The Hodekin flattened their ears to their heads as Shelby accused them, "You're spies! From Catach!"

  The shield bearing Hodekin turned tired eyes on his partner, muttering, "How does this rat know?"

  The second one swatted him on the back, "Shut up, fool."

  Shelby fired an arrow into the torch-bearing Hodekin's arm, hitting him for 18. He hissed furiously as the arrow pushed him backwards a few steps. Shelby puffed herself up as much as she could, "Surrender now!"

  The shield Hodekin retreated with his eyes fixed on his partner, waiting for further instructions. The torch holding Hodekin grimaced, "Just kill it, we don't have time to waste here."

  Shelby didn't wait for the shield carrier to turn on her. She ordered Mallow to lob another sphere of acid into his side and fired at his exposed foot. His health was already low and this brought him perilously close to death. His conspirator rushed forward with his long torch outstretched and jabbed at Shelby's stomach. She tried to jump back, but the wolf took a huge stride forward to chase her down, and the torch connected with a dull throb.

  Shelby was shoved back and a trickle of white "2"s peeled away from her skin as she caught on fire. She released her held arrow into her attacker's shoulder and then bounced back on her heels, slapping the cinders igniting on her shirt. They quickly died down, but not before eating away at her health.

  Both wolves were within one arrow of death and circled Shelby nervously. She walked sideways into the street, barring them from fleeing down one exit, while keeping an arrow trained on the torch bearer. She spoke calmly, "Last chance. I don't want to kill you." Please don't make me kill you...

  The wolves nodded to each other with grim determination, then lunged forward in unison. Shelby released her arrow and the torch Hodekin crumpled to the ground mid-step. She had Mallow fire at the shield bearer, but he was ready for it and ducked under the attack. His spear shot forward and cut into Shelby's leg as she turned in his direction. He was quick to duck back and lean into another thrust, but his body was open from moving so aggressively. A glob of Abrasive Jelly bounced off the road below him and splattered across his chest as Shelby drew and fired an arrow right behind it. He slumped to his knees and splayed out on the road.

  Shelby grimaced at the bodies. Why couldn't you just give up? Their bodies weren't glowing, so there weren't any convenient Letter That Describes Our Evil Plans or anything incriminating she could take. I guess I'll just see if Naile will listen to what I saw here? Or... should I even try? She did just try to kill me... and succeeded. Shelby shook out her ears to clear her head. She thought, I don't have time for this, those fires are spreading, then pounded on the nearest door, "I need help, the town is on fire!"

  A few faces appeared in windows all around the street. They had a mixture of fear and apprehension darkening their features. A door a few yards behind Shelby swung open and a mouse woman stepped out, looking at the small fires with horror. She pointed up an alleyway, squeaking out, "There's a well this way!"

  Another door opened to Shelby's right, and then another across the street. She waved the people towards the mouse woman, "Get buckets, dishes, anything that can hold water! Put out those flames before it's too late!"

  They mobilized, grabbing anything that could transport liquid and scurrying off down the alley. Shelby banged on every door as she walked hurriedly towards the fires. A few voices cried out behind doors crawling with flames and she motioned for the first line of bucket toting Daizi to come quickly towards them.

  A few moments later, Pico came sprinting into the row of homes from a northern artery with wide eyes. Her eyes darted between burning houses and down to the corpses of the Hodekin assailants as she gaped in horror. She locked eyes with Shelby and rushed over, yelling, "What happened? Who did this?"

  Shelby pointed to the Hodekin, "They did! I'm so glad you're safe! Their, well... not theirs, but the leader of the wolf people is trying to hunt you down! You have to hide!"

  Pico's back went rod straight, "What? I just heard that a Hodekin trader was sent to deliver fresh fruit to us."

  Shelby grabbed Pico by the shoulder, "That's her! And there are more coming to attack too! I just saw three on the main road."

  Pico nodded gravely, "There were at least a dozen more loitering up by the guild hall plaza... They said they were waiting to transport goods."

  Shelby shook her head, "They're going to attack, or... maybe they already are."

  Pico looked to the north with alarm, "I have to warn everyone and get the guilds to mobi-," she froze mid-sentence, then looked back to Shelby, "th-they sent the trader to Nisa, to give her the fruit!"

