Felix brought Janette to the kitchen area before kneeling down, his hand reaching out for the cellar hatch hidden by the floorboards.
"Over here." He gestured for her to follow as he pulled the hatch open, its loud squeaky hinge announcing their arrival. He stepped down the ladder first, shrouded in complete darkness as Janette felt her skin crawl and her legs grow wobbly and unbalanced.
"Err, Felix? I swear I told no one about her, would you be so kind as to bring light under there? A lantern or-or candle would suffice."
"Oh, right!" He smacked his forehead and climbed back up, stopping halfway as he pointed at the nearby lantern hung beside the front door. "Pass me that would you? Ignite it with the fire from the chimney."
Janette breathed a sigh of relief and did as he requested, bringing to him a lit lantern which provided a warm yellow glow of comfort as he stood at the bottom of the ladder waiting for her. She raised the bottom of her dress and stepped carefully while he lit the steps for her until she descended to the bottom.
"I apologize for that, it was not my intention to frighten you." He held her hand and stepped forward as Janette looked around, noticing the many barrels of salt surrounding them.
"This is where you store the meat I presume-AAAAYYYYY!!!!!" Janette jumped, screaming until her lungs gave out as she nearly fell back had it not been for Felix holding her waist. Her eyes were busy scanning the walls that is was not until she looked forward did she realize a woman appeared from the darkness, snarling and baring her fangs with a fierce growl in her throat.
"I've got you, she won't be causing any harm!" He shouted, stepping forward as Janette hugged his arm and poked her quivering head over his shoulder.
"I-Is that the wolf?"
"Who are you calling meat!?" She asked through clenched teeth, her yellow eyes practically glowing in the darkness as it scanned her new guest up and down. Her snarl shifted into a grin as she licked her lips. "I didn't realize they were bringing me a treat."
Janette immediately scoffed, covering her chest with her arms as she kept behind Felix. "Is this how you talk to anyone you meet?"
"Only the cute ones." She snickered, cackling under a mischievous grin as Felix looked back at Janette.
"I'm not quite sure what to do, keeping her chained is not something I would be comfortable doing."
"Then why chain me at all, unless it gets you going?" Her eyes grew wide as she began pushing her chest forward, shaking her bare breasts for them to see. "Wouldn't be the first time for me to be in chains."
"So I see," Felix replied in a look of discomfort, rubbing the side of his face and turning away. Janette stepped back when she saw his eyes, they were emitting a soft glow just like the Monster Girls, only it was faint but noticeable. He looked up at her with an apologetic face, his eyes seemed sincere as he raised his hands gently. "I'm sorry if you're uncomfortable, I can figure this out on my own if you prefer. I don't want you to be in any more trouble after you've done so much for me."
"No no," She dismissed his worries as she stepped past him, taking the lantern from his hand from his hand as she came closer to the flirtatious woman. "I can handle this. Not every day I get to interact with a Monster Girl, after all. What is your name?"
"Norowa, Norowa Reta." She yanked at the restraints on her wrists, testing their strength as they kept her arms to her back.
"You're not a local, did you travel here? Where are you from?"
"I like to move around."
Janette frowned. "None of the people I've seen have blue hair. What class of man are you?"
Reta scoffed and gave her a cheeky grin. "Perhaps you didn't know, but I am very much a woman."
The two kept eye contact, both trying to get a read on the other. When Janette raised the lantern over their heads, the light made Reta wince and bow her head, turning to her right and revealing a mark on her shoulder.
Janette leaned in, scanning the mark before pulling back immediately, so fast that Felix stepped in to hold her.
"That's a bite, that's a bite mark! Y-You're not, you're-"
"What, what is it?" He moved aside as she retreated behind him for protection. They looked ahead when the woman started to laugh cruelly once more.
"I won't bite unless you want me to." Reta stared into Janette's eyes and winked, causing the poor woman to whimper.
"Felix! Sh-She's a wolf, a werewolf! One bite from her would spread the curse to us!"
