"Ugghhhh, if I ever start waking up bright and cheery in the morning, just put me down." I moan out to nobody in particular...
"Ava you're too lazy! Lazy cat! We've got a long journey ahead of us, we need an early start!" Asty scolds me once more, this bunny's too brave...
"Come on Ava, aren't you excited you get to stretch your paws again? The cities nice and all but the wilds is where we come from." Koko makes good points, but can't I do that in the afternoon? or at least midday? Sighh~
"Hurry up girls, we've still got to meet Sou and rent some horses. We-" Mom, in the middle of ordering our plans, suddenly comes to a halt. Making me bump right into Koko's back and flattening my nose.
"Greetings lady Seyu, off somewhere?" A seductively smooth voice flows out towards us, peering around Koko I see the image of the resident succumaid drifting suspiciously close to mom. Hmmmm...
Eeep~
"Ahem. Ishala, we're just about to set off, we have a quest outside of the city. We'll probably be gone for a couple weeks..." mom croaked out... did she just squeak?..
"Very well, I wish you safe travels and good luck on your mission. Shall I inform the prince of your departure?" Her former teasing tone vanishes in favour of the professional and formal one we've come to know. Well frankly its become more and more confusing just who this maid is, shes too mysterious. Everyone loves her, I think half the guard are in love with her and the maids under her all show the utmost respect.
"Please, if you wouldn't mind, I wanted to let him know we'd not available for sparring but he and his knights are hard to track down." Koko speaks up this time, ever the diligent one.
With that, we bid farewell to the maid thats definitely flirting with my mom, the hell was that wink when we walked away!? I want to interrogate mom but she's deflecting too well... Asty is of the same mind, sending me sideways glances following up with small agreeable nods.
Making our way down the long hillway path to the main city, the bustle is as loud as ever. Nearing the adventuers guild a booming voice echoes out.
"YOUS WOULD TRY TO SCAM A SMALL LIL GIRL LIKE ME?! DISGUSTING! PERVERT! HELP THI' MAN IS A PERVERT!"
Recognising the voice to be a newly found friend of ours, I snuck a peek around the corner.
"Llllllook miss you've got it all wrong okay, how about I give you a nice discount alright? Half price? That sound good? Please stop shouting!" A poor dejected man had already given up hope, his eyes lost of all hope.
"Well wouldya look at tha'? Yous could go lower after all! Hahaha! Well I's will forgive yous this time!.. Oh Ava! I gots us horsies for the journey!" The perky oni girl springs towards me in delight.
"Oi, don't cause trouble for the poor guy, we can afford to rent some horses Sou..." I try to reason with her, feeling that every word coming out of my mouth shot through one ear and out the other.
"Nahhh see ya don't have to worry 'bout all tha'! Savin' money is my middle name!" Sou stands confidentally, arms on her hips in defiance to the world and its economy.
"That's a ridiculous middle name and you know it, come on lets go we've got all out gear, you all ready?" I feel like I'm becomming the straight man with her around. Koko how do you do this, its exhausting.
"oooooOO I'ms all 'eady!.. But... I thinks yous are thinkin' too small, why just get a horsies?" Sou question comes out as more of a declaration.
"What do you mean?" I rebute.
"Hehehe~ well lets go Ava, surprisings for yous!" Sou claims, not sure I'm comfortable with a surprise from this oni.
***
So we're at the city stables, travellers going in and out, this place is busy to say the least. However thats really not important because Sou waddles out like a swan, dragging behind her poor victim from earlier. He leads us round to a small barn like hut, once inside Sou throws her arms up in victory.
"This' my surprise! We travel ins style!" She had apparently secured us an extremely comfortable looking carriage containing padded seating and plenty of space. Not worthy of a noble but far outreaching what any adventurers would travel around in, this is Sou's true power huh, I don't even want to ask how little she's paid. Koko and asty eyes light up, fluttering with thoughts of no more sore butts, can't say I disagree... Perhaps I can catch up on my stolen sleep.
