D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

Chapter 1873 Lost in the Mushroom Woods

--- Kat ---

”You realise this isnʼt my granddaughter correct?” asked the old wolf man as he looked them both over a few times, ladle in hand.

Kat felt a bit like slapping him. Still… the old man was probably just worried about his granddaught- ”You stupid,” stated Char. ”Me obviously not granddaughter. You need new eyes,”

Kat sighed and gently put a hand on Charʼs shoulder… who responded by trying to stab at the hand. Kat raised her own arms in surrender before turning back to the old wolf. ”We understand this isnʼt good news… and I cam back both to let you know that Char isnʼt behind your missing granddaughter and that we donʼt quite know where she is but Char seems confident she can find Elly”

The old man clicked his tongue. ”Canʼt even let me have my jokes for a few moment. Whatever…” The wolf beastkin turned to look Char in the eyes. ”Are you confident in finding Elly? I can mobilise the town and really search these woods… but Iʼd rather not if I donʼt have to,”

”Elly stupid. Charmed by idiot boy that is weak. Think he fancy for killing weak monster. Elly not warn me about her stupid but she likely with him,” explained Char.

”Urgh,” groaned the wolf. ”I didnʼt even realise she was at that age yet. Please tell me sheʼs safe with him?”

”You need new ears as well?” asked Char. ”Char said he idiot. Weak braggart. Char could kill him in sleep.”

”Well… thatʼs not good…” mumbled the old man. ”Alright I donʼt need anymore details. Can you please go and rescue Elly for me? Both of you?”

”Elly stupid but Elly friend. Char accept,” nodded Char.

Kat gave her own nod. ”I already promised to look for her… itʼs just a bit more complicated is all,”

”Thank you,” said the old man as he bowed and stepped back inside his tent. A slight shine to his eyes that Kat pretended not to notice as she left with Char beside her. The wild girl attracted a fair bit of attention from the townsfolk. It was a mix between people who disliked her… lacking clothing and those that licked it perhaps a bit too much. Well, that and children who mostly ignored Char not seeing any reason to be concerned.

Kat for her part just ignored the glances that landed her way. Even with plenty of them judging stares for hanging out with Char… Kat found it hard to care about them. Despite how simple the girl ʼwasʼ she clearly cared about her friend, or at the very least, was willing to go out of her way to keep up the act. Perhaps one was a more admirable trait then the other but it was also a lot more fun.

When they got to the edge of town Char pulled the shirt off her shoulder and sniffed it a few more times. ”Hmm… Elly not stinky enough. Too many people been through here. Give me moment need to figure out rough direction.” Kat nodded along as Char started to move around the area, sniffing as she went.

*I really do wonder if sheʼs actually using her sense of smell or if sheʼs using a spell or enchanted artifact to fake it. I mean… I have no idea where youʼd find one for this sort of thing but if Thyme wanted her to play this role specifically he might have provided it.*

Eventually, Char seemed to latch onto something because she was moving slowly in a particular direction. Kat took a few steps forwards to follow behind her as Char kept inching forward. ”Elly this way, Char thinks,” Char stated before sprinting off and just expecting Kat to follow behind.

The fae was fast when she really got moving and while Kat was able to keep up it wasnʼt easy. The bracelet had to continually press down on her top speed even as Char seemed to sneak ahead. Only the fact that the fae needed to stop every now and again to sniff the air allowed Kat to do so. ”Wing-ed lady good tracking partner. She scare of weaklings,” stated Char after one of these stops.

”What do you mean?” asked Kat.

”Monster scared of you. Should be scared of me, but me smell too much like forest,” explained Char.

*Huh… is that why Iʼm not constantly under attack? Surely Iʼd at least see them right? Well… no maybe not. If everything hides just out of sight and stays still while I pass through perhaps I wouldnʼt.* Kat glanced around, looking for monsters and orbs. Nothing visible.

”You blind to forest wing-ed lady,” stated Char. ”It scared of you because you smell funny. Not because you scary. Do not worry, Char not scared of you anymore,”

”Thanks,” sighed Kat which was apparently a signal to end the talking as Char sprinted off into the brush once again with Kat following soon after. Kat was beginning to suspect they were heading back towards the ravine sheʼd come from…

When Char suddenly took a sharp turn to the left heading slightly away from it. Kat followed as they reached the edge of the mountain and Char circled around for a little bit… before they stood at the front of a cave. ”Dammit. Theyʼre in the cave arenʼt they?” asked Kat.

”Yes. Dumb boy and Elly definitely go in cave,” agreed Char.

”Ok… so whatʼs the plan here?” asked Kat.

”Scent not too old. Go in, find them. Char no have light though. Wing-ed lady have light?” asked Char. Kat summoned a bit of demonic fire. ”Wing-ed lady scary again, but she has scary light so we go in,”

Kat nodded and as a pair they slowly started to descend into the cave. Char was leading the way despite not having the torch. Sheʼd also slowed down considerably and was regular sniffing the air. ”Not good,” stated Char.

”Whatʼs the issue?” asked Kat.

”Char not realise, but idiots get chased here. Monster follow them in anyway. Need to speed up,” stated Char. As a pair they both broke into a sprint. The sound echoing off the cave walls and alerting whatever might be here… but time was more important now.

It didnʼt take long for them to see signs of a scuffle. Broken arrows littered the ground and large gashes in the walls and floor were present at semi-regular intervals. Then, they started to hear the growling and the screaming. The fact there was screaming at all at least implied the pair were still alive. Kat could make out two distinct voices… they were not having a good time.

They rounded the corner and came face to face with the monster. It was clawing at the wall the screams were coming from. A bit of blood was at the entrance though who it belonged to was unclear. The beast attacking them was a large, bulky thing. It looked like someone had taken a panther and force fed it steroids for a decade. Its limbs looked like ballons, filled with ripple packed muscle that… didnʼt seem to do much for its speed. Itʼs strikes against the wall were slow powerful things.

It turned to Kat and Char as soon as they were visible to it. ”How tough if wing-ed lady?” asked Char.

Kat flexed her wings and made a show of trying to crack her knuckles… no sound came out. ”Very,” answered Kat as she dashed forward and punched the thing in the side.

Kat felt like her hand had slammed into a steel wall. The black coat of skin gave way easily but the densely packed muscles might as well have been a solid wall. Kat winced as she backed up to avoid a strike. It was a casual, slow thing… and it cratered the ground where the paw landed.

*Hmm… not good. Canʼt do enough damage to it with this bracelet on. Should I use my demonic fire? I worry that itʼs going to cause the thing to freak out and keep attacking the kids. Those muscles are LOADED. Thereʼs no way it goes down quickly. I bet I have to freeze this shithead layer by layer if I try.*

The panther-thing growled and spat a glob of something in Katʼs direction. Kat dodged to the side and heard sizzling behind her where the goop had landed. Making a note to avoid that, Kat coated her fist in demonic fire and slammed on into the things chin. It neck didnʼt twitch but the fur did start to burn. The beast also didnʼt seem concerned with the fact THAT ITʼS FACE WAS ON FIRE.

Kat noticed Char had leapt up to the ceiling and was currently positioning herself for something. Wanting to keep the monsterʼs attention Kat let it attack a twice more before kicking it as hard as the bracelet would allow. Katʼs foot landed squarely on its neck. Sheʼd tried to kick the head to the side… and it just seemed amused. Swiping at her again.