@wxrewolfâ ;; continued from here
     Breathing. Heavy breathing. Whose? Hers. Loud, impossibly loud, thundering in her ears. The mountainous region was unforgiving enough, and she had her retainers to thank that she was unharmed - scrapes and bruises, nothing more - but never had she been more nervous⌠afraid.
     It had been her fault, this fiasco. Reports of attacks on villages had been increasing of late and the princess had felt it only right to help the suffering people by mounting an expedition to quell the raiding forces - bloodlessly, if possible. Bandits or hungry predators sheâd anticipated. Hoshidans had been a lower probability, but sheâd been prepared for them too. But this⌠This was not.
     Corrina was tired. She knew she was at a disadvantage. Traps had harried her people the entire climb up as theyâd followed leads and trails, separated her from her allies. Was Elise alright? What of Suzukaze or Cyrus? Felicia, Joker? Gods, if anything happened to them⌠But she had more pressing issues to worry about, didnât she? Namely the man who was prowling up to her now, snarl twisting his otherwise youthful visage. He was a bundle of shock. What was he? Certainly his form was human, but his ears were decidedly furry, his fingers ended in razor claws, and⌠was that a tail sprouting from his rear?
     There was little time to ponder or gawk, for he began to speak. His words - growled, spat, venomous and hateful, laced with wrath - confused the snow-haired swordswoman. Came back? But this was her first time coming to these mountains. Nonetheless he clearly seemed convinced that they had met and if his body language had anything more to say he was very, very ready to kill her.
     Briefly, the thought of how very much this was like that fairytale about a little girl lost in the woods who met the big bad wolf passed through her mind.
     âPlease, wait.â Would he? The beastman did not seem to be inclined to listening to her, but nonetheless the woman called out to him, imploring. âI donât understand. Iâve never been here before. Where am I? Who are you? ...What are you?â
     The last query was a gamble, a delicate line that could quickly be broken into offense, but she was honestly curious. Of this manâs kind Corrina had never seen; what manner of race was he to have animal parts growing from his body? Was it some form of curse, magic marring what once was human? Was it a spell gone wrong? Or did there actually exist a people who were born with bestial attributes, as natural as her own pointed ears? Gods, if only Felicia or Leon were here. They would know, wouldnât they? But she was alone, and all she could do was hope that this angry young man before her would still hold enough reason to parley.
     â...My name is Corrina. I came here looking for those responsible for the attacks on the villages down the mountains.â Transparency was the first step to trust, or so she remembered being taught. An appeal to diplomacy, if there was any to be found. âPlease, I have no intention to harm you. If you know anything...â
