Silence.
Silence is what met Ace's declaration.
"You know I was expecting some gasps, some ahs, some kind of you know… reaction." Ace said annoyed that not a single peep was heard when he so dramatically explained that they were from another world entirely.
"Gasp," went the hunter covering his mouth.
"Uh," went the bunyip unsure what was going on.
"Impawssible!," went the chef slamming his paw onto the table in mock shock.
Dawn and Tatsuo laughed, with Shizuka joining in soon after.
"… You guys suck," Ace sat back down embarrassed.
"Ace, we kind of came to that conclusion on our own." Dawn said putting a comforting hand on the palico's back.
"That still doesn't explain how you two are male.", Shizuka added.
"Whatcha talking about I've been a dude since the day I was born.", Ace said.
"What do you mean? Are monsters exclusively female here?", Tatsuo asked.
"Well, yes. Monsters are 'exclusively' female here."
"We're not monsters though. We're Lynians." Ace argued.
"Lynians are technically considered a beastman species," Dawn explained, "Are beastman considered monsters here?"
"Yes, they're one of the mamono families that appear mostly human in appearance," Shizuka brought her paw to her chin, "But Demonic Energy turns any species besides human men, and I think the dwarven men into monsters."
"So, you're saying this Demonic Energy stuff turns anything and everything into monster girls?", Ace asked, eyebrow raised and a dangerous look in his eyes. You could even notice the subtle twitch of fury that raddle through his body.
"…yes," Shizuka said frightened that she had gotten on the bad side of a potentially unstable werecat.
"Bullfango SHIT!", Ace roared slamming his own paw into the table. An audible crack was heard causing Tatsuo to give Ace a death glare far more dangerous than Ace had given Shizuka.
Sighing after seeing Ace recoil in fear of the chef, Dawn asked, "Shizuka how does Demonic Energy exactly… effect non-monsters or creatures foreign to it?"
"W-well, Demonic Energy effects a person spirit energy in such a way that they will not only physically change but mentally as well," She looked to the two werecats, "men, human men, become incubi and women transform into mamono."
"What about monsters?", He leaned forward.
"Well, all monsters are intrinsically connected to the Demon Lord and will become mamono whether they like it or not." She paused, "At least that's what my mother told me."
Nodding the hunter mulled over their next course of action. It was a little hard to concentrate when he had Tatsuo beating Ace with a rolling pin in the background.
"Is there a way to reverse it?", He asked, recalling the shock Ace and Tatsuo had gone through after entering the rift.
"Outside of usurping the Demon Lord and changing monsters back to the way they were over a millennium ago, no.", She said softly, shaking her head.
Humming the hunter stood up and left the three of them at the table.
'So, these people are from another world. It's not entirely extraordinary there's plenty of monsters that come from places outside of the normal world.', She though to herself. Though she got a nagging feeling whenever she looked at the two werecats currently beating each other.
The hunter returned with a blank sheet of paper and a piece of graphite in hand, and sat down at the table. Tatsuo sat down as well with a thoroughly bruised Ace in tow. Neither the hunter nor the the felynes made light of this fact.
"Shizuka would you be kind enough to draw us a map of the surrounding area, so that we can make our way to a human settlement and get started on our mission?" The hunter asked placing the paper down on the table.
"Oh, uh sure," she said as she went about drawing the major landmarks on the map. Starting with her home town, not so far away from where the were.
While she did so the hunter asked her a question that made her heart stop, "We could use a guide too. You wouldn't mind helping us would you?"
"Yes.", She left little room for argument.
"That easily?", Dawn shifted in his seat.
"Yes!", She said with more fervor.
Her eyes had grown fierce. Far different from her usual timid gaze, she looked like how a predator would when it had finally snatched up its prey after a long and tedious chase. While Dawn did have second thoughts about bringing along this 'monster', he was quick to mentally wave his worries away, 'It's probably fine. I get that way too while hunting.'
-0-
They had set off once more this time in the direction of Wicker, a small farming town, that was for the most part friendly to monsters. Shizuka had said it was the closest town nearby, and that it was where her family lived.
"So Shizuka, what were you doin with Dawn last night?", Ace asked.
The four of them were currently sitting at the front of the wagon with Dawn driving. Ace and Tatsuo sitting beside him with Ace on his left and Tatsuo on his right. While Shizuka herself was situated directly behind Dawn with her tail taking up space in the wagon's interior.
"Yeah, what were you doing?", Tatsuo jumped in.
