As Iris turned around, she took in the sight of her party. Their breaths were ragged and their bodies were streaked with dirt, sweat, and blood, but they were standing. Gryff was supporting Bree, her leg was injured, but she was grinning triumphantly. Kaira, with a few scrapes and bruises, still held her sword firmly, her eyes glowing with the exhilaration of victory.

Around them, the ground was strewn with the lifeless bodies of their adversaries, a somber reminder of the intense battle they had waged. The smell of charred bodies mingled with the scent of the earth and the tang of iron, the odors combining into the distinct smell of a battleground.

Iris turned toward the two sapient animals that had stood by her side. Akane let out a series of barks and yips at Mocha. Who turned and translated.

‘Akane says that we had to do this tonight,’ Mocha nickered. She quickly turned to scowl at the fox before continuing, ‘I didn’t know we came without you knowing, I thought it was planned. But she says the bad men were going to kill the animals. And, we have to hurry, because there should be something here about where the other bad man went.’

Iris took a deep breath and looked around, the sound of the caged animals was still there, but the anger that had filled the night’s air seemed to turn into a tense waiting game. Glinting eyes of the beasts stared at Akane as if waiting for her command, in the distance sounds of the rest of the poachers within the fort sounded.

As her gaze swept the area, she saw the signs of them being watched, but clearly, the poachers were hesitant to attack. No one could have missed that battle, but even if Iris knew there were at least another thirty-plus men remaining, there was no way they were going to win against Iris and the others without magic users of their own.

But at the same time, Iris was exhausted, spent, and from the looks on her party’s faces, they were as well. She knew she didn’t have what it took to continue the fight.

They were in a sort of standoff, but one that favored Iris and the others. Fortunately, they were close to the fort’s command building–they didn’t need to clear the fort, just get the information they needed.

With a shake of her head, Iris turned back to the kitsune. “First, this was a dick move, you could have gotten Mocha hurt. If you’re going to do shit on your own, do it on your own.”

Mocha raised her head, but Iris held up a hand. “That said, we got it done. And honestly, I’m too fucking tired to yell at you right now. We'll talk about it all tomorrow. The three of us. Deal?”

Mocha and Akane both nodded.

Kaira stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Iris. “She’s right. This was dangerous, Akane, but we also cannot let these animals suffer.”

Akane looked around at the various cages and the party before dipping her head slightly, yipping softly to Mocha.

‘She says she’s sorry,’ Mocha nickered. 'I am, too.'

Iris nodded her head. “Thank you. Now, what should we do from here?”

With that, Akane lifted her head and howled, a fierce cry that echoed through the night, before turning and looking at the animals and letting out some barks.

‘She, Laken, and I will free the animals. Please go find out where the other bad man is,’ Mocha translated with a huff.

“Don’t worry about me,” Laken said, the man unable to hide his pleased expression. “I love animals.”

Iris nodded. “Alright. Stay safe,” she said, before turning to the rest of the party. “Let's move.”

They made their way toward the command building, the sound of growls, roars, and the crackling of magic echoing behind them as Akane, Mocha, and Laken began to free the caged creatures. Iris had no doubt that those men left would soon be facing a horde of very angry, very scared animals and she felt no sympathy for them.

As they moved, Iris noticed Bree limping. “Bree, let me see your leg,” she demanded, coming to a halt.

“Iris, I'm fine,” Bree protested, but Iris shook her head, her gaze unyielding.

The Adventurer wasn’t having it.

Crouching down, she examined the gash on Bree’s thigh, muttering a few choice words as she saw how deep it was.

“No arguments, Bree. Use the healing goop,” Iris ordered, her tone brooking no argument. Bree scowled but relented, pulling out a small jar of the shimmering ointment. Iris turned to Gryff, the burly man standing at Bree's side, adding, “Help her and catch up.”

Gryff nodded in agreement, his eyes filled with determination. “Don't worry, we got this. Go.”

Iris and Kaira watched as Bree and Gryff worked together to treat her wound, then without another word, they turned their attention back to the command building. Its stone facade was looming and foreboding, a stark contrast to the chaos and ferocity of the battle that had just transpired at the animal cages.

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Suddenly, roars echoed through the fort followed by the terrified shouts and screams of the remaining poachers.

The animals were enacting their revenge.

Without speaking, Kaira met Iris's gaze, her eyes, always bright and fierce, held an unwavering resolve as she nodded.

Quietly, Iris and Kaira made their way through the building, every creak and echo in the dimly lit stone corridors threatening to betray their presence. Their steps were measured, their gazes focused, and their hands ready to spring into action.

Eventually, they reached a large room. It was markedly different from the other rooms they'd traversed. It was grander and better furnished, the centerpiece being a vast table littered with a myriad of maps and documents. On the table, a map of the surrounding area was laid out, marked with a series of symbols and lines that told a story that Iris couldn’t decipher.

