Chapter 9: The Colour of Snow

Chapter 9: The Colour of Snow

Khukri’s shadow fell across the bars, looming over the dog-girls who scurried to their feet. Unlike Khukri’s premium cell, the high-quality cells were double the size, but held four girls apiece. Each set of eyes watched her with a hint of fear, which increased dramatically after she opened the door with a key. Khukri stepped through, holding her hands at her side in a way that displayed her bare claws.

“Blossom?” Khukri asked, eyes sweeping over each in turn.

After a moment’s hesitation, one of the girls stepped forward. This one wasn’t much to look at, shorter than Khukri by a full head and covered by fur in patches of black, white, and brown. The stranger stood at attention, disciplined posture accentuating her lean muscles. Still, as Khukri came close those eyes kept their fear. “That’s you?”

Blossom nodded curtly.

Khukri extended a hand and a welcoming smile. “My name’s Khukri.”

“I’m Blossom.” The girl looked uneasily down at Khukri’s extended hand, warily watching the exposed claws before shaking. “Oh, you know that. Sorry.”

A nervous one? Nervous ones were good. Maya was firm when she needed to be, but she could be nurturing when the team called for it. Nervous girls were eager to fit in, and Khukri expected this one would run in lockstep with the pack by season’s end. “My pack has a buyer coming this afternoon and we’ll need a girl to replace whoever he buys. Our Whip wants to try you out for the season.”

The girl swallowed, then looked to another girl in the cage across from her, probably her Whip, before turning back. “Can I have a moment to say goodbye?”

This part always made Khukri smile. Hunting dogs fought tooth and nail to raise their market price, and there wasn’t anything quite like that feeling of finally breaking that barrier. “Don’t bother. Premium hunters don’t have their cages locked during the day. As long as you’re locked in before dinner, you can come back whenever you want. Grab your stuff.”

It took a few moments for the girl to gather her armour and tuck it in a basket before shouldering her spear.

“You okay?” Khukri asked, pushing the cell block door open.

The girl nodded, averting her eyes as she hurried wordlessly past.

This was half the reason Maya sent Khukri to do this. Most new girls hadn’t seen a wolf, let alone run alongside one, and forcing them to interact with her was the best way to show she wasn’t a monster. “Not used to wolves?”

Blossom stopped, flinching like she’d been struck. “I’ve heard...”

“Third floor,” Khukri said, giving the girl a gentle push. “You’ve heard we go crazy and murder our pack?”

Halfway up the stairs, Blossom stumbled, nearly scratching her spear with the wall before Khukri caught the haft. With a sigh, Khukri pulled the spear free, then gestured for the girl to continue. “Relax, I’ve been doing this for three years and haven’t gone feral yet. Maya has me under control.”

After stepping off the last stair, Blossom turned, examining Khukri more openly. “Going feral is something you can control?”

“Me? No,” Khukri chuckled, leading her new packmate down the hall to their cells. “The pack keeps an eye on me, warns me when I get a little too excited. Between the thirteen of you, it won’t be a problem.”

“Thirteen... Me too?” That dumbfounded expression was one Khukri was used to by now.

“You too,” Khukri confirmed, shouldering open their cell block door while flexing her claws. “I’m under control, if I start getting emotional or competitive give me a growl and I’ll back down.”

As Blossom moved through the room, the pack lifted their heads to glare. This girl was an outsider, and until Maya approved she’d stay that way. When a pack took down a beast, the materials that landed on the Direwood Exchange noted which hunters took it down, increasing the market value of the girls accordingly. Between Maya’s leadership, Khukri’s tracking ability, and the other hunters’ exceptional combat prowess, this pack held the highest collective market value on the exchange. A single girl who couldn’t pull her weight threatened that, and none of them wanted to return to high-grade.

“Aren’t wolves...” Blossom shifted uncomfortably at the door to the cell. “Aren’t you naturally stronger than me? How am I supposed to...”

“We’re tough,” Khukri agreed, stepping inside and setting the spear on her vacant hook. “But I don’t need you to fight me. I just need a reminder of the order of things. Be confident, speak with authority, throw around a threat or two if I seem really bad. Don’t worry about hurting my feelings. We’ve hunted wolves that went feral before; I don’t want to go out like that. You’re doing me a favour.”

