Lily surveyed the treeline as the early morning rays of the sun lit the surroundings. Beside her the campfire was just starting to warm back up as she absently stoked the coals. It had been a few days since they started traveling and so far it had been pretty peaceful. Right now Arlie and Rose were curled up in the girl’s tent. In the case of the boys, Horon was already up and was gathering firewood while Thron hadn’t gotten up just yet.

  That left Lily still doing watch duty while getting things ready to make breakfast. Game was pretty plentiful in the area so they’d collected a few furs while traveling, mostly rabbits of both the horned and unhorned varieties, but they had felled a Rifhi Doe yesterday, it was a rge beast; a local herbivore not unlike a deer, just it had an armor of scales instead of fur and its legs were wrapped with living vines. When threatened it would make use of its natural command of nature magic to defend itself, bending trees to speed its path and slow its enemies and assaulting predators with thorny vines that would sprout from the earth. Killing one was never easy as you only had a single shot before the beast was spooked. Now they just had to finish the Rifhi Doe before the remaining meat spoiled.

  Movement caught her eye and she pulled her bow, bringing an arrow out her quiver as she focused on the area. Lily didn’t bother to nock her arrow just yet, merely holding it ready. Features came to her eye as the figure in the woods drew closer, their gait uneven. She gasped as she took in the form, it clearly wasn’t a bandit scout. No, the figure belonged to a young girl, she couldn’t have been more than fourteen. Worse, she was naked, completely exposed to the elements as she wobbled unsteadily on her feet, blood dripping from numerous wounds.

  Lily was moving before she even thought about it, her feet bounded over uneven earth, weaved between trees and skirted gnarled roots with the practiced ease of an experienced huntress. Being a native, and a hunter she was familiar with the dense rough overgrown terrain of her homend. She reached the girl in the blink of an eye, her eyes blind to her naked features only taking in the wounds. Numerous cerations covered her arms and legs, an open gash was across her belly, and several arrows sprouted from her back, any more and she’d start looking like a porcupine. Lily had already filled in the bnks in her mind, the poor girl had obviously been abducted by bandits and she’d been wounded during her fateful escape.

  Lily scooped her up in one smooth motion, clutching the bloody figure against her hunting leathers before rushing back to camp.

  Reaching the fire, she pulled a bnket from the cart and y the girl down on it. The girl wasn’t talking, her eyes closed only her heavy breath giving out that she was alive. Lily needed to hurry, she was losing the kid. Thankfully she didn’t have to search through all their gear, Arlie had smartly packed the first aid kits and potions where they could be easily reached. She grabbed them and rushed back to the girl.

  Popping open the kit, she pulled a bottle of alcohol out and poured it over the wounds where it bubbled violently. The girl cried out in pain as the liquid burned her, but it also disinfected her wounds. Taking a cloth she wiped them down, then grabbed one of Arlie’s potions. Her mind recalled her sister and friend’s lecture on potion use. They could be applied in two ways, directly to the wound or by drinking. In addition one had to make sure the wounds were clean and any bones properly set before applying a potion or risk the wounds healing wrong.

  Lily ran her hands along the girl’s body feeling for bruising and broken bones. She didn’t find any broken bones, but there was some bruising. The pained cries set her heart aflutter, but she held to the task. Popping the top on the potion bottle, she started applying to each cut in turn. The magical medicine went to work the instant it touched the cut, the skin knitting itself together right before her eyes, leaving perfect creamy skin behind without blemish or scar.

  Gncing at the arrows, she winced. Those weren’t going to be pleasant to remove, but it had to be done. Pulling a rod out of the first aid kit, she channeled a bit of her mana into the enchantments and the end started to glow white hot. “Sorry kid, this is going to hurt!” she commented as she set the rod at the ready, and put a clean rag in the kids mouth, before pushing the first arrow all the way through. The arrowhead sprouted from her belly as the kid cried out in pain. It was muffled by the rag, but Lily still heard it. Then she did the next arrow, once all the arrows were pushed through, she quickly broke the heads off and pulled them out. Taking the rod, she pushed it into each wound and the camp filled with the sound and smell of sizzling flesh.

  Popping another potion, Lily poured it into each open wound in the girl’s body and the wounds started to heal rapidly. One potion wasn’t enough to heal all that damage, so she applied a second, then a third before the flesh started to fully knit back together. The girl’s breathing calmed and now she just seemed to be asleep. Lily let out a breath, and looked up to find Arlie watching her, Rose next to her. She blinked, “How...”

  “Nice work healing that demon,” commented Arlie.

  Demon? She looked down and for the first time really took in the features of the young girl she had been healing. The girl wasn’t particurly tall, only about a hundred and twenty centimeters tall, but her face was incredibly cute with delicate rounded features, an adorable little nose and framed by silky light green hair. Two silver horns poked gently through her hairline. Her skin was a creamy tan, completely smooth and unmarred by even a speck of body hair. Her frame was lithe and lean with little in the way of extra fat, her small budding breasts were perky and proud with puffy pink areos and rge nipples. Down lower a tail could be seen extending from her slim butt. It was long and supple, ending with a small pink bulb. She blinked, “I didn’t even notice.”

  Rose frowned, “Um Arlie? Any idea what a demon would be doing around here?”

