FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"...rex...Rex...REX! "

"What?" Rex looked around confused for a moment, who's voice was that?

"Rex! It's me! Dust! Listen! " It was that voice again, clearly inside his head.

"Dust?" Rex glanced in the weasel's direction more confused.

She was staring at him, intently in fact.

"Yes! You heard me! Listen to me, I need this collar off me. I can't fight with it on me." _ That voice continued._

"Are you seriously talking in my head?" Rex asked aloud, as he ducked a swipe from the lizard, and struck back with a swing of his sword.

" YES! NOW STOP GAWKING AT ME AND GET THIS DAMN THING OFF ME! " It certainly sounded like it could actually be Dust speaking right into his mind, but how?

Rex was having a hard time concentrating on the lizard with this sudden information. Dust rushed up to him and got right in his face now.

"REX! FOCUS! HELP ME SO I CAN HELP YOU!" _ That voice screamed in his skull now._

He had to make a choice, and quickly. It was going to be a gamble, but he had to make a snap decision. In a split second he made his choice...

He removed _ the collar!_

-------------------------------------------------------------

" Finally ! Alright, I think I can get past that monster's scales and give you an opening for a killing blow. Watch my back!" The weasel said quickly before she ran at the monster of a lizard.

"What did I just do?" The Human asked aloud in confusion.

"Rex come on!" Shouted the Dwarf Nirra as she avoided a swipe.

"Right!" Rex shook his head quickly before rushing back into the fight.

RRRRRRRAAAAAAWWWWRRRRRR!

The monstrous lizard roared as it moved from one target to another whenever they attacked it. The weasel Dust rushed past the lizard before jumping up to a tree, she grunted as she pushed off said tree and landed on the lizard's back.

"I'm not leashed anymore! You're in trouble now monster!" She exclaimed as she clung on tightly.

She dug in with her claws and pulled against the grain so to speak, her effort paid off immediately. She managed to lift some of the scales enough to get her claws under them, and she pulled hard. With some effort Dust managed to rip several scales off the lizard's shoulder.

RRRRAAAAAAAWRRRRRR!

"That's right get angry! Your precious scales aren't going to protect you now! Hahahaha!" Dust laughed smugly as the lizard roared in pain.

FWOOOOOSH!

The lizard spat out more flames, nearly torching Rex and Nirra! Luckily the Dwarf's shield was up to the task and protected them both.

"That all you got you overgrown pair of boots!?" Nirra exclaimed as she smacked the lizard hard across the snout with her mace.

SMACK!

RRRAAAWWWR!

"Shut up already!" Rex yelled as he struck at the lizard's neck with an upward swing this time.

CLANG!

Again, it bounced off however, the blade did cut into the belly scutes some. Just not enough to bleed. The lizard snarled and knocked Rex over with a swing of its head.

"Ooof...Damn scutes are thick too!" Rex grunted as he rolled out of the way of a stomping paw.

"Can't you do that jab thing?" Nirra asked as she backed off for a moment.

"I don't think it'll stay still long enough for me to use it!" Rex grunted as he rolled to his feet and deflected a swipe from the lizard.

"I might be able to give you that window!" Qildor said as he kept his distance, harassing the lizard with ice spells, "I should be able to freeze its legs in place."

"That still leaves its neck." Rex said.

"I can handle that!" Dust exclaimed just as she was knocked loose from the beast's back, "Just do what you gotta do!"

The giant weasel wasted little time jumping back onto the lizard's back, this time going right for the neck. However, the lizard had other ideas, and managed to throw Dust off with a swipe of its paw. Dust yelped as she was clocked hard on the side of the head. Sending her sprawling to the ground.

"Dust!" Nirra yelled.

The giant weasel groaned and slowly stumbled to her paws, her vision was hazy and her head was screaming out in pain. She felt something drip down the side of her head too, she must have a nasty gash now. But she couldn't really dwell on it though; she still had a job to do. Fight now, lick wounds later.

"It'll take more than that to keep me down!" Dust growled as her mind cleared and she again jumped on the monster's back.

She didn't waste time and went right for the neck again! She latched on and started clawing at the scales, intent on ripping away the monster's armor.

"We're bringing you down!" Nirra yelled as she swung her mace upward, nailing the lizard in the chin.

It snarled and lashed out with its jaws right at the Dwarf.

CRUNCH!

" AAAAAAAARRRRRRGHH!" Nirra screamed as the lizard chomped down on her shield arm, crushing it right along with her arm!

The Dwarf yelled in pain as she swung her mace at the monster's face, trying to free herself, " LET GO YOU MILDEW RIDDEN SCALEBACK!"

"Nirra!" Rex yelled.

"I got it!" Qildor yelled as he hit the lizard in the eye with an ice spell.

RRRAAAAAAAWR!

The monster dropped Nirra and reared back in pain.

"Whoa!" Dust yelped as she struggled to hold onto its neck.

" FUCKING, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!" The Dwarf swore as she clutched her crushed arm, " STUPID, ANVIL-HEADED, MOLDSPOT! SON OF A WHORE THAT HURTS!"

"Nirra get back, let us finish this!" Rex ordered the Dwarf.

" Fuck that! I can still swing my mace!" Nirra yelled defiantly.

FWOOOOOOOOOOSSSSH!

The lizard spat out a bigger stream of flames coating the surrounding area with angry flames. Rex helped Nirra take cover behind a tree, while Dust was out of reach of the flames. Qildor however wasn't as lucky, he barely had enough time to erect a barrier when the flames reached him. He yelled in pain as some of the flames got through and burned his hands and arms, it took a lot of effort for him keep the barrier up through the pain.

"Nnngghhh..." Qildor grunted as he dove for cover himself and sized up his burns.

"Qildor you alright?" Rex called from his cover with Nirra.

"Got burned on my hands and arms, I just need a moment to mend it. You two?" Qildor called back.

"I'm alright for now, Nirra's arm is crushed though." Rex replied.

"Don't suppose you could fix that eh Qildor? This is mighty painful." Nirra asked.

"Not completely, I've already burned through a lot of magic trying to get through that damnable monster's hide!" Qildor called back.

"Figures... I'll deal for now." Nirra winced in pain, " YOU'RE ON MY SHIT LIST! YOU HEAR ME YOU SCALEBACKED FUCK!?"

RRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAWRRR!

" YEAH, FUCK YOU TOO!" The Dwarf shouted back.

