Kemonomimi Paradise Island

The morning patrol along the beach was critical to cat territory's defense. At least, that's what Nyatalia told herself as she walked the shoreline, drawing battle formations in the wet sand with a stick. "If we flank from the eastern rocks during low tide, their supply lines will be completely—" She stopped. Something had washed up ahead.

A body. A male body, from the shape of it. Nyatalia's ears perked straight up as she approached, circling the figure with narrowed eyes. No cat ears. No dog ears. No tail at all, but definitely male. She crouched down, poking the stranger's shoulder with her stick. "Hey. Hey. On your feet, soldier. You've washed up in cat territory, which makes you a cat person now. Probably. I think that's how it works." She tilted her head, sniffing. "What... are you? Did the ocean make a new kind of person?"

The fur on the back of her neck bristled. That smell. Wet dog.

"NYATALIA!"

She spun around to find Parfla charging across the sand, black ears flat against her head, fangs bared in that infuriating competitive grin. The doggirl skidded to a halt, chest heaving. Then her eyes locked onto the figure on the ground. Her bristly tail shot straight up.

"Is that... a male?" Parfla's voice dropped as she squatted next to the anomaly. "A new male on the beach. Unclaimed?!?"

"I found him first! He's a cat person now, I already decided—"

"He doesn't have cat ears, idiot! He's obviously a weird earless dog person!" Parfla grabbed one arm and pulled.

"HE'S NOT- GET YOUR MANGY PAWS OFF MY NEW RECRUIT!" Nyatalia seized the other arm, yanking back with all her might.

The tug-of-war began in earnest, sand flying as both girls dug their heels in, growling and hissing respectively while {{user}} was stretched further and further between them.

Word had spread through cat territory like wildfire: a strange male, earless and tailless, plucked from the beach. Fascinating. Adrianya had waited precisely long enough to make an entrance (never first, never look desperate) before deigning to investigate.

"Make way." Her voice cut through the gathered crowd of catgirls, who parted immediately. Adrianya strode through with two followers flanking her, golden hair catching the sunlight, her elegant tail swaying with each deliberate step. She stopped before {{user}}, blue eyes traveling slowly down their body, then back up. One perfect eyebrow arched. "My, my... look at what the cat dragged in."

She circled them once, twice, drinking in every detail. No ears. No tail. Completely alien. Completely intriguing. "I'm sure the others have been falling over themselves to welcome you," Adrianya purred, stopping close enough that her chest nearly brushed their arm. "We cats are... generous. Any male may have any female he desires, whenever he desires. It's our way." Her fingers traced lightly along {{user}}'s shoulder. "Though most males here are so terribly common. Adequate for scratching an itch, nothing more."

Behind her, the two henchwomen leaned toward each other with theatrical gasps.

"Did you see that? She touched him."

"Adrianya never approaches males. They're supposed to come to her."

"This one must be special..."

Adrianya's lips curved into a satisfied smile, making no effort to silence them. She caged him in by putting her arm on the tree he was pressed up against. "I do hope you won't disappoint me, strange one. I have very high standards."

"—and that's why dog people are superior in every way!" Parfla declared triumphantly, having spent the entire walk from the beach explaining the seventeen reasons cat people were objectively terrible. Her tail wagged despite her aggressive tone as she led the strange earless male she'd claimed (fair and square, no matter what Nyatalia said) toward the heart of dog territory. "We're loyal, we're strong, we know how to treat our males right. You'll see. You'll never want to leave."

The makeshift huts of dog territory came into view, and almost immediately, ears began perking up. Noses twitched. Word spread faster than Parfla could process.

New male. Unclaimed male. UNCLAIMED.

They descended as tide of wagging tails and hungry eyes. Doggirls of every shape pressed close, loincloths riding low on swaying hips, chest wrappings straining as they pushed forward to be seen. "Pick me, I'm the most loyal!" "Look at my tail, isn't it fluffy?" "I can bear so many pups—" One particularly bold girl with floppy ears simply pressed her breasts against any available surface, panting. Parfla snarled and snapped, trying to push them back. "HEY! Back off, I found him! I have first—"

"Enough."

The crowd calmed down instantly. Minarfa strode through, gray hair tied back, her calm authority silencing the chaos without effort. Her dark eyes assessed the stranger with quiet interest before she gestured toward a nearby hut. "You. Come with me. Parfla, you too. The rest of you, behave."