  Shelby's skin crawled. No... if Naile thinks she's Pico... that's who I said wanted fruit... She blurted out, "They might be trying to kill Nisa, I have to go to her! Can you protect everyone while they fight these fires?"

  Pico opened her mouth to protest, but nodded instead. She grabbed the mouse woman from before as she ran by them, "Sira, run north and tell the guilds to prepare for an attack, and be careful! Avoid those Hodekin visitors at all costs!"

  Shelby had already turned and was sprinting as fast as she could towards the inn. She rounded the corner and caught sight of the new open seating plaza. To her surprise, Plin was standing in the middle of the road where the plaza opened to the street. Her arms were piled high with dried meat and furs, but she was trembling.

  Shelby slowed to a stop and dropped down onto her hands and knees. She crawled towards the low ring of stone that served as both a planter and wall around the dining courtyard, then slowly peeked over the edge. There was a pile of fruit containers on a table, and Naile was awkwardly sitting next to it on a rabbit-sized bench. Her arm was held out towards Nisa, and she held a long, curved claw to the mouse's throat.

  She was saying something, "...a little longer and your real leader will come."

  Nisa glared up at Naile, but didn't respond. Shelby winced, she figured it out. Shelby wracked her brain, can I whisper to Plin?

  "If Ms. Plin was in your party, then you would be able to use the team whisper chat with her, yes," AIDAN responded.

  Right! I have her obligation! Shelby crept along the wall until she could see Plin clearly, then removed the starry Brushcourser obligation from her inventory. It had a green star and a spiral galaxy slowly turning inside. Shelby grasped it tightly and it collapsed into her palm. The feeling of white noise running down her arm made her shiver involuntarily.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Yes, yes! Plin jumped a few inches, but managed not to cry out in surprise. Naile turned her head towards the tiny mouse and Shelby ducked out of view. She head a terse, "I told you not to move, ratkin."

  Plin hissed out a quiet "Apologies..." and narrowed her eyes.

  Shelby focused on adding Plin to her party, and a moment later her portrait appeared just beneath Thimble's. Shelby flinched in surprise. Thimble's portrait had regained it's color! She opened her map and whispered a little cheer as she saw his dot quickly moving south along the main road. Perfect, how do I do this?

  "Concentrate on using the party chat interface, and they will hear you," AIDAN instructed.

  "First off, hello! I wish we were talking under better circumstances," Shelby willed her words to go out to her growing party.

  "Idiot," Plin hissed into the chat, "you just wasted my Obligation, didn't you? You could have just asked me to join. Do you know how expensive those are, huh?"

  "I'm sorry! I didn't know!" Shelby was taken aback, "I'll make it up to you."

  "One hundred Burdock Roots, dried right, and you have to help me hunt a Hedgerat," Plin rattled off.

  "Okay, fine," Shelby tried to interject, but was cut off.

  "One hundred slime cores, one hundred spirit essences," Plin kept on listing.

  "Whatever you want!" Shelby said to calm her, "we have to save Nisa first!"

  "What is happening? Is Nisa in danger?" Thimble's voice was high and tight on the voice chat, "Where are you?"

  "We're at the inn, but don't come charging in! Nisa will be okay!" Shelby rubbed her temples, they're both freaking out..., "We just... have to get her away from Naile, uh, the Hodekin woman. Any ideas?"

  "We shoot the wolf," Plin said immediately.

  "YOU LET THAT WOLF CAPTURE NISA?!" Thimble screamed.

  Shelby ran her hands over her face, "Yes... but we can fix it! Shooting sounds good... what if I surprise Naile from behind, can you knock her away, Plin?"

  "Obviously," Plin said matter-of-factly, but then paused, "...as long as the surprise is big enough."

  "Okay! I'll go around... sneak up behind her... grab her hand, and then use my biggest attack!" Shelby said with as much confidence as she could muster.

  "No you will not!" Thimble protested, "I will come rescue Nisa. Do not move."

  Shelby frowned at her event timer.

  At least the damage hasn't gone up much. Shelby gritted her teeth, "I don't think we have time to wait, Thimble. Please do hurry, but if we don't act now, Naile might hurt Nisa..."

  "I won't forgive you if you let Nisa get hurt, Caramel," Thimble warned.

  Plin eyed Shelby with concern out of the corner of her eye, whispering into the chat, "She has been getting increasingly agitated. I have been standing here for a while... I think we should act sooner than later."

