Lidaya and her Stalk were just a few hours away from the Tuskir settlement, their small camp swarming about with their two dozen armed members, doing last preparations before the assault. The Stalk Captain herself was going over what they tactics they should use depending on what the scouts managed to gather.

"Listen well, you vurms! Dependin' on what the scouts find there, we will have very few tactics we can employ to get those pesky Tuskirs. We know from past scouting trips that their settlement is surrounded by a wall made of wood and most of their homes are made of that, too. I will start immediately by dispelling the stupidest idea you might think of, no, we will not burn down the wall nor the buildings, that risks our preys to burn to a crisp too, or the chaos of it risks getting more of them killed than necessary. Instead we will see if we can get the upper hand on them and keep concealed long enough to enter in unspotted. If that doesn't work we will split up in two teams and while one attempts to launch a frontal attack on their gates, we will have a second smaller group infiltrate from the opposite side. Should none of these strategies work, we will then have to go for the long run. We will simply siege them and wait them out, setting up a supply chain for us, while not letting them out until their are starved and weak enough for an easy assault on them. Understood?!" Lidaya said in a stern tone as she looked over the other Hay-yens.

A series of cackles along with yelps or howls and nodding of heads was followed soon after the detailed instruction Lidaya gave, except for two who seemed to be passively listening to the instructions while, going over equipment, specifically Raksha and Zhuun. The young Hay-yen male seemed to nervously stare at the tiny vial of purple liquid which was handed to each of the Stalk members for this assault. 'I am not puttin' this down my gullet no matter what.' He thought as he tucked the vial in his backpack, a similar expression on his aunt, who he has shared with his discoveries with, regarding their shaman.

"So pup, if we are to do this, we needs must wait until the battle proper blows. Chaos might be our chance to get away." The older woman said whispered as she huffed while closing her leather strapped backpack.

"I figured, I'm just hopin' we get away with no problems." Zhuun replied in a hushed tone back. Although his tone was calm, it could be clearly seen he was still rattled by the previous events, his furred large hands being shaken ever so slightly with every movement they made.

Raksha looked her nephew over and she gave a glance about to check for any stray ears, before she dared to speak more. "I know what we discussed, but... I just wish to ask. You are certain of this, Zhuun. Once we leave, we can't come back to them. We... might not have a place to come back too, if that daeman defends against this attack and then mounts on our people an offensive."

"Do-... Do you doubt what I saw, auntie? Honestly, I would doubt it too if I heard myself..." The young man said with a muffled whimper leaving his muzzle.

"No, I do not and even if you were wrong and wanted to leave, I would still follow your footsteps with the same confidence, for you are the same blood as mine and the last of it as well. My heart would wither away from concern." The woman said as she reached with a hand to roughly caress the fur on Zhuun's head, her eyes then looking at the uneven white furred mark he had instead of an eye. "Also, ya sure you don't want a shot at the bloody daeman? If Lidaya and the rest of our kin win you might not get another shot and if it wins... it might be too strong to be fought directly."

The young man huffed as a bit of ease could be read on his form, feeling the gentle hand on the crest of his head. Zhuun shook his head in reply to Raksha's question. "Nay. Just as much as I don't want to return to the clutches of our daeman of a shaman, I don't wish to face 'nother one. Best is to let them devour one another and hope the worse one is the one to fall."

Raksha let out a small cackled chuckle. "Aye, lets hope so, pup. Although, usually the worse daemen are the harder to kill and the more terrifying to face. Funny enough, our enlightened shaman better hope she wins, tis said when you don't kill a daeman, it takes part of your essence with it and twists it to use against you when it next fights you."

Zhuun gave a sort of sad chuckle in response. "Huh, then I am glad I won't have to see it again and at this point, I am not even sure who's worse, but I am happy we won't be around to find out. Thank you, again, auntie. I promise you, I will do my best to make this worth it."

"I know ya will do pup an' just seeing you able to live yer life, makes it worth it already." Raksha replied as she gave her nephew's fur one last light ruffling before she finished packing up herself.

The light moment was son interrupted by barks and yelps given by the two returning scouts, who seemed to be each in one piece and none the worse for wear. Lidaya approached them they could be seen talking for a few moments, before the Stalk captain let out a howled excited cackle. "Get ready to advance! The swine are all bunched up in their wooden cage of a village and we are about to break their homes open and drag them as morsels for the Devourer! As offerings for us to live! We will form up for a two way attack! While the main force assault directly, whoever I dispatch into the second group will be moving in from the opposite side of the settlement and attempt to infiltrate over the wall. Cripple anyone you catch able bodied, kill the elderly and their pups! Get their blood pumping! All the better for the offerings to be proper for Him!" Lidaya shouted, which was followed by excited barking and cackling coming from the Stalk members, Raksha and Zhuun joining in as best they could to seem no less excited compared to the others.

