“See? These are the hot springs I told you about. They’re nice, right?”

  Adeline slowly nods her head as she gnces around, a look of utter amazement pstered across her round face. Her nervousness seems to have been forgotten as she takes in the sight of the faintly glowing pools surrounded by gentle swirls of steamy mist.

  The tiny blonde is in awe of not just the hot springs, but the grotto and the entire cave as a whole. She has clearly never seen anything like it before, these rivers, small kes, and lush pnt life all underground in a massive cavern...

  Krvavy can’t help but smile as she sees the wonder in Adeline’s wide eyes. The bunny-mouse girl’s expression is just too cute. She’ll absolutely love Beryl’s garden when she gets to see it. A part of Krvavy was tempted to take a brief detour and show it to the girl right away, but she ultimately decided against doing that. They should really drop off all of the foodstuffs and luggage before wandering around the grotto...

  “Eeep!” Adeline suddenly squeaks, hastily grabbing at her dark red dress and lifting the hem up just in time to avoid getting it wet as she steps over one of the small streams that crosses the path leading to her new home.

  “Hehheheh~...!” Khalia quietly giggles, leaning forwards and pyfully nudging the barbarian’s shoulder. “Cute little meat. Yes?”

  Not wanting to encourage her precious puppy, Krvavy just softly shakes her head and ignores the Orc’s rather rhetorical question. A tinge of annoyance wells up within her as the three of them continue to so very slowly make their way up this winding path. Her home is so close... yet this st little stretch is taking forever...

  All because of the short legs of this little bunny-mouse walking by her side... But the girl can’t really be bmed for that. It isn’t Adeline’s fault that she is so adorably small... Though maybe Krvavy could have carried her a little further...?

  The barbarian’s heart beats a little quicker as they finally make it past the hot springs. She didn’t see a single one of her girls on the way up here, so she can only assume that they’re all hanging around in the living area. Probably having lunch, considering that it is vaguely around noon right now. It’ll be nice to see them again. She has missed them, these past few days. Their warmth... their voices...

  It is kind of frustrating, to be honest. Krvavy really enjoys going out on these little adventures, hiking through the hills and wandering through the woods. But for once in her life she actually has people waiting at home who’ll miss her as much as she misses them...

  “Do you think they will be coming back today...?” Thea’s bored voice can just barely be heard from up ahead.

  Krvavy’s smile widens as she unconsciously speeds up, peeling away from bunny-mouse and Were-Beast. “Aww, I knew you’d miss me~!” She loudly calls out, unable to keep her love and excitement in check.

  “Ugh, shu–!”

  “My dearest love~!” Beryl jumps to her feet just as the barbarian steps into view. “Ya’re back! Oh, Ah’m so gd tha’ ya are okay!” The Wood Elf joyously cheers, all but running towards Krvavy to give her a quick kiss and a warm hug.

  “It’s good to see you, my sweet berry~!” Krvavy coos, bending down to steal another kiss from the utterly naked tomboy before slipping her overstuffed backpack off and holding it out. “And look at all the loot we’ve brought back! It’s almost all food too! And not just boring grains like before! I mean, we still have that, but we’ve also got wheels of cheese and butter an–”

  “What is that?” Thea’s icy voice cuts the barbarian short, her blue eyes narrowed as she gres just past her Draconic lover.

  “Eeei!” A fearful squeak escapes past Adeline’s little lips as she darts to the side, hiding behind Krvavy’s legs. By instinct alone, a meaty tail protectively curls around her shoulders and rests across her nearly ft chest.

  “Oh?” Beryl tilts her head and curiously looks down towards the tiny blonde, causing Adeline to recoil slightly. “Who is–”

  “Why did you bring a rat home?” Thea’s cold tone drowns out the inquisitive Elf’s question. A scowl fills her face as she rises to her feet, ensuring that the sheet wrapped around her body is secure before taking even a single step.

  “Excuse me?” Krvavy’s lips twist into a frown at her brat’s immediate rudeness.

  “You heard what I said.” The noble girl states, turning her angry gaze up to meet Krvavy’s eyes. “Why did you bring that filthy thing home with you? We do–”

  “Ach, shut yer mouth girl!” Venom and malice drips from Beryl’s hissed words as she responds before the barbarian can even think to. “Why must ya always be so horrid? If our dearest love ‘as brought this girl ‘ome wit’ ‘er, then tha’ is tha’!”

  Thea’s eye twitches as her head jerks towards the Wood Elf. “So you are fine with her constantly kidnapping random people?!”

  “Aye, if tha’ is wha’ she wants!”

  “Ugh! I should have expected as much from the likes of y–!”

  A metallic ding suddenly rings through the air, silencing the argument and drawing everyone’s attention over to Inanna. The Dwarf is sitting by the fire, her titanic tits exposed and nearly resting in her p, hovering a handswidth above her thick thighs thanks to her good posture. As expected, she looks completely calm and utterly unbothered, casually holding onto her hammer and chisel. “Enough bickering. We should have proper introductions first.”

