We had to vacate the first cart when they had enough ore ready to fill it. I put down a couple of the blankets I had used at the picnic next to the road and I also took out some snacks for everyone. The cat people weren't fussy on potato chips and to no one's surprise, the rams loved them. The badgers wouldn't accept anything and claimed they weren't hungry.

I didn't know anything about their metabolism, so I had to take their word for it, even though it had been over a day since the last time they had eaten. Of course, that made me realize I hadn't eaten a meal since then, either. I quickly constructed a nice fire and took out one of the wrapped meat packages that could be easily cut up. I found some nice sticks and sharpened them with a dagger, then skewered the meat slivers and propped them over the fire.

Of course, I couldn't let the rams go without, so I did my best to make a nice salad with nothing to cut things on, except my armor. Damn, I should have stored a table or even a nice kitchen island or butcher's block. I thought and used my thigh to cut up the vegetables into smaller chunks that could be easily chewed. I only had one bowl in my inventory and I filled it for the Freemartin and added salad dressing.

She accepted it gratefully and I took out my only plate. I filled it as well and offered it to the closest ram guard. He turned around and pretty much shoved it all into his mouth before he handed the empty plate back. I chuckled and filled the plate again and gave it to the next guard, who did the same thing. As the guards and miners came out to fill the second cart with the help of the loaders, I fed them salad.

When all the workers were fed, including the loaders, I fed the drivers of the carts.

By this time, the meat skewers were done and I sat down with the cat women. They gathered around and left their hoods up as they turned away from the rams, then removed their fancy face coverings to eat. They purred as they tore into the meat and I lifted my helm up just enough to slip the meat into my mouth and chewed. It really did taste good and we finished off everything I had prepared.

The miners filled the third cart and instead of having everyone load up the caravan and leave, they went back into the mine. I nodded at the Freemartin and she nodded back. The miners really were going to try and dig out the third large deposit I had mentioned and see for themselves if what I said was true. An hour later, only three miners and one of the guards came out.

“You're leaving them here to work.” I said and they nodded. That part I hadn't expected.

We all climbed onto the carts where we could, once I covered the ore with several blankets, then the caravan turned around on the road and we drove back towards the settlement at half the speed. The horses couldn't go as fast as they had before because of the heavy loads.

It took us twice as long to get back to the settlement and we didn't encounter any creatures. There were red dots occasionally when I cast Search and none of them approached. They opened the large gate and moved the barricade out of the way as we entered and a ram guard told me and the head miner to go and see the Tup. The Freemartin hopped down with me and the three of us went to the Tup's residence.

“I see you were successful.” The Tup said and stood up.

The miner bowed deeply. “We brought three carts and there is five more carts worth being worked on and dug out now.”

“Eight carts?” The Tup asked, quite shocked. He had been surprised that they had filled three carts with ore so quickly. “How did you manage such a feat?”

The miner pointed to me. “The metal man detected the ore and told us where to dig.”

The Tup looked at me. “I suppose you want another reward for that.”

I shook my head. “I was only ensuring I delivered on my promise of ore.” I said and then chuckled. “There's nothing else more valuable to me than the Freemartin, anyway.”

The Freemartin let out half of a bleat before she stopped herself. She didn't faint, either.

The Tup looked at her and back at me. “You believe that you are telling the truth.”

I nodded. “Once I heard her story, I had to have her.” I said. “Not necessarily in that context. Not yet.”

The Tup, the Freemartin, and the miner turned to look at me.

“I won't say my reasons for that, though.” I chuckled again. “Aren't you going to ask me about the... ah... creature that had hidden in the depths of the mountain?”

“It was really there?” The Tup asked. “It wasn't just a rumor spread by the next village?”

“It was quite real and it's also dead.” I said.

The Tup crossed his muscled arms. “I suppose you buried the body.”

“If that's your way of asking if I have evidence, I do.” I said. “I'm keeping it, though.”

The Tup frowned. “Are you going to show...”

I took the giant dragon's head out of inventory and placed it on the floor. All three of them froze at the sight, then the miner and the Freemartin fainted and fell to the floor with their legs and arms sticking straight out.

