The fire crackled, casting shadows on the cat's face.
Her pupils were visibly larger, and were growing larger as the night quickly became darker.
Which meant her ability to see at night was likely very good… maybe even as well as mine.
Concerning, but it made sense.
After all she had sat on the rock, at a somewhat odd angle. It was undoubtedly also colder and harder than the logs she could have sat on instead…
But that rock granted her something the logs didn't.
Far past her, about half a league away, was another campfire. And thanks to the clear winter sky, it was easy to make out the shadows and figures around that fire.
Surely that wasn't four people…? No. It was more. Maybe even five or six.
"Don't say it," Renn said.
I blinked and stopped trying to focus on the bundle of naked bodies in the distance.
"Say what?" I asked her.
Her eyes narrowed at me, and her nose scrunched up. As if she had just bit into something spicy.
Smiling at her, I realized that was why she had left her hat on. She had allowed her tail out from beneath her pants, and it was now coiled around her waist. The end of it was twitching, patting the rock she sat on similar to the way a tapping finger would a table.
"Yet you hadn't been able to hear beyond a few walls," I said.
"That was within a building made mostly of stone. This is an open field, and the night is quiet," she argued. There was a hint of some annoyance in her voice.
"True," I admitted.
Standing from my log, I did my best to ignore the way she stiffened at my movement. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her tail go still, as if she was ready to pounce on me.
Grabbing some of the wood I had gathered earlier, for the fire thru the night, I knew better than to think that prepared pounce was anything but filled with violence.
Did she think I'd do something simply because I saw someone else doing such things?
"Humans are odd," I said to her as I put some more wood into the fire. It crackled, causing some smoke to fill the air.
"Odd? That's not odd, it's disgusting," she said.
Frowning, I wondered what bothered her. The number of them involved in the act, or the fact it was all men.
"Not to them it's not," I said.
Renn's brows furrowed and her tail didn't just tap the rock it nearly slapped it. "You're free to go join them," she said.
Smiling at her odd tone, since I'd never heard it from her before; I wondered if she was as prudish as the churchmen.
"Please," I said, dismissing her tone and look.
Sitting back down on the log across from her, I made sure to sit at just the right angle that she herself could block the sight of the group of men. She couldn't block the sound, but the crackling of the fire did help a little.
"Should I sing a song until their done?" I asked her.
Her glare suddenly shattered, as she gave me a toothy grin. "That's funny," she said.
"Glad you found it so, because I really suck at singing," I said.
Although her smile died down, I was glad to see it still linger. She was either getting used to the sounds behind her, or had for a few moments genuinely worried I'd do something stupid.
"I was worried," she then said.
"That I'd burst into song? Don't be. I won't even if you pay me," I said.
"Shush. No. I…" she went quiet for a moment, then coughed, and I realized she was embarrassed.
"Seeing a bunch of naked men isn't going to put me in the mood," I said.
Renn blinked, and her tail twitched. Somehow I found her tail to be more animated than her face. "Rather I was worried you'd go join them, not leap on me," she said firmly.
"Huh. Did I seem the type?" I asked, suddenly a little concerned.
"No. You had just been staring… more than me," she said.
"Well… it was a surprise," I admitted.
She giggled and nodded.
"Since you now know I'm no threat, nor weird enough to jump into the many arms of a bunch of strange men… might I ask what about it you find so disgusting?" I asked her.
"Isn't it obvious?" she asked, concerned.
I stared at her, waiting for the answer.
"It's… that's something you do with someone precious," she whispered.
"Hm," I studied her eyes as she did her best to focus on the fire between us, and the smoke it put off. Somehow she couldn't focus on it long enough.
"Plus what if someone saw you?" she asked, and reached down to grab the end of her tail. She squeezed it, as if for comfort.
"True, don't want to traumatize the locals," I said.
Renn smirked. "What, the fish and rodents?" she asked, with a glance to the river nearby.
Although the world was dark, and the water darker, she and I could both see the large rodents messing about on the riverbanks. There were dozens of them.
"Beavers. They're probably making a dam," I said.
"The river's huge though," she said.
"Go tell them that," I said.
The cat huffed, but didn't get up from her rock. Nor did she seem too bothered.
"Rather they than the animals behind me," she whispered.
I nodded my head, if anything out of sympathy.
"Are you religious Renn?" I asked her.
Renn looked at me, suddenly far more focused on me than anything else. Based off that look, she now probably didn't hear the men behind her at all.
"Why do you ask?" she asked.
"Your personality is similar to one who is," I said simply.
"I see. No. I don't like the church. They… they tortured Nory. Horribly. I was the one who rescued her," she said.
