Isher Notra

Stella:

Man, this sure was a bunch of trees!

The wonder of walking through the woods was fading really fast. The company was great, sure, but they were walking for THREE HOURS! She wasn't tired or anything, but this was such a slog!

Because of that, it was comforting that Lien shared the sentiment. "Mom! Can't we go running?!"

"Lien, if we do that, we'll open ourselves for an ambush. Besides, I don't trust you running around."

Lien huffed and puffed, and Stella held a chuckle as best as she could. It was enough so the pup could hear it. "Is this funny for you?"

The Human's face straightened up, with iffy results. "I mean, a little..."

"That's fair. Hey! Do you know we'll cross a different town on our way?"

Great. More road ahead. Riveting.

Two hours ago, Stella saw a wooden plaque with two arrows pointing the same way. On each one was carved a name: Pantsti and Chikukei.

She assumed there would be a path divergence, but nope.

Whatever. As long as the Human got asylum, she would climb the damn Everest.

Speaking of climbing...

At some point, a thin layer of vibrant green grass stood between the edges of the road and the fir trees. The layer gained more and more ground with each meter the group traversed until the woods turned into an open, green pasture, where the bigger gymnosperms took the backstage. More steps ahead, the path subtly inclined upwards. Before Stella knew it, it became a slope.

She could say they were in a... Green Hill? What she'd give for a pair of red sneakers and the ability to roll around like a ball. Fighting a fat dude and his army of robots didn't sound ludicrous anymore, which expressed so much about her circumstances.

The journey onward wasn't easy. Even with Stella's weird improvement in stamina and strength, she struggled hard against the steep terrain. However, she wanted not to show weakness to her travel companions. How uncool would she be otherwise?! Lien wasn't breaking a sweat!

She put on a brave face and concentrated on each step. One step, two steps, three-

She bumped into Asra, who stopped walking for no apparent reason, along with everyone else, including Lien. She didn't like this.

"Guys? What's wrong?" Stella's apprehension intensified by any second she was left unanswered.

Thankfully, Lien cleared her doubts. "Someone's smelling over there." Well, removed, then replaced them with more questions and more fuel for anxiety.

Captain Tash addressed her squad. "All of you, protect the girls." Then turned to the Knight. "With me."

The hero saluted. "What an honor you award me, captain!" Which made the Wolf leader let out a weak groan before they strayed from the path.

Lien's tail moved in circles. "We're following them, right?"

Tarb laughed. "And get in trouble with your mom?! Right!"

The pup crossed her arms. "Really? I thought she didn't scare you."

Was Lien... purposely manipulating that grown Wolf? Lien?!

To top it all off, it worked!

"Let's follow these fools!" He took the lead.

The rest of the squad stared at him with loads of disappointment oozing from their eyes. It was so bad that Locci spoke up. "Again?"

One word was better than none.

"Please, help me! Save a lady in distress!"

That was... an Ogre? A red Ogre, no less. Just when she thought she was done with those guys...

The Monoke was stuck beneath a humongous rock, so large it could be mistaken for a baby mountain. Wait, those don't exist, do they? How were mountains born!?

As expected, the Knight was the first to jump into action. "By Tizohi's antlers! A desperate maiden needs help!"

Stella cringed. "Maiden...?"

"I'LL SAVE YOU, CRUSHED CIVILIAN!" But before he could go through it...

"Don't bother, Knight." Tash barred his advance with an extended arm. "She's faking it."

While the Knight responded with a resounding "WHAT?!" Stella wasn't surprised. Look at that creature! It was like a mountain was pinning another to the ground! Girl packed some BEEF!

The captain took a few steps forward. "Nice try, Hanaken! But I can sense your Saniya! This rock is nothing!"

The red Monoke became flustered. "I-I'll let you know that I'm not just brute, unrefined strength!" She heightened the pitch of her voice to make her point across. "I'm a delicate flower, and I NEED! A STRONG GUARD'S! ASSISTENCE!" So much for a lady-like voice...

Stella was so glad she wasn't down there. Now, she could chuckle at the Ogre's expense with no repercussion. She was so genuinely broken about her act failing it was hilarious, if not sad.

None of the other guards took the "anguished" maiden seriously, not even the captain. "Your father won't be pleased to know you're involved in another scam! I guess I'll pay him a little visit!" She turned her back to the Ogre and faced the rest of the group. That encounter seemed to lighten her mood, surprisingly. She wasn't even mad that they disregarded her orders.

