<~> Chapter 169The stable was crowded and busy, people were all over the pce so it took us a while to find Cecilia in the crowd. Luckily for us, despite the chaos she spotted roup as soon as we were nearby and waved us over.

  "Oi, Lilith!" She was standihe entrao one of the rger holding pens for the uunas. It wasn't quite as busy as the smaller horse stable but the whole area was still pretty crowded. "Some guy delivered a carriage with uuna fittings early this m. I was w how long it was going to take for you to show up but it looks like all of you were preparing year first. Probably for the best, if you think this is bad you should have seen it this m."

  She led us through the crowd and into the stable. Rather than anything like horse stalls, the uunas had more square-looking enclosures with a simple metal gate blog each of them off. They didn't look like they would actually stop the giant six legged cat-horses from leaving but the enclosures seemed more about keeping the uunas fortable than actually trapping them ihey were smarter than horses but were still easy to keep as mounts sihey were so pack-oriehat they usually treated their riders as pack-mates. It made it harder to ride just any uuna but easier to hahem ohey did accept you.

  I was smiling from ear to ear when we came up on Nikka and Landa in their pen. The uuna stood up as I approached and made a chuffing sound at me over the gate.

  "Looks like she remembers you! That's a good sign," Cecilia said.

  I held my hand out and Nikka pushed forward and nuzzled it. As kind of weird looking as they were, they did behave a lot like huge kitty cats. I scratched her fur and she leaned into me, nearly pushing me off my feet. I ughed and patted her neck.

  "It'll be o travel with Nikka again. I didn't really get a good ce to say goodbye to her st time so it was a nice surprise to see her again so soon."

  "I'm sure the feeling is mutual. These two have always been hard to get acquainted with but ohey like you they're big softies," she said as she gave Landa some attention. "These two retly became a mated pair but Nikka hasn't given him any kits yet. I would normally think it would happen sooner rather than ter but I think they tell the situation in this city is weird. It has both of them hesitating. It's part of the reason I'll be happy to be getting out of here. Even going back to Traehall would be better than hanging around Goldeh for any longer."

  "What are you going to do once we reach the capital?" I asked.

  "When we reaal? I have some busihere to finish up. If you guys are staying there for a while I might take another few trips around. We should keep in touch either way. I'd be happy to ride with you again, it's not often you find someone who bonds with your uunas."

  I nodded. "The main reason I'm headed there is to get cartography training and take care of a few errands there. I'm not sure how long it'll take but what I'm picturing in my head isn't going to be over in a day."

  "Sure. I don't know how long people usually take to learn a specialized skill like that but it sounds like it could take a while. Depends on the skill and who's teag you I suppose, I don't know anything about cartography so I don't have any idea."

  I shrugged. "Well, the adventurer's guildmaster in Traehall seo get training and e back to hunt for dungeons so I 't imagi would take that long to learn."

  Cecilia tilted her head. "That woma you? If she's paying for you to get training like that she must see a lot of potential in you. From what I've heard, the guildmaster in Traehall is pragmatic more than anything else. It makes her easy to work with, even for the people who don't like beastkin. I've only met her in passing but I've only heard good things about her."

  "I trust her."

  "Good," she said with a nod. "Anyway, let's get these two hooked up to the carriage and see if we have everything we need for tomorrow.

  She opehe gate ahe two uunas out of the stable into the field. I was a bit surprised that no one even batted a the two giant animals walking on their own with only verbal ands. The people here trusted the uunas knew where they were going with only minimal ht, it was a little strao see though.

  We quickly found on, it stood out pared to a lot of the other ones in the area by being a bit on the rger side. Not the rgest but far from the smallest. Cecilia attached the haro them before having them stand in position to ect them to the carriage. The whole thi smoothly and the two of them showed they had no problems pulling the rge thing. Grahere wasn't mu it yet but the ease with which they pulled it was reassuring. After going in a circle around the edge of the stable grounds all of us climbed into the back of the carriage to see if there were any problems with all of us inside.

  The added weight had Cecilia adjusting some of their straps but after a bit of fiddling it seemed like we were good to go. Once we stopped and unhooked the two of them for now all of us explored the inside of the wagon a little. Eight padded couches each with their own suspension, four tables, and lots of ste space. It was both fand simple at the same time, not muside but seating and tables but everything looked well made and finely crafted.

  Raya looked absolutely giddy, this robably an experience she had never expected to have. It was o see a direct example of my influe only ging someone's life but ging its dire as well. Even if she didn't mind being a prostitute, she was now getting the opportunity to learn to be an adventuring mage as well, something she had told me she had only dreamt about before. I wouldn't be surprised if many of the women I had transformed over the course of my stay here ended up doing something simir. If nothing else all of them would have more options than they had before. The thought made me happy.

  Sibyl was following Raya around a bit like a pet, not that I would ever say that out loud. I'm sure she would kill me. I didn't pletely know what to make of their retionship... A lot of the time they seemed like blushing teenagers, other times they seemed like old friends, and sometimes Sibyl came off as a wise mentor. I suppose those things were all true at o it made it an iiionship to watch.

