You awake in a daze, as bright light shines on your face from a crack in the wall of a log cabin. You make an effort to right yourself, sitting up on the soft and lumpy thing beneath you. It is difficult to keep your balance at first, but a small hand reaches out to steady you, accompanied by a familiarly small voice.

"It's okay to take your time, the blood can be rough on your body at first, but you'll get used to it."

You wipe your eyes, but your vision remains a bit blurry. You are also horribly parched.

>Who's there?
>Help me to my feet
>Water, please
>Other

>>43722471
>>Water, please

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>Leaving our virgin bi waifu like that
It still hurts. We'll visit her, right? Buy that desert again

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/43606357/

>>43722642
You hear some scuffling and footsteps before something cold is gently thrust into your hands. You wrap your fingers around it, wincing at the slight soreness. You put the cup to your lips and drink it all down in one go, enjoying the coolness of it as it passes down your throat.

After a few moments gathering your wits and senses, you manage to stand, though you are still a bit wobbly. The small hand takes you by the elbow and leads you forward, and suddenly the pressure in the air around you changes, and you feel warm sunlight wash over your body, soothing your skin. You can hear birds of all sorts chirping happily in every direction.

"You're in our camp, in the northern woods. Everyone is waiting to greet you in the mess hall, and we made bacon and potatoes to celebrate you joining. Feel ready to eat?"

You do feel somewhat famished, but you can barely manage to take a few steps on your own.

>Get some food
>Gather your strength
>Other

>>43722703
>Get some food
Walk it off

>>43722724
The small hand guides you about, over growth and soil, until you reenter a room larger than the previous, where murmurs fill the air along with the delicious smell of melting butter and fresh bread.

Your eyes are adjusting now, and you can make out green cloaks, including one draped over the slender frame beside you. The murmuring stops all at once, and a distant figure stands across the room.

"Our newest recruit has finally awoken. Raise a glass to her, for she has taken the blood and pledged herself to our ancient banner."

There are cheers as you are guided to and set down in a chair. You can smell food before you, and you search for a utensil. As you begin eating, or rather shoveling spoonfuls of baked potato and crisp bacon into your mouth, Sophia, your guide as you'd expected, sits beside you.

"It's gonna be a slow day today, since you're still getting used to the blood. But tomorrow we'll have lots of fun! How do you feel?"

>I'll be fine, just need something in my stomach
>Like I was kicked by a horse
>Why didn't you warn me about this?
>Other

>>43722795
>>Like I was kicked by a horse
>Why didn't you warn me about this?
>What's planned for tomorrow?

>>43722831
Sophia seems sullen.

"Sorry, I was so excited by you joining I forgot to bring it up. But it's only temporary, and it comes with cool stuff! Like, listen...do you hear that boar feeding it's babies?"

You don't at first, but as Sophia brings it up, you find your ears tuning to a soft suckling sound. you try to see where it's coming from, but Sophia merely laughs.

"You're not going to see them. They're about three miles away, I think. Bu that's the gift we get from the blood. Without it, we wouldn't have lasted against the king's huntsmen a long time ago."

>I can hear pigs nursing?
>This will come in handy
>When do we start combat training?
>Other

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>>43722899
>>This will come in handy
>>When do we start combat training?

>>43722952
Sophia seems to cheer up.

"Tomorrow. The blood hurts at first, but it makes you stronger, especially when you take more. Our leader has taken it twenty-one times including when we inducted you, and he's basically a monster now. But that's for later, for now you need to eat, you're nothing but bone!"

>You're one to talk
>I'm watching my waist
>Don't worry, I will
>Other

>>43722988
>Don't worry, I will

>>43723014
You fill up on bread, bacon and potatoes washed down with some sort of cider, and as soon as you've wiped your mouth you feel Sophia tugging your arm. She leads you all around the camp, introducing you to everyone you pass by, totaling around thirty rangers in all.

By the time you finish, you are exhausted, and Sophia leads you back to the bunks to sleep. After a long night's rest, you are woken by a rough shake from one of the older Rangers, who doesn't even wait for you to sit up before dropping at least twenty pounds of clothing and gear onto your chest.

"Up and at them, recruit. If you want breakfast you'll earn it."

>I'd like to do it in private, please
>Right away
>Where's Sophia
>Other

>>43723140
>>I'd like to do it in private, please

>>43723182
The old Ranger scoffs, but turns toward the door.

"You've got thirty seconds, or your meal will go to the birds."

