SEVERAL DAYS LATER

I fidget during the weekly village presser update on our training progress. I would rather be working on the amulet and figuring it out. But I can hardly bring it here, especially with Ophion and Zuba showboating. Ophion is openly preening and Zuba with the world’s flimsiest baboon poker face.

Yes, I still have not managed to work out the amulet, and I can hardly ask Niall or anyone what it does. Kasz only knows that it boosts power, but that is about all. "Half legends," he says. "No one really knows. It makes beasts overpowered beyond anything."

Well, that helps. I can read books, but obviously, a beast that reads books would not compute in this world. Lobo/Damon and I have gone round and round until he knocked the wind out of me and the sense back into me during sparring.

[You’re thinking too narrow!]

By "narrow," he meant "like a beast." Speaking in code.

He continued. [Let’s go to the library after hours. If anyone comes in, we’ll pretend to be sleeping. Or hunting. Or whatever.]

[I’m not sure I can--]

[How do you know until you try?]

He had a point. And he refused to budge from on top of me, pressing his lupine weight down, until I agreed.

So, we have a plan now. Tonight, when Lightning and everyone else are asleep, we will go to the library and research the amulet. Damon still has discovered nothing about it online.

For now, though, we need to smile and parade around in this tiger-wolf-bear and parrot-pythons-baboon show in the village. Mayor Crothu pontificates like a true politician about "honor" and "glory" and "doing our best" and "fighting for the honor of the village."

The weird part is, he is sincere, for a politician.

But then he says something that makes me sit up and take notice.

"Many people think that the beast taming system is crooked. That it is only for the wealthy and powerful. That there is some kind of shadowy entity that picks winners and losers."

He doesn’t know the half of it!

Mayor Crothu folds his hands. "I am an orc mercenary, or I was. I’m not powerful myself, beyond being mayor. I’m not a politician, as I like to say. I’m just someone who saw that this village was struggling and wanted to help. And I couldn’t have done it without my friends, the Riddlehoevens. Ask them. Maybe the beast taming system is unforgiving, but the people in it are just doing their best."

I wish this man were mayor of W City. I wish he were a president in the real world. I would vote for him. And he’s an NPC. He doesn’t have a tamed beast. But. like Kasz, he seems to be an ally.

[What was he on about?] Demos grumbles and blinks. He’s tired from the intense training, among other things.

Peridot shrugs, which means her entire body wriggles. [He likes to hear himself talk.]

Gussie, although blithe and sometimes featherheaded, is no birdbrain. [But he seems to be trying to say something. Something important. Demos, if you weren’t so exhausted from Ursula--]

Demos growls, but there’s no real bite to it, and he has a veritable smug smell. Of course, it is sadly familiar. I’m sure I reeked of it when I mated with Lightning.

Mayor Crothu continues. "And now, I present our champions from...drumroll, please...the Houses of Riddlehoeven, Lammermoor, and Bottomsley!"

Wild cheering.

Mayor Cruthu puffs out his chest. "It is now widely known and accepted that the House of Lammermoor has a permanent toehold in our village thanks to their alliance with the House of Riddlehoeven. So, we claim them as well. Now, let us see how our champion beasts have fared since last week’s event."

More cheering, even more raucous and heartfelt.

Mayor Crothu starts out with the House of Bottomsley, because of alphabetical order. The board has been revamped and expanded. It is divided into three sections:

HOUSE OF BOTTOMSLEY

Ophion (Martyn Bottomsley)

Zuba (Terrah Bottomsley)

HOUSE OF LAMMERMOOR

Einswine (Lord Elandior Lammermoor)

Lightning (Lord Hans Lammermoor) * +

HOUSE OF RIDDLEHOEVEN

Gussie (Lamant Riddlehoeven)

Lobo (Minette Riddlehoeven)

Demos (Vedette Riddlehoeven)

Blaze* (Kaline Riddlehoeven)

Peridot (Niall Widdershins)

* Indicates members of both houses

+ Support Role

__________

Mayor Crothu adds, "Due to her pregnancy, Lightning of the Houses of Lammermoor and Riddlehoeven has had to withdraw from the competition, but she is still in a supporting role."

___________________

[Name: [Lightning]

[Class: [Journeyman]

[Race: [Common Tiger]

[Level: 4/10 [XP 30/100 STATUS: Full

[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 100/100

[Strength: 50

[Defense: 44

[Magic: 44

[Resistance: 34

[Speed: 48

[Charisma: 66

[Luck: 50

[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Pounce (Attack Skill)] [Sprint (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skill) [Escape Power (Skill)[Divine Vision/(Skill) [Telepathy(Skill)]

___________________

Oohs and aahs and sympathetic sounds. Lightning offers a disgruntled "mrrrp" but behaves with perfect decorum otherwise.

