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Services No Longer Required: Chapter 1: One bad day.

The Jingling noise from the door causes his ears to flick a couple of times, as he pushes the front door open. Shifting the burlap bag from his short clawed hand to his long clawed one, Rohoka the young Draco-Fox turns, waving back to the two shop-owners through the small glass section of the door.

Folding his red, copper, and white fur and scaled ears back against his head. He squints his slit pupil eyes and looks up into the midday sky, so he can judge what time it is from the position of the sun. Well, until white fluffy clouds float past, covering it as they move against a backdrop of blue.

Letting out a sigh, he lowers his head. 'Okay, what's next on the list?'

Stepping to the side, his clawed feet scrape against the cobblestone road as wrapped leather straps give him traction where the tough scales and thin fur on his feet wouldn't. All to let some of his elders in his pass by on the foot traffic part of the street.

The men waving their short clawed hand down at him in greeting, which he returns, while the women politely bob their wings up and down once at him. Which he also returns with a wave of his short clawed hand. Having been told by his mother that it's the polite thing to do, rather than wiggle the tiny vestigial wings on his back, under his shirt.

“Look at that, only nine, and he's already doing his den's shopping." Glancing over to his mate, A brownish colored male grins at the sight. His short clawed hand occupied with adjusting the rope for his trousers while the long clawed hand holds his own burlap bag filled with the day's groceries for his Den while his shirt billows a bit in the light breeze.

“Yup, he'll be running his Den's shop in no time at this rate." The light blue fur and scale colored female next to the male grins back with her ears politely forward. Wings resting on her back with the claw fingers and the joints behind them wrapped with the straps of a carry harness, for the sack she too is carrying.

Leaving her more petite arm's and hands to fiddle with the tie-downs for her own set of slacks and shirt, so the breeze doesn't undo them.

Rohoka steady's his stance while keeping his long clawed hand glued to his side. Only using his short clawed hand to wave back at the two at their complement. Recognizing them as individuals from a higher honored Den in their Clan.

Not of his own Den though, his is only made up of his parents and him. Being the only one of his clutch actually hatching nine years ago when his parents were finally able to afford kids. An uncommon occurrence, but not unheard of among Draco-Foxes.

He keeps this posture till the two, obviously on a shopping expedition, if not just errands. Pass him by and are out of sight. Only then does he fiddle with his own belt and shirt tie-downs to keep his clothes from falling off of him.

The breezy day having loosened the knots on them, noticing the fact his clothes may be getting a size too small for him as they feel tight when re-secured.

'Maybe if I do well with these chores, fulfilling the errand contract. And our den's store does well, Mom and Dad can get me new clothes this month.' Pushing that thought aside and the thought of him being more popular among his friends for having nicer cloths, he pulls out a small rectangle of tree-bark shaped like a small wooden slate. Carved from the bark of the Iron-Bark tree, which gets its name from bark as hard as stone.

Tapping the thumb of his short clawed hand on the text filled front of it causes a hazy blue list of words to float inches above the surface. Looking down the shopping list he was tasked with doing, he uses a claw tip from his long clawed hand to tap the first non struck through item on the list.

Causing a line to be drawn across it, indicating he's gotten that item and the text on the wood rectangle to change underneath the blue floating text.

Tapping the text again with his thumb claw causes the floating words to fade into nothing.

“Okay, next on the list, some of that odd stuff the humans make. Milk and cheese? I think they call it? Dad likes the stuff though."

Looking about at the two-story mud and tree-bark construction to get his bearings, then at the enchanted signs like the list he's carrying to double-check what street he's on. Each sign projecting words into the air in blue letters, designating the road he's on. Using the same magic that makes the grocery list possible.

'Okay, just need to head down this street, take a left to get to the town center, then a right to get to the human quarter of town. The small, mostly human centric market there should have what Dad wants.' Hefting the burlap sack over his back. Not even wincing at how what's inside is lightly jabbing those tiny wings of his. He sets off down the street.

Staying to the side of the road, to let horse-drawn wagons pass by him. Barely even looking at them, no thought passes through his mind about how out of place they look to most of the animals around town. Or to how equines aren't even native to the planet.

Their existence here is only the result of a summoned human, from ages past using his beast-master powers to transport them from the world he came from to make Draco-Foxes lives easier. Nor does he give any thought of his clan kin, who're stark traditionalists using the planet's native fauna that fills the same niche in nature here.

A giant fur and scale covered beast that resembles a herbivore, superficially, from earth's Permian era. Not that Rohoka would know anything about it, few humans here have any information on Earth. The only one who does is the king of the human kingdom via his personal library, or at least the rumors around the human quarter claim.

Neither of the two kinds of beasts phase him as he navigates the street like a native, avoiding elder clansmen and women going about their own business. His mind more preoccupied with what his allowance will be for completing this contract ahead of time, and he hopes, under the amount his parents normally pay.

'Mom and dad gave me all day to complete this, but I should be done before my friends get let out by their Dens from their classes at this rate.' Rohoka smiles at thinking of what kind of treats he can get with such a large allowance.

Only to stop before entering the town square as his ears and tail tip twitch. The noise and commotion being more than he remembers as 'normal' for the area of town at this time of day.

'Wonder what's going on? Sounds like the whole town's there.'

Adjusting the burlap sack on his back and moving to put his long clawed hand over the smaller sack of money resting on his hip, inside a pocket on the inside of his shirt. He cautiously approaches the town square. Curiosity about what's going on getting the better of his parents telling him to 'stay out of trouble'.

Stopping at a building's corner, he peeks his head around the mud, and bark exterior to take a look at what's going on. His neck fur and scales picking up the detritus from the wall, as well as his clothes. Not that he cares about that right now.

Many of the townsfolk, Human and Draco-Fox fill the square nearly to capacity. All trying not to spill into the center of the street as they keep to their own groups though, Humans with humans, Draco-Foxes with Draco-Foxes. All crowded closer to the gatehouse of the town walls.

Leaving those in the small crowd at the Tracking-Board to stand out. Waiting their turn for the Tracking-Board administrator to examine their completed contracts. Successful or not, so he can update their name and their den's name on the board for all to see.

“Keep the streets clear!"

His ears twitch at the voice of the town crier, just off to the side of the Tracking-Board as she rings a glowing blue bell. Working her lungs and her voice to be heard over the constant din and murmur of the crowd. Fellow Draco-Foxes silence themselves upon hearing her speak, while the Humans in their midst and in their own crowds only lessen the volume of their gossip.

So caught up in watching this, Rohoka fails to hear the telltale sounds of multiple sets of padded paws hitting cobblestone behind him. Till he's roughly pushed against the wall by a strong, furred and human feminine like hand gripping his shoulder of his short-clawed hand.

“You're blocking the way! Didn't your parents teach you better manners?!"

Rohoka's head and neck whips around to look behind him, up the black and green spotted arm, the same pattern of spots continues throughout the rest of hir fur. To the upper torso of the other 'summoned to his world' species that their gods brought in answer to their prayers.

Chakats.

Two adults, and a young one between the two. Naked from the waist between the upper and lower torso down, despite the town's contract for residents to be 'properly clothed' outside their dens at all times.

'Are they visitors?'

The green and black spotted one next to him, roughly pushes him into the wall, again, from his lack of a response. The other adult covered in fur of orange, red and purple in wave like swirls just doesn't even pay attention to him. Between them, a cub, both of hir arms firmly held in the hands of the two adults while hir head hangs low. Shi doesn't even look at him. He can see hir ears drooped and fur matted on her muzzle.

Some part of Rohoka feels a pang of sympathy at the sandstone and black line fur patterned cub, till he remembers what his parents told him about Chakats.

'I have to keep my emotions in check around Chakats. They like to manipulate them with their abilities even if they're being nice to you to take advantage of you. Maybe sympathy is what they 'want' me to feel?'

“Look at me when I'm talking to you, not at hir. Shi's of no consequence to you."

