Ch. 10: A Maiden's Honor

“Good morning, Snow- I mean, Frostbite. I… I made you breakfast.”

Aspect gently prodded Frostbite’s side until her eyes flicked open. She sat up and looked around, as if she didn’t remember where they were.

“Hm? Oh.” The pretty Blacklai Fox looked him up and down sleepily, then took a freshly grilled cheese sandwich from him. “Thanks, ‘Spect.”

Aspect shrugged and leaned back in the lush grass. “No problem.”

They had traveled all night, and stopped to rest in the forest bordering the valley before they reached the plains at dawn. Now it was sunhigh, and Aspect was itching to get moving, but he wanted Frostbite to get her rest first.

Suddenly Frostbite paused her chewing and cleared her throat. “I’ve been thinking… I may or may not have… lied about where we’re going. I know Dragonscale is south, but that’s it.” She looked at Aspect sheepishly. “Sorry about that.”

Aspect flicked his ears back worriedly. “Then have we been wrong this whole time?”

“No! No, it’s not like that,” Frostbite glanced at her paws. “Listen. I know someone who might be able to tell us how to get there.”

The black fox set aside his own sandwich and leaned forward expectantly. “Who’s that, then?”

“A few leagues from here is a village called Xaisuki. It’s more of a lodge than anything, and not many people live there. But there’s an inn there, and the owner is a friend of Kojo’s. He knows about me. His name is Romotan.” Frostbite swallowed the last of her sandwich with a little more confidence. “Since so many people pass through there, he’s bound to know something about being able to get to Dragonscale. I figure we can ask him and try our luck.”

Aspect blinked slowly. “...Won’t people recognize you?”

She shrugged after a moment’s pause. “Nah. I doubt it. It’s been a few years since I’ve been there last, so I think I’ll be fine.”

“Just wear your helmet, in case something does happen,” He urged her.

“So we can go?”

“It’s not like we have any other choice,” Aspect confessed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not much time had passed before they reached the edge of the woods. In front of them were the vast plains, reaching away as far as the eye could see. Just barely on the horizon Aspect could see humps resembling mountains, but he couldn’t know for sure.

Beside them was a river, and it cascaded away and cut a path through the farmland, fading away out of sight in the distance. Not far off were a few buildings in a central area.

“Remember what I told you,” Aspect whispered hastily to his partner as they approached the village. “Don’t go flaunting yourself off to everyone. The gods know Isu could be searching for us right now.”

Frostbite groaned. “Don’t remind me, you black puffball. Besides, I can defend myself.”

Before he could reply, they stopped in front of a long building. Outside was a sign that read: “Setting Sun Inn”.

“Looks like this is it.” Frostbite hopped off and tied her horse to a fencepost, then went inside before Aspect could stop her.

“Frostbite, wait!” He hissed, scampering up to the sliding door and thrusting it open.

Inside there was a sizable seating area, and a counter-bar with stools in front of it. Behind the bar was an old, fat gray rat, wiping off the shelves.

From beside Aspect, Frostbite hissed, “Romotan!”

The plump rat jumped and spun around, dropping his rag. “OI! Who’s there?” Then he squinted at the visitors more closely. “Eh? Well, this is unusual. Why are you people here? I’m not harboring any enemies of the state, y’know. I’m an honest man!”

Frostbite coughed. “Romotan, it’s me.” She took off her helmet and smiled.

Romotan looked confused for a long awkward moment, then finally snapped to attention. “AH! Snowshoe! What are you doing here?” He glared closer at her armor. “And why are you dressed like that? That’s no proper getup for a lady like you.”

Frostbite rolled her eyes. “Don’t you remember? I’m training to be a Samurai.”

Romotan pricked his round ears. “Oh! Now I remember! But why aren’t you back in Blacklai? Where’s Kojo?” And he turned to finally notice Aspect for the first time, even though he had been standing there for a while. “And who’s this you’ve brought along?” He added, glaring at him suspiciously.

Frostbite coughed like she had something stuck in her throat. “He’s-”

Aspect answered for her. “I’m Mein. Though you may know me better as The Black Warrior.”

Frostbite gave him a confused glance and mouthed something at him, but Romotan seemed livid. “My goodness! You? The Black Warrior? Forgive me, sir, if I have wronged you.” He shook the fox’s hand vigorously. “Make yourself at home. Is there anything you might need?”

“Well, firstly,” Frostbite interrupted, looking embarrassed, “My name isn’t Snowshoe anymore. It’s Frostbite. And, secondly… we’re traveling to Dragonscale Ridge. Asp- Mein has to meet someone there, but we don’t know the way. Can you help us?”