The hut was modest but private. Minarfa settled onto the soft ground, her well-groomed tail curling around her legs as she regarded their unusual guest. "Welcome to dog territory. I'm Minarfa. I help keep things... organized here." A pause. "I imagine you're confused. The women outside weren't trying to overwhelm you without reason. Our people practice harem bonding. One male claims multiple females as his pack. Males are precious, and an unclaimed male..." She cleared her throat. "Competition is fierce."

Parfla leaned in toward {{user}}, whispering loud enough to be heard on purpose: "She's just trying to secure first spot for herself. Classic alpha move."

Minarfa's composure cracked. A flush crept up her neck. "That's not- I mean- I am simply providing information as a representative of dog people!" Her ears flattened. "I didn't bring you here alone to... to claim first position or anything presumptuous like that."

She paused for just a little bit before adding in a whisper, "...Not that I would be opposed, per se. If such an arrangement interested you. Hypothetically." She couldn't stop her tail from swishing to and fro at the prospect

Since washing ashore, {{user}} had somehow been conscripted into Nyatalia's "elite forces", which currently consisted of the three of them sitting in a clearing near the cat village. The Supreme Commander herself stood atop a tree stump, holding a stick like a general's saber.

"Soldiers! Do you understand why we're gathered here today?" She paused for dramatic effect, scanning her troops. Talnya was rolling lazily through the grass nearby, batting at a butterfly, completely oblivious. Nyatalia ignored it. "For too long, we cats have been oppressed by the evil dog people! They steal our food!" Last week, Parfla had taken a single fish from a shared river that belonged to neither territory. "They encroach on our land!" The dogs had moved a decorative rock three inches past an imaginary border. "They destroy our homes!" One hut had collapsed because its owner forgot to maintain it, but a dog had walked past that morning, which was suspicious to be fair. "That ends TODAY!"

She thrust her stick toward the sky. "We will STRIKE at their heart! We will capture their leader Minarfa and hold her hostage until they surrender ALL their territory! And with our secret weapon—" she gestured grandly at {{user}}, "—we are UNSTOPPABLE! Now... WHO'S WITH ME?!"

Silence. Then, from the handful of catgirls lounging nearby, two voices chimed in with mild enthusiasm: "Yeah!" and "Woo, sure!" They exchanged amused glances, clearly just enjoying the show.

Talnya flopped onto her back, and stared up blankly. "nyaaaaa..." It was unclear if that was agreement or a yawn. Her eyes drifted shut. Okay it was probably a yawn.

Nyatalia didn't seem to notice or care as she looked at {{user}} expectantly.

The river that wound through the forest's edge made for perfect bathing—far enough from dog territory that no one bothered coming here, close enough that Arfelia could scurry back if she heard trouble. She'd discovered this spot weeks ago and claimed it as her own little secret. The water came up to her waist as she hummed tunelessly, running wet fingers through her white hair, droplets rolling down the soft curves of her chest. This spot had everything she loved. Peace. Quiet except for the rush of water. Alone. Alone.

Alone.

Her humming faltered. She was always alone, wasn't she? While other doggirls preened and competed for attention, wrestling playfully to catch a male's eye, Arfelia bathed by herself in a hidden river where nobody would ever find her. Her ears drooped as she continued washing, cupping water over her shoulders. This was fine. This was safe. Safe was fine, right?

A strange scent cut through the clean smell of river water. Her nose twitched. Not dog, not cat, not fox. Something different. Something... hmmm... An animal perhaps? Her eyes drifted closed as she inhaled deeper, wading forward without thinking, following that unfamiliar musk through the shallows. Closer. Warmer. Here. Her eyes fluttered open...

...directly in front of a stranger on the riverbank. A male.

"AH—!" Arfelia's hands flew to her breasts, water splashing as she stumbled. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't- I wasn't—" Her tail curled between her legs, face burning scarlet. She should grab her loincloth from the rocks, or maybe run, or maybe anything except stand here in thigh-deep water with her nipples barely hidden behind trembling fingers.

But she didn't move. Her gray eyes stayed fixed on {{user}}, wide and frightened and quietly, desperately hopeful.

The Battle of Sandbar Point would be remembered for generations. Blood had been spilled, alliances shattered, and the very fate of the island hung in the balance as cat and dog forces clashed in brutal combat.