"W-w-well, it is a mamono's instinct to look for a human mate.", She said feeling embarrassment come over her.
"So, you were trying to mate with Dawn," Ace turned to the hunter, who was listening in. Though it would be hard to tell as he had put his helmet back on, "Whatcha think Dawn? Got a thing for Shizuka?", Ace's teasing grin grew across his face.
Shizuka covered her face in embarrassment.
Looking behind himself at the bunyip, he then turned to Ace and said, "I find her to be an attractive young woman," she peeked out of her hands, "but we just met yesterday. We barely know each other, and I have no intention of being anyone's mate anytime soon." Her face fell, but there was a look of hope in her eyes.
"Mhmm, I bet…", Ace was cut off as Dawn fist came down on his head making him bite down on his tongue.
Nursing his tongue Ace gave Dawn a glare that was met with the emotionless gaze of the Helios helmet. It intimidated him enough to keep his mouth shut and his tongue away from chattering teeth.
"Do all mamono seek mates in a similar way?", Tatsuo decided to restart the conversation.
"Well, most mamono will seek a human man out and try to court them, though…", she paused, "it usually ends with the mamono attacking them."
"Attacking what do you mean?", The chef fully turned to face her.
"I mean they would force themselves on them.", A shameful aura came over her.
"How about we change the topic," Dawn verbally stepped in, "How about our own world's monsters?"
"Yeah, I'm curious what your world's monsters are like.", Shizuka said as some enthusiasm returned to her voice.
"Where should we start?", Tatsuo questioned himself, "How about some of the smaller big monsters."
"Ace got any favorites?", Dawn asked.
"I like the Tetsucabra," Ace began, "It's a big amphibian monster that has these big powerful tusks that it uses to shovel giant rocks out the ground. We would always have a good laugh whenever it would manage to snipe Dawn mid run."
Tatsuo chuckled, "I remember the two of you coming back after a hunt absolutely covered in dirt."
"Yeah, it was great, Dawn even made some pretty sick armor the first time around.", Ace thought back to their first day in Harth.
Shizuka's face contorted into one of shock, "Your people make armor from monsters?"
"Shizuka please understand that monsters back where we're from aren't like how they are here," Dawn reassured her, "The monsters back home are typically the size of the wagon we're riding in."
Nodding Shizuka tried to imagen a frog with big tusks tossing rocks at Dawn and a werecat, "Hey what did you two look like before coming here?"
"We looked like a primitive cat, but we stood on our back feet and walked with a bit of a hunch." Tatsuo explained.
'Sounds cute.', Shizuka began to imagen the two werecats, sitting in front of her, as little housecats in armor.
"What type of monsters would you say is your… favorite to hunt?", She asked not sure how to phrase the question.
"I like hunting fanged beast," Dawn turned back to her, "They're the only monsters that aren't considered part of the wyvern family."
"What do you mean by wyvern family? Are monsters mostly draconic?", She leaned in.
"No, they're just classified as wyverns because they all have scales and typically only have two back legs. Elder Dragons are probably what you're thinking of.", Dawn clarified.
"What kind of wyverns are there? What makes Elder Dragons so different?", She asked as genuine interest in the other world leaking into her voice.
Ace hopped back into the wagon, walking over Shizuka tail as he did so, but he was so light he didn't really bother her. He returned with a journal in paw.
"We got them all in Dawns journal here.", He said as he held it out for her to take.
Shizuka looked to Dawn for permission. He nodded.
Taking the journal from Ace she began to flip through the hunter's journal and found that she couldn't read a thing. However most of the entries showed her completely new monsters. They were incredible and completely unlike anything that she had seen ever before. The Elder Dragon section however seemed by far the most familiar.
"How is this an Elder Dragon? It looks like a pre-Demon Lord unicorn.", she asked pointing at the illustration of a Kirin.
"Elder Dragons are dubbed Elder Dragons if their power comes from a," Ace paused trying to explain it properly, "more mythical place."
"Like magic.", Shizuka asked.
"Yeah, yeah, like magic.", Ace rolled his eyes.
"The Kirin can summon forth lightning from thin air, and it seems to be linked to the Kirin's mental state.", Dawn said, recounting the time an angry Kirin shot him with enough electricity that he couldn't feel his ass for a week. He subconsciously shivered.
"So, these are your monsters," Shizuka said looking up from the journal, "and Lynians are a beastman race?"
"Yes, and based on what you said about spirit energy the only things from our world that should be affected by Demonic Energy would be the Lynians, Humans, Wyvernians, and the Elders."
