Tera slapped down on the hauling winch's return mechanism in a bid to get it working properly. The device was damaged slightly during the last attack on their camp. Now it chose to remain a constant pain in the ass whenever they tried to get it to work. However, after beating on it for several more minutes it finally began to do its job.

The Electric Sea Naga, a demi-human known as the Eelaine, was slowly dragged onto the corpse hauler. The winching took a while, but they eventually it hauled her unconscious body up and over the loading ramp, and then into a large cage. Once her upper body was loaded, Tera and Mindi spent several minutes trying to shove the rest of her gargantuan form into her temporary home.

"Damn, why couldn't this bitch have just died? She smells like rotten fish," muttered Mindi as she helped her harem sister shove the oversized Sea Naga into her still undersized cage. By the time they were done the poor unconscious Demi-Human was in a balled heap with her tail in the air.

"We've killed far too many of late," remarked Kara from her gunnery seat. As the best shot in the group, she pretty much always rode at the gun. The fact that this got her out of loading duty wasn't entirely a bad deal for her, either.

"Ugh, I'm covered in bitch slime," griped Mindi in annoyance.

"Could be worse, you could have been hit with some of her blood like our master was," remarked Tera while trying to hide a growing smirk.

The Kraken didn't bother to hide her smug smile as she recounted how easily he'd dropped from a little blood splatter. Even now, with three anti-toxin meds cleansing his system, he was asleep in his bedroll. Their new harem sister, Honey, was his only immediate guard.

"Alright, miss alpha. We're loaded," called out Tera after she double-checked all the locks.

Kara nodded at them perfunctorily. "Get cleaned up, and one of you start lunch. The day isn't over yet," she ordered. Before his collapse, John left strict orders not to leave the area until morning unless they absolutely had to do so.

"Fine with me!" replied Mindi as she wandered over to the shallow pool of water nearby. The small pool of water was left behind when the Eelaine used her water floor technique. The pond nearby was the Eelaine's home prior to her current incarceration.

The Florida Preserve was proving to be a lucrative hunting ground. Water and insect based Demi-Humans were quite common. Plant types were frequently found as well. The area was filled with almost every type of Demi-Human around save for ice types and those who preferred hard ground.

"Hey, what about the capture limit?" called back Tera as she stripped off her plain white t-shirt allowing her large perky breasts to bounce free. Her body glistened in the light due to the thin coating of oil and slime she'd acquired while dealing with their new acquisition.

"We've only put two in the cages today. The kill limit hasn't been met yet, so we should be fine," remarked Kara.

Tera glanced over at the Eelaine and then looked at the Flatland Titcroc, a flat-chested crocodile girl, before nodding. There were another half-dozen dead Demi-Humans in the corpse hauler. With a capture limit of three per day and a kill limit of ten it seemed somewhat strange that this place was a sanctuary. Unfortunately, during capture proceedings most Demi-Humans were killed. Those who could be captured were highly valued, however.

Either way, it was dangerous not to keep the numbers of wild Demi-Humans limited. If the herds were not culled regularly they could starve, or worse, they would be poached by bandits and other unsavory groups. Poaching was one of the basic methods of recruitment used by militant groups throughout the area.

The Florida Preserve was only open for hunters and tamers three months out of the year. Each individual was normally allowed only one full week out of that period to hunt. There was also a limit imposed on the number of tamers and hunters who were allowed to participate in any given year.

It was generally considered a privilege to even be allowed to enter and hunt legally. John's team earned extended privileges due to their recent actions.

An hour later the field rations were cooking merrily over the campfire. Kara went to where their master lay shivering and soaked in sweat.

"Honey, it's my turn to watch over our master. Do you remember what you are supposed to do now?" she asked the Succubuzz.

Honey tilted her head to the side then bit her lower lip. She hummed slightly, a light buzzing sound emanating from her body. Not long after, she nodded then offered a sweet smile. "Honey needs to watch over everyone so they can rest!"

