"We are not accustomed to letting prisoners go, but I shall allow this one special arrangement."
Amazon Leader, though a bit bruised, had a large smile on her face as she looked toward the group of mercenaries who had been kept in the wooden cells; near them were Half-Dragon Priestess and the rest of her party.
"I hope you are not expecting so form of thanks. You put my men and me to sleep and kept up captive for nearly five days." The leader of the mercenaries had a minor frown on his face as he looked toward the Amazon Leader while keeping his palm on the top of his sword.
"I would watch my tone. Our leader has granted you freedom despite your discussion of murder in the next kingdom." One of the nearby Amazons drew out her sword as she looked toward the mercenary leader.
Many of the other Amazons followed as they readied their weapons to attack this group of knights. The Mercenary Leader tensed up for the potential fight as did his men, but a quick glance around showed him they were clearly outnumbered and the adventurers to their side did not show any signs of assisting.
"Enough. We shall not spoil the good mood." Amazon Leader stepped forward and raised both her arms for her sisters to lower their weapons. "I am not expecting any form of thanks from you or your men. You should be thanking Saber and his party though."
Amazon Leader then turned toward Half-Dragon Priestess and the others and calmly walked toward them with Stripe at her side.
"My apologies for my earlier attitude and remarks. It is clear that this saber cat is in good hands, and you all are good people." Amazon Leader then looked toward the bruised Saber Rider and laughed as she gave him a good slap on the shoulder. "You be sure to get stronger and we'll see who'll win the next time we meet."
"Strong Woman good fighter. I no can win now but will get better." Saber Rider returned the smile despite all the bruises along his body.
With a final farewell, the two groups departed from the Amazon Village, many of the mercenaries still cautious that the Amazons would attack them as they left. Above them, they could hear movement in the trees but as many looked up, there were no signs of the Amazons, or at the very least they were not allowing themselves to be seen.
"I should at least offer my thanks; I don't want to be completely rude." Mercenary Leader paused as he turned toward Half-Dragon Priestess and bowed his head toward her and her party. "Thank you for aiding us to be released."
"It is not I whom you should thank but Rider." Half-Dragon Priestess maintained a neutral expression as she looked at the lead mercenary. "His determination, and perhaps a bit of his stubbornness, won over the Amazon Leader."
"Ah yes, the Wildman, that was an impressive fight young man."
"I not fight for you, but for Fang. Not leave my brother behind." Saber Rider looked toward Fang and gave him a few friendly pats. "That woman very strong, it was good fight. I get lucky she quit."
"Not so much quit but she started to see some of herself in you. I'm just glad that you made it out of there without losing your life." Harpy Scout did her best to hide her blush as she looked at Saber Rider, still concerned with the bruises along his face.
"I understand your reservations." The Mercenary Leader offered a small smile as he and his followers continued traveling together. "We have only just met and you heard a rumor of us planning something for the next kingdom."
"Ah yes, perhaps you'd be willing to offer us an ear?"
"Sir! We should not divulge any information! We have no idea where their allegiance lies!"
"You are indeed correct commander, but how are we to forge new alliances if we do not extend a friendly hand?" The mercenary leader smiled as he placed a hand on his subordinate's shoulder. "I won't give away any information that would put us at a disadvantage."
The mercenary leader then turned his attention back to Half-Dragon Priestess and her party members.
"The kingdom beyond the mountains is not all it seems at first glance. It is a place built on exploiting the weak for the sake of the strong."
"And I take it you are trying to change that?" Half-Dragon Priestess frowned as she crossed her arms and looked toward the group.
"We simply wish to ensure that true equality is established within the kingdom." The mercenary leader had a stern look on his face as he looked at the group of mixed individuals. "You've all seen the Capital correct or at least heard of it yes?"
"Not all of us have been to the Capital but we have heard of it, why?"
"Then I can at least assume that as demi-humans you have not faced as much prejudice closer on this side of the mountains?"
"There was a slight incident in Long Fields, but other than that everyone has been quite welcoming." Harpy Scout remembered the trio of adventurers who had been rude to them.
"That attitude is not as prevalent in the Kingdom of the Griffon. 100 years ago, the first King opted to create two cities, the City of Light and the City of Shadows. The City of Light was designed for the elite and merchant class while the City of Shadows was built for the lower class of humans and the demi-humans."
There was a moment of silence as the group of adventurers as they heard this description from the lead mercenary.
"Two cities, and one designed to keep the demi-humans separate from the humans?" Padfoot Monk frowned as he heard this while gripping his staff tightly.
