The four of them walked back to the Adventurer's Guild in tense silence. Most people on the street took one look at Xi-ren's furious expression and Emil-iath's broadsword and decided to stay away.

Somehow, Emil-iath had ended up carrying the bunny. The knight had no trouble holding her- she swung around her weapon like it was nothing- but Emil-iath had almost dropped the bunny a few times on accident.

The moment they reached the Adventurer's Guild, Xi-ren turned around and left without a word. Emil-iath looked at the wolf apologetically, passing the white bunny back to him.

"Here's your bunny. And sorry about that. Xi-ren can be... well." Emil-iath's expression briefly darkened. Remembering she was supposed to be reassuring the wolf, Emil-iath quickly added, "I'll talk to him! I promise."

The wolf nodded tiredly. Dirt covered his clothes, and the faint blue coloring of a bruise was beginning to form on his left cheek. Emil-iath's eyes flickered to it, and she winced.

"Do you want a potion for that? Or no, I guess your skill does that, huh?" Emil-iath said awkwardly. She tried to laugh the tension away, a self-deprecating note ringing through her laughter. She shook her head. "Sorry. I'm just- a mess."

Her eyes turned distant for a moment, then she refocused on the wolf.

"But- let me know if you need anything, okay? Even if the quest hasn't started yet, I'm the party leader. And I'm a knight. I'm honor-bound to help you!" Emil-iath said brightly, shooting the wolf the kind of grin that said you can count on me.

It was a speech that would've won over any child in the village. She carried a magnificent black sword, and her red hair was tied back into intricate braids, not a single strand out of place. She was the kind of human who'd be adored as a perfect hero. But somehow, her eyes still looked weary.

The wolf nodded. Thank you, he traced out on the dust that had gathered on the railing. Emil-iath's eyes widened, and her smile turned a little less practiced, a little more genuine.

"See you tomorrow, sunrise. Breakfast is on me."

Even after Emil-iath left, the wolf didn’t move. He stood at the top of the stairs, staring off at somewhere else. The bunny couldn't tell what was going through his mind, but by the way his fingers curled around the dusty railing, it wasn't a happy thought.

[White Bunny: I'm hungry.]

She said plainly, because she knew he would respond to that. The wolf nodded, and he started walking. They passed dozens of people- most of them glanced at her, eyes widening with delight- but the wolf didn't seem to notice them at all.

[White Bunny: We should find an inn to stay at before they're booked out. Apparently, inns are the only places that serve "real" food, whatever that means.]

She said, deliberately keeping her voice conversational. The wolf kept staring vacantly ahead, moving like he couldn't feel his own body. She kept talking anyway, telling him about the various things she had gathered by listening in on conversations.

[White Bunny: -and the man pretended not to know his wife- oh, we're here! Pig's Inn!]

Ordinarily, she wouldn't have been this excited, much less shown this much excitement. But the wolf stirred a little, and she really was glad they were finally here.

She didn't like this very much. He was always the one talking, rambling about whatever berry that was totally worth it, even though he vomited after. She had found it humorous at the time, but now she found she rathered missed it.

The wolf pushed the door open. The bunny was immediately hit by all the shouting in the room, but the wolf didn't react. He silently moved to the back of the line. At the front, someone was arguing with the innkeeper.

"-I'll have the money soon, okay?" The man asked frustratedly, running a hand through his hair. The bunny caught a whiff of his scent.

[Sixth Sense had been activated!]

The stench of alcohol was gone, but the scent of embers and crackling thunder- the mage, the bunny remembered. Her eventual target for stealing fireball... once she was strong enough to kill someone who could throw fireballs.

"Look, when the thieves open the purse, the tracking spell will activate. I'll teleport over, toast them nice and crispy, and I'll be back before you can even blink!" The mage snapped, rapidly losing his patience. The bunny didn't know what teleport meant, but tracking and toast them nice and crispy-

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She was suddenly very, very glad she hadn't opened the purse.

"If you don't got the money, get the fuck out of my face," the innkeeper said pleasantly.

