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

Chapter 2113: Chapter 2112 Some Rotten Advice

--- Kat ---

”What can you tell us about the monster?” Kat asked after a short delay. She didn’t want to be insensitive about Tanisha’s brother... but at the same time pointing that out was more likely to make things worse. She also seemed fine after... her arm was removed.

”It’s a tricky thing,” Tanisha answered immediately. ”Thought it was some sort of big cat, all cloaked in shadows. The smell... I didn’t even notice it till my suit got ripped. We saw it attack as a black blur and we could hear the claws scraping against the ground occasionally. Probably just to fuck with us...

”I jumped it when we got to the big room a ways back. It was stalking us, making noise and trying to get us scared. Torturing us... but my brother, who was in its mouth, screamed out. It gave me a clue to where it was so I leapt at the chance. Pretty sure I just made things worse for him... but I DID take the chance unlike the other scaredy cats,”

Tanisha grinned for a few moments before slumping back against the wall. ”Of course, I was clearly a bit arrogant about it.” Tanisha waved her stump towards Kat. ”See it wasn’t a cat at all. Or not just a cat. It’s a chimera. Might be one that can shapeshift a bit too... regardless, I went for a strike against the things neck and my blade sunk in... and stayed there. Then some other beast head ripped into my arm tearing it to shreds. Might have been... wolf maybe?

”I didn’t see it coming, it was from behind me I think, and afterwards the pain was a bit much to think it through. Before I could gather myself the thing had already moved away. Tried to take out the rest of the team before dipping down one of the side tunnels. The group was nice enough to help pull me away... but only far enough to stop me from instantly dying.

”Offered me this dagger in place of my sword. A shit deal but well...” Tanisha shrugged. ”I wasn’t expecting it to make much of a difference and truth be told I’m right handed so...” Tanisha wiggled her stump forward again. ”Not exactly going to be fighting in top condition anyway. Always knew picking up duel wielding would be worth the effort but I kept putting it off for one reason or another...”

”The monster?” Kat prods.

”Ah, right that thing. So... yeah the wolf bite. I want to call it a chimera because I’m QUITE certain about what it had in its... front mouth? I guess? And that was cat shaped but also as evidenced by the fact my arm was ripped to shreds by teeth and has more than one of those... but I like to think my combat awareness isn’t so bad I’d miss a whole extra head just laying around...” Tanisha shrugged, the shoulder missing the extra weight of the arm going much higher, almost enough to smack herself in the face.

She noticed this and wiggled it around for a bit clearly getting distracted if the giggling was anything to go by. ”So that’s all you can tell us?” asked Kat.

”Oh, um... hmm... it’s sadistic. The reason I’m not sure if my brother is dead is because well... he probably should be. The thing was keeping him alive entirely for its own sick pleasure. Of course that was before I attacked it. Heard my brother screaming as it dashed away. Not sure if it knows enough to like... keep someone alive and bleeding for too long. Playing with your food is one thing, accurately managing blood loss to keep it going is a wholly different matter. He certainly didn’t look GOOD last I saw him anyway,” explained Tanisha.

”That... well... we’ll do what we can for him if we see him but I’m not sure how much we can help with that information. Do you know where the group was heading? And are we likely top find the monster following them or backtracking?” asked Kat.

”It’s fine, I don’t expect miracles. As for where everyone else is? I’ve got no idea. They didn’t want to tell me, and while I do know we came down that tunnel,” Tanisha pointed to the tunnel Kat had exited recently. ”I don’t know where that is in relation to anything else because I wasn’t exactly paying attention to my mental map while bleeding out and carried pretty poorly if I’m being honest. They almost did more damage then the monster,” explained Tanisha.

Kat wasn’t sure that was true but Tanisha seemed to believe it according to her eyes so Kat didn’t bring it up. Still... it didn’t leave them with a great idea of where to go next. She wanted to make sure that everyone got out, or at least, that nobody else got killed by a monster. So that was a worry, ”If we head off following everyone else... is the monster likely to come back to finish you off?”

Tanisha shrugged. ”I’ve got no idea what goes on in its head. I don’t know why you’re expecting me to know. It’s not like I even recognise the thing. Sadistic it may be... but would it have more fun playing with the group? Does it need the food I represent? I’ve got no idea and I’m more used to fighting other people. I’m no expert on monsters.”

*To be expected really... should we take her with us? I worry about dragging her along and then having her get hurt because there’s actually more than one monster or something like that. Which... yeah that’s a risk of leaving her here too. So probably better to take her with us? Maybe? How much of a problem will moving her around be? Is that rotting smell indicative of it being poisonous?*

[That last part is actually a good point. Though some poisons prefer the body to be at rest. So... it might be waiting for her to waste away, but if the blood keeps flowing you can burn it out instead. Assuming it even is a poison. I’m a bit scared to use my nose to check though.]

*Same. If Appoline was here she could probably tell us... but whatever. I think I want to take her along because I’d feel a lot worse if we just left her here and something happened. If she comes along we can at least TRY to keep her safe.*

[I don’t necessarily disagree. Do you want to carry her or should I?]

*Whatever you prefer.*

[I’d normally say you take her, but if you need to transform into water to squeeze in somewhere, or just pass her off for a bit to fit through tight gaps its probably better I simply carry her. Less passing her around that way. Best not to jostle her around more then necessary and I can make sure my shadows stay stable even when I’m moving.]

”Alright, guess you’re coming along. Lily here will be carrying you,” Kat said firmly.

”That little thing?” asked Tanisha moments before Lily’s shadows wrapped her up tightly. Normally Lily would be a bit looser with them but she didn’t want Tanisha wiggling around and hurting herself. The cap of ice on her shoulder especially wasn’t really GOOD for her. A properly cauterised wound would be better. She seemed fine enough...

Better then fine perhaps because she’d started wiggling for other reasons. ”OoOoooh, I like this. I didn’t realise your cat was so kinky. Though can she tighten the shadows up a bit, I can still move. Oh, and what about focusing that tightness in a few specific areas? How well can you guys communicate?”

[Dammit. Can I change my mind about being ok with being the one to carry her .]

*Well I don’t really want to carry her either. I’ll at least promise not to tell her you can understand her just as well as I can though. No reason to torment you that much.*

[Not jealous I’m getting intimate with another girl?]

*Lily, I can feel your annoyance and minor amounts of disgust. Plus, I know that you’re shadows are not that sensitive unless you want them to be so it doesn’t feel like anything lewd at all to you. Tanisha is just intentionally making it weird. I’d be just as uncomfortable carrying her, probably more. I don’t want to think about her drooling on me, or worse.*

[God she would do that wouldn’t she? Even if it’s not Marigold the two would be friends. I can already see her saying something stupid like ’Oh no the big strong demon is carrying me away from my nice safe hiding spot to do naught things to me’.]

*Probably, and yet, we can avoid all of that if you just keep carrying her around.*

[Sigh. You’re right but it really isn’t what I call a good time. Are you sure we can’t just leave her an hope she doesn’t die? Thyme is watching after all.]

*Ah but it wouldn’t be very in character for us though would it? Leaving a poor, innocent girl to be eaten alive.*

[She’s neither poor nor innocent and I’m starting to think she’d enjoy it anyway.]