Hello All, this is my first fanfiction ever, so I would appreciate any feedback, good or bad. I notice there are very few stories about the monsters themselves. Scareclaw and Tri-Brigade are two of my favorite archetypes ever, so I figured "Why not right?". Anyways, this requires some prior knowledge but hopefully not too much. Enjoy!
People say when a shooting star flies by, you should make a wish and it might come true. Kitt knew that this saying wasn't rooted in truth, but she loved to believe in anyway. She sat on top of the Springans Watchtower, fiddling with a Mecha Strike under the starry night sky. The quiet movements of human and beast alike about the camp filled the arid desert air as they went about their nightly duty. It had been about 3 months since the collapse of the Dogmatika Kingdom. She was relieved that the fight was over. The Tri-Brigade had fought so hard for this peace. There were several bumps along the road, but they succeeded, but not without a lot of damage. While she loved repairing machines, repairing broken countries is something she had no clue about. She envied Albaz and Ecclesia, who went off on their own journey to explore the world outside of the borders, leaving her alone to the boring things. At times she almost wished to be involved in lengthy political discussions.
"I wish I could go on an adventure…", Kitt murmured, twisting a screw tightly on the Mecha Strike she was working with.
With those words, a flash of green light streaked across the sky. Kitt looked up at the sky, acknowledging the occurrence. She chuckled to herself, wondering if the star heard her wish. Not even a second later, she heard a loud crash outside the settlement. She lept into the air, her hair standing on end. She looked around frantically, but it seemed that no one had heard the sound. She ran around the watchtower, wondering if she was hearing things. She strained her eyes scanning the pitch-black desert. Her sharp feline eyes made it easy to see in the dark. She spotted a faint green glow buried in the sand. Excited, she tapped the little mechanical bird, causing it to stir.
"Passengale, go tell Ferrijit that I'll be out of camp.", Kitt instructed. The mechanical bird stared back silently as if it was waiting for something. "Ugh, Tell her I spotted some debris in the distance, and I'm going to grab it before the Springans wake up." The bird chirped and flew down into the camp to search for the older woman. Kitt jumped down from her perch into a pile of hay she placed there earlier. The heads of a couple of occupants turned as she sped through the small common area and down an alley to where her workshop was located. It was a sizable vehicle decorated in soot and scratches from years of rough treatment. It was a smaller, more portable replica of the Springans magnum opus, Exolowerer. Inside was a mess of paper and gadgets piled around a workbench. She realized she had forgotten to clean it since her last project, and vowed to fix it when she got home. Stepping over several shells of dysfunctional Mecha Strikes, she pulled a few levers causing machinery to hum. A small compartment opened up on its exterior, and Kitt went to go check it out.
She dragged out a small buggy which she called Sandstrider. It was small and fast, perfect for quick treasure-hunting trips like this. The Springans had a tradition of trading treasures. Finding some "sky debris" would surely become a great bargaining chip, especially if it was sturdy or shiny. Starting the engine, Kitt wondered if Ferrijit would be upset at her for leaving so late, but that was irrelevant when presented with the allure of the unknown. She pulled her goggles over her face and drove off, headed straight for the site of the crash. While the glow had long disappeared, the small crater it left behind had not. She hopped off the buggy clicked on a flashlight and attached it to her waist. Nothing stood out to her at first glance. There was nothing but a hole there, the sand looking somewhat disturbed. She began digging, using a custom-made shovel that was attached to Sandstrider's side. Minutes had passed, but there was no sign of anything.
"Odd. A crash this new should have left behind something. No way it got buried that fast.", she pondered out loud.
She heard the sounds of footsteps. Nervous, she rested her hand on a pistol strapped to her waist. She wasn't a shy girl. After all, she had faced off against the evil Despia and their Demi-Dragon Bystials in a fight to save the world. But that was alongside her trusted allies who had her back. On an average day, she was just as vulnerable as anyone. Rugal had given her the pistol for situations like these despite her initial protests, and she was glad he did.
