FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

In a desolate world where a disease has brought about the extinction of the human race, where abandoned cities have been reclaimed by nature, this mysterious disease seems to have had a completely different effect on many animal species, mainly predators, granting them sentience and an extended life span. Many have formed tribes and small civilizations, and have taken refuge in the ruins of human cities and the like. Our story begins with a small wolf pack, and is focused on one wolf pup in particular. He has just turned eighteen, and has an arranged marriage with a wolf from another pack coming up, as is tradition for his kind, but he doesn't really like the idea. The very thought of being married to someone whom he's never met before and knew nothing about made his stomach churn.

In an abandoned human building, covered in plant foliage, moss, and vines, lives a pack of wolves using it as a den. In one of the many rooms lies our young wolf pup. His fur was black as night, and his eyes were red like rubies. He has been dreading this arranged marriage since his early teens. The wedding is in a few weeks. He laid idly in his bed pondering his thoughts when he heard a knock at his door. A white wolf with blue eyes entered. It was female and looked to be middle aged.

"Atemis," she said in a voice like silk. "Honey, are you okay? We haven't seen you all day."

"I'm fine, mother," he answered. "I just have a lot on my mind right now."

"Are you thinking about the wedding?" The black wolf nodded. "I know it's tradition to arrange a union between two wolves from different packs, but in all honesty, it was never what I wanted for you. Don't get me wrong, I love your father deeply, but if things were different, he wouldn't have ever been my first choice to begin with."

"You mean you don't approve of this?" The female shook her head.

"I only ever wanted what was best for you, and for you to be happy. So I must ask, what is it you want to do?" Atemis thought about it hard for a moment before replying.

"I... want to go out and see the world. I want to do something meaningful with my life. And I want to marry out of love, not for tradition or the convenience of others."

"Well, if that's what you want to do, then you should go for it. Follow your heart, wherever it may take you."

"You mean I should just run away? What about the pack? What about you?"

"They will be disappointed, and I will be sad to see you go, but they'll get over it in time. It wouldn't be the worst thing to happen around here."

"I... don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. But if you want to leave, you should do it soon." She approached her son and suddenly gave him a hug and a kiss on the forehead. "I love you, my darling boy. You know that, don't you?"

Atemis was a little teary eyed, and gave a slight smile. "I love you too, mother."

Later that night...

Atemis had packed up some rations in a small satchel and wrapped it around his neck, and was preparing to sneak out. He waited for some patrols to walk off or look away before advancing out of the den. He had a few close calls, and eventually was able to make his way out of the pack's territory and escape into the night, thus leaving everything and everyone he had ever known behind, and beginning his adventure as a lone wolf...

---

Three years later...

Atemis had traveled much since he left his pack to follow his dream of getting out to see what the world had to offer. He met a lot of people, both good and bad. Sometimes he'd feel a little homesick and missed his family, but he kept his chin up and continued to push on, never looking back, and never wanting his future decided for him. His adventure eventually brought him to a lush forest to the south side of the continent.

The temperature was pleasant, the air sweet. He enjoyed the scenery, but this was cut short when he looked into his satchel and realized his rations were running low. He would either have to do some hunting, or restock at the next village. As he continued to travel through the forest, he began to hear rustling in the shrubs, and stopped dead in his tracks, sniffed the air and caught a scent. A moment later, several figures leapt out of the brush. He found himself surrounded by a pack of four coyotes, all cackling as they eyeballed and circled the wolf.

"Looks like we got a loner, boys," said one with a scarred eye, most likely the alpha of the group. "This is Bloodfang territory. You're either very brave or very foolish to come here. Hand over your goods, and we may let you go in one piece."

"Even if I had anything of value, I wouldn't even consider giving it to the likes of you," Atemis said with a glare.

"Have it your way. Get him, boys!" the leader commanded. All four coyotes pounced at once. Atty managed to jump away in time and watch them all bump into one another. They all fell to the ground, but quickly got back up to shake the stars out of their heads. The alpha went for him, trying to bite at the wolf's neck. Both of them snarled as they tumbled over one another, exchanging bites and scratches. As he wrestled with the leader, he felt a sharp pain in his back leg and howled out. Another coyote had bitten down on him. He tried desperately to shake him off. He felt another jump on his back and bite down on the back of his neck, and the other grabbed ahold of his tail. He felt a lot of pain all over his body as he was dominated by the pack and brought down. He was bleeding from the bites, and was shuddering.

He struggled to stand back up, but was met with multiple tackles along with more bites and scratches. He was practically passed back and forth between the four canines, taking a hit every time. The wind was knocked out of him and he collapsed. The alpha stood over him and planted a paw on his snout, burying him slightly into the dirt. "You should've just surrendered when you had the chance. Maybe next time you'll think long and hard before you take on a pack on your own." The wolf felt faint, and was on the verge of passing out from his injuries. Before he blacked out, he heard what sounded like several explosions go off around him. The coyotes stopped what they were doing and seemed to be cowering. "Blast. The witch found us. Let's get out of here, boys." The pack scattered and made a run for it, leaving the wolf behind as he laid on the ground, beaten and bleeding. He caught a glimpse of something white approaching him before he finally lost consciousness.

How long was he out? Minutes? Hours? It was hard to tell. Atemis finally opened his eyes. His vision was blurry at first. He was feeling pretty sore from his encounter with the Bloodfangs. Once his vision cleared, he took a look at his surroundings. He was indoors, and on a bed. There were many beds in the room, and shelves filled with medicines. It was clear to him that he was in an infirmary. He noticed he was wrapped up in bandages covering his wounds.

It was quiet, until he heard light footsteps heading his way. A figure showed up at the entrance. It was a fox with unique colors, and clearly female. She was mostly viridian green, with a light tan around her paws, underside, and tip of her tail. She had brown eyes, and had a pink flower pinned behind her ear.

When Atemis saw her, his heart began to flutter. She seemed to glow, like he was looking at an angel. "Good, you're finally awake," she said as she approached, making his heart beat even faster when she got close. Her voice was soothing and sweet like honey. It was clear he was infatuated with her. "You had us worried for a while. How are you feeling?" He blushed as she looked him in the eyes. Her gaze was calm and gentle.

"A little sore,” he stuttered, “but good otherwise."

"Glad to hear. It surely would've been much worse if Valentine hadn't found you. I'm Juniper, by the way. I serve as Lunawolf's healer."

"Juniper, huh? A fitting name for such a lovely creature." He grabbed the fox's paw and kissed it. She reacted with a blush, and then giggled.

"That's very sweet of you to say. Um, what do I call you?"

"The name's Atemis. But you can call me Atty."

"A pleasure to meet you Atty. So, what brings you here?"

"I'm just a lone wanderer looking for a purpose in life, maybe something to do with helping others in need. Been on my own for about three years now."

"That's quite a noble goal to shoot for," Juniper replied. "Perhaps you would consider joining Lunawolf. We might have what you're looking for."

"Lunawolf?"

“They’re a guild that sets out to make life in our quiet little town a better place. They hope to expand our borders someday and spread peace across the country, and perhaps eventually, the world.”

“Are you a part of the guild as well?”

“Well, no, I’m not a part of it officially. I just work here in the clinic with my mentor. My job is to treat and heal the sick and wounded, guild members or not, locals and outsiders alike. Lunawolf is always looking to recruit new members, if you're at all interested." Atty thought about it for a moment before answering.

"I'll have to think about it."

"I understand. It would be great if you do, though. We could always use more brave, strapping warrior types like yourself."

"What makes you think I'm a warrior?"

"Valentine told us about how you stood up to the gang of Bloodfang bandits and took them on. You seem to hold your own pretty well, even though in the end, you were defeated." Atty chuckled nervously.

"Well, when you live on your own, you kind of have to learn to stand up for yourself and not take crap from anyone."

"That is true. In any case, you should speak to the guildmaster if you're interested. I'm sure she'd love to meet you. You'd make an excellent addition to Lunawolf." She smiled warmly. "But for now, you should rest. I'll be back to check on your wounds later."

"Okay." Juniper began to leave. But just as she was about to head out the door, a thought occurred to the wolf. "Juniper, wait a moment!" The fox turned around suddenly and waited for him to speak. He gulped as he tried to muster the courage to talk. "I was just wondering, maybe, when I'm all healed up and not under your care, perhaps if we could hang out more? Get to know each other better?"

"Atty, are you asking me for a date?" The wolf blushed and stuttered a bit.

"I mean, if you don't mind my company." The fox giggled and approached him.

"No one's ever shown that kind of interest in me before." She blushed as well, and booped his nose with her own in a playful manner. "I'd love to." Atty's heart skipped a beat or two, and a smile came over his face as he blushed hard at her gesture. His tail began to wag a little. "Until then, my sweet wonder of the night... au revoir."

---

A few hours later...

Atty was resting, enjoying the silence and isolation during his recovery. He was about to drift off into a deep slumber, until he heard some footsteps approaching. He sat up, thinking Juniper was returning to check on him. But the figure that appeared was different. It was a female kitsune fox, white in color with blue markings along her body, and around each of her six tails that seemed to have an eye shape to them. Her eyes were like sapphires.

"Well, it's good to see you up and about," she said. "You took quite a beating from those bandits. How are you feeling?"

"Better," Atty answered. "So, who are you?"

"I'm Valentine. I'm the one who saved you from those Bloodfangs and brought you here."

"That was you?" he said, "Well, thanks a lot for that. It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Val."

"The feeling's mutual. So, what's your name?"

"Atemis. You can call me Atty, though," the wolf replied. "How did you happen to find me?"

"I was doing my routine patrol through the forest, scouting for bandit activity when I heard a commotion nearby. That's when I saw you going up against a gang of those Bloodfang bandits. They were doing a number on you, so I stepped in and scared them away with some of my energy blasts."

"I didn't know kitsune had that kind of power."

"There's a lot to my kind you probably don't know about, Atty. For instance, when people think of us, they picture a fox with nine tails. But we really can have anywhere between one to nine, depending on a combination of our age and life experience."

"Interesting. I assume you're a member of Lunawolf as well?"

"One of the first members. I know the place pretty well, so if there's anything you want to know about us or the town, I'm the one to ask. So, do you have any questions for me?"

"Just one." Atty replied. "What sort of work does the guild do?"

"Whatever people need. From general labor to fighting off bandits. If you do decide to join up with us, you should see Jewel. She keeps track of all the available jobs around town. Now, you won't be doing it for nothing, mind you, but half of what you make will go to the guild, and the rest is yours to do with as you please. If you're in need of supplies, speak to Ariel at our general store. And of course, if you're in need of healing, you should see Juniper, but you already knew that."

"Yeah. Juniper's really nice." He blushed as the fox came to his mind. His tail wagged a little. That faded when he heard the kitsune chuckle at his reaction.

"You're smitten with her, aren't you?"

"What makes you say that?" Atty said sheepishly as his cheeks turned rosy.

"Just the way you said it. Your eyes tell the whole story as well. You've fallen for our healer. It's rather cute, if you ask me." The wolf chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Anyways, I just wanted to meet you formally and see how you were doing. Take care, Atemis. I hope to see you again soon." Val began to make her way out, but stopped at the door and looked behind her to meet Atty's gaze one last time. "Oh, and I hope things work out for you. Especially with June."

Atty blushed. "Thanks, Val. So do I."

"Oh, and Atty?" she said as she was about to head out the door. "Welcome to Tranquility."

---

Juniper returned a few hours later to check up on Atty. She was inspecting his injuries, and was quite pleased with how they were turning out. "You appear to be healing quite nicely. That's good."

"So does that mean I don't have to stay in bed anymore?" the wolf asked. The fox nodded.

"Just try to take it easy for a few days until you make a full recovery."

"Sure thing." Atty responded. "Juniper?"

"Yes?"

"When we do go out, where would you like to go? I don't really know the place very well."

"Well, there is this restaurant I've been dying to go to. The Blue Dragon. It's a hotspot for couples, both new and old. And then there's this spot by the lake with a gorgeous view that I really like. It feels like it would be pretty romantic, to just rest my head on someone's shoulder as we watch the sunset over the horizon together. But I usually go alone. It's... pretty lonesome." She sighed, and looked down steadily. Atemis just stared for a moment.

"I've been thinking about it all day, and I believe I will join the guild. It sounds like it would provide the exact purpose I’ve been searching for. Maybe I could save up some money and take you out, maybe to the Blue Dragon, like you want. And then maybe you can show me this perfect spot by the lake if you're feeling up to it."

She looked up at him and smiled. "Sounds like a dream come true. You'd really do that just for me?"

"Absolutely." He smiled back. "But it doesn't matter to me what we do, as long as we get to do it together."

"You're right. It doesn't matter, as long as we're enjoying each other's company." She continued examining Atty's wounds, just to double check if she missed anything. "Well, I think you're all good to go. You should probably head up and speak to the guildmaster about becoming a member."

"How do I find her?"

"From here, head to the lobby just down the hall, then go up to the third floor. Straight down the hallway from there is the guildmaster's office. You'll see the sign on the door."

"Thanks, June. I'll talk to you later, then?"

The fox giggled. "Looking forward to it."

Once Atemis was cleared to leave the infirmary, he followed Juniper's directions to the guild master's office. From the infirmary, he made his way to the lobby. It was much bigger than he imagined. It had a long red carpet from the entrance all the way to what was obviously a reception desk, and a bulletin board next to it. At either side was a set of stairs going up.

There were also a couple of stations nearby, one that looked like a small café, another that appeared to be a general store. Hanging high above were several tapestries, purple in color and bearing an emblem: a silhouette of a wolf's head howling at a full moon. Several animals were in the area. Perhaps they were other guild members, but he didn't pay much mind to it at that moment.

He went up the stairs to the third floor. He walked along the long hallway with numerous doors on either side, eventually coming across a large double door with the same emblem on the tapestries engraved into them. A sign was above the door frame, reading 'Guild Master's Office'. He was here, at last. He knocked on the door. He heard a female respond, "Come in." He pushed open the door and entered. He looked around the room.

There were bookcases on one side, file cabinets on the other. Up above hung a crystal chandelier, and in the back in between two large windows was the same tapestry that was hanging in the lobby. A desk sat in the middle of the room, along with two figures. Behind the desk was a female wolf, with light brown fur, a white underbelly, and blue eyes. Sitting to her right was a white weasel with a purple streak down its backside, and amethyst eyes, perhaps female as well. "You must be Atemis," the female wolf said, "I've been expecting you."

"You knew I was coming?"

"Yes. Valentine told me you might stop by. Welcome to my home. I'm Luna, the guild master of Lunawolf. And this here, is my advisor, Nina," she gestured to the weasel, who greeted Atty with a smile. "Have a seat. I would like to have a chat with you." Atty did as he was instructed and sat down across from Luna. "I heard about how you fought a group of Bloodfang thugs in the forest. From what I've been told, you held your own pretty well against them. Your fighting spirit is admirable. A lesser one would've dropped everything they had and have made a run for it. But I must ask, what brought you here in the first place?"

"I'm just a lone wanderer that happened upon your territory. I don't go looking for trouble, though occasionally, it seems fit to look for me."

"So why did you leave your pack? Most of our kind tend to stick with the group."

"I left because I didn't want my life decided for me. I wanted to be free to set my own path. Life on the road has been rough, but it was better than staying home and letting others decide my future for me."

Luna smiled. "It seems you and I have more in common than I first thought." Atty's ears perked. "I still remember when I left home. It was sad to say goodbye to my family, but I knew I was meant for something bigger than what they had in store for me. I wanted to help people, make a difference in their lives. That's why I formed the guild in the first place. And I can tell, looking in your eyes, that's what you want, too." Luna thought to herself for a moment before continuing. "Here at Lunawolf, we're like one big family. We support and console each other, have a deep, mutual respect for one another, and are there for our fellow guild members through the best and worst of times. I offer you a chance to become part of that family, if it suits you."

"I've been thinking about it since Val, and I'm strongly considering joining you."

"Glad to hear it. But before you do, there's something you must do first. A test, if you will, to see if you're Lunawolf material."

"Okay. What do I have to do?"

"The town always looks for folks it can rely on, especially in their biggest times of need. I'm going to give you a chance to show you can get the job done." She reached into one of the desk drawers and pulled out a sheet, laying it on the desk for Atemis to see. "This here is a letter of recommendation. You must get another guild member to sign it for you before we can make you an official member of the guild. All you have to do is help them with a job and gain their approval. Simple, no?"

"Sounds easy enough."

"You'll do fine, I'm sure. Now as for finding work with a fellow guild member, you should check with Jewel at reception, and our bulletin board." She sighed and looked at the weasel for a brief moment, then back at Atty. "Well, I think that should cover it. Any questions?" Atemis shook his head. "On your way, then. Return to me once you get your signature. It's been a pleasure meeting you, Atemis."

"Likewise," he replied.

---

Atemis headed back downstairs into the lobby and looked around for a bit before heading to the reception desk. This time, someone was there. It was a cat with pinkish-purple fur and eyes of fuchsia. She wore a studded diamond collar. The fur on her body was smooth and slightly fuzzy, and her tail was quite fluffy in comparison. She looked like she was in the middle of reading something behind her desk, until she heard a voice call out to her. "Um, excuse me?" She looked up and noticed the wolf staring at her, and smiled.

"Oh, purr," she said warmly, "our newest visitor is a cute one. What can I do for you, handsome?"

"Are you Jewel?" The cat nodded. "Luna said to speak with you about this." He showed her the letter of recommendation given to him by the guild master. Jewel looked it over for a moment, then back at him.

"Looking to join the guild, are you? Yes, I can help you get started." She stepped away from her desk and went to the bulletin board nearby, filled with pinned envelopes of different colors. Atty followed. "People in town are always looking for help. They post their requests here. Our job listings are coded by color, as you can see. Green is for general labor, blue for delivery, yellow for providing an escort, red for bounties against bandits and such, and white is for, well, everything else. The miscellaneous section, if you will. Inside each you'll find the job's description, the client's name, the location, and the pay. Half of whatever you make goes to the guild, the rest is yours to do with as you see fit. But don't worry, these jobs usually pay pretty generously. Now let's see." She went back to her desk and went through some files. "You can't take any of the jobs on the board until you're an official member of the guild, so I have to assign you to one that's already taking place with another member." She pulled out a green envelope, and took out the letter inside. "This one shouldn't be too difficult. We recently had a heavy storm that damaged some homes nearby. People are asking for help with repairs. Several guild members are lending their aid to this cause, and they could always use the extra muscle." She giggled and looked the wolf in the eyes. "With such a strong and large physique, they might ask you to help carry materials for them." She gave a wink. Atty blushed at the gesture. "A doberman named Vyn is overseeing the operation. He isn't that hard to identify. He has a scar on his left eye. He’s a little rough around the edges, but he’s actually quite nice once you get to know him." She slid the letter towards the wolf. "Take this with you. It will help you find your way."

"Thanks, Jewel," said Atty. Before he took the letter, the cat spoke up once more.

"By the way, I don't think I've caught your name."

"It's Atemis."

"Well, Atemis, maybe after the job is complete, you wouldn't mind using some of that pay to show a girl a good time?" she said with endearing eyes, a flirtatious smile, and a gentle back and forth wave of her tail. Atty blushed slightly at the idea.

"Tempting. But I've already made plans with Juniper."

"Oh. I see." She pouted a bit. "That's alright then. Can't blame a girl for trying. You should get going, then. That letter of recommendation isn't going to sign itself." He nodded and went on his way. The cat leaned over on her reception desk, purring as she watched him leave.

Atty went on his way to help with the job request. It was the first time he'd been outside since he'd woken up in the infirmary. The building for the guild was huge, like three or even more mansions put together. Huge double doors and purple banners with the guild's emblem at either side marked the entrance of the estate. He followed the cobblestone path that was the main road of the town, reading the directions in the letter carefully as he navigated through the district. He eventually reached his destination, the residential area, where many homes resided.

They had serious roof damage, and some that were caved in. Others were almost nothing but rubble. Lots of animals were about the place patching up the damages, others were hauling materials for repair. Atty caught a glimpse of a canine that seemed to be calling the shots. He was a doberman, probably the one Jewel mentioned.

He had a scar on his left eye. The iris was pale, which indicated he was probably blind in that particular eye. His other eye was dark brown. He wore a blue colored bandana around his neck that had the Lunawolf emblem on it. Atty approached him. The doberman seemed to be unaware of his presence as he got close. "Hello. Are you Vyn?" The doberman's attention snapped to him, like he was startled, likely because he spoke to him on his blind side.

"Who's asking?" Atemis took out his letter of recommendation and showed it to him. "Ah, looking to join us, are you? We could always use an extra set of paws. You can start by helping the others carry the supplies." The canine gestured to some animals pulling carts of building materials. "Shouldn't be too difficult for one such as yourself. Once we're done here, I'll be sure to sign your letter. Now you should know, I'm usually extremely antisocial and don't like most people in general, and my word is worth its weight in gold in the guild. So if I vouch for you, that's saying a lot."

"I see. That works for me," Atty agreed, and went to work right away. He grabbed an empty cart and went to fetch supplies, making sure the cart was full before hauling it back to the build sites. He did this repeatedly for what felt like hours. He hardly spoke to anyone with anything more than a greeting, focusing on his work. He was determined to earn his place in the guild, and pushed himself even further whenever he felt tired. Eventually, the time came when the sun was beginning to set. He felt exhausted, but the job was finally done. All the houses had been patched up. He saw Vyn approaching him, and forced himself to stand.

"You did well. Thanks for your help. Here's some pawbits for your trouble." The doberman handed him a small pouch filled with gold coins shaped like dog paw prints. "And you've definitely earned that signature. Here you are." Vyn then gave him the letter of recommendation, with a signature and paw print at the bottom. "Take it to the guild master the first chance you get. She'll take care of the rest."

"Thank you, Vyn."

"Don't mention it. I look forward to working with you again."

---

It was late in the day when Atty started making his way back to the manor, once again in awe of the building's massive size as he entered through the giant double doors. He went upstairs to the third floor once more and went to the guild master's office right away. He knocked on the door, getting a response from inside to enter. He went inside and saw Luna and Nina, who looked like they were about to close up shop. "Welcome back, Atemis," the female wolf greeted. "So, how did it go?" Atty approached and laid his letter on the desk. Luna looked it over. "Ah, good old Vynnie. His signature is well worth a thousand words. Well, all that's left now is to make it official." She reached into one of her desk drawers and pulled out another sheet. This one was smaller. "This is a registration form. We just need your signature and paw print, and you'll be good to go."

"Is there a catch?"

"Nothing you don't already know. Half of anything you make on a job goes to the guild, and you have to do so many jobs in a month." Atty nodded, and took a pen in his mouth as he signed the form, then placed his paw on the nearby ink pad before printing his paw print next to his name. "Great. One more thing. You get a bandana with the guild's emblem so people know who you work for. While the guild's main color is purple, we carry several colors to meet each member's individual preference. What would you like?" Atty thought about it for a moment before answering.

"I'm thinking red." Luna nodded and reached into another drawer, pulling out a crimson colored handkerchief.

"Go ahead. Try it on." He took the garment, and tied it around his neck. The color really brought out his ruby eyes. He looked down at it, and stood proudly with his chest puffed out and a smile on his face. "Looks good on you. Well, there's only one thing left to do. Our guild provides its members with a room. Some of our recruits have to bunk with others, but lucky for you, you'll be getting a room all to yourself." Luna looked at her weasel assistant. "Nina, would you be so kind as to show our newest recruit to his quarters?" Nina nodded.

"Follow me, Atemis." They left the office together. He followed the weasel one floor down and along the hallway and opened the door to one of the rooms, labeled 'fourteen-A'. "This one should be vacant." They entered the room together. It was like a small apartment, featuring a luxurious bunk bed, a small kitchen area with a table, and a window with a nice view of the town, and a mountain in the distance. "The guild provides all the essentials for its members," she said, "If there's anything specific you require, you need only ask. Any questions?" Atty shook his head. "I'll be on my way then. Make yourself at home. You have a big day starting tomorrow."

After the weasel left, Atty felt a hint of relief. The hard part was over, and he was now an official member of Lunawolf. But he was too exhausted to think about it. He decided to call it a day and made himself comfortable on his new bed. He couldn’t help but collapse on top of it. It was soft, and seemed to help him relax further as he quickly fell asleep.

---

Atty slept the night away in the comfort of his new room. It's been so long since he'd had a good night's sleep. He awoke only to the sun shining through his window and hitting him in the face. He sat up and stretched in a downward dog pose, and gave a yawn. "Morning already?" he said lazily. He took a glimpse out the window. It was a little misty outside, so he couldn't see too clearly, but he noticed several animals out and about already. After taking a few minutes to wake himself up, he left his room.

As he exited through the door, he bumped into somebody, and heard an 'oof'. He looked down and saw that it was the vixen, Juniper, laying on the ground. "Sorry, June. I didn't see you there." She stood up and brushed herself off.

"That's okay." She took notice of the sash he was wearing. "Oh, so you're an official member now. Congrats. That scarf really suits you."

"Thanks." He smiled. "So what are you doing here? Do you live on this floor, too?" She nodded.

"I was just on my way to the café for a drink. Care to join me?"

"I'd love to." He perked up a little at her request, wagging his tail a bit. She giggled, and they went off together. They headed downstairs to the lobby. It wasn't very busy, and the café seemed almost vacant. They took a seat at the bar and ordered a couple of beverages, making small talk as they waited for their order.

"If you're ever looking to get a pick-me-up, this is the place to get it. It's also a good place to relax in the evening and enjoy a nice mug of ale, wine, or whatever else you're into."

"Do you come here often?"

"Every morning, and occasionally late in the day after the clinic closes." Their drinks finally arrived, and they each took a sip. Atty seemed to perk up a bit from the beverage.

"Been a while since I've had a good cup of coffee. Traveling on the road offers little in the way of stimulants."

"Sounds rough," June replied. "Did you ever feel lonely out there by yourself?"

"Almost everyday. But I think those days are behind me now. I have a place to call home, make some new friends and memories, and I get to enjoy your company." Juniper smiled warmly.

"I’m enjoying your company as well, Atemis. I'm looking forward to spending more quality time with you."

"Likewise," the wolf replied.

"So what are your plans today?"

"I'm gonna do as many jobs as I can, and save up what I can. It's gonna be a busy day for me."

"Don't push yourself too hard, Atty. You've only just begun, after all."

"Guess I'm just super eager, is all." He chuckled. As they finished their drinks, June laid a small sack of coins on the bar.

"Coffee's on me today, Atty," said Juniper.

