Mikaela It took a while to calm everyone down, and even then I doubt that it would have been possible if not for Bonny’s small size and stature. People had reacted more to the concept of a monster than the creature itself, and when Charlotte tugged her out and began snuggling her in front of everyone it had bled a lot of the fear off… though we still made sure to rush off fairly quickly after, before anyone else could actually put the creature’s self control to the test. “You do realize that more rumors are going to start spreading after this, don’t you?” I asked her, resisting the urge…

Charlotte “So, uh, now that we’re done eating… What’s next?” I asked, looking between my various companions at the table. “Another request?” “Is she even part of the guild?” Mikaela asked, throwing a glance Singh’s way. “What guild?” Singh asked, her brow furrowing. “The adventurer’s guild,” Reckt supplied. “Where adventurers go to make a name for themselves!” “Or to put food on the table,” Mikaela added. “It’s a perfectly reasonable way to make money, after all.” “If you’re willing to put your life on the line, maybe,” Singh replied, snorting. “No, I’m not part of the adventurer’s guild. Why would I wanna be part of it?” “Perhaps because it gives…

Charlotte “Princess!?” the girl beneath me screamed, even as the offending valkyrie calmly looked to the side like she hadn’t totally just blown my cover.  …Of course, I had just ordered her to look the other way. It definitely wasn’t that she was purposefully ignoring me and planning to hurry away just to avoid my ire… right? “What did she mean princess!?” “Could you please shut up about my secret identity?!” I asked as politely as I could manage under the circumstances. Which… maybe wasn’t that polite, but what can I say? These were extenuating circumstances! “Secret identity?” she demanded. “Then you’re… You mean, you’re the actual de-” “Human princess!”…

Charlotte The night was, in fact, rather silent. Unfortunately, so was my muse. I still couldn’t come up with anything better than “Sharlotte,” which was probably the worst secret identity name of all time considering most humans in this world didn’t even know how to read, and it sounded exactly like my real name. On the bright side, the night air felt cool against my skin, and my tail was free to wiggle about in delight for what felt like the first time in ages. I hadn’t wanted to freak Reckt out with it, at least not on our first night together, so I’d kept it curled around my waist…

To view this content, you must be a member of Striving's Patreon at $1 or more Unlock with PatreonAlready a qualifying Patreon member? Refresh to access this content.

Charlotte I stared at Bonny the Bunny. She stared back, eyes wide and nose twitching. I nodded to myself, content with the cuteness, and placed her down on the ground. “Don’t go running now, you hear?” I warned her. “Or-” She ran the second she was on the ground, crashing right into a spider web in her blind rush to get away.  “…Or I might not be able to protect you,” I continued, casually swiping my bloody dagger through the webbing. Of course, I was also superheating the blade to ensure it cut smoothly, so it didn’t take long at all to have Bonny free. “Now, you can run if…

Devilla I stared at the bear standing before me. It was something like nine feet tall, with dark brown fur and lighter brown spikes extending from its spine and elbows. They looked remarkably sharp, but I doubted their sturdiness. I could likely snap the things off if it came down to it. The creature didn’t move during my examination. I could almost imagine that it was looking me over in turn, trying to decide if I was worth the trouble of feasting upon. Not an impossibility, actually, if it was anywhere near as intelligent as the horned wolves I’d fought. “You do not wish to fight me,” I warned it,…

Charlotte It took a few seconds for Reckt to open her eyes and realize she wasn’t about to be eaten. When she did, her first reaction was to launch herself at me and Mikaela, arms flung out wide. Mikaela looked like she wanted to sidestep, but I grabbed the sleeve of her shirt to hold her in place as Reckt threw her arms around our necks. Mikaela could have pulled free, the cloth obviously wasn’t strong enough to hold out if the both of us put our all into it, but she didn’t so she must have felt at least a little guilty. She just stood there, awkwardly, while I…