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Adventures of Dusty Yote

Chapter 7 - Scale and Fur, Claw and Fang

7790 words

It was early in the morning when Dusty was awakened by the ringing of a bell. The sun had barely risen in the east and there was a faint chill despite the late spring season. Bernard and Kuroga were still asleep. The camp was quiet but he opened the shutters and could see lanterns being lit and smoke beginning to rise out of the main kitchen. Soon would be the call to breakfast.

Dusty decided to do his own wandering around. He found Bron washing his face at a communal pump and received some interesting news.

"We're not going into the woods today," the grizzled canine said. "It was decided late last night on account of you and Bernard coming back injured from our local beast. It ain't good, and we've decided to barricade and sharpen our axes for weapons. Some of the guard's supposed to come in today. But we're hoping it doesn't come to that."

"I am here for your defense," Dusty said. "But I should warn you. My own sword wasn't enough to pierce the hide of the serpent. I doubt your axes would do much."

"No need to pierce," Bron replied, sounding grim. "Flake or distract is the order of the day. So long as we either teach it to never mess with us or it ends up dead, it sounds like we're fine either way."

Dusty shook his head. "I'd rather not risk you all getting harmed. We should not expect civilians to fight. It's your duty to care and provide for the town, not to throw yourself into battle."

"The whole compound's agreed on it. We can't sit here waiting for it to just play out any longer. We ain't leading the charge - that'll likely be up to you and that tawny cat - but we're here to support you all however we can."

This was information that couldn't wait until breakfast. Dusty politely excused himself and returned to the spare room where they'd slept. Kuroga was up now and polishing his own shield, and he listened intently to what Dusty had said.

"Our discussion about you remembering anything else will have to wait," the lion said when Dusty had finished. "You may have been assigned as a Tracker, but I'm going to do some tracking of my own. I want to see if I can find any signs of Zemeya nearby."

"What should we do about Bernard?" Dusty asked.

"He's safe as anything here," Kuroga said. "I don't think we'll be able to move him, and if we try and take him back to town, we don't have the walls to defend him on the road. Let me inform the heads and have you stay here; they'll bring your breakfast here. I'll be back as soon as I can."

The lion gathered his armor, spear, and shield, and quickly sprang out the door. Dusty was left alone with the skunk still sleeping in his bed. He could now get a better look at him. Bernard was still handsome in the face, less muscle than previously but still strong. He did seem smaller now, though the coyote wondered if that wasn't because he was laying down and not standing up.

Bernard was bandaged in multiple places. His left arm was in a sling and there were a few straps around his chest. Dusty wondered how many of those were incurred during the scuffle in the cabin and how many of them were the in the flight into the woods. Perhaps even in being late, he and Kuroga had prevented Zemeya from doing more damage, the serpent turning his attention to the sounds of them crashing behind and deciding to waylay instead of focus on its former prey.

The bell rang a second time calling the woodsmen to breakfast. Dusty remained in the room. Bernard groaned and stirred and his eyes opened. The skunk looked around the room a bit before noticing Dusty and breaking into a faint grin.

"I hope you're not here to arrest me." There was definitely exhaustion in the voice, but the skunk still had plenty of energy to jest.

"Rather the opposite," Dusty said, going to sit on the bed with the skunk. "You were right on multiple accounts. While we have this moment of relative peace, I should apologize. I spoke rashly without letting you tell the whole story, and perhaps we may have collaborated earlier."

"No, you were still right to call me out. I was still going about my own business inappropriately. But why, then, are we both here?"

"The serpent beast calling itself Zemeya attacked you yesterday. And then he attacked me when I followed Kuroga in pursuit of you. Clearly there are fouler things in the woods than a skunk who occasionally brings someone back to their cabin for an afternoon."

Bernard chuckled quietly. "Don't say it like that, it sounds lewd. But yes, I know very well. Kuroga's actually the one who put me on Zemeya. I had been keeping eyes on him for a few months before you came along."

Dusty sighed and his ears drooped. "I wish our mutual friend was around to say so earlier."

"What's past is past. We both had our misunderstandings, and its better now that the air is cleared. If you're not here to attack me but to defend me, then I am grateful."

Dusty smiled. But the longer he looked at Bernard, the more worried he became. "...oh my god, the whole camp is in danger."

Bernard's own smile lessened. "What for?"