  With that she pces her tools down, turning her copper-orange eyes towards the tiny blonde cowering behind Krvavy. “Hello.” She pinly greets that timid girl. “I am Inanna Ki-Ningal, a Runesmith. It is a pleasure to meet another of the Smallfolk.” The Dwarf bows her head down and smiles faintly. “Pay no mind to the Human’s hostility, she is simply a... confrontational and temperamental girl.”

  “Hey! How dare–!”

  “And Ah am Beryl! Ah’m sure tha’ our dearest love ‘as told ya all about us!” The Wood Elf introduces herself, speaking in a sweet saccharine tone as she crouches down to look Adeline in the eye without looming over the girl. “Ya’re such a cute little one~!”

  Thea’s eye twitches as Krvavy stares expectantly at her. “Ugh! Fine! I am Theadosia Constance Severina, youngest child and only daughter of Baron Nicodim Valeri Severina of Svaneti!” Her lips twists into a scowl at having been pressured into introducing herself. “Now, rat, what is your name?”

  Adeline simply stares at the noble girl in shock, her big hazel eyes wide open and unblinking.

  “Her name is –”

  “Shut up.” Thea frigidly demands, cutting the barbarian off. “Let this thing introduce itself.”

  Anger fres up within Krvavy, her mouth opening to spit out a heated response... only for her to silence herself as Adeline begins to make some stuttering noises. That adorable girl has a hard enough time trying to speak, so it’d just be rude to interrupt her attempt...

  “I-I-I-I-I...!” The bunny-mouse girl gasps, her body shaking as she presses herself against the Drakling’s leg, little arms wrapped tight around a knee. “A-a-ad-a-ad-ad-d-del-li-line-S-st-st-sto-sto-sto-stou–”

  “What?” Thea’s voice silences those sputtering sounds. She blinks bnkly a few times before gncing up at Krvavy with a slight look of bewildered confusion on her face.

  The barbarian bites the inside of her cheek. “Her name is Adeline.” She gruffly grunts, emerald eyes narrowed into unhappy slits.

  “You can understand what it says?!” The silver-blonde brat incredulously asks.

  “She is just stuttering.” Comes the Drakling’s dry response.

  “It’s alright sweetie,” Beryl smiles softly as she holds her hand out towards the tiny blonde, “it’s alright. No need ta be scared.”

  Adeline shudders slightly as she peers around Krvavy’s leg, cautiously looking at the nude Wood Elf with wide eyes. Her arm shakes as she slowly reaches forwards, gently grabbing onto Beryl’s outstretched fingers.

  “Aww~!” The tanned Elf can’t help but coo, tenderly touching the tuft of hair on the back of Adeline’s hand. “She is so adorable~!”

  “Yes!” Khalia barks out her support as she lounges by the firepce, having left her bag of loot on the ground beside Krvavy. Along with her new breastpte and the scant bit of pelt clothing she has to be forced to wear... “Cute little meat~!”

  That strange nickname gets the Were-Beast a few odd looks, but this sort of weirdness is to be expected of Khalia, so none of those gazes linger for long.

  “She is an adult, aye?” Beryl asks, looking up at the barbarian and getting a nod in response. “Tha’ is wha’ Ah thought. But still better safe than sorry wit’, well, ya know.” She vaguely gestures down towards her pert tits and the rest of her naked body, before shaking her head and turning her attention back to the tiny blonde. “But still... Ya must be pretty young. So, ‘ow old are ya? If ya don’t mind me askin’.”

  Adeline audibly gulps and takes a deep breath before opening her mouth to respond. “T-t-t-t-twent-twentythree!”

  “What.” Thea coldly states, her eyes narrowing at the tiny blonde. “Did that rat just say it was twenty-three years old?!”

  Adeline quickly nods her head, causing her big bunny ears to flop around.

  “Haha~!” Lively ughter passes through Beryl’s lips, her blue-green eyes gleaming with an almost sadistic joy as she smugly grins at Thea. “Ya look so surprised ta hear tha’ this sweetie ‘ere is older than ya~! And by four years as well~!”

  “Sh-shut up!” The silver-blonde brat angrily spits out, petuntly stomping a foot down.

  The Wood Elf just continues to ugh, ignoring that demand. “Ah can see it too~! Ya are just so immature~!”

  “Hmph!” Thea huffs and crosses her arms in annoyance. Her eye twitches briefly as she realizes that any response she can make will just prove Beryl right. So, taking a deep breath, she instead decides to turn and stomp back towards the firepce, sitting down and gring at the Elf.

  Beryl chuckles lightly and knowingly shakes her head at the pouting girl, causing the brat’s face to flush red in anger.