"How do you figure that?", Shizuka asked, "And what are Wyvernians?"
"Wyvernians are believed to be descendants of the wyverns. They look human but have pointed ears, four fingered hands, and digitigrade legs.", Dawn paused and took the journal from Shizuka, "The reason I believe that's those four groups would be affected is because they all possess the ability to draw power from within." He showed her the section in regard to Wyvernians.
"I see, so if a normal monster were to enter through the…", She paused.
"Rifts," Ace added.
"Yes rifts, they wouldn't be affected?", She asked the hunter.
Dawn nodded and turned back to the road, "That's my hypothesis at least."
-0-
They continued to talk amongst themselves as they made their way to Wicker. Most of it could have been summed up as Ace teasing Shizuka or Dawn, though it was all in good fun. When they had made it to Wicker the sun was at its peak in the sky and the rumble of their stomachs told them it was noon.
As they made their way through town eyes were immediately drawn to the aptonoth pulling the wagon, before moving to the hunter, and then they stay glued to the felynes. Mamono and humans alike stared in shock at the living anomalies before their eyes.
A courier harpy landed to stare at them, messages falling out of her satchel. A woman speaking with a centaur stopped mid-conversation to stare as well. Silence reigned over the town. The only sound that could be heard was the steps of the aptonoth, and the squeak of the wagon's wheels.
They came to a stop beside what looked like the main building, which had a number of the town guards surrounding it in anticipation. The air was tense as the group uncomfortably got off the wagon.
No one said a word.
The villagers that had first saw them enter town had followed them. The entire town looked on in awe of the visitors. Dawn even noticed a particular bunyip that looked very similar to Shizuka slithering beside a man of considerable size.
"Tough crowd huh," Ace nervously joked. He had grabbed his poleaxe once he noticed how the towns people were reacting.
Eyes were drawn to him for daring to break the silence.
Footsteps were heard as the mamono mayor made her way out of the town's main building. She was a dhampir dressed in: A loose white collared shirt beneath a black tailcoat and black leggings. Her heels clicked on the cobblestone road as she made her way to the front of the crowd. A human guard reached out to stop her only to be reprimanded for doing so.
"Welcome to our lovely town of Wicker! I'm Marsha Wicker the mayor of this lovely town!", She proclaimed.
She was sweating like a Bullfango in the summer. She clearly wanted the town to disperse, and was doing what she could to diffuse the situation.
Coughing into his fist the hunter stepped forward drawing attention to him. "I am Dawn, master hunter and acting representative, of the Hunter's Guild. We have come to this town to make acquaintance with the people of this land."
Whispers replaced the uncomfortable silence before a female werecat, about an inch shorter than Ace, stepped out of the crowd. Only her breast and hips were clothed in what looked like fur clothing. She strutted up to Ace and sniffed him. Sniffed him. It was an odd sight, even to the mamono in the crowd found it peculiar, but none of them had moved to stop her.
Once satisfied the werecat stopped invading Ace's personal space and opened her lilac, purple eyes to stare at him. She said, "You're a male... Where in the world did you come from?"
"I knew it! Those are boys!", One town's person yelled out.
"That's impossible!", Another joined in.
"This is the discovery of the century!", More and more villagers joined in causing the town to gather around the group. Some were marveling at the hunters armor. Others surrounded Ace and the local werecat. Others closed in on Tatsuo who was currently using the hunter as a shield. The parents of Shizuka began to rapid fire questions at their daughter.
"ENOUGH!", Marsha roared.
"Everyone vacate the premises NOW, or you WILL be placed in jail if you DO NOT COMPLY!", She continued causing the crowd to flee to their homes. Leaving the werecat and Shizuka's parents, who the mayor didn't seem to mind.
"You," she pointed at Dawn, "and the rest of you," she pointed to everyone else, "come with me!"
They followed after her not exactly wanting to cause another scene.
-0-
They were all situated in the lobby of the town hall. The local werecat was still invading Ace's personal space. Shizuka's parents were still questioning their daughter with the father and mother occasionally glancing Dawn's way. Tatsuo was happily sitting by himself on a bench taking everything in, while Dawn was being forcefully integrated by Marsha Wicker.
"Who are you?", Finger jab, "What are you doing here?", Another finger jab, "Where. Did. You. Come. From.", She continues to jab at the hunter to emphasize her point.
