Then I leave the inn and walk towards the west gate, however I get stopped before I reach the gate. The person who stops me looks like a typical street kid, but it is his smell that makes me stop. Even in human form I have a very strong sense of smell and I can smell that this kid isn't a human.

Kid says "You look different, but you smell like the elf who visited the noble district last night!"

I quickly look around and make sure that there is no one close enough to have overheard. Then I motion the kid to follow me and head into the closest alley.

"Yeah, I am. What is it to you?"

Kid says "I know where you can find more elves! At least ten!"

"It isn't safe to talk here. Follow me out of the city."

Kid says "Sure!"

With the kid following me I head to the city gate, the guards give us some odd looks but don't stop us. We walk until the city is out of sight and then I leave the road and enter a forest. I walk until I find a clearing that is well away from the road and then drop shapeshift.

Kid says "Oh, wow! Please don't eat me!"

"I'm not going to eat you. Now it's your turn, I know you aren't human."

Kid says "Aw! What gave me away?"

"Your scent. Under all the dirt you still smell like a beast, not a human."

The kid smiles and then his form melts and shifts into what looks halfway between a bear and a wolf. He isn't all that big, meaning he probably is a kid, but even small he doesn't look weak. His head looks like a wolf's, but the body is bulkier and the claws are too big.

"Is this your natural form? Can you still speak in this form?"

Kid says "Yes it is. And yes I can. I just have to be careful not to bite my tongue!"

"Alright, tell me about the elves. Also, what is in it for you? I doubt you approached me out of the good of your heart."

Kid says "There is a large bandit group in the mountains. They have hit several convoys that were carrying elves. As for what is in it for me, I want you to save my sister!"

"Your sister, huh? Why not handle it yourself? You look capable of dealing with a few humans!"

Kid says "A few yes, a couple of hundred no! Not to mention if I attack openly they will kill my sister immediately!"

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"Meaning that they know what your sister is? Is she being held in human form or beast form?"

Kid says "What does that matter?"

"Well, for one thing if she is a beast I need to look for a cage, if she is human she could be anywhere. Not to mention that if she is in human form how will I recognize her?"

Kid says "Oh, right! Sorry, I am too worried, I am not thinking properly! To answer your question my sister was captured in human form. Unfortunately, during our attempt to escape the bandits saw us transform so they know we aren't humans."

"That is actually a good thing. It means the bandits will know she is valuable and treat her better. So, where are these bandits?"

Kid says "They are in the mountains west of here. It is a couple of days walk. They have taken over an old fortress in a canyon, it is very hard to approach. That is the main reason they haven't been wiped out!"

"That won't be a problem! Oh, you aren't afraid of heights are you?"

Kid says "No, not that I know of. Why?"

"Because we are going to fly. Switch back to your human form and get on my back. Oh, by the way my name is Ash, what's yours?"

Keeble says "My name is Keeble and my sister's name is Neesha."

Keeble returns to his human form and climbs onto my back, but he looks really nervous. He almost falls off when I take off, but barely manages to catch himself. He clings to me for dear life until I gain altitude and level off, then he starts enjoying it.

Flying it only takes us two hours to reach the mountains, it isn't the way I planned on going but it isn't too far off. Once we reach the mountains Keeble starts directing me until we arrive above the canyon the fortress is in. I can easily see why it would be impossible to attack the bandits from ground level.

The canyon itself isn't too deep, but it is surrounded by sheer cliffs that would be almost impossible to scale. The fortress is carved into the rock of the back of the canyon and there is a defensive wall at the opening of the canyon. To try and take the fortress by force you would need a least twenty times the number of the bandits.

Even with overwhelming numbers the casualties you would take would be horrible. Unless the bandits kidnap a princess or something I don't see anyone being willing to spend the manpower. However, the fact that I can fly makes all of the fortress' defenses completely useless.

The bandits seem overconfident, there are no lookouts on the cliffs above the fortress. Before landing I scan for magical wards and traps, but I don't find any. So I land above the fortress and start scanning it with my mana to see what I am up against.

"What does your sister look like in her human form?"

As Keeble climbs down he describes his sister, who I quickly locate with my mana. Aside from her I also find fifteen elven women and about fifty human women that also seem to be prisoners. The elves don't look to have been abused, probably because of their value.

The human women aren't so lucky, they have obviously been heavily abused. There are no male prisoners that I can see, all the men in the fortress seem to be bandits. There are a little over two hundred bandits, plus any that are out scouting or raiding.

"I found her, it looks like the bandit leader is using her as a personal servant. She has a few minor bruises, nothing serious."

Keeble says "That is a relief! So, what's the plan?"

"We are going to wait for nightfall and then I am going to sneak in and kill them all."

Keeble says "What about me? What can I do? I want to help save Neesha!"

"That depends, how sneaky are you? Can you keep your cool and stay focused?"

Keeble says "In my natural form I am very sneaky! As long as my sister is safe, yes I can stay cool."

"Alright. I plan to kill all the bandits, but the first priority is getting the elves and your sister out."

Keeble says "My sister can fight better than I can, but protecting the elves might get difficult."

"It won't be an issue. As soon as they are freed I can send them directly to our ship."