"Who's there?", she shouted, voice trembling. Hand gripped tightly on its holster. "I'm armed! So don't pull anything silly!"
She heard no response. Her ears pivoted and she picked up noise from a nearby boulder. Of course! It was the perfect place to hide. She spun around to face the rock. More moments of silence followed. She began to wonder if she was just hearing things.
"Pretending you aren't there isn't going to convince me! I know you are there, so come out already!", she called out, partially hoping that there wasn't a response.
To her surprise, a man who looked to be about her age stepped out into the light. He almost had the appearance of a Beastman, with long wild black hair and a pair of furry dog-like ears protruding from them. He wore strange purple armor with green accents that exposed his well-toned abdomen and chest, but not much else. Off it hung several chains that linked to nothing. His style was strange, so she concluded that he couldn't be from any faction she knew. Even stranger was his clawed hand that seemed to reflect the starry sky. It radiated an otherworldly energy, something she couldn't quite place. She pulled the gun out of its holster and held it towards him.
He slowly strolled up towards her, unafraid of the loaded weapon pointed at him. Kitt took a few steps back and threatened to shoot. He ignored her, moving closer and closer to the barrel of her weapon until it was pressed into his chest.
"Go ahead. Shoot me."
"Huh?!"
He grabbed her wrist to guide the gun up to his chin.
"I'm curious to see if you could actually kill me. But I'd bet you can't. Try it!", he snarled.
Kitt wasn't sure what to do. Several thoughts and theories went through her head. Why would he ask her to do such a thing? Wouldn't that kill him? She didn't want to kill him, but at this distance, it was either him, or her. Her hands began to tremble. She refused to pull the trigger, or rather, she couldn't. An aura poured from the man, a triumphant expression creeping over his face. Kitt dropped the gun and scrambled backward. Her breathing became quick and shallow and her body felt cold. She wanted to run, but her body wouldn't respond. At that moment, she felt helpless.
"W-What have you d-done?", Kitt stammered, now drenched in sweat.
"Nothing really.", the man replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I was just trying out a new way to invoke fear. It's an instinct of mine. It worked at least. Glad to know I still have that effect."
Kitt was still frozen. The man relaxed and the oppressive aura around him faded.
"Get up already, I'm not going to hurt you. See?" He held up his hands innocently.
Kitt stared at him, unsure how to feel. The change in his demeanor was instant. She was unappreciative of his blatant manipulation. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind, after all, she was still faced with a stranger in the middle of the desert. But she would be careful. She stood up and cautiously made her way over to him, being sure to grab her dropped pistol on the way. She puffed out her chest, trying to seem more confident than she actually was.
"My name is Kitt, head mechanic of the Tri-Brigade. What is your name and where are you from?", she demanded.
"Reichheart, King of the Scareclaw and ruler of the Planet Reichphobia.", He answered simply, proudly pointing at his chest with his thumb.
"Wait a King? Like an actual Royalty king?!" The air of confidence faded as she bounced up a little, excited.
"Yes, but no." He rubbed the back of his head embarrassed. "It's really a long story, so let's start-"
Reichheart was cut off by the sound hissing. Both Beastsfolks' ears swiveled on their heads, scanning the area for the source. A massive creature slithered up behind them, its form hidden by the darkness as Kitt's lamp faced away from it. All that could be seen was its narrow purple eyes out of the corner of their vision.
"Juvenile Sand Serpent. They strike fast but are very predictable. If we keep still, we can dodge it when it strikes." Ignoring her, he turned around and marched towards the serpent.
"What did I say? Keep still!" Kitt hissed under her breath, back still turned to the monster.
"You said they were predictable?"
"No, no, no, I am not letting you fight that on your own. I uh…left my snake fighting gear at home. So if you go, you are on your own!"
"What happened to that gun?" He asked jokingly.
