The ride back home - part 2

There are still a few hours of travel ahead, a bit of talking wouldn't hurt... "Hey, Rhea. I have a question." You say.

"Ask away, lad! I'm an open book." She grins, leaning down on her seat and stretching her long limbs with deep groans, being careful to not hit anybody. "Gods, I'm feckin' stiff... Good thing I bought that oil, I'm definitely goin' to need a massage later." She softly talks to herself.

"How did you end up in Midorn? You are pretty far away from home, aren't you?"

"Yup, really far away... It's not a very interestin' story, to be honest." The minotaur scratches the back of her neck.

Kara's lupine ears perk up, bouncing over Agis' lap as she positions herself to face Rhea, making the elf embarrassedly sigh. "Aw, but I love your stories, Rhea! Can't you tell us?" She pouts. "Please?"

The minotaur grins, dismissively waving her hand. "Pft, alright, alright." She snorts. "Just for ya, puppy."

"Yay!" The puppy girl excitedly claps her hands, getting comfortable and listening with attention.

"Okay. Kha'Arn. Home. I don't know if ya all knew this, but we have a little war goin' on there since quite some time."

"W-war? Really?" Mathilda surprisedly tilts her head to the side.

"Yeah, ya heard right! Bovine folk back in Kha'Arn are at war with the frost goblins that live in the close forests." She furrows her brow, angrily huffing. "Them ugly pieces o' shite..."

"Wait, goblins? Like Ag's ex-boss?" Lola can't hold back a giggle. "Big, strong minotaurs are having trouble with those little things?" She playfully teases.

"N-nah, pigtails, what ya talkin' bout? Frost goblins are completely different from the normal ones. I swear." She quickly tries to defend the honor of her race. "With long claws, red eyes, and all that creepy shite..."

"Oh, I see. Really scary~." Lola continues smirking.

Rhea huffs, rolling her eyes. "As I was sayin', before bein' rudely interrupted..." She glares at the succubus, who blows her a little kiss. "Kha'Arn is in the middle of this little war, right? So I decided to do what every nationalistic young lass should do... Join the local army to go kill those things." Rhea proudly smirks, though it quickly dissipates as she embarrassedly purses her lips. "Though, I had some trouble on the basic training..."

"Wait, what?" You surprisedly raise your brows. "You? Really?"

"Aaah, makin' me blush, lad! Heh, I didn't have trouble with the physical training itself, I was feckin' great at that!" She giggles. "But as ya know, I'm a dumb hothead, and I was even dumber back then. So when the drill instructor lady started screamin' and tossin' insults at me for bein' a brag... Well, let's say I got angry and someone ended up with a broken horn..."

"Oh..."

"Yeah, I'm not too proud of that... Well, I mean, it was a good fight, but... ya know. It was unnecessary." She grunts, shaking her head.

"And, to make things worse, it seems this instructor lady was part of some huge clan. A very violent one too, and they were feckin' pissed... so me old man thought it would be better for me to get away from the country until things cooled down." She sighs, melancholically lowering her gaze. "It's been quite some time since that happened and I came here to Midorn... Haven't seen me family ever since, I miss them a lot..."

A strong silence forms around the carriage's cabin as everyone ponders on Rhea's story... for almost a minute at least, until some soft sobbing interrupts it.

"...Doll, are ya cryin'?" Rhea alarmedly looks at Mathilda. The young girl covering her crying face with her small palms.

"Y-yeah, s-sorry..." She sniffs, gently lifting her face up from her hands, wiping the long tears from her cheeks. "I-it's just... that's so sad! If I was you, I wouldn't be able to take it... I'll..." Her plump lower lip trembles, tears building up in the corners of her eyes as she starts weeping again.

"H-hey, don't worry! I know for sure I'll see them again someday!" She rapidly tries to console the teenager. "I get letters from me father every year, I will be able to go visit when he tells me it's safe." Rhea seems mortified at the situation, nervously fumbling with her hands as she keeps talking. "P-please don't cry, cute little doll... Ya are breakin' me heart."

"I'm- I'm okay." She sniffs again, trying to compose herself, face red and eyes puffy. "I'm so sorry... I'm such a crybaby with these sort of things..."

Rhea lets out a relieved sigh, leaning back into her seat as she rubs her face. "See, puppy? It isn't a good story. Makes people sad. The ones about me brothers doin' dumb shite are way better..." She grunts to the chocolate-skinned wolf girl.

"Hey, I liked it." Kara smiles, tail wagging from side to side over Agis' lap. "And it has a hopeful ending, it's not that sad! I'm sure we will all be able to go visit Kha'Arn one day!"

"Ha! Well, I'm sure my family would love all of ya." A dumb smile forms on Rhea's lips as she pictures the scenario in her head. "Okay, enough talkin' 'bout old Rhea. Why don't ya tell us a story of your own, pup?"

"Sure! And I guess I could also tell you guys a bit about my people! There isn't too much information out there."

"Your people?" Maggie asks, eyes suddenly widening and expression turning fearful. "Y-you mean wolf people?"

"Yeah!" Kara smiles, yet confusedly tilts her head to the side as she notices the kitten's reaction. "What's wrong? I thought you weren't scared of us anymore..."

"First, I-I'm not scared." She definitely is scared. "And second, we are best friends and all, but I still don't like wolf people..."

"Wait. WE ARE BEST FRIENDS!?" Kara happily gasps, covering her mouth with her hands, tail wagging at the speed of light.

"I-I mean... uh..." Maggie embarrassedly stutters, cheeks turning red.

Kara immediately jumps from Agis' lap towards the catgirl sorceress, wrapping her arms around her in a warm bear hug and planting quick kisses all over her face, making a fuss inside the small carriage cabin.