"I told you... my name is Dawn, I'm a hunter of the Hunter's Guild, and we came here to on an expedition to…", He wasn't able to finish as the mayor jabbed him again.
"Why did you come to our town? I don't care about whatever mission you're on.", The mayor stood straight, hands on her hips.
"We came to get directions and perhaps a map of the world. We had no intention of causing all that commotion.", He tried to explain.
As they continued their back and forth. Another conversation was going on with Ace and the werecat.
"How are you male?", She said fascination in her eyes.
"Uh.", He stepped back
"Where did you come from?", She got closer.
"Who are you?", He took another stepp back.
"Answer me please." She took another step closer; she was practically on top of him at this point.
"I'm a Lynian," she was confused, "I'm from another world," she wasn't satisfied, "I used to look more like a cat until I came here." She nodded.
"So, you're not a werecat?", She placed her paws on her hips.
"I am now… I guess.", Ace rubbed the back of his head, not knowing how to deal with her.
"Will you be my husband?", She leaned forward again.
"What?! Why?!", He nudged her away from him.
"You're one of the only male werecats to have ever existed," she looked at Tatsuo chilling in the corner, "and you seem to be the warrior type."
She stepped closer again, "I like that.", Her sweet-smelling breath was in his face.
"Ok?", Ace gave her a quizzical look.
"Great, so where are you and your group going, husband?", She beamed.
"What I never agreed to that!"
"You just did."
"No, I didn't!"
"Please don't yell at me."
As Ace was getting harassed. Shizuka and her family were going over the past day.
"So, you saw these three strangers exit a rift in reality, and decided to follow them rather than come home?", Her mother asked, she clearly wasn't pleased.
"I-I I I," she couldn't find an excuse to help herself, "I wanted to get a better look at the human. I thought he looked strong and would make a good husband."
"So, you wanted to try and talk to him and your nerves got in the way.", Her father said knowing exactly what happened.
"Yes...", Shizuka relented.
Sighing her father placed his hands on her shoulders, "Oh, baby girl what have you gotten yourself into?"
"It's ok I'm just acting as the guide.", She grabbed her father's hands in reassurance.
"You've never left the kingdom, how will you be a guide?", Her mother interjected, "And we don't even know this human," she scrutinized Dawn who was still getting finger jabbed, "you barely know that man."
"Mother I'm twenty…"
"You're my baby girl."
"How about we have a talk with Dawn over there after this is over. I'm sure we can gauge what kind of man he is.", Her father came to her defense.
Sighing her mother looked to the felynes, her gaze passed over Ace with sympathy, and landed on Tatsuo who was currently kicking his feet back and forth as he waited for the chaos to pass.
She pointed at the male monster. He took notice and pointed to himself in confirmation. She nodded.
Walking up to them Tatsuo took in the size of Shizuka's father, 'He's practically as tall as Dawn, and he's a giant among hunters.' The man had a full beard and wore farmers clothing.
He looked to Shizuka's mother who looked exactly like Shizuka besides the slightly more mature feature along her face. She also wore a snake woman's variation of the father's cloths.
"Who are you?", Shizuka's mother asked.
"I'm Tatsuo, the expedition's chef.", He answered, letting some of his pride leak through.
"So, Tatsuo. What would you say are Dawn's worst qualities?", The older woman bared down on him.
"Mother!"
"Hush Shizu," Her mother said using a nickname she gave her.
Shizuka quieted immediately knowing when not to test her mother.
"Answer me boy.", She glared down at the chef.
"Um uh um.", He stammered.
"Now!", Her eyes narrowed.
"Dawn hates fish, he doesn't like having water with his meals, he doesn't think honey should go with bread, he absolutely refuses to go on anymore egg delivery quest for me, he has a hard time cooking raw meat properly despite me telling him to wait a second after the jingle ends, he thinks Jaggi are a pushover monster but they're NOT, he thinks…" Shizuka's mother had covered the poor boy's mouth as shame came over her.
"You can go.", She shamefully released him.
Bowing the chef then moved so fast that it was as if he had vanished and reappeared at the bench breathing heavily.
"I believe I'm being a tad harsh," Shizuka's mother said, "We'll go with your father's plan."
-0-
Time passed and they were eventually let go with Dawn receiving a map of the region, and Ace an unwanted wife.
"Leave me alone.", He pushed her off of his shoulder.
"But I'm your wife I'm supposed to be by your side through thick and thin.", She rebutted.
"I don't even know your name.", Ace was about to collapse from exasperation.
"It Mia.", She said sweetly.
