Isher Notra

"I hate he's actually impressing me," Stella whispered from a distance, knowing her packmate could clearly hear every word.

A massive ball of squirming cold limbs, shifting eyes, and heads shone with an outer layer of pulsating purple Saniya, hovering above a rotund, cackling, monochrome-furred Monoke wearing a purple yukata and yellow crocs on his lower hooves.

"ARE YOU WATCHING HOW YOUR MEASLY CREATIONS PALE COMPARED TO THE MIGHTY GENTŌ!?" he bellowed, holding the sphere of icy mass with his hooves as if he was actually accomplishing it with his core strength. "FACE ME, AND YOU'LL BE REDUCED TO COLD CUTS, YUKI-ONNA!"

Stella covered her ears from the vocalization of the Baku's roaring ego. Obviously, Lien did the same.

"We get it!" the Human growled. "How about you actually do something about them?!"

Gentō scoffed. "Ungrateful brat." He put two keratin-encased fingers into his mouth, uttering a whistle. "Hanaken! Your time to shine!"

The earth shook as the girls observed a gigantic red beast holding a black, spiky club and displacing and tipping countless trees in its relentless charge.

"HERE COMES THE RED BULL!!!" the brute roared, her eyes flaring an intense yellow color.

With a single, powerful strike, Hakaken's kanabō collided against the sphere of Yuki-onna look-alikes, the impact causing a mighty reaction that tore each of them apart in a magnificent explosion of wintery, sparkly particles and mist. A swarm of ice shards prickled on Stella's skin, barely making her flinch thanks to her Saniya-hardened skin.

After the fog had settled, Lien shook her entire body, flinging the frozen water flakes off her fur. "Yikes! Guess Mom had a point about too much time in the snow..."

The hulking Oni settled her weapon above her shoulder. "Aw, don't tell me you're out of steam already!" She chuckled, her yellow sclera retreating, returning her eyes to entirely black, beady orbs. "Thanks to you two barging in, we now have to watch our backs and expect Yuki-onna or her posse coming for our necks anytime."

"Which is the perfect scenario for me!" Gentō interjected, strutting between Hanaken and the girls. "No one dupes a master duper like me! SHE'LL FACE THE DEADLY DUPERISM OF DOOM!"

What are words?

While the blowhard's antics continued, a faint glint pierced through the canopy of one tilted tree, quickly followed by a misshapen block of ice plopping on the snow.

"Guys?" Stella's pupils narrowed with urgency. "It's not over yet."

"Huh?" Gentō frowned, quickly turning backward. "Oh, these are not puppets."

The Human exhaled with relief.

"These are her victims," Hanaken clarified.

All that air returned to Stella's lungs.

"Really?" Lien stroked her chin, her foot slowly tapping the floor. "I can barely sense anything coming from them..."

Hanaken hummed. "Scary, I know. At least they aren't dead..." Her tone lacked her usual assertiveness. "...yet."

Lien hastily approached the fallen statue on four legs, then walked in circles around it, sniffing it from head to toe. "Huh. This one smells like Icaau!"

Gentō and Hanaken's eyes searched Stella's, puzzled by the relevance of the frozen victim's identity. The Human only shrugged off in response.

"Poor guy..." Lien stroked the statue. "This is not his week. Two days ago, his girlfriend gave him ticks."

Stella stepped closer. "Can we help him?"

"Are you carrying tweezers?" Her ears perked up. "Oh! Where's that smelly Amikiri!?"

"I'm talking about all that ice around him." The Human tapped her shoulder in reassurance. "Pretty sure the ticks froze to death, though."

However, Stella ended up needing comfort the most. She shook with fright once her eyes truly focused on the statue's permanent expression of despair, the poor guard's final moments etched and preserved in steel-hard frost.

Her stomach was struck by a pang. All of them were on death's door for her safety's sake. The reason why they haven't complied with the Yūrei's demands eluded her in the same way she avoided brushing her teeth. Hell, she was practically relenting to the sorceress' will, albeit with the hope to turn things around, no matter how small.

