When they were done hissing among themselves, they packed their fur cloaks, and another, bigger set came and picked up the four of them.

They threw them over their shoulders casually, and Azaroth was reminded again of his small body. He was reminded that they were still children of twelve.

Children? He nearly smiled. That was one of the words of the old world. There were no children now. Only Awakeners. How can you be a child in this world?

Children get killed, same as adults and usually quickly too.

Azaroth and the rest stayed silent as the monsters took them over dried lands and over grassy hills. They passed a forest and finally reached a hill that was rocky and full of openings.

More of the monsters popped their heads out from the openings and hissed to those who had just come. Those ones too hissed back and shook their prisoners at them.

They dropped them down at the mouth of the hill.

"Why exactly are we in this position?" Alex whispered silently but furiously. "Are we just waiting for them to eat us? Why did you say we should play along?"

The truth was that Azaroth was only curious to know more about the monsters. Why had they brought them along and tied them instead of eating them like monsters always do?

The monsters seemed dangerous in a different way. They had intelligence that should not be possible at their low rank. Also, why did the monsters bring along their new white cloaks?

Stallus whispered back at Alex, "Relax. Azaroth will have a plan. He always does, and it’s not like they have started eating you. Keep quiet!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Alex glared but didn’t have time to talk as the hissing monsters began to hiss even more, making a sound that went higher and higher in volume until what appeared to be the leader of the monsters came out.

It was taller than the others, and its scales were more on the darker side than the others. It was also powerful as its aura washed over them. It was in the peak Initiate rank.

They stopped hissing immediately they saw their leader and then they started hissing in short notes that made Azaroth guess that they were speaking.

They also gestured to their captives as they made those whistling sounds. Then they showed their leader the white cloaks. The leader surveyed them, sniffed, and came down from the hill.

The leader sniffed them again and then the cloaks, glaring at the prisoners.

Azaroth forced himself not to curl his nose. The monster’s mouth smelled of rotted meat and heat. He tensed and got himself ready to lurch upright if the monsters tried to attack them, but all the monster did was hiss so loudly it got the other monsters worked up with their collective hissing.

They swiped the air with their claws and snapped at nothing with fangs like thick needles. Then, from the inside, four monsters came out and they carried different monsters among themselves.

Azaroth recognized them immediately. They were the snow-white fur monsters that they had killed earlier. But these ones’ furs were covered in dirt.

Azaroth had an idea of what the scale monsters wanted to do. And he was right.

They brought the white fur monsters in front of them and dropped them in front of the leader. The leader flashed its fangs and bent down. With two hard twists, it broke their necks.

The scale monsters then brought them over and dropped them on the ground, beside their captives. Then they hissed at them, gesturing with their claws at the dead white fur monsters.

After the monsters broke the ropes that tied their wrists, Alex glared at them. "What are they asking us to do now?"

Catena frowned. "I can’t imagine. They kept pointing at the dead monsters, though?"

When the monsters became frustrated with hissing, they brought the white fur cloaks over and dropped them in front of them and looked at them with expectant eyes.

Alex sighed and rolled his eyes at them. "We still don’t know what you are talking about. Also, give us back our weapons so we can..."

Stallus interrupted him before he put them all in trouble. "I think they want us to make more of the furs. That must be it since they keep gesturing at it. What do you think, Azaroth?"

He replied to her with a nod. It was something he had guessed since they first brought the white fur monsters out. Stallus was the first to bring out his small knife and then she started to skin one of the monsters.

Catena also picked the second and started skinning it. Those two were the best at that type of thing anyway, even better than Azaroth at skinning.

The monsters looked at them in fascination as the cloaks started coming out and as they stripped the monsters of skin. Some of them came closer and wanted to try their hands, but they were scolded by Stallus.

Eventually, they finished skinning, and the monsters rushed to collect the cloaks and snatched the monsters’ meat among themselves, snapping and growling at each other.

They brought the new cloaks to their leader and gestured to the captives again, and Azaroth could have sworn he heard them talking about how it was what they were found in.

Then the leader covered himself with the cloak. Its slender form disappeared within the bulk. The leader moved around, and if it kept its head down, it looked just like the white fur monsters.

Azaroth frowned. Now he understood part of why they were brought here, but for what exactly? He still didn’t understand that, and why did the monsters need fur?

They have scales and thick skins. He did not know why they should need fur.

Then, as if something touched them at the same time, all the monsters stopped hissing and began to sniff the air. Then they exploded with hisses and growling.

Alex rolled his eyes. "What now?"