"Yes. The old King had a distrust for anything that was not human and his son also continued that tradition." The lead mercenary sighed as he closed his eyes and then opened them as he continued. "Then came the twins, two sons born to the King who had differing ideas. The eldest knew that things needed to change while the youngest maintained the same line of thinking as his father and grandfather."
"Which one is the current king?" Half-Dragon Priestess was concerned about what these men were alluding to.
"The eldest brother had become the next king but was trying his best to fix things but…that was not meant to last. More than twenty years ago, back before Sword Maiden and her party became legendary heroes and defeated the Demon Lord, the king and his men were lost in a great battle. His younger brother then took control of the throne and any work the elder brother had done was destroyed." The mercenary leader sighed as he shook his head before placing his hand on his sword while standing close to his men. "We are knights who swore loyalty to the former king and want to see the positive changes our king had implemented restored."
"Do you mean to do that through violence? Hoping to stage a coup?" Wolf Brawler crossed her arms as she glared at the men.
"We'd prefer to use more peaceful methods than resorting to violence. If the current king can understand that he must learn to trust in all his people and change his views, then we can rest knowing our true king's ideals have been preserved." The mercenary leader then slowly drew out his sword partway before sheathing it once again. "But I don't feel that will happen anytime soon. However, a handful of knights is not enough to defeat an army. All we can do is hope our ideas will be picked up by the people."
"The people?"
"Yes. A kingdom is not some castle or some cities around it, but the people within it. If the current king can't realize that, then he will lose the heart of the people and hopefully someone else can then try to make things better."
The moment the mercenary leader finished the rest of his men immediately stood at attention, showing they too believed in this cause. Half-Dragon Priestess and the others were stunned by this and the passion he carried in his words, for a moment they too felt they should bend the knee to this figure but held themselves back.
"I can't agree with using violence to overthrow the king, but…if your story is true then I wish you luck in making a change for the better." Half-Dragon Priestess smiled as she bowed her head toward the mercenary leader.
"Thank you for listening to the story of this old man. I won't force you to accept what I say as fact, just brace yourselves for when you do reach the kingdom." The mercenary leader looked upward and could see the noon sun high above them through the foliage. "We best get a move on if we are to depart these woods before the Amazons change their minds."
The others nodded and continued as once they reached the next clearing, both groups would go their separate ways. High overhead they could hear the screech of the hawk; Saber Rider looked up to see Talon flying overhead before flying down towards him.
"Talon, where you been? Looking for more food?" Saber Rider held out his left arm for the large bird to land on as he heard the bird screech at him. "You go back to beach and look for any more moving boulders. I not understand."
"You, you're able to understand the bird?" The Mercenary Leader raised an eyebrow as he watched the two continue their conversation.
"He is able to communicate with some of the animals." Harpy Scout offered a small smile but then turned her head back toward Saber Rider who continued to listen to the hawk screech. "I remember you mentioning that during your fight with the Amazon Leader. How can a boulder move?"
"I not understand. Talon say he see large creatures, look like rocks on top and move to water on many legs." Saber Rider shook his head as he brought the hawk close to his face, a scowl still present on his face. "Stupid Fat Bird! Make sense!"
"A moment. Your bird said something about something in the sand moving on many legs…is he referring to a crab?"
"Crab? What is crab?" Saber Rider looked at the mercenary with a raised eyebrow as if he heard some made-up word.
"It's a small creature covered with a hard shell, had eight legs and two large pincers to help it eat. They are quite good when boiled or roasted."
"But Talon mentioned something about boulder. Can these crabs grow that large?" Padfoot Monk placed a hand on his chin as he tried to rationalize what was being said.
"I've never seen one myself but I have heard stories of fishermen who had come across giant crabs."
A sea creature as large as a boulder and seen outside the Amazon village, perhaps Talon was overreacting to the crabs it had witnessed or perhaps this was a potential threat waiting to reveal itself.
xxxx
"L, Leader. Was it truly a wise decision to allow those men to leave our village?"
The Amazon Leader looked toward the young Amazon who was applying medical salve to the various bruises along her body.
"You believe I made a rash decision?"
"Ah, no Leader. I was concerned that those men knew the location of our village and might plan to avenge themselves for their imprisonment. I did not mean to offend you by questioning your decision." The young Amazon quickly lowered her gaze, ashamed that she would question her leader.
"You worry too much. I'm not like those people with royal blood in my veins. I highly value the opinions of my sisters." Amazon Leader chuckled as she reached over to tussle the hair of her young sister. "I don't believe they will return with any ill will. Our sisters who camouflage themselves in the trees will give us plenty of warning should they try something so foolish."
