The next morning, Wendy woke up first and she looked at Alkatrash in fascination.
"Alkatrash... an extraordinary name for an extraordinary man.", she whispered and then kissed his cheek. Her smell, suddenly so intense, woke him up.
"Good morning," he said, reaching behind him. He handed Wendy her glasses, which he had carefully removed from her yesterday when she fell asleep on his chest.
"Thanks," she said, putting on her glasses.
"Until yesterday afternoon I didn't understand why that idiot from Wolf got involved with a human.", Alkatrash said and stroked a strand of hair from Wendy's face, "I think I was the idiot myself until yesterday."
"It's good to admit mistakes," Wendy said, grinning.
Alkatrash rose from the bed and stretched. Wendy admired the way his muscles flexed after the long rest
"I hope I didn't scare you too much yesterday," he then said while looking out the window.
"No, why?" Wendy asked.
"Our sex drives are particularly strong on a full moon. I was concerned that it would make me lose control. Hence the cultivation," Al said.
"Are you saying you had locked yourself in there until the full moon passed?" Wendy asked.
"Yeah, right," Al said, turning around with an embarrassed look.
"Oh I thought you handled yourself pretty well yesterday. I wasn't really scared," Wendy said, shrugging.
"That's fine then," Al said.
Wendy gathered her clothes and got dressed.
Al looked at her thoughtfully: "You need other clothes, they're totally dirty."
Wendy looked up at him sheepishly. Al got dressed too and then he said, "Let's go."
"Where?"
"Buy clothes."
He escorted her out of the house and led her into the city. There were a few shops here and there was a lot of activity. With so many beastmen in one place, Wendy didn't know where to look first. Wendy noticed how they both gave them disbelieving looks, but she ignored them. After all, as a person, she wasn't a frequently seen guest here.
As they stood in front of the clothing store, Wendy said, "Unfortunately, I don't have much money with me."
"No problem, leave that to me."
"But what..."
"Come on, in with you." Al said and opened the door. As they entered the store, a white cat lady stared at them with wide eyes. She hurried out from behind the counter and bowed deeply, "Your Majesty, what an honor!" she said submissively.
"Your Majesty? I mean... ok... lions are kings of the beasts but..." Wendy said confused.
"Long story.", Alkatrash said and then growled at the cat: "Get back up you fool!"
The cat rose hesitantly, and then obligingly rushed back and forth to oblige Al's every wish. Wendy got some clean clothes and the cat was generously rewarded by Alkatrash. She bowed what felt like 1000 times when the two left the shop. On the way back, Al and Wendy bumped into Hana and Sana.
"Oh, Al, now I know where the human smell is coming from," said Sana, the black wolf.
"Another human found their way here? How great! Hello, I'm Hana.", the human girl said and gave Wendy her hand.
"Hi, I'm Wendy," Wendy said and the two girls shook hands.
"Since she has to stay longer, I can't avoid it, she will being seen anymore," Al said.
"Thanks to our work, it's also not as dangerous for humans here for us anymore," said Hana.
"But the beastmen still suffer under human rule. Wouldn't it be better if you had your own government?" said Wendy.
"Well, you don't care about us.", Sana said and shrugged and gave Alkatrash a long look.
"That's in the past. Everything has changed. I wouldn't be accepted as regent anymore," said Alkatrash.
"Regents? Excuse me?" Wendy said in astonishment.
"Didn't he tell you that?" Sana asked.
"Well, he keeps a low profile about some things," Wendy explained.
"A mystery monger, huh?" Hana said, giggling.
"Al is the son of the previous regent, who did not want to submit to the rules made by the humans. He then launched an uprising against the humans. This uprising was bloodily suppressed and the king was shot. The heir to the throne then fled into exile , consumed with hatred for humans, like many of us." Sana explained.
Wendy looked at Alkatrash, shaken: "But you... could change it."
"No. I can't," Al said, hanging his head.
"See, that's why we're powerless," said Sana.
Wendy sighed deeply and took Alkatrash's hand.
"Let's go," she said. Hana waved them goodbye as they turned away.
"Wendy has probably already shaken his view of people. Maybe she will also be able to convince him to accept his destiny and lead us.", Sana said before he took Hana's hand and left with her as well.
Wendy and Al returned to the woods and they didn't speak to each other the whole way.
