The capybara was back.

  Somehow it had gone around the border guards, through the forest, and popped out in front of us on the path.

  At least, I assumed it was the same capybara. It was middling height, about as tall as my knees, and not quite grown yet. With my exceptional Perception, I could make out the barest hint of a morillo on the animal, letting me know it was a male of the species. The discolouration on the bridge of the nose would only get bigger until it formed an oval lump.

  Capybara were social creatures, and didn’t stray too far afield of their family. This one didn’t seem to care though, and continued following us even after we passed it on the road.

  "I don't want to just gallop away," Bastian said out loud what I was feeling. “Do you think it’ll follow us all the way to the capital?”

  “I’m not sure.” I replied, looking back every few seconds to see if it was still there.

  “Maybe it thinks we can lead it to water?” Lish suggested. Capybara weren’t made for dusty valleys, and the promise of a watering hole after a day stuck in the dry pass might tempt one.

  “We’re coming up on a stream.” I could hear the water gurgling, and sure enough we rounded a bend in the road and there was a burbling brook not ten paces off the pass. The water didn’t cross the road, but ran alongside it for a ways and then disappeared back into the underbrush.

  The capybara happily trotted into the water, walked out again, shook itself vigorously, looked around, saw us continuing on, and then scampered back onto the road after us.

  “So not that then.” Bastian smiled despite himself.

  Even without hurrying, our horses were outpacing the creature; it didn’t seem to mind.

  “Do we slow down?” I asked. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if we got back after dark. I just wanted to be at home in my own bed again.

  “My lady, you know how your family feels about strays.” Lish chided gently.

  I blushed at the unwanted memories. I'd found and brought home a pet three times, and not one had ended well. The first turned out to be a missing beastfolk dog child who’d been separated from her family at the port... Luckily, I’d been five years old and already the Prime Minister’s daughter, or it could’ve sparked international disaster. The second time I was eight, and on a tour through Fern with my brother. I’d been attacked by a Blossom Bear while practicing archery in the woods. My brother was off meeting the head priest of a local Life Temple at the time. Startled, I’d fired a well placed [Sharpshooter] to the bears forehead, knocking it out. I’d barely been level thirty then, and had just enough Strength to drop it's health below 3%.

  Inspecting the comatose bear, I couldn't help notice that it was adorable. Thrice my size, a brown and tan colour, with soft fur and a tiny daffodil growing out of the top of its head.

  I’d dragged it back to ask my brother Howl if he thought our parent's would let me keep it. My brother who was meeting in a temple of Life... where you healed damage just by entering. The Blossom Bear woke up pretty quickly and it'd taken two priests and one paladin to capture the creature. But not before it'd destroyed seventeen chairs, a fruit platter and the head priest's prize turnip for the fall fair.

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  I wasn't allowed to keep the bear.

  The last attempt to bring home a pet happened when I was twelve, and let’s just say they wouldn’t let me keep the Bush Terror Snake I’d found on my way home from the Dungeon Valley Crest.

  They were right about Benny, he was highly venomous and tried to eat the border guard. It wouldn’t have worked out.

  Bastian must have noticed my discontent, and added, “Even if it wanted to join us, I’m not sure what the rules are for importing capybara to Peldeep.”

  My shoulder’s slumped and I looked back at the cute oversized rodent determined to trail us. “Then I guess we just keep riding until it gets tired and gives up - or we reach Fern. I’ll have the Yarrow boys bring him back to the valley if he makes it that far.”

  Herb and Bark Yarrow were twenty-two year old twins, and hardly ‘boys’. But as far as I was concerned, they didn’t get to be called adults until they grew up. They were the sons of the Fern warden, and always in trouble. Wrangling and returning one capybara was a waste of their time and energy… and I was already looking forward to giving them the order.

  “In that case.” Bastian pulled his reins back and stopped his horse, climbing down from the saddle. Lish and I stopped to wait for him.

  While Bastian walked over to the capybara, I noticed something tickling at the edge of my senses. A rumbling in the earth. I turned in my saddle and peered into the forest, not seeing anything nearby.

  Bastian caught up with the capybara, and it walked right up to the commander general and butt its head against his legs. Big eyes stared up at Bastian expectantly, and the drakin bent down in the road to pet the beast. It made excited noises, a short repetitive low chirping sound that showed it’s enjoyment of the head scritches.

  I was only half paying attention, searching for the noise but still seeing nothing. It could be another stampede, or a migration of mushfolk, or a whimsy rhino stomping around. The creatures were tiny, yet heavy.

  Bastian told the capybara, “Now see here. We’re going to have to speed up soon, and you’re going to get left behind. You should go back.”

  Bastian pointed, directing the capybara back the way it had come. It stood on its hind legs and sniffed the drakins hand, then dropped back down to all fours, not understanding Bastian’s advice.

  It wasn’t a knowing beast.

  "Something's coming." I said, sure now. It wasn't headed directly for us, but it was getting closer. "I think we should get ready."

  Bastian didn't need to be told twice. With a soft "pardon me," he scooped up the capybara and hurried back to his horse.

  The tremors were strong enough now that Lish felt them. "Is that another capybara stampede?"

  "Wrong direction," I told her.

  "Should I set up a shield?" Bastian asked, mounting the horse one handed. The capybara didn’t seem to mind the fuss, but it did shuffle around in his arms until it found a spot it liked.

  There was a swoosh and suddenly a black clad warrior landed three paces away before shooting back into the treetops, ignoring us entirely.

  As if that was enough to break the spell, the forest erupted into chaos. Horns sounded, people shouted, and a long elk bugled. The sounds echoed through the forest, loud and clear and close.

  The queens hunting party - their druids masked the sound of the chase.

  "No need," I told Bastian, too late. He'd already instinctively activate a protective barrier around us the second the black-clad warrior appeared on the path. A scout, no doubt. The drakin hesitated only an instant before lowering his guard.

  “IT WENT THAT WAY!” A voice cried, and a second elf raced across the road and off into the forest, going a completely different direction from the black clad figure.

  “We should probably–” I started, only to be interrupted as something crashed through the canopy of the trees and started running towards us.

  “HONK HONK!”

  It was a very shiny, very panicking Golden Goose.

  Anyway! I'll let y'all know when the cover sneakpeak is > . <