"The church tortured her?" I asked. She had mentioned this Nory before. Wonder who she was to her. Sometimes the way she spoke about her, it seemed like more than just a simple friend.
"Because of me, yes," she whispered.
"I see. She's not the only one who had suffered like that," I said, carefully choosing my words.
That probably meant Renn herself had suffered at the hands of the church too.
"No… but she was my Nory," Renn said softly.
I nodded, understanding that. I knew that feeling well.
Each time I lost one of the Society, I felt that emotion deeply and for a long time.
For a long moment I let her sit silently, but then I realized this was probably an opportutine time.
She was distressed, not just because of the orgy behind her but my questions. The circumstances were…
Although it might ruin our relationship. Forever.
But if I didn't…
"The church in all its evil is not evil itself," I said to her.
Renn's eyes didn't narrow, but she sure did stare at me all the same.
I nodded to further imply my meaning. "Do you hate the axe, or the one who swings it?" I asked her.
"Both," she said.
The fire crackled, and I sat back a little. To stare at her better.
She held my gaze, unashamed of her answer.
"That's a good answer," I said.
"Yet you don't agree, do you?" she asked me.
"No. I don't."
She was about to say something, but a loud shout drew her attention. She glanced back behind her, only to hurriedly look forward again… back at me.
For the briefest instant she looked shocked, and then I watched as her face slowly got redder… as if in sudden anger.
But I knew it wasn't anger.
Tilting my body a little, to get a look at what I had only barely seen but clearly heard… I watched as the men began to fight one another. A small brawl broke out, and they began to shout and yell as they fought.
"Why… why did you grow embarrassed at their fighting?" I asked… a little shocked that her face was still red.
"They were just making love," she said.
"Not when you turned around, though," I said.
"They had been! Now they're fighting…" she grumbled, her tail wildly twitching.
Frowning at her, I tried to understand… "Are… are you simply embarrassed because you think you're seeing an emotionally private moment?" I asked her.
"I guess?" she groaned, and reached up to grab her hat. Not to remove it, but to push it down harder.
She didn't want to hear the things they were shouting.
I didn't blame her. Some if it was kind of nasty.
"Humans," I said simply.
"Men," she complained.
"Women fight just as much," I said, defending my people.
"I've never seen a bunch of women do that then…" she stopped talking, as she realized what she was about to say.
"Uh… yea, no. I've seen far more women together in bed than men," I said.
Her eyes glared at me from under her hat. She had pulled it down far enough that she almost couldn't see out of it.
"Really," I said, nodding.
A man shouted in pain, and suddenly the fighting came to a stop. Leaning again, so I could see, I watched as all of them stood around another. One on the ground. With something sticking out of his chest.
A sword or knife maybe.
"I think they just killed him," I said.
"Ughh…" Renn obviously couldn't find the words to describe how she felt about that.
Smiling at the sight of her, I couldn't help but find her…
"You're rather adorable," I said to her.
Suddenly I lost all care for the arguing men as I watched the woman in front of me go completely still.
Her eyes went wide. She released her hat, and her ears perked up straight... causing it to fly off and land on the dirt nearby. Her tail went so stiff, it disappeared behind her… and she went absolutely still.
For a long moment I stared at the shocked cat, and realized I probably shouldn't have complimented her so.
I should have known. She wasn't exactly a prude, but…
She was a little… more normal than most. Her embarrassment at the men, and what they had been doing, should have been more than a clear sign that she'd not take such compliments in stride.
"Sorry… I uh…" I hesitated for a moment. What was wrong with me? I was far too old to act like a young fool, incapable of speaking. Why couldn't I just make a statement and laugh it off? Like I always did?
Why did I say such a thing anyway?
Renn finally regained some semblance of control over herself, her right ear twitched. Her tail came back into view, quickly wrapping itself around her waist… this time far tighter than before…
And right as she was about to say something… I stood.
She went completely still again
Taking in the moment, I etched her look into my memory. I wanted to remember that face.
But I didn't want to remember what was going to happen next.
Rushing forward, I leapt past her. Nearly scraping my right foot on the rock she sat upon, as I rushed those who were running towards us.
Renn let loose a yelp, but I ignored her as I hurried forward. Towards the men.
Towards the spears and swords.
The five men had weapons. But not much else. Only one had bothered to put on a pair of pants, and only one other had put on a shirt.
They were charging at us, in a small group. So closely together in fact, that only the man in the front noticed my own approach. He had a spear, what looked to be a fishing spear, and had it raised to pierce. It lowered a little as he saw me, and I could see in his eyes the man's brain trying to process what he saw.
