18

*It took some time but here's the next episode.

A warning though, I'll have to disappoint you because there's no hanky-panky in this one!

*

16 - Party Time

The four had left their packs with Monna after the nourishing meal and followed her directions to the tailor through small streets a little away from the busier main street. The sign with needle and thread hanging at the front of a plain shop could not be mistaken, nor the deep red dress and fancy man's costume and accessories in the shop's window, and they stepped inside.

'Welcome, foreign guests.' said a slender, black furred canine in white dress shirt and breeches behind a short counter with rolls of fabric. 'My name is Roran. How may I help you?'

Kaui stepped forward. 'My master is in need for a better outfit.'

Ulric laid his paw on her shoulder. 'Actually, we came here for outfits for you three.'

Roran watched in wonder when the three women suddenly looked in surprise at the cloaked figure and a quick discussion followed before the orc woman turned back to him. Her eyes shot back to her master and a quick smile appeared. 'I was mistaken, our master requests the possibility for a new outfit for us three and how much it'll cost.'

'For us!?' asked Iphigenia. 'We don't need it, you need something for yourself.'

Ulric grinned. 'Yeah, you do. Your clothes are damaged from all the fights and I did see the way you girls looked at the clothes for sale when we passed the shops on the main street.'

Elzbieta glanced at one frilly short dress on a mannequin. 'I don't really need something like that.'

'Oh, but with those gloves you don't really need your old armour anymore, and you can confidently show off your pretty legs and arms as well now.'

She glanced at Ulric and shook her head. 'There's no need for that!'

He sighed. 'Such a shame. I hoped to see you wearing a dress.'

She blushed and fiddled with her fingers. 'Maybe, I can make an exception for once.'

A voluptuous black canine woman entered the shop from the back and stared at the visitors for a moment. 'So you're my sister's guests.'

'Monna?' asked Kaui and Ulric thought she not only smiled wide in the same way as Monna, but was her spitting image apart from her fur colour, and that included the tendency to strain the clothing around her chest.

'I'm Ameda.' the woman said and embraced Roran from behind, her bust filling in the space around his neck. 'I just came from her and heard she had sent you here to our shop.'

'Ah, so that's why.' said Kaui.

'It's not just because we're family, but even if things look friendly, foreign people are looked at with some suspicion and can be taken advantage of.'

Kaui nodded.

'Anyway, by the looks of it you all need something new to wear.' said Ameda and moved up close to examine Kaui, Iphigenia, and Elzbieta, then pulled back Ulric's hood. 'Ohh, you really do look like a bloodwolf.'

Ulric glanced left and right under her stare. 'Ehmm, I'm fine with wearing just this.'

She shook her head when Kaui translated. 'No can do. If we dress up the women, the men must fit them.' She turned back to Roran. 'Honey, let's find these ladies something good to wear.'

'But we haven't spoken about the price yet.' said Kaui.

Ameda gave her a friendly smile. 'If you're willing to do the quest for gathering materials that we submitted at the guild it'll be fine.' she said. 'Others think it's a bore so we've been waiting for some time for someone to do it.'

'All right then.' said Kaui at a nod from Ulric.

Roran and Ameda smiled. 'Good.' he said. 'Will you be so kind, my dear?'

Ameda herded the girls behind a curtain in the back and Roran stepped close to Ulric, examining the cloak he wore. 'Hmm.. This is quite remarkable. This is the high level fabric with nearly indestructible properties of which just a few pieces exist in the world as far as I know. You must have paid a fortune for it. We have no clothing to match this quality.'

Kaui poked her head out from behind the curtain. 'My master would like to keep a loose outfit. Normal clothes feel too restricting for him and this cloak suits him fine.'

'But he can't walk around like that with you three cuties at his side, so something must be done.' said Ameda from behind the curtain.

Roran hummed more in thought. 'Ah, I have an idea. Despite the strength of the fabric, it can be tailored.'

'Ready?' asked Ameda when she came out from the back after a while of snipping and sewing noises and giggles and embarrassed mumbling. 'I'm pretty excited about the outcome.' Ulric and Roran nodded as they sat and drank tea while waiting for the women to finish. She pulled away the curtain and Ulric whistled at the sight of the three most attractive young women he'd ever seen at that moment.