"Zemeya is coming after you." Dusty stood up from the bed and began to pace around the room. "When I confronted him yesterday, he said he wants to drain you dry for protecting the woodsmen. If he's been following you, he has your scent. Which means he may try and attack here to get his revenge on you."

"Master Yote... were you drained by Zemeya?"

Dusty turned around to the skunk and raised an eyebrow. "Yes. How did you know?"

Bernard waved his free arm towards Dusty's neck. "I can see the dark mark upon the shoulder. I think you have healed rather quickly; it is already quite faded. But our problem now is two-fold: I fear he may have gained considerable power if he drained from you."

Dusty's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"You have power far beyond any I've ever sensed. It took quite a lot of my own power to put you out because your magic fought against mine in a way no one else ever could. Even a small drink of that power may have corrupted him further. Touched as he is by such foul sorcery - for Corruption is a branch that most normal sorcerers refuse to give credence to - he will grow his own power from it, and then hunger for more."

"Which means he'll be coming after me now, too, if it means increasing his own power." Dusty growled and felt the fur on the back of his neck raise. "I wish Kuroga was here. He may know how to get around it."

"Perhaps it might not be so bad," Bernard said. "Something tells me you know more than you did when we last met. Perhaps your magical power might be enough to overcome his should things become desperate."

"I have failed once already," Dusty said. "I was caught in... in... Master Asteran called it some sort of 'enchantment', and was laid deep. It took his help to awaken me from it last time."

"Just because you have experienced it once before does not mean it was done with your consent," Bernard said sagely. "Power in part can be given because one consents to it. Take me, for example. You must have, in some way, sympathized with or enjoyed the sensations that you allowed yourself to succumb to my scents at the end. Zemeya may be charming in the way snakes like him generally are, but don't let that distract you from not wanting any part of it."

"This is new magic to me," Dusty said, "unlike anything I've ever read. The books in our library are extensive, but the realm to which you belong is veiled as though we don't know much about it. The more I learn, the more I feel that volumes should be written about it."

Bernard smiled. "There are some who would be able to explain it better than I. Purely because my own knowledge of theory fails me often. But I think there are others to whom held better."

"Where should I go?"

Before the skunk could answer, the bell began clanging viciously. The peeling noise thundered through the camp and kept going. It was no longer a call to stations, but a call of alarm.

"I think I've got some strength left," Bernard said. "Not to fight, but to at least make things easier for you. These villagers need more protection than I. Go outside and get me a handful of dust."

Dusty didn't have to go far. The camp was unpaved and it was easy to scoop up a small handful of earth from right outside the room. He gathered as much as his paw could carry and brought it back into the room.

"Hold it close so I can put my paw over it. I won't do anything to you, but I can use my sorcery on the dust."

Dusty put his paw close enough for Bernard to put his paw over it. The skunk covered the mound of dust and grabbed Dusty's paw tightly with his thumb. The coyote could feel the whirl of magic being summoned up from inside the skunk and channeled into the space between their paws. When Bernard pulled his paw away, the dust inside had gained an unusual sheen to it.

"Cast it over me," Bernard said, sounding tired. "I have placed it to the scent of old wood. It will match the cabins as best as I can manage. But it may prevent him from picking up my scent anywhere else except on you or Kuroga."

Dusty threw the dust over Bernard and watched as it settled over him. Bernard yawned and looked at Dusty again.

"Protect the villagers. I've done what I can. I've thrown him off my scent, as it were, but I've used too much magic recently and still feel worn down. It's up to you now. Remember: if you don't want his magic, you might be able to cast it off you."

"You are confident in this."

"I had to go through years of training to use what I have now. It likely works on similar principle, just attuned to his methodology. But I cannot explain it in depth. Not that I won't, but I can't. It's technicality far beyond my own knowledge to teach."

"I may still ask you about it when this is all over."

"I hope your mind is ready for it."

With that, Bernard closed his eyes and Dusty heard the soft breathing of one who has fallen asleep. The skunk was clearly too tired from the previous attack to do anything. Dusty wanted to stay for the apothecary, but he could hear screams from outside even as the bell grew faint. He steeled himself. This was his duty to both the Guild and the Order, to protect these people from beasts and sources of magic unknown. He readied his sword, opened the door, and ran out to follow the screams.

---

Kuroga was nowhere to be found. Dusty readied his sword and shield and ran towards the main hall where the bell-tower was. Despite the screams, only a few people seemed to be running away; most were moving closer to the center of the camp. Thankfully, Bron was one of those who were fleeing and ran to Dusty as soon as he saw him.