A man. In the middle of the night. Running towards him and his comrades, who without a doubt looked unnatural and dangerous… being naked, and armed. And doing so without a weapon. And alone.
Smiling at the expression on the man's face, I watched as the other four men noticed me finally too.
They all were as shocked as he.
But that was what made it easy.
I charged into the spear wielding man first. He tried to skid to a stop, and tried to jab the spear into me… but he was neither fast enough, nor skilled enough.
Grabbing his spear with one hand, I crushed his throat with the other. His spear jolted as his arms shot forward from my blow as he died, but my grip kept it steady.
"Briam!" the man with the shirt shouted. He skidded to a stop in shock.
His hesitation cost him his life. By the time he stopped shouting his friend's name, I had lunged the spear I had stolen into his chest.
"Gods!" a naked man, carrying a small sword, stepped backward several steps. Completely mortified by what was happening in front of him. Which was odd, considering he had blood on him already. It was covering his waist and forearms.
He had been the one to kill the man earlier.
"Kill him Frank!" the bloodied man shouted, pointing his short sword at me.
Frank was the one with the pants… for he grunted and charged at me. Raising a smaller spear up, I recognized the stance he took. This man had experience. A spearman. He stood toe to heel, and his shoulders were positioned well.
Any normal man would have feared such a sight. Especially since he was growling as he charged, but I ignored him. I instead focused on the bloody man, and the man who stood next to him.
They were both naked… but there was something about them.
Why did they look so alike? Even their beards were…
A spear rushed towards my face. I stepped aside, and with my eyes still on the two other men, I snaked my hand out to grab the throat of the spear wielder.
His strange growling came to an immediate stop as I gripped his throat. The man went bug-eyed, and began to thrash. At first he tried to stab me with the spear he wielded, but he quickly dropped it in an effort to grab and claw at my arm and hand.
He didn't get the chance to free himself, as I simply squeezed. One moment he had a throat, then the next he fell to the ground without one.
"Gods above!" the bloody man shouted, as if he hadn't been the cause of all this.
Rushing towards the two remaining men, I made sure to glance behind me before I reached them.
Renn was fine. Her eyes were wide. They were staring right at me… but she was fine. No men were around her.
Once sure she was safe, I returned my attention in full to the men before me.
"Brother!" the man to the right raised a large sword. Fashioned with fancy metal… it was not just any sword, but a knight's sword.
Brother…?
I didn't have time to process the words as I ducked the large sword. It sliced through the air above me, and as he grunted and coiled his torso as to swing it back down, onto my head… I punched the man in the side.
The blow was deep and heavy. It caused him to belch with blood and phlegm. Yet as bad as my blow had been, most undoubtedly damaging organs, he still kept hold of his blade.
"Brother!" the bloodied man cried out, and hurried towards us. But I didn't wait for him. I grabbed the large sword, right above the hilt, and tugged it from the man's grasp.
He tried to keep hold of it. He fell to a knee, and focused entirely on keeping the blade in his hands. As if it was more precious than his life.
It probably was, if he was a knight.
With another tug, this time a real one, I watched his eyes go wide as I pulled it free. It popped out, more than slid out, and blood splattered the ground because of it.
Turning to the bloodied man, who was now within range with his short sword raised… I simply swung the blade I had just taken from his brother.
"Geh!" the man released an odd sound as I sliced through his chest.
Before his body fell. Before both parts landed, I spun and brought the blade down onto the back of the neck of the man I had just stolen it from.
The kneeling man had been in the process of standing. But because of my punch, and the hands torn apart from my thievery, he had been slow to move. Too slow.
His head fell to the ground a moment after his brother's upper torso did.
With the blade still in hand, I quickly looked around. To make sure the moment was over.
To make sure Renn was safe.
She was. She stood there, not far from the rock she had been sitting on. Actually, had she moved at all since this started? Didn't look it.
The first spearman I had killed was definitely dead. The second man, with the shirt, was making noises but wasn't moving. The spear was stuck in his lungs. There was no need to worry if he'd live.
Glancing to the fire they had came from, I studied the body in the distance. The only other one. The only one I hadn't made myself.
It wasn't moving. And judging by the glistening upon it, and around it, from their campfire…
That had been a bloody death.
With a small breath, I made sure the rest were dead. The last three were more surely dead than the first two, but I checked anyway. Once I was sure, I nodded at myself and headed back towards the cat.
"Are you alright?" I asked her.
She didn't respond, but I wasn't too worried. She looked fine… none of the men had drawn close to her. And none had used bows, or thrown their spears.
Reaching the first body, I hesitated… and slowly came to a stop.