"But if she's cursed, then that means... " Felix turned back to face Reta before approaching her.
"What are you doing!?" Janette shouted as she held his arm.
He turned around and patted her hand. "Trust me on this, okay?"
"I've only met you twice!"
"This is going fast for me too, but I think I can handle this." He moved forward once she let go, kneeling to face the Monster Girl as she flashed her teeth. They were inches apart, close enough for her to lunge forward and sink her teeth into him, and he was well aware. But something made her uneasy, the look in his eyes. Her wolf ears which popped out of her blue hair wiggled as her acute sense of hearing picked up the sound of his heart rate.
"Handle me? You were scared of me a moment ago, don't think you can fool me into this false pretense of courage." Her words were cruel but straightforward, but it hand no impact in his soft expression. She pulled back when he reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, no display of grip strength, just the feeling of someone gentle and friendly. "Hey, back off! Don't tempt me, I can ruin your life forever with just a nibble!"
"I know. I'm doing this because I want you to trust me."
Reta's eyebrows drew closer into a skeptic look, it was not as if he were calm and relaxed. Judging from the repeating thumping of his heart sounding like rhythm of beating drums, she was aware of how nervous he was as he kept making eye contact with her. What was it he wanted?
She glared back and scoffed. "Usotsuki. If you're trying to lower my guard before forcing yourself on me, grant me the favor of dropping this act. I'd rather someone be honest and display their cruelty than to be deceived."
Janette leaned in several steps behind Felix, watching this interaction continue as he adjusted himself to sit down.
"If I remove your chains, what are the chances that you will reward my trust with violence?"
"Baka yarō! Why free me at all, you know what my intentions are."
"Yes, you wanted to take me as your mate without my consent, and in doing so you hurt my chosen mate."
"So, why not kill me?"
Felix breathed in and sighed, closing his eyes. "Because that's not what you would want. I have seen too much death, I won't take a life unless my hand is forced. Attacking me or KuliKuli will mean forcing my hand, particularly if you harm us with the intent to kill us. But looking at you now, I don't see you doing that."
"What do you mean?" Janette asked from behind, curious to what he meant.
Felix raised his head, his yellow-brown eyes staring deeply into Reta's own eyes. "You can see it in their eyes if they are prepared to take a kill out of sport. Anyone can take a life, but I like to believe that it takes true courage to save one instead."
With that, he stepped in and sat on his knee behind a puzzled Norowa Reta, fumbling with the chains on her wrists before undoing them. As soon as the chains dropped, Reta pulled her paws forward, rubbing her wrists. Janette stepped back with her hand resting on the steps, wondering what the cursed woman would do next. She pushed herself up and began to stretch, gritting her teeth as she arched her body and turned her arms from side to side. Her bushy wolf tail swept the ground behind her, brushing against his feet as he stood to her side and waited until she had composed herself. He glanced at her tail as his eyes trailed upward before he looked away.
"You are free to go, I'm sorry I could not help you with what you're looking for."
"Oooh I don't know about that," She closed her eyes and leaned her head back into her paws, folding her arms above her head. "Don't think that I did not notice you peak at my ass just now. You can look all you want, it's a compliment to me."
Janette clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes while Felix blushed and avoiding looking at Reta's grinning face.
"It was dark when I found you, surely it won't be long until the sun rises." She mentioned, staring at a salted trout within one of the barrels. Her stomach growled much to her dismay, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"You can take some food if you'd like before you go-"
"Do you have a home?" Everyone turned to look at the steps where KuliKuli stood, keeping the blanket wrapped around her body as if she wore a very large dress to conceal her nudity.
"KuliKuli, you should be resting." Felix ran toward her as she hugged his arm and smiled back.
"Master, did you ask her if she has a home?"
"No." Reta answered for them, catching them by surprise when she spoke in a soft tone. "I am... a wolf without a home."
KuliKuli responded with a sad look, turning to face her mate and leaning in. "Master, let her stay if she likes."
