Cannon Fire East of the City
In the Magic Beasts' resting quarters of White Wolf City, Totapara's priest, Sangji, the Beast God's Favored of the White Wolf clan, and her attendant Sekula looked toward a set of curtains and softly asked, "Totapara? Are you awake?"
Yet Sangji received no answer, hearing only the steady sound of breathing from within the curtains.
When the curtains were quietly drawn aside, a sliver of light shone into the Magic Wolf's tent, revealing slight changes in her silvery-white fur.
At that moment, Totapara was reclining against a Magic Pattern Tiger-shaped cushion, her limbs wrapped around a huge Black-Scaled Horse-shaped body pillow. Both the cushion and the pillow were embroidered with heating magic patterns, giving off threads of warmth that eased the cold constantly seeping from the Magic Wolf's body.
By the Magic Wolf's tail lay a small fox-shaped pillow. Sangji could even see the freshly added fifth tail on the fox's rear.
"My lady?" Seeing the Magic Wolf's eyes twitch, Sekula asked quietly.
"Mm?" Totapara did not open her eyes. She merely sniffed, recognized Sangji's scent, and nuzzled her head against Sangji's side.
Sangji was somewhat resistant to Totapara rubbing against her like a wolf, but there was nothing she could do about it. She could only say, "My lady, Black Rabbit's side has already finished renovating all the buildings. I recall you saying that you were planning to return to Night-Kirin City with her?"
The Magic Wolf suddenly opened her eyes. "Right! Did I oversleep?"
Sangji nodded. "Not too badly. Night has only just fallen."
Since becoming a High-level Magic Beast, Totapara had begun taking Mage courses. Every morning, the moment she opened her eyes, she had to practice meditation, prayers, and spells. Her entire morning was spent bustling about, to the point