Soren Flameshadow folded his arms and stuck out his jaw, quite certain that Lady Nyota Green would flay him alive if she could see through his eyes. Not ten feet in front of him, Nora sat atop the largest puppy from the first litter of Greenwood-born hellhounds; purring. As if her perch on its back was warm and cuddly! And not terrifyingly close to the fang filled maw of an undomesticated monster.

Nora kicked her heels into the hellhound’s sides, just as you might prod a horse. In way of response, the crossbred hound twisted its maw around, bringing the four inch long fangs within inches of Nora’s ears.

And gave her a good lick.

“Aaahhahaha! Fluffy! Stoppit!” Cried Nora, swatting the hellhound’s muzzle away. “Geddyup!”

At her command the hellhound stood, trotting away through the warehouse, dodging flayed mermaid tails and stepping on a few of its siblings. Which were far smaller, since Soren had managed to cross breed the hellhounds with a pair of golden furred wolfhounds the mayor had acquired before his -timely- demise. The lucky bastard never knew Sintra was in danger, nor did he survive to see his corruption discovered. Unlike his dogs, who were long haired variants, blond, and entirely too friendly, utterly useless for hunting of any kind. A trait of demurity that made them an excellent counterbalance to the hellhounds. Though crossing a glorified golden retriever with a hellhound had truly confounding results. Some of the progeny seemed to be hellhounds in the size of a golden retriever, vicious, untamable, and entirely impotent. While others, like ‘Fluffy’ seemed to be hellhounds in form but with the mind of a retriever, ever subservient and loyal.

Still, the literal flames dancing around Nora made Soren sweat bullets. It would take a half second and the hellhound could turn the young eclispiarch into a memory of smoke and ashes.

“Lady Nora, please! Don’t wander too far away.” Called Soren, chasing after the catgirl.

His action was innocent, but misunderstood by puppies who took it as the beginning of a hunt. Which started a game of chase-the-tail amongst the hellhound-puppy hybrids. Golden midgets hounded Fluffy, nipping at his tail. He answered their challenges by dancing around them, stepping on them, and even going so far as to body check his siblings as they frolicked through the converted warehouse. Once upon a time this warehouse had acted as a place to store Petra’s excess harvest while ships were contracted to take it south, now it had been reinforced by earth magi and held a dozen cisterns, providing the hellhounds a rocky home with enough water to quench the wolves a dozen times over.

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Fluffy ducked and bodychecked a hybrid, sending the golden furred-wolf-horse rolling. And accidentally knocking Nora free of his back, she tumbled through the air, tail helicoptering in a furious attempt to regain her balance. A feat she was largely successful in achieving, landing on her right hand and foot–

–Amidst a dozen hellhound puppies. They immediately set upon her, nipping and licking. Which should have been an enviable position, had they been smaller than horses. A nip from one of those brutes could disembowel a cow or behead an armored knight, and Nora was slight of frame. Stunted in height after a childhood spent eating scraps in Blackwood Castle.

Soren nearly shat himself as she fell, instantly channelling his mana and raising his staff towards the beasts. Flames were torn from the hellhounds as only an aspiring grandmaster of fire could. Immediately stealing their light, and absorbing their energy. Half the hounds collapsed, all energy stolen. Even Fluffy’s flames were gone, though he alone bore fangs at Soren.

“Nora! Nora where are you?!” Shouted Soren, pushing through the golden-hellhounds to reach her, already gathering the mana to shield her from harm.

“Why are you so loud? We were just playing.” Said Nora.

Soren hurdled over the last hellhound, sliding over its back to find Nora safe and sound, standing tall between Fluffy’s legs.

“Are you alright?” Asked Soren, stopping just outside of Fluffy’s reach.

The hellhound hybrid was the best mannered of the bunch, but Soren had watched his mother eat more than a dozen humans, each on a separate occasion. He would not be taking any chances with Fluffy. Flames or not.

Nora wrapped her arms around Fluffy’s forelimb, clinging to him tightly.

“Fluffy made sure I didn’t get squished into jelly!” She exclaimed, tail flicking in a pleased motion. “Good Boy Fluffy!” She added.

Thump thump thump, Fluffy’s tail pounded against the stone floor, reminding Soren that his wagging could knock over a fully grown man.

“Nora please be careful! These are hellhounds, we are training them to fight a war. You must take care of yourself. What would Nyota say if something happened to you? How would she feel?” Said Soren, not expecting an answer.

Nora’s tail slumped, her ears, folding in shame. “I’m sorry uncle Soren.” She muttered.

Her contrition made Fluffy rest his head on her shoulder, tucking his own ears.

“Ugh, what am I going to do with you?” Groaned Soren, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Give us lots of headpats?” Nora asked.

Her quip got a snort from Soren, and he shook his head. “Fine, you can keep playing with Fluffy. Cmon, I’ll get his mom and we can take them for a ride.”

“Yay!” Shouted Nora, clamoring onto Fluffy’s back and wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug.