#feera

“I don’t want to sleep in this bed,” She said. “I mean, I know you put me here when I passed out earlier, but waking up in it made my skin crawl.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “He defiled this bed. He took another woman to it and lied to me about it. I doubt they’ve even washed the sheets.” She shuddered.

I scratched my neck self-consciously. “Well… then… defile it right back! Tear the sheets to ribbons, slash the mattress. Hell, piss on it if it makes you feel better. We can find you another place to sleep. There are other bedrooms in this house, right? Sleep in one of those instead. I only laid you here because it was closest to the door, but you can sleep anywhere you like.”

She sucked in a very deep breath and shook her head. “Actually… I have another idea.”

“Oh?”

She turned to look at me, her face serious and not the least bit anxious. Her hands fidgeted with her nightgown.

“You said that I’m my own person now, right? That I can make my own choices and my own decisions?”

“Yes?” I replied, a little puzzled.

“Then…” She stepped closer to me. “I’ve decided… that I want you.”

Startled, I stepped back. “What do you mean? Want me for what?”

She closed the gap, grabbed me by my ears, and pressed a hard kiss to my muzzle. My lips weren’t exactly designed for kissing, but it felt very good. My arms wrapped around her body and I pressed her close to me.

When we parted, she said in a breathy voice, “Stay with me?”

I nodded. “For as long as you need me,” I replied in a rough whisper.

I was breathing hard, inhaling the scent of her body, the same sweet fragrance it had always been, but something was now undercutting it. Something heady and enticing. I’d smelled it at home numerous times and I knew what it meant. Even though I had never lain with anyone before, I knew what arousal smelled like.

She stepped back and carefully pulled her gown over her head, and I stopped before touching her again. I saw the scars on her body, barely healed, and it gave me pause.

“Perhaps we should wait,” I said, and her head snapped up.

“Why? Do you… not want me?” She asked, suddenly bringing the cloth of her gown up to her body, looking away in shame. “Do I look ugly?”

“No!” I said, taking the cloth away. “No, Eris, you’re lovely. But,” I gently touched one of the stab wounds on her ribcage, just under her breast. “I’m worried… with your injuries… I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then be gentle, Feera,” She said, moving my paw upward so that I grazed her nipple. Her other hand reached up and pulled the scarf from around my neck, allowing it to fall to the floor. “And don’t be scared.”

She slid onto the bed and pulled me after her, pressing more kisses to my face. I helped her lay back in the bed and began to run my nose over her neck, across her shoulders, down the middle of her sternum, seeking out her tender place that made my mouth water, taking my time.

“What are you doing?” She asked softly, watching my progress down her skin.

“You smell so good,” I told her, pulling in slow, delicate sniffs of her skin. “I’ve always thought so. Like the burning of the autumn leaves, and honeysuckle on the vine. The smell of rain before it falls and the mountain snow melting into the river in spring. You smell of all my favorite things.” I found it, that place that made me lick my chops in anticipation. I pushed my nose between her legs, and she opened them for me, like a flower to sunlight. “You smell delicious.”

The first tentative lick made the muscles in her legs and stomach tense, and she released a short, rasping breath. My paws worked the muscles of her thighs gently. She moved slightly, writhing a little. I took this as encouragement, and lapped at her gently with enough pressure to make her pearl swell. I didn’t have much idea of what I was doing, but I’d overheard my sisters Caeli and Soraya talking about their love-making, and though hearing about it from my sisters made me want to lose my lunch, it made sense in this situation.

What I was doing seemed to be good enough for Eris, as she moaned louder and put a hand on my head, raking her fingers through my fur. She was throbbing against my tongue, and I pressed it to the hollow in between the folds of skin, working it into her and massaging the inner walls. She whimpered sharply and her grasp of my fur tightened.

Her thighs were shaking with every contraction of my tongue, every nudge of my nose, and I could feel her temperature go up and her heart racing from the inside. She was coming undone by my touch, and I reveled in it. I couldn’t believe she wanted me. I couldn’t believe, after all she’d been through, she chose me to trust enough take to bed. I was elated, and extremely excited. I felt my length slip out of my sheath, pulsing in time with my heartbeat, and I ached to bury it inside of her.

She was gasping and moaning now, her hips moving in time with my licks, and I began licking and lipping back up her body, carefully avoiding using my teeth. I lathed my tongue over her breasts, one by one, and she squirmed in a way that I assumed meant she was enjoying it.

When I arrived back at her mouth, I tried to kiss her. It ended up more like squishing her bottom lip between mine, but it was a reasonable approximation. She modified it a little, improvising, and soon it felt like a real kiss. She even grazed my teeth with her tongue. I enjoyed the feeling immensely.

I looked down at my cock as it nudged her entrance, getting into position, and looked back at her.

“Are you sure?” I asked before I went any further. “We can stop now, if you want.”

“I don’t want,” She said, driving her nails into the fur of my lower back, down to the skin, and drawing them upward. It made my whole body tingle like a lightning storm, and I shivered at the sensation. “Please, Feera, I want to be with you.”

I was still trepidatious as I eased into her, though her eyes rolled back and she gave a drawn out groan of pleasure. I pushed myself all the way to my knot but stopping before I slipped it in. She wasn’t ready for that yet, and honestly, I didn’t think I was either. I pulled out slowly and sank back in several times, as gently as I could, staring at her face the entire time. She showed no sign of pain or discomfort, just a dreamy look in her eye.

“Faster,” She whispered, and I obliged her. I found a rhythm that we both seemed to like, and pressed my body against hers, nipping her ear. She giggled between gasps and teased mine in return.

Suddenly she gasped in a completely new way and tensed up underneath me.

“What?” I asked, instantly alarmed. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Pain,” She said, clutching her neck. I moved her hand and there was a cut. Blood dripped onto the bed.

“I’m so sorry!” I exclaimed, jumping off of her and backing away. “I’m so sorry, forgive me, I was trying so hard to be gentle!”

“I don’t think it was you,” She said, sitting up carefully and reaching under the pillow that had been next to her head. When she drew back her hand, she held a knife, the tip of which had a spot of blood on it. She inhaled a sharp, shuddering gasp and flung it across the room.

I found a cloth and picked the knife up off the floor. “Is… Is this…?”

She nodded, terror on her face and tears in her eyes. She folded inward, shrinking away from the offending weapon.

“I’ll deal with it,” I told her. “Stay here.” I went out into the kitchen and wrapped the knife in the cloth, tying it with twine. We would have to give it to the council.

When I went back into the room, Eris was pulling her nightgown back on.

“Yeah, that sort of killed the mood, didn’t it?” I said, rubbing my neck self-consciously.

“I’m sorry,” She said tearfully.

I held up my hands placatingly and went to sit next to her. “No, it’s completely fine!” I said. “Come into the kitchen and let me look at that cut, alright?”

She nodded and walked with her hand in mine back to the table. She sat patiently as I cleaned the wound.

I sighed heavily. “I was supposed to keep you safe, and then this happens.”

She shook her head, then winced when it pulled the cut. “How could we have known they’d have actually kept the murder weapon like some kind of morbid trophy? And in the bed, no less. That’s just sick.”

I nodded agreement. “The bleeding’s stopped. It wasn’t deep or close to the artery, thankfully.” I stood and picked up the wrapped knife. “I’m going to deliver this to the council. I think they’re still in the tavern. And I’ll bring back some spiced wine; it’ll help settle your nerves.”

“No, wait, I’ll get dressed and go with you,” She said, standing. “I… I don’t want to be alone.”

I nodded, and she dashed back into the bedroom to change.