"It's that dang beast from the woods!" he yelled. "He's come in asking a bunch of people where the skunk is. But there's something wrong; most of the people who look at him for too long just kinda stay by him and don't run away. I can't tell if he wants to drain them all or just wants them out of the way. You need to stop him!"

"I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, see if you can find that big cat with the large ruff of fur, his name's Kuroga Asteran. He should be somewhere along the outskirts, but he could have gone to the entrance of the woods. We'll likely need all the help we can get."

"Right away, Master Yote." And the grizzled dog ran off.

Dusty continued running through the camp. Zemeya was not hard to find; if the bullsnake had been large before he seemed to have grown since last time. And while Dusty didn't feel the compulsion, he could see people trying to run away only to slow down and turn and face him no matter where they stood. Something about the serpent's power had gone off the charts.

It's because he drained me, isn't it, Dusty thought. He's absorbed even more magic from me and converted it to more power. At least, if what Bernard said was correct. I don't even know what I'll be able to do against it.

Zemeya lay in the plaza-like area in front of the main hall. Dusty ran over with sword and shield in front of him and called up to the serpent. "Zemeya!" he called. "Leave the woodsmen of this camp alone!"

The bullsnake turned to face Dusty. Almost immediately Dusty was struck by additional changes to the serpent's features. Gold and purple streaks seemed to whirl in his eyes constantly and his coils even seemed iridescent like they, too, were shifting colors. Even without concentrating all that heavily, Dusty found himself fascinated by the snake's newfound power and his face was slowly drawn to Zemeya's wide, flat head.

"Ah, if it isn't the little coyote who sssslept in my coils..." The large snake turned around, showing off his impressive length and letting the coils gently shift around him. "Come to the rescue, have you? Or have you come to look me once more in the eyes? If I remember correctly, you couldn't help but sink and become lost in them."

Dusty felt the shivers go up his spine again. He wanted to pay attention to the coils at least a little bit in order to maintain his defenses. If they made him sore last time, they could easily break his bones with their increased size. But he couldn't tear his face away from the bullsnake's to follow them. Every time he shook his head it only cleared it for a moment and staring into the eyes only made him feel dizzier. But he had to take the snake away from the workers somehow, at least until Kuroga arrived.

"Ngh... they're nothing to you at this rate," Dusty said, fighting against his own desires. "Any reason you may have for trying anything to them is worthless for the reward. It won't give you any more; they are but a drop in the bucket."

"Perhaps," Zemeya conceded. "But now they are in the way. There is something they are hiding from me: my prey. Cast your mind back to our last meeting. You know what I want. And ssssomething tells me you know exactly where it is."

It was useless to play dumb. "It takes more than mere suggestion to sway a member of the Order," Dusty said, bringing his shield up a little further. "I won't let you have him. And it is only a matter of time until your own doom arrives."

"Do you think you can stand against me?" Zemeya brought himself over to Dusty and gazed down at him, already waving his hands about and shifting those dancing coils behind him. "In hiding my first prey, you are giving to me something else I want. Sssstare into my eyes, little coyote. Sink into them as you had before. It's so easy to relax, to stare, to sink in the peaceful harmony of my voice."

Dusty tensed and tried to take a step backwards. His own legs felt shaky and it took all his power to keep him upright. He kept a steady grip on his sword and shield but couldn't bring himself to actually use them, whether to strike or block the snake's gaze. Zemeya began lazily swaying back and forth and the coyote was already beginning to follow along, unable to twitch his head away from the whirling eyes.

"Remember those feelings little coyote. It feels good to gaze, it feels good to sway. The longer you stare, the more you relax, the deeper you ssssink. Feel yourself become calm, become still, become mesmerized once again. Sink and remember, sink and remember..."

Dusty felt his sword and shield arms begin to droop with heaviness. His body swayed on the spot with the serpent's motions, already falling into that weird haze. He couldn't help but lean his head closer to the snake's eyes... and then noticed the little flaked scales between them. One that was caused by his magic before the bullsnake first weaved its spell over him. He needed to get out, but felt more and more relaxed under the whirling glare. Come on, Kuroga...

"There you are, little coyote. Sink into my gaze. Lose yourself within my eyes as you had before. Feel your body growing heavy, your mind begin to slow. You want nothing more to keep staring into my eyes, to ssssleep deeply under my enchantment. And then you will speak about what you are hiding, and submit to my power."