“Your son fainted, too.” I said and pointed to a spot behind the throne.

The Tup turned and looked, slightly disappointed, then he walked over to me. “It really was a dragon.” He said and reached out to pet the snout.

“It was also an idiot.” I said and the Tup gave me a disbelieving look. “It was easily tricked and disposed of.”

The Tup let out a snort and a huff. “I knew I should have handled it myself.”

I shrugged. “How many rams are waiting to challenge me for the Freemartin's mother?”

“Eight so far.” The Tup said. “They are waiting on the road outside her house.”

“Do I have to fight them one on one or can I just kill them all?”

The Tup pat the dragon's snout and walked back over to his throne. “One on one. If you make an example of the first, the others will retreat gracefully.”

I nodded, because that's what happened when I won against the guard. I waved at the Freemartin. “How long do you think they'll be unconscious?”

The Tup chuckled and picked up his son. “Another few minutes, at least. It's not often we see something that can swallow us whole.”

I nodded and stored the dragon's head and we waited for them to wake up.

The Freemartin was the first to stir and then she rolled over and hopped up to her feet to stare at the empty spot where the dragon's head used to be.

“Did you have a nice nap?” I asked.

The Freemartin let out a huff. “I don't believe that you can keep scaring me like that.”

I chuckled. “I wouldn't bet on that.” I said and held a hand out to her. “Come on. I have to deal with some challengers to your mother's land claim.”

The Freemartin hesitated for a moment with her hand on the hilt of her sword, then she sighed and took my hand.

“Tup.” I said and gave him a slight bow of respect, as did the Freemartin, then we left the throne room and the building. We walked over to the right street and there were eight large rams with various muscle sizes and heights. They kind of stood in a group and were glaring at each other and huffing occasionally.

“So many.” The Freemartin whispered.

“Don't worry.” I whispered back. “Go get your mother. She's going to want to see this.”

The Freemartin let my hand go and we walked to the house. She went inside and I stood there as all eight of the rams shifted their attention to me.

“The metal man.” One of them said with a snarl.

“You're really back.” The Freemartin's mother Gizela said. “Are you really going to fight all of these challengers for me?”

“I won't have to.” I said. “Which one of you came here first to bother this woman and made her worry needlessly?”

One of them stepped forward. “This is prime land. She has no male in her house. I want it.”

“She has me.” I said.

“You are not a ram.” The ram said.

“The Tup said I can fight, as long as I don't use weapons.”

“He told me this.” The ram said. “I will crush you and I will stomp you into the dirt with my hooves.”

“I assume that's your pathetic attempt at issuing a challenge.” I responded.

The ram growled, as did the other rams. “You insult me.”

“Yes.” I said and pointed at the road. “We can fight right here whenever you're ready.”

“I'm ready now!” The ram said and pulled off his face covering as he lowered his head and charged.

“You are nothing to me.” I said and activated the Charisma / Intimidation skill of the same name. The ram staggered as the feeling hit him, then I lunged at him and slammed my helm into his forehead.

*SPLORCH*

The ram's head exploded in a mass of blood and gore that splashed over me. His large horns dropped to the road, the only things to not hit my helm, and the headless body bounced off of me and fell backwards to the ground. I shook myself slightly and the blood and gore rolled off of my armor to leave it clean and shiny.

“Anyone else feel like challenging Gizela's claim to this land?” I asked and stored the horns.

The seven remaining rams took a step back.

“Before any of you think you can challenge her after I leave, I want you to know that her daughter is mine and I will keep coming back to let her visit.” I said and lifted my foot. “Stomp it.” I said, so they would know what I was doing, then activated my skill and brought my foot down. It was just for show, though. I could have done it silently and without moving; but, they wouldn't associate it with me if I didn't show them that it was me doing it.

The giant imprint of a dragon's foot stomped into the ground around me and completely crushed the headless body into paste. It pulverized all the bones and squished the muscles into nothing. It also left a six inch deep depression in the right shape.

“Do you understand?” I asked and the seven rams nodded. “Did this ram have a family? Wife, lambs?”