"We need to end this now. If we wait too long your arm won't heal properly. Dust took a nasty blow to the head. And Qildor's almost tapped out. This is quickly becoming a battle of attrition." Rex said with frustration.

"How bout coming up with a better plan? I can't hold onto this thing's neck forever!" Dust exclaimed as she held on for dear life, "I'm not some American cowboy at a rodeo or whatever it's called!"

The lizard snarled and roared as it shook itself, trying to get the giant weasel off its back. It even tried to buck her off a few times. She held on tight, digging her claws into some of the exposed flesh from her efforts.

"Alright, she's got it plenty occupied. Qildor think you could freeze its feet?" Rex asked.

"Yes, I believe I have enough magic left for one more cast of that magnitude." The sorcerer said with a nod.

"Good, charge it up. Nirra think you can give it a solid whack to the chin?" Rex looked to the Dwarf.

"You bet! I owe him one." Nirra nodded.

"Perfect, Dust when Nirra makes her move pull its head back as hard as you can. I'll strike then. Be ready to jump out of the way when I do." The Human said.

"Can....do! Hold still du kleiner scheiss !" Dust snarled as she held on.

"Let's do this." Rex said as he stepped out from the tree and got into a low stance.

He raised his sword into a thrusting stance and focused on the lizard, slowing his breathing as he concentrated, preparing himself to strike, "Now!"

"Right!" Qildor jumped out from his cover and unleashed another frost laden spell at the monstrous lizard.

FSSSSSSSSSSSSSSH!

The spell hit the ground at the lizard's feet and spread out in a thick layer of ice, coating its legs as well. It was frozen in place! It roared and struggled to get free, giving the group the perfect window.

"Payback time!" Nirra yelled as she charged in with her mace and swung upward with all her might and momentum.

WHAM!

RRRAAAAAWWWR!

The lizard snarled as it was struck hard in the chin. Dust took her que and latched onto one of the lizard's head spines and pulled hard forcing the lizard's head back even further.

Rex saw his window and surged forward at high speed, thrusting forward with all his might and momentum. Dust did as she'd been ordered to and jumped clear at the last second, the lizard still vulnerable.

SHHHHUNK!

RRRAAAAAAAWWWRRR!

Rex's thrust was true, his sword with right through the lizard's throat! Piercing deep into the monster. It let out a loud choking snarl as it started to flail in pain, swatting Rex hard in the side as he pulled his sword free.

" GAAAAAH!" Rex yelled as he was thrown into a tree with a sickening crack.

The lizard flailed and let out gargled roars as blood spilled from its neck, its death throes were erratic and violent. Collapsing to the ground as it rolled and flailed about for a few long moments. The group just stared in awe, it lasted longer than expected before going still finally.

"Is it dead?" Qildor asked as he leaned on his staff.

"I hope so!" Nirra said, "Rex are you okay!?"

The Dwarf rushed over to Rex, trying to help him back to his feet.

"...I think I broke some ribs...but it could have been much worse." He grunted and winced as he held his chest.

"So, what do we do now?" Qildor asked, "I don't think any of us are in any shape to try and move the corpse."

"We'll just have to come back for...it...?" Rex trailed off as he stared at the dead lizard.

The corpse started to visibly smoke and crackle, the body turned a dull grayish color and started collapsing in on itself! It was turning into dust before their eyes!

"Whoa...is it normal for monsters to just fade away?" Dust asked as they watched this occur.

"That's...that's not normal..." Nirra said with confused confirmation to the weasel's question.

"It's certainly not, this was no normal creature. I've never heard of this phenomenon, let alone witnessed it!" Qildor gasped.

Dust frowned, "That's concerning then."

The lizard was gone in a matter of moments, not even its blood or scales were left. It was as if it was never there to begin with!

" ...Interesting..."

"Anyone else hear that? No? Great I'm going verrückt ... And I'm not even a year old yet!" Dust groaned, her head was starting to seriously hurt now that the adrenaline was wearing off, "Must've been that blow to the head."

"Let's...let's just get back to the village, we're in no shape to linger here." Rex grunted as his chest throbbed.

"Yes, yes, we should. My hands are already peeling again." Qildor winced as he looked at his hands.

The Elf hadn't been able to fully heal his burns during the fight, the burns still looked pretty bad and were even bleeding a little still. Nirra's arm was also bleeding pretty badly given the damage she endured. And Rex was likely the worst off of the group, it was impossible to tell how bad the internal damage was, time was of the essence in his case. And Dust was likely dealing with a concussion, on top of the head wound that refused to stop bleeding.

"First though! SINCE WHEN COULD YOU TALK!?" Nirra demanded as she stared at Dust, "I thought I was going crazy!"

"I think you are. Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Qildor asked.

"Since...now...? Also fuck you! Y-you arrogant knife-eared asshole !" Dust growled as she glared at Qildor.

"K-knife-eared!? H-how dare you! How dare you insult me you insignifica-" Qildor started in shock over the insult but was cut off.

"Not now! We'll discuss it once our wounds are dealt with. Let's go." Rex grunted out the order and started walking slowly towards the town.

"Right...right." Nirra nodded and followed.

"Yeah, this'll be a real fun _ chat for later._" Dust said as she followed along as well, leaving Qildor behind.

"Dare to insult me like that..." Qildor grumbled as he finally followed the group, still deeply offended by an animal's remark towards him.

Several hours later

It took some time to get back to the town, Rex's condition had started getting worse. So, he had to be carried on Dust's back. Fortunately, once they got to town the Healer was able to see to him right away; and then tend to the others once he was stable.

Dust fiddled a bit with the bandages around her head, apparently her eye was really bloodshot. But now she had a poultice bandaged over her eye and the side of her head. Out of everyone she and Qildor had gotten off the easiest. The Healer had to use what magic he had available to treat Nirra for the most part. Rex needed more hands-on work. So, now Dust, Nirra, and Qildor were just sitting in their room at the Inn while Rex slept, waiting for him to wake up.

"The Healer said that he should make a full recovery with no permanent damage." Nirra said as she rubbed her bandaged arm.

"And your arm?" Qildor asked, his arms also bandaged up.

"Should be all healed up in a few days. Gonna be needing a new shield though." The Dwarf sighed, "Something sturdier. Whatever that thing was it tore through my shield like it was a plank of wood. But how's your hands?"

"Better, I should be able to fully heal them tomorrow once my magic is replenished." Qildor said.

"Oww..." Rex groaned as he slowly sat up.