As they began to inspect the map, a whimpering sound pierced the silence. Both women tensed, their eyes locking onto the source of the noise. Kaira's hand instinctively gripped her sword tighter, her muscles coiled like a spring ready to pounce. Iris responded in kind, drawing on the magic that was ever at her disposal.

The sound came from a tall storage cabinet located at the side of the room. Kaira pressed a finger to her lips and gestured at Iris to stay back as she approached the cabinet. Iris nodded and remained silent as the woman quietly moved forward.

The elf positioned herself next to the cabinet, her sword raised high, ready to strike.

Then, in one swift motion, Kaira yanked the cabinet doors open.

A terrified scream echoed within the room, a cry of pure, unadulterated fear.

Kaira didn't hesitate.

She reached in and pulled out the source of the scream–a woman, dressed in the attire of the poachers, an orkun by the looks of her. She looked horrified, her eyes wide with fright.

It wasn't the reaction of someone who was ready for a fight. Rather, it was the reaction of someone who had been hiding, scared, and alone. Iris looked at Kaira, her eyes reflecting the question that was on both of their minds.

What the fuck?

✦ ✦ ✦

Bree and Gryff had soon joined them, and Bree, still wincing with every step, had clearly seen better days, but her healing goop had worked its magic. The sun elf was now walking with considerably more ease than before as she finished lighting a lamp and bringing it over to where the rest of the group stood.

With lamps now illuminating the room, the quartet was able to look over their captured poacher properly. The orkun woman's wide eyes flicked between them, her hands trembling where they were bound in front of her by a coil of rope.

Iris kept her voice even, masking the urgency of the situation with a calm facade. “Tell us what we want to know, and you get to live.”

“W-what do you want to know?” the orkun woman stammered out.

“Where is the Marauder Prince?” Iris asked her directly while attempting to bore into the woman’s soul with her eyes.

The woman trembled, clearly terrified, and whimpered, “I can't tell you. He'll kill me!”

At this, Kaira let out an exasperated sigh. “Would you prefer to definitively die today, or maybe die tomorrow to someone who we are heading to kill?”

The woman seemed defiant, but her courage faltered when a shimmering form of Akane appeared before her right next to Iris. The rest of the group jerked slightly in surprise, but Iris merely scowled as the massive kitsune leaned forward toward the orkun woman.

The large fox stared at her menacingly, growling deeply enough to rattle her bones as the woman started shaking and whimpering even more than before.

“Damn it, Akane, do not terrify the prisoner,” Iris reprimanded, while Bree let out a colorful curse as the woman wet herself from fear.

The sun elf glared at Akane. “Change your form or get out. Now.”

Akane tilted her head quizzically before a dance of mana obfuscated her form as she shimmered and disappeared before transforming into her humanoid appearance.

The kitsune girl with Iris’s appearance stood there with a scowl on her face and her arms crossed over her chest.

Iris let out a long sigh and turned back to the woman who was crying. “Just tell us where he is. You can come with us, and we'll keep you safe.”

The woman's terrified gaze bounced from Iris to Akane to Kaira and Bree. She finally let out a whimper and began to speak, “I only overheard Jonan talking to him... He said he was going after the bird-like Twisted Ones. I don't know where they are.”

Iris cursed under her breath as realization set in. “He's going after the harpies in the Cursed Forest.”

Akane's eyes brightened with recognition, her form shimmering as she prepared to transform. However, Iris was quicker. Seizing her by the shoulder, she pulled the kitsune closer, forcing her to meet her gaze.

“You... you are going to stay right here, by my side, in this form. No more solo fox antics,” Iris cautioned, her words a soft but firm hiss. Glancing briefly at the others, she offered a nod of reassurance. She then refocused her attention on Akane, her gaze intent on the kitsune's mismatched irises. “If I get a scolding for venturing off on my own without assistance, so should you. We're in this together, remember? And I think it's clear that I can hold my own. So, there's absolutely no reason for you to refuse the help we're willing to provide. Understand?”

Akane’s vulpine eyes narrowed as she silently assessed Iris's words. After a moment, she seemed to arrive at a conclusion. With an exaggerated eye roll and a resigned sigh, she finally nodded in agreement.

With the orkun woman in tow, the group exited the command building, immediately halting at the sight that greeted them.

Standing tall was a massive owlbear, with Laken seated proudly on its back, while Mocha stood nearby.

They watched, a mix of shock and amusement crossing their faces as Laken reached forward, patting the colossal creature with a gentleness that belied its fierce reputation. The owlbear closed its eyes and leaned into the Ranger's touch, emitting a low, contented sound that echoed softly in the quiet night.

Laken's grin broadened as he noticed his party's astonished faces. He laughed, his excitement clear as he gestured towards his new companion. “Hey, guys! Look who's decided to join me!”

Iris could only groan.