"What?"
"Let her stay. She doesn't have a home, I don't want her living outside all by herself. It's not safe, someone might find her and hunt her, and then she would be running for her life."
"I... I can fight for myself." Reta paused before crossing her arms over her chest. "Besides, I'm not always in this state. I'm cursed but I'm still human."
"What do you do for food and clothing?" He asked her.
"Catch them however I can, through open windows or by nature."
Felix and KuliKuli whispered amongst themselves, leaving Janette standing awkwardly by as she kept her eyes on the wolf.
"You can stay then." He stated to her.
"Only if you behave!" KuliKuli chimed in, waving her paw at her. "No claws and no attacking my mate. He's mine! I will share him with who I feel comfortable with."
"What?" Felix asked as his face grew red and hot. Reta snickered and walked by them, her wolf tail brushing gently against his crotch before she stood by the steps.
"Lovely, guess I better make myself comfortable then. I don't need your pity, but your warmth is amusing. So I will choose to stay, not because you offered. Now, where will I sleep? I can keep him warm for you in the night." She chuckled as KuliKuli frowned.
Janette stepped by and let her walk up the steps before stopping Felix in his step. "I'm not sure I agree with this choice, I can look into curses in my readings to learn more just in case. I should get going then, would it be okay if I visit here in the afternoon?"
"You can stay the night too if you'd like?" He asked her.
KuliKuli gasped. "You don't have a home too!?"
"I have a home! It's just... I don't feel comfortable sleeping with her around. Not until I know her better." They took her back up the steps, leading her to the front door after she had retrieved her belongings. She turned back to face them once she had stepped outside with a lantern in her hand.
"Again are you sure about this? She did try to force herself on you. What if she tries it again, how would you stop her then?"
Felix and KuliKuli looked at each other before nodding with a face of determination.
"Together."
That made her chuckle and shake her head before waving them goodbye, leaving the couple as they closed the door behind her and settled in for the night.
Felix brought Janette to the kitchen area before kneeling down, his hand reaching out for the cellar hatch hidden by the floorboards.
"Over here." He gestured for her to follow as he pulled the hatch open, its loud squeaky hinge announcing their arrival. He stepped down the ladder first, shrouded in complete darkness as Janette felt her skin crawl and her legs grow wobbly and unbalanced.
"Err, Felix? I swear I told no one about her, would you be so kind as to bring light under there? A lantern or-or candle would suffice."
"Oh, right!" He smacked his forehead and climbed back up, stopping halfway as he pointed at the nearby lantern hung beside the front door. "Pass me that would you? Ignite it with the fire from the chimney."
Janette breathed a sigh of relief and did as he requested, bringing to him a lit lantern which provided a warm yellow glow of comfort as he stood at the bottom of the ladder waiting for her. She raised the bottom of her dress and stepped carefully while he lit the steps for her until she descended to the bottom.
"I apologize for that, it was not my intention to frighten you." He held her hand and stepped forward as Janette looked around, noticing the many barrels of salt surrounding them.
"This is where you store the meat I presume-AAAAYYYYY!!!!!" Janette jumped, screaming until her lungs gave out as she nearly fell back had it not been for Felix holding her waist. Her eyes were busy scanning the walls that is was not until she looked forward did she realize a woman appeared from the darkness, snarling and baring her fangs with a fierce growl in her throat.
"I've got you, she won't be causing any harm!" He shouted, stepping forward as Janette hugged his arm and poked her quivering head over his shoulder.
"I-Is that the wolf?"
"Who are you calling meat!?" She asked through clenched teeth, her yellow eyes practically glowing in the darkness as it scanned her new guest up and down. Her snarl shifted into a grin as she licked her lips. "I didn't realize they were bringing me a treat."
Janette immediately scoffed, covering her chest with her arms as she kept behind Felix. "Is this how you talk to anyone you meet?"