"Do you think bullets from this are going to hurt that?" She said while gesturing wildly at the snake, who was sizing up Reichheart, its expressionless face somehow conveying confusion at the challenge from the far smaller being.
"Whatever. Just stay out of my way. And don't tell me what to do!" Reichheart stuck out his right arm. A sword materialized in it in a dim green flash much to her surprise. From her years of analyzing metals, she didn't recognize this alloy at all. Its edges were not that of a traditional sword. It was more like the teeth of a predatory. It looked heavy and unbalanced in the hands of the young man, but he carried it confidently. The serpent reared back, readying a strike. Reichheart watched it carefully, gripping his sword tightly. The snake brought down its massive head, Fangs bared. Kitt, utilizing her cat-like reflexes, jumped out of the way. Its jaws snapped shut on the spot where she was before. But Reichheart was nowhere to be seen. "Reichheart?" Kitt shouted as the serpent lifted its head, sand pouring from it. It seemed to chuckle as it licked its mouth with its forked tongue. A deep growl of satisfaction left its throat as it swallowed its meal whole.
"No way." She whispered in disbelief. "He's gone just like that." She had only met the man, but watching anyone be eaten by a Serpent wasn't pleasant. Giving up on the encounter, she inched over to Sandstrider to at least try to get help, her eyes tracking the greedy reptile as it turned to examine its next meal. It coiled its body, readying itself for a strike, but before it could leap it stopped suddenly. Blood pooled at its stomach as more dripped from its mouth. Eyes wide with shock, the serpent reared back, roaring with agony. It began to gag, trying to regurgitate its meal. Reichheart slid out of its throat, landing gracefully on the ground.
"Boo, I was hoping for a dramatic exit. Now I have to cut you up from the outside." He said sarcastically. The snake hissed loudly and sat up to its full length, flaring out its hood. Reichheart jumped up as the snake brought its head down for another bite. His blade caught it and sliced it, taking a huge chunk out of its thick neck. The snake, even more enraged, swung its tail to strike him. He took the attack, gripping its tail as it slammed him into the sand over and over again, to no visible effect. Reichheart was laughing as the hissing of the serpent became more frustrated. Kitt, now sitting on her buggy, watched it all occur, her jaw hitting the floor.
"What the hell is he made of?", she said to herself, wondering if she should jump in to help at all. He seemed fine, no, like he was having the time of his life! Eventually, he jumped off, having had his fun.
"Ah, that was an exciting little ride. I think that confirms that my strength is intact. Now, let's not keep Kitt waiting shall we?"
With one grunt of effort, a final swing of his sword tore the sand serpent in half. Blood sprayed everywhere it could as the creature wailed. It collapsed in a bloody heap, letting out a dying breath. As quickly as the fight started, it ended. He trotted over to her soaked in stomach acid and blood. His sword disappeared in a flash.
"You…are you ok?" Kitt asked, struggling to not acknowledge the disgusting concoction dripping from his armor.
"Never better. That was exhilarating! You mentioned how this was a juvenile. Now I want to see what a big one looks like!"
Kitt remembered the Sinister Serpent of Gol Golgonda. The gargantuan Hole-Eating snake that threatened the Springan's carefree lives in the desert was something she never wanted to encounter again. But considering how effortlessly he handled this small one, she was morbidly curious to see how he would fare against that monster.
"You really don't trust me." She stuck up her finger to silence his protest. His ears twitched irritably. "Anyways, I think we should just talk later. There is a whole lot to digest here, and well…you look awful."
"Hah, fair enough." He shook his whole body, flinging the fluid concoction all over the place. Kitt lept back, shielding herself. "Say I like you Kitt. Are there others like you around here? Beastfolk I mean.", He asked, pointing to his ears.
"Oh yeah, there are several beast tribes. There's a whole lot back home, at the Alliance Settlement."
"The what?" He asked, tipping his head to the side.