Iphigenia wore a tight sleeveless blood red dress that resembled a Chinese style to him, with black hems and a split so far up her hips that there was just the tiniest of doubt left that she didn't wore underwear. Elzbieta's dress reminded him of the early days of rock n' roll, layers of sky blue with black hems halfway down her shapely thighs, short, frilly sleeves, and her white laced bust framed in the V of the dress. And Kaui stood most embarrassed of all in a short, beige, strapless and tight cocktail dress that revealed enough of her natural firm bosom and legs. She looked away while stroking down at her abdomen and hips as if it would lengthen the dress.

'Well?' asked Ameda as her gaze alternated between the slaves who blushed and their master who watched them with far more honest interest than previous slave owners she'd seen. She thought her sister was correct in her assertion of their relationship.

Ulric stood up and moved closer to the girls. 'All I can say is wow. It suits all of you so well.'

'Turn around.' said Ameda and the three showed their backs where Iphigenia had the outline in black, and the other two had three blood red horizontal strokes.

'Is that?' he asked her with a gesture to the marking.

She nodded when she guessed his question. 'A signature to mark the group they belong to.' she said and smiled a little mischievously. 'Or the man that owns them.'

He coughed and quickly looked back at the dresses. 'I don't want to really put it that way.'

Iphigenia grabbed his arm and grinned. 'We keep it a secret from him that it's actually us that own him.'

Ameda laughed. 'I can believe that.'

Iphigenia pulled at the equally blood red sash tied around his waist and checked the red hem around the hood. 'This is new.'

He lifted his arms to show the cloak had been modified by the sash and a few cuts and stitches to a wide semi shirt with wide and long sleeves, and with a cut at the back below his tail into false pants. Red hems lined not only his hood, but also the front, his sleeves, and the bottom of the remade cloak. 'I feel like a student of mister Miyagi.' The others looked puzzled. 'A legendary martial arts teacher in my country.' He was relieved when they understood that much.

'It provides loose comfort and it'll hide his features well enough.' Roran said. 'And is quick to take off when needed.'

Elzbieta's eyebrow went up as she looked at Ulric.

'In case of a fight!' he said and turned to Roran. 'There's also the thing about some mandatory need to mark them as slaves. What would that be?'

Roran pulled a few boxes from underneath the counter after Kaui translated. 'There are different methods like a visible tattoo or markings on ears or other body parts, but most slaves wear things like this.' he said and opened the boxes to display broad iron neck collars and arm and ankle bracelets. 'I personally prefer this less painful option.'

Ulric nodded. 'But I don't want to burden them with such crude things. Is there nothing else?'

'Well, the purpose is for them to wear a clear sign that they're slaves so anything might do.'

Ulric pondered for a moment as he watched the girls try the collars and bracelets and rejecting them while wondering how anyone could bear wearing those things constantly. He gazed at the accessories displayed in the shop's window, then gestured at Roran for something to draw with.

Ameda hummed at the sketch after Ulric was done and looked at her husband. 'We have the material that was left from that special armour we made.'

Roran nodded. 'I think it'll look very good indeed.'

The both went to work while the girls wondered what Ulric had come up with, but he kept quiet until he received a wrapped package from Ameda. 'We think you'll be pleased with the result.' she said with a smile. 'I think you also understand what this sort of thing means between you.'

Ulric nodded and smiled. 'Thank you for everything so far, and we'll pick up your request at the guild.'

The four waved goodbye as they went down the street and headed for the guild at the town square. Ulric chuckled at Iphigenia's curious glances at the package under his sash. 'I'll show you tonight.'

***

A large stone hammer that had clearly seen much use hung above the door of the guild building at the square and Ulric thought you'd already proved your courage as adventurer just by passing underneath it. It seemed the only people inside were a receptionist and a rowdy bunch of male canines at a corner table. A board with notices and one with quests hung at one wall.

The receptionist, a short, male canine resembling a terrier, looked up from the book he wrote in and blinked at the four strangers before remembering his job. 'Well, good day. I haven't seen you strange bunch before. Are you here to browse our quests?'

'Our master has been asked to look at a specific request, and was advised to register here.' said Kaui.

'Oh, you're new at this?'

'Pretty much.'

The receptionist presented a form in front of her. 'Then fill out this after reading the guild rules at the back and agreeing to abide by them. When that's done I can make a registration card for your master to hold on to. The guild fee will be deducted from your first quest.' He gestured at a second table in the corner. 'You can sit there if you want to but please don't mind that group, the Shadow Wolves. They're celebrating their last quest which was subjugating a dangerous bear. If you have a question just call for me, my name is Rufert.'

