Private Solvale Cackling Pests

[Hanno Futaba]

Solvale, Path to the Fenrir's Rest Forest
Early Afternoon
Sunny

Words have been spreading about a horde of Gnolls causing trouble through all Solvale. It wasn't unusual for those Hyena beasts to bring havoc and chaos to the region, but their activity has been growing in a concerning and... oddly organized way. At the same time, it didn't look like it was a very large group, which could mean it was a particular horde that was acting in such an anomalous way.

With this concern looming around, Hanno was travelling across the region, making his way to the Fenrir's Rest, a forest with a sacred name for the beastfolks.

Last signs of activity of that rogue group was around that area, so it was presumed they could be using it as territory, which also meant they could be possibly disturbing the local creatures and beastfolks.

"This is really making me stretch my legs though." Hanno muttered to Ghast, the dissonant shield that wiggled against his back. "Keep your eyes open, these guys are really good at ambushing people. They fight really dirty too."

As he pushed forward, he couldn't help but wonder if he should've sent a message to @Ueno Mizuki, it sounded like that was the perfect type of mission to ask for her help.

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

In the midst of the wilds, far removed from civilization, three caenines were feasting on their latest successful hunt. Even if one of them was a caenis while the other two were wolves, their behaviour was similar enough that this distinction was irrelevant during their hunts.

A large elk with spectacular, glowing antlers had been their prey. Its speed had been nothing to scoff at, and when it finally realised that it couldn't outrun its pursuers it had put those antlers to deadly effect, nearly piercing one of the wolves before the caenis had successfully intervened and ripped those antlers from the elk's skull, after which the hunt was quickly settled.

Mizuki had long since stopped thinking much about how strange her behaviour in this world was. She'd come here to make friends and have fun in a carefree manner she hadn't been able to experience when she was younger, so how she ended up spending most of her time hunting strange and exotic beasts so she could devour them after was a mystery which most likely would never be solved.

While the stench of blood was rich her nose still twitched when she caught another scent on the wind. Lifting her head away from the carcass in front of her Mizuki sniffed the air, her two pack members looking at her for a moment before resuming their meal. If it was something important Mizuki would tell them, and in the meantime they could quickly gorge themselves.

The scent was a familiar one, the wildling only needing a moment to recall the owner. People rarely came here, at least those who had strong ties with civilization. This area, close to Fenrir's Rest, held some meaning for local beastfolk, but for everyone else it was too far removed from the nearest town, and the creatures living here were dangerous for the unprepared.

Not that she doubted Hanno could hold his own, but she still didn't expect him to come here.

Finishing her last bite Mizuki stood up, using her Primal Aura to signal to her packmates that they were meeting some friends. The two wolves got up while Mizuki looked at the antlers she'd cleanly removed from the elk's head. Grabbing some strips of hide she bound the antlers together and then slung them over her shoulder, making sure they wouldn't get in the way before dropping on all fours.

With the three of them running across the plains surroundings Fenrir's Rest it didn't take long before Hanno came in sight, along with that large shield of his which gave of a very unusual smell. Mizuki had met Ghast before, but the... girl?... still left her with questions.

Making no attempt to hide herself Hanno would also be able to see Mizuki and her wolves quickly closing the distance, and he wouldn't have to wait long before the wildling came to a halt nearby and pushed herself back onto her hind paws.

It's been a while, Hanno. What are you doing all the way out here?

With blood still staining her hands and her fangs it wouldn't be difficult to guess what Mizuki had been up to, but in sharp contrast to her appearance her smile was genuine and friendly as always, raising a clawed and furred hand in greeting as she closed the remaining distance at a walking pace.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno swiftly turned to @Ueno Mizuki when her voice caught his attention. His eyes actually opened, and widely at that, seeing the woman he had just thought about. Maybe she had telepathy? Or could it be pure primal instincts? Whichever it was, Hanno pushed those thoughts away and greeted her.

"Heya Mizuki and cuties." He gave a brief salute to the beastwoman and her companions. The shield wiggled her tentacles, and her big eye stared at the newcomers intently.

"I've been hearing about some horde of Gnolls that are causing a lot of trouble later—" His eyes landed on the bloodied claws of his friend. "And... It seems like you are already working on it. You didn't keep all the fun to yourself, did ya?" Hanno chuckled, wondering if Mizuki had already solved the problem all by herself, something he wasn't opposed to. It would be one less problem to deal with.