Already the coyote found himself trying to suppress a yawn. His eyes drooped and he felt himself almost lose his grip on the sword, only the barest form of resistance preventing him from dropping it. The snake needed no coils to bind him, for the swirling eyes had already pinned him to the spot. He clung to those eyes, despite their power, for they kept him awake enough to try and summon the barest reserves of magic.

...no.

Zemeya lowered himself even closer. The coils glittered and dazzled him, the eyes drew him deeper as though his magic was about to be pulled away from him. "Sink, little coyote. Sink and submit. You cannot escape my gaze. You cannot tear yourself away from my eyes. And you cannot resist the command to sleep. Ssssleep deeply for me now, little coyote."

Everything about the serpent seemed to command his body to close his eyes and sleep. But somehow Dusty found his magic beginning to grow. Much like before, it started barely at the edge of feeling and began to radiate outwards. He gritted his teeth, braced his footing, and swaying began to subside. "For Bernard... I must resist." The coyote felt his grip on the sword and shield tighten again. "I don't want to sleep... I can't fall asleep." He looked into the eyes now not with fascination but with challenge. He breathed heavily, trying to get some sensation back into his limbs as he broke from the mesmerizing sway.

"You will sleep. You will submit. You will--"

A pained hiss rose from the bullsnake and suddenly Dusty could feel his limbs again. Standing just in front of him was Kuroga, who had crashed into Zemeya's head and managed to slam it into the ground away from the coyote. The bullsnake picked himself up, dazed, and stared in amazement between Dusty and Kuroga. Dusty couldn't bring himself to turn his head to Kuroga or even the rest of the coils, but he could at least see the lion standing guard.

"Who are you?" the serpent demanded angrily. "How dare you get in the way of my prey!"

"Suffice it to say that's my job," Kuroga said, half growling. "And also that you have officially been sentenced to death for the misuse of your powers. As it happens, I believe you were trying to make a corrupted thrall out of the one who might let me do that. But let's see how he's faring, shall we?" The lion turned around to face Dusty, smiling but grim. "What say you? What does the Order say we do?"

Dusty could feel his magic grow hot within him. He couldn't tear himself away still, but at least he had some semblance of control back, and even the spell for release seemed to stay towards the surface if need be. "I think there's a beast we need to take down."

He pointed his sword at the snake and fired off a beam of holy magic. It rocketed towards the bullsnake and slammed into his face. The whirling of the colors became slower as Zemeya backed away and tried to regain himself. But no sooner as he'd put the blade down than he already started to advance towards the snake without turning to face Kuroga. He felt drawn to the serpent's eyes still, heedless of the coils, as though he still wanted to stare and drink deep.

He felt rather than saw Kuroga's arm shoot out to grab and restrain him. "What is going on? Why can't you turn and look at me?"

"He seems to have some influence over me," Dusty said, still slowly trying to move forward. "He was drilling it into my head that I was lost in his eyes. But he's weak to my blessings. If you can keep me from falling, I might be able to keep him in sights and flake away at his scales with my magic, and then we can actually damage him."

"He'll wrap you up as soon as you try," Kuroga said. "He was already moving his tail to your legs when I showed up. Any more and you would have been locked in the enchantment."

"But there's two of us now," Dusty said. "If you keep assaulting him, it'll be hard for him to focus on both of us at once. Especially considering you seem resistant even to his newfound powers. He can't pour magic into me without risking problems from you."

Dusty couldn't see the lion, but he felt Kuroga's head turn quickly to the left and the right. "No help from the woodsmen, I see; the corrupted enchantment has put them at a standstill. Only Bron seems to be totally unaffected, but I have him gathering those who are still managing to resist. Very well. Keep your magic on a trigger and let it fly as often as you can. But for goodness sake, keep your wits about you and resist!"

---

The lion let go and Dusty shot off like a rocket after the bullsnake. Zemeya smiled. "Yes, my power draws you back to me. Return to my gaze, little coyote, return to my--"

Even with the coyote drawn to his eyes, Zemeya didn't start his sorcery fast enough. Dusty, invigorated by his earlier resistance and heartened by the reappearance of Kuroga, had charged up his blade and went flying at the snake, smacking him full in the head. The blast knocked Zemeya down with Dusty only a few feet away, still looking at his head.

Zemeya growled. "You'll have to be faster than that to fire a spell at me."

