"Halt!" called one of the guard while the other stood ready and intimidating. The I could see dark grey fur poking from the chinks in his armed, and a snout poking from under his metal helmet "What are you?" the talkative guard called to me.

  "I'm human," I said in response.

  "What's your name?" He called ushering me to move closer with his spear.

  "I'm Hillie," I said proudly.

  "No you're human," the guard quipped. I just gave him a flat glare in return. "Anyways, why're you naked?" He asked obviously puzzled. His scowl only just poking out from his metal helmet.

  "I don't know. I woke up in a cave naked, and weak. When I emerged from the cave I seen this town from the mountain," my knees were starting to shake under the weight of the meat.

  He seemed less wary as he asked, "And the meat?"

  "I killed something called a furbear with the only spell I know, and some sort of trance took me and I took everything of value and some of the meat I was able to carry," I said shaking my leaf pouches to rattle the teeth and claws.

  "Okay forest man. I'll permit you to enter Melding. Just get some clothes," he scoffed as he and the other guard retracted their spears back into a relaxed position. The talker rapped his hands on the large wooden door, and it perilously yawned open revealing a bustling town with eight different races all living in harmony. Humans, dwarves, elves, gnomes, goblins, gnolls, harpy, and kobolds milled around going about their normal lives.

  Melding was a more than apt name for this town as people of different races intermingled without conflict. Then all of a sudden most everyone stopped as they looked at my naked body. I gave a small wave, my cheeks reddening especially as I noticed a burly gnoll, a stocky human, and a lecherously grinning goblin staring at my *equipment* in particular. Several women were staring too, but I paid them no mind. Someone from the crowd threw a set of clothes at me, and while trying to catch them I ended up dropping the meat and the pelt on the cobbled road. I heard some slight chuckling from the onlooking crowd, but just tried to get myself together as fast as possible. I somehow balanced my meager belongings on one shoulder and held the ball of clothes in front of my crotch as I scampered to the nearest bathhouse helpfully pointed out by a blushing woman.

  I pushed through the door and was greeted by a cheary goblin man standing behind a counter he was leaning on.

  "Hello! You look like you are in need of a bath!" He said with a jonty smile on his wide mouth.

  "Yes. I do need a bath," the blood from the meat felt crusty on my chest and back.

  "Well you've come to the right place! Have you any coin, or is your purse as baren as your body?" He laughed stepping from the stool he had been standing on and walking behind the counter. The top of his head was level with the counter top.

  "I am unfortunately showing all I have. I don't have any coin," I said really hoping the man would still let me clean myself. "I'm new in town," I said lamely.

  "No matter this one'll be on the bathhouse!" He said chuckling at his twist on the phrase as he rounded the counter and strode up to a door in the back of the room where a plume of steam billowed out of. "Please deposit your belongings in one of the lockers."

  "Thank you," I said as I strode past. The rooms in entered had cleared of steam and shown itself to be a room with compartments lining the wall. I opened one to an abyss. I pushed my meat, pelt, and makeshift sacks into the locker and they kind of just floated there. The clothes were deposited in the neighboring compartment.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  After a time of sublime bathing I exited put on the donated clothes, and gingerly gathered the rest of my belongings.

  After well wishes from the clerk I exited the bathhouse, and turned my sights to finding a place to rid myself of the meat on my shoulder.

  I stopped a man on the street and asked him where a butcher that would buy the meat from me and where a tanner was.

  The butchery was the nearest of the two. The butcher was just a handful of blocks west of me while the tannery was on the edge of town. I made my way to the butcher first. Walking through the door a burley human with a ponch greeted me. I explained what meat I had and asked for whatever he could give me for it. After a short discussion the man put a handful of coppery coins on the counter and relieved my burden. Now only the pelt, claws, and teeth weighed me down.

  The same events followed my treck across town to the tanner. Explanation, discussion, and then coin. I looked upon my bounty of fifteen copper coins having no idea exactly how much worth i now had. I also had little idea as to where I could sell the teeth and claws as I had foolishly forgot to ask while I was in talks with either the tanner or butcher. I could walk a lot more competently now that I didn't have anything heavy weighing me down.

  It was truly getting dark by this point so I navigated to the main road of the town a wide thing stretching from the center of town to the gate at the north side. There I found an inn, and walked inside.

  The place was bustling. People of all kinds drank and ate merrily together. Behind the bar stopd a grinning harpy covered in plumage and sporting an impressively sharp looking beak. I walked to the bar and said, "Are there any rooms to stay in for the night?"

  "In my inn? Always!" His gruff, gravely voice was at odd with his lithe birdy appearance.

  "How much?" I asked fearing the little amount of coins I had wouldn't be enough.

  "One sword and five daggers," be said proudly. Best rates you'll find in Melding I can assure you!"

  "I have fifteen of these copper coins if that'll be enough," I said placing the handful of copper coins on the bar.

  "Just perfect! It also comes with a complimentary meal, especially for the Forest Man I've heard so much about today," he just about shouted. The inn quieted for a moment as several pairs of eyes turned toward me.

  My cheeks reddening I said, "I'd like that very much."

  "Fantastic! It'll be just a minute," he turned and waited for a heartbeat before a plate was placed on a little window sill behind the bar where I could see stoves and cooktops ablaze and meat sizzling.

  "Here you go! I'll bet it's leagues better than the haunch you brought in, though maybe not better than what's in your new pants," he said in a flirty manner.

  I coughed taken by surprise at his flirting, but before I could cobnle together a response he laughed a harty laugh and went to check on the other patrons of the inn. Now that I looked he did have a nice butt accentuated by the tail feathers bobbing above his shapely rump.

  Blushing, I turned my face down to the meal of meat and potatoes. It smelled wonderful, and my mouth watered. I picked up the utensils and began shoveling the food into my mouth.

  "What's your name Forest Man?" The barkeep leaned in just as I was finishing my potatoes.

  I nearly choked on the delicious mush before swallowing and replying, "Hillie!"

  "Well Hillie, you must be bold to strut into a town naked. If you want to go on another adventure I'll give you your coin back if you share a bed with me tonight." I could see his eyes turn up in a birdy smile as he trailed a talon along my cheek.

  "You're going to have to give me your name first good barkeep," I said barely understanding how I had caught this harpy's eye.

  "My name is Newt. Don't confuse me with those lizards however, I promise I'm much more attractive than those critters," he said coyly.

  "Come on Newt! He just got here! At least let the novelty of the Forest Man wear off before bedding him!" Someone from another table called laughing.

  "Oh! But that's the best time to do so wouldn't you say Will!" He called back with a chuckle. "Anyways back to you. What do you say? Will you join me?" he murmured to me.

  "Uh sure. I think I'd enjoy that," I said with a smile. I didn't know what had caused this, but a bit of tail on my first day in this world couldn't be the worst thing in the world.

  "Grand! Here're your coin back then," he said pushing a small silver coin, five of the copper coins, and a key into my hand. "First door on the right baby. I'll be there as soon as the bar is empty. If you get bored you're more than welcome to come back out, and socialize."

  I stood from the bar, bid Newt a temporary goodbye and headed into the hall that Newt pointed to. I found the door, unlocked it, and stepped through. The room was lightly furnished with an attached bathroom. There were little trinkets littering every lateral surface save for the bed. Bits of metal, rocks, pressed leaves, and all sorts of other miscellaneous stuff was but only a small fraction of the bits and bobs that Newt had apparently collected. I spied the bed and fell onto it, the feather mattress catching my weight. Soon after I found a comfortable spot and my eyes drifted close all on their own.