"I understand Leader. You seem to be in a very good mood even with all these bruises. I take it, you enjoyed the fight?"
"I did. I intended to beat an overconfident man and save what I thought was an enslaved saber cat but found a good opponent to fight." Amazon Leader smirked as she looked down at her arm and could still see the bite mark he left as he broke free from her grasp. "Even if he could not win he continued fighting and did not hold back. It was a good fight."
"You did seem to be enjoying yourself."
"I did." Amazon Leader smirked as she got back to her feet, content with the minor first aid she had received. "Enough talk though, we still have much to tend to before the sun sets."
Outside the village, a small boat paddled away from the shore as the three Amazonians were ready to get some more fish. Unknown to the three women though, there were no fish to be found, all of them had swum away to safety as several large creatures moved along the sea floor.
"Do you see anything?"
"No sign of fish yet, maybe a shark in the area scaring them away."
"I say we throw the net in any way, if we can catch a shark that will make for some excellent eating."
The Amazon at the front of the boat tossed her net deep into the water tightly holding onto the rope as she hope to catch some large fish. She could feel something pulling within the net and she eagerly began to pull but found the object within the net pulling against her.
"Gah…caught something. Now come on you blasted…" The Amazon grunted as she pulled on the rope, refusing to lose to this fish.
She would not get the chance to see the fruits of her labor as the creature beneath the ocean pulled once again with enough force that she was yanked out of the boat.
"Sister!"
Both Amazons looked over either side of the boat to see if they could spot her swimming back up on her own or if she needed their help. They soon discovered a large red stain rising to the surface, growing as the bubble erupted on the surface of the water. Before the other two Amazons could mourn her loss, the water around them exploded knocking both women to opposite sides of the boat.
"What? What ha…What is that?!"
The Amazon could see a large black object on either side of the boat, her mind could only see it as a possible claw before it snapped together, crushing the boat as if it were a brittle stick. The claw submerged back into the water, dragging both the boat and the Amazons under the water. Both women quickly surfaced and looked around for any signs of the claw before swimming back to the shore. One of the women suddenly screamed before she was pulled beneath the water, her Amazonian Sister could see the torrent of red bubbles as they erupted from beneath followed by small pieces of her body. The last Amazon quickly made a mad dash for the shore but several of the waves were hitting her, she knew she needed to warn the others but soon enough she felt a painful grip on her left leg, and then she too was dragged beneath the water. With the darkness of the water she could see a large object with claws pulling her body closer toward it, the last thing she saw was two red eyes staring back at her before the claws closed and cut her body apart. The limbs floated upward but the creature brought the rest of the body toward its mouth to feed.
The Amazonian Guards near the large wooden gate could see the massive explosion in the water as well as the red stains floating upon the water. Though upset about the possible deaths of their sisters, their anger fueled them as they needed to act and warn the village.
"From the sea! Trouble!"
Amazon Leader and her sisters all looked toward the gate and within mere moments were quick to gather weapons and prepare themselves for battle. The younger children and elderly Amazons moved towards the structures away from the mains gate while the others stood ready behind the wall and atop it. Several of the large saber cats stood by their partners, roaring and snarling as they too readied to fight.
"Weapons at the ready! Get the pots of water boiling!" Amazon Leader climbed the ladder to join her sisters atop the wall overlooking the sea. "Sisters of the Tiger Tribe! Show your enemy no fear and let them feel the wrath of those who would fight against us!"
"Hau! Hau! Hau!"
The Amazons repeated the same chant over and over as they banged their swords against their wooden shields or slammed their spears along the ground. Amazon Leader was tense as she looked at the sea and then saw the first one emerge from the ocean; a crab as large as a horse covered in black armor and bright red eyes. Soon another crab emerged and then another, as the crabs began to move up the beach she could see more than a dozen of these monsters.
"Fire!" Amazon Leader gave the shout as she brought her arm crashing down to signal the archers to let loose with a volley of arrows.
Many of the arrows would bounce off the crab's armor, but the occasional arrow found its mark and managed to put out one of the eyes of the monsters. The crabs would slam their claws against the large wooden gate, chipping away at the thick poles to get to the people within. With boiling water ready, the Amazons would pour the water down below, and crabs covered in the searing liquid. moved away before collapsing to the ground, dead from the intense heat.
"Good. If we can keep this up, we'll have the crabs killed and plenty of food for a fe…"
Amazon Leader and the others then saw the massive beast emerge from the ocean, a black crab covered in sharp spikes rose out of the sea, water cascading off its body like a small waterfall; this crab was the size of one of the huts and rushed toward the gate.