Otherwise... He could really grab extra hands to handle this issue.

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

While Mizuki's packmates were intelligent enough that they could understand such things as intent and basic instructions, full-blown humanoid speech was outside of their realm. As such, Hanno's compliment flew right over their heads, the two lupines staying behind Mizuki even as she slowly approached her old friend. Their attention seemed to be more on the tentacular shield the faerin was carrying around, amber eyes studying the unusual item carefully while neither of them made a sound.

Mizuki, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow at the form of address, then shrugged and dismissed it. She wouldn't call her packmates cute, exactly, but leave it up to Hanno to look at two dire wolves that way.

Gnolls?

Seeing Hanno's gaze move to her bloodied claw she lowered it to also cast a glance at it, then shook her head and gripped the hide strips wrapped around the glowing antlers to hold her bounty in front of her.

Gnolls are always causing trouble wherever they go, but I haven't been hunting them today. The blood is from this thing.

She figured that Hanno wouldn't need explaining that the glowing antlers used to belong to an elk. Once the faerin had acknowledged the curious magical objects Mizuki was carrying with her the wildling secured the antlers onto her back once more before returning her attention to the topic at hand.

...Normally people don't call the hunt fun. But no, if you're here for gnolls there's still plenty to go around. (She placed her hands on her hips.) I'm guessing that if gnoll troubles have reached your ears they've been more annoying than usual. Most likely taking advantage of the fact that this region has been left alone recently.

It would be a stretch to say that Astorea's plains were now abandoned, but before the crisis at Vintergard there had been a lot more people in the area, including adventurers who would keep the gnolls cautious. The fallout from the crisis was a good opportunity for the hyenas to grow in strength and numbers.

Are you hunting a specific pack, or just any gnolls you can find?

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno nodded to confirm when @Ueno Mizuki inquired about the Gnolls. Indeed, those humanoid hyenas were rather troublesome, and lately even more so. The fact all that blood wasn't from Gnolls surprised Hanno, however, and when Mizuki showed the source, his eyebrow rose. "I doubt there is any meat left from, is there?" In Hanno's eyes, Mizuki and her friends probably weren't the type to be picky enough to wait a meat to be cooked before making it become a dinner.

Ghast rumbled at the slight possibility of some meat being available.

"It is a particular pack. People say they are around Fenrir's Rest, causing havoc not only to the villages around, but to the creatures and beastfolks of the forest as well." Hanno casted a glance toward the general direction of the forementioned place.

"Apparently they are more organized than your every day Gnoll pack— Which makes them more dangerous. The good news is that it doesn't seem like a large pack, but if it becomes one, it can really get out of control." Hanno crossed his arms.

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki shook her head in response to Hanno's question.

Not enough to make a meal from. (She indicated her packmates with a slight tilt of her head.) I already eat a lot by myself, but these two usually finish whatever I don't grab for myself.

They did eat together, so it wasn't like the two dire wolves were scavenging Mizuki's meals, but it took a particularly big hunt before her two quadruped companions would call it quits while there was still meat left. Often the bones weren't spared either.

Hanno's interest in Mizuki's hunt was more intriguing, although the faint sound of the faerin's shield answered that question. The caenis shifted her gaze from the cyan-haired warrior to his sturdy companion with a slight raise of her eyebrows before returning her attention to the matter at hand.

Gnolls can be a problem when given the chance to expand. I haven't seen many signs of their disruptive behaviour yet, but I only just arrived here. (She narrowed her eyes.) A more organised pack suggests a strong leader... which also means that taking out the leader might be enough to fix the issue.

It wasn't a guarantee, but the same "culture" which caused gnolls to be very disruptive to the environment would also often lead to infighting once a pack grew big enough. Without a powerful authority figure keeping them in check the problematic pack might devour itself, or at least stop threatening the surrounding area.

Hrmmm... Is this official Lion business then? I wouldn't mind helping out, especially since I'd rather not have gnolls make a mess of this place either. (She looked towards the hallowed forest.) I'm still learning about the folklore associated with this place.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno glanced at the wolves as @Ueno Mizuki mentioned their hunt not being enough for a meal, and he could only wonder how much that pack needed to be satiated. At the end, it seemed that both Hanno and Mizuki had the big task of managing to keep their travelling companions with their bellies full enough to not become a trouble.

Even if wolves were far more disciplined than a weird entity that loved to corrupt gears and weapons.

