Hey folks! I'm dedicating most of this weekend to writing some chapters and popped them out for you hungry folks! To the one who drooled on me, sir, I love you hahah!

But yes, as promised some action shall occur in this chapter. It won't be much, but enough to tantalize the senses I hope. A lot of the quests the MC will get are not from actual quest givers, but pop up event quests meant to aid the Spartan people, or hidden quests for his class. I know that is odd, but there will be many active and needed quests as well. A lot of that will occur more when Beta ends in about ten chapters or so, maybe longer. Depends on how I feel honestly.

But I shant bore you longer, here you are folks. As always, much love and cookies ^.^

I had finally reached the rest of the group just as they had finished setting up camp. Let me say, it was wonderful to see their reactions when Ma'at landed in the center of the camp by the fire pit. A few grabbed their weapons, some ran toward the edge of camp, and I heard someone scream really loudly.

I smiled at them as I explained who, and what Ma'at was. Gallica just looked at me funny, and Scillicia seemed like she might blow a gasket. Triscia was the least affected, beyond the scream, and brought my cubs to me, while hiding behind me the entire while. I was somewhat close to Ma'at after all.

She'd freaked a bit when Triscia had screamed, and her wings had flapped a bit causing a minor gust storm to occur. So I had gone up close, slowly, and laid my hand against her feathered breast to help calm her. It was doing the trick, but now with Triscia so close I didn't dare take my hand off.

She was in a new area, around new people where once she was a wild beast. I didn't want to risk her lashing out, so I kept my hand on her and spoke to Triscia calmly, without raising my voice or whispering. Doing all I could to instil a natural vibe around the area that was calm, as if nothing was wrong.

It was slowly working. First off, the people surrounding the camp were slowly relaxing, they had noticed it set Ma'at on edge. It was tricky, and I regretted having her land dead center inside the camp area. But what was done was done. Oddly, my leadership stat went up two points during this.

It made me grin a bit, and Triscia slowly calmed down as well, keeping the cubs tight to her chest while they squirmed to be free and see the new big bird. It was at my request of course, I didn't want to risk their lives. They however were very adamant in their desire to see the new addition to our little family.

After a while, I just sighed, and told her to put them down. She did so, and they pounced forward before slowing down at Ma'ats squawk while she looked down at them. I was almost sweating bullets, but I tried very hard to not let my obvious stress, and anxiety transfer toward her or the cubs. That would lead to a disastrous end.

I used my foot to keep them from getting to close, and Fang and Winter just tackled my foot. They were babies, their attention span was shorter than a damn goldfish. I sighed, and regarded Ma'at. Wondering how to do this properly.

I just shrugged after a bit, it's a damn game, and adult beasts hold a portion of intelligence, I hope, so I went for broke and spoke to her.

"These are 'chicks' my babies, and your siblings." I took the egg I had received back and laid it beside them, gently to show they were one and the same through symbolism. Ma'at looked from me, toward the egg and cubs a few times. Cocking her head from side to side to view us properly in turn before squawking at me, and curling down on her haunches, sitting beside the cubs and egg.

The cubs were somewhat tired, so they just drifted toward the warmth she radiated from her large feathered body, and snuggled into her.

I held my breath, keeping my hand on her neck in case I'd have to dive bomb and strangle her into submission. I really did not want to tango with this beast in that regard. But my luck paid out, she curled her head inward, and tucked the cubs, and the egg that was close into her body, slightly under where is was warm before regarding me, and using her head to knock me on my ass and drag me close as well.

"Oi!" I called out before I realized it, and she regarded me steadily. Oh dear god, I got a mother hen. Fuck my life....I sighed, in defeat, and nuzzled in as well. I felt the bonding line between us strengthen further and I gained an interesting trait to follow up with my others.

Beastial understanding (Trait) This trait allows you to understand a species of animal you own through quality time, as such increasing the chance to learn new fact about the creatures species, or type of beast they are. From avian to aquatic, the more quality time spent with your pets, the more you learn. (That's right dumb dumb, love your pets or suffer!)

I loved the trait I gained, but I swear to god I will kill whoever writes these out. I know it's someone fucking with me, and I have a feeling I know who. If it was him, I'd strangle him in his sleep or put fucking glue in his toothpaste.

The main good thing about this so far, I may be unable to level everything properly, or quickly, but I gained traits easily enough. A perk to having pets, or my class? I didn't know just yet. I wasn't going to think too much on it however. It was a useful perk, it would allow me to learn more about a species, or creature just by bonding with them. This trait also promoted spending time with each pet owned so they knew they were loved. It was a nice system mechanic in my mind.

I drifted off to sleep relatively quickly after that. I ignore the looks, and Gallica trying to get my attention. Mama hen demanded it was sleep time after all. I grinned and waved my fingers at him before I passed out, his frown my last sight.