"Mia can I have some personal space for a minute?"
"I can do that.", She stepped away and began counting to sixty in her head.
Dawn turned away from his partner palico to focus on Shizuka's parents.
"Pleasure to meet you.", He said, raising his hand for a handshake.
Shizuka's father took his hand and gave him a firm handshake, as he expected. He turned to Shizuka's mother who seemed hellbent on testing his strength based on her death grip she was giving him, he decided to matched her. Taking their hands back both secretly nursed them with the mother placing her claws behind her back to try and cover the pain, and the hunter laid his other hand over his own aching palm.
"So, how about we introduce ourselves," The father said, ignoring or ignorant of the conflict between the two, Dawn didn't know, "I'm Grayson Shai and this my wife, Yumie Shai. It's a pleasure to meet you as well." He smiled.
"I'm Dawn, and I'm pretty sure you already know who I am based on what has been going on.", He gestured.
Shizuka herself was watching the exchange go down with her face in her palms.
"Yes, you and your friends are on some kind of expedition from this Hunter's Guild.", Yumie said gauging the hunter's reply.
"Indeed," he said, taking off his helmet, "we're here to research the local flora and fauna." He decided on not freely sharing the fact he was from another world as he could assume, they already knew.
"Why don't I have Tatsuo whip us up some food while we talk.", The hunter looked around himself and found that the chef was already setting up his canteen, "Hey Tatsuo could you put something together soon, I'm starving!"
The chef nodded and began his dance of knifes and spits. The local town's people watched in awe.
"So, where do you want to start?", Dawn asked, sitting down at the table.
Shizuka's parents joined him, sitting on the opposite side of the table. With Yumie taking the seat directly opposite and Grayson in the seat between them.
Ace had moved to hide in the wagon when Mia wasn't looking and whispered to Tatsuo, "Make something with meat I'm starving."
"We all are," Tatsuo looked to Shizuka, "Got any request Shizuka?"
"Oh, anything will do." She smiled in thanks.
"We would like to discuss our daughter's involvement in your expedition.", Yumie began.
"We don't feel that she is necessarily ready to go off adventuring into the world.", Grayson continued.
"Especially with strangers no less.", Yumie seemed far too eager to state that fact.
Dawn looked to Shizuka, "What do you want to do?"
That stunned Shizuka's mother. Her smug aura evaporated immediately.
"I would like to go with them mother," Shizuka pleaded, "We were made fast friends I'm sure this can only turn out well."
"H-How can we trust they are good people.", Yumie stuttered.
"Dear, Dawn seems the trustworthy sort, heavens he gave our daughter his own bed out of courtesy.", Grayson reasoned.
Yumie was going to argue otherwise, but was interrupted by Tatsuo, "Foods ready."
The felyne chef jumped down from his station, and began leaving plates for everyone. While smoothly sliding one into the wagon, and handing one to Shizuka.
'They're so kind to her,' Yumie internally smiled, 'No, I've dealt with false love before this can all be a ruse.'
"Can you prove that you can keep her safe?", Yumie asked.
"Yes," Shizuka agreement shocked her mother, "I want to learn to fight too, Dawn.", and that shock turned to fear.
'My baby girl is going to be a warrior. Wait a second, no... no human man, not from the Order, would ever teach a woman the art of war,' She began to internally manically laugh to herself.
"Sure, why not.", Was the hunter's nonchalant reply.
'Damnit.', She mentally face palmed.
"Just in case of course, I don't want my daughter picking any fights now.", Grayson added.
'Stupid, stupid, loving husband why do you have to be such a good father.', She physically face palmed.
"Shizuka has never left the kingdom, she can only really act as your guide up to Castle Reinhold," Yumie knew at this point she couldn't win, however there was still a chance she could limit Shizuka's time away.
"We intend to explore the land in its entirety," Dawn took a sip of milk, "having someone who can read and write in the local language would be invaluable. Her knowing the area is just an additional benefit."
"Then couldn't you get someone more well-traveled instead.", Yumie reasoned.
Dawn took another sip of his drink, 'This isn't going anywhere.'
"How about we talk in private," the town's people had returned and had been requesting meals from Tatsuo while they were talking.
They seem to have been paying him in gold, grain, and animal products based on the slowly building pile of goods. They couldn't really talk in such a public area anymore.
The hunter left with Shizuka and her family in tow. Coming to the other side of the town hall they restarted their conversation.
"What is this really about?", The hunter started.