He nodded firmly at both of Mizuki's remarks, and he grinned— "It isn't really an official Lion's business, it is just me trying to make sure it won't become a Lion's business and it won't become a problem big enough to have any disruptive behavior around, especially at first glance." His Shield rumbled, with a tentacle gluing on his cheek before he plucked it out while briefly looking and hissing a small scold to Ghast, and looking back at Mizuki with a small smile.

"But if you are already willing to help, I would love to have you. Especially for the good ol' times." Hanno took a step toward the forest, waiting to see if Mizuki would follow him. It wasn't the first time they would 'hunt' together, so it tickled him with some nostalgic feelings.

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

That makes sense... although I hope you're not making it a habit of preventing every problem you come across by yourself before it becomes big enough to draw attention. (She frowned.) If you try to keep everything under control like that you're going to get hurt or burn yourself out.

Hanno was very resilient and a seasoned adventurer, but even he wasn't immune to the wear and tear of constant work. Rooting out problems before they got out of hand was commendable, but if not kept in check it was a path to self-destruction. The wildling had enough experience with that herself, so she wouldn't want somebody else to suffer it.

The sight of Ghast playing with Hanno's cheek was... oddly adorable, even if the tentacle made Mizuki think a bit too much about Dissonance to be entirely at ease with it. The sapient shield was a bit of a concern to her. But Hanno seemed to be managing it... her... and they had other matters to address in the here and now.

I don't think we've hunted together that often, but I've got no reason to turn down this opportunity. Gnolls are as good a quarry as any, especially once they've gotten cocky enough that they try to fight back. (Her smile showed a bit more fang this time.) Although I will say their flesh is a bit too stringy.

However, not too stringy for Mizuki to object against cutting them down to size when they were growing out of control. The wildling was already moving into the forest when Hanno took his step, the wolf-blooded huntress sniffing the air and swivelling her ears as they left the plains behind to enter the remarkably dense and diverse forest.

With how quickly and eagerly plantlife grew in Fenrir's Rest it didn't take long before most of their surroundings were swathed in shadows, Mizuki's moon-eyes appearing to glow faintly whenever they caught what rays of sun managed to sneak in between the various types of leafs that formed the canopy of these woods. Her two packmates had spread out after they entered the forest, close enough to still be seen but each tracking their surroundings as keenly as Mizuki herself was, the trio covering quite a lot of ground with their canine senses.

Is this your first time in Fenrir's Rest? Because if so, you should be on your guard. The wildlife is more exotic than usual here.

Halting for a moment Mizuki ripped some thick grass from the ground, rubbing it roughly against her bloody hands and forearms to help get rid of the smell that lingered from her previous kill. Once the vibrant smell of blood had been replaced with the more earthy smell of the forest she ripped the patch of grass into chunks and swallowed them, licking her fangs clean afterwards. If Hanno were to pay attention to the two wolves he'd see that they did something similar.

There isn't a lot of wind here in the forest, so we can't use the downwind to hide our approach. Does... Ghast mind dirt?

Mizuki's scent easily blended into the environment, but Hanno's metallic armour could give him away.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno waved his hand negatively, albeit happy for @Ueno Mizuki's concern. "Nah, I don't do this kind of stuff anymore. No one should be doing everything by themselves." He said, crossing his arms. "That's why I call any nearby buddy to help, right? It is more fun this way too." The old Hanno that tried to brute force everything by himself was gone for a long time now, even allowing himself to depend a bit more on the weird Shield he had with him.

"If that's the case, we are gonna show them to not get overconfident— Granted, maybe these guys are a bit different, considering the words that have been running about them." They were an anomalous bunch, even if they were a small group.

He decided to not comment too much on the stinginess of their meat though. He was a chef, but he wasn't too inclined to cook humanoids yet. And he hoped he could keep his curiosity and sanity on check enough to never attempt such a thing—

Even if he had already made a dissonant tentacle soup.

Pushing some of the greenery obstacle out of his way, he peeked back at Mizuki and blinked when noticing her eating grass along with her companions. "Not really. I go through all sort of environments with her and she has never complained." He said, and the Shield 'nodded' with her whole frame, looking at them with her giant eye.

Hanno then stopped, turning around.

"Why?" He asked, and Ghast made a weird noise in 'unison'.

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

I'm glad to hear it. Too many heroic figures who think it's up to them to take care of everything. (She sighed.) Or who just care too much to ever sit still and take a more careful approach.

