The pack is in high spirits after they harvested all the fire crystals inside the mine.
Sly on the other hand, is on another level as he enthusiastically took almost all of the treasures for himself, which made the others protest except for Lion.
Lion seemed to have found something interesting among the treasures in which Sly doesn't seem to mind Lion taking it. Rather, they had some sort of a quiet discussion by themselves, making the others and me curious.
I enjoyed watching the pack and declined when they told me to take all of the treasures for myself. After all, what am I going to do with all of it?
Still, I'm touched by their offer that I told them that I don't need any since they are my treasures, making them emotional.
On a second thought, I want to spend more time with them. I regretted that I didn't try to learn more about them since the time I first met them.
I feel nervous somehow.
Despite everything we've been through, I don't understand why I'm feeling this way. But I have to do it since my future in this world seems bleak as of now and our peaceful time together is limited.
In a small voice, I told everyone that I would rather spend time with each of them than having a single piece of treasure and if they aren't busy by the time we get back to the territory, I want to go somewhere nice with each of them.
They became silent in which I felt myself turn red.
Then suddenly, everyone began mentioning all sorts of places where they want to go with me, their voices in excitement that turned into annoyance as they tried to outdo each other.
Lion immediately carried me in his arms as he nuzzled my neck, telling me that he's been wanting to hear that from me for a long time.
Oh wait!
I can also surprise them with something!
I grinned to myself in which Lion had a curious look on his face towards me.
With a nuzzle on his neck, I told him that I have a surprise for him as soon as we get back to the territory in which he instantly told the rest of the pack that it's time to go back to Heph's place.
He gently bit my ear, telling me that he's looking forward to my surprise but I should not overdo it as we haven't found a way to heal my wounds.
Seriously?!
Not that I mind, but I was thinking of another surprise!
Sigh.
....
Speaking of surprises, by the time we got back at Heph's place, Heph had spread all sorts of rumors throughout the village that somehow I accepted him as one of my mates in my harem.
He is deluded!
Lion looked too calm while facing Heph in which I glanced towards Sly for help but to my dismay, his eyes had a terrifying look in them.
As much as I hated Heph, I don't want any trouble for now as the pack needed new weapons and armor.
Ah! Maybe Alpha can help...
No.
Orm?
He smiled at me brightly in which I can feel goosebumps on my skin.
Yikes.
Ghost is my last resort then.
Or maybe not.
There's tension in the air in which I decided to use one of my cards.
In a small voice, I told Lion that I'm hungry that instantly, the pack's moods began to change as they hurriedly finished negotiating with Heph, making Sly pour out an entire magic bag full of fire crystals, much to the amazement and dismay of Heph.
Take that, you fool!
He is courting death with his delusions!
To tell the truth, I really don't feel like eating but since I already told the pack that I'm hungry, I better try to imagine myself that I'm starving.
....
Despite Heph's insistence that we stay in the village, Lion politely declined and told him that we are staying outside the village as the pack needed lots of space to train themselves.
Lion emphasized the last part intensionally that Heph roared with laughter, telling Lion that he doesn't mind sharing his place with my other mates as he is already one of them.
Gross.
Heph tried to tempt me by telling me that he's going to show me how he makes the pack's weapons and armors using extremely rare materials that I'm unfamiliar with.
No thanks.
After several moments of being an annoyance, Heph shrugged and told me that if ever I change my mind, he's here waiting for me.
Sigh.
I really wanted to see the materials he's planning to use but it's not worth it.
....
Lion made several tents that he copied the design from one of my photographs back on earth.
Alpha is excited as he tried to make some sort of campfire, looking at the photograph that I gave him as he tried to copy it.
Ghost, Orm and Sly are in some sort of discussion on what to feed me.
I want hotdog and sausages!
I blurted it out of the blue in which the three looked at me with interest.
Ghost asked me on what kind of food that I mentioned in which I excitedly told him about it that he soon made a face.
Oops.
I forgot that he doesn't eat meat.
Hmmm..
Oh, yeah!
I told him that there are some fruits that you can cook instead, making him nag Orm to use his magic.
Soon, a huge assortment of fruits appeared.
Then I told Ghost some ways of cooking using the campfire that he and Orm enthusiastically began cooking based on what I said.
To my delight, Sly easily understood my instructions on making a hotdog despite his confusion at first.
It took quite a while to finish cooking everything, but it is worth the wait. Lion bought several bottles of liquor from the village, making it some sort of feast for us.
But to my disappointment, he gave me a bottle of fruit juice instead, telling me that I would get sick drinking the liquor as I haven't eaten much.
He's right though.
Lion held me gently as I'm sitting on his lap, asking me now and then if I felt pain on my legs or wounds in which I reassured him that I only felt slight discomfort sometimes.
It's still hard to walk by myself though.
He fed me, smiling happily when I managed to eat more than last time. With a bit of coaxing from him, I managed to finish drinking the entire bottle of juice.
I didn't puke out my stomach this time.
Good.
I want to get well.
I'm tired of being a burden.
Lion's voice interrupted my thoughts in which he told me that I'm not being a burden to him or to the rest of the pack as they want to take care of me.
Seeing the surprised look on my face, he laughed and told me that he can easily guess my thoughts based on my facial expressions.
But he didn't guess my thoughts when I was thinking about the danger I'm in.
The pack began talking about all sorts of things and plans, laughing as they engaged in playful banter about something.
I looked towards them with fondness, determined that I would protect this peace with my life.
....
Despite my efforts in being kind on turning him down several times, Heph spread a nasty rumor all over the village about how I discriminate about his appearance and that I preferred good looks over talent and skills.
I don't want to keep the peace anymore.
Heph begrudgingly gave the pack their weapons and armors while giving Lion an evil look.
Lion looked amused in which he began teasing Heph by licking my neck in front of him.
I have a feeling that after we leave, Heph will make a new rumor about us.
I was almost right as the rumors already spread before we left while the pack is still buying several supplies from the village market.
The pack guffawed upon hearing the latest rumor.
The rumor somehow twisted into a sad story of how Heph was originally my mate and I ran off with another creature that caught my eye.
He is truly deluded.
But wait.
Surely this isn't a twisted story of the love triangle of Aphrodite, Ares and Hephaestus??!!!
Ah.
Lion is wearing his armor now as he is trying to adjust to its weight.
It goes to show that some of the myths that we know actually happened though some may be twisted or exaggerated.
BUT I'M NOT APHRODITE!
....
Soon, we are on our way to our next destination. We went inside a cave in which Lion explained that they were told that it would cut a huge amount of travel time going towards our destination.
I feel doubtful somehow.
Still, what do I know?
But I somehow feel something weird the deeper we went inside.
I can't explain it but it feels like something is with us inside this cave.
I snuggled towards Lion as he carried me in his arms. He smiled at me tenderly, reassuring me that he'll protect me from whatever being that is following us.
There's an exit ahead of us in which the pack hastened their walk when suddenly, we heard a creepy voice inside the cave, laughing and taunting us.
I nearly screamed with fright when the voice somehow sounded like it is beside me.
The pack stopped in their tracks in which, to my horror, they have some sort of distant looks in their eyes.
I hate this!
Now, I'm not proud of being jumpy sometimes though this time, I have a good reason for it.
The voice began talking, teasing each one of us as it told us that it can fulfill the deepest desire of our hearts.
Creepy voice that is tempting us?
That's a huge red flag!
A sudden breeze made it seem like it's embracing us as it continued to ask each one of us our deepest desire.
I don't know what kind of being or creature is with us now but I'm curious to know what the deepest desires of the pack have in their hearts.
But as much as I wanted to know, we are on a very tight schedule in which I yelled at the voice to leave us alone as we are in a hurry to get out of here despite being afraid.
I'm scared and it doesn't help that the pack had some sort of yearning looks on their faces, including Lion.
The voice laughed and teased them while I kept on threatening the voice, telling it to go away before I will whack them towards the Netherworld.
Now, where did I put that detachable Buddhist staff of mine?
Good thing that Alpha is beside Lion as it turned out to be him who carried my bag. I rummaged inside my bag and finally managed to find my detachable Buddhist staff.
The voice mocked me, saying that it's been here for quite sometime and there's nothing I can do about it.
Oh, yeah?
Try me!
After assembling the Buddhist staff, I randomly hit the air everywhere that soon I heard a shriek of some sorts in which the voice screamed at me to stop hitting.
Did I start the fight?!
Lion's voice distracted me as he began murmuring my name and saying something unintelligible.
Ghost started groaning as he too said something unintelligible.
Same with the rest of them, especially Sly.
Sly began pleading in a desperate voice, saying that he would do anything for his deepest desire to come true.
This morons.
With a yell, I whacked the air hard in which the voice finally pleaded for me to stop hitting.
I can't see them so it's not my fault.
With a huge sigh, the voice told me that it usually tries to prevent travelers from getting out.
Why?
When the voice admitted that it just loves doing it for fun, I began to raise my Buddhist staff in which it hurriedly apologized towards me and told me that nobody has ever resisted its temptation before.
I don't really care, just let us go out of here!
It giggled then suddenly, a breeze enveloped us, making me shiver and soon I noticed that the pack is blinking their eyes, shaking their head as they looked around.
But I noticed that when I tried to ask each one of them if they are okay, especially Lion, they all turned red and averted their eyes.
I don't want to be correct this time but I feel that it has something to do with me again.
....
We finally arrived in a city in which we heard an interesting information about a magical hot spring that will somehow improve your magical abilities.
Lion told us that we needed a break and we all went there.
The hot spring is gorgeous!
The water itself looks magical as the color is golden yellow, almost similar shade with one of Lion's eyes.
We have the place to ourselves as the locals are already used to visiting the place anytime they feel like it.
It is located on the top of a small, rocky hill that is surrounded by several boulders that have runes all over it.
Orm told me that the place is magical somewhat and is a big help to them as they use magic quite often.
Alpha then asked Lion if it's safe for me in which the pack crowded around me as they made me test the waters by having me touch it with the tip of my finger.
I don't feel any pain at all and the water though somewhat a bit hot, it feels comfortable after a while.
Lion and Sly glanced at each other as they admitted that they aren't too sure as I tested it using my finger and it's a different story when I'm submerging my body as my body is full of wounds.
Ghost hurriedly removed his clothes without a care in the world and jumped towards the spring, splashing us with the water in which Sly yelled at him, telling him that he splashed water on me in which Ghost instantly apologized to me.
Despite my discomfort seeing him naked, I grinned at him while reassuring him that I'm fine though the water is a bit hot but I will eventually get used to it.
Orm went inside next, telling us that the water is comfortable and that he feels amazing like his magical abilities improved somehow.
Upon hearing that, Lion placed me gently on the ground as he nuzzled my ear, telling me that it won't take long for him to bathe in the water.
What?!
But I want to go too!
Also, I can manage not to stare at their bodies as the scenery surrounding us is beautiful.
Now I'm envious as they looked like they are very much relaxed.
Why shouldn't I join them?
I submerged my feet in the water while they were engrossed in talking about something, noticing that the smallest cuts on my feet are starting to disappear.
Ooohh... Interesting!
Slowly, I began submerging my lower legs in which to my delight, the smallest cuts disappeared.
Great!
With a glance towards the pack, they looked like they are enjoying themselves as several bottles of liquor appeared in the air surrounding them.
Goodness.
Good thing that there's somewhere for me to sit in which I silently removed my clothes and submerged my body in the water.
The water feels comforting!
And the smallest cuts on my arms disappeared!
Hallelujah!
I was so happy that I forgot that I should not bring attention to myself.
Uh-oh.
It became silent all of a sudden in which I tried to ignore it by humming a tune and washing my arms.
I'm no longer shy at all as they already seen me naked plenty of times and most of the time, it is only me that has perverted thoughts.
Maybe?
I continued ignoring them even though I can feel their gaze towards me as I sang some sort of a random song while trying to look at my hands.
If I keep submerging my body here, would the rest of my wounds disappear?
Oh yeah.
I have several nasty looking wounds all over my body.
That's why they are looking at me.
Despite my efforts on trying not to cry, tears suddenly fell down my cheeks.
Suddenly, I can hear them approaching me in which Lion embraced me, asking me if I'm in pain.
I bit my lip in which Alpha nuzzled my ear and told me that my thoughts are definitely wrong.
What the.
Is he reading my mind again??!!!
He chuckled upon seeing my face and shrugged his shoulders.
Sly suddenly took my hand, surprising me in which he told me that he noticed that some of my shallow wounds are starting to disappear and only the deeper ones are left.
He showed Lion my hand in which they started to examine the wounds all over my body.
Um.
I should probably start chanting those sutras in my mind again.