After assembling the horses to the carriage, we began our week long journey towards the mountains, with little to no information as to what our quest actually entails.
Mom took the reins first with Sou by her side, leaving me Koko and Asty to relax in the back. Koko deciding to lay out on one bench and read the book she's been engrossed in recently. This was perfectly fine, allowing me to snatch Asty and use her as a body pillow, comfy cute bunny snuggles to sleep too. Asty's gotten pretty comfy being like this publically showing less shy reactions, I'm pretty conflicted about that, I enjoy teasing her.
The days pass by uneventfully, we travel during the day and camp at night. We usually swap driver every half a day, moms been making sure we all know how to drive without crashing. Other than that, we've been relaxing and definitely not flirting. If we didn't already know, Sou loves to show off and takes great pride in any menial activity thats needs to be done, a couple compliments and she'd probably charge straight at the demon king.
Finally we arrive at our destination. A quaint little village with a herd of mainly sheep and a small amount of chickens and cows, probably for personal use. The air has a distinct chill around here, a faint mist eminates from down the mountain and barely reaches the village itself, you could see your own breath. Before we could even enter the village however, a surprising familiar face stands eagerly waving her arm.
"Lily?" I shout out loud in shock, I didn't expect to see her again so soon, or that she'd be here?
"Ava! Seyu! Koko! Astriidd!" Our little squirrel calls out to all of us one by one after recognising me and mom in the front seats.
Pulling up next to her, she jumps onto the carriage and smothers us in a friendly embrace. After some time reacquainting with her, we introduce our newest(?) member Sou, Lily completely overrides Sou's regular boysterous pace and smothers her in a cuddle. Lily's a toucher thats for sure.
Parking our carriage just outside the village entrance, we're invited into Lily's home. She lives alone which was surprising but no one would raise the question why in case it wasn't a pleasant story. She serves us a lovely home cooked meal with all manners of vegetables and even a little meat, which she assures us they have plenty of. Still though...
After dinner Lily starts to explain just what we've gotten ourselves into. Apparently an unidentified beast has been stealing livestock from the village, no matter how many times they try to catch even a glimpse of the culprit, nothing but a passing shadow is seen. The only evidence is the wolf like tracks left behind, but with only one set of tracks, its odd for a wolf to return alone like this so often. If this wasn't bad enough for them, a couple nights ago, a couple of the village men tried to follow the trail only for none of them to return. This village isn't large in the first place and they can't spare anyone to go on a dangerous search mission. Although this wasn't the original quest the called for, Lily pleads us to help find their lost kin. Of course we came all this way, we have no intention of leaving without trying.
So we came up with the plan to do just as the villagers had done before. Lie in wait for the thief and possible murderer, even if its a beast it can't go around doing as it likes. We spread around the treeline, close enough to avoid being picked off if we were found out first.
And so night fell as we wait for our criminal.
Me and Asty constantly exchanging glances as we'd both rather be side by side right now, almost lost in our wordless flirting a sudden crack sounds out from nearby, probably a branch. Quickly we all launch ourselves out of our cover to confront the beast, aghast that nothing but a blood red trail lead off into the mountain. How?! With speed like that, how can anyone stop them?! We can't give up here however. Exchanging complicit nods, we follow the blood path.
The trail doesn't lead far, a short walk into the forest climbing upwards we are confronted with a house sized cave entrance. The cold air flows icy the closer we get, lighting a small torch, we slowly step inside.
*crack*
...
"Ah?! AHHHH!" Koko screams out, the ground beneath us falls to pieces. We all crash to the ground trying to secure ourselves. Sou, who was beside Koko immedaitely jumps down to latch onto Koko's arm only to be dragged down with her. Koko? Sou? Scrambling to our feet we peer over the large abyss left behind, we couldn't see anything. Fuck. Please be okay! Theres another tunnel here, I hope it leads to you guys.
"Please don't leave us too."
