Kat PoV


    Stepping out from behind one of the trees, a pale skinned woman with long, pitch ck hair smirked at me, two fluffy, rounded ears atop her head.


    "Well well well... what have we here~? What''s a doggy like you doing all on its lonesome out in the forest, hmm~? Where''s your leash, doggy~? Or did you run from you owner~? It was a rather fun ''hunt'', doggy..."


    Her voice was smooth like silk, and I shuddered as her bright emerald eyes focused on me, the mana rolling off her lithe frame equal to mine.


    "However, the hunt ends here. You''ve no right to be in this forest whatsoever, doggy... None whatsoever. You outsiders only ever bring negative energy with you; negative energy that we forest dwellers want no part in."


    Raising my hands, I shook my head as I said "I just need to get through the forest! My destination lies on the other side!"


    Tilting her head, the Pantherkin smirked as she stepped forwards, staring intently at me as she asked "Should I care? I don''t care where a doggy goes on its own... it just can''t go here."


    "Please, just let me go through the forest! I won''t bother anyone!"


    "Hmm~? Why should I believe you though, doggy? You reek - when your scent is avable, anyways - of negative energy. You''ve already begun to attract the various monsters living inside the forest. Dormant monsters have awoken because of you. They smell a tasty morsel, and we want no part in dealing with those monsters. They''re being put to sleep again now, but the longer you linger around here, the harder that task bes, doggy. If I did let you through, doggy..."


    Stepping forwards, she grinned at me, licking her lips as she whispered "I would want something in return. Something equal to keeping you alive despite orders from my tribe. So? How about it, doggy? Want to be bred for a little bit? Otherwise..."


    She flickered forwards, her nails extending into ws as she tried to grab my face.


    Stepping out of her ''attack'', I red at her as I lowered myself into a stance.


    "Oh, feisty~! But... bad doggy. You''re supposed to do as your owner tells you to. Last chance, doggy~ Be my good little bitch, or die~!"


    Her ws extended further, and her emerald eyes gleamed as she stared at me, waiting for an answer.


    Pale green mana seeped from her pores, and I bit my cheek as her ws shone with a green light, the woman infusing her entire body with Wind Mana.


    "What''re you doing here, Erika? Shouldn''t you be back at home, whining to your mother?"


    I flinched as a new voice entered the clearing, and we both turned to see a Lamia snaking over the roots, her white scales blending in with the snow, while her white hair wasyered with bones.


    Completely naked from the waist up, the Lamia smirked at the Pantherkin as she rested her spear over her shoulders, disying her muscr torso with pride as she spoke again, her voice seductively low as she said "Oh, a Dogkin huh? Good catch, Erika... But this is Ligana territory, and I am stronger than you."


    Scoffing, the Pantherkin Erika growled "Stronger? Says who? Besides, I saw her first! Therefore, she''s mine."


    Giggling, the Lamia nced over at me and nodded her head, muttering "Perfect... rather suited for breeding, this Dogkin. Good..."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Looking back at Erika, the Lamia grinned as she said "Well, this is why, Erika dear."


    I nched as the Lamia coated her body in a thin sheen of water, before I ducked as a small droplet flew towards my head at insane speeds.


    Erika dodged too, but her cheek got grazed by a second, making her hiss.


    "See? Stronger. Now, hand over the Dogkin, Erika... The Ligana are in need for a new breeder."


    Hissing some more, Erika nced at me before turning towards the Lamia, and she said "Doggy, do me a favor and help me kill this bitch. Then I''ll let you free... I swear that on Serenata, Goddess of the Moon!"


    Narrowing her eyes, the Lamia''s long tongue flickered out of her lips as she said "Dogkin, if you so much as move I''ll tie you up and let the rest of my tribe take turns using you as an egg bed. Stay out of this... and don''t you dare move."


    Pulling her spear off her shoulders, the Lamia sneered at Erika as the Pantherkin readied her ws before flickering forwards, her speed astounding.


    Leaving behind a green blur, Erika appeared before the Lamia and shed her ws towards the woman''s face, only for the Lamia to raise her spear and block the attack.


    A dull thud echoed around the clearing as Erika was shoved back into a root, coughing out violently as the haft of the spear was mmed into her gut next.


    However, she grabbed the spear and yanked the Lamia forwards, before her ws shed out and scored a shallow cut down the Lamia''s voluptuous chest.


    "Damn cat! You want to die?!"


    The wounds closed slowly as the water seeped into the open flesh, all while the Lamia retrieved her spear by mming the butt into Erika''s gut once more.


    Watching them fight, I looked down towards the arrow and took a deep breath, beforeyering as many spells on myself as I could in a few seconds.


    Sensing the mana, the two nced at me only to watch as I disappeared, flying through the forest at swift speeds.


    "FUCK! DAMN SNAKE WHORE! LET ME GO!"


    "OH FUCK YOU! SHE''S MINE NOW! GET BACK HERE BITCH!"


    The two screamed at the top of their lungs, and I nched as I felt them rushing behind me in pursuit, all while they still fought with one another, spells flying around at swift speeds.


    Dodging and weaving through the frosted trees and over the winding roots, I desperately pushed my mana into overdrive as I rushed away from them both, needing to escape from their pursuit.