With the journey to Va only just beginning, Fishy, Robin and Callie stumble across a bundle of tents set up for the night. One demi-human seemed to be leading the group of seemingly normal humans. A brown-furred man who is half-dog half-human, a man by the name of Kane.
"So where do you guys come from, woof?" He barked as he bit a bone in half with his sharp teeth, the meat that was once on it already gone.
"We come from a small city just on the other side… Fintan city…" Fishy spoke for them. The two girls hid behind him and gently sipped the bowl of soup they had been given to warm them up on a cold night.
"Fintan city? I feel like I've heard travellers talk about such a place."
"It's recently on the rise."
"I see…"
The conversation consisted of Fishy talking to Kane whilst he drooled all over the bone in his hand. He didn't know what exactly he was doing. He was around a man who looked just like a dog but spoke and acted human. Compared to the triplets from the city, which were more human than cat, this was a completely different meaning to demi-human.
"I don't mind you all staying here for the night, woof!" He barked. "We have spare tents that you can borrow."
"Thank you. We will happily pay you several pieces of gold for looking after us."
"No need! We are all friends. We should also be getting to bed soon. The moon's almost directly above, monsters will be out soon."
Fishy followed Kane's words. Robin and Callie followed behind as they went and moved to their tent. A plain dark green that blended in with all the grass and leaves around them. They were given three sleeping bags but Fishy said he wouldn't be sleeping, as the words Lilith said to him filled him with worry.
"You two go to sleep. I'll protect you."
Callie was already asleep at this point, but Robin was against having Fishy stay up. But, she knew to not say anything as that would only waste her breath.
"Good night…" She said as she turned around, hugging her sister who was in the sleeping bag next to her.
The night passed with howling from the wolves filling up the night. Lilith was awake whenever Fishy was. Being a vampire meant she didn't need much sleep. But, despite her being awake, she didn't speak to Fishy. Even when he tried to talk to her, there was no response.
"You awake in there, woof?" A quiet whisper called from outside the tent. His calm aura, that appeared out of nowhere, suddenly flooding into the tent. As to not disturb the two sisters, Fishy left.
"What's wrong? Everything ok?"
He looked at Kane who still wore the same clothes as before. A neat shirt and trousers that were torn at the bottom to allow for his hairy legs.
"We've had some monsters get too close to the camp, want to come with?"
"Sure…"
Fishy followed behind as Kane led him away from the tents. His worries grew at each step he took away from Robin and Callie. He started to wonder if the monsters were really there.
"Be on guard," Lilith spoke to Fishy. "We can run and hopefully lose him in the forest."
"I'm not leaving the two girls behind." He replied.
The two of them walked till they approached several collapsed trees. They looked as if they had only fallen recently, but there was never any sound that alerted anyone. And, at the base of one of the stumps, was a giant wolf, almost as tall as the trees, that wormed its way around the tight space, staring at the meal that was in front of it with its bright insane eyes.
"Seems like this guy got a little bit close, woof! Don't look away now!"
Fishy couldn't tell who Kane was talking to, he felt as if it was meant for the wolf but found his eyes locked onto Kane.
Still, it wasn't enough. He didn't blink. He didn't move his head or even breath. But by the time he had reacted, the wolf that was in front of him was passed out on the floor. Its entire head, all the way down to it's lower back, had vanished. No blood spilt out as the body seemed as if it was drained. All that was left was the empty shell of legs.
"This is bad," Lilith said.
"Did you see it, woof?" Kane spun around as he wiped away at whatever was on his face.
"What was that? I couldn't see?"
"Don't speak to him, Fishy!" Lilith screamed inside his mind.
"Well, I'm just that strong, woof!"
"We need to leave." Lilith's voice trembled as Kane walked past them back to camp. Fishy followed behind without saying a word, but Lilith was too nervous to keep silent.
"Leave as soon as we can. Without raising suspicion. This man in front of us is strong. Strong enough to be a celestial."
Lilith's panic was justified, Fishy also felt the same fear, but they both understood that one wrong move would result in both their deaths.