Dusty charged his blade again. "I don't have to be. I just need enough of a break from your magic."

The blade glowed with power as Zemeya lunged to one side to dodge it. But Dusty, still drawn to the serpent, almost immediately turned to look at him and swung his body with it. The beam missed, but it followed the bullsnake's head in dogged pursuit until it sputtered away. For once it was Dusty's turn to see the snake's eyes widen in fear, realizing that the coyote, unable to break his attention away, was also target-locked onto the vulnerable scales.

Zemeya locked eyes and started swaying again almost as soon as the beam had sputtered. "There is no need to fight, little coyote. Sink into my eyes and be at peace. Feel yourself grow drowsy again in my gaze, relax, and be sssstill."

Now it was Dusty who couldn't charge fast enough. Locked into Zemeya's eyes, already Dusty could feel his power slowly decrease and fade from the sword and his own body began to sway slowly. He stopped aiming, his shield lowered, and his eyes already felt heavy as he barely moved.

But the snake's concentration was broken as Kuroga jumped in and slammed full-force with his shield into the wide head. His spear glanced off but the disruption of his voice and movement and the temporary breaking of eye-contact was enough. With barely more than a blink, Dusty was back to awareness even though he remained staring at the snake. He charged and launched another beam while Zemeya was grounded, but the serpent dodged and soon smacked him and Kuroga with his massive tail.

"You might not be my current prey," Zemeya hissed. "But I will make you pay dearly for interfering. And you, little coyote... you and your magic will be mine."

Dusty merely stumbled backwards and rolled along the ground, but the lion was sent flying as a thick section of mid-coils slammed into his chest. Dusty couldn't tell where he went due to his compulsion, but he quickly stood up to keep facing the giant serpent and give Kuroga time to recover. Zemeya was keeping low to the ground in case he needed to move; seizing the chance of his body gathering together, Dusty slammed his shield into a shock-wave.

The bullsnake was barely knocked back. He swayed a bit before lunging at Dusty, but the coyote had enough time to charge his blade again and swung as the wide head came close. Zemeya caught the full force of the explosion and became dizzy and his swaying more drunken, with Dusty taking some satisfaction in seeing more of the scales flake away. But his moving around was enough to make Dusty feel off-kilter, and even though his dodge was almost sloppy the next beam of light missed entirely.

Zemeya got back up and began swaying again, with greater emphasis on his hands and dancing coils. "Your fascination runs deep, little coyote. It must be so hard even to cast a simple spell against me. Lay down your sword and I will bring you peace, sssstare into my eyes and I will give you rest."

Something about the snake's hands made it feel like he was trying to open Dusty's chest. Like they were gently pushing and scraping away layers so the serpent's magic could take root deep within him. The swaying made it impossible to bring his arms up to block it, and the dancing coils made him feel lost in a sleepy haze as they dazzled him. The sword almost fell out of the coyote's hand, and it was only at the last second that he regained his grip. Yet once again he was frozen by the snake's commands and felt a sleepy heaviness begin to descend on him.

"Your eyes grow heavy as you listen and relax. Your mind grows heavy as you sway with the coils. Give in to my corruption, fall into a deep sleep, and submit."

It was so hard to stay awake. Dusty had to lean on his sword to keep from falling over entirely. Yet the waves of coils coincided with the waves of tired heaviness, oppressive like a dark fog, beginning to wash over him. It was only barely that he managed a tinge of magic to keep himself awake, but he could hear the coils shuffling over to him to wrap and lock him again.

A tawny blur rocketed from behind Dusty and slammed into the bullsnake's chest with an almost vicious roar. Kuroga had recovered, and the full-bore charge from the lion sent Zemeya flying backwards. The enchantment was broken with the sudden jerk of Dusty's head trying to follow the bullsnake, flinging himself backwards and knocking himself out of the spell. He jumped to his feet and started running after the snake again.

"We need to keep up the pressure!" Dusty called.

"I hear you," Kuroga replied.

Dusty focused his blade once again and watched as the snake weaved back and forth to avoid Kuroga trying to slam his shield into him once again. The coyote fired off his magic beam whenever he saw an opening where Kuroga was not in line with the serpent, and soon flakes of brown and tan scales were peeling from the bullsnake as the magic slammed into him again and again.