++++

As Michael heard Rok's warning right after the echoing boom of the alarm horn, his heart felt like it would sink at the bottom of his guts. "Căcat..." ("Shit...") Is All he could mutter under his breath in his native tongue. "E- E ok! Ne-am pregătit pentru asta! Da, o sa fie bine... Trebuie sa fie bine..." ("I- It's ok! We prepared for this! Yeah, it will be fine... It has to be fine...") He said more for himself rather than anyone else, Woh, looking at him as worry seeped lightly into her expression.

"Y-you're right! It will be fine!" The tiny pink amphoran said as she seemed to be flooded by confidence, understanding the young man's words due to her understanding of the Tuskir language and the medallion around Michael's neck that would translate his words. "We will show those Hay-yen what for if they think they can step in here!" She said with wide cheeky smile on her expression.

Michael's breathing avoided hyperventilating, as Woh's reassurance seemed to help the young man steel his nerves. "Heh... Well, I wish 'em to break a leg if they try to get in. Agh-... yeah you don't get that... it means "good luck" back home, but you know with the pits we made and all, it was supposed to be a joke-... alright! No more nervous jokes! Gotta go and meet with Runhar and the rest! Woh, hop on!" The young human said as he got up, Woh hopping up to his shoulder and then climbing on top of his head, holding onto the brown curls at the crest of his head as he broke into a small sprint.

Runhar, Zurra, Spek and Brekda, were gearing up and picking weapons, Rok coming up as well, after exchainging his post in the watch tower with Runny.

"Runny said she sent the kids with the few remainin' adults at the heart of the camp, Brekda. So they are safe, she's keeping a snout out while we are getting ready." Rok said towards Brekda, who's let out a snort of relief.

"Thank The Broodmother we can smell the furred devils from afar..." Brekda huffed under his breath as he picked up a halberd.

"Don't thank her, yet, pray to her we can weather the storm. Tis our duty, so tis time we prove ourselves." Runhar said as he was tightening some belts on his hard leather armor.

"Hah! Well said y'ung captain! I canny' wait to give 'em a taste o' some Tuskir battle hospitality." Spek said with excited snorts, his body movingly restlessly, his age almost not showing in his movements, which almost seemed as spry as someone half his age.

As quick steps could be heard approaching the collective of Tuskir had their ears raised up in a quick motion, due to the pressure of the situation and the half dozen of them turned to see Michael approaching at a speedy pace towards them. "Sorry it took me a bit to gather my wits. I was not expecting this day to go this way." The young man said panting, as he was finally slowing down, tightening his leather and metal bracers that he had for a while now and looking over the laid about equipment. "I'll grab a bit of armor and I'll be ready. Leather'll hopefully do." He grunted as he began going for the table.

"I'm all set to help with defendin'! I am taking my gloves off for this one! One little touch on their nasty snouts and they'll curl up like a vurm fried ova' a fire!" Woh said as she wiggled her long fingers, taking of one of the tiny gloves of her black body suit.

Brekda, looked at Michael with an expression of slight contempt. "The time has come when your supposed reinforcements will be tested. Still confident they were worth the effort?"

The young man pressed his lips together flat and he took in a deep breath, his eyes widening slightly as he still looked with attention at the leather armor he was strapping over his body, his eyebrows raising and lowering in a quick motion. An expression which left Brekda with no answer he could understand, until the young man spoke. "Well... regardless of my actual answer, I know it won't make you happy. What can a fool do, but hope? Let's leave it at that, yeah?" Michael said as he finished armoring up. He then checked his knuckle duster to be in its belt pouch and he picked up a lighter looking spear himself. 'How hard could it be to use? Just poke with it.' Is what ran through his mind, as adrenaline began to slowly creep in his system, due to the realization that fighting is approaching.

Brekda grunted a low long squeal as he seemed to retort some way, until Runhar held a hand at his chest level, palm dowards, the guard captain staring him down. "It'll do. If it wouldn't I wouldn't have spent time on those projects. So if ya doubt him, ya doubt me, Rok an' Zurra and the work we spent a week on. I don' think ya mean to insult three other people with that remark?" The young swine questioned Brekda in a calm yet stern tone.

