††††††

Pearls of sweat dotted Siegfried's body under the bright sun. He was resting in the shadow of the rock wall, chewing on the last of their rations.

Ryden gave him a respectful nod, sitting down next to the warrior. "We've made excellent progress for the short time frame we had. Your drive to improve is as remarkable as your threshold of pain," he admitted cautiously. "But I believe we should stop for the day. You managed enough by fortifying your ribcage. Along with the denser muscles, you're sturdy enough to face most dangers around here. It borders on cheating how easily you come along with the shapeshifting."

Sieg grunted his acknowledgement. "I've had a great torturer— I mean teacher, after all," he chuckled wearily. "But I'm honestly grateful, Ry. I wouldn't have managed a fraction of what we did on my own. And it would have taken a lot more injuries than it did."

Ryden snorted, "If you're trying to make me blush— give up. I already know that I'm great!"

"Insufferable bastard," Sieg chuckled again.

In the few days they shared together, Haylee and Siegfried came to appreciate their new companion's lax, humorous and confident manner. Sieg seldom relaxed that quickly in front of others, but Ryden made it hard to keep that distance.

"Guys?" Haylee's chipper voice called out from nearby. Siegfried smiled when she came into view, seeing that she had shifted partly to her feline-human form.

"Haylee," the warrior called out. "I see you're ready to hunt. Mind if I tag along? We're finished for today, and I need to get used to traversing the woods quietly and provide my own food."

"Yes, it seems the wildlife has returned from hiding, and I'd be delighted to teach you the fine art of hunting," the cat-girl approved with a feral grin.

Ryden snorted. "Don’t get your hopes up, Haylee. With the additional mass, our big brute here will break even thicker branches by sheer weight."

Haylee snickered while Sieg shot the grinning healer a mock glare. In the end, all three of them left for the forest, everyone eager to see Siegfried's new abilities in action.

††† Sally †††

Sally walked through the forest with mixed feelings in her gut. It seemed fate degreed that she would be the one to apprehend their quarry first. The people she was assigned to subjugate were a mix of human and mole. Hideous to the eye but fortunately not an aggressive bunch. Despite their comparably low fighting prowess, the mole-people were a far-spread race. While the ape-hybrids avoided strife by keeping to the forest's canopy, the mole-people kept to their tunnels underground for the same reason. They inhabited a vast network of caves and tunnels, permeating sizeable parts of the woodland and deep enough below the surface to stay hidden.

The combination of their extensive network and excellent hearing ability served the cave-dwellers as an alarm and information system. Both their survival and economic status were assured by bartering information to the stronger races. And in this case, to Sally.

Alas, Siegfried's location came together with an unforeseen development. Someone had aided them. A man that the moles reverently called 'The Healer'. A free spirit wandering The Wilds, healing and helping where he could without expecting recompense.

The conflicted second-class enforcer contemplated if it was a blessing or a curse that she would be the one to engage them. On one side, there was a chance that she could spare this selfless man's life. On the other side, if even half of her information was accurate, she might be forced to kill him with her own hands if he resisted— adding another innocent life to the pile of corpses that burdened her conscience.

A faint red glow, flashing through the labyrinth of trees, ripped the second-class enforcer from her musings. Deciding to gather information before acting, Sally hid in a thick patch of underbrush. A short while later, she spotted a bulky ape-man using his long arms to traverse the trees on their lower branches. She couldn't make out his expression from a distance, but his posture and target-oriented movements made clear that he was not running from something.

And below the ape-man, a red-clad figure blurred into being. Their path was unmistakably leading in the same direction as Sally's. She closed her eyes, her heart growing heavy when she recognised Damon. It made sparing The Healer's life an impossibility. But Sally still decided to trail her fellow enforcer. At the very least, she could make sure to grant the noble-spirited man a quick death.

††††††

Siegfried kept farther behind Ryden, trying to pick up the same hints of game-trail that the healer found. Haylee was nowhere to be seen— a shadow escorting their advance in secret, ready to intervene if they failed to catch their prey unaware.

A jumble of cracking and slapping sounds cut the silence of the forest—something burst through the underbrush at breakneck speed. Sieg saw Ryden turning towards the noise when a red blur passed the surprised healer. A thick red line crossed Ryden's stomach before his brain caught up with the pain. He screamed, pressing his arm over the horizontal cut to keep his guts from spilling as he fell to the ground.

