{Alex}

  The next morning, I found Yen had left before I had woken. That was a tad upsetting. I had hoped for a morning romp or at least sharing breakfast together. I packed up my tent and was going to the back of my wagon when I was stopped by Captain. He wanted to trade me a larger tent rental in exchange for fixing one of the wagon wheels. It only took a few minutes to fix the metal axle. He seemed happy and said he would have someone set it up for me. It seems like my plan was working a bit too well. If I wasn’t careful, he may try to enslave me or force me to stay with them somehow. Not sure how as I learned that the collar had to be put on by the willing hands of the slave. I was going to do my best to make sure that wouldn’t happen. The best trap needs bait, but any prey can avoid a trap if they know that it is there. What type of bait would he use? Yen, that might work if I didn’t have a plan for my life. I wonder how much he would sell her for. If I owned her, could I set her free one day? How much would that cost? Maybe enchanting would help me with all that? Maybe I could remove the collars one day once I understood them better. Best not to risk the life of someone like her on a whim.

  Just as we were about to head out a scout came up excited about something. It looked like Arrow. He waved at me as he ran up to the Knight's pilot. She had been explaining the working to me with half of her top unbuttoned. I was not impressed with her, but the information I was pumping out of her was worth its weight in gold. If she had cat ears or even God forbid slit eyes, I may have gone for it. Sadly, she was just a boring human. If a man has a chance at filet mignon, why would he care about a McDonald’s? I smiled thinking about that sexy tiger. Would she want another night with me? God, I hoped so. “Commander Deveros, a giant is on our trail.” Arrow said excitedly. She stood up fast, a grin on her face.

  “Really, how big?” she looked over at me and winked. Clever girl. I thought in mock sarcasm. He sighed as he looked at me.

  “About thirty to thirty-five feet tall.” I knew the measurements were off, but my brain was giving me a way to understand what they were talking about. She clapped and jumped up and down in a way that would have looked enthralling in my old world, but here made her look silly like a bouncing bimbo. She was only human after all. Now if she had a tail. Maybe something was wrong with me, but I felt a deep connection to Yen and this girl didn’t hold a candle to my sexy cereal mascot. She was Grrrreat. I inwardly laughed as I watched McDonalds jump into her Knight, and it stood. Now that was a thing of beauty. I watched the red Knight stand tall and reach for a sword longer than a bus. The amount of strength that would take to lift that alone boggled my mind. I licked my chops looking at the mech. God, I hope that that idiot didn’t think I was looking at her that way. The Knight stepped to the back of the wagon circle and took a stance. A huge form came out of the trees at us and roared. Seeing a thirty-foot man holding a redwood as a club is unnerving, to say the least. I watched as the Knight ran awkwardly at the giant. I mean did anyone really look at how humans walk? The hips were so wide that it made her almost walk like a lizard. I pulled out my notebook and charcoal stick and started making notes. Let the shoulders out a little. Add guards to the shoulders, and hip skirts to protect the joints. Maybe a backpack to allow for attachments. Oh, hip and shoulder attachments. God so much to play with. The people of this world were real idiots.

  I watched the Knight stop just shy of the oversized man. He was ugly. Thirty-five feet tall only dressed in a loincloth. Pale gray skin and oversized limbs. His feet looked like tree trunks that seemed slow to move and his hands looked as large as a wagon. I was very happy it had a loincloth on as seeing his tree trunk was not on my bucket list. She brought her sword up in a wide swing and the monster backed off bringing up his tree to block it. She bounced off and safe to say I was more than disappointed in how she piloted that work of art. If she had an ounce of intelligence, she would have parried his blow and gutted the creature. In place of that, she took several blows to that beautiful Mech. Just wrong on every level. I growled a little at the damage that could have been easily avoided. The idiot walked back once she had finished off the lazy monster. It wasn’t right. She stopped and lay down next to me as though hoping for praise. Like fuck I would do that. I walked past the foolish woman and started looking over the Knight. She stood there, her smile quickly fading to shock. She didn’t deserve this honor; she didn’t earn this power. I looked back at the pilot with scorn in my eyes and she flinched back her shock morphing to fear. She knew she had hurt this baby. I relented and got into my own wagon and sat down, anger filling my frame. That baby needed a lot of work to bring it back to full health and I wouldn’t do that for free. Someone would have to pay for her failure.