"Right. Good job, Honey," said Kara. She handed the sweet natured girl a communicator, and made Honey prove that she knew how to use it. Sometimes she forgot things unless she did them often enough. She seemed to be highly intelligent, but she was also a bit absent-minded.

Honey rushed forward and gave Kara a warm hug, much to the other girl's surprise. "Honey loves her sister," she said before kissing Kara on the lips and snuggling against her.

Uncertain what to say to such a statement, Kara reached out and lightly stroked Honey's hair. The Succubuzz closed her eyes and made a soft happy sounding noise. Such contact was strange for the Steel Valkyrie. Even her taming sessions with John were more formal than the actions of this sweet natured girl. It was easy to see why even John would do something as odd as he did in regards to her.

"Honey, is a good girl," said Kara softly while stroking the Succubuzz's hair. "Honey has work to do, though."

"Honey has work?" asked the bee girl softly, her eyes wide and her expression innocent.

Kara nodded to her. "Yes, Honey needs to protect everyone."

"Honey will do that!" exclaimed the bee girl energetically. She kissed her sister once more then rushed off, communicator in hand. She flew up to provide overwatch for the team, while her harem sister looked up into the sky at her flying form.

"Master spoils you, so much," said Kara in a mildly annoyed tone. The standing order from John was for the girls to refer to Honey by name as often as possible, to be nice to her in general, and to gently remind her of her duties.

It was a decidedly odd departure from his normal mannerisms, even if she did understand his reasoning. Honey's mental state was fragile and she needed to be supported until she was truly in her right mind once more.

She put the spoiled little bee out of her mind for a moment then turned to her master. Kara took up a slightly wet cloth and dabbed at the sweat forming along her master's face. John trembled softly inside his blanket. A concerned frown on her face, she looked over at the medicine box and moved to get him another anti-toxin.

After administering it, a few minutes passed before he settled into a slightly more peaceful slumber. He was lucky to have survived, to be honest. Even a single drop of a Sea Naga's blood can be toxic enough to kill a human being. Many Demi-Humans might not be able to resist such a shock to their system. Only Kara's extremely quick movements saved him. She ripped open his on-hand medicinal pouch, and administered the antidote to him twice immediately.

Sadly, it proved to be insufficient. A few minutes later the fever sweats and trembling began anew. A third dose was used in a bid to keep the toxin to a manageable level. Until now, it seemed to be holding. It was apparent, however, that some of the toxin remained in his system.

Kara wiped his sweat away once more, and caught herself when she absently tried to stroke his hair. "What am I doing?" she asked softly, while gazing down at her contracted tamer. Her eyes shimmered softly as she acquired a look of confusion. The confusion slowly grew into concern.

She was only a servant, a contracted mercenary. There was no need to touch him outside of normal taming requirements. Typically she preferred not to touch anyone outside of the required moments.

It was strange, however. She could not help but find the situation as a bizarre shift compared to the norm. John seemed so vulnerable in his current state. She knew on the surface that humans were weaker than Demi-Humans. However, he always seemed so strong. His actions were confident and he acted decisively once he reached a decision. He was in charge, and there was no disputing that fact. Yet here he was, a hair's breadth from dying.

Kara blinked as a strange sensation appeared within her. A moment later droplets of hot salty liquid landed on her hurt master's cheek with a soft 'plip'. She blinked then lifted her hands, the hands that had failed to protect her master, and lightly touched her fingers to the rims of her eyes.

"What?" she asked softly, as she pulled her hands away from her face. Her fingers were wet.

She shook her head slowly as the implication became clear. Kara did not want to believe it. She was a soldier. Emotions were for the weak, there was only duty. She knew her master respected her, but what would he say if he saw her crying like some infant?

Kara dried her eyes then took a calming breath. She had a duty to watch over her master. There was no time for bizarre emotions.

Despite her assertion, her fingers slipped down to lightly take hold of one of his hands. It would be quite some time before she realized that she'd done such a thing, but despite how she would berate herself later, her hand and his remained intertwined for now.