrations her tribe had helped calm her down a little. That and the bread she was nervously nibbling on. It was a shame the hunt wasn''t starting tonight, though. That would have helped a lot, but unfortunately humans couldn''t see well in the dark. ¡°Afraid to join the festivities, mutt?¡± Hunter approached her, looking like as much of a prick as ever. Avira was not in the mood for this. She crossed her arms and glared him down as he stood in front of her, a smirk glued to his face. ¡°Makes sense. They''re human festivities, after all. You could always go play with the dogs. Better yet, we''re in need of new servants. Head back to the manor with me, spread those legs of yours, and let''s make some new ones.¡± That was it. Without a word, Avira stepped in close and swung hard into the side of his head. The surprised look on his face followed by the light immediately leaving his eyes was the most satisfying thing she''d seen all day. She couldn''t help but smile as Hunter crumpled to the ground, head cracking against the stone brick. She shook out her hand and watched many faces turn towards her. People emerged from the crowd and made their way over. One of them she recognized from when they entered the town, a lanky young man with a brown bowl cut. ¡°What did you just do?!¡± he spoke loudly, loud enough to draw a few more eyes their way. ¡°He''s breathing.¡± Avira placed a hand on her hip. ¡°That''s better than he deserves. He wants to insult me, he can deal with the consequences.¡± One of the women knelt and checked, and was relieved to see his moving chest. Noticing blood on the cobble road, she had some people help take him to the church. ¡°How dare a mutt like you attack the son of a lord!¡± Yelled one of the crowd, a few murmurs of people agreeing sounding out. ¡°The son of a lord is the same as the son of a smith. Except the latter might not be as much of a prick.¡± She had a taunting smirk on her face. The angry look on many of the crowd''s faces pleased her a lot. She could do without the slurs being yelled at her though. Three men split from the crowd and began to approach, to which she raised her fists. ¡°You want to go? Come on, I can take all of you.¡± They paused as they saw the look on her face, a wide-eyed grin full of bloodlust. Unfortunately, before anything could happen, a voice yelled from the road. ¡°What are you lot up to?¡± Archibald yelled, causing everyone to pause. ¡°If you want to fight, either find a ring or settle it with the hunting competition.¡± They stiffened up a little, though Avira didn''t let her guard down. The lanky one spoke first, ¡°but sir, she attacked Hunter unprovoked!¡± ¡°I know Hunter well enough to know he can''t help but provoke.¡± Archibald stroked his beard then looked at Avira. ¡°You didn''t kill him, did you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Avira shook her head. ¡°Then there''s nothing to be upset about. Now move along, for Argos'' sake.¡± They stood there for a moment before begrudgingly heading back to the crowd, grumbling all the while. ¡°Thanks,¡± Avira told Archibald, relaxing. ¡°Don''t mention it. I was mainly trying to spare them, though. I saw the look in your eyes. You being out here, your green sash... we''ve gotten a few of your type before.¡± Her type? Avira was guessing he meant ferals. Her sentry sash would be a dead giveaway. She had a guess as to how he knew. ¡°Suzie''s mom tell you about this? She was another one, right?¡± ¡°Aye, she passed through a long time ago. I was still lord then. I didn''t like hybrids then, but something about her... we hit it off, and well, I assume you can guess the rest.¡± Archibald was looking up to the night sky wistfully, leaning on his cane. ¡°She succumb to it? The... wildness, before Suzie came?¡± ¡°No.¡± Archibald shook his head. ¡°After a year with me there was barely a sign of it.¡± ¡°Oh. What was her name?¡± ¡°Loppa Swift-Rabbit. She was a great woman.¡± He took a breath and pat Avira on the shoulder. ¡°Thanks for hearing the lamentations of an old man.¡± ¡°It''s no problem. I hope your spirits can meet again.¡± Avira said. Archibald smiled. ¡°Thanks. That aside, I''m off to enjoy the festival, unless you have any questions?¡± ¡°Just one. Are you sure you don''t just like bunny girls?¡± The old man laughed again and slapped her on the back, ¡°you might be onto something there, girl!¡± Chapter 19: The Hornwood Harvest Godart unbiased seemed on the Avira occurring. She The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. had Mareth thought for a moment averted cheered Hunter was in the Hawke Chapter 20: Starless Skies Godart the process Kalani lying Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. # Avira about it at Godart added burrow