“I wouldn’t say it was a curse.” Lillianne replied with amusement. “And I wasn’t the one who actually named you. Pretty sure your soldiers were the ones who had given you that nickname. I just happened to be the one who overheard it and published it. Not my fault it’s so apt.”

“I still blame you, since the name in the paper now follows me everywhere. Everyone knows it, and I have to force them to call me by anything else.” I replied stubbornly, leading the small little group into my room. “Those damn dime store novels by your sister just made it worse, since now even kids who don’t read papers know to call me that, instead of my name.”

“Oh blah blah, you big baby.” She smiled at me genuinely even as she made fun of me. “You’re just mad that random strangers know who you are on sight, and you don’t like dealing with them.”

“I’m a very private person.” I replied sarcastically haughtily, finding myself adopting a playful banter with her despite myself.

“Ah, I knew I would like you.” Maggie cut in, strolling up to stand next to her, her white fur catching the light in small little sparkles. “It’s a pleasure to meet the woman who made the grouchy man over there so famous.”

“Hell Cat Maggie, as I live and breathe,” Lillianne replied, standing to shake her hand, with its blood, claws and all. “I’ve heard and read about you, but it is a pleasure to meet you at last. I just can’t wait to hear why one legend is now following another around.”

“It’s more interesting to travel with him, I think.” Maggie replied with a shrug and mischievous smile. “And he and my dear friend Ornie are getting along so well, and have that big venture to see through. So, of course I’ll need to be here to keep her on task, and not get distracted.”

“Ornie?” I asked, blinking at her.

“Call her that, and see just how red she turns.” Maggie laughed, glancing at me. “I’ll bet she gets her face to outdo her hair.”

Despite everything, I actually chuckled at the image, as did the little mouse family in my hat. That got Lillianne’s attention, and just like that she was entranced. I’d seen that look on her face before, and knew what was coming.

Then I blinked as a sudden thought struck me, and I actually smiled.

“Who, and what, are they?” She asked, staring at my hat. “What have I missed this morning? I’ve heard of some, but I wasn’t sure even you could get into an open gun battle in the streets of New York on your second day in the city.”

“Oh that and more.” Maggie laughed as I moved forward and carefully sat my hat down on the writing desk between the two women.

“I should be shocked, but I’m not.” Lillianne laughed, looking from the mouse family to the cat beastkin woman. “Tell me everything!”

“I went down the street with some of the boys to pick up some equipment that Orna needs for her big fair.” I replied, smiling at being as deliberately vague and plain as possible. “Some fellows objected to it, and whole bunch of disagreements followed, and I made some new friends along the way to getting the equipment back here for her.”

She glared at me, her cheeks practically puffing out with irritation as I suspected it took all her effort to not stamp her foot like a child in frustration. I had to admit, a part of me loved getting a rise out of her.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Maggie just started giggling, as the poor mouse family watched with rapt, and confused, fascination.

“Then a bunch of your coworkers ambushed us out front here and asked the dumbest, and most bizarre questions as we unloaded everything and got back inside.” I shrugged, grinning at her annoyance. “The end.”

“What questions?” Lillianne asked, giving me a strange look. “You’ve dealt with the press and journalists before, back during the war and after. What did they ask that you found so bizarre? I mean granted, I probably know plenty of them, and many of them can be dumber than bricks, but still.”

I frowned as I recalled the line of questions that had seemed the most strange. “Something that must be a city thing. Something about ‘Maggie and Orna joining my stable,’ whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean.”

I shrugged and shook the memory off as I stepped away from them. I noted the surprised looks on their faces, and how Maggie seemed to be blushing while Lillianne seemed to almost be jealous, and decided I needed to escape all the quicker. Whatever those questions had been about must have been a local city thing that I wanted nothing to do with.

“If you want to know more, you should just ask the smart ass cat woman here, and the very polite and honorable little mouse family, who I am personally responsible for.” I looked Lillianne in the eyes as I said the last bit. “So play nice with them, Lilly. Now, you ladies and fine mouse-tailed folk have fun! I’m off to get a damn bath, nice and quiet and alone!”

Maggie actually laughed at the last part for some reason, as I grabbed some spare clothes and strode out of that room as fast as I possibly could. I noticed Lillianne alternated between glaring at me and turning professionally curious eyes to Maggie and the mouse family, who looked both intrigued, and more than a little apprehensive. She just couldn’t help herself, now that there was something so new and juicy being dangled in front of her.

But I knew she would get back at me in print for it. Still, only a few more days and then I was on the flying metal ship to lands faraway so I didn’t really care. Once I was gone, she’d go back to taking on corrupt politicians or union bosses or just plain bosses, and would forget about me.

Probably.

“Maggie, no exaggerating the stories!” I called out as I headed out the door. “Same to you Phillip!”

“Yes Mister Ranger!” Phillip called back.

“They can talk?!” Lillianne shrieked in hungry excitement, causing Maggie to burst out laughing while I closed the door, and all but ran away with a shudder.

I knew I’d probably pay for leaving them all alone together with yet another damn dime store novel of heroism and daring do nonsense, but that was a problem for later.

Right now, I needed a bath, some food, and some rest. I grabbed a bellhop and had them take me to Orna’s rooms, figuring I could use one of them for what I wanted for a few hours. I was dead set on a soak and some rest.

In short order, they had one of the many rooms reserved for Orna turned over to me for use, and had a nice warm bath drawn up for me.

Modern hotels with running water really were impressive.

As I soaked my very tired and sore body, I had to time to process everything that had happened today, and it was barely noon!

The fighting, the dying, the killing, the blood, and the screaming.

Honestly, the screams of those poor women transformed into mouse beastkin women would probably haunt my dreams for a long while.

Just one more claw in the nightmares that occasionally showed up to say hello. The worst nightmares were about the giants, or the furwraiths at that frozen mountain cave.

I’d faced down many monsters before and since, both human and otherwise, but those two fights tended to stick out as the most terrifying. In my nightmares, whenever they actually showed up, those two were the most common participants.

With a sigh of pleasure from my relaxing muscles, I dunked myself into the tub for a short count, before coming back up with a small smile. I’d always enjoyed that as a kid, and it helped to quiet everything down.

“All this just to find home again.” I sighed as I slowly stretched and soaked.

“Did you lose your home?” A soft, feminine voice asked behind me.

I started and whirled around in surprise, well, as best I could in a copper tub, to find Orna standing behind me!

She smiled impishly as she looked at me with hunger in her eyes.

“Mind if I join you?”