Blossom tentatively stepped into Khukri’s cell, setting the basket of armour on the ground. “So, what now?”

“Take a seat.” Khukri grabbed her rag, dabbed it in water and started removing smudges from the spear. “We’ve got time until the buyer shows up, so I’ll tell you about how being in premium works. After the sale, I’ll get you settled into your new cell.”

The girl followed, hesitantly sitting in Khukri’s straw. “When a buyer comes to our pack, we’re all wondering if we’ll be picked. You seem pretty sure you won’t be.”

Khukri’s fists flexed unconsciously as she remembered the thrill of the last owner who took her hunting on the strike team. “There’s a certain kind of person willing to risk investing in a wolf. That person doesn’t browse thirteen dogs and then maybe pick one up on a whim, they separate me from the pack and interview me against other wolves. Maya’s age makes her safe too. She’s a phenomenal Whip, but that’s not something most owners are looking for.”

Blossom sighed, a smile creeping onto her face as the new position sunk in. “What happens at the end of the season?”

“You’ll probably go back to high-grade for a bit,” Khukri said, trying to cushion the blow with a positive tone. “Maya’ll let you into the pack once you prove yourself, but she wants her girls to know they’ve got a place to come back to. If someone doesn’t come back, then you’re in for good.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

The cell block door clicked open for a moment, letting Mistress H poke her head inside. “The buyer’s in the lobby!”

Maya found her feet first, giving a nod before the Mistress disappeared. Their Whip let out a sigh, then stepped from her cell, slapping her hands together. “You heard the woman! I want everyone ready for inspection before the customer comes! Best behaviour! You’re premium hunters, act like it!”

The room burst into a flurry of activity as the pack rushed to their hooks, filling the space with sliding leather and snapping buckles. “Go,” Khukri told Blossom. “Head back to your friends. I’ll come get you as soon as the buyer’s gone.”

Blossom left the cell, brushing past Maya, who turned to watch her go. With a quick shake of her head, Maya looked into Khukri’s cell. “Who’s the girl?”

Khukri made one last wipe of the blade before slipping the rag and Blossom’s cell key into her armour’s pouch, then stood at attention for her Whip. “That’s Blossom, the girl you’ll add to the pack after our buyer chooses.”

Maya looked down the row of cells before slipping into Khukri’s and lowering her voice. “How’d you know who I was gonna pick?”

A little spark of pride raced up Khukri’s spine. “Last year at the end of the hunting season you said she’d be next. When it’s not hunting season, the rankings don’t change much. Was I wrong?”

“No...” Maya eyed her suspiciously. “No, I forgot I told you that. We usually don’t get the new girls until we have an empty cell though.”

“Oh.” Khukri flashed an innocent smile. “I’m sorry. I was just so excited to welcome my new packmate.”

An exasperated sigh escaped Maya as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Weren’t you going to look for someone in the company that’d get you a spear before the inspection?”

Khukri snatched Blossom’s spear off the wall, spinning it around her arms before presenting it to Maya. “I did that too. I met Blossom with my extra time.”

The freshly polished weapon gleamed as her Whip’s eyes rolled across it. Maya gave a resigned chuckle, slapping Khukri’s shoulder. “I have no idea how someone as easily sidetracked as you is this effective.”

“It’s because I’m the best,” Khukri reminded her.

“Yeah yeah, good job kid.” Maya rolled her eyes, starting towards the cell door. “Get dressed already.”

Khukri grinned as she grabbed the first boot. Even if she didn’t expect to be bought, the appearance of an individual affected the buyer’s perception of the pack. Besides, inspecting a wolf was a novelty for some, and she was happy to give them a look if it helped the pack’s presentation.

Khukri snatched her spear, then took her place among her pack as the door opened. Mistress H came first, wearing the long white dress she favoured when dealing with customers. All the girls stiffened when Issac entered with the customer next. Issac she knew, but his guest wasn’t any of the usual premium buyers.

The customer was a male deer, and at a glance, she would’ve mistaken him for a worker. Most who came through preferred silk or expensive armour, not a rough cloak over a blue cotton shirt, along with thick loose pants tucked into a set of worn leather work boots. It wasn’t just the clothes though; the man had a coarse thick coat of fur covering a muscled frame. A hired hand, Khukri decided. This man was probably some sort of assistant, sent to pick a girl for a buyer who trusted him to make the choice.