  Arlie shrugged, “I can’t really say without talking to her, but it is odd. Normally demons like to stay in the infernal pins; they are more comfortable there.”

  Lily couldn’t help asking, “I did the right thing, didn’t I? This isn’t going to hurt us ter?”

  Arlie giggled, “You sure did, and don’t worry Demons are people too. Just keep in mind they can be rather lustful.”

  “Lustful!?” She squeaked as she pictured the young girl slipping into their tent at night and ravishing them as they slept.

  Arlie pulled out a knife, “Not the way you are clearly picturing.”

  Lily frowned, “Um, what’s with the knife?”

  She sighed, “You know the stories right? Well there is a reason demons like to seduce all the men in a town, see they lure a man to their bed and then feast on his mana. Demons can’t replenish their mana the way humans, elves, beastkin or even dwarves can. Instead they take it from people, usually via sex.”

  “Um, is that harmful?”

  “Goodness no, most people leave a demon's bed, thoroughly ravished, very pleased with themselves, and somewhat sore, maybe a little tired. They’ll be fine after a little rest.”

  Before anyone could respond a male voice spoke, “So who is the naked cutie?”

  Lily looked up to see Thron standing there, his face flushed. Arlie noticed his look, “Oh you like her? Maybe you should marry her!”

  He blinked then raised his hands, “What no? I couldn’t! I like you! How could I think of going out with another girl!? That would be disloyal!”

  Arlie chuckled and then turned away from Thron and cut her finger.

  Lily and Rose both shouted, “Why’d you do that!?”

  Arlie shoved her wounded finger into the demon girl’s mouth, “I’m feeding her.”

  “But she’s a demon!?”

  “Vampires and Demons aren’t that dissimir. Sure vampires are more well known for sucking blood but they do it for the same reason Demons engage in sex. Body fluids are rich in mana; blood, sexual fluids and breastmilk are especially rich.”

  The girls flushed, while Thron just kept mumbling. The demon girl however started to suckle on the intruding finger and that was when Horon stumbled back into camp with an armload of fresh firewood. He blinked, “Did something happen?”

  “Lily healed a demon girl.”

  Horon with a frown on his flushed face asked, “Why is she naked?”

  Lily replied, “She didn’t have clothes when I found her, and we haven’t had time to dress her yet.

  Rose rushed to the cart, “I’m on it!”

  A couple of hand spans ter they were on the road, the young demon had been secured in the cart. The only pce they could put her, since she wasn’t awake. Likely not the most comfortable ride, but it let them get going. Rose had found some panties that fit her and a breast wrap. They didn’t have much else that would work for the girl, but it was enough to protect her modesty.

  The girls were currently chatting idly as they walked down the road. “Of course Thron being Thron he followed up with the dumbest phrase I’ve heard,” said Arlie talking about the day the two of them met.

  “Oh? What did he say?”

  Thron face flushed raised his hands in a panic, “Don’t! Don’t!”

  Arlie mercilessly continued, “He said, “You’re cute! Can I have your panties?” Like that was the most natural thing in the world with a straight face too.”

  Lily and Rose giggled, “He didn’t!”

  “Sure did, I just stared at him silly for a good fingerspan or so. I couldn’t believe my ears. I recall quietly asking him to repeat it and he just dumbly said it again. I zapped him good after that.”

  Thron groaned, “Could we talk about something else? Anything else please!”

  Arlie gave him a grin, “But I like talking about your romantic failings, it's hirious.”

  “Give me a break! I was eight!”

  “So? I was six at the time.”

  “Yeah, yeah ugh it up.”

  Horon put a hand on Thron’s shoulder, “Just get used to it.”

  Thron gred at Horon, “You don’t have girls constantly talking about your screw ups!”

  “Well I’ve never straight up asked a girl for her panties. I mean seriously, who does that?”

  A new voice spoke up, “ooh! He asked a girl for her panties? How bold!”

  All of them looked over to see the demon girl awake, her tail wagging, “Tell me all about it!”

  Thron groaned, “Please spare me!”

  Arlie bounded over, “Sure, It will be fun. I’m Arlie Contrey, and you are?”

  “Ixil, daughter of Lord Xel’Merix, did you heal my wounds?”

  “Nah,” said Arlie as she introduced the Santra twins, “Lily was the one who treated you, but I made the potions.”

  Ixil jumped off the cart, and quickly glomped onto Lily, giving her a big hug and a kiss. “Thank you! I thought I wasn’t going to make it.”

  Arlie frowned, “So what happened? Did you get caught by some bandits?”

  Ixil slumped a bit, “... I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “That’s fine, you can tell me ter when you feel more comfortable.”

  “Um, sure.” she looked around, “So, um, where are we anyway?”

  “On the road heading to Arcs, I’m pnning to consult my aunt about something.”

  Ixil replied, “Your aunt!?” her voice filled with a note of something, “Which Contrey is she?”

  “Ria Contrey.”

  “The archmage!? Bring me with you!!!” excimed the demon, her tail wagging again like an excited puppy.

  The girls shared looks and ultimately decided to bring her along. It wasn’t like they had a good reason not to take her along. Arlie had a feeling something was going on with her and if she wanted to see Ria that might give them a few options.