Congrats! You have Tamed A Milso Mouse!

“Mouse. This is a mouse.”

Well, to be fair, it looked like a mouse. Problem was, it was THE SIZE OF A FREAKIN’ HORSE.

Sakura giggled as Izuku helped her onto a baby Mislo-Mouse. The Guild Master did say they could keep as many as they wanted. They just needed to get them away from the trading post. Wonder hadn’t expected to Tame them that easily… pretty much you just fed them, show you weren’t a danger, and boom, you have a herd of horse-sized mice!

Wonder pet his new horse-mouse, and said, “Rose. I’m gonna be a dummy. When the Ranch is running, we can sell these, right?”

Rose popped up from her own. “Technically, yes. But there’s literally enough for us to have one each and some younglings. I don’t think that’s gonna fly.”

Wonder said, “Fair enough.”

Wonder smiled at Izuku. “Unless Izuku wants us to find an arctic wolf for him?”

Izuku laughed. “Daaaaaad!” He tilted his head like thinking about it, though.

Sakura giggled as she rode by. “Bouncy!”

Wonder chuckled. “Don’t go too far, sweetie.”

Crisis walked by, a few micelings chasing after his feet. Crisis said, “This is the whole herd, sir. I don’t think they could have caused the damage to the ice fields that the Guild Master said they did.”

Wonder nodded. “Agreed. We pretty much have two adults and a bunch of young ones. It’s doable, especially if they were starving, but… I do want to do some investigation just in case.”

There were howls in the distance. The Mislo Mice froze. Izuku perked.

He smiled at Wonder. Wonder laughed. “Yeah, I saw that coming.”

Rose said, “I’ll go with him.”

Wonder said, “Deal. Sakura, honey, wanna help me get the babies into the Dream Ranch?”

That was what Wonder and Rose had agreed to call the Beast Inventory for the kids. Crisis had volunteered, and confirmed that basically inside was a stasis chamber. The few creatures that Wonder had Tamed for practice were sleeping peacefully. He had almost been lulled to sleep himself if Wonder hadn’t pulled him out.

Sakura said, “KK! Can I keep Bouncy out?”

Wonder said, “Sure, sweetie.”

They both soon had the rest of the herd in. Wonder kept Arctic out (original with names, he was not), and soon the two rode after the others.

Izuku was content and happy in his masses of undead white fur. Crisis looked at Wonder. “Your son will either be a lifesaver, or a terror on another world.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Wonder laughed. “The Slender Men shall fear him.”

Rose said, “I am not going to pretend to know what you two are referencing.”

Wonder said, “It’s a long story. Maybe later. So the predators are Tamed… let’s head by the ice fields and see if Crisis can pick up more tracks.”

Crisis nodded. Thanks to his security training, which seemed pretty similar to military training, he was pretty skilled at tracking. He had been a giant boon for this Quest.

With the Milso Mice, they were soon at the ice fields. Wonder was highly impressed by the magic of this world. Either there was giant domes which protected the crops, or there were these alien plants that grew naturally in snow and ice.

Sadly, many domes had been broken into, and crops in and out were badly damaged.

Rose explained to the farmers what was going on. The Knights showed them where they saw tracks. It was strangely only one set.

Wonder shook his head. “Something is not adding up. Crisis, you see anything?”

Crisis said, “Yes. There was a group of people with the herd. Looks to be parents and children.”

Rose suddenly stiffened. “…oh no.”

Wonder said, “Lightwraiths?”

Rose nodded. “Ice Warrior Tribes are beyond rare at the border. But they exist.”

Rose reached up to rub his arm, but then dropped it. Wonder said, “Dear…”

Rose waved it off. “Good news is that they will be unlikely to strike again. Ice Tribes tend to only hit civilian populations when they desperately need to… and they think they can get away with it.”

Wonder sighed. “Let me guess. They see these Milso Mice, then take the opportunity?”

Rose said, “Pretty much. Wonder… let’s go back and report.”

He wants to run away.

Wonder nodded. “Agreed. We got the Beasts we were hired to get, so we can bounce out.”

Sakura suddenly spun. “Daddy…?”

Wonder got the idea. “They came back!”

They all moved with practice and ease. Izuku summoned every wolf in his packs, who were growling and drooling in anticipation. Crisis picked up Sakura, holding his charge close as he got near Izuku. Rose started playing her lute-guitar, boosting them all up. Wonder summoned his bow and aimed.

A giant white wolf went over the hill. Wonder released the arrow the moment he saw a rider. The rider dodged, but Wonder felt the hate surge.

The Knights called a warning as white-fur figures went over the dunes. But the Undead Wolves and bunnies charged first. With howls and roars, the furry wave went as one. The Lightwraiths stood no chance in pure numbers.

Any who smartly got out of the way of the wave ended up falling to Wonder’s arrows. Wonder aimed for non-lethal areas for now. If they were being jerks, they could answer to authorities. But Rose did mention they’d only attack civilians when in need. If they just needed help, they could get help.

The Tribe was wrapped up in only a few minutes. About half turned out to be lunch to Izuku’s wolves and bunnies… well, too late to worry about it.

Wonder noticed Rose being on edge, so he walked over. “Dear…?”

Rose whispered, “Wonder. I was born in an Ice Tribe. I got lucky and they were near the border of the beach, but…”

“You think these guys may be fam? Or, people I should dump in an ice fish hole?”

Rose chuckled. “Wonder… you and the kids are my fam. Whoever they are… I know you have a sense of adoption, but these warriors won’t succumb.”

Wonder said, “Rose, if it’s making you that upset, I vote leave them to the authorities. But there is another point. You said Ice Tribes don’t attack civilians unless they need to, right?”

Rose blinked, seeming to connect. “Right. You think…?”

Wonder said, “Let’s go to the Guild Master. Tell them what we know. Ask for backup so we can investigate whatever is hunting beasts out here.”

Rose nodded. “Agreed.”

A Knight walked up. “Sir…? Wonder, you’re a Tamer, right?”

Wonder looked. “Yes?”

“One of them is challenging you to a Tamer Battle.”