He looks back up at the green and black spotted one. A slight snarl on hir muzzle, which stands in contrast to the nice shirt of that material his mother's been trying for ages to get from them, polyester. All she's been able to get is the same stuff their backpacks and belt pouches get made from, their version of burlap, denim.

Reaching up with his long clawed hand, Rohoka grips the adult chakat's arm, tries, yet fails to get hir to let go off him. Quickly realizing that what his father said is true, they may look like the petite female humans, but are stronger than many.

“No one else is in the street right now, you two can walk around me."

He instantly regrets saying that as the Green and Black spotted one digs hir claws into his shoulder. The only reason shi's not drawing blood from him is that he's starting to get his adult scales. Hir strength and the sharpness of the feline claws would pierce his scales otherwise.

“We will not walk the same streets as your beasts of burden just because we have four legs like they do. Yet, since you so kindly offered. How about you walk in the street and let us use the sidewalk like the civilized beings we are compared to your lot."

Rohoka squeaks as he's lifted, easily by that one arm of the Chakat. Casually handed to the other adult Chakat, who also holds him by just one arm, and just roughly drops him into the center of the street and the detritus it has with a smirk on hir muzzle.

“Should've just listened to my mate and moved on your own kid. Take this as a lesson, when your betters tell you to move. You move, no questions."

The Orange, Red and Purple swirl covered Chakat continues hir disdainful glare at Rohoka for a moment longer. Then looks away to nod to hir mate. Both hir and the Green and Black spotted one don't seem to even notice their cub between them trying to pull hirself out of the iron grasp they have on hir while they were distracted with the Draco-Fox. They just drag hir along with them as they enter the town square, even as the cub tries to dig all four of hir feet into the cobblestone road to stop them.

“If I was just bigger, like my father, they wouldn't be able to do that." Sighing to himself, he uses his tail to push himself back up onto his feet. Then pats down his burlap clothing, dislodging trash stuck to it back to where it belongs, on the street.

Entering the town square he eyes the two who just did this to him, making their way through the crowd. Forcefully pushing those who don't get out of their way in time. Their actions not worth dealing with by any of the town guard. Compared to what's drawn everyone here in the first place and keeping the general peace.

Snorting, he heads for the back of the crowd. Nearer the Tracking-board than where everyone is. Rohoka swings his head back and forth. Not to get a look at everyone here, but to make sure those contracted to administer, and guard the board, aren't looking at him.

Seeing no one, at least from his point of view. Rohoka smirks to himself. 'I'll get a better view of whatever is going on up their, on the roof of the awning.'

Securing his belongings and making sure none of knots keeping his clothing on him got dislodged from earlier. He crouches, then leaps up onto one of the four support posts holding up the protective awning over the Tracking-Board. Claws easily finding holes and notches in the wood to grip onto, he shimmies up and then onto the roof at a brisk pace.

“Oh hey Rohoka, glad you could make it."

Rohoka blinks and stares at one of his friends once his head is over the lip. Another male Draco-Fox. Covered in more Brown and Black fur and scales compared to his own Red and Copper coloration. Then he notices all the other kids his age present, all up here and all waving their short-clawed hands or bobbing their wing-arms at him depending on if they're male or female.

Some of them are friends of his, others are friends of friends. They all still hang out together regardless most days.

Pulling himself fully up onto the clay tiled roof, he crawls over next to his friend's “Damn, thought I was being clever and getting up here with the guard's back turned and all."

Most of the group chuckles at Rohoka as he lowers his ears a bit in embarrassment from not having such a unique idea.

“Nope." Rohoka's friend pats him on the shoulder as he sits next to him. Eyeing the sack he's carrying.

“The Tracking-Board guards allowed us up here, because they wouldn't have been able to stop us anyway. Like you climbing up when they weren't looking." He grins mirthfully.

“I would've just glided from the building over there." One of the girls sitting next to him speaks up, pointing with a wing claw at the building in question. Keeping her hands free to keep her on just the edge of the roof.

“See!" Rohoka's friend smirks, then points to the sack.

“What's in there?"

Moving to hold the sack in his lap, more out of comfort and balance as he sits on the roof rather than protection of what's in it. “Mom and Dad gave me a contract. I do some grocery shopping for them, and in return I'll get some extra coin in my allowance."

The mention of getting a contract gets the attention of most of the kids on the roof. Many of them are three to four years younger than Rohoka, too young for their parents to start such a thing. All of them looking at him causes Rohoka's ears to fold back a bit further. Embarrassed by the sudden attention of his peers.

“Oh don't mind them. They're just jealous they're not old enough yet for their parents to do the same thing." His friend smiles, draping the arm with his short clawed hand over Rohoka's shoulder. The moves his head a bit closer to Rohoka's.

“So how much extra are we talking about here?"

This action doesn't do anything to lessen Rohoka's nervousness at the attention he's getting. Especially since it's over how much he's getting if he completes the contract.

Even then it's just an extra week of allowance, along with any difference in coin between what his parents expect the groceries to cost and what he actually paid for them. Something about teaching him how to 'haggle' and all that.

“I, um, don't think that matters right now. Everyone in the town is here." Hoping to deflect the topic away from himself.

“Why?" His friend tilts his head and ears a bit. Stubby horns, shorter than Rohoka's glimmer in the daylight. Showing his den's wealthier status.

Rohoka points with his short clawed hand to the large crowd of humans in one part of the town square. “The human lady I'd have to purchase the next item on the list is in the crowd." In particular the Human lady that runs the stall, which is his next destination.

His friend snorts. “Yea this whole surprise visit's doing that to everyone." Then he tilts his head the other direction. “Even those idiots."

His friend points and Rohoka's gaze follows to the two Chakats he ran into not to long ago.

Blinking, Rohoka watches as the Green and Black spotted Chakat energetically throws hir arms about as shi stares down one of the town's elderly priestesses. The one who runs the town's orphanage, and everyone in the town knows she does. All the while the other Chakat, the Orange, Red, and Purple swirl patterned one. Holds in place the child they were dragging along with them in spit of hir trying to run.

“Yea, walking around without covering their lower half and yelling at one of our clan's priestesses isn't going to get them what they want." Rohoka mutters and looks elsewhere, just missing the sight of a robed human approaching the Chakats and the Priestess.

“Eh, I'd agree all of them are idiots, but those in particular only just arrived earlier today. One of those magic metal things dropped them off just outside of town this morning. You know the ones, they make lots of noise and create breezes that can knock things down." Rohoka's friend removes his arm from the Red and Copper colored Draco-Fox.

Turning to look at him, Rohoka tilts an ear just a bit. 'Wish I was out here earlier to have seen that.'

“You said a surprise visit? Who's visiting that would draw our entire town?"

Rohoka's friend looks out in the direction of the gate house, sitting between the town square and outside their town.

“The hero's party, Word only reached the town an hour ag…"

He's interrupted by the Town Crier, who up to this point, been busy writing glowing blue runes in the air in front of herself using her hands, while her wings stay folded against her back. Her more expensive cotton clothing billowing in the breeze lightly.

“I said quiet please!"

The runes in front her glow. Activating her skill and magic to amplify her voice over the din's of both the Draco-Foxes, and the Humans in the crowd. Putting it at a volume that drowns out all conversation.

Both sides quiet down, though the Draco-Foxes do so well before the humans eventually stop gossiping among themselves. The Town Crier bobs her head in satisfaction as the town square goes quiet, just like she called for before she can go into her speech.

“Today is a glorious day for our people's, us who're native, and us who're decedents from summoned heroes, now call this place home!"

The Town Crier spreads her wings as she speaks. Finger claws on them pointing to the Humans, the Draco-Foxes, and the two lone Chakats who can't leave. The crowds prevent them from summoning their ride back south.

“Our ancient enemy, The Continuum, who we all remember from our history lessons. Reappeared two years ago. To help our armies from every Skulk, who could field them. The foot-soldiers the Human-Kingdom of Elysengrad could muster, joined the fight, along with a…"

The Town Crier stops for a moment to reread the unfamiliar words to herself a few times, so she can get them right.