"Rex! You're up already?" Nirra gasped.

"Nnngghh...barely. You guys alright?" The Human asked as he clutched his chest a bit.

"Yeah, we're all fine, you had it the worst. But the Healer said you should be back to full strength in a couple weeks." Nirra said, "But you'll have to stay put for a few days."

"I think I can live with that." Rex said as he sat up more properly, "That still leaves one important thing."

' Ah scheiße ... saw this coming.' Dust stopped fiddling with her bandages, "Alright what's up?"

"How long have you been able to talk?" Rex asked, "Answer truthfully."

"Ah, right to the point then? Well right about when you heard me today." Dust said with a shrug, "That collar you put on me almost certainly made it difficult though."

"So, you've been intelligent this whole time?" Nirra asked.

"Pffff, intelligent. Qildor scoffed.

"Shut it, Elf ." Dust snapped at Qildor, "I'm not in the mood for your remarks."

"Take it easy Qildor, let's try to have a serious conversation." Nirra said.

"This is a farce. A joke!" Qildor scoffed, "You cannot be seriously having a conversation with an animal of all things!"

"That's enough Qildor!" Rex snapped, before he winced in pain.

The Elf huffed and leaned against the wall, quite cross now. Dust ignored him, shaking her head.

"I don't even want to understand how you two tolerate his mouth." Dust said, "Anyway, I've been very much ' intelligent ' as you put it since I was at least three weeks old. Took a good while to understand anyone though. I figured it out roughly before you guys picked me up. Still can't read yet, but hoping I can get on that now. Since I can at least talk to you now."

"The old man did say you were special. I guess this was what he meant?" Rex shook his head with a light chuckle.

"He did? Huh." Dust said a bit surprised, "Interesting."

"So, what happens now then? This changes things." Nirra asked.

"Yes, a valid point Nirra. We can't just use you as a beast of burden anymore." Rex said.

"Sure, you can, if _ _ I volunteer . I got nowhere to go, no resources, and I doubt anyone else is willing to listen to a talking animal." Dust said, "So you're stuck with me. Plus, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't survive long on my own in the wild."

"So, you're fine pulling the wagon?" Nirra asked.

"Yeah, that's not an issue at all. I was pretty much raised for the task anyway." The weasel nodded and shrugged, "It'll save you guys the coin getting a replacement as well."

"And what else? I'm sure you won't just do this for personal amusement." Rex asked.

"Obviously not ! Its easy work, but tedious and boring. So, when you guys get a job to do I want in on it." Dust explained, "We already saw that I can be handy in a fight. But I could certainly use more proper training in combat, also hunting. Learning to hunt would be handy, both for keeping myself fed, and also more food for you guys. Help with the food costs, no?"

"Hmmm..." Rex rubbed his chin in though.

"You're not actually thinking about it are you?" Qildor asked, "It's still an animal."

"She does make some good points." Rex said, "It would save us a lot of coin in the long term. And we'd be able to take on bigger jobs."

"Like that one last month? Sure, we had help from another party, but that was still quite the challenge." Nirra said with a shake of her head.

"Yeah, but with Dust we can be more flexible and unconventional with our strategies." Rex pointed out, "It sure paid off today."

"See? I can do more than just pull a wagon." Dust said happily, "I've also been developing some telekinetic ability, on top of the obvious telepathy. And before you ask, no I can't read your minds."

"You sure?" Nirra asked awkwardly.

"Pretty sure, I don't think I have the skill for that. At least not at present? Who knows maybe I will at some point in the future? If I do, I'll be sure to let you know and keep that under wraps, I'm plenty happy only having my own voice in my head thank you." Dust said as she scratched at the bandages again.

"And we should just blindly trust you on that?" Qildor asked.

" It speaks! _ And believe me, I really don't need_ your _ thoughts in my head." Dust remarked, "_You're offensive enough as it is."

"You...!" Qildor growled.

"What's the matter? Can dish it out but can't take it?" Dust asked as she walked up to the Elf and got up on her hind legs, the giant weasel easily towering over him.

"I've had enough of your arrogance, insults, your whole attitude is horrible! Where do you get off acting like that!? Huh? What gives you the right to insult me? Is it because I walk on four legs instead of two? Is it because I'm an animal _ as you keep_ REMINDING _ me? I_ KNOW _ what I am. I don't need you shoving it in my face almost every hour!_" Dust growled as she continued to rage at the Elf, looming over him as she telepathically tore into him with harsh words of pent-up rage.

The giant weasel just let him have it in that moment. She wasn't going to keep quiet about it now that she had a voice. Rex and Nirra just watched it go down, neither was in a position to stop her. And Qildor just stood there in shock, as Dust lay into him for several long minutes. Most of it wasn't even in a language they could understand! The intensity of the venom in her tone got the point across all the same however.

Qildor to his credit only wilted a little before standing tall, "I will not be intimidated by an animal. Least of all you!"

" Du hast ernsthafte eier." Dust said with a growl, "Just remember that I can dish it out just as well as you can. So, I'd think more carefully the next time."

"...Fine." Qildor huffed after a long moment and left the room.

"He better." Dust sighed as she lay down in the corner once he left.

"...Well now that that's settled. We'll be sure to include you in the next job." Rex said too exhausted to really dwell or argue on what just happened.

"Thank you. Hopefully I'll be more combat savvy by then." Dust said with a nod, "In the meantime I should get some sleep. This has been quite the day."

"Certainly, has been." Nirra agreed with a nod, "And what

"Get some rest then, I think we all need that." Rex sighed as he carefully laid back down, "We'll figure out our next move tomorrow."

"Nirra, can you get the door for me." Dust asked kindly, "I feel like I'll just break the doorknob trying to open it myself."

"Where are you going?" Nirra asked.

"The stables of course. I'd rather take a bed of straw than hard wood flooring." Dust said simply, "Don't need Qildor catching a fit either later."

"Oh, alright then. You could stay though. They'll let you now." Nirra said as she opened the door.

"I can? Why? Did you say something about me?" Dust asked confused, and a bit concerned.

"We, well I told the Innkeeper that you're not just an animal and can talk." The Dwarf explained, "He seemed to accept that easily enough."

"Right...well I think the fewer people that know the better." Dust said, "I'd rather not been seen as some oddity to be pestered and ogled over. So, I'd appreciate keeping that between us four please."

"Oh, well... okay then." Nirra nodded, a little hurt in her tone.

"Thank you, might even save our skins sometime." Dust nodded before leaving the room.