"Only the cute ones." She snickered, cackling under a mischievous grin as Felix looked back at Janette.
"I'm not quite sure what to do, keeping her chained is not something I would be comfortable doing."
"Then why chain me at all, unless it gets you going?" Her eyes grew wide as she began pushing her chest forward, shaking her bare breasts for them to see. "Wouldn't be the first time for me to be in chains."
"So I see," Felix replied in a look of discomfort, rubbing the side of his face and turning away. Janette stepped back when she saw his eyes, they were emitting a soft glow just like the Monster Girls, only it was faint but noticeable. He looked up at her with an apologetic face, his eyes seemed sincere as he raised his hands gently. "I'm sorry if you're uncomfortable, I can figure this out on my own if you prefer. I don't want you to be in any more trouble after you've done so much for me."
"No no," She dismissed his worries as she stepped past him, taking the lantern from his hand from his hand as she came closer to the flirtatious woman. "I can handle this. Not every day I get to interact with a Monster Girl, after all. What is your name?"
"Norowa, Norowa Reta." She yanked at the restraints on her wrists, testing their strength as they kept her arms to her back.
"You're not a local, did you travel here? Where are you from?"
"I like to move around."
Janette frowned. "None of the people I've seen have blue hair. What class of man are you?"
Reta scoffed and gave her a cheeky grin. "Perhaps you didn't know, but I am very much a woman."
The two kept eye contact, both trying to get a read on the other. When Janette raised the lantern over their heads, the light made Reta wince and bow her head, turning to her right and revealing a mark on her shoulder.
Janette leaned in, scanning the mark before pulling back immediately, so fast that Felix stepped in to hold her.
"That's a bite, that's a bite mark! Y-You're not, you're-"
"What, what is it?" He moved aside as she retreated behind him for protection. They looked ahead when the woman started to laugh cruelly once more.
"I won't bite unless you want me to." Reta stared into Janette's eyes and winked, causing the poor woman to whimper.
"Felix! Sh-She's a wolf, a werewolf! One bite from her would spread the curse to us!"
"But if she's cursed, then that means... " Felix turned back to face Reta before approaching her.
"What are you doing!?" Janette shouted as she held his arm.
He turned around and patted her hand. "Trust me on this, okay?"
"I've only met you twice!"
"This is going fast for me too, but I think I can handle this." He moved forward once she let go, kneeling to face the Monster Girl as she flashed her teeth. They were inches apart, close enough for her to lunge forward and sink her teeth into him, and he was well aware. But something made her uneasy, the look in his eyes. Her wolf ears which popped out of her blue hair wiggled as her acute sense of hearing picked up the sound of his heart rate.
"Handle me? You were scared of me a moment ago, don't think you can fool me into this false pretense of courage." Her words were cruel but straightforward, but it hand no impact in his soft expression. She pulled back when he reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, no display of grip strength, just the feeling of someone gentle and friendly. "Hey, back off! Don't tempt me, I can ruin your life forever with just a nibble!"
"I know. I'm doing this because I want you to trust me."
Reta's eyebrows drew closer into a skeptic look, it was not as if he were calm and relaxed. Judging from the repeating thumping of his heart sounding like rhythm of beating drums, she was aware of how nervous he was as he kept making eye contact with her. What was it he wanted?
She glared back and scoffed. "Usotsuki. If you're trying to lower my guard before forcing yourself on me, grant me the favor of dropping this act. I'd rather someone be honest and display their cruelty than to be deceived."
Janette leaned in several steps behind Felix, watching this interaction continue as he adjusted himself to sit down.
"If I remove your chains, what are the chances that you will reward my trust with violence?"
"Baka yarō! Why free me at all, you know what my intentions are."
"Yes, you wanted to take me as your mate without my consent, and in doing so you hurt my chosen mate."
"So, why not kill me?"
Felix breathed in and sighed, closing his eyes. "Because that's not what you would want. I have seen too much death, I won't take a life unless my hand is forced. Attacking me or KuliKuli will mean forcing my hand, particularly if you harm us with the intent to kill us. But looking at you now, I don't see you doing that."