"A Deviled Crab! Bring that massive one down!"
The Amazon archers fired but this monster brought its claws up to cover its eyes as it moved closer and closer before slamming its body into the gate. The force was so strong that some of the archers fell backward landing on the sand while others struggled to keep themselves upright. The large crab moved back and slammed its body into the gate, the wood beginning to creak and splinter from the repeated blows.
"The gate is breaking! Prepare for them to enter!"
The Amazons readied themselves as the monster crab slammed its body into the wooden wall again and again when suddenly the gate completely fractured and fell apart. The Amazon warriors and saber cats scattered as the wooden poles collapsed and the moment they fell several of the crabs moved over the debris to attack. Amazon Leader looked back to see her sisters fighting the crabs when a massive claw took hold of the archer next to her and pulled her over the wall.
"No!"
Amazon Leader tried to pull her back to safety but was unable to get hold of the screaming girl who was brought to the Deviled Crab's mouth.
"Damn it!"
Amazon Leader reached for the small horn at her side and blew several times to send the signal for her sisters who were perched in the trees in the forest to return to the village. After a few desperate blows, she tossed her horn aside and jumped down on the back of one of the crabs with spear in hand to help her struggling sisters.
xxxx
Half-Dragon Priestess and the others paused as they heard the faint echo of a horn sounding in the distance. The sudden rustling of the leaves above drew the attention of some upward, they could just make out the shadows of figures swinging from tree branch to tree branch.
"Something is odd about this; they all seem to be heading back towards the village." Harpy Scout frowned as she watched the Amazons frantically swinging from tree to tree.
"Perhaps they're being summoned back for something. Something the other Amazons need aid with." Padfoot Monk, though unable to see what was going on, offered a possible suggestion.
"There is the chance that the leader of the tribe has changed her mind and they could be readying themselves to hunt us down." The Mercenary Leader had a scowl on his face while placing a hand on his sword as this thought crossed his mind.
"All the more reason for us to keep moving. My lord, we must move away from this location." One of his subordinates placed a hand on his shoulder and urged him to keep walking.
"I don't think so." Half-Dragon Priestess looked toward the departing group of mercenaries. "Those other Amazons had been following us this entire time and could have easily ambushed us if their leader meant to attack us. No, something else is going on."
Wolf Brawler closed her eyes and focused her ears on the sounds in the forest, she could hear the horn calls, there was a sense of urgency in the frequency of the calls. She struggled to make it out but mixed with the sound of the horn blasts she could hear the sounds of weapons striking against something and the grunts and yells of people in battle.
"They're fighting something. I can just barely hear them from this distance but it sounds like something is attacking the village." Wolf Brawler found herself growling as she clenched her fists and grew eager to fight.
"That is none of our concern."
"Those Amazons held us captive, we owe them nothing."
"They all seem capable of handling whatever threat they are currently facing."
Half-Dragon Priestess and her comrades could hear the complaints of the mercenaries, and while there was some validity to their statements, it felt wrong to not help them.
"Strong Woman and her people in trouble, we need go help!"
Saber Rider was quick to jump onto the back of Fang, the large Saber Cat let out a loud roar as it turned and readied to rush back to the village. Half-Dragon Priestess and the others were a bit surprised but a quick smile showed they too were ready to go and help. Wolf Brawler and Padfoot Monk would ride on the back of Specter while Half-Dragon Priestess and Harpy Scout readied their wings to take flight.
"Wait a moment, you mean to go back and aid them? That woman threatened both you and your animal there. She was prepared to fight you to the death if you would not concede." The Mercenary Leader was confused as he and his men watched the group of adventurers ready to charge back to the village.
"Strong Woman beat me in fight. We promise to fight again when I get stronger. Not let her die." Saber Rider had his stone axe in hand, ready for whatever he might find in the village.
"There you go. We're going to make sure those people are alright so our comrade can fight again." Harpy Scout smiled as she looked at Saber Rider, his simple idea enough to convince her to help the Amazons.
"That's it? You want to help them because of a rematch?"
"For our comrade that may be enough, but for the rest of us, it is because they call for aid and we can give it to them." Half-Dragon Priestess smiled as she looked toward the group of mercenaries. "My family came to rescue me and my mother before they had even met me. There was no promise of a reward or rise in rank, they did what they did because it was the right thing to do. We would all be ashamed to have turned our backs on those who need aid."
"Ride Fang! Back to the village!"
