Chapter 216: Wild, Fiery Mess

Author’s note: Hi everyone.

Enjoy this one! ;)

Chapter 216: Wild, Fiery Mess - link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/123219360

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Chapter 216: Wild, Fiery Mess

Deckard led me to a room in the barracks' quarters wing - one of a dozen, nothing special. Small, but with a large window. Not that it mattered. What did matter were the two beds, both empty.

The moment I was alone, I yanked the curtains shut, kicked off my shoes, and picked a bed. Didn’t even remember hitting the pillow before sleep swallowed me whole.

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Deckard was right - I needed that nap. In fact, I felt like I could sleep till the sun rose again. And yet, sleep wasn’t mine to keep.

"Korra!" Vara’s voice shot from the hallway like an arrow, followed by a heavy pounding on the door. "Up! We’re gonna be late!"

"Late for what?" I rasped, yawning and burrowing deeper under the blanket.

"Ah, finally awake. Drunken Filly, of course."

"Drun... shit, the tavern!" I jolted upright, my brain finally kicking into gear. The memories rushed in - Esulmor, our return to Castiana, and the moment I became officially Deckard’s apprentice. And now, a celebration.

The idea of stepping into a crowded pub, squeezed between strangers, noise pressing in from all sides, made my skin itch. Every part of me wanted to stay buried under the covers, pretending I wasn’t here. Too late for that, though. Vara already knew I was awake. And skipping out? That gnawed at my gut, though I couldn’t tell if it was dread or just an empty stomach. Either way, hiding wasn’t an option. This was my chance to break out of the isolation that bastard Dungreen put around my neck back then.

"Yeah, the tavern," Vara grumbled, impatience snapping in her voice. "Everyone’s probably already there."

"A little late won’t kill us," I said, stretching with a yawn. "At least I don't mind."

"Well, I do. Means they've got a head start on the drinks, and worse - I’ll be out of the loop."

"Then go ahead," I muttered, cranky - and instantly regretting it. Finding Dunken Filly wasn’t the issue. It sat right across from the barracks. Going in alone, though? That twisted my gut. That and the hunger.

"No can do. Promised Deckard I’d get you there, and I’m not giving him an excuse to back out on his end."

Mercifully, I bit my tongue before something unwise slipped out. After listening to their "flirting" all the way back from Esulmor, I had no interest in hearing more of it.

"Okay, okay, I'm going," I grumbled, shoving my feet into my boots, wincing at the feel of them. A whole day wearing the damned things, and still, they felt unnatural.

What, in turn, brought me joy was the fact that I was this “cell” of mine. The door and the lock on it, didn't keep me in, but they did keep everyone else out.

The moment I turned the key, a shiver ran through me, deep and satisfying.

"Ah, finally - tits!" Vara’s excitement twisted into wide-eyed horror. "Did you see yourself?"

"N-no?" My first thought was to find a mirror - old habit - but I wasn't that Korra anymore. As soon as the realization slapped me in the face, I shifted my focus to my domain. Vara made it sound worse than it was. Actually, my usual morning for the last - well, since I did get to take a bath. No dark circles, no streaked makeup. Even feeling sour, I looked fresh enough to waltz into a tavern. 

It was the hair. For whatever reason, it had this tendency to fluff up - thankfully not to tangle up. Not a tangled disaster, just a wild, fiery mess, that could have me mistaken for a lion if I had a snout.

"I thought I was having bad mornings, but..."

"It's not that bad," I said quickly, raking my fingers through my mane. A mess, sure, but it didn’t take much to get it under control. A few passes, and it looked… passable. Not perfect, but after the last year and a half, I had learned not to fuss over little things like my hair.

"We can go."

"Are you sure? I mean, I'm pumped to go, but..."

"I am," I nodded, only to have my stomach growl in protest.

Vara groaned. "For tits’ sake. Don’t tell me you need to hit the mess hall first?"

"Not unless they’re cooking at the Drunken Filly." Not that I had a single coin to my name. All I earned was in the Spacial Ring, that was now who knows where. If I wanted to eat, I would have to rely on Deckard - at least tonight. Yeah, a bit lame, but...

"No, just snacks to go with the beer. No point cooking when their customers are city guards eating free at the barracks. Come on, they should have leftovers from dinner." Vara grabbed my arm and dragged me through the barracks corridors toward the mess hall.

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The Drunken Filly stood in better shape than most taverns in the city. Bigger, too, from what I could tell. Yet it was packed - crowded enough that folks lingered outside, swapping laughter and stories.

Warm light spilled from the windows, the glow inviting, the noise of revelry spilling out into the night. The doors stood wide open. Above them, a wooden sign swayed - a scalehoof on its back, legs stiff in the air.

'Right across from the barracks - hats off to the owner.' 

Just thoughts to distract myself.

Truth be told, I barely remembered getting here from the mess hall. Vara had dragged me, sure, but my head was too tangled in nerves to keep track. My hands were so slick with sweat that my shorts bore the proof, damp stains where I’d tried to dry them. Worse, my body had started to shake. Not just nerves - something deeper. That primal instinct clawing at my ribs, the same that had screamed for me to flee when I first stood before a Mother Mossbear.

In fact, I would rather face Esu himself than this inn full of strangers, but... 

"Ah, Vara," one of the men outside groaned,his voice lined with disappointment. "Had money on you getting stuck with night patrol - or latrine duty."

Vara didn’t break stride, just laughed. "Not this time, Clay. Got myself some praise, actually."

"Tell that kind of nonsense to children."

"That's why I'm telling you," she smirked back, barely glancing his way as she tugged me forward.

At the doorway, I drew a steadying breath, checked Sage to make sure I wasn’t walking with my tail full of poison, and with a silent apology for holding back my "farts", I followed Vara in.

The second we entered, a dozen heads swiveled toward us.

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