Chương 68: Chapter 66: The Wayfinders and the Black Beast

The Adventurers had been waiting for us to arrive, but they clearly hadn't expected me to be holding the hand of a teenager and leading her along. There had been a tricky moment when she'd seen the three and they'd begun asking questions right away. Rachael shut down almost completely and hid behind me again, her comfort from meeting and talking with the Lieutenant almost totally forgotten. I'd actually - quite literally - growled at Roxala when she'd raised her voice in a hearty'What the hell, Goldie!

You go out to hunt and come back with a whelp?! Damn you move fast girl!' when I saw the way the kid twitched and heard her little breathy canine whine. The shieldmaiden was more taken aback than offended at my warning snarl and I got ahold of myself dang quickly but still - it happened. Turns out, Fel and Gelidia had some kind of cahoots going on because they both smoothly stepped in to unstick the situation still further, and nobody so much as got offended.

As I cooked, and as the kid was guided to sit by a kindly Fel, Gelidia explained matters to them. For my part, I didn't relax a bit until the kid had a mug of hot tea and a bowl of food in front of her. At the finish, Roxala peered once again at the scrawny, malnourished kid and grunted, nodding as the teen shoveled food eagerly into her mouth. I gave more into her bowl and the bowls of the others as well. The clink of cutlery and shifting of mugs filled the space, and all conversation petered out as we tucked in.

It took three bowlfulls of grub for Sooty to even begin to slow down eating! And even then she was accepting Fel's bit that he couldn't finish and Torch was pulling some hardtack out.

"Jeeze, Emily - where did you find this kid? It's like she's never had a meal in her life!" Torch said as he passed over one of the heavy-duty crackers. The kid began to use it as a spoon she could eat on the rice dish AND dipped it in the tea, too! She didn't seem to care that rice stuff got into the tea, not a wit - she ate it anyhow.

"Thank you mister Torch sir." she said respectfully once her mouth was clear and the man nodded at her amiably.

"Sure." he said.

"We're friends of-" he glanced at me, and I smiled at him "-your mom?" he said, and we - Sooty, Gelidia, and I - blushed a little and stammered a bit. Then, we looked at each other." Yeah" Sooty croaked, swallowed and continued. My blush grew!

"I guess she kind of is my... my mom now. Feels weird to say that." Rachael said, and I couldn't stop myself - I tipped her hat back to kiss her forehead and refill her mug. It had all been so sudden, but if my wolf was emphatic about the changed situation we found ourselves in, hers probably was working on her too.

"Works for me." I murmured and stroked her hair a moment.

"Also, if I have any say you're going to be fat and happy by the time I'm finished feeding you up." I might as well have announced that she was getting a puppy or a kitten or something because she lit up in a great big grin! She was missing a couple teeth - I'd just noticed! Roxala laughed merrily!

"That's good! Stiff breeze could knock this pup over!" she said, and gave the kid a hearty slap on the back that made her yip-squeek and drop her spoon! Fel chuckled as the kid picked her utensil out of the bowl. Part of me was surprised my Wolf didn't take offense, but, then, Roxala wasn't going to hurt the kid. My instincts told me quite the opposite - the shieldmaiden would protect her tooth and nail if she had to, to her last breath, and we both couldn't help but approve.

She got an extra scoop of food and set to it with a will equaled by my daughter for her portion as she resumed eating.

"Well... it's nice to meet you, Torch, Fel, um, Roxala. I'm... Rachael Sootpaw." the kid said, and I was so glad to see my friends basically accept the kid right out of the box. Fel put his hands on his knees, but I could see him opening his palm in her direction with my Wolf-Ren. Was he doing that trick he'd done with me when we'd first met? Should I object?

"I have a... difficult question for you, miss, if you're willing" he began, and without waiting, went on to ask "Are you like Emily? A stable Wolf?" he asked, and Rachael tilted her head slightly at him, her eyes glazing over for a moment before her brow furrowed.

"A... truth-seeing?" she asked softly, but answered as Fel's eyebrows shot up"I... yes, I'm... I'm like her, I... stabilized... um, last night." her voice came haltingly, as if measuring her words and suffering from almost critical anxiety as Fel nodded.

