Alone, Charlie sat on a wooden bench. His hands rested, folded in his lap as he stared at the table in front of him. Around him, the wolves of the village hustled and bustled with their daily life. They called themselves beast people, yet from watching them, they acted far more like wolves than people. Now the merchants were gone, the villagers who had stayed hidden finally showed themselves.

Not far away, a small group of wolf children chased each other around tables. Yipping and biting, the wolf girls tackled in the dirt, their mothers sitting along the side talking and joking as they watched them play fight. Charlie looked across his table to another close by. The table on which he had seen Ourupadia, and the huntress before. Where was she? Was she one of these things as well?

The bench bent slightly as Nolkonoe placed herself next to him. In front of him, she placed a bowl of berries.

“Eat and eat well. The huntresses haven’t caught any food since the desert crawler attack. The food we brought from the merchants and buying you has bled our coppers dry for the time being. And the food from the raiders has… disappeared,” she said. Charlie thought for a few seconds.

“There were five survivors?” Charlie said, looking to her. Nolkonoe nodded.

“We have already captured them. They were raiders, but the huntresses have already… talked to them and found that they haven’t done it, we think it was desert rats. Those little fucks would eat anything,” Nolkonoe said, running her hands through his hair.

For a while there was silence as Charlie looked at the bowl of berries.

“So how many people beside me know about your…” he gestured towards her ears and tail.

“None. It is too risky. If the nobles, lords, ladies, dukes, duchesses etc, knew the magic in our blood that could stop aging for even periods of time, or permanently, they would probably slaughter us and milk us dry,” Charlie listened to what she said, thought for a few seconds, and then spoke.

“So why would you tell me? What stops me from telling someone and profiting from your deaths?” Charlie said, knowing the fortune he would make from selling that information, as well as the praise from his family.

“Because you’re not that kind of person,”

“You barely know me as a person,” Nolkonoe smirked as he spoke. Leaning down, she placed a kiss onto his head.

“I know, but I place a lot of trust in you. I know you like to do nice things,” Nolkonoe said, remembering a time when he was a child and spent a day with Etasose trying to help a baby bird that had fallen from a tree. Charlie looked away, a little annoyed he had no leeway in this conversation.

Regarding the food…what’s the best way to get some more,” he said, looking back at the children, and noticing how frail they looked.

“As I said, buying you and the food from the Merchants has depleted our coppers. We can’t afford to pay the tax to hunt on the Region Lord’s land,” Nolkonoe looked down at Charlie, seeing the solemn look on his face.

“Why buy me if it would cause such a situation?” He questioned, still looking at the Children.

“We had signed the contract long ago, and without being sued or condemned by your family or the Merchant Union, it would have been far worse,” Nolkonoe answered.

“Where is Ourupadia?”

“Hunting in secret, trying to catch something to eat,” Nolkonoe finished. Turning, Charlie looked to his berries before glancing back to the children. Nolkonoe smirked.

“Someone wants to help, don’t they?” She said, seeing he was thinking of offering his food to the Children.

“Our Children are strong, they would be fine for a day or so without food but giving it to them would definitely get some good points with the tribe’s people,” Nolkonoe said, giving Charlie a pat of approval on the back.

A shadow fell over the Children, stopping them from playing. Both looked up curiously. The parents’ eyed him with equal curiosity as he offered the berries to the children. Both parents and children looked to Nolkonoe who gave them a nod of approval. Excitedly, the children took the food and scampered off to enjoy it with their friends and parents. It wasn’t much, but still, it was something.

Moving from her seat, Nolkonoe moved to his back. Wrapping her arms around him, she placed a kiss onto his cheek.

“See, told you that you have a good heart,” Nolkonoe said, smiling at him before taking his hand and walking him off into the village. At first, he wasn’t sure where, but he soon figured it out as he recognised the path towards the river where they’d bathed. Thoughts bombarded his mind as he thought of the tribe’s future. A question soon formed.

“What will happen if Ourupadia and her group have no food when they return?” Charlie said, wanting to ease his mind of the burden of thinking of the food shortage the tribe were about to face.

“I… have you decided yet whether or not you wish to help us?” Nolkonoe asked back.

“To be honest, I am still a little pissed off about basically being a slave to you. But I don’t want to see people die because of the Region Lord holding you to ransom to get food,” Charlie answered.