  "Alright Lilith, that's all I wao check out for today. I'll o pick up a few more supplies and load up the fodder for the uunas but I'm satisfied we'll be ready to go tomorrow m," Cecilia said.

  "That's great to hear, see you tomorrow m then," I replied.

  As we walked away from the stables I let out a breath. We were finally moving on. I had such mixed feelings about it. I felt fortable here but I know this isn't somewhere I could settle down. Not for the long term. I think it was fio treat this city as somewhat of a home base but my actual home? No, not for a while at least. As dangerous as everything's been, I'm still drawn to the excitement of this strange world.

  Man pulled Bel by the shoulders over to me. "Hey Lilith, since we have the time I think you should take Bel out for a date."

  "What?" Bel looked surprised by Man's sudden proposal.

  I smiled. "We do have some free time today, would you be okay with that Man?"

  "Sure, sure," she waved off. "I thiill needs it after st night and I'm sure you'll make it up to me ter. I'm feeling pretty happy but I think Bel needs some of her aloime."

  Bel averted her gaze, she was clearly ied, she just didn't want to say it.

  "Sure, that sounds like a good idea. Raya, Sibyl, do you mind hanging out with everyone else for me? I would feel more fortable if you guys stayed as a group."

  "Sure! I don't mind hanging out with everyooday. That okay with you Sibyl?" Raya said turning to the smaller cat beastfolk.

  "I don't mind," she said with a smile. "We'll be spending a lot of time together after tomorrow but I'm sure we could find something fun to do for our st day iy.

  I slipped my pack around and dug out two gold s for them. "Here, take these to keep yourself eained." I hahe pair of s to Torien who's eyes went a little wide.

  "Bu—" Torien started to protest.

  "No buts! Just enjoy yourselves. This should be enough for lund to pick up some things for yourselves. Mimi has those trunks and we have some room on the carriage, no reason not to buy some things. Mimi, you spend some of the money you're holding on to too if you . Just don't go too crazy."

  "Okay! We'll have fun while you two spend time together!"

  "Mommy and Daddy are going on a date," Sibyl said with amusement.

  Mimi tilted her head in fusion. "Mommy and daddy?" Bel's ears went red and she turned away.

  I ughed. "Alright, we'll all meet up again at su the Ruby Vixen."

  I dragged a shy Bel away from the group and headed into town. "Is there anything you want to do first? Go shopping around, have lunch?"

  Bel iwined her fingers in mine and leaned against my shoulder as we kept walking. "I'm not sure. I'm not really hungry, let's go check out the shops."

  In the short time that we've been iy, things have already improved a lot. Many of the buildings that looked deserted were now full again or in the process of being fixed up. Some of the worst cases weren't being rebuilt yet but the charred remains of the buildings were being carried away. Eventually, we came across a rge open space where they normally had a bazaar but all that was there now was a guard to turn people away. There were still some stalls left but none of them seemed to be actually running at the moment.

  The street over were the businesses and inns running along the main road that went through toere warned before that these shops had a huge markup for things but at least they were still open right now. This main street was one of the only pces iy where guards were patrolling tinuously.

  "Is anything standing out to you Bel? Anything you're ied in cheg out?" I asked.

  "Hmm... I'm not sure. I didn't do much outside of farming and fishing when I was younger. I didn't really have any hobbies or many friends growing up."

  I squeezed her hand. "That's sad to hear. Well, is there anything you'd like to try out now? Any hobbies you'd like to try out? Maybe we could track down some fishing poles, though I don't know if we'll get the opportunity to use them."

  "Well there is a river that runs by the city so there might be someone selling fishing poles, that be o check out. As for other hobbies... I'm not sure. Well... maybe it would be o learn how to draw, if you would be ied in teag me."

  I grinned and looked at her. "Really? I'd love to teach you how to draw! It's ly an easy skill to learn but with lots of practice, you should be able to pick it up! Oh, maybe we should go look for an art supply store too then. I'm not sure if they have anything like that here but if you're ied then we should definitely go look!"

  I don't think she was expeg me to be so excited by the idea but I couldn't help myself. I dragged her through town looking to see what we could find.

  Saine

  Hello! Man always looking out for her those two. Pretty cute. chapter is a little date chapter for the two of them. Poor Bel had been fading into the background a little with everything going on so I wao have a feters featuring her specifically. We're getting really close to the end of this book and headed into the ohe book won't feature that much traveling this time but it will still include some since a few important bits and bobs o happeween leaving for the capital and making it there. You'll see!

  On a side note, a writer I've been following for several years started posting here on Scribble Hub retly with a story titled Heal:Slut. I warn you now, the story is pretty dark and disturbing aures some things that not everyone will be cool with but I still wao give them a shout ardless. The story has a really iing premise and intriguing world building so it's worth a shot if you hahe tent. You find that story here: Heal:Slut

  Chey other story here: Umbral Feast

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