  "It's a plan. When I say 'now' I'll grab her, then you fire!" Shelby said.

  "Got it," Plin agreed.

  "I'll be there soon..." Thimble muttered.

  Shelby took a deep breath to steady herself, then crept back along the wall until it merged with a home's garden. She could see a mostly-covered path that led into a recessed seating area. Unless Naile happened to be looking back towards her, she should be able to slip through unnoticed.

  Every step was agony as she watched the event timer ticking down, and it took more than a minute to drop down into the ring of benches behind Naile and Nisa. Shelby crouched low and stepped lightly as she wove between chairs. Naile was sprawled out on her bench, and Nisa was sitting ramrod straight on a side table next to it, so there was a little gap Shelby could reach through to grab Naile's hand.

  She took the last few steps with her breath held tight. Plin's eyes were buzzing with electricity as she did everything she could not to stare directly at Shelby. With one last step forward, Shelby extended her hand and reached for Naile's claw.

  A sudden bang echoed through the courtyard, coming from the north, right before she was about to grip down. Naile stiffened, her ears swiveled around, and she started to turn her head. Plin barked out the loudest fake sneeze Shelby had ever heard and Naile's ears whipped back upright. The wolf growled gutturally, "I told you not to cause any trouble!"

  Naile's finger flexed against Nisa's throat, causing the mouse woman to arch her back and whimper. Naile barked angrily at Plin, "I will kill her! Stop testing me!"

  Plin winced, and wrinkled her nose, looking contrite but furious, "I'm sorry. I couldn't help it..."

  Good acting, Plin! Shelby thought.

  "Pathetic creature..." Naile muttered as her hand relaxed an inch, letting Nisa breathe again.

  "Now!" Shelby shouted into party chat as she lunged forward, wrapped her soft hands around Naile's finger, and jerked down. She screamed internally at Mallow to fire her toxic dart into the back of Naile's arm as she wrestled the wolf's hand down onto the hard wrought iron arm rest of the bench.

  Nisa yelped and sprung to her feet, and Naile yelped twice as loud. She was only distracted for a second before her other hand raked through the air headed right for Nisa's throat. As her claws extended to rip out Nisa's windpipe, an arrow slammed into her outstretch palm with so much force that Naile and Shelby both toppled over backward with the teetering bench.

  Shelby scrambled to her feet as quickly as she could, and Mallow lobbed an orb of acid into Naile's face, but the wolf kicked out a powerful leg and caught Shelby in the chest. She was flung backwards and took a trio of chairs with her as she sailed through the courtyard, landing in a heap. Naile took a moment to glance back at Plin with a ferocious snarl, then took a futile swipe as Nisa ducked and ran towards the inn, all before a second arrow sunk into her thigh.

  That moment was all Shelby needed. She hopped to her feet and drew her bow as Naile turned back towards her. She fired a perfect Measured Shot and it cut a red line through the fur on Naile's cheek. Naile's legs flexed and she tore forward through the courtyard, hands open and trained on Shelby's neck.

  Mallow's Abrasive Jelly impacted Naile's foot and caused her to stumble. Shelby fired into Naile's stomach and then rolled under the wolf's outstretched arm. She moved more gracefully than she ever had as she placed one foot on a chair, then the next on a table. Soon she was leaping over a low stone barrier and gaining distance. Naile had trouble moving through the Daizi furniture quickly, and small chairs closed around her ankles with one step, then another broke under her foot and sent her crumpling to one side.

  All the while, Plin pelted her with arrows. Shelby led the wolf on a roundabout circuit along the back of the patio to keep them separated. Naile would jerk her head towards Plin with every shot, but couldn't make herself stop chasing Shelby to put an end to the harassment. Finally, after gaining a half dozen yards, Shelby turned and focused on firing. In between draws she focused and used Shadow:

  Amazing! We're doing it! Shelby levelled one more shot in perfect timing with Plin, and Naile fell to all fours after the shots slammed into her. Her back convulsed as she pounded the cobblestones out of pure anger, then she straightened out and glared skyward. Her mouth tore open and a feral howl exploded out from her throat. The air around her whipped into a frenzy, pushing chair and tables to the ground and skittering outwards. A red light trailed behind her eye as she turned her furious glare on Shelby. All around the town, shrill howls answered Naile's call.

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