“Well, to answer your question, I think the best way to explain it, without going into any gruesome detail, is that if they come back with no food, their fates will be sealed. I would tell you here, but I really want you to show rather than tell. Show you the horrors so that you truly understand,” Nolkonoe said, gripping his hand tightly as she led him towards the lake.

Now, in her beast person form, she was a good two feet taller than him. So, as she led him through the village, it looked much like a mother leading her child.

Reaching the river, they stripped and Nolkonoe led him into the water. Alone they bathed in silence. Nolkonoe wanted to speak to him. She wanted to reassure him that he was safe, but she knew what lay ahead and how difficult it could be to get the soft-hearted boy to fully commit to their side. Charlie on the other hand stayed silent as he weighed up his anger about being sold to them, but also not wishing see someone as vile as the Region Lord go without judgment.

Even though the Merchant Union would allow the Region Lord to throw his weight around and abuse the natives, they still wouldn’t want a war. Now he was the Chiefess’s pet, he had her protection. Could he try to fight the Region Lord? If he did would he be responsible for starting a war? They were going to need some serious evidence against him. No, they were going to need a small army’s worth of evidence!

Noticing the look of distress on his face, Nolkonoe placed another kiss onto his cheek.

“Relax my little thing,” she muttered to him.

“Sorry, I’m just a very tired, despite you making me sleep until midday,” Charlie said, too tired to be embarrassed as Nolkonoe began to rub his chest with the cool water.

“Don’t worry. We understand this can be a very stressful time for you, so for the time being I have been chosen to care for you until you feel safe, happy, and most importantly secure around us.” Nolkonoe explained, cuddling her face into his neck.

Seeing him so defenceless played on her natural predator instincts of a Wolvanticai, but her care for him out wayed her predatory instincts. Calmed, Charlie flinched with embarrassment at the touch of Nolkonoe.

“I can wash myself,” he muttered, his face becoming red.

“But I just love washing my pet. And when the Chiefess is no longer busy, she will probably hog you all to herself,” Nolkonoe wined as she nuzzled her face into his hair.

“And wouldn’t you like to clean my tail?” she said, moving her tail around to gently waggle in front of him.

“You drive a hard bargain!” Charlie said, being weak to the head and shoulder rubs she pampered him with.

As quickly as it seemed to start, the bathing finished, and they dried and dressed.

“Thank you,” Charlie said, dried, dressed and confused at his life decisions.

“I would like to see the Chiefess,” Charlie said, wanting to talk to her further before deciding where to place the little honour he had left or his moral hatred towards the Region Lord.

“By the time you and I have gotten home, found something for you to eat and drink, she will probably be free,” Nolkonoe said, as she dried off, dressed, and finished drying her damp bushy black tail.

Once dry, they set off into the jungle together through the little slice of desert, and back into the village. The silence between them was palpable. Both were too awkward to try and talk. But the silence was pushed aside when they saw a small child waiting for them as they re-entered the village.

On seeing Charlie, the young boy sprinted to him. Nolkonoe and Charlie stopped as they looked down on the boy. Not far away, three women stood giggling as they watched the boy nervously shuffle next to Charlie. Looking down at him, Charlie could see he was concealing something against his chest. Lifting his hands the boy revealed a wooden bowl. Nolkonoe giggled as the boy said something in the native tongue.

“He’s the boy I gave food to, right?” Charlie said, just realising who he was. Smiling, he looked at the blushing face of the boy as the three older women laughed more.

“He said thanks for the food, and that he wishes to return your bowl to you,” Nolkonoe translated.

“Thank you, very much little lad,” he said, taking the bowl and keeping his smile present towards the boy. Bowing slightly, the boy then turned and spirited off towards the women. One of the women crouched down and let the boy leap into her arms. Smiling and waving, the women walked off with the boy.

“Come, let’s go and get you something to eat,” Nolkonoe said, waving for Charlie to follow her. Still smiling at the shy boy, he followed after Nolkonoe. But they didn’t move far before they heard something, yells and screams carrying softly on the wind.

“You hear that?” Charlie said, the screams of a crowd sending chills down his spine.

“It seems the huntresses have returned. Food will have to wait,” Nolkonoe said, gesturing for Charlie to follow her through the village.

