The walk, yet again, was uneventful. The only things that could be seen as entertaining would be watching Terry chasing Catherine again and then spilling his guts on the floor. Catherine almost cried which earned her a laugh from everyone with the exception of me.
The hostile animals I noticed before, being a group of Scorched bears, arrived at the place we took a break about five minutes after we left. They stayed on our trail for another 15 or so minutes before stopping, turning around and going back. They must've been bored or simply unbothered by us and gave up after seeing they wouldn't catch up to us any time soon.
"We will be stopping soon, we need to set up a camp and seeing as it's getting dark quicker now it would be in our best interest to stop soon." Scarlet said and everyone replied with a quick and brief nod.
'There isn't anything threatening in our current area so we should be alright for the night. I'm on guard anyway with Mio so we will be fine.' I thought.
"There is a small clearing over there, it should be good for us to rest." Adam pointed out.
"Okay, we will camp here for the night." Scarlet said as we moved towards that small clearing Adam found us. I knew of its location but I didn't want to do all of the work for our group.
'Now that I think about it, isn't that princess still outside the dungeon with those royal knights? Well one ran off but there is still one with her. I don't know why I want to leave here because if I do I'm sure that princess will go back to being her loud and obnoxious self.' I thought to myself.
'Hm? What's that.' I thought as I turned my head slightly and looked intently into the forest.
'Feels like a fox of sorts but it's colouring doesn't match the forest or any other beings here. It also feels kind of familiar.. it can't be, can it?' I shook my head. 'I'll check it out later.'
"Kiera? Have you spotted something? You were staring pretty intensely into the forest there." Terry asked.
"No, I'm fine. There isn't anything there." I said, looking back one time before following the group again.
I helped everyone set up camp and cook the food and by the time nightfall came we were all set for the night. You'd think that in a dungeon with a main focus on the fire affinity that it would be warm at night but you're wrong. It's like a desert, hot at day and cold at night.
We would need to keep the camp fire going as a source of heat and anyone with the fire affinity would help maintain it and help keep others warm throughout the night. I didn't mind so I normally had to do that stuff as anyone in guard would fall asleep after three hours of keeping guard.
"Oh hey Kiera. You're ready already?" Mio asked as everyone else went to sleep.
"Yeah." I replied.
I was sitting by the campfire that dimly light our surroundings while looking up at the starry night sky.
"Can I join you?" Mio asked.
"I don't see why not." I replied, not shifting my focus from the stars.
'I wonder if that really was.. it shouldn't be. How could she get here anyway?' I thought to myself.
"You seem to enjoy the stars." Mio said.
"I do. They keep me company." I replied.
I've never had bad memories with the night sky accompanying them. I find the sky rather pretty and I often found myself staring at it. If I didn't seal my emotions then I'm sure that with the stars company I would be able to manage it better. Though I would rather not try that. I don't understand emotions well which is why I struggle with them.
"They keep you company huh."
There was a comfortable silence between the two of us as the minutes slowly trickled by.
"I'm going to be gone for a bit. An hour at maximum. Is that alright?" I asked. I didn't want to leave when there is potential danger and when Mio isn't prepared for it.
"Yeah that's fine. Might I ask why though?"
"I just want to check something. Depending on the answer will change what time I'm coming back."
"Alright. Be quick though." Mio said, waving me off with a smile.
"Don't worry, I will." I said before dashing off.
'If it's who I think it is then that's great but I'll need to know why they are here and if not then I'll just run back to camp. They are at the edge of my [Mastered spacial awareness] so it'll take a while to get there. It would be easier if I flew. Should I fly? You know what, I'll just fly.'
I took off my clothes so they wouldn't rip and was left in my track suit bottoms and had a bandage wrapped around my breasts. I quickly changed into my humanoid form, wings unfurling from my back and spreading out to their full length, horns spiralling out of my head and tail coming out just above my where my track suit bottoms were. It was a good idea to move them down a little or there would be a rip in my clothing.
"Been a while since I've been like this." I said quietly, allowing the wind to rustle my feathers a little before taking off to the sky.
I flew full speed to where the fox was and arrived in a short amount of time. I slowly descended and landed on a branch.
I was crouched on the top branches, looking down with my tail curled around the branch and wings furled.
'That really does look like her but bigger and another tail.' I thought looking at the white and light blue fox with three tails and wings.
"Yuki." I spoke softly causing the fox to snap its head to my direction instantaneously.
"Yip?" The fox looked at me.
"It really is you."
"Yip!"
I jumped down from the branch, slowing my fall with my wings before landing in front of Yuki.
"How did you manage to get here?" I spoke in fox tongue.
"I was wondering around the forest and a weird portal appeared in front of me. I was curious so I jumped in and ended up here."
"I see." I said as I placed a hand on Yuki's delicate and soft fur.