When I woke up, it was to a suffocating feeling. I struggled for a good three minutes before I realized that Ma'at had decided to sit on me in her sleep, with the cubs curled around my throat, luckily I had put the egg in my inventory to stop it from hatching from warmth, or quickening it's cycle as I passed out the night before.

But damnit, I can't breath! In fact my health was slowly going down. I quickly used my dead arms to get the cubs off of me and took some deep breaths.

You have removed air constriction, life no longer in danger

No shit sherlock. Fuck you system, seriously. I took a few more deep breaths, and swatting Ma'ats big flank got her to move and look at me curiously. I rolled my eyes and wiggled my way out from under her now that her weight was semi off of me.

Freedom! "Crispin!" shit...

I turned to look at Gallica who had a serious look in his eyes again. God damnit, now what?

"Yes?" Master of eloquence and word play was I.

"We reach Sparta in a few hours. Lead the train, I'm staying in the rear with the two Spartan brothers. It's been too calm, I don't like it. Can you have your new...pet act as a scout?"

Now that was a good idea, and one I was not sure of or not. I regarded Ma'at a moment, and tried to convey my feelings and desires through the link we had as master and pet. She understood, at least I hoped she did, because she took off a moment later; creating a dust storm in the process that sent me a foot back, and my cubs tumbling playfully in a ball of fluff.

"Yeah, she can.." I said, trying to send the thoughts more clearly toward her.

Gallica nodded, and we finished packing. I swear I heard him mutter something about Beast tamers when he left. Confusing, but I let it go for now.

We were Sparta bound!

Gallica guessed we were around ten hours from Sparta. He also ensured I didn't sneak out of leading the former slaves to Sparta. Cheeky bastard. I had sighed in defeat by then, and asked Triscia to watch my cubs. She declined when Scillicia showed up and looked at her a moment before taking them with her toward the middle of the train....Ok then, ignoring that chill.

Taking the lead of the small train of people we headed down the barely cared for trail. How to pass the time? The fuck if I know, I just started humming a ditty I remember always being sung to me as a child, and old Irish lullaby, to me at least.

'I'm looking over, a four leaf clover. That I've overlooked before! One stands for sunshine, the second for rain, the third is for roses that bloom in the lane, and there's no need explaining, the one remaining, it's somebody I adore! Oh, I'm looking over, a four leaf clover, that I've overlooked before.'

Now, rinse and repeat. Yep, I hummed that same tune for damn near an hour. When that began to bore me I slowly started to test my bond with Ma'at. Mostly this involved me giving her visual maneuvers to attempt with my hand. I could do this mostly because she would swing forward along our main path and then back in a constant circling loop, and when she saw me she would mimic my arm motions. The beauty of the Keen Eye perk I suppose.

This went on for a few hours, and it had the added benefit of leveling my animal husbandry skill, along with my Animal Language skill. It was a level each, but it was a nice factor. I also gained further insight into avian creatures. Not much, but enough to aid me in finding more in the future no doubt.

By this point we were, at most, four hours from Sparta. That's when it occurred, Ma'at let out a cry that was different from the norm. She cried out in alarm, and began swooping toward us. Oh shit..

I called out for Gallica and the others to get ready. Just in time as well, because an arrow struck right where I would have stepped. I was unsure if it'd kill me, but it would have hurt.

I ran back toward the others, Catching a javelin that was tossed my way by someone, and picking up a shield before rushing toward the defensive line.

I made use of my keen eye trait from Ma'at to pick out a shadow within the forest, and hefting my javelin launched it toward the figure. I heard a scream, and a lot of shouting shortly after it hit home.

I didn't receive a notification of instant kill that meant just a flesh wound. A group of fifteen bandits dove at us from the underbrush alongside the road.

More or less equal in number. I checked their status before disabling notifications and focusing.

Bandit Level:12ClassBandit

Well, that wasn't very useful. Shit, I hurried and intercepted a sword stroke with my shield, and punched the perpetrator in the face with my studded brass knuckle like gloves. I heard a satisfying crunch, then another person was in front of me. Son of a bitch!

I looked up after hearing a cry from Ma'at, she was circling above and seemed conflicted with instincts. I started waving my free arm around, and clumsily blocking random blows thrown my way to get her attention. I wanted her to dive them.

She did, after a moment, making a wide arc in the sky to come swooping down and using those massive talons she rent the flesh from bone on these bandits. The gore was very real, and the screams they made as some died were frightening to me. It felt like an actual firefight, minus the gunfire.

The only good part is, that the fight last all of a few minutes, Ma'at swooping down more or less broke the bandits. But they also got us good, a few of the ex slaves had lost an arm, and one was in need of medical attention badly.

From there is all became a bit of a blur as we moved to try and save lives, myself included, not truly caring about the quest at this point. I just wanted my friends to survive.