“So tell me, who in the seven hells is Mortas Graves?” Just saying the name put a bad taste in her mouth. It almost sounded human.

      Junipor leaned onto the tavern bar table, and rested her head on the curved bicep of her right arm. She could smell the stale yeast soaked into the wood. Frustration was carved onto her face. Her ears were folded back, further emphasized her dour mood. Next to her sat a tray of empty tankards, only minutes ago they had been filled with mead, along with a couple of smaller glasses of absinthe. 

      Nearby, amidst a collection of patrons, Seldie was chugging her fourteenth goblet of wine. Red stains covered her linen tunic, and yet she continued to drink alongside the others. Wine had never been the taverns specialty, and what barrels they had wouldn’t age well. Hoping to empty his stores, the bartender hosted a contest to be rid of it. Had they known the young Zakinae had a fondness for wine, they might’ve kept more in stock for everyone else.  

      Freed from all the winter pelts, Seldie revealed herself to be much smaller and lithe compared to the average Pharine. Rarely were outsiders welcomed around the hearth, had she been human she wouldn’t have been allowed at all, but something about her innocent disposition gave her a pass. Some of the Pharine’s had even come to accept her as one of their own. Her tunic was several sizes too large. Luckily the pants Junipor found for her were already adjusted for a tail.

      “Moooore…” Seldie’s slurred voice struggled to speak the word in the Pharine language.  Junipor watched her strange friend salivate as another goblet was filled, and she was quick to raise it in the air. It was hard not to feel impressed. 

      ‘More’ was the first word that Seldie seemed to understand, that and ‘Wine’. After several weeks Seldie had begun to understand enough phrases to piece together a conversation, although she switched to Zakinae often.

      The tavern primarily offered honeyed mead, or sugared absinthe for those with a hardy liver. Junipor enjoyed the stronger liquor, especially on days like this. With mating season on the horizon, she was eagerly waiting for one fo the males to pine for her attention. So far, no one made the attempt, which only added to her frustration.

      Around them, surrounding the warmth of the hearth fire, a sea of patrons packed the taverns main hall. The official start of mating season was nigh on the horizon, and already young Pharine males and females had come to celebrate the coming festivities. Her sister was amongst them. 

      Scarlet Reign eagerly entertained a group of young male fishermen while letting them buy her one tankard after another. Her stories were highly embellished, detailing her time spent amongst the Aiverix war bands on the main continent, but they seemed believable enough. It was true that Scarlet accompanied the famous Aiverix during the winter campaign against the geist storm only three years ago, but not in a military capacity. She attended the warrior’s camp, hunting with other camp followers to ensure there was an abundance of food, and helping to mend the warriors after their battles. The war was a brief one, yet everyone who was there earned plenty of glory to share.

      At the time Junipor was too young to follow her sister, having still to reach maturity, and she never forgave Scarlet for leaving without her. Junipor had trained ceaselessly since then, and was ready to prove herself as a warrior. Or so she hoped.

      Junipor was always jealous of her sisters blossoming figure, truly she was blessed by the goddess. Scarlet had wide child bearing hips, and soft giving breasts. Like their mother, both of them shared copper toned skin, and frosty white hair. Also like their mother, Scarlet let her hair grow long, and brushed her bangs to the side. Unlike Junipor, Scarlet’s almond colored eyes had garnered much attention, for they were said to be a sign of favor from the goddess. Whether or not that were true, or a gift from their mother, Junipor could only guess.

      The smell of smoked meat flooded the tavern, reminding Junipor of her morning hunt. She already missed the feeling of leather against her skin, and the warmth of her bear furred coat. She traded the hunting garb for a simple sleeveless tunic, and a pair of wool pants. Her tail wrapped around her waist, coiling against her stomach for added warmth.

      “Mortas Graves,” Alabasto, the bartender, didn’t enjoy speaking the name out loud. He wiped down the table with a fresh rag while trying to keep his voice low. “Haven’t you heard? He’s a killer on the loose! His calling card has been left behind at all the murders.”

      “What murders?” Junipor lazily asked. She was bored, and found the idea ludicrous. Nothing ever happened in Hitecross, much less a murder. 

      “Not here,” Alabastos answered the lingering question in her mind. “Further south at Inner Knot. Sixteen people so far have perished.”

      “Oh the humanity, as the humans would say,” Junipor chuckled. Inner knot village was on the southernmost tip of the island, and home to the Fen tribes. Of all the peoples of Heightsland, few were less trustworthy than them. In a way, Junipor couldn’t blame her isolationist cousins. After withstanding the worst of the Thytosusian raids, it would make anyone less trusting. 

      Alabastos was taller and broader than Junipor, as all males were, but he never seemed intimidating. In fact, he was quite the opposite. His smile could light up a hearth fire on its own, and his pearly white iris’s mimicked the beauty of winter snow. Lengthy dark black hair framed his masculine face, and was so thick it almost looked like fur. “Are you seriously being sarcastic?” He asked.

      “Sounds like gossip to me,” Junipor rolled her eyes. “You’re only adding fuel to the fire.” In a way it was the bartenders job to gossip, but this rumor in particular sounded dangerous.

      “It’s not just gossip,” Alabasto’s cautioned. “I’ve heard from a very reliable source, they think the murderer is coming here! Several travelers have been found dead alongside the main road leading to Hitecross.” 

      Junipor listened half heartedly. Her attention was split between Seldie, who was trying to learn a new phrase from one of the other male patrons, and her sister. Scarlet was old enough to seek a mate, and already had a collection of suitors pining for her attention. 

