As we talked the sun began to rise. It was a new day, and though everyone was tired from the lack of sleep, we continued on towards our destination.

There wasn’t as much morale anymore. Everyone was still excited about the prospect of finding loot, and making it rich. However we were tired from the little amount of sleep we had gotten the night before. This caused us to fool around less, and decide to just get to the location. Then fight, find the loot and leave. Afterwards we would be able to do whatever we want, and get as much sleep as we wanted as well.

As we walked, my best friend noticed something. “There seems to be something following us.” He whispered to me. Making sure the newbs didn’t hear.

It made sense for him to not let the others hear. If they had then the newbs would have made a big show out of it, and we would soon be attacked. Just us two had to know, we would definitely be enough to take whoever it was out. If we weren’t then there was nothing our whole group could do.

As we walked and waited for whoever it was to show themselves I thought about how the newbs that were with us would be caught in the trap set by the men in the shadows. I wondered what they would do. Whether they would wait for the group to sleep, or if they would do an open attack during the day in an advantageous position.

As I thought about what would happen, time quickly passed by. And before I knew it, the sky had already begun showing signs of darkness. As the others set up camp, I did my best cooking the meat and other food ingredients. As I cooked, I heard a rustle from the bushes to my right. Then I don’t know why but my hands started moving on their own. When I finished cooking I looked down at what I made.

The top had meat that I somehow cut into perfect circles. It looked like I had used the disgusting meat from the animals the bowman had hunted. Underneath that was some sort of precious milk product. It looked kind of old, but still looked good to eat. There was something red underneath that. Was that the blood of animals? Why would I remove that poison from the animals just to put it on the food. Was I trying to kill my group. Then there was some bread. I don’t know how I got it, and the bread looked amazing. It was bubbly, and thicker than all the other bread I had seen in the time since I had come to the Cloud District.

It was circular and looked to be one of the most amazing foods I have actually cooked. If it was actually edible with the poisonous blood on it. As I was observing the food the group came over. I guess the smell of the unknown food was too irresistible to wait until the setting up of camp was done. After eating, everyone was full. For what I assume to be the first time since coming to the Cloud District. Everyone was always malnourished there, due to lack of food but could not die from it. No matter how much one wanted to. I guess the ‘blood’ I used was not blood. Otherwise everyone would either be lying down sick. Spewing their guts out.

I waited until everyone was finished eating. I did not know if I had poisoned the food on accident. Trying to make something that actually tastes good. However now that everyone is full and done eating they should be throwing up if I actually did poison the food. Now it stands to reason that I actually did not poison the food, and should be able to eat as well. Good thing I made extras. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to eat at all tonight.

I called first watch. Saying that I could do it myself, and that due to me being experienced I would not fall asleep.

As everyone went to bed I stayed up, and secretly took out the other two dishes I had made. One was different from the other. One had no meat on it and the other did. I hadn’t gotten enough meat from the bowman’s hunting to cover the third I made. When I took the dish out though I heard a voice.

“Can you give me some of that pizza?” the voice asked.

I replied “What will you give me for this ‘pizza’?”

“First can I show myself? Without you attacking me?” the voice replied.

“Sure”

As the voice slowly came out of the bushes I first saw that the person was very hairy. Or was that fur? The person must’ve been very small and had a deformed body. The hand only had 4 fingers, or was that a claw?

Then as it came further out of the bushes I could see that it was indeed fur covering the person. What came out next was a short but skinny arm covered in grey fur.

Then came out the other hand and arm, the exact same except for, this time it was a left ‘hand’.

Then came out the head. The nose was extended and black, around that was a white ‘muzzle’ or is that what you call an animals face around the nose?

After having that question pop up in my mind I thought, is this really a person? It is speaking though, so it must be. Afterwards came out the rest of the head. Around the eyes was black fur. Kind of like a mask. Then around that was another layer of white. The top of the head had ears pointed straight up. Not the rounded sort that humans have but the triangular shaped ones that most animals have. Now I was confused. This can’t be a person, it doesn’t have the right face shape.

Then the rest of the body came out. It was about the same as the front. Just the body thickened once it got to the bottom, or is that the back? Anyway, it was near the butt of the ‘thing’.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Then came out the tail. It was a fluffy tail with black and grey stripes.

“What the FUCK are you?” I said louder than I meant to.

“Shhh. I don’t want anyone else to see me. If they do, they will most likely kill me. Due to the fact that I'm a talking animal.” Whispered the ‘thing’.

Once he stopped talking something fell behind the bushes.

“Fuck” said the thing. Due to the fact that the object made a large booming noise.

After the booming noise someone seemed to have woken up. There was a sound coming from one of the tents.

“Hide!” I frantically whispered.

Then the thing ran back into the bushes.

As it ran for the bushes, the tent flaps were pushed to the side.

Out came the mysterious figure in the green robes. It seemed that the figure slept in the robes because when they came out they were fully clothed. Even though I could only hear sounds less than a minute ago. The figure seemed to have been woken up when the object fell and thought there was an attack. They had left the tent hurriedly, bringing with them the staff thing.

“Did you hear anything?” the robed figure asked?

“No, I have not heard anything. Have you?” I replied.

“If I hadn’t heard anything, why would I be getting up?”

“Maybe you had a nightmare? Most people who hide their faces, and change their voices have bad pasts. If they didn’t, why would they hide themselves.”