Romotan grew eerily quiet. He looked around, as if he expected someone to be there, watching them in secret. Then he brushed past them and looked both ways outside, before finally shutting the sliding door.

Then he turned back to them. “...We can’t discuss this right here.” The old rat rasped. “Not now. We’ll have to head into my office.”

“Well, then we can do that,” Aspect replied, taken aback by the rat’s strange behavior.

“Ah, ah, WAIT!” Romotan rasped wheezily. “I just remembered. None of my other employees are in at the moment, and someone has to watch for customers. This’ll have to wait until later.”

“But we need answers right now!” The black fox protested. “Besides, what could they possibly be doing?”

“They’re running errands.” Romotan scraped his feet across the ground sheepishly. “Sorry. I didn’t think I’d have to talk to someone about the best way to Dragonscale, HA!”

“Hold on.” Frostbite stood between them. “How about I keep watch for customers until one of your employees comes back? I’ve done it before; I can do it again.”

Romotan’s eyes shined. “Oh, you’re such a dear, Snowshoe.”

“Frostbite.”

“Yes, yes, sorry. Frostbite. Thank you for your help.” The rat turned to Aspect. “So I suppose I’ll speak with you privately, then?”

Aspect glanced at Frostbite, who had taken a seat on a barstool at the counter. “You sure you’ll be okay?”

The Blacklai Fox snorted. “Without you? Positive. Don’t worry, big guy; I’ll be fine.”

Aspect blinked slowly. “...If you say so.” He followed Romotan into his office down the hall, but not before calling over his shoulder, “If something happens, call for me!”

“Just don’t take too long!” Frostbite replied. “I don’t want to be celebrating my 80th birthday when you get back.”

Everything was quiet after that. She fidgeted uneasily with her armor, then sighed and placed her helmet on the counter.

Moments passed, then it felt like hours. Frostbite examined her claws with boredom as the dust swirled around in the afternoon light, wondering how much time had passed by now.

Suddenly the sliding door creaked open, and Frostbite lazily looked up. Maybe one of Romotan’s workers had returned?

It didn’t seem like it. A tall, muscular green fox was standing there instead, muttering to himself as he wandered inside. He was handsome, with chiseled features and a strong build. Green fur was draped over his left eye, covering a peculiar mottled brown bandage that stretched across his face and on his right ear. His eye flashed gold, and he wore a black jacket and baggy blue pants, and a dark blue band hung around his neck.

“Hey, where’s that innkeeper at?” The green fox murmured to himself. Then his eye fell on Frostbite, and he paused for a moment before a huge smirk crossed his face. “...Well, hello there.”

Frostbite stared at him. “Uh… hi.”

His face widened in a sly grin, and he stalked closer to her. “Heh. Pleased to meet you.” He pointed to the stool next to her. “Mind if I sit there?”

Frostbite grimaced. “Yes, I do mind… or you can just ignore me. That’s cool, too.” She gave him a long glare as he sat down, trying not to flinch from his arrogant golden gaze.

An awkward pause followed before the mysterious green fox spoke again. “...Hey… do you know where the innkeeper is? I’ve heard he might have breathing problems, if that’s the case.” He asked her after a moment.

The Blacklai Fox cocked her head, confused. “Huh? No. He’s fine. He’s just in the back room, and I’m just helping him out for the time being.” When he didn’t respond, she added warily, “...By the way, what did you mean by ‘breathing problems’? The innkeeper was doing okay when I spoke to him.”

His eye gleamed. “Oh, nothing in particular. It’s just that, when I saw you… you took my breath away.”

It took Frostbite a moment to react, but when she did, her face flushed red. “...Ahem. Did… did you just say that?” She challenged him, flicking her ears back defensively.

The green fox smirked slyly. “Oh, I’m sorry.” He grinned, leaning in towards her. “Would you like me to say it again?”

When Frostbite didn’t respond, he blinked slowly. “Fine. You took my breath away. Happy now, my little fox?”

Frostbite hissed, leaping out of her chair and backing up. “Happy? I think you’re a knucklehead who’s asking for a beating.”

He didn’t flinch away. Rather, this only amused him all the more, and he laughed as he followed her, eventually cornering her against the far wall. “And I think you’re kinda cute.” The fox murmured, reaching his hand under her chin to stroke it. Frostbite flinched and swatted at his hand, growling.

“Touch me again and you’ll be seeing stars.” She snarled.

He licked his lips. “Oh, I think I’m already looking at one right now, hon.”