We delivered the weapon to the council and informed them of where we found it, though we did not divulge the circumstances involved, and the council thanked us, saying they would examine it and take it into consideration. We then ordered a bottle of wine from Tawny, Eris’s friend, who ended up being the owner of the tavern, and went back to the house.

We both drank a cup each of the wine, and Eris declared that this day had been a hundred years long and she was ready for it to be over. I felt the same.

Eris refused to sleep in the marital bed and we reverted to my original idea of finding a different room and a different bed to sleep in. Eris had been right the first time; that bed was defiled and possibly cursed. As we lay down in one of the guestrooms together, she said she wanted the bed burned. I thought that was a grand idea.

The next morning, I woke early. The sky was just beginning to brighten and the pale light of the morning washed over Eris’s features. Gods, she was beautiful, and she smelled divine. For gnolls, a person’s scent was more attractive to us than how a person looked, and Eris smelled like heaven. I pressed my nose into the crook of her neck and just bathed my senses in it. I felt my cock rigid and exposed already.

My nose must have been cold, because she squealed and writhed. I captured her in my arms and held her fast, and she laughed.

“What’s gotten into you?” She said with a smile.

“It’s a shame we were interrupted last night,” I said, nuzzling her. “I feel like I should make it up to you.”

“Good idea,” She said, smiling, and kissed me in that special way we found worked for us. She rolled onto her back and pulled up her nightgown, tossing it over the side of the bed, and opening her body to me.

I didn’t hesitate this time. I knelt between her legs, touching the slit with my fingers. She was already dripping. I lined myself up again and eased into her with more confidence than I had last night, gripping her hips as I pushed inside as far as I could, and she moaned my name. Kneeling upright on my knees as I was, I could see the way her body moved as I bounced against her over and over. The way her small breasts swayed up and down with the rhythm, the way the muscles in her stomach tensed and relaxed, her open mouth and closed eyes, the sounds of her panting in time to the movement of my hips. One of her hands placed itself on my stomach and the other gripped the sheet next to her head.

“I love you, Feera,” She gasped. “I love you.”

“Eris,” I groaned back, pressing my knot against her, pushing gently until it popped into place. She cried out and grabbed my wrists, her head flung back. I bend my body over hers, so I could kiss her as I pistoned into her, harder than I intended but I was having trouble controlling myself at this point.

“Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods,” She chanted, and I could feel her inner walls clamping down. An explosion went off inside me, and I felt myself release into her again and again with a roar, locked into place, unable to move until I was spent. Her body was rigid and clinging to mine as she cried out over and over.

Finally, I collapse, mindful of her injuries, and she wrapped her arms and legs around me, the both of us panting and gasping.

“Oh, gods,” She wheezed. “Are gnolls gifted with magic or something? It never felt like that before, not with him.”

“Then he was doing something terribly wrong,” I said with a chuckle. “I barely knew what I was doing. I just did what felt right.”

“I think the difference may have been that he just didn’t care,” She said as I pulled back to look at her face.

“I think you’re right about that,” I said, kissing her. “I care very much, Eris. Very, very much.”

Deliberations had concluded at midday, and we were asked to gather at the tavern, which seemed to be the default place of meeting at the settlement. Town hall was still being built. Most of the town was in attendance for the verdict. There was a stage where I assumed music would be played, but at the moment, Rory and Thereasa were standing there. Rory looked gaunt but defiant, and Thereasa was sobbing piteously, as if to garner sympathy.

My family and I shoulder to shoulder with Eris in solidarity. Eris stood between me and Mother. I held one of her hands and and Mother held the other. She was shaking.

“We have gone over witness testimony very carefully,” Elder Powell said to the crowd. “As well as the physical evidence.” He gestured to a table with both Eris’s diary and the knife. “We have listened both the victim’s statements, as well as the accused, and have come to a decision.”

He nodded at the orc flanking Rory, and the lieutenant pushed Rory forward.

“Rory Portmore,” Elder Powell said. “For the crimes of conspiracy to commit murder, accessory to murder, grievous bodily injury, torture, accessory after the fact, theft, and kidnapping, the council finds you guilty and sentences you to hang.”

There was a murmur from the crowd. Rory tried to protest, but he was gagged and held in place by the orc.

“Thereasa Gardner,” Elder Powell continued, and Thereasa was panicked, getting down on her knees and begging, which went unheeded. “For the crimes of conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, grievous bodily injury, torture, and theft, we find you guilty, and sentence you to hang.”

“No!” She shrieked. “You can’t! I… I’m pregnant!”

There was a loud gasp from the crowd. I sniffed the air and snorted.

“No, she’s not,” I called over the noise.

The crowd silenced.

“How can you be sure?” One of the council asked.

“A gnoll’s sense of smell is greater than any other species by a long mile. I have an adopted human sister and she’s been pregnant twice. I know what a pregnant woman smells like. She,” I jerked my chin at the woman. “Ain’t pregnant.”

“And how can we trust your word on that?”

“I followed the scent of blood and found a woman who’d been buried alive three feet down from more than two miles away in the middle of a flash flood,” I said dryly.

“He has a point,” The other council member said.

“I can also tell you that even if she were carrying a child, which she’s not, it wouldn’t be by him.” I pointed at Rory. “I can smell that, too; he’s impotent. No gold in his coin purse, if you catch my meaning.”

There was a snickering by the people around us.

“Don’t be crude, darling,” Mother said, though she was smirking.

“Is that why I couldn’t get pregnant?” Eris whispered in my ear. I nodded. “Huh,” she said. “That’s a relief.”

“It’s still your word against hers,” Elder Powell said. “How can we know for sure? Wait nine months?”

“It won’t take nine months, just one,” Tawny said. “Leave her locked up in the cellar. I’ll watch her for the month to see if she has her menses. She’ll bleed or she won’t. Either way, we’ll have an answer.”

“Very well,” Elder Powell said, then turned to Eris. “Erisandra Portmore, if you have anything you’d like to say to the condemned, now is the time.”

Squeezing my hand hard and then letting go, Eris stepped forward.

“Thatcher,” Eris said. “My name is Erisandra Thatcher.” She faced her two murderers and stared them down, taking a large breath.

“Until now, I’ve never needed to make a decision for myself. I was a normal woman who was comfortable being a daughter, a wife, and a mother; content to let the world pass me by as I cooked and cleaned and raised the children, with no higher aspirations than to watch those children grow up and become parents of their own. To grow old with the man I loved.”

She paused and glared at the pair, held fast by our orc allies.

“Because of the two of you, I’m not that person anymore. Now, I’m forced to make decisions I never wanted to make, and before you die, I want you to know what those decisions are.

“First, after the two of you are executed, you will be buried without tombstones. Instead, a jail will be built over your bodies to mark your graves and serve as a warning to anyone who would commit a crime against a member of this community. And I’m going to use your money to build that jail,” She said, addressing Rory. “When I inherit your property, I will do to you what you tried to do to me and erase every trace of your existence from it. I will sell everything you own, and what can’t be sold will be burned.”

Eris turned and addressed Akjan. “To the orcs who were my defenders, for their aid and protection, I will return one hundred acres of land for them to use as they please, with the hope that this town and the stronghold can continue to be allies.”

Akjan bowed. “We accept gratefully. Our horse breeder has been complaining that there isn’t enough room in the stronghold to properly raise horses. A horse ranch sounds like a good use for the land. Thank you, lady.”

Eris nodded her head respectfully, and continued, now addressing the crowd. “To the townspeople, I void any leases or loans that are owed to Rory. You now own your land and your houses and own no debt to me or anyone else for your homes.”

There was cheering among many of the people gathered there.

“As the primary landowner, I would also like to request a place on the town’s council,” She said, turning to Elder Powell. He nodded, as did the other members. “Good. Then as my first act, I propose that this town needs a sheriff. There should have been some sort of investigation into my disappearance, but there wasn’t because no one was here to conduct it. The lack of law enforcement is a detriment to the safety of the people here, and will be more and more of a liability as the town continues to grow.”