"I'm not letting my daughter get swept off to who knows where, by strangers she met yesterday.", Yumie blurted out.
"Mother, I swear they're good people there's nothing to worry about."
"You met them yesterday dear."
"How," the hunter stepped in, "would I go about gaining your trust?"
"What?"
"I said", the hunter gestured with his arms, "How would I go about gaining your trust?"
"If-if," she was definitely Shizuka's mother, "you can promise that you will bring our daughter back after you go to the capital. And keep it!"
"Mother!", Shizuka interjected, "I want to go with them."
"I can do that.", Dawn crossed his arms.
Shizuka and Yumie both looked to Dawn.
"I can bring her back after visiting Castle Reinhold.", He added.
Nodding, Yumie left and took her daughter with her, seemingly satisfied with his answer. Leaving Dawn with Grayson.
"Listen master hunter," the father stepped forward in a hushed voice, "I love my daughter and I want to see her happy. You seem to be a reliable sort, and I will give you my blessing to take her with you.", He leaned closer, "However, if you hurt her, I swear to the Gods above you won't live to regret it."
The hunter nodded exhausted, "I have no plan too sir."
"Good.", The father nodded to the hunter and followed after his wife and child.
Sighing the hunter stepped back into the main street, and looked onto the horizon. It was almost dusk, so he decided to made his way back to the wagon.
The aptonoth grazed on the grass nearby while Tatsuo was packing away the newly obtained food and gold. Dawn inspected one of the coins. It had an engraving of what looked like a woman with bat wings and a barbed tail. The other side had another engraving, but it was of a human man instead.
Putting it down he asked Tatsuo, "How much did you make?"
"Oh, plenty," he looked into the gold purse, "about thirty gold pieces."
"How much is that?", Dawn leaned against the wagon.
"About enough for a low rank hunter to forge a weapon.", Tatsuo surmised.
'So, about ten meals worth.', Dawn nodded, "Good job."
Tatsuo thanked the hunter as he finished storing away everything and pulled the lever on the canteen to quickly compact the cooking stations into it mobile state. They would still have to properly store the canteen's supplies in the morning, but he had cleaned up the mess overall.
"What's going on with Shizuka?", The chef asked as he jumped into the wagon's driver's seat..
"She's coming with, it's just that we have to bring her back after we get to the capital.", Dawn clarified.
"Gotcha.", Tatsuo moved the wagon's entrance cover aside.
Dawn entered the wagon after the chef, and found Ace passed out in his hammock in a food coma. Mia was curled up on top of him fast asleep as well. He would take care of that tomorrow. The hammock looked a little strained, but it would hold.
Flopping down in his own bed, he could feel the occasional strand of fur poke at him, 'Shizuka's fur must be capable of shedding then.'
He picked up his journal and began writing an entry on bunyips, while there was still daylight. He then began writing an entry on the changes from felynes to werecats. He started, but didn't continue the entry for Demonic Energy. He wanted to speak with an expert on that topic before he started any elemental research.
While he was writing Tatsuo had got into his own hammock. He curled up like he would have when he was still considered a felyne.
Sleep was about to take him when he saw a pair of golden eyes staring at him from the entrance. He beckoned her to come in, and Shizuka slithered into the wagon, and took notice of the local werecat laying on top of Ace.
"Mia, has always been an odd girl," she said softly, "always said she wanted to marry a warrior."
"You know her?", Dawn stretched.
"She's a friend of mine.", She smiled.
"Well, we'll see if Ace is willing to have her in the morning.", Dawn added.
Lying down Dawn's exhausted body splayed itself across the bed. Shizuka slithered over to him with a slight pout.
"Do you need something?", He turned to her.
"I kind of wanted to sleep over here tonight."
He looked back over at the hammock he had used last night, and remember the back pain he got that morning.
"How about we share the bed?", He offered.
"Oh, um uh," she was blushing again, biting one of her claws, "I... are you sure?"
"I don't mind I've shared a bed with plenty of other hunters before."
She slithered into the bed taking the left side, while he took the right, which was closer to the window. Her tail coiled around herself, but the end of it had been laid on his chest. He didn't mind, it was warm.
And with that they fell asleep bringing their second day in the Foreign World to a close.
AN: Hey, this is the author. Just wanted to say that I had updated this chapter with some minor fixes and some added details that I thought it needed.
Previous AN: I would like to ask you readers if you're cool with Mia the werecat joining or you'd rather she didn't.
Outside of that I hope you enjoyed the story so far.