Frostbite stared at him, shivering with fury. That was the last straw.

A bit of a scuffle followed, and then the thin sliding door burst open when a body was thrown through it. The green fox landed with a thud.

He sat up, rubbing his stinging chin and lips and glancing at his hand to find a trace of blood running from his mouth. He had bit his tongue when he landed.

Then he turned to find the pretty Blacklai Fox standing by the doorway, scowling. “That’ll teach you to mess with me, creep.” She growled.

The green fox smirked, blood staining his pearly teeth. “...Heh. I dig bad girls.”

Frostbite flinched, then seemed to gather her wits and replied deftly, “I’m no ‘bad girl’. I’m just complex. And that might not be something your ball of cow dung for a brain can comprehend. Now GET LOST! I’m not in the mood to play games.”

His stupid smirk didn’t go away. “Babe. I’m the definition of complex.”

She scoffed. “Yeah, right. You’re shallower than a kiddie pool!”

“And as for those games,” The fox licked his lips. “I could spare some time to… play them with you, if you like.”

Frostbite’s fur flared indignantly. “WHAT! You arrogant son of a-”

“FROSTBITE!”

She turned sulkily. “What? I’m trying to deal with a creep here.”

Aspect stared at her from the doorway, mortified. “What the heck are you doing?! Is abusing guests part of the hospitality you’re supposed to show here? Whatever happened to helping Romotan?”

Then he turned to the green fox, sitting in the gravel pathway. “And who are you? Are you hurt?”

The green fox shrugged. “I’m good, dude. You’d better keep an eye on her, though. She’s pretty feisty. Check out these battle scars she gave me! Heh.”

He pulled back his sleeve to showcase a bruise, but Aspect gawked at his steel-like muscles popping out from under his sleek fur. Meanwhile Frostbite snarled. “Keep an eye on me? I’m surprised you’re not on a watchlist, pal!”

“Maybe we can be more than ‘pals’, Sugar!” The green fox trilled, which only made her more upset. She tensed to jump at him, but not before Aspect caught her arm and began to drag her away.

“LET ME AT HIM!” She screeched, scrabbling at her friend’s hold. “COW DUNG! LOW-LYING, REAR SNIFFING SON OF A WAYWARD VIXEN! I HOPE YOU GET YOUR SLEEVES WET THE NEXT TIME YOU WASH YOUR FILTHY HANDS!”

The green fox cupped his hands in the shape of a heart. “Farewell to you as well, my Juliet!”

“What was that about?!” Aspect snapped once he shut the sliding door behind them. “Can’t you learn to be civil, Frost?”

“And can’t you learn to acknowledge my feelings?” Frostbite seethed. “That guy out there? He. Is. A. C-R-E-E-P. I’m just defending myself.”

Aspect sighed uncomfortably. “Frost, you are pretty,” He sputtered, his face suddenly growing red. “Y-you’re gorgeous, in fact. I’m not surprised there’s other people catcalling you.”

“Okay, hold up.” Frostbite stopped him and gave him a quizzical look. “Do… Do you think that I’m pretty? Or are you just saying that?”

Aspect sighed, placing his palm to his forehead as his face grew warm. This isn’t the time for that! “That’s not the point! Other people are going to see you as you are- I mean, as they think you are. So I understand that was a very uncomfortable situation for you-”

“‘Uncomfortable’ is an understatement,” Frostbite interrupted.

“-But you need to learn to be civil. There’s going to be more than one Isu out there.”

She groaned. “That green fox wasn’t even a Shogun! Or supposed to be engaged to me! I’m not going to treat him like he’s Prince Charming! I’m going to treat him like the scumbag he is!”

She has a point, Aspect wanted to agree with her. It was true; he was scared for her, and even felt a sense of jealousy when he caught her beating up the green fox outside, but he needed to get his own point across. “Okay, listen. From now on, to protect you, I can’t let you watch Romotan’s inn alone.”

“WHAT! Now it seems like you think I’m helpless!”

UGH! Why does she have to be so stubborn?

“No, it’s not that. It’s so that you don’t have to see him again.” He told her firmly.

Her face softened slightly and she paused for a moment, thinking. To Aspect’s relief she agreed. “Fine. Besides, if I come across him again and he starts hitting on me like he was, then there’ll be more than just a marriage to give me cause for running away.”

Aspect sighed. “I’m glad to hear it. Now, come on. We have to finish talking to Romotan.”

“What about watching the shop?”

“Romotan said that one of his employees should be back any minute.” He motioned for her to pick up her helmet and follow him.