The heavy mantle of the enforcer flared out as he stopped. His sword was clean of blood as he grinned evilly at Siegfried, who shouted Ryden's name. "Don't bother, changeling, I all but cut him in twain," the enforcer addressed Sieg, menace and amusement coating his voice.

Siegfried forced himself to cool his rage, trusting in Ryden's ability to come back even after being eviscerated. Pulling his sword into a defensive stance, he blended out everything but his enemy, staring into the enforcer's eyes with utmost concentration.

The near-instant shift from shock to full readiness surprised the enforcer. The focused, odd-coloured gaze of his quarry let his smile slip a fraction before returning in full once again. "Impressive. I see how those arrogant children fell to your blade, Siegfried. My name is Damon Pride, successor to the prestigious line of Pride enforcers," Damon introduced himself with a mock bow. His every movement spoke of deadly grace that gave credit to a life lived by the sword. "I deeply hope you are as sturdy as you look," he grinned before pulling on his gifted powers.

Siegfried couldn't read Damon's move. The enforcer's sword arm hung lazily to his side as his body flashed red for the blink of an eye. Sieg heaved his sword in a centre-guard at the same moment. Instead of attacking directly, however, the enforcer appeared next to the warrior, executing a quick swipe across Sieg's upper arm and retreating instantly once more. Siegfried did not utter a sound at the shallow cut. The enforcer's eyes widened briefly before glowing with anticipation.

"Tough flesh," Damon grinned before attacking again. He cut deep into Siegfried's left arm this time, rendering it useless and staying out of the warriors' reach. Despite his evident arrogance, the second-class enforcer took no risks, gave his opponent no opportunity. He harassed Siegfried with quick attacks that left no opening but immobilised the bulky shapeshifter limb after limb.

Siegfried bled from several deep wounds, his left leg and arm useless. It all happened within the span of a few seconds. His mind worked in overdrive, trying to analyse patterns and develop a strategy to exploit a weakness. But even with his trump card still hidden, his enemy never left himself bare to unexpected tricks or abilities. Siegfried needed an opportunity. As the enforcer constantly charged and retreated from different angles, Sieg surged ahead and swung his sword in a wide ark behind him. Putting all his strength and speed into the random swipe, he managed to surprise Damon, pulling him into range for once.

A deafening clang sounded through the forest as Damon redirected Siegfried's attack. Despite not blocking it directly, the enforcer lost his grip to the enormous force of Sieg's blow. Alas, this sudden show of hidden strength was within Damon's expectations. Instead of backing up, he used the wide opening to step in and stab the dagger from his belt deep into the warrior's sword arm.

Sieg cried out as the pointed metal bit into his biceps, causing his hand to spasm and drop his weapon. Even seemingly unarmed, he could not entice the enforcer to stay in range. The devious man backed up right away, looking towards the sound of his sword clanging off a nearby tree.

Damon shot forward, aiming to stop a few feet away from his sword. His caution proved to be justified as sharp claws pierced the space in front of him. The cat-girl had committed fully to the surprise attack, allowing the enforcer to ram his knee into her chin. He heard Siegfried hobbling in his direction as he went to pick up his sword and end the presumptuous girl. A second set of footsteps caused him to glance to the right. Damon's jaw dropped as he spotted the man he nearly cut in two halves trying to sneak up.

Siegfried pushed his reserves to heal his leg, knowing he wouldn't make it in time to save them both. They gained a precious second from their enemy's surprise, but neither Sieg nor Ryden were close enough to utilise it before the enforcer had his sword in hand.

A look of acceptance flashed on Ryden's face as he acknowledged his failure. He knew there was no second chance anymore.

A distant flash caught their attention. Damon raised his sword and jumped back on instinct, barely blocking another enforcer's blade. The sudden attack forced him another step backwards and into Siegfried's crushing embrace.

Damon Pride coughed blood as several sharp, white spikes riddled his torso from behind. Arms like iron encircled his chest, pulling him deeper into the enamel-coated tips like a living iron maiden of bone and flesh. His ribs cracked like cinders beneath Siegfried's grip. Damon's fellow squad member watched without emotion as he coughed blood, and life slowly bled from his gaze.