___________________

[Name: [Blaze]

[Class: [Journeyman]

[Race: [Common Tiger

[Level: 4/10 [XP 20/100 STATUS: Full

[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 100/100

[Strength: 50

[Defense: 44

[Magic: 40

[Resistance: 45

[Speed: 49

[Charisma: 62

[Luck: 51

[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Pounce (Attack Skill)] [Sprint (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skilll) [Escape Power (Skill){Divine Vision/(Skill)[Telepathy](Skill)[Procreation (Skill)[Super Jump (Skill)]

___________________

[Name: [Demos]

[Class: [Journeyman]

[Race: [Common Brown Bear]

[Level: 4/10 [XP 100/100 STATUS: Full

[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 100/100

[Strength: 41

[Defense: 38

[Magic: 32

[Resistance: 36

[Speed: 38

[Charisma: 45

[Luck: 38

[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Pounce (Attack Skill)] [Sprint (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skilll) [Escape Power (Skill) [Telepathy(Skill)]

____________

[Name: [Gussie]

[Class: [Novice]

[Race: [Tropical Parrot

[Level: 1/10 [XP 50/100 STATUS: Full

[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 100/100

[Strength: 10

[Defense: 8

[Magic: 8

[Resistance: 7

[Speed: 9

[Charisma: 12

[Luck: 8

[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Fly (Attack Skill)] [Speak (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skilll) [Telepathy(Skill Not Yet Achieved)]

_____________

[Name: [Lobo]

[Class: [Journeyman]

[Race: [Common Wolf]

[Level: 4/10 [XP 0/100 STATUS: Full

[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 100/100

[Strength: 40

[Defense: 36

[Magic: 31

[Resistance: 28

[Speed: 40

[Charisma: 50

[Luck: 40

[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Pounce (Attack Skill)] [Sprint (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skilll) [Escape Power (Skill) [Telepathy(Skill)] 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

___________________

[Name: Peridot

[Class: Novice

[Race: Flying Jungle Snake

[Level: 2/10 [XP 10/100 STATUS: Full

[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 100/100

[Strength: 13

[Defense: 8

[Magic: 6

[Resistance: 6

[Speed: 8

[Charisma: 10

[Luck: 6

[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Crush (Attack Skill)] [Flying (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skill]

___________________

[Name: Einswine

[Class: Expert

[Race: Boar

[Level: 9/10 [XP 15/100 STATUS: Full

[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 100/100

[Strength: 100

[Defense: 80

[Magic: 82

[Resistance: 70

[Speed: 80

[Charisma: 90

[Luck: 95

[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Stampede (Attack Skill)] [Hunting (Skill)] [Telepathy(Skill)][Charging (Skill]

___________________

[Name: Ophion

[Class: Advanced

[Race: Northern Python

[Level: 6/10 [XP 35/100 STATUS: Full

[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 100/100

[Strength: 50

[Defense: 30

[Magic: 60

[Resistance: 50

[Speed: 60

[Charisma:70

[Luck: 60

[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Crush (Attack Skill)] [Flying (Skill)][Telepathy (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skill]

___________________

[Name: Zuba

[Class: Advanced

[Race: Baboon

[Level: 6/10 [XP 35/100 STATUS: Full

[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 100/100

[Strength: 50

[Defense: 30

[Magic: 60

[Resistance: 50

[Speed: 60

[Charisma:70

[Luck: 60

[Luck: 95

[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Crush (Attack Skill)][Telepathy (Skill)] [Using Tools (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skill]

___________________

Zuba and Ophion have us outmatched, but Einswine has them beat. He’s older. However, we might go up against them. They’re the competition we must beat first!

Still, if Lobo/Damon knows them, maybe they are trying to throw a bone our way? After all, they didn’t walk off with the prize in the jungle, at least, not in reality. Maybe their help is subtle. That’s the only way you can defeat System.

Mayor Crothu plays to the crowd. "How about we hear from our tamers and beasts how they are feeling about the tournament and their prospects on this fine, bright afternoon?"

A roar of applause.

Showing a blinding smile with frightening teeth, Mayor Crothu parades across the stage to Kaline. "Youngest first. It is you who should have the honor of answering."

With a cheerful smile, Kaline keeps one hand on my fur and one hand on Lightning’s fur. "Of course, Mr. Mayor. Blaze and I, and his mate Lightning, are quite thrilled to be here. You have no idea. We have been training for this tournament for weeks."

"What spirit! What civic duty. What an up-and-comer in the beast taming world and our village," Mayor Crothu booms. "And how is the mated pair feeling?"

We roar in unison together, and I can feel Lightning’s love. I can also feel a surge of energy through the bond.

The cubs?

I’m also feeling something else. Sensing something else. SMELLING something else.

A terrible stink that makes even Kasz, standing very close in the front row, hold his nose.

I know that stink. The foulest anywhere the last time I smelled it, and if anything, it’s only grown more putrid.

[They’re here.]

Lightning’s head jerks up sharply. [Who?]

[Ex-Lady Rosabel and Viscount Rotten.]

Damn you, System!