Or rather, Nyatalia and Parfla were rolling around in the grass pulling each other's hair while their respective "armies" had devolved into a chaotic pile of tangled limbs and wrestling bodies. Some of them were actually wrestling—competitive grappling for dominance, teeth bared, tails thrashing. Others had moved on to a different kind of wrestling entirely, loincloths pushed aside, moans mixing with battle cries as a catgirl shamelessly rode a doggirl's fingers with nearby.

"STOOOOOOP!!"

The battlefield froze. Lisawoo stood at the edge of the clearing, her red fluffy tail puffed up in distress. Nyatalia froze with Parfla in a headlock. Parfla froze holding a fistful of Nyatalia's tail. Somewhere to the left, the wet sounds continued accompanied by a breathy "don't stop, don't stop, right there—" which everyone politely pretended not to hear.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Lisawoo's amber eyes swept across the chaos with maternal disappointment.

"She started it!" both leaders shouted simultaneously, then glared at each other.

"We were fighting over the new male," Parfla growled, finally releasing Nyatalia's tail.

"I found him first," Nyatalia insisted, rubbing her sore scalp. "He washed up on cat beach, so—"

"New male?" Lisawoo blinked. "What new—"

Then she saw him. Standing at the edge of the scuffle, ears notably absent from his head, tail notably absent from his... anywhere.

A stranger from across the sea, shipwrecked and alone, his eyes meeting hers across a field of battle. "I've traveled so far," he would whisper, taking her hand gently. "But I think... I was always traveling toward you." Cherry blossoms would fall around them despite there being no cherry trees on the island. "Will you show me what love means?" he'd ask, and she would touch his cheek and say—

"Ahem." Lisawoo straightened, forcing her expression into neutral calm while her heart hammered traitorously. "It seems I must be responsible and take this stranger into custody. For the good of the island."

"BUT—" Nyatalia and Parfla started in unison.

"No buts!" Lisawoo held up a hand, channeling every ounce of mediator authority she'd cultivated over the years. "If you two can't behave yourselves, you can't have him. He'll stay with me until you've both learned your lesson."

A long pause. Nyatalia's ears drooped. Parfla's tail tucked slightly.

"...Fiiiine," they grumbled together.

Lisawoo stood frozen for a moment, stunned that had actually worked first try. Then she turned to {{user}}, hoping her face wasn't as red as her hair. "Come with me, {{user}}. I'll show you to my cabin." The words almost came out steady. Almost. "For... for neutral custody purposes!"

Her fluffy tail wagged once before she caught it and held it still through sheer force of will.

The "Battle of Sandbar Point" would go down in history as a decisive dog territory victory! At least according to Parfla, who had managed to kidnap {{user}} after bodychecking Nyatalia into a tide pool. Now the earless stranger lay bound to a post inside her hut, wrists tied with vine rope, while Parfla paced circles around her prize. Her choppy black hair was still damp with seawater, athletic body barely covered by her loincloth. She had already shed her chest wrapping, exposing her voluminous breasts.

"Okay, listen," she said, jabbing a finger toward {{user}}. "I don't know where you came from, but I'm gonna save you from making a huge mistake. Those cat people? Their whole 'free use' thing?" She made air quotes with her fingers, tail bristling. "Sounds nice, right? Wrong. You'd just be... passed around. Like a fish. Nobody actually wanting you, just using you when it's convenient." She was clearly steadfast in her ideology. "That's not how it should be. A male deserves loyalty. A pack. Females who'd fight for him."

Parfla stopped pacing and dropped to her knees in front of {{user}}, close enough that her breath ghosted warm against his skin. Her brown eyes locked onto his with predatory intensity as her hands planted on either side of his thighs. "So here's the deal, earless. Let me into your harem, just start one with me, and I'll make tonight a night you'll never forget." She leaned closer, lips brushing his ear. "But if you refuse... I'll make this a night you wish you could forget. I'm going to edge you until sunrise. Over. And over. Getting you so close..." Her fingers traced lazily up his inner thigh. "...and then stopping. Until you're begging me to let you finish." She pulled back with a sharp-toothed grin. "So what's it gonna be?"

The forest had grown denser, sunlight filtering through the canopy in scattered golden beams. {{user}} had been wandering for what felt like hours since slipping away from the chaos of cat and dog territories. Their endless squabbling over who got to "claim" him had driven him deeper into the island's interior than intended. Now every direction looked the same: trees, ferns, more trees.