“I agree,” Elder Powell said. “Do you have a candidate in mind?”

“I do,” Eris replied. “Feera.”

My jaw dropped. So did my mother’s and siblings’.

Elder Powell tapped his chin. “We will need to discuss this privately before making a decision, but Feera is a valid candidate, if he is willing.”

“I…” I looked from Eris, to my family, and back again, gulping. “I… I am willing.”

“Good,” Eris said, smiling at me. “My last decision is a name. With the construction of a town hall and a jail, as well as the appointment of a sheriff, this settlement will no longer be just a settlement, but a proper town. A proper town needs a proper name.”

She drew herself up, confident and strong despite the pain she was in, and I was breathless.

“Therefore, I name this town… Willowridge.”

Thereasa’s punishment would have to wait until signs presented themselves that she was or wasn’t pregnant, but there was no reason to delay Rory’s hanging. Eris found she hadn’t the stomach to watch it, and instead decided to scout a location for his burial as well as a good place to build a decent jailhouse. I accompanied her. Mother and our siblings said they would stay and watch the execution, to be sure justice was done.

“I can’t believe you recommended me for sheriff,” I said, incredulous.

“Why?” She said, smiling. “You’re the only reason I’m still alive. If you hadn’t sensed my blood when you did, I’d have bled to death or suffocated. You saved my life. Think of all the good you could do as a lawman. Or, law-gnoll, I suppose.” She chuckled.

“Do you really think I’d be good at it?” I asked.

“You’ll be an amazing sheriff,” She said without hesitation. “I have absolute faith in you.”

“It’s hard to have faith in myself,” I said distantly. “I’m just a runt and a refugee. A cast-off. It’s difficult to believe that I could make any sort of difference.”

She stopped and hugged me. “Remember when you said that learning to trust other people again was the hardest lesson?”

“Yeah,” I said, hugging her back.

“I think learning to trust yourself is going to be harder,” She said. “But I’ll help you. For as long as you need me.”

We found a place that would serve for the gravesites and the jail, and marked one of the trees with red paint. They would bury Rory here, under this tree. Thereasa would follow him in her own time. They wanted to be together in life, then let them sleep together in death. They deserved each other.

I returned home with my family that evening with the promise that I would be back to town in two days. I wanted to explain to the rest of the family about the job offer and that I was going to stay with Eris, regardless of whether or not they appointed me sheriff.

“Either way, I’m so proud of you, my son,” Father said, wrapping me up in his large wings. “You’ve grown into a fine man. Eris saw that. It’s why she chose you. And the town will see it, too. That sheriff position is as good as yours.”

“Thank you, Papa.”

He released me, and Kurra took his place. “It’s going to be weird without you around to annoy me,” He said.

“I won’t be far,” I told him. “It’s only an hour’s run for a gnoll. And I’ll visit when things are quiet.”

“You’d better,” He said, squeezing me tightly.

My other brothers jostled me, making a big deal about not making a big deal, though a tear or two was shed. My sisters wept openly, as did Asahi, Teya, and my little nephew, River. I consoled them, telling them that it wasn’t like they’d never see me again. But, they were kids. All or nothing was how they saw the world.

Two days later, I returned to town with all my things in tow. The first thing I did when I got back was take Eris to bed, where we stayed for nearly a full day. Immediately after that, we began to clear the house. She sold what could be sold, and then stacked what was to be burned. The old marital bed was hacked to splinters and a new one was built in it’s place.

Before the end of the week, I was appointed sheriff. Not everyone was happy about it, as the town was mostly human and a few townsfolk thought it should be human only, but the council had made it’s ruling. I was also to appoint my own deputy, and I sent word to the stronghold, asking if they had a man who’d be willing to take the job. Padcha Ridgerunner, my friend’s brother, accepted the job happily.

Finally, after two an a half weeks, Thereasa’s menses began, and she couldn’t avoid the noose any longer. Eris was present for this execution and oversaw the burial. Construction on the jailhouse began the next day.

The day that construction concluded on Town Hall, Eris asked me to marry her. I may have fainted, but don’t tell my brother that. We were married on the steps of Town Hall less than a month later with my family, friends, and the entire town in attendance, as well as Chief Akjan and our allies from the stronghold. Before the end of winter, Eris was carrying my child.

By this time, much of what was being built was completed, and new settlers were coming and purchasing property to build their own homes. We even had an apothecary and a physician preparing to settle here. The town was growing with each day that passed. Eris often had more money than she new what to do with, and usually put it back into the town, hiring the tradesmen to make furnishings for her house that was more suited to her needs.

Eris was due any day, and I couldn’t contain my excitement. The chance to be a better parent to my child than my birth parents were to me and my brother felt like a redemption of it’s own.

“Can you tell if it’s a boy or a girl?” She asked me one night as we were laying down for sleep.

“Smells like a boy,” I said.

“It’s not a litter, is it?” She asked nervously.

I laughed. “No, it’s just the one,” I said. “Though there’s no reason we couldn’t have more in the future.”

“I thought you liked having the house to ourselves,” She said, stroking my cheek. “No one yelling or underfoot. No chaos.”

“I did,” I said, sighing. “But… I kind of miss it now. Not that I want thirteen children, but two or three seem manageable amount of chaos.”

“Speaking of chaos,” She said with a groan, rubbing her stomach firmly. “He’s awfully restless.”

I placed my hand on her belly. He was quite active. I picked her up and laid her in my lap, rocking her back and forth. She clung to me, and before long she had fallen asleep. Laying a paw on her stomach again, it seemed as if he had, too.

I kissed her forehead, and then bent to kiss her belly. “Goodnight, my loves,” I whispered, and then lay her gently back on the bed, curling my body around hers.

Back when Mother and Father first found us, they told me and Kurra something that stuck with us: “How you start your life doesn’t decide where you end up. You do.”

It looks like they were right.

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My Masterlist

Ah, this made sense. Eris said in her diary that Rory was well off and that his parents had left him their house. Rory’s parents must have owned the land out here, and Rory was selling or renting parcels of land to settlers, slowly making a new town that he basically owned. It was definitely a smart business move. No wonder his house was so large compared to the new ones.

I slumped. That raised an entirely new problem: if Rory was the landowner of the entire settlement, that meant he was a member of the town council, perhaps the council itself. Did Eris know about this? All she mentioned in her diary was that he was rich and respected, not that he practically owned the town. This was something I’d have to ask her, perhaps privately to spare her embarrassment.

One thing was for sure: if he had a lot of money wrapped up in this town, he definitely wouldn’t run off.

I went to the house, which was really a manor by the standards of the rest of the settlement, and went inside. The door wasn’t even locked.

Sniffing, I caught faint threads of Eris’s scent, though there were two other scents that were much stronger. It seemed the mistress had done much to erase Eris’s presence from her marital home, and it disgusted me. But traces were there, and I sought them out.

I found a forgotten letter swept under a floorboard from her mother and a scarf that she must had knitted herself, as it smelled of her and nothing else. It was a man’s scarf, and it had been kicked under a wardrobe. I didn’t know if she’d want it, but I took it anyway. I found a brush with long strands of her bright blonde hair in it, and though her hair was too short to be brushed now, I took it, too. There were other things, small things that she may have overlooked when she packed to go to what she hoped would be a new beginning. I found a bag to put it all in and slung it around my neck.

Then, to business. I found his clothing in the wardrobe and took a deep sniff. With his scent in my nose, I followed a fresh trail back out of the house and, sure enough, it lead me to the tavern.

