Alongside those who are sinful.

Chapter 14

Once more, I'm eyeing some artists to commission for artwork for the story. If y'all have anyone in mind that is good and want me to support, let me know!

XXX

Kasma sat on a barrel of moon-drink, looking towards the main room of the stone cellar. In itself, the cellar spanned under the entirety of the barn, and had tunnels that led to view points under the main house and the store rooms.

The now extinguished fire above which tore the barn down had brought the cellar to a cozy temperature, even with his fur. The others found it to be an agreeable temperature as well.

Candles and lamps had been lit, casting the rock walls in floor under a warm orange glow. Crates and barrels of moon-drink had been moved around to partially block the entrance and make space for the group. Bedding materials were scavenged and set up so that everyone had something more comfortable than the ground to sleep on.

In totality, the cellar became a place of comfort and familiarity, now hosting people to live in it. Kasma and the other Thrask found it to be particularly welcoming. And so did the 'humans' as Dietrich had referred to himself and the others like him as.

The female one was in the corner with his fellow ex-prisoners, brushing their fur after a much needed wash. The one getting brushed sat between her legs with his back to her and she was focusing on the nape of his neck.

"If you could even call it a wash." Thought Kasma.

The wash was more or less a giant trough filled with water that the female one had told them to get into. She had said that their smell was intolerable in the cramped location and that they would need to wash up.

While Thrask were able to swim, they were not keen on getting in the water or even getting wet, so they protested until the human stood upright and put her hand on her hips, casting her ire upon them with an incredibly stern look.

"She is treating them like cubs of a litter." He was intrigued by her actions, watching in amazement as she even bathed the bandit prisoner and treated her nicely like the others.

He wondered if it was a perverse action like it somehow would be if Dietrich was doing it or if her brushing was something genuine.

"He would probably bathe them before eating them or taking...taking their skin for a trophy." Decided Kasma.

Yet, as he watched her carefully pull the matting out with the brush, he did not sense the hostility or sinister motives that Dietrich most definitely would have harbored. Especially since she seemed to have a sort of gleam in her eye as she did so. She radiated a warmth that Kasma had only seen mothers use for their cubs.

"It is not fair to compare all of them to Dietrich. Clearly, they all do not have the same mindset." Declared Kasma. He looked over at the female one, whose name he wasn't able to remember. Then, he looked over to the one who wore the sword on his side.

That one was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed. He had his back against the wall and was sitting still with his eyes closed. His sword was in front of him and Kasma could not tell if he was sleeping, resting, or pondering.

He seemed to be reserved in his speech, only talking after a seemingly long period to think about the situation at hand and speaking when he was ready. He appeared to be older than the others in age, and his attitude reflected this.