Keena, Sage and myself were the only ones awake in the room while the rest slept upon mounds of straw. I shook some pieces that had found their way into my clothes out, very much missing a real bed. As I opened the top of a barrel I was greeted to a very fond sight. Meat. Not just any meat mind, dried meat that looked very much like beef jerky. A single tear dripped down my face as I stared.

“Are you…crying?” Keena questioned in a sympathetic tone before she placed a comforting hand, carefully, upon my shoulder.

“It’s beautiful.” She looked at the barrel full of jerky.

“It’s only meat.”

“Only meat?! Lady do you understand how much money this would be? A single 8 ounce bag of jerky is almost 8 dollars per bag! And you don’t even get that many pieces! A barrel of this size full of jerky is worth thousands! Thousands!” I knelt down and hugged the barrel, rubbing my face against its splendidly crafted body.

“I’m happy to see you enjoy the provisions we provide.” I cunning voice came from the pathway to the Matriarch’s hall. She leaned against the stone wall in her black dress that she had met with the inquisitors in.

“You did this?” I asked, slowly rising from my position to face Velle.

“But of course. A leader provides for their pack after all.”

I walked over to the Matriarch who watched me curiously and looked into her eyes as seriously as I could muster. We held one another's gaze for a time until I felt I couldn't maintain a straight face anymore.

“I love you.”

A very apparent look of shock struck her face as I heared Keena gasp behind me and Sage chuckle dryly. The look on Velle’s face lingered for a few moments before she regained control. She lightly coughed as her tail moved erratically. “S-so little bird, does this mean you wish to be caged by me?” She smiled seductively, “I’ll have you singing a most beautiful tune.”

“Not yet cougar, but this barrel of jerky is a big step in the right direction.” I winked before going back to the barrel. I grabbed a large piece and bit into the delicious meat. Vegetarians may protest saying meat is murder, but if god didn’t want us eating animals why did he make them so tasty?

“Is he always so…eccentric?” I heard Keena whisper behind me.

“He is quite interesting.” Velle purred, “He’ll make a good pet one day.”

“P-pet?!” Keena exclaimed in a shocked tone. Velle, Sage and I all chuckled at her expense. Poor innocent youth.

“You’ll understand when you’re a little older.” Sage nodded, barely containing his grin.

“I am old enough to understand very well thank you.” Keena huffed as she took some jerky from the barrel and chowed down in an attempt to hide her discomfort. She kept glancing my way every few seconds. I pretended to not notice, save her a bit of embarrassment in the short term.

The rest of the morning passed relatively in peace. I woke up Petal by holding a piece of jerky below her nose like I used to do to Pit when he was asleep. Her nose twitched when she caught the scent, her ears moved about and her eyes slowly opened. When she saw what I was doing she took the jerky away with one hand and lightly punched me with the other. The whole time she nibbled on the jerky she gave me the evil eye.

Together we all left through the pathway into Velle’s home. She had been expecting the inquisitors for some time as they always came around every few months. Now that the threat had passed the passage was to be left open for the time being. Velle forced Keena into her room for some more appropriate clothing than the rags she was currently wearing. After a short wait out stepped Velle who wore seductive clothing as usual. Followed shortly after was Keena who wore snug brown leather pants and a strange black shirt that wrapped around her chest rather than be worn over it. Her pants had a hole in the back made specifically for her tail to fit through, while her wings were unobstructed by the chest-wrap.

I gave her a thumbs-up, “Lookin’ good Keena.” That was when I learned that Dra-Hkan couldn’t blush, but they could most certainly look bashful. We all shared a slight laugh at Keena’s discomfort and everyone except me only laughed harder when Velle told me that I was hers and she didn’t want to share her property.

Even Keena laughed! At me! At that moment I knew what betrayal felt like.

A few Dra-Hkan as well as the mind-reading Shren joined us as we left to have a real breakfast in a local inn. Fresh baked bread, giant eggs from creatures known as Kru’okaw and of course a heaping amount of meat formed out meal. To wash down the food we drank cider that had a taste of something similar to mango. As we ate the guard’s captain Kria joined up as well.

After we had filled our bellies and we leaned back in our seats quite content Keena was the first to speak. She wished to tell us her story as an apology for the trouble she’s caused. While we all said it was no trouble she insisted, so we listened. The only ones that weren’t as phased as the rest of us were the Dra-Hkan who had experienced what she had. Petal patted Keena’s arm in sympathy and we all gave our sympathies.

But an aspect of the story stood out to me, Keena’s father was alive and in the hands of those inquisitors.

“Velle, was the leader of the inquisitors from last night the same as in Keena’s story? The black scale dude?” I asked as I stroked my beard in thought.

“Indeed, he was the very same.” Velle confirmed.

“What direction where they headed?”

“North, to Pride Hi’ths' pack. A small town about three day’s travel on foot.” She watched me closely. “What are you planning little bird?”

“Oh nothing big.” I looked at Keena, “Just thinking about busting your father and any other captives out of those inquisitor’s clutches.” An explosion of voices rose around the table, many against such hasty action. Sage and Velle however, merely stared at me. As the protests died down waiting for my response I held up my left hand as the black shadow moved about like smoke. “I was given these powers for a reason.” I said simply.

“But you could be killed. My Lord I cannot let you take such hasty action!” A Dra-Hkan exclaimed and slammed the table with a clenched fist.

“It’s Mark, actually. Not Lord. And whats the point of having power if I don’t use it to help others? What kind of person would I be if I just sat back and hid while others suffered around me?” I smiled, “That’s just not who I am, sorry. If I can help, I will.”

“It’s not even your issue to deal with…” Keena mumbled. I stared her straight in the eye and smiled,

“Babe, I’m American. Butting into other people’s business is what we do.” I looked at Velle, “Can I expect your support in this Velle?” Kria stood up and saluted.

“You’ve got my support Mark. I also cannot stand idly by while there are others in need of assistance. It’s a guard’s duty to protect.”

“Well said Kria. We are of one mind.” Velle stated before nodding to me. “You have my support little bird.”

“Thank you, now if you’ll all excuse me, I’ve got a date with a dwarf.” I rose from my seat and walked out of the inn and into the street. But then the realization struck me and I walked back inside. Everyone was still seated at the table and looked at me wonderingly as I approached. “Forgot to leave a tip.” I threw down a ten dollar bill on the table and then left for real.

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“What is a tip?” Petal asked as she stared at the strange piece of paper that Velle now held in her hands.

“I’m not sure.” Velle spoke as she turned the paper over and over in her hands.

“Perhaps it is an offering left to show appreciation for the service received?” Sage pondered as he scratched his chin with a claw.

“There’s a picture of his kind on here, as well as many other strange ones. Not to mention the writing, The United States of America…” Velle wondered aloud as she passed the strange piece of paper to Sage. “Perhaps it is a coalition of packs that have formed together, forming a single large pack?”

“Seems reasonable. Americans must be a strange and vain race to draw their own people on pieces of paper to leave behind however.” Sage mumbled, “Well he left it here so we must respect his gesture.” Everyone agreed and left the strange paper where he had originally placed it. Velle then placed a few silver coins on the table as payment for services rendered as well as a bonus coin, called a tithe, for the server of their food and drink.