"You don't have to do that, June."

"I know. But I want to. And besides," she gave him a lick on the nose, "you can pay me back with that date you promised." The wolf blushed at the gesture. The fox looked at the clock hanging in the back of the cafe. "I'd better get going. It's about time to open the clinic. See you around, Atty."

"See you, June." Atty seemed a little sad to see her go, and watched her as she left.

Atty finished up at the café and headed to the bulletin board, where he saw the cat, Jewel, at her station. He was met with seductive eyes and a warm smile. "Morning, cutie," she greeted. She took note of the red scarf around his neck. "I see you've made it into the guild. Congratulations."

"Thanks." He smiled back. "Mind if I have a look at the board?"

"Help yourself," she stated. She went back to what she was doing as the wolf approached the board. He wondered what type of job he should do for his first. Maybe something simple, like a delivery. He grabbed a blue envelope and opened it up. It read 'I need someone to deliver a package in town. See me at the Lunawolf General Store for more details. Warm regards, Ariel.' Ariel? That name rang a bell. He remembered Valentine mentioning her.

"She's the one that runs the store," he thought to himself. He looked over towards the east side of the manor and could see the shop from where he was standing. He stored the letter and went over. He made it to the counter. He saw a lot of goods on the shelves, including food and snacks, tools, and luxury items, but didn't see the owner anywhere. He could see a room in the back, possibly a storage area. There was a bell on the counter, possibly there to get the owner's attention if they were busy. He rang it.

"Be right there!" a voice answered. He waited patiently for a moment until a figure came out from the back room. She was an otter, blue in color with a cream chest, and aquamarine eyes. She looked at Atty and gave a warm smile. "Hello there. You must be a new recruit. I'm Ariel. What can I do for you, handsome?" Atty took out the letter and laid it on the counter.

"I'm answering your request. Something about a package. Figured it would be a good way to start my career in the guild."

"And you picked me to be your first client? I'm flattered." She giggled. "Yes, I do need some help with a delivery. I'd do it myself, but I'm really busy right now. Wait here." The otter went back into the store room, and after a moment, came back out with a package in hand. "Take this to Honey Oaks Boulevard. The address is on the package. It's for a bear named Bjorn." She laid a small sack of pawbits down as well. "Here's half the payment up front. You'll get the other half when the job is done."

"Sounds fair," the wolf answered. "So how do I get to Honey Oaks?"

"Oh, that's right. You're not yet familiar with our town, are you?" She looked around for a moment and placed something else down on the counter." Here's a map layout of our little town. It should help you find your way."

"Okay, thanks." He took the package, money, and map, and placed it in his satchel, and bid the otter farewell.

---

He wandered about town for a bit trying to find his destination with the map as his guide. Atty eventually found his way, looking at a sign that said 'Honey Oaks Boulevard'. It had a cute image of a bee under the name. He ventured down the road, looking for the address labeled on the package. He noticed it had mostly farm houses, with large acres of crops, fruit trees, and bee boxes. He finally stumbled upon the address he was looking for. The house was quite impressive in size, suitable for a bear to live in. He approached the door and gave it a knock. He waited a moment for a response. The door finally opened, and he was greeted by a ruffled and elderly looking grizzly bear. He was intimidated at first by the size of the beast. The bear took note of the wolf's handkerchief, and immediately recognized the emblem. "You must be new to the guild. What can I do for you?"

Atty took a moment to compose himself. Once he felt more comfortable enough, he spoke up. "Are you Bjorn?"

"I am."

Atty reached into his satchel and pulled out the package. "I have a delivery for you, from Ariel."

"Ah, finally. Been waiting on this. It's for a special recipe I'm working on. I'm sure Ariel will accommodate you for your troubles, but I'd like you to have something as a token of my gratitude." The bear went back inside for a moment, and came back out with a jar in hand, and gave it to Atty. The wolf stared at it briefly.

"A jar of honey?"

"Yes. I run a bee farm, you see. We bears are very resilient to bee stings, so that makes us the perfect beekeepers. If you won't accept it as payment, consider it a gift."

"Okay. Thanks, Bjorn. So how'd you get into beekeeping in the first place?"

"It's nothing new among bears. Most of us who enter retirement turn to farming honey as a way to pass the time and make a bit of extra coin."

"What did you do before?"

"I was a warrior of the clan Ursa Major. Served and fought for many years. But eventually got too old to keep going. Decades of protecting and serving sooner or later takes its toll on you. Now I live a more relaxed life taking care of bees and selling my honey." He gave a sigh. "Well anyway, why don't you come visit sometime. I'd be happy to whip up my special recipe and share it with you. Honey roasted, jelly filled biscuits."

"I'll be sure to do that. Thanks, Bjorn."

"You're quite welcome. You take care now." Bjorn bid the wolf farewell and closed the door. Atty looked at the jar of honey for a moment, then stored it in his satchel.

"Well, that wasn't too difficult. Guess it's time to head back."

---

Atty left Honey Oaks and began to make his way back to Lunawolf Manor. It was easier getting back than it was finding the address to his first job. He would occasionally stop and look at the jar of honey he was given. He wasn't even sure if he liked the stuff, so he likely had no use for it. He thought to himself for a moment. He remembered something he learned growing up. Honey has its own healing properties. Perhaps Juniper would have a use for it. He eventually returned to the manor, and went straight to the general store. He didn't see the otter at first, and rang the bell at the counter. "One sec! Be right with you!" he heard a familiar voice call out. He waited, figuring Ariel was busy in the back room. She eventually came out and noticed the wolf waiting for her at the counter. "Oh good, you're back. How'd that delivery go?"

"Quite well. Bjorn is pretty friendly. Even gave me a little something for the trouble."

"Bjorn is pretty generous. He makes sure to let no good deed go unrewarded." She gave a smile. "I appreciate the footwork. Saved me a lot of trouble. Here's the other half of your pay, as promised." She laid down a small sack of coins for the wolf to accept. "I can always use help with deliveries, so if you're ever looking for more easy work, feel free to stop by."

"Will do." Atty smiled back, and took the small sack and stored it in his satchel. "I guess I'd better donate half of this to the guild." He thought to himself. He went over to the reception desk where Jewel was stationed. The cat looked like she was in the middle of something, but noticed him approaching and smiled.

"Hey there, Atty. How'd your first job go?"

"Pretty well. But now I have a question. Where do I donate my earnings?"

"The deposit box is right here." She pointed to the front of the desk, where a box was hanging, made out of redwood with gold hinges, and the Lunawolf emblem on the lid. "Nina comes down at the end of the day to collect it. Just put your share of the earnings in it, and you're done." He nodded, and opened the slot on the front of the box, put his share of the profits into it, and closed it. "That's all there is to it. Pretty simple, yes?"

"What is the money used for?"

"Taxes and essentials for the guild's members mostly. Some of it is also set aside for emergencies as well."

"Ah. That makes sense." Atty thought to himself for a moment. Another question then came to mind. "Do you have any idea where I can find the Blue Dragon?"

"You mean the restaurant? I've never been there myself, but I know how to get there. But, you're not thinking of going there alone, are you? If you're going to the Blue Dragon, it should be as a couple."

"No. Juniper brought it up. She's very eager to go. I just wanted to check it out for myself."

"Oh. Well, do you have a map?" Atty nodded and pulled out the map Ariel gave him, and laid it on the desk. Jewel looked at it for a moment, scouring it for the location of the restaurant. "Right around here." She marked the area for Atemis. "It has a large blue Eastern dragon as its sign. You can't miss it."

"Thank you, Jewel." He put the map away.

"You're welcome." She sighed. "I really envy Juniper. I think she really scored a good one with you."

"What makes you say that?" the wolf said sheepishly.

"I have a good sense for people. I can look you in the eyes and tell a lot about you. They are the gateway to the soul, after all."

"And what do you see when you look into my eyes?"

"Hmm..." she gazed into his piercing red eyes for a moment, and seemed to get lost in them briefly. "You're a strong and brave soul, as any warrior should be, but you also have a gentle and soft side to you. You despise evil, and you're not afraid to stand up for the ones you care about."

"You can tell all that just by looking into my eyes?"

"And so much more." The cat giggled. "Anyways, I've heard a lot of good things about the Blue Dragon. I'm certain you and June won't be disappointed."

"I'm looking forward to seeing it. Thanks again for the directions."

"No problem, Atty."

"I'll be back later for some more work," Atty proclaimed. "See you again soon."

"Goodbye for now, Atty-bear." The wolf stopped in his tracks when she called him that, blushing slightly and getting a tingling feeling down his spine, then continuing on.

---

Atty followed the directions on the map towards his destination, the Blue Dragon. It was practically around the corner, according to Jewel's directions. He looked around the indicated street for the dragon sign. It didn't take long for him to find it.

The building's size was quite impressive, as was the huge eastern blue dragon that hung above its entrance. Many couples could be seen through the windows, as well as some entering and leaving. Some of the couples were even interspecies relationships. From what he could tell, it was an Eastern style restaurant, given some of the interior decorations and lanterns hanging around. In the back, there was a window with a view of the nearby river, a waterfall, and even the great mountain. There were some small plants around as well, a bunch of decorative cherry blossom bonsai trees that really seemed to bring the place to life.

He slipped inside, passing a few animals as he made his way to the front desk. He was greeted by a red panda with green eyes.

"Hello there. Welcome to the Blue Dragon." He stared at the wolf for a moment, pondering a bit. "I don't believe we've ever met. Are you new in town? You must be. I'd definitely remember a set of eyes like yours." He chuckled. "My name's Chang. Pleasure to meet you."

"Atemis," the wolf replied. The red panda gazed at his scarf.

"Are you a new recruit to Lunawolf?" He nodded. "It is always a pleasure to meet the newest members. We have a special discount for the guild. Are you here alone?"

"Yes, but I'm only here to check the place out. So far, it looks quite lovely."

"Nothing but the best for the loving couples of our quiet little town. The scenery is breathtaking, the food's to die for, most importantly, our prices are fair. Would you like a copy of our menu? They're free. We like for our customers to have an idea of what they want before they come in." Atty nodded. The red panda grabbed a copy and handed it to the wolf. It had a picture of a blue Eastern dragon on the cover. He opened it and scrolled through the dishes, and took note of the prices.

"Not as bad as I thought they'd be," he thought to himself. He looked at Chang for a moment. "Thank you for this. I'll take my leave now."

"Of course, my friend. I look forward to seeing you again soon."

---

Atemis spent the rest of the day doing more jobs on the board, mostly deliveries for Ariel, as well as other general errands that the clients seemed too busy to do themselves. He worked until the sun was starting to set, and felt quite tired from all the back and forth walking he was doing. He felt like he got his steps in, and made quite a bit of coin doing it. He decided to call it a night, and began leaving the general goods store. "I think I'm going to retire for the night, Ariel," he said, "Good night."

"Sleep well, Atemis," the otter replied, "See you tomorrow, I hope." She gave a wave and a warm smile as she began to close up shop. Atty passed by Jewel as she was getting ready to call it a day as well. He also noticed the weasel, Nina, had come down to collect the daily profits. She looked at the wolf and smiled.

"Hello again, Atemis. You seem to be doing well. How'd your first day go?"

"I think it went well. Though, I'm awfully tired from all the running around."

"Been doing a lot of the blue and white jobs, have you?" She chuckled, "Don't worry, it gets easier with time. From what I've heard, you've made quite a profit today. Your energy and ambition is admirable, but you mustn't overexert yourself."

"Noted," he replied. "I'm gonna head to my dorm now, and get some shut eye."

"Of course, Atemis." The weasel bowed respectfully, "Sorry for holding you up." He returned the bow, and walked by, but stopped in his tracks when he heard Jewel speak up.

"Good night, Atty-bear. See you in the morning." The cat purred. He blushed.

"There's that tingly feeling again," he thought to himself as he shuddered. He left without looking back or speaking.

He made it back to the residential floor, and was walking along the hallway on his way to his dorm. He wasn't really looking where he was going as his mind started to wander. His attention was grabbed when he bumped into someone and heard a thud and heard an 'oof'. He looked down to see the uniquely colored fox, Juniper lying on the ground and rubbing her head.

"Are you okay June?" he asked as he helped her up. She found herself brushed up against him, their snouts just inches from each other. They looked into each other's eyes, and blushed in unison.

"Yes, I'm fine," she answered sheepishly as she took a couple of steps back. "That's twice I've bumped into you so far." She managed to let out a giggle. "We simply must stop meeting like this, don't you think?" He chuckled.

"I don't know, it seems to be working for me. I get to see you, at least."

"Perhaps there's a more convenient and less forceful way to do that?" She huffed. "Oh, by the way, how was your first day? Nothing too strenuous, I hope."

"Nah, nothing crazy, just a bunch of errands for people. I'm exhausted, but I made a good amount of coin doing it, so I guess you could say I had a productive day."

"That's good to hear." Something then occurred to Atty.

"That reminds me, I have one more delivery to make." He reached into his satchel and pulled out the jar of honey. "This was given to me as a gift during one of my runs, but I have no use for it. Perhaps you do?"

"Oh!" She took the jar from his paws. "I was running low on this stuff. I was planning on buying some from the general store some time this week. You just saved me a trip, and some money. How can I repay you for this?"

"No repayment needed," the wolf said, "this one's on me." He smiled. She returned it.

"Well, at least accept this." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. He blushed hard, his ears and tail perked up for a second. The fox giggled at his reaction. "I'm gonna head on to bed now. You might want to as well."

"Yeah, good idea," the wolf replied. "I hope I see you in the morning."

"So do I, Atemis. Good night, and thanks again for the honey." She blew a kiss to him and went into her dorm for the night, her tail being the last thing he saw before the door closed. He stood there for a long moment and smiled, before finally retreating to his own dorm.

Atty spent the next week doing mostly deliveries and other general labor as the work became available. He felt drained. Despite the easy work, he was exhausted from all the back and forth traveling through the town. He had just returned to his dorm and was too tired to do much else. He collapsed on his bed and almost instantly fell asleep.

He had just one thing on his mind. The vixen, Juniper, was constantly racing in his head. She was affecting his dreams as well. He dreamed of making her his sweetheart, laying in bed next to her at night. Visions of Juniper wearing a crown of multicolored flowers filled his mind, and then a family consisting of himself, the fox, and cute little pups. Then the sweet, enchanting visions began to take a turn.

Everything went dark. There was a beam of light hovering over a single object. A mirror. He looked into it, and saw only himself, but battle worn with eyes completely shaded with a blood red color, pupils in the form of slits. Blood tainted his jet black fur, and his teeth. Whether his own or from some external source, he could not say. It was steadily dripping from his chin. He was surrounded by fallen enemies, some of them with bite marks on their necks.

He felt confused, and dizzy. He then saw a shadow figure with glowing red eyes staring straight at him in the mirror. The silhouette was in the shape of a wolf, like himself. It seemed to be speaking to him, but its language was incoherent. He started to get a burning feeling all across his body. It was almost unbearably, like he was being cooked from the inside.

His eyes suddenly sprung open as he awoke from his nightmare. His fur was drenched in sweat, and he was panting, even though his room was relatively cool. He hopped out of bed and got himself a drink of water. After he got his fill, he looked out the window, and saw it was still dusk outside. It was too early for him to be up and about, but he couldn't help but think about the dream he just had. What did it mean? Was it only a dream, or a vision?

"What was that all about?" he said aloud. "Why am I having such a dream about Juniper? I've only known her for a few days. And what was up with the darkness? And that shadow figure?" He shuddered a bit. “The blood?” He got a headache thinking about it, and decided to worry about it another time, and tried to fall back asleep.

Morning came quickly. The rising sun shined through the window and hit Atty in the face. He squinted and gave an annoyed sigh. "Morning already? Feels like I just fell asleep." He stretched out in a downward dog pose and groggily hopped out of bed. He still didn't know what to make of the dream he was having last night. "I need a pick-me-up," he muttered to himself. He grabbed his satchel and headed out the door, only to be greeted by a familiar face as he came out.

"Good morning, Atty," said the fox, Juniper. He gazed into her eyes for a moment, then looked away, blushing. "Everything alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, just a rough night, is all." He tried not to look directly at her.

"Having trouble sleeping, are you? I think I have something for that."

"No, it's not that. I had a nightmare." Juniper looked at him with concern in her eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. Not at the moment, at least. Maybe later, okay?"

"If you insist. You know I'm here if you need someone to talk to."

"I do. Thank you, June." He looked at her and smiled. "I really should be going now. Talk to you later?"

"Sure. I look forward to it." She smiled back.

"Okay. See you soon, then." He walked past her and headed out of the residential area, down the stairs into the main lobby, where he met Jewel at her usual post.

"Good morning, Atty-bear," she greeted. The cat noticed the exhausted look in his eyes. "Are you okay? You look tired."

"I am. It's been a rough night. Any news today?"

"Well, there was one thing. Luna wanted to see you. Said she had a special assignment for you today."

"Is that so? Thanks, Jewel. I'll visit her, once I've visited the cafe. I need something to perk me up."

"Alright. Take care, Atty. Hope you get to feeling better."

"Thank you, kitten." He gave a yawn and left the cat to her duties.

---

Atty went to the nearby café and paid for a stimulant. A nice cup of energizing hot tea, he thought, would lift his mood, and his spirit, up a bit. He took a little sip, and his ears and tail perked for a moment as he felt the caffeine kick in almost immediately. As he let the drink do its job, his mind began to wander.

He thought about what the guildmaster could possibly have in store for him. Then he thought about the dream he had last night, and how it escalated from something beautiful to something dark, and what it could possibly mean. His mind finally wandered onto one person, the one he's been smitten with since he first arrived. Juniper. Just thinking about her gave him a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. He sighed contently as he finished off his beverage, tipped the bartender, and left for Luna's office.

He went to the floor designated for administration, and headed for the guild master's office, indicated by the large double door at the end of the hall. He could hear a conversation going on inside, but couldn't quite make out what they were saying. He knocked and awaited a response. "You may enter," he heard someone call out. He opened the doors and entered the room, immediately noticing Luna and her weasel companion, Nina.

"You wished to speak with me, Guildmaster?"

"Yes, Atemis. You're looking well. Nina was just telling me about how the locals feel about you."

"And what are they saying about me?" He gulped.

"All good things, I assure you. But that's not why I called for you. How would you feel about joining one of our field teams?"

"Depends on what I'll be doing. What do your field teams do?"

"They usually deal with issues outside our borders. Sometimes the jobs are pretty far out there. The journeys can be long and hard, but the pay is excellent. I won't lie, the work can be hard and it tends to be pretty dangerous at times."

"Who will I be working with?"

"Well, there are two teams with openings available, both led by someone you should be familiar with. But with whom you decide to go is up to you. Our two heads, Valentine and Vyn." Atemis took a moment to himself to think about it before coming to a decision. Vyn didn't give as bad a first impression as he had expected, but Val seemed more pleasant to be around.

"I'll have to go with Val. She's much easier to be around and talk to."

"Understandable. Val's actually getting ready for an assignment as we speak. If you want to know more, you should meet her at the town border to the west. When can you leave?"

"Immediately," Atty proclaimed.

---

After his brief exchange with the guild master, Atty headed for the western border of town to meet Valentine. He could see her from a distance, along with some other figures he couldn't quite make out yet. They became more clear as he got closer. The six-tailed kitsune noticed him approaching and greeted him with a smile. "Hello again, Atemis. I didn't expect to see you so soon. What brings you out here?"

"Luna asked me to come. She said I should talk to you if I was interested in joining a field team."

"Looking to become part of the big leagues, eh? As it turns out, I do have an opening in my team for one more recruit. Let me introduce you to my team." She first gestured to a lynx, snow white in color with black spots and light blue eyes. "This is Abigail. She's our scout, specializing in stealth and acquiring information, but that's where her job pretty much ends, as it happens that she is a pacifist. Damn good at her duties, though." Val then brought the wolf’s attention to the second member, who was much more intimidating. A black tigress with golden stripes and amber eyes, along with a scar of three claw marks across her nose ridge. "And this is her mate, Tess. She's a strong warrior and an even deadlier assassin." She looked at the two felines, "This is Atemis, Lunawolf's newest recruit."

"Pleased to meet you both," said Atty.

"Charmed," said the lynx with a gentle smile.

"I look forward to seeing what you can do in the heat of battle," the tiger added with a smirk on her face.

"Atemis can handle himself pretty well. I've seen it for myself," Val commented. "Now that we've all been introduced, let us get down to business." The kitsune looked at Atty. "Abigail was just giving us her report. She says a group of bandits have taken refuge nearby. So close, in fact, that they're practically within the town's borders."

"Wouldn't happen to be the same group that jumped me before, would it?" asked the wolf.

"No. Abigail says it's a new group. Their flag is black with a white dragon emblem. Never seen the likes of them before. But according to Abby, they seem to be much more organized than your standard bandits. From the sound of it, they might be planning an attack on the town."

"So what's the plan? Are you thinking of striking first, or would you prefer to let them come to us and perhaps ambush them?"

"I'm thinking a preemptive strike is in order. But we need to be cautious. Abigail tells me some dangerous species are among this group. Crocodiles, wolves, lowly coyotes, and several variants of large cats fill their ranks."

"Sounds like we have our work cut out for us, then." Atty replied. "When do we leave?"

"We need a little more time to prepare. We will depart at noon."

---

The group spent part of the day at the training grounds practicing their combat skills. Once they were done with that, they still had a little time left, and decided to spend it at a local tavern, enjoying a round of beverages and engaging in casual conversation. Atty got to know the girls pretty well, but felt a little out of place being the only male on the team, and chuckled sheepishly.

"So, Atty," said the kitsune, Valentine, "Any ideas on what you plan to do with your share of the bounty on the bandits?"

"Well, I'm currently saving what I can, but I've been planning on taking Juniper to the Blue Dragon."

"Ooh, fancy," the six-tailed fox said gleefully. "I've heard good things about that place. I'm certain you and June will love it."

"Assuming you don't die before then, of course," Tess added as she casually took a sip of her drink.

"Tess, really?" said Abigail with a glare at her partner. "It's his first day on the field team. No reason to freak him out."

"I'm just being real with him."

"It's fine, Abby. I'm not a stranger to the face of death. Though, I must admit, I am a little nervous."

"Not to worry, Atemis," Val added, "you'll be fine. At least now, you won't have to fight alone. We've got your back."

"Yes, that's true." They spent the rest of their time talking, and playing a game or two, until it was time for them to leave, but not before tipping the bartender. The group returned to the manor to gather supplies. Atty decided to pay a visit to Juniper at the infirmary. She greeted him with a smile.

"Hey there, Atty. What brings you here?"

"I'm about to head out with Val's field team, and was wondering if you had any potions to spare?"

"Sure thing. Wait just a moment." She went into her tiny alchemy lab, and shortly after came out with a satchel and handed it to Atemis. "Will this be enough?" He looked inside to check how much she had given him, then looked at the fox and nodded.

"How much do I owe you?"

"This is on the house. You can always pay me back by keeping true to your promise." She smiled and gave him an enchanting gaze, which seemed to make him blush.

"You can count on me, June. Thank you."

"Just promise me you'll be careful out there. The world outside our humble little town is a cold and cruel place." Atty nodded, then said his farewells to the fox, and headed back out to meet the team. With all their preparations complete, they headed out.

The sun was high in the sky, but the temperature was mild, the breeze pleasant. "It's about time we get going.” The kitsune stated. “Are you ready, Tess? Abby?" The two felines nodded. Val turned her attention to Atemis. "Are YOU ready?"

"I am," Atty responded.

"Let's head out, then. Lead the way, Abigail."

---

The group followed the lynx into a darker part of the woods, at least a few miles from town. She led them up a hill and stopped at the edge of a cliff. She pointed towards the distance, where smoke could be seen, indicating a bonfire. The group could make out the camp. It was surrounded by a wood wall and had a couple of watchtowers. There were a couple of guards at the main entrance. The camp itself was rather large, with a small building at the center, and several black banners with a symbol of a white dragon. "So this is it, huh?" said Valentine.

"Yes. As you can see, it is quite large for a bandit outpost. Though, it looks like there's even more of them now."

"Maybe they aren't bandits at all," Atemis added. "No, something isn't right about this."

"Well, regardless, it looks like they're gearing up for an attack on the town. We need to stop it before it happens. And maybe find out who they are, if we can," said the kitsume. "Tess, do you think you could handle the tower guards? Looks like they have some war horns in place to alert the whole base."

"No problem." The tigress crept into the shadows and seemed to disappear.

"Good. Now we just wait and let her do what she does best." Val proclaimed.

The group waited patiently for Tess to make her move, keeping a close eye on the towers. It was growing darker by the minute. Atemis caught a glimpse of a shadow figure climbing up the side of one of the towers, stopping at the very edge, and seemed to be waiting for the guard, which was a panther, to leave itself vulnerable. As soon as he turned around, the shadow leaped over the edge and pounced him. It was easy to tell the shadow was actually Tess. She stayed on top of the guard for a moment, then eased off. The panther was motionless, which means she either pacified him, or straight up killed him. Tess climbed down the tower and snuck over to the second, repeating the process as she waited for an opportunity to strike. The guard, another panther, was completely oblivious to her presence, and went down quietly when she struck and took him out as well. Once both the guards were out of commission, she looked in her team's direction and nodded.

"Now's our chance to strike. Let's get down there." Val ordered. Atty followed her, leaving Abigail behind, due to her pacifist nature. They confronted the gate guards head on. Both were crocodiles that seemed eerily identical. They noticed the wolf and kitsune approaching and took a defensive stance.

"Halt!" one of them ordered, "This camp belongs to the Order of the White Dragon. State your business, or get lost" The other croc got a glimpse at their handkerchiefs, and growled.

"Wait a minute, brother. These fools are part of that guild, Lunawolf." The first one took note and noticed as well.

"You're right. What do you say we take care of these two ourselves?"

"But the boss said if we saw anyone from Lunawolf, we were to report to him immediately."

"You dunce, don't you see? If we take care of them ourselves and bring their heads to the boss, we'll be rewarded big time."

"Good point. Let's get 'em!" The two crocs began charging, maws open and fangs bared and ready to tear Atty and Val to shreds. The two of them jumped away in opposite directions, each now focused on the reptile closest to them. Atemis bared his teeth and dug his paws into the ground firmly, then made a pounce at his target, landing on the croc's back and trying to bite down on his limb. The croc growled angrily and tried to shake him off. Try as he might, the wolf was latched on good, but couldn't bite hard enough to penetrate those tough scales.

