Edmond's troops continued their descent through the demi-humans' territory, with him at the forefront leading the army. A short while into their journey, their scouts came across a small village.
The village was a sight to behold, built atop trees like giant treehouses, connected by wooden suspension bridges that acted as roads.
The village was named Sciurus, and the tribe that lived there was called Shadow-Tail. It was home to a group of demi-humans who possessed characteristics of squirrels. They had fluffy ears atop their heads, long, bushy tails, and big, round eyes of various colors, along with puffy cheeks that would make any grandmother salivate.
The most evolved among them possessed a patagium, a furred membrane that stretched from wrist to ankle, allowing them to glide through the air.
They were a peaceful group, spending most of their time eating nuts and frolicking. Ill-prepared for combat, their unparalleled speed made it easy for them to escape whenever trouble arose.
Most of the time, they appeared as a blur atop the forest trees.
Demi-humans weren't much different from humans. Their magic was passed down through genetics. At birth, they looked just like human babies, but over time, the mana in their blood changed their physical features.
The Shadow-Tail tribe all had an affinity for wind magic and had developed techniques aimed at increasing their speed.
Edmond sat atop his war horse, a stone's throw away from the village, accompanied by three four-man units, totaling twelve soldiers, including Damien's group.
They were greeted by a lone demi-human, half-dressed in clothes that could only be described as rags. He had black fur on his ears and tail and was one of the more evolved members of the tribe, possessing a patagium.
He welcomed them with open arms and invited them into the village, which was bustling with life. Men, women, and children, all brandishing their birthday suits, gazed at the newcomers upon their arrival.
The soldiers' resolve soon crumpled like a cookie in a hungry baby's hand when they caught sight of the women, who soon grew uncomfortable by their lewd gazes.
They were led to a wooden hall that bore a striking resemblance to the longhouses used by Vikings in ancient times, perched atop a massive tree. They traveled along a suspension bridge that swayed wildly in the air as they walked.
The swaying didn't affect the demi-humans, who were already accustomed to it, but the soldiers turned pale when they caught sight of the ground about eighty feet below them.
Damien and his unit trailed slowly behind. He sensed no hostility among the tribe of demi-humans; their gazes seemed to be filled with curiosity and a hint of fear. As he walked, he suddenly felt a slight tug on his shirt.
He turned around to see big brown eyes staring up at him. A little girl stood there, stretching out her hand to offer him an acorn.
He gently took it from her and gave her a light pat on the head. She let out a startled yelp, her face turning beet red, before rushing back to a group of kids about her age, huddling together like scared kittens.
The encounter brought a small smile to his face.
"You probably shouldn't eat that; who knows where it's been," Von commented.
"It would be rude to turn down a gift. It was given in good faith, after all," Damien replied.
"I feel disgusted," Darrion said, frowning. He was still bitter about what happened before. "We should leave these poor people alone. That child you killed probably had a home like this, Von. And that father likely had a loving wife waiting for him. How does that make you feel, Lucas?"
Damien shifted his attention to Darrion.
"You should stop trying to bring down the group's morale. The kid is dead—end of the story. That beautiful wife he has waiting for him could always pop out another one—I heard demi-humans fuck like rabbits. I have no heartstrings for you to tug on since my own life is on the line."
"You—" Darrion started.
"Ain't that the truth, there was this demi-human girl at this brothel I frequented, she had ears and a tail like a cat but tits like a motherfucker. She was the freakiest thing on god's green earth, I have the claw marks to prove it." Von said, lifting up his shirt.
"Enough, could you guys stop," Elizabeth interrupted.
"But—"
"We've got bigger things to worry about right now."
Darrion looked ready to boil over with rage but chose not to pursue the argument further. Both Damien and Von's teasing were bringing him over the edge. Damien couldn't help but wonder about him.
If he's this sensitive, then why did he sign up for war? He seems like a kind enough guy, not here for money or glory. So what is it—who is it?
He glanced at Elizabeth.
Love? Maybe?
The hall was fully decorated with wooden furniture of various kinds.
"Welcome," said the male demi-human with black fur. "My name is Scrat. I'm the leader of the Shadow-Tail tribe. It's a pleasure to have you with us. Please, have a seat wherever you feel comfortable."
"Thank you. My name is Edmond, and I appreciate the accommodations."
Edmond and his soldiers took their seats around a long table, and Scrat and the other demi-humans followed suit.
"So, do you have any idea why we are here?" Edmond asked.
"I do. You're here to take our land and enslave us, isn't that right?"
"If you know that, why are you being so gracious to us?"
The demi-human broke into an unsettling smile.
"Because I'm hoping to make a deal with you."
"A deal?" Edmond asked, a little taken aback by the turn of events. The demi-human in front of him may have looked like a cute animal, but something felt off. "What deal are you proposing?"
"My tribe is a peaceful one. We try our best to stay out of war and conflict, even among fellow demi-humans. We simply don't want to be involved in this conflict. My people are scared—not just of you, but…" he paused for a second then continued.
"A little to the east of here, you'll find the White-Fang tribe. It's a vicious group of demi-humans with wolf-like characteristics. They keep attacking us, claiming we are invading their territory, which seems to grow larger by the second."
"So they're invading your lands while claiming it's theirs?"
"Correct. And the shamans refuse to do anything about it. That's why we're turning to you for help. In exchange for dealing with them and leaving us alone, I can provide you with inside information on Beastoria. As a token of our good faith, we'll even give you this, free of charge."
A demi-human approached Edmond and handed him a large piece of tree bark with weird carvings on it.
"What the hell is this?" Edmond asked.
"Can't you see? It's a map."
"This is rubbish! It looks like a kid's doodle. How do you expect us to make sense of this? It's useless!"
"Oh, it is? I'm so sorry. We asked our finest craftsman to make it. We have no need for maps since we know this land like the back of our hands," Scrat said, sounding proud.
"If that's the case, then one of you will make an even better map than whatever this thing is."