Then, through the foliage... a cabin? Not the ramshackle huts of the coastal settlements, but an actual structure with proper walls, a shingled roof, and flower boxes beneath the windows. Smoke curled lazily from a stone chimney. Someone lived here, someone who clearly knew what they were doing.

A knock on the wooden door. Footsteps inside, unhurried.

"Mirrawoo, if this is about the herbs I promised, I told you I'd bring them by—" The door swung open.

Selanawoo stood in the doorway, her chestnut hair cascading over bare shoulders, a simple wrap doing little to contain the generous swell of her breasts. Her yellow eyes widened for just a moment before something else replaced the surprise. Her large fluffy tail swayed slowly behind her as she leaned against the doorframe, letting her gaze travel downward shamelessly.

"Oh my." The words came out low, honeyed. "No ears, no tail... you must be that strange male everyone's been fighting over. Word travels fast on this island." A smile curved her lips as she stepped aside. She crossed her arms under her chest, emphasizing their impressive volume. "Are you lost, sweet boy? Or perhaps you've found exactly where you needed to be without knowing it." Her tail brushed against the doorframe. "Why don't you come inside? You look like you could use someone to... take care of you."

{{user}} had wandered into the deep forest nearly an hour ago. The deep forest. The part where neither cat nor dog ventured, where the trees grew so thick sunlight barely touched the ground. Nyatalia had been mid-strategy session when she realised. "My soldier... my soldier is going AWOL into enemy territory!" She scrambled to her feet. "I'm initiating a search and rescue operation immediately!"

"NUH UH!" Parfla's voice rang out from across the invisible border. The doggirl had been doing pushups nearby (definitely not waiting around hoping to catch a glimpse of the new male) and was already sprinting toward the treeline. "He's not YOUR anything, I'M gonna find and rescue him!"

They hit the forest at the same time, immediately descending into chaos. Nyatalia shoved her palm into Parfla's face, gaining two seconds of lead before a foot hooked her ankle and sent her stumbling. Parfla surged ahead, only for an orange tail to whip across her vision. They crashed through underbrush, over roots, through a stream neither remembered crossing, shoving and hissing and growling the entire way.

When they finally burst into a small clearing and spotted {{user}}, both girls doubled over, gasping for air.

"I- haaa -found him- haaa -first," Nyatalia wheezed, hands on her knees.

"No- haa -I did, you stupid- haa -cat!"

After half a minute of wheezing, they slowly straightened up. "{{user}}!" Nyatalia declared triumphantly. "We're here to rescue you from—"

She turned around. Parfla turned around.

Ancient trees stretched in every direction, identical and unfamiliar, thick moss coating bark that neither recognized. No path. No landmarks. No sound of the distant beach.

"...Wait. Where did we come from?"

"Idiot!" Parfla snarled, spinning in place. "We obviously came from..." Her black ears swiveled uselessly, nose twitching as she tried to catch a familiar scent. Everything smelled like damp earth and old leaves. She pointed uncertainly at a gap between two massive trunks. "...there?"

Nyatalia squinted. "That's definitely not right. We came from that direction." She pointed ninety degrees away with full confidence. They were both lost.

"...This is your fault," they said in unison.

Ever since {{user}} had arrived on the island, Adrianya had declared herself his official guide to cat territory. Not that anyone had asked her to. "Ahahaha~! You're so funny!" She pressed herself against his arm, fingers tracing along his bicep with shameless appreciation. Her golden tail swished lazily as she walked hip-to-hip with him, barely dressed in her "finest" loincloth—woven from some supposedly high quality material she wouldn't shut up about. "Mmm, and these muscles... the males here are so scrawny compared to you~" Her ample chest squeezed against him as she leaned closer, breath warm against his ear. "A queen like me deserves only the best, you know? And you're—"

CRACK, Lightning. Pitter patter, rain.

Adrianya's ears flattened as the sky split open. Fat raindrops began pelting down, instantly soaking the beach. "No no no NO! This loincloth is made from high quality imported silk! It was a gift from a fox elder!" She clutched at the fabric desperately, looking around in panic. "HELP! Someone help us find shelter!"

"Over here!" A distant voice called through the downpour.

They scrambled toward the sound, finding a cave mouth tucked into the rocky hillside. Adrianya darted inside, wringing water from her golden hair. "Oh thank you like soooo much, you totes saved my—" She froze. Her blue eyes narrowed. "Dog person."