He was finally shaken off when the croc attempted a death roll. Atty managed to recover as he slid across the landscape, and the lizard made a charge at him, opening his mouth and preparing for a leap and a bite. As he quickly leaped out of the way, the croc managed to grab hold of a log that was behind the wolf, and chomped, breaking it into a thousand pieces. The large reptile shook his head and spit out bits of wood. Atty got behind him, only to be met by a tail swipe to the face, and was knocked back a few feet. His face throbbed a bit, like he was hit by a truck going at full throttle. He caught a glimpse of Valentine fighting her opponent.

She was mostly jumping and dodging incoming attacks, landing gracefully on her feet each time, then suddenly moved her tails just over her head, and energy began to form around her body, and her eyes glowed bright blue as it concentrated at the tips of her six tails. An orb of blue energy began to grow, and once it grew about the size of a soccer ball, she fired it at her opponent, hitting him directly in the face and creating an explosion. As the smoke faded, the croc appeared ash gray and smoking, coughing heavily. When he shook the stars out of his head, he leaped and chomped at her once more. She dodged, but before she could land on her feet, she was met with a tail slap to the face, and was knocked back a few feet. As the croc made another attempt for her, she quickly got to her feet and charged another attack, and waited for him to open his mouth again before releasing the energy ball. It went straight into his mouth and down his throat, and exploded inside of him. The croc coughed up smoke and a little blood, then finally collapsed. “I think my insides are cooked,” he said as he coughed up one final puff of smoke and passed out.

Atty quickly returned his attention to his foe, and due to him not paying attention, the croc had closed the distance and clamped down at Atty's back right leg. He howled in pain and the lizard steadily increased the pressure on his limb. He tried to fight back, but was quickly met with a death roll. The pain increased as he felt a joint pop out of its socket, and the spin made him feel lightheaded. He then remembered something he learned about defending yourself against such a creature.

He mustered strength and focus, and jabbed his claws into the opponent's eye. The croc released his grip and cried out in pain. He wiggled his stubby leg. "Can't even reach it," he said in a pitiful tone. Atemis struggled to stand on his back leg. It was covered in teeth marks and it was bleeding. He was panting heavily. He managed to muster enough strength to dash behind the croc while he was preoccupied and jumped on his back once more, and bit down on his neck. The large lizard flailed about as he winced in pain. Valentine stood before them and dug her paws into the ground.

"Hold him steady, Atemis!" she cried out as she angled her tails once more and charged up more energy. Atty did his best to hold on to the beast, being shaken about with a bruised nose and a dislocated leg. He slammed his body down with all his might and managed to daze the croc beneath him. Val had fully charged another orb and was ready to launch it. "Get clear!" Atemis jumped off and landed on his side as the kitsune unleashed her attack, getting a direct hit on the croc. When the dust cleared, he was ash gray, like his brother, and fainted as his body was smoking. Atty sat down for a moment to catch his breath. Val approached him. "You okay?"

"I've been worse," he answered. The kitsune noticed his back leg.

"Looks like he dislocated your leg. Need a paw?" He nodded hesitantly. She went behind him and gently held his leg, examining it carefully, then positioned her paws carefully. "I'll pop it back in three. Ready?"

"Just get it over with." He braced himself.

"One..." without any hesitation or counting, she immediately pushed and popped his leg back into its socket. He yelped, limped for a moment, then moved his leg around to get readjusted.

"That feels so much better. Thanks."

"Don't mention it. But we still have work to do." They were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. A coyote appeared at the gate.

"What's all the noise out here?" He looked at the damage around the area and noticed Atemis and Valentine. "Hey! Intru-!" He interrupted when a shadow figure came out from behind and pounced him. He yelped, but quickly fell silent as he was bit on the neck, and closed his eyes. As the figure laid off of him and came into the light, it was revealed to be none other than Tess.

"Took you two long enough," she said. "You're not tired already, are you rook?" she gestured at the wolf.

"Not even a little," he huffed and smirked.

"Did you take care of the rest of the guard?" asked Val.

"Yes. All that remains is whoever is in that main building. I'm assuming that's where the group leader is."

"Let's pay him a visit, then."

---

The trio ventured into the building. It was at least a three story tower. It seemed empty at first as they climbed up the stairs. The top floor seemed deserted, except for a lone figure in the middle of the room, sitting in the center of some lit candles. The figure was a gray wolf, wearing a peculiar necklace that seemed to have a single silver scale dangling from it. "So, Lunawolf has finally sent someone to confront us," he said as he stood up and opened his eyes, which seemed to glow a bright blue color. "So you've managed to take out a few guards?" He snickered. "It doesn't matter. They are all expendable. Your efforts will be in vain. Your humble little town and its people already belong to the great dragon. They just don't know it yet. And this is only the beginning. Ikari will have total control of this miserable continent, and then the rest of the world is next. You will all bow before him, or you will cease to exist."

Atemis leaned over to Val and whispered, "Who's Ikari?" The kitsune shrugged.

"We can figure that out later. If his leader's goal is to take control and make everyone worship him against their will, they need to be stopped now." The black wolf nodded.

"Last chance to surrender," The blue-eyed wolf said.

"Forget it. You're outnumbered. You should be the one begging for mercy." Tess stated.

"You really think it's going to be that easy?" He grabbed his necklace and held up the scale. "This here is a gift from the dragon lord himself. It grants the wearer powers similar to that of Ikari himself. With this, victory is assured. For example..." His eyes began to shine bright white, and his body began to emit a strange white aura. The trio readied themselves for a fight. The gray wolf suddenly shot a beam of light from his eyes. It came suddenly and caught the three off guard, getting a direct hit on Tess and knocking her back slightly. She dug her claws into the floor to stop herself, hissing and glaring at him, then made a charge at the adversary.

When she pounced, the grey wolf stepped to the side, grabbed her back paw with his mouth, and tossed her back. Val began charging up one of her energy orbs. Atemis made a dash at him, but the opposing wolf suddenly dashed towards him at what seemed like the speed of light, and punched him in the side with a free paw. The punch seemed to create an explosion on impact and knocked Atty back.

The gray wolf leaped for him while he was still in mid-air, grabbing him by the neck and slamming him into the wall. He looked at him in those glowing white eyes, and felt intimidated. "You're going to have to get a little more creative than that," he chuckled sinisterly. Val had finished charging up her attack, and launched the orb at the opponent. He seemed to sense it though, and immediately turned around and grabbed the attack with his bare paw.

Val was shocked and just stared in horror. The orb began to grow larger, and started changing colors as well, shimmering a bright, white light and giving off a static discharge. He then launched it back at her with increased velocity. Val barely had enough time to get out of the way when it made impact, but was caught by the blast radius, and went flying against a wall. She struggled to stand back up. She noticed his eyes glowing again and tried her best to get out of the way of several incoming laser beams. "Typical kitsune strategy, avoid and evade, striking only at the first given opportunity. By the time I'm through with you, I'm gonna mount those tails on my wall." Val growled and panted. She was getting tired fast.

Before the gray wolf could make another attempt at her, he was suddenly pounced and felt a great deal of weight on his back, then something chomp on his neck. He groaned and shuffled about. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the tigress latched onto him, claws dug into his hide, and fangs in his neck. He gave an annoyed growl. "You tigers are all the same. Hiding in the shadows like the cowards you are, then striking when no one is looking."

His entire body began giving off a static-like discharge. Tess was caught off guard and looked him in the eyes for a brief moment, and was knocked off when his body gave off an explosion. Unfortunately for him, she was latched on real tight, and ended up ripping off some of his skin and taking it with her. He cried out in pain as his hide was torn off. Tess hit the wall pretty hard, and struggled to get back up.

As he was going for her again, he was tackled and knocked down by Atemis. He quickly got up and lunged for the black wolf. They went at each other like a couple of starved predators, teeth bared, biting and scratching each other. The gray wolf decided he had enough, quickly swept behind Atemis, and grabbed his tail, swung him in a couple of circles and throwing him to the center of the room, then leapt up high into the air while he was trying to recover and slammed down hard onto him, standing on his throat as the floor broke, causing them to fall one floor down, and crashing through the second floor as well, taking all the way down to the first floor, and leaving a big crack on the ground as Atemis was slammed down hard into the foundation.

His entire body was throbbing, and he was gasping for breath as the other wolf stood on his throat. He was left helpless against him. "I think I'll finish you off first. Just remember, I gave you a chance to turn tail and run." His eyes began to glow. He was clearly readying up an eye laser attack at point blank range. Atemis sat there, struggling to breathe as he tried to think of a way out. He could see blood slowly dripping off the gray wolf's shoulder from where Tess had injured him. A single droplet fell off and landed on Atty's tongue.

Suddenly, something began to change in Atemis. His body heated up, and his heart rate increased rapidly, and the pupils in his eyes turned into snake-like slits. His breathing grew heavier as he grabbed hold of the gray wolf's paw, and all of a sudden, some blunt red crystals shot up out of the ground, one of them making a heavy impact on the blue-eyed wolf against his gut. He gagged and coughed up some blood, some of it dripping on Atty’s face.

Atemis was finally able to breathe normally, and was shocked by what he was seeing. “What just happened?” he thought to himself. The reddish crystals retracted back into the earth, and the opposing wolf fell straight to the ground, making a loud thud as he landed. He coughed up some more blood as it dripped down his jaws.

“What did you just do?!” he glared angrily at the black wolf. He growled and managed to charge up an attack in his paw, now sparking with light energy, and made a swing for Atemis. Atty braced himself for a hard blow, but as he seemed to flinch, more blood red crystals came out of the ground, and seemed to attach and pile themselves on his body and appeared to smoothen out, creating what could only be described as smooth, crystal armor. As he finished, the gray wolf hit his mark, and made a small explosion, but it didn't seem to phase Atemis.

Instead, a crack was heard, followed by an agonizing scream. His opponent looked at his paw as it throbbed, and seemed to be bent out of shape. It appeared to be broken. He backed up and tried to get some distance from him. The armor fell off and returned to the earth beneath him. Atty took a more aggressive stance, and started charging at the other wolf. His body suddenly began to give off a crimson discharge as he dashed at lightning fast speed towards his opponent.

He tackled him directly on the side and heard his ribs crack. The gray wolf seemed to have been electrocuted, giving off a little crimson static discharge, and was knocked against the wall. He collapsed and stared hard at Atemis. The black wolf’s eyes were glowing brightly, and his body was irradiated with crimson energy. “What kind of power is this?! Just what are you?!” He coughed up some more blood. “Could it be that you're… no, that's not possible. He slowly seemed to lose consciousness and collapsed on his side, and suddenly seemed lifeless.

Atemis was panting. The energy around him faded. His body temperature, heart rate, and eyes returned to normal. He looked at his paw for a moment, and tried to wipe the blood off of his face.

“Good question. Just what was that power? Did that really come from me?” he asked himself. He heard someone coming down the stairs, and met with his companions, Valentine and Tess.

“Nice work, Atemis,” said Val. She and Tess were battered and bruised, not to mention dirty. “What was all that about? Never seen anything like that before.

“I'm not sure,” he replied, “though he seemed to have an idea. I'm not sure what to think of it.”

“Well, there is something familiar about it. I'll do some research on the subject when we get back. Tess, make sure the leader is dead, and be sure to deal with any stragglers you happen across.

“Yes, ma’am,” the tigress replied.

“Come on, Atemis. Let's get out of here. Luna will probably want to know about this ‘Order’.”

The team began their trip home once they finished up at the bandit camp. They didn't really say much, as they were exhausted and battered from the conflict. A couple of things were on Atty's mind. What was the Order of the White Dragon? And what was that strange power that he used? There wasn't much time to think about it as they returned to their humble little town, with an entrance sign reading 'Welcome to Tranquility' coming into view. They headed straight to Lunawolf Manor. They stopped for a moment at the entrance when Valentine broke the long silence. "I'm gonna report directly to the guildmaster and let her know what went down, then I'll head to the library to do a little research. Stop by my place after sundown to collect your share of the bounty. I'm at room twelve-B. You should head to the infirmary, considering you took the brunt of the damage."

"Yeah, good call," he replied. "I'll see you later, then." They went their separate ways. Atty headed straight to Juniper's station to get patched up. As he entered the infirmary, he noticed a few people already there. He heard a bit of coughing, but it didn't sound too serious. The vixen, Juniper, came out of her lab with some supplies in a basket hanging from her mouth. She noticed the wolf, set her cargo down, and gave him a warm, welcoming smile. She approached him, taking note of some of his injuries.

"Welcome back, Atemis. I'm glad you made it home. Are you okay? Anything broken?"

"Just some lacerations and bruises, a sore throat, and a little inflammation all over my body. But nothing that requires immediate attention," he said as his entire body throbbed from having been slammed through two entire floors.

"Good to hear. If you need treatment, you'll have to wait for a bit, I'm afraid. I have a few clients ahead of you."

"Take your time. Like I said, it's not an emergency."

Atty waited patiently for June to finish with the other patients. His joints and muscles ached from his engagement, but he didn't mind it. It gave him a chance to see the vixen at work and what she was like on the clock. She was very kind and compassionate with the sick and injured, especially to a young black labrador pup, who apparently had a cold. She gave him some syrup like medicine. The pup gagged at the taste as he swallowed it. She gave the bottle to the adult standing next to him, who was the mother. "Give him about a spoonful of this every twelve hours as needed. If he's not better in about a week, come back and see me."

"Thank you so much, Juniper," the mother replied. When they left, Atty was the only one remaining, which meant he had a little alone time with the fox. She approached him.

"Sorry for the wait. Now, let's have a look at you..." She examined his injuries carefully. "Did you encounter any crocs or gators?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"I recognize the pattern of these bites on your leg. I'm surprised your bones weren't crushed." She placed a paw gently on his throat." You have swelling here. Does it hurt?"

"Somewhat."

"You really did take a beating, didn't you? I hope you gave those bandits what was coming to them."

"Well, they won't be troubling us again any time soon, that's for sure."

"Good. Wait here a moment." She went into her lab, and came back out a minute or two later with a few bottles at hand, or rather, paw, carrying them in the little basket around her neck. There were three bottles, all a different color, red, blue, and gray. She took out the gray one first and poured out a small amount of oozing liquid on her paw. "This is an antibiotic ointment. This will help your wounds heal faster and also clear them of any infections you may have contracted." She rubbed the ointment gently on the damage to his hide. Next she took out the red bottle, pouring a small amount of liquid onto a spoon. "This medicine will help your throat. It's made with herbs, blueberries, lavender, and a bit of honey. Thank you again for that," she said smiling, referring to the honey he gave her before. He took the spoonful of medicine. It actually didn't taste that bad. It soothed his throat as it went down.

"You make your own medicine?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm well trained in the ways of alchemy." Lastly, she opened the blue bottle. "This one is a little unpleasant, but it'll help with the pain and inflammation." She poured a spoonful and gave it to him. He took it without a word, and gagged a little at the flavor. Lastly, she wrapped his back leg in some bandages, around his alligator bite and his other wounds. "Well, that should just about do it. Be sure to take it easy for a few days, and if you're still hurting, come and see me again."

"I'd come and see you even if I wasn't in pain," he said to her with a warm smile. She blushed.

"You're very sweet. And I'm very much looking forward to it."

---

After being patched up, Atemis said his goodbyes to Juniper, and was given a bit of medicine to take home. He noticed it was getting dark by the looks of the light outside the window. He decided to head home. As he entered the residential part of the manor, he remembered what Val had said to him before the team parted, and decided to pay her a quick visit. "Twelve-B. This is it." He knocked on the door, and sure enough, a moment later, it opened, and he was greeted by the six-tailed fox.

"Hey there, Atty. I've been expecting you. Won't you come inside?" The wolf nodded and accepted her request, setting foot inside her home. It was decorated with blue wallpaper with white snowflakes, and there was a crystal chandelier hanging up above. The floor was made of a soft, white carpet, complimenting the room nicely with a blue loveseat and a coffee table. The theme she had really complimented her nicely. "Make yourself comfortable." He settled himself on the loveseat. She joined him a moment later. "Can I get you anything? A snack? Some wine, perhaps? Mother knows we could use some after what we've been through today."

"I'm good, thanks. Did you get a chance at some research like you said?"

"I haven't made much progress, but I did learn a little something about the Order of the White Dragon from Luna. She described them as a cult organization that worships an all-powerful dragon named Ikari. Ikari himself is determined to take control of all kingdoms, guilds, and any other form of civilization. He wishes to rule with an iron fist. His followers spend their days recruiting and conquering in his name, and those they don't kill off, they enslave instead. They started off as small groups of worshippers who have forsaken the Mother in favor of Ikari, who promised them untold riches and unmatched power, and a world under a single rule. The most powerful and influential of the cult are given a single scale from Ikari himself, which grants them all sorts of varying powers, as you may recall from our recent encounter. They are called the Awakened."

"They sound more like power hungry fanatics than anything else," stated Atemis.

"Yes, and it's doubtful that this will be the only time we have to deal with them. They will return, probably in bigger numbers. We'll just have to make sure we're ready when they do. But enough about that. Wait here." She went into her sleeping area, grabbed something, and returned to the wolf. "Here you go. Your cut of the profits, plus a little extra for dealing with the cult. Around six-hundred pawbits, if I counted correctly."

"Really? That's a good chunk. More than enough of what I need."

"You mean to take Juniper out for a night on the town?" He blushed and looked at the kitsune for a moment, then nodded sheepishly. "You really do fancy her, don't you?"

"Yes, and I don't know why. But I certainly look forward to getting to know her more to maybe find out."

"Juniper is a good girl. I'm certain you two will really hit it off, and enjoy each other's company," she assured. Both of them gave a yawn. "Well, I think it's about time to call it a day, don't you?" He nodded. "Go home and get some rest. We could both certainly use it."

---

Atemis went back to his dorm, returning from Val's home who happened to be just down the hall from him. He didn't really feel like doing anything once he went inside, blowing out his candle and collapsing on his bed once he was ready to sleep, and he fell into a slumber quickly. As he slept the night away, he began to have a dream. Or rather, a nightmare. He stood alone in what seemed like an empty void, blood filling his taste buds and dripping from his mouth, heart racing at what felt like a million miles a minute. It began to light up above him, and he could make out some silhouettes. Five to be exact, four on one side, and a loner on the other.

All he could make out was shapes and colors. In the group of four, it clearly looked like a pitch-black wolf with red eyes, a black feline with amber eyes, a green fox, and what seemed to be a blue otter. The loner on the other side is what appeared to be a white dragon. They seemed as though they were about to do battle. Suddenly, the two sides collided, and all Atty could see was a clash of colors, and the sounds of conflict, including growls, hisses, and roars. This ensued for a minute or so. Suddenly it was over. There was nothing but dead silence. Then it grew dark again, and began to rain, only it wasn't water. It was red, and left puddles of thick liquid.

The red rain got heavier and louder, and across the void from him was another silhouette, a black wolf-shaped figure with red eyes like his own. It sent chills down his spine and made his fur stand on end. They just stared at one another for a long time, then the shadowy figure turned and walked away slowly. "The time is almost upon us, Atemis," he heard a voice faintly say to him, "You must be ready."

Everything suddenly went white. Atty sprung awake from his deep sleep. He squinted his eyes as the light of the morning sun peered through the window and hit him in the face. His heart was racing, and he was short of breath. "That dream was similar to last time. But much more intense. Is it even a dream at all? Or is it something else entirely?" He took a moment to collect himself. Then something else came to mind. "That shadow again. I understood it that time. What did it mean? Ready for what?" He still felt a little groggy, having just woken up. He forced himself out of bed.

His body ached still from his injuries, even though they were thoroughly treated. He grabbed and took some of the medicine Juniper had given him for the pain, and gagged a little at the flavor. He took a seat at the window and looked outside. He had a nice view of the town square, and could see the locals going about their business. He then decided, "You know what? I'm gonna take the day off. I think I've earned it. And Juniper did say to take it easy for a while. If Val or Luna really need me, they can come get me." He huffed and decided to head out for something to perk himself up once the pain eased up. As he came downstairs, he noticed Jewel in her usual spot. She saw him and left her post to greet him.

"Good morning, Atty-bear." She noticed the bandages. "Your field team had it rough yesterday, huh?"

"You have no idea," he answered.

"Well, speaking of your field team, Val told me to let you know she was looking for you. She's waiting at the café. Said she made some more progress, whatever that means."

"I have a pretty good idea. Thank you Jewel."

"No problem. Get well soon, okay?" As she returned to her post, Atemis went over to the café. He could see the kitsune sitting alone at the bar with a cup of coffee. He took a seat next to her. She almost didn't notice him right away, and slowly turned to greet him.

"Morning, Atemis."

"You look tired, Val. Did you not sleep well?"

"I didn't sleep much at all. I couldn't. So instead, I decided to do some more research. I found something you especially might find interesting. Can I get you a coffee?" He nodded. Val signaled for the barkeep and placed the order for him. He received his beverage a moment later and took a sip, which seemed to perk him up a bit.

"So what did you find?" Val took out a grayish-blue book from her pouch, and opened it to a bookmark, pointing to a text with an image of a black wolf on it. Above it, it said 'Bloodwolf'. "Bloodwolf? But Val, that's only a legend. A bedtime story designed to inspire children. I mean, isn't it?" The thought of it actually made him kind of nervous.

"I'm not so sure. A lot of what we saw you do yesterday points to it. When you had that power active, did you by any chance get a taste of blood?" He thought about it for a moment.

"I... think so. But it was only a small drop."

"Atemis, for a Bloodwolf, even a droplet is potent. It puts them in a frenzy, heightening all the senses and rapidly increasing the pace of their heart. When you tasted blood, did you become more sensitive to sight, sound, and smell? And did your heart feel like you just ran a mile?

"If I recall correctly, yes."

"Not only that, but when's the last time you've seen another wolf with red eyes?"

"Now that you mention it... Never."

"And I can only assume you're an only child."

"Well yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"According to the old texts," Val continued, "Bloodwolves are always born as an only pup, never in even a small litter. And then there's the visions manifesting themselves as dreams." Atty's ears perked up at this.

"Dreams? I just had a really intense one last night, and one the night before. It was really strange."

"Like seeing yourself covered in the blood of your enemies, or perhaps a conflict between two opposing forces? Sky raining blood? Maybe even a strange apparition of another wolf?"

"Yes. To all of those," he replied. "You're telling me those are visions? Visions of what?"

"Bloodwolves have a deep connection to their bloodline. A Bloodwolf is only born when the Mother senses an imminent evil, and when the time is right, they will begin to see the memories of their past lives, as sort of a warning of what is yet to come." The vixen turned her attention to the book again. "There's more. The Bloodwolf appears to be linked to Ikari in some way. Around five-hundred years ago, the one before you, along with three other heroes, did battle with him. The details are lost, but in the end, the heroes won. Unfortunately, they were unable to completely destroy Ikari, for his spirit was too powerful. So instead, using an ancient and unknown form of magic, they sealed him away."

"I guess the seal was only temporary, then, if Ikari is loose again."

"Well," Val continued, "there is apparently an ancient ritual that can be used to break said seal, but again, the details are lost. Apparently, this conflict with the dragon has been going on for the last five-thousand years, maybe even longer. The story is always the same. This evil dragon rises from the dead and tries to conquer the world, some heroes rise up against him and seal him away, only for Ikari to be released again in the next few hundred years or so. Then the cycle begins all over again. If Ikari is truly back, then your past lives are likely trying to warn you, and prepare you for what's most certain to come."

"What exactly am I supposed to do to prepare?"

"It just says that the Bloodwolf is supposed to wait until full contact can be made. This can take time."

"I guess all I can do is wait, then." The wolf sighed. "This is an awful lot to take in. It’s so insane. I think I definitely need a day or two off."

"I don't blame you. I was planning on doing some rest and relaxation myself." She chuckled. "So what now?"

"I may just take a walk around town, maybe stroll in the woods for a bit. After that, I may just stay home."

"Sounds good. Take care, Atemis."

"You too, Val. Thanks."

---

As he said he would, Atemis took a stroll around town, memorizing the location of a few noteworthy buildings, including a florist and armory. "A set of armor wouldn't hurt," he said to himself, "I should remember to stop by before I leave town next time." Then he turned his attention to the florist. "I wonder what sort of flower Juniper would like?" He thought more about it, and then continued on. Before he knew it, he was back at the manor. He was planning on strolling in the forest, but wanted to stop by the base first. He approached the reception counter. Jewel didn't notice him at first, as she was focusing on a book sitting on her desk. He cleared his throat, getting her attention.

"Oh, hey Atty-bear. Did you need something?"

"Yes, actually. When do you think you'll be able to step away? I could use your help with something important."

"Well, I'll be going on break pretty soon," said the cat, "What do you need exactly?"

"Juniper mentioned a lake out in the forest, and I wanted to take a look for myself. There's a view she really enjoys, but I don't know exactly where that would be. I don't even know where the lake itself is. Would you be willing to guide me?"

"Of course. I know exactly what view you're talking about, and I'd be more than happy to show you."

"Thank you. I'll be waiting."

Atty stayed nearby and waited for Jewel to finish up her work before she went on break. This was about a five minute waiting period. She put a little sign up that indicated she wasn't available and approached the wolf. "Are you ready to go, Atty-bear?" He nodded. "Let's be off, then. Walk with me." They took a stroll through town and just past the farms on the outskirts, eventually reaching a sign that read 'Now leaving Tranquility'. "It's been a while since I've been this far from the manor. The air is honestly a little cleaner the closer you get to the outside of town. Fortunately, the lake isn't too much farther ahead."

"That's good," replied Atemis. "Hey, Jewel?"

"Yes?"

"I was wondering... why do you call me Atty-bear?"

She giggled, "Is it not obvious? You're like a big and cuddly teddy bear." The wolf looked away and blushed at the answer. The cat giggled some more. "Come along now. Don't fall behind." He followed her along the dirt path into the forest. It was about a ten minute walk. Atemis was a little tired from the stroll, truly just tired in general, but they finally reached their destination.

"So this is it, huh?" he said aloud.

"Yes. The view you're looking for should be around here somewhere. Look for a weeping willow surrounded by pink flowers." They searched around, sticking close to the water's edge. Atemis caught a glimpse of a small patch of pink flowers, then looked around for the willow, and before he knew it, he found it.

"Is that it over there?" Jewel looked in the same direction.

"Ah, good. You found it." The duo headed toward the tree. Jewel took a seat nearby. "Here, take a look. The trees are aligned to look as though they're holding the sun and moon when they're setting. During a full moon, the algae in the lake glow a bright blue color. The scenery here is truly breathtaking." Atty took a seat next to her and looked around. He could see the trees she was talking about. They were aligned perfectly to form a bit of a curve shape. The sounds of nature filled his ear, including the soft sounds of smaller animals and the wind blowing gently through the trees.