"You are a beastman and don't know what that is?" Reichheart's confused expression spoke for him. "Oh, duh, you fell from the sky. Makes sense that you would have no clue where you are."
"You act like it's normal to just fall from the sky."
"Around here, it's more common than you'd think."
"Huh." Reichheart looked down at his feet. "Things like that happen to me too. But usually, it doesn't end well. It's always some enemy trying to hurt my pack or something."
"Yeesh, that sounds terrible. Tell me more about that later. Come on."
"With you?", he asked. "But I haven't done anything."
"You saved my life from that monster, so I have to pay you back somehow."
"That thing was nothing! Hardly worth what you are offering." Reichheart shifted nervously.
"Well, I also want to ask you a lot of questions about a lot of things. So you can share all that with me instead. How about that for a trade?"
Reichheart's eyes lit up. He smiled and nodded before bouncing off to check out her buggy. He explored the wheels and handles curiously. He made his way to the seat, where he sat down, burying his wet bottom into her nice leather seat.
"A vehicle. I sit here right?", he said, pointing down at the now messy seat. Kitt bit back a retort. She almost regretted her offer. It would only be for a few minutes, right? She gave him a thumbs up and started up the buggy. He pressed his wet body into her back. She shuddered.
"You don't have to be so close!", Kitt cried. Reichheart nodded absently. His hands clamped on her shoulders tightly as he trembled. He was excited a moment ago, but now he seemed terrified.
"Ugh, your grip is strong, Reichheart. Mind letting go?" She tapped his hand gently and his grip loosened. "Don't worry, I'm an excellent driver!" She grinned back at him. He turned away from her, a little embarrassed. He yelped as the vehicle moved forwards, but relaxed as the vehicle glided over the sand. For most of the ride, Reichheart stared at the starry sky longingly.
"Big fan of the stars?" Kitt asked, trying to make conversation. "People say that the desert has the best view of them."
"Yeah. Reminds me of home. At night the stars would shine beautifully, and we would hold a party when the moon was full. There was loads of meat and plenty of alcohol to go around."
"Alcohol? Isn't that bad for you?"
"Huh? What's the matter with that?"
"It's not good for underage people. Ferrijit refuses to let me have any, even though all of the grown-ups do it."
"Underage? What does that mean?"
"Well, it's when-" She realized that she wouldn't be able to explain this without going into a long-winded conversation about this world's rules. Someone like Shuraig would be better at explaining. "I'll tell you later."
"Mhm", Reichheart became quiet again. He sighed deeply.
"That's all I wanted to say. Focus on the road.", he murmured sternly.
Kitt figured he was thinking about something, so she dropped the topic and focused on her own thoughts. The way he dropped from the sky was a sign that a Hole had opened up once again. After the war, their appearance in the desert was few and far between. He mentioned a place called "Reichphobia" and a people called "Scareclaw". She wondered if that place was full of more monsters like him and if he really ruled over them as King. Mystery upon Mystery was laid out in front of her. The mere thought of uncovering them excited her. "Guess my wish was heard", Kitt thought, smiling. "Albaz, Ecclesia, I think it's time my adventure begins!"
It wasn't long before they arrived back at the settlement. Kitt drove Sandstrider up to her workshop and parked it. The dim red light of the oil lamp burned, illuminating the dusty stand that held up the building. Reichheart sat patiently on the vehicle while Kitt entered the workshop, wondering how it stood so steady on its flimsy foundations.
When she returned, a bird-like creature was perched on her shoulder. She fiddled with a small object while the creature chirped loudly.
"What is that? It can't be a real bird can it?", Reichheart asked, tilting his head to the side curiously. He moved closer and sniffed it. It smelled like metal and dust.
"A mecha strike! A creation of mine.", she answered proudly. The bird took off into flight, causing Reichheart to flinch.
"It's moving?", he exclaimed. "How is that even possible?"
"A lot, and I mean A LOT of hard work."
The bird was a dark blue, like the night sky. Its eyes were large and green, invisible pupils flitting about, silently gathering information. This model was different from the ones commonly used by the Tri-Brigade, as Kitt explained. It was a newer model, designed to survey areas at night, though the size was something she couldn't reduce just yet.
"Model 2500; Version: Communication PV2; Name: Messengale; Controller: Kitt", it cawed in a deep robotic voice. Kitt pulled out a small controller and pressed a button on it, then handed it to Reichheart.
"I'm transferring ownership to you. The Strike's job is to enable long-distance communication." Kitt said. "So just push here and state your name and it will be all setup!"
He pushed the button and loudly proclaimed his name. The machinery within the bird whirred and clicked.
"New Owner: Reichheart. Pleased to make your acquaintance!", Transpert cooed, making a salute with its wing. Reichheart saluted back. He wasn't sure if the creature was fully conscious or not, but felt that it would be the respectful response.
"So this thing is mine huh? Heh. My own servant! Transpert!" The bird sat quietly atop his head. Reichheart waited, but nothing happened.
"Uh…it only responds to verbal commands Reichheart," Kitt said, breaking the silence.
"Transpert! Retrieve a snack for me!", Reichheart commanded.
"I do not recognize that phrase! Be more clear.", It responded.
"Also it only really does the 'Transferring Information' thing. So it won't do things like that."
"Lame. But still, this thing is incredible. Back home, I used to make weapons for my Scareclaws to help them channel their power. That is nothing compared to this! You are a genius! You would be pretty useful in my Reichphobia army."
Kitt blushed and nudged him on his shoulder, getting flakes of dried gunk on her hand. She shook her hand vigorously, a smile on her face to hide her mistake.
"W-Whatever! People tell me that all the time! Anyways, Transpert will take you to the bathhouse. Go get cleaned up and I'll go talk to my Big Sis about where to get you situated. Standard procedure and all." Reichheart nodded and stood up to run into the settlement.
"Just try not to get into trouble!", Kitt called after him.
"Can't make any promises!" Reichheart yelled back.
The bird took off into the air. An antenna stuck out from its back that glowed green. It was pretty fast, but Reichheart kept up easily. A wealth of different new scents flooded his nose. Horse? Buffalo? Bird? Wolf? There were too many to list. He wanted so badly to explore but there would be time for that later. After all, his skin was beginning to itch, and scratching through his armor was a pain. The pair soon arrived at a large stone building nestled between two tents.
"We are here!" Transpert cawed.
"Good work birdie!", Reichheart said. The bird responded with a noise that sounded like a satisfied purr. Inside the building was one large pool of water. On one end was a faucet and on the other a drain. He dipped his hand in to feel the temperature. It was warm. Not only that, it was completely devoid of other people. The perfect situation, he thought to himself. His heavy armor looked challenging to remove, but just as he could make his weapon appear at will, he could remove his armor just as quickly. In a faint glow, his armor faded away, leaving him completely naked. He took another look around before sinking into the warm bath, allowing the flowing water to wash away the lingering residue. He flinched, clutching at his waist. The water agitated an open wound.
"That's nothing…I've taken worse.", he scoffed. "But still. Why am I injured?" He pushed the thought out of his mind. He won the fight easily, so what was a scratch or two to him? Grabbing a bar of soap, he began to scrub his hair, slowly bringing the filth out from his hair's roots. "Might wanna use this.", said a deep voice. Reichheart spun around, searching for the voice. It didn't take long as the snout of a humanoid gray wolf was pointed at him. His eyes were friendly despite his beastly appearance. "It's good for fur and hair. Far better than that normal soap.", he reiterated, holding out a bottle of green liquid. Reichhart was skeptical. How had he not heard the footsteps of such a huge man? He took the bottle reluctantly.
"You look pretty bruised up…must have gotten into a bad fight."
"Yeah, something like that.", he murmured.
