We kept walking, and my legs began to not simply ache, but to burn with the effort.

The man leading the way noticed I was falling behind and slowed himself, “You're tired already?” he asked.

I nodded, “Sorry… I’ve been trying… but I’m hungry… and thirsty…” I admitted.

“Right…” He grunted still I could tell he was a bit annoyed.

Still, we walked, but at least he slowed down a bit.

Then suddenly as we turned a corner I could see trees and grass.

“Oh!” I exclaimed completely by accident.

“Well, not quite night yet… good I can prepare.” The man noted.

He instructed me to rest by a tree. So with nothing else to do, and being quite tired I did as he said. It was a bit awkward as I realized I had a tail, an orange and black striped thing maybe two hand lengths long. It just seemed to do what it wanted without much input on my part. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t sit on it by accident, still now that I knew it was there it tended to move how I wanted, so a second attempt was all it took for me to settle down next to the tree.

From there I watched as he set up a strange circle around us, and then continued on to prepare a campfire. He lit the campfire with a snap of his fingers, then went to the circle whispering some words which after a moment caused the circle to glow softly, probably more faintly than the mushrooms but it was there.

That all done he sat down next to his own tree. He pulled free something and began to chew it, then glanced over to me, as though he was considering if I was worth the effort.

I was hungry, but knowing he was likely not all that interested in expending effort on me if it could be avoided I opted to just look as pitiful as possible. Just hoping that he was the kind of man who couldn’t stomach seeing me do so.

“Where are you from?” He asked instead.

“From?” I asked.

He grunted, “As in your village. You're a beast kin, so I assume your tribe is somewhere around here?”

I slowly nodded just to agree, I had no idea in truth but after a moment I came up with something to add, “I didn’t really leave… so I’m not sure where…”

“I see… Regardless… I’ll have to head back the way I came if I want to return with you. Maybe I should just carry you...” He said considering his options out loud as though I wasn’t sitting there listening to him.

Still even as he looked angry and frustrated I couldn’t help but stare up at him, his firm muscles, and tone body drew my eyes. I no longer had my memories to judge, but this man was quite attractive. I... I wanted to be close to him… to be in his arms.

That was probably a bad idea. But there was nothing else, I could go back into the cave, but what would that accomplish? I could sit here, go with him. I didn’t know what to do, or where to go. I didn’t really know what I was. But I’d try my best! As for what that was? Well, I’d already made up my mind with that.

I stood up from where I sat against my tree, and the man followed me with his eyes. I walked over to him. Then just doing what I wanted, I moved to sit on his lap. I was careful this time and my tail moved to the side. He did very little to stop me, he even moved his arms away to make room for me, though perhaps that was because he was avoiding touching me?

“Why?” He asked.

“Why what?” I asked.

“What is it you want? Food? Water?” He asked more insistent.

“Warmth?” I asked feeling far too naughty.

“So you wish to share warmth?” He asked a touch more carefully.

He seemed to have missed my tone and inclination. Or maybe he was dense? Or maybe my instincts were wrong? I didn’t really know. I wanted to be more forward, to really demonstrate what I wanted. But he seemed hesitant, resistant even. Maybe he wouldn’t go along with that. “Is that bad?” I asked instead.

“I don’t know that I’d trust myself with such a request. You barely know me.” He stated a touch firm, as though he was a teacher. Or maybe it was just his innate confusion at my actions?

“You brought me this far.” I offered. If I really was a girl that had been kidnapped wasn’t he basically my rescuer? That wasn’t really the truth, but I didn’t know what the truth was either.

He seemed confused for a moment, then finally replied, “I’m a man, and we are alone, in the dark.” He explained easily.

Ah, so he wasn’t so sure himself? That seemed the far easier way to touch this.

“I don’t mind.” I offered.

“You don’t mind what?” He asked.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll not protest.” I offered, “If it wasn’t for you… I’d be in that dark still.” I explained, being perhaps a bit too truthful.

He grunted more than spoke his reply, no doubt he understood?

I decided I’d offer him a way out, not wanting to overdo it, “If you don’t want that, that's fine too…” I explained.

“Be quiet. I feel bad enough knowing… I’m not some savior, and I don’t want to take advantage of a young woman's trust.” He explained.

That was disappointing. I had hoped he wanted a reward… But if he didn’t want to take advantage of me… Maybe he was actually a pretty good guy? Well, whatever, he at least seemed more at ease and less skeptical.