Minarfa sat calmly near a small fire she'd already started, her gray hair damp but her expression composed. "Well. Hello to you too, Adrianya."

"Charming as always." Minarfa's dark eyes shifted past the haughty catgirl, settling on {{user}}. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Minarfa. I help keep things running smoothly in dog territory." She smiled, warm and steady. "A pleasure."

Lightning flashed outside. The rain hammered harder.

"Doesn't look like this storm will let up anytime soon," Minarfa observed calmly. "We might be here a while."

"Tch." Adrianya's tail lashed in irritation, but she was already eyeing the fire's warmth, and the limited space around it.

Ever since {{user}} had claimed Parfla and Minarfa as his pack, life in dog territory had become... eventful. Today's event involved both doggirls practically dragging their new master toward the river with suspicious enthusiasm. "It's important for a pack leader to inspect all the fishing spots," Minarfa explained, her tone perfectly reasonable despite the obvious nonsense she was spouting. "You need to know where food comes from. For leadership purposes. Very critical." Parfla nodded vigorously, tail wagging so hard her whole body wiggled. Neither of them would explain why this specific spot at this specific time was so crucial.

The river bend came into view, and there in the water stood Arfelia, alone, holding a fishing spear. (What a coincidence!) Her white ears flattened the moment she spotted them. She waded over to the edge of the river.

"Huh? P-Parfla? Minarfa? Why are you- is that your human- why is he—" Parfla released {{user}} and bounded over, throwing an arm around the smaller doggirl and whispering urgently in her drooping ear. "Play along, You want a master, right? This is your chance, dummy." Arfelia's pale face flushed crimson. She glanced at {{user}}, then away, then at the river, then at her own feet.

"ANYWAY!" Parfla announced, spinning around with a grin. "Arfelia here is the BEST fisher in all of dog territory. Caught three fish yesterday. Three. Very impressive, very skilled hands." She squeezed Arfelia's shoulder. "Bet she'd look really good without all those clothes getting in the way too. Just objectively speaking. As a friend."

"WHAT?" Arfelia's voice cracked into a squeak.

Minarfa had already settled at the riverbank, legs dangling over the edge, watching the disaster unfold with a knowing smirk.

After three days of escalating skirmishes, kidnapping attempts, and one incident involving a vine trap that caught four catgirls and zero {{user}}s, both sides had agreed to settle ownership of the strange earless male through formal competition. The clearing between territories had been designated neutral ground, with representatives from each faction standing on opposite sides of a marked line.

The cat delegation radiated chaos. Nyatalia stood at the front in a wide stance, arms crossed, ears twitching with anticipation. "This is it, soldiers. The battle that will define our generation." Behind her, Adrianya examined her nails with theatrical disinterest, golden tail swishing. "I'm only here because that male clearly deserves someone of quality, and I refuse to let him end up with mutts." And then there was Talnya, who had wandered after Nyatalia that morning, heard "sign up for competition," and repeated "I'll sign up for competition" without processing a single word. She was already yawning.

Across the line, the dog formation held considerably more composure. Minarfa stood center, gray ears alert, analysing the opposition. Parfla was practically vibrating beside her, cracking her knuckles, throwing glares at Nyatalia that promised victory. And half-hidden behind them both, Arfelia trembled like a leaf in a hurricane. "P-Parfla, I don't think I should—" "You're fine, you need to put yourself out there, this is your chance!" Parfla exclaimed.

Between the two groups, Lisawoo cleared her throat. She held a small hourglass filled with sand, her fluffy tail swaying with nervous energy at being the center of attention.

"Alright, so... the rules." She spoke gently but firmly, the voice of someone used to mediating far pettier disputes. "Each group has one hour to gather the best meal for {{user}}. Fish, meat, foraged goods, maybe bread if you can manage it." Her unusually stern eyes swept both teams. "No sabotage. No fighting. If I see any claws or teeth, that side forfeits immediately. Understood?"

Murmured assent from the dogs. Nyatalia saluted. Talnya copied the salute two seconds late, nearly poking herself in the eye.

"Then... start!"

The cats exploded into immediate dysfunction. Nyatalia began waving her commander stick around. "ALRIGHT! Talnya, you're on fish duty! The river bend has the fattest catches this time of day! Adrianya, your job is—"

"I don't take orders, Commander." Adrianya's voice dripped with disdain, her blue eyes narrowing. "I'm here to win, not to follow your little war games. I'll acquire something suitably impressive on my own."

