Chapter53

Next Steps
Hajin looked Juna up and down while she stood there shifting her weight from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable with how the new clothes sat on her.
"So, how does it feel?" he asked, tilting his head a little. "Better than a blanket at least?"
The outfit was standard beastkin wear he had picked up from a merchant near the guild, a pair of dark shorts and a fitted top that left her midriff exposed.
"It's fine," she said, looking away while her hands fidgeted with the hem of the top like she was trying to pull it down further.
She was doing a bad job of hiding it, the tips of her ears turning pink and a faint flush on her cheeks.
'Yeah, she's definitely blushing,' he thought, watching her keep trying to tug the fabric lower. 'Not that I blame her.'
"It fits well," he said, keeping his tone casual. "You look good in it."
Her ears shot straight up at that, finally looking at him with wide eyes before quickly looking away again, her face getting even redder.
"I-I didn't ask for your opinion," she muttered, though the way she said it had zero bite and more of a flustered defensiveness.
'Haha, I'll take that as a win,' he thought, turning toward the street ahead while she fell into step behind him, her hands pressed against her exposed stomach the whole way.
Wolf beastkin were known for their close-range combat style, relying on speed, enhanced senses and raw physical ability that outpaced most other races in a straight chase.
'If she's anything like what the stories say, she'd be a solid fighter,' he thought, glancing back at her from the corner of his eye. 'Might be worth asking if she wants to fight alongside me.'
It was still early in the day, plenty of time to head out of the capital and hunt something before nightfall.
He slowed his pace, turning his head slightly. "Hey, want to go hunting for a bit?"
She didn't answer, just kept walking behind him with her eyes fixed on the ground. He waited a few seconds, getting nothing, and was about to say it was fine if she wasn't interested.
"Ok."