The bitter father swine snorted, as he then let out a sigh. "No, Runhar. I didn't mean that... I just... I am getting angry from me worry for me piglets. I don't want nothin' bad to happen to them."

Runhar nodded in a sign of understanding as he tapped the Tuskir man on his shoulder. "I understand. No hard feelin's here, just make sure you know who to point yer anger at." Runhar said as he then finished strapping a metal armguard to one of his forearms, checking his hand-axe at his hip and picking a nice hefty halberd for himself.

"Ya bettah haven't been serious, I could feel me blood boilin' at the thought! That bloody wire was such a pain tha make, if those damned mutts rip it, I'll skin 'em alive, I promise that to the Huntfather !" Zurra oinked with a fire burning in her tone, as she was done donning what looked like an old half plate armor, four handaxes at her hips, a long spear and shield being taken up in her arms.

The firey conversation during the battle preparations was interrupted by the creaking of wheels, as Urla rolled up hawling a small cart that clinked with bottles and pots, bandages and clean rags filling a bit of the cargo space as well. "How are preparations going? Huff..." The old sow said with a bit of strain in her tone, her breathing ragged as she let the small wooden vehicle rest on the dirt.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"We are about to get in position. We have Runny keeping a snout on the breeze, but we'll be switching positions. Rok, Spek an' Brekda, will be keepin' watch over the walls from the towers we got around the wall, while me, Michael an' Zurra are movin' about on foot to deal with enemies as they come. I will keep watch with Rok at the front side so I can reinforce the gate with some earth and rock." Runhar began saying, looking over to the others for any objections or opinions, but the small group of Tuskir and their human friend, simply nodded, as they seemed to do last check ups.

"Hm. Glad we have defensive positions done. I will be dealing with any injuries you might encounter and provide support where I can." Urla replied back as she glanced over the bottles of various substances and dusts in her cart.

The Guard Captain's head almost seemed to hold back from recoiling in surprise as he let out a snort from his flat nose, a clear nervousness showing in the whole motion. "Mo-... Elder Ulra. It might be better if you stood safely with the children and those remaining with them. I-... It wouldn't do have you in harm's way." Runhar said as his previous confidence seemed to waver slightly.

The older sow let out a short snort as her eye looked back upon her son, instead of the usual stoic gaze, although neutral, the eyes showed a steeled spirit. "Runhar. I am old, not crippled and I know what I can and can't do. Thank you for the care, but even though you haven't seen it, this is not my first time having to fight, nor will it be the last, my son."

"I-... understood." The guard captain said after takin in a deep snorting breath and shaking his head. "Alright! There is no time to waste. Everyone! To positions!" Runhar said as his hand gripped tighter on his weapon.

"Aye, capt'n!" Spek said with a low throat squeal leaving his throat. "Michael, me boi, we'll be takin the back left area. Sound' good to ye?"

The young human man was nodding while quickly inhaling and exhaling as he hopped on the tips of his feet. "Y-yeah. Whoa... God... Sorry. I am a bit... this feels way different than when we were attacked at the river." He said his eyes wide open and looking alert.

"Hah! Don't ya worry, ye ain't dying, yet! If anythin' will kill ya I'll make sure tis the forge's heat, not some mutts." Zurra said as she snorted a chuckle, then gazing at Brekda. "Come on, we'll be takin' da other one, ye?"

"Aye, thanks for the ground coverage, smith." Brekda said with a nod in return.

The six then began breaking apart from the table going to their respective positions, torches in holders being renewed on their ways and the whole inside of the settlement shining as brightly as possible.

++++

Back at the Hay-yen camp, Vespertilia was in her tent, refilling her chalice with her usual concoction. The dark red liquid dripped as the minty plant smell began permeating through the entire dimlight inside. At her main table within the tent, about two dozen candles of a black color stood unlight. The shaman gazed upon with a focus akin to attempting to light them up, a scowl brewing more clearly on her expression. 'Those vermin mutts better be drinking those potions, I spent so much of my own blood to make them, that I might kill them even if they don't fail them. Ugh. I am so tired of asuming this form." The woman mentally groaned as she sipped her drip, proceeding to then yawn silently, her fangs enlarging and shrinking with the motion of her head.