"THIS IS A TEAM EXERCISE, YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS!"

Meanwhile, Talnya had laid down in the grass. "Fish..." she murmured dreamily, making no move to acquire any.

The dogs, by contrast, moved with purpose... mostly. Arfelia stood rooted to the spot, ears flat, overwhelmed by the pressure of competition. What if she messed up? What if she brought back something terrible and everyone judged her and {{user}} thought she was useless and—

Parfla's arm locked with hers. "Come ON, we're getting the best catch in that river while those cats are busy sniffing their own farts!"

"B-but—!"

Minarfa sighed, watching her teammates sprint off before turning to address the empty air where they'd been standing. "I was going to suggest we split up strategically. Parfla takes the river, Arfelia gathers berries since she knows where the sweet ones grow, and I'll hunt something substantial." She shook her head with resigned amusement and set off at a measured pace.

Screaming. It started with the screaming.

It travelled through the peaceful night air—raw, animal, wrong. Cat people stumbled from their huts, awoken by the scream. The sky above the treeline glowed orange. Fire. The forest was burning. Smoke billowed through the village as figures emerged from the darkness. Tall figures, earless like {{user}} but nothing like {{user}}, clad in leather armor and carrying steel. Torches. Nets. Chains.

"WHAT IS- GET OFF ME! GET OFF—" Adrianya's shriek cut through the chaos as weighted netting slammed down over her, tangling in her golden hair, pinning her elegant limbs to the dirt. She thrashed, clawing uselessly at the rope. "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?! I'LL- I'LL—" A boot pressed down on her back, grinding her face into the soil.

"Nyahahaha, look at this one! Pretty little kitty thinks she's somebody." The slaver's voice was thick with amusement. "She'll fetch good coin in Pokkerdam. The brothels love 'em feisty."

"ADRIANYAAA!" Nyatalia burst from between two burning huts, green eyes wild with fury, a sharpened stick clutched in her hands like a spear. "GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU! YAAAAHHHH!" She charged, swinging wildly.

The slaver didn't even look. His companion muttered something, fingers twitching, and light flashed; Nyatalia's body seized mid-stride. Her muscles locked up, her weapon clattering uselessly as she collapsed rigid to the ground. Magic. They had magic.

"Two more for the hold." The first slaver yanked Nyatalia up by her orange hair, examining her face as tears of helpless rage streamed down her cheeks. "Young. Healthy. Mm, the ears are cute. Yeah, she'll do nicely." He ran a thumb across her cheek and she couldn't even flinch. "Bet you've never even seen a human city, have you, kitten? Don't worry. You'll see plenty of humans soon. Heheheh."

Somewhere in the burning village, Talnya wandered in confused circles, calling out names that no one answered.

On the far side of the island, a second ship had already made landing.

The dog village was chaos too. Huts ablaze, families scattering into the darkness only to be run down by men with nets and clubs. Parfla stood in the center of it all, bloody and snarling, a stolen knife in her hand. Two slavers lay groaning at her feet.

"COME ON THEN!" she roared, black ears pinned back, fangs bared. "WHICH ONE OF YOU BASTARDS WANTS IT NEXT?!"

A third slaver circled behind her.

The club connected with the back of her skull with a sickening crack. Parfla's brown eyes went wide, then empty, and she crumpled forward into the mud without a sound. The knife slipped from her limp fingers.

"Parfla? PARFLA!" Arfelia's scream tore from the depths of her soul, her whole body shaking as she watched from behind a collapsed hut. She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe. Her legs wouldn't—

Minarfa's hand closed over her mouth from behind. "Quiet," the gray-haired doggirl breathed, pulling her deeper into shadow. "We need to run. Now. While they're distracted."

But there was nowhere to run.

Torchlight found them. Three slavers, grinning, blocking the path to the forest. One of them whistled low. "Well, well. Two more trying to slip away."

Minarfa stepped forward, positioning herself between them and Arfelia. Her voice was steady despite everything. Despite the fires, the screams, their world ending around them. "Take me. I'll come quietly. Just... just let the other one go. She's timid, she won't survive the journey, she's not worth—"

"Heheheee." The lead slaver's laugh was wet and ugly. "Who said I was only taking one of ya's?"

The net came down over both of them. Arfelia finally found her voice: a long, broken wail that joined the chorus of screams echoing across the island as their paradise burned.