The Humans' stew/soup, not sure what the difference is, was honestly quite good. My parents ate it as well and neither complained at least. After eating all the humans settled down under their strange wagon tent set up. Mom and Dad stayed on the edges of the clearing, relaxing but keeping watch. Every now and then they glanced toward me. I wonder if they are worried about my shoulder, or maybe they just think I've been more friendly than I should be towards the humans.... I don't know. I assume they are talking bout me based off the glances, but I don't really want to know the details, as I settle down near the campfire. Not much beats a warm campfire to sleep next to..... well maybe a soft feather pillow and mattress. Doubt I'll be seeing one of those anytime soon though, oh well...
The morning came quickly, Marcus and the few men seemingly a lot more comfortable around me for some reason. The few children were curious and tried to approach me a few times, but were quickly caught by their mothers and lead back to the wagon. Maybe they will warm up in time too. They say the town is only another 2 days travel at the rate the oxen were moving yesterday. I wonder what the town will be like. Hopefully I can go in and explore it properly, and that there are some neat food stuffs.
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The 2 days passed without any real incident or worries. The children still weren't allowed near me, but no one shooed me away from the campfire at night so I don't really mind their caution. Children are fragile and curious things. After cresting a small hill and leaving the now thinning trees of the forest, the town of Lomburgy came into view. It was less than I expected when they said town. I saw farms of some brownish looking grain on the outskirts, Farmhouses settled amidst or alongside the individual fields. Each field was maybe an acre by itself, before meeting the next field in either direction circling the town. Some fields had trees in them, others some things growing on vines that snaked along the ground.
The buildings were simple wood construction, occasionally stone was used for part of the first floor and foundation, but mostly wooden. Looking more carefully there is a small fence, built around a portion of the town, separating it from the rest of the farming area around the town. I guess that would be the town proper, maybe 200 buildings by my rough guess from this hilltop. There is a large clearing in the fenced in town though, maybe a central market? Either way, the farmers out in the fields gave all of us traveling towards town some really long stares, then spotting either my mother or father before turning and almost contorting their body in ways that seemed impossible in their haste to flee back to their houses...... Yeah, maybe this was a mistake. Well, I am not going anywhere else, I wanted to see the town so that is what I am doing....
The people hiding phenomenon continued for the whole 15-ish minute walk through the fields and down the road towards what I can only barely call a gate... Just an opening in the small 3 foot high fence that wraps this central part of this town. At this gate stood about 15 people, some wearing what looked like cobbled together armor and holding spears, others just holding spears or swords with no armor, and 2 of these gathered people wore what looked like fancy blue and white robes. My parents, upon spotting them, stopped walking before looking at me and speaking to me directly. My dad had a serious look, or what I assumed to be one, on his face. "Son, Come stand over here behind me and Nasha. Now...." This was new, normally I am asked to do things, not just told to. I listen as things seem to be a little too tense anyway at the moment, taking my place behind them and leaning around their sides to watch what happens.
Upon reaching the "gate" the humans I traveled with are approached by one of the more armored and strong looking people. They exchange words for a few minutes, Marcus looking angrier and madder as time goes on before seemingly being defeated. I watch his shoulders slump as he is lead towards the 2 people with robes. My parents posture shifts and my Dad takes a few steps forwards while Mom gently pushes me back about 10 feet, sitting sideways in front of me while warily watching my Dad.
The robed people look down upon Marcus, not in height, but seemingly in importance?... This makes me a little angry and I can feel my Qi circulating through my body on its own with my rising emotions. My vision sharpens, ears seem to pick up slightly more, and I want to start pacing, but something inside me urges absolute stillness which I follow while watching intently. Marcus seemingly afraid of these people is just answering them in turn before being led back to the others in the Wagon and the guards, the ones with armor at least, take up position around the wagon and all the people, "capturing" them, maybe...
The robed ones start to approach me and my family, the one in the lead wearing a smug expression and radiating pure confidence. The one following behind seems a lot calmer, but I can see the disgust on his face as he stares at my Dad. Once they are only 8 or so yards(7-ish Meters) away from my Dad, they stop. The one who looks on with disgust steps ahead of the other before addressing my dad.
"So, overgrown mutt, what brings you to our town today? Why do you bother traveling with the mortals, and do you think that we would just let you walk amongst the people here so easily?" This is said while having to lift his head slightly to look my Dad in the face. This man stands at maybe 5 foot 9 inches (1.75 meters) roughly, and my Dad doesn't seem to appreciate the way he is speaking based off the rise of the fur along his neck.
"My son is curious pup, and likes the ones you taken." Yeesh, his english is horrid... is that english he is speaking? not important at the moment brain... focus........
The strangers don't seem to care about his answer, the more hotheaded one taking a step forward now, as the other steps back.
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"You spirit beasts think you can just do whatever you want, wherever you want, and that no one will stand up to you. These are HUMAN lands, either fuck off or we are gunna turn your runt into pills, and I hear wolf testicles can make quite an aphrodisiac.... So scram."
"My son wants see the town. Let us. Then we leave."
"Mangy little doggy wants to visit with his humans... go cry some more else where." This is said, while looking at me, as I peak around from behind Mom. Even She is getting mad now after the first few insults thrown at Talloe and me. "We are gunna gut the villagers who led you here anyway, traitors that they are. YOU "creatures" only ever cause harm to us. I'd go so far as to say you aren't even intelligent."