Saber Rider gave the battle cry and the large saber cat took off, it was quickly followed by the dire wolf while Half-Dragon Priestess and Harpy Scout took to the air and flew above the treetops to make their way back to the village. The Mercenary Leader and his men were left there dumbfounded as the five adventurers rushed back to the village, the same village that had held them all captive but a short while ago.
"Doing it because it is the right reason huh?" Mercenary Leader thought carefully about what the young adventurer had said before he started laughing.
"My Lord?"
"When did I become so distrustful and forget that I was fighting for the good of others? Leave it to someone younger than me to remind me of my true purpose." The Mercenary Leader drew out his sword and looked toward his men. "We make for the village to help out the Amazons."
Though confused by this, his men were quick to bow their heads and draw out their swords before they too ran back through the forest toward the village.
xxxx
"Aaah! My leg!"
"I have you my sister!"
Amazon Leader used her spear to drive back one of the large crabs that clutched at the leg of one of her sisters. Once free she dragged the injured Amazon away from the monsters until some of the young children came to relieve their leader. She looked around to see the massive Deviled Crab at the edge of the gate, its body was not able to get back the wooden posts, but the smaller crabs were quickly moving through the village as were the tiny baby crabs that dropped off its body.
"Quickly, get her to safety." The Amazon Leader passed the injured Amazon to the young children, urging them to take her and themselves away from the battlefield. "I shall remain here and…"
"Leader!"
Amazon Leader turned to see what the children were screaming at, only to see the massive claw of the Deviled Crab rushing at her. The giant claw struck her, knocking her to the side as she rolled along the sand.
"D, damn it…"
"Leader!"
Amazon Leader quickly looked up to see two of the large crabs scuttling towards her, pincers ready to tear her apart. Her saber cat tackled one of the crabs and forced it to the ground as it clawed and bit at the monster while the other continued to rush for her. She rolled to the side as it struck the sand but while on her back saw it attempt to grab her. She gripped either side of its pincers with her hands as she struggled to keep it from closing even as it inched closer toward her midsection.
"N, not…going to…give up…"
Just as the crab readied to close its pincers something flew forward and struck the crabs arm, cutting it away from the rest of its body. Amazon Leader was caught off guard as she saw the object imbed itself in the nearby wooden hut, a stone axe her sisters had confiscated off the barbarian while he had been their captive.
"What?"
A sudden scream drew her attention to the side and she watched Saber Rider leap onto the shell of the injured crab and repeatedly smash it with his mace.
"STUPID ARMOR BUG NOT KILL STRONG WOMAN!"
"Rider!" She could hear the heavy growling of nearby animals and saw both Stripe and Fang tearing the crab apart with their jaws. "Let me aid you!"
Amazon Leader tossed aside the crab's claw and scrambled to find a spear to help Saber Rider. As he continued to crack the shell she moved to stab the monster in the face until the creature finally fell. Saber Rider and Amazon Leader both gave a shout of triumph before the barbarian leaped off to retrieve his axe from the nearby wall.
"You have my thanks Rider but what are you doing back here?"
"Dog Girl hear sounds of horns, so we think you need help." Saber Rider smiled as he tore his axe free with a final grunt.
"So you and the others came back to help us?" Amazon Leader turned to see Rider's comrades aiding her sisters with the crabs.
"You strong and we promise to have rematch when I get stronger. No can have worthy rival die." Saber Rider gave the large woman a slap on her arm, the smile still present on his face.
Amazon Leader smiled, then laughed as she wrapped both arms around the barbarian to raise him off the ground and hug him.
"The Gods bless you Rider! You and the others have my thanks!" Amazon Leader set the surprised barbarian back down. "Now, let us send these foul monsters back to hell."
Saber Rider and Amazon Leader both let out a deep yell as they rushed to continue fighting alongside the other adventurers. Harpy Scout and Half-Dragon Priestess would attack from above using their arrows to target the crab's eyes and fire respectively. Specter and Wolf Brawler lured the crabs close before attacking the monster's joints before Padfoot Monk rushed in to strike at the monster's face with his staff. With their combined efforts, they managed to nearly kill off the last of the man-sized crabs but there were still several injured to move to safety as well as the giant Deviled Crab now having broken through the wooden gate and smashed one of the nearby huts.
"That massive monster will definitely be a problem, we still need to deal with…"
Amazon Leader was cut off by the shouts of others, she turned to see the mercenaries charging in before swinging their swords at the nearest crabs while others helped pulled the injured away to safety.
"My men and I shall deal with these monsters; I suggest you adventurers deal with that big one!" The Mercenary Leader offered Amazon Leader a quick nod before returning to attacking the crabs.