“WHaT? How did you know I was distorting my voice. I heard that people from the lower middle class couldn’t notice that happening.”

“Well. Have you ever heard of someone changing their voices to sound like the opposite genders, if it wasn’t natural? It’s that feeling. Though most people won’t notice that if someone is skilled at changing their voice. If it’s someone as old as me, they should notice. Especially when they have been cautious around people throughout their whole life.”

“Then you don’t know about people distorting their voices?”

“What do you mean by that, I just told you I’m experienced in the act of changing voices.” I say, with exactly the same voice as the female bowman’s, but without moving my mouth and distorting the sound to come from behind the robed figure.

“WHAT? Someone else is awake, besides us?”

“Are you dumb? I just changed my voice right in front of you to prove that I know about how people can use their voices to hide themselves. And you thought there was someone else here..?”

“How did you do that?”

“What? The changing of my voice? Practice.”

“No, the movement of the sound to make it seem like it came from somewhere else. Was that magic?”

“What do you mean magic. It’s just a normal ability for people who are used to taking hundreds of years to do things.”

“Then that wasn’t magic?”

“Magic is a myth. No matter what anyone tells you about it, don’t believe them. Science is an absolute in this world. All those ‘gods’ everyone talk about, that bring about miracles are just scientists who know more about how the world works than anyone else.”

“THAT’s NOT TRUE. The gods are real, and magic is as well.”

Fuck. The religious people got to this one already…

“Let’s see about that then. In the future are those ‘gods’ going to save you? If they do, then do what you want. Worship an ant for all I care. But go to sleep for now. Didn’t you hear me when I said I wanted to take watch tonight? GO AWAY.”

“Okay. I got it.”

As she leaves I grumble.

Now I’m in a bad mood. I thought tonight would be a good night. The first one that I would neither be grumpy or hungry.

Then I call the ‘animal’ to come out. “Yo animal, you can come back out now. That annoyance went back to bed.”

“Lep, got it.” The ‘thing’ replied. Then left the bushes where it was hiding. “I was saying how I would trade something for the pizza you have.”

“Oh, that’s right. So, what would you trade for this ‘pizza’?”

“I have a few things that I could do. First, I could roll for you. Secondly, I could give you some chocolate. Third, I could give you a mystery stone. Lastly, I could become your pet.”

As the animal talked I thought about what to trade this ‘pizza’ for. Since the little animal is so darn cute, it would be amazing to see this animal roll, but that trade is a trap. If I made the animal my pet I would be able to see the animal roll many times over. Then again. If I make this animal my pet I may not be able to protect it while running from the trap set on our way back from the raiding zone. It would be a shame for an animal as cute as this to die so soon. That means I can cross off the 1st and 4th choices. That leaves the ‘chocolate’ and the mystery stone. Out of the three things I could choose from I don’t know what any are. I just thought that this ‘pizza’ thing must be special, if someone was willing to trade something for it. Now that I know it’s a talking animal wanting to make a trade, I know it must be something even more special. However, if I were to trade this ‘pizza’ that I have in exchange for this ‘chocolate’ thing, I would definitely lose out. Even if this ‘chocolate’ is something physical, it is rated lower than this ‘pizza’ I have. By an animal no less. That leaves only the mysterious rock and the ‘pizza’.

“Can I ask a question first though?” I ask.

“What would you like to ask? The animal replied.

“First, what is this ‘pizza’ thing you are talking about?”

“It is the food you are holding.” The animal replied, seemingly annoyed.

“Can I ask another question?”

“What?” The animal replied, still sounding annoyed.

“What is this ‘mystery rock’ you are talking about?”

“I have no idea? If I did why would I tell you it’s a mystery rock?” The animal sounded really annoyed now.

“If you wanted to scam me, that’s why.”

“That makes sense, but that doesn’t matter. If I wanted to scam you, so what?”

“Thanks.”

So the animal actually seems to know. However, what if he’s trying to trick me into believing he does know. Though this pizza is really good, I have two. Maybe I can trade one for this mystery rock. Then I will be able to have both the rock and the pizza.

“OK, I have made my decision. I have chosen to trade a pizza for your ‘mystery rock’.”

The animal disappeared and after reappearing, it looked like it was dragging something along with it…

Was that a trash can? It looked like the trash cans from the cloud district, just a little more flimsy and made of lighter material.

“Oh, I got it. You are one of those garbage collectors…”

“DON’T call me a garbage collector.”

“Sorry, sorry. Then one of those ‘trash pandas’ I have heard of. I have never seen one before. I didn’t know that they could talk. I only knew that the top brass had it out for you guys. Something about ripping open garbage cans and making a mess of society.”

“I AM A RACCOON… But, that doesn’t matter right now. Let’s get back to business.”

“You’re right, we are just making a trade. There is no reason to attack someone you are trading with.” Well unless you want to be dishonorable and take everything. But that would lead to some pretty bad comebacks in the future. Something about the ‘butterfly effect’ or something.

“Ok then, here is the mystery rock you wanted to trade the pizza for…” The ‘raccoon’ takes out a rock that has a question mark on it from the trashcan and walks over.

“And, here is the pizza you wanted to trade for the mystery rock.” I took the pizza without meat on it and handed it to the ‘raccoon.’

After making the trade, the raccoon ran away. Probably to go and eat the pizza while it was still warm.