“Yes.” Gizela said. “They live near the wall on the other side of the settlement.”

“I will make the same offer to her, unless she wants to take another mate.” I said. “I won't interfere with her life. I'll just protect her until she can adjust.”

“You are a good ram.” Gizela said and looked at the seven rams. “Go on. Go home.” She waved her hands in a dismissive gesture. The rams walked away and ducked their heads in a nod to her as they did.

“I wasn't lying when I said we will be back to visit.” I said to Gizela.

Gizela waved the comment away. “It doesn't matter. No one will challenge me if you are my defender.”

“You weren't shocked by the display?” I asked and motioned to the pancake that used to be a ram.

“My mate fought a lot for dominance.” Gizela said. “Not to earn it, to keep it.”

“He was high up in the herd almost all the time, then.” I said and she nodded.

“He was getting old, though. The last challenger wore him down and eventually defeated him.”

“There's no shame in that.” I said and she nodded.

“He lived a good life and had a good death.” Gizela said and looked at her daughter. “Have you taken her yet?”

“Mother!” The Freemartin exclaimed.

“You can't tell me that your loins aren't burning for him after seeing that.” Gizela said and motioned to the ram pancake, too.

“Are yours?” I asked, teasingly.

Gizela snorted. “You know they are, metal man.”

“My name is Damon.” I said.

“Day Man?” Gizela said. “That is an odd name.”

I chuckled and didn't bother spelling it out for her. “Should we bring the remains to his family?”

“That would be fitting.” Gizela said. “I'll get a shovel and a bucket.”

“There's no need for that.” I said and stored it.

“You are definitely a great ram.” Gizela said and we went across the settlement to the defeated ram's family. They only had a small lot and nearly an identical house. I let Gizela handle talking to the sheep woman and when she explained what had happened, the woman sighed.

“He was too ambitious.” The sheep woman said. “He was trying to fight beyond his capabilities.”

“He's done this before.” Gizela said and the woman nodded. “Then at least he went against someone that wants to offer you protection.”

“Wh-what?” The woman looked from her to me.

“He doesn't want to disrupt your life more than it already is, so he is offering the same protection he offered me. He will defeat anyone that challenges your right to this house and the land it's on. You can raise your children on your own or you can find another mate. He will withdraw his protection if you choose a mate.”

“Can I choose him?” She asked, hopeful.

Gizela snorted and huffed. “I would have let him take me already if he was going to stay.”

“Mother!” The Freemartin exclaimed and Gizela laughed.

The sheep woman looked at the three of us. “I will need time to decide.”

“That's fine. He already told the other ambitious rams that he was extending his protection to you, unless you choose a mate.” Gizela said.

“Really?” The woman asked and looked at me.

I nodded. “I also have your old mate's body.”

“Thank you.” She said. “We will bury him and...”

I put the squished body on the ground beside her front door.

“You won't have to dig down very far.” Gizela joked.

The sheep woman let out a bleat of laughter. “I guess I don't have to rush with my decision, do I?”

“Not at all.” Gizela said and touched her arm. “Why don't you bring your kids over to visit?”

“Right now?” She asked.

“The metal man needs to leave with my daughter and my son has already gone off with his own mate.” Gizela said. “I would like the company.”

The sheep woman turned and let out a snort and two short bleats. A tiny ram and an even tinier lamb came out of the house. “Let's go for a walk.” She said and went to pick them up.

“Allow me.” Gizela said and picked up the lamb, then she turned to the Freemartin. “Daughter, I will see you when you visit.”

The Freemartin nodded and Gizela looked at me.

“Protect my daughter and keep her safe.”

I nodded and the two women walked off with the two children in their arms. I took the Freemartin's hand and led her back over to the west side of the settlement and the badgers and cat women were there waiting for us. There was also a fast horse and a cart with bedrolls and dried supplies.

“The Tup sends his regards and thanks.” The guard said.

“I return the thanks.” I said and bowed my head slightly, then helped everyone up into the cart, except for the Freemartin. She was going to drive the cart and I sat up front with her. The gate opened for us and the cart drove out of the settlement and down the road.