"...Don't squeeze her too much," The elf warned Nakatei as she picked up her wounded mistress. "And don't get any ideas about doing anything to her."
Close by, Shiro's forked tail swept the floor as she was rummaging through her and Nakatei's backpacks swapping supplies between them. She was clearly entertained by the elf's constant directives as her ward was uncomfortably fidgeting around having no other choice than to endure it.
"Also, make sure you don't leave your food unattended and don't be fooled by her appearance she will-"
"Okidoki." The shaman stepped to the side as she noticed her guardian was finished packing her backpack and she was eager to get as far as possible from the touchy elf. The elf's permanent frown deepened as she was rudely interrupted. "I will protect her, I too don't want to keep Guardian waiting."
"Here you go." The white nekos helped the fox woman by putting the backpack on her back before stepping slightly in front of the undead elf.
"Bye!" The red dress that the shaman wore fluttered as she spun around. The light of her torch stayed visible for the two remaining women standing at the entrance of the tunnel before it too was swallowed by darkness.
"I didn't tell her about-"
"Come on, don't be like that," Shiro grabbed the elf's shoulder. She was surprisingly strong, even when they fought Iris didn't notice the warrior using that much strength. "They are going to be fine, they'll manage."
"But-"
"Stars above! Calm down, nothing will happen you had already agreed to this."
*Sigh* The elf felt her monstrous strength leave her as she sat down and rested her head in her arms trying to clear her mind. She could sense Shiro silently walking away and doing something to her right leaving her alone with her head filled with thoughts.
Lifting her head, Iris notice that the cave's walls were being painted in an orange light which flickered occasionally. The hum of the rain in the neighbouring cave and the sound of water coming to a boil melded together into a hum which filled most of her mind leaving little room for dark thoughts to sprout.
"Greetings." The undead hoplite said as she approached the nekos drying herself near a fire.
"Hi," Looking up at the tall undead the warrior invited Iris to sit down but she remained standing. "I guess you don't get tired from standing all day, lucky you."
Iris watched the demi-human hold out her hands toward the fire, warming them up before running her warm hands down her tail before doing it again but this time she reached above her head and caressed her ears. The warm feeling must have been delightful as Shiro closed her eyes before letting out a deep purr from deep in her chest. Her body repeated its movements multiple times alternating between her tail and ears.
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"You seem to be thinking about something." Opening one eye the albino beast woman commented as her blood-red eye observed the patiently waiting elf.
"Yes." The risen touched the side of her head where Kia's gift was and nervously licked her lips.
The not-at-all-old warrior watched as the elf's already pale fingers became white as snow as she clutched the finely made handle of her spear.
"It's hard to admit you are weak?" A shameless little grin flashed on Shiro's face.
"How did you know?" The stone mask of the elf cracked a little as her amethyst eyes met Shiro's gaze.
"You look like a pup which is standing in front of her patriarch who had killed a virilisk attacking the village and wants to train with her." Iris didn't know what a virilisk is but she assumed it was some sort of dangerous creature or monster. Also, it struck her as an extremely specific allegory for the nekos to use but she didn't comment on it.
"What is your second class?"
"Nekos." A thin feral smile appeared on Shiro's face drawing the worried elf's attention as it reminded her of a delicate kitten with silky black hair.
Iris didn't like that smile. It was a cruel smile with a desire for mischief hidden just behind its friendly exterior, showing off that the person making the smile knew something she didn't know.
Is that how Kia feels? Iris thought before quickly dismissing it, as she was always careful and gentle with Kia.
Regardless of everything, the strangely knowledgeable demi somehow knew what was troubling her so much. She didn't want to admit that her incredible physical ability granted to her by Kia wasn't enough to protect what was dear to her. Somehow Shiro's words were the final strike of a chisel which caused the stone exterior to fall off as even with her best effort she was too weak to hide her shameful fears deep away from anyone and was read like an open book.
The stoical undead who lacked emotional suppression let her arms fall to her side before she sat down where Shiro had asked her to. Even when she was having to look down to look at the beast woman she felt like their positions were reversed.
"I like to respectfully ask you if you could train me, I would be unimaginably grateful if you would accept me under your tutelage." Iris bent her body a little to the other woman.
"For a moment I thought I would have to be blunter about it," The older woman replied half laughing. "But you know you can drop this accent? I'm not some old elf, I care little about how you speak and you don't have to bow."
"Accent?" The tall risen straightened her back before pointing her finger at herself with a confused look stuck on her face.
"Yeah, the way you speak. You can end with those I respectfully ask blablabla. You get me?"
"That's how I usually speak."
"Really? From where you are, do people speak like that to each other?" Iris tried to remember the time before getting enslaved. Although she rarely interacted with older humans she often overheard them speaking as she did now, alongside her parents speaking to other adults but they did speak slightly differently to her but that was a given as she was just a child. At the same time, the people she met while travelling with Kia felt much ruder to her for not keeping the same etiquette as she did.
"I think so, I wasn't there for a long time."
"I guess I have to endure it." The warrior's tail slithered out of her hand as she stood up.
"Where are we going?"
"Nowhere." Iris followed the nekos who strolled aimlessly forward with her arms behind her.
White hair filled Iris's vision as Shiro turned around in a blink of an eye. "No active abilities." She heard at the same time as she felt something hit her stomach.
Balancing on one leg the nekos hit Iris causing the unprepared undead to lose her balance. Iris quickly rolled to the side and jumped onto her feet, she instantly attacked toward the demi-human.
"Huh?" The tall hoplite stared confused as her claws split the air instead of the white nekos who instead of continuing her attack had stepped backwards. "What was that for?" Remaining on guard at the woman who was almost on the other side of the cave, Iris dusted herself off.
The sound of Shiro's boots hitting the ground filled the cave already drowned in noise as she slowly approached the elf. Unsure of what to do Iris remained still watching Shiro carefully .
Like lightning thundering onto the ground, the nekos unleashed a fury of strikes at Iris who tried her best to defend herself. Letting Shiro's fist hit her face, the elf swung her right fist at her opponent. Ducking under her attack the beast woman punched the risen's stomach.
Feeling her combat precognition finally activating in full Iris struck downwards but found that Shiro had already disengaged and was running away from her. Swiping off a little drop of blood on the corner of her mouth with her forearm before she gave chase.