Xeranus awoke sharply to the sound of multiple men arguing quietly to themselves however due to her new form it was like they were shouting which was not helping her mood after Ara dismissed her with those words. What did she know about her past? She was just some stranger that was only interested in her due to her change Now if those bandits would shut up and let her think and plan on her revenge that would be just fine.

“ no skeex I don't want to go near that spirit she will curse us”

“I will be fine Keith don't you want you to know lord Wengen is looking for a spirit that could lead him to something we could be rich”

Xeranus grit her teeth at their prattling and got up ignoring the alarm from the bandits who then made up their minds to approach her all at once. She could tell that she had been surrounded by their odour and the noise they made. She could tell at least one was very interested in her body by how he kept muttering to himself. It

also gave her the unwelcome knowledge of what lust smelled like.

Xeranus glowered while she glanced around all of them were armed with clubs and two swords clearly not the most successful band but very dangerous to her however she needed to escape fortunately she could see that they had spread out to surround her if she could send one sprawling. Not even bothering to let their leader Skeex open his mouth Xeranus jumped right at the weakest looking man with her fist pulled back.

However, she did not account for the fact that she was much faster than she discovered much too late as she slammed into the man. Leading them to tumble over into a tangle of limbs struggling to get up Xeranus was grabbed on her right arm by the man she had run into. Quickly responding with a punch to the jaw to make him let go instead the man's jaw was shattered and he screamed in pain letting go. However, she had been delayed long enough for the rest of the bandits to arrive.

The struggle with the man distracted her enough that she did not notice until one of the bandits grabbed her from behind dragging her around to face one of his comrades who swung at her head with a club and received a kick to the stomach doubling him over. But a club stuck her head making her see stars. Then one man grabbed her right leg and flailed wildly. She managed to scratch something. elating a hiss of pain but he did not let go. Hearing the air being displaced Xeranus hearing allowed her to hear the sound of the club being swung again. Unfortunately, the man holding her was doing a very good job at holding her in place and with another man grabbing her left leg she could not move. So with painful thwack darkness took her.

……………………………………..

When she awoke the surroundings she could see were blurry but from what she could smell and hear made it likely a wood of some kind her head throbbed from pain groaning she tried to move but could not move a muscle. She could hear arguing but trying to focus on what was being said made her head swim. And whoever was dabbing something wet on her forehead was starting to annoy her.

“Stop that now” she hissed angrily before winching at the spiking pain in her head but the dabbing wetness stopped sharply than a voice that sounded timid.

“S-s-sorry M-m-miss spirt I was trying to help with your wounds the others brought you in and tied you up” mumbled the boy nervously which helped her identify part the scent he was giving the other bits she had no reference to. Then that made he stop she remembered the bandits who had mobbed her and then knocked her out one part of her wondered why she had not appeared before Ara but most of her felt a cold dread as she remembered the man who she learned what lust smelled like could one of the bandits…

“My purity she,” said in horror, ignoring the pain in her head despite its lessening as well as he vision was becoming much clear enough to see the one who was tending to her. He was young, looking tall if a bit lanky with brown matted hair, blue squinting eyes and a slightly brown freckled face. But Xeranus was to the big possibility of her being raped.

“No M-miss spirit you have not had a finger laid on you if that's what you think” interrupted the panicking young man barely her age waving his hands desperately. But Xeranus was having non of it and let this bandit know her feelings known.

“What guarantee” she hissed “Do I have from an inbred low browed privy drinking sheep fucking bandit that they have not raped me while I was out cold,” she said stinging tears starting to form in the corner of her eyes as she glared hatefully at the boy who looked quite shocked at the tirade. But surprisingly despite his limited interaction with her the boy had a spine and seemed to take it within stride.

“T-t-that was rude m-m-miss spirit o-o-one did try when the boss was not looking to but I decked him,” said the boy proudly “ T-t-t b-b-boss of this lot had told the rest you are not to be touched and I'm not part of the bandit they d-d-dragged me from my village to treat you”

Xeranus did not know what to say and just let the silence drag onwards if true then she owned this boy heavily even if he was a bandit or not she owed him and father told her often enough to repay what she owed and could discern no lies from him but she did not know his name.

“What is your name my name is Xeranus ”

“V-v-vreel m-m-miss X-x-xeranus your name is very pretty as you a-are” Xeranus flushed at the first heartfelt compliment she had received about her appearance and name ignoring the fact Vreel ment brown mouse she felt like preening her hair only she trusted up in a sheet-like a sausage wrapped in bacon as well as her tails that were twitching like mad but they were also tied together.