  That night Yen came to me and pulled me aside after dinner. “Alex, I would like to show you something.” She said with a sweet smile in a small voice. I wasn’t sure, but something in my chest felt warm and nice. What was that? She took my hand and led me away from the wagon circle. My heart quickened and a thrill ran up my spine at her touch. What was going on with me? She looked back and smiled and I felt my heart skip a beat as she led us into the dark. Luckily one of the moons was out so I could see. The tall grass in the area was nicely trimmed and I had to wonder who was cutting the grass out here? She pulled me up a small hill and my mind wandered over everything. Was she hoping to have sex up here? No, it didn’t feel like it. Why was my heart beating so fast? I felt something tug at my face as I looked at her back, her long tail waving and occasionally playfully slapping my arm. I was happy in a new way. It puzzled me, but I liked it. She pulled away and I felt my heart fall a little. I liked holding her hand. What was wrong with me? She sat on top of the hill and looked back. Her eyes seemed to glow in the night. It sent a thrill up my spine as I took the spot beside her.

  “What is all this about?” I asked, my heart in my throat a little. She lay her head on my shoulder, and I felt that thrill run up my spine again. Acting on instinct, I turned and kissed the top of her head between her ears. It felt nice and she hummed a little as she rubbed her cheek on my shoulder. I turned to see what she was looking at and saw just a few steps away was a cliff overlooking an old forest that seemed to go on forever.

  “Just watch.” She said with a hum. Her hand found mine and she squeezed it gently. I smiled in that weird way and felt my heart skip a beat again. Something warm worked its way up in my chest and I frowned at it. What was this feeling? I looked down at our hands and turned mine over to hold hers. She hummed in a way that thrilled me as she took my hand. Looking back up, I saw something glowing in the trees and then a small group of trees shook in a strange way. The sound of bird song came to me, and I furrowed my brow as I wondered what was happening. The group of trees started to grow rapidly. If I had to guess, it was growing two feet a second. No, that wasn’t right. They weren’t expanding, just moving up rapidly. To my shock and horror, the head of a truly massive deer moved over the tops of the trees, and it was joined by the body of the animal. I gulped and felt Yen squeeze my hand as though to tell me it was okay.

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  “What is it?” I gasped. The deer, if I had to guess, had to be over fifty feet tall. Its antlers were real living trees that left a shadow over the forest. Yen gave a slight, cute laugh.

  “It’s an Elk Lord.” I could hear the wonder in her tone. It somehow mirrored the feeling in my chest that was growing.

  “Is it safe?” I asked as the huge animal looked around.

  “It is so long as you don’t attack it.” She said as she nodded, rubbing my shoulder again. I reached up and started rubbing her ears, not sure what else to do. She hummed and I saw her tail lash. I hoped that was a happy sign. “They feed on mana veins and mostly move at night. Where they live, Nature Elk can be found. Some think the Lord is their parent. Birds moved around its head and body. I knew they were there because each time one of them started to sing, it would glow. It was like the elk was surrounded by fireflies.

  “What are those?” I asked pointing at the little birds. She hummed and I could feel her smile as she brought my hand back to her ears.

  “Loran songbirds. They glow when they sing. They live in the antlers of the elk and keep it free of insects and parasites. In exchange the elk keeps them safe as most predators don’t go near it.” Ain’t she a beauty. I thought as I looked out over the dark beautiful world with this amazing woman next to me.

  “If you could,” I started not sure what I was asking. “Would you want a pair? I mean if you had a place to live?” I asked, my heart thumping hard.

  “No.” She said, shaking her head and leaned into my fingers. “I would like them to be free. Beautiful creatures should be free to enjoy life.” She said, I moved and she looked over at me slightly puzzled. I pulled her head to my lap and started petting her ears and hair with both hands. She curled up a little and I could see her cute smile. Yes, beautiful things should be free. I thought as I looked at her collar. My heart had settled down, but the warm feeling seemed to fill every particle of me. What was it? I looked at Yen as she smiled in my lap. Love? I had never felt this before and wanted so much more of it. In the past I had never cared about anything or anyone. It was always better to keep my distance, but she made me want, what? Marriage? I wasn’t sure and would need to take time to fully understand what this feeling was. All I knew is that I had real feelings for this woman and would do what it would take to make her mine and safe.

  We watched the Elk Lord walk around the forest until it had walked away with a cape of glowing and singing birds following after. When it was gone and the moon had moved higher in the sky, Yen sat up. I wanted to growl and pull her back to my lap, kiss her, and/or fuck her brains out. What was wrong with me? My mind was a mess. “We have to go. I have watch tonight.” She said, looking away from me.

