Stella's determined eyes locked on Tash's...

  For long, long ten minutes...

  The captain stood silent, her mind racing with questions and conflicting feelings, uniting into a raging storm. Did this Human think she would kill her? Why didn't she call the Knight or a Squad member? Perhaps this wasn't her intention? Then what the fuck could it be?!

  "Uh..." Stella awkwardly straightened her posture. "Okay, what the hell, ma'am?!" She clasped her own hips. "I'm trying to fight you!"

  Tash slowly nodded, breaking free of her chaotic trance. "I... can see that..." Her eyes were wide open, searching for any reason in the madness. "I-I'm not following your logic..."

  "It's simple, ma'am..." Stella raised her fists. "You hate my kind's guts for good reason, and I'm here to show you I can protect your pup," she explained. "Now! Come here and punch me in the damn face!"

  Tash took a deep breath in exasperation, rubbing the bridge of her snout. "Kid, I don't need to be trained in rhetoric to develop a convincing argument about why this is a terrible idea." She sighed. "I get it. You discovered this sensitive information about us. You're tired, you're emotional. We can talk about this at a later time..." She reconsidered before slowly turning away. "What about never?"

  Tash's eyes widened when she realized she was stuck in place. Looking down, she saw her feet slowly sinking into the ground.

  "What-"

  Her fur bristled when she felt the Human's Saniya signature advancing in her direction. Rotating herself, her paw instinctively caught a bright, golden mass inches from her face. When the glow subsided, Stella's fist was fully visible.

  The captain's heart skipped a beat, her eyes betraying her cold, professional facade for a split second. At least the girl wasn't shouting spell names like-

  "Fuck! I forgot to shout Rocket Crash!"

  Nevermind...

  Frustrated, Tash swung Stella's punch and flung her for a few meters until she fell rolling and lifted a massive cloud of dust on impact.

  The girl coughed while slowly standing up. "T-That's more like it..."

  The captain shook her head. "Do you REALLY enjoy pain?! Sorry, but find someone else to indulge your kinks." She waved her paw dismissively.

  Stella smirked. "Funny choice of words, Captain..." She wiped the dirt off her face. A good chunk of it, at least. "I guess you don't want to hear what I did with your dear pup yesterday..."

  .........

  She wouldn't.

  "That scary scowl tells me you're interested..." The Human's mocking grin widened. "While you were fighting for your life, I was sharing a bed with Lien..."

  No...

  "Nothing major happened. Just some... hugging, kissing, and..." Her eyes narrowed, completing her mischievous expression. "We confessed our feelings..."

  Tash's entire body shook, head to tail.

  Stella clasped her hands. "That's right!" Then she opened her palms and started shaking them rapidly while she announced. "We're dating!" After almost a minute of pure, unadulterated silence, the little bitch had the gall to add. "Can I call you Mom-in-law?"

  That was it. At this moment, Tash's sense of reason broke. Her feet brute-forced out of the beginner spell and started marching back towards the brat.

  "Let's go!" Stella returned to her fighting stance. "Show me whatchu-"

  Sparks enveloped the Wolf's vision until she flashed behind the impudent brat, paw fiercely gripping her wrist.

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  "Ow ow ow!" The Human hissed.

  Tash lifted her up. The Monoke's hot breath smoldered her face.

  "I won't take responsibility for my actions in the next hour..." Her monotone voice was slowly polluted by an intimidating growl.

  Stella's eyelids recoiled. Before she could squeal any pseudo-smart taunt, Tash struck her gut with a fierce punch! Reveling on the girl's pathetic whimper, the captain threw her straight to the training rock, slightly chipping it.

  The Human child reeled in agony, taking a bit longer to get back to her feet. She would make a superb punching bag...

  "Is that all?" Stella gasped. "You're more of a pinscher than a Wolf... All bark, little bite..."

  Oh, this wench was actively asking for it. The captain was in a good mood, so why not indulge her? The Human admittedly put on a decent fight with all her new earth spells and enhanced durability. However, lifting and throwing a rock was leagues below lightning from your fingertips! Although Tash hadn't used that for direct damage, it was more of an entertaining scare tactic. Keeping little shits on their toes was something she wasn't aware she missed until she experienced it again.

  The clumps of glass would be something she'd have to clean up later, of course...

  To her surprise, Stella was... laughing after the complete humiliation she suffered. "You're pulling no punches, huh..."