I looked in, and I saw several men gathered around tables. Some were in high spirits, others were tired and winding down. But there was one man sitting with a few men and a woman. He was a thin, smarmy looking fellow with a shrewd eye and long face. His expression was sour and he was already in his cups, and the woman seemed like she was attempting to console him. Anyone looking from the outside could see it was an act.

Over the din, I strained to hear the conversation.

“She probably ran of with some orc pig,” He was saying, his voice thick with fake tears. “She’s likely in the stronghold, shacked up with one of those savages. And what can I do, eh? We’re not fighters, we’re settlers.”

“If she wants to leave such a good man for one of those barbarians, then it’s her loss,” the woman beside him simpered. His companions murmured agreement.

I listened to the conversation for quite a few minutes, and it continued in the same vein: calling Eris a harlot and a heartbreaker, leaving her poor, loving husband who’d given her everything to be some orc raider’s whore. Ugh, what utter tripe. It was all I could do to stop myself from snarling and alerting everyone to my presence.

This was all I needed. I knew he wasn’t going anywhere, so when Eris was well enough to confront him, he’s still be here. I did worry about her reception when she returned. She had the scars and the story, but still. I worried.

I made it back to the farm before midnight, and I was surprised to find Eris sitting in a rocking chair on the porch.

“Have a good run, did you?” She asked dryly.

I shrugged bashfully as I stepped up. “Yeah. Tired.”

“Hmm,” She hummed. She nodded her head at the bag, which I was sure she recognized. “Whatcha got there?”

“I, uh…” I pulled the bag over my head and handed it to her. “I went to the settlement to make sure Rory hadn’t run off and found some of your belongings. I… I thought you should have them back.”

She smiled a little. “That was… really kind of you.” She took the bag and looked through it. “What’s Rory telling everyone?”

“That you’re shacked up with an orc in Willowshield,” I said with distaste.

She snorted delicately. “That figures.” She pulled out the scarf from the bag and stared at it. “I made this for him for our second wedding anniversary. I always thought it was odd that he never wore it.” She looked at me thoughtfully, then wrapped the scarf around my neck twice. “Huh. Suits you better, anyway.”

I was surprised by this, touching the scarf gently. The fiber was soft and comfortable, even to my callused paw pads. She was right, the neutral blues, greens, and browns did complement my fur. I’d never worn clothes before, but I made no attempt to remove it.

“Thanks,” I said diffidently. I crouched down next to her as she continued to sift through the bag. “Eris, I need to ask you about Rory, though I know he’s likely the last thing you’d want to discuss.”

She pulled out the brush and gazed at it, raising her hand to pat her shorn head absently. “What is it?”

“You mentioned he was rich. Well, the words you used were ‘well-off.’ Do you know where his money came from?”

“He inherited it from his parents when they died,” She replied, putting the items back in the bag and holding it in her lap.

“Where did they get it from?” I asked.

She frowned. “I don’t know. It never occurred to me to ask. It was his money, his business.”

“So you didn’t know that he owns the settlement, specifically the land the settlement is built on?”

She was completely silent, gazing blankly at me and blinking. “What?”

“It’s only a theory, but based on what I saw, it makes the most sense,” I said. “His house is much older than all the others, which means it’s been there since before the town was settled. The only way that could be is if he owned the land. The orcs at the stronghold wouldn’t allow humans to just built a house in their woods unless a lot of money changed hands. They would had to have owned the land or the orcs would have run his family off before they’d even begun clearing the trees to start laying a foundation.”

Eris bent forward and hung her head, covering her face with her hands. “Gods, I’m so stupid. I… I married him when I was barely seventeen. I was just happy to have a roof over my head and to lighten the load on my mother that I didn’t ask questions. Rory had been a friend of mine, so I never had reason to question him. I never thought to… I never noticed… I was just concerned with being a good wife, I…” She sighed and wiped her eyes. “I’m such a fool.” She looked at me with a pained expression. “This is going to be more trouble than we thought, isn’t it?”

“I’m afraid so,” I said morosely. “If he holds the deeds to every house in that town, then all he has to do is threaten to revoke their leases and he has them by the throat.”

She sighed again and scrubbed her face. “So what do we do?”

“Well…” I said slowly. “You are still his wife. If… if he were to die, you would inherit both the land and the house, which means the town would then, in essence, belong to you.”

She stared at me long and hard. “I… I don’t know if that’s something I want.”

“It’s an option, nothing more,” I said, shrugging. “What we do now is up to you.”

“Up to me,” She said quietly. “I’ve never been asked to make a decision before. Marrying Rory wasn’t really a decision to make; it was the only option I had, and it seemed like a good on at the time. I was happy, even. Mother made all the decisions when I was a child. Rory made all the decisions when I was married. I was always obedient to a fault and never stepped a toe out of line, comfortable to let others decide for me. I’ve never been expected to decide… anything for myself.”

“Now’s a good time to start,” I said. “You are your own person, Eris. You’ve been a dutiful daughter and a doting wife. Now it’s time to stand on your own.”

“I don’t know if I can,” She whispered, a tear streaking down her face.

“Well, then,” I said, holding out my hand. “Do you think you can stand with a friend?”

She huffed a laugh and wiped her cheek, laying her hand in mine. “I think so.”

The next morning, Eris and I addressed the family with the new obstacle. After being admonished by Mother for doing something so reckless, we began discussing options. Kurra eyed the scarf around my neck and smirked at me, but said nothing.

“First, we need to address the allegations that Eris herself has been unfaithful,” Father said. “Rory has made the claim that Eris has run off with an orc from the Willowshield stronghold to the north of the settlement. We should send someone to speak to the chief and corroborate that Eris has never been there.”

“That’s a good idea,” Mother said. “Kurra? You have a friend there, yes?”

“Yeah, Padjat Ridgerunner. He’s the horse breeder for the stronghold. Good man. I’ve delivered tack for him before.”

“Do you think he can get you in to talk to the chief?”

“I can certainly ask,” He said. “I’ll go now.”

Mother nodded. “Be careful,” She called as he darted out of the house. He gave a whooping laugh from the distance in reply.

“The next thing we should consider is that he may not own all of the town,” Caeli said. “If you’re buying a house that’s already been built, then you’d likely still have a landlord, but if you were to build a house, you’d have to buy the land from someone before building. If people are building as opposed to buying houses, it’s likely that he may not hold power over all of the people in the settlement.”

“That’s encouraging,” Yala said. “How would we find out, though? I’d hate to saunter into town with these accusations and find that most of the town is in Rory’s pocket.”

“I did have a friend in town,” Eris said. “Tawny. We’d talk all the time when Rory was out. She was older than me and much more savvy about how the town functioned. She could help us find out who’s beholden to Rory and who is independent from him.”

“That’s another avenue,” Mother said. “Caeli, would you be up to making the trip? Birch can go with you. Bring some of the spring herbs with you and go under the guise of trade.”

Caeli and Birch both nodded and headed for the storeroom in the barn.

“What else can we do?” I asked.

“Currently, nothing,” Father said. “We need more information before we can move forward with any plan. And young Eris is still healing. At this point, all we can do is wait.”

I growled quietly. I didn’t want to wait. I wanted to move now. I wanted to do something productive. I wanted to eat Rory’s liver while he was still breathing. It was all I could do to sit still.

I felt a tug on the scarf and looked down. Eris had plucked at it under the dining table to get my attention. I looked at her.

It’s alright, she mouthed to me. I know how you feel.

I settled. I imagined she was in a more anxious state than I was. I dared to reach for her hand under the table, and she didn’t shake me off.

Caeli, Birch, and Kurra were gone overnight, and when they returned, they all had news.

