Jesus christ, what a fucking mouthful. My head was pounding as I slowly read the gigantic window before me. Bronzebeard and I were still sitting on the table after Elzare disappeared.

  “Well it's getting pretty late lass, this dwarf is going to retire for the night soon. Will you be alright with ole grey ears gone? Lonely lassie in a dark cabin forest sounds scary to me. If ya want I can sleep over! “

  That did actually sound like a good idea, but I wonder if the pervert would try anything. Actually I wanted independence anyway, so I decided against it.

  “Maybe another time beards, I need to get used to this world one way or another. “

  “Such a shame! An here I planned ghost stories, maybe we could've did our nails up real nice like and then once it was really late.. We could've..”

  “Goodnight beardo! Don't let the door hit your short butt.”

  “Short! Lass, you’re hurting me over here! I like to call it a racial benefit! You’ve any idea the view you get down here with certain lassies!?”

  “You pervert! Go back and hammer your sword or whatever it is you do.”

  “Alright, alright. Good night lass, I’ll be off”

  Bronzebeard pulled himself up from the chair and left the cabin, carefully closing the door behind him. Part of me actually wanted him to stay, the thought of being all alone in a dark cabin forest, lit only by candles in the middle of a fucking forest scared the hell out of me, even more so because of my current passive that plagues me. Oh my fucking god, I'm the new keeper now, and it said it notifies everyone who I am and what my role is, that means people all around here know that Elzare must've passed it down, maybe they think he's dead or gone. Would they loot his cabin now? I don’t know, I doubt the notification told the people of my level though or most would act on it.

  I steeled my tired butt to blow out the candles down here, go upstairs and try to get some good sleep. I inspected the front door for any type of lock, to my disappointment there was none. I guess someone as high of level as Elzare has little need for such primitive things. I walked up the stairs and did the same to my door, again to my surprise there actually was a bolt style lock! Did Elzare consider my privacy? I forgot to add him as a friend! Thinking hard, I spoke in my mind. “Send Friend Request Elzare”.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  What!? Why would he.. I don’t want to dwell on it. I guess we weren’t really friends anyway, I hardly know much about him, besides what I played, but he's already lived longer than I have ever played as him. I know about his family, but I think he was letting that out mostly for himself on that day. Pushing any bad or sad thoughts from my mind, I locked the door and embraced my goddess. I just realized that Elzare probably finished drying them from a few days ago and wrapped them around me while I was unconscious. He really is a good man/half elf I don’t even know anymore.

  With the warm feeling of safety wrapped around me, I closed my eyes feeling extremely tired. The problem is, sleep never came to me. I found myself constantly opening my eyes scanning the room. The wooden figure of my armor in the one corner nearly made me soil myself. The shadows of the trees from the moonlight looked haunting. An eerie sound of the night was constantly barraging me. I was absolutely horrified. I’m alone right now, level 1, with no means to defend myself. I quickly scattered to my feet in a rush almost falling over, pulling off the armor from the wooden figure, quickly equipping it all, without even inspecting any improvements Bronzebeard might’ve made. Flashbacks of the dreadful first day at the forest assaulted my mind, I was powerless, I am powerless.

  I soon found myself huddled in the corner of my room, fully equipped with even a sword in my hand, inspecting even the slightest movements around me. Maybe my superior equipment could beat someone of a level or two higher than me. I found myself not being able to close my eyes for even a moment, they were darting everywhere in the lonely brown cabin walls. Especially towards the door.

  I was expecting something to start knocking or hitting hard on it for some reason, it was locked, but in my mind it was locked for a reason now. That scared me even more. I finally heard something I didn't want to. It sounded like a quick tap on my window, I very nearly did soil myself. Steeling myself again to inspect it, there was a tree branch that finally reached my window from the night winds that were picking up. Running back to my corner, I tried to calm myself. Again the sound of tapping repeatedly. Now I thought I heard the sound of people walking below me. I couldn’t hold it in anymore, I was going absolutely crazy, I found myself crying in the corner for what felt like hours.