'I'd hoped to avoid this getting out beyond the three of them.' Dust thought to herself as she navigated the stairs down.

She startled one of the residents as she passed him, but she elected to ignore him beyond a light rumble of recognition. Better to play the part of an animal for now. There were still a lot of unknowns to deal with. She didn't want to chance a dangerous reaction to her intelligence. It wasn't until she actually established communication, that she thought about the potential ramifications. She gave it a lot of thought as they had returned to the town. It was probably best for only Rex, Nirra, and Qildor to know, at least for the time being.

Dust made her way into her stall and lay down with a yawn. At least now she can communicate with the others, and continue to travel with them. For now, all other troubles didn't matter.

She needed sleep.

The next morning

Dust yawned as she was woken up by Nirra. The Dwarf smiled as she waited for the weasel to get up.

"Morning sleepyhead. Up for a walk?" Nirra asked.

"Hmmm? Am, I a dog now?" Dust asked as she stretched and yawned some more.

"A walk with Rex and I dummy. Going into the market for supplies, and he's in no shape for heavy lifting." Nirra rolled her beady eyes, "Mind helping us out?"

"Oh? Sure, I'll be happy to help." Dust nodded sleepily, "Beats being in here all day."

"Ha!" Nirra laughed, "Good come on then, we'll put you to work."

"Oh joy, hard labor! The horror!" Dust rumbled with amusement, "Should be easy enough."

Nirra just laughed more as Dust left the stall and followed her outside, Rex was waiting for them.

"No Elf?" Dust asked.

"He's busy with the Healer, tending to wounded." Rex said, "So, it's just the three of us. We need to resupply for the road. Plus, I'm sure he wants to avoid you for a while. You gave him quite the tongue lashing."

"Yeah, I'm not surprised. I'll admit I think I went too far _ with it. But I had held all that in, and just couldn't stop myself. I'm willing to at least apologize for going at him so hard. I still meant it, but I could've handled it better." Dust confessed with a sigh, "_Also we're not staying? Leaving right away then?"

"No, we'll leave tomorrow. Early." Rex explained, "We have an engagement in Astuvila. I'd rather we not be late. And a more level headed conversation with Qildor might help. I'd rather not have things become too awkward as we travel."

"Understandable, I'll see if I can talk with him before we leave. So, what are we doing there anyway? In Astuvila I mean." Dust asked, "Now that I'm able to ask."

"We need to speak with the Lord to receive payment for a job we accomplished for him. It was quite far away so we haven't been able to cash in on it yet." Rex explained.

"Oh, okay. Makes sense." The giant weasel nodded, "Well then let's get shopping."

"You'll need your harness. We can set you up with some saddlebags." Nirra said as she brought over the gear.

"Naturally. I don't have proper hands after all." Dust nodded as she let Nirra load her up with her gear, "That and I can't balance on my hind legs too well unless I'm standing still."

"That should do it. Shopping awaits." Nirra said as she finished securing the bags to Dust's sides.

It wasn't far to reach the market area at all (being a modest town and all). Rex had a list on hand while Nirra picked and paid for their supplies. Dust just had to stand by and get loaded up with the supplies so they could be loaded up on the wagon later. It was a bit dull, but still better than sitting in a stable stall all day. She looked around at some of the vendors, curious about their wares. Food wise everything looked and smelled familiar to her, it was all making her rather hungry actually.

grrrrmmmble...

"Think I can get something to snack on? I haven't had breakfast." Dust asked, "I can take a shot at hunting when we're done. For a more solid meal."

"That's actually a good idea. We haven't eaten yet either." Rex nodded, "We don't have much left to go. Think you can wait a little longer?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I'm patient." Dust nodded; a few minutes wasn't going to be an issue.

So, she opted to snoop a bit more instead. Spotting some vendors selling weapons and armor, nothing she could hope to use naturally. Though the leather armor for centaurs might be usable with adjustments...? Dust shook her head, no real point shopping since she had no money of her own. And she wasn't about to ask Rex or Nirra to front the cost of armor that would likely be expensive either. Plus, as she thought about it, her own hide was plenty tough as it is. Armor would just slow her down. Some jewelry would be nice to have though! Accessorize and better stand out. But perhaps when she had her own money to spend, she still needed to figure that detail out.

'I'll speak with Rex about it later. I'm sure he'd have ideas.' Dust thought to herself.

"Hello there! I'm surprised to see you up and about already." An elderly looking man said as he waved and walked over.

"Ah, Mr. Duskor. To what do we owe the pleasure?" Rex asked.

'Who's this guy?' Dust thought to herself, but kept quiet otherwise.

"I was just checking on the residents of my town. I wasn't expecting to see you out of bed already." The older man said.

'Oh, he's the Headman of the town.' Dust thought as she caught on, 'Interesting name though.'

She gave him a good look over. He wasn't much taller than Rex, a bit hunched over from old age. He seemed a bit haggard too, though likely from stress given recent events. His skin a very light tan, and he was dressed in simple brown trousers and a light-colored shirt. Very humble for a man running a town.

"I've always been fast at recovery. Certainly not in shape for a fight, but well enough I'll be able to travel by tomorrow morning." Rex said.

"I see, I see. I wanted to again thank you all for defeating that horrid monster. I dread to think what could have happened to our town otherwise." Duskor said with a frown and a shudder.

"It was nothing really." Rex said politely, "It was the right thing to do."

"Yeah, we happened to be here at the right time. So, we weren't gonna just sit by and let some monster wreak havoc on such a peaceful town." Nirra agreed.

'Pretty certain more people would've been killed too. I'm glad we were able to help.' The weasel thought to herself.

"And for that we are grateful beyond measure." Duskor bowed his head a bit, "You'll always be welcome here. And if there's anything we can do, just ask."

"It's appreciated, but we're fine for now." Rex said.

"Of course." Duskor nodded.

"Are you Headman Duskor?" A tall imposing human asked as he approached.

Dust noted that he was a bit taller than Rex, and geared up in half plate armor. He had a hood covering most of his face. But Dust could make out a short black beard and pale skin.

"I am, and you are?" Duskor asked.

"Ursus, we are from the Felton Guild." The man said.

"We?" Duskor asked confused.

"Yeah, he means us! Hehehehe!" A much bigger man chuckled confidently as he got closer.

' Heilige scheiße ! A Minotaur!?' Dust grew wide eyed as she stared at the much bigger man.