Half-Dragon Priestess and Harpy Scout landed on the ground near the others as they looked at the giant Deviled Crab, the monster tossing aside the remains of the ruined hut before looking toward the group, clacking its claws as it studied the prey before it.
"This will definitely be quite a challenge." Padfoot Monk could sense the hostility of the creature before it and could feel the vibrations as it moved in the sand. "Thoughts on how we should deal with this abomination?"
"I would think a combined attack, going for the eyes, then…"
"STUPID GIANT BUG! I SQUASH YOU!"
Before Half-Dragon Priestess could finish her plan, Saber Rider and Fang charged forward, dodging the giant pincers and going for the legs. The group look on bewildered as Fang sank his teeth into the crab's hard shell while Saber Rider started to climb up to get to the top of the body.
"I can see that patience is not his strong point." Amazon Leader found herself laughing as she watched the barbarian continue to scale the massive beast. "What was your plan?"
"A combined attack. Scout and I can go for the eyes to blind it while you three go for the legs, perhaps we can topple it onto its side or back. Afterward, I'll roast it from above."
"Roasted crab huh? It is quite good and the moment we've beaten this monster we'll need to celebrate!"
Amazon Leader once again gave a mighty yell as she, Wolf Brawler and Padfoot Monk quickly followed with her while Half-Dragon Priestess and Harpy Scout took to the air to deal with the Deviled Crab. Specter moved to aid Fang and bit and tore at one of the legs. The huge monster tried to reach for the small figures that clung to its armor, but others would move in to strike at its pincers or legs to distract it.
"Damn." Wolf Brawler shook her hands after each punch she delivered to the carb's shell. "Feels like I'm punching solid rock."
"Indeed Huntress! My staff will not be hindered by their monster's heavy armor!" With every strike, he was able to determine the body structure of the crab and could now locate the softer spots on the crab. "Go for the joints! That's the weakest area!"
"Understood Monk!" Amazon Leader jammed her spear between the armor plating of the crab's leg.
Harpy Scout flew overhead to force the Deviled Crab to try and grab at her, but she easily avoided its claws and shot an arrow at its right eye. The monster let out a horrid cry as it raised its pincers to cover its injured eye, but the adventurers would not allow it time to recover.
"Alright, time for the other…"
Half-Dragon Priestess suddenly saw Talon dive in and begin attacking the crab's other eye, using its talons and beak to tear at the flesh until the carb's left eye hung down. The monster once again cried out and shook its body from the pain but soon found itself backing away as Half-Dragon Priestess began to rain fire down upon it.
"Nice work Talon, now to keep on the offensive and force it to back away from the other Amazons."
Saber Rider clutched the spikes along its shell as the beast shook from side to side, a fall from this height may not kill him but it would certainly break some bones.
"Stupid Bug! Stupid hard shell!" Once stabilized, he went to work hitting the top of the shell with his axe and mace, smiling as it could see a crack forming. "I smash shell!"
Saber Rider used his arm to shield himself from the heat as Half-Dragon Priestess continued to use her flames to force the monster crab back.
"Stupid Lizard Girl! You try and burn me?"
"You're the idiot riding this monster while we're attacking! Get off of that thing, I'll use my flames to cook this beast."
"Cook beast? Yes, monster make for good meal, but you not cook just yet."
Saber Rider yelled as he continued to smash at the shell until he crack open the top, exposing the meat within the crab. Saber Rider had a wild smile on his face as he continued his hit the shell, white fluids from the meat within splashing across his body until he made a wide enough hole.
"Good."
"What are you…"
Saber Rider attached his mace to his side and purposely dived into the hole, hacking at the meat with his axe. Half-Dragon Priestess could not hide her shock as she saw her comrade disappear from sight though white fluid could be seen spilling out of the crab's wounds as he continued his attack.
"Ancestors!"
"Did…did he just jump inside the monster?" Harpy Scout was also shocked and horrified to see Saber Rider digging through the inside of the monster.
The Deviled Crab let out an unholy cry and stumbled backward, slamming into several trees as everyone else ceased their attacks upon hearing of Rider's insane stunt. The creature continued to thrash about, snapping its pincers into the air repeatedly until it finally collapsed on itself, shaking the ground with its weight. There was silence among everyone, not completely sure if the monster was dead as they saw its body continue to twitch. Half-Dragon Priestess and her comrades remained silent as there were still no signs of Saber Rider emerging from the body of the monster crab.