"We had our laugh. Now, let this clown be. We have better things to do."

Everyone went their way back-

The baby mountain fell only a few inches in front of Stella. IT WAS SO YOUNG!

It was yet another brush with death. Stella's senses only focused on her heavy breathing, ringing ears, shaking hands, and pounding heart. Only one voice broke through the fog.

"DON'T YOU DARE SNITCH ON ME, YOU MANGY BITCH!"

This was fine. Everything was fine. Why wouldn't Stella be fine? She was fine as a swine on the brine!

Wait, what?

Deep breaths. The girl went through worse. A 30 ft. tall rock was nothing compared to that!

There was growling, shouting, and barking all over the place. Stella couldn't concentrate on anything! Why wouldn't these people SHUT-

"HELP!"

"Lien!?"

The Human's senses sparked with renewed vigor. She turned to see her best friend rolling down the hill. Fuck!

"LIEN!"

Stella dashed at the distressed pup as if nothing else mattered. At that moment, she had forgotten she was alive and that her life had value. Her conscience acknowledged a few voices.

"STELLA!"

"DAMN YOU, AMIKIRI!"

The girl slid down the ridge, holding her feet firm on the unreliable grass. It didn't take long for her to join the reenactment of Sonic, the Hedgehog. Hopefully, no loop-the-loops existed in Sayama.

Other than dirt and grass forming a mask-like layer on her face, Stella wasn't feeling much discomfort. However, she was still falling prey to gravity's mighty pull.

After a few more seconds, Stella discontinued her rolling by an unknown force. Opening her eyes, she saw The Silver Knight barring her advance with his body while Locci did the same for Lien. They were almost at ground level again.

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, Stella! But you need to plan ahead before any heroic acts!" He helped her climb onto his shoulders. "You'll get the hang of it next time!"

"Next time, huh?" Before she could ask anything, a wall was lifted from the depths of the earth and dragged them downhill before any of them could react. Nothing could ever come easy for her, could it?

And so, the quartet was dragged to the same level as the Ogre, who was cracking her knuckles with a delighted grin. "Your disrespect will be repaid in full."

The Knight and Locci quickly stepped in front of the girls. "What business do you have with us, miss?!"

She pointed at them. "Nothing from you! I want the Human!"

Of course, she did. Everyone wanted a piece of the girl in this place! She wanted attention, sure, but not like this!

The hero stepped forward, making his mandatory dance rehearsal. "If you think my resolve is so weak I'll oblige to this madness, you're wrong! My punches will bring you to the stratosphere!"

The Ogre grumbled. "I don't know what that means, but it sounds like you're itching for a fight!" She slammed her spiked club on the ground. "Ready?!"

A lightning bolt crashed between the Knight and the red brute. Euraidd and Hufen landed close to their fellow guard. Stella had to shuffle next to the trees for a clearer view of the action.

From a crater, Capt. Tash stood up with sparks coursing through her claws. "Step. Back." Each word from her was charged with sizzling rage. "Your partner is neutralized, and you stand no chance against all of us."

"YAHOO!" Tarb literally went Sonic-style and balled all the way down. The rest of the squad and the Knight joined her against the red giant.

And yet the Ogre's grin remained unshaken. Either she was mad, or...

"That's what I call fun!" She picked a rock from the ground. It was big yet small enough so she could grasp it in one hand. "CATCH!"

The ominous projectile was flung at the Wolf pack at an alarming speed. Captain Tash's paws shone with electricity until-

The rock turned into a cloud of pink and purple smoke, exploding on the squad's faces. Stella pulled Lien away before it could reach them as well. That proved to be a good call.

A mad cackle was heard through the mist. "Pathetic fools! Not even guards can resist my dream mist! That's the power of a Baku!"

"You know they can't hear you, right?" The Oni sounded annoyed.

"YOU'RE RUINING MY MOMENT!"

What did she mean by not hearing him? What did they do?

"Now, fetch me the Human!"

Gulp! Whatever they had done, it was horrible news, for sure!

"Lien, let's-"

"OUCH!"

That annoying voice cried for some reason, just in time for the fog to clear.

Five unconscious guards. Only one remained.

"Don't count on your victory yet, evildoer!"