The Ruby Empire

Malachi the Changeling

Male Monster x Female Reader

For the last few missions that you have been on you have been partnered with a strange man named Malachi. You wouldn't exactly call him a man either. He was a strange hunched over creature wrapped up in a long rob and scarf. His face is covered by an old, stone mask that looks like a mix of a lion and a fox. All that shows of his body are his hands, which are long and sharp, and his legs. They were backwards like an animal's. His feet were massive and taloned. Whatever he was hiding under all those layers must have been a real sight.

For whatever reason you've been working with him. Your crew leader seems to think the two of you make a decent pair. To be honest though, you would admit you didn't trust Malachi. You never trusted anyone who wore a mask. He was efficient though, you couldn't deny that. He walked quieter than a cat on snow. He hunted like one two. He crouched low to the ground. His feet and palms firmly spread. You sometimes heard guttural noises from him but you had to remind yourself to focus on task at hand.

Lately you've been dealing with scouting missions and hunts. Not that you're complaining. At least it isn't the dungeon runs anymore that used to plague your days. You could only handle so many mimics before you cut your own tongue out.

This new mission had you and Malachi searching for a wild boar on the outskirts of a small village. It had been running wild and causing a lot of damage. It even had killed an Orc in the square the day before and gored another. The wife of the gored orc, a girl named Meggie, hired you and your crew to kill it. So your boss, once again, sent you and Malachi.

You arrive at the village and Meggie sets you up in the local tavern for the night. "How's your husband?" You ask.

Meggie looks tired and as pissed as a hornet. "He's fine," she huffs. She runs her fingers through her tangled mess of hair. "He insists worse has happened." She shakes her head.

"Thank you for putting us up," Malachi murmurs. HIs voice always like a low whisper.

"Just kill the fucker," Meggie growls. "Let me get some sleep before I go out there and kill it." She crosses her arms against her chest. "You'd think, out of all these people and orcs, someone could kill that monster." She glances back up at you. "Get some sleep. I'll feed you in the morning."

"You really don't have to do that," you reply.

"No," Meggie sighs. "I do." She smiles before she leaves, shutting the door behind her.

"She's exhausted," Malachi observes.

"That's putting it gently," you say as you claim a bed and open up your pack.

Malachi sits down on his bed and looks down at his hands. THis is the first time the two of you have shared such close chambers. It's a fact you're trying to ignore. You don't desire to know Malachi's habits.

"We should discuss what to do," Malachi murmurs. "Form our plan of attack."

"Ok," you set your things aside and look up at him. "Considering this one has ahead count. I wouldn't mind having a few attack plans lined up."

You notice that when Malachi is excited, he bounces the pads of his fingertips together. He does this now.

"I want you to take the bow," he says. "You should go up high."

"I'm better with the spear," you argue.

"Yes, but you'd be more effective with the bow."

Your eyes widen. Your lip curls up and you lean towards him. "You should go up then. You're faster than I am."