"Did, did he suffocate being smothered among all those entrails?" Harpy Scout did not want to allow herself to believe that he could be in any real danger. "No, we need to…"
She then heard a loud cracking sound and from within the beast, an axe broke through the top of the shell. The axe continued to cut through the shell until Saber Rider exploded from within taking in a deep breath and then letting out a victorious scream.
"STUPID BUG NO MATCH FOR ME!"
There was a thunderous cheer from everyone as the monster crabs had been successfully dealt with. Harpy Scout and the others rushed to check on Saber Rider who pulled his body out of the crab's remains, his body covered in the white fluids and bits of meat.
"I show you! Stupid hard-shell bug not…"
Harpy Scout struck Saber Rider across the chin with her strongest punch, making the gore-covered barbarian take a step back. The rest of their party was shocked by her action as Saber Rider steadied himself.
"YOU IDIOT! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Harpy Scout could feel the tears running down her face as she scowled at Saber Rider before moving in to hug him. "I was so worried! I, I really thought you might have died!"
Saber Rider looked down at the crying Harpy Scout, understanding that while he killed the monster and helped Amazon Leader's people, he had made his mate sad. The barbarian placed his arms around Harpy Scout and gave her a gentle hug.
"I sorry Pretty Bird. Not mean to make you sad."
"…idiot…"
"Um…I really don't mean to interrupt but…" Half-Dragon Priestess frowned as she looked at Saber Rider still covered in the guts of the crab. "…you both seemed to have forgotten that Saber Rider emerged from within that monster."
Harpy Scout's eyes went wide as she now realized that she was covered in the same guts of the monster crab, her worry now turned to anger as she looked up at Saber Rider, he himself now confused by her sudden change in expression.
"You fool, now I'm covered in all this, this…slime!"
Saber Rider looked to the mad Harpy Scout and offered a small smile but soon enough both he and Scout broke into laughter. The others laughed and cheered at the victory over the monsters; his party members came to congratulate him as did the Amazon Leader who gave him a hard slap on the back.
"That was an amazing feat Rider. You and the others have my thanks as well as the village's for coming to aid us."
Amazon Leader and her sisters all bowed their heads to Saber Rider, his party and the mercenaries; without their aid, the loss of life would have been much greater.
"You strong person. I enjoy fight with you and want to fight again!"
"As would I Rider. We are truly indebted to you all. A celebration alone is not enough to express our gratitude. I wish…wait! If I remember correctly, you mentioned how your "second mother" saved you from the goblins yes? That would mean that your tribe, or rather your people, were also lost?"
"Yes. First mother and village lost to goblins? So then second mother…" Saber Rider placed a hand on his pelt only to realize that it too was now covered in the entrails of the crab. "…AH! Second mother's pelt now filthy!"
"You're only now realizing that you had that on when you climbed inside that beast?" Harpy Scout looked at her lover with a puzzled expression on her face.
"Ha, Ha, Ha! I would expect no less from you Rider. Do not worry, we shall help in cleaning the pelt. What I was getting at earlier was I would like to welcome you to our tribe."
There was silence among everyone as they heard the Amazon leader make this suggestion; never before had a man been allowed to become a member of the Tiger Tribe.
"I become member of tribe?"
"Yes. You would be welcome here among the Tiger Tribe, so no matter how far you travel, you would always have a home to return to. We, would become your people." Amazon Leader had a large smile on her face but knew she could not ignore the rest of her sisters. "What say you sisters? Shall we welcome Saber Rider to our tribe?"
"Yeah! Hau! Hau! Hau!" The thunderous cry came from the rest of the Amazons who eagerly raised their weapons to the sky.
"What say you Rider? As one who also cares for the saber cats, will you join us?"
Saber Rider was at loss for words, for so many years it had only been him, Fang and Talon. He had convinced himself that he was fine with being alone with his brother but in truth, it scared him. He had come to greatly enjoy the time he spent with Harpy Scout and the others and now, he would have a people who were ready to claim him.
"Can…can Pretty Bird also be welcomed to tribe? She is my mate."
Harpy Scout looked at Saber Rider with wide eyes, happy that he was also thinking about her before accepting this sudden proposal.
"Ah so this one is your mate then, a pity. I was starting to think I would make you mine, but it seems that you have already been claimed." Amazon Leader let out a deep laugh before slamming her hand down upon both of their shoulders. "Of course, your mate is allowed with our village!"
"Then yes! Fang and I become part of Tiger Tribe!"
