Nuan turned her attention back to Kael, noticing his droopy posture. "Hm? What happened to you, big guy?"

She gave his massive triceps a few powerful, encouraging pats. "Be happy, man! You caught four whole hares!!! I’m seriously impressed you managed to hunt down four of them even though they are so lightning-fast! No joke, absolute respect!"

Kael’s fluffy tail gave a slow, hesitant wiggle as he looked down at her, his golden eyes brightening up. "I attacked, they ran... I caught one by the neck, snapped it while still chasing another. The one in my mouth died, I dropped it, and grabbed another!"

"Ohh, that is a cool strategy to use!" Nuan praised him, a genuine grin on her face. "You really do have apex predator tracking eyes and speed." She held up her own hunted trophy proudly. "See? I got one as well! Let’s go, let’s go buy some stuff!"

Kael smiled widely, showing off his sharp fangs, completely energized by her compliments.

He scooped up his four hares by the ears and immediately stepped directly between Eryx and Nuan, puffing out his chest. "Stay far away from her! She is my mate! That gorilla said a stupid thing, you are not her mate either!"

Nuan let out a slightly awkward laugh, quickly sliding her knife securely back behind her cargo pants’ waistband. "I am absolutely not collecting any mates right now, sorry to break it to both of you!"

Eryx chuckled softly at Nuan rejecting Kael’s claim, his tail swaying. "I only called her my customer, though," he whispered smoothly.

Nuan quickly turned to him. "Yes, about that—what exactly do you mean by customer?"

"I mean exactly what you heard. Didn’t I say we would meet again for a trade involving those sharp tools of yours?" He glanced meaningfully at her lower back where she had just hidden her hunting knife.

"Ugh, seriously? You want to play that game?" Nuan hissed, crossing her arms. "You just gave my stuff back to me and now you want me to pay you for it?"

"But I did help you retrieve a precious tool that you had completely lost," Eryx argued, a teasing glint in his sloped eyes.

"If you hadn’t picked it up, Kael and I would have found it anyway!" Nuan sighed.

"But *I* found it, and I kept it completely safe for you. It is only fair that you pay me for my services."

"Want this?" Nuan asked, lifting the dead hare in her hand right toward his face.

Eryx’s smooth smile didn’t waver. "What is a tiny piece of meat like that going to do for me? You are well aware that I am an adult Reticulated Python beastman. I can easily consume large mammals, birds, wild pigs, deer, and primates. And you want to close our logistics trade with one small hare?"

Kael let out a low, warning growl at Eryx. Eryx just smirked, gliding a safe distance away from the volatile wolf.

"I heard a rumor that you can command the Red Evil..." Eryx murmured, his eyes locking onto Nuan. "How about you use that power to help me stay warm?"

"Hm? Oh, right." Nuan blinked as the biology clicked. "You’re a snake, so you guys are cold-blooded—quite literally! Ectothermic life is rough. So, what exactly do you want me to do?"

"How about creating warm stones for me to sleep on? You can control the Red Evil, right? Can you heat large stones enough to stay warm through the winter?" he asked.

"Ehh, no! And how long do you expect me to keep a fire going just to roast your bed rocks? Ugh... seriously? Can’t you ask for something else?"

"I’ll think about it... but please consider this a pending trade," Eryx requested politely.

"Hm, okay..." she murmured as the trio finally crossed the threshold back into the crowded market plain.

The moment the three of them stepped back into the market, conversations died.

Heads turned.

Dozens of beastmen stared.

Eryx turned and gave a lazy wave of his hand. "I’ll go ahead and see what my little snake fellows have gathered at the venom stalls. See you later, beautiful Nuan."

"Oh, bye-bye!" Nuan waved back cheerfully as his long, geometric-patterned tail glided seamlessly into the bustling crowd.

Kael watched him leave, then turned back to Nuan. He reached out to grab her waist, but hesitated, pulling his hand back slightly. "You talk a lot more with that snake. You talk less with me!"

"Aww, it’s not like that! He’s just a smart guy," Nuan explained, adjusting her balance on her good leg. "It’s not that. He just talks about things I already know. Snakes, biology, animals... those are my hobbies. Plus, I’ve always loved snakes in general. They are just so cool and smooth—especially pythons! Their scales feel like a sleek leather belt or polished silk." Nuan began gushing, totally expressing her inner animal-lover admiration.

But Kael let out a heavy, rumbling breath straight from his chest. Before she could finish her sentence, he brought his massive hand up and completely cupped Nuan’s face, gently squishing her cheeks together.

"But I am soft and fluffy!" he rumbled defensively, his golden eyes practically begging for reassurance. "And I am incredibly warm! Unlike that cold-blooded snake."

"Yeah, I know, I know. Now don’t be jealous," Nuan mumbled through her squished, muffled lips.

Kael finally let go of her cheeks, his tail giving a tiny, triumphant wag.

"Where to?" Nuan muffled, blinking as he finally let go of her squished cheeks.

​"There," Kael said, pointing a heavy finger at a large, sturdy tent just a few paces away.

​"Okay, listen to me," Nuan declared, pointing a strict finger right back at him. "This time, you are not going to do or say anything. I am the one deciding on what to buy, and I’m handling the price negotiations too! Got it?"

Without waiting for his answer, she turned and started walking ahead, limping proudly toward the entrance.