  Tash couldn't help but feel a tad of mercy at the Human standing on her hands and knees. Perhaps she went too far. The heinous drivel the girl spouted about her daughter was definitely all so she could give her a proper fight. Bold, if not stupid.

  "Kid..." The captain knelt next to her. "I think you learned your-"

  "GOTCHA!" The little brat threw sand at her eyes! "You should keep your eyes on-"

  Stella finally shut up after a powerful headbutt connected to her skull. "Damn you, you piece of Human shit!"

  Her vision was momentarily impaired, all thanks to the literal dirty tactic. Her boiling anger has now reached insurmountable heights, shooting to the sky like a powerful geyser!

  "I had enough of you..." She growled, gripping the pipsqueak by the tunic. She wasn't sure which part of clothing she was grabbing, but it didn't matter. What mattered, however, was the excruciating, satisfying beating she was giving the child. Each punch gratified the captain as it reverberated through her knuckles, followed by a sick high her mind entered.

  One punch. Two punches. Again. Again. AGAIN!

  Who gave a rat's ass about this child's safety anyway? Stella had the blood of murderers coursing through her veins. It was a matter until Lien-

  "MOM! SHE'S NOT RESPONDING ANYMORE!"

  Lien... Her voice washed over Tash's body like a bucket of cold water. Her heart pounded as she let go of the Human, her watering eyes slowly clearing her vision.

  What she saw... Well, it was better to keep herself blind...

  Stella's face was almost unrecognizable, swelled, bloody, and purple by the relentless trauma that was inflicted upon her. Her body was nearly motionless, save for her twitching fingers and legs.

  Fuck, fuck, FUCK! She was this close to losing her job. At best, she could retire under the pretense of her mental state being unfit for the line of duty. And hell, maybe it was true...

  But what churned her stomach the most was her pup, kneeling and trembling next to her near-unconscious packmate. Or girlfriend if Stella's words proved true.

  Tizohi's shadows shield her from this turmoil...

  "Mom..." Lien's sobs paralyzed the mother.

  "W-What is it, dear..." Her voice dripped with apprehension.

  The pup's voice trembled. "Do you hate me?"

  Tash's heart sank.

  "NO!" She quickly rushed to her. "Why would you-"

  "THEN WHY MUST YOU RUIN EVERYTHING ABOUT MY LIFE!" Lien's screech made the captain unconsciously recoil. Not even Yuki-onna terrified her so much.

  Her child stood up and turned to her, her eyes unfocused but her tears crystal clear. "YOU were responsible for me not becoming an eira! YOU always get angry if I say a word about my brother or dad! And now..." She gritted her teeth, emitting a spine-chilling growl. "YOU HURT MY GIRLFRIEND!"

  So it was true... Oh, what has Tash done...?

  The mother pleaded. "Lien, I didn't know..." She choked on nothing. "I-I was trying to protect you! You are not like the Wolves your-"

  Lien clutched her own ears. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!!!" Her milky eyes darkened with anger. "I'm tired of the excuses! Tired of you pulling my tail and saying nothing about it! Tired of you treating Stella like she's beneath you!"

  Goosebumps coursed through Tash's veins as she felt her daughter's Saniya ripple and erupt, taking physical form as a white, transparent aura. "I'll show you how strong I am! And you can't say no this time!"

  The captain held her placatingly. "I don't want-"

  Lien inhaled a massive amount of air until her chest swelled impressively. Tash coated her left paw in Saniya to deflect the upcoming spell. However, she wasn't expecting the subtle change in the pup's wind technique, much narrower and more concentrated.

  When she swatted the projectile away, she was horrified by the excruciating pain that followed. Glancing at the back of her hand, she held her breath as blood dripped out from the area of impact.

  Lien froze in realization, the smell of blood finally entering her snout. However, this hesitation was brief as she entered her fighting stance. "I'm sorry, Mom. But I have something to prove..."

  The mother clutched her wound, cursing under her breath. As much as she hated it, she should steel herself to go through this. She owed Lien that much...

  "Very well..." She bent her knees, raised her paws, and then unsheathed her claws. "Come at me. Not as my daughter, but as a Wolf warrior."

  These words were all it took for the young pup's apprehension to be swallowed by her resolve. After a fierce howl, she sprinted forward, eager to prove herself through the old-fashioned way of sportive violence...