While silence laid upon this solemn interior a pink dim light began pouring from one corner of the room, where a crystal ball laid, the light shining from deep within it. "Oh, amazing timing..." The shaman groaned as she reached from her chair to rub one finger on the crystal ball. Upon completing the motion the foggy pink light within the ball began to clear, revealing a bat like humanoid with large pointed ears shooting upwards, the edges adorned with metal jewlery that clipped flatly onto the surface. A snout showed as well, that ended into a flat tip with two nostrils opening forward, two long and thin fangs peeking downwards from the slightly elongated maw. As the living image came into focus the eyes of this individual were big and yellow from the eyes' edges to the middle where a wide dark pupil laid. The void like pupils then contracted into slits as the person blinked a few times.

"Ah, Vespertilia. Tardy as always with answering summons." The figure from the globe said with a held back poison in his tone.

"Oh, Morcy, tis sooo~ good to hear from you. To what do I owe the pleasure to have this conversation, brother?" Vespertilia said with sarcasm rolling off of her tongue like slobber would off a dog's maw.

"It is Morcego, to you." The figure said with a pointed tone. "I am your superior and just because we are kin of blood, it doesn't mean you get to adress me as you wish. You are still my worthless little pup of a sister. Anyways, besides your usual insolence, what is the situation at the Hay-yen farm? You have been meeting the quota of deliveries up until now, but your production just recently has gotten lower. What is happening?"

Vesper rolled her eyes as Morcego talked, sipping afterwards on her chalice. "The operation has been slowing down. The mutts encountered what they described as a daeman, it has been apparently fraternizing with one of the Tuskir tribes near us. This alliance resulted in our own working stock getting hurt or killed as well as potential produce escaping capture, so I couldn't meet the quota and also feed mineself."

"Huh, no wonder. You encounter a little pebble in your road and your gluttonous oversized bottom trips over it. You worthless stain. You have been in charge of this operation for barely a century and a few decades and already you are compromising it. If I could puke out my own blood, I would, because it would be better than sharing it with a failure."

The supposed shaman began letting out a laugh like clicking from her throat. "Ah, you haven't changed a bit. Tis as much of a pleasure to talk with you, as it is to preach to our food. Anyways, back on the matter, I am moving all resources to deal with this issue, but in case of the offensive failing, I will require minor reinforcements to deal with this. They can also pick up the next delivery once they are to return." The 'Hay-yen' woman said as she gulped the last of the liquid in her overglorified metal mug.

Morcego couldn't help but let out a similar clicking leaving his mouth, as his slitted eyes became tighter. "Oh, no no... I think you are misunderstanding 'Vespy', dear sibling. If you lose your produce it means you can't keep on production and if this thing you are fighting is indeed a daeman, we will be cutting your branch out. I am sooo~ sorry to say, fufu~. We can't compromise our other farms or ourselves. But, we will be sending in The Leather Guillotines to you to pick up the remaining product and should your little scuffle fail, they will also be there to fulfill their main task." The bat like man said as his pupils dilated back into full discs, akin to twin eclipses.

Vespertilia let out a hiss followed by a high pitch shriek as she leaned towards the globe. "You filth! You would dare to threaten me with the Guillotines?! My production has been the best for the past century- "

"Ah! The reports contradict that from the past three decades to present, 'Vespy', which also coincide with reports from the delivery personnel that you started to strongly reek of, how did they phrase it? ... 'Minty blood?' So, dear sister, you WERE providing the best production, until you began becoming complacement. You are just a fat leeching slob and you already know how we think of those that do not provide for the collective. So. You better hope you do not lose, Vespertilia." Morcego said with something akin to a venomous glee in his tone.

The shaman stood silent as she clenched her jaw wordlessly, fur building in her eyes that began slowly turning yellow, the pupil akin to a tiny saucer quivering as it grew and shrunk in size, contracting in spasms into a slit before regressing back to a circular form, struggling to hold a still shape.

Morcego then cleared his throat. "I would say 'talk to you another time, sister', but I feel it might be unlikely, but I will make sure I get a fine pike for your head once the Guillotines bring it back." The visage in the crystal ball then slowly dissapates, the globe only projecting a foggy pink smoke before it returns to being transparent and clear.

Vespertilia sat silently as she kept staring in the direction of the globe, before all of sudden she bursted in a sudden tossing motion, her chalice leaving her hand, proceeding to loudly clatter against the wooden flooring inside the tent. "Bastard! Him and all of them! I will show them! They dare to mock me?! They'll see." The woman growled as one of the dark candles on her table began to flicker and light up into a blue white flame.

The shaman looked at the flame as she let out another clicking laugh. She grabbed one of the many bottles stored in her tent, prying the quirk out of it and taking a deep drink from it, the bloody dark red liquid spilling down her chin at edges of her maw. Another flame began to flicker and light up, followed by a third, fourth, fifth and so on.

