The gnomish hunter was currently on her back as you walked over. Your new body wasn’t that much different, just a little bigger. When you got to her, her eyes were still closed and slightly covered by her short, bright pink hair. She wore the basic garb of a hunter: a brown cloth tunic with brown leather pants, boots, and brown gloves. Glancing up, you see her stats.

Mydysa Stonespark

Gnome Hunter

Level 12

Status: Sleep

Lowering your head, you sniff the small woman. You catch the barest hint of flowers and some liquid around her mouth.

“Probably one that rogue’s potions.” Speaking of the dark elf, you remember one more important thing. You lift your paw and move to Mydysa’s neck. However, when you got close, your ears suddenly perked up.

“Get away from her!” That voice…

Looking up, you catch movement from the trees. Soon, a very familiar vixen emerged from them. So, she did survive but she looked ragged. Her beautiful fur was covered in dirt, twigs clung to it, and the biggest injury though was the very familiar-looking knife stuck in her back leg. Glancing up, you see her stats.

Lily

Flare Fox

Level 8

Position: Hunter’s Pet

What’s a ‘flare fox’? Despite the obvious pain, she must be in, it doesn’t stop her growling as she limps towards you.

“I don’t care if you’re bigger, harm my mistress and I will end you.” She growled, a dull orange glow coming from her mouth as sparks of ember came from it.

…That is probably, both figurative and literally, the hottest thing I’ve heard. Blinking, you bring your paw back and slowly back away. Once you move back, Lily runs up to the gnome, not caring about the pain. Bending down, she tenderly licks the gnome’s face.

“F-Forgive me, Mistress Mydysa. I failed you.” She whimpered. You catch the sight of tears on her bruised, yet still bewitching face. You never understood the bond between an adventurer and a pet, but you guess it’s different for hunters. Glancing down, you still see that knife.

“Does she have a collar on?” You ask. Lily looks back at you, eyes slightly narrowed.

"Why would she have a collar? She’s never worn one.”

“The dark elf and human wanted to put a collar on her and make her their ‘pet’.” The vixen’s eyes shrank at the words. “Yeah, that’s what I was looking for. Check her neck, the thing’s studded with a heart on it.”

Lily’s head immediately snapped to her mistress’s face. While she looked, you were still staring at that knife. Quietly as possible, you stood and stealthily made your way over to her. She was so preoccupied checking, that you managed to get behind her. Bending down, still getting to a wonderful smell, you aim for the knife.

“No, I don’t see- Agh!” She yipped in pain, head shooting to her side. “What are you-”

“If I don’t pull it out, it’s just going to get worse for you, trust me.” You carefully bite down on the knife. Lily hisses as you look up at her “Brace yourself.”

She looks down, blue eyes looking into yours. She stares at you for a moment, you could get lost in her eyes, before she slowly nods and closes them. Trying to make it quick, you turned your head and pulled it out. Blood spurts out following the knife, a high-pitched whine coming from the fox’s closed mouth, and fangs bared as she fought through it.

Spitting the knife out, you see her hunched over and breathing heavily. Contemplating something that many would call stupid, you reach a decision. Moving, she yips as she is suddenly lifted off the ground.

“What are you doing?!” You grunt as you place her on your back. Turning to Mydysa, you reach and bite down on her tunic. A jerk of the head and the gnome hunter is on your back as well.

“My den isn’t too far away from here. It’s getting late and we need to get out of the open before the real monsters show up.”

“It’s always night here.” She looks up at the moon. “How can you tell if it’s getting late?”

Living here, you can always tell. “Just hold on, I’ll try not to go too fast.”

That said, you begin your trek to your den. The fox was quiet the whole trip.

Luckily, you didn’t run into anything on your small journey. Your den was a small cave you always spawned from, well smaller thanks to your growth spurt and two new guests.

“She was probably given a sleeping potion. She’ll probably be out for a while.” You spoke. Lily was lying down on the other side of the den, Mydysa propped up against her quietly sleeping with her head nuzzled into her fur.

Lily just looked at you, head resting on her paws. She hadn’t spoken since you got here. The only time she did was when she asked what happened to the others. You gave a short version of the events and she didn’t say a word, didn’t question how a low-level monster could beat two double-digit adventurers, how you leveled up, not even vaguely mentioning hearing a voice.

Sighing, you rest your head on your paws and close your eyes.

“…Why did you do all this?” You open your right eye to see blue ones staring at you. "You could have just left us to our, what’s a hunter and their pet to a monster? Yet you still went out of your way to save my mistress from those vile beasts. Why, what did you hope to achieve? What reward did you hope to gain?”

You stare into those blue jewels of hers before closing your right eye.

“Get some rest, we can talk about it tomorrow.” You muttered. Even though you have extra energy, all the events getting it have caught up and mentally drained you. Drifting off to sleep, you hear her speak once more before dreamland welcomes you.

"Thank you."