  Krvavy furrows her brow as Thea silently seethes in her seat. That girl should definitely be scolded for how rude she is being, but... that can wait. No need to yell at her in front of everyone else. It’d be better to pull her aside and speak to her privately ter...

  “Aww~! My dearest love~!” Beryl lovingly calls out, drawing the Drakling’s attention down to her. “Look at yer tail~!”

  “Huh?” Krvavy is a bit confused as she looks back over her shoulder, pausing at what she sees. At some point the bunny-mouse girl’s thin fur-tipped tail has tightly twisted around the tip of her own thicker and much meatier one. And she didn’t even notice it happen.

  “So cute~!” The tanned Elf coos, csping onto Adeline’s hand with both of her own and giving it a gentle squeeze. “She’s ‘oldin’ onta it~!”

  The bunny-mouse girl’s face flushes bright red as Beryl points that out, her fur-tipped tail twitching and unconsciously tightening its grip.

  “You really think she’s cute, huh~?” Krvavy pyfully asks as she reaches down towards the tiny blonde.

  “Eeep!” Adeline girl squeaks as a few rge fingers push against her shoulder, gently prying her away from the leg she is intent on hiding behind.

  “Ah really do.” Beryl replies with a soft smile, reluctantly letting go of Adeline’s hand as the barbarian kneels down beside the girl. “She looks and acts so adorably~!”

  “Yeah.” Krvavy can’t help but agree. “She’s like a little doll, isn’t she?”

  Adeline makes a faint squeaking sound as Drakling and Elf talk right in front of her, the growing embarrassment prompting the increasingly flustered girl to grab at her floppy bunny ears and hide her face behind them.

  “Aye,” the Wood Elf replies with a nod, raising an eyebrow as she watches Krvavy’s hands slowly descend towards the bunny-mouse girl.

  “Eei!” Adeline squeals in surprise as the barbarian presses down onto the sides of her torso, fttening her dark red dress against her body. She shudders slightly at the unexpected contact, but doesn’t do anything to resist it.

  “She’s really slim here, and here.” Krvavy gently pats the tiny blonde’s almost ft chest and thin waist. “But then... Boom!” Her hands abruptly slide outwards along bunny-mouse girl’s ridiculously wide hips, showing that the sudden width isn’t just Adeline’s dress fring out.

  “Wow...!” Surprise fills Beryl’s face as she looks down at her own hips, clearly comparing herself to the girl who is barely more than half her height. “Does she ‘ave bigger hips than me? Tha’ is incredible! Such a bottom ‘eavy girl ya’ve found~!”

  “Eeeeeei...!” A faint drawn out squeak can just barely be heard past Adeline’s soft bunny ears as the touchy tomboy of an Elf reaches forwards and begins to pat down her dress. She shudders even more as the four hands press down onto her body, holding her hips and squeezing her surprisingly squishy thighs through that slightly coarse fabric.

  “So it’s more than just ‘er adorable personality tha’ ya like, huh~?” Beryl teasingly asks, pulling Adeline free from the Drakling’s grasp and into a tight hug. A pair of pert and perky breasts, completely bare and on full dispy, squish into that girl’s incredibly flushed face.

  “Well... yeah.” Krvavy shrugs, giving the expected answer. “I can’t really help it. I didn’t bring her here because of that though.”

  “Ugh! You are such a pervert!” Thea grumbles from across the room. “Is there anything you do not find attractive?! Would you fall in love with a statue if it were beautiful enough?! Or a tree?!”

  “Okay. Seriously.” The barbarian tensely breathes out, her patience approaching its limit. “What the fuck is your problem with her?”

  “You have to ask what my problem with that thing is?!” The silver-blonde brat almost shouts, her voice slightly shrill. “You keep abducting random women and bringing them into our home!”

  “I didn’t abduct her.” Krvavy defensively replies. “I gave her the option of coming home with us or staying in her wagon, which had plenty of food for her and was covered. She chose to come with us. I mean, a storm was coming and Khalia was being a little forceful, but she still could have said no.”

  “Ugh... You are an idiot.” The bratty girl pinly states, soft-blue eyes rolling with derision. “You do not even know what that thing is, do you? It is a Halfling. They are a cowardly race of pushovers that do whatever anyone tells them to! Even if she did not want to be abducted, she would have still agreed to it simply to avoid disappointing you!”

  “That is what Halfling’s look like?” Krvavy can’t help but wonder, before abruptly shaking her head and putting her curiosity aside to gre at her brat. “Don’t be so dramatic.” The barbarian almost hisses out. “She may have been too scared to say no, I’ll admit that, but come on! You can’t seriously be trying to bme that on her race! We attacked the little caravan she was in, killing the other four people with her! Humans, armed men at that! And Khalia was there too, don’t forget! You still find her unsettling, so just imagine what it’d be like to hear her howling as people scream and die!”