There was more. Dusty noticed that once or twice Zemeya tried to turn his powers on Kuroga. But no matter what he did, the lion kept going. While every once in a while Dusty could feel himself getting caught in the eyes or the sway and needing to refocus even when not aimed at him, Kuroga seemed almost functionally immune. No spell could keep him caught, no magic could slow him down, no charm could ever beguile him into surrender. Between the charging and the roaring, Kuroga kept thundering into the bullsnake unimpeded.

Dusty Yote began to feel jealous.

But the offense was working. Zemeya didn't have time to wrap him up again. Caught as he was between trying to avoid Dusty's magic and the lion getting up close and personal, the snake couldn't keep his attention long enough on one to do anything. If he veered for Dusty, Kuroga was at his back ready to slam his shield and end the enchantment. If he tried to wrap Kuroga, Dusty's blast of holy magic was not too far behind and would force him to abandon or else see more and more of his scales flake away.

"Why are you so persistent?" Zemeya hissed angrily; the coyote noticed he was slowing down. "What does any of this matter to you?"

"You are a murderer who forcefully sedates those who try to fight back," Dusty said. "What you do is immoral and against all basic decency. You earn your title of 'beast' because your corrupted thought cares for naught about the lives you're impacting, and must be stopped."

"You are a heathen who has crossed boundaries that were expected of you," Kuroga added. "A power was granted to you, but you mistook that power for freedom instead of responsibility. And now, for misuse, its long past time your judgment was due."

"You ingrates! This power is MINE, mine to use as I command, mine to use as I desire. I am not beholden to any order or boundary but my own!"

He lunged, but Dusty had taken the bullsnake's ranting as time to charge up his blade. Zemeya's enraged lunge took him straight into the line of fire, and the coyote soon blasted his magic up and down Zemeya's body. Scales flaked off and the serpent let out a noise between a hiss and a shriek as a bright yellow light covered him and his entire body was scalded by magic power. When the light faded away, he tried to get up, but swayed drunkenly where he was; most of his outer scales were gone, leaving patches of burned skin.

As a final coup-de-grace, Kuroga brandished his spear and jumped up. Landing on the bullsnake's back, he plunged his spear into the base of the spine behind the head. This time it did not glance off and pierced through the open space in the scales, down into the flesh. A string of blood came from the serpent's mouth as he wheezed. But his protests did not last long, and with a final thud the bullsnake lay on the ground, dead, and the lights finally went out from his eyes.

---

It took a while for Dusty to stop staring at the bullsnake's lifeless body. Whether that was from the realization that the ordeal was finally over or some lingering effect of the spell finally dissipating, he did not know. The snake's eyes were muted and glassy now, the corruption taking over what remained, and they disturbed him so much he bent down and closed them. It also disturbed him that it was not done out of respect but disgust, despite his own time in the Order.

"Well done, Master Yote." Dusty finally looked away to see Kuroga wiping off the end of his spear with a cloth and staring proudly at him. "You managed just enough resistance to keep him at bay. And with your own magic you made quite a good turn from a bad situation. You make a damn fine hunter."

Dusty sighed. "It's not quite what I was expecting. But I won't count it as a victory yet. We should check over the woodsmen and make sure they're alright."

"And a very good member of the Order, as well," the lion said with a laugh. "You are right, however. Come, let us see to those nearby as well as find out where that Bron went off to."

Bron himself was not far away. He had been leading those who escaped Zemeya's influence back to the road to town. It was easier there and at least had the guard, along with keeping them out of the way of the battle. A few particularly lucid ones had been posted at the entrance of the room Bernard was in and were to inform them if the serpent got too close for any reason.

"A job well done," Kuroga said. "But now be our messenger and head into town. Find your comrades and tell them the beast is dead."

"Dead, you say?" Bron said, almost disbelievingly. "But how?"

"Through the power of Dusty's holy magic and the spear of Kuroga the lion," Kuroga replied. "He lays in the middle of the encampment, and he may make a particularly good couple of bonfires if you wish to properly dispose of him."

The dog's tail wagged furiously behind him. "It's by a miracle that you managed to come on time," Bron said. "Things could have been a whole lot worse if you two weren't around. I shall tell your deeds in the town square; more than just the woodsmen have been worried sick by the beast and will be quite excited to hear the news."

"Hold the speech," Dusty said. "It is duty that calls us, not fame. I do not need the town to cheer my name. That perhaps things may be a little quieter for the time being is reward enough. Let me bring evidence to the Hunters' Guild and they shall tell the truth."

