Lady of Curses

''YAWN~.'' Somewhere in a forest there is a camp with three tents around a campfire. Someone was sitting on a cylindrical wooden stool near the campfire looking over the fire. It was already morning so he could hear some movements in the tents, at least two of them.

Turning his wolf-like ears a little to try and hear if any movements were made in the last tent, but no luck, it still was quiet. ''Must have tired themselves out last night.'' The fire watcher sighed under his breath while moving his attention away from the quiet tent and back to the surroundings.

*Rustle* It didn't take long before someone finally came out of a tent. ''Morning Kayne.'' Looking over his shoulder the beastkin looked at the elf that just came out of the tent. ''Morning June, what are you doing waking up so early?'' Kayne was surprised that June was the first to be out of her tent, usually the elf needs some help with waking up in the morning.

''I just want to be done with this trip, and the faster we do it the better.'' While talking, June used magic to make another wooden stool, just like Kayne's and sat down near the fire.

For the next few seconds, it was totally silent except for when June decided to blow a few of her blond strands out of her face. ''So what's the plan for today?'' Juna asked while still looking at the fire.

''The same as intended.'' Kayne threw some sticks in the fire while answering. ''We shouldn't be far from our target, it should take less than half a day to get there.'' 

''Mhm.'' June just nodded to Kayne's answer while her blue eyes reflected the flame she was immersed in. For a while after it was quiet as neither of them wanted to start a conversation but instead got themselves absorbed in their own thoughts. *Rusle* That is until another sound was heard from the tents.

''Morning.'' From a tent came out one giant of a man, he easily towered over Kayne and June. If Kayne didn't know better he would think that Hubert had some giant blood in him, but as shocking as it sounds he was 100% human. 

''''Morning.'''' Kayne and June greeted the red-haired titan while he joined them at the fire. June tried to use her magic to create another place to sit, but Hubert waved at her, gesturing that he didn't need it, and instead sat down on the ground with his legs crossed. 

''By the looks of it, we should probably start moving soon.'' While tying his hair in a ponytail Hubert looked a the sky and seeing the sun's position revealed his thought to the other two.

''You're right, but we should probably eat something before we set off.'' Kayne agreed with Hubert, but it would be smart to hunt something and eat it before they set off so that they could preserve their rations even if a little bit in case of an emergency.

''Should we wake up Alex?'' Kayne asked the group if the local archer should be woken up so that he can go and get them their breakfast.

''No, I got it.'' Saying that June grabbed her tooth necklace. While holding the sharp tooth in her left hand, June directed her right palm to her right pointing at the ground near her. 

It didn't take long before her magic started working, a white magical circle started to appear it had mystical runes around the edges while the magic circle itself was glowing soft white. A few moments later the magic circle was completed, after its completion it expelled white mist.

The mist filled some area around the soft glowing circle before something that looked like a wolf with smoky grey fur. After the creature was revealed the mist completely dispersed and the circle was nowhere to find.

The creature looked around, inspecting its surroundings, but the moment its eyes laid on June it perked up and quickly approached the blond summoner. It tackled the elf with so much force that she was almost thrown off her seat.

''Awww, I missed you too Grefured!'' While the wolf was waging its tail and pushing its muzzle into June's stomach, the elf was returning the affection by scratching the creature behind its ears. And while those two were showing their friendly relationship on full display, Kayne and Hubert were just watching those two from the side without making any sounds.

But it didn't take long before the pair calmed down. ''Grefured can you go and hunt something for our breakfast?'' To June's request, the summoned wolf just nodded before it ran deeper into the forest to go and hunt some food. 

''That takes care of that.'' 

''I still can't get over you naming him Grefured.'' While talking Kayne started to take some tools from his backpack, which was near him so that he could prepare their breakfast as soon as Grefured brings them back some prey. 

''I'm not great with names, and that one was the first  that came to mind when I first summoned him.'' June told Kayne while looking at him prepare his tools. ''Plus he likes it.'' 

''Well as long as he likes it.'' Saying that Kayne continued to prep. He didn't need much just his knife, a pan, and some seasoning, and some kind of base above the fire, which he asked June. Using her wood magic June made a four-legged base where Kayne could put his pan so that it was above the fire.

Not long after Kayne was all set Grefured came back with something. In his jaws, there were two decently sized rabbits. If you don't include their size and the horns sticking out from their foreheads then they are similar to normal rabbits.