  A strange feeling of warmth entered my ear after a bit, the corner of my eye saw a blue glow.

  “It’s alright, you didn’t think I’d still call myself a dwarf if I didn’t look out for you lassie? I thought I’d keep an eye out from the nearby trees make sure nothing happened, wasn’t going to show myself or hurt your pride, but seeing you crying there breaks me heart. I’ll be there in a couple minutes so don’t be alarmed.”

  The sound of his sweet jolly voice entering my eyes in the lonely hours of the night as I was huddled in a corner, instantly released me of my trance. Excited to see him, I rushed the door open and ran down the stairs.

  Dark green eyes from the pitch black first floor below were visible, I instantly turned around and started crawling up the stairs. I fell down back into my second floor bedroom tumbling, scooting backwards as the eyes got closer. I could feel my heart about to jump out. Soon they entered the radius or my dresser candle, I could see it clearly now. It had dark black fur that glowed against the candle, almost majestic, huge whiskers, fangs as long as my arm, and pupils like that of a feline creature. It approached me closer and closer, I found myself shaking an uncontrollable sob, completely losing myself. I closed my eyes, fully prepared to be a meal.

  A warm, sharp sensation was happening on the right side of my face, it was sorta rough, but almost soft too. Opening my eyes, I saw the creature was licking me, was.. was it getting a taste first? I closed my eyes again not wanting to accept my fate. Soon the soft bristles of its fur were rubbed against me with enough force to move my neck. I’ve only played with a few cats before as Ryu, but this was friendly behavior as far as I could tell. Slowly peeling my eyes open again, I tried to wrap my hand around the beast up to its ears to rub them. As soon as I reached one of its ears, the creature instantly laid down onto me as I was backed up against my bed. I could feel the vibrations of the beast purring throughout my entire body.

  “Oye! Berry! I thought I told you to keep a close eye on her, but maintain distance!” a sweet dwarven voice was spoken from the doorway.

  He looked stern now “You could’ve scared the lass! Cmere boy.”

  The giant tiger like creature jumped towards Bronzebeard, knocking him to the floor as the creature licked his face. I think I might know why his beard always looked so shiny now..

  “Alright, alright! That's enough Berry.”

  The beast listened and stood to the side of the dwarf that lay on his back as he steadied himself up.

  “Hey lassie! Fancy meeting you here!”

  I don’t know why, I guess the mental battle of the night, but I rushed to him on my knees and hugged him as tight as I could.

  “Lass.. It’s alright now” I felt a solid pat on my back.

  “Sorry about Berry there, likes to interpret commands in his own way sometimes. My class is a hunter if ya didn’t know, hence the shotgun in my vault and this here beastie.”

  I wasn’t really listening, I was just tired and shocked from the night. I was actually falling asleep while being on my knees comforted by Bronzebeard's hug. Darkness crept over me.

  The big guy in the sky assaulted my eyes again, ripping them open with hulk like strength. Going over the events of last night, I looked around me. I felt an extremely soft and warm thing wrapped around me. Rubbing my hands towards it, It was fur, very clean and lovely fur. Berry. Berry was cuddled up beside me, his giant head right next to mine, smelling of bad breath. He was kinda cute though. The second thing I noticed was a loud snoring from somewhere. Stretching my neck and body, but not enough to bother Berry, I saw a dwarf completely sound asleep, just in the middle of the fucking floor. No pillow, blankets, or anything at all. That’s not right.

  Slowly creeping out the bed, Berry woke up and looked at me.

  “Shhh, just wanna put Bronzebeard in the bed, I feel bad he's in the floor.”

  That calmed the beast down and he layed back down comfortably. Inching over towards the dwarf in the floor, I slowly wrapped my arms under him. I hope I have enough strength for this. The answer was, that I didn’t. I couldn't lift him a single inch. Trying with all my might with my eyes closed, he started to raise though. Looking around I saw the large beast grab him by the shirt and fucking fling him towards the bed. He landed with a thud. Freaking out by what just happened, looking at Berry and back towards the bed, I soon heard snores. My god talk about a heavy fucking sleeper!