>Hurry and dress
>Insist he leave
>Other

>>43723288
>>Insist he leave

>>43723288
Hell yeah, Rags to Riches.
>Insist he leave

>Sorry. I just hate it here so much. I don't have any family, or any friends. All I do is work and then come home and be alone. I've read all the books he'll let me read a hundred times. I'm not even learning anything new. When you bought me dinner, and came and talked with me, it felt so good. I've been alone for ten years. Now you're leaving, and you'll probably never come back and...I just can't stop crying.
>Knock all her books to the floor too

Monster drinking monster's blood

>>43723316
>>43723332
The old Ranger grows impatient, and merely grabs your wrist, hurling you out the door in a fit. You tumble, landing on your hands and knees in the damp grass, staining your nice, stained clothes. Sophia rushes to your side to help you up.

"If it's backtalk you'll serve, then I'll just have to break you in like the rest of the wild mares, now won't I?" the old Ranger comes up behind you with a boot to your buttox. "Ten laps round the camp, both of ye! I don't want to see you slow down fer anything short of the grizzly reaper himself!" With a sudden crack of a whip, you and Sophia are sent sprinting through the cold morning air. You follow her closely, admiring how quick and nimble she is on those doe's legs of hers.

>"Is it like this every morning?"
>"Can I borrow your cloak? I'm freezing."
>Put your heart into your workout

>>43723383
>Put your heart into your workout

Man, that guy is a total dick.

>>43723383
>>Put your heart into your workout
If it's like basic training in the army, we get to beat the shit out of him at the end of the course.

>>43723392
>>43723437
You focus on your run, feeling a heat fill you the more you push yourself forward. After a few laps around the camp, your throat is burning and your heart is pounding, but you've managed to gain a healthy lead on Sophia. with this as motivation, you push even harder until your laps are complete.

You collapse in a heap, and Sophia throws herself on top of you, using her cloak to cover you both.

"Unholy fiend, I've got you now! How in the seventh hell did you run that hard? You were like a stag in a frenzy!"

>Pin Sophia
>"I guess I'm just a natural"
>"You just weren't trying hard enough"
>Other

>>43723520
>>Pin Sophia

>>43723520
>"I guess I'm just a natural"

>>43723540
>>43723541
You use your superior weight to roll Sophia over, and throw yourself onto her back, taunting her as you do. The two of you have a good laugh, up until you hear another whip crack and stumble to your feet. Your legs tremble like a branch in the breeze.

"Right then, I guess you've got more fire in you than you looked. Parents fed you well, did they? I'll be sure to go much harder on you then." He tosses the clothing and gear at you again, and you catch them with a grunt. "Dress. Breakfast will be served in ten minutes, no later. Anyone not seated will not be served." With that, the old Ranger leaves you with Sophia.

"I think he likes you. When I started he punched me in the mouth. Knocked out two baby teeth!"

>"It's very tempting sometimes."
>"If he does it again I'll teach him a lesson."
>"He can do what he wants if it makes me tougher."
>Other

>>43723612
>"It's very tempting sometimes."

>>43723612
>>"He can do what he wants if it makes me tougher."

>>43723612
>>"He can do what he wants if it makes me tougher."

>>43723639
>>43723654
Sophia hums in understanding, and the mood turns somewhat cold. After a while, she leads you to a secluded spot to help you out of your old clothes and into the new ones.

"Why didn't you just get dressed when you woke up? Do you have three nipples or something?"

>"Four, actually."
>"I'm a lady, unlike you I've got something to tuck away."
>"I just need to get used tot his, I suppose."
>Other

>>43723710
>>"I'm a lady, unlike you I've got something to tuck away."

>>43723710
>>"I'm a lady, unlike you I've got something to tuck away."

>>43723725
>>43723754
Sophia makes a grab for your chest, but you swat her away. She pouts for a moment as you pull on your shirt and vest. You notice that it seems a bit tight in places, and Sophia tells you that it's likely a boy's cut, since there are few people who can make new leather armor around anymore. You figure that you can pull it tight, but it will restrict you significantly, or you can leave it loose, which will be somewhat revealing because of the design.

>Tighten it
>Let it hang out
>Ditch it completely, your shirt will suffice
>Other

>>43723902
>Let it hang out

>>43723902
>>Ditch it completely, your shirt will suffice

>>43723902
>>Let it hang out

>>43723915
>>43723966
You loosen the vest, and pull on the gloves given to you to finish the set. When you turn to face Sophia, she sticks her fingers in her mouth and gives a long whistle.

"That sad girl said something about you being a lady of the night, but I thought she was just joking. Oh well, let's go eat."