“I spoke to the chief at Willowshield,” Kurra said. “I told him the entire story, and he’s willing to testify at a trial, should there be one, that Eris has never set foot in the stronghold. He’s also offering a man or two for Eris’s security, should we need it.”

“That’s appreciated,” Eris said.

“Even more good news,” Caeli said. “I found Tawny and told her everything. Apparently, Rory is more of a businessman than he is a leader. There is a town council, but he is not a member by choice.”

“Aye, and the council all own the land on which their houses were built, so they don’t owe Rory anything,” Birch said. “Not just that, but the gossip at the tavern is that some people are questioning Rory’s side of the story, especially considering he moved a new woman in within weeks of Eris’s ‘leaving’.”

“So there’s a chance,” Eris said.

“A chance,” Mother said. “You still have another week at least before I’m comfortable with you traveling back to the settlement, but we can gather our allies during that time and come up with a concise course of action.”

Eris nodded, a new determination on her face.

That evening, after dinner, Eris sat on the porch in the rocking chair she favored, holding the hairbrush she couldn’t use. Her hair was back growing slowly, but the brush was more of a paperweight than a functional tool at the moment. I was sitting on my haunches with my head on my forepaws like an overgrown guard dog at her feet. We had grown comfortable in each other’s company over the last few weeks. She said that she felt safer when I was nearby.

“Feera?” She asked quietly.

I turned my head to look at her and cocked it to one side. “Yes?”

“You’ll be with me, won’t you?” She asked. “During all of this? When we go to the settlement, when we confront Rory, if there’s actually a trial, you’ll stay with me?”

“Of course,” I said without hesitation. “I’ll be there.”

“I’m… scared to see him again,” She admitted, her voice wavering. “I’m scared to see both of them. They tried to kill me when last I saw them. I know when I see their faces again, all I’ll be thinking about is that knife going into my chest over and over and the cold look on his face as he watched her do it. I’m scared to death.”

I got up on my hind legs and took her hands in my paws. “I swear on my life, I won’t let them or anyone else hurt you. They’ll pay for what they did to you, one way or another. Even if I have to do it myself, they will pay.”

Her face crumpled and she reached for me, pulling me into an embrace. Her scent had always been pleasant to me, but up close like this, it was intoxicating. She cried into my fur, her fingers gripping the hackles on the back of my neck, and I held her until her tears stopped.

“I’m with you, Eris,” I said. “For as long as you need me.”

The time had come to bring the accusations against Rory to the council. The chief of Willowshield himself, Akjan, came to lend support, as well as two of his most trusted warriors as security. Mother, Lymera, Birch, and Caeli would accompany us to the settlement, while Cetzu and Kurra would patrol the perimeter to ensure Rory and his mistress, who’s name was Thereasa, didn’t attempt to flee during the proceedings.

Eris chose a dress that put the still-healing wounds of her neck, chest, and arms on full display. She wouldn’t be able to walk the distance to the settlement, so Birch offered to let her ride with him, which is something centaurs would only do in very special circumstances.

I helped her climb up on Birch’s back side-saddle and she clutched the hem of his tunic to keep herself steady.

“Scared?” I asked her as she settled on Birch’s back.

She nodded, her face grim and hollow, though she smiled a little when she saw the scarf she’d given me around my neck. She plucked at it and gave me a questioning look.

“Caeli says we should wear clothes when we’re around other humans,” I explained. “Going without makes humans see us as animals sometimes. Besides, it suits me.”

She gave me a wide smile. “Yeah. It does.”

Using the roads, it was a four hour trip to the settlement going at a walking pace. Mother didn’t want us to go too fast in case the motion reopened Eris’s wounds. Her poor health prior to the attempt on her life was making her recovery slower than normal.

The eight of us walking into town caused quite a stir, especially as we were accompanied by the chief of Willowshield himself. When Rory came out of his house to see what the fuss was about, he practically shit himself at the sight of us. When he saw Eris riding on Birch, all the color drained from his face and he looked fit to faint.

“Bring out your leaders!” Akjan bellowed. “We have business here!”

“Perhaps a little less aggressive, Akjan,” Mother said in an undertone.

“I’m an orc, Missus,” He replied, a laugh in his voice. “I don’t know how to be less aggressive.”

His lieutenants chuckled.

Three men cautiously approached us. One was in his late sixties and the other two looked to be in their forties.

“I am Elder Powell,” The older one said. “State your business.”

“Are you three the council of this settlement?” Mother asked.

“We are,” He replied. “And who might you be?”

“My name is Ryel,” Mother said, her voice commanding. “My family found a member of your community near death in the forest. We have been caring for her and have returned with her to levy accusations of attempted murder against her husband and his mistress.”

I helped Eris down and assisted her in stepping forward.

“Eris!” Elder Powell said. “Where have you been?”

“With these fine people, recovering,” She replied. “Rory and Thereasa tried to kill me and left me for dead in the woods. These people found me and nursed me back to health.”

“Lies!" Rory said, regaining his voice. “Look! She’s with that orc rabble! I told you she’d run off with them!”

The orcs roared at Rory, and he yelped and jumped back. Half the town jumped.

“The young miss has not been in our company,” Chief Akjan said. “In fact, I’m more than confident she’s never set foot in Willowshield.”

“These are serious accusations, Eris,” Elder Powell said. “What proof do you have to support your claim?”

“Use your eyes, Emory,” She said, pulling at the neckline of her gown. The stab wounds, though closed, were dark red in color and prominent against the paleness of her skin. “Are you suggesting I did this to myself?”

There were shocked gasps from the growing crowd.

“If she didn’t run off to the stronghold, then why are they here?” Thereasa asked.

Eris tensed next to me, and I took her hand a squeezed it.

“We were called to aid by our friends,” Chief Akjan replied. “They were concerned for this young woman’s safety.”

“So, how are we to proceed, then?” One of the younger council members asked.

“We must take this seriously, Erikur” The elder said. “Rory, Thereasa, I’m afraid we’ll need to take you into custody until we can sort this out.”

Rory resignedly allowed the orcs to come forward and flank him, but Thereasa began to panic.

“He told me to do it!” She shrieked, pointing at Rory. “He told me she was going to leave him and take all his money!”

“You bitch!” Rory shouted. “She’s lying! She did it on her own! She’s obsessed with me! She was jealous of my love for Eris and wouldn’t take no for an answer!”

“Horseshit! He said she was stealing from him and refused to give him a child!” Thereasa yelled in reply. “He said she wouldn’t divorce him and it was the only way we could be together! I didn’t want to do it, he forced me!”

“You liar!” Eris exploded. “You were the one wielding the knife! You stabbed me over and over like I was a rabid animal! You cut off all of my hair!”

“You lying slut!” Thereasa shot back.

“Enough!” Chief Akjan bellowed. “Take them!”

His orcs and several townsmen subdued both Rory and Thereasa, separating them and tying their hands. Rory struggled vainly and Thereasa cried loudly, protesting her innocence. The town had no sheriff or jail, so they were to be kept in the wine cellar of the tavern with the orc lieutenants guarding them.

The town’s council came forward and the elder spoke. “You will all testify to the validity of these claims?”

“Yes,” Ryel said. “That’s why we’re here.”

“Then we would like to interview you all separately, just to make sure all your stories support each other, if that is acceptable.”

“We agree,” Ryel said.

“Very well. Then we will speak to the young woman first and have her story.”

Eris nodded nervously and pulled me forward.

“No, madam, we need to speak to you alone.”

Eris took a shaky breath, frozen. I squeezed her hand again.

“It’s alright. I’ll be right outside.”

She let out her breath explosively and nodded, a grimace of worry on her face, and stepped into the tavern with the council.

I paced outside on all fours as she was inside. They had shuttered the windows, so the conversation was muffled.

