...

  Yep. Tash thought wrong.

  A cup of hot black tea was holding her together for the day. Yesterday, a healer patched her damaged physical shell. You could bet the process involved being doused in saliva...

  Still, she was grateful for the week of relaxation she was granted. Wearing only her comfy berry blue pants was a pleasure work had constantly denied her for weeks. Some species harshly frowned upon seeing female Monoke not covering their breasts, especially the Ogres. It was a useless complaint when your fur did the job for you...

  Boy, did that remind her of some wild memories with the Lads! Speaking of, it deeply unsettled her how some of her childhood acquaintances still remained children after she had grown, built a career, a... family...

  ...

  ......

  She looked out the window, wondering where her daughter went. She hoped the pup wasn't all over that Human, but there was no way to predict that. Lien was an agent of chaos, especially when she didn't try to be, which was most of the time.

  Knock, knock!

  Hm? Knocking on the door? The healer must have been a Crow, then. They were the only species with the patience to keep up with the frantic Wolf lifestyle. Still, it was so early...

  .........

  Shit. Could it be...

  ...

  Fuck it. The captain opened the door, glimpsing... Tizohi Almighty, not her...

  "G-Good morning, ma'am!" The cursed Human girl sprouted on her doorstep, her posture stiff with unease. She had no time for this bullshit...

  "Lien is not here. Go search anywhere else." The captain spoke quickly and matter-of-factly, already closing the door. "Have a good-"

  The child blocked the door with her hand, resisting even when the Wolf applied more pressure to crush her tiny little fingers ever so slightly. Her training bore... visible results, the captain begrudgingly admitted. It was almost impressive.

  "Actually..." Stella forced a smile. "I came here for you."

  For fuck's sake... Why?! Couldn't an overworked soldier have the fundamental right of not socially interacting with annoying shitheads?

  Gathering her last bits of self-control, Tash forced a smile herself. "Oh! I didn't realize you had business with me!"

  The Human awkwardly dragged her foot on the sand. "Yeah. Uh..." She turned her head to her sides before glancing back at the captain. "I heard you were attacked by another of those pale freaks..."

  Tash nodded. "A Yūrei, yes. What of it?"

  "Right." The girl clasped her hands. "You're my best friend's mom, and I feel horrible for what happened to you. She attacked you because you were protecting me."

  By Tizohi's antlers, Tash didn't need to be reminded. She fought against herself not to roll her eyes, simply nodding in response.

  Stella continued. "I know I can't possibly help you guys against them yet." She raised a finger. "But I know how to make it right to you!"

  "Staying far away from my daughter? Having a heart attack right here and now? Stop wasting my fucking time?" The Wolf thought but never expressed it.

  After waiting for any reaction for a minute, only to come out short, Stella explained her harebrained idea with an enthusiasm derivative from the Knight. "I'll be your underling!"

  Tash choked on air. "What?!"

  "You heard it!" The Human proudly grasped her own hips and puffed her chest. "I'll listen to any task you give me until you're well and good again! Just give the word, boss!"

  What- Why would she- Just what the hell was this pitch?! It completely blindsided the Wolf.

  Tash pinched the long bridge of her snout, pondering for almost a minute. "Kid, that is..." She sighed, not sure how to proceed. "Adorable." She waved her paw dismissively. "But I'm already patched up and ready to go. So, thank you, but no."

  Stella slumped her shoulders. "Man... Magic is a pain in the ass..."

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  Tash wasn't sure how to acknowledge that statement, so she ignored it and decided to question the girl instead. "Why is this so important to you? I already said I won't stay in your and Lien's way."

  Stella shook her head. "I mean what I said!" Her eyes burned with a determination that made the captain flinch. "You guys were so kind to me!" She averted her gaze, muttering. "Most of the time." Then resumed. "Still, your people are sheltering me while you put your life on the line!" She clenched her fist. "Standing around and doing nothing doesn't feel right at all..."

  That... caught Tash off-guard. Whether she wanted to believe it or not, the Human's words were powered by a genuine resolve. But why? The first conversation they had, she threatened the brat's life! What was wrong with those Humans?! Why were they so... odd. It would be so much easier if they were the caricatures of pure evil she had envisioned ever since that day...

  "Humanity's filthy touch," Yuki-onna said. Mmm...

  The captain took a final sip of her tea before relenting. "Fine. I might have one thing I could use a pair of hands for."

  Stella's eyes sparkled. "YES! What is it?!"

  A mischievous smirk twisted the corner of Tash's lips.

  Stella:

  "That's..." She gulped. "Quite a pile."

  Tash had revealed a secret compartment behind the bookstand. Unfortunately, it wasn't activated by misplacing a specific book. Though Asra would be more than happy to help her with that...