After a hot meal, you join Sophia outside for exercise. In fact, the entire day is taken up by it, right up until dinner, when the two of you stumble back into the mess covered in grass stains and sweat for a hot broth. With sore muscles, you and her discuss the history and duties of the Rangers, before finally turning in for bed.

This menu repeats for days, which turn to weeks, which eventually turn to seasons. Come the end of fall, you are a lean, tough, and graceful woman of the wild. Even Sophia has gained an inch or two, though not where it counts, some might say. Throughout your training, you looked over the traditional weapons of the Rangers and decided to specialize in:

>The twin sabers, balanced and deadly
>The hatchet, versatile as they are brutal
>The daggers, many in number and vicious in practice

>>43724119
>>The hatchet, versatile as they are brutal

>>43724119
>The daggers, many in number and vicious in practice

>>43724119
>>The daggers, many in number and vicious in practice
ALL THE WAY. Sneak assassin

>>43724149
>>43724192
As time went by you incorporated a variable arsenal into your regiment, including two obvious blades worn on your hips, a secret third tuck in the small of your back, a few stuffed into individual pockets along your belt, shoulders and thighs to be used as projectiles, and a simple survival knife tucked into a boot for everyday uses.

Sophia chooses the hatchet, and you soon learn that her innocent face and adorable freckles belie a surprising brutality that renders most of the training dummies to tinder.

As the two of you line up one morning, fed and dressed, your instructor assigns you your first duty as a Ranger.

"Scouts have found the trail of a person, a leech, wandering the woods. They've set up crude snares, as well as killed and eaten a few fish and a single doe, though the poor creature was only wounded and left to bleed on the forest floor. The both of you will hunt them down, and remove them from the area before they expose us, get themselves killed, or worse, disturb things that ought be left to rest. You are permitted to use violence if needed, but do not compromise our camp. Is all understood?"

>Salute, and move out
>Ask something first
>Other

>>43724304
>Salute, and move out

>>43724304
>>Ask something first
"Shouldn't we take them in for questioning first?"


Catch you guys later.

>>43724335
See ya.

>>43724304
>>Salute, and move out

>>43724316
>>43724351
You and Sophia both give a Ranger's salute in unison, placing a fist over your hearts and the other behind your backs, and take off into the forest.

You move together quick as the wind, accustomed to the terrain and layout of the area. After an hour or two, you come upon the tracks left by your quarry. Clumsy footprints lead through the brush, which you follow to a small, cold campsite. the remains of a fire still smolder, likely doused just this morning, and some burnt berries lay in the cinders.

"We can probably find her faster if we split up. But your Ranger sense is still a little whimpy, I suppose."

>Split up
>Stick together
>Other

>>43724404
>>Split up

>>43724404
>Split up

>>43724430
>>43724484
The two of you break away from one another and begin searching for the culprit.

Your Ranger senses are indeed dull, but even so the common person has no clue how to hide in the forest, and so finding their scent is quite simple. in fact, they smell lightly of blood, and heavily of salt and berry juice. You move through the green until you reach a small pond, glimmering in the sunlight. Several waterfowl have touched down here, swimming and fishing, as well as a doe who drinks from the clear pool. Near the edge, ruining the splendor of the scenery, is a damp woman struggling to launder her clothes, mumbling to herself.

>Observe quietly
>Ambush her
>Other

>>43724571
>Ambush her

I bet it'll be Mona.

>>43724571
>>Observe quietly

>>43724612
You step out of the tall grass, weapons ready, and demand the intruder surrender with her hands in the air. She turns in shock, wiping wet hair from her face, revealing herself to be Mona, the witch girl you left behind in Dragonfell.

Without a word, she scampers over to you and throws herself into your arms, nearly knocking you off balance. Her arms tighten, and you feel her breath warming your chest. You struggle to pull her off, but she is stubborn.

Suddenly she turns her head up and comes in fast, kissing you like a soldier's wife when he returns from campaign.

>Throw her off
>Push her away
>Other

>>43724686
Keep hugging til she's tired of it

>>43724686
>Other

Break off from the kiss, but hug her back.

>>43724706
You turn away from Mona, but don't force her away until her arms finally grow tired and she backs away on her own. You watch her wipe her face with the heels of her hands, and sniffle a bit before turning back to you.

"Sorry. Hi." Her voice is a bit weak.

>"You need to leave."
>"Are you okay?"
>Other

>>43724854
>>"Are you okay?"
>What are you doing here?

>>43724871
Seconding.

>>43724871
Mona sniffles again, and tucks her arms in, likely to keep her warm as she's still wet and only in a white tunic.

