Helluva Mate

17

Black flaming hooves clopped rapidly on the ground as an Imp's spiky tail whips a horse's flank. The Imp wearing a cowboy hat rides a black hell-horse with a fiery mane, which leaped over the fence that surrounded the ranch's field, rearing up and letting out a roar in front of the group. Striker tipped his hat in greeting as he dismounted,

"Well, howdy!" He said, his voie low and gruff "Oh, lookie here! You must be the famous Mildred!" walking toward Millie "Heard some good things about you from your folks, little lady. What're y'all doin' so far away from Imp City? Heh. The free workin' finally slowin' down?"

"Oh, no!" Millie replied "Freelance isn't free! It's a . . Never mind. We're just visitin' for the festival. The prince is our boss's mate!"

"Millie, I am not above hitting a female in front of her daddy." Blitzø replied

"I wasn't talking about you." sticking her tongue out

"Boss, huh?" Striker asked "Oh, so you're the bold imp to start his own killing biz?"

"Yeah, well if you're good at somethin', you should probably capitalize." Blitzø shrugged

"Not many Imps start businesses on their own." He added "That's pretty impressive, sir."

"Oh . . ! Yeah?" surprised by his words "it is-- I- I- I guess- I guess it is, isn't it?"

"So you even conned that ditzy blueblood into gettin' you to the surface?" shaking his hand

"Actually, it was a favor for me." Ebony spoke up "And I don't appreciate the ditzy blueblood comment. So you can just keep that to yourself."

"Apologies, ma'am." looking at looking at her with a smirk

"Y'know, you boys should enter the Pain Games!" Joe spoke up

"I heard games!" Blitzø spoke up, scuttling sideways in front of him "What games? I'm in!"

"Every harvest festival, there's a competition to be the roughest, toughest bastard in Wrath!" Lin replied

"Yeah, wish I could play!" Millie pouted, crossing her arms

"Millie, you know you get too carried away." she reminded "The last competition ended in fifteen separate funerals."

"I'm aware, but I only caused nine of them!" She countered "How come Sallie May still gets to compete?"

"Your sister doesn't have a neighborhood head count." Lin stated

"She so does!" looking at her

"It doesn't count if they don't find the body!" Sallie May countered as she carried a sack behind her while a small imp drags a body

"Still, you get to root for her and your brothers, and now you can cheer on your boss!" Lin added

"Y'know, she can also cheer for me." Moxxie spoke up, placing a hand on her shoulder

". .Wait, you?" Joe laughed with a wheeze, slapping his leg

"Yeah!" He replied "I can compete, can't I?"

Lin elbowed him hard in the side, causing Moxxie to tear up in pain at the hit,

"Sorry, boy." Joe said "But, I don't think sensitive, thespian types would last very long in the games."

"I was born here, too!" quickly recovering, adding a thick drawl "I have some fight in me!"

"Mox, you do have fight." Ebony said "just . . not physical."

"Well then, little fella . ." Striker spoke up "why don'tcha help me wrangle one o' them hogs for dinner?" motioning to a large sleeping hell hog in a pigpen