The afternoon sun filtered through the small windows of the cottage, casting a warm glow inside. Raphael sat quietly on a wooden stool, his eyes fixed on the floor, while Elara, standing across from him, studied him with curious concern. She wondered why he never spoke, why he always seemed so distant and guarded. Just as she was about to say something, hoping to break the silence, the door creaked open.

A man with a stocky build and a scar running down his cheek stepped inside. His appearance was rough, typical of the thugs in the area. He wore a simple leather vest over a grimy shirt, paired with tattered trousers and worn boots. A dagger hung from his belt, completing the look of someone who was no stranger to trouble.

"Elara!" the man called out cheerfully, a broad smile spreading across his face as he noticed her. Both Raphael and Elara turned to look at him. The man, seemingly oblivious to Raphael's presence, focused on Elara. "Why haven't you accepted my feelings yet?" he asked with a playful tone, his eyes sparkling with hope.

Elara rolled her eyes and replied sarcastically, "I don’t date thugs." Her words struck the man like a blow, his smile faltering as he forced a nervous chuckle.

"Ah, come on, Elara," he muttered, his voice wavering. Then, as he finally noticed Raphael sitting nearby, his eyes widened in surprise. "Well, well, what do we have here?" he asked, approaching Raphael with a curious grin.

Raphael, still seated, didn’t move or react, but his eyes narrowed slightly as the man drew closer. Unseen by the thug, Raphael's fingers subtly transformed, his claws ready to strike. Sensing the danger, Elara quickly intervened.

"Stubby, stop right there!" she ordered, stepping between him and Raphael. Stubby, as the man was known, sighed and halted, his gaze shifting between Elara and the tense-looking boy.

"Alright, alright," Stubby said, raising his hands in surrender. "Hey, kid," he said, addressing Raphael with a softer tone, "I ain’t gonna hurt you, and I’m not gonna force you to like me. But," he added with a grin, rubbing the back of his head, "I hope we can get along."

Raphael didn’t respond, his expression remaining blank. Elara, exasperated, lightly knocked on Raphael's head. "Don’t you have any manners?" she scolded, causing Raphael to touch his head, confused by the gesture.

Stubby laughed, amused by the interaction. Just then, the door burst open again, and another man rushed in, his face pale with urgency. He was dressed similarly to Stubby, though his attire was more worn and dirt-stained, a testament to his hasty travels.

"Stubby, the boss needs you!" the man exclaimed, his breath heavy from running.

"What happened?" Stubby asked, his playful demeanor replaced by concern.

"The Balmount knights are here," the man replied, his voice filled with dread.

Stubby’s face darkened, and he muttered under his breath, "What the hell do those thieving knights want now?" Elara, sensing the tension, whispered, "Something doesn’t feel right."

The scene shifted outside the cottage, not far from where the group stood. Five knights clad in dark armor, devoid of any symbol, stood in formation. Their armor was well-maintained but unadorned, suggesting a more clandestine purpose. Among them was a leader, distinguishable by his thin frame, a curled mustache, and piercing gray eyes that gleamed with a sinister intelligence.

Opposite the knights stood the boss, not particularly a tall figure with his men gathered behind him, their faces twisted with irritation and barely contained anger. The boss’s presence commanded respect, and even though his men were clearly agitated, they waited for his lead.

The leader knight spoke first, his voice dripping with condescension. "We’ve received some news from... sources," he began, his smirk never fading. "There have been some robberies in the area—passersby attacked and their goods stolen. And wouldn’t you know it," he said with a mocking grin, "all accusations lead to you and your men."

He paused, enjoying the rising tension before continuing, "We’ve brought news from the king himself. You and your men are to evacuate these premises by the end of the week."

The boss’s men erupted in anger, their voices overlapping as they protested. "Why do we have to leave when we’ve done nothing wrong?"

As the uproar grew, one of the knights, younger and more hot-headed, stepped forward, his hand reaching for his sword. "You—"

But the leader knight raised a hand, silencing him. He turned back to the boss, his expression one of feigned patience. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

The boss, his face set in a serious expression, met the leader knight’s gaze. "I don’t think me and my men can leave," he said firmly. The leader knight was about to interject when the boss continued, "But we can catch the people responsible for the robberies. Give us a week."

One of the knights scoffed, glaring at the boss. "Who do you think you are to make demands of us?"

The boss’s eyes hardened, his voice cold as he replied, "It’s not a demand. It’s a suggestion."

The knight, unwilling to back down, drew his sword fully, pointing it at the boss. "How dare you look down on me!"

Before things could escalate further, the leader knight shouted, "Are you really pulling out your sword?" The younger knight hesitated, then reluctantly sheathed his weapon, though his eyes still burned with anger.

The leader knight looked back at the boss, his smirk returning. "Alright, we’ll allow it. But remember, if you fail to deliver, the consequences will be severe."