He was a prime example of a Minotaur. Tall, at least two and a half meters, muscles on muscles, though this fellow was wearing some light leather armor. And the signature bulls head, horns, tail, and hooves.

Dust couldn't help but stare and drool, ignoring the also imposing human. So many thoughts ran through her mind in that moment. So! Many! Hot! Dirty! Raunchy! Thoughts! If Minotaur existed in this world, what else could? She'd sort of expected seeing Centaurs, but this was beyond what she was thinking was possible! It drove her mind wild with the possibilities, the fantasies that could be made reality!

The weasel had to shake her head and snap out of her fantasies, this wasn't the time for that! Something was clearly going on here.

"Vilo there you are. Where's Rhesh'ig and Yuamtish?" Ursus asked the Minotaur.

"Getting supplies, I just got bored." Vilo said as he crossed his arms.

' Love me.' Dust thought to herself as she got lost in thoughts of the Minotaur again before snapping out of it once more.

"What could I do for you sir?" Duskor asked after clearing his throat.

"Right. We came because we heard about a monster attack. We came as fast as we could to assist." Ursus explained.

"Oh that! Actually, it has already been handled." Duskor said as he gestured to Rex, Nirra, and Dust, "These fine Adventurers happened by; and slew the beast before it could attack the town again."

"Already? So, we rushed out here for nothing?" Vilo mooed with annoyance and disappointment.

"You two managed to take it down by yourselves?" Ursus raised a brow as he sized up Rex and Nirra.

"We have and Elf Sorcerer with us. And a Dire Weasel." Rex said as he nodded to Dust, "It was a challenge, but we took it down. That was yesterday."

"Hmmph, convenient timing if you ask me." Ursus said.

"We didn't ask. And I was thinking the same about you guys. How'd you even hear about the attack if no one had a chance to send out word to the nearest town?" Nirra asked.

'That's a good point. I didn't even think of that.' Dust thought as she continued to listen to the conversation.

"That's not important. What is, is that we came to lend our aid as soon as we could." Ursus said.

"Yeah!" Vilo agreed.

"I'm not so sure." Rex said with a frown.

"Please do not start a fight in my town." Duskor said firmly, "The important thing is that the town is safe. So, I ask that you be civil."

"No complaints from us. Not exactly in any shape for a fight right now anyhow." Nirra said.

"Agreed, perhaps another time when we're in top form." Rex said.

"Perhaps." Ursus said before walking off, "Come on Vilo, we got other places to be anyway."

"Fine." Vilo snorted as he followed the human.

"Well with that business settled, I'll leave you to what you were doing." Duskor said with a quick bow of his head, "Good day."

"Good day." Rex returned the bow.

"Well, that was...weird." Nirra said as she stroked through her beard.

"Yeah, tell me about it! Also, I wish I knew Minotaur were a thing. Because damn , I'd love to be alone with him." Dusk said with a shudder, "That Ursus guy though wasn't very pleasant though, was he?"

"A bit too much information there, Dust." Rex said with a frown, "But yes, a bit too convenient that he and his group showed up. Something off about them."

"Yeah, I agree. Something just isn't right with them." Nirra agreed, "I'm not familiar with the Felton Guild either."

"Qildor might know about the Guild." Rex said as he rubbed his chin, "We'll ask him later. For now, let's finish up with our supply run."

"Sounds like a plan, supplies then food. I'm starving." Dust agreed.

"For Minotaur apparently!" Nirra laughed, "Don't think I didn't notice you drooling."

"That was from hunger. I was also trying not _ to act on my thoughts!_" Dust said indignantly.

"Ha! If you say so." Nirra laughed.

Dust huffed and stayed quiet as they continued with their shopping. It certainly was a good idea for her to come along. She was able to carry all the supplies without too much trouble. Before long she was fully loaded and they were making their way back to the Inn and their wagon.

Qildor was back as well, taking a break from assisting the Healer. So, he was able to help offload the supplies into the wagon. Much to his annoyance, but he did it all the same. He fully ignored the giant weasel, not interested in acknowledging her presence. Dust meanwhile let him be and happily got out of her gear, stretching out her back with a few pops.

"Thanks for the assist, Dust. You can go fishing, which I think would be easier for you starting out." Rex suggested, "I'll help you when we're on the road later on. I need to rest for a while."

"Hmm... Sounds good to me." Dust agreed, "I'm probably better suited for fishing, like a bear."

"By the way Dust." Nirra said as she leaned in close to the weasel's ear, "When I said you were drooling, I didn't mean just your mouth."

Dust immediately grew wide eyed and felt her muzzle grow flushed in an instant. Had she really been that desperate to get laid? Was she even physically mature enough for that yet? She hesitantly looked down between her forelegs.

' Götter oben, sie hat Recht! _ _ Scheiße!' Dust swore to herself, deeply, utterly, embarrassed and ashamed of herself.

She didn't want to even think about it anymore! She was far too ashamed at this point to admit to, let alone acknowledge how her body had reacted without her even realizing it!

"Seems to me like you're becoming a mature adult." Nirra smirked as she ruffled the fur on Dust's head, "If you need advice or help with anything I'm your girl."

"...Are you flirting _ with me?_" Dust asked wide eyed and confused.

"Ha! No, not flirting. Just offering help, one woman to another. Platonically of course." Nirra explained with a warm smile.

"Somehow that last comment doesn't really reassure me." Dust said with a shake of her head, "...But the offer of advice is welcome. But I think I'll manage on my own."

"Suit yourself." Nirra shrugged, "Good luck fishing."

"Thanks. I'll probably need it." Dust sighed, "Let's hope I'm a natural."

The giant weasel did her best to shake off her embarrassment before she got ready to leave town. Then she had a quick thought and changed direction, instead looking for the Elf. He wasn't that hard to find, sitting at an outdoor table in front of the Inn.

"What do you want now?" Qildor asked roughly when he saw the weasel approach, "Got more insults?"

"Okay, I'm not going to dance around the issue and be the bigger person. In the broad meaning of the phrase." Dust said as she sat on the opposite side of the table, maintaining some distance between herself and Qildor.

The weasel took a deep breath and sighed, "I'm sorry. Look, you clearly don't like me. Fine, I don't much care for you either. But we have to learn to work together. I shouldn't have lashed out like I did. That was uncalled for, I built up a lot of anger because of your remarks. And now that I can speak, after a fashion. I just let loose, and couldn't stop. I needed to just get it out of my system. But again, I'm sorry for letting you have it like that. I should've controlled my temper better. At the very least can we be civil with each other?"