The four sat down and Kaui read the rules. 'It says not to cause excessive damage and trouble to other people, and not to hinder other parties in their quests. All matters pertaining to the guild are judged by the guild master and relevant authorities if needed.'

'Simple and reasonable.' said Ulric.

Kaui turned the form. 'Names, titles, specific skills optional, these are no problem, but we need to fill in a name for the group.'

'Ohh, what shall we call ourselves?' asked Iphigenia with a glint of playfulness in her eyes. 'Something tough like Swords and Fangs, or The Subjugators?'

'Ugh no.' said Ulric and scrunched his nose. 'Names like that sound so tacky. Trying to sound mysterious or dangerous just shows how insecure you are.'

Iphigenia looked at Kaui, who also heard the obvious boasting about strength and kills at the table behind Ulric. 'You're right, those Shadow Wolves are a good example.' she said and chuckled with Kaui.

One of their members pricked up his ears at their name and turned around. 'Hey, are you laughing at us?'

'Case in point.' said Elzbieta and Iphigenia sniggered.

The bulldog-like canine stood up and stepped closer, puffing up his chest and leaning his hands on the sword at one side, which length reached from the floor to his chest, and a large double headed axe at his other side. 'Are you mocking us Shadow Wolves, the greatest group of these lands?'

'With an axe large enough to bake two large pizzas at once and a sword that just screams compensation, I can guess what part of this guy's never going to be called the greatest.' Ulric growled and the girls sniggered more.

The bulldog slammed his hand on the table and leaned closer to Ulric. 'I don't know what you said but I sure don't like it. Why don't you show your face so I can rebuild it before me and my guys have some fun with these wenches.'

Ulric turned his head far enough for the bulldog to catch one eye underneath the hood and the killing intent in its red glow.

'Ehmm, I just remembered we still had an open quest we need to fulfil.' the bulldog yipped and backed off. 'I'll let you off the hook this time but remember this well!' The other members of his group stared dumbfounded at their leader and were ushered out of the guild quickly despite their protests.

Iphigenia chuckled. 'Shadow Puppies.'

Ulric sighed. 'Okay, back to naming. Something that describes us but not things like The Bloods, or The Bloodwolf Gang, or Ulric's Angels.'

Iphigenia folded her arms and sat back. 'We're different species, how about Mixed Breed?'

'We're a party, so Party Mix?' chuckled Elzbieta. 'Or maybe plainly The Mixed?'

'The Collective?' said Kaui. 'Combines?'

'Rufert said we were a strange bunch, I kind of like that.' chuckled Ulric. 'Thinking of Strange Breed, Disordered, Chaos, Motley Crew.'

'Us Guys're Anomalies?'

'Strange Lot.'

'Odd Lot!'

'Strange Company?'

Kaui sat up. 'How about-'

'Quaint?' asked Rufert when he checked the form.

Kaui nodded. 'You gave us the hint for a fitting name for us.'

Rufert chuckled. 'I guess I did.' he said and gestured at the boards. 'You can find all quests there and the one you mentioned should be among them then. In the meantime I'll prepare your guild card.'

The others joined Kaui at the board to search the one from Ameda and Roran. 'There are only low level or older quests here .' Kaui said and pulled down one form. 'This one's from the shop and it's been here a while indeed.'

'Ah, the one from Roran's shop,' said Rufert. 'to collect the wool from the flock at the fields nearby.'

'Why has it been here so long?' asked Kaui.

'There isn't much going on around here, so young adventurers who gained their basic abilities set out for bigger cities where higher quests can be found, even if actually getting one is a small chance since there are many more adventurers available.' Rufert wrote a note in the quests log book. 'Lots of small quests remain and even though the guys from Shadow Wolves could easily do them, they just hang around until a request comes in high enough to interest them and only do that one. It pays well enough because there's no one else to do them.' Rufert held up the quest form. 'These don't pay much because people think they're boring.'

Ulric hummed. 'They're just in it for the status, not to help people in need.'

Elzbieta folded her arms and nodded. 'And they get away with it. An elf with that behaviour would have been shamed by the tribe.'

Iphigenia sighed. 'Nothing we can do about it. Let's just get this done first.'

