While he was looking at his Skills, Trevor noticed something irregular. He wondered what Mana Weaving was and how he had gotten it. He couldn’t exactly remember weaving anything during the fight, but something in the back of his mind was nagging at him. Well, it would have to wait as Nyles, the golden otter, was striding up towards him.

“Hello, my name is Nyles Korx,” he said in a very happy and friendly manner, “Though I will take a guess and say you already know that.

Trevor flinched. It wasn’t said with anger or accusation, just matter-of-fact with a hint as to why.

“Sorry, I apologize. I didn’t mean to be an eeji-, an idiot, my curiosity just got out on me. I’m Trevor, by the way.”

Nyles didn’t seem to notice the term of phrase he almost used, but his face showed an excitable and stoic expression. How Trevor recognized that on an otter’s face, he had no idea. Still, he held out a hand (paw?) to Nyles for him to shake, and this time it caused an overly shocked expression followed by a raised eyebrow.

“I am very surprised and ecstatic to see someone else who knows an ancient human custom.” He then grabbed Trevor’s forearm and went into a hug, followed by softly nuzzling his neck against Trevor’s.

He forcefully pulled back from the embrace as he quickly felt uncomfortable from the exchange, but also because thoughts and gears started to turn through his head. What Nyles said about ‘ancient humans’ triggered something in his mind, making pieces start to fall into place. He didn’t have the full puzzle, but he can make some small educated guesses at this point.

While Trevor was thinking about the implications, Nyles and Xardabran both were scrutinizing him. This foxkin was very strange to them, and it wasn’t just his lack of clothing either. His mannerisms were completely unknown, and both the skill and power he showed was impressive and worrying.

“Hey, any of yous helpin’ me get these teeth out?” Culon shouted, completely unaware of the atmosphere.

The three of them were taken out of their inquisitive stupor, and the otter and Demi-Wyrm immediately started walking towards the wolfkin. Trevor followed behind, staying a few paces within reach.

“Need help with the pelt? My father taught me how to skin an animal when I was only a kid.” Again, the both of them looked at him awkwardly. Trevor tried to remain stoic, but he definitely felt himself flinching at the attention.

“Won’t work, the monster is too big. We don’t want ta attract anything else, and skinnin’ it will take too long.”

“Yep,” Nyles said happily, “and besides that, the teeth are more than enough to prove that we were the ones to kill. We’ll even supply you with some of the reward, you seem like you need it.”

He smiled and gestured to Trevor’s itchy and shredded grass skirt. Trevor blushed and covered himself the best he could with his hand-paws.

“Why are you dressed like that, anyway. I don’t mean to sound intrusive, I’m just curious as well.” Nyles smiled impishly, and Trevor mirrored it.

“Well, I came out here now for training purposes when a group of low-level monsters destroyed all of my supplies, including the clothes I was washing at the time. I chased them off, but the damage was surely done by then.”

“Ye didn’t think ta go back ta town and explain yerself? They would’ve given ye some new supplies if ye had the Moons for it.”

Trevor didn’t know what a Moon was in this context, but he guessed it was a form of currency. He had to think fast and carefully about his response.

“There were two reasons for that. One, I was worried the people over in New Frehlt would think I was suspicious and wouldn’t let me in, and two, because those nasty critters took off with my money as well.”

Xardabran nodded his head in understanding, though Nyles obviously seemed to still be suspicious.

“No harm in it now, yer’re lucky we came and helped ye. Ye can call me Xarda, I’m quite famous on this continent. Ye could probably tell by my high level.” Trevor just nodded along, while Nyles rolled his eyes.

“Yes, the infamous Xardabran of the Burning Skies. Hero to all of Quaetur.”

Xarda lightly smacked Nyles on the head, which was still enough to completely knock him down to the ground. The otterkin looked back at him in anger and petulance.

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“Ouch! That took away two-hundred of my health!”

“Hahaha, that’s barely a scratch fer me. Stop being disrespectful, or else yer next hurting will come right up yer ass.” He gives a flirtatious wink, and Trevor visibly shivered from the perverted threat.

Xarda noticed, and leaned over conspiratorially to whisper in his ear. It took a lot of willpower for Trevor not to run away.

“No need ta worry, kid, I’m very understanding. If ye don’t want it, then ye don’t want. But it won’t stop me from changing yer mind.”

“Sorry, but I’d rather ye didn’.” Trevor politely rejected, and Xarda just shrugged.