What was that expression? On her face? It was…
"Is… Was this my fault!" she shouted, holding her hands close to her chest.
Stepping over a naked torso, I studied the woman who no longer looked adorable.
She now looked terrified. Yet…
Not of the men who had just tried to attack us.
Nor me… who had just slaughtered them.
"Why would it be your fault?" I asked her, wondering what was wrong.
Was she that worried about what had happened with Amber? Although I was upset over it, and still planned to judge her without bias… I already knew she was innocent. The letters had proved it. Her tears had proved it.
Yet here she was panicking over a similar instance…
Wait…
She didn't just have her hands at her chest, she was holding something. Something long, and hairy.
Her tail.
She thought they had seen her tail… and came to attack.
"Renn," I stepped forward, and got her attention. She looked at me, and stepped back. Nearly into the fire. "Renn, there is no way they saw your tail. Humans can barely see at night as it is, let alone such a distance," I said to her.
"But!" she nearly shouted the word, and looked around. At the bodies around me.
Stepping away from them, to force her to look at me… I stood in-between her and the bodies.
"It's very obvious what happened, Renn. Those men killed another, in cold blood. Petty squabbles. Then they saw our campfire," I said, pointing to our little camp.
She looked at what I pointed at, and realized how close she was to the fire. She took a couple steps away from it.
I nodded at her, and was glad to see her start to calm down. Yet she still held her tail closely… a little too closely. Didn't that hurt?
"Fire…" she said, and then looked out into the darkness. Past me. To the fire still burning, where I knew she could see the other body. The only body of someone I hadn't killed.
"They most likely came to kill us. Out of fear of being branded criminals. Out of fear of us reporting them to the church or local lord," I said calmly.
Renn quickly understood, and her shoulders slowly lowered. Her ears twitched as they moved a little. To the left and right… as if she was listening around us. For others nearby.
There weren't. We were now alone. Even the nearby beavers had gone silent.
I watched watery eyes leak onto what had been an adorable face, and she suddenly sobbed.
For a small moment I stood there, watching the woman cry. At first I worried she hadn't really understood… but her sobbing quickly ceded. That hadn't been sorrow, but relief.
She had sobbed out of relief upon realizing she hadn't been the cause of such a disaster.
"It wasn't me," she said.
"It wasn't," I said.
Even if it had been…
Deciding not to say such a thing aloud, I decided to drop the sword. It didn't clang as it fell, but it did bounce on the grass.
The thing had been well made. Probably a family heirloom.
Stepping towards her, I gestured towards the path. "Come on, Renn. Let's go," I said.
"But…" she glanced at the bodies.
"Let's go. Last thing we need is for some merchant or knight to come by and find us here with them," I said.
A man and woman surrounded by slain men. Naked men, on top of it! What a scene.
"Okay…" she whispered, and I made sure to collect her hat. She remembered to grab her bag, but hadn't remembered her hat. Probably hadn't even realized it had fallen off yet.
Holding it, I felt the warmth of it… somehow still warm, even though no longer on her head.
Renn didn't run to the road, but she did hurry. I hurried with her, and was glad she wasn't bawling or sobbing.
"It'll be alright. We'll just walk for some time, and stop elsewhere," I said to her.
"Mhm," she made a noise as she nodded.
With her nod, I noticed her ears. They were drooping.
"Here," I held out her hat. She stared at it for a moment, and then took it with another silent nod.
Silence… yes…
Heading away from the campfires, and the bodies, I silently hoped such silence would last.
She sniffed as I listened to her put her hat on. She was walking a little behind me, but that was on purpose.
I didn't want to see her cry.
Especially since she had no reason to.
Those humans had only wanted to kill any who could have seen their debauchery. Their evil.
Instead they paid for it.
With a sigh, Renn and I walked on the path towards Ruvindale. The river continued along one side, and a quickly growing thicker forest on the other.
I'd have her join me into the forest if we chanced on anyone as we walked. But for now there was no point in not using the road.
After all in this silence… I'd hear anyone approaching. Especially now that I was on guard for it.
Her sniff made my eye twitch, and I wished I wasn't the way I were.
What I'd give to be a normal human. A normal man.
She took a deep breath, and the sound of the remnants of her crying could be heard over the light wind. Especially to my ears. Somehow I heard that better than I heard the river rodents nearby chewing on the wood in the forest.
I owed silence an apology. It wasn't anywhere near as bad as this.
Maybe I'll get lucky and I'll find she had been the cause of Amber's death.
As much as taking her life would bother me, somehow I doubted it'd bother me as much as this.
She sniffed again, and I closed my eyes and held in a groan.
This was going to be a long night.