V2Ch85 New Travel Method

Goldie was feeling rested so we were able to travel much further than yesterday. After the attempted attack and asking me hundreds of questions, the girls seemed much calmer around me. Especially Kurio. She kept up a front but she also let her guard down around me more.

We had set up camp once more before dark. We were further from the river this time. I helped Goldie scrounge up various herbs and edible plants or mushrooms. We had a nice stew for dinner. Goldie and Kurio went to bed early that night.

"That stuff about Missing Star is cool and all but, what about where nya came from? All nya said was that nya came from a foreign country. Which one? Is it in Grampus or Lunula? Anyather secret hidden continent?"

We were both sitting on the same log. There wasn't even room enough for a third person to sit between us. I listened to the crackling fire as it slowly died out.

"A different world altogether."

"Nya?"

"I've seen magic that could send someone to another dimension. I think I was brought here with magic like that. My world is filled with humans and animals. There are no beast-people or lizard-men or elves. Only humans. In my world, a place like this is only a dream. Talking to a girl like you, all fuzzy and whiskered with feline features, it's what some people could only see in drawings or with costumes. Sometimes this world still feels unreal. Sometimes I wish it were just a dream. Even so..."

I leaned against her.

"Sometimes I'm glad it's real."

She lowered her head onto my shoulder. I felt her tail wrap around my waist. I had only really seen her move it side to side or straight up when she is startled. I had no idea that she had so much control over it.

My attention was drawn to a tiny movement from the tent entrance. I have a feeling that Kurio was spying. I didn't mind. We only spent a few more minutes enjoying the fire before we put it out and went to bed.

Morning came and we only ate some snacks to hold us over. The village where I hunted the dire wolf with Lokes was less than a half-day walk. It was small but it did have at least one restaurant that I had seen. We managed to arrive in only a few hours. I covered the price of everyone's meals and got some extra food that we could bring along.

"Nya! I'm stuffed."

"Still not as good as my mom's cooking."

"Kurio! Be nice."

Goldie had kept her voice down.

"It really isn't as good as mine though."

I let out a smile.

"When we're ready to go, let's head to the stables. I'd like to get a ride to the border of the Free Lands."

"What?"

Blurted out Kurio.

"Why did we walk here? There are stables in fricity..."

"Because we passed several splits in the road. If we got a carriage from Fricity then there would be a paper trail of our destination. This way, the assassins would have to do more guesswork and leg work if they really decide to pursue us further outside of the city."

Kurio seemed content with my answer.

"Besides, I think nya can lose a few pounds, Kurio. All this walking is good for nya after eating so much food."

Kurio stared at Babur's engorged stomach as she picked her teeth with a bone. I think I saw her eye twitch in annoyance over the obliviously hypocritical feline.

We made our way to the stables and hired a carriage to take us further south.

The destination is Coaction City, which is on the border of the Free Lands and the Plains Lands. The Free Lands are named for the desire of cohabitation and cooperation of multiple races with no one race to rule. Other lands, like the Plaines Lands on the other side of the border, are ruled over by a single race. While that doesn't mean that other races aren't allowed within the territory, it does mean that outside races are subject to the laws of the ruling race. I learned most of this while I was getting my bearings in Fricity.

I paid the owner of the stables an extra ten silver coins to "forget" to write down our information and destination. He happily pocketed the coins and put away any paperwork. I also paid extra for enough food rations to last us most of the trip which was estimated to take around 27 days. There would be one smaller village along the way to refill our stocks if need be.

Our journey continued south along the western coast. The carriage driver mostly kept to himself but, Kurio kept asking him for stories of people with who he traveled. He was happy to oblige.

While I hid my power from the driver, Babur and I began training with each other in the early evenings after the camp was set up. Rage, Anger and Wisdom helped me to teach her how to bring out her power at will and keep it out for extended use. While her power wasn't from a potion, a lot of similar principles were easily applied and used with good results.

After the first two weeks, the two of us were able to fight on par while I used roughly seven percent of my strength. She had learned how to control her power with precision. I felt confidant that she could now prevent accidents like the one from her past.

Through the third week, the driver ran out of stories for Kurio. She began asking more about my past and a few personal questions that I tried my best to dodge. On rare occasions, she would begin questioning Babur. She would give up after a few questions because of the lax answers that Babur provided.

Goldie slept for a good portion of the ride. She did keep us all fed with meals that never failed to impress.

One warmer night ended with a cold morning. I awoke with freezing feet but the rest of me was surrounded by warmth.

I felt a weight on top of me. There was a blanket over my torso that had shimmering golden feet sticking out.

My left elbow was pulled far into Goldie's cleavage. Her loose sleeping top left her nearly exposed.

My right arm was no better off. My arm was completely down Babur's shirt and my hand was caught between her warm thighs. My upper arm was being squeezed tight between her breasts.

Just then, Kurio rotated and kicked the blanket off of her which ended up partly covering Babur. She was now face up with her calves on either side of my head. She didn't have her shorts on, only her underwear.

"How does this happen?"

I whispered to myself.

I could hear it now. Kurio screaming and calling me a pervert. Telling me to get away from her mom and Babur. I thought about trying my hand at going back to sleep. I knew it would never happen. My safest way out of this would be to meditate and return to my darkness. Doing so puts my body into a coma-like state and time moves by much faster in there.

Hopefully, having trouble waking me will cement the idea that I was totally unaware of the current situation.

Which I was... until I woke up.