“A group of military advisers from the Chakat republic of Neo-Chakona. Yet with all this help the Continuum were just as powerful as they we as before, pushing back our combined forces from their portal at the edge of our territory with Neo-Chakona. That is until our gods yet again answered our prayers and sent us a new group of Humans again to help push them back."

Rolling the parchment up and fully opening her wings. The Town Crier puts some joyful inflection into her voice.

“So it is my pleasure to announce the victorious return of our armies and the humans who made the victory possible!" Deeply bobbing her wings, the Town Crier then manages a Human style bow as she vacates the street.

Moving out of the way just in time to reveal the City Gates raising. Rohoka, along with all the other young just stare at the scene.

“Any of you know what the hero's look like?" One of the young males asks, only to be shushed by someone next to him. Yet what distracts Rohoka is the tug mentally of a skill he's yet to tell his parents he's learned just in the past few days.

A skill he knows his father and mother have because they're accomplished merchants. It draws his attention to the Chakats as the swirling Orange, Red, and Purple fur covered one brings something to hir muzzle, then hir ear.

Rohoka's skill tells him it's an item of 'high' value. Something that may sell well if he could get his claws on it. If they're willing to sell it to him.

“Whatcha looking at? The gate's open, and they're coming through!" His friend gently prods Rohoka's shoulder with a short claw. Drawing his attention and breaking the spell of his skill, Merchants Eye.

Swinging his head over, Rohoka flicks his ears as the gates finish raising with a loud clang. Through the shadow of the gatehouse four elaborately armored horses step out of the gloom. Hooves clacking against cobblestone, echoing into the town square. Only when all four horses enter into the daylight do the Humans erupt into a deafening cheer.

The Draco-Foxes though wave with their short clawed hands, or bob their wings. Not as audibly boisterous as the humans, but no less respectful or joyous in their greeting.

Even Rohoka and the other children join in. Caught up in the enthusiasm of the moment.

“Didn't know Humans could get that big." He looks to his friend who just shrugs as both him and Rohoka watch the nearly seven foot tall Knight, wearing full armor minus his helmet ride into view.

Said helmet clatters against the armor on the horse as it's tied to the saddle as he leads the three others of his party into the town square.

It and the sword on his back gleam in the sunlight, A smile on the knight's face hides the grimace from having to wear such impractical ceremonial armor for this. His actual armor, while not any less covering of his large frame. Is at least made of materials designed to take hits, so it's dented and dinged form is unsuited for such pageantry. That, and there's actually padding inside it to prevent the armor from doing the work of the enemy. Still, the layers of clothing he would have on under the armor in such a warm day is doing him no favors.

He raises his free hand to wave back at the Draco-Foxes and at the humans. The latter cheer louder.

Behind him and to his left their party's thief and scout, similarly chafes under ceremonial leathers, a hood, and a mask he wouldn't be caught dead in. After all, part of being inconspicuous means looking like others. Nothing screams 'you're up to nothing good' than seeing someone with a mask to hide their face and a hood to cover their head.

He's at least happy to not have to be cooking inside such a tin can as their leader, even if nothing in this outfit breaths as well as his normal armor and clothing.

He's also glad of the attention their leader's getting. Drawing eyes away from the sight of him purposefully only paying attention to the humans in the crowd. Only to cringe at the joyous laughter from their party's offensive magic user, their mage. Drinking in all the attention she's getting like she was dying of thirst while riding beside him.

Standing on her stirrups and letting the annoying cloak she has to wear blow in the wind behind her. She waves back to everyone and blows kisses to them. Fully drinking up the attention and admiration pouring onto her from everyone in the town square. Human and Draco-Fox alike.

In her life she has never been treated with this much admiration by so many, it's intoxicating to her. So caught up in this she doesn't even notice the female Draco-Fox child near Rohoka pointing a wing-claw at her.

“What are those things on her chest?" Only to be lightly bonked on the head by a slightly older female Draco-Fox female for pointing at the human rudely with one of her hands rather than a wing-claw.

“It's something that grows on them when they come of age if I remember what mom told me. Like how I'm going to get my back teeth pulled out in a few moons since they're coming in early."

The other girl tilts her head and wings, showing her confusion. “Then why do these humans put up with them? She doesn't look like she's in as much pain as my sister was when her back teeth grew in. I mean look at the size of those things! She must have trouble putting her arms in front of her or looking down at herself. So, why don't Humans remove them?"

The girl next to her shrugs.

Tuning out the two girl's conversation, Rohoka glances to his friend. More or less confused by what they're talking about, only to have his attention drawn past his friend, to the forth and final party member entering their town.

A priestess, of the order of Victoria, calmly sits on her horse, compared to the other three. Yet, just like them, She's fully decked out ceremonial leathers and shining chain-mail. On her head sits their order's standard headgear. A cloth hat with their order's emblem emblazoned on the front.

Steering her horse to keep in formation with the other's, she divides her attention between staring at the three in front of her. And scanning the crowd, as if she expects to see someone or is looking for someone in particular.

“Wonder why she isn't celebrating? She's part of their party, right?" Rohoka points to the priestess, a few of the other kids look in the direction while similarly wondering out loud. The rest that look just shrug. Yet another bit of body language learned from the humans, now engrained in their culture.

Their discussion on the matter's drowned out by Draco-Foxes in the town square cheering. Following directly behind the priestess are two columns of foot-soldiers from their skulk walking in parade lock-step. Many of them are from the very clan running their town.

Not that most of the kids care. The spirit of cheer and celebration fully infecting them, getting them to join in on the cheers and celebration. After all, they're their clansmen or in one or two cases, returning parents.

Compared to the human hero's, the two columns of marching Draco-Foxes wear battered, yet clean armor. Neither glimmering in the sun like the knight or the priestess, or looking like they just got it off the rack at a tailor's or armor's shop like the mage and thief respectively.

Each male Draco-Fox; Footman, Pike-man, and Archer. Along with each female Draco-Fox; Skirmisher, Scout, Mage, and Priestess in the columns hold themselves proudly but with military discipline. None of them outwardly drinking in the attention they're getting while inwardly enjoying it.

As the end of the precession makes it into the town square, they close gatehouse behind them. Leaving the multitude of support and logistics personal, and the hero's actual gear. Outside the town in tent filled military encampments. Along with many of the support personal required for a marching army.

“That was neat." Rohoka looks over to his friend, then the other kids as he watches the crowd follow the precision. “But I should get going now that the crowd is dispersing. If I'm quick I can be first in line at the human's stall where I need to get my next item on the list mom and dad gave me."

Those sitting next to him move out of the way, allowing him climb back down the post he used to climb up on. The moment his feet touch the cobblestone pavement the head of his friend pokes out from over the edge of the roof. Stopping Rohoka in mid-step before he could jog over to the Human quarter.

“Hey! You didn't say how much extra allowance you'd get. So how much will they give you for completing this contract?"

Folding his ears back a little, he glances around at everyone else looking at him like his friend, their own heads peeking over the awning roof, before nervously smiling back at them.

“Um... About double my normal allowance, and if I can haggle the price of the groceries lower than what they paid for. I can keep the difference. They didn't say what they paid for them though, so I don't think I'll get that."

Knowing the cheers from his guy friends and squees from the girls he at least knows, and the fact he knew it was coming. Doesn't stop him from wincing at the noise as they make.

“You're going to share, right?" One of the speaks up when they stop cheering.

“Making me jealous Rohoka, now I can't wait till next year when my den will be doing the same for me and my siblings!" A girl he's hung out with along with his friend speaks up next.

Along with various other comments fill his ears as he starts backing up before turning to jog in the direction of the Human quarter. 'Gonna have to get them all treats too now, I guess. Not like I wasn't kinda thinking about doing it anyway.'

