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Nngg…” A groan made him and Iris look at the other bed and its occupant. The inu stirred, eyes fluttering open. He looked around the room before noticing Kevin. “You…” “I’m surprised you’re already up,” Kevin said. “Anyone else would have gone into shock after losing an arm. You inu really are a hardy species.” “But they’re not as hard as you, Stud,” Iris quipped. Kevin rolled his eyes. “Why didn’t you kill me?” asked Cien. “Because I don’t believe in killing if I don’t have to.” “I should have died.” “That’s your foolish pride talking. Only a fool asks for death after his enemy spares him.” Cien scoffed. “Che. I don’t expect a human like you to understand. To a warrior like myself, our pride means everything. We inu are a proud race. For us to be defeated in single combat, and by a human no less, is nothing short of disgraceful.” “A human like me, huh?” Kevin murmured, turning his back on Cien. “You can think that way if you want. I certainly won’t try to force your perceptions of me to change. I don’t really care enough to try. Anyway, I suggest you get some rest. You haven’t been out for that long, and you no longer have a right arm. Even an inu can’t shrug that off like it’s nothing.” Kevin wandered to the hut’s entrance and looked out. No one else was around. The hut that Orin was letting them stay in was further removed from everyone else, over on the outskirts of New Genbu. Kevin didn’t mind, especially since no one in the village liked him. “That was a stupid thing to say,” Iris started, “even for a dog.” “What was that?!” Cien growled. “I dare you to get up and say that to my face you—owch!” He yelped when something smacked him in the face. Looking down at the object as it fell to the ground and landed by his head, he frowned. “Is that… a shoe?” “Don’t fight with my mate’s sister,” Kevin said, grabbing his discarded sneaker and putting it back on. “She started it,” Cien mumbled as Iris snickered behind her hand. “What was that?!” “Nothing,” he said, his body jolting as if he’d touched a live wire. That tone of voice… it had sounded almost feral! Like it belonged to some kind of animal instead of a human! “I’m glad to hear that. Now, then, do as I said and get some sleep. I’m going to be interrogating you tomorrow, and I want you to be perfectly capable of answering every question I have.” Kevin smiled. “I am the victor, after all, and this is my request.” “R-right.” Cien felt his forehead break out in a cold sweat. Who knew humans could be so frightening?
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