"Genuine." Fel said to the others, and smiled radiantly. I wasn't sure how I felt about him using that on my Sooty like that without permission, but the kid was sharp, had known fully, but answered anyway so perhaps I was being a bit persnickety. Was that normal, using that kind of thing? She'd seemed awkward about it, but not scared and she'd clearly chosen to speak. Had she felt pressured?

"Incredible! That makes two stable Werewolves now!" then something seemed to occur to him. He stared at Sooty for a couple heartbeats, blinking! She squirmed under his regard, wincing a little - what was wrong?

"Ohhhhh..." Fel said, and then, with somewhat more enthusiasm as he leaned forward "Oh! You are the Black Beast!" he exclaimed, and Sooty wilted, as she had before when I'd mentioned it. I hadn't introduced her that way, but I supposed it was something attached to her name, or a local thing. My patience with him cracked at last and I gave Fel a look. He modified his shocked expression to one of more-gentle surprise. However, the little nerd went on talking and this did little to modify Sooty's reaction. She was...

clutching her spoon under the table in a white knuckled little hand, and shaking like a leaf as it bent further and further She didn't seem to notice.

"You're just something of a local legend is all. There are a great many stories about you and-" SNAP - there went the spoon. Sooty was shaking, and looking at the table. What was that emotion on her face? She looked... deadpan, stony even, the bags under her eyes deeply emphasized, her gaze distant. Was she going to... do something? The air felt stuffy around her somehow.

Roxala and Torch shifted a little in unison, and I saw, with Wolf-Ren, as Roxala stomped on Fel's foot and Torch pinched the wizard under the table sharply. Fel had been about to ask what was the matter, I was sure of it, but his mouth shut with a snap. I hesitated - what could I do here? It took only a moment but Sootpaw seemed to surface from whatever deep, dark place she'd been and shook herself almost visibly. Then, she looked down and a different distress flooded her features - fear? Regret?

I didn't like the look of it on her face, and my Wolf was definitely unhappy with Fel in that moment.

"I..." Rachael carefully lifted her hand up and showed me what she'd done, tears filling her eyes a bit.

"I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean to break your spoon!" she said softly, and I hugged the kid, giving her forehead another smooch, not caring that I knocked her hat off in the process. Torch, sitting beside the kid, snagged it midair without looking, and I could see him bob his head at the Wizard"No worries honey, I can make more. Promise." I said. And I could! Toolmaking had fallen behind! Fel sighed as Torch moved over and let me sit beside my kid.

"Very sorry, young miss, miss Emily. I won't mention it again." Fel said, as he nodded at the girl deeply, a sort of sitting bow to her.

"I must say though... that was pretty impressive earlier, the way you spotted my Truth-telling - do you like magic?" he asked, and it was nearly magical all by itself to see Rachael's face go from miserable and closed off to shy interest as she used her filthy sleeve - eeeeeew - to wipe her eyes, making her face marginally dirtier in the process as she got ahold of herself.

"I... y-yes?" She asked in a tiny voice.

"I... I have some fire magic skills, um... witchstride and... and um... b-braucherei. I..." she hesitated again, then steeled herself. My Sooty was brave, even if she did have anxiety!

"... used to have Hexerei instead, but I rejected it."

"Fire magic! Ah, that makes sense." Was that something to do with the stuff earlier, the 'black beast' thing? He went on though "I don't believe I know of the Witchstride skill." Fel said, the question dangling like bait in front of the girl. She took it, too.

"Oh it's... a magic movement skill. It's... said that witches can dance between raindrops and never get wet. I always get wet, but it's only at rank D for me." she explained, and Fel chuckled"I only picked it up um... once Hexerei reached rank C" she explained, and they began to talk about magic skills. I found my attention drifting a little - it was interesting, but Roxala was looking directly at me, raising an eyebrow once she'd caught my eye, a silent inquiry. She wanted to talk.

I glanced at Gelidia, and the woman nodded at me like she'd expected this, and I heard her voice in my head, saying'We still need to make the journey. I will arrange someone to look after Sootpaw while we are gone - I was thinking Rosie and Mr. Gehrman? Rosie likes kids, and Alfredo was a doting uncle if I recall.' I agree. Can't we take her with us? She frowned at me, and took a few moments to think about that as she watched the kid and the wizard interacting.