He stepped closer to the boss, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. "If you don’t want any trouble for the girl you consider a daughter, I suggest you stop looking at me with that disgusting face of yours." With that, he threw a punch, striking the boss squarely in the face.

The boss stumbled back, but before his men could react, he raised a hand, stopping them in their tracks. The leader knight chuckled as he stepped back, his men watching intently.

As the knights prepared to leave, the leader caught sight of Elara standing by the cottage, Raphael by her side, with Stubby close by, clenching his fists in frustration. The leader knight’s smirk deepened as he noticed Elara’s nervous gaze. Raphael, sensing the danger, glared at the knight with unyielding intensity.

The leader knight’s voice rang out as he turned to leave, "You have a week to bring us the culprits causing the disturbances in the forest. If you fail... well," he added with a smile, "you’ll face the consequences."

The knights followed their leader, with one of them spitting on the ground in disgust as they passed the boss. Once they were gone, the boss’s men erupted again, their anger boiling over.

"Why do we have to listen to those trashy bastards?" one man shouted. "Why don’t we just kill ‘em?" another added.

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The boss remained silent, deep in thought, as his men’s voices rose around him. Stubby, seeing the chaos brewing, stepped forward, his voice steady. "Think for once! Our boss has been trying so hard for us. We need to trust him."

The boss looked up, his eyes meeting Stubby’s with a grateful nod. He then glanced at Elara, who watched him with a sad expression. Steeling himself, the boss addressed his men with resolve. "We have nothing to worry about. We will not leave our home."

His words had a calming effect, and the men, inspired by his determination, began to cheer and hail their leader. The boss placed a hand on Stubby’s shoulder, his voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you."

Stubby grinned, patting the boss on the back. "I’ve got your back."

The boss laughed, and the tension in the air began to dissipate as the men around him relaxed. Elara, seeing the camaraderie and the light returning to the group, smiled softly. Raphael, though still confused by the events, couldn’t shake the deep distrust he felt towards the leader knight, his instincts warning him that this wasn’t the end of their troubles.

As the knights trudged through the dense forest, the underbrush crunching beneath their boots, one of them couldn't contain his frustration. His face twisted with anger, he spat out, "I can't believe we're giving those disgusting people a chance. They don't deserve it."

The leader of the group, a seasoned knight with a steely gaze, did not turn to face him. His voice remained calm, almost indifferent. "Don't worry. They have no idea they're walking straight to their doom."

Satisfied by his leader's words, the angry knight smirked, the tension in his shoulders easing. The other knights said nothing, their expressions unreadable as they silently followed their leader deeper into the forest, the thick canopy above blocking out the sunlight.

Meanwhile, at the hideout nestled within the heart of the woods, the atmosphere was far from tense. The boss, a skin tanned man with a commanding presence, stood in front of his men, introducing Raphael. Elara and Stubby stood behind him, with Raphael positioned directly in front of the boss.

Raphael remained still, his expression void of emotion. His fox-like features—sharp ears that twitched at the slightest sound and a bushy tail that hung low and unmoving—marked him as a beastboy, a rarity among the group. The men studied him curiously, but the sight of his still tail and twitching ears made them find him more adorable than threatening.

The boss cleared his throat, drawing the attention of his men. "This kid here will be staying with us for a while. He's the silent type, so don’t expect much conversation."

The men, unfazed by Raphael’s silence, began gathering around him, their curiosity piqued. They peppered him with questions, their voices overlapping as they asked him everything from where he was from to what his favorite food was. Raphael’s eyes darted between them, his confusion and tension evident. He wasn’t used to such attention, and it showed.

Elara, noticing Raphael's unease, quickly stepped forward. She gently took his hand, pulling him away from the group. "Give him some time," the boss told his men as Elara led Raphael out of their midst. "The kid will open up to us eventually."

The men nodded in agreement, their boss's words settling any lingering doubts. The boss, sensing the day slipping away, clapped his hands together. "Alright, the day’s wasting away. Why don’t we head down to the waterfall and have some fun? Don’t let those bastard knights ruin our day!"

A cheer erupted from the group, the prospect of a relaxing afternoon lifting their spirits. As they started discussing what they would do at the waterfall, Stubby sidled up to Elara, who was still reassuring Raphael that he had nothing to worry about and that they were his new family.

Stubby, with a sly grin, leaned in closer to Elara and whispered, "I can't wait to see you in the bath."

Elara froze, startled by the audacity of Stubby’s comment. Her face twitched with anger, and before Stubby could react, she delivered a swift punch to his stomach, sending him sprawling to the ground. "Get those thoughts out of your head, or you’ll be seeing stars instead of me," she snapped, her voice laced with irritation.

