Mark’s feet and back hurt, his head felt like it was going to throb its way into an implosion, his legs were sore, and his stomach kept growling for food and water. Everything felt just about horrible right about now, and his patience was running thin.

The quiet mouse lay on the ground nearby. Blindfolded, gagged, and drenched in more of the purple berry juice. It was something that was happening more and more often now, whenever Brye and Shery went off to check things or try to spot a potential new victim, it would always end up like this.

This time there had been no luck in any of the ventures.

“There’s a small town, and they’re wary.” Brye’s ear twitched in annoyance, her claws traced up and down Noah’s rope-like tail, the mouse wriggling and groaning. “It’s going to be a pain to go around.”

“Why the hell don’t we go in and have an actual rest?” Mark spoke, crossing his arms and glaring at the two-tailed dark fox.

“You?” Shery looked slightly surprised as she answered.

“We can’t exactly walk in with rope tied around your wrists.” Brye pointed out.

“And I’m fed up.” He replied flatly. “The pace we’re keeping is going to get me killed before you get to whatever the place’s name is.”

Brye stepped closer, leaving the squirming mouse shuddering and gasping through her nose. The fox approached the human, leaning down and not looking away from his gaze for even a second.

“Promise it.”

Mark hesitated. “Promise what?”

“Promise that you’ll be in your best behavior.” She replied. “We go into the village, you act like you’re our owner, get yourself a nice soft bed if they have a tavern, maybe even a warm bath and hot food. But you keep your mouth shut and let us do the talking.” A pause. “Just this village, just this once. Promise it.”

Shery hesitated, stepping forward. “Brye, don’t be crazy, he could-.”

The fox raised her hand to stop the gray-skinned maiden, not looking away from Mark. The silence stretched out, man and maiden meeting gazes, quietly gauging one another. The human’s mind whirled through the possibilities, he could lie to her, he could trick her…

And then what? Get put under the control of whoever was calling the shots here like they did back at the Court?

“Deal.” He spat on his palm, reaching out to her.

She glanced at the palm for a moment, then nodded. “Deal.” She grasped it tightly, shaking once before she yanked.

Mark gasped as she reached out with her other hand, pulling his neck closer as she kissed him. The fox let go immediately after, stepping away before he could even properly react to the surprise.

“Deal.”

“You can’t be serious.” Shery complained.

“I am.” The fox replied with a shrug, grabbing Noah by the wrapped-up wrists and tossing her at Shery. “If this is a fuck-up, I’ll fix it.”

“You better.”

Mark nodded somewhat, glancing at them. “So what now?”

“Now we walk, and if we’re questioned, you let me be the one to talk.” Brye said with a simple shrug.

With Noah being carried by the same person that was also carrying most of the luggage, the group set out towards the nearby road. Mark noticed one of Brye’s tails vanished, and so did Noah’s tan. He had to blink twice and then twice more before he felt like his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. This was an illusion, wasn’t it?

They walked quietly, the dirt road under their feet crunching with every step.

“Oh, by the way.” Brye’s singular tail lashed back and forth as she looked over her shoulder at Mark. “Maidens like a Doggirl can hear a conversation a whole building over. Not as good as mine, but good enough that you shouldn’t consider there’s really anywhere private in the village.”

“Whatever.”

He rolled his eyes, the sooner they got some actual food and rest, the sooner he could consider the prospect of what the hell to do next. Now that they were approaching actual civilization, he’d take the chance to learn more about what sort of crazy place this was. He was fine with not trying to run away at the first chance he had, but he really couldn’t afford going at things blind anymore.

It took them an hour before the village came into view. A small thing, maybe thirty buildings tops. Most of the space was occupied by the farmland, which had clearly seen better days.

“Dregs from the feral rush came through here.” Shery muttered, her focus on the fields that were battered and torn as if someone had passed a giant rake over it in random directions.

“Doesn’t seem like they were hit too hard. And we’re on the road of gems, so they might have a tavern.”

“The what?”

“There’s an elemental stone mine south of the kingdom, the road they take the rocks goes through here.” Brye shook her head. “If there’s no tavern, we’d have to look for someone offering hospitality, in which case we’re better off just moving to the next place.”

As they approached the village, Mark noticed there were people working out in the edges of the fields. Some wore loose rags for clothes, but there were a few that had green uniforms. One such uniformed maiden spotted them and hurried over from her work.

“Greetings.” The brunette spoke, glancing at Mark, Brye, and stopping at Noah. “What business do you have in our village?”