"What do you mean?" Janette asked from behind, curious to what he meant.
Felix raised his head, his yellow-brown eyes staring deeply into Reta's own eyes. "You can see it in their eyes if they are prepared to take a kill out of sport. Anyone can take a life, but I like to believe that it takes true courage to save one instead."
With that, he stepped in and sat on his knee behind a puzzled Norowa Reta, fumbling with the chains on her wrists before undoing them. As soon as the chains dropped, Reta pulled her paws forward, rubbing her wrists. Janette stepped back with her hand resting on the steps, wondering what the cursed woman would do next. She pushed herself up and began to stretch, gritting her teeth as she arched her body and turned her arms from side to side. Her bushy wolf tail swept the ground behind her, brushing against his feet as he stood to her side and waited until she had composed herself. He glanced at her tail as his eyes trailed upward before he looked away.
"You are free to go, I'm sorry I could not help you with what you're looking for."
"Oooh I don't know about that," She closed her eyes and leaned her head back into her paws, folding her arms above her head. "Don't think that I did not notice you peak at my ass just now. You can look all you want, it's a compliment to me."
Janette clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes while Felix blushed and avoiding looking at Reta's grinning face.
"It was dark when I found you, surely it won't be long until the sun rises." She mentioned, staring at a salted trout within one of the barrels. Her stomach growled much to her dismay, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"You can take some food if you'd like before you go-"
"Do you have a home?" Everyone turned to look at the steps where KuliKuli stood, keeping the blanket wrapped around her body as if she wore a very large dress to conceal her nudity.
"KuliKuli, you should be resting." Felix ran toward her as she hugged his arm and smiled back.
"Master, did you ask her if she has a home?"
"No." Reta answered for them, catching them by surprise when she spoke in a soft tone. "I am... a wolf without a home."
KuliKuli responded with a sad look, turning to face her mate and leaning in. "Master, let her stay if she likes."
"What?"
"Let her stay. She doesn't have a home, I don't want her living outside all by herself. It's not safe, someone might find her and hunt her, and then she would be running for her life."
"I... I can fight for myself." Reta paused before crossing her arms over her chest. "Besides, I'm not always in this state. I'm cursed but I'm still human."
"What do you do for food and clothing?" He asked her.
"Catch them however I can, through open windows or by nature."
Felix and KuliKuli whispered amongst themselves, leaving Janette standing awkwardly by as she kept her eyes on the wolf.
"You can stay then." He stated to her.
"Only if you behave!" KuliKuli chimed in, waving her paw at her. "No claws and no attacking my mate. He's mine! I will share him with who I feel comfortable with."
"What?" Felix asked as his face grew red and hot. Reta snickered and walked by them, her wolf tail brushing gently against his crotch before she stood by the steps.
"Lovely, guess I better make myself comfortable then. I don't need your pity, but your warmth is amusing. So I will choose to stay, not because you offered. Now, where will I sleep? I can keep him warm for you in the night." She chuckled as KuliKuli frowned.
Janette stepped by and let her walk up the steps before stopping Felix in his step. "I'm not sure I agree with this choice, I can look into curses in my readings to learn more just in case. I should get going then, would it be okay if I visit here in the afternoon?"
"You can stay the night too if you'd like?" He asked her.
KuliKuli gasped. "You don't have a home too!?"
"I have a home! It's just... I don't feel comfortable sleeping with her around. Not until I know her better." They took her back up the steps, leading her to the front door after she had retrieved her belongings. She turned back to face them once she had stepped outside with a lantern in her hand.
"Again are you sure about this? She did try to force herself on you. What if she tries it again, how would you stop her then?"
Felix and KuliKuli looked at each other before nodding with a face of determination.
"Together."
That made her chuckle and shake her head before waving them goodbye, leaving the couple as they closed the door behind her and settled in for the night.