Raphael, watching the exchange, couldn’t help but smile a little, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. He found Elara's no-nonsense attitude towards Stubby amusing. As she continued to nag at Stubby, warning him to behave himself, the scene shifted to the group arriving at the waterfall.

The sound of rushing water filled the air as the men splashed around, laughing and shouting to one another. They attempted to catch fish with their bare hands, their laughter echoing off the rocks as the slippery creatures darted away. Some of the men took turns diving off the rocks into the pool below, while others floated lazily in the cool water, enjoying the respite from their usual routines.

The boss, too, had joined them in the water, his imposing figure relaxing as he let the current carry him. However, his peace was short-lived as one of the men, pushed by another, accidentally landed on him. The boss spluttered in surprise, his relaxation replaced by irritation.

Realizing they were in trouble, the men who had pushed their comrade into the boss quickly scrambled out of the water, laughing nervously as they ran. The boss, not one to let such antics go unpunished, gave chase, his loud curses and threats ringing through the air as he splashed after them.

Meanwhile, Stubby, ever the opportunist, tried to sidle up to Elara in the water. Each time he got close, however, Elara was quick to shove him away, her patience wearing thin. "Keep your hands to yourself, Stubby, or you’ll regret it," she warned, her tone icy.

Raphael, who had not joined the others in the water, stood on the bank, observing the chaos with a detached interest. He remained still, his sharp ears picking up the sounds of the forest around him. His attention was suddenly caught by the soft rustling of footsteps behind him. Two of the men were sneaking up on him, their intentions clear as they tried to push him into the water.

But Raphael was quicker. Hearing their approach, he sidestepped at the last moment, causing the two men to tumble forward and fall into the water with a loud splash. However, one of them managed to grab hold of Raphael’s tail, yanking him in as well.

Elara, who had been watching the scene unfold, tensed, expecting Raphael to retaliate against the men. But as Raphael resurfaced, water dripping from his hair, he simply looked at the two men who had dragged him in. For a moment, there was silence as everyone waited for his reaction.

Then, to their surprise, Raphael laughed. It was a light, genuine sound that caught the men off guard. They joined in, laughing with relief, and Elara, seeing Raphael’s smile, couldn’t help but smile as well. For the first time in a long while, Raphael felt at peace, surrounded by the warmth of their laughter.

As night fell, the group gathered around a campfire, the flickering flames casting warm light on their faces. They were in high spirits, sharing jokes and stories as they roasted meat over the fire. The boss had retreated to one of the cottages, where he sat with Stubby, the two of them discussing their situation.

Stubby, scratching his head, voiced the question that had been on his mind all day. "Boss, how are we going to catch those robbers in under a week? We’re the only ones who live in this forest."

The boss, leaning back in his chair, sighed. "I’ll think of something. We’ve managed before, haven’t we?" He then shifted the conversation to the new kid. "What do you think of the boy?"

Not wanting to press his boss on the matter, Stubby scratched his head again. "The kid’s opening up, bit by bit. I thought it’d take him a month at least, but he’s coming around faster than I expected."

The boss raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Really? I’m surprised by that. I figured it would take weeks before he’d say a word to anyone."

Stubby chuckled, "Not everyone’s like you, Boss."

The boss narrowed his eyes. "And what’s that supposed to mean?"

Stubby quickly fell silent, not daring to say more. The boss chuckled, shaking his head as he let the matter drop.

Back at the campfire, the men continued to laugh and talk, their voices filling the night air. Elara sat beside Raphael, gently patting his head as the others told him tales of their past adventures. The fire crackled, and the warmth from the flames mixed with the camaraderie among the group.

One of the men suddenly called out, "Hey, what do we call the kid, anyway?"

This sparked an argument among the group, each man shouting out silly names, trying to outdo one another in ridiculousness. Elara watched the chaos unfold, shaking her head with a smile. "They argue about almost anything," she muttered to Raphael.

Raphael, hearing her words, finally spoke up, his voice soft but clear. "Raphael."

Elara turned to him, her eyes widening in surprise. "I thought maybe you couldn’t talk." She smiled warmly at him when he didn’t respond. Standing up, she addressed the group, “His name is Raphael.”

The men stopped their bickering and looked at Raphael, nodding in approval. "Raphael, huh? That’s a good name," one of them said. They began welcoming him one by one, introducing themselves with their names, each with a warm smile.

Raphael listened to them, trying to commit their names to memory. As he did, something caught his eye—a shadowy figure moving at the edge of the firelight. He blinked, standing up in alarm, but when he looked again, the figure was gone.

Elara noticed his sudden movement and asked, “Raphael, is there anything wrong?”

Raphael shook his head and sat back down, though his mind raced with thoughts of what he had just seen. As the others continued to talk and laugh, Raphael couldn’t shake the feeling that something was out there, watching them from the darkness.