"Sounds like it would be best to come out here during the evening hours, or even at night."

"For the best experience, yes."

"Thank you for showing this to me, Jewel. I really appreciate it."

"You are welcome, Atty-bear," she said gleefully. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Not right now. If something comes to mind, I'll let you know."

"Well, you know where to find me when you do." She smiled. "I think it's about time we head back. I gotta get back to work before I'm missed."

---

After his little stroll in the woods, Atemis returned home to rest. The pain across his body was beginning to flare up again, so he took some more of his medicine to help with it. This time, it made him drowsy. He decided to take a nap. About an hour later he was awakened by what sounded like a whisper. He looked around his bedroom. There was nothing to be seen. He shrugged and gave a yawn, then went back to sleep, seeing as it was getting dark outside.

Atemis didn't really do much for the next couple of days. He mostly stayed home. The pain and inflammation settled down over time. He removed his bandages. The wounds were healing nicely. But he felt a little scruffy. As he thought about where he could go to clean up a bit, he heard a knock at his door. When he answered, he was greeted by a familiar blue otter. "Hey there, handsome. It's a pleasure to see you again."

"Hello, Ariel. This is a surprise. Is there something you need?"

"Well, I haven't seen you for a few days, and I was starting to worry. I also have a package for you. Figured it was as good an excuse as any to deliver it to you personally."

"Who's it from?"

"Bjorn. He sent you some of his special biscuits as a way of saying thanks for the other day. Lucky." She laid the package before him. "So how are you, anyway? Are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine. Just have a lot on my mind right now."

"I understand," she replied. "By the way, you look kind of rugged. When's the last time you took some time to care for yourself?"

"Believe it or not, I was just asking myself the same thing. It's been a while, I guess. I had been on the road for a few weeks before I found myself here, and haven't had much time for that since I arrived."

"Well, if you're looking to clean up a bit, you should try the bath house, 'Tranquil Waters.' It's very relaxing, and draws its water from the hot springs around Mt. Tranquility, which our town is named after. It's run by otters. They assist their customers in washing if they need it, since most have trouble doing it themselves. I can show you where it is, if you'd like."

"That would be nice. Thanks."

"My pleasure," she said with a smile. "Whenever you're ready." Atty took a moment to grab his satchel and some money, and followed the otter out. They traveled a short distance into town a little beyond the main plaza. Ariel stopped by a building and pointed towards the sign that read 'Tranquil Waters'. Steam could be seen expelling from behind. "This is the place. Of course, you have to pay a small fee to use one of the baths. Guild members get in for half the price."

"Thanks again, Ariel."

"Don't mention it." She crossed her arms and sighed, "I'd better get back to the store. It's probably gonna be a busy one today." The otter went on her way, and Atty went inside. He was immediately greeted by one of the workers behind a desk, who, as Ariel said, was an otter, and one with the standard colors that most had.

"Hello. Welcome to Tranquil Waters," she greeted, "I don't recognize you as one of our regulars. Is this your first time here?" The wolf nodded. "Not a problem. And I take it from that scarf you're a member of the guild?"

"Yes, I am."

"In that case..." she looked at her clipboard sitting on the desk, "we do have an opening at this time. It will be just a mere ten pawbits to use." Atty nodded and paid her. "Very good. Follow me." He stayed close behind her. They went down a hallway. The otter stopped about halfway at a door. "Here we are. Come on inside." They went into the vacant room. There was a small pool of hot water with steam rising through an opening in the ceiling. There were some towels, a scrubber, and an assortment of soaps laying nearby. "Make yourself comfortable. Someone will be with you shortly to help out, if you need it." The otter bowed and left him to himself. He took off his handkerchief and removed his satchel before dipping a single paw into the water, jerking it back in reaction to the heat. He slowly added more of his body into the bath as he got used to the temperature. He sighed contently once he got his entire body into the water, resting his head against the edge of the pool. A few moments later, he heard a knock on the door. A new face entered. A ginger otter with green eyes and a pink water lily pinned by her ear.

"Hello, there. I'm Blossom. I'll be assisting you today." She approached him and took a seat at the edge of the water. "I don't believe I've seen you before. Are you new in town?"

"Relatively. I've only been here for about a week."

"Are you a part of the guild as well? I couldn't help but notice your scarf over there."

"Yes, I am." The otter grabbed the scrubber and dipped it in the water, getting it nice and soaked before dousing it with a little soap. She started scrubbing his back for him.

"So how are you liking our humble little town?"

"I've no reason to complain so far. I can see where Tranquility gets its name. It's very peaceful."

"We try our best to keep it that way. But even we have our problems. If it wasn't for the guild, we'd probably be in a lot of disarray."

"Tranquility relies a lot on Lunawolf, huh?" said Atemis. She nodded.

"By the way, are you gonna be busy later today? I was thinking we could hang out more socially. I'd love to hear more about you," she said with a wink and a blown kiss. He blushed, and then turned to her.

"Listen, Blossom. You're cute and all, but... I believe my heart belongs to someone else."

"Oh, I see." She seemed disappointed, but then smiled. "That's okay, though. Doesn't mean we can't be friends."

"No, I suppose it doesn't." She got in the water with him and began scrubbing around his neck and chest area, catching a good glimpse of his red eyes as she helped him wash the dirt, and some blood, away.

"I don't think I've ever seen a wolf with eyes like yours before."

"I know. They're intimidating," he said with a sigh.

"I was thinking more enchanting, like a pair of glistening rubies," she said with a giggle.

"Really? That's a bit of a first. Usually, they send chills down people's spines. At least the ones I'm in the midst of fighting with."

"Your eyes look like they've seen bloodshed, and also love and friendship. Someone like you must have all sorts of stories to tell. I'd love to hear them sometime." The wolf chuckled sheepishly. "So, who's the lucky one you have your eyes on?"

"Juniper, from the Lunawolf clinic," he answered.

"Really? I'm a little surprised you showed interest in her," the otter girl stated.

"Why's that?"

"Well, most folks are leery around foxes, since a good number of them turn to stealing and trickery to get by. Some folks in town won't even let Juniper treat them just because of her species. It's sad, really. I'm glad to see you're not such a person."

"Does it bother her that some think of her that way?"

"She tries not to show it, but I'm sure it does. Good thing we have at least two healers, or we'd be in real trouble."

"Who's the other healer?"

"A lemur. Her name is Kasha. She took Juniper in from the streets when she was a teenager. Taught June everything she knows about alchemy and healing. Have you really not met yet?"

"No. Usually, when I go to see Juniper, she's the only one working," said Atty.

"Well, you better watch yourself around June, because Kasha is pretty protective of her. If you cross her, you might find yourself unable to have children." Atty started to feel more anxious at this comment, and sank his body into the water, down to where his snout was just sitting above the aqua. "Not to worry, though. I'm sure you two will get along." The otter giggled. She grabbed a cup and scooped up some of the water, and poured it over the wolf's head. She rubbed a brush through his fur as she rinsed the soap off of his body. After a few minutes, he was nice and clean, free of dust and blood. He hopped out of the bath and shook himself as dry as he could. Blossom grabbed a towel and helped dry off whatever he couldn't shake off himself.

"That was quite rejuvenating. Thanks a lot, Blossom."

"Don't mention it. It's what I do. Good luck with Juniper, and please come back and see me again. I enjoyed our talk."

Atemis left the bath house feeling refreshed. He thought about what he should do next. Then an idea came to mind. He traveled a bit further into town to visit the florist he saw the other day. The shop had a few large plants sitting outside. When he entered, he was hit by a pleasant floral fragrance that seemed to calm him. He saw only a single worker, a blonde female lemur wearing a pair of reading glasses and holding a book.

"Welcome," she greeted. "Let me know if I can help you with anything." The wolf smiled at her and nodded as a way of acknowledging her. He browsed through the numerous arrangements of flowers. He stopped when he was just about to pass a bouquet of yellow flowers. He had a strange feeling inside, but nothing bad.

"Excuse me, miss?" he called out to the worker, whose attention immediately turned to him. "Are these buttercups?" he asked as she approached him.

"Yes. We're having a sale on them. They're about to go out of season. Autumn is just around the corner, after all. Are you interested in them?" He stared at the flowers for a moment. He was lost in thought. "Sir?" He couldn't explain it, but it felt like a voice inside of him was telling him to buy them.

"Yeah, I'll take them."

"Very well. That'll be five pawbits, please." He nodded and paid her, then took the flowers and placed them carefully in his satchel so that they were sticking out and sitting comfortably. He thanked the florist and left afterwards.

As he left the florist and walked through town, he couldn't help but think to himself. He wondered if Juniper would like the bouquet he picked out. He was worried she didn't, or that perhaps she might be allergic. His stomach growled a bit. Judging by the position of the sun, he figured it was close to noon. He made his way back to Lunawolf Manor, and gave his usual greeting to Jewel. He continued on to the infirmary. When he entered, he noticed someone new treating the patients.

A white female lemur with black tribal markings. She appeared to be using a mortar and pestle. Atty looked around, but didn't see any sign of Juniper. There didn't seem to be any patients at the moment, either. He approached her, and once he was within a few feet, he called out to her. "Excuse me." The lemur jumped at the sound of his voice breaking the silence. She turned to look at him. Her eyes were of two completely different colors, one blue, the other green. She appeared to be at least middle aged.

"Goodness, don't sneak up on me like that, sweetie. You could've given me a heart attack."

"Sorry about that. Do you work here as well?"

"Yes. I run the infirmary, along with my apprentice. I do believe this is the first we've met. I'm Kasha." That name rang a bell. It dawned on him, this was the lemur Blossom had mentioned.

"I take it Juniper is your apprentice?" said Atty.

"Oh, you know June? Wait, don't tell me..." She stared at him hard for a long time, studying every inch of him. Her glare was kind of unnerving to the wolf. "A pitch black wolf with red eyes. You must be Atemis. Yes, I remember now. Juniper mentioned you before. She was certainly right. You are indeed just about the most charming looking wolf I've ever seen, even with those red piercers."

"She… thinks I'm charming?" He chuckled sheepishly and blushed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"She does indeed, among other things. So tell me, what brings you here? You seem pretty healthy."

"I actually came to see Juniper. Is she around?" The lemur lady noticed the flowers sticking out of his pack. She gave a smirk and crossed her arms.

"June, honey! Could you come out here, please." A moment later, the vixen came out from the room in the back.

"Yes, Kasha? Oh, hi Atty," she greeted as she noticed the wolf. She approached and stood next to her mentor. "You're looking much better."

"All thanks to you." He smiled at her. He grabbed the flowers in his pouch and presented them to the vixen. "These are for you. Pretty flowers for an even prettier one." Juniper blushed hard and giggled.

"Are those buttercups? I love those. How did you know they were my favorite?"

"Are they?" Atemis was a little surprised. "I guess my gut feeling about them was right after all." She took the flowers from him.

"Thank you, Atty. No one has... ever given me flowers before, nor gave me such a nice compliment." Her cheeks remained rosy. "I'll be right back," she stated as she left the room for a moment, then returned shortly after. "I had to put them in a vase with water. I can enjoy them longer that way." Atty stared at her for a moment, then looked away, clearing his throat as he began to speak out to her.

"June... Now that I'm all healed up, would you like to go out for lunch? I was thinking we could go to the Blue Dragon, like I promised before." The vixen's heart skipped a beat.

"You mean like a date?"

"Yes. And then I was thinking about a trip by the lake afterwards. We can have a little picnic. I have a special snack in mind that I think you'll enjoy." She smiled, but it quickly faded.

"I'd love to, but... I have work to do."

"Oh." Atty seemed disappointed.

"Now, let's not be too hasty," Kasha chimed in, catching their attention. They seemed to have forgotten that she was standing there the whole time. "June, honey, I think you should take him up on his offer."

"But what about-" She was interrupted mid-sentence with a dismissive paw.

"Don't you worry none, dear. I can hold down the fort while you're gone. After all, I was flying solo long before you came along."

"Well, I don't know..."

"I won't accept no for an answer. You crazy kids get out of here and have a good time." June's smile quickly lit up, and she hugged the lemur.

"Thank you, Kasha. I won't forget this."

"Now get on out of here, you two. You're burning daylight." The vixen quickly ran to Atty's side.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go. On to the Blue Dragon. I can't wait," Juniper said in a giggly way. They started to walk out together, but Kasha quickly interrupted them.

"One other thing. Atemis, you'd better watch yourself. If you mistreat her in any way, I'll have to tie you upside down to a tree and cut your balls off." Atty's heart skipped a few beats at her warning. Juniper glared at her.

"Kasha!"

"It's okay, June. I understand her position," the wolf said. "Miss Kasha, I can assure you, she's in good hands." He gave a respectful bow. The fox and wolf left the infirmary together.

---

The couple walked through town together. It was in the afternoon, and they traveled across the plaza and quickly found themselves at their destination. They admired the large blue dragon hanging above the entrance. They entered, and were greeted by a familiar red panda. "Hello, welcome to the Blue Dragon," said Chang. He looked at the wolf for a moment and realized who it was. "Oh, hello again, Atemis." He looked at the vixen that was with him. "Juniper? Are you here with him?" She nodded. "Wonderful. I can get you two seated right away. Come with me." He grabbed a couple of menus and walked into the restaurant. "Would you like a table with a view? No extra charge."

"That would be nice," said Atemis, looking at the vixen with a smile on his face. "Our first date should be special. Something to really remember." She returned the smile. They followed the red panda to a table towards the back. It had a view of the distant mountain and a waterfall. It was a captivating view.

"So beautiful." Juniper was in awe, staring out the window as she sat down. Atemis joined her, sitting right across from her. Chang laid a menu in front of them.

"I'll give you two a moment to decide on what you want." As he left, Atemis noticed the vixen was staring at him with an expression of glee.

"I can't believe I'm actually here. I can't thank you enough for this experience."

"It's only going to get better from here, June," Atty proclaimed. He looked through the menu. One dish caught his eye. A moment later, Chang came up to them again.

"Are you two ready to order?"

"I'd like to try the kung pao chicken, with dumplings on the side," said Juniper.

"Very good, ma'am. And what about you?" He looked at the wolf and awaited an answer.

"I'm interested in the sweet and sour pork, with a side of dumplings as well."

"Excellent choice, sir. I'll get them started right away." As the panda wrote down their requests, he gave a respectful bow and left the couple alone.

"So, Atty," said Juniper, "I'd really like to know more about you."

"What would you like to know?"

"Well, like how did you end up here in Tranquility? I know wolves usually keep to their packs. Why did you decide to go solo?"

"I didn't want my life decided for me. I wanted to be free to make my own choices and choose my own path in life. My mother wanted something better for me than what the pack was offering. It was her that encouraged me to follow my heart, even if it meant leaving everything else behind."

"Were you close with your mother?"

"We have a bond thicker than blood," he answered.

"And what of your father?"

"We've never really seen eye to eye. He wanted to follow tradition and unite two packs together by forcing me to marry an eligible female alpha from another pack. I didn't want to be stuck with someone I had never met nor knew anything about. I can't imagine what he would say now if he were here. And it probably wouldn't just be about the fact that I ran off, but because I'm dating a fox."

"Does he not like my kind?"

"Not in the slightest. He's one of those stereotypes. He thinks foxes are shifty and untrustworthy. He definitely wouldn't approve of you." Atty looked kind of sad. Juniper's heart sank hearing this. "My mother, on the other hand, would probably adore you. She's much more open minded."

"She sounds wonderful," said the vixen, "I'd really love to meet her."

"Maybe you will someday. But it might be a long time before that happens. I'd love to see her again as well, for if not for her, I wouldn't be sitting here today with the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes on." He smiled at her. She blushed.

"You really think I'm beautiful?"

"Are you kidding," he chuckled, "You’re like the stars in the night sky. Both are a heavenly view." Juniper covered her face and giggled sheepishly.

"You... really know how to make a girl blush, Atty."

"Well, I'm only telling the truth. But I feel there's so much more about you to love. And I'd be interested to find out what those things are." A moment later, their orders came in. The dishes were laid in front of them.

"This looks so good." Juniper seemed to be drooling a little. Some drinks were set next to them as well. They started to dig in. "So what exactly did you hope to accomplish from leaving your pack?"

"There are a few things I had in mind. I wanted to find a new place to call home, a place that offers more freedom and opportunity. I wanted to do something that involved helping others. During my lone wolf days, I spent much of my time doing simple tasks for money. When I joined the guild, I found exactly what I was looking for. I found people that understand and respect me in a way that my pack didn't."

"Did you ever feel lonely out there by yourself?"

"Almost every day." He sighed. "At least I don't have to feel that way anymore. With you and my field team by my side, I feel like I can accomplish anything." Juniper smiled at his comment. They continued to enjoy their meals and each other's company, and the view next to them. Not much more was said. A little after they finished, Chang came along to check on them.

"Anything else I can get for you two?"

"Do you want anything else, June?" asked Atty.

"No, I think that'll do for me." She giggled. He nodded.

"Just the check, please," said Atty. The panda nodded. He left the check on the table. Atty left the payment, along with a tip, and the couple left, their bellies full and satisfied.

"That was wonderful," the vixen stated. "I hope we can come here again sometime soon."

"I was thinking of making it a regular thing for us." Atty smiled. "But the date isn't over yet. Are you up for a picnic by the lake? I have something special I'd like to share with you."

"I can't wait. It's been great so far."

"Well, I have to stop at home first, if you don't mind."

"Not at all."

---

They walked back to the manor together, engaging in conversation along the way. "So what's the town's history?" the wolf asked.

"Well, it's around three-hundred years old," Juniper stated. "It started out as a small encampment for refugees escaping the empire's wrath. Tranquility is outside the kingdom's borders, so they have no jurisdiction over us. Before settlers moved in, Lunawolf Manor was the oldest and only building around. Old and reclaimed by nature. It was left as is for a long time, until Luna and some of her companions came along around thirty years ago and refurbished it. Now, as you can see, it's home to the guild."

"Does the empire still bother the town?"

"Occasionally, we get couriers with messages trying to make us offers to merge our territory with that of the kingdom. But we always turn it down, as we prefer to remain independent."

"I see." Atty thought to himself for a moment. They made it to the manor and went upstairs to the residential area. He told Juniper to wait for him a moment while he went to his dorm. He looked around for the package Bjorn sent him. When he found it, he stuffed it into his pack, and a small blanket, then went back out to meet his date. "Ready for the second half of our date?" She nodded gleefully. They left the manor together. Atty caught a glimpse of Jewel, who was watching them as they headed out. She winked at him. He smiled sheepishly and blushed. They headed out of town and into the forest. He looked around for the weeping willow surrounded by pink flowers, as Jewel had showed him the day before. When they arrived, they picked a spot to hang out at and laid the blanket down. Atty took out the box and placed it at the center. He opened it. Inside were around a dozen biscuits glazed with honey. The filling could be seen oozing out. Half were oozing blue, the other a reddish pink. There were two markers on either side, one with a picture of a strawberry, the other a blueberry.

"Are those Bjorn's biscuits?" asked the fox. He nodded. "What a lovely surprise. I've always wanted to try them, but they always sell out before I get the chance." She took one of the biscuits oozing blue jam. "Blueberry is my favorite." Atty took one as well, and bit into it, as she did hers. The taste was delightful and indescribable. As he finished it, he began to ask her a question of his own.

"So, what's your story? How did you end up working with Kasha?"

"Well, I'm usually not comfortable sharing it. You may have a different opinion about me if I tell you."

"I'm not one to judge, Juniper. I can assure you, nothing you say will change how I feel about you." He gave a reassuring smile.

"If you insist." She sighed, closed her eyes, and began to speak. "I came from a small village to the west. We lived in a forest much like this one. For a long time, it was just me and my parents scraping what we could to get by. Then one day, a group of bandits... at least, that's what they seemed like, attacked us without warning. They killed anyone that resisted, and enslaved those who submitted. My parents told me to run and not look back. As I left the village, the last thing I saw was them being executed by the bandit chief. I was just thirteen when this happened."

"What did you do after that?"

"I... became the stereotypical thief. I stole what I needed to get by. The only reason I didn't look for work is that every time I tried applying, I was immediately turned down because... well..."

"Because you're a fox?" the wolf added. She nodded. He gave an annoyed huff. "Very typical of people."

"Well, anyway, I spent the next two years hiding in the shadows, stealing what I could to survive. Then one day, I was caught trying to pickpocket a noble, and ran out of town. I somehow ended up here in Tranquility. While looking for a place to hide, I bumped into Kasha. Naturally, I expected to be chased off again. But she was different. She showed kindness and compassion. When I told her my story, she felt terrible for me, and offered me sanctuary in her home. Then she asked if I'd be interested in an apprenticeship. I'd be learning the art of alchemy and medicine. I didn't really have any cause to say no. A few months later, she decided to officially make me her daughter and legally adopted me. I've been by her side ever since. "

“Does Kasha have any family of her own?”

“She never married or had children. She has two older siblings. Her brother, Amuraz, is the town’s blacksmith, and he is the middle child. Her sister, Akisha, the oldest of the three, serves as Luna’s court mage. She deals with affairs relating to magic, the paranormal, and the supernatural.”

Atty stared at her for a long time. "I've heard some folks don't let you treat them because you're a fox. Does that bother you?"

"It does, a lot. But I try not to let it show. I'm glad, at least, you are not one of them. You weren't quick to judge me, like most people."

"My mother always taught me your species doesn't matter, nor your past. It's who and what you are today that truly counts. Sure, you were a petty fox thief, but you turned out to be something so much greater." June looked at him with her head hung slightly.

"Funny, that's exactly what Kasha always tells me. It's nice to hear from someone else. Thank you, Atemis." He returned the smile. They stayed in the forest, talking and enjoying their treat for what seemed like forever. Juniper sat up and went towards the water's edge, looking back at him. "Are you up for a swim, Atty?" He thought about it for a moment.

"Sure." He followed her. Before he got to the edge, the vixen leaped into the water, giving a little splash that hit the wolf in the face. She emerged from underneath.

"Come on in. The water feels great." He took a step back, then leaped into the water as well, splashing some water in her face this time. When he emerged, they both gave a laugh and playfully flung water at one another. They swam together through the deeper part of the lake, and circled each other for about an hour. Finally, the sun began to set, and they got out of the water. Juniper shook herself dry, spraying Atty with some of the water in her fur. He shook as well, getting her back. They looked at each other and laughed. As the sun was about to fully set, they sat together at the edge of the water and watched the sunset side by side. The wind blew gently through the forest and into their fur. "This has truly been a wonderful day, Atemis. Thank you for this."

"It's been my pleasure, June. I'd love to do this more often."

"Me too," she replied. The sun finally went down, the moon taking its place soon after, shining bright in the sky above the water. The algae began to glow a bright blue, and fireflies glittered all around. Atty seemed to be in awe of the scenery. He then felt something. Juniper nestled closer to him and laid her paw on top of his, and gently rested her head on his shoulder. His heart fluttered at her touch, and his tail began to wag as he blushed. They stayed and enjoyed the scenery together in silence for hours. Atty gave a yawn, as did she. "It's getting pretty late now. Think we should head home?"

"I suppose so." Atty sighed. He didn't want the night to end. June could see the sadness in his eyes.

"Don't worry, Atemis. I'm certain we'll be doing this again soon, and maybe all the time." He gave a reassured smile. They packed up and headed back to town and towards the manor. It was quiet. No one was around in the main lobby. They quietly went up to the residential area. They stopped by Juniper's quarters first. She turned to face her date. "Today was amazing, Atemis. I can't wait for next time."

"Me neither. I've really enjoyed your company." A thought occurred to him, and made him blush. He looked away.

"What's the matter, Atty?"

"I just... was wondering... would it bother you if I gave you a kiss good night?" She blushed as well, then smiled.

"It would bother me more if you didn't." She moved closer to him until their snouts were nearly touching. He approached closer to her, their eyes locked with each other, hearts fluttering. The vixen pushed herself forward and planted a kiss on his lips. His tail began wagging happily as he enjoyed the kiss. After enjoying the moment of bliss for a minute or two, they pulled away from each other. The fox looked him in the eyes and smiled warmly. "Good night, Atemis. See you again soon." She went inside her dorm. Atty was lost in thought for a moment, then shook himself back to reality, and went back to his dorm for the night.

---

Atty slept comfortably through the night, his date with Juniper having gone well. However, he had the same dream again. Four heroes versus a mighty dragon. There was no conclusion. Then he began to hear a voice in his head. "Atemis," it called out repeatedly. I wasn't just a whisper this time. It sounded like an older male's voice. The sun finally rose, and shined through his window and onto his face, forcing him to wake up. He yawned and stretched in a downward dog pose, then walked up to the window, looking down at the plaza. "Did you sleep well?" a voice said behind him. He jumped and turned around suddenly. There was someone in his dorm.

"Who's there? Show yourself?" He took a defensive stance. A figure began to manifest itself in front of him. It began to clear up. A black wolf with red eyes like himself, only it appeared to be an older male.

"Settle down, Atemis. I mean you no harm," he said.

"Who are you? And how do you know my name?"

"I've been watching you for a very long time, Atemis. I've been trying to contact you for some time now. It's only now that I'm able to make direct contact with you. I am Luverius of the North. I am a Bloodwolf, like you."

"You're... what?" He was puzzled.

"You're probably wondering, of all the times to show up, why now? Well, there is a simple answer to that. It's time."

"Time? Time for what?" he asked.

"To prepare yourself for the moment when you will do battle with the great dragon. I know this is sudden, but there's not a moment to lose. You need to be ready for whatever lies ahead. You need to head to Mt. Tranquility. Deep in the mountain is a place called the Garden of Peace, a peaceful location that serves as a place of rest, refuge, and relaxation. Beyond that is a training ground. You need to head there as soon as possible for training. It'll be almost a day's trip. That is all I can say right now. I will tell you more once you get there." The wolf began to fade away.

"Wait! I still have so many questions!" yelled Atemis.

"And I promise you answers. Only later. There is a secret entrance at the base of the mountain. I will guide you there when you arrive. Do what you must to prepare." Just like that, he was gone, and Atemis was all alone. He was flabbergasted. The sudden appearance of a spirit, let alone that of a Bloodwolf, was shocking. He shook his head in disbelief.