She didn't exactly keep track of everyone's death tally, but she knew that most Travelers who'd been in Terrasphere for a while had suffered at least one fatal accident, only brought back by whatever strange mechanism allowed them to cheat death where Landers had to make do with the single chance. Her own continued survival was partially luck, but also something she'd worked hard for.

Working together with allies is a lot more fun, yes. (She scratched one of her packmates between the ears.) It's part of why I hunt with a pack.

A small pack, perhaps, but for Mizuki her two lupine kin had become irreplaceable. She may not take them everywhere she went, but she was always more at ease with their company.

The journey through the forest was going smoothly so far, although they were definitely enjoying the easiest part of the hunt, here at the edge of the woods. Things would get trickier as they went deeper, Fenrir's Rest allowing strange and potentially dangerous creatures to thrive and respond unkindly to intruders.

For now, however...

Gnolls have a keen sense of smell, almost as good as wolves. (She wrinkled her nose.) If you just walk up to them smelling like metal and clean laundry they'll catch you coming well before you can see them.

Of course, traipsing about through Astorea's plains meant that Hanno wasn't exactly pristine, but compared to Mizuki and her wolves he was still clearly in a clean state. Which meant his own smell stood out, especially amidst the dirt, flora, and fauna that permeated Fenrir's Rest. The wildling carefully walked around a tree to not brush against it while she approached Hanno.

We might be able to take care of them even without the element of surprise, but if we're taking this seriously you have to mask your scent somehow.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno winced a bit. "Well, I still need to work a bit more on the latter, but I've already learned my lesson with my first death." He crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at @Ueno Mizuki's words and then nodding approvingly both to her and the pack that followed her.

At the explanation regarding the Gnolls and their strong sense of smell, Hanno didn't take long to understand where Mizuki wanted to get at. Ghast was pretty much inclined to accept it, or rather, she was even looking forward it, like a kid ready to do something really crazy with the permission of their parents. Hanno half-smirked to his Shield, shaking his head and looking at Mizuki coming from the tree.

Raising his hands as if surrendering, he chuckled slightly. "Alright, alright. Sorry for smelling like metal. I promise I shower every day though." Hanno apologized playfully. "It is okay though. I'm down for some dirty."

Ghast wiggled her tentacles, closing her giant central eye to receive the earthy camouflage, while Hanno himself started to get ready to take the camouflage on.

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki blinked, feeling a bit embarrassed as she realised she might have gotten a bit preachy there. It wasn't like she held strong opinions about how other people lived their lives... yet here she was, criticising other Travelers for acting too heroic or too reckless. If they wanted to do that it was their decision, so the caenis shook her head, mostly to herself.

Well, it's not like caring for others is a bad point.

She hadn't meant to come across as harsh with her suggestion for Hanno and Ghast to mask their scent, raising a front paw in response to the faerin's casual apology.

That's... actually why your scent stands out. Ever heard of canines rolling in something with a strong scent? Being clean means there's nothing masking your own scent.

It was kind of funny how most people had gotten used to the idea that cleaning yourself regularly was important. To be fair, it was important for social reasons: it just was counterproductive when you were on the hunt.

But Hanno was clearly waiting for her to apply a camouflage, so Mizuki stepped closer even as she bent down to scoop up some of the humus that formed the topmost layer of the forest floor, with leafs and other organic debris sticking out of the dark clump. She doubted Hanno was up for a roll in the dirt, so she might as well take a slightly more fanciful approach to the issue.

Coming to a halt in front of the armoured faerin she raised her front paw and sprinkled the organic mixture over him and his sapient shield, a faint green glow accompanying the gesture. Rather than merely sticking to the male's hair the soil spread around his body, sinking into the fabric of his clothes and forming dark grey-brown smears across the metal of his armour, as well as Ghast's metallic body.

A short while later and Hanno and Ghast looked like they'd spent at least a week inside of the forest with no opportunity to wash either themselves or their equipment, their scents masked under an earthly fragrance.

Rubbing her front paws together Mizuki nodded.

The effects should be temporary, although I imagine you'll want to take another shower after this. Still, now we don't have to worry as much about their noses.

Of course, if Hanno was correct these gnolls would be trouble either way, but at least this way they could maintain the element of surprise. Motioning for Hanno to follow Mizuki resumed walking deeper into the forest, sniffing the air and scanning the ground (and passing trees) for any marks of gnolls: footprints, strands of fur caught on rough bark, markings from crude weapons...