  “Yen, thank you.” I said, hugging her from behind. She laughed and rubbed my arm before breaking away.

  “We need to go, or I'll get in trouble.” She said and I could hear the worry in her tone. Did she think I would be upset? I was mildly, but I wanted more. Pulling away she stood quickly before helping me up. She lifted me easily and pulled me into a hug, her head resting on top of mine. I wrapped my arms around her and took in her scent. I looked up and kissed her chin. She laughed and pulled away.

  We held hands all the way back to camp. Everyone was asleep so no one noticed we had come back together. I kissed her good night and went to my own tent to find the idiot McDonalds there in my bedroll. She was nude and looked as appetizing as a three-copper burger. I frowned at her. “Can I help you?” I growled my anger at her intrusion spoiling a wonderful night. I was happy that Yen had watch. Seeing this fool here might upset her. The last thing I wanted was Yen thinking I was cheating on her. Why did I care? McDonalds blushed and tried to cover up. It was about as amusing as watching a barbie doll on a child’s floor.

  “You aren’t happy to see me?” She asked, fake doubt crossing her face. I sighed and crossed my arms.

  “Sorry, not in the mood tonight. Please get dressed and leave.” I said turning my back to her. She started crying softly, but we have all seen crocodile tears before. It was an obvious ploy. She was a child compared to the women back home when it came to using emotional manipulation. A mental midget when I have been playing with grandmasters most of my life. The women of my old world knew how to manipulate a man's feelings properly. Next time try it on someone who has feelings. I’m a sociopath and have been my whole life. We don’t have emotions for you to try that on. I went back to the campfire and waited until she had left.

  The next morning Captain came to me to ask me to repair the Knight that fool had damaged. That may have been what she was aiming for all along. I would need to use Mage as a battery, but Captain said that wouldn’t be an issue. Soon Mage was passed out on the ground and the dents were gone. I didn’t know enough about the inner workings to fix or work on those, but that would come with time. I was able to see where the engine was. It sat just behind the pilot and was a large egg shape. I licked my chops hoping to understand it fully one day. From the looks of things, it took in mana and the pilot acted as a brain for how it moved through the body. This did use the mana of the pilot, but it was a trickle and used the pilot’s mana as a guide through the controls. It almost reminded me of the mech anime with two sticks and a wide array of switches. McDonalds kept her distance from me and refused to look my way. I was delighted by this and let the idiot sulk after failing to get her way. They paid me five gold for fixing her fuck up and I would not argue with any of that.

  That night I found my new tent far more spacious and my delightful tiger woman lying on my much larger bedroll waiting for me. She smiled and her tail flicked in the air as she lay on her stomach. “You are here by your own will?” I asked, removing my shirt, a plan forming in my mind.

  “My master asked me to provide you with an incentive to stay with us.” She said with a coy look over her shoulder. I smiled at her loving the way this is how she thought to entice me. This was some damn good bait for the trap.

  “Then lay there and let me play for a little.” I said with a slight chuckle. Reaching into my pack, I brought out the bottle of lotion I had been holding on to. I hadn’t used any as far as I knew, this was the only bottle of this stuff on this world and I was going to save it for special times. I was going to take my time tonight and make sure she never thought of another man in her life. Oiling up my hands, I started at her feet.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, a hint of fear in her voice. I rubbed her feet making sure to apply pressure to the balls and moved up to the arch.

  “Just relax and enjoy, you had your surprise last night. It’s my turn now.” I said feeling that strange warmth in my chest. I let half my mind explore it while I focused on making sure every muscle was well taken care of. She groaned, growled, and writhed at every pressure point I hit. The woman was a solid mass of knots, and I wondered if she ever took a day to rest and relax in her life. Once I reached her back she growled and arched as she moaned into my hands. I knew I had hit a good spot and worked every nerve. Good kitten, tell me what you need. I thought as my mind finally worked through what that feeling was. I was smitten with her. I didn’t know how she felt about me and would have to find out one day. Reaching her upper back and shoulders she finally had her fill and passed out. I finished and lay beside her in the dark. Pulling her to me was a challenge, and once I did, she wrapped around me like I was a little teddy bear. Worth it, worth every moment. She somehow smelled even more amazing than the night before. I sighed into her exposed chest as she held me. She was a tiger muscle mommy, and I was her little teddy bear. This is heaven and something I never wished to stop.

  I'll try to get the rest posted when I can.