Slinging his burlap pack against his shoulder as he rounds a corner, Rohoka expertly moves through the remaining crowd in and near the town square. Unlike the square and the Draco-Fox quarter though, the Human quarter's different. At least to him as having grown up and staying mostly in the Draco-Fox portion of the city.

It has the same architecture, the same streets and all. Yet, the atmosphere feels different to him. Knowing he has to be a bit more weary of where he walks and those around him is part of it he realizes as he navigates. They don't seem to be looking out for others like his fellow Draco-Foxes after all.

'Maybe it's because most humans refuse to participate in the contract system?' Wondering about it again to himself, He doesn't know if it's true. Only it's what his parents tell him whenever he asks. These thoughts bounce around his head as he navigates around some humans seemingly not paying attention to where they're going. Along with one human child about his age trying to get at his coin-purse.

Rohoka doesn't dwell on it long with the stall he needs to get his next item within sight. Located not to far from the town square in the first cluster of human stalls one sees as one heads down the road he's on. Where they willingly ply their wares to the crowds of natives and visitors alike, rather than preferring just Human customers in the market further inside the Humans quarter.

He frowns as he approaches the milk lady's stall. Seeing activity his destination dampens his mood as he may not be the first one in line now. Only for his ears to shoot straight up and his tail to stiffen as he gets closer and can see what's going on in the stall.

The lady, who like the Hero mage, has similar, but not quite as large ample growths on her chest. Indicating she's of age like one of his friends from earlier pointed out. 'That is a good question really, why don't they get rid of them? They're getting in the way of her swinging that broom.'

Closer to the stall, Rohoka now sees sh isn't tending to customers. She's instead chasing some smaller, and thus younger than him Human and Draco-fox children around and out of her stall. So while she's occupied, a smaller Chakat cub. Compared to the one he saw earlier, and other kids grab things out of her stall and supply crates whenever her back is turned.

“Get! Get!" She yells with a broom as she swings it in the air at them. Looking like she wants to hit them, yet doesn't.

Quickening his pace, Rohoka fluffs up his fur. Being nine, he's at least a head taller than the oldest Draco-Fox and Human in the crowd of kids. So doing this makes him look bigger, thus stronger than them too. “Leave her alone!" Bellowing just outside her stall to get the kid's attention.

The extra person showing up to help the lady results in the effect that Rohoka wanted. Those near the milk lady stop trying to distract her. The others stop grabbing everything they can carry from her stock in turn. All deciding to run off with what they have, rather than stay. Quickly leaving Rohoka and the milk lady alone in her trashed stall.

“Damn orphans! Don't know why the city doesn't do a better job taking care of them, despite that damn ranking system…" The lady mutters, only to stop as she finally notices Rohoka.

“Oh hello Rohoka, thanks for the help." She sighs. “Should've known better than to have gone to see what the commotion was in the city square. I bet they were just out of sight, waiting for me to leave my stall unattended." Slapping her customer focused smile back on, she looks down at Rohoka.

“So, I'll tell you what. I'll give you a discount for your help in scaring them off."

She glances around at the mess as her posture deflates.

Of her stock, there are some bottles left. All magically enchanted to keep the liquid inside cold. Most of what's left are in the crates in the back of her stall on her cart. There's even less left of the cheeses she put on display.

“Of what I have left that is…" She sighs dejectedly, while Rohoka lowers his ears sympathetically at her situation. Stopping himself from agreeing to her offer before he can think about how to answer her.

Mainly because one of the things Rohoka has learned from what his parents have taught him in their informal education, is the Draco-Fox way of doing business. He knows his father finds the milk she sells the best out of everyone here who sells the stuff. Thus, he'll only buy from her stall. So an informal contract exists between her and Rohoka's den.

At least for the moment. He's overheard his parents talk about a formal supply contract every few nights as he helps stock the store. It's been a discussion between his dad and his mom for a long while, and they've never come to an agreement. So far that is, all because every Draco-Fox knows about the human tendency to not honor contracts.

Still, an informal contract exists, and Rohoka has to honor it if he wants to successfully complete this task. 'I'm pretty sure mom and dad will find out about it somehow if I do take advantage of this situation and try to get Dad's milk and Cheese cheaper.'

Rohoka shakes his head as he looks up at her. “As tempting as it is, mom and dad would be angry if I did so. I'll pay the same price for my dad's normal supply that mom or dad does when they do the shopping."

Rohoka tilts his ears slightly at the expression on the lady's face which he doesn't understand, but nonetheless waits as she gathers six bottles and one block of cheese from what's left of her stock. Then with professional grace, she places them on the table set up in the stall for bartering.

With the merchandise presented, Rohoka uses his short clawed hand to dig out the stack of five Silver coins and places it on the table next to the goods before gently pushing the whole stack forward towards the Human woman.

She takes them, looks them over and pockets them into a coin purse in her dress, under an apron. “I understand why you won't accept my thanks." She's quiet for a split second. “Still, thank you Rohoka for your help. I hope your father enjoys them."

Rohoka smiles. “He will. He always does."

Gently placing the burlap sack on the table, he holds the flap open with is long clawed hand while gently placing the glass bottles and cheese inside with his short-clawed hand. If it wasn't for the fact that these sacks are common, the Milk Lady would be amazed at how it can hold more than its size would suggest.

Closing it up, Rohoka gently hefts it onto his back. This time letting it land on a spot not occupied by his vestigial wings under his fur.

“I know he will. Your father's a dairy addict." She smiles back at him politely. With a wave of his short clawed hand to return the polite gesture, he heads back to the town square. His business now done in the Human quarter of town.

Tilting his head upon re-entering the area, he glances around. 'I wasn't gone that long and the place is mostly empty now. They're even on the top of the awning anymore.'

The only group present being around the Tracking-Board. Considering no matter what time of day, as long as there's daylight to see. People will always want to update their standing on the board, or check on other's standing before getting into contracts with them.

Shrugging, he pulls out the list again. Tapping it to bring up the magical display and crossing off Milk and Cheese. 'Just one more thing and I'll be done with shopping and I can turn in my first contract.' Smiling to himself, his mind fills with all the sweets he'll be able to get with his larger allowance this week.

Shaking his head lightly, Rohoka walks over to the last store on his list. Thankfully located in the town square itself, and without issue from the fellow Draco-Fox owners. Purchases the last item needed to complete the grocery list and thus his first contract.

Crossing it off, the blue magical display turns green when he taps the last line, then shuts off for the last time. Allowing him to pocket the piece of tree-bark without worry of ruining the inscriptions.

'Done!' Smiling both internally and externally, he takes the side of the street in the town square leading to the Draco-Fox quarter. Then by memory, navigates the streets and side streets back home.

'Wish mom and dad told me how much they normally pay for this stuff, so I'd know if I got some of these items for less than they did.'

Only for his mind to drift back to the dairy stall, and the human woman running it before shaking his head. 'No, we had a contract, no matter if informal. Mom and Dad would be angry if I broke it simply to make an extra coin like a Human.'

He slows down as he approaches a two-story building, one among many similar looking ones on the street he calls home. Store signs hanging from the front door of the first floor's of each, while signs of Den dwellings hang from windows on the second floors.

Stuff like large awnings to shield inside from the sun, ladders to roofs to allow kids to climb, and potted plants. To make the dwellings feel more alive. Not to mention open windows to let the air in and hanging laundry.

Rokoha doesn't even stop to think as he walks up to the front door of the store owned by his Den. A lacquered wooden sign hanging above it, depicting a barrel filled with various foods and dry-goods. Along with some other general goods set around the barrel. Everything someone needs on the long trips by foot or animal between towns and cities.

As he opens the door a brass bell chimes, announcing his entrance to his waiting parents inside.

Zarith looks over from the register and counting their sales this afternoon as Catox stops stocking the shelves behind the main counter. Opening her wings, and letting go of the ladder near the top shelf, She glides down and lands in the small customer accessible area just inside the store.

“My little hatchling! That wasn't as quick as I thought it would be young man. What took you so long?" Landing in front of Rohoka, the young male smiles up at his mother. Only to see her tilt her head a bit as one of her clawed hands lifts a part of his shirt for closer examination.