“She’ll be alright,” Mother said, patting my head. “Don’t look so worried. She’s stronger than she thinks.”

“I know, Mama,” I said. “But I can’t help it.”

“Well, at least stand up so you don’t dirty that nice scarf she gave you,” She said with a smile.

I looked down. Oh. It was dragging the grass. I stood.

Eventually the doors opened and Eris came out, looking tired but relieved.

“Are you alright?” I asked her, offering her my arm and helping her to sit on the bench just outside.

“Yes, I’m fine,” She replied. “It was just… draining.”

“Gnoll,” The elder said, stepping out after Eris. “You were the first to find her, yes?”

“Yes, sir,” I replied.

“We’d like to speak with you next, then,” He replied and stepped aside so that I could pass. I looked at Mother, then at Eris, and went in.

I described catching her scent in the rain, then following it to her grave and digging her out. I told them what I heard her say while waiting for help, then mentioned her diary, which they had in their hands. I told them what I’d read in it, and what she told us when she awoke from her long unawareness following the attack. They thanked me and dismissed me, and called Mother in after.

Eris looked exhausted, leaning against the building. “I want to lie down,” She said, her eyelids heavy.

I nodded and picked her up, asking Birch to explain where we’d gone should they need us again, and took her back to Rory’s house. She was asleep before we arrived. I kicked open the door and laid her on the bed in the bedroom, covering her. She looked so worn out.

Oh Mother. How could I not worry for this lovely, wounded creature?

Time passed, and the interviews with my family and allies were concluded. I was told by Mother, who had stopped round after her interview, that both Rory and Thereasa were going to be given their chance to make statements, separately, and then the council would deliberate.

“How’s she doing?” Mother asked in a quiet voice, trying not to wake Eris.

“She’s exhausted and concerned, and has every right to be,” I said, turning to look at the room where she was resting.

“Don’t worry,” Mother said. “One way or another, we’ll see justice served.”

I nodded and she left.

Deliberations went on well into the evening, and Mother decided she and the others would stay at the inn for the evening. Unfortunately, the inn wasn’t built for four-legged folk, so Birch would be staying in a stable, but he was good-natured about it and didn’t complain as long as they let him drink in there.

It was dinnertime when Eris finally woke up. She came out of the bedroom, staring around her anxiously until she saw me at the fire, stirring a pot, and visibly relaxed.

“What’s happened?” She asked.

“Everyone has given their testimony,” I said, tasting the soup. “The council is deliberating. We should know tomorrow what their decision will be.”

“And if it’s not in our favor?” She asked, coming to sit at the dining table.

“Like we told you,” I said, smiling. “We’ll take care of it.”

She nodded, then smiled, narrowing her eyes. “Are you cooking?”

“Yep,” I replied. “Me and the boys go on hunting trips all the time. We can eat meat raw, but it tastes better cooked. I found some fresh deer meat and vegetables in the pantry, so I thought a nice soup would help restore your strength.”

“You’re so sweet, Feera,” She said, sitting at the table. “I should have married you.”

I paused for a second in my stirring, but tried not to react. Marry me? What an odd notion. I was just a refugee adopted by a family of misfits. She must just have been playing.

“Can you tell me where the bowls are? Soup is almost ready,” I said.

“I’ll get them,” She said, standing.

“No, no, it’s okay, I’ll--” I stopped as she ran right into me. I reached out to grab her, wrapping my arms around her back, to keep her from falling backwards. We stared at each other for a long moment before I came to my senses.

“I’m… I’m sorry,” I said, though I didn’t release her. “I didn’t reopen any of your wounds, did I? Are you in pain?”

“No, no, I’m fine,” She said, her hands on my chest.

I slowly released her and stepped back.

“Um… the soup will scorch, I should move it away from the fire,” I said.

“Right,” She replied slowly. “I’ll… get those bowls.”

Dinner was a little awkward, during which we kept stealing glances at each other and looking away when we got caught.

“So…” I began. “What are you going to do after this? After… whatever happens here.”

“I don’t know,” She replied. “I’ve been thinking about what you said, about owning this house and the land. I think I’d be okay with the house, if I purged it of everything that reminded me of Rory. But the land… I just... I just don’t think I want all of that. I don’t want to be a landlady, I just want a quiet life.” She lay her spoon down and stared into her bowl. “I just want to be happy. And… not scared.”

I looked at her, shoulders hunched, face long, eyes downcast. And I took a breath.

“I’ve… I’ve never talked about this… with anyone… I mean, my family knows about it, but we don’t… talk about it. Not even my brother and me.”

She looked up at me, her eyes shifting from haunted to curious.

“My brother and I aren’t actually twins,” I said. “We were from a litter of four, two boys and two girls. The girls were perfect little gnolls, large and aggressive, but my brother and I were small. Runts. For most gnolls, having runts is unacceptable. We’re usually killed at birth, but for some reason we were kept alive. We didn’t know when we were young that we were supposed to die, but we did know that we were treated differently.

“One day, when we were maybe four or five, or birth parents brought us to an arena. They told us that if we stayed there, we’d get stronger, like gnolls should be. Then they left us there. And never came back. They had sold us.”

“Oh, gods,” Eris said.

“What we saw…” He said. “The things we had to do… You know, in some arenas, child-fights are pretty popular. Sometimes they pitted stronger species, like us, against full grown species that are naturally weaker, like fauns or goblins. The terms were always the same. Two enter, one leaves.” I pushed my bowl away, ashamed. “It took two years, but we finally dug our way out. We couldn’t save everyone, but we tried. We escaped into the woods, hoping to hide there, live off the land, and protect each other. And… that’s when Mother and Father found us. They rescued us.”

She watched me with sorrow and sympathy in her eyes.

“We didn’t trust them at first,” I told her. “We didn’t trust anyone. It took years for us to realize that they loved us, and would never do to us what our birth parents had done. Learning to trust again after all we had been through was the hardest lesson we ever learned. But I’m grateful for it now.” I looked at her. “There are good people and bad people. Sometimes we trust the wrong ones, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t trust at all.”

She nodded, tears rolling down her face. “This is some real good soup,” She said with a watery smile.

I laughed, a high-pitched gnoll giggle. “Thanks.”

She finished her bowl and asked for seconds, then thirds. I was both happy that she enjoyed my food and that she was eating well. She was still extremely thin and she’d had a poor appetite ever since we’d rescued her. She insisted on washing the dishes and told me I wasn’t allowed to help, so I watched her with a smile on my face.

This… was nice. Just us two, not a house full of siblings talking over each other. I loved my family more than anything in the world, but there was so many of them now, and it could be… stifling.

Well, one lives the life one is given, I suppose. Tomorrow there would be decisions to make. But it was nice pretending to play house with Eris, even if it was just for a night.

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Thanks for reading!

My Masterlist

For Declan’s clan, what everybody’s little fear?

Declan hates the dark. He always has a candle burning.

Ryel is afraid of spiders. She knows it’s silly, living in the forest, but she can’t help it.

Feera is scared of crowds.

Kurra hates cats.

Reed is terrified of bears.

Soraya is pretty fearless. The only thing she’s scared of is humans, specifically hunters.

Yala is a bit superstitious, and hates the number 13.

Caeli doesn’t like crows.

Birch gets spooked by rabbits pretty easily. He’s not necessarily scared of them, he’s just always startled by them.

Cetzu is afraid of faeries. He worries they’ll try to take him back to the otherworld.

Lymera is claustrophobic.

Toklo is afraid of heights.

Worms or other creepy crawlies squick Yew out.

Sayo is uncomfortable around males. She grew up in an all-female community. She gets over it as she gets older, though.

Asahi hates thunder. He is five, after all.

