What’s a possum doing here??? And in armor??

What was he, a possum knight?

My initial fear forgotten, I could only peer over the large silver wolf’s shoulder from my position atop her back at..this creature.

His hands were strange, but from the context of him being a possum, it didn’t look as horrifying as it did before.

The armor didn’t fit him at all, large breastplate smacking into his jaw each time he tried retreating further back into the bush. It wore the exact same armor as the one the skeleton wore, all shiny with bits of bronze peeking through green-blue corroded (or just dirty) metal.

The possum was busy loudly protesting in high pitched squeals while at the same time trying to scamper back from the large jaws that snapped open and closed at him.

Appraisal!

{Naked Hotchi-Witchi Kobold}

A naked what-the…wha

I don’t even know how to pronounce the middle part, even after system lady said it aloud in my head!

I continued to stare at the creature in fascination, adjusting my weight so that I wouldn’t fall off the muscles rippling on the growling Boudicea’s back. She was focused on dragging the protesting.. kobold? out of the bush.

To me, it’s appearance could only be described as a possum. In armor.

The grey fur and white face. Long pointy pink snout. No tail..Wait a minute.
Did possums have a tail?

I didn’t remember.

Either way, the head and hands definitely looked like a possum to me.

What was it called again?

Naked Hopi-Witchy? No that sounded close, but different.

Hottie-Wychee?

Bfffffbpt.

My brain was having trouble understanding. Blowing a raspberry helped a bit. Sometimes, when your brain got stuck on something, it was good to reset.

Either way, that’s a long, difficult name.

With each high-pitched shriek the possum emits, Boudicea’s ears shiver flatly atop her head. Though she finally had a hold on one arm, the possum’s other arm was busy holding on the the bush for dear life.

Me, I was busy trying not to fall off Boudicea’s back while she continued to dance around the bush, heaving to get the possum out.

One pale clawed finger loses its grip, and then another…

Grrrr!

Come out of the bush!!

Shrrrrip!

And out comes the possum knight out of his bush like an oyster being shucked from its shell. His ill-fitting armor stayed on for dear life, the scales in the armor bunching up around his furry tummy.

Quiet!

She snaps, fur all fluffed in anger, at the squealing creature.

The possum continued its cries, the loud shrieking squeals piercing our eardrums, but Boudicea ignores him. Rearing her head back takes the possum’s arm still clamped tightly between her teeth with her, and she gives him a hard shake.

That was bound to hurt.

Wait, no-!

He was only a possum knight who’d been hiding in a bush. There was no need for Boudicea to go this far!

But she doesn’t seem to hear me, with the poison flames back atop her ears as she continued to shake the poor possum.

Boudicea, let go.

Thankfully, the armor the possum knight wore would make it more difficult for the silver wolf to accidentally kill him.

And I was sure the wolf was going to drop him soon.

I mean, it couldn’t be comfortable; having what was like a thick tin can between your teeth.

But still..

The possum’s cry weakens with each hard shake of Boudicca’s head, the round black eyes peering up looking towards me for help.

She still didn’t drop him.

Look, he doesn’t want to fight.

I waited atop Boudicea’s shoulders still, waiting for her to drop him. I mean, it was clear he had no will to fight against us. The large wolf, fresh off an evolution with the added ability of poisonous flames would be a terrible match with this one.

She didn’t seem to hear me at all. Her attention was focused on shaking the possum into pieces. Not even me whistling hard at her works.

Creaak!

The wolf’s sharp canines scrape against the metal chest plate. Slowly, the bronze was giving way beneath her grip.

Was she planning on killing the possum knight!?

I SAID. LET HIM GO!

This wolf needed some sense knocked into her.

Opening my wings wide, I fly off her back, then tuck them in close again, diving underneath her.

It was a move similar to what I’d done with the rats.

Unsheathing my talons, I aim right for the still-healing injury at the top of her foreleg.

Bang!

The talons dig deep, and taking advantage of her confusion, I use her momentum that had been spent on shaking the possum to flip her onto her back.

That makes Boudicea release the possum from her jaws as she falls to her side, the poor creature flung out of her jaws.

I curl my long talons around her throat as she stares at me in surprise.

When I say let go. LET. GO.

The flames on her ears flare up once again.

As soon as I see that, I tighten my grip just the tiniest bit, enough to feel her breath hitch under my talons.

We were eyeball to eyeball now. Ignore the hot breaths she heaves out on my body, glaring at her right in the eye, I dare her to try and force me off her.

Without even meaning to, my wings slowly splay open before her, my body humming in ready position for her next move.

She would lose her throat the minute she tried.

I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I gave you your life back,  I can also take it away.

I tell her quietly, in all seriousness. My breath stops in my chest, waiting for her response.

It came soon enough, after a long pause.

Her fire crackles loudly once, then the purple glow fades, the silver wolf’s ears drooping. Silently, she rolls flat on her back, and I readjust my balance with her rolling body so that I stood right on her throat.

Ding~!

[Skill proficiency reached. Acquired Skill: Dominance.]