"Mt. Tranquility, huh?" he said to himself, and sighed. "Well, if it's so important that the spirit of another Bloodwolf is contacting me, then I guess I don't really have a choice in the matter." He grabbed his scarf and satchel, and walked out. Before he made preparations, he needed to let others know that he wouldn't be around for a while. As he walked out, he bumped into Juniper. She almost fell down when she ran into him, and gave an oof.

"Oh, good morning Atemis. We need to stop meeting this way." She giggled, but her smile faded away when she saw the expression on his face. "Is there something wrong, Atty?"

"It's... complicated. I don't know how to begin to explain."

"Well, I'm listening." She awaited his answer.

"Do you believe in ghosts, June?"

"I believe there are things in this world that are yet to be explained. Why? Did you have an experience?"

"Of a sort. A Bloodwolf has contacted me. He told me I need to go to Mt. Tranquility for training."

"Bloodwolf? What?" She gasped. "Does that mean that you're..?"

"Yes, I am most likely one as well. I don't want to leave, but..." He looked away, feeling sad about leaving, just when things were getting good. He felt a paw on his cheek as his head was guided to meet her gaze once more.

"It's okay. If you are indeed a Bloodwolf, then you have a higher calling to answer to than any of us could imagine. Go to Mt. Tranquility. I promise I'll still be here when you return." She gave him a reassuring kiss on the lips. He smiled.

"Thanks, June. That actually makes me feel a little better. Would you do me a favor, though?"

"What is it?"

"If you see Valentine, would you let her know as well?"

"Of course," she answered.

"Thanks." He rested his forehead against hers. "I will see you soon." He left her alone to prepare for his travels. He stopped by the general store and greeted Ariel.

"Good morning, Atemis," she said. "What can I do for you this morning?"

"I need to stock up on supplies. I'm going on a trip, and expect to be gone for a few days, if not longer."

"Of course. I've got you covered. Where are you going, by the way?"

"I'm going to the mountains. It's a complicated story."

"I see. Well, I've got just what you need, then." She smiled and gathered some goods for him, mostly food and water. He paid her for her services and said his goodbyes. Without another word, he headed out of town and into the forest, beginning his trip towards the mountain.

"Well, here we go."

Atemis began his long and somewhat lonely trip to the mountains, venturing deep into the forest and not really stopping along the way. It was a long journey. Eventually, he stopped to rest. It was high noon. Dark clouds filled the sky as a light rain began to sprinkle the earth. He took shelter under a small rock formation. His mind was racing. He didn't know what to think with everything that had happened in such a short span of time. Arriving at Tranquility, joining the guild, his encounter with the Order, learning about the Bloodwolf and that he was one such creature, meeting Luverius, and now venturing to the great mountain for training, it was a lot to take in indeed.

He found himself suddenly thinking about the vixen, Juniper. Things were going well for them, and now they have to be separated for who knows how long. "Got something on your mind, lad?" A voice said aloud. He looked to his side and saw the wolf spirit sitting next to him. Luverius sighed and stepped forward towards the edge of the shelter. "I know how you feel. I didn't believe it at first either when I discovered I was a Bloodwolf. I won't sugarcoat it, it's a huge weight to have on your shoulders, having everyone's fate in your paws. But everything will turn out fine in the end. I can promise that much." Atemis remained silent. The weak shower began to let up. The clouds dispersed, allowing sunlight through. "We'd better get a move on. The mountain is still quite a ways away."

Atty had been walking for hours, and was getting very tired. He did his best to fight the exhaustion and kept pressing forward. The sun was about to set. He had finally reached the base of the mountain. He looked around, but didn't see any obvious signs of an entrance. "The garden is secret to all but a select few," said the spirit as he manifested by Atemis. "Look for carved stone in the wall, in the shape of a jagged heart. It'll be just a little bigger than the size of your paw." Atty looked restlessly along the rocks. Eventually, he stumbled upon one that looked like what Luverius was describing. He put his paw on it. "That's it. Press it." He did as he was told. A click was heard, and the wall began to rise up and reveal an entrance.

Atty stepped inside. It was dark at first, until some torches lit up and revealed a long hallway. "Go on, now. It's a straight shot to the garden." The wolf traveled along the vast hall, passing life-size statues that appeared in a specific order, a wolf, fox, tiger, and otter. The wolves were in a sitting and howling pose. The foxes were sitting with their tails curled around them, covering the lower half of the body. The tigers seemed to be in a stalking position, as though ready to pounce prey. Lastly, otter statues were standing straight up with their paws held out over their heads. "You're probably wondering about the significance of the other three animals," said the wolf spirit. "I'll explain that later. We have other things to do first."

After a few minutes of walking, Atty finally came into a large room that was lit up by the moonlight shining through a hole in the ceiling. In the center was a large, steaming body of water, which he could tell right away was the hot spring. The area was mostly green with numerous colors of flowers sleeping. Near the edge of the water was a great tree, a glowing blue weeping willow that reached up to the ceiling, its branches hanging low over the water. There were also a series of arched openings at the end of the room, each leading somewhere else. A few figures could be seen in a patch of flowers. Small in size, with long ears and a lengthy muzzles. They all looked in Atty's direction with their ears perked up.

"What are those?

"Bilbies," Luverius answered. "They're natives to the more arid areas in the south. A tribe of them moved here to live a more peaceful life, without the dangers of predators or the environment."

"I thought you said the garden was secret?"

"To most, yes. The bilbies, however, are the keepers of the garden. They tend to it by doing things like replanting flowers, and eating the bugs that would otherwise feed on said flowers. They also keep the pool clean." One of the little creatures came up to Atty and looked him in the eye, and smelled of his paw, looking up at him curiously. It had a chocolate colored coat with white speckles, a pink nose, and green eyes. The inner part of its ears were pink. It cocked its head from side to side as it stared at him.

"Do they not speak?"

"They're mutes. They communicate through other means." The bilby rubbed up against him in a cute and cuddly manner. "This one seems to have taken an interest in you. They haven't seen a new Bloodwolf in a long time." The rabbit-like creature hopped away, then turned around and looked at Atemis. "It seems it wants you to follow it." The wolves followed the little marsupial. It led them to one of the openings towards the back. As they entered, Atty noticed it looked like a small den, with a bed, a table, a natural fountain carved from stone filled with fresh, clean water, with a small opening on the wall just above it that continuously flowed with water. There was a single sconce above the bed, with a wolf head holding a lantern in its mouth. The light from the lamp glowed blue, just like the willow in the garden. It lit up the room quite nicely. The bilby jumped on the bed and squeaked happily at the wolf. "This will be your dorm, Atemis," said Luverius. "After a long trip or a rough battle, the bloodwolf and his allies would come to the garden to rest, relax, and recover. And it looks to me like you could use some of that right now."

"Yeah. It's been a long trip. I'm pretty tired."

"Get some rest then. We'll begin your training first thing in the morning." Atemis nodded, and then collapsed on his bed, making himself comfortable and quickly falling asleep. The little bilby jumped on his back, nestled itself on him, and fell asleep with him.

---

As Atty slept the night away, he began to have another dream. This time, it was much more vivid. He heard what sounded like fighting. He was standing by what appeared to be a crystal wall. He could see something through it on the other side as though it were a window. There stood a great, white dragon with bright blue eyes staring down a black wolf. It looked eerily similar to Luverius. He was wounded and tired, panting hard.

He lunged at the dragon, but was quickly grabbed by the throat and slammed into the ground on his back. Luverius gasped for breath as he glared at his foe in the eyes. Another figure came in and jumped on the dragon's back, and bit down hard while digging its claws into him. The dragon released the wolf and flung itself into the wall behind it, crushing the attacker. As the dragon got up and back on its feet, the mysterious character slid to the ground. Its appearance became much more clear. It was a black tiger with golden stripes. Atty immediately thought of Tess, for this tiger looked eerily similar to her. He also appeared battered and exhausted, but forced himself to stand up and keep going.

The dragon was suddenly struck by a bolt of lightning, and was knocked back. A smaller figure stood before it. It looked like a blue otter. She looked just like Ariel. Electricity seemed to be coursing through her body, her eyes glowing white. She was met by a tail smack and was knocked off of her feet. A green fox ran to her side and helped her up. The vixen reminded Atemis of Juniper. The tiger approached Luverius. "His spirit is too powerful," he said, "What should we do?"

"We have no choice," said the wolf, "We must follow in the footsteps of those who came before us. Follow my lead." Luverius struggled to stand, but managed to retain his stance. His eyes began to glow, and a pair of red beams shot from his eyes and struck the dragon in the chest. The tiger followed in suit, his eyes began to glow as well, and a pair of orange beams shot from him, making contact with the dragon as well. Soon the otter and fox joined in, shooting out a pair of blue and green beams respectively. The dragon was being pushed back against the wall as all four focused their energy on him. He gave a sinister laugh.

"Go ahead. Seal me away. I'll be back. Mark my words."

"And we'll be waiting," said Luverius. The dragon gave a yell as he faded into the crystals and disappeared from sight. The wall glowed brightly as an image of a dragon burned itself into the hard stone. The group began to relax as they returned to normal. Everything began to get foggy for Atty. The battle scene grew hazy and faded away. He suddenly woke up. His heart was racing a bit. He stood up, waking the critter sleeping on his back as well. It jumped off and followed him to the water trough. He took a drink from the water supply, and was caught off guard by a familiar voice.

"Rough dream?" He turned around and saw Luverius standing before him. "I wish I could call it that. The dreams you've been having are actually memories. My memories. Seeing the memories of the previous life comes with the territory."

"So you couldn't defeat Ikari entirely?"

"No. We can destroy the body as much as we please, but destroying the spirit is something entirely different. Something none of our predecessors have been able to figure out. The best we could do was seal him away. Over time, his body rematerializes, and once he finishes, his followers perform a ritual and use a specific incantation to set him free."

"Who were the others fighting him with you?"

"Those are the Mother's Chosen. Some would know them better as the Great Ones. Just like the Bloodwolf, they too have unique powers for their species. And just like you and me, they too are chosen for the same reasons. We will speak more about that later, though. The sun is high now, and it is about time for your training. Get yourself some breakfast. We will start soon, once you are full and focused." He nodded. The spirit disappeared, and Atty went out to hunt and forage what he could.

There were rows of berry bushes just outside the entrance to the hall that led to the garden, like they were planted there on purpose. Perhaps it was the work of the bilbies? He searched the forest for a bit and spotted a goat wandering about. It seemed to be unaware of his presence. He lowered his body and began to stealthily approach his prey. When he got close enough, he pounced and bit down on its neck. It flailed about, but that quickly ended when he forced it to the ground and went for the throat. The goat's life quickly faded and it laid limp. He feasted on his catch for a while until he was full.

He went back to the garden and approached the spring, dunking his face in the water for a split second. He wiped the blood off of his mouth. He was thinking to himself when he felt a familiar presence standing next to him. "Had a good feast?" He looked in the spirit's direction. "Ready to get started?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, I suppose," he replied.

"Then follow me," Luverius commanded. He followed the spirit through one of the openings. It led to a much larger room, with an arena in the center, and five large statues towards the back. The two on each side were of the four that could be seen in the hallway on the way to the garden, from left to right, a fox, wolf, tiger, and otter. In the center was a much larger statue of a deer with a large set of antlers, each with ten points and embedded with bluish-green tourmaline gemstones. Along the sides of the arena were several targets. Some were broken, others worn and torn. There were more targets in the arena, well intact. "Here, you will learn everything you need to know about what it means to be a Bloodwolf. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

"A few, yes. When I hunted a goat earlier, I got a taste of its blood, but nothing really happened. Why is that?"

"The answer is simple, lad. Your powers only activate when you consume mortal blood. Getting a taste of the lesser creatures does nothing."

"I see. But what exactly does it mean to be a Bloodwolf?" he asked the spirit.

"Bloodwolves and their companions serve to protect the planet, otherwise known as the Mother, and all of her creations from those who would seek to do harm. When the world faces a great imminent threat, the next generation of the Chosen are born. Some will see you as a hero, others might call you a monster, and there are those that would see you as half divine. And they are all correct, to an extent. In the end, the only thing that truly matters is how you see yourself."

Atty thought to himself for a moment, wondering which he would consider himself, though it was too early to tell. He then thought about that term he had heard a few times. The Mother. He decided to focus on that and get his mind off the previous topic. “I have read about the Mother when I was just a pup. But I’m curious to know, what have you learned about Her in your mortal life?”

“Nothing you likely haven’t learned in school or in books. The Mother is not an animal, although She often reveals herself as a great elk when She wishes to communicate with Her children. She is neither a spirit nor an all powerful god. She is simply the world we live in. She provides us with everything we need to thrive, and the pleasures to enjoy life. When humans were still roaming, they became greedy and drunk with power, which ultimately led to the Mother growing deathly ill. It was clear that humanity wouldn’t change, so She decided that they had their chance, and that it was time for them to go. She gave birth to the virus that led to humankind’s demise. When the last human fell, the virus mutated and spread to the lesser animals. Though it did nothing to prey, it had a completely different effect on predators and omnivorous folk, turning us into the sentient beings we are today. It is a blessing and a curse that She has bestowed upon us. To show our gratitude, we are taught about the mistakes that humankind has made, and to learn from them so that the same corruption that plagued humanity doesn’t do the same to us. We are taught to treat the world with respect. To care for it. Good worlds are hard to come by, so we must treat the one we are given with the greatest care. That is why we have been careful with development, so that there is little to no pollution to plague our atmosphere.”

Atemis nodded in acknowledgment. It was indeed just like everything he had read about the subject. Then his mind wandered back to one last subject. “So Ikari… He isn't the only threat?"

"He's the only one at this moment in time. But there have been others. You needn't worry about that right now. Are you ready to begin?" The wolf nodded. "Very well, then. Let's start with something basic. As you may know already, you require blood to unlock and unleash your powers, but not to sustain yourself. All blood is knowledge. Every single drop contains a bit of wisdom of the past. And mortal blood in particular gives off a unique energy. Bloodwolves have the power to channel this energy in order to use their abilities. The more you consume in one go, the higher your adrenaline rises, and the more powerful you become. But you must be careful. If your adrenaline gets too high, your heart may stop. It's also important to note the type of blood you're drinking. Warm blood gives a more powerful boost than cold, thus, drinking from warm blooded mortals is usually the way to go. And another thing. Never drink from the dead. That will cause more problems than it's worth."

Luverius cleared his throat before continuing. "We'll start with Blood Vision. It's sort of like thermal vision. You can see the blood temperature of your targets. Warmbloods appear red, cold ones blue. It doesn't require blood to use, so you can utilize it at any time to scout your surroundings and plan your move accordingly. First, close your eyes." Atemis nodded and did so. "Now, focus on your senses. Focus deeply on sound and smell." He listened and took note of any scents surrounding him.

He could hear the sound of some birds chirping. It was like he could see it directly. Some birds were nestling in some of the trees on top of the mountain, above the garden. He could smell the flowers and the spring from the garden that was just in the adjacent room. He caught a whiff of the bilbies moving about, and could hear their footsteps. "Very good. Now, open your eyes.”

Atemis did as instructed. The whites of his eyes were pitch black, and his irises were their usual red, but glowing brightly. His vision was different. The environment was grey, but he could still make out small details. He could see a few bilbies moving about in the room, all glowing red. "That's all there is to it. And don't worry, it'll eventually wear off on its own. We'll start on your next ability once your vision returns to normal. It should only take a few minutes."

Atty laid down to rest, if only briefly, as he waited for his vision to return to normal. A few minutes passed, and everything seemed to clear up as his eyes stopped glowing. "Now, let's see. How about we try the Blood Bolt next? While your adrenaline is high, you can run at higher speeds. If you run in a single direction, your speed will get progressively faster. Get your speed high enough, and your body will begin to channel crimson electrical energy around you, which in turn will allow you to do massive damage to whatever you throw yourself against. It's even strong enough to crack iron. You will need some blood to get you started. You could use the bilbies if you wanted, but that just feels... wrong. But there is an alternative. If you're in a pinch, you can use your own blood for a quick but relatively weak boost." Atty lifted his right paw and looked at it for a moment. The idea seemed unpleasant. Actually, the whole idea of using blood seemed quite unappealing to him.

"Well, if I must," he said aloud. He brought his paw up to his mouth, and was hesitant at first, but pushed himself, and gave himself a nip on the back of his paw, naturally feeling a pinch as he drew a small amount of blood. He sucked on it a bit until he could feel his heart racing a bit, then stopped consuming it. Luverius was right, it definitely didn't feel as potent as it did when he got a single drop of someone else's blood. He noticed movement at the far end of the arena. A dummy stuffed with straw hay rose up from the ground.

"This will take a little practice. You may not get it right away. But that's what this place is for. When you're ready, make a dash for the target." He looked straight ahead and took a deep breath, in and out, then began running. He could feel the wind in his face, and was getting faster and faster. But unfortunately, he didn't feel the energy around him increase. He was going a little too fast to stop in time, so he jumped at the dummy and tackled it, using it as a sort of speed bump to stop himself. He huffed as he landed on the ground. "Don't worry, that's why we practice. Again."

He went back to start and tried again, and once again, it didn't work. "In time, you'll be able to get to your top speed in a matter of seconds. Once more." Atemis tried again multiple times. He could feel his speed improving a bit more with each attempt. "Don't think so much. Just run," said the spirit. Atty looked at him and nodded. And finally, on his next attempt, as he began running, he could feel a burst of energy flowing through him. His body became engulfed in crimson energy as his speed suddenly and drastically increased. His body felt hot as he charged towards his target and made contact. The impact was so hard, the dummy shattered into thousands of pieces. Straw fell delicately to the ground, blackened and smoking. "That was excellent, Atemis. Well done." Atty smiled sheepishly and chuckled slightly. "Let us rest for a moment, then we'll move on to the next blood power."

They sat idly for a bit, listening to the sounds of the environment, and watching the bilbies scurry about. Atty's heart rate returned to normal. The young wolf was a bit lost in thought. He thought about his love and potential life mate, Juniper. "Is everything alright, lad?”

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about home."

"It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with that vixen you're so fond of, would it?" Atty blushed. Luverius let out a chuckle. "Seems you and I have more in common than I first thought. I too rejected my pack's tradition and took interest in a sweet fox girl. There were those, however, who gave us a hard time."

"Why's that?"

"Society was less tolerant of interspecies couples then. They also hated my love due to the reputation of her kind. I'll be honest with you. It's gonna be rough for the two of you. People will try to mislead you and put thoughts in your head. You mustn't give in to them."

"I don't plan on it."

"Good." The spirit stood up. "Let's continue, shall we? We still have a few blood powers to go over." Atemis stood up with him. "Next, we'll try out the Death Blossom. This allows you to conjure bloodcrystals in the form of spikes that rise around you and can potentially impale your enemies. It is especially helpful when you are surrounded."

"What are bloodcrystals?"

"They are a very tough and mysterious red crystal. It gets its name due to its color. They are quite common, but can't be broken by any known tool. As far as I'm aware, only the Bloodwolf can control and manipulate it in any way. Now, stand in the center of the arena, if you please." He nodded and started walking to the middle. Suddenly, some holes opened in the floor surrounding him, and a series of training dummies rose up and encircled him. "In order to use your Death Blossom, you need to focus your energy into your paw, and slam it on the ground as hard as you can."

Atty looked around for a moment. Once more, he bit into the back of his paw, in the same spot as before, and drew a little blood. Once he got it in his system, he could feel his heart begin to race again. He looked at his paw and took a deep breath, focusing on the energy circulating through his body. His paw began to glow with a crimson energy. He then slammed it down on the earth as hard as he could, cracking the ground slightly. Immediately followed a series of dark red crystals that surrounded him and completely obliterated the dummies. The crystals were tall and very pointy, some of them as tall as seven and a half feet. When Atty lifted his paw, the bloody looking stalagmites retracted into the earth. "That's all there is to it. Good work. Now, what else?... Ah, yes. Synergy. This also involves the use of the bloodcrystals. Synergy allows you to encase your body in the material and form a powerful, near impenetrable armor made from it. It works similar to Death Blossom, but requires you to slam both of your front paws into the ground. Give it a go."

He focused as hard as he could in order to channel the energy into his paws until they both began to glow. He pounded the ground as hard as his body would allow, making the crack in the earth bigger. Blood red crystals began to rise up and circle rapidly around him, and then attached themselves to his entire body. They seemed to smoothen themselves as they seemed to become a part of him, forming a sleek looking, red armor. He tried to move around, but he seemed to be having difficulty doing so. "Oh, right. When using Synergy, you won't be quite as nimble as usual. Not much will punch through it. The only thing known to crack bloodstone is bloodstone itself." Luverius thought to himself for a moment." This seems like a good time to call it for now. Get some rest. The next two blood powers will require something on the outside."

---

Atty took the time to rest in his assigned room and had a snack from his satchel. He sat at the table and stared idly into the glowing blue sconce while his mind wandered. He thought about what he'd do first when he returned to Tranquility. As he finished his snack, he stood up and stretched his body in a downward dog pose, then went to the water trough and took a drink from it. Once his thirst was quenched, he went to his bed and made himself comfortable. “Maybe I'll just close my eyes for a moment,” he said to himself as he slowly drifted off.

A few hours later, he was awoken by a familiar voice. “Atemis. Wake up Atemis.” He opened his eyes slowly and saw the spirit of Luverius standing at the edge of his bed. He gave a big yawn and stretched.

“What time is it?”

“It's early in the afternoon. It's time we continue your training. I'll give you a moment to wake up first.” Atty took his time and jumped out of bed and approached the water trough, and splashed some water on his face to wake himself up. Once he was ready, he went out to the garden where Luverius was waiting for him. “Are you ready? For your next lesson, we will need a live target. Follow me outside.” As the spirit began walking, Atemis followed closely. They left the garden together and began traveling in the forested area at the base of the mountain. “This way.” Atty followed him closely, and they traveled together for a couple of miles, until Luverius stopped near some thick brush. “We're here. Take a look.” Atemis approached the brush and looked into the beyond. They were standing near the edge of a cliff, and at the bottom he saw what appeared to be a camp with about a dozen tents, a bonfire, and a surrounding wall of tall, wooden stakes. At the center was a raised flag flowing in the wind. It was red with a white symbol that seemed to be a set of sharp teeth.

“This is a group of Bloodfang bandits. You've dealt with a group of such before. The clan solely consists of coyotes. They are a bunch of lowlifes that pray on passing caravans and villages with little to no protection. The perfect target to practice on. There are two additional abilities you can use, and both will require a live target. The first one we call ‘Blood Binding’, It allows you to make the one you drink from an obedient servant, but you can only control one mortal at a time. To do this, after you've tasted the blood of a potential servant, you need to stare and focus into their eyes until they glow red. When this happens, there will be a brief period for you to assert dominance on the mind. Simply say ‘obey the Chosen’, and they're yours." Atty nodded, then looked amongst the group of coyotes.

He closed his eyes and focused for a moment, then took a deep breath and opened his eyes. His eyes glowed, and he could see all the residents highlighted in red. There were at least twelve. One stood out the most, however. It was abnormally large for the species, about the size of a wolf, like Atemis himself. “I think we have a winner,” he said to himself.. He waited a few minutes for his vision to return to normal, then began sneaking up on the encampment, hiding from bush to bush to avoid detection until he was ready to strike. He managed to make his way inside the camp without being detected and kept track of his target, getting as close as he could. He finally managed to slip behind his mark.

He readied himself and pounced on the large coyote and pinned him, then bit down hard on his neck, puncturing the skin and drinking some of his blood. Atty's adrenaline rose significantly more than it did with his own blood. His heart raced much faster than before, and his body felt hot all over. But it wasn’t a painful feeling. It made him feel rather… ecstatic. The coyote cried out for help.

"Help! Get it off!" Atty jumped off and pushed his victim away. The bandit turned around, his neck bloodstained. Atty did as the wolf spirit instructed and stared at his mark intensely and, dead in the eyes. He could feel the energy from the blood surging through his body. His eyes began to glow, as did the coyote's as he seemed to be in a hypnotic state.

"Obey the Chosen," he said. His voice sounded deep in the bandit's head. He blinked, and his irises were blood red. He calmed down and bowed respectively to Atemis.

"I am yours to command, Great Bloodwolf." He stood up and awaited orders. Some other coyotes rushed over to their position to see what all the commotion was. Atemis looked at his new servant.

"Fight with me." His puppet nodded.

"As you command." He turned around to face the other coyotes and charged in, grabbing one by the neck and flinging him against the camp wall. Several others came towards Atemis. He was surrounded by at least six of them. Atemis thought about what he should do in this situation. He remembered one thing he could do. The Death Blossom. He raised a paw, but stopped when he heard Luverius speak to him in his head.

"Yes, this does seem to be an appropriate situation for that, but it's really draining. Luckily, if you're trying to conserve your strength, there is a second blood power you could use under this circumstance. It's called the 'Howl of Dismay'. When you're charged up on mortal blood, your howls release an energetic force that induces terror in your enemies. It doesn't consume as much energy, so it's better to use in some cases. Why don't you try it out on these punks?" Atty nodded, planted his paws firmly into the ground, took a deep breath, and gave a howl.

A mysterious force seemed to explode from his body and coated his opponents in a glowing, crimson-like energy. The entirety of their eyes glowed red and they began to panic and run around frantically, screaming in fear. “Huh. That really is effective.” Atemis grabbed one of the smaller coyotes and pinned him by the throat, clamping on him with his teeth and cutting off the air flow until the bandit stopped breathing. He watched the ones focusing on his servant get flung around or get pinned down and crushed by his abnormal size. Atty focused on the ones trying to run away, taking down at least three more. Before he knew it, there were only two left. They exchanged glances and appeared nervous.

"Let's get out of here," one said to the other. They both fled in terror.

"Shall I give chase, my lord?" said Atty's servant. He looked at the large coyote and shook his head.

"You have a choice to make, now," said a voice. Luverius appeared before him. "You can release the bonded one to make room for a stronger one, or you can keep them for protection until they meet their demise. While you're bonded to a servant, they become forever loyal and will gladly lay their life down for you."

"What happens if I release them?"

"If the bonded one was living a more dishonest life, such as being a bandit or thief, then upon being released, they will be motivated to seek a more peaceful existence. If you wish to release this one, simply look him in the eyes, as you did before, and say 'I release you from your blood bind." Atty nodded and stared intently into the coyote's eyes until both of their eyes began to glow.

"I release you from your blood bind." The servant's glowing eyes returned to normal, and he bowed to the wolf respectfully and then ran off into the woods.

"Well done, Atemis. Let us return to the garden, shall we?" Luverius stated. Atemis nodded, and the duo began their return towards the mountain. As they entered, the adrenaline wore off.