The Amazons once again cheered at the new additions to their tribe, a celebration was in order. The Amazons were not ones to waste time, as many went to work gathering the remains of the monster crabs to cook for their feast while others attended to the injured and dead. The meat from the crabs would be mixed into stew or roasted over open flames while the exterior shell would be used to restrengthen the wall and pincers turned into new spears. With their dead buried, the Amazons were eager to enjoy their feast as the adventurers and mercenaries were treated as the heroes they were. Saber Rider grunted as the Amazons used a small needle to create the tattoo of the Tiger Tribe along his left bicep; once done he down at the markings, four claw marks, proud that he now had a people he could call his own.
The Amazons danced around their fires while others beat the drums, off to the side Saber Rider and Amazon Leader once again engaged in a contest of strength though this time it was a simple matter of arm wrestling. With much wine to enjoy, several of the Amazons dragged the mercenaries away for some more private entertainment. Mercenary Leader smirked as many of his men willingly followed the, while others were picked up by the musclebound women and tossed over their shoulders. Harpy Scout too made sure to drag Saber Rider away, hearing the Amazon Leader admit she liked him made her feel a bit overprotective, and she was not about to share her mate with anyone else.
The following morning, Half-Dragon Priestess, her party, and the mercenaries stood before the Tiger Tribe ready to bid them a final farewell. Amazon Leader walked toward the groups accompanied by several of her sisters to give each a small bag of supplies to keep them fed on their journeys.
"Again, I and my sisters wish to thank you for all your aid in yesterday's battle."
"There is no need to thank us, it is what anyone would do." Half-Dragon Priestess bowed her head toward the leader but frowned as she looked over the devastation of the village. "I wish we could stay to assist with the repairs, will it take long to undo all this damage?"
"You don't have to worry, we'll get this wall fixed within a few days and now it shall be reinforced by the remains of those monsters." Amazon Leader once again smiled before turning her attention to Saber Rider. "Though we initially started out as adversaries, I am proud to have you within our tribe and to be able to call you a friend."
"You good leader, like Lizard Girl, you care about others. I beat you next time we get to fight."
"I'm looking forward to seeing how much stronger you can get." Amazon Leader went to hug Saber Rider, once again easily lifting him off the ground. "Be safe on your travels and know the Amazons of the Tiger Tribe stand ready to fight with you no matter the obstacle."
With a final goodbye, the groups departed from the village once again traveling through the forest.
"I wanted to thank you for also coming back to help." Half-Dragon Priestess smiled as she looked toward Mercenary Leader.
"Think nothing of it Little Dragon. It should actually be me who thanks you."
"Thank us?"
"Yes. You chose to go back and help because it was the right thing to do, not because of a promise of some grand reward. My men and I fight took up this cause to change things for the better and yet we somehow lost sight of that." The Mercenary Leader replied with a small chuckle before he and his men came to a stop upon reaching the road. "This is where we must part ways. If you travel down that road to your right, you'll meet up with a small mining village within two days. They may have some work for you all to aid in your future promotions."
"Thank you. You travel safely as well." Half-Dragon Priestess smiled but had a frown upon her face as she remembered they acted as "freedom fighters". "I'm still not prepared to agree with your methods but I'm hopeful you are able to aid others who are struggling."
"I too hope we are able to meet again as allies. Be safe young adventurers and may fortune smile upon you all."
Half-Dragon Priestess and her party gave the mercenaries a final bow then continued down the path to the right. The mercenaries watched them carefully as they rounded the bend and were then gone from sight. With the adventurers gone, they now moved across the road to disappear back within the trees as not to be seen by any others.
"Keep an eye on the tree tops, we don't want to be caught again like before."
"It will be done my lord."
"My lord, was it wise to share as all those details with those adventurers? There is a chance they may reveal our actions to others when they reach the next Kingdom."
"No. I don't believe they will mention us to anyone. With our coming to aid the Amazons we gave gain some trust from them." The Mercenary Leader smirked as he and his followers continued through the forest. "More importantly, we must hurry if we are to meet up with our other comrades. I want to know how well our efforts have been and the potential strength of future army when the time comes."
"There is the possibility that those adventurers may run into our group in that mining town you mentioned but we all know what is required to get you back on the throne where you belong your majesty."
"You don't have to call me that yet, right now I'm no different from a regular knight."
The Mercenary Leader smirked before pulling out a small piece of metal from within his pouch. This piece of metal was quite worn and scratched but he could still see the figures upon it, twin griffons facing in opposite directions, one red and one blue. He clutched at the emblem and with a final sigh once again placed it back within his pouch.
"Soon I shall set things right! The Red Griffon will fall so the Blue one can rise once again."