''Horned rabbits, nice catch.'' Getting the rabbits from Grefured, Kayne started to prep them. Kayne wasn't an expert in preparing prey, but he has picked a few things while on adventures. 

Taking his knife Kayne started to prep the rabbits. Looking at the bite marks he could tell some blood had already leaked out from the bodies so that was somewhat good, unfortunately, he didn't have time to bleed the rest of it out. Quickly and dexterity he cut open the rabbit so that he didn't cut into any organs. 

When the rabbit was fully open Kayne started to remove the organs. At first, he wanted to throw them somewhere on the ground near him, but when he saw June with a wooden bowl in her hands gesturing at him, Kayne had no choice but to comply. 

Kayne put the insides of this rabbit in the bowl, which June put on the ground allowing Grefured to eat them. Turning his brown eyes back to the gutted rabbit, Kayne used his knife to skin it. Although Kayne wasn't a master at using a blade he did it pretty quickly. After that using the same blade he removed the rabbit's horn in one swift motion.

After doing the first one the second one was faster, making them both ready for cooking in no time. Putting the pan on the wooden base to heat up, Kayne started to cut the dehorned horned rabbits in sizes he could easily put on a pan and cook them. 

While Kayne was doing the cooking June was just looking at her summoned wolf as he gorged himself with the rabbits organs with his tail waging in happiness. On the other hand, Hubert was meditating with his eyes closed, just sitting there quietly on the side, while some of his red strands swayed in the wind.

*Kushh* It didn't take long before Kayne started to cook the meat. While cooking he took some spices and seasoned the meat. Kayne was no master cook, but he has cooked his fair share of meat. 

*Rustle* Not long after meat hit the pan a sound was heard from the last tent. ''What are you cooking?'' From the tent came out a dark-haired catkin beauty, she had some leather armor covering her body and two daggers strapped on each side of her waist. 

''Some horned rabbit meat, you should probably wake up Alex, the food will be ready soon.'' 

''Sure.'' Nodding to Kayne's suggestion the black-haired beastkin took something from her pouch that was strapped to her hip. It looked like a glass marble with some black smoke swirling inside it. 

Taking the small tool, she threw it into the tent she just came out of. ''COUGH, COUGH... FUCK!! SAM!!'' The next moment black smoke filled the tent and you could hear someone screaming from it while trying not to cough. After the scream, a half-naked man ran out of the tent. He had nothing on except his underwear. 

''For once can you wake me up like a normal person?'' While still standing on the ground on all four limbs, Alex looked up at Sam, asking if she could stop with her shenanigans for one morning.

''You know I can't do that.'' Sam squatted down in front of Alex and petted his messy dark brown hair. ''How else I would show my love to you?'' Hearing this Alex knew that there was no point in talking any longer about her morning mischiefs. Looking up Alex saw his lover smiling at him. Seeing that he decided to just go back in the tent and get dressed. 

Seeing what just transpired right next to them the trio that was near the fire didn't even bat an eye as this was pretty normal for those two. So while Alex went back to get dressed, Sam decided to join the already-awakened part of the group. Similar to Hubert, Sam decided to sit on the ground. 

''June can I get some plates?'' First portions of the meat were ready to be plated, so Kayne asked for some plates from their local mage. ''Comming right up.'' Not long after June gave the answer five wood plates grew out of the ground. 

After he divided the cooked meat somewhat equally he threw on the next cuts of the meat in the pan. Sam and June took their portions and started to eat, while Kayne gave Hubert his portion and took one to himself. 

It didn't take long for Alex to finally came out and join them. He asked June for a place to sit. After getting his seat he took his food and started to indulge in it. As for Grefured, he was lying near June's feet, and from time to time got some pieces of meat that June gave him. 

And like that, they quietly ate their breakfast. It didn't take long before they finished and got ready to continue their quest. 

''We really should get ourselves some dimensional storage item, that is big enough for all of our stuff.'' June didn't like to carry her backpack. It was somewhat heavy and if a fight broke out they had to try and put in a safe place, but that wasn't always an option. Sometimes there was a sneak attack where they needed to drop their backpacks in seconds notice. Another minus was that if they needed to run from the fight they won't be able to take their backpack with them looking at the circumstances. 

''Well, I hope after this mission we will be able to afford at least the smaller ones.'' Kayne agreed with June because they had had situations where they lost some of their stuff. Although nothing important was lost it still would be better if they didn't lose anything.

''But that talk is after we finish this quest, so let's go.'' Stamping out the fire, Kayne started to lead the party to their goal.