Moving through the village it was clear that everyone had gone somewhere else. They soon found the villagers, gathered at the foot of the temple, the one that towered over the village like a guillotine over the head of criminal. There had to be three or four hundred villagers.

Realising the crowd was too dense to walk through, Nolkonoe dragged him to the side and moved to a place where it was easier to push through. Nolkonoe moved people apart until they reached the centre. Breaking through and into the open, Charlie’s eyes landed on Ourupadia. On her knees, a woman stood behind her, a knife in her and placed to Ourupadia’s throat. Nine other warriors, also on their knees, had women behind them with knives pressed to their necks too.

Looking at the steps of the temple they could see the Chiefess, sat, staring down at the women.

“This is what I wanted to show you,” Nolkonoe said, dragging Charlie to her side and making sure he had a clear, untainted view of the events.

“What is this?”

“The Huntresses returned with no food. Thus, they shall face punishment,” Charlie turned and looked to Nolkonoe. Punishment? But this wasn’t their fault?

“Why?”

“They failed, they failed to feed the tribe. Because they couldn’t catch food, they shall become the food,” Nolkonoe said, seeing the anger swelling in his eyes.

“But they have done nothing wrong? It isn’t their fault there‘re taxes put in place by the Region lord? It isn’t their fault that there are no animals to eat!” Charlie said, bordering on shouting as he raised his tone.

“But as you said, due to the heavy tax, we can’t hunt. The only places we can hunt in his territory without his guards seeing us are places with few or no animals. You know it’s a shame we shall have to sacrifice these huntresses so that we can eat them and survive,” with every word she said, Nolkonoe knew she pushed him further and further to their side.

“It’s almost like we need a merchant with the skills to help us,” She whispered into his ear as she leant down to him.

“You bastard,” he said, realising what she was doing.

“You are no longer a boy, it’s time to keep your promise and become a man,” she said, placing her hands onto his shoulders.

“I believe in you,” his eyes lit up at her words.

“Now go, make your voice heard before their deaths are sealed,” Charlie didn't need to wait for her to say this a second time before he bolted forward.

The warriors saw him and tried to stop him as he sprinted to the temple steps. Glaring down at him, the Chiefess ordered two guards to push him to the side, but he refused to budge.

“Your majesty I believe he has something very important to say,” Nolkonoe said in her native tongue.

“This is no time for your games Nolkonoe,” the Chiefess said, seeing that this was probably another one games to entertain herself.

“Please, just listen. I think he may actually have something that could help,” Nolkonoe reassured. Flicking her wrists, the Chiefess had her guards step down. Charlie looked to Nolkonoe and she gave a signal that she would translate what he said to the Chiefess.

“Firstly, I very much understand that it's not my place as your pet to make such a request of you, but I please beg of you to spare the lives of these women,” Charlie began. The Chiefess stared at him, still considering whether to have him pulled to the side.

“Please, I would like to have access to your merchant trade documents.”

“What will you get from doing this?” the Chiefess enquired. Charlie took in a deep breath, steadying his resolve.

“I wish to try and find some dirt on the Region Lord,” he announced.

“Dirt?”

“Scams, lies, things that he may have done to steal money from your people,”

“How can you confirm any of this?” the lead Forger yelled to him from the side lines.

“I can’t. I know though that the union will only act if we can affect their pockets. If we find something, we can do this, we can get our revenge, maybe even compensation money to buy food or the surrounding land,” he said, his eyes fixing on hers. Taking in another deep breath, he turned to look at Ourupadia.

“I am willing to stake my life on this,” mutters went up from the crowd as even Nolkonoe was a little taken aback by his sudden boldness.

“You do not have that right! You are mine! I decide whether or not you die,” the Chiefess yelled down at him, slamming her hand onto the stone next to her.

“Please, just two hours!” he begged, staring at the Chiefess. Staring at him, the Chiefess looked into his eyes. What was this look? Never before had she seen it. A look of determination and bravery. It was a look she didn’t expect from him, but it was a look she liked. Sighing, she waved her hand dismissively.

“Fine, let him look through the documents. It will give us more time to prepare the women for the cooking spits,” the Chiefess said, waving her hand.

“I won’t disappoint you Chiefess!”