“Just passing through, will spend the night, maybe two, ma’am.” Brye bowed her head low, hands furling against her lap, her voice a demure soft silky plea. “Our Master is very tired, and would appreciate a soft bed for us to warm. Would you happen to know if there’s a tavern available?”

The human almost did a double-take at the fox’s soft-spoken words and almost submissive behavior. Though the uniformed maiden brightened slightly, apparently not catching Mark’s shock.

“We’ve had very few visitors as of late, so there’s surely room to spare at the tavern. Do you plan to sell that feral?”

“No, my Master was looking to break her in. He wanted to give her as a gift to his younger cousin.” Brye bowed her head with a slight bending of her knees. “He’d been intending to buy a collar for her in Aubria.”

“That’s nice.” The uniformed maiden waved and stepped aside. “Best of luck out there, and be careful, there’s been word of some banditry on the roads, some of the displaced have grown desperate.”

“Much appreciated, we will keep a watchful ear and a sharp nose.”

Another bow, and they continued towards the village. Mark couldn’t stop looking at the back of Brye’s head, unable to believe she could behave so… demurely.

“Dear Master, if you are going to stare so much, perhaps I could provide a better focus?”

The fox looked over her shoulder at him, smirking as she raised her tail, making her rump more prominent to his gaze. Mark rolled his eyes and Shery snorted in amusement, but little else was said, even as Noah’s struggling had regained some vigor, though by now the maiden had long since pushed herself past the point of exhaustion.

They walked through the town, Mark trying to see if he could spot anyone that wasn’t a maiden.

And failing.

Every single person that crossed their path was a collared female. There was the usual sense of normalcy going about them, very few giving them more than a glance. But Mark could feel every alarm in the back of his head sounding off at maximum volume. Especially from those that would focus on Mark for a bit longer than the rest. 

Every single person they crossed paths with could crush him in an instant, his eyes kept paying very close attention to their hands, their shoulders, the way they tilted their heads. His jaw was tight as he pushed down the feeling of creeping danger. He could tell there was no hostility, a part of him did at least, he had to fight back against himself.

Where were the humans? He could only wonder at that.

“At this time of day, most are having an early dinner.” Brye pipped up.

And Mark realized she’d been looking at his thoughts. Again.

The fox only grinned. “Here we are.” She stepped into the building that had a barrel and a bed atop the entrance.

The smell of rancid alcohol hit Mark like a ton of bricks, he covered his nose and had to look around to find the room had at least six men and four times that in maidens. They were eating for the most part, very loudly at that. Mark could vaguely make out that it was some sort of celebration, but Brye and Shery hurried them along to the counter.

The fox slapped down some coins.

“The biggest bed and the most soundproof door.” She stated with a wide smirk. “My tail is in need of some yanking. Also need some hot bath for my partner.”

The bartender rolled her eyes, snatching the coins and dropping a key. “Last one to the left. Bath-water in three hours.” And without missing a beat, she turned to hand over some wooden mugs at the waitress.

Mark barely had time to finish taking in the sight of the crowded place before Brye was tugging him along and up the stairs. The door slammed shut behind them and instantly after Noah hit the floor as she was dropped like a sack of potatoes. It was a modest room all things considered. Single window, large bed with light brown sheets, and a smaller bed next to it. Apparently meant for ‘the help’, if Mark’s guess was correct at least.

No sooner had he taken in the view that Brye was taking off her clothes while Shery was moving towards the smaller bed. “Don’t be noisy.” The gray-skinned woman proclaimed, slowly easing herself onto the wooden piece of furniture.

Said furniture complaining greatly under the weight.

“Hm? Why would we be noisy?” Brye shot Mark a coy smirk, naked as she swayed her way onto the big bed and laying on top of it.

The human hesitated, not sure how to react. The first expectation that had come to mind had been that the fox would forcefully strip him and have her way with him. Again. Instead, he was left standing next to the door and focusing on the golden mirthful eyes that were looking back at him.

“Well?”

“Well what?” He scowled.

“Are you just going to stand there and watch?” She arched her brow, fingers tracing their way up her milky thighs.

He growled, taking off his shirt and tossing it at the bed before moving to lay on the bed, his back turned towards her. “Do whatever.”

“Sure.”

There was ruffling, and then… nothing.

The human looked over his shoulder. Brye was lying on her side, her naked back aimed his way, her two tails draped over his hip. With a frown, he flicked them off and returned to try to relax himself, take the edge off of his weary body, get the chance to recover some energy.

By the time the tails returned to drape over his hip, he was too close to falling asleep to try to flick them off again.