  Regardless, this room was filled to the BRIM with papers of all colors and tones the Human eye could possibly detect. Some Stella recognized as letters, pamphlets, an old-looking photograph of a Wolf laying in bed in a suggestive pose...

  Tash immediately snatched the spicy photo and guarded it in her pocket. "If you know what's good for you, you will erase it from your memory."

  "Sure thing, boss..." Stella muttered, watching the immense paper sea in awe. "You want me to dump all of this somewhere?"

  "I want you to pick and organize each document in separate piles. Letters, advertisement trash, probably some work documents I put in there by accident..." Tash smirked. "I'll throw you a bone and let you keep any trinket you find there."

  Stella cocked an eyebrow. "How did you let all that pile-up?"

  The captain crossed her arms. "Do you think a Dragon's Guard captain's work schedule, plus Lien as your daughter, leaves someone with much spare time?"

  The girl immediately shut up.

  "Thought so." She stretched her still-sore body. "I'm gonna go fetch me some medicine and exercise. You think you have what it takes?"

  Stella scoffed. "I killed a bear with my own hands! I'll get this cleaned up before you return!"

  Tash chuckled. "Maybe there's hope for you yet." She stepped to the door. "See ya."

  Stella only waved as the captain left her alone at last. It was as she said - this tedious task was nothing for her. This was the first step to gaining her future mother-in-law's trust. She would need this safety net when Lien would inevitably spill the beans about their relationship, even though they agreed on keeping it a secret. The pup was terrible at keeping her mouth in check.

  The first hour or so of venturing through the infinite pile was unremarkable on her findings. Paid bills, love letters from a few Monoke Tash arrested (geez, some of these were VERY graphic), destruction of public property fines (you know who this is about), and more and more scrapped reports of the captain's missions. One that caught her eye described a violent conflict with a Bat Monoke who wanted to claim a massive portion of land.

  "Thank you so much for the reading lessons, Asra," Stella muttered.

  The hours came and went, and the untamed pile slowly diminished into smaller ones. Surprisingly, The letters started to outnumber the reports, a massive amount written in the year T-B0AG.

  Asra taught her the numbers past the dash always went from A to I (1 to 9). So, considering the current year is T-B0BD, these letters were from seven years in the past if her calculations weren't off. Shit, maybe school wasn't a waste of time...

  The papers grew heavier on Stella's hand. Most of their silver gums, blazoned with a wolf's head, remained untouched, meaning Tash didn't dare open the envelopes for a reason. A good one, most likely.

  However, curiosity slowly consumed her from within until she gave in to temptation, opening and devouring the only unsealed letter with prying eyes.

  Dear daughter,

  We've heard the commotion from our old friends in the Guard. I know you have just given birth, and Lako's passing is still too fresh for our souls. So, I beg you to listen to your older brother and leave the search to him. You are not in the right mind to immerse yourself in a search like that, especially since you have Lien to look out for. Although, it would be nice if you finally let me meet her for once. My brittle hip doesn't allow me to walk much past the street.

  I'm sure Weth won't do anything reckless. That little pup must be going for some fresh air, that's all. You ran away from Pantsi all the damn time at his age!

  Keep a level head, will you? Raising two pups ain't easy, but you have two siblings to lighten the weight.

  With love,

  Mother.

  So that was who Weth was... Lien's brother...

  Did he disappear? Shit, now she NEEDED to search through the rest.

  She started to tear through the rest, uncaring for Tash's potential wrath. Most letters only confirmed Weth's disappearance, bearing common words of support and/or questions about the captain not answering them. The name Lako was thrown in multiple instances, most likely referring to Lien's father. The Human's first theory was the pup's parents were divorced. She wasn't sure the actual answer was much better...

  For fuck's sake. Stella felt there was still a missing piece in this story. But the letters had all been read unless there were more undiscovered on the pile. Perhaps one in the later years? That would take FOREVER!

  ...Well, at least she knew who Weth was. The rest could have come to light if she asked Lien or even Tarb.

  Yeah... That could be it.

  ...

  ......

  The Sun was ready to set. The pile was almost conquered. It came to a certain point where the monotonous task made Stella's brain enter auto-pilot and numb itself to time and space. Her growling belly could wait. Just one more hour, it would take.

  .........

  What was that? A crushed piece of reddish paper, marked by darker stains. It reeked with an overpowering stench of mold that made the girl momentarily recoil.

  Something didn't add up. The rest of the papers were slightly wrinkled, but not like this. Someone purposely crushed it, which wouldn't be strange in any other context. Hopefully, it was Lien's doing.

  The Human unwrinkled the piece of paper. These were the first words her eyes caught, the identity of the letter's sender.

  "Queen Malka."