"So, what next," he asked the spirit.

"For now, you just need to practice your abilities and also work on honing your combat skills. I think you will be a fine Bloodwolf once you get used to your powers." Atty nodded.

"Understood."

As they entered the garden together, Atty noticed the sky through the hole in the ceiling. It was getting dark. He sat in a bed of flowers to relax a little. The scent of the plants was therapeutic, and he sighed contently. His little bilby friend was cuddled up with him and was enjoying the peace and quiet along with him. He sat there for about an hour. The moon was now visible through the roof. Luverius appeared before him and spoke, "You might want to wash up before bed. You're a little filthy." Atty looked over himself a bit. His mouth was stained in blood, his fur was roughed up a bit, and he was covered in dirt.

"Good idea," he replied. He approached the pool and dipped a paw into the hot water, and worked up to his entire body as he adjusted to the heat, and washed himself off the best he could. Once he was finished and stepped out, he shook his entire body, as a dog would when it gets wet. His fur was still a little wet, so he decided to wait and dry off a bit before heading to his room. He made himself comfortable in the bed and slowly drifted off into a deep slumber. The bilby had made itself comfortable as well, nestling itself up next to him.

---

Atty spent the next few weeks practicing his combat skills under the supervision of Luverius, and mostly spent his free time in the garden, leaving the interior of the mountain only to hunt. He felt more confident in his abilities, but was feeling uneasy, and homesick. On the plus side, he was getting better with his powers and fighting skills with each passing day. It was nearing the end of the month. He was sitting in a bed of flowers with his bilby companion, when Luverius showed up.

"You've been doing well, Atemis," said the spirit. "You are now ready to learn about the other Chosen. There are three of them aside from the Bloodwolf. They are the Yīnyǐng Tiger, the Storm Otter, and the Gaia Fox. Each of them has a specific role in protecting people from those who would do them harm. I'd like you to meet my acquaintances." Three figures showed up around him. The first was a black tiger with golden stripes and amber eyes. He also had piercings with what looked to be a single fang hanging from it, one on each ear, and wore a necklace that appeared to be laced with fangs both large and small.

"This is Kagé, a Yīnyǐng Tiger. The Yīnyǐng specializes in stealth and fills the role of a deadly assassin." The next was a blue otter with a cream colored chest and aquamarine eyes. She wore a white hood with a cape hanging in the back.

"This is Mizu. She's a Storm Otter. The Storm has the power to conjure elements associated with the weather. You could think of her as a spellcaster of sorts." The last was a red fox, but not red at all. She was green with some light tan highlights in areas including her chest, paws, and tip of her tail. Her eyes were brown. She wore some special jewelry, including some earrings with ruby gemstones dangling, and a golden necklace with a diamond shaped pendant, engraved with a larger ruby. She also had gold braces around her ankles.

"And this is Aloe, a Gaia Fox. The Gaia possesses the ability to manipulate light as well as summon and control plants. They are gifted healers." She gave a respectful bow. "I have a new task for you, Atemis. You are to bring the new Chosen ones here to the garden, so that they can receive the training they need. Just look for the individuals that look just like them. If I recall correctly, you are already acquainted with such people. You don't have to do it right away. For now, you may go home and rest, and maybe spend some time with your lady friend." Atty nodded, gave a deep, content sigh and went to his room. His bilby friend was close behind.

He grabbed his satchel and checked its contents. He had a few rations left, just enough for the trip back home. He left the garden and stepped just outside into the wilds. He could feel a cool breeze passing through his pitch-black fur, and leaves could be seen flying on the wind. "Must be the first day of autumn," he said to himself. He felt a nudge on his back leg. He turned around and saw his little bilby staring up at him endearingly. "Don't worry, little one. I'll be back soon," he assured. He began his journey home. The bilby sat and watched him as he disappeared into the wilderness, with a rather sad expression on its face.

Atemis began his trip home from the mountains. He was feeling a little excited about going home, and at the same time, tired from his training. He thought about what he would do once he was home. He figured he might be tired from the long trip and would spend the first day resting, and maybe spend time with his love interest. He traveled for miles, and the sun was just starting to hang low in the sky as it turned orange and Tranquility's welcome sign came into view. He gave a sigh of relief as he entered the town. He could see light coming from all the windows of the buildings as he passed by. Lunawolf Manor came into view. As he entered, he noticed Jewel at her station, and it seemed like she was getting ready to end the day and go home. She noticed him approaching. "Hey there, Atty-Bear. I was wondering when I'd see you again. Did you have a nice trip?"

"So and so, you might say. These last few weeks have been pretty exhausting. Any news going around here?"

"Nothing unusual. We had a little run in with the empire again."

"What did they want?"

"Just another attempt to convince us to merge our borders with them. Luna shut them down pretty hard, from what I've heard," she replied.

"Does that happen often?"

"It's a once in a while sort of thing. But as long as Luna is in charge, we will never give up our independence." Atty nodded. "But anyway, you look tired. Are you calling it a day as well?"

"Not just yet. I was gonna pay a visit to Juniper. Is she still working, or has she retired for the day as well?"

"I do believe she's at home as we speak. She's been feeling kind of down the last couple of weeks. I think she misses you."

"Then I suppose I shouldn't keep her waiting anymore. If you'll excuse me," he stated.

"Of course. Good night, Atty."

Atty headed up to the residential area, and although he was exhausted, he wanted to see Juniper first before anything. He approached her dorm and knocked on her door. A moment later, he heard it begin to open, and was greeted by the vixen. Juniper’s heart skipped a beat when she saw him. “Atty-bear!” She flung herself and hugged him. He chuckled when he heard that name again.

“You learned that from Jewel, didn’t you?”

“I thought the name was cute and suited you, plus I needed a pet name for you.” She broke the hug. “You don’t mind it, do you?”

“Coming from you? Not at all.” He smiled.

“It’s so good to see you home, Atty.” She returned the smile. “Would you like to come inside? I have stew cooking, if you’re hungry.” Atty’s stomach growled at the thought of that. He hadn’t had a home cooked meal since he left Tranquility over a month ago.

“Sounds wonderful,” he said with a smile. He followed her inside. It’s the first time he’s actually been inside her home. It looked similar to his own in some ways, but it had more plants laying about. Some were decorative, and there were some herbs and spices among them. He smelled something in the air, and looked at the fireplace to see a pot with the desired stew boiling in it. “Do I smell venison?”

“Yep,” the vixen said cheerfully. “Make yourself at home. It’ll be ready soon.” He made himself comfortable at the table and watched her as she stirred the pot of stew. A minute later, she grabbed it by the large handle with her mouth, and brought it to the table. She laid out a soup bowl for the wolf, grabbed a ladle, and gave him a serving. He could see the meat along with an assortment of vegetables swimming in the broth. He waited for her to seat herself before he began eating the stew. “How was your trip, Atty?” asked the vixen.

“Long and tiring. But the scenery was really something else. I learned a lot about being a Bloodwolf as well, thanks to Luverius.”

“”Luverius? I assume that's the spirit that’s been speaking to you?”

“Yes. He gave me another task to deal with, but said I should take the time to relax and be with my loved ones. Or rather, loved ‘one’.” He looked her in the eyes for a moment, and then quickly and sheepishly averted his gaze with a blush. The vixen’s cheeks turned rosy as well as she, too, looked away with a coy smile. They spent the rest of their meal making small talk. As they finished up, Atty spoke up. “That was delicious, June. After being away for an extended period, there's nothing like a meal that tastes like home.”

“I'm glad you enjoyed it.” She smiled warmly, then looked away sheepishly for a moment. “Atty, what you said earlier, about being with your loved one… were you saying you… love me?” Atty blushed and looked away as well.

“Well, I don't know how else to describe it. Ever since we've met, I can't help but feel drawn to you. It's like I've known you my entire life. I don't think my feelings can be described any other way.” He looked towards her, locking eyes with her. “What about you? Do you… feel the same?”

She stared at him for a long moment before answering. “Yes, I think I do. I never really believed in love at first sight, and I didn't think there was someone out there for me. Some people are quick to judge me just because I'm a fox. And then I met you. You have been kind and understanding, and have treated me as an equal. And like you said, I don't think this feeling can be described any other way.” They stared into each other's eyes, and both gave a smile. June cuddled up to him, brushing her body against him and resting her head under his chin, causing his heart to race. They both blushed as they embraced each other. “Atty,” she said softly, “would you like to stay over tonight?”

The wolf thought it over, and blushed, before replying. “Well, I mean, if it's not too much trouble.”

“None whatsoever.”. She giggled and looked up at him, and nuzzled the wolf playfully.

---

Atty and June spent the next few nights together. They wanted to enjoy each other's company as much as possible before Atty would have to return to the Garden. Juniper would have to leave for work, so Atty decided to continue his, but preferred to avoid anything involving conflict. After a few days, Juniper asked him to stay longer, and so he did. Then, one morning, about two weeks later, as the wolf and fox were huddled together in bed, Atty began to hear a familiar voice. “Atemis,” it called out. He opened his eyes and lifted his head slowly, and saw the spirit of Luverius standing before him. “It's time.” He gave a disappointed sigh, and nodded. The spirit disappeared soon after. Atty stood up and stretched, then looked down at the vixen laying next to him. He gave her a kiss on the forehead, causing her to open her eyes slowly and look up at him with a warm smile.

“Good morning, Atty-bear,” she said softly.

“Good morning to you, Flower.”

The vixen lifted her head slowly and yawned. “Flower?”

“If you're gonna give me a pet name, it's only fair that I come up with one for you as well. Flowers are pretty and delicate. You are even more so. What do you think?”

She blushed, then stood up and gave a stretch, meeting his gaze after. “I love it.” She gave him a little kiss on the nose, making his heart skip a beat as his cheeks turned rosy. As she took the time to wake up and start her day, Atty sat idly by the window, looking out onto the town, and saw many animals out and about. He gave a sigh. “Is something wrong, Atty-bear?” the fox asked as she took a seat next to him. He said nothing for a moment, but eventually turned to meet her gaze. She looked concerned.

“Luverius contacted me again. He said it's time.”

“Time? You mean for the task he gave you?” He nodded. “Are you gonna tell me what it is?

“You'll know soon enough. It has to do with you and a couple others. Does the Manor have a place for meetings?”

“Yes, but you'll have to get permission from Luna to use it.”

“Would you do me a favor and go find Tess and Ariel? Tell them to come. You should as well.”

“Of course.” She nuzzled him affectionately. After taking the moment to wake up, they both went to do their separate tasks. Atty headed towards Luna’s office on the third floor, and gave a knock on the large double door before entering.

“Excuse me, Guildmaster, do you have a moment?”

“Hello, Atemis,” the older wolf greeted. “I'm in the middle of some paperwork right now. But I suppose I could spare a moment for you. What do you need?”

“I was wondering if I could use the meeting room? It's urgent.” Luna said nothing for a moment and sat motionless, then looked up at him.

“Would this have anything to do with you being a Bloodwolf?” Atty froze for a moment, until Luna continued speaking. “Val told me about what happened with the Order, and about her findings. I was quite surprised. And then you disappeared for over a month. I figured you must have been summoned for training. Anyways, yes, you may use the room. From here, it's straight down at the end of the hall on the left.”

“Thank you, Luna.” He gave a respectful bow and began to leave, until he was stopped by the sound of the female wolf’s voice.

“You know, Atty, Nina has been trying to reach you by my request since you've been back. You're always working during the day, and when she goes to your dorm, you're never home.”

“What did you need?”

“Oh, nothing. I just asked her to check up on you. Even though you're working for the guild, you seemed pretty quiet for the most part.” Atty stared at her for a moment, then looked downward steadily.

“I'm fine. Just tired with a lot on my mind.”

“Fair enough,” she replied. “Where have you been staying at night, if you don't mind me asking?”

“With Juniper,” he answered.

“You mean the vixen that works with Kasha at the clinic?” He nodded. She seemed surprised. “Is it a roommate situation, or is your relationship with her more on the romantic side?” Atty stayed quiet and only stared. “I'm sorry. You don't have to answer. Your personal life really isn't anyone else's business but yours, and I respect that.”

He thought about it for a moment before answering. “We started dating over a month ago. We officially became a couple after our first date.”

Luna chuckled. “Sounds like things are getting a little more serious between you, then.”

Atty chuckled as well, but more sheepishly and with a blush. “I really should get going. I have a meeting to host, and it really is urgent.”

“Very well. Off you go, then.”

Atty left the office and went towards the end of the hall, finding the meeting room as the guildmaster had said. When he entered, he saw a roundtable in the center of the room with a chandelier hanging overhead. In between the gaps of the windows hung tapestries with the guild emblem on them. He took a seat at the table, and waited. About fifteen minutes later, he heard the door open. Five figures entered. In order of entry, it was Juniper, Ariel, Tess, Abigail, and his team lead, Valentine. He was wondering why the kitsune and lynx were there. “Hello, Atemis,” Val greeted. “It's been a while. I'm glad to see you're doing well. I know you didn't ask for Abby or I directly, but Tess was with us when June asked for her. We just wanted to see what was up. I hope you don't mind.”

“It's no problem,” he answered. Everyone took a seat around the table.

“So what is this all about, Atty?” asked Juniper. The wolf looked at each of them rather quickly and felt a little nervous. He choked a little.

“Sorry. I’m not much for public speaking.”

“It’s alright.” Val assured him. “Take your time.”

He took a deep breath and began to speak. “As most of you might be aware, the Order of the White Dragon has become more active recently. They’ve even set up a camp near the town some time ago before my team put a stop to their plans.”

“What’s the Order of the White Dragon?” asked Ariel.

“They’re a cult who worship an ancient dragon named Ikari. They follow his word with blind devotion and set out to recruit new followers and conquer new lands. They destroy those who resist, and enslave those who submit. Ikari has his eyes set on ruling this world with an iron fist.”

“Ikari has been defeated before,” Val chimed in. “Many times, as a matter of fact, by a select few every few generations. But no matter how many times he is slain, his followers always manage to bring him back.”

“You mean he’s undead?” the otter asked.

“It’s a little more complicated than that,” Atty continued. “You see, although the heroes who put him down were able to destroy his body, his spirit still lingers and fights on. And destroying a spirit is no easy task. So instead, the heroes combined their powers in order to seal him away. But this seal is only temporary. If the Order is here and active, it means they’re close to releasing him, or they already have. Ikari is a threat to us all. Not just to Tranquility, but to the world. Which is why we need to stop him.”

“What do you mean we?” said Juniper.

“It’s the reason I’ve asked for you, Ariel, and Tess. You see, the four of us are the Chosen.”

“The Chosen? What do you mean? What’s going on, Atty?”

“For the same reason that I am a Bloodwolf, you three are something unique as well. A special few chosen by the Mother herself to protect all of Her creations.” He looked at the otter first. “Ariel, you are the Storm. A master of the elements. A true force of nature.” Aquamarine eyes widened, and she seemed to panic a little.

“You must be mistaken, Atemis. I’m just a shopkeeper. I don’t know how to fight.”

“Which is why Mizu, the spirit of the Storm before you, will show you everything you need to know.”

“But I…” she was quickly interrupted.

“Ariel, I wouldn’t have asked for you to come here if I wasn’t sure it was you.” She wanted to protest, but couldn’t get any words out to argue. So she just nodded.

“Okay.” Atty then looked at the tigress, whose piercing amber eyes seemed to cut through his soul.

“Tess. You’re the Yīnyǐng. A warrior of the shadows. Darkness is your best friend.”

“No surprises there,” she said with a smirk and a chuckle. Finally, the wolf turned his attention to the vixen, who was sitting directly across from him.

“And Juniper, my delicate flower, you are the Gaia. The greatest healer in the land, and a beacon of hope. The one true child of the Mother.” She was at a loss for words, and looked away sheepishly with a smile.

“So, all the Chosen were here in Tranquility? What are the odds?” said Valentine. Atty looked towards her and gave a smile, then returned his attention to the entire group.

“My task was to bring you all together and bring you to Mt. Tranquility for training, so that you may be prepared for whatever lies ahead. At the end of that path is Ikari. I know that together, we can bring him down. The females looked at each other, not sure of what to say.

“When should we leave?” Juniper broke the silence.

“You should all take the time to prepare for the journey. It’ll take an entire day to get there, if we don’t stop for anything, so pack anything you think you might need. Food, medicine, and such. I need to prepare as well.”

“May we join you as well?” asked Val. The wolf looked at her for a moment and sighed.

“I’m not sure if that’s allowed. Usually, only the Chosen, the spirits of those before, and the caretakers of the Garden are permitted to be there.”

“There’s a garden?” Juniper asked.

“It’s called the Garden of Peace. It’s a serene place inside the mountain that serves as a place of rest, refuge, and relaxation for the Chosen. Those before us would go there at the end of their missions to recover.”

“I can’t wait to see it.” She giggled.

“I’ll need some time to find a replacement at the shop,” Ariel added. “Someone needs to keep it running while I’m away.”

“Let me know when you do,” the wolf replied. The otter nodded. “We’ll meet up at the plaza at the end of the week, early in the morning. Dismissed.” With the final word said, the group went their separate ways.

---

One week later…

It was early. So early, the sun hadn't even begun to rise yet. Atty stayed with Juniper as the two finished making preparations for the journey ahead. Atty was tired, but his love interest seemed more peppy than usual. “You seem cheerful, Flower,” he said.

“I can't help it. This whole thing is exciting to me. The fact that I'm supposedly the world's most powerful healer, or that I'm anything special at all, it's incredible news to me.”

“What are you talking about?” He shook his head. “I think you're special, even without the title.” The vixen blushed and smiled.

“Well, you've certainly done a lot to make me feel that way. Thank you.” She approached him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. His cheeks turned rosy, and his ears folded in reaction to her gesture.

“Are you almost ready?”

“Yes. I've packed plenty of food and medicine.” She wrapped a satchel around her neck. “I know we're going to the mountain for training, but it feels like a little vacation to me. I've been wanting to get out of town for a while, if only briefly. And it helps knowing that I'm traveling with you.”

“I feel the same way,” the wolf added. “Is Kasha going to be okay with you gone?”

“She is sad to see me go, but assures me she can handle things while I’m away.” As they finished their preparations and the sun began to rise in the distance, the couple headed towards the plaza just outside the Manor. It was quiet, and the sky was glowing a mixture of red, orange, yellow, and pink. No other animals could be seen in town, likely because they were all sleeping. Tess and Ariel were already there, waiting for the wolf and fox it seemed.

“Good morning, you two,” the otter greeted.

“Morning,” Atty replied. “Were you able to find a replacement, Ariel?”

“Yes. It took a little longer than I expected, but I found someone suitable for the job.”

“Are the two of you ready to go?”

“As we'll ever be,” Tess proclaimed.

“Let’s head out, then. Hopefully, we won't have any trouble along the way.” Without another word, the group of four began their long journey to the mountain, with Atemis leading the way.

The quartet began their long journey to the great mountain. This time, however, Atemis wanted to enjoy the scenery more, and the trip itself, now that he wasn’t alone, and with his love interest, Juniper, who stayed close to him. They crossed a large field of colorful flowers, passed through a peaceful valley, and crossed a calming river. Noon arrived quickly, and eventually, the group stumbled upon a rock formation, the same one that Atty used for shelter during his first trip to the mountains. They decided to take a break and took shelter from the sun. They rested in a triangular formation, facing each other. Juniper laid next to the wolf. "How much farther?" Ariel asked.

"After about an hour's rest, we should be there by nightfall," answered Atty. He looked at the vixen laying next to him. "Are you okay, Flower?"

"I’m fine. I’m just not used to traveling, is all."

"Flower?" The otter giggled. "Cute. You two are already using pet names." She looked at the tigress by her side, and noticed she seemed kind of down. "Is something wrong, Tess?"

"No. Why?"

"Well, you’re the toughest girl in Tranquility. You usually don’t let it show when something is bothering you. But I can see something is up. It’s all over your face." The tiger looked away. "It's okay to show vulnerability sometimes, Tess. You don't always have to be the tough one." The tiger sighed.

"It’s just… I’ve never been this far from Abigail before. I feel sort of… empty without her."

"I can imagine. You two have been at each other's side since you first arrived."

"How did you end up in Tranquility, Tess?" asked Atty. Tess sighed.

"About ten years ago, I was an assassin for hire. One of the best. One day, I received a note from an anonymous source saying they’d pay a large sum of money for taking out the desired target. I should’ve known better, but I was in a tight spot. It was just too good to pass up."

"Who was the mark?"

"Well, I didn’t know who they worked for back then, but now I know, he was a high ranking member of the O.W.D."

"You’ve dealt with the Order before?"

"That was the first, and up until now, the only time I’ve had a run-in with them. The leader gave me this scar." She pointed to her snout. "I didn't know what I was getting into. But this guy was no mere mortal. Needless to say, I left that battle bloody and broken, and had to drag myself out of there. I just wandered for miles in my bad condition, until I finally collapsed. Fortunately, I was near Tranquility when I finally lost consciousness. It was Abigail who found me and brought me back. Kasha healed me to the best of her abilities. Abby stayed with me during my recovery. I’ve been smitten with her since. Soon after, I joined the guild and became part of Val’s field team. I haven't really been out of town since then, except for the occasional long distance mission."

"That’s quite a story, Tess," Atty replied. He looked at Ariel. "Do people often show up wounded?" he asked, recalling his own experience.

"More often than you would think." Ariel shrugged.

"So, what about you, then, Ariel? What's your story?" he asked the otter. She looked at him for a moment, and thought to herself as she tried to recall.

"I used to live in a small otter community. The location was beautiful. It had a large lake and a waterfall. There was a swing at the top that my friends and I used to dive from when we were pups. I lived with my grandparents my entire childhood. They adopted and raised me when I was very young."

"What happened to your parents?"

"My mother passed away after giving birth to me, and my father not long after from a broken heart. I was an only child too, so it was just me and my grands. I didn't mind, though. I loved them dearly. Then they passed away shortly after my twenty-second birthday. After I had time to mourn, I decided I didn't want to stay there anymore. I decided to take up the merchant trade and travel for a while. I have been all over and have visited many towns, villages, and even the imperial city. I had been traveling for around three years before I finally came across Tranquility. I fell in love with the community and decided it was finally time to settle down, and with the guild’s permission, I opened up my shop and took permanent residence. That was around three years ago."

"Did you officially join the guild?"

"Oh no. I’m just a humble merchant. The guild does a lot of field work, which often involves heavy labor and combat, and I am not skilled in either. Though now, given the circumstances, I guess I'll have to teach myself to be."

"You seem uncertain about yourself," Juniper added.

"That's just the way I am. I always try to be supportive to my friends. But at the same time, I always have doubts about my own capabilities. I've never really been in a fight before, and now I learn I have to fight an evil dragon and a cult that worships him like a god. It's extremely nerve wrecking."

"It'll be alright, Ariel," Atemis assured her. "You have us. We're a pack now. We'll have each other's backs no matter what." The otter stared at him for a moment, looking at him in his crimson colored irises.

"Thank you, Atty. That actually makes me feel a little more confident about myself."

---

Once they were rested, the quartet continued their journey. The mountain was visible in the distance, but still a ways away. The scenery was mostly the same as they traveled, fields of green and forests, and occasionally an old abandoned human-made structure reclaimed by nature. "Not much farther now," Atty proclaimed.

"Are we gonna have to climb up?" asked Ariel.

"No, there's a tunnel at the base of the mountain that'll take us straight to the garden. It's hidden, but I know where to find it." The girls followed Atty closely as they drew closer and closer to the base. The sun was beginning to set. When they finally arrived, the wolf began searching for the switch. When he found it, he gave it a press, and the hidden passageway opened up for them. The quartet went inside, passing through the lit tunnel. Ariel and Juniper admired the statues decorating the hallway as they walked. Finally, they arrived at the garden. "Here it is," Atty stated.

"It’s so pretty," Juniper said aloud as she took in the scene. She was especially fond of the flowers and the weeping willow. Ariel was impressed by the size of the pool that the tree hung over. They heard rustling in shrubs. One of the bilbies came out to greet them. Tess looked down at it and licked her lips.

"Dinner," she said to herself as she grabbed it by the tail and lifted it off its feet. The marsupial began to squeal.

"No eating the bilbies, Tess," Atemis stated. "They’re the keepers of this place." The tigress huffed and let the creature go. It fled into the patch of flowers. "If you're hungry, there's plenty of game around here."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. You all finally made it," a voice spoke. The spirit of Luverius appeared before the group, along with his companions. "Let me be the first to welcome you. I am Luverius.

"Pleased to meet you," Juniper greeted. Ariel gave a respectful bow.

"Please make yourselves at home."

"What exactly is this place?" asked the otter.

"You stand in the Garden of Peace, deep in the heart of the mountain," the spirit answered. "The Garden serves as a place of rest, refuge, and relaxation for the Chosen. Aside from us, only the bilbies are allowed in here, as they are the caretakers of this place." He stepped aside, allowing his fellow spirits to step forward. "These are my companions, Mizu, Aloe, and Kagé."

"Pleased to meet all of you," Juniper replied.

"And these are my companions, Juniper, Ariel, and Tess," Atty responded.

"We look forward to working with you," Aloe replied with a gentle voice.

"For now, though, you should probably rest. I'm sure you all must be exhausted after all that traveling today."

"We will begin your training once you are properly rested," the wolf spirit added. "They will escort you to your dorms."

"We have our own rooms? Neat," Ariel said in a chipper tone as she followed the hooded otter spirit. Tess gave a yawn and followed Kagé. Juniper began to follow Aloe, but stopped and looked towards Atemis. Her expression seemed kind of sad.

"It's okay, Flower," he said with a smile and a warm tone. "I'm right next door. I'm not going anywhere without you." She nodded and continued on. Atty’s smile faded as the vixen disappeared from sight, and he gave a sigh.

"Is something wrong, Atemis?" Luverius asked.

"It's nothing."

"I know that look she gave you. She doesn't want to be separated from you."

"I know the feeling," Atty responded. "It's only for a little while, though."

"For some, it might as well be an eternity. You know, if you two want to share a room, it's perfectly fine. While the Chosen usually aren't intimate with one another, there are no rules forbidding such a thing."

"That's good to know. Thank you." He looked at the wolf spirit, and then something came to mind. "I want to know… why didn't your companions just go to mine. It would've saved a trip."

"Our spirits are bound to this place. Leaving the garden takes a lot of energy. In order to send just one of us out, we have to pool what energy we can muster together. Even with the aid of my companions, it's very exhausting and almost impossible. And that's not to mention coming up with enough energy to reveal ourselves to.the living."