“We only sent you out to get groceries, how did you get your clothes so dirty?"

Zarith lifts a hinged section of the counter, so he can join his wife. All the while Rohoka looks up at his mother sheepishly. Unsure if she'll accept the answer he'll give her.

“Um. Got pushed into a wall and then dumped onto the street by some Chakats because they didn't want to walk around me as I was trying to see what was going on in the town square."

Catox using her hands to clean off her child's clothing as best she can while it's still on him sighs. At both the news and at how dirty one of Rohoka's two outfits got.

“Let me guess, we're talking about those two visitors and not some of their 'defective' cubs their kind just drops on our Clan and Skulk to take care of without even a word." Along with more news of the two trouble making Chakat's that their neighbors have gossiped about.

Zarith puts his short clawed hand on Catox's shoulder and smiles down at his son while flicking an ear. Telling their kid he's as annoyed as his wife. 'Could've been worse. They could've hurt him like they tried to do to the bakery earlier. Though, I guess it's our fault for not telling him to be careful.'

“And you didn't antagonize them in any way?" Zarith asks once Catox finishes trying to clean Rohoka's clothing, kneeling and places his short-clawed hand around his son. Bringing him into a short hug to show he's glad Rohoka's okay. Letting go of his offspring, he gently relieves Rohoka of the burlap sack.

Having scented the cheese and milk inside.

Rohoka shakes his head. “No mom, dad. I was just standing against the building with my head peeking around the corner to see what all the commotion was in the town square when they suddenly appeared behind me. Demanding I move even though the entire street was clear. Don't know if it was because they didn't want to, or it was because they were dragging that cub with them."

“They had a cub with them?" Catox frowns as she folds her wings against her back at that information. The a-fore mentioned bakery didn't say they were here to dump yet another 'defective' as the Chakat's put it, cub on them.

“Great, that's why they're here. To dump another one of their 'cubs' on us because they don't measure up to whatever the gods they worship think they should. It's not like the orphanage isn't already overflowing with all the kids who lost their parents due to this war, thus failing their contracts." Catox whines.

Rohoka looks over to his father who's already taking a bite out of the block of cheese. He chews it, then swallows. “What was going on in the town square, which was so interesting?" He looks to his son, He and his wife have been busy most of the day, either selling to customers or restocking the up front shelves to attract more.

The young Draco-Fox smiles. “The new hero's! The ones our gods sent us to help against the evil continuum! They showed up, the Town Crier claimed they won the battle going on down south that you two were so worried about the other night."

Catox flicks her ears as she removes the curdled and solidified milk product from Zarith's hands, least he eats the whole thing.

He lets her do so, only lowering his ears while his tail touches the ground in disappointment watching his wife wrap it back up.

“I guess that's good news, but what about all the soldiers that went with them when they passed by on their way south about a month ago?"

“Oh, they entered after the hero's did, then they closed the gates once everyone was inside." Rohoka smiles.

That draws their attention the most, getting both of them to frown. Catox looks to Zarith, who in turn nods, walking over to the front door. With a sigh he flips around their open sign to show the store's closed for the day, then locks the door.

'No use being open if the town gates are closed. We're far from the cheapest general store for the townsfolk to use. Besides, most of our stock is geared for the traveller.'

Gently putting her hand on Rohoka's shoulder, Catox smiles. “Well, I guess we can't count that against you. I bet most of the town was there, so it must have been a neat thing to see."

“They were!" Rohoka nods. “Even most of my friends. The guards even let us on the roof over the Tracking board, so we could see over everyone." He leaves out that he at least tried to sneak up onto the roof, only to wince lightly as his mother cuffs his ears in disapointment.

“How many times to I have to tell you not to climb up onto that? Climb onto our roof if you feel the need to do so. At least you won't be able to fall off from there."

Rohoka folds his ears back, while his tail moves against the floor. “But, that's no fun."

“It's safer." His mother counters. “After all, you don't have wings like I do to glide to safety if you fell off." Only to smile, pulling him up into a hug.

“Still, look at you. You did a good job today and completed the contract we gave you. My little darling's growing up."

She looks over to her Husband who's already laid out everything they sent him to get on the counter. More than one would think the burlap sack would normally hold, if it wasn't for the low quality magic cast upon it to do so.

“How'd he do?" Her muzzle and body language as she sets her son down showing her curiosity about how well her son did to negotiate the prices of the goods they wanted him to get.

Zarith smiles back. “Not to bad for a first try I'd say." The floating blue magical text in front of both his long and short clawed hands glows as he uses his appraising skill. Determining the quality of what Rohoka got, and how much it cost him to buy them.

“Some things he paid more for, others less than what we do. Overall, we can add another one and a half percent to his allowance on top of our agreed upon doubling for simply completing the contract." He smiles over to his wife, then his son.

Rohoka just jumps up and down upon hearing the verdict, ears and tail wagging in excitement. Even his tiny vestigial wings under his fur flap. “Yes!"

Only for Catox to gently place a hand on his head, stopping him from bouncing in place. “Now, I don't want you spending it all on candy…" Glancing to her husband via her peripheral vision. “Or this human 'milk' stuff like your father."

“Mom! I'm not addicted to the stuff like dad is." He speaks, as his dad does try to sneak one of the bottles to the side, so he can drink it while she's not looking.

A glare from Catox gets him to stop. He moves the magically chilled bottle back with the others with a claw tip.

She smiles and while still gently holding onto her son by his head, leads him over to the register. Opening it with a single lever press, she counts out double plus one percent his normal allowance for the week from the till.

Two Silver coins and One copper coin. Only slightly playfully making a performance out of it, like she's reluctant to do so when she feels anything but reluctant in paying her son for completing his first contract.

“Again, hun, I don't want to find out you spent this all on candy." She holds out the three coins in her hand, but doesn't yet drop them into Rohoka's outstretched and waiting short clawed hand.

Sighing and flopping his ears back, he only nods once. “Okay mom. I won't waste it all on candy."

Inwardly Rohoka just smiles. He doesn't plan to spend it 'all' on candy for him and his friends, just most of it. Only for Catox to stare down at him, all the while he smiles up at her. Though his ears and tail soon betray his intentions to her.

'Of course you are. I just hope your friends appreciate it.' She drops the coins into Rohoka's waiting hand.

The moment the coins touch his hand, Rohoka takes off running for his room upstairs. If he ran any quicker, Catox would've had to open her wings to keep her balance from the backlash of air hitting her.

Zarith though, calls out to his son while reluctantly relinquishing the dairy products to care of his wife. She in turn, takes them and climbs to a shelf only she can reach because of her wings. Something she's resorted to after finding her husband one too many times in the morning surrounded by empty bottles of milk and cheese wrappings.

“Come back down here and help us restock once you're done putting your allowance in your stash son. Oh! And change into your other set of clothing, so your mother can clean those!"

Rohoka stops at the entrance to the stairs up to their den. “Okay dad!" Before disappearing up the stairs, his feet glowing blue.

“I swear that's some kind of speed skill."

“It might be." Catox calls back from where she stashes the dairy products. Zarith knows where they are. Except, like all Draco-Fox males. He's bigger and heavier than his wife. Built for digging and building dens as well as protecting them. Not as much as climbing and gliding like the females are. Though like all kids, including his son, it didn't stop him from trying to climb things all the time either when he was Rohoka's age.

Stashing them at the back of the top shelf, Catox smiles proudly. “I know he already has an appraisal skill, or at least the start of one. The slight blue glow in his eyes while looking at Silver and Gold coins rather than copper tells me that much. Don't know if he knows it yet or isn't willing to tell us yet."

Opening her wings, Catox lets go and glides from the top shelf she's on, to one she was at when her son came home. As she flies, her wings glow blue while gaining altitude to stay level with the height she started out as, but no higher.

Grabbing onto the shelf, she returns to pulling product out of smaller sacks on her person and replenishing stock the store's stock with a contemplative look on her face.

