Inside the store there is a smell of Metal and charcoal, the side of the store is where the smith works, the second floor seems to be where they live. There is a counter to the right, where the wolf-woman stands, to the right there is weapons, to the end of the room is full of armors and such.

  The kid is standing in front of Haykel

  The kids points "THERE SHE IS, SHE IS THE ONE WHO TRIED TO KIDNAP ME!"

  Pettyr laughs "Stop being a cry baby, is not the first time Tonyo"

  Tonyo is angry "BUT MOM, SHE WAS PLANING TO KILL YOU TOO"

  Pettyr move her hand to ignore the problem "She is probably new in the city, is not the first time you know it."

  Pettyr is a Bulky Wolf-Woman, Her arms are muscular, her back is really big, her hand are full of cuts, she has white and black hair pattern. Her tail is black. Her eyes are blue.

  Haykel is paralyzed inside the store. A solid minute of silence pass before she starts moving.

  She walks slowly and robotic through the store. Tonyo and Pettyr looks at her, she walks in a fun way. Pettyr laughs.

  Haykel walks towards the daggers in a counter to the left and leans into them

  She observes them, and snap out of it "Wow, this are very sharp."

  Pettyr screams "Those are the daggers I worked all night, I'm sure those can cut metal now." she laughs.

  Tonyo screams "MOM, WE NEED TO KICK THIS GIRL FROM THE STORE, SHE IS A PROBLEM!" Tonyo stomps the ground

  Haykel turns and try to explain at Tonyo "Please, I'm not bad, I didn't know, I beg you, don't throw the guards on me" She looks like about to cry.

  Pettyr hits the table and laughs "Please, stop tormenting my client."

  Haykel turns and slowly grab the dagger, she snaps out of it again "This are beautiful"

  Pettyr hits the table "I'm sure you could cut an Orc in two with those."

  Haykel robotically and slowly walks to the counter, Tonyo keeps looking at her with a bad face.

  Haykel breaths "I... I- want this"

  Pettyr grabs the dagger and start writing on her book.

  The sound at feather writing on a book is soft. The wagons keep passing outside.

  Haykel start observing Pettyr eyes "Why are you here?"

  Tonyo screams "YOU ARE SO RUDE YOU OLD HAG, GET OUT"

  Pettyr looks at Haykel with surprise, she blinks twice

  Haykel realized what she said "I'm sorry, you are so fluffy"

  Pettyr open her eyes wide "Are you hitting on me?"

  Haykel gets red and embarrassed "WHAT. No. I like men." She observes the muscles of the wolf-woman "I think..."

  Pettyr leans back and cross her arms "Then what do you want?"

  Tonyo speaks from the background "Mom she is trying to SCAM YOU, DO NOT TRUST HER"

  Haykel panics and grab her head "The dagger. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."

  Pettyr leans on the table with her arm "Are you new here, right?"

  Haykel looks to the side "Who ask?. No. Maybe. Yes. Yes I'm new here"

  Pettyr stand firm "Listen to me pretty girl, I'm one of the few sentient wolf-woman in the continent, If you want good weapons you better make me happy" She smiles.

  Haykel is filled with curiosity "How did you became sentient, I have seen lots of... Uhh... people like you but, they always mimic what I say or I do, and they aren't nice like you."

  Pettyr smiles "Do you really want to know?"

  Haykel grabs her hands and play with her fingers "Can I?"

  Pettyr smiles and assert with her head.

  She pauses and breath "Tell me everything, I'm ready"

  Pettyr grabs her chin "One day, puff, I was thinking there in the forest, it was dark, I was on a puddle of black liquid. Got up and felt my body and started walking. And that's so I got here."

  A moment of silence pass. The silence is only interrupted by the horses outside.

  Haykel waits for more story, but there is no more, just silence "T- That's it? Where is the call to adventure? the drama? The villain? The overly complex plot?"

  Tonyo screams "MOM STOP TELLING OUR SECRETS" He tries to push Haykel out of the store. Haykel is a wall, she doesn't move.

  "It wasn't a nice process, you know that most people tried to kill me once they saw me? Crazy right?"

  "Well. Yeah. Anthro-Animals are dangerous, They just try to get you close and bite your head off" She bites the air.