"Couldn't you have appeared to the others as well?"

"Not outside the garden. I can only be seen by another Bloodwolf. But here, it doesn't require as much effort. While I could've asked you to bring the others the first time, I needed to see for myself if you had the will to carry this weight on your shoulders first."

"Weight… You mean Ikari?" Luverius nodded. "I see." He gave a yawn. "I guess I'll head to bed now."

"Good night, Atemis."

---

The next morning…

Atty woke up and went through some of his morning rituals, then headed out into the garden, and saw the others were already up and at ‘em. He sat down with the group. There was a goat carcass laying flat on the ground, which Tess and Juniper were eating from. Ariel was chowing down on a fish.

"Good morning, Atty," the vixen greeted. "Tess brought breakfast, if you're hungry. He nodded and started eating. Once they were all full and cleaned themselves up a bit, the spirits appeared before them.

"Good morning, everyone. Are you all ready to start your training?" asked Luverius. The group nodded in unison.

"I have to admit, I'm a little nervous," Ariel stated.

"You needn’t worry about a thing, little one," Mizu assured her. "You're all in good hands."

"Why don't we start with you, Juniper?" said Aloe.

"Me? Well, I suppose that's fine."

"Follow me, then. The rest of you should as well." The group followed the spirits, who led them into the training grounds, where they would soon learn what they were all capable of. Tess, Ariel, and Juniper were looking around.

"Nice. This is even bigger than the training area back home," Tess acknowledged. Aloe stepped forward with June following close behind her.

"So, Juniper," Aloe said, "what do you know about being the Gaia?"

"Only what Atty has told me," she answered. "I’m supposed to be the world’s greatest healer."

"Yes, but there’s more to it. You can control light and plants. Why, your very presence helps the flora around you grow faster and in greater abundance. While you’re not exactly a combatant, you can use these abilities to protect yourself and others. There is also no heart more pure than that of the Gaia. Let’s start with something simple. You can summon vines at will, which can whip or ensnare your enemies. You can do this by focusing on the Mother's energy, and channeling that energy to create these vines. Start by closing your eyes and focus on your breathing." The vixen nodded and did as instructed and sat down. "Concentrate. Feel the planet breathing beneath you. Let her energy flow through you. Remember that the world we live in is itself a living thing. True mastery of your powers can only be attained when your spirit is in sync with the earth."

She focused the best she could and breathed deeply. She could feel her soul resonating with the earth beneath her. Her heart began to race. She could sense the presence of nature around her through the vibrations of the earth. Her eyes suddenly snapped open, glowing a bright yellow as she sprang onto all fours, her tail standing straight up and stiffening. A series of large vines suddenly shot up from the earth and wrapped themselves around some of the target dummies ahead of her, squeezing them tightly until they shattered into a million pieces. As she began to settle down, the vines returned into the depths of the soil, and her eyes returned to their normal color. "Well done, Juniper." She could still feel the earth’s energy resonating through her entire body.

"This feeling is… I don’t know how to even describe it," she stated. "But it’s not bad at all. The energy is so invigorating. So pure."

"Yes, that's the Mother's power coursing through your veins. You’ll be experiencing her true power a lot. It’ll soon come as second nature to you. Now let’s try channeling light. Mizu, would you mind?" The otter spirit went towards what appeared to be a lever in the corner of the room, and pulled it. The sound of gears could be heard turning high above them, and dust fell from the ceiling as a stone hatch opened up and let the sunlight in. "When you're exposed to direct sunlight, your body naturally absorbs it, just as plants do. You can focus that energy into light based attacks. We'll try a flashbang next. Feel the power of the sun flowing through you, and focus it to generate an orb of light." Juniper nodded and began to concentrate.

She could feel the warmth of the sun across her entire body. As she closed her eyes and relaxed, she could feel a strong energy flowing within her, though it wasn't as intense as the planet’s. She held her paws in front of her, focusing solely on the sun’s energy flowing through her body. A tiny orb of light began to form between her paws. She opened her eyes and was surprised by what she was doing. She continued to focus on her power, and the orb began to grow until it was roughly the size of a soccer ball. She was amazed at her own power. "Now, simply clap your paws together, and it will create a flash that blinds anyone who isn't protecting themselves. The rest of you may want to cover your eyes." Atty and the others did so as Juniper clapped her paws, and a bright flash of light filled the room for a split second. "Excellent work, child," Aloe said as the light faded. "Now to teach you how to actually heal. By combining absorbed light with the energy of the Mother, you can heal injuries and close wounds." A lone bilby approached them, and appeared to be limping and whimpering with its ears folded back, and collapsed from exhaustion. "Looks like you’re in luck. Seems as though one of the bilbies here has sustained an injury to its leg. We can practice on it."

June approached the marsupial and awaited further instructions. "Focus on both the energies flowing through you and concentrate on the wound. The rest should happen naturally." She nodded and did as she was told, holding her paws over the bilby’s leg. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply as she felt both forces channeling through her body. Green light began to form around the injury and appeared to be swirling. The bilby’s leg glowed as the energy flowed through it. A second later, the light disappeared. The bilby stood up and tested its step. It seemed that it was no longer in pain and jumped up and down happily, and ran in a circle with glee. "That’s all there is to it. We will continue to practice your newfound powers later. For now it is someone else’s turn. Why don’t we retreat to the garden for now?"

"That sounds good," the vixen said with a sigh. "Honestly, that was all a little overwhelming." As the foxes began to retreat, Atty walked beside her.

"You know, I've always thought you were amazing from day one. And you seem to prove me right and get more so with each passing day," he said. She blushed at his compliment and stood close to him.

---

Atty and Juniper took some time to rest, laying beside one another by the spring in the garden. Aloe and Luverius were there as well.

"You did well, today, June," said the wolf spirit. "You're a fast learner."

"Thank you, Lu," she replied. "So, how long do you think we'll be here for?"

"Most likely a month or so. You need to hone your skills so that you are prepared for whatever lies ahead."

"I just hope we can be back in Tranquility in time for the autumn festival."

"There's an autumn festival?" asked Atty.

"Yes. Tranquility has hosted it since the first settlers settled down. It's to celebrate a successful autumn harvest."

"Don't worry. The four of you will be able to finish your training before then," Luverius assured.

They all sat idly and engaged in small talk as they waited for the others to finish their course. After waiting for about an hour, the otters and tigers finally joined them. "Glad you could finally join us. How'd it go?" asked Atty.

"She had a little trouble at first, but she eventually caught on," said Mizu of Ariel.

"Tess did remarkably well. She didn't even have to put in much effort."

"Check this out, guys," Ariel said as she got the others' attention. She pointed her paws at the spring, waving them slightly, and the water began to move around. Some of it began rising and leaving the pool and hovered in between her tiny otter hands. Then her eyes narrowed, and she groaned a bit as she concentrated. The water turned into ice in an instant, and she threw it against a wall, causing the ice ball to shatter. Atty and June applauded in amazement.

"Pretty impressive, Ariel," the young wolf said.

"That's nothing. Watch this." She held her paws closer together, and sparks began to form. Soon the entirety of her arms were covered in electricity.

"Be careful, little one. The elements are not a thing to be played with," Mizu cautioned. Her student nodded and calmed herself, and her body returned to normal. "The Storm is a master of the elements and can conjure up the forces of weather. Namely, the powers of water, ice, wind, and lightning." She explained. "Please be cautious, Ariel. If you're not careful, you may end up hurting yourself, or your friends."

"Noted," she acknowledged.

"So, how about you, Tess?" said Juniper, "What can you do?" The tigress smirked, then took a deep breath. Her body began to glow with dark energy. There was a flash, though it wasn't bright enough to blind anyone who was looking at it. As the light faded, they noticed Tess was no longer anywhere to be seen. "Tess? Where did you go?" Atty and June suddenly felt a cold presence close to them, and the wolf felt a punch on his side.

"Ow!" The tigress suddenly appeared before him as if from nowhere and chuckled.

"Invisibility, huh?" The vixen commented.

"Yes. And I can also teleport short distances," the tigress said proudly. "There's other stuff, but I think I'll wait until we're in the midst of combat to show you." She and Ariel took a seat with the wolf and vixen.

"I believe that's enough training for today," said Luverius. "You've all done well and are free to do whatever you want for the rest of the day.

---

Hours passed, and the sun was hanging low in the sky as the temperature dropped. Atty and Tess went out hunting. Ariel decided to do some fishing in the nearby lake, and Juniper did some foraging and returned with some fruit. They eventually regrouped in the garden and made a fire. They sat around it enjoying their bounties. Juniper was snuggled up to her love. "How are you doing, Ariel?" the wolf asked. "Do you have more confidence in yourself?"

"Somewhat, yes," she said as she took a bite of her fish. "Although, I still worry how I'll fare in actual combat."

"You'll all be able to test your newfound abilities soon enough," said Luverius. "Remain vigilant. Ikari and his followers are not to be underestimated."

"Luverius, I've been wanting to ask, what do you know about dragons?" asked Atty.

"They are an ancient species that date back to a time before the first humans walked the earth. They are very powerful and magical creatures that can live for hundreds of years. The kind of powers they wield vary."

"How come there aren't any dragons among us? I mean other than Ikari?"

"There was a time when they mingled with us. They used to live among humans, but then humanity began hunting them for sport, and so the dragons went into hiding. After the great extinction of man, the dragons reemerged, though it was short-lived. When Ikari came into power, the dragons feared his wrath would destroy those who stood against him. So they went back into hiding. They still await the day when Ikari is gone for good, and they can live peacefully among us once more."

"And what of Ikari himself?"

"He's a legendary white dragon. White dragons are able to breathe blue fire, the hottest flame there is. As you may already know, he has a cult that follows his every word with blind devotion. He aims to expand his rule and increase his power further. We, the Chosen, are meant to protect the innocent from his ire."

"Increase his power? How?" asked Ariel.

"I don't know. He still seeks the answer himself. Hopefully he doesn't find it anytime soon."

"You said before that he rematerializes before his followers release him. What does that mean, exactly?" asked Atty.

"Ikari doesn't just come back. He comes back to life. Our seal only keeps him at bay as long as he's in spirit form. But once his body has been reconstructed, there's very little stopping him from being released."

"How does he do it? Come back to life, I mean."

"The cult actively looks for potential candidates to sacrifice to their dragon god. But it's not the sacrifice alone that does it. Usually, when mortals pass, they can't return to the land of the living. Ikari has found a way around this by consuming the souls of mortals. It takes hundreds of souls before he's able to fully rematerialize his whole body."

"That's horrible!" Juniper exclaimed.

"It is indeed. But Ikari lacks compassion for other living things. And he'll stop at nothing to become the most powerful being in the world. This makes it all the more crucial that you stop him."

"Why does he seek to cause so much pain and suffering?" asked Juniper.

"Nobody knows for sure. He was born in hiding when the humans were still around. Some believe he snapped during that time. That he couldn't stand the thought of his people being hunted for sport, and he ended up completely losing his way. Some theorize that he was horribly wronged early in life and is determined to ensure that such a thing would never happen again. To become so feared that nobody would dare to cross him again. But in the end, what does it matter? Everyone's hope for true peace depends on stopping him, not in understanding him." The quartet nodded. The spirit looked up at the hole in the ceiling. The others joined him. The moon and stars were finally out. "Time to call it a night, don't you think? We will continue our training at first light." Atemis, Tess, Juniper, and Ariel, now full and satisfied, got up and stretched. The otter and tigress went to their dorms. Juniper was about to as well, when she was stopped by the sound of Atty's voice.

"June," he said softly, "would you rather stay with me?" She looked at him for a moment, a little surprised.

"Is that allowed?"

"Luverius has assured me it is. So, are you coming?" he said with a smile. She returned it, and approached, nuzzling him and resting her head under his chin. After a moment of snuggling, the fox and the wolf went to his den and cuddled with each other as they made them comfortable in bed. The vixen rested her head on Atty's shoulder and sighed contently.

"Atty," she started to say, "did you really mean what you said earlier today?"

"What? About being amazing? Of course I did. You're the most amazing person I've ever met, and every day I'm reminded of why I fell in love with you to begin with. In a dark sky full of stars, you shine the brightest of all. And the darker my world gets, the brighter you shine." She blushed and giggled.

"You always have sweet things to say about me. I'm so glad you were willing to give me a chance. Ever since I was a teen, I've been afraid of new people, because many are quick to judge because of my kind’s reputation. Aside from Kasha, I've never felt such a kinship with anyone before. You make me feel safe and… happy."

"You do the same for me, love. Normally I would feel anxious about meeting someone new. But when we first met, I felt a huge spark, and it felt as though all my troubles, and all my fears just disappeared. You may have been a petty thief once upon a time, but the only thing you've ever stolen from me was my heart." The vixen smiled and nuzzled him, and gave him a kiss on the nose.

"I love you, Atty-Bear. So much. My heart can't help but sing the sweetest melodies when I'm with you." He smiled back.

"I love you, too, Flower. With all my heart, and more." They gave each other a loving kiss. Juniper laid her head to rest as she leaned against her love, and slowly drifted off to sleep. "Good night, my pretty Juniper." He laid down as well and closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of the vixen lying next to him, and finally fell asleep as well.

Atemis, Juniper, Ariel, and Tess spent the next couple of weeks continuing their training. Their skills eventually became second nature to them. Eventually, it was around dinner time. Ariel went fishing, and Tess went hunting. Atty and June sat next to one another by the pool. The vixen was relaxed and was resting her head on the wolf’s shoulder with a smile of pure content. The spirits were sitting idly nearby.

“You've all made significant progress,” said the wolf spirit. “The only thing left to do, really, is putting everything you've learned into action.” This boosted the couple's confidence, but Atemis felt nervous about something. Something that had been on his mind for a while now.

He noticed Aloe was acting a bit strange. She seemed tense and uneasy about something, and was tapping her paw on the ground steadily. The wolf spirit laying next to her noticed. “Is something wrong, Aloe?”

“I sense… a presence. There is something amidst. Something I haven't sensed in a long time.”

Luverius seemed worried now, and looked at the couple. “Stay alert, you two. I have a feeling things are about to escalate.”

A few minutes later, Tess and Ariel had returned, but seemed to be empty handed. They were panting, as if they had returned in a hurry. “Back so soon?” Said Atemis. “Where's our dinner?

“Nevermind that. We have a problem,” said the otter.

“We spotted the Order scouting the area around here,” the tigress added. “Though they're few in number, I'm really concerned about the… thing… that was with them.”

“What thing?” asked Juniper.

“It looked like a lizard, but something was wrong with it. It's monstrous in size and pale, walks on two legs, has glowing yellow eyes, a pair of large fangs, and long claws.”

Luverius and Aloe looked at one another and said at the same time, “the Accursed.”

“That would explain the tension you're feeling, Aloe,” Luverius said to the fox spirit.

“Excuse me, the what?” said Atemis. “You know these things?”

“We were hoping it would be a while longer before you had to deal with them,” Aloe stated.

“Every so often, Ikari’s followers send out scout teams to look for the Garden. Why they do this, we can not say for sure. They may wish to destroy it, or take it over for malicious reasons. If we were to lose this place, it would cut us off from one another until we found a new place. But, obviously, they've never been successful in finding the entrance.”

“What about the strange creature? The one you called ‘the Accursed’?”

“Ah, yes. These monstrosities are a direct result of one of Ikari's experiments on mortals. Normally when he enslaves folks, he works them to death. But sometimes he has something more sinister in mind for these poor souls. His followers have been known to conduct sinister experiments on innocent people. It turns them into mindless abominations, gives them great strength, but completely tears their souls apart. Many die in the process, but those who survive become a hollow shell of who they once were, completely void of any thought, emotion, and most importantly, empathy. They are the perfect tools of war for Ikari and his cult. The Order’s motto is ‘destroy the mind and strengthen the body,’ and once turned, they are forever loyal to their dragon god. The cult has taken to calling them ‘the Enlightened Ones.’ Everyone else knows them as ‘the Accursed.’ Even the bravest and strongest warriors flee at their approach, and rightly so. But unfortunately, for the four of you… you are going to have to take one down.”

“What can we expect from these things? Combat-wise I mean.”

“The transformation varies among species. Some are little more than battering rams, others can spit venom, and there are those that are much faster but also blind, relying on sound and smell to hunt their prey. An Accursed lizard is simple but deadly. The best advice I can give you? Their claws will tear you to pieces, and their fangs are coated in a slow acting venom.”

The quartet quickly left the garden and traveled into the forest just outside, hiding in the brush and keeping an eye on each other. They came across a group of animals that were scouring the base of the mountain, looking for the entrance into the Garden of Peace. The ranks included four coyotes wearing black leather armor around their bodies, bearing the cult’s symbol, a panther in iron armor, and three masked lemurs that appeared to be archers. The Accursed lizard was nowhere to be seen. Atty and his companions stayed in the shadows, waiting for a moment to strike.

“Tess, see if you can take out the archers,” whispered Atty. “That’ll give us the opportunity to take out the ones in front.” Tess nodded, and quickly went behind the scout team. Atty looked at the others. “Keep an eye out for the Accursed. It’s likely hiding somewhere nearby. The girls nodded, and the trio split up. Atty stayed hidden at the scout team’s left, Ariel and Juniper at their right.

When the time was right, Tess pounced on one of the archers and bit down hard on his throat, hard enough to break the spine. The lemur laid limp in the tigress’ mouth. The others heard the commotion behind them, and the other two archers readied their bows and took aim at Tess. She looked at them and smirked, then suddenly vanished in a black flash and reappeared behind the one on the farther side, slitting his throat with her razor sharp claws. The last archer seemed to be in a panicked state as it turned tail and tried to run, only to be met by a sudden black blur that tackled him to the ground. She pressed down hard on his throat, cutting off his breathing. He gasped for air, and eventually stopped struggling as he laid lifeless beneath the black tigress.

Before any of the others could react, Atty pounced on the panther and bit down on the back of his neck, getting a firm grip as the large cat flailed about. Ariel closed her eyes and took a deep breath before waving her arms. As her hands glided across the flowers beneath her, she seemed to suck the water right out of them, causing them to wither as the fluid floated in between her paws in an orb shape. She focused hard on it and turned it into a solid ice ball, launching it at one of the coyotes. He never saw it coming as the frozen liquid made contact and exploded into hundreds of shrapnel, covering a nearby coyote in the icy debris, one of them piercing his eye and blinding him. Meanwhile, the coyote that took a direct hit was lying unconscious, the one covered in small shards yelping and fumbling about as he tried to get the ice spike out of his eye.

Juniper focused her energy on the earth beneath her. Her eyes began to glow as she slammed a single paw into the ground, causing a single vine to emerge underneath another coyote, wrapping itself around its body. The appendage lifted him about seven or eight feet off the ground, and as he struggled desperately to get free, he was slammed back and forth repeatedly into the ground, leaving an imprint in the two spots where he was being pummeled. When he finally passed out from his injuries, the vine tossed the limp coyote to the side and retracted into the earth.

As the girls incapacitated their enemies, Artemis held strong against the panther he was gripped to. The large feline managed to fling him off. When the wolf fell to the ground and stood back up, he immediately bit into his paw and drank a little of his own blood, causing his adrenaline to kick up a notch. Once his adrenaline was up, he readied himself, getting a firm grip on the ground before charging at the cat. He quickly became coated in crimson energy, and his speed rose drastically. He looked a little like a red spearhead as he dashed towards his enemy, striking him in the chest. He heard a loud crack in the panther’s sternum. When the cat landed, he gasped for air and held a paw over his armored breastplate, which was now dented and cracked, as he coughed up blood. The wolf stood over him with an intimidating glare as the feline took his last breath.

The last remaining coyotes, the one that was injured and the one that hadn’t been targeted yet, seemed to quiver in terror. “We’re outmatched,” said the injured one. He looked to his companion with his one good eye, the other covered with a bloody paw. “Let’s fall back. We’ll let the Enlightened one cover our escape.” The other nodded, and they quickly turned around and fled into the brush. Atemis and his companions gathered at the center of the battlefield.

“That went well,” said Tess as she licked her bloody paw. They suddenly heard rustling nearby, along with loud footsteps.

“This isn’t over yet. Ready up,” commanded Atty. A moment later, a large figure came into view. When the light revealed what was hiding in the brush, it was absolutely astonishing, and exactly as Tess had described. It was a large pale lizard, standing upright and at least ten feet tall, with glowing yellow snake-like eyes, a pair of large fangs and went an inch or two past its jaw line. Its claws were at least four inches long and a quarter inch thick. It was also quite muscular. It started at them unblinkingly and stuck its tongue out for a brief period. Its emotionless gaze gave an unsettling feeling to the group.

“So that's it?” said Juniper. “That's the Accursed lizard?”

“I'm afraid so,” replied Ariel. Atty just sighed, then he and the others took a battle stance.

“Remember what Luverius said. Don't let it get a hold of you,” he said as they all prepared for combat. The large, bipedal reptile roared at them and charged. It was surprisingly swift for its size, which the group took note of right away. When it got close enough it took a swipe at Atty, who ducked at the last moment to avoid it. The others scattered, surrounding it on all sides. Ariel started taking water from nearby plants to fuel her ice based attacks, and launched a rapid series of frozen spikes at the mutant. Tess rushed at it, leaving in the air as Amber colored energy began to fill her paw, creating a glowing orange claw extension as she took a swing at the creature. She smacked it on the back of the neck, then on the arm as it turned, leaving gashes in both of the struck areas as it took a swipe at her. She focused mostly on dodging and swiping in multiple areas as the opportunity presented itself. It tried to tail whip her, but she avoided it by vanishing suddenly, and reappeared on its back. As she tried to bite down, it suddenly flailed about, then finally slammed down to the ground on its back. She couldn't react fast enough, and just laid stiff in the imprint she had made.

Ariel continued to throw ice shards its way, but she was quickly running out of supply. The lizard started to charge at her, and she looked a little panicked, until Atemis jumped on its back and bit on its shoulder. The wolf took note of the gashes that Tess had left behind before the mutant flung him off. Ariel seized the opportunity and rubbed her paws together, creating static as her eyes glowed white and blue electricity began to flow through her. She clapped her hands in front of her and created an electric explosion at the oversized lizard. It was stunned and covered in static for a moment. That one attack, however, left the otter feeling winded, and she found herself panting hard as the power seemed to leave her body. The lizard recovered and hissed loudly at her before charging.

Tess had managed to shake the stars out of her head, and noticed Ariel was in danger. The Accursed lizard opened its maw as it closed in, readying a bit. The otter went wide-eyed and braced herself. At the last moment, a flash of black appeared before her and pushed her out of the way. She was knocked to the ground, and her a loud cry, the kind you hear when someone is suddenly struck with a wave of pain. There was Tess standing over her, squinting and bearing her teeth as though she were suffering. When she looked behind the tigress, she saw that the mutant had both its fangs clamped down on her back leg. The reptile glared at them menacingly, and quickly moved its head to the side and tossed the black tiger. She rolled several yards away, finally landing on her side with her back facing the otter. Tess felt woozy as she tried to stand up, and wobbled around for a bit before falling back down, and passed out. Ariel quickly ran to her side.

The mutant looked at her and tried to take a chomp at the otter. Just before it could, it was suddenly grabbed and pulled away by some large vines ensnaring its body. Try as it might, it couldn't reach her. It turned around and saw Juniper, whose eyes were glowing, her body radiating with the Mother's energy. That energy quickly faded, however, when it saw her. It struggled and fought against the growth, and eventually freed itself, lunging at the fox at full speed. She started trembling, and seemed too terrified to move. It was stopped when a large ice spike hit it in the eye, causing the organ to explode on impact. Ariel had managed to muster enough energy to launch one final attack before collapsing from exhaustion.

It shrieked and flailed about. Atty took the opportunity to jump on its back and bite down on the neck wound Tess had left behind. He was trying to get a taste for its blood. When the blood touched his tongue, it immediately gave an awful, sickly taste in his whole mouth. He was finally flung off and landed on his side. Before he could get up, he was met with some wild swipes. He dodged the first one, but suddenly felt an overwhelming sickness that seemed to stop him in his tracks, and was struck in the face and on the side by those long, razor sharp claws, leaving scratch marks on his body. He gasped in pain as his body recoiled. He tried his best to fight the sickness. When he managed to regain his strength, he caught a glimpse of Juniper in the background. She was preparing a flashbang. They looked at each other and nodded. He started circling the mutant in an attempt to get it so its last good eye was facing the vixen. Atty covered his eyes as June clapped her paws together and released a powerful flash of light in front of her, blinding the lizard. It swung its arms randomly in hopes that it would hit something.

Atty could finally feel the adrenaline kicking in, and breathed deeply before charging at his target, engaging his blood bolt attack and dashing at lightning speed, jumping at the creature once he was close and made direct contact with its chest. It fell back several feet and held a hand over its sternum as it struggled to get back up. It still had some fight left. As it charged at him, the wolf slammed both paws into the ground, causing blood crystals to emerge and surround him as they clinged to his body and created a smooth second coat. When it took a swipe at him, its claws shattered on impact. It stepped back a few feet, as though it was staggered. The crystal coat vanished, and Atty tackled the lizard as hard as he could, knocking it back a few more feet and down on its back as he used the creature to launch himself into the air. He put one paw forward as he came down, landing just at the mutant's feet and cracking the earth, causing three crystals to emerge from underneath the Accursed and impale it through its back and out of its chest in a triangular formation. Blood splattered everywhere as it took its last breath, closed its one good eye, and went limp. The crystals returned to the earth. Atty panted really hard, and gave a sigh of relief. He suddenly felt a wave of sickness flooding inside of him. His legs suddenly felt like jelly, and he collapsed, but didn't pass out. Juniper rushed to his side.

“What's wrong, Atty? You look terrible,” she said with concern in her voice. He tried to respond, but gagged a little. They were soon greeted by Tess and Ariel, with the otter helping the tigress stand.

“So that was an Accursed, huh?” Tess said weakly. “That wasn't too bad, if you ask me.”

“That wound looks pretty serious, Tess,” Juniper said as she helped her love to his feet. The tigress’ bite was dripping blood and oozing the green toxin that came off the lizard's fangs.

“I've endured worse,” the feline said with a weak smirk. Just then, they noticed something strange about the corpse before them. The skin seemed as though it was burning. Embers began flying off as the flesh decayed rapidly and gave off a foul stench. Eventually, all that was left was the skeleton. Then, suddenly, the bones disintegrated. Soon, there was nothing left but ash and dust.