What’s their guilty pleasure?

Declan: He eats bugs. A LOT. Just cause it makes his wife’s face scrunch up. Also he likes how they taste.

Ryel: Ryel likes to take really long baths. Like, proper baths in a tub. She’d spend all day in one if she got her way.

Feera: There’s a place in the forest that catches light in such a way that it’s perfect for naps. Feera disappears for a few hours and naps there. He doesn’t tell anyone about it because he doesn’t want to share.

Kurra: Kurra just likes to eat. All day every day. He’s strictly a meat eater, but if he can get his hands on it, he’ll eat it.

Reed likes to dance. He doesn’t do it often, because he’s self conscious, but every once in a while, when he and Yala are alone, they dance together.

You already know Soraya’s, She goes to the beach and collects shells. Only Caeli knows about it.

Yala goes swimming naked in the middle of the night. Reed stands guard.

Caeli loves to climb trees. No reason, she just likes being up high. She and Soraya will race sometimes.

Birch likes to play pranks. Usually their harmless, but he’s not allowed to bring animals into the main house anymore.

Cetzu is a bit of a romantic. He fantasizes about getting married and carves wedding rings for potential spouses. He has a small collection of rings he’s made that he’s never showed anyone.

Lymera is a holy woman in training, but she’s also a faun and likes to cause mischief. She’s let the ceremonial temple birds free in the temple more than once.

Toklo has never been into a town before, but he has gone to the edges of some that border the forest and watched the people going about their day. He thinks the habits of normal people going about their normal lives is fascinating.

Yew likes birds. He has some that he’s trained to follow him around. If you hear twittering and chirping coming from nowhere, Yew’s probably nearby.

Sayo plays hide and seek without telling anyone. She likes to hide for hours at a time. Once she was perched on top of the house for two days and no one was able to find her.

Asahi doesn’t have a guilty pleasure. He’s a toddler. Same goes for Teya.

For the women of the farm, are they good at cooking? Do they enjoy it? What do others think of their cooking?

Ryel is okay at cooking. It wasn’t as hard before when it was just her and Declan, but once the kids started arriving, she had to up her game. She certainly doesn’t enjoy it.

Yala is good at and really enjoys baking, and though she’s good at cooking other food, she prefers baking.

It’s a good thing Caeli came along. Not only does she love to cook, she’s amazing at it. Yala and Ryel happily left that chore to her.

And even though you didn’t ask, Asahi helps.

Then who is the best cooker and/or baker in the clan?

Ready for a shock? It’s Kurra, one of the Gnoll boys. He cooks every once in a while, but he prefers hunting to cooking. His venison stews are to die for, though.

After I read Rantha's story I fell in love with his sweet personality, but I had the feeling he alone in the woods for a reason right? What happened to his family?

Rantha’s family were ring fighters, similar to bulls in matador fights, except the object is for the human and the minotaur to fight to the death. The minotaurs are paid handsomely when they win, treated like kings, but Rantha hated it.

After his first fight when he was only 13, during which he killed his opponent, he left and never came back. He found Declan but decided not to join the family, instead making his own way in the forest. He and Declan have been friends for years. He was the one who found Toklo being sold at auction and brought him to the farm.

I'm curious; if Rantha came from a place where humans and minotaurs fight, then they do know other creatures exist. But the village where Ryel use to live everyone acts like they don't know about their existence. Were they isolated from other places or they just hate other creatures? Can monster roam around freely or just in certain places?

Alrighty, we’re about to get into some deep lore here.

Almost all of my stories are connected, from the modern to the medieval. In Tumble’s story, it’s mentioned that there are “Established” non-human races, i.e. creatures that humans have known about for centuries and accept into society at large. There were nine in total:

Orcs

Man-Beasts (like werewolves or werebears; basically any being who start as humans and become something else)

Beastmen (including minotaurs, tabaxi, gnolls, lizardfolk, etc.; basically any being that is more beast than man)

Giant-Kin (like trolls and ogres)

Goblin-Kin (including bugbears and hobgoblins)

Demon-Kin (such as vampires and teiflings, and demons, of course),

Cattle-Kin, (such as centaurs, satyrs, and/or fauns; any being with human-like faces and hooved feet.)

Halfling-Folk (Including gnomes and dwarves)

The Fair Folk, otherwise known as the Fae. Elves are included in this subcategory.

Besides these well-known races, there were others who, after centuries in seclusion, decided to reveal themselves to humans, like Tumble’s people. Despite this, there are still a few who have chosen to remain in hiding, such as driders, like Jin, and certain demons, like Blue.

Back during the Shelter Forest story arc, the “Established” races were well known, though there was heavy discrimination against them, especially in smaller villages. There were, of course, human-only towns and villages who were hostile to non-human peoples, as in the case with Ryel and Caeli’s village.

Typically, you’d find non-humans either in large cities, where humans and non-humans coexisted, places like where Rantha first came from, or in closed communities for non-human people that were far recessed from the human populations. Animal-like peoples, like the rakshasa and Tumble’s people, the leporids, lived in these communities. Non-human, non-established creatures who live outside of these communities were often hunted like animals, as Reed was.

As stated before, even though there were “Established” races, there were also races no one had ever seen or heard about, like Declan. Declan and Soraya are not native to the continent in which they reside and are very rare. In fact, there are only 22 other creatures like them on the continent. Their kind come from a continent in the south and are hunted by adventurers and brought back to the northern continent when they are babies as living trophies.

Conversely, there were races that people have heard about but have rarely seen, like nagas and dragons, who were openly hostile to humans as well and have little to do with them. Even during the modern times, nagas and dragons are reluctant to interact with humans, but they aren‘t hidden.

I already know this is canon but I MUST ask. Declan and Soraya, have any of you ever eat a moth out of nowhere in the night????

Declan says: “Once, about a year after she came to stay with me, I startled Ryel by taking a moth off of the wall one evening while we were talking and munching on it. I didn’t understand why her face went all scrunchy like that so I asked her what was wrong. ‘You just ate a bug,’ she said. I laughed for a long time after that.”

Soraya says: “I’m not particular to moths; too fuzzy. But I do like grasshoppers and beetle grubs. Grasshoppers are plentiful during the summer, and grubs pop up around springtime under tree bark. I typically go on bug hunts by myself and bring a handful back for Papa. It’s probably the one eating habit that’s exclusive to the two of us.”

I need to ask Declan and Soraya; What's your favorite fruit/meal. Do you only eat fresh fruit or do you eat some other things as well? I know you can't eat meat but what about some seeds, cereals, bread or dairy products? What about food that has fruit flavors on it like; orange flavored biscuits or passion fruit mousse? Also, what about Jam? which one it's your favorite if you liked them :) (Sorry if this is too much to answer :3)

Declan says: “I adore bananas, but they’re hard to come by where we live. It’s far too cold to grown them here, even in the summer, so I settle for my second favorite, mangos. I do love seeds and nuts. We have almond and walnut trees growing on the farm, and sunflowers and pumpkins, and we eat the seeds from those. Our stomachs don’t process dairy very well, so Soraya and I tend to stay away from it, though the rest of the family doesn’t have that problem. As far as jam, I love all kinds, but Ryel stops me from licking the jar. She says it’s not dignified. As if I’ve ever been dignified. :)”

Soraya says: “I love apricots and figs the most. I help Mama make preserves and jam and dried fruit for the wintertime, when the fruit trees aren’t producing. We also make fruitcakes and preserve them in whiskey, so they last a really long time. We grow oats, but not wheat, so we don’t eat much bread unless she brings it from market, and even then, I can’t eat a lot of it. We make nutbars and nectar flower biscuits that keep for months, though, and those sustain us through winter. Most of the rest of the family are omnivores or carnivores, so they hunt in the winter to keep themselves fed, but Papa and I have specific diets, so we have to make things that will last us the whole winter long or we’d starve. Mama is really good about making and saving, and she keeps us all warm and fed.”