When she spoke, it was in a careful tone, as if she expected I wouldn't like what she said.

'I still don't know how people will react to you, or to me. I don't want to put her in danger, Emily.' Gelidia said, and I nodded at her, in both worlds. I half expected Wolf to offer some input here, but she seemed content to trust in me. Even so, at my mental glance, Wolf put in her two cents. SOOTPAW CAN LOOK AFTER HERSELF. My heart was unhappy with it, but... she was probably right. She just can't feed herself, I thought in response. That was true.

Wolf conceded the point, even as she nosed me gently and made a soft chuffing sound in my head. In the intuitive way I understood her, I knew she wasn't happy about leaving Sooty behind either. Not... a... bit. She had faith in the kid though, and at the end of the day, so did I. Besides - Alfredo, Rosie, they wouldn't let the kid starve. I'd need to talk Rachael about it, and introduce her, the pair of them in one girl, to the two cooks later, but first thing's first.

I nodded to Roxala and motioned with my chin as I nosed the top of Sooty's head to gather her attention a moment. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"I'm gonna go talk to my friend Roxala, okay? I'll be right back." I said, and the young Wolf nodded to me, then resumed talking with Fel about elemental theory. Getting up, the pair of us walked out of the inn, passing Alfredo as we went. I snagged him too with a touch to his arm and a meaningful jerk of my chin. He came along with us easily as I led the pair into the morning light outside the inn. Only once we were well away did the Orcish shieldmaiden speak up as she followed me towards Lambstock's square.

"So this complicates things a little." she murmured quietly, clearly confident I would hear, and crossed her arms. I nodded at that.

"A little" I turned to Alfredo"Alfredo... You're an uncle, right?" I asked, and the man blinked stupidly at me a moment before shutting his mouth with a clack.

"I... am? Why?" He hadn't seen Sootpaw yet. I explained about Rachael as best I could. We soon reached the fountain at the center of town, and as I finished the explanation, Roxala crossed her arms, leaning back against the fountain. Alfredo grunted manfully and reminded me a moment of Cook. I got the sense he was somewhat unhappy about things, but I really didn't know him well enough to judge that.

"-And you want me to look after the kid while you're away." he said. He didn't sound entirely against the idea, but he was certainly not thrilled.

"I'd... introduce you two first, but all you really need to do is give her a meal and a safe place to sleep if she needs it. She's a Wolf like me, stable, and... she's a good kid, Alfredo." I said, and the man sighed.

"It's important. I'm not keen on this, but... we really do have the best chance we're going to get to make Lambstock work." I said earnestly, and the man held up a hand. I shut up.

"I'll have to meet her, and... I won't be doing this alone, but I'm on board so far, miss Emily. She can stay in your room if she wishes." he replied. I nodded at that, and Roxala grunted, satisfied.

"We - Gelidia and I - were thinking of asking Rosie?" I asked, as if seeking his take on the idea, and he nodded firmly.

"Good idea. She's good with kids. I just wonder how she'll handle a feral wolf-child like her. Even so, let's not give her a surprise, eh?" He said, and motioned me after him. This time, I followed him and we soon turned off the main street to find... a little bistro! That was the only proper word for it - the building had been repaired maybe sixty percent of the way, and given it had been a pile of rubble a few days ago it was looking pretty good!

Rosie, thank the World, was standing outside talking to Albert Albertson the Alderman, and the man's dog Spelt was - that is, had been - curled up at his feet. Upon seeing me though the bone doggie bounded over and, tail waggling so hard his backside was shifting side to side! FRIEND HELLO! Spelt's language was less intricate than what Sootpaw and I had spoken last night even, but easy to reply to.

I smiled, showing no teeth, and chuffed a reply, crouching down to pattapat the ground a bit, imitating canine stompies of excitement! HELLO LITTLE FRIEND! I said in his language, and he looked like he literally could not contain his excitement as he crashed bodily into me and rubbed his spectral-furred head against my hand and climbed onto me and into my arms! I gave him a hug and he wriggled happily, allowing me to scoop him up and hold him and rise to look the two men and the woman in the eyes again.