Qildor stayed quiet and just let her talk, resting his chin on his hands. His expression was unreadable for a while.

"Fine. I can be civil with you." He said after a long moment, "Apology accepted, perhaps I misjudged you. But I still don't like you."

"I'll take it. Enjoy the day." Dust accepted it and left; she wasn't keen on pushing her luck with the Elf right now.

Feeling a bit better about herself she left the Town. Heading right for the forest, and the river flowing within.

Later...

It was late afternoon when Dust finally came back into town, she was tired and soaked. But very satisfied, her belly nice and full of fresh fish! It was very time consuming, and exhausting, but her patience paid off. She was able to catch enough fish to fill her belly to the brim. She wouldn't be needing dinner tonight, maybe dessert if she could convince Rex or Nirra to spot her for it.

Dust glanced at her belly, swollen and heavy with a slight sway to it. Once she got the hang of snatching up the fish it was easy. And she kept swallowing them whole until she couldn't fit another fish down her gullet.

'Wow...I don't think I've ever felt this full in my life!' Dust thought to herself proudly, 'Well, either _ life I should say._'

It took her a while to get back as she had fallen asleep in a short nap, that was how full she was! The giant weasel almost waddled as she reached the stables and slipped into her stall with a flop.

'So, this is what a food coma feels like... I like this feeling.' Dust rumbled and belched loudly.

UUUURRRRRAAAAP!

'Heh, good one.' She chuckled to herself as she licked her lips, still very satisfied.

She just relished the fullness, her paws pressing on her gut a bit. Rubbing in slow circles as she rumbled happily. It felt amazing, more so than it had any right to be, at least in her mind. But she was starting to nod off, the giant weasel yawned and let herself drift off to sleep. They'd be on the road again tomorrow.

Two weeks later

"Whoa... is that Astuvila? It's huge!" Dust gawked as she crested the hill and her gaze fell upon the city they were heading to.

The city in question was indeed huge, and protected by a high stone wall. Buildings peeking over the wall, the architecture hard to make out from this distance. But Dust could see wagons, and groups of people waiting at the city gates.

"Yes, that's Astuvila, second biggest city in Ustrela. After the capitol city of Hazelwood." Rex explained.

"Ustrela? Is that the continent? Kingdom?" Dust asked.

"What does an animal care for that?" Qildor asked sarcastically.

"Well, I pull the wagon, I should know where I'm at no?" Dust retorted, "What's wrong with that? Afraid I'll get smarter than you?"

"Pffff... as if that would ever happen." The Elf scoffed.

"Knock it off you two." Nirra rolled her eyes.

"Yes, please stop. I'll show you some maps later Dust." Rex said.

"Thanks! I look forward to it." Dust said, "That aside I'll keep quiet for now. I don't want to draw attention."

"Finally..." Qildor mumbled.

THOWK!

"Ow!" The Elf rubbed the side of his head as something small hit him out of the blue.

"Forgot she could do that? Or how good her ears are?" Nirra laughed, "And how would you draw attention? You're talking in our heads."

"That is _ true, but I don't know if I can only speak directly to just you three. I don't want anyone else eavesdropping on me talking. I didn't hide it in that first town two weeks ago since you already gave it away." Dust said as she started walking again, "_But I'd rather be cautious for now. Not every day a sapient dire weasel is seen talking and walking around after all."

"That's a fairly good point. It's pretty unheard of." Nirra agreed, "Hope you're not still mad about that?"

"Nah, its fine." Dust said before going quiet after that, pulling the wagon down the shallow hill and closer to the city gates.

"Should we put the bit and bridle back on? For appearances?" Asked the Dwarf, "Also what's first when we get into the city?"

"I think it would be a waste of time. Unless the City Guard have an issue, we should be fine. Dust is 'well trained' after all." Rex said, "First thing we'll do is get the wagon situated. You'll have to stay at the stable for now Dust. While we go and speak to the Lord. Nirra can come back for you later and take you around the city for a while."

Dust sighed and nodded quickly.

"Yeah, a little trip just us ladies. Could be fun! And don't you say anything Qildor." Nirra said as she quickly shot the Elf a glare.

"Wasn't going to." Qildor huffed and moved to the back of the wagon.

"So, we're just going to speak to the Lord, get our pay, and leave?" Nirra asked Rex.

"Oh, we'll see if he has other work for us. If not, can just check the job boards. I'm sure there's plenty of jobs we can take in the city." Rex said as he rubbed his chin, "Maybe take a short break, enjoy the city for a few days before we move on."

"Sounds like a good plan to me." Nirra nodded.

"A break does sound lovely." Qildor agreed.

'Probably well-earned I bet.' Dust thought to herself.

She pulled the wagon down into the line waiting to get into the city. She was getting a bit nervous and self-conscious now. She saw horses pulling wagons ahead, one was actually being pulled by a centaur! She was the only dire weasel present, and it made her feel really out of place. She also agreed with Nirra's concerns, would she be allowed into the city without the usual restraints? Rex technically had reigns in his hands, and they were connected to her harness as an appearance of being in control.

Since Dust's reveal of her intelligence, Rex had given her free reign with pulling the wagon. So long as they stayed on course, with him just guiding her along since she didn't know where they were going. Since then, she didn't even wear the reigns. Though Rex had suggested she should on this occasion, the City Guard were stricter than most Town Guards.

'Better safe than sorry.' Dust thought as she moved forward.

She did her best to act like a passive domesticated animal, as they got closer to the gates. She could see the Guards looking over wagons and people. Likely a basic security check. They continued to get closer to the gates, when a Guard walked up to their wagon.

"Name and business?" The Guard asked.

Dust couldn't really identify him; he was geared up in full plate armor. Complete with an enclosed helmet, so he was a complete mystery. The giant weasel chose to ignore him unless something came up about her, she wasn't important in this instance.

"Rex Greerson, with my companions Nirra Irondelver, and Qildor Qitris. We're freelance Adventurers. We have business with Lord Michail." Rex said, "We were here some time ago. We're expected."

"Understood. Keep your animal under close watch and enjoy your visit. Welcome back to Astuvila." The Guard nodded and waved them through.

Dust took the que right away and started walking again, crossing the threshold into the city.

'Wow...' Dust was at a loss for words over the city itself.