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

"Well, now that you mention it..." Hanno pondered about it, letting @Ueno Mizuki do her job, but being surprised that it wasn't anything more... 'wild'... but rather was something more magical. When the camouflage simply spreaded across them, Hanno looked around his body and when it was done, he slipped a whistle. "That's hella convenient!" He said. "But yeah, you can bet I will." Hanno laughed with a nod, and Ghast grumbled in displeasure.

"Stop hating water, buddy." Hanno handwaved the protests of his Shield.

Resuming their path, it was clear that forest was eerily quiet. Either because the creatures in it were being extra careful, or because they were simply gone to elsewhere, it was easy to know that something was off and it was only a matter of time before they finally caught the first signs—

A hint of metallic and blood smell could be caught very soon, and upon close inspection, it was possible to notice dry blood being lost on the colors of greenery and dirt. It was old enough to be dark and easily mistaken by mud sprinkled on the grass, and it had a path that led to a disbanded camp.

Or at least it looked like one, with an extinguished campfire with scattered carbonized firewood and ashes, and other marks of dry blood as well.

This time, there was parts of fur, but they looked different and smelled different. One was thicker and ocre yellow, while the others were black and softer.

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki cleared her throat before giving her head a quick shake.

Normally I'd do it manually because magic can leave a trace as well, but I figured this would be easier for the both of us.

Magic was certainly convenient, but also had its drawbacks. While Mizuki didn't shy away from using magic she was inclined towards using her paws to make sure she didn't get too used to solving every situation with the supernatural equivalent of a swiss army knife.

As a bit of a fun fact, the reason why canines don't like baths is because it gets rid of the scents they've gathered... And makes it easier for potential threats to find them. (She glanced at Ghast.) But I'm guessing that isn't the source of her protests.

Regardless of Ghast's opinion, now that the armoured knight and his sapient shield were no longer aromatically broadcasting their presence it was time to continue the hunt. So far Mizuki hadn't noticed much yet of the gnolls they were trying to track down, but the silence of the forest was significant in itself.

And then came a scent which immediately caught Mizuki's attention, possibly the most important scent as it carried the promise of both food and danger. Her nostrils flared and her eyes narrowed as the smell of blood made itself known. Her sharp senses allowed her to pick it up before it was visible, quickly using her Primal Aura to signal to her companions to be cautious. Her packmates had noticed it a well, their heads lowered and their pawsteps more precise as they began to stalk.

Tracking the scent to the nearest patch of dried blood Mizuki crouched and sniffed at it, noting the age. Motioning for Hanno and Ghast to come closer she whispered to them in a hushed voice.

Gnoll prey.

The age of the blood meant she couldn't identify the exact nature, but that much was certain. Resuming the hunt she stalked after the trail of dried blood, hind paws carefully stepping on secure spots to make as little sound as possible.

Once they were within hearing range of the camp she halted again and joining signalled for the others to do the same. Closing her eyes she focused on her ears, which swiveled so she could make sure they weren't walking into an ambush. Only once she was confident that they were safe she signalled to move closer, stepping into the abandoned camp.

Old camp. (She touched the blackened firewood.) They were already gone before we entered the forest.

Noticing the strands of fur left behind she studied them, first smelling the tough pale fur before moving onto the black fur.

Old camp. (She touched the blackened firewood.) They were already gone before we entered the forest.

Moving onto the strands of fur left behind she first smelled the rough pale fur, scrunching her nose before shaking her head and moving onto the softer black fur.

Spoils from their hunt, most likely. (She frowned.) It must have put up a fight.

Picking up some of the black strands she rubbed them between her fingers. Her packmates remained at the edge of the camp, their attention outwards while Mizuki talked to Hanno.

But if we're talking about a pack of gnolls big enough to become a nuisance this camp isn't big enough for all of them.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Ghast's tentacles nodded at @Ueno Mizuki's words, and Hanno's expression turned flat looking at the Shield. "I bet you didn't even know all that, Ghast." He retorted, but gave up on arguing with his bizarre companion. There were far more important things to turn his attention toward, and that was certainly the destroyed camp they had just found.