Albert wasn't surprised, Alfredo was taken aback, and Rosie was in the middle of a merry laugh!

"Ha! Even a bone doggie is a canine I guess! You got a friend there, Spelt my boy?" She asked, and the dog licked me! Don't ask me how, but he managed it, his phantasmal tongue cool and strangely smooth as it ran over my cheek. I chuckled, and jiggled him like a squirmy baby.

"Hi Rosie, Albert - how are you two this morning?" I asked, and Albert reached over to give his little friend scritches as he replied.

"Was about to turn in for the day." Albert said, and I nodded at him. Rosie shrugged.

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep. I'm supposed to get tired during the day now I guess, since I'm undead but... I've never been a night person, not sure if I can manage that." she said.

"I wanted to ask you something. You... like kids, right?" I said to Rosie, and she blinked at me.

"Yyyyyyeah? Why?" And I told her. She liked the idea of Gelidia and I leaving better than the idea of us taking Sooty with us, but it was a close-run thing. She crossed her arms and frowned at me, but nodded in the end.

"So you want me to look after the cutie, make sure the feral child doesn't starve, and do a little light aunt-ing while you do dangerous political discussions, probably answer some awkward questions, and deal with werewolf hunters?" Rosie asked.

"Okay. I'll do it. How long do you think this will take?"

"It'll be for a couple weeks, three at the outside. It's a couple days to Rucksberg and a couple more back, but I probably will have to do stuff while I'm there, some sort of diplomatic I-don't-know-whatsits, and... werewolf hunters?" I asked, blinking.

"Eeyup. There are werewolf hunters, at least there were when I was alive." she said, and that didn't fill me with confidence. Roxala pitched in.

"Yeah... the Harrier class. That's it's origin, as far as I understand it - move fast, intercept danger, and kill quickly. That's how they do business, given their foes are always supernaturally strong." she explained and... that made a ton of sense to me.

"they can be... quite proactive, too" she said, and it just seemed to dawn on her how interesting the next few weeks were really going to be! Me too, for that matter, this was... going to get colorful, I figured. WE WILL SHOW DOMINANCE Wolf said in a matter of fact 'nah I'd win' sort of way. Gelidia gave a cackle in my head and I couldn't help but smile - both mentally and physically. Roxala grinned too.

"That'll be fun to see." she said, and Alfredo and Albert stared at us in horror! Albert actually took a short step backward unconsciously.

"You... expect to get attacked?" He asked, and I nodded.

"Yep. Some hothead rookie will try it on, I guarantee it" Roxala said.

"A wise harrier thinks before they attack at least, and you only meet wise harriers at high levels - the idiots and hot-heads either live long enough to cool off a bit and wise up or they get dead." she said"It's not a core that suffers fools for long."

"So I should only need to worry about fighting off low level idiots?" I asked, and Roxala nodded with a grin, eyeing me.

"Yep. No higher than level 12 or so." which was... still like four levels higher than me. She must have been able to read my expression or something because she chuckled. It brought up a question I'd been meaning to ask.

"Wait... how come when I met you guys you were like... level six?" I couldn't remember.

"Why were Sir Little and Sir Gotthardt around our level? Am I missing something?" Roxala grunted manfully.

"Hmph. My team and I, we're not... exactly the most experienced. We... might have bitten off more than we could chew on our first actual mission together." She said, and rubbed the back of her head! I'd been under the impression they had been a team for a while, but... apparently not!

"What do you mean 'first mission'?" I asked, somewhat horrified, and Roxala chuckled.

"We were apprentices not even a year ago, and this was to be our Journeyman mission. We've been together for years the three of us, but we used to work with older Wayfinders until we breached level five - that's how things are done in the Guild around here. Get training until level five, then you become journeymen and start towing your weight." she explained, crossing her arms.

"As for the two knights, s'not to be wondered at. They weren't stabilized - they were dungeon creatures, and the dungeon didn't have the power to make them full level. Didn't ya inspect Sir Little once he'd stabilized? Guy was in his second tier at least, him and his big ugly bird! And Sir Gotthardt? Him too. I'd bet anything Gelidia's dad was high level too when he waS his own creature."