The girl was suicidal, but she wasn't a quitter.

Hanaken's steps didn't shake the ground for once, the colossal shocks between the dirt and her sole cushioned by the thick snow. Still, they were as clamorous and conspicuous as they came.

"We've found five more of the poor bastards not too far from here," Hanaken revealed, her stout fingers scraping against her grizzled hair.

"That must be his team, the Triple F." Lien stood up, her nose sniffing in the distance.

"Triple F?" Stella questioned, squinting one eye.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"The Fur and Feather Force. His team has two Owl soldiers and a Crow captain." The pup restlessly turned her muzzle in multiple directions, her tail circling so fast the Human thought she would propel herself into the air with it. "Dang it! Even their smells are suppressed!"

"It's okay, Lien," Stella reassured, scrubbing the snow off her packmate's back. "The two bozos already know where they are."

Every inch of hair in the girl's body stood up when a shriek descended from the skies like a hungry harpy.

"NO ONE'S IN SIGHT, SIR! WE'RE SAFE!!!"

Once recognizing the voice's source, Stella sighed, rolling her eyes. "Three bozos, actually."

Kreef slithered through the air with a chaotic elegance, spinning around the two girls. "What are YOU doing here?! We're doing all this so YOU don't die!"

"AND my revenge!" Gentō interjected.

The Amikiri ceased, floating still while saluting the Baku with his pincer. "'Course, Boss!"

Stella gripped Kreef's elongated torso, squeezing a sharp quack out of him, and pulled him closer. "We're here to end this bullshit before anyone gets turned into a popsicle forever! Yuki-onna gets to me, or we kick her to the curb!"

The Trouble Troop... stood there and stared at her awkwardly. Even Gentō quit giggling like a cartoon villain, taking a more sympathetic expression.

"That's..." The Baku cleared his throat. "That's very gutsy of you, kid!" He put his hooves on his hips, perking his non-existent chin. "But I still need my dream battery to be unscathed, so I won't allow you to perish on us!"

Hanaken crossed her arms, swinging her foot slightly, sweeping a wave of snow that swallowed her comrade whole. "You boor. Respect the Human's warrior spirit, at least."

"You dare call me a boor, you-" With a short burst of Saniya, he wiped any traces of snow from his body while swinging his tiny stubs for arms at the red brute. "YOU BARBARIAN!"

Stella exhaled while Lien facepalmed. Before she knew it, Kreef had slipped from her grasp, desperately attempting to appease his quarreling cohorts.

This conflict would extend for a few hours. Allow me to unburden you from that nonsense.

Stella found herself in familiar circumstances: sitting beside her Wolf girlfriend, enjoying the warmth of a bonfire illuminating the insides of a cold cavern.

The only thing they needed to indulge this recent nostalgia was a fish! Well, that and ridding themselves of three dorks and a bunch of frozen soon-to-be corpses. Those have a way to kill the vibe, you know?

Lien rested closely beside her, peacefully lying on her back as her snore didn't make the rock walls crumble for once. She couldn't help but flush as the air from her packmate's nose tickled her leg. Still, that embarrassment was more attributed to the still-awake company.

"You should get some shut-eye, kid," Hanaken advised, her massive hand resting on her slumbering Baku companion, who tightly grasped the sleeping Amikiri like a little child with their favorite plushie.

Stella yawned, her eyelids becoming more difficult to separate each time she blinked as if someone had slathered them with glue. "I can't. Last time I did it, that Elsa knock-off almost turned my brain into ice cream."

The Oni slowly nodded, her expression showing signs of exhaustion as well. "I get that. But I'm sure Gentō can protect you from the twig-lady once he's up."

Stella sighed, amused by seeing her own breath. "You think he won't just eat my dream and be done with me?"

"Nah, he hates her guts too much to let her do as she pleases. But if he does, I know the way to straighten him up." The brute winked.