"Of course, Master Yote," Bron replied. "I shall honor your request. But do not be surprised if the other woodsmen start telling tales. I can only keep my younger trainees and recruits in order, less the wills of dozens of other men."

"What you can do is good enough," Dusty said, smiling. "You have acted well and given me much information, things that ended up becoming useful before the end. My thanks goes with you."

"And mine with you, Master Yote." Bron graced him with a bow, then ran off towards the town.

"Well, our escapees at least were in good paws," Kuroga said. "Let us check out the rest of the encampment."

Many of the woodsmen were thankfully unharmed. The worst any of them got was a feeling of being dazed as though lost in a shadow for the past hour, and little awareness of events between waking up and standing around the dead bullsnake. It was still morning and Dusty and Kuroga offered to help prepare a renewed breakfast simply to give the others time to recover.

After a good meal themselves, Dusty and Kuroga wandered back over to the bullsnake's body. It steamed in the increasing heat and gave off weird black and gold wisps and the woodsmen seemed afraid to touch it. Kuroga went over to the wide flat head and opened the mouth before grabbing one of the strange almost obsidian-colored front fangs with his claws. With some difficulty he pulled it out of the bullsnake's mouth and threw it aside. He did the same for the other fang, and then picked both of them up.

"Well, if this is any proof for Guildmaster Radan, it will also make quite the token to hang on your breast, one worthy of a true Hunter," the lion said. "We should get these cleaned up in some water and then tie a string around it so that you may wear it."

"I have not liked many of the tokens I have gained," Dusty said. "Pride strikes me less than it perhaps should when most of my targets so far have been... somehow morally gray."

Kuroga rolled his eyes and gently scoffed, but turned back to Dusty with a warm smile. "Do not be so humble. This is one where even your Order's sensibilities may allow you a touch of acknowledgment that you did something good. Think about it: this snake has been a murderer, misusing his powers and destroying lives for personal gain. More than many, this one deserves to be hunted, and his death can serve as a reminder of why you fight against such beasts."

"I once wondered whether or not such magic could become addictive," Dusty said. "Whether or not they would be satisfied by gaining the power they sought, only to seek more when the original thrill wore off. I now wonder if the same could be spoken about hunting."

"Then let it also serve as a reminder of the boundaries that must be crossed before you really truly find yourself hunting one like a monster. If they are more like dear Bernard, then you hold steady and try to reason. If they are more like Zemeya, then you treat them as a target for the blade."

Kuroga looked around. Upon seeing no one else was close, he continued speaking in a hushed voice. "My other employers sent me to kill Zemeya, and they wield similar powers. Even those who shared in his ability wanted him dead because he was too violent with it. Power doesn't dictate whether or not someone deserves to be hunted; it's who they are inside that determines what makes a monster. Zemeya was truly a monster, and one whose death you can take pride in."

The lion held out the fang anew and offered it to Dusty. The coyote thought long about what Kuroga had said, but ultimately ended up taking the fang. "I shall keep it around my neck so that it is always at my breast when making that decision," he said. He smiled at Kuroga with renewed confidence. "For once, at least, I do feel kind of proud about it."

"A pride well-earned," Kuroga said, clasping the coyote's shoulder. "Come now, there is one more we need to check on."

---

Bernard was still asleep when they entered the room. Kuroga once more sent for some food and to see if the apothecary was still around, then went over to Bernard. The skunk had a little more color come into his face compared to last night, but he remained somewhat lethargic and it took Kuroga a considerable while to wake up him and get him to a seated position.

Kuroga insisted that he ate and rank before they started on anything. Bernard insisted he hear all about what happened to the serpent so that he could be properly satisfied. They managed a compromise: Dusty and Kuroga took turns going over their portions of the battle while the skunk ate, and he remained quiet and concentrated on his breakfast until they had finished the tale.

"Have I missed all the fun, then?" Bernard commented. "At least you two look alright. I'm sorry for putting you all through so much trouble. But I suppose this is what happens when you're close to running out of magic reserves."

"There is no need to apologize," Dusty said. "I should be the one apologizing to you. You were merely acting as a guardian and had better control of your powers than even I supposed. While we may have noticed it eventually, if it wasn't for your making a ruckus over it, Zemeya could have either gained more power or else caused more trouble before we'd done anything."

"Ah, well, that's good then." Bernard sighed. "Thank you as well, Kuroga, for helping to take him down."