"I ran away again. I couldn't stop thinking about you. some people tried to steal from me, then the old man yelled at me for coming up short, and I just..." She seems to stare at nothing for a minute before continuing. "I knew you were going north. I stole some books, and started walking. I learned new spells at least. But when I got here I didn't know where to start looking. There were wolves. And snakes. I killed a snake with a rock. I don't even know if it was going to bite me. I was just afraid..." Mona begins crying quietly.

>Soothe her
>Let her get it all out
>Tell her to calm down
>Other

>>43724958
>Soothe her

>>43724958
>Soothe her

>>43724992
>>43725018
You reach out, and Mona falls back into your arms. You rub her back and let her calm down before she goes on.

"I've been out here for seven months. Nobody to talk to. Just animals. I read, and I try to catch food. It's exactly the same as back home. I only wanted to see you again. I thought I could convince you to come back. But I was just stupid. I got lost. I would have been dead if you didn't come. Sorry. I'm sorry."

>"It was reckless. there are dangerous things out here."
>"I'm taking you back to the city."
>"You aren't stupid."
>Other

>>43725076
>>"It was reckless. there are dangerous things out here."
>>"I'm taking you back to the city."
She can't come to the camp, but maybe we could persuade them she's of worth as a spellcaster. Give her our money too and promise you'll visit until you find a solution.

>>43725076
>"You aren't stupid."

>>43725109
You tell Mona that her actions would have been the death of her eventually, certainly come winter. She nods. You then tell her you're going to take her back home, and she pulls away from you in surprise.

"N-no! I don't want to go back there! The only reason I came out here is to be with you!" you sigh and explain the situation to her. she seems ready to cry again, but her eyes seem to have been pumped dry.

"But I-"

Mona stops when the grass behind you begins to rustle. You turn in time to see Sophia emerge, hatchet ready, smiling.

"Found you. My trail went cold. did you find the intruder? I heard talking."

You turn, but Mona is vanished. The only thing remaining are her wet clothes by the pond, and the imprint in the dirt where she stood.

>"She got away."
>"She can't be far, let's pursue."
>"No, she must have heard me coming and ran off."
>Other

>>43725211
>"She got away."

>>43725211
What was the point of running. Now we really have to find her or she'll die here. Tell Sophia to keep her weapons in check, though preferably we should find her on our own.

>>43725278
I think she turned invisible, actually.

>>43725266
You nervously explain that she's escaped. Sophia seems disappointed.

"That's disappointing." She mulls this over, then you see something on her face change. She raises her nose up to the sky, and begins taking long whiffs of the air. She lowers head head again, and begins walking slowly in random directions, smelling all around. Her senses are much sharper than yours, but this is something you've never seen her do.

"I can smell her. Salt and berry juice. It's still strong too. She can't be more than a quarter mile away."

>"Let's split up again."
>"Lead the way."
>Other

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26 KB JPG

>>43725329
..Right

>>43725346
>"Lead the way."

>>43725346
>>"Lead the way."

>>43725396
>>43725388
You tell Sophia to lead on, and she happily puts her nose to work. She sniffs a few more times, then begins moving.

"She's so smelly, it's like she's still here. Gods, I can almost reach out and grab her!" You watch Sophia move in circles, before suddenly stopping as if she'd banged her head against a tree. Before your very eyes, a girl appears out of thin air, stumbling backwards into the dirt with a whimper. Sophia herself is knocked off balance and falls into her rear, rubbing her head and whining. The two of them make eye contact for a moment, and then Sophia hops to her feet and draws her weapon.

"Haha! Found her! Damn I'm good! Now let's hogtie her and drag her back to camp!"

>"Let her go!"
>"That's not necessary, we'll just escort her out of the forest."
>Knock out Sophia
>Other

>>43725467
>>"That's not necessary, we'll just escort her out of the forest."

>>43725467
>"That's not necessary, we'll just escort her out of the forest."

>>43725502
>>43725520
Sophia lowers her hatchet.

"Yeah, I guess. Just got excited is all. Still gotta tie her up though." Sophia yanks Mona to her feet and begins lashing her hands together. Mona looks to you for help, but you can only shrug. When Sophia finishes, she dusts off her hands and places them on her hips.

"Knot-tying badge, here I come! Let's go, I think there's a trade road this way." The two of you begin leading Mona away, but she protests, asking to be given her things which lay by the pond.

>Fetch them
>Leave them
>Other

>>43725602
>Fetch them

>>43725602
>>Fetch them

>>43725632
You run over to the pond and gather up Mona's things. Among them are the rest of her clothes, some tools, and a load of books you're shocked she was able to haul all the way up north with her. With them on your back, you begin marching.