      Junipor had reached her nineteenth winter season, and claimed her first kill during the raid on the slavers vessel. She had every right to seek a bond mate, but had yet to do so. 

      When she was a tiny pup, still nursing from her mothers breast, Junipor was there to see the Aiverix war-clans marching through her home village. They were mighty warriors sung from bards sagas, and brought to life armed and ready for battle. Junipor didn’t know it, but they had come to wage war against human invaders, currently advancing from the southern side of the island. Seeing them first hand, Junipor knew that one day she would become one of them.

      That dream would be extremely difficult if she had pups of her own, and thus Junipor barely entertained the thought. In a way she was conflicted. The goddess Phedona commanded them to be fruitful and patient, she was often known as the goddess of fertility in other parts of the world after all. There were times when Junipor felt her goddess’s call to fulfill her natural obligations. A part of her yearned to do so, but her dreams came first.

      “So where are the guards then? Shouldn’t they be watching the streets?” Junipor’s ears twitched upon hearing a tankard fall to the floor. There was an outburst from across the hall, followed by two males nearly coming to blows. 

      Alabastos shouted at the pair, and dared to throw a hand axe in there general direction. Junipor hoped his first instinct wasn’t to aim for the head. Whether or not that was the case, or he would’ve simply aimed for the wall, Junipor couldn’t be sure. 

      It seemed like overkill, but Junipor knew how a good threat of violence was sometimes the right answer for unruly males. To salvage their bravado, the dueling patrons lashed back, one threatened to unsheathe a rather fine looking sword from the scabbard at his waist, but hesitated. Alabastos’ cold stare was enough to  frighten a fully grown mammoth, and both the lesser males averted their gaze.

      In a way, this was the only real entertainment available in her home village of Hitecross, and this was only just the first spat. Hopefully it wouldn’t be the last fight of the night. Junipor wondered if she would have to find a way to occupy Alabastos’ attention, so that he wouldn’t get in the way when the real brawling began.

      “Well look at what we have here.” Junipor’s ears twitched upon hearing the voice coming from behind her, and she jerked her head up. Looking over her shoulder, she felt a lump in her throat upon seeing her younger brother stroll into the tavern. He was smiling, although there was a slight limp in his gait. Seeing him, Junipor worried that he might’ve somehow injured himself.

      “What do you want Alder,“ Junipor’s tail wagged back and forth upon seeing him. Alder Reigns was still a few seasons short of proper manhood, but he was already taller than she was. His copper toned skin shined in the flame-lit tavern, and his thick white fur-like hair appeared unkempt. Alder wore a thin tunic over his broad chest, and a rather fine pair of buck leather trousers that looked brand new. 

      Alabastos noticed his entry and immediately offered him a tankard of mead. “Good to see the Reign pups all together.” 

      “Just get me another green fairy Al,” Junipor’s voice was starting to slur.  

      Accepting his drink gratefully, Alder then turned his attention back to Junipor. “Arm wrestle, ten copper ducats says you can’t win this time.” 

      Junipor laughed. She knew a day would come when she wouldn’t be able to out-strength her little brother, but for now Junipor wasn’t worried. Her thick sinewy arms were still more than a match for him. She liked to entertain his boastful challenges out of sisterly love, and looked forward to the day that he would discover his own strength. 

      “Make it twenty, and I’ll consider it.” Junipor brushed aside some of the empty cups on the table next to her, providing enough room to plant her elbow.

      “Fifteen, and I’ll throw in a pint.” It was charming to think that Alder had fifteen ducats to spare, let alone could cover his tab. 

      Junipor shot him a delightful smirk, the only reason they could afford all the spirits was due to the game she brought in that morning. She made sure to offer a prayer of thanks to Phedona for the successful hunt immediately after returning home. Junipor also offered a portion of the meet to the temple, along with the antler horns, and received a proper blessing from Phedona’s priestesses. 

      Alders pride was on the line, but Junipor chose to further entertain him. “Twenty, and another green fairy instead.” 

      “You and your absinthe.” Alder sat down next to her with a shrug. His crystal blue eyes, the same as her own, reflected the hearth light as he leaned forward. Seeing them, a memory of their father flashed before Junipor’s mind, causing her to wince. She quickly collected herself, and was happy to see Alabastos already sliding another green fairy towards her.

      “Twenty two ducats, and another drink.” Junipor raised her hand, her callused fingers  were ready for his softer grip.

      “You are terrible at negotiating.” He wasn’t wrong, bartering wasn’t her strong suit. It was quite the opposite really, but Junipor didn’t seem to mind.

      “You’re the one who always accepts in the end.” Junipor raised an eyebrow and gripped her brothers hand firmly. Just before they started, Seldie somehow managed to creep onto the table next to them. She tried to surprise them by cupping her hands around theres and playfully mock their competition. Instead, she fell flat on her face, knocking dow all the glasses and tankards so that their liquid contents spilled onto their laps. “Seldie!” Junipor jumped up in fright. Absinthe and mead soaked into her trousers. Both she and her brother had to react quickly, so the Zakinae wouldn’t fall face first onto the ground. 

      “More! Want more!” Evidently the dragon girl cared little about what she had just done, or the fact that she nearly injured herself.

      Junipor groaned, keeping her arm wrapped around the girls waist and carrying her like a bundle of logs. “Seldie, you’ve had enough.”

      “More!” She answered, followed by a series of complaints in her own native tongue. 

      Just as they were about to leave, another brawl broke out in the corner of the tavern. Junipor and Alder froze, looking toward the source of the fighting. Even Alabastos was shocked, for surrounded on all sides was a human.