"I had received the order shortly beforehand," Kuroga said. "I'm just glad I got back in time. Both to help Master Yote here take him down and to make sure you were able to get proper care with how much you poked the hornet's nest."

"I did do that, didn't I? No longer. I'm still content to be a guardian but I will keep a larger distance and inform one of you about anything strange next time. Quite clearly I wasn't powerful enough. But don't worry; I won't go get myself corrupted to get more for the next one. A little fun now and again is quite good enough for me." He turned towards Dusty with a playful grin. "Perhaps we could try it again sometime under more favorable conditions. What say you?"

The poor coyote felt flustered and took a step back. "I'm... quite alright without it, thank you. But I may come by for a social visit once in a while, if you don't mind."

"Better a new friend than a misunderstood enemy," Bernard said. "And the same offering is extended to you, Master Asteran. I hardly see you as much lately and I rather liked our get-togethers before you kept going off."

"With the mad serpent destroyed, I will send send the proof of his defeat with the fang we pried from his mouth," Kuroga said. "Then I shall come back and escort you home, and perhaps spend a few days to make sure you're on the mend now that the worst is over."

"That is more than I asked, but welcomed all the same."

By this time, the apothecary came in. Dusty and Kuroga left Bernard alone to get a little more treatment and rest. Kuroga offered to accompany Dusty back to town since he had to hit up the mail office anyways, and the two walked down the road.

"I quite enjoyed that little escapade with you," Kuroga said. "It is not often I work with another hunter, much less one from the Order, but that was quite the unexpected and pleasant change."

"I still do not quite understand your distrust of the Order," Dusty said. "Though, from the way you talk about it, I sense that is something to leave for another time."

"Indeed." Kuroga looked away from Dusty as he scowled, and Dusty could see the brow furrow in concentration. "To go through my issues would be to unpack many personal issues and details that I could be telling you about for hours, if not days. While I may have the time, it is I who won't have the patience." His demeanor soon softened and he looked at Dusty with a warm, embracing smile. "Besides, I came to get away from most of those things and I've done well enough for myself so far. Suffice it to say you are one who embodies the teachings of the Order better than most who claim to teach it."

"Your claims still disturb me, but if it takes that long to express them, then I should have to do research myself. But I will accept the compliment unguarded."

"As it was meant to be. I quite like you, Dusty Yote, and was very much pleased with your company. Should our paths align more often in the future, I for one would be willing to team up once again."

"You remain oblique about your purposes as ever, so as to leave me wondering if the question is 'if' or 'when' our paths align."

"'When' may be closer to the truth. There are more out there like Zemeya, and there may be times where we, from two different employers, may find ourselves chasing the same target. But I would share in the rewards and bounty with you when I can."

Dusty smiled back. "And I would, too, on behalf of the Hunters if that pleases you more than the Order."

"Your presence alone pleases me," Kuroga said with a wink. "Perhaps I should amend my intentions and say that I might also wish for a social call with you if ever I am in town again, no?"

The full force of the comment hit Dusty square in the face and he was left speechless for a good few moments. Not helping was the lion's deep, warm laugh, which seemed to match the heat that flushed into his cheeks on realizing the implications. But the laugh was bright and not demeaning, and he realized it was meant as a compliment and an act of friendliness, and he covered with as much graciousness as he could.

"The offer is quite agreeable. Provided I have no other duties, I should like to meet up and learn more about you."

"The same to you, my handsome friend," Kuroga purred.

By this time they had finally made their way back to the town. They went to the communal pump to wash and dry the fangs again, then went to a shop where Kuroga bought a thin leather strip as though for a necklace. He measured Dusty's neck, then got another bit of leather and tied it around the black fang to hold it before attaching it to the necklace. It hung just below the collar-line of Dusty's armor, a prominent position but without blocking either his symbol for the Guild or for the Order.

"There, that makes a fine token for you to wear," Kuroga said. "But now we must part. You should go display your little token to Guildmaster Radan and tell him the full story; all the more important if the woodsmen have already started spreading it around town."

"What are you to do next?" Dusty asked.

"I will make my way to the post office to send this to my employer, then I shall escort Bernard home. I have a few other things to do in this region still, so maybe we will see each other soon, though I have to be back by sometime next month, so we will see."

Dusty held out a paw. "It has been an honor, Master Asteran."

Kuroga matched and shook Dusty's paw. "Travel safe, and hunt well!"