Nearing a mile from where you begin, Mona turns back to you with vacant eyes. You know she's playing on your sympathy, but it's still working.

>Grit and bare it
>Help her escape
>Other

>>43725805
Ugh, while I don't really want to make an enemy out of the Rangers, I'd rather stick with Mona.

>Help her escape

>>43725805
>Grit and bare it

>>43725840
Can't we just find a solution for her? We can give her what's left of our money, so she can stay at some cheap tavern for a while. We can then try to talk to the rangers, or maybe find a master spellcaster for her in the city or the countryside.

>>43725867
Maybe, but I kind of doubt the Rangers would be willing to let us help her, since she isn't a part of the freaky dragon cult thing they have going on. And master spellcasters are probably really rare, it'd take a buttload of work trying to find one, and then we'd have to convince him/her to actually take Mona as an apprentice.

>>43725902
She's young, has talent and basic knowledge. Don't think it would be that hard to convince. While we quest as the rangers we're going to see places and meet people. It would help along our way. Until then we accommodate her and visit when we get R&R

I refuse to believe it's that much of a stretch that we stay with the rangers and get a happy outcome with her

>>43725931
Yeah, you have a point. I suppose we could find someplace for her to stay until we get everything figured out.

>>43725840
You let your emotions get the better of you, and decide to help Mona break free. You keep walking as you attempt to think of a plan, but nothing seems to come to mind, and it would be near impossible to communicate with her, especially since Sophia's hearing is quite sharp.

Suddenly Mona turns and dashes at you, slamming herself into your chest and knocking you over. There is a struggle, and in moments she has managed to wrest one of the books from her bag, and runs clumsily in a random direction. Sophia draws her weapons and gives chase.

"She's escaping! I'll take out her pale legs!"

>Stop Sophia
>Tackle Mona first
>Other

>>43725985
>Tackle Mona first

>>43725985
>Tackle Mona first

>>43726028
>>43726043
You hop to your feet and begin sprinting at full speed. Your advantage over Sophia pays off again, and you pass her just in time to dive for Mona, knocking her to the ground. As you right yourselves, you realize one of the pages from Mona's book has been torn out, and it starts to burn with blue flames. you roll out of the way with Mona in arms as the soil beneath you begins to churn, and from it is born a great white serpent, easily three feet around, with rocky scales running down it's back.

The serpent rears up and observes it surroundings, then sets its eyes on Sophia. It hisses, and lunges at her, just missing as she rolls to one side.

"Ah! Ah! Big snake! There's a big snake! Help!" Sophia tumbles and dances as the serpent strikes, only managing to put up a sham of a defense with her hatchets. Meanwhile, Mona clutches the book to her chest, quaking and trying not to sob.

"I'm sorry! I don't know what happened! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

>Help Mona
>Help Sophia
>Other

>>43726099
>Help Sophia

>>43726099
Why help Mona? Can the snake attack her?

>>43726121
>>43726135
You rush to help Sophia, taking one of your smaller knives from your belt, and tossing it as you were taught. It flies true, streaking through the air, but the scales of the white serpent send them glancing off harmlessly, as though they were stone. This does however gain the serpent's attention, allowing you a moment to plan.

>Have Sophia distract the beast while you attack
>Distract it yourself, while Sophia attacks
>Other

>>43726191
>Distract it yourself, while Sophia attacks
>Other

Yell at Mona to cast offensive spells at the serpent if she knows any.

>>43726191
>>Distract it yourself, while Sophia attacks
We're fast, and she might be able to do more damage. See if we can hit its eye with another dagger.

>>43726214
>>43726262
You throw another knife, and the serpent begins attacking you. Despite your greater footspeed, it seems Sophia's longer training has afforded her greater agility, as you struggle with everything you have to evade the serpent's strikes, nearly impaled on its fangs more than once.

Meanwhile, Sophia attempts to find a weak point, but can't seem to locate a place not covered in jagged, rocky scales.

You take a poor step, turn too slow, and are captured in the serpent's jaws. It raises you up, crushing you with massive force, forcing the wind out of your lungs before you can even scream. You swing a dagger wildly, catching it in the eye, but even this does not loosen it's grip.

There is growling, and you glance at the ground to see a small, green kitten clawing at the serpent. This gains its attention, and you find yourself able to inhale again. Sophia is occupied slashing harmlessly at the serpent, but when you look to see Mona, she is pouring over her book in blubbery tears.

"G-g-guardian of m-m-*cough* Guardian of M-m"
The serpent effortlessly swaps the kitten away, and it vanishes in a cloud of green dust.