“Suit yerself, but a handsome fox like ye will find suitors sooner than later. And I’ll probably be one of them.” He laughed loudly again and went to help Culon with the teeth.

He asked for a knife and Nyles gave him a spare before helping him out with cutting the claws. Even though the otter’s smile felt genuine, Trevor noticed the suspicion remaining within them. Their eyes and ears didn’t seem to miss much, and so he thought he had to be careful around them.

There was a moment where Nyles jumped up, looking completely startled in Trevor’s direction. Trevor got up and looked in the same direction, but he couldn’t see anything even when he used Mana Sense.

“What is it? Another monster?” He turned back to Nyles, but they seemed to have calmed down.

“No, I’m sorry. I thought I saw something, but it turned out to be nothing.”

The fact that he was nervously trying to avoid eye contact didn’t escape Trevor’s perception. He couldn’t quite tell if they were lying or not, but Trevor started becoming suspicious of the otter himself. Though, he wouldn’t put pressure on his potential acquaintance, at least for now.

“Hah, maybe your past as a spoiled brat is finally catching up to you.” Culon insensitively spoke.

“I am not spoiled!”

“But you admit to being a brat?” the wolfkin snickered.

“By Baz’s mighty boughs!” Nyles exclaimed amusedly.

That small exchange released some of the tension in both Trevor and Nyles, and they were both smiling. He shouldn’t let paranoia get the best of himself. Sure, Trevor will keep a close eye on the otterkin, but they were one of the people that saved his life.

Eventually, all of the teeth were gathered and Trevor even got the Ember-Root’s tail as a souvenir. By the end, he also got the Monster Harvesting Skill added to his list.

Xarda asked him if he wanted to go collect what little belongings Trevor still had, but he replied saying that the only things to get were his food supplies and some possible wolf pelts. Still, the Demi-Wyrm insisted on going there to get them anyway. Trevor couldn’t think of any way to argue against it, so he agreed and led the way to his former camp.

It took a little longer to get there since he was guiding three extra people using the long way instead of just using Forest Pathfinder to skip through the path. They all bore witness to the carnage that Trevor had done in his fight against the wolves. One of the bodies was missing, however, some drag marks and paw prints revealed that another animal had probably absconded with it.

“Did you kill them all by yourself?” Culon asked.

“Sure did. They might have been starved to the verge of death, but they put up a good fight.” The wolfkin stared at Trevor for a moment, making him feel uncomfortable under their deep gaze, before nodding in seemingly respect at him.

“You are a fairly strong warrior, more than what your level suggests. Any chief would be glad to have you under them.”

“Uh, thank you?”

Culon smiled, showing the sharp teeth beneath his muzzle, and went to help inspect and skin the dead wolves. According to them, the ones Trevor used his claws would have their value decreased once sold, but not by much. What was really the problem was that the quality of the fur was already diminished due to their continued starvation.

“That monster really did a number on ‘em.” Xarda said.

“How did ye figure that out, now?” he asked, curious.

“‘Cause the Hunter’s Guild outpost in Vahatengar put up a notice about the beast and its subordinates a while ago. Didn’t ye read it before coming out here?”

Trevor didn’t have a good answer for that, the only one he came up with making him look ignorant and stupid. Well, desperate times.

“Sorry, I must’ve missed it. I don’t check the notices very often.”

“But it’s common knowledge to check the notices every day.” Culon tersely replied.

Trevor made a point not to make eye contact with the Wolfkin, or any of the others around him. He worried that doing so would reveal himself and his dishonesty.

They worked in silence for the rest of the time of skinning and gathering the pelts. Trevor realized that neither of the beastkin among the group seemed adverse or disgusted by the task they were doing. He guessed that beastkin don’t see anything wrong with killing and taking apart their more feral and animalistic counterparts.

Eventually, they were all done and had the skinned pelts wrapped up and carried by both Xarda and Culon. Trevor carried a few himself, just to ease their load. They had him and Nyles take the lead in traveling to their camp. While the Otterkin was mainly the one leading and focusing on the path, Trevor caught glances from Nyles towards himself. He also felt two pairs of eyes staring at him, more specifically at his neck. He turned around to ask what it was about him that had the others so interested, but Xarda beat him to it.

“Kid, I see that look and I need ta stop ya there. I wanted ta do this at our camp, but now’s a good time as well to ask. Who are ya really, where are ya from, and why do ya have a champion’s mark on the back of yer neck?”