Zarith shrugs at what his wife told him, plodding to the back to push to the front some wood boxes. Then goes about prying the lids off with his long clawed hand as it glows blue to cut through the processed wood. All in preparation of restocking some bulk dried goods. Some of their faster sellers.

“Most likely the latter. When I asked him about being a merchant, he wasn't that enthusiastic about it. So I guess he doesn't know what he wants to be."

“Yea we've all been there before." Catox mutters a bit as she climbs and glides from upper shelf to upper shelf. All the while her wings glow blue every time she flaps.

“He has a good chance of picking up a lot of skills right now. After all, once he gets a class when he comes of age and signs the social contract with our Clan and Skulk, he'll be locked to only learning skills for that class. So it's best to let him pick up skills for what he likes to do now."

Zarith stops what he's doing to look up at Catox with a smirk on his muzzle. “Like how you got the extended glide skill before having to take the merchant sub-class of clerk?"

'And the Iron-claw skill I got before having to take the general merchant class.' He muses to himself.

Catox laughs out loud. “Like my parents would've been able to stop me from gliding from rooftop to rooftop rather than walking on the street!"

He joins in on the laughter. “If they did, then I would've not met you that one day."

Only for both of them to stop laughing upon hearing the sound of claws on the floor. Simultaneously they look over to their son, standing in the customer accessible portion of the store. He just stands there, in front of the counter. Tilting his head while wondering what his parents are laughing about.

He's about to open his mouth and ask the same question he does like the last few times he's caught his parents like this. Only for both of them to cut him off by saying “I'll tell you when you're older." Before looking at each other and stifling another round of laughter between the two when they manage to say it at the same time.

Zarith opens the gate on the counter. Allowing their son into the majority of the general store, where customers aren't allowed.

“Go get some glass jars. We need to restock our flour supply."

Nodding once, Rohoka goes to the far back of the store, returning shortly thereafter with his hands and arms full of glass jars. He then zips back and returns with lids that screw on. Yet before he moves to help his father, Zarith stops him.

“Okay, just like before. I'm going to ask you a question. If you get it right, son, you get to fill the jars."

“And if I get it wrong I have to carry them and place them on the shelf." Rohoka finishes off the sentence for Zarith.

It's been this way for as long as he has been old enough to help them. They'd tell him fantastic stories, tales of their history and such. At night after they close the store before he has to go to bed, then during the day as he helps them. They'd question him about what they told him either from the night before or the night before that. If he got the questions right, he'd be allowed to do the tasks he liked doing. If he got them wrong, he'd have to do the tasks he didn't.

Zarith nods with a smile to his son. Thinking back on when he and Catox would spend nights trying to figure out how to give him as much of an education they could afford. Their store survives month to month, unlike richer merchants in town who're able to send their kids to apprenticeships at Rohoka's age, or that human concept of 'schools'. This idea was the best they could come up with to try to give him a better chance. A better class.

After all, when you sign the clan and Skulk contracts when you come of age. The magic in them will examine you, your knowledge, and your aptitude to determine your class. Getting a higher class at the start is much easier than obtaining it later in life through the Honor tracking board. So they want Rohoka to have a wing up compared to them when they were his age.

“Alright. Rohoka can you tell me how the first age started?" Zarith starts the routine as his long clawed hand glows blue once again before he touches each jar in turn.

A simple skill, making the container he touches preserve the food inside for a week or two at a time. As a general merchant it's an essential skill at keeping costs down. So he learned it quickly, not long after he got his class in fact.

Flicking his ears, Rohoka thinks back on the story they told him two nights ago.

“The first age started when skulk Reynard invented our Contract System, and the magic to enforce it among us. Keeping the untrustworthy from running Skulks into trees and allowing us to discover how to work metal rather than using hardened bark from Stone-trees." The young Draco-Fox watches his father's face and muzzle as he speaks for any indication if he answered correctly or not.

A growing smile and a nod of his muzzle tells Rohoka he answered correctly. Zarith moves to the side and gestures to the wooden crate filled with flour. “Correct. You get to fill the jars, while I'll cap them and put them on the shelf."

Smiling in return Rohoka takes his father's place and starts digging into the semi compacted flour in the crate with his hands. Finding it rather fun doing this, not knowing it's scratching that instinctual itch to dig a den for a perspective mate.

Using his claws to dig out big clumps, he pushes them into the jars his father sets next to his hands, then levels off the top with a single long claw once filled with flour. Zarith would then take the jar from his son and twist on a top. The jar in question would glow blue for only a moment as the preservation magic activates. He would then just as deftly and skillfully place the jar on the shelf marked 'Flour, Five copper per jar' just behind the main counter and in full view of anyone entering the store.

It doesn't take long for them to fill the shelf full of jars, nor does it take long for Rohoka's hands and fore-arms to be covered in the brownish-white flour. Completely staining his fur the same color.

Tsking, Catox slides down one of their ladders before grabbing a rag, having watched how her son played in the flour as he was filling the jars. Digging and making shapes. Shaking her head as she, along with Zarith clean off Rohoka's hands and arms. She's about to open her mouth to chastise her son, but her husband just shakes his head to cut her off.

“Just let him has his fun hun. It won't be long till he's going to have to earn a living and keep an honorable record. Leaving him with little free time to himself."

His words cause Catox to slump her neck and wings a bit. “I know, I know. Our little boy is almost all grown up. I mean, It feels like yesterday that he, among that entire clutch, hatched. Our little miracle."

Once Rohoka's hands and fore-arms are cleaned of the ground plant matter. She takes the rag and tosses them onto the counter. To be retrieved later, so she can wash them along with her son's other outfit later in the night.

Putting her hands on her hips and fluttering her wings a bit as she holds them open. She grins at her son. “Alright, your father got to ask one question. So it's my turn now." Glancing to Zarith. “What's next to be done? I've already handled all the higher shelves."

Tapping his lower jaw of his muzzle a couple of times with a long claw, he looks around. Then his tail taps the floor. “Ah, the cheap little treats we keep in front rather than behind the counter. Humans call them Impulse items. They certainly live up to their name."

Nodding, Catox folds her wings. “Alright. Get this question right, and you can fill those shelves." She says knowing full well Rohoka will sneakily eat one or two of the sundries that are sweet treats. They're fruit pickled in pure sugar after all.

“Of course, get it wrong, and you'll be the one who retrieves the small crates from the back and throw out the empty ones."

Roahaka nods, agreeing to the terms. “Alright mom. So what's the question?" Ears up and twitching while his tail sways back and forth. He can already taste the sweetness of the dried and sugar covered fruit on his tongue.

Humming to herself, Catox's head sways back and forth. Considering what question from what they've tried to teach him would be hard enough to overlook him to sneaking some sundries into his mouth. Only if he got it right, of course.

“Okay. Tell me who invaded at the end of the first age and the second age. As well as which of the other people here our gods summoned to help use defeat them?"

Rohoka's eyes widen in surprise. 'Of course mom would give me a hard one. I mean I know they're smart, they must know I grab one or two pieces of that stuff to eat when I help them stock it. They told me that story weeks ago and a lot has happened since then.'

“Umm. Give me a minute mom."

Catox smiles. “Take your time, we have all late afternoon and evening to get this stuff done now rather than a few hours." Then she looks at her husband who takes it as a signal to go restock other things in their store.

“Oh right! The Continuum invaded at the end of the first age, and our gods brought us the Humans to take care of them, right?" He looks over to his mother, who nods with a smile.

“Go on, what is the other One?" She smiles. 'One out of two correct so far. Go on hun you can get the other one right.' Musing to herself.

Rohoka doesn't stop his ears from twitching as he lightly paces back and forth. His short-clawed hand on his lower jaw on his muzzle as he thinks. None of them realizing this is a Human gesture picked up by their species from the fore mentioned ancient age.

One of many habits their species picked up from them, even their language.