>Keep struggling
>Call to Sophia
>Call to Mona
>Other

>>43726395
>>Call to Mona

>>43726395
>Call to Mona

>>43726434
>>43726460
You summon the breath you can to call for Mona's help. She is startled, and looks back up to see you struggling to hold on. Wiping her eyes, she focuses on the book again.

"Guardian of Manos, Third Avatar of the Tenth Age, Winds bare fangs and rend the wicked!" As Mona finishes her reciting, a breeze shoots through the grass, gathering loose blades that crash into the serpent, knocking it over and sending you to the ground. You stand, and see the serpent entangled with a large green beast of a cat, striped and baring fangs like swords. The two struggle against one another, leaving the three of you free to move again. Sophia, in her frenzy, continues trying to find a place to attack, but is knocked aside soon.

>Join together and attack
>Run
>Other

>>43726545
>>Join together and attack

>>43726545
>Join together and attack

>>43726578
>>43726592
You rally the other two, Sophia as she dusts off her cloak and picks up her fallen hatchet, and Mona as she anxiously flips through her book for some sort of solution. You form up together, and begin your assault.

"Sophia kill!" The little blonde girl rushes in just as the serpent coils around the large cat, squeezing it until it vanishes into green dust again, and catching its lower jaw with her hatchet just as it turns to face her. Its head is knocked aside, and she rolls over its tail as it swings at her. With this, you have a plan. As the serpent turns again, you lunge and thrust a dagger upward through its jaw, sealing its mouth closed.

It flails wildly in an attempt to dislodge the blade, but before it can, Mona reads from her book again in a tongue you don't know, and blue flames engulf the beast, burning it as it writhes until all that remains are ashes.

Exhausted, you fall onto your rear, panting and rubbing your ribs, which you fear might be cracked. Behind you Sophia collapses into the tall grass, and Mona shuts the book, shaking like a leaf.

>Rest
>Go to Sophia
>Go to Mona

>>43726692
>Rest

>>43726692
>Rest
>Start laughing

>>43726703
>>43726725
You lie in the grass, gently running a hand down your side, laughing at the lunacy of it all, until Mona runs over to see you.

"Are you okay? Here let's get these clothes off." Mona begins undoing your vest, but before long you notice her getting a bit too intimate, and push her hands away. Sophia drags herself over, and comes to rest beside you as well.

"Hey. My legs are broken. See?" She reaches out and shows you a tree branch snapped in two, with one of her boots hanging from the end. "Guess you'll have to kill me, like a horse."

>"Are you two okay?"
>"This isn't the time, Sophia."
>Affection
>other

>>43726838
>Affection

>>43726838
>Affection

>>43726860
>>43726876
You reach out and grab the others, holding them close as you bask in the sun and smell of the grass. You go so far as to plant a kiss on each of their cheeks, though you have to dodge Mona's puckered lips to do so.

Eventually you all recover and manage to sit up. Sophia is the first to speak.

"Hey you're the sad girl, aren't you? I'm surprised you made it all the way out here. I would have thought you'd get eaten by an owlbear."

'Sh-shut up! Owlbears aren't real! They're just in stories, right?" Mona turns to you, hoping for reassurance. Owlbears are absolutely real.

>"They're made up."
>"They're real, but not around here."
>Change the subject

>>43726951
>"They're real, but not around here."

>>43726951
>>"They're real, but not around here."

>>43726979
>>43726988
You tell Mona that owlbears do exist, but they don't roam anywhere near here. This calms her just a bit, but not as much as you'd hoped.

You get to your feet with Mona's help, and realize that if your ribs aren't cracked, something is. Sophia reveals that despite her jest, her arm really is broken and in need of splinting. Mona seems relatively fine, if not scratched and bruised.

"It's a shame we still have to drag you out of the forest, sad girl. Rules are rules though." Sophia shrugs, and Mona looks at the ground, hugging herself.

"I know. I understand. I'll go back to the city, if it's what's best for you." She turns her eyes to you again, wide and teary like a kittens.

>"You'll be safer there."
>Try to convince Sophia
>Other

>>43727062
>>Try to convince Sophia

>>43727111
You turn to Sophia and try to plead with her. You ask if there is any way for Mona to remain. Mona herself watches Sophia's face with quiet fear. Sophia scratches her head, then ruffles her hair, then throws herself into the grass again, kicking her legs up into the air. The whole time her face looks as though she'd eaten something sour. Finally, she stands, and dusts herself off.

She reaches down and begins picking grass from the ground, but says nothing.

