New ride

In a secluded clearing with a small pond, a majestic tree rose up from the center, its branches reaching toward the sky. Beneath its shade lay a formidable beast, its dark red hide marred with deep black streaks. The creature resembled a massive panther, its body armoured and ready for battle. It lay dormant as if waiting for the right moment to awaken.

It was sleeping next to a pile of bones that looked to belong to some large creature.

Daede spotting this beast couldn't help but get excited and shot out of Loto's bag and floated a distance away.

"Hehe, this will do for now!" Daede smiled evilly while mumbling.

"Loto wait here and don't get killed."

"Uh... okay be careful!" Loto didn't like the way he said that for some reason but warned him nonetheless because that was a Blood panther and those things were some evil beasts. They hunt at night and can kill beasts that are three-four times their size. The reason they are called evil beasts was that they never hunted in packs.

Seeing that he understood, Loto watched as his rock roommate floated above the fierce-looking beast and sneakily glided over to the tree until he was on top. The scary thing was that Daede was silent as the wind.

He saw him lower and lower until the blood panther was shaken awake wide-eyed yet what happened next made Loto wide-eye himself.

The panther pried its maws open but it looked strange as though it was forced and it was followed by the rock entering his gullet and getting swallowed. Loto was just staring not knowing what to think.

"Did he just get himself eaten?" Loto was lost and confused and while that was happening the Blood panther squirmed for a while before it stilled. Slowly lifting itself up it with the front legs first and then the back with patience.

It did that stretch that most felines do from head to toe.

Then Loto started sweating buckets because the Blood panther looked in his direction and slowly made its way.

Loto thought he was ready but the fear of such a beast slowly making its way while staring at you was humbling. He froze, he was yelling within himself to run away but he stood rooted on the spot. Unable to break free of the suppression he was under.

The Blood panther was now within two meters of him staring at him with its bright silver eyes. The black dot focuses on his body and the red nose sniffing.

Loto fell over and was now holding himself up with his hands while breathing hard.

Suddenly he heard a noise overcome his fear.

"Okay, okay little one. I was just messing with ya! Hahaha! How do I look?" Daede's cheerful voice rang in his mind directly breaking him out of the state.

"Master?" Loto questioned in shock.

"Hahaha! It is I!" Daede laughed while the cat meowed in a rugged low growl.

Daede was pleased to have the opportunity to demonstrate his skills. He had recently taken on a young apprentice and had mostly just provided him with basic training, so he was eager to show off his abilities. Daede had convinced the boy to enter into a master-disciple relationship with him, and he was looking forward to flexing his posturing and impressing his apprentice

The reason why he decided to do all that, he simply hadn't thought of a better plan than hunting, getting money and finding out more about where the hell he was and took Loto in as a disciple because he was bored and had never done it.

His compulsion to speak was now being fed into a disciple which was a big move up from talking to himself.

Loto was impressed seeing from his shiny eyes.

"C-can I pet you?" Loto asked hesitantly as the beast was still a Blood panther.

The giant panther that stood at twice his size narrowed its eyes but sat on its butt and smiled.

"Sure but only this time. Remember, I'm still your great master little brat!" Daede snorted but agreed. Even he was petting the giant cat secretly with a mind tentacle. This take- cooperation with the black panther was very mutually beneficial.

"I'll call you Murphy!" Daede muttered to the scared little mind of the Blood panther. The thing was shivering in a corner of its mental space while the giant thug was stroking its fur under its chin both mentally and physically.

It wanted to cry.

"Wow!" Loto was shocked at the soft yet rugged fur. The thing was a real war beast in his eyes. The giant claws, the thick muscles and that spiked tail were all killer weapons.

"Hehe! Aren't I impressive?"

"Yes Master! Super impressive!" Loto replied while Daede stroked his ego.

"Hehe, alright! now we have to get you a good catch to sell and some food! Let's go." Daede declared before heading further into the forest.

"Yes!" Loto excitedly followed the Blood planter through the forest.

...

The town had just started seeing the setting sun and people were on and about the roads heading here and there.

This quaint little town was quite the little hub when there were people roaming the streets. There were some guards stationed near the entrances of the town although the security was a bit laxer due to repeated hunting and general safety being somewhat ensured in these times.

One of the sitting guards immediately shot up as he noticed a beast nearby.

What shocked him, even more, was that the beast had something hanging from it.

"I-Is it carrying a boar and a horned elk? Wait! What!?" As the beast approached he was even more shocked to see a rope tied around its neck and the rope led to a boy.

"Loto?" The guard recognized as the regular villagers weren't too hard to spot. Especially a boy who was constantly prattling about the night two years ago. Sighing at the recollection, the guard snapped back to attention as the beast approached.

"Halt!"

Loto and Daede stopped a few meters away from the entrance with the guard holding his spear tight requesting they halt.

Loto and Daede were prepared for this though.

"Hello!" Loto replied as Daede had a vine rope tied to two beasts each hanging off one end while the middle was held within the Blood panther's maw took a seat.

"What is going on and why are you holding a leash to a Blood panther?" The guard was surprised as he asked the question because he didn't detect any hostility from the Blood panther known to be an evil beast.

What shocked him, even more, was the leash around the neck of the Blood panther. It was flimsy as hell. That thing wasn't holding anything back. Hell, what the two dead beasts were tied to was thicker.

He frowned as he waited for their response.

"He's my tamed beast!" Loto described as he went on to describe a short tale of helping an injured beast and managing to tame it under miraculous conditions.

The guard:" ... "

'Am I dreaming or does he really expect me to believe that bullshit?' The guard finally thought.