"Have you gone to see Fraktall about them? He should be able to get you taken care of in a snap!", the wolf said, tail wagging.
Reichheart shook his head. He didn't know what a "Fraktall" was but didn't want the conversation to drag out further.
"But, if you say you're alright, then you are alright. Just use that stuff on your hair! I promise it will make it glow. Just look at my coat!" He stuck his forearm out for Reichheart to see. It was covered in nasty scars, a stark contrast to his unusually friendly face. His fur wasn't particularly glowing. As expected as a beast living in the desert. But it was smooth and well-kept. Maybe this stuff was the real deal, after all, he thought.
"Yes…" Reichheart said, slowly sinking into the water, desperate to get away from the unwanted visitor. "I'll give it a go then."
"Great! Let me know how it works for you…uh…" he trailed off.
"Reichheart. King of the Scareclaw."
"Oh, that's a new one. I'm Rugal! We should chat more later, I'm curious to know what a Scareclaw is."
He waved at Reichheart as he left through the door, flashing a toothy grin at him. Gifted this "Shampoo", as it read on the bottle, he sank down into the water, being sure to keep a careful eye on the door. He didn't fully trust it, figuring that there was some sort of catch. But he valued his hair. Not only did it itch when not taken care of, it made him look messy, unbefitting of his status. Taking the wolf up on his offer, he poured it on his head and scrubbed it in. It was relaxing and smelled amazing. It even got all of the gunk out with ease. Satisfied, he forgot all about the strange encounter and finished his bath in peace.
"I'll have to pay him back someday.", he murmured to himself.
Reichheart dried off and stepped out of the bath feeling refreshed. Transpert flew in from an opening near the ceiling of the room and dropped a bundle of clothes onto Reichheart's head.
"Oh. Clothes?" He held them up to the light. The shirt was gray and uninteresting. A pair of baggy sweatpants fell to the ground, also gray and uninteresting. There were shoes as well, you guessed it, gray and uninteresting.
"Kitt sent them. Wear them and don't complain!", It said, the last sentence being recited in Kitt's voice. It creeped him out that It could replicate another person's voice so easily.
He didn't have to wear it. She had no power over him. He could have simply worn his armor again like he always did. But the feeling of the clothes intrigued him. Besides, it would only be for the night and never again. Reichheart slipped on the shirt and pants. They fit tightly but felt soft on his skin. He rarely wore casual clothing like this, and never something this soft. He pulled the slipper onto his feet. They were way too big for him.
"I suppose my armor looked clawed. She had no clue." He tossed them aside, deciding he would brave the sandy landscape barefoot.
"Kitt is ready to see you! Bedtime!", Transpert blurted.
Reichheart groaned as the bird sped off. After such a warm, relaxing bath, Reichheart had no interest in hurrying after the speedy strike. Kitt would wait. He strolled after it, taking note of the many makeshift buildings.
"Hospital. Must be where this "Fraktall" would be.", he absently rubbed at his bloodless wound. It was sore now, but it wasn't enough to bother him. He would see a doctor later. Arriving back at the workshop, he noticed Kitt and another, taller woman talking to each other. She had the same features. Pink fur, tail, and ears. But she looked a lot more mature and quite beautiful.
"This is Ferrijit, the relations coordinator!" Kitt said, hands out presenting the new person.
"Oh? Well hello Lord Reichheart, a pleasure to meet you." She reached out her hand to shake his. He took it hesitantly. Not sure what to make of the interaction, he pulled away quickly. Ferrijit let out a sigh.
"Must not be a formality where you are from."
Reichheart shook his head. Rarely would he ever greet someone amicably on his planet. He was aware of other planets in the sky but had no reason to travel to them. And anyone who visited only wanted to exploit him and the Scareclaw. He found himself unable to feel confident around the older woman.
