[Keeno POV]

It seemed the size of Odeen was even bigger than I realized seeing as we still haven’t found a city in almost two weeks of walking. We HAVE passed through a small village or two, but they weren’t really anything of note. I’ve also gotten into the habit of burning any glowing purple bugs I see, though this has led to them hiding better.  This fine morning, we had just finished putting away camp and started down the surprisingly well-maintained road while a light mist filled the air.

 

“How many last night, Okami?” (Pram)

 

“Seven.  There were several more lights out there, but they were far enough away that I wouldn’t really give chase and risk something happening to the two of you.” (Keeno)

 

“I’m getting irritated from these bugs. Whoever is sending them is either a creep, someone ordered to by a higher up in the government or an organization, or you were wrong and Odeen just has some weird undead bug problem that the Dead Zone doesn’t cover.” (Freya)

 

{Hey!}

 

“That wasn’t an insult. She’s said so herself, bugs don’t have souls, so what’s to stop them from somehow becoming undead and being exempt from Dead Zone purification?” (Freya)

 

{…That’s a good point.}

 

“I’d think someone as important as you would know something like that.” (Pram)

 

{We gods aren’t omnipotent, Pram.  I’ve told you that countless times, and on my side of things, I can get rid of undead easier, but how they come to be and every single type there are beyond me.  I know a lot from just generally watching the world for so long, yes, but not everything.  And bugs are small, do you expect me to watch even the most microscopic things?}

 

“That’s…you’re right.” (Pram)

 

“But doesn’t that contradict a third of your Authorities?” (Freya)

 

{That’s Creation’s purview, I just make sure things can live.  Now, enough scrutinizing what role what gods have, pay attention to your surroundings.}

 

It started getting foggier as we walked, and soon enough, we could only see each other and the immediate area in front of us.  I started to get an uneasy feeling as well.  This fog rolled in too quickly and, as far as I could tell, there hadn’t been any weather recently to really cause it. I was about to tell the others when I heard the twang of a bowstring.  All three of us moved before an arrow pierced the ground where Pram was once standing.

 

““You’re all dead!”” (Freya and Keeno)

 

I whipped two of my tails and Huginn and Mininn were launched high into the air.

 

“Find the source of the fog and kill it.” (Keeno)

 

The two made no sound as they flew off above us.  Freya and I stood back-to-back around Pram as we waited for any more attacks. Another arrow flew at us and u burnt it to ash before it hit us and Freya cut down another two on her side.  Seeing as the arrows weren’t stopping us, several shadows surrounded us and started to run around in the fog.

 

“Pram, sound the bell, it’ll throw them off.” (Freya)

 

Pram nodded and she rang her bell.  The soothing sound was was reminiscent of church bells for us while several of the moving shadows faltered long enough for me to impale a few with spears of flame.  A few minutes later I heard a scream that turned into a choked gurgle and the fog started to rapidly clear, revealing several charred corpses, a guy missing his eyes as my two feathered friends ate them, and several other figures retreating.

 

“Shall we chase them?” (Keeno)

 

“Of course, they will learn to never try and hurt my Pram!” (Freya)

 

“…” (Pram)

 

{Gut them!}

 

With Ama’s spirited yell, we started to chase after the retreating assailants.  They were quite quick on their feet and had made good distance from us.  However, they weren’t far enough away that magic couldn’t reach.  I conjured a spear of flame near me and willed it forward. It flew through the air before impaling one of them in the back, then it expanded, launching offshoots into a few others surrounding him.  Freya covered herself in flames and shot forward like a bullet, swords at the ready. She caught up almost instantly and cut down four more, leaving only one.  He ran as fast as he could, and Freya was about to pounce.

 

‘Hold on.  Let him get away and lead us to his base.  Rats like this always have a burrow where more hole up.’ (Keeno)

 

Pram and I caught up to Freya and Huginn and Muninn dove from the sky onto the corpses at our feet, plucking the eyes from them before scarfing them down like candy and moving onto the next one.

 

“Urp.” (Pram)

 

“Look away, Pram.  Freya, you keep chasing from a distance until he makes it there, I’m going to clean this place up.” (Keeno)

 

“Fine.  You know what I’m about to say?” (Freya)

 

“Yeah.  And you know Pram’s safety is guaranteed with me.” (Keeno)

 

“That I do.” (Freya)

 

She looked at Pram tenderly before jetting off after the remaining bandit.

 

“This country…why is it that this is the only place we’ve ever run into bandits?” (Keeno)

 

I shooed away my birds as I got to emptying the pockets of the bodies before piling them up to burn them.  Pram was standing a bit away, doing her best to not watch as Huginn and Muninn devoured even more of the corpse’s eyes.

 

“Are those really that tasty?  You two have been obsessed with eating eyes recently.” (Keeno)

 

After they finished their little snack, I piled up the last of the bodies and set it alight.  My birds hopped over and were about to jump into my tails when I glared at them.

 

“Go clean yourselves.” (Keeno)

 

They looked at each other before flying off.

 

“Keeno…are you really not going to stop them from continuing to do that?” (Pram)

 

“Not like I’d be able to stop them. They’d just go out on their own and do it away from us.” (Keeno)

 

“Honestly, I’d prefer that to seeing and hearing them do that.” (Pram)

 

“I understand, I’ll tell them not to do that in front of us anymore.” (Keeno)

 

“Thanks.” (Pram)

 

After burning the bodies until nothing remained, we watched for Freya.  She didn’t return until about two hours later.

 

“Found them in a cave. There weren’t many there but were still more than I can handle on my own.” (Freya)

 

“Then its time for some bandit hunting.  No one can target us like that and get away with it.” (Keeno)

 

“And they will pay for going for Pram.” (Freya)

 

{They will know the fear of targeting my future Apostle!}

 

“I’d say stop and cool your heads a bit, but I’ve known you all long enough now to know it’s futile.  Not that I’m not angry myself.” (Pram)

 

Freya then took the lead and led us to the bandit cave.

 

Chaos Realm:

Luna: No matter the world, bandits are stupid.

Tamamo: True.

Order: …!

!!!

Luna: What happened?

We have to go, something popped up.  Watch Astraea for us.

*The two leave in a hurry*

Tamamo: I wonder what happened?

Luna: No clue, but now’s our chance, Tamamo.  Let’s get Astraea fully fluffified.

Tamamo: I have all the brushes and oils for her tail.

Luna: And I have the books on proper fluff care.

Tamamo: Let’s get to it then.