“How strange,” said Juniper.

“Let's head back,” Atty said in between gags. “I really need to lie down after that.”

---

When the quartet returned to the garden, Juniper immediately went to work on treating Tess and Atty for their injuries. About an hour passed. Although the vixen was able to get the poison out and close the wound with her newfound powers, Tess seemed to still be in pain, and it was getting worse. June did her best to tend to her using herbs and such that had pain relieving properties, but nothing was working that well. Tess was groaning and huddled up in a fetal position. Ariel was by her side while Juniper was tending to Atty.

“I don't understand. What's happening to her?” asked the otter of her mentor.

“Although most of the poison has been extracted, it seems some of it managed to get deep into her system,” the otter spirit stated. “You see, Accursed lizard poison is slow acting and causes chronic pain that gradually gets worse with time. I'm afraid she'll be like this for at least twenty-four hours.”

Ariel looked at her with an expression of sorrow, worry, and disbelief. “I can’t watch her suffer like this. There must be something we can do for her.”

“There is one thing,” a voice said behind them. They looked behind them and saw Aloe approaching. She took a seat in between them and looked at Ariel.

“What is it? Tell me?”

“About a kilometer southeast of here, there is a swamp. In the swamp, you'll find special red bushes. These bushes grow a special blue grape-sized berry that acts as a powerful and natural painkiller. They are treasures by alchemists, but are only used as a last resort. It won't get rid of the pain completely, but it will help mitigate it to where it is somewhat bearable. They're called Blissberries. If you go there, grab as many as you can carry. Tess will need a lot of them. At least three every two hours. But be careful. The swamp can be very treacherous.”

“Okay. Red bushes with blue berries a kilometer southeast. Got it.” The otter approached the suffering tigress, and laid a paw gently on her nose. Tess opened her eyes slightly. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.” Ariel grabbed her satchel and, without another word, headed out immediately.

Meanwhile, in Atty and Juniper’s shared dorm, the vixen was busy trying to help Atemis with his strange illness. He was retching almost nonstop. She gave him some remedies that seemed to somewhat calm the symptoms down, though he was still feeling quite nauseated. At the moment, he was just resting and sleeping it off. The wolf’s little bilby companion was snuggled up to him in between his front paws. Juniper stayed by his side, only leaving when absolutely necessary. Luverius suddenly appeared before them. “So, this is what happens,” he said.

“What do you mean, Lu? Do you know what’s happening to Atemis?”

“My guess is that the blood of the Accursed is having a negative effect on his body. I’ve no experience with it myself, so anything is but a guess. I think he’ll just have to wait it out.” The vixen looked down at her love with a worried look on her face. “Do not worry. What you’re doing seems to be helping for the most part. Just keep doing it as needed.” The vixen stayed with him for a few more minutes, then left to check on Tess.

She was horrified to see the tigress suffering so. She took note of Ariel’s absence and noticed Mizu and Aloe sitting by her tiger companion. “Where is Ariel?” she said.

“She went out to gather something for Tess,” replied Aloe. “Are you familiar with Blissberries?”

The vixen was surprised. “I've only seen them a pawful of times. Are there some growing around here?”

“The closest ones are about a kilometer away from here.”

“But don't those berries grow in a swamp? Ariel shouldn't have left on her own. What if an alligator grabs her? Or worse?”

“She was very insistent on doing this herself. She wanted to help Tess,” said the otter spirit. “I could tell by the look in her eyes that there would be no talking her out of this.” Juniper sighed and sat down, looking towards the entrance.

“I hope she's alright.”

Ariel was traveling to the southeast as fast as she could. She was about halfway there. Although she was tired from the previous engagement with the Order, she kept pushing forward. When she got distracted from the sights, she would quickly shake her head back to reality, as she had something much more important at hand. She traveled further southeast. About six minutes later, she had arrived at her destination.

A large swamp came into view. It was warm and muggy with lots of bugs flying about, as well as frogs and toads croaking. She traveled a little deeper as she searched for the desired plant. She wasn’t paying attention, but there was an alligator watching her, with only its head slightly out of the water. When she got too close to the water, it leaped out and snapped at her. She jumped back in terror and surprise, and made a run for it. The gator leered at her and huffed as she ran away, then turned around and went back into the pond.

Now doing her best to avoid the aqua, Ariel continued her search for the berry bushes. After searching for about ten minutes, she finally found a large colony of them. They were as described by Aloe. Red bushes with grape-sized blue berries. She quickly began gathering as many as her pouch could hold. Once it was full, she began her trip back to the garden.

She finally returned after about a twelve minute trip from the swamp. She was greeted by Juniper, who had been worried about her this whole time. “Are you okay, Ariel?” she asked the otter. She nodded.

“I'm fine, June. Just tired.”

“You shouldn't have gone out on your own. What if something had happened to you?”

“This couldn't wait. Tess is suffering because of me.” The otter teared up a little.

“Oh, honey, is that what this is about?” said Aloe. “You can't blame yourself for what happened. Tess was just protecting a friend. If the roles were reversed and it was within your ability to do so, I'm sure you would've done the same thing.” The otter looked down steadily. Juniper held her paw and looked her in the eyes.

“It's okay. It's like Atty said, we're a pack now, and we'll have each other's back no matter what.” Ariel sniffled a bit and hugged the fox. When they separated, she handed Juniper the bag full of berries. They both went to Tess, who was still very visibly suffering. Juniper grabbed three berries and forced the tigress' maw open, then shoved the berries in. Tess began to chew. She didn't seem to have a reaction to their flavor, and swallowed hard once they had been chewed up enough. The feline took a deep breath and opened her eyes weakly, looking up at the other two members of her pack, then closing her eyes once more.

“It'll take a few minutes for the berries to go into full effect,” Juniper said to Ariel. “Why don't you get some rest? I'll keep an eye on her.” The otter nodded and took one last look at Tess before retreating to her den, and quickly fell asleep.

---

Once the pain that Tess was feeling was under control, Juniper decided to check in on Atty. He was still sleeping, which was good. She herself felt exhausted from a combination of her encounter with the Order, worrying about her companions, especially Atemis, and treating everyone's injuries and conditions. She decided to get a little rest herself.

During Atty’s slumber, he began to have a dream, one that he had before, of his sweetheart, Juniper, once more, wearing a crown of flowers, and another vision of the two of them starting a family. He finally woke up an hour later. He wasn't feeling as sickly as he was before. He saw the vixen laying next to him, and gave a smile. He got up and went to the little fountain in his room to get a drink of water. Then he looked at Juniper once more. His mind immediately went to the dream he was having, and he gave a depressing sigh. “If only it were possible,” he said to himself.

He left his dorm, his bilby friend following close behind. He noticed Tess, who had finally woken up as well. She looked a little uncomfortable. He approached, and took a seat next to her. “Everything alright, Tess?”

“Some mild discomfort. But it's a huge improvement from earlier. That was really intense.” Her Amber eyes look towards the wolf. “How about you? Are you feeling any better?”

“Still feeling a little nauseated. But I'm managing.” They both chuckled, then looked up through the hole in the roof above the pool. It was still sunny with some clouds. “Do you think everyone back home is doing okay?”

“I'm sure they're fine,” the tigress replied. “Why do you ask?”

“I'm worried the Order might try something with Tranquility when we're not there.” Atty looked down at the steaming water.

“Don't worry. The town is full of capable fighters. The Tranquil Guard should be able to handle anything the bastards send their way.”

The wolf looked at her curiously. “The Tranquil Guard?”

“Yes, they're like town guards. Their job is to protect the townsfolk with their lives if it comes to that. They also deal with some of the other civil matters that come up from time to time. But their main duty is to be prepared for anything and, along with some of our stronger guild members, protect the town in case it's ever attacked. I've always worried that the empire would try something. But now we have an even more dangerous group to worry about.”

“Would the empire ever do that? Attack the town, I mean.”

“Luna has always said the empire doesn't use force to merge borders with others. They prefer to do things peacefully, using violence only when absolutely necessary, such as if another nation were to suddenly declare war. I've always tried to remain vigilant on the matter. What if the next person to assume the throne was more of the violent, conquering type? Our relationship with them would quickly sour. Tranquility is such a small town. I'm not usually one to show fear, but the thought that or could all come burning down with the snap of a finger terrifies me.”

Atty took a good look at her. She seemed a little anxious at the thought. “What's our relationship with the empire now?” he asked, trying to get her mind off it.

“They're friendly enough. Tranquility trades with the imperial city on a regular basis. Occasionally we get someone representing the emperor trying to convince us to become a part of them. They've tried bribing us and have made very generous offers of extra resources and protection. But we're keen on maintaining our independence. I must admit, though, I admire their tenacity.”

They continued to watch the sky, enjoying the movement of the clouds. Atty’s mind began to wander, and then he thought about the dream he had, his relationship with Juniper, and something else that was bothering him. “Hey, Tess, do you mind if I share something with you?”

The tigress looked at him blankly. The look on the wolf's face told her he really needed someone to talk to. “Go ahead.”

“When I started having visions in sleep, there was something else that popped up. Twice now. I see Juniper, wearing a crown of flowers, like she's getting married. And then I see us together with a litter of pups. It just feels strange having these images of her popping up in my head like this. I haven't known her long enough to even consider the possibility of marriage. Or kids.”

“Is it even possible for a wolf and a fox to procreate?” asked the tigress with a raised brow.

Atty shook his head. “I don't believe it is. That's why it's so strange to me.”

“I see. How far do you think you are in your relationship?”

“Well, we are pretty open and honest about stuff, we enjoy each other's company, and we're intimate at times.”

“Intimate as in?” She tilted her head at him. “Have the two of you slept together yet?”

Atty’s face turned crimson, and he stuttered a bit when he tried to respond. “N-no! It's much too soon to be at that stage. Why would you even ask me that?”

She chuckled at his reaction. “Because these dreams you're having might be trying to tell you something. I've seen the way you look at each other. Like two souls that have been searching for one another for so long, and are finally united. But the nature of your relationship isn't anyone's business but your own, and how slow you decide to take it is up to you.” She gave a sigh. “I have to admit I'm a little jealous of you two?”

Atemis was surprised. “Jealous? Of us? Why?”

“You two get to be together in a time when I cannot be with Abigail. Seeing you together makes me miss her greatly.”

Atty hung his head slightly. “I'm sorry. I didn't realize.”

“You don't have to apologize. This is a ‘me’ issue. Abby and I will be reunited soon enough.” Tess looked away and at the willow, then asked, “Does Juniper know about your dream?”

“No, and for now, I have no plans to share it with her. I'm worried it would make her feel weird and uncomfortable.”

“Well, whatever the case, when the time is right, you'll know it.”

They stopped talking for a while after that and continued to gaze at the clouds.

---

About an hour later, Juniper had finally woken up. She immediately noticed Atty was not aroused, and gave a shrug. She got herself a drink of water and went out into the garden, and saw the wolf and tigress sitting together and staring at the sky through the opening in the roof. She approached her mate, who quickly noticed her. “Hey, Flower. Did you get enough rest?”

“I'm feeling a little better. I'm glad to see you two up and about.” She gave the wolf a kiss on the nose. His ears folded as he blushed and wagged his tail. The vixen then turned her attention to the tigress sitting next to Atty. “I believe it's time for another dose for you, Tess.”

She nodded. “What was that stuff you gave me anyway?”

“Blissberries. They're a powerful painkiller.” She opened the pouch that was filled with the large blue berries, and took out three. She handed them to Tess. The tigress popped them in her mouth and chewed. Now that she wasn't suffering as much, she actually paid attention to the flavor of the juices. It was quite sour. Her face reacted with a cringe.

“I'm not really a fan of the flavor. How much more of this do I have to take?”

“It's three every two hours, and I've been told the poison lasts twenty-four. So at least ten more doses.”

“Oh, wonderful.” The feline laid down and tried to relax.

The vixen returned her attention to the wolf. She noticed he looked a little scruffy. “How about we get you cleaned up? I'll help you.”

Atty looked down at his chest and paws. He did feel a little dirty and bloody from their recent encounter with the Order.

“Okay, then,” was all he could manage to say. He dipped a single paw in the spring, and jerked back at the heat. He slowly adapted to it and eventually got his entire body in there. The heat of the water felt pleasant against his aching body.

“You know what? I could probably use a wash too. Would you mind if I joined you?”

Atty looked at her and blushed. The thought of them bathing together made his heart race a little. He choked a little as he spoke, “Not at all,”

She slowly came into the water with him, until their faces met. She looked him in the eyes lovingly.

She began helping him wash by scrubbing his back, getting all the dirt and blood off of his fur. It honestly felt really nice being touched by his girlfriend. As she finished cleaning him up, it was now her turn. She turned around so he could get her back. His face turned red as he reached for her. He felt shy about touching her, but he eventually worked up the courage to help her clean up.

His mind began to wander to one particular subject, something that had been bothering him for a some time. “June? I've been wondering for a while now. Do you feel any different about me since I first learned I was a Bloodwolf?”

She tilted her head and looked behind her through the corner of her eyes. “Why would I?”

“Well, I mean, my powers require me to feed off of others. Doesn't that bother you?”

“I admit, I'm not exactly a fan of it. But just as you were able to look past my history, I can look past this, and see you for who you truly are.” She turned around to meet his gaze and smiled at him lovingly and held his paws. “And in a way, we are alike. Both of our abilities are designed to tangle with life forces. But most importantly, you didn't let your newfound powers or your title change who you are. You're still you.” She nuzzled him. He blushed and wagged his tail under the water. It was a huge weight off his shoulders to know that her view of him hadn't changed.

Something suddenly came over him, and he moved a little closer to her, his muzzle merely inches away from hers. He pulled her closer, and suddenly planted a kiss on her lips. Her heart raced in unison with his as she practically melted into the kiss. They suddenly heard the sound of Tess clear her throat. They broke from their intimate embrace and looked at her.

“Could you not do that in the pool, please?” she said with an annoyed look. The wolf and the fox blushed and chuckled. Atty rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

The quartet spent the next couple of weeks practicing their abilities, and scouting the area near the mountain, usually no more than a couple of kilometers out, for Order activity. The cult was spotted on occasion, but they mostly just seemed to be passing through. And they didn't see any Accursed animals among them. As soon as she was feeling better, Tess began training hard, harder than she'd ever had before. She was being supervised by her mentor, Kagé, who was honestly worried, and a little frightened by her demeanor.

She was training alone. She charged up Amber energy around her paws, creating long orange claws on both, and swiped at a target dummy, slicing it clear in half. She teleported to another, and while still in mid-air, sliced its head off. She warped behind the last one and drove her paw through the back of it, and out of the dummies chest. Seeing this made the tiger spirit uncomfortable.

"I think that's enough training for now, Tess." The tigress stepped out of the ring and took a seat by her teacher. She was breathing heavily. "You've improved. That's good. But you shouldn't overexert yourself like that. Honestly, the way you've been pushing yourself since your previous engagement with the Order, is a little scary."

"My apologies, Kagé. I guess I'm just upset about how it went down. I don't take being overpowered very well. I'm just determined to ensure it never happens again."

"That's not really something that can be guaranteed, Tess. Even the strongest and most experienced of us are beaten from time to time. The best thing to do, when that happens, is to take from that experience, and learn from it." She looked at her mentor for a moment, then closed her eyes and sighed.

After taking a moment to rest, Tess returned to the garden with Kagé to meet the others. Atty and June were sitting next to one another, as usual, and Ariel was relaxing in the pool. "Is everything okay, Tess?" asked Atty. "You've been pretty silent for a while."

"I'm fine. I just needed to blow off steam." She took a seat by the water and made herself comfortable.

"So, what's next for us?" said Ariel.

"I think we've covered just about everything," replied Luverius. "I believe you're all ready to continue this journey without us."

"But do not worry," Aloe chimed in. "Remember that you can always return here to rest, or if you're in need of some guidance."

"So that's it, then? We can go home?" Ariel asked once more, then sighed. "After all of that, I'm pretty eager to return to my shop keeping duties for now. I hope the temp I hired is doing okay."

"It'll be really nice to return just in time for the festival," said Juniper. She then looked at her boyfriend lovingly, and held his paw. "I'm really excited to be spending it with you."

"As am I, Flower," the wolf said as he kissed the vixen on the forehead.

The quartet spent the next couple of hours stocking up on rations and other needed supplies. By the time noon came along, they were finally ready for their trip home. They bid farewell to the spirits. But as they were heading out, Atty felt a nudge on his back leg. He looked behind him and saw his little bilby friend looking up at him sadly. The look was rather adorable, and made him a little sad. Juniper noticed as well.

"Can she not come with us, Atty?"

"I'm not sure."

"The bilbies may be the keepers of the garden," said Luverius, "but they aren't bound to it like we are. This one seems to be bonded to you, Atemis. If you wish to take her with you, it's completely fine." Atty stared at the little marsupial for a moment, then lowered his head to her level.

"Do you want to come along with us?" The bilby hopped a couple of times and spun around with glee. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Well, if she's going to stay with us, she'll need a name," said Ariel. "Any ideas?" They all started thinking, and then Juniper answered.

"What about Cocoa?"

"Cocoa?" Atemis stared at her for a moment.

"Because she is brown and sweet as can be." She looked at the long-eared critter and smiled. Atty looked towards her as well.

"What do you think?" He asked the bilby. She pondered about it for a moment, then nodded and clapped her paws together gleefully. "Then Cocoa it shall be."

---

The quartet began their long trip home. The Cocoa was riding comfortably on Atty's back, taking in the scenery, as she had never really been anywhere outside the garden. They stopped at the same rock formation about halfway through the trip to rest. They were enjoying the beauty of autumn. The leaves on all the trees were changing colors as everything was preparing to go to sleep for the winter.

Atty was looking forward to taking part in the autumn festival, which would not only be the first major event he's celebrated since moving into Tranquility, but also the first event he would get to spend with Juniper. Something had come to mind and he had to ask.

"Are there festivals for the other seasons as well?"

"There certainly are," replied Juniper. "But autumn is my favorite season. When the temperature feels just right and all the trees turn into a mixture of red, yellow, and orange. There's nothing quite like it." She looked at him, gave a warm smile, then gently placed her paw on his. "This one is going to be even more special, because I get to spend it with you." She nuzzled him, causing him to blush and wag his tail slowly.

"Get a den, you two," Tess said with annoyance.

"Oh, like you're not the same way with Abigail, Tess," Ariel said with a giggle.

"Of course. But I just prefer this kind of thing to stay behind closed doors. Intimacy is better left as a private thing."

"We'll try to contain ourselves in front of you, if it bothers you that much," Atty assured the tigress.

After about an hour's rest, they continued their way home. The sun was beginning to set as Tranquility's welcome sign finally came into view. As they went into town, they noticed animals were putting up fall decorations all around, including special lanterns that glowed red, yellow, and orange. By the time they all got to the manor, it was dark, with only the lanterns giving off any sort of light, which lit the town up nicely. They were all tired from the trip. Cocoa seemed as though she was about to pass out on Atty's back.

"It's so good to be home," Ariel said with a sigh of relief. "I can't wait to get back to my shop keeping duties."

"And I can't wait to see Abigail," said Tess. "I guess I'll see you later, Atemis. We should resume our guild duties first thing tomorrow."

Atty looked at the tigress and nodded. And so, they all went their separate ways. Atty and June decided to spend a little time at the café to have a drink and chat a bit.

"Only a couple days until the festival starts. I can't wait," the vixen said with glee.

"What sort of activities does the festival offer?"

"Well, there's plenty of food and drink to start. There's also music and games for the locals to enjoy. And at the end of the week, once the sun goes down, we shoot off fireworks to conclude the celebration. Normally I would stick around with Kasha and her siblings. But this year, I have someone special to share it with." The two of them shared a smile as they finished their drinks. Cocoa looked like she was about ready for bed.

The couple went up to their shared dorm and were ready to call it a night. The moon lit up their room just right as they snuggled up in bed. Juniper gave her love a kiss on the cheek as they both closed their eyes and went to sleep, with Atty's bilby companion laying comfortably between his paws.

The next day, Juniper resumed her duties at the clinic while Atty continued with his guild work. In addition to doing stuff around town, he also helped with the festival preparations. At the clinic, Juniper could barely contain her giddiness in front of her adoptive mother. She was working with the mortar and pestle as she hummed cheerfully.

"You seem awfully giddy," Kasha said with a chuckle. "It wouldn't have anything to do with the festival, would it?"

"Well, yes, but there's more to it than that," the fox replied with a gentle back and forth sway of her tail.

"Would it have something to do with that boyfriend of yours?" Juniper's ears folded as she blushed and laughed sheepishly. "This is your first major event together, isn't it? I guess I'll be participating by myself this year." She acted sad, which made Juniper feel bad about it. Then the lemur let out a heartfelt laugh. "I'm just messing with you. I'll be fine. I promise. You and Atty enjoy yourselves." She then gave a sigh. "To be young and in love again. I miss those days."

"You've… been in love before?"

"Only once. But it wasn't meant to be. I believe the Mother had a different path set for me to follow. And I strongly believe that was to care for you. I don't think us running into each other was a coincidence. No, I believe She brought you to me. Being a mother to you was the best experience of my life, and I wouldn't change a thing about it." She held the vixen's head with both hands and looked her in the eyes. "Now you're all grown up, making your own decisions, making memories, having wild and crazy adventures."

"What adventures? I've only ever left Tranquility once."

"Oh, honey, I was referring to you and Atty. Love is in itself a wild and crazy adventure."

The fox chuckled sheepishly and blushed. "Yeah, I suppose it is."

It was getting late. Atty was exhausted from working all day. As he deposited half of his earnings into the deposit box in the main lobby, he was greeted by Jewel, who took note of his lack of energy.

"You look tired, Atty-bear."

"I am. I've been working non-stop all day. I'm ready to call it a night."

"Well, you should get plenty of rest. Tomorrow is a big day," she replied.

"That's right, the festival starts tomorrow, doesn't it?"

The cat nodded, "I hope I'll see you and Juniper there.

"I have no intention of missing it. See you Tom, then, kitten."

"Good night Atty-bear."

Atemis went to his dorm. As he entered he was greeted by Cocoa, and noticed Juniper hadn't come home yet. He was about to collapse from exhaustion, so instead of waiting up for his love, he went straight to bed and made himself comfortable with his bilby friend. About thirty minutes later, Juniper finally came home, and immediately noticed Atty was already asleep. She smiled, and after doing some nighttime rituals, got in bed with him and gave him a kiss on the forehead before falling asleep herself.

---

The next morning…

Atty was still sleeping deeply. He was finally awoken by the sweet, angelic sound of Juniper's voice. It sounded like she was singing. There were no words, just a pleasant melody. He lifted his head and yawned while looking around. He saw his love up and about, watering the plants around the dorm. Cocoa was helping her.

He stood up and stretched his body in a downward dog pose, popping his back and joints in a way that gave some relief. He walked up to the vixen, brushed against her side and gave her a smooch on the cheek. "Good morning, Flower."

"Good morning, Atty-bear," she replied with a blush and smile. "Did you sleep well?" The wolf nodded. "Well, today's the day. The festival should be starting soon. We can head out when you're ready." She looked at her bilby assistant. "You can come too, if you'd like." Cocoa nodded happily.

Once Juniper was finished with the morning rituals, the couple went down to the main lobby and headed to the café for a coffee. Once they were perked up and paid the barkeep, they headed out into town. It was quite busy. The town square and lantern posts were decorated with autumn themed decor and red eastern style lanterns. There was a large tent with a table of food served underneath it. There were also lots of activities spread around town, so there was plenty to do. Cocoa ran ahead of them, eager to take part in the event.

"What do you want to do first?" asked Juniper.

"Well, I haven't had any breakfast yet. Maybe I'll get something to eat to get started."

"Sounds good to me," she replied.

They went to the food tent. Thankfully, there wasn't a line and they were able to get something rather quickly. The table was full of food from all the major food groups. After enjoying some of the town's bounty, they decided to partake in some games, including things like horseshoe toss and outdoor bowling. After a few hours, they went back to the food tent for lunch, then took a stroll around town.

Cocoa seemed to have disappeared, likely enjoying herself in the activities. It gave Atemis and Juniper a chance to be alone. They decided to take a break from the festivities and take a walk together in the woods. They went to their favorite spot, the tree they sat under during their first date, and enjoyed the beauty of autumn together.

"So, how are you liking the festival so far?" Juniper asked the wolf.

"I'm having a great time. Especially since I'm taking part in it with you. What about you? Is everything to your liking?"

She nodded. "I'm enjoying myself greatly with you by my side." She brushed up against him, resting her head under his chin. His heart fluttered as his tail wagged with joy.

They stayed there for a couple more hours, enjoying the scenery and each other's company before heading back into town. As they reentered the main plaza, they bumped into a small group of wolves, who appeared to be led by a female. She was black with a white underside, and had blue eyes. She took a look at Atty and smiled.

"You must be Atemis," she said. "I'm Dusk. We've heard of some of your exploits. Your name is carrying a lot of weight, even though you've only been here for a short time." She looked deep into his eyes. "There's also word going around that you're the fabled Bloodwolf. Is that true?"

"It is very true," he answered.

"Interesting. I would enjoy seeing how you perform in battle." She then noticed Juniper, and her smile quickly faded. "Why are you hanging out with her?"

"What do you mean?" Atty replied. Juniper's heart skipped a beat.

"I mean, why are you hanging out with a fox? They're not exactly trustworthy. Don't you think it's preferable to be around your own kind rather than with someone whose kind have a reputation as thieves and dealers? A fox has no place among wolves. They're barely fit to even lick the dirt off our paws."

Hearing this sent a wave of sadness and anxiety in the vixen. Her heart sank, and tears began to form in her brown eyes as her ears folded. She hung her head low, then quickly turned around and ran off without a word. Atty could feel her distress and tried to stop her.

"June, wait! Come back!" His words fell on deaf ears. Juniper continued to run off without looking back with water dripping from her eyes. Atty looked at the female wolf with a feeling of anger covering his face. "What is wrong with you? Why would you say such a thing about someone you barely know?"

She shrugged. "I was only expressing my opinion. It's not my fault she couldn't handle a little criticism."

"There's criticism, and then there's just being cruel," he bared his teeth. "I'll have you know Juniper is the Gaia Fox. She is the sweetest and most compassionate person I've ever met. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body, just a big heart full of love."

Dusk and her small pack were taken by surprise, and were left feeling a little shame for their leader's comment. Atty quickly turned tail and ran in the direction Juniper went, hoping he could catch up to her. The pack was left alone to rethink their view of the world.