The Gluttonus Beast

"Huh?" I was utterly confused. Why was the Blaze Clan here, how did they know about us already, and what are they here for?

'Well, only one way to found out.' I looked down at the ground and sighed in a mix of exhaustion and annoyance.

"Alright, thank you for informing us. Would you kindly take us to them?" I looked at the newcomer, whose name I will need to find out about later, in the eyes and asked.

"O-Of course, it would be my honor, your Majesty!" He bowed and then headed out the door and waited, I assume for us, to follow him.

'Hmm, I wonder why they are so well-mannered and not well...rowdy and wild. Hmm, must be Luo's and the rest's doing.' That seemed like the most likely situation as while they were members of their village's hunting party, that doesn't explain their manners, with the bowing and all.

"Thanks again..."

"L-Leo, Leo is my name." For his name to be Leo, he doesn't seem to be that brave. But that might be, just because he is nervous or only on the battlefield. As they say "Never judge a book by its cover".

"Very well then, please led the way, Leo." I stood up from my 'seat', just a bunch of fur and hide that was stacked on the floor, and walked towards Leo, but stopped when I didn't hear the footsteps of my council following me. I raised my 'eyebrow' at this. At the fact that I need eyebrows and why they won't following.

"Are you peeps coming or are you staying?" Hearing me address them seemed to snap them out of their stupor and shocked states.

"H-Huh...Oh, we are terribly sorry, your Majesty, it's just..." Zoe started up an explanation in...Southern accent, don't know how she has that, but wasn't able to finish it as her mind was still spinning. But her husband was able to.

"Sorry, your Majesty... it's just, that was a lot to take in and on such a short notice that it just caught us off guard and threw us into a daze. We are sorry if you are offended in any way." Kimble bowed towards me.

"No, no it's fine. And would you peeps stop with the 'your Majesty' thing, it's a bit jarring to me. Also, it makes me feel weird." I'm ok with 'being a King' but the 'your Majesty' thing seems a bit forced and cringy." I know I said I didn't care, but...I didn't really think it through and well... 'your Majesty' just kind of sounds lame, that is the most important reason.

"Hmm, then what would you like us to call you then?" Hmm, what to call me, when we are out in the open or public, that is a tough one, but I think I got it.

"From now on just call me by my nickname, Ryoku, it means strength or power. You can take from that what you will."

"Great! From now on we will call you 'Ryoku or Lord Ryoku, if you want to be formal'. To be honest I didn't like calling you 'your Majesty', anyways, HAHAHAHA!" Ajax boisterously laughed but stopped when Kimble slapped him in the back of his head and told him to be respectful. I could only smile sheepishly at that.

"Alright, let's get back on target here. So who is coming with me and who is staying here?" I brought them back on track, as we went slightly off course, with that moment we had there. This was where Luo decided to chip in by stepping forwards in front of the group.

"Ajax, Blaz, and I shall come with you, and Kimble and Zoe shall stay behind and watch over our people."

"I'm fine with that arrangement." Kimble spook out and Zoe only nodded head to that.

"Alright, let's go bash some heads in!" Ajax yelled in excitement, of meeting formidable opponents and his village's oppressors, as he pounded his fists together -which picked up a small gust of wind with the clashing- and flashing a vicious and feral smile. Blaz only nodding his head to this, showing he is fine with this.

"Alright, then squad. Roll out!" I laughed to myself in the inside for that joke but stopped myself when I saw Ajax curl up into a ball and started rolling down the stairs that lead to here.

"I didn't mean it literally, it was a joke!" My eyes almost popped out of my skull, as while Luo and the rest, expect Blaz, told me Ajax wasn't the smartest, I didn't expect well...this.

"Ow, ow, ow..." His voice was quickly farther into the distance as he tumbled down the stairs. At that, I couldn't help but facepalm or facepaw. The Leo's mouth was almost falling off, and Luo, Zoe, Kimble, and Blaz only shook their heads.

"Is he always like this, taking things too literal?" I turned to the rest, of the now 2 people squad, and asked them seriously.

"Huh, you've only seen the beginning." Oh Lord, his's even worse than that! Let's just hope he didn't get himself killed because of it. I could only sigh in despair of the immediate future.

"Well, let's go catch up to him. Be safe and watch the rest of the family? Civilians? Clan members? I think clan members, as it won't be as...revealing to our enemies, would be better for now, as we may have to go to war."

"Yes Lord Ryoku, we will protect them with our lives!" Zoe and Kimble saluted to me. I nodded to them in response

And with that, I headed out with Leo leading the way and us following. Along the way, I pulled Ajax out of the ground as he was stuck, then proceed to smash him in the back of his head. Putting him back into the ground, scolded him, then pulled him out again. And with everyone now here we moved to the group that may or may not, most likely will, bring problems to us, or make them for us.