>Watch
>Pick some grass

>>43727204
>>Pick some grass

>>43727204
>Watch

>>43727252
You reach down, wincing at the pain in your side, and pick as much grass as you can. Mona joins in as well. soon you have a veritable bundle, which Sophia takes from you. She then begins weaving the blades together tightly, and after a good deal of painstaking work, emphasis on pain thanks to her injury, she produces a wreath, beautifully crafted, and places it gently on Mona's head. Mona blushes a bit, clear through her pale skin.

"The other Rangers won't be able to smell you. Don't get to close to any of them, and you should be able to avoid detection, especially since they aren't looking for you. Our senses are sharp, but they aren't foolproof. We have to know what we're looking for to maximize them."

You look at Mona, who seems to be ready to cry again. Instead, she reaches out and hugs Sophia, thanking her for her kindness. Sophia merely sighs.

"I want your bacon for a week." She stares at you coldly.

>"Thank you."
>"You can have it for a year if this works."
>Other

>>43727373
>>"You can have it for a year if this works."

>>43727373
>"You can have it for a year if this works."

>>43727408
>>43727440
The three of you gather Mona's things, and she is finally permitted to put on all of her remaining clothes, including a black coat and a long, black tunic which simulates a dress. She pulls her hair up into a tail, and places the wreath of grass on her head again. With that, you all head back to camp.

As you approach, Mona mumbles to herself, and she vanishes from sight again, though you can still feel her presence. The three of you enter camp together, and are soon greeted by your instructor.

"You've returned later than we anticipated. What's this? You both look like mangled hounds. What happened?"

Sophia looks to you.

>"The intruder was a greater threat than we'd anticipated."
>"We were attacked by boars."
>"We got careless and took a tumble down a hill while we gave chase."
>Other

>>43727569
>"The intruder was a greater threat than we'd anticipated."

>>43727569
>>"The intruder was a greater threat than we'd anticipated."

>>43727591
>>43727594
Your instructor looks the both of you over, looking uncertain. He walks a circle around you, and reaches out to grab Sophia's arm. She winces in pain as he examines it.

"I see. They heard two Rangers coming, knowing nothing of the forest itself, and prepared an ambush for you. They then broke Sophia's dominant arm, and cracked," he pokes your side, causing you to flinch terribly. "Three of your right ribs. A single intruder. Is that what I'm to believe." He stands before you again, hands tucked behind his back, expecting an answer.

>"Yes sir. We weren't prepared for his retaliation."
>"Well, there was actually more than one. It was a trap."
>Remain silent
>Other

>>43727750
>"Yes sir. We weren't prepared for his retaliation."

>>43727750
>>"Yes sir. We weren't prepared for his retaliation."

>>43727770
>>43727817
He looks at you one more time, then rubs his temple.

"I see. It's a shame. I thought I had taught the two of you better than to return to me like this, sorry and broken. And what's worse, you'd hide behind such a defense. how am I to respond? Hm? I'll tell you." He reaches into his pocket and retrieves a roll of paper. "This was your training menu for the next season. I'm throwing it out. From now on I'll be on you thrice as hard. You'll break only to sleep and eat. There will be no more leisure time, no more resting days, and certainly not another ounce of honeyed rolls after dinner. Clearly I've been too soft, that you'd be nearly beaten by a ragged wanderer. Once you've healed, it's back to training. Dismissed." He turns and strides away. You turn to Sophia.

She looks as if something has robbed her of her very soul, standing as stiff as an oak, with her blonde braids hanging sadly from her head. You reach over to comfort her, but nothing seems to get through.

>Promise to make it up to her
>Ask Mona for help
>Let her be
>Other

>>43727933
>Promise to make it up to her

>>43727933
>>Promise to make it up to her
>Ask Mona for help

>>43727970
>>43728018
You tell Sophia that you'll do whatever it takes to make things better, but she seems unphased. You whisper to Mona, and out of nowhere something appears, floating in midair. It is a small, blue pearl, which Sophia takes and sniffs. She then pops it into her mouth, and an expression of pure bliss washes over her face as she grabs her cheeks and giggles gleefully. She continues to mumble and laugh as she walks toward the infirmary, and Mona whispers into your ear.

"It's just a little candy I brought with me. I have a whole bag if this happens again."

>"She's not a dog."
>"Keep them at the ready."

>>43728103
>"She's not a dog."

>>43728103
>>"Keep them at the ready."

>>43728130
You tell Mona that training Sophia isn't the solution.

"Suit yourself."

The rest of the day goes by without too much trouble. Your chest is treated, and Sophia's arm is put into a cast, each of you given a tincture to help mend the bones you damaged. You are fed, and allowed to bathe before the sun sets, and told to get to bed early to help the healing process.