‘Cough’ “what part of me do you find pretty?” Xeranus asked, trying to keep her voice level, wondering if this was some trick to hurt her but she dared to hope.

“I-I-I Don't know where to begin y-your hair is lovely if a bit… unkempt. Vreel said keeping his eyes down not meeting her gaze he seems sincere and being complimented instead of being called a witch its... Nice, she thought before replying. However, no matter how nice Vreel was she had to get away from these bandits fortunately she had a possible way through Vreel to escape so she had to gain his trust that seemed not hard from how he was acting.

“Well if your friends had not tied me so I would not have unkempt heir if you untied me I could sort that out” she whispered pleasantly as she could Xeranus felt a bit of guilt for doing this she hated manipulating people and like most people, the boy had his food knife on him.

Vreel looked around nervously before speaking I-i-i am n-not supposed to t-they w-will beat me T-they want to give you to Baron W-wengen for a lot of coin h-he looking for something A-and he thinks a S-spirt like you Miss X-xeranus will lead him to it they are arguing about the price n-now with one of h-his servants” replied Vreel with a tone that Xeranus ears could make it abundantly clear that he was not exactly happy about ether her predicament

taking note of the boy's tone and deminer Xeranus took a chance pressed further “ Look Vreel I know you are scared of the others but consider this your fellows are bandits and they are trying to get money by selling me to Wengon correct”

“Y-yes m-miss X-xeranus you are correct”

“Well then Vreel if you take the fact that bandits are trying to make a deal with a baron no less and the fact that his servant is already discussing a price for me means he has confirmed that I'm genuine,” she said looking at Vreel who was intently listening she certainly had his intrust.

She continued “Then what is to stop Wengon simply killing you all and taking me because Vreel I can see no real disadvantages in not double-crossing this band of outlaws' 'Vreel now looked very pale as Anybody in Snowland knew Baron Wengan was a man who was rumoured for being ruthless cunning and will happily betray you if he could get away with it.

Just then Xeranus heard a scream of pain and shouting making Vreel looked in the direction of the and his eyes widened then he quickly turned back to Xeranus panic on his “T-t-the Servant killed him a-a-and soldiers are coming from the trees” he said looking stunned if Xeranus did not do something quickly he would freeze up and their fate would be sealed.

“Cut me loose quickly I can lead you through the wilds you will be killed merely by being associated with these bandits” she shouted startling Vreel who quickly scrambled for his dagger shivering slightly. He drew the dagger knelt and began to look at one of the ropes near her chest, likely thinking that by freeing her torso that she could slide out of the sheet.

After a minute Vreel was on his third rope and Xeranus testing the rope concluded that it would take a few more ropes when she heard the clink of chainmail from roughly were he head was and then the sound of a bow being drawn then a twang of the arrow being loosed.

“Vreel duck” She yelled and he did but not quickly enough and the arrow sped towards his head time seemed to slow for her and the arrow gleamed wickedly an inch from Vreels temple if he is going to die if he dies I won't be able to repay him and I will have to live with the shame of an unpaid debt Xeranus thought panicking I have to protect… the moment Xeranus conceived the word something inside her belly started to feel like a jug of energy was being poured into a wooden bowl that she somehow knew she could use it.

But she did not wonder what this was all she wanted was for Vreel to live for him to be pulled out the way of the arrow or the arrow to break or something. Then as if she had gained she felt within her move to carry out her intentions. Two things happened at the same moment something grabbed Vreel by his clothing and pulled him sharply to the ground while the arrow was battered away from its trajectory breaking it. Xeranus felt suddenly tired and half the bowl of energy had vanished. A trickle of energy still filled the bowl but it would take hours to fill it up. Another thing was that the base of her spine where her other tails were was throbbing with a dull pain that was slowly getting worse.

A few more arrows landed about them before a shout arose from the where the archer was about damaging lord Wengons property. Which was good as it allowed Vreel to cut through the ropes unimpeded it took another minute for the last rope on Xeranus to be cut and it was fortuitous as the sound of fighting had died away.

Wriggling out of the sheet Xeranus stood up dragging Vreel with her into a run. Shouts For them to stop and when they did not they ran after them but the two of them managed to plunge into the woods and out of sight.