Rufert handed a blue card to Ulric. 'This is your guild card, take good care of it.'

He examined the card with their name in the upper left corner and at the bottom 0-A-A. 'What does this mean?'

'Your group's level.' Rufert said. 'For each quest you get a number of points, the more difficult, the more points. The first letter is the difficulty average of quests ranked from very easy A to possible but never seen before Z. There's been at most a G rank awarded as far as I know. The last letter also indicates the highest rank quest you ever did, so for example you could be average C but you have proven yourself strong enough to have completed an F rank quest. A high number but low ranks indicates you've been busy but not with tough quests.'

Ulric nodded. 'So the cheat of levelling up just by repeating easy quests does not work here. You actually have to do harder work to gain something.' He put the card away in one of the pockets Roran had sown into his cloak. 'I'm not here to play for the high score so it doesn't matter anyway.' He looked at the girls and grinned. 'But that doesn't mean I won't try to have some fun in the meantime.'

17 - First Quest

The four arrived later at fields a short walk away from the town where few people ever came, and spotted the fluffy herd meandering and grazing through the flower filled grass. 'So, all we have to do is catch sheep and cut their wool.' Ulric said as he looked across the field at the scattered puffs of white and brown. 'I can imagine it's boring to young adventurers.'

Iphigenia squinted at a ram with thick and curled horns the size of it's head staring back at them. 'I don't know. I have an odd feeling about this. They look a bit different from the sheep I know.'

Ulric flexed his arms and legs. 'To me the only odd thing is that these sheep seem a bit bigger than the ones in my world. We won't find out just standing here anyway so I'll catch one to begin with.'

He walked leisurely towards the middle of the spread out herd without going directly towards any sheep and scare them off right away. Some distanced themselves from him and when he had a reasonable indication of how close he could get to them, he moved casually towards one from behind, then bolted towards the ewe.

She looked back and jumped high the moment Ulric tried to grab her, kicked him back with her powerful hind legs, and ran off.

Ulric blinked as he looked up to the sky from the grass and rubbed the scales on his chest. 'Those aren't sheep, they're woolly kangaroos! Damn, that would have hurt if I hadn't been quick enough to transform.' He jumped up and ran after other sheep but they all jumped high and fast out of the way until the ram appeared in front of him. Ulric grinned. 'So, we finally meet.'

The ram was even quicker than the rest and Ulric thought he had jumped out of the way when the ram shot at him with a powerful low jump, but a quick thrust of its head hit him right in the gut.

Ulric flew back and rolled over several times before sitting up. Iphigenia gripped her sword. 'Wolfie! Are you all right!?'

He rubbed his stomach scales while coughing. 'I think the reason no one taking the quest had nothing to do with boring.' he said and stood up. 'But that might be good in a way.' The ram glared at him and he grinned again. 'Let's play.'

The ram charged at him again and this time he evaded the headbutts in time, although he couldn't tackle or trip his nimble opponent either as it jumped fast around him. 'Guess I'll literally have to go head to head.' Ulric grumbled and covered his head with scales. The ram charged at him and he charged back.

The girls flinched at the loud bang. Elzbieta let out her breath when both Ulric and the ram moved backwards, seemingly fine. 'He really does have a hard head.'

Iphigenia chuckled. 'You mean the ram or Wolfie? I think it'll probably be decided on who's more stubborn.'

Their heads collided several times more before Ulric grabbed the ram by his horns and stared deep into its eyes. 'Don't think you can beat me like this. I've endured worse headaches staying up all night coming up with catchy slogans for haemorrhoid cream.'

A terrified bleating caught their attention and they gazed at the edge of the field with a line of high rocks, where a predator resembling a huge salamander with crocodile hide and teeth had cornered a lamb between it and the rocks. The ram shook off Ulric's grip and bolted at the predator at once.

'That's an igififun!' Kaui said. 'They're very dangerous!'

The igififun crawled closer to the trembling lamb frozen in fear, its large jaws opened to grab the lamb and crush it between its rows of deadly teeth, then stared to the side when it heard the rapid trampling of the ram's hoofs on the grass. It hissed low when the ram hit it hard on its side, but it backed off only for a moment before lashing out with its tail.

Ulric was surprised at the speed of the monster as it hit the ram and threw it back. 'Is that normal!?' he asked Kaui.