Yuki rubbed herself against my hand and began letting out soft purring noises.
"Still like my touch it seems."
"Of course I do. You're the only one I'm comfortable with. The only one who can pet me."
"Did you leave the mountain after I left?"
"Yes. I didn't wish to be there if you weren't. Once your scent went away I left and wandered the forest again." Yuki replied with a purr.
"Interesting, and mother just let you leave?"
"Yes. She didn't mind what I did as long as I was safe."
"Also how did you get another tail?"
"It seems as I mature I gain memories of my previous life resulting in me gaining power and another tail on top of that."
"Your previous life?"
"Yeah, I've lived multiple other lives which were all the same species as I am now, I'm a special type of fox. I'm called 'the heavens divine nine tailed fox'."
"I kind of expected something like that but didn't at the same time."
"Do you not like it?" Yuki moved away from my hands and sat down. Looking at me with sad eyes.
"No no. It doesn't matter what you are, you can still come with me. Yuki, don't be sad, you're part of my family." I said as I crouched down, rubbing Yuki's soft and fluffy ears.
Yuki inched closer and leaned into me, "really?"
"Really. Though there is one thing I'm wondering, will you still want to stay with me even when all of your memories return?"
"Yes. I've decided that I'm staying with you as long as you want me to. For as long as I live I want to be by your side but if at any time you.. don't wish the same then I.. I shall leave."
"Alright. That's perfectly fine with me."
"Thank you for being so kind to me." Yuki shuffled closer and rubbed herself on me.
"I can smell humans on you. Are you in the company of them?" Yuki asked.
"Oh, yes. I forgot to mention but this is a dungeon and we are planning on defeating the boss. I wonder if they'll let you stay with us. It doesn't matter. You can still come anyway." I said, picking up Yuki carefully and making sure she is comfy.
"You're warm. So warm.." Yuki said as she nodded off to sleep.
"Goodnight Yuki."
I took of to the sky and flew back at full speed but not before erecting a barrier around Yuki and I so we don't feel the wind pushing against us as I fly.
I landed about 600 metres away from the camp and changed back to my human form before walking back with Yuki in my hands.
"Kiera, that's you right?" I heard Mio shuffle about.
"Yes, it's me." I replied, coming out of the trees.
"Ah you're b-ack.. what is this?" She asked.
Mio started walking towards me and Yuki's ear twitched from the noise, causing her to wake up.
Yuki began growling with her teeth bare.
"It's okay, calm down." I said quietly while stroking Yuki.
Yuki stopped growling and turned her head to face me before nuzzling herself against me.
"Why is it so calm towards you?"
"Yip!"
"I don't know."
'Yuki, I'm going to pretend I don't know you for your safety, okay? You can act how you want but don't be aggressive or they'll try kill you.' I spoke through telepathy to ensure Mio couldn't hear us.
'Alright. I'll do anything you want.' Yuki replied.
"I think it finds my scent calming."
Yuki purred.
"Could be but isn't this dangerous to keep around us?" Mio asked.
"It should be fine. I would be able to deal with it before anything happens anyway."
"Since you've taken a liking to something then you can keep it but if it gets violent then we are killing it on the spot." Mio said with no room for arguments.
"Okay." I replied, sitting down with Yuki curled in my lap.
"I don't know how the hell you managed to find that though. Never seen something quite like it in my life and it's colours don't match the environment, very strange." Mio mumbled as she sat next to me.
She reached out her hand to touch Yuki but she let out a growl making her flinch.
"I don't think it wants to be touched." I said.
"Seems so.." Mio sighed.
..
Name:[Kiera]
Age:[6]
Race:[Black elemental wyrm]
Gender:[Female]
Level:[6/250]
EXP:[983/2500]
HP:[1034/1034]
MP:[1324/1324]
SP:[1099/1099]
..
Strength:[1031]
Intelligence:[1158]
Endurance:[1089]
Mental force/power:[ERROR]
Agility:[1046]
..
Skills - [Scratch] , [Thrust] , [Inspect] , [Bow mastery] , [Perfect aim] , [Elemental breath] , [Bloodlust] , [Elemental master] , [True dragon] , [Copy] , [Spacial storage] , [Sword mastery] , [Fire blade] , [Transform] , [Chef] , [Scythe mastery: 41%] , [Wind enhancer] , [Inferno] , [Poison manipulation] , [Fire resistance] , [Telepathy], [Override], [Limit breaker], [Black flames], Skill set: [Flames of destruction],
..
Passive skills - [Night vision] , [Mastered spacial awareness] , [Steal] , [Regeneration] , [Elemental resistance] , [Polyglot]
..
Armours - [Armour bent from the flames of death],
..
Body modifications - [Armoured scales - activated]
..
Titles - [The anomaly]
..
Blessings - [Blessed by goddess of reincarnation] , [Blessed by goddess of space]