Chapter 36: 036 A Complication

I was woken up when something banged against my armor. I opened my eyes and my 'favorite' cat woman had her face covered and her hood up and was punching my chest.

“Wake up! WAKE UP!” She said. “We're being attacked!”

“I'm awake.” I said. I must have been more tired than I thought if she had to resort to that to wake me. “Where are the... never mind.” I sat up and looked at my still running Search spell. I really loved my armor. “Let's go.”

We ran out of the building and over to the far side of the village. The three cat women were hacking apart a pile of two foot tall somethings. When I was close enough, my Auto-identifier told me what they were.

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Name: Unpronounceable in Common - It's just grunts and squeals
Species: Taxideinae Humanus
Class: Workers / Carrier
Job: Deliveries

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One of their severed heads was on the ground and I saw that it looked like a badger.

“Everyone STOP!” I commanded with my armor and the three cat women froze still as did the dozen badgers still scattered around their feet. “What's going on?”

“These nasty little things were stealing your loot and running off with it!” One of them said, angrily.

“No! Hired! Hired to carry!” One of the small badgers said. His face was uncovered and he was apparently the leader of the group.

“Hired by the thieves.” Another cat woman said and pointed her sword. “Drop it, now!”

“No! Paid! We complete delivery!” He said and they hugged the things they held close to their chests.

“Paid by who?” I asked.

“Not your business!” He responded.

“Savior killed all of the thieves, so their things are his!” The third cat woman said. “Drop them or die!”

“Not thieves things! Owned by Melinae! Paid for and taking to her!”

I almost laughed as he told her who owned them right after refusing to tell me. “How much of it does she own?”

“She own all!” The badger said.

“All of what?” I asked and he looked confused. “What you have in your hands, the contents of one building, the whole village, the country, or what?”

“Yes!” The badger said. “Melinae owns all!”

I sectioned off a part of my inventory and held a hand out and took everything the badgers had in their hands and their pockets. They started freaking out when the bodies of their friends disappeared as well.

“Easy, now.” I said and walked over to them as I used the Map spell. It gave me a good portion of the parts I had crossed already and stitched together the Search spells I had previously cast. It even added the details. It also showed me what direction I was facing, which was westward, the direction I needed to go. “I see you've come from the west. Is Melinae in that direction?”

“Not your business!” The badger exclaimed. “Give stuff back now!”

“I'll carry the stuff to her.” I said, hoping to placate the little creatures. “I need to finish looting the place before we leave, though. I'll be right back.”

“We follow!” The badger said loudly and stopped when my 'favorite' held her sword down at his throat.

“How about just you follow me and watch while your friends and mine can stay here?”

The badger looked at the cat women. “No kill.”

“Please don't kill them.” I said and reached for the closest one and rubbed the side of her face. “I'll be right back.” I rubbed each of their faces and the four of them purred.

The badger stepped around the blade and followed me as I went to each building and stored everything. “Your job thief?” He asked, curious.

“No, my job is Pawn.” I said and he looked at me with incredulity clearly written on his little badger face. “I was sent by a goddess to help this world.” I clarified.

“You... pawn of gods.” The badger whispered. “You not speak like them.”

I concentrated on talking to a human while I stored the loot. “Is that better?”

The badger nearly jumped out of his clothes with fright.

“It's all right.” I said to him and he relaxed as he heard his own language. “She blessed me with understanding languages.”

We went to every building and I stored everything. I pretty much stripped the place and we went back over to where the others were.

“Lead the way.” I said to the badger with me and he quickly covered his face with his scarf and pulled up his hood, as did the others, then they ran. The little things are fast. I thought and took my favorite's hand, then ran after them. As we moved along the road, the Map spell kept populating a small amount, so I kept casting Search and helped it along. Getting a fully updated map as I ran was pretty great.

“My village is two villages away.” My favorite said.

I had asked her name and it was just meow, growls, and hisses. Apparently, personal names didn't translate well, just like inarticulate moans, groans, and yells didn't. I chuckled in my head at hearing 'yell' or 'moan' if the spell did work at that depth. Of course, I'd be hearing the words breath, breathing, panting, laugh, and every other inarticulate sound as words... and wouldn't that be annoying as hell?

We quickly approached the next village and I saw that it was surrounded by thick wooden walls. We slowed down and the badgers exchanged words with the beings at the gates. Their clothing was a lot better than any I have seen before and I wondered why.

“We agreed that you get passage, not those things!” One of the beings shouted.

“Metal man carry things.” The badger responded, completely reasonable, unlike when he had argued with me or the cat women.

“They could slaughter us all and there would be nothing we could do about it!”

“Wait here, please.” I whispered to the cat women and walked forward. When I was close enough, my Auto-identifier kicked in and I grinned at the description.