Phew. Boy, was I glad Boudicea listened. I’d pushed down the anxiety of knowing that a fight with her wouldn’t be easy.

Was Mr. Possum Knight okay??

The possum looked pretty unscathed, with only the slightest of dents in his armor here and there.

Looking over the parts of his scrawny rat-like body that was visible, nothing looked damaged.

But something was wrong.

As if our little spat had never happened, Boudicea peers over my back at the possum, snout furrowed in distaste.

What is that- That disgusting smell??

The large wolf ambles up around me and prods him with her foreleg.

Cling-clang!

Gravity does the rest after Boudicea's prodding. Bronze armor jangles as it bangs into other pieces when his body flips over.

He smells dead.

You don’t say?

I respond in the most sarcastic tone I could muster. Though I used my head to prop up his arm, it flops back down to the ground lifelessly. I mean, he already looked dead enough. A pink tongue flopped out of his mouth and his black eyes stared dully up towards the sky.

Too bad my sarcasm went right over her head. The wolf didn’t even bother looking at me after my response.

You didn’t have to kill him, you know.

How was I to know that? When prey runs, I hunt.

She looks at me with wide eyes, speaking as if she were talking about the weather, or the temperature.

There seemed to be no arguing with this wolf’s mindset.

I don’t bother to mention the fact that the possum hadn’t been running. He had been coming towards us, for some strange reason.

And now we would never know why.

Did she really have to kill him??

I couldn’t help glaring at Boudicea’s side profile. She was busy sniffing at the long-dead human man, nudging the helmet off his head which took his skull with it.

Ew. She just licked the top of the human's spine.

Looking back down at the possum I wondered why was he wearing the same armor the human skeleton wore??
Did he kill a group of humans and took one of their armors for his own??

Well, okay. Look, Boudicea.

I don’t shrink away even when her large wolf body towers over my smaller raven body.

Your mate made me the Alpha. It is now my job to take care of your Pack, yes?

…Yes.

Did you ever disobey your mate when he was Alpha?

She tears her gaze away from mine. Looking everywhere, the possum, the trees, the sky, but at me.

….Rarely…

This wolf was still being difficult. Rolling my eyes, I continue with our conversation.

But you do understand that the decisions the Alpha makes is for the good of the pack?

…..

Yes.

Then I would appreciate it if you could listen to my requests. ESPECIALLY when it comes to killing things I no one asked you to.

I guess I can try...

No, I don’t need you to try.

You WILL.

I make sure to activate that new skill, 『Dominance』 again.
Stepping towards her, the sun behind me causes my shadow to appear to loom towards and engulf Boudicea’s shadow.

Her ears flatten once more, and she lowers her head below mine. One glance back at her throat seems to remind her of our earlier positions, where her life had been in my hands.

Though she doesn’t respond back to me telepathically, she does show her understanding by lowering herself on her foreleg and bowing her head towards me.

Sigh..

Well, as I’ve done in both worlds so far, I would have to make the best of this not so great situation. Again.

Flying up to the nearest tree branch, I begin pecking off vines that looked to be the perfect thickness to act as a rope.

And then back to the poor possum knight.

The odor he emitted was even worse now, a thick putrid odor wafts up, that I can practically smell swirling about the clearing. This smell was so much stronger than the one I’d smelled from the skeleton.

Is it truly dead?

She asks. Why was she asking me? Boudicea already said it smelled dead. Hopping next to his head, I give a tap on the possum’s pink nose.

I hadn’t shaken the prey that hard, you know.

Ignoring Boudicea, I focus on the possum laying prone on the ground.

Another tap.

The wet nose doesn’t quiver. It just squishes under my wing finger.
I was close enough to it now to see the thin rims of white around it’s large, unseeing pupils.

Yep. Dead alright.

And now very, very stinky. The smell was so strong I couldn’t figure out where the source was coming from on the possum’s body. Only that his body stunk, like all the worse scents in this world and the last combined into one.

Oof.

I have never met a creature before who could die so suddenly and already begin to stink like a 3 day old corpse.

I did agree with Boudicea on that observation, but I chose not to respond yet. I was busy examining the binding of the armor, trying to find out how the possum put the armor on. There was no button, no strap at the shoulders that tied the armor to his body.

Has your curiosity been satisfied? You found the source of the scent, the prey is dead. Let us return.

This was getting annoying. Whirling around, I think about pressuring her to be quiet using Dominance again. But rather, I was caught by surprise at her current expression as she waited behind me. If Boudicea had human features, she would be raising a brow at me right now, with both arms crossed to further show her annoyance at my antics.

Was she being serious right now. How was she that quick at recovering when I’d pressured her and threatened her with bodily harm??

Whatever.

I kind of envied how easily she seemed to detach her emotions.

No.

Giving a quick bow of apology towards the possum knight and the human skeleton, I begin gathering the vines I’d cut down. With these pretty armors before me, there was no way I was going to leave them behind.

Without turning around, I address the silver wolf waiting for me to leave with her. I could tell by the sound that she was ready to go, with the branch in her mouth for me to perch on.

Help me strip the possum first. We probably have to let the armor air out once.