"We're not leaving. You won't harm my son's chosen packmates." My Dad and Mom are now side by side, and their threats towards me are not helping matters. My own Qi is now a raging torrent in my body, I can feel its power as it courses through me, before wrapping around what feels like my skin and fur. I don't really understand why its like this, but I appreciate the acute boosts to my senses.
"Well then, I guess we'll just have to make ya leave." The two men draw blades from ... somewhere ... one moment they are empty handed, next, sword in ones hands, spear in the others.
They lunge towards my Dad, who must have been trying very hard to restrain himself for he springs forwards, almost faster than I can see. The men seem to realize they may have fucked up at this point. The man with the spear blocks my dad's claws and is barely holding him back, Claws scraping against the wood of the shaft, his head lunging down, teeth snapping inches from the poor man's face. The one with the sword goes to help his friend but is intercepted by Mom, who seems to almost dance along the ground, her celtic looking marks glowing strangely as she is just dodging and blocking his slashes, not really going to help Dad, just seeming to toy with the sword wielder. I'm almost as excited as I am scared. Please don't get hurt mom, dad, please...
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GORE WARNING AGAIN FOR THOSE WHO DIDN'T READ BEFORE!
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I can now understand why Dad has scars, while Mom looks pristine, and like she was never wounded before. She embodies grace in her movements, where as when I look at Dad, its pure fury and unrestrained violence. His own "scars" are starting to glow slightly too, as he pressures the guy with the spear more. I look around at the guards who are holding my new human friends hostage. They seem scared by the sheer aggression my Dad is using to slowly force the spear guy down. The spear guys legs are shaking, his back bending slowly at a larger and larger unnatural angle. His arms slip for a moment, my Dad's fangs, scraping through his hair, digging gouges down the left side of his face before clamping shut around his cheek. Dad makes quick work of that part of his face, ripping his head back, tearing off the skin and flesh of the mans face as he does so. He starts to scream in pain, but in his distraction Dad lunges forwards again, Jaws locked around the mans mouth and nose, before with a wet squelching tearing sound, the man doesn't get to scream anymore. He lacks the mouth with which to do so. Dad knocks his spear aside while he is stunned, before lunging forward and taking the man's throat in his jaws and starting to shake. I look away from the scene at this point towards Mom to see... well the sword guy didn't fare any better.
Mom is untouched, not even a drop of blood on her fur. The swordsman is reduced to a shredded corpse. I can't even comprehend how she isn't coated in blood. The poor swordsman looks like someone who was killed by a paper shredder, except his insides are still inside, although visible. His eyes were obviously my mothers first choice, as well as his face. There is no way to recognize him now. The ground beneath the man is a muddy color and texture now too... Didn't know humans had that much blood in them....
Mom seemingly calmed down starts to look around, looking right past me a few times before the panic seems to set in and she starts to make heart wrenching little yip noises and lets out a long howl before taking her nose to the ground and starting to frantically sniff, while darting around. Dad upon hearing Mom's clear panic seems to come out of whatever trance had him shaking the man's now headless corpse around. And he too joins in with an amount of fury still lingering in his actions. What are they looking for? Why do they look like they are hurt more now, than during the fighting...
It takes me an absurdly long time to realize they were searching for me... Almost 5 minutes have passed and neither of them seems to be able to find me.... I didn't move at all during the fight. But they are searching the fields of grain at this point, still being careful to not do any damage at least... but I am starting to feel tired. Then I realize my Qi is still circling rapidly in my body. I start thinking calming thoughts, and look away from the once-upon-a-time humans. Going through the mental exercises like meditation just to calm myself. After a few minutes of trial and error I FINALLY manage to calm the Qi down where it settles to a placid lake in my chest. Then my arms and legs give out and I lay there, sprawled out like a starfish as I feel 2 separate bodies impact each side of me and rapid Qi speech and jumbled words of relief and happiness meet my ears.
Well my parents found me, that's good. Don't know how they didn't find me, I NEVER MOVED, but oh well.... Looks like the guards are letting Marcus and them go as my parents are hovering now, and reassuring themselves that I am fine. I see Marcus let out a sigh, before turning back to look at my parents and I. His face pales when he glances at the once-a-human messes my parents left, but he smiles when he sees them just doting on me. He approaches slowly and cautiously before stopping a bit away and bowing towards my parents.
"Thanks for taking care of those two. They accused us all of willingly leading spirit beasts to town to and I quote "Feast upon the mortals of the land to gain strength". I tried to tell them you all are ..... peaceful." He says the last part hesitantly while looking back at the 2 corpses and grimacing. "I guess that isn't the right word to use, but I just wanted to express my thanks. We asked for trial by combat and said you all represent us. We live by your han..... paws now. Thank you, truly. You are welcome in the village I call home and that extends to all of your family, if it isn't just the 3 of you......" He trails off for a moment before smiling at me and motioning towards the town. "So, you wanted to see the town, ready to go little beasty?" he says this with a knowing smirk, seeing as I am almost buried under concerned parents again.
"yeah yeah, get your laughs in now Marcus, I'm going to visit the town, then cause all kinds of mischief for you and your group on the walk back for "revenge" of these horrendous insults you throw at my paws."