As you climb into your bed, tired and sore, you bump into something taking up nearly half of the space in it.

"Shh, it's me. I don't have a bed and I can't get caught so I guess," you cannot see her, but you can hear her swallow and suck in a little saliva from her lip, "I guess we'll just have to share, heheh."

>"Sophia is smaller, go lay with her."
>"Take one of the empty beds."
>"Fine, but I kick in my sleep."
>Other

>>43728278
>>"Fine, but I kick in my sleep."

>>43728321
You begrudgingly crawl in, pushing Mona's hand away from your midriff two or three times before finally falling asleep. You dream of wheat fields.

The next morning comes, and you remove Mona's hand from your chest before getting dressed for the day. Your mending is faster than you expected, thanks to the daily tinctures given to you by the Rangers, and within two weeks you and Mona are fit to be broken down and pounded into paste by your knew regimen.

Day after day the two of you endure harsh endurance and strength training. When you aren't sprinting, you're lifting weight, or sparring. Sophia seems to take out her aggression built up from the situation on you, which both hurts and makes you stronger in turn. Mona spends most of her time happily reading a few meters away from you.

Winter comes, and Mona gifts you both with handmade scarves that you are forced to dispose of for fear of her being found out. Spring comes, and with it the trouble of hiding Mona's allergies. Summer comes, and with it the eerie feeling of being watched as you and Sophia practice swimming and aquatic aerobics. When fall comes back to the fore, you are both stronger, and Sophia has begun growing into her femininity, at least in appearance. Her curves have started to spring up, though she wishes they didn't, claiming they make her somewhat uncomfortable in her armor.

One full year after bringing Mona back to camp, she has not been discovered, and has in fact moved on with her own studies, advancing from simple cantrips to moderately useful magics. As the three of you enjoy the first rest day you've had since the day you mended, Mona flips though one of her books and Sophia whittles a charm out of an oak branch.

"I'm gonna make a wolf. Wolves are cool."

>"They're not that cool."
>"They're pretty cool."
>"Make an eagle instead."
>Other

>>43728573
>>"Make an eagle instead."

>>43728658
You tell Sophia to make an eagle in place of the wolf, and she grimaces.

"That's gonna be hard, I already started the tail. Oh well." You turn to Mona, who is mumbling something as she flips through pages.

>"Anything interesting?"
>"Teach me some magic."
>Don't break her concentration
>Other

>>43728787
>>Don't break her concentration

>>43728861
You remain silent and enjoy the afternoon with the others, basking in the sun and cool breeze. After some time, Mona closes her book and stands up, brushing off the seat of her dress.

"Ahem. I will now cast a spell to summon a flock of doves, all of which will explode into fireworks."

>"Go on then."
>"Needs more."
>Other

Sorry, child raising things happened

>>43729636
>Go on then.

>>43729659
You watch Mona take a few steps forward, then begin waving her arms in slow, deliberate motions. Sophia stops to watch as well. Mona begins chanting, and her fingertips are trailed by light, faint sparks. Then, with one large shove, the sparks grow fierce, and transform into ravens, which take off in a massive flock, cawing like mad until they finally burst into black flame and fall to the ground as embers.

>"Not quite."
>"Even better."
>Other

>>43729793
>Even better.

>>43729943
You clap for Mona, even though Sophia seems purely confused. Mona makes a halfhearted bow, scratching her head.

"It's always crows. No matter what I do, crows. Maybe I'm secretly evil?"

>"Was it a secret?"
>"You're as pure as snow."
>Other

>>43730000
>"You're as pure as snow."

>>43730202
Mona looks triumphant. Sophia stands now, and stretches.

"We should get back. They're gonna come looking for us soon." Sophia reaches down and helps you to your feet, and you take her hand gratefully. As you rise, something catches your eye in the distance. You look over Sophia's shoulder, and far and through the trees you see two bright eyes, and then two more, and then a dozen. Wolves, a whole pack, observing you from afar. You warn Sophia, who turns and spots them immediately.

"We should tell the others. Wolf packs can be dangerous if you don't keep them in check."

On that day, through the thick treeline, you swear that the leader of the pack grinned at you from a near mile away, baring his teeth.

Sorry, gotta wrap it up kind of early for reasons. Hope everyone who played had fun, might do another on Saturday if anyone is interested.

>>43730321
I know I did. Kinda glad you're wrapping up now, though, since I've got to sleep.

>>43730321

Well yeah we're interested, so is the end goal to build a proper adventuring party around us, because despite the fact that both Sophia and us are Rangers, we're more of a rouge and she's more of a barbarian and then we also have a wizard, honestly at his point we just need a tank