  “Mmm.” Inanna’s hum draws everyone's attention to her. “While rude, Thea does have a point. Halfling’s were made to be agreeable. Or perhaps docile is a more accurate word.”

  The barbarian blinks, her anger interrupted by confusion. “Made?” She raises an eyebrow and gazes down at the tiny blonde, who is busy cowering into the Elf’s reassuring embrace.

  “You didn’t know?” The Dwarf tilts her head inquisitively. “Halfling’s are the youngest race there is. They were created less than a thousand years ago by some Human wizard using abhorrent magics on innocent peasants. All to create the perfect sve race.”

  “Hmph!” Thea unhappily crosses her arms. “Do not bme Humanity for the folly of some wizard! They have no sense of right or wrong! Besides, those rats are not sves! They have more freedom than most people! Their ‘communities’ spring up everywhere, whether they are wanted or not! They are a burden! Their inability to protect themselves means that those in charge must divert resources and station guards throughout their sprawling ‘communities’!”

  “Ach, don’t act like yer kind don’t benefit from these cute little ones!” Beryl chides, gring up at the brat. “Ya really think tha’ they’d be given guards if they were nothin’ more than a burden? Yer kind would send soldiers in ta chase them out if tha’ were the case!”

  “Mmm.” Inanna nods her head in agreement. “From what I understand, their taxes are paid with the food they produce. Not unlike other rural peasants.”

  “Ugh!” The silver-blonde brat groans in annoyance as the Wood Elf and Dwarf verbally team up on her. “They are still a burden! There is a ‘community’ of these rats near Svaneti and my father has to station twice as many soldiers there than in Human vilges with double the popution! If he does not, then these vermin will give food and supplies to any bandit who shows up asking for any!”

  “Alright, that’s enough.” Krvavy firmly states, having grown tired of Thea’s ranting. “None of that matters. Adeline isn’t every single Halfling that exists. She is an individual, a person, and you will treat her as such. Got it?”

  Thea purses her lips and gres at the barbarian.

  “Ah can’t believe ‘ow rude ya’re bein’ ta such an adorable girl!” Beryl excims, gently rubbing Adeline’s back as the tiny blonde shudders in her arms.

  “An ‘adorable girl’ that was kidnapped!” Thea exasperatedly shouts out. “Am I the only one who cares about that?! That ra- ahem. She will never see her family again, but I am the bad one for not wanting her here?!”

  “No, you are the ‘bad one’ for being needlessly rude to the girl.” Inanna calmly states. “You can’t expect us to believe that you care about her being kidnapped if you struggle to even refer to her as a person.”

  “Shu– H-hey!” The silver-blonde brat shouts out in shock as Khalia’s paw-like hands suddenly grab onto her torso and abruptly lift her up into the air. “Put me down!” She angrily demands, struggling against the significantly stronger Were-Beast, kicking her legs and filing her arms around in vain.

  “Apologize to little meat!” Khalia harshly growls, sharp teeth and pointy tusks bared as she carries the bratty blonde over to Adeline.

  “N-noo!” Thea simply shouts in despair as the sheet wrapped around her body slips and falls to the ground while she thrashes around. Her face flushes bright red and her struggling comes to a stop as she tries to cover herself as best she can. “P-put me down, dog! Cur!”

  “Thea.” Krvavy firmly says her brat’s name.

  “Ugh! F-fine!” The girl angrily gres at the Drakling, before turning her gaze to the cowering Halfling. “You, new girl! Look at me!” She orders, making an unhappy noise as Adeline peeks past Beryl’s arm to look up at her naked body. “I, Theadosia Constance Severina, am sorry for how rude I have been to you. And I am sorry that this stupid lizard and her stupid dog have abducted you!”

  Adeline’s big hazel eyes slowly blink up at the brat. After a few moments of staring, she takes a deep breath and –

  “There! I said it! Now put me down!” Thea angrily demands, looking back over her shoulder and gring at Khalia.

  The Were-Beast looks to her Mate for permission, but instead of being allowed to pce the brat back onto the ground, Krvavy steps forwards and takes Thea off her hands, scooping the bitchy brat into a bridal carry.

  “Hey! I – mmph!?” The silver-blonde brat’s compints are immediate silenced with a deep but short kiss.

  “Adeline, is your home near Svaneti?” The barbarian asks as soon as her lips pull away from Thea’s mouth.

  “Y-y-y-yes!” The tiny blonde quickly replies, her stuttering voice sounding rather shaky and nervous.

  “You hear that, Thea?” Krvavy looks into her brat’s scowling face. “She is one of your subjects. And you have just made a horrible, horrible first impression.”

  Thea narrows her eyes and scowls as she meets the barbarian’s gaze. “We need to talk about our retionship.”

  Krvavy’s breath catches in her throat as she hears those cold words.