“Alright… Goodnight then.” I said leaning back against him slightly.

“Good night…” He offered back, still uncertain.

It was difficult to fall asleep, even with my aching limbs, my mind seemed far too rested, or perhaps it was the man’s warm body against mine. Perhaps I should be worried about him? I wasn’t, instead I just excited, I could feel my warmth inside, and that wasn’t helping in the slightest. It also wasn’t quite like I could suddenly pull away after all that.

In the end, now I was the one that was frustrated. While he had somehow managed to fall into a soft slumber behind me. Why! Why did it turn out this way? I wanted to complain. But instead, I just kept trying to sleep and got nowhere.

Then suddenly a voice came to me, “Where are you?”

I tried to reply, instinctively opening my lips but then I realized that was a terrible idea, I’d wake the elf man up. Instead, I tried to think my response back at the words, “Can.. you hear this?”

“Yes.”

“Oh! Great, I’m just a bit outside the cave.”

“You left the dungeon!” the voice complained.

“I followed the man, he saved me.”

“That's all backward!”

“Is it?” I asked back a bit confused.

“Yes! You should have defeated him or something.”

“How?” I asked back.

“Tricks? Magic? Do you not have these things?” The voice asked.

I almost shook my head but instead, I remember to reply with my mind, “No… I have no idea what you mean.”

“Curious…” The voice replied leaving me in silence for a moment.

“Can you tell me how to get to you? Maybe distract him?”

“He's asleep.” I explained.

“Fantastic! I can kill him easily if that's the case!”

“Oh… You're going to kill him?” I asked a bit upset by that.

“Of course. Why?”

“I wanted to fuck him.” I insisted.

“Well it's a bit late for that! Besides, what purpose would that serve?”

“I don’t know…” I said feeling a bit silly.

“Did he set any traps?”

I mused about that, thinking over what he had done, “He made some kind of glowing circle.” I noted not quite sure if that counted.

“Magic…” The voice replied thoughtfully.

“Is that bad?” I asked.

“Hard to say, it could be an alarm, it could be defensive. Without knowing the specifics it's impossible to know.”

“Could we find out?” I asked.

“Without setting it off? I don’t know.”

“Maybe I could walk across it.” I offered.

“Hmm… that could hurt you, possibly ruining that body, which was quite difficult to acquire. Still… If he runs off with the body that's just as bad.” The dungeon replied.

“Better to try?” I asked.

“Yes. I’m collecting the few troops I have left for an ambush, let me know if there is a good time to attack.”

Quite a bit riding on my shoulders there. Still, it was unfortunate that he had to die, and just after I thought he might have been a good guy too! What a shame…

Though after a few moments I found myself pondering something, “Can you make traps?” I asked back to the dungeon.

“Curious…” The dungeon replied. After a moment it continued, “Traps are possible, but costly with resources. Best to kill him quickly with an ambush rather than be wasteful.”

I really wish I hadn’t been so tentative earlier. I decided to ask another question, “Can you get me a weapon?” I asked instead, “I can be the trap!” I offered.

“Curious…” the voice replied then after a moment it continued, “I have knives. Can you kill him?”

“There’s a chance. If nothing else I can distract him for a moment.”

“Yes… Yes…. You can attempt to kill him, if it works it's easy, if not my goblins will deal the blow when he's detracted.”

“Yes.” I agreed. Forming up my own plan in my mind, even if it wasn’t quite the plan the dungeon wanted me to execute.

“Give me time, I’ll send a scout with a weapon to find you, is there any good way to track you down?”

“There's a fire, it's small but it's there... We are resting in the trees, one side has a cliff face that rises up quite a bit. I think it's the same wall the cave comes out from. We didn’t go too far.”

“Which direction.”

“I don’t know.” I admitted.

“You don’t know left or right?”

“I know them… I just… Didn’t pay attention.” I admitted.

“Fine…” The dungeon stated obviously annoyed.

The conversation died there and I could only frown at that, I felt like I could have done better. All the same, I wasn’t quite sure even now what I was doing. Still, I wanted to help the dungeon, it had given me a second chance after all. As much as having to kill the man upset me, it would be better than going back into that darkness. Besides, if I had it my way I’d get to have my cake, and eat it too!

So I waited, minutes if not hours past as I sat there still sitting where I’d started waiting for word back from the dungeon.