Beyond the high walls were buildings of different sizes, wide cobblestone streets, and lots of people and wagons going about. She couldn't quite place the architecture though. It looked a lot like what she expected of medieval infrastructure. A mix of wood, and plastered stone construction, lots of stone arches, columns, and buttress works were also present in the larger buildings. It was all sophisticated and impressive, and it all looked old, really old. This city had to have been around for likely centuries.

Dust was just amazed by the scope of it all as Rex guided her down the streets, past a huge open-air market full of vendors. There were even proper shops that they went past, but Dust couldn't read the signs, and she was going by too quickly to really get a good look inside.

"Maybe later I can go and sell those pelts that Dust racked up." Nirra said, "She'll get her own income!"

'Oh! I completely forgot about that!' Dust thought excitedly.

She'd forgotten that Rex had kept all the pelts from the animals Dust had hunted down over the journey to the city. If Nirra could sell them for her she'd have her own money to spend! What would she buy first? Nirra could probably help her figure that out later. Probably a good idea to start with something practical.

For now, she paid attention to where she was going. Rex giving her subtle directions with tugs on the reigns, it worked pretty well. Dust was able to pick up on the slight tugs and followed his directions, navigating the streets without too much trouble. Just needing to avoid the occasional wagon, horse (or Centaur), or person. The cobblestone streets were a bit rough on her paws though. Smooth and rounded they might be, but they did push up into her paw pads as she stepped on them. It was rather unpleasant in comparison to dirt and grass, it kind of made some sense though. She wasn't built for more urbanized life, maybe she could get fitted for shoes of a sort? She was certainly going to need something for her paws if she was going to be walking around on cobblestone for long periods.

Luckily, they reached an Inn with some fancy looking stables built adjacent to it. Dust walked up to it, carefully working the wagon into a side street next to it. Waiting patiently while Rex and the others got off and headed inside the Inn.

'Oww...' Dust grumbled as she flexed her digits on each paw, 'I hope I can get something for this, because it's not fun.'

Dust sat on her rump and just waited. There wasn't much else that she could do right now anyway. But she didn't have to wait long, Nirra and Qildor came back out and walked over to her.

"Alright Dusty, we got a stall rented out for you. So, you can rest for a while till we get back." Nirra said as she scratched at Dust's ears.

"Rrrrrr...sounds good to me." Dust rumbled happily at the scratching.

Nirra unhooked Dust from the wagon, giving her another quick pat on the head as the weasel moved into a free stall. It was nice and clean with plenty of straw to lay on.

"Keep out of trouble." Qildor remarked as he made a gesture with his hand.

A ring of light appeared in front of the wagon before passing over it. The wagon vanished in an instant!

"Whoa... Okay, that is absolutely impressive. And I mean _ that. I've never seen that before. Pocket dimension or something?_" Dust asked as she witnessed the event.

"It is. Saves us the trouble of paying to store the wagon, and eliminates the risk of thieves." Qildor said with a quick nod.

"Smart. While I may not like you. I'd never question your magical skills. Nicely done." Dust said.

"Thank you." Qildor said with a slight bow of his head, "Come on Nirra, we should catch up with Rex."

"Right, we'll be back soon Dusty. So, take it easy till then." Nirra said with a wave.

Dust just nodded as they left and plopped down on the soft straw, 'I'll just take a nap for now.'

Sometime later...

Nirra returned, knocking on the stall wall to wake the giant weasel.

"Huh...what...? Oh Nirra. Done already?" Dust asked with a yawn.

"Yep! Took longer than expected, we had to sit for lunch with the Lord. And boy does he love to talk!" Nirra sighed, "Anyway, Rex and Qildor are off doing business. Time for some shopping ourselves. About time I get a new shield. And sell off those pelts for you."

"And see the city too!" Dust stood up and stretched, "Hope we can get a decent amount for those pelts. I need some gear of my own."

"Like what?" Nirra asked curious.

"A bedroll for one. Better than sleeping on dirt or wood." Dust said, "Also something for my paws, this cobblestone has been hölle on my paw pads. I'm sure there's a few other things I'm not thinking of."

"Ahhh, shouldn't be too difficult. Bedroll might be pricey though." Nirra said, "Come on, let's see what we get for the pelts first. And go from there."

Dust nodded and left the stall, giving herself a shake, "So where do we start?"

"Mind letting me ride your back for this? You can move faster than I could." Nirra asked.

"Bareback?" Dust asked.

"If you don't mind." The Dwarf nodded.

"We'll see how it works out. Never had someone ride on my back before, let alone without a saddle." Dust nodded, "Hop on. If this becomes a regular thing, we probably should invest in a saddle though."

"Might not be a bad idea." Nirra agreed.

The giant weasel knelt down, letting Nirra climb up onto her upper back. She was heavy for her size. Though Dust figured that would be the case. She was short but dense with muscle, still she wasn't much of a problem to carry.

"How's your arm by the way?" Dust asked as she stood up.

"Good as new. Still a bit weak but nothing some exercise can't fix." Nirra flexed her arm, "I'm rolling in coin, so I'm going all out on a new shield. No more steel for me."

Dust smirked and rumbled with some amusement as she started walking, "I'll let you guide me, but I'll mostly be quiet while other people are near."

"Sure thing." Nirra nodded and rubbed along Dust's neck.

Dust and Nirra made quite an impression as they walked through the streets. People were staring as they watched a Dwarf riding around on a giant weasel. Some were frightened, some awestruck, and everything in between. Dust paid it no mind though; she knew better than to cause problems. And Nirra should be able to diffuse any tension if needed. So, she continued to walk through the streets, doing her best to ignore the discomfort in her paws.

She was impressed by the buildings, the intricate construction, the colors. She'd never seen a city like it, in reality or fiction. It was amazing to see it all as she walked, seeing the diverse residents. Races she'd seen already, and many she didn't recognize at a glance. She could only imagine the history of the city, just how old was it? Was it always this big? There was so much that she could only imagine these buildings could tell her if they could. And this wasn't even the capital! Dust hoped she could see that someday; it probably out-shined this city! For now, she would enjoy this city. Following Nirra's directions down a street to a shop.

"A tanner's shop, perfect!" Nirra said as she indicated to Dust to stop.

Dust stopped and knelt down so the Dwarf could slide off. Then she sat down beside the storefront. She could see inside through the window; she could see pelts and leathers hung on racks or folded on shelves. She could also see the tools for tanning and leather work being sold as well. A simple but vital shop she imagined, given how versatile leather could be.

