Yuki’s feet slapped hard against the dirt. Her breath came fast and ragged. Her eyes watered and stung from what was either her own hair or a flying bug. On her arms, Whisker squealed in panic, bucking, clawing, biting, and trying to flee. If she survived the day, she’d make sure to exterminate every single snakepard. It would be her new life goal. Bee ran just a few meters ahead, the freckled girl not that much faster than Yuki despite her longer limbs.

From behind, the monster growled again, its bulky body crunching leaves and snapping branches.

Bee jolted at the sound, yelled, and ran faster. Yuki drew more frantic breaths, clutching the panicked Whisker against herself. She felt the sting of claws and bites, but she wouldn’t let go.

Yuki burst from the shallow line of vegetation into the cobblestone street. The round stones did not feel any better to her unprotected feet. Without stopping, she turned and ran toward the town center.

An old woman perched on her window, people watching, grumbled at their passage, baleful eyes following the girl’s run. A horse pulling a carriage coming down from the road whinnied, bucking and kicking while the girls ran by. A merchant cursed, and some passersby stopped to watch the commotion.

The snakepard burst from the shallow vegetation and into the road; all hell broke loose.

The old hag gasped, baleful eyes turning inside her head and collapsing from her window, fainted with fright. The horse bucked harder, the leather support tying it to the cart snapped, and the horse bolted off in a panic. The merchant cursed until he saw the monster, he ran after his horse still cursing, leaving the cart behind. Passersby gasped, screamed, yelled, and pissed themselves. Some fainted, others ran, and some others stood frozen with fright.

The hissing of serpents spurred Yuki's mad run. A not-inconsiderable part of her mind felt relieved that there were now more targets for the monster. Another part called her evil, and yet another demanded she shut up and keep running. She wasn’t losing another sister to the beast.

Up ahead, Yuki saw the fleeing back of a guardsman, and standing by the road, mouth open, was Jenny in her bulkier form. In what seemed like a blink, she was upon the woman.

“Run!” Yuki yelled. Her feet and legs hurt, and she didn’t think she could run for much longer. She thrusted the rabbit at Jenny. With her sister safe, Yuki could release the transformation and flee in her smaller, faster body.

Jenny didn’t take Whisker. She bodily grabbed Yuki with one arm—pressing Yuki against Whisker and Whisker against her chest, the metal spear pressed over both—and with another hand, she grabbed Bee’s arm. Jenny spun around, running away from the monster, carrying Yuki and dragging Bee along.

Hisses and growls and yells of pain sounded behind. Yuki closed her eyes, pressing her head against Jenny’s neck. She was alive. Whisker was alive.

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“Move! Move!” Jenny growled, pushing past stunned people and busybodies trying to see what the commotion was about. That continued for seconds which felt like minutes, and Yuki wasn’t in the right frame of mind to think about it.

A jolt of impact and the thunk of wood startled Yuki into paying attention to her surroundings again. Jenny dragged a panting Bee through the inn’s door she’d just kicked open. Once they were inside, she whirled, still holding Yuki in her arm, and threw herself against the door, closing it.

The old matron innkeeper walked out from the kitchen, a scowl on her wizened face. “What are—”

“Bar the windows!” Jenny yelled. “Shadow Stalkers on the street!”

There was a moment of silence. Some of the patrons stood frozen at her declaration. The matron opened her mouth and then closed it with a click. Then, like a whirlwind, everyone reacted at the same time. One serving girl gasped and ran toward a door that led to who knows where. The matron cursed and ran back into the kitchen. Some of the men who were eating a late breakfast launched themselves at the windows in the room.

Jenny placed Yuki down. She used the metal weapon in place of wood to bar the door. Thankfully, by now, Whisker had calmed down, resting quietly in Yuki’s arms.

A flood of relief and gratitude filled Yuki. She launched herself at Jenny, hugging the woman’s waist. “Thank you.” Now they were safe, Yuki realized two things. She hadn’t been afraid of the snakepard, or at least not scared of the monster itself. She had been frightened the beast would kill yet another sister. More than that, her desperation seemed too abrupt. It had that same feeling of being amplified by something else, like when she thought about Ferdinand. Was the system messing with her head again?

“Are you hurt?”

Yuki shook her head, still hugging Jenny. “No.” She would examine her feelings and emotions more carefully after they settled down. She could also ask Jenny if she felt something similar. Yuki moved her head to watch the rest of the room.

The bigger woman turned to Bee, who was still shaking, tears on her face and snot running from her nose. “Isa— Are you hurt?” She asked in the local language.

Bee jumped, looking at Jenny. The girl blinked, looking at Yuki hugging Jenny, the inn, and Jenny. “Jen—” she started before slapping her mouth shut with both hands.

Some of the inn customers had approached, looking at Jenny. Others started talking among themselves. Despite all the urgency and momentary fear, most seemed resigned instead of truly afraid of the monster. The matron joined soon after, looking at the barred door, her face severe. “Another attack?” The matron looked at the two girls, and her face softened. “Are they alright?”

Jenny nodded. “Think so. I apologize for the trouble and for bringing them without asking first. I didn’t want to leave them for the lurker.”

The matron scoffed and waved dismissively. “I’d be mad if you left them outside.” She eyed Bee up and down. “You,” she said, pointing at Bee, “need to eat.”

Jenny nodded, looking at Bee, who shrunk beneath the twin gazes bearing down on her.

“Could I trouble you to prepare food for both girls? I’ll pay for it.” Jenny asked, motioning to Yuki and Bee with her head. “I’ll take them to my room upstairs and make sure they don’t trouble your customers until I can take them outside to find their families.”

“Of course,” the woman said, looking at the customers around her. Some patrons had sat again, while others still stood together, talking and muttering. She turned on her heels and walked towards the kitchen again. Given how calm everyone was, Yuki guessed this wasn’t the first time something like that had happened.

Jenny nodded, then led Yuki and Bee upstairs. The trio and a rabbit silently walked until they crossed the bedroom door. When the door clicked open, three voices sounded at the same time.

“Jenny!” Bee squealed.

“Isabella, what are you doing here?” Jenny asked.

“Jenny, I think Bee can help us,” Yuki said.

The three stopped, looking at each other. Whisker yawned, and the girls burst out giggling.