For Cetzu: Do they have a good memory? Short term or long term? Are they good with names? Or faces? What is their sleeping pattern like? Do they snore? What do they like to sleep on? A soft or hard mattress? What do they find funny? Do they have a good sense of humour? Are they funny themselves? How do they act when they’re happy? Do they sing? Dance? Hum? Or do they hide their emotions?

Cetzu has a memory like a steel trap. It’s likely his fae heritage. He remembers just about everything. Cetzu, being cold blooded, likes to be warm, so he, the gnoll boys, and Asahi sleep in a pile in a room the family calls the “boy’s den.” He’s not all that funny, but he does like to laugh. He thinks throwing the gnolls into the river is hilarious. He’s a friendly person, but he does keep his negative feelings to himself. He doesn‘t like to bother people. But it’s the opposite when he’s happy. He likes everyone to know when he’s happy. He does try to sing, but he’s a touch tone deaf.

I want to know! How did Cetzu learn to make all the stuff he does? Did he read it somewhere or have someone teaching nearby?

I think it’s part of his fae heritage, since he’s a changeling, but he’s just naturally gifted at it. He started out making simple things when he was a small boy, though, and practiced until he could carve very intricate carvings. He’s got an expert eye now.

Since Cetzu is part fae, he can't touch iron? Or is offensive to him to tell him ''thank you'' or receiving presents?

The iron thing, definitely. The farm uses steel as much as possible, and if they have to use iron, it’s kept in a safe place where he can’t accidentally touch it, sort of like allergy prevention. He also has a hang up about being invited into places: you can’t just tell him to go somewhere he hasn’t been before, he has to be invited there or he simply won’t go. He doesn’t mind politeness but he sees receiving presents as a debt to repay. Even though he struggles with the fae part of himself, he’s still bound by some of their laws.

What about a tail? Does Cetzu has a tail too? Can it grow back is one cuts it? (not that I want that for him, no! Poor thing T.T)

He does have a tail, but unfortunately, it will not grow back if cut off.

I forgot to ask, what about wings? Since he's part fae, but also I've heard of some Lizardfolks (not dragons) with wings.

Cetzu doesn’t have wings, no. He’s more like a big, black alligator that stands like a man. He’s buff as hell too.

I want to know, how little Sayo reacted when she saw so many men in the farm. Or did she already knew what men where :?

Up to that point, Sayo lived in a woman-only community. She hadn’t met any kind of male before being dropped off at the farm. She was terrified of them for the first year.

Does Asahi like shiny stuff? I've heard that harpies also like them? Did they both have a chest/corner/place where they collect shiny stuff or they have on of their own? or they compete for who has the biggest mountain of shiny stuff?

That’s what got Sayo to come out of her shell a little. Asahi wanted to make friends with her, but she was always aggressive and snapped at him, until he showed her his hoard of treasures. The two of them became friends then, and Sayo slowly started to open up to the rest of the family.

Both Asahi and Sayo collect shiny things, but while Asahi likes coins and bits of metal, Sayo prefers petrified amber and stones. Asahi buries his, and Sayo keeps her collection under her bed.

So to Asahi, Sayo is like his big sister? (I mean, obviously, they are Declan's and Ryel's children anyways) so he often follows her and she ''tries'' to keep him away of danger and getting dirty... again?

Yep. Sayo is actually the oldest of four daughters in her original clan, so she’s used to being responsible for younger children, but she’s never had a little brother before. Once she came along, she helped Ryel keep Asahi in line.

7 & 11 for Sayo please. Also, not in the ask but... which color are Sayo’s feathers?

Did they have lots of friends as a child? Did they keep any of their childhood friends into adulthood? Do they have any special diet requirements? Are they a vegetarian? Vegan? Have any allergies?

Sayo is based on a Barn Owl, so her feathers are gold and white. She’s a bird of prey, so definitely not vegan or vegetarian. She’s the only female on the farm that’s strictly meat and can’t eat vegetables or fruit. As far as childhood friends, she used to have a lot of them before her mom kicked her out of her coven. Now she not in contact with any of them.

I was thinking if Lymera uses Reed's antlers to make charms, could she use Sayo's feathers if they fall? Do harpies change their feathers from time to time? Maybe doing things like dream catchers???

Sayo does drop feathers and go through molts, but she finds the use of them in charms offensive to her culture.

Somehow I imagine Asahi wearing little bells for some reason, maybe on his tail or in his clothes? I just picture him with bells (like the ones in cat toys)

He has to have bells on. Ryel has to know where he is AT ALL TIMES. Otherwise he gets into everything.

I've always pictured Lymera wearing long and loose dresses for some reason. Maybe because I have this image of people working with talismans and stuff like that

Funnily enough, nudity isn’t taboo on the farm. Sayo, Soraya, and most of the boys never wear clothing. The humans do, but that’s conditioning. Lymera, being an acolyte priestess would typically wear robes and gowns of her station, but she does go nude from time to time.

Can Lymera play any instrument/sing?

Yes, she plays the harp, flute, and drum. She does sing as well. That’s actually where she was when Ryel found her; chained to a stage at an inn, singing for the patrons.

Since I'm a witch myself I want to ask Lymera what kind of stuff she does and what part of her studies to be a priestess she likes the most? Do you focus on healing magic or other types as well? What about divination like tarot card of a pendulum, do you work with crystals or herbs? Do you watch the stars or make amulets for protection? Sorry if this is too much I got a little excited! Hugs! 3 :D

Lymera says: “My primary focus is sacred ceremonies, like weddings, initiations, and funerals. When not doing those, I practice many types of divination and scrying, as well as some magical healing. Mother is a far better herbalist than me, though, and helps me with that subject. As an acolyte, I am required to study all aspects of the craft, but there are some that draw me more than others. When Reed’s antlers drop in the winter, Cetzu sculpts little amulets from them that I bless and give out as charms. Our family works together.”

Wow, I can’t wait to know more about Lymera. I’m just trying to imagine the whole “escape plan” to save her from that horrible place, sounds intriguing.

In Reed’s fic, I had explained it as Ryel seeing her and trying to buy her from the innkeeper, and when that didn’t work, she brought Declan back in the middle of the night to scare the bejeezus out of the innkeeper until she released Lymera. Declan’s a cuddly puppy most of the time, but he can be a big Papa Bear when he wants to be.

 I think 11 would be an interesting one for Toklo, I mean we know he eats meat but, does he enjoys something else in the farm???

Toklo is definitely a meat eater, but he also eats onions whole and stares people down while he does it. He’s a weird kid.

 Sorry if this is just me, but, what Toklo does in the farm? I believe there's always a lot of work in there so everyone must help somehow, right?

Toklo helps in the fields like everyone does. He’s also mostly a carnivore, so he also goes on weekly hunts with the other meat eaters of the family. Cleaning and gutting often falls to him. He’s learning currently how to tan leather from the hides.

Does Asker visit the farm alot and what does his wife usually do on the farm???

Asker doesn’t visit often. He’s very anti-social. He likes the family, but from a distance. His children visit more than he does, but that’s still sporadic. Laefa does carpentry work around the farm, building shelters and repairing the house and the barn, should there be damage.

Which character in the Declan Clan likes to knit????

Reed’s mate, Yala, knits a lot. She taught Caeli (Soraya’s mate) and both of the gnoll twins how to do it.

Are gnolls twins like fire and water? or they complement each other like PB and Jelly?

PB&J, honestly. They almost have that twin telepathy. But they do have marked differences in appearance and tastes.