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Name: Unpronounceable in Common - It's just bleats (baa), rumbles and snorts
Species: Aries Humanus
Class: Producers
Job: Livestock

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They're sheep. I thought and held my hands up to show that I didn't have a weapon. “Excuse me.”

“BAAA!” The being jumped at being scared and froze stiff, then it fell over in a faint and the arms and legs stuck straight out.

I burst out laughing at the sight and the other guard froze and fell over in a faint, too. I kept laughing and the badgers didn't move or say anything until I calmed down and stopped.

“What was that?” The lead badger asked.

“I was laughing.” I said.

“The laughter of the gods.” The badgers all said as one.

I knelt down and thought about removing the thing's elaborate face covering, then just tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey, I'm sorry about startling you. You can get up now. I promise not to do anything to your or your people, unless they attack me or the people with me.”

The covered head moved and turned to look at me. “You promise?”

“Sure.” I said and held a hand out to help him up. “In fact, I'd like to buy some of those fancy clothes and maybe some face coverings.”

“For yourself?” He asked, confused.

“No, for the women with me.” I said and four little shouts of surprise came from them.

“Do you have... no, of course you have.” He said and turned to tap on the large wooden door behind him. We moved back and the whole thing turned on a pivot that was halfway up the wall and the bottom half flipped up to allow entry. It was reinforced behind the 'door' with another wall and angled braces with only a small spot for exit and entry in the middle, despite the door being nearly ten feet wide. It was as secure of a secure door that you could possibly have.

“If you are not on your best behaviour, you will be asked to leave.” He warned me.

“I'm sure the little guys want to get through your settlement as quickly as possible.” I said. “I intend to look around and see what you have, however.”

“We go quickly.” The head badger said.

“Does your mistress expect you back so soon?” I asked and he didn't respond. “I didn't think so.” I said and reached down to pat his shoulder. “Let's stop and get something to eat. I haven't eaten since I got here.”

“We just got here.” The badger said.

I chuckled. “I meant here on this world, not here at this village.”

He didn't respond with words and just nodded.

“I'm tempted to just wander around; but, I'm not that stupid.” I turned to the sheep guard. “Do you want to send along a guide to keep an eye on us?”

“That... is a great idea.” He turned towards the building just inside the door and let out a bleat and a snort.

To my surprise, a well dressed woman, with her toned body clearly defined by her well tailored clothing, came out of the building. It almost looked like a uniform. It was a deep red and burgundy mix with bright red piping along the legs and arms. Her stylish cloak fluttered behind her and the much fancier face covering she wore made her stand out from everyone around her.

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Name: None
Species: Aries Humanus (Sheep)
Class: Freemartin
Job: Enforcer

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It added the sheep name to the info. I thought, surprised again. I looked at the badgers and then at the cat women. The words 'Badger' and 'Feline / Cat' were added to their info as well.

“Freemartin, escort these interlopers and show them only the parts that are allowed by the Tup.”

“Are you ordering me?” She asked and put her hand on the hilt of her sword.

“No, the metal man suggested an escort.” He said and took a step back. “I am merely agreeing that having you along to watch them is a great idea.”

She snorted and let the hilt go. “You fainted again, didn't you?”

He didn't say anything and walked back outside.

“I loathe incapable men.” She said and her covered head looked at me. “You appear capable, at least.”

“It's the armor.” I said and tapped my chest. “I'm just as squishy inside as everyone else.”

She let out a short bleat. “I would love to have armor instead of this.” She waved at herself.

I took the opportunity to give her a full look and I liked what I saw. “Your clothing fits you well.”

She let out a snort. “I sincerely doubt that you would be sufficient enough in bed to satisfy me.”

Four swords were out and instantly pointed at her chest.

“You know not of what you speak.” My favorite said in a growl.

“I think she was posturing.” I said and put my armored hands on the swords and moved them away from the sheep. “May I ask what a Freemartin is?”

“I was born as a twin to a male and am unable to birth young. I must compete as a male or be driven out.” She said and didn't seem saddened by that or thought she had been given a bad hand in life.

I knew better, however. I stepped forward and very carefully put my arms around her to whisper in her ear. “I am very sorry that you had to do that.” I leaned my helm against her hood and held her for several moments before I let her go.

No one around us said anything and she stood there as if she didn't know what do to next.

“Please escort my entourage and myself through the settlement to purchase clothing, face coverings, and anything else you think your people can make money from.”

“Of... course.” She said and waved towards the nearest building about fifty feet away. “The place on the right is the tannery and past that is the shearer.”

“I'd ask you to lead the way; but, that would defeat the purpose of coming along.” I said and she nodded. I walked ahead and the badgers and cat women came with me, with the Freemartin following us to make sure we didn't do anything that she or the Tup wouldn't approve of.

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