Blinking in shock, Erida quickly dismissed the tabs and determined she must finish this lizard off. Glaring at the now cowering lizard, Erida's arrogance began to show as she scoffed at this creature that once froze her in fear.
Approaching the lizard, she was about to use her {Coyote Slash} to deepen the wound in the lizard's neck. That was until she heard a voice call to her.
"Wait, wait! I submit! Please don't hurt me!"
Erida looked around in confusion, no one was in the cave but her, maybe her system was pranking her.
"System?"
[Yes, Erida?]
"Did you say something?"
[No, Erida, that was the lizard.]
"Huh?!"
Erida looked down to see the cowering lizard, covering its eyes it did not dare look at the coyote who it had once underestimated.
"You can talk?"
"Yes! Please forgive me!"
"You Submit?"
"Yes! J-j-just don't eat me please!"
"Ah, I won't eat you, don't worry! Do you have a name little lizard?"
"Y-yes, my n-name is Lily!"
Erida began to think about what to do, kill or spare? Erida was alone in this cave, maybe she could make Lily a companion. She was beginning to feel lonely after all.
"Wellll, since you can talk, how about you become my companion?"
"Wha!? You don't want to eat me? Not even a nibble?"
Lily's shivering stopped but she was still very afraid. She began to weigh the positives and the negatives of becoming this monster's companion. She also believed she has no choice in the matter.
"Okay, what's your name…?"
"Great! My name is Erida, I was just reincarnated!"
Lily looked up to Erida with a questioning look, of course Lily wasn't apart of human society and had no idea what reincarnation was.
"Ah, uhm, never mind. Let's get going!"
After the new partners left the cave Erida had finally been able to see herself and determine what changed
"I have a tail! It's so fluffy! Lily feel my tail!"
Lily blushed and kindly declined, although this confused Erida it didn't dampen her mood. She quickly looked at her hands. Nothing seemed different, so how did she hurt Lily? She thought about using her {Coyote Claws}, after doing so her nails grew to a point and hardened. This satisfied her curiosity, she was almost ready to move on. Until she recalled a story of a great nine tailed fox, told by a nun at her orphanage.
Recalling this story she excitedly felt the top of her head.
"Lilllyy! I have EARS! You have to feel them! They're so soft!"
Lily didn't dare disagree with Erida and quickly felt her ears after Erida bowed slightly. Lily had to agree, her ears were indeed very soft. Pulling her hand away Erida stood straight with a satisfied smile.
"While we move into the forest, why don't you tell me about yourself?"
Lily nodded, she first apologized for blindly attacking Erida. Lily had been resting in the sun when Erida erupted out of the cave in a questionable state, this of course spooked Lily who slapped Erida with her tail. Lily explained that she had actually hatched just a year ago, her parents were victims of human hunting parties. They had laid their lives on the line in order to save their only daughter. Of course this fostered a deep hatred for humans within Lily, who vowed revenge for her parents. She had come to this forest half a year ago, she had hoped to become stronger and enact revenge. Since then she has been hunting and resting, gradually growing stronger.
As the two new friends made it to a clearing quite a distance away from the cave, they decided to make camp. They had killed a deer on the way here so they would have food. After Lily crudely cut some meat away from the body of the deer for Erida, after that she dug into what was left of the deer.
Erida of course built a small fire to roast the meat on, after roasting the meat for a while Lily had begun to timidly approach her.
"What are you doing to the meat? It smells delicious! Can I have some when you're done?"
"Huh? Oh absolutely! I'm just roasting the meat, it makes it taste better than just eating it raw."
As Lily stared into the fire, she had an excited glint in her eye, she really couldn't wait to try this meat!
~
Back at the cave, a man was seated nearby with a concerned expression.
"I swore I heard a call from this cave, no I know I heard one. Hmm, well I hope whoever made it is alive and well."
The man then stood up, the sun was setting, but one could clearly see the six tails fluttering behind him. After taking in the view he jumped from the cave and left.