Hanno had the similar assessment of Mizuki, that the camp was certainly not big enough to tackle all the gnolls, and that the gnolls were successful in defeating all of them. But the finer details were all up for Mizuki to spot, with her better senses, while Hanno kept his guard and wariness, following the instinctive message delivered by Mizuki's aura. "So we are late, but not too late..." He muttered, pondering for a moment, frowning his lips.

"Though... I don't recall gnolls being the type to keep prisoners for too long, if at all." Hanno slipped, usually being a optimistic type, but he knew how to discern when a situation was truly dire.

"It is good that they put up a fight though. More trails for sure, and if one of them was still alive while being... Maybe dragged away, there may have more clues around."

The signs of fight were clear, and the thick smell of fur was at all parts. Though, the dry blood had its faint scent trailing to elsewhere. Deeper into the forest, as one would expect, following a trail of small blood drops that were scattered, almost camoufled in the dirt, but not as much in the greens of the forest.

 

[Ueno Mizuki]

Mizuki tilted her head at Hanno's words, but then shrugged and returned her gaze towards the black fur on the ground.

That's how it goes out in the wilds. (She frowned.) We can only prevent the problem from growing any bigger than it already is, not undo what has happened.

From what she recalled this wasn't meant to be a rescue mission either: Hanno had come here because the gnolls were making the people restless, not because specific people had gone missing. As the faerin noted that gnolls weren't known for keeping captives Mizuki paused, trying to recall what she knew of gnolls and their habits.

...Yes and no. (Her gaze darkened.) They don't have much use for prisoners since they rarely negotiate with outsiders, but they will often keep some live prey for sport.

A rather unpleasant thought, especially since Hanno clearly wished he could've arrived here earlier. Still, if there was anyone who could face the truth of the situation it had to be the knight next to her. And if they were really lucky, that same sadism might at least keep some of the gnolls' victims alive for long enough.

As she kept searching through the camp Mizuki did note that some of the blood was from the gnolls as well, validating Hanno's theory that the owner of the black fur must've fought back to some extent. Still, it was undeniable that the gnolls clearly had left the camp of their own volition, and there weren't any bodies in sight either. The camp itself was in a sorry state: from the start it clearly was something hastily thrown together with shoddy materials, but whatever fight had taken place here had made a mess as well.

Fortunately, that did leave enough traces of what had transpired that eventually Mizuki found herself facing the trail of dried blood leading out of the camp, deeper into the woods in the opposite direction of where the four of them had arrived from.

They went this way, and took whatever they caught with them. (She motioned for Hanno to come closer before looking at him.) We'll have to be careful, but if we move swiftly we might be able to catch them still.

She didn't expect to rescue anything or anyone here, but it might help motivate Hanno. Even if he had nerves of steel some extra encouragement never hurt.

@Hanno Futaba

 

[Hanno Futaba]

Hanno couldn't help but frown his lips at the idea of them keeping some preys alive for the sake of sports. But at the same time, he wouldn't put it past the gnolls. Those creatures were great hunters, he couldn't ignore that, but they were vicious and cruel for most of part. He even wondered if those things were demons rather than simple creatures with an unusually aggressive culture like goblins and orcs.

Listening to @Ueno Mizuki's lead, Hanno nodded with a confident nod. "Then we don't need to waste any more time. We are going to catch those dogs and give 'em some Animal Control Service treatment." He cracked his knuckles, and by following the way that Mizuki had just proposed, it didn't take long until they could hear rustling sounds and steps rapidly approaching.

The sounds kept Hanno wary and ready, with everything happening rather quickly for the Faerin. For Mizuki, in another hand, with her enhanced senses she would notice those sounds for a bit, and those steps were coming from something or someone that was very light and nimble, rather than a brutish and bulky creature like a gnoll.

And then, between some bushes—

Gasp! Wheeze!

A red haired short girl with a long and thick tail and prominent buck teeth popped out of the barrage of bushes, and in a rush, clashed against Mizuki, holding onto her suddenly. Her face was covered with scratches and scrapes from branches, but the most concerning point was the gash on one of the arms that she weakly held onto the fellow beastfolk.

"H-Help! Help, please! Th-They are... They..!"

She frantically stumbled on her words, and when she stopped to look at Hanno, she noticed the bizarre shield, slowing down her words with a confused expression. And when she turned to look at Mizuki's face, she noticed the wolf features as well, and after a second processing the strange duo she had found herself with, her eyes turned up and she fainted on Mizuki's chest.

Hanno remained wary, wondering if she was one of those 'sport preys' Mizuki had mentioned.