Tama

  She was alive. After looking her over, I realized it looked a lot worse than it was. She wasn't that badly hurt. The shock from being thrown into the ground like that probably just shocked her to unconsciousness. I sighed in relief.

  "I'm sorry, Tama. I got a little excited there. She seemed so capable. I didn't throw her that hard," David apologized as he looked at Saki's unconscious form.

  "Nya, it's okay, David," I said casually as I slowly healed Saki. I didn't need to, and it was a little wasteful, but she had done good and deserved a reward. "Saki is fine. She is not used to fighting. Thank you for sparring with her!"

  David nodded as he looked over at Tera. "Why has Tera passed out?" he asked me.

  "Nya, Tera tried to attack Saki when you two were fighting. Tama put her to sleep for a little bit so she would not cause more problems," I said as I watched Saki's red-eyed fox form shrink until she was a tiny regular-sized fox again.

  I gently picked up her small nine-tailed body and cradled her as I brought her over to a sleeping bag. I laid her down and began skinning the rabbit I brought.

  "Ah, you got breakfast for yourself already, huh?" David asked as I finished skinning the rabbit.

  I nodded and looked up at him. "Nya, rabbits are easy prey in the forest, but if you want something more fun, you can go for the wolves or a gleeblet!"

  David frowned for a moment before asking, "But I thought gleeblets were all slime and dirt?"

  I shrugged. "They make great soup if nothing else. Tama has eaten gleeblet soup before. It is super nasty, but it is edible."

  David considered my words before shrugging as well. "Anyways, Tama, I'm gonna go and get me, then maybe Tera since you knocked her out, some food. Mind protecting the camp while I am out?"

  "Nya! Tama is happy to help!" I said as I smiled up at him. David was still cute, but over the last month he had become less cute and more of a person. Jiggle came back, and that really helped me see David not as this... thing I liked so much, but as someone with their own goals.

  His belly jiggle still made me blush, but it wasn't as bad as before, and my body didn't react so strongly.

  David left the camp and entered Trelloark. I stayed with Saki and Tera, cooking the rabbit as I did so. A shame I didn't get to teach Saki how to do it herself, but that was fine. There were at least two more meals today, and tomorrow was another whole new day!

  Tera was the first to wake up. She came to slowly, blinking as she held her head. Then her eyes went wide, and she sat up quickly. "What the..." was all she got out before she seemed to fully become aware of herself and her surroundings.

  She looked over at me with a look of betrayal. I said nothing and continued to cook the rabbit. She slowly got up and walked over to me. She got down on her knees and leaned forward, reaching her arm out to pet me. I smacked it away as soon as her hand got close.

  She recoiled as if struck. Finally, she spoke. "Tama, I..."

  "No! Tama doesn't want to hear you. Tama warned you what would happen if you tried to hurt Saki again. You are no longer Saki's protector or royal guard. Go away, Tera. Tama never wants to see you again!" My voice was filled with anger, and tears filled my eyes.

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  I had been holding it in, but for her to just pretend like everything was fine it hurt me more than anything else. She knew Saki was my best friend, and she had tried to kill her multiple times. That was not acceptable.

  Tears filled Tera's eyes, and she opened her mouth to speak. I turned and glared at her, daring her to say a single word. Slowly, she closed her mouth. She stood and took a few steps back.

  I turned back to cooking the rabbit. Saki would be hungry when she woke up. Tera didn't speak. She walked over and sat down next to the campfire and began to cry. She tried to hide it, looking away from me and wiping her eyes, but it was obvious.

  I felt no sympathy. I had given her multiple warnings and made my point clear. Saki had prevented me from killing her twice. Saki wouldn't protect her forever. Let Tera try something now.

  David returned an hour later carrying two wolves over each shoulder. He seemed very proud of himself, and I beamed at him. "Wow, nya! You got two wolves!"

  He beamed back at me and tossed them down like they were logs before clapping his hands. "That's right, Tama! A whole pack attacked me. They never stood a chance!" he said with glee in his voice.

  I giggled and nodded. "They always do. They are smart creatures, but they don't know when to give up!" I said as I slowly moved the cooked rabbit in front of Saki's nose, trying to wake her up.

  I saw Saki's nose twitch, and I grinned. "Wake up, Saki! Tama has a rabbit for you!"

  Saki moaned and shifted, closing her eyes tighter. "Five more minutes, Tama."

  I giggled and said, "Okay, Tama will eat it for you then!" My tail wagged as I made a motion of bringing the rabbit to my mouth.

  Saki sat bolt upright and grabbed the rabbit from me. My smile widened, and I held back laughter. She glared at me as she ate her rabbit. She looked like she was pouting.

  She reminded me of me when I first started training with sensei. Except, he actually did eat my food and made me go get more.

  Saki's ears twitched, and her tail wrapped around her naked body instinctively as she looked around, still holding the remaining bit of rabbit to herself as she ripped small chunks and ate them.

  She seemed to be considering something. Saki did that a lot. She was just looking around, seemingly lost in thought for hours. I wondered what she was thinking about.

  I shook my head in amusement as I stood and walked over to a nearby stick, then another. Picking them both up, I walked over to her. She took one look at the sticks and immediately tried to run.

  I blinked in front of her, and a single punch flew her over next to the campfire. I blinked in front of her and held out her stick. She looked at me with tears in her eyes, pleadingly. I giggled and shook my head, holding the stick out.

  She growled at me and grabbed the stick before swinging it at me. I easily dodged.

  Saki and I sparred all morning. David joined in, and they both attacked at once. Combined, neither was able to even hit me. But the way they strategized to take me down was amazing!

  It was a shame they seemed to think I was planning all my attacks and seemed to think they had me cornered multiple times, only to eventually learn I was just instinctively dodging them. Even funnier was that I wasn't even going that fast. I had to increase my speed a little with David, but not a whole lot.

  It was a fun morning. Tera didn't join in. She never moved from that spot in front of the campfire. She just stared at the dead embers blankly as we sparred.

  Finally, around noon, Tera suddenly stood and looked directly at me, right as I blocked an attack from Saki, using my off-hand to grab David's fist and twirl around it, hitting them both across the head as I did.

  "Tama, I know I was wrong. Please give me one more chance to apologize and make it up to you and Saki!" Tera's voice was strained. She sounded like she had been crying the whole time.

  I paused as I looked over at her. I opened my mouth to decline when Saki spoke up. "Why should we trust you, Tera? Tama told me you tried to attack me when I was fighting David." Saki said. Her voice didn't sound accusing; she seemed curious.

  I stayed quiet and looked at Tera, waiting for her response. Tera looked to Saki, then me, then back to Saki. "I have been a horrible mentor, and even worse friend, and quite possibly the worst servant ever."

  I frowned and opened my mouth, but once again Saki spoke before me. "You are right, but how does that mean anything to us? You promised before and you attacked me anyway."

  I looked back to Tera, and Tera winced but nodded. "Indeed, I don't expect your forgiveness, only one single chance to make things right. I swear I will never attack or harm either of you. Our rivalry is over. I only wish to serve Tama, and it's clear that being antagonistic with you is anathema to my true goal."