"Good. Let's see how things are proceeding." She grunted as she sat the bottle down with a thump. She reached with her arms towards the candles as she began to mutter under her breath. Slowly her palms began bulging the flesh ripping apart and tearing, revealing eyes peering from the center of her clawed hands. The furred flesh up her arms began similarly tearing with wet noises of fleshing ripping itself fiber by fiber, as more eyes appeared. Then new ocular organs along her form then slowly began glowing blue akin to the flame, including her two original eyes.

All the eyes on Vespertilia's form then began moving in their fresh sockets gazing about, as if peering their surroundings in a new environment. "They are tossing the vials away... good and... they are splitting up. Heh. Smart, good mutt Lidaya. You might be worth something, yet." At that moment, the charlatan shaman noticed two of the candles remaining stagnant and without a light.

The fur on her form raised as her breathing began quickening as if taken by a rabid seething anger. "WHO?! WHICH OF THEM IS BEING INSOLENT?! WHAT FOOD DARES DEFY ME?" She roared as her eyes began burning a strong light blue. "Grrrr- they are already split. Who are the vurms... sigh... take it eye by eye..." She muttered more for herself rather than anyone else. The fake mystic of a woman then began peering carefully, with a fury driven focus until a clicking of satisfaction left her jaws.

'There they are. Well, well, that won't do. Looks like I need to take things within' my own grasp if I want them done right. And to start, we can't have rotten fruits in a good batch.' The woman then began twisting her hands in the air, the blue eyes along her form starting to drip with blood as she chanted through clenched teeth.

++++

"Remember to have our shaman's drink of power! It will aid in our victory. Now split. Wait for the front gate conflict to begin before you attempt to infiltrate from the back." Lidaya said as she uncorked her own small vial and began chugging from it, before tossing it into the cold dirt. As the Stalk of Hay-yen broken into half, the members of it began to drink the concoction one by one, except for two that tried to make themselves unseen as they followed in the tail of the flanking group, Raksha and Zhuun.

"Alright pup. Our moment to slip out unseen will be when the infiltrators are about to head towards the camp. The rush of it all will allow us to escape with ease." The older Hay-yen woman said to her nephew, in whispered tones as they walked besides one another at the group's tail end.

"Sounds as good as-" Zhuun began replying, until his eye caught something that unnerved him. As the members of his Stalk subdivision began to drink from the vile purple liquid their fur would stand up, getting whiter at the tips, the forms of their various comrades increasing slightly in size, their claws growing longer and thicker, in a near instant moment. Grunts and growls echoed of a sudden thrist for violence, as this process akin to a forced barbaric evolution began to bloom within each of the then Hay-yen they were assigned with, some even staggering for a moment, before returning to their march with a more agressive step. "A-auntie, whatever happens don't drink that thing, alright?" He replied back in a shushed tone as his eye darted to his blood relative.

Raksha glanced at the group in front of them, her ears twitching and eyes widening as she began noticing the changes that her tribe brethren have completed going through. "I- It's fine pup. Keep calm. If we stand out now we are totally screwed."

Zhuun knew his aunt was right, but the now larger Hay-yen, which seemed to hold back a rabies like eagerness for violence, were completely terrifying him, they started to look more and more like the monsters he saw them as his nightmares. He couldn't even reply, his jaw clenched as he gave a quick shakey nod.

Their squadron began getting into position, the two blood relatives were already getting ready to flee. Regretably, their hope of perfect window of opportunity to leave was quickly shattered akin to a window smashed by the blunt rock that was reality. Their brethren around them seemed to convulse for a moment, some growling some yelping in a cackling of pain as their eyes bled. One of them turned to face them, the woman who previously terrorized Zhuun at his tent, which seemed to glare at the two with a burning hatred, equal in intentisty to the blue spectral flames around her eyes.

"You vermin. You dare defy my word?! I give you, filth, a boon of power and you deny it? DENY ME?!" A spectral voice came from the woman's throat as she spoke, but not her own, as the jaw of the Hay-yen angrily staring them down would move out of sync with the voice in her throat.

This blueish gaze was then reinforced by a second, a third, up until the last of the ten larger Hay-yen, all seemed to stare in unison, their expression all contorted in various expressions of disgusted fury.

Time almost seemed to come to a standstill, as the longest second of Raksha and Zhuun's life seemed to slowly trickle in front of them. Still, this moment, as slow as it seemed, it was broken in a instant by Raksha's shrieking voice. "RUN PUP!"