"But we aren't here right now to talk about that. I'm sure you are tired after your journey here. Here." Ferrijit said. Kitt pushed her way in front of her sister and handed him a thick blanket and a pillow. "For now, I'll have you stay in the guest hall. It's not the best, but it's all we have on short notice."
"I also bundled in some midnight snacks for you to eat. We don't open the mess hall until early morning for some reason.", Kitt chimed in, rolling her eyes.
"Food mysteriously disappears in the middle of the night for some reason. Mystery isn't it?" Ferrjit said, with a smile, eyes digging into her younger sister.
"Hey listen, a girl's gotta eat!", she pouted.
Ferrjit sighed and shook her head. She pats Kitt on the head before leading her out of the room. Kitt peeked around the corner and waved to Reichheart while mouthing "Good Night".
Alone in the room with the woman, he peeked out across the camp to confirm his destination.
"Is this really ok? I just got here and you've already done so much.", Reichheart said.
"Don't worry about it! It's just what we do here. So never feel like you are taking from us OK?" She took his open hand in hers and shook it. "If you ever need anything, let me know."
"O-Ok Ferrjit.", he sputtered, flustered. She giggled before leading him to the door.
"I'm going to sleep, its been a long day. Goodnight sweetheart."
"G-Good Night."
She shut the door behind her, leaving him alone outside. Reichheart clenched his teeth in frustration.
"Why was I so shy? What the hell?". He threw his gifted belongings onto the floor.
"All these gifts and stuff. Are they trying to butter me up? I'm a Beast King. They should be offering me a luxury nest, not a guest one." He stared down at the now sandy blanket. A stick of meat wrapped in strange cloth caught his attention. It was made with the same material as his shit he realized, but far thinner in quality. He picked it up and smelled it. The scent of the meat made his mouth water. He threw it on the ground and turned away.
"I won't be swayed by sappy gestures like this! I'll do what I want.", He scanned the open area. Lamps shone brightly, illuminating the courtyard. Sand, stone, the occasional chair. All able to be slept on, but far from comfortable, he concluded. "But…I mean…That woman is very nice. And Kitt is nice too. She brought me here, so ill do her a favor and stay the night." He eyed the pouch of food again. "But it's not good to eat so late."
He crept up to the guest hall. It was a fairly large wooden building situated near the center of the settlement. A human man sat near the door, snoozing. He was quite tall and well-built, not unlike the wolf-man he met before. He hoped to sneak past, so as to not disturb the man's sleep, but he stirred as he approached him.
"Huh? You are new.", he said groggily. He let out a huge yawn before stretching. "Are you a beastman or a human? Ah. It's tough to tell these days. It's been so long that they are starting to blur together. It doesn't bother me at all though. What's your name kid?"
"Im Reichheart. Ferrijit sent me here to stay the night."
"I'm Theo, and I guess you can say I run the place. I guard it but I end up doing all the other important stuff anyways." He let out a sigh before standing up and picking up a clipboard and pencil. "Do you have any injuries?" Reichheart placed his hand on his waist, feeling for his prior wound. The pain was no longer there, so he shook his head no. Theo nodded. He scribbled on the paper and looked through it. He then took a small metal object from the wall and handed it to him.
"What is this?" Reichheart asked.
"A Key? It goes to your chest under your bed if you want to store anything. You have Bed number four by the way. It's right up against the window on your left. Don't forget that. People get up in arms about their living space", Theo said, waving him off. "Now if you need anything just let me know. But I'm going back to sleep if you don't mind."
Before he could ask any questions, Theo's eyes were already closed as he leaned back against his post. After all the new experiences he had, he felt exhausted and chose not to press the man for more. He opened the door and went inside. Several beds were lined up on each side of the floor. The scents of several different species flooded his senses. He covered his nose with the blanket and climbed into the bed. It was very comfortable, a far cry from the simple wool-stuffed nests he would sleep in whenever a sheep made its way near his den. It wasn't long before he drifted off to sleep, feeling more content than he had been in a very long time.