"Huh..." The Dungeon could subvert the person, so why not their strength, their levels? It made sense, even if it was kind of disturbing.

"So why am I leveling so quick? I don't think I was even level four when you met me." I asked, and Roxala gave me another one of her claps on the back that rattled my teeth with a hearty bark of laughter that bounced off the rooftops nearby.

"When ya party with someone stronger, you'll get stronger yourself until you're as strong as them, if you live - fact of life. Face greater challenges, and you'll grow fast! Again - nothin' weird there, it's why we apprentice with stronger people than us." She said, and I expected her to leave it at that, but I saw the smile in her eyes. She had no trouble meeting mine directly. Not a challenge, but a statement - I am in charge, her look said, I will tell you the truth about how things are.

"It helps also that you've been doing wild shit, woman. I saw you tear down a gate thicker than your whole body and one-arm two people up a cliff, fight superior odds without blinking, and do all kinds of other crazy things in that dungeon - The World, she likes that kinda thing" Roxala purred, voice low and eyes blazing - excitement? She definitely wasn't displeased"She rewards you for doin' it -" and she gave me a wolfish grin that showed a lot of teeth, adding"- and surviving to tell the tale.

We know how to do things safe and careful like, but you drop-kick duel powerful shades and charge armies of evil carrots. If you keep doin' that and not gettin' killed, you'll keep growing like this." She hesitated a moment. Something was happening inside Roxala's head, now.

"We all will." Resolve. That was what was happening, I figured. She'd reached a decision, and looped me into her group too. Did I just get adopted? Could a mom be adopted? Silly question, of course I could be. SHE IS LEADER She's stronger than us? YES. She beat me before. Handily. Standing in front of her here and now, I knew, not suspected, knew, she could do it again, probably even if I wolfed out.

Even as I looked at her, her resolve crystallized, became agate-hard behind her eyes and she clenched her fist, making the leather of her gauntlets creak as she raised her arm between us at about eye level.

"I don't care anymore what the damn law is - you're one of mine, and I will protect you" She held up her fist in front of her, in front of me, her expression was thunderous"So when - not if, WHEN-" she thundered, making me twitch"-those idiots try and jump you, I intend to stand with you. Burnbrights don't do convenient, we do right. And you're mine, Emily Goldtail, my friend, my teammate, my family. No damn bureaucrat, pencil-pusher, or hothead rookie is gonna do shit to you. Not unless it's over My! Dead! BODY!"

she roared, and I recognized it for the oath it was! I was taken aback! Yep. Adopted. In a quieter voice, she continued"Gonna talk to my clan - we like that kind of heroic shit too. I'd be dead, my team would have died, without your help. That wasn't a guide's job, that wasn't some basket of weasel words, it was action - and it spoke volumes, woman." After setting down a very serious Spelt, who stood beside me, I fully faced Roxala again, squaring my shoulders.

On instinct, I clenched my fist also and brought it up, matching her gesture, and our forearms collided in a kind of salute. Honestly, I felt moved! My eyes burned a little, and I found myself sharing her grin as I stared into the orcish shieldmaiden's eyes. Wolf, inside me, was delighted!

"Let's shake shit up." Roxala growled, eyes blazing.

"Yeah!" I croaked! Her support meant... more to me than I'd realized it might. With her help, maybe this might just go from 'possibly maybe' to 'possible'!

"Let's do that!" Rosie chuckled, and quite unperturbed, pat me on the back.

"I'll still have to meet her first, but I don't see a problem looking after your kid, Emily. You're a friend, and the hero of Lambstock, you and the Lady Knight here both." she said.

"I wanna loop Albert here in on this too if that's alright, more hands and all that." Albert blinked at that, glanced at Rosie, and shrugged, nodding.

"I... fine by me. Why don't you bring her around for lunch?" the Alderman said, and I nodded.

"Sure. We've got a couple things to do, she and I, gotta go visit Ms. Spruce for some new clothes for her, but in a couple hours we'll stop by" I was worried, a little, how my brave little Rachael would react to Ms. Spruce. With Roxala and Alfredo in tow, we returned to the inn.