He then stops. “Oh, they tried again much later, at the end of the second age. Also, after what happened with the humans after we won at the start of the second age. We asked our gods for something 'better' than Humans. So they dropped a giant metal container filled with the Chakats next to the Skulk that did the summoning."

He looks hopeful over to his mother, only for his ears to fall as Catox lacks her happy body language whenever Rohoka gets a question right.

“Close, but not quite right hun. The group who invaded at the end of the second age, from what we could tell. Were at one time part of the Continuum. Only they weren't when they tried to invade us, they were trying to break away."

'And are back as part of them now, considering those same beings are with the continuum who're trying to invade again.' Catox this keeps to herself as to not scare Rohoka too much about their world's chances this time round. Most of their forces have been pushed back, and they've only started to go on the offensive after yet another group of summoned heros arrived by the hands of their gods.

“You needed to get both right sadly, so that means your Father and I get to stock sundries as you retrieve them from storage. Use the cart, and lift with your tail and legs, not your back."

Rohoka's ears fall, but nods before he heads towards the back of the store where they store anything not on the up front shelving.

With a sigh, Catox glances over to her husband. “We did order extra of them, right?"

“Yea." Zarith nods.

“Then I'll just let him have one or two once we're done as a reward for hard work. Better than him sneaking down here later tonight for it." She walks over drapes an arm and a wing over Zarith, or as much as she can since like all female Draco-Foxes, she's smaller than him.

“Sounds good, except I would like to have some more of the cheese later tonight too." He grins, causing Catox to roll her eyes in mock annoyance.

“I'll cut a slice or two for you to have with dinner." taking a step back she folds her wings against her back and looks at her husband sternly even if she feels anything but stern.

“Just a couple of slices?" He lowers his ears a bit, mostly teasingly at her. Only for Catox to soften her expression and smile up at him.

“Three then, but no more! I don't want you sneaking down here trying to get more either, got it?" She watches at Zarith enthusiastically nods his neck and head.

“Yes hun."

A set of four short, but loud knocks on the front door stops Catox's hand mid-way to touching Zarith's muzzle. Causing both her and her husband to look in its direction in annoyance from ruining the moment.

“I flipped the sign to closed and locked the door. They should know we're not open." Zarith stands a bit straighter while Catox lightly opens her wings. Wing claws out showing her nervousness as they look at each other before Zarith takes a step towards the door.

Long clawed hand out in front of him with his fur bristling, he approaches the front door as whomever is on the other side now just bangs a fist against the door repeatedly. Causing the closed sign in the window to rattle along with some loose items on nearby shelving.

Looking out the window, Zarith hisses to himself. 'Figures, Humans. They don't respect contracts, why would they respect a sign saying open or closed?' With his short-clawed hand he gestures to Catox behind his back. She pulls out a small cross-bow from under the counter for just such an occasion, while keeping an eye out for Rohoka.

'Best he stays in the back and away from any danger.'

“We're closed for the day because the main gates are closed. Go elsewhere." Zarith yells loud enough so the hooded and masked figure and other humans on the other side of the door can hear him. A hooded figure that Rohoka would know as one of the hero's.

“I'm one of the human hero's. We have a contract with your clan leader to allow us to acquire supplies for our journey northward to help with the Human kingdom's southern front against the Continuum. So let us in, and we'll be out of your fur shortly." The masked man counters as Catox gestures with her tail for Rohoka to stay away from the front of the store. Having spotting him approaching from the corner of her eye.

All the while the door handle jostles lightly, but not without notice from Zarith. 'He better not be picking the lock…'

The young Draco-Fox gently puts down the handle of the cart he was using to move multiple boxes of goods as he watches his father stand near the front door. All the while, his mother holds the house's only cross-bow below the counter top, so it can't be seen through the front door windows.

“Show me the contract." Zarith demands. His tone of voice indicating he's about at his limit in dealing with these Humans.

The jostling of the handle stops. Of all the other stores they've been to, this is the first one who's asked that. Then again, he was surprised to find a store closed when there's still light out, they should be open. Subtly glancing back to the men-at-arms he brought simply for the intimidation factor and then back at the Draco-Fox male glaring at him through the wavy, imperfect glass window set in the door frame. He doesn't reply to Zarith's demands.

“Show me the contract Human, or be off with you. We're closed because we cater only to travelers, who won't be able to get into town with the city gates closed." His long clawed hand glows blue faintly as he readies his only offensive skill. Keeping his long clawed hand from sight.

Something he's only used to open crates though, never in anger against another person. If they force their way into his store though, his home. He'll make an exception.

The human thief grumbles, already interrupted part way through picking the average lock. He takes one hand and reaches into one of his inner pockets. Pulling out the enchanted piece of iron-bark that the contract's written on. Tapping the inscription with a thumb brings up the official gold lettering of a clan elder written contract.

He slams it against the glass, not hard enough to break it. Only enough to rattle the door to show his annoyance at the demand. He knows he's out of line of the agreement, he doesn't care though. If these furry fandom wet dreams can't keep what's theirs, then it belongs to him and other humans.

Keeping his long clawed hand hidden, Zarith reaches up to the text floating through the window with his short clawed hand. Skimming over the contract, only to stop and tap a single paragraph in the contract. Tapping it causes the text touched to flip and protect in front of the Human's covered face.

'Yea not surprised a human fails to understand a contract, hero or not.' Zarith frowns.

“Contract's only for 'open' shops and shops that have 'spare stock', which won't impact other delivery contracts. As you can see by our sign, we're closed. If you need general goods, go three blocks down for another general store." His frown turns into a glare while showing more than a few of his teeth. Zarith points in the direction of the next closest general store he just gave the directions to.

'Of all of these freaking furry wet dreams, it has to be this one who resists. The rest fawned over me like a savior. He's just some stupid shop-keep who thinks he's smarter than he actually is.' The human Thief muses.

'Fuck it! They have no alarm systems here, no cctv camera's. Hell, this isn't even my normal outfit. No way for anyone to know it was me, other than 'witnesses'.'

He glances down the basically deserted street in either direction through the corner of his vision. Most, if not all the residents of the town are still following his companions or celebrating with the foot-soldiers they had to babysit.

The others with him grin knowingly, signaling they will say they were with him elsewhere in the town if asked.

'They're no eyewitnesses, though.'

Holding out his hand he mutters “Skeleton key" stifling the grimace of pain as one of his fingers breaks. The cost of forming a perfect key for the lock in front of him as it glows red. Breaking a bone in correlation to the complexity of the lock.

'I'll just have to make up an excuse for the cleric to fix it later.'

The sound of the key being inserted into the lock, has Zarith taking a cautious step back, and Catox raising the crossbow from under the counter. Aiming it at the front door.

'Must've used a skill to unlock the door.' He raises his long clawed hand in preparation to strike. It doesn't cross his mind that his skill may not even hurt the human hero, or how he would deal with the men-at-arms. He has a wife and child to protect.

With the door unlocked, the Human Thief twists the bronze door handle till it clicks, opening it. “Funny, for being 'closed' your door is unlocked."

“IRON CLAW!" Zarith yells out, aiming to stab the intruding human in the chest. The blue light covering his long clawed hand illuminates the human's bronze and tanned face. Allowing him to see the mirthful expression on the human's face not covered by the mask.

Followed by a small dagger glowing the same shade of blue as Zarith's claws, as he effortlessly parries the attack.

With a grunt , he shoves Zarith back several feet. “That would've hit me if I had come here after I was summoned by your gods."

The fwip of a bolt from the crossbow Catox wields, is instantly followed by the clang of it being deflected by the same dagger. Both sounds fill Rohoka's ears as he stays three to four feet behind his mother, just out of sight due to the shelving. Having ignored her earlier body language to see what's going on rather than hide.

“Now, 'that' would've worked last week. Before I learned an arrow deflection skill in our last major encounter with those continuum guys." Dejectedly sighing, like a kid who's bored with their new toy. All while Catox scrambles to reload the cross-bow and Zarith pushes himself back up to his feet and gets ready to attack the human again.