“Miss H,” Issac said, placing a hand on the woman’s shoulder while handing her a slip of paper. “Give the buyer any girl he wants. Convert the remaining to firewood and have it sent to this camp.”

“Of course, Sir.” Mistress H gave a polite curtsy, tucking the paper into a fold on her dress.

“Now, Ruari.” Issac turned his attention to the deer. “As a matter of disclosure, my mother’s company raises and sells hunting slaves, and all the girls in this pack are hers. The market price and premium status are set by the exchange though, not us. Oh, just between us? This lot took down the first spikeback of the season, and once those materials start selling, that market price increases. Consider it a bargain.”

The deer smiled, pulling his eyes away from the pack to give a nod. “Thanks for taking the afternoon to get me set up. I owe you one.”

Issac grinned, giving a theatrical bow. “Oh no, your lordship, it’s been a pleasure to serve. You take care now!” With that, Issac spun, long coat flowing behind him as he swept out of the room.

Lordship? Khukri wasn’t familiar with the title. But for Issac, the representative of the company that owned her pack, to show such deference? This man was no simple worker. He had to be someone important in the Tythic kingdom. They wouldn’t let a man into the military, so the title was either for academic achievement or noble birth, and his physique made both unlikely.

Ruari followed Mistress H down the line, looking over each girl while she listed their market price. When he inspected Maya without comment, Khukri stifled a sigh of relief. More than one buyer remarked on how high Maya’s price was, given her age, and although Maya never let it shake her it wasn’t something she needed a reminder of. Their Whip was a symbol of hope for the girls, and they were determined to hold her at premium for three more seasons and see her take over as their new Mistress.

When the customer stopped in front of Khukri, she stood at attention, staring ahead. His eyes swept over her, mouth opening slightly. This wasn’t unusual. Wolves were expensive, and came with the risk of losing not only your investment, should they go feral, but the investments of all the girls she took with her. That risk created a certain allure, and even those who’d seen wolves didn’t tend to get this close. She didn’t mind satisfying their curiosity though; showing off her strength only made the pack look more impressive for keeping her in line.

“You’re a wolf?”

There it was, a question gave her permission to look directly into his eyes. They were a dull brown, like most deer, but the expected fear was tempered by a strange emotion she wasn’t familiar with. Whatever it was, it felt... comfortable. “Yes, Sir.”

He swallowed, lowering his eyes to examine her body, as though actually considering buying her. “Can I ask you something?”

This wasn’t Khukri’s first showing, nor the first buyer who flirted with risking his money on her. She’d prepared for questions, her physical abilities, hunting record, specialties, and even her madness was open to them. She wouldn’t hide that she was good- the best even- but she wasn’t so much better that it was worth the risk.

“Your fur, is that the colour of snow?”

Khukri’s mouth opened before her brain caught up, leaving her staring while her tongue waited for directions. A few seconds of silence ticked by as her discomfort grew before realizing she had to say something, anything, or risk looking defiant. “I... I don’t know what ‘snow’ means, Sir.”

His eyes sank as he took a slow breath, then he nodded, pulling himself together and turning to Mistress H. “I’ll take her.”

A shudder ran through Khukri at those words. She’d had one question, one she didn’t understand enough to give a real answer, and he was willing to risk a fortune on her? Was this man that confident his pack could control her, or was he as close to madness as she was? Khukri clenched her jaw. Speaking out of turn risked lowering your market value, and unless he asked another question, everything was out of turn.

“Are you sure?” Mistress H asked, placing a hand on Khukri’s chin and turning her head from side to side so the customer could get a better look. “Wolves are expensive, and dangerous to keep as hunting dogs, especially if your Whip isn’t used to them.”

Ruari gave Mistress H a strange look, then shrugged. “I’m buying a living weapon; obviously she’s dangerous. And my whip can’t get used to wolves until I own one.” He turned from the exasperated Mistress H to look Khukri in the eye again. “My name’s Ruari, what’s yours?”

It was her last chance to speak before Ruari made his mistake, but the question was too direct to dissuade him without risking her price. “...Khukri.”

His hand extended, waiting for her while he gave a small smile. “Nice to meet you Khukri.”

She hesitated, looking to Mistress H for direction. Buyers weren’t supposed to touch the slaves without permission, but after her resigned nod, Khukri shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Master.”