"I'll be back in a bit. See what we can get for your pelts." Nirra said as she adjusted the backpack she carried; Dust hadn't even noticed it earlier, "Keep out of trouble, okay?"

'I hope we get a good price.' Dust nodded to the Dwarf, 'As long as trouble doesn't find me, I should be fine.'

Nirra smiled and headed into the shop while Dust stayed outside. The giant weasel sat patiently, rubbing at her paw pads a bit to get the soreness out. She hoped they could get some sort of shoe or sandal for her paws right after this. Dust really didn't want to have blisters, though it probably would be an easy thing to fix.

She glanced into the shop again, and could see Nirra talking with a human shopkeeper. Numerous bundles of pelts were laid out on the counter, it looked like they were negotiating the worth of the pelts. Then Dust felt a touch on her leg, she jumped a bit startled and turned to look.

Standing there was a small boy, no older than six or seven years old. Dressed a plain cotton shirt and brown pants, short brown hair almost covering his eyes as he looked up at her in awe.

'Awww well aren't you adorable!' Dust smiled a bit and leaned down so she would be more at eye level to the boy.

The boy stepped back for a moment; a bit startled. Before stepping closer again, reaching out to touch her again. Dust stayed still and let him touch her snout. She watched him as he giggled and rubbed her head with his small hand. The giant weasel let out a soft rumbled as she let him pet her.

'This is nice. I bet I've made his day too.' Dust thought to herself as she closed her eyes for a moment.

She smiled as she let the boy continue to pet her, tuning out everything else in the moment. She didn't even notice when Nirra came back out. The Dwarf watching with amusement.

"Toby, get away from that animal!" A woman's voice called.

The boy jumped and pulled back, "But moooom!"

"No buts, you know better than to bother strange animals." A woman rushed over holding a baby in her arms.

She had long brown hair tied neatly behind her back, dressed in a simple light blue dress. She must've been out for a walk with her son, the baby held close to her chest in a cloth carrier of sorts. Dust stayed still and made herself look as innocent as possible.

"It's no trouble miss. Dust here is very friendly, she loves kids." Nirra said reassuringly, "Right Dusty?"

Dust nodded and nuzzled the boy, making him giggle.

"See?" Nirra smiled.

"See! See mom!" The boy Toby grinned as he hugged Dust's snout with a laugh.

"As long as you don't bother her Toby." The woman sighed and smiled softly.

Dust smiled and gave the boy a playful lick across his face, making him giggle even more. Her ears perked up when she heard the baby stir. The baby was making soft cooing noises, staring right at Dust.

'Awwwwwww, you're so cute!' Dust melted at the sight.

She couldn't resist and moved closer, giving the baby a light sniff. The mother was understandably nervous but stayed still, likely not agitate the big animal in front of her. Dust just nosed the baby gently, smiling wide as the baby grabbed at her nose. It was the cutest thing to her. She licked at the baby's hand before pulling back.

"That's probably the most adorable sight I've seen." Nirra laughed, "Unfortunately we need to be going."

"Oh yes of course. Sorry for troubling you." The mother said.

"Oh, it's no trouble. Just things to do. Or we'd happily be here all day." Nirra smiled and laughed, "Alright Dusty, shopping time!"

'And I was really enjoying this too!' Dust huffed a bit, but knelt down anyway.

Nirra climbed on her back and waved to the kind woman and her children, "Have a good rest of your day."

"And you as well, say goodbye Toby." The woman said with a wave.

"Bye!" Toby grinned and waved.

Dust smiled and gave him a quick lick to the face in farewell, before moving on.

"Look at you making friends so easily." Nirra smirked as she stroked Dust's neck.

The giant weasel rumbled happily and continued down the street. Since Nirra was done in the shop she wondered how much coin they got from the pelts.

"We got pretty lucky, managed to get fifteen gold for all those pelts. More than I was expecting." Nirra explained as she shook a small pouch of coin, "Should be able to get you those shoes for a fair price. A bedroll though...that might be out of reach for now. But might get lucky with a good job. Then you can get one with your share of the reward."

'Fair enough I suppose. Hope we get one that pays well.' Dust thought to herself as she followed Nirra's guidance deeper into the city.

Passing more of the citizenry, and the occasional City Guard. They seemed a bit on edge with Dust's presence, but left her alone at least. Nirra being on her back likely helped put them at ease. None of the guards actually approached them as they walked. Which suited her just fine, she wanted to just drink in the city and not be bothered. They passed an open-air market as they went down another wider street.

'Ooooh this looks amazing! Bigger even than the ones in the last few towns. I could spend hours here!' Dust thought to herself as she walked past stalls.

So many foods were for sale, it was overwhelming her nose! She wanted to try everything, whether it was safe for her biology or not. She was willing to risk it, to broaden her diet. Maybe later in the day Nirra could buy some things for her to try. For now, though she had to keep herself from just drooling everywhere, and pay attention to Nirra's directions.

"Must all look delicious to you huh?" Nirra asked as she rubbed Dust's neck, "We'll see about getting you something to snack on later. Okay?"

Dust rumbled and glanced back at Nirra with a nod.

The Dwarf rubbed along Dust's neck, "Just hope we can get you something affordable. Doesn't need to be fancy. We can always invest in something better later."

Dust nodded along with what Nirra was saying. It made sense that with what coin she had available to her, she probably couldn't afford something long lasting. But if she could get something to last while they were in the city, she'd be fine with that. For now, she'll just deal with it as they explored the city looking for a shop to get what she needed.

Later...

'These are pretty nice all things considered; hope they last me a good while.' Dust thought to herself as she looked over the custom leather sandals she now wore.

She sat in the stable flexing her digits, feeling the leather flex and conform to her paws. The thick padding did make it harder to move her individual digits, but at least she was protected from the cobblestone. On the other paw her claws were still usable, in the event she needed them. Overall she was happy with them, perfect for travel in the city.

For now she was just relaxing in the stall, Nirra was with Qildor and Rex having an early dinner. She'd already stuffed her face with fish from one of the market stalls they'd passed earlier...at Nirra's expense. She felt a bit guilty about that, hopefully she could repay her somehow. It was a lot of fish.

"Dust you still up?" It was Rex.

"Yeah, it's still early. What's up?" Dust peeked out from behind the stall door.

"We got a job for tonight, think you're up for it?" Rex asked.

"Tonight? Sounds serious. What's the job?" Dust asked with a bit of concern.

"Goblins." Rex replied.

" Oh..."