Choking on a snore, Ares awoke. The sun was barely cresting above the trees as he opened his eyes, covering his eyes with his arm. "Eugh." He felt like death. Then he shot awake and looked around, seeing Koifan staring down at him, and then her brother Ronfan who brought him something to drink.

"Morning." Ares said as he hopped to his feet, causing panic to flash across Koifan's face.

"You need to rest!" She exclaimed as she made to grab at him, but Ares danced away. He felt for his ring, and then checked to see his cloak was still on him.

"What? I'm done with resting, let's go get this herb." Ares stretched before recalling the events that led to him passing out. He checked on his stomach and his thigh, undoing the makeshift bandages that the oxfolk had made for him, revealing bare skin that seemed to be unmolested.

"Huh." Ares said aloud, musing in his thoughts. 'Nice. I heal really well, that's good to know…" Then he looked up at the pair of oxfolk. "See? Now let's get to it."

"We've already got the herb." Korra said. "We were waiting on you."

"No need to wait on me then, let's go." Ares smirked.

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"How did you heal so quickly? I haven't seen you weave any spells, not even when you made the pot disappear…"

Ares thought about the pot. "Oh. You guys couldn't really eat, right?" He said as he summoned the pot ahead of them.

Korra didn't reply, instead sighing. "You are a mysterious one. Still, we thank you for helping us. Two vipers is something we didn't expect, and you handled them in such a way that we are grateful for your assistance."

"It's fine. You said you got the herb, right?"

"Yes, we have a few of them. Would you like to leave since you are eager? We also skinned some of the viper whilst you were resting, though we didn't manage to skin it all."

"If you like, you can head back together and I'll stay with whoever wants to skin it." Ares recommended. "I assume it's useful for you to have both skinned?"

"Yes, though most belongs to you. We could not have done such a thing without you." Korra replied earnestly.

"No, there's no need for that. Just cut the shares equally, as long as I have a little for my own tribe, it's fine."

"Very well. Then I'll remain behind to skin it with you." Korra said. The others listened, though warily. Still, they left the pair alone as Korra led him to the viper which lay not too far away. "I see why you have challenged seven warriors…" Korra finally spoke up. "You are a powerful being."

"Oh, thank you." Ares chuckled. He wasn't entirely sure just how powerful he was, and how powerful everyone else was in relation. Though now knowing he had some form of enhanced healing, he wanted to check out how well it worked. He had a few experiments he needed to try.

"Do you think I could win?" Ares asked as he watched her work, staring at her bare back. She didn't turn to face him as she spoke, but did raise her voice a little.

"Yes. I think you'll be able to beat them all." She said, though her tone was cautious. "What are you wishing to do after?"

"Well hopefully a few oxfolk join me, but then I'm heading to a wolf tribe to speak with them. After that I'll see if I can finally conquer the Dragon's Spine."

"What if no oxfolk join you?"

"Well…" He paused to think for some time. "I think I'll be sad. Still, if no one wants to join, then I won't force any of them."

"Why won't you force anyone to join?"

"It's not a part of the deal. I want to impress you guys to join me, so that you'll be willing to put your faith in me willingly."

"Would you accept any of the oxfolk? Including those that are sick or crippled?"

"Yeah, I would. I don't see why not." He shrugged.

"Why would you? They would not be helpful to conquering the mountain."

"If that's the case, I'd ask a horn to take care of them until I've finished conquering the spine."

She didn’t reply, instead continuing with the work. He watched her do that, each muscle contracting and relaxing. She had a rather powerful back, one that someone could feel quite safe with her.

Ares looked down at the ground. His stomach stirred as he thought about how so many people are relying on him… He looked down at his hands and then closed his eyes. He was acting all cocky, but… even so, he needed really figure out what kind of ruler he was going to be.

He sighed out and then quickly straightened up as Korra turned to face him.

“Are you alright?” She asked.

He avoided staring at her breasts as he looked up. “Just… thinking about how I’m going to look after all the oxfolk that will join me, all thousands of them.” He laughed.

Korra didn’t seem too impressed, turning around to get back to work. Ares walked around for a while, getting lost in his thoughts. He thought about how he wanted to govern, but firstly he would need to figure out various laws to introduce to the people. However, that would need to come in slowly… or he’d have to rush everyone into it whilst everything was disoriented so they couldn’t complain… Ack! Why were there so many ways that people could rule?! Why isn’t there just one way that’s the best?

To be a ruthless king to his enemies, and then a benevolent king to his own people…

Is that the only way?

Ares shook his head and then looked over to Korra once more, before then daydreaming.

“Ares, it is done.” Korra states as Ares then shifted the hide, the meat, and the rest of the creature, or at least everything she had parted out.

Once they were finally done, Korra led him away towards the city again. He was lost in thought when he heard her call out to him and say something. Though he wasn’t paying attention.

“What was that?” He asked as he looked at her back once more, and then back up about to fall into daydreaming again.

“Do you have a mate?”

His heart pounded wildly within his head. “A mate?” He swallowed, his mouth growing dry.

“Yes, a woman.” She said as she stopped and turned to face him, narrowing her eyes at him. There was a playful gaze within her eyes, though his own swiftly duked them and he looked out into the sky.

“No, not yet. I’m too busy for a mate at the moment, I have business to do.”

“I see… you wouldn’t want to find someone to play with for now? You seem to have done much good.”

“Well, if you’re offering.” Ares chuckled.

“I am.”

Ares turned beet red and then looked back at her eyes, then down towards her mounds, before then looking away again. “Well… you are… very wonderful but…” Wait. What’s going on? What was he meant to do? “They’re probably waiting for us at the city…”

“They can wait a little longer.”

‘Is she… is she flirting with me right? What?! I’ve graduated from major virgin into minor virgin, haven’t I?!’ His heart continued to thunder. ‘What the fuck is going on right now? This shit is insane! I’m a nobody, just a… pretty handsome guy with a lot of power…’ He thought. Oh, right.

Still, he swallowed. Isn’t this a little too quick? He needed to pace himself. First he must become a King, an Emperor maybe. That’s much easier than this.

“It would be rather rude to.”

“Do you find me displeasing?” She asked finally.

“No, it’s just that…” He swallowed as his throat began to tighten, causing him unable to speak. His eyes fell down to her breasts as she stepped towards him and he grew redder with each passing second. He tried to speak out, but with each step that she took, he only grew redder and redder, and then finally she reached out to him.

A torrent of water then encompassed him from above, and once it was done, he stared up into Korra’s eyes, who was more than a little perturbed. He spat out some water.

‘Tits are terrifying.’