"Don't you know who I am?" The mage asked furiously. "I am the First Mage of Stonebridge, and I-"

"You should've led with that," the innkeeper said flatly, the smile vanishing from her face.

The mage paused his tirade.

"Really? You'll let me stay?" The mage said, completely missing the expression on her face. "Have three bottles of wine sent up to-"

"She ain't serving one of you murderers," one of the customers spat. He wasn't the only one who was rising from their seats. Only a few of them bore weapons other than the pure hatred on their faces. "Even if you force the lovely lady Evelyn to give you a room, I'd advise you not to sleep too deeply tonight."

The mage glanced at the innkeeper, surprised.

"You're a noble? Forgive me for not recognizing you, lady-"

"It's something nice you say about people, Muckbridger," another customer hissed. "Not that your kind would know, would you?"

Finally realizing what was going on, the mage glared at the innkeeper.

"You'll give me a room," the mage demanded, not a trace of doubt in his voice.

"The guards are on their way," the innkeeper said. A slight smile returned to her face. "Would you like a room in jail, Mister First Mage?"

The small crowd that gathered let out a few jeers at that. The mage's face darkened to an ugly shade of red, and he spat in the innkeeper's face.

"When we take this town, this will be the first place to burn."

The innkeeper wiped the spit off her face. She rearranged her face into a practiced smile, then she turned to the next customer.

"Next!" She called.

When it came time for the wolf to get a room, the innkeeper didn't even blink when the wolf picked up the quill, writing the instructions on the piece of paper without saying a single word.

"Room 201. One floor up, fifth door on your right," the innkeeper directed him, slapping a key into his hand. The bunny was pretty sure that as far as the innkeeper was concerned, the wolf's money spoke for him.

The two made their way to their room. It took some time to convince the wolf that he didn't have to sit stiffly at the edge of the bed, and yes, he could take up most of the bed, she wasn't even a tenth his size, but once he had lied down-

[Black Wolf: I'm never moving again.]

He whispered. It was the first thing she had heard from him in a while. She huffed a laugh, curling up beside him.

[White Bunny: Bigger beds exist, you know.]

[Black Wolf: Really?]

[White Bunny: Really.]

She promised solemnly. A knock sounded at the door. The wolf rolled off the bed to go get it- then landed on the floor. He stared up at the ceiling, not looking particularly interested in getting up. The bunny nudged him.

[White Bunny: You get it. I can't open the door.]

Well, she could, but that would require using a window to reach the doorknob. She doubted the server would appreciate the shock of seeing a floating bunny.

The wolf groaned, pushing himself to his feet. He staggered over to the door, taking the bowl of berries from the server and setting it down on the floor. The wolf had ordered the largest bowl you have, and the innkeeper had delivered.

The bunny dove her head into the bowl, biting down on everything she could fit in her mouth, staining her mouth red with juice. The effect was slightly ruined by the fact that she had to chew, but it was still a thousand times better than eating grass.

The wolf plopped down beside her. He didn't seem to mind that her head was half-buried in the bowl of berries. Absentmindedly, he took a berry off the top of the bowl. He stuck it in his mouth, and he wrinkled his nose.

[Black Wolf: Water-tasting. But better than the berries from the market, at least.]

[White Bunny: You know what would make this better?]

The two of them locked eyes with each other, and they wordlessly came to the same agreement.

The bed.

She leaped back into the warmth of the bed, the wolf close behind her. He set the bowl of berries down in the middle of the thick gray wool blankets. The two of them sprawled across the mattress.

[White Bunny: We should just stay here forever.]

She said lazily, and she half-meant it. The wolf shook his head, black hair falling messily across his face.

[Black Wolf: Quest.]

[White Bunny: Berries.]

She argued, because she was allowed to be childish. The berries were a little bitter, but the sheer quantity of them couldn't be beaten.

He shook his head.

[Black Wolf: Quest.]

He repeated again. He sounded frustrated, this time. The bunny eyed the bruises on his arm, already turning blue.

[White Bunny: You should use [Healing Touch]. Twice, if it works in your wolf form, too.]

The wolf shot her a betrayed look.

[Black Wolf: Why didn't you tell me before I lied down again?]