The two warriors, who vastly differed in size, shared a well-needed laugh. The Human was thankful that she found a way to follow her beloved pup's life philosophy, even if it was just a fleeting moment.

"Ah..." Hanaken leaned her back on the jagged wall, her skin most certainly too thick and rubbery to feel discomfort. "For all that's worth, I respect your decision."

Stella's eyes focused on the Oni's, quietly curious for elaboration.

"Only a few Monoke I know would face their own fate so directly." The red brute smiled, her white tusks reflecting the fire's gleam. "And for being the first Human I've met, you're not making a terrible impression on me."

Oh, if only she knew...

The tween crossed her legs, straightening her sitting posture. "You mean, if we forget that humiliation you put me through?" The Human chuckled, closing her fist shut and then dramatically pointing it at the Oni. "You better believe I ain't dying just yet. I owe you a proper fight, don't I?"

Hanaken's grin widened, returning the gesture. "Yes, you do, you cheeky brat." Their knuckles bumped, not even addressing the unfair disparity. 'The boys and I will stop at nothing until you come out of Chikukei in one piece."

From Hanaken's words, Stella felt an uncomfortable amount of joy. She was almost accustomed to Asra's and Lien's cheesy, supportive antics. But coming from someone like the Oni? Even Kreef and Gentō showed some sympathy towards her...

The girl slowly recoiled her legs, wrapping her arms around them. "Can I ask you something? I don't know if it's uncomfortable for you..."

Hanaken scoffed. "You think you can make ME uncomfortable?" She lazily motioned at her. "Fire away."

Stella took a deep breath, her resolve slowly crumbling. "You three only care if I live or die because you need something from me, right? Gentō wants my dreams, you want to fight me again, and Kreef... Okay, I don't know what he gains from this."

It was subtle, but these training days alongside the Troop made her aware of when the Oni's black eyes were focused on her. As she thought, that question was enough for the unshakeable mountain of muscles to avert her gaze from her.

After almost a minute of mouthing undecipherable words to herself and pondering on her subsequent words, Hanaken sighed in defeat. "You beat me, kid. That's a tough nut to crack..." She stroked her forehead.

Stella wasn't fazed. What else would she have expected?

"I guess..." The brute closed her eyes, exhaling. "That's... complicated? I mean, you're a good kid, and you saved our asses from prison..." Her eyes shot open, brimming with realization. "Wait. I hate to answer a question with another question, but..."

The Human's self-inflicted misery halted for a moment.

Hanaken leaned closer. "Why did you help us at all?"

Quite the question, which Stella would have been lying if she claimed to never ask herself.

Fortunately, that afternoon, the answer came almost as naturally and automatically as breathing.

"Because you three saved me from that monkey freak. Because I felt like you weren't as bad as I thought." She fidgeted with her fingers. "Just a silly hunch, but-"

"I have to deeply thank that silly hunch of yours." Gentō's voice echoed softly as he let go of his crustacean cohort and sat on his giant friend's lap. "You didn't need to do that, you know. I wouldn't have been as forgiving in your place..."

That might have been the first time Stella had heard anything honest from the dream stealer. Ugh. That awkward warmth again...

Fortunately, actualization snuffed it out, prompting her to scooch closer to the Baku. "Since we're in the mood for questions, I have one for you."

Gentō's eyes fixed on hers, filled with an abnormal quantity of uncertainty.

"Why do you want to use me to grow stronger?" She pointed, circling her index finger at him. "And I know I asked that before, but I'm old enough to detect bullshit when I hear it."

The dream stealer deflated, groaning loud enough to stir the slumbering Kreef momentarily. "You don't want to hear my sob story, girl. It's so... pathetic!"

Stella shook her head. "Come on, man. I promise I won't laugh at ya." Her gaze was attentive and heavy. "I mean it."

Hanaken patted his head, prompting a scowl on his face. "Just get it out of your chest, Gentō. I'm sure the kid heard worse."

The mighty Baku crossed his arms. "Fine..." He loudly cleared his throat. "You see, I was not always the embodiment of overwhelming power you see today..."