The deeper we pressed into the corrupted woods, the darker everything became. Trees that once glowed faintly with natural mana now sagged, their leaves blackened and veins crawling with crimson rot. The air itself was heavy, cloying, as if the forest was choking on its own sickness.
Yelena walked at my side, her golden eyes glowing fiercely in the dimness. Her ears twitched, her nose lifted, her whole body tense like a predator on the hunt. The faint bond-link thrummed between us, sharp bursts of emotion flowing from her to me—protectiveness, hunger, anger, devotion. Always devotion.
Then I felt it. A presence ahead. Heavy, malevolent.
The sound of clanking steel echoed through the trees.
From the shadows emerged three hulking figures. Demons, clad in black armor, their bodies massive and their visors glowing with a baleful red light. The insignia on their armor pulsed with the same corruption infecting the woods.
Dark Knights.
My breath caught in my throat. I recognized their aura instantly—B-rank monsters. I was D-rank at best. Against one of them, I would be shredded in seconds. Against three? I may as well have dug my own grave.
I turned to Yelena, my heart pounding. She was a kobold once, a creature far weaker than this. But she wasn't anymore. She wasn't just my little companion. She was a Fenrir now.
Her lips pulled back into a snarl, her fangs glinting. Her tail lashed the ground like a whip as she stepped forward, planting herself between me and the knights.
"You think you can hurt him?" she growled, her voice trembling with fury. "You think you can even look at him? I'll tear you apart!"
The knights raised their blades and charged, three armored juggernauts crashing through the underbrush.
Yelena met them head-on.
The first knight swung a cleaver the size of my torso. Yelena ducked low, her speed a blur, and snapped her jaws around his armored arm. Steel crumpled like tin between her fangs. With a feral snarl, she ripped his arm clean off and used it to smash into his helmet, caving it in.
The second knight lunged with a lance, but Yelena's claws glowed with frost, her body shrouded in a shimmering aura of icy mana. She slashed upward, bisecting the lance, then swiped again, her claws carving through armor and flesh with brutal ease. The knight collapsed, his scream cut short as his body hit the dirt.
The third knight faltered, stepping back in sudden hesitation. But Yelena didn't give him a chance to run. Her body blurred as she pounced, sinking her teeth into his throat. Blood sprayed across the trees as she tore him open with savage abandon, growling obscenities between every bite.
"Trash!" she spat, ripping free another piece of mangled flesh. "How dare you touch this forest? How dare you even think of hurting my master!"
Her golden eyes blazed, her silver fur bristling, every movement filled with unrestrained violence. She didn't fight like a knight or even a monster. She fought like a storm. A hurricane of teeth, claws, and hate.
When it was over, three armored corpses lay scattered across the ground. Yelena stood over them, her chest heaving, her mouth dripping with blood. Her body trembled with rage, her ears pinned back, her tail thrashing wildly as she glared down at the broken remains of her enemies.
Then she turned to me.
And just like that, the fury melted from her face.
She bounded to my side, her eyes wide and shining, her lips curling into a smile as if nothing had happened. She pressed her bloodstained muzzle into my chest, her arms wrapping tight around me, nearly knocking me over.
"Master!" she cried, her voice trembling with glee. "I did it! I killed them all for you! They can never hurt you now!"
Her emotions surged through the bond—excitement, pride, a desperate hunger for approval.
"Praise me, please!" she begged, her voice almost breaking. "I need it. Tell me I did well! Tell me I made you happy!"
I swallowed, my heart pounding. The way she looked at me—wild, desperate, hopeful—it was impossible to deny her.
I reached down, brushing through her silver hair, scratching behind her ears before sliding down to rub her stomach.
"You did well, Yelena," I said softly. Then, firmer, "You're a good girl."
The effect was instant.
Her entire body jolted, her back arching as though lightning coursed through her veins. Her golden eyes widened, then glazed over, heat blooming across her cheeks. A shudder ran through her body, and her tail whipped against the grass with manic intensity.
"A… g-good girl…" she whispered, her voice trembling, her thighs pressing together tightly. Her breathing quickened, turning into short, needy pants. She bit her lip, a whimper escaping her throat as she squirmed under my touch.
"Master called me… his good girl…"
She moaned, her voice thick with arousal, her face twisted in bliss. "Say it again… please. Call me that again…"
I blinked, flustered, pulling my hand back slightly. "Y-Yelena—"
But she rolled onto her back, exposing her belly again, her chest heaving, her body trembling with barely-contained excitement. "Please, Master… praise me more. I'll do anything for you. Anything. Just keep calling me your good girl."
I sighed, torn between amusement and unease. She was brutal, terrifying, unstoppable. And yet here she was, reduced to a panting, ecstatic mess by a simple belly rub and two words.
As her breathing steadied, I stood and looked deeper into the forest. The corruption still hung heavy in the air. The knights were only guardians, pawns of something larger.
"We're not done yet," I said firmly. "The source of this corruption is still ahead. We need to purify it if we want to save this forest."
Yelena leapt to her feet instantly, her body pressed against mine, her eyes blazing with fire. "Then I'll burn everything in our way. I'll tear the corruption out by its roots. No one will stop us, Master. No one will take you from me."
Her words were both a promise and a warning.
I nodded slowly, my hand resting briefly on her head again before pulling away.
"Then let's finish this."