"Name's Wain. Kind of a Bounty Hunter... What's your's, Blondie?"

Should she answer? Or should she him off, for how he had just insulted her?

The question rang in her mind for just moment.

"Gui-"

"Aargh..."

Before she could even say a word, he had fallen over, face first, into the soft grass.

Thus, leaving her completely speechless for a second time.

"... Uh..." She tiptoed closer, leaning to the side, to try and get a good look at his face. "Are you still alive?"

"Well... He's still breathing..." She sighed, then scanned her surroundings more carefully.

Trees, trees, grass, vines, shrubbery...

Now that she got a good look at it, this place was perfect for setting up ambushes.

The canopy was thin, so undergrowth flourished. Many of the plants had large leaves, or had a lot of them. So, coupled together with the occasional strong breeze...

"Oh no... So then..." She stared at the campfire stones she had taken from their place just a few minutes ago.

On some of them, were...

... iron rich blots.

"You've got to be kidding me..." Immediately, she thought of leaving and was just about to run back to her carriage, until...

"Nnngh..."

He groaned.

"... You'll have to forgive me. But I'm leaving you here. The campsite is yours." With that said, she liquified her dagger back into an intricate bracelet. She didn't even glance back at him, as she walked off.

"Drako! Come back, boy! We're leaving early!" She whistled once, then twice.

Before long, something that could only be described as a dark green, spiny lizard, made itsaits way out of the forest. from the same direction that the man came in from.

"Oh good. You're okay." She sighed in relief, as she heard the familiar sound of shubbery and foliage getting stomped by something incredibly heavy.

"Like I said, we're leaving, okay?"

15 meters long from snout to tail, with teeth sharper than knives, and rough scales tougher than conventual iron - anybody would be frightened seeing such a creature racing towards them.

"Who's a good boy? Hm? Ehehehe... Now. Come on." But Guila recieved the creature, with a hug around it snout, and a kiss above it's brow. 

Unlike her who was tense, the creature was energetic and playful, licking her arm with its long, slithery tongue. The reassurance of having the creature nearby eased her worries quite well, and she was quickly infected by that cheeriness.

That is, until she felt something snag at her fingers, when she stroked it's cheek.

On one of the horns, was a bloodied piece of cloth. Clearly having been torn off, just recently. Along with a few strips of meat.

"Where did you...?"

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Her eyes landed back on the man that she was more than ready to leave to his fate.

"You... You have got to be kidding me! Drako...! Divines damn it!" She stomped on the ground, before growling. "Now I can't just leave him to die! Bad boy!"

The creature could only whimper, as it lowered it's head.

"Walk me back to the carriage, I'm getting the first aid kit, and then you're staying there!"

***

"Mmnngh..."

Wain woke up to find himself covered in a thick woolen sheet from the waist down. And everything up, was covered in clean bandages.

He was still sleeping on the grass. But it was thick and soft enough, to be just as good as any bed you'd find in a cheap inn.

Something that he was already more than attuned to.

Beside him, was a gold water canteen and empty bowl, on an flat rock.

"Good. So you finally managed to wake up. I suppose you should eat, then."

A voice came from outside his line of vision, high-pitched, feminine, and containing a slight accent. Followed by a distinct, metallic sound clicking against one another.

He struggled to turn his head, but he didn't need to do much, until the figure of a woman, wearing nothing but a white shirt, linen shorts and and high heels, metal boots that rose up to her thighs.

With her hair tied in a ponytail, he was now able to truly see her face. Also without the blur of being near-death, and all that.

Even without any makeup; she was undoubtedly beautiful. Her long eyelashes, piercing red eyes, pink cheeks and pink lips...

"Uhh..." His eyes trailed down, and for a moment, he lingered on the outline of her chest which was visible due to the nearby fire.

But, he eventually registered the pot in her hands. From which, he could smell something that was... just as delicious.

"You know. A hundred years ago. You would have had your eyes pulled out by a corkscrew, for seeing me like that."

"Luckily for me. Times have changed. Hasn't it?" And with that said, he got kicked at his side. "ARGH!" He immediately recoiled.

"D... Did you really have to use the pointed tip on your heels to kick me...?"

"I saved your life. I deserve to be allowed to do that much." She said assuredly, before filling up his bowl. Then, the pot shrunk even more, forming a similar bowl.

"It's rabbit. Make sure you enjoy it."

"..." He pursed his lips, before sitting up, seemingly uninjured and limber.

"Thanks, Blondie." He gave her another shit-eating grin, before lowering his head.

"Don't be. You should thank Drako. If it weren't for him you'd be dead."

"Drako, huh? Is he your boyfriend, or something?"

"Heh. I don't know. Perhaps, you should ask him yourself." She gestured to the spot behind him.

What greeted him, as he followed her words, was a gigantic lizard, leering at him, with its glowing, yellow eyes, while gnawing on a boar carcass.

"Woah." He went quiet, before leering back at the creature, and scoffed. "Quite a boyfriend you have there, Blondie."

"I know, he's the sweetest. A bit violent though."

"Heh... I'm sure that's the case. Thanks for the meal, then." And with that said, he dug in. "It's quite good. I want to thank the chef."

"You may thank her, right now." Guila chimed in, with a wider-than-usual smile on her face.

With the stars twinkling up above, the trio had dinner.

"Here. Let me wash them clean."

Guial was quite surprised to see him suddenly just get up, and stretch a hand out to her.

"What...? No. Wait. You shouldn't be moving around too much, you know? You might open your wounds again. Sewing you up wasn't easy!"

"So that's why it's constantly stinging. But, seriously, it's the least I can do. Please."

She paused, and stared into his eyes while practically leering. Quite frankly, she knew the value of them.

The were all gold, intricately designed things she had spent quite some time working on.

If they were stolen and sold, it would go for quite a good sum.

"Fine... Go ahead." She handed him her bowl, and cutlery. "The dishwashing soap should still be in the basin."

"Yes, Blondie." With one last grin, he recieved the items and bowed before leaving.

But not before earning Guila's ire, and a yell.

"I have a name, you know?!"

"You never told me."

He turned around, and saw Guila cross her arms, and her legs, while sitting in her metal stool.

"Hmph... Guila. Guila Cassiana. You better start using my name from now on, Wain."

"Nice to meet you too, Guila." With one more bow and a grin, he walked off.

Giving him one last glance, she turned towards her knapsack which contained her journal, and pulled it out.

'Day three addendum. I met a wounded man named Wain. Someone that Drako must've attacked. So, I had no choice to help him. He didn't recognize Drako, though, for some reason. I just hope that this doesn't happen too often.'

"An entire day wasted... Though, with this. I guess my earlier fears were unfounded for the most part. Theres almost no people travelling these roads. So no reason to stake it out...and, if they were here, they'd have attacked by now."

She held her journal close, and walked over to Drako, in order to pat the creature.

"Camping together for the night, should be okay, right?"

Hrrrngh. The creature responded disinterestedly, before snorting at her.

"No. Don't be like that." She drew closer, then whispered. "I don't trust him either. But, he's one of the few people I've operated upon. I can't let him die, without telling other people about it. There would've been no point."