“Honestly, I applaud some simple merchants with the ability to fight. You're just, seriously weaker than even green recruits we've had to babysit for the past few months."

Only to let out a groan when he shuts his mouth, finally realizing 'why' they stopped at this town rather than continue on.

Moving his fingers on his injured hand to prevent the broken finger bone from settling in a state that's more painful. He mutters to himself, yet loud enough the adult Draco-Fox in front of him can hear him and his allies to hear.

“Which I'm sure we'll be saddled with once we head north tomorrow. Great, stuck with nobodies that can barely handle their weapons. If I'm lucky maybe they'll already have a combat class meaning they won't try to run at the first sight of the enemy. Seriously, do any of these furry wet dreams have a backbone other than these two idiots?"

One of the men-at-arms he brought with him steps closer to the Human Hero. “If you want, we can take care of these ingrates while go back to make sure we're not stuck with worthless warm bodies again."

“Nah." Waving his other hand, as the single dagger fans out into multiple while the original dagger gains a red tinge as the state of repair of it degrades like it was sitting out in the elements for months.

Zarith growls. “We fight hard for our home, what would you know about that! Our gods have only just summoned you here!" Readying another use of his singular combat skill, he takes a step forward as Catox raises the cross-bow again.

Her tail pointing to Rohoka, then pointing further back in the store. The message is clear to him, his mother wants him to run. Except, he's frozen on the spot out of fear and entrancement. Something drawing his eyes to his father's skill, followed by the red skills of human, having never seen red ones before.

“This again? Didn't go well for you last time. Maybe if.." The human Thief's interrupted by Zarith charging at him with his iron claw skill. Only, instead of a direct attack at the human, he feints to the side. Allowing Catox to fire at the human.

The look of surprise only lasts for a moment. “Better." Before it's gone as he stops Zartih's attack like before, blocking it with one of the daggers with his blue parry skill. Except, the moment his claws make contact with his dagger, The human hero uses his other hand. The one with the broken finger to grab the Draco-Fox by the neck. Using him as a shield for the cross-bow bolt, thus instead of it hitting him, it embeds itself into Zarith's back and lung.

The look of utter shock on Catox's face for hitting her husband is all the opening the human hero needs, throwing the duplicated daggers at her. Pinning Catox to the side of the shelving behind her, each dagger piercing vital organs or blood vessels.

“Still not good enough to hurt me, too bad you won't get another try." Grinning, he pulls down the mask from over his mouth before looking over to his comrades and tossing Zarith to the ground. All the while the male Draco-Fox wheezes from the injury.

“Too bad you know. Where I'm from an injury like that isn't fatal. Here though, you're as good as dead. Much like your mate, who should be bleeding out any time now. All because you decided to be difficult and not give us what's rightfully ours."

Using the last of her energy Catox both glares angrily at the human, and uses her tail to again tell her son, to run if he is still there. She can't see him, nor can she move her head to check with the dagger in her neck pinning her head in place.

Despite this, Rohoka's rooted to the spot after seeing both his parents killed so callously. Only until he feels two things click in his mind, along with his growing anger does he regain control of his own feet. He knows the feeling of one of them, as he's already felt it twice already in the past year or so. He's learned a new skill, the other, though feels like his world has just solidified for him.

Only passively noting to himself that it's an odd feeling, one he's never felt before. Yet, somehow it feels like it's going to be with him the rest of his life.

Not that it matters to him right now. His vision's tinged red at this human, out of pure hate for killing his parents, much like his long clawed hand starts to glow red. Those claws lengthening, thickening, and sharpening to the point they can render steel in the same way fingers rend the surrounding air.

All of this out of sight from the now gloating humans.

The human Hero turns to his comrades as he pulls the mask back up over his mouth. “Just fill the bags with everything." He lazily waves his hands in the general direction of the shelving behind the counter. Before kneeling next to Zarith who's still stubbornly clinging onto life, if his shallow rasping gasps are anything to go by.

Grabbing his shoulder, the human slides Zarith across the floor back to his side. “Gotta make this at least look like they killed each other once someone checks in on them. While they don't have the whole modern C.I.S. It will look suspicious just finding them dead in random places."

One of the Man-At-Arms walks up next to the hero. “C.I.S?"

Opening his mouth to reply, he's just about to place the mostly ruined dagger into Zarith's short-clawed hand. So it would look like Zarith killed Catox rather than him, despite the former's weak protests. Only to be interrupted by the Man-At-Arms jumping in front of him.

“Watch out!"

Causing the thief to look up in time to see a juvenile Draco-Fox catapult out from between the rows of shelves next to the dead body of Catox at an intense speed, barreling right for him in a feral scream.

Rohoka doesn't see a living being between him, and the killer of his parents. He sees an obstacle, an obstacle that something in him tells him he has the power to remove.

“dRaGoN's ClAw!" The words leave his mouth in a guttural scream while slicing at said 'obstacle' in his way for the target of his rage, his hate, using his long clawed hand.

The red skill rends the Man-At-Arm's breast-plate and jerkin like it wasn't there. The flesh and bone underneath as even less than that. Yet, the time it takes him to clear the blood and guts of the dead human, is enough time for the Thief to pull out his 'actual' dagger. Not some second rate one picked up off some dead soldier.

A jeweled and enchanted weapon, one he received from the gods when he was summoned and grows stronger with him.

All to block Rohoka's enraged attack with his parry skill resulting in a shower of sparks. And pushing the human thief back about an inch much to his surprise. The juvenile's feet glow blue and his foot-claws dig into the wood floor, trying to push this new skill through this human's better honed parry skill upon noticing the human stopped his attack.

“You got spunk, I'll give you that." Bracing his feet and his core muscles keeps him from being pushed back further by Rohoka.

Having seen similar speedster skills before, he keeps this brace up for the few seconds needed till the skill exausts. When the blue glow fades from Rohoka's feet, he kicks the juvenile Draco-Fox in the stomach, hard, with a crack of bone. Sending Rohoka careening into the store's front counter, knocking the breath out of him and cracking a rib.

“But you don't have the training on how to fight someone. Left yourself wide open, and you're obviously too young to understand the consequences of using a red skill in a gambit play." The Human thief sheaths his good dagger as the red glow fades from Rohoka's long clawed hand as he lays there coughing.

Soon cracks form on the claws that just moments ago left a fully armored Man-At-Arms cut into pieces. They continue to grow, till at least one of the claws on that hand shatters, once it does, the cracks in the other claws cease growing.

Looking at his remaining men, the human hero glares. “Quit your gawking! Take everything those bags of holding can carry and meet me outside." Snapping to attention at his words, they rush to the shelves behind the counter and start filling the bags. Completely ignoring Catox's pinned body aas they use their arms to knock items off the shelves and into the enchanted burlap sacks.

Striding up to Rohoka in a confident gait, he smirks down at him as the juvenile struggles to reinflate his lungs and get back up onto his feet. Raising one of his own feet, he slams his boot down on the remaining claws on Rohoka's long clawed hand. Breaking them off at the deeper cracks near the cuticle.

The pain causing the juvenile Draco-Fox to scream, which is music to the human thief's ears for a moment. Only for the thief to have enough and grab Rohoka's head by his muzzle as he kneels. Keeping it shut, so he can't scream, and brining his face in front of the flat human one of the Thief.

“Take a good long look at my face kid. Remember it, seer it into your mind and this pain you're feeling whenever you think this planet is yours. It's ours now! Why else would your gods summon us instead of giving 'you' power to defend yourselves? If they actually cared about you, you wouldn't be so weak."

With that, he slams Rohoka's head against the counter, knocking him out and chipping one of the juvenile Draco-fox's horns.

Letting go of the unconscious Rohoka, he joins his men at raiding the store's stock. Ignoring Zarith, who's barely clinging to life. Dragging himself across the floor to his one and only son. With the last of his strength and life, he lovingly places his short clawed hand on Rohoka's head before drowning from the blood filling his lungs.