  Pettyr laughs "I consider those my cousins. My really really really stupid cousins."

  Haykel ask with fear "Oh. So... you don't care if people kill them?"

  "Do you care if a guard kill a bandit on the forest?"

  "Not really" She looks to the side.

  "Me neither, that's how I feel and there is nothing going on in those brains."

  Haykel pauses "So you walked here in Hontel and assented?"

  Pettyr leans and put her arms on the table "Oh no, everyone tried to kill, if wasn't because there was this dude that could read sentience on people, some drunkard in the tavern on the village. I got the trust of a village, and some other stuff happened, got my little boy there." She throws a kiss to Tonyo "And then I got to met the king of Hontel, and here I am, after 5 nice years."

  Haykel moves side to side "Oh wow. Wait... How do you got a kid?"

  Pettyr looks at Tonyo "Tonyo is not my baby, but I choose to love him like my own. After a tiny incident on the Village."

  Tonyo hides his face in embarrassment.

  Haykel smiles "That's sweet from you."

  Pettyr pauses "Oh yeah." She writes on her book "You know, I like you, let me do a tiny discount"

  Tonyo screams "I TOLD YOU MOM, YOU ARE GETTING SCAMMED."

  Haykel check her bag "Are you sure? I can pay full price"

  Pettyr smiles "I insist, You are a good kid" She pauses "5 silver".

  Haykel puts a Gold coin in the counter, Pettyr puts 5 silver on Haykel hand. "Have a nice day. What is your name again?"

  Haykel smiles and grab the dagger "My name is Haykel."

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  Pettyr waves "Have a nice day Haykel."

  Haykel walks out the store, happy with her new dagger. Tonyo from behind throws a big fist full with salt "AND DON'T COME BACK" He splashes the salt on the street.

  Haykel is on the plaza, there is people singing, playing guitars a single mime and some dancers. In the middle of the plaza there is a big statue of a man in a horse, the inscription reads. 'King Himjalt Gingk, first of his Name. Conqueror and Fierce Warrior.'

  Haykel sees the inscription. "I wonder what this says" She looks around "This is full of fun people"

  She speaks to herself "Okay, time to find the restaurant, it was.... uhhh.... Crab... Something" She tries to remember.

  She sights, she walks towards a guard that is in the plaza near a lamp post "Hi mister, I need some help"

  The guard leans, pull his visor up "What is the problem?"

  "I'm looking for... Uhhh... A restaurant that has Crab on his name." She grabs her hands.

  The guard looks around "Miss, are you aware that every restaurant here says crab in any way?"

  Haykel plays with her fingers "Uhh... At least can you tell me the name of the nearby restaurants?"

  The guards stands looks around and says "Special Giant Crabs, Bigger than Crabs, Crab and the Giants, Special crabs... any of those ring a bell?"

  Haykel panics "Uhhh..."

  The guard leans "Where do you want to get Miss?"

  Haykel panics "Uhhh... An inn?"

  "Which Inn?"

  Haykel looks down in shame "Uhhh..." She runs "I WILL FIGURE OUT! THANK YOU!"

  The guard closes his visor and stand in his neutral position once again.

  Haykel walks near Bigger than Crabs restaurant, and start walking around the streets, trying to find the Inn Hand of the Orc

  She looks nervous, sweating trying to find the Inn.

  At the distance someone screams "THAT'S OURS" A man is running with a white clothing bag in his hands. He is using a blue shirt with no sleeves. A wool hat, he is white and bit fat. He haves an on growing beard, his face is raspy.

  The man run at Haykel direction.

  Her instinct made her jump in front of the man. From side to side, making a wall with her arms. Haykel speaks to the man "Do you want to pass? You need to go over me"

  The man start dancing with her, side to side "Oh you don't have what it takes to stop me"

  Haykel jumps from side to side "What, not gonna go? I'm still here."

  "I- I- I don't like hurting ladies" The man jumps side to side. The face of the man changes, he drops the bag and runs in the opposite direction. Haykel in confusion grabs the bag. "What just happened?"

  A loud thump sounds in Haykel head, someone jumped on her, she gets knocked out. The world goes black.

  Vibrations, something is moving a lot, vibrations, is loud.

  Haykel has some drool running from out her mouth. She awakes.

  She looks around, she is inside a wagon. The cell wagon. There is a single window looking at the driver, has some metal bars. There is two long seats in each side.

  She checks her waist, her gloves aren't there neither her backpack. "NO." She stands, she notices she is chained in the hands "WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?!"

  The man in the blue shirt is there. He got caught "You got caught too! Welcome to the family!"

  Haykel notices the man, she looks with killing intent, she ignores him and approach the driver guard and speak behind the bars. "I'm sorry this is a mistake, I just arrived to the town, and I was trying to stop the thief back there!"

  The guard ignores her.

  Haykel panics "Can I least tell my friend Vildan"

  The guards hits the bars "SHUT UP AND SIT SCUM."

  Haykel souls gets crush. She sits back "I guess that's a no" She grabs her head in panic.

  The thief looks at Haykel "Hi, my name is Giohan, what is your name?"

  Haykel respond not thinking "My name is Haykel and... Wait, why I'm talking to you, you are the reason I'm in this problem!"

  Giohan flips his hand "Oh don't make a problem out of it, they gonna see the bag I stole that you stole from me is my bag, and they going to let you free in a week or two, if you are a citizen of course." He smiles

  Haykel looks at Giohan with doubt "I just arrived today, and what do you mean your bag? Why you were running then"

  Giohan looks down in shame "Because I have a gambling problem okay? I saw him enter to a store, and I stole him from him to me, so him, don't have the me, of my back because him and the bag"

  Haykel grabs her head "What are you talking about, I don't understand"

  The wagon stops, the smells at rock and salt hits Haykel. The door of the wagon opens, someone screams from outside "EVERYONE OUT."

  Haykel and all the other criminals walk outside. Six people in total.

  In front there is a big rock building mixed with wood. Is oppressive in nature. It's a Jail, the top level is for administration, the deeper it goes, worse is the crime.

  Haykel see a man moving boxes inside the Jail, she sees her backpack.

  She screams "THATS MINE"

  She gets thrown to the ground by behind.

  Another fully platted guard listen the crimes of everyone in the line. He points at Haykel and Giohan.

  "You both, to the dungeon, first level" The guard screams, a group of guards come grab Haykel and Giohan. They walk inside the prison and throws Haykel and Giohan in the same cell. They remove the chains of Haykel and Giohan.

  Haykel stands and tries to run, the metallic door closes faster.

  Haykel grabs on the bars and speak to the guard, she is sweating "Excuse me sir, how much time I need to be here? It's all a misunderstanding"

  The guards looks and ask "Are you a citizen?"

  Haykel get nervous "No. I just arrived today."

  The guard laughs and walk away.

  Giohan from behind respond "You will get from 1 to 2 years. If you are well behaved, you can get out in 6 months probably"

  Haykel screams with all his might "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" The whole jail can hear her screams. The rocks echoes her scream.

  The guard hits the jail "SHUT UP THERE"

  Haykel falls flat on the floor, lifeless, with no energy. Her souls ascends towards the sky.

  Vildan is walking around with a man, the man is using a suit black suit, his hair is brown, brown eyed, he is using a pendants, his pendants are gold with a tiny emerald in the middle.

  Vildan ask at the man while walking "How has business been Validor?"

  Validor laughs "Amazing, remember the giant problem we had? It's gone, we managed to get the giant out of the road by a cheap price."

  Vildan laughs "Great, how much wagons we have in movement between Kermia, Croitel, Gimiga and Hontel"

  Validor thinks "I think 20 wagons, we lost 1 due to a flood."

  Vildan stops "Did the driver died?"

  Validor grab his chin "No. I think he still around in some bar drinking"

  Vildan points "Give him a new wagon and a horse. We cannot afford trying to get new man power with those parasites going around gauging the prices up."

  Vaildor ask "What about the payment, you know we cannot afford a Horse just like that"

  Vildan walks away "Just discount from his pay, 30%"

  Vildan walks near the commerce Hub, Validor walks behind in silence, Vildan pushes the door side to side. Giant candelabras on the roof, spring clocks in the wall, lots of people in suits, Vildan is the only one with a black cape.

  He pulls his hat back. His white wavy hair touched his shoulders, His fangs were massive.

  The people around look at Vildan, there is low voice comments, whispers "There is that monster again" Vildan red eyes were intimidating enough to no one make eye contact.

  The only sound inside the Hub, were the clock, whispers, and the sound of money crashing against tables.

  A woman approaches Vildan, she is wearing a modest dress, she is blonde. "Mister Vildan, we expected your arrival, the master is waiting for you in the office"

  Vildan looks at the second floor "Thank you" He walks away.

  Vildan walks to the office, there is two people waiting inside, in the cornet there is a guard, a short red haired man with a giant axe on his back, he is full of scars, very muscular. He is a dwarf, the skin in his arms resembled a rock. He is gray colored.

  The man screams "VILDAN! The smartest kid alive is back with papa." He is a fat white man, black haired, he is wearing a long red jacket.

  The room smells like expensive alcohol. There is 2 black sofas, paints everywhere, the floor is dark wood. There is a single desk, filled with books. The wall is ornamented with paint.

  Vildan gives a strong hand shake to the old man "Mister Melker has been a while" Vildan waits for Doiter Melker to sits. Then he seats. Melker is sitting in an expensive leather chair. Vildan is sitting on a leather single seat black sofa.

  Melker opens a bottle of whiskey and start serving a cup. "So... how has been your, 'New' and revolutionary business. Chicken sausages I remember?"

  Vildan cross his legs and looks directly at Melker face "It's blood sausages, filled with condiments, dried and shipped."

  Melker laughs "Of course, 'Blood sausages'... So... how much money have you won on my new business?"

  Vildan is unfazed "1 platinum a month. But, I can multiply it if I get access to dwarf tech, vapor suction machinery leaves the animal completely dry in 5 minutes and fastening further processing."

  Melker stands, he stays in silence for 10 seconds, he drinks from his cup.

  Melker walks around with the cup "You say 1 platinum, ain't too little that? I expected at least... the double by this time. Quitol spoke really good about you. But I have my doubts now."

  Vildan looks at the desk of Melker and closes his eyes. "Is not my job to tell people how to think in scalability"

  Melker walks close and leans into Vildan "Watch your mouth kid, I don't take insults kindly"

  Vildan stands looking at Melker with his red eyes "Think about it Melker, with dwarf tech we can grab a cow, dry it, make a total paste of out it. Spice the product and sell it, and we only need 5 people to do all the job. We wouldn't need those 15 people doing every single process... Money. Dwarves are the apex of tech and we still working with stupid wooden cogs."

  Melker laughs "I know you are trying to sell it to me, I get it, you are excited by the idea. But now, I need" He drinks from the cup, and gulps "Results Now"

  Vildan turns "Is not about the results now... Its about making an empire"

  Melker sits on his chair "I see through you kid... what was her name? Let me think Haykel?"

  Vildan freezes. Melker drinks from his cup while looking down on Vildan "Did you come to Hontel to play house with your little wife?"

  Melker hits the table, the books jumps from position "I'm a man of results. If you want me to believe in your crap stop playing with your stupids books and your wife and keep moving. My patience is short."

  Vildan slowly grows angry. He shows his fangs.

  Vildan walks towards the table. He leans into Melker. Vildan eyes are red, glowing, his fingernails extended a bit like claws "Do not coerce me." Vildan try to recompose "She is more dangerous than she looks... she is not my wife." He organizes his cape.

  Vildan opens the door "3 platinum, give me a month" He walks away.

  Melker drinks from his cup "Damm kid."

  The guard didn't react in the whole conversation.

  Vildan walks down stairs. Trying to de-angry himself.

  Validor is waiting outside for Vildan. "How was the conversation?"

  Vildan whispers very close to Validor "He still believes we make 1 platinum when we already are pushing for 3 and proximal to 5"

  Validor laughs "Nice one... We have more time to try to buy land"

  Validor remembers "We got a guard calling for your name, a girl called Haykel called for your name, she is currently in Jail. I dismissed the guard because I thought it was too silly to be true."

  Vildan cover his eyes with his hand "For fuck sake"