Lily was walking at a leisurely pace on her way to the village of Naly, humming to herself, when a scream from the nearby forest ripped her from her thoughts. The sound was like a siren's call, a stark contrast to the peaceful tune of the early evening. Her steps quickened, curiosity and a hint of excitement coloring her features as she followed the sound until it grew louder, the echoes of fear and pain growing clearer.

The sight that greeted her was one of chaos. On one side, an Empire soldier, his armor marred by the signs of battle, his hand pressed against a gushing wound in his shoulder, his eyes wild with terror. Behind him, a young woman with a baby clutched to her chest, her eyes wide with horror. On the other side, a wolfkin girl, no older than Lily, with blood-red fur and eyes that burned with a fiery rage that seemed to consume her very soul.

The air was thick with the scent of fear and anger. Lily approached them casually, her hand resting on the hilt of her new black katana. "So, what's the ruckus about?" she inquired, her tone as light as if she were asking about the weather.

The soldier was the first to react, noticing the blade at her side, "This rabid animal attacked me and my family, as a citizen of the Empire it is your duty to help me put it down."

Lily turned to the wolf girl, raising an eyebrow, and asked, "You are pretty brave, attacking an Imperial soldier, what made you this angry?"

The girl's growl grew deeper, "This pig killed my mother and father, took their tails for his whore of a wife's vanity. I want their blood for that." Her voice was a mix of grief and vengeance. The soldier's sneer grew uglier, spitting out insults and threats.

"They should be honored that some part of their filthy bodies are even allowed to touch my wife's body," the soldier yelled back.

Ignoring the soldier's outburst, Lily turned her attention to the wolfkin girl, her silver eyes gleaming with interest. "If you manage to kill these people, what are your plans after that?"

The girl's rage-filled gaze flickered between Lily and her prey. "To kill as many Empire bastards as possible," she spat, "until their fucking Empire is drowning in blood."

Lily felt a warmth spread through her, a kinship with this beastkin's thirst for vengeance. "I like that answer," she said, her voice a purr of approval. "The madness in your eyes is beautiful." Before anyone could react, she had drawn her sword, the blade glinting in the moonlight as it sliced through the soldier's waist. His scream was cut off as his torso fell to the ground, his legs collapsing beneath him.

The human woman, now widowed and childless, cowered on the ground, her screams echoing through the night. The wolfkin girl stared at Lily as if she had gone mad.

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"Go on," Lily urged, her voice as cold and sharp as the steel of her black katana. "You wanted to kill them, didn't you?" Luna nodded, her eyes never leaving the trembling human woman and her now-silent child. "So do it," Lily said, flicking the blood from her blade before sheathing it with a metallic whisper.

"Why would a human help a Beastkin?" the girl asked as she walked towards the woman and her child.

"Who said I was a human?" asked Lily as she dropped her disguise, revealing her fox ears and nine tails, swaying proudly behind her.

The wolfkin girl's eyes widened in shock as she dropped to one knee and bowed to Lily, "Please forgive my rudeness mistress, I had no idea you were someone so powerful. My name is Luna and I am from the Wolfkin tribe."

Lily placed her index finger under Luna's chin, gently tilting the girl's head upward. Their gazes met, the silver of Lily's eyes piercing the red-hot fury of Luna's. "Please stand," she said calmly, "you may call me Lily. But first," she continued, gesturing to the trembling humans, "you must take care of this…waste."

"As you wish, Mistress Lily!" Luna's voice was filled with a fervent loyalty that sent a thrill down Lily's spine. She watched with a detached fascination as the wolfkin girl stalked towards the terrified humans. In one swift motion, Luna's claws shot out and sliced through the woman's throat. A geyser of blood spurted out, staining the leaves and moonlit earth crimson. The baby's cries were abruptly silenced as the same claws pierced its tender skull, the lifeblood of innocence mingled with the earth.

Flicking the gore from her claws, Luna approached Lily, standing tall and proud of her grisly task. Her heart thundered in her chest, not from the recent battle, but from the presence of this powerful Foxkin. Lily's touch was gentle, yet commanding, as she cupped Luna's chin, forcing her to meet those piercing gray eyes. "You have potential," she murmured, her voice a siren's call that resonated in Luna's soul. "Come with me, and together we will bring terror and despair to all who oppose us."

Luna couldn't help herself but shiver and blush at the attention, she couldn't tear her eyes away from Lily's and just nodded. The power in Lily's gaze was intoxicating, a blend of darkness and beauty that spoke of a world far beyond Luna's vengeful existence. She felt a strange warmth in her chest, a feeling she hadn't experienced since her family's brutal murder. It was a warmth that promised protection and purpose, something she hadn't had since her world had been shattered.

With a flick of her hand, Lily incinerated the bodies, the flames licking at the night sky as the evidence of the grim scene was reduced to ash. The warmth of the fire washed over Luna, mixing with the heat of her admiration for the powerful Foxkin. The smell of burning flesh and hair was a gruesome reminder of the fate that had met the imperial soldier and his family. Yet, in the face of Lily's cold command, she felt oddly at peace.

The spell that followed was swift and silent. A wave of magic rippled over Luna, and her wolf ears and tails vanished into thin air. The same was done to Lily, her own disguise restored. The two of them looked at each other, now both appearing as human as the poor souls they had just dispatched. It was a necessary deception, one that would allow them to blend in with the townsfolk and further their cause.

They left the forest behind, the moonlit path leading them to the dusty road that stretched out before them like a serpent coiled around the neck of the land. Two days they traveled, side by side. The road was mostly empty, the occasional merchant or traveler giving them a wide berth when they saw the cold glint in Lily's eyes and the unyielding stance of Luna at her side.