Lupos was still smiling from Akari's kiss when he ran to catch up with his spirits. As he approached the group, he noticed Hugin was missing. However just as he was about to comment on it, Hugin flew down out of the trees.

Suddenly all three spirits turned to face Hugin "well?" said Fenrir impatiently while Lupos still stood there looking confused "We won the bet, she kissed him!" Lupos looked at Jormugand and Munin who were groaning in dismay as well as Fenrir and Hugin who were laughing.

"Wait, wait, wait so you guys were betting on whether or not she'd kiss me?" all four spirits looked at him and nodded in sync, Lupos just sighed exasperated. "Well moving on from that for the journey back I want Hugin and Munin scouting up ahead for potential danger or any people Jormugand I want you to stay hidden in my bag and Fenrir you can give me a lift back."

Hugin and Munin flew on ahead while Jormugand laughed "Fenrir you're a horse now!" Fenrir started mumbling under his breath about "barbecued snake." but was promptly ignored. Making sure his bag was firmly on his back, Lupos climbed onto Fenrir's back "ok let's get moving, it should take us less than a day to get there depending on how quick Fenrir can go."

Fenrir grinned "I'll go as quick as I can." Lupos suddenly had a bad feeling about it and quickly held on as hard as he could. Without another word Fenrir took off into the distance, following the faster, but much more dangerous forest paths, with Lupos still needing to hold on for dear life.

They had been riding for approximately one hour without trouble when Hugin flew back onto Lupos' shoulder "Lupos there's trouble ahead, a lone magical beast is being chased by some soldiers claiming their young mistress wants it as a pet. Should we help it escape?"

Lupos grit his teeth, incidents like this just served to remind him why he hated nobles so much and with Akari's capture still fresh in his mind he felt rage boiling over. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Lupos nodded "where's the beast?" Hugin raised a wing to point in the left direction, it's just a few metres away that way."

"Fenrir did you hear that?" asked Lupos, Fenrir nodded briefly then took off in the direction indicated. They'd only moved one metre down the path when a small squirrel like magical beast burst out the trees.

Catching him as he fell, Lupos used all his concentration to try and quickly communicate with the beast in mindspeak. "My name's Lupos I was raised by magical beasts I will help protect you." It wasn't the best way of putting it, but surely enough it was the quickest, which was good as several knights burst into the clearing.

Lupos looked at the knights surrounding him "Can I help you gentleman?" the biggest knight gestured to the others to lower their weapons. "Yes the magical beast you currently have in your hands, my mistress was trying to procure it so I would appreciate it if you handed it over."

Lupos shook his head and placed the squirrel on his shoulder, where it decided to stay after feeling it could trust Lupos. "I'm very sorry sir knight this is actually my pet, I was letting him loose for hunting and had just called him back, which is when you showed up."

The knight nodded calmly and was just about to walk off when an arrogant voice rang out through the clearing. "What are you doing have you captured the beast yet?" said a young girl about Lupos' age as she stepped into the clearing.

The girl was very pretty, there was no doubt about that, but she was covered from head to toe in impractical jewels and wore a prideful look of superiority on her face. The head knight bowed down to the girl and the other knights quickly followed suit. "I'm sorry young mistress the beast you are seeking already belongs to that boy."

The girl looked over at Lupos as of noticing his presence for the first time, before disregarding him as if he were a speck of dust. "I want that beast so you will give it to me, a filthy commoner has no right to disregard a person with noble blood such as myself."

Lupos stared at the girl with intense dislike. "No he's mine, why should I give him to you?" Although Lupos had only met the creature moments ago he felt a much closer kinship to the magical beasts of the forests then he did other humans, especially nobles.

The Noble girl looked at him flabbergasted. "I gave you a chance and now you'll pay for disobeying, I'm am Elisia Oakshield my uncle is Mervyn Oakshield a first rank magician, you will pay for disobeying me!" This drew Lupos to a halt as he stared in shock at the girl, Mervyn had a family and that meant a weakness.

Although he had to wait until he was more powerful to get his revenge on Mervyn there was absolutely nothing stopping him from killing his niece. Smiling happily Lupos warned his spirits about what he was about to do in mindspeak.

"I'm sorry I didn't know, of course you can have my pet." said Lupos as he got off Fenrir's back and approached the girl. "Hmph I'm glad to know you realised your inferiority and are ready to give me what I want." Lupos stopped in front of the girl and let out a savage smile, Elisia's blood ran cold. "Not quite I'm afraid." said Lupos who then gave out a high pitch whistle.

At the sound of the whistle Fenrir turned to the nearest knights and attacked them, killing them instantly, Jormugand had also taken the opportunity to sneak out of the bag and had poisoned a majority of the remaining guards. Leaving Hugin and Munin to dive bomb the remaining survivors until the girl was the only one left, Lupos' poisoned dagger resting by her throat.

"It was unlucky for you that you were his relative. Of course you threatening me didn't help at all." the girl started shaking her arrogance gone. "Please spare my life, I mean you're only angry about that beast right, magical beasts are just vermin anyway take it and go."

Lupos shook his head at her "magical beasts aren't vermin they're family, and besides didn't I already tell you this isn't about that. It's your relationship to Mervyn that irritates me." The girl opened her mouth to cry out but before she could Lupos moved faster than any human should have been able to and slit her throat.

Grinning despite being covered in Elisia's blood Lupos turned to face his spirits. "Let's continue on then." His spirits nodded and soon they were on